Is there a watch brand you absolutely cannot stand? If so, why?

[tony20009]

Originally Posted by k9david

Although i admire the movement (can't afford one though) i struggle to understand the appeal of Richard Mille watches

• Fabrication methods and materials
• Movement innovation
• Durability
• Status symbol

I happen to think the best looking of RM's watches are unattractive, but then I'm not keen on most skeletonized watches from most other makers either. That makes me not a good person to comment on them from an aesthetic standpoint. Even when I try to put on my "art history/appreciation hat," I struggle to find anything positive to say about the looks of RM's watches.



The ones below are the few I've come across that I don't mind visually, but even among them, but for the very first style pictured, it's more a matter of tolerance than one of liking.














As you can see, each of the ones I don't mind are novelty pieces more so than recurring production pieces.

All the best.

[ASAP]

I happen to like Tag Heuer's, especially the Aquracer line.... IMHO at that $1500-2500 range, it's hard to find a better looking watch w a solid brand name.

[mookie45]

Must have for someone with a feline fetish!

Bargain at $200k.

[tony20009]

Originally Posted by mookie45

Must have for someone with a feline fetish!

...

I would tend to agree.

All the best.

[Robin_NL]

Apple Watch

U Boat, over the top, way too pricey for what it is and their (pseudo Panerai) so called history is just marketing.

I never was a Hublot fan either(looks) but they're getting 'better' and more interesting.

21 years ago I bought my first expensive watch , an IWC Portofino. 15 years ago my first Rolex (GMT II) and about 5 years ago I had a pre owned(by my BMW dealership's CEO) AP ROO and a JLC Polaris Re Edition. Sold them both.
Inbetween I had a few IWC/JLC and a Panerai 320...

I had a few Rolex diver watches old and new (16610/116610 LN, Deepsea, 16600 SD) but sold /traded them. I now have a SD4K 116600, great watch. and I bought a stupid Apple watch 42mm steel rubber sapphire crystal. Worst watch I ever bought, hate to say it. It's for sale

Cheers
Robin

[8k3]

Dislike:
Breitling; I find their designs ugly, no other way to describe it. Chronomat, Avenger, Galactic, and Colt are the worst offenders in terms of looks, many of which are ridiculously large.

Favs:
Omega, Pam, IWC, Honorable mention to Rolex Daytona and Sub (timeless designs)

[1MOREMOD]

Originally Posted by 8k3

Dislike:
Breitling; I find their designs ugly, no other way to describe it. Chronomat, Avenger, Galactic, and Colt are the worst offenders in terms of looks, many of which are ridiculously large.

Favs:
Omega, Pam, IWC, Honorable mention to Rolex Daytona and Sub (timeless designs)

Agreed

[cays]

Originally Posted by ASAP

I happen to like Tag Heuer's, especially the Aquracer line.... IMHO at that $1500-2500 range, it's hard to find a better looking watch w a solid brand name.

This. I bought a 43mm Aquaracer with stainless bracelet and an extra Tag rubber strap set. I knock around with it but primarily it's for travel. I tend to go places that are out of recognized tourist zones which might be considered "not as safe" so I figure I'll have a decent and very attractive timepiece on the road, but if it's stolen, lost or I'm robbed it won't be a major loss. For the something over $2k+ for everything that I paid it's huge bang for the buck.

[wrickem]

Originally Posted by wrickem

I don't know why or where I got my intense dislike from, but anytime a salesperson says "Breitling", I cringe and tell them "no thanks".

Hahahahaha. I am going to have to eat my words now, I was in the mood for a new watch and wanted something with an old fashioned mesh band and completely different than anything I have. I was looking for a kind of "Thurston Howell the III-ish" vibe for the summer and went with a Breitling Super Ocean. I still don't think I'll be a Breitling collector, but 1 is okay

[Em135eye]

Rolex; bought for wrong reasons, often gold which is very naff.
Breitlings fussy watches.
Hublot; a triumph of cost over class
Anything bigger than 45mm unless it's GPS/sports watch.
Any non watch designer brand trying to make watches; over priced tat.

[jtodd_fl]

Originally Posted by Em135eye

Rolex; bought for wrong reasons, often gold which is very naff.
Breitlings fussy watches.
Hublot; a triumph of cost over class
Anything bigger than 45mm unless it's GPS/sports watch.
Any non watch designer brand trying to make watches; over priced tat.

This is me.

[Bkborn]

I hate Invicta watches with a passion. I owned three, 2 broke and the 3rd went missing. lets just say I didn't lose any sleep over it. I wouldn't knock anyone for wearing them cause taste is only a matter of someone's own desire.

[Adamrt]

Originally Posted by tony20009

I haven't dealt with them either, but I've also never since I bought mine -- 1980s -- needed a repair. I have a tank watch.

Of course, the sad truth is that so long as everything goes as expected, we don't hear a peep. People are quick to say "so and so was <insert negative comment>". Rarely do people go out of their way to say, "everything went just like it should have." Thus the WWW is loaded with people griping, but not with people saying what a wonderful experience they had.

Wrickem,
You can dislike Cartier. That's fine. You can be angry with them because they ticked you off. That's fine and understandable, to a point.

• What repair did you need? For what watch that you'd had for how long?
• What actions on Cartier's part made them a pain to deal with?

I suppose any watch can go out of style. I have a Tank and it's hardly out of style, for men or women. The idea of Cartier and "out of style" is very much the same as the idea of Porsche and "slow cars." That they don't go out of style is why Cartier watches command such high resale values at auction and hold their own quite well. (http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/...es-ge1401.html)

I am curious to learn of the specific "drama" you had with them and their watches. You are the first person I've ever heard tell of such a thing.

I have bought 3 Cartier's and whilst I like the watches the customer service stinks, my wife's watch a Ladies Cartier 21 like this one



The gold numbers wore off and Cartier give a life time guarantee for defective workmanship so I took it back, they told me it isn't defective workmanship! what they designed it to wear off? and it would cost me £500 (thats pounds not dollars) to get repaired

So I told them to 'F' off and I will not be buying from them again

[jtodd_fl]

Originally Posted by Adamrt

I have bought 3 Cartier's and whilst I like the watches the customer service stinks, my wife's watch a Ladies Cartier 21 like this one



The gold numbers wore off and Cartier give a life time guarantee for defective workmanship so I took it back, they told me it isn't defective workmanship! what they designed it to wear off? and it would cost me £500 (thats pounds not dollars) to get repaired

So I told them to 'F' off and I will not be buying from them again

I would try another dealer or write to the company themselves.

[John Tanglewood]

Originally Posted by SenorFunkyPants

Any new watch with Rolex on the face.

Originally Posted by SenorFunkyPants

ISTM that a Rolex dealer could could advertise them thusly:
Got loads of money to blow on a watch?
looking for a watch that says "I've got loads of money"?
Then you have come to the right place.
"Rolex, no other watch says ostentatious better.

Originally Posted by iamwingman

I think Rolexes, as well as other 'luxury' brands are intended to serve a dual purpose of style as well as utility. To use your standard, anything other than a $25.00 timex could be considered ostentatious. A different degree perhaps, but ostentatious all the same. A very very very subjective term I believe. One man's Patek is another man's Timex. Just like cars and houses and wives.

Originally Posted by Z K

I like some Rolexes such as the their dive watches but I have to agree that I'm not a fan of the image of owning a Rolex. It does seem to be the generic face of higher end luxury watches and many Rolex owners don't really know much about the watch itself other than "it's a Rolex".

Read this article: Going Where Few Have Gone Before – Inside All Four Rolex Manufacturing Facilities

If you actually make it through the whole thing, tell me whether you feel the same way about Rolex.

Did you know Rolex just updated their COSC accuracy standards to +2/-2? And they BARELY advertised it? Do you realize what a feat of engineering that is, to be able to guarantee that all your movements are SO good that they will only lose/gain a maximum of 2sec per day. For an automatic watchmaker that is simply unheard of.
Link: Rolex Extends Stringent In-House Tests

Rolex also uses a more high-grade stainless steel that no other manufacturer uses. That's why SS Rolex's seem to have that "sheen" to the material, because it is a higher grade steel. Because Rolex produces so many watches they can afford to use the better steel.

Look, I'm 30. When I was in my teens and early 20s I HATED Rolex because #1-They were the most faked watches, and #2-They seemed like basic, unoriginal timepieces.

But #2 is wherein lies the beauty. The submariner (though not my personal favorite) is a completely utilitarian watch. You can wear it literally anywhere, it will survive the harshest of beatings, and when you service it with Rolex it will come back to you looking like a brand spanking new watch.

Did you know that Rolex used to be the only brand of watch that could be used as currency in air travel, good for a one-way ticket to anywhere in the world? That's because they hold their value like no other brand.

Do some reading on Rolex. Or don't, if you really are comfortable with your opinion. But their history, efforts, and consistent unique development is nothing short of astounding. Their movements are bulletproof. And while I do not see them as the 'end all, be all' (I, personally reserve that statement for Lange or Greubel), I think if you have the means, you should definitely own at least 1.

Cheers!!

[John Tanglewood]

Originally Posted by tony20009

My mistake. The current ALS was actually started in 1990. 1994 is when they released their first watch.

The original ALS was founded in 1845. On 20 April 1948, the firm A. Lange & Söhne was expropriated and renamed to VEB Mechanics A. Lange & Söhne. Thus the company ceased to exist during the cold war. The company name was reborn in 1994 and that recreated ALS is what we have today. (https://www.richemont.com/9-press-ne...oultre-sa.html)

The ALS of today is not the ALS of 1845-1948; it is a new company. It is fortuitous for ALS that they have a Lange family member involved and that they operate from their old HQ. Those two things certainly help in "hiding" that it's a new company.

All the best.

Yes Lange is a new company by all standards. If they were as old as previously stated, they would be worth more than Pateks.

Give Lange another 10-20yrs and see how many more people are buying them vs. Pateks.

[jtodd_fl]

Originally Posted by John Tanglewood

Yes Lange is a new company by all standards. If they were as old as previously stated, they would be worth more than Pateks.

Give Lange another 10-20yrs and see how many more people are buying them vs. Pateks.

If I am going to wear the watch, I am getting a Lange any day. If I am going to toss it into a safe and try to make money off it, I guess the Patek. Give me a nice Datograph ab/auf any day....

[John Tanglewood]

Originally Posted by jtodd_fl

If I am going to wear the watch, I am getting a Lange any day. If I am going to toss it into a safe and try to make money off it, I guess the Patek. Give me a nice Datograph ab/auf any day....

Awesome choice!! My father has a Datograph up/down and a Zeitwork, but I am after the Datograph Perpetual:



He's also got a Patek perpetual and he wears it all the time!! Just gotta pick your places I guess.

[jtodd_fl]

Originally Posted by John Tanglewood

Awesome choice!! My father has a Datograph up/down and a Zeitwork, but I am after the Datograph Perpetual:



He's also got a Patek perpetual and he wears it all the time!! Just gotta pick your places I guess.

Which Patek perpetual? The Tonneau shaped one or a round? I kinda like the 5940, but I mostly stick with round watches.

[John Tanglewood]

Originally Posted by jtodd_fl

Which Patek perpetual? The Tonneau shaped one or a round? I kinda like the 5940, but I mostly stick with round watches.

It's the classic 5140 in yellow gold. I took this photo of it awhile back...



Also check out my post in this thread:Watches of SIHH 2016, I got to try on all the heavy hitters and got some outstanding photos of the Langes and Greubels.

[jtodd_fl]

Originally Posted by John Tanglewood

It's the classic 5140 in yellow gold. I took this photo of it awhile back...



Also check out my post in this thread:Watches of SIHH 2016, I got to try on all the heavy hitters and got some outstanding photos of the Langes and Greubels.

yeah - saw those. Kinda loving the Grand Lange 1 Lumen.

[John Tanglewood]

Originally Posted by jtodd_fl

yeah - saw those. Kinda loving the Grand Lange 1 Lumen.

The Lumen is out of this world, it's so cool!