# Fashion Watches



## CharlieBrown (May 14, 2004)

Have any of you encountered someone that announces they're about to purchase an expensive, good quality watch, "because they've always wanted one", only to proudly show you their new Calvin Klein or Guess timepiece a few days later?

A co-worker was recently awarded Â£500 ($770 USD) for 20 years service and with the desire to buy a quality watch, used the entire amount to buy an Emporio Armani stainless steel with Jap quartz movement.

I hadn't the heart to tell her!







But inside I was saying, "No, please don't tell me you spent all your money on that!"

Now I certanly don't want to sound snobbish but she's been hoodwinked by the fashion industry because it's all very transient and even then, only an illusion.

Be Cool!


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## Roy (Feb 23, 2003)

CharlieBrown said:


> Have any of you encountered someone that announces they're about to purchase an expensive, good quality watch, "because they've always wanted one", only to proudly show you their new Calvin Klein or Guess timepiece a few days later?


 Many times,


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## rsykes2000 (Dec 3, 2003)

That is shocking. Strange how so many people are fooled into thinking that huge expensive marketing means high quality product. (And 500 pounds is 900 dollars !)


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## JoT (Aug 12, 2003)

I suppose its all part of the designer label culture .... a polo shirt without logo Â£15 the same polo shirt with a logo Â£45.

I have a mate who thinks my watches are crap; why dont I get something decent like Raymond Weil or Gucci?

Why not indeed?

Personal choice.

If she wants to spend her Â£500 on an Armani .... ?


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## Roy (Feb 23, 2003)

Â£15 for a polo shirt







, mine are Â£3 from Tesco's.


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## raketakat (Sep 24, 2003)

Roy said:


> Â£15 for a polo shirt
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 I find George by Asda more to my liking







.

I'm still looking for a shirt to set off my red Orient though







.

I always embarass her ladyship in clothes shops. I inspect the seams for workmanship







.


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

The Mrs loves Primark, spends hundreds in there when we go to Newcastle. Look at all this I got she says, very cheap. Thing is they are cheap because their crap dear!!!!!

As for fashion watches, footballers seem to be the worse!


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## adrian (May 23, 2004)

I've seen some people wearing a costume, necktie and Timex.







It is not a question about money, it is about general knowledge about watches. I've also seen some wearing Tags (quartz, of course). Maybe they need some more information about what is good value/price.

BTW: I like Reymond Weil, the crown on Parsifal is lovely.


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## raketakat (Sep 24, 2003)

adrian said:


> Maybe they need some more information about what is good value/price.


 Are you listening publishers







? "Which Watch" magazine. Do it







.

They'll always be people who'll buy the "lifestyle package" names though. Silly buggers IMO







.

Now where's my Burberry cap







......


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## Griff (Feb 23, 2003)

I think one of the worst type of overpriced "fashion" watches is Gucci.

IMO these watches are a hideous price for what they actually are in watch terms, but the no. of times times females in particular seem to think they are the make to go for beggars belief!!!!


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

I don't care for fakes but if someone offered me a fake Gucci I might buy it and expect the quality to be better than the original.


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## MIKE (Feb 23, 2003)

Hi,

I got talking to one of my customers about watches today, he proudly told me he had three watches. One for work, one for everyday and an expensive one for best. I did not have the heart to tell him where his Â£300 Ellesse watch figured in the grand plan of all things horologicaly.

He was quite taken a back when I told him I collected them and have getting on for thirty at the last count and that was a modest collection by some standards.

He did seem intrested in them, so may be I could steer him in the right direction when he wants another "top brand" watch!

MIKE..


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## Guest (May 26, 2004)

In the end people buy what they like and what gives them pleasure.

When I offered my middle son one of my vintage Omegas , he said,

"Thats an old mans watch"

A MKII Speedmaster was reviled as "Revolting"









He loves his Armani watch I bought him in a sale for Â£150. It is a heavy polished steel case with a solid link bracelet, quartz movement and does look smart.

His ambition is to own a Cartier.

I appreciate fine watches but in some peoples spheres of influence they have different ideas.

Many people would not think of buying a "second hand" watch either.

Your scathing comments have surprised me, I thought I was supposed to be the watch snob!


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## rhaythorne (Jan 12, 2004)

For me it's simply down to what I perceive the manufacturer to be good at.

I wouldn't buy a Gucci watch because I tend to associate them with shoes and handbags (probably why the girls like them!)

I'm happy to own a Raymond Weil; they only make watches (as far as I know) although they may be quite ordinary in the horological scheme of things.

Likewise, YSL, Chanel, Armani et al make me think of shirts and perfume etc. but not watches, even though I'm sure they're no better or worse than Raymond Weil probably.

I wouldn't buy a Swatch car for the same reason


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## JayGee (Feb 26, 2003)

neil said:


> When I offered my middle son one of my vintage Omegas , he said,
> 
> "Thats an old mans watch"
> 
> ...


 Well, while I think he's dead wrong about the Omegas I can't see anything wrong with liking Cartier...

The Tank (Amaericaine or Francais) is a design classic (to the point that many people refer to just about any rectangular watch as a "tank"), the Pasha was the first ever sports watches, and the Santoz is (more or less by definition) the original Pilots watch. OK, so they've always used bought-in movements but there's enough genuine innovation (functional as well as aesthetic) in the case designs to make them worthy of attention and a fair bit of respect.


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## Griff (Feb 23, 2003)

I think Cartier are the most overpriced higher end watches, especially being quartz. Could never understand anyone paying the sort of money that they charge for these. Their prolific use of Roman numerals is also a turn off for me, but I accept that this is just my opinion.

When you consider the kind of watch you can get for about Â£150/Â£250, e.g. an O & W mechanical watch like an M5, or a Speedbird, or an Oris or Tissot, I can't for the life of me see why anyone would give the likes of Cartier a secong glance. My experience of Cartiers is mostly owned by stinkingly rich posh tarts that aren't even aware their watch is either quartz or mechanical, and in my opinion most of them not having the brains God give a goat!!!


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## JayGee (Feb 26, 2003)

To be fair the only Cartiers I've ever actually handled were a couple of old (40s?, 50s?) examples, a Tank and a Santos, both of them were very nicely made and allegedly fitted with JLC movements.

If standards have slipped on the more recent watches that's a damned shame, but I'd still have a nice old Tank like a shot...


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## Fred (Feb 23, 2003)

Try This.

http://www.forbes.com/2003/12/03/cx_ns_120...tml?partner=aol

and have a look at the slid show at the end, cheers fred.


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## Guest (May 26, 2004)

Griff said:


> My experience of Cartiers is mostly owned by stinkingly rich posh tarts that aren't even aware their watch is either quartz or mechanical, and in my opinion most of them not having the brains God give a goat!!!


Actually Griff if they are stinking rich posh tarts the last thing they care about is whether their watch is quartz or mechanical.









BTW I'll tell my wife what you think of her, but I don't think I'll ever see her in an O&W.


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## 036 (Feb 27, 2003)

Quite an odd view of the classic watches in that Forbes link. The only ones he mentions of note are the Rolex Oyster and and the Cartier Tank.

Obviously inhabits a different world where the Speedmasters, Seamasters, and Daytonas, Monacos etc mean little. Not haute horologie I know but...

I don't think I like _any_ of the ones in the slide show


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## Griff (Feb 23, 2003)

neil said:


> Griff said:
> 
> 
> > My experience of Cartiers is mostly owned by stinkingly rich posh tarts that aren't even aware their watch is either quartz or mechanical, and in my opinion most of them not having the brains God give a goat!!!
> ...


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## CharlieBrown (May 14, 2004)

I think we all agree that individuals should be, and are free to buy whatever watch they want (Armani, RW whatever) - so long as it makes them happy.

What is a shame though is when the buyer is thoroughly convinced he/she has bought an expensive *watch* , when there is nothing about it's mechanism to distinguish it from the cheapest of brands.

What they have purchased is an expensive brand name, not an expensive watch.

I suppose the "con" does occur at the other end of the scale too. For example, fine, respected watch brands that "graft" in timepieces with inexpensive movements and sell them at a premium justifying the asking price through elaborate descriptions and the use of celebs.









Regards,


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## Fred (Feb 23, 2003)

The point was Si, that it takes all sorts, if you like a particular watch and are happy with it who are we to say otherwise. i would hate it if we got snotty just because we know a tad more than them, [if your in your in, if your not its expensive] cheers fred.


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## namaste (May 8, 2003)

What's true for watches is true for everything else. If you don't know what you're buying, there will always be someone to sell you something that you may think is nice but is of little value. A lot A lot of people pay for brands and image more than value and quality...


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## Guest (May 28, 2004)

Fred said:


> The point was Si, that it takes all sorts, if you like a particular watch and are happy with it who are we to say otherwise. i would hate it if we got snotty just because we know a tad more than them, [if your in your in, if your not its expensive] cheers fred.


 Well said Fred.

My feelings exactly.


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## 036 (Feb 27, 2003)

> The point was Si, that it takes all sorts, if you like a particular watch and are happy with it who are we to say otherwise.


I would never criticise anyone's choice, you are quite right.


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## Griff (Feb 23, 2003)

The point is, people in the know can help others against wasting their money on grossly overpriced quartz fashion watches, when you advise them of really good mechanical watch sources at bargain prices.

Some people get snotty about acknowledging O & W!!


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## iloper (Dec 16, 2003)

i know similar stories,like a girl friend of mine who bought a Emporio to his dad

for 450 Euros,when she has a TechnoMarine...

the problem is she has a lot of money...

choices...


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## Fred (Feb 23, 2003)

I know what you mean Griff but some people like Fashion watches, and when you show them a nice wind up or automatic in stainless for less than there quartz they look at you sort of a bit daft and can't see the point of winding a watch when there's keeps proper time with out any messing about,







. cheers fred.


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## emmakate (Aug 22, 2006)

Hello Griff,

I am a female and I can't stand Gucci. I own a Raymond Weil (admittedly a ladies tango, but it's not a girly watch). If I had more money to paly with at the time, I would have bought a Breitling or a Tag.

when I eventually make oodles of money from my business, I'll be buying an A.Lange and Sohne, or maybe an IWC.

BTW to all you chaps out there, there some of us females who do like watches because of their design and craftmanship, and who can't stand bling. Okay Frank Mueller is a good make, but to showy, likewise JLC.

emmakate.


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## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

Welcome Emmakate, you have great taste in IWC and Lang


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## alfinson (Feb 2, 2006)

I have a couple of RLT, Precista, Omega, O&W, Archimede among many other watches. But I also have one DKNY, one D&G and one Gucci, under which stone can I hide


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

This is the height of fashion and good taste.


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## Marky (Sep 29, 2005)

OH NO, no that old Record (Rekord) again.


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

Marky said:


> OH NO, no that old Record (Rekord) again.


*Leave it!!*























Welcome to the forum emmakate:rltb:

BTW don`t mind the locals, they are mostly harmless


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## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

> Leave it!! nono.gif


I wish he would, in a drawer somewhere preferably .......


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## Barryboy (Mar 21, 2006)

CharlieBrown said:


> I suppose the "con" does occur at the other end of the scale too. For example, fine, respected watch brands that "graft" in timepieces with inexpensive movements and sell them at a premium justifying the asking price through elaborate descriptions and the use of celebs.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Come on, don't be shy..... name names!


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## Henry W (May 13, 2006)

Griff said:


> My experience of Cartiers is mostly owned by stinkingly rich posh tarts that aren't even aware their watch is either quartz or mechanical, and in my opinion most of them not having the brains God give a goat!!!


Hi Griff,

Here's my Cartier Santos 100










It's an Automatic

My first degree is a BEng in Civil Engineering, my second degree is an MSc in Finance and Management. Both from Durham University which is one of the top 5 in the UK

Of the most interesting books I have read recently, the best one is on the ultra-high energy particle physics experiments at CERN, and how they can cause the end to the universe! of which I thought the most plausible ones were: the creation of magnetic monopoles that could catalyze proton decay, and the triggering of a transition into a different quantum mechanical vacuum.

Regards,

Henry!!!


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## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

Mac you little edit monkey...









I saw what you deleted


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

Nice one Henry









My wife's kid brother went to durham, did something in Maths now works at the coop in Manchester, no not on the tills









The CIS building, he does something clever in working out how not to pay out on insurance claims and the like.


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

jasonm said:


> Mac you little edit monkey...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Pardon Jase?









I don`t know what you`re talking about









I didn`t see anything









Someone must have been interfering with my posts again
















[attachmentid=5920] [attachmentid=5920]


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## obsidian (Sep 3, 2005)

Well, I'm sure there are good Cartiers..... and then there's this:

Check out this watch selling on amazon.com!









Check out the price!









But most of all, check out the hilarious customer reviews!









I was rolling on the floor with laughter.









Cartier Lunacy


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## chris l (Aug 5, 2005)

JayGee said:


> neil said:
> 
> 
> > When I offered my middle son one of my vintage Omegas , he said,
> ...


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

If you take your time you can find some really nice Vostok dials


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## grey (Apr 29, 2006)

pg tips said:


> Nice one Henry
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Amazing eh, PG,

I am Emeritus Professor of Difficult Sums at Staveley (N E Derbyshire) and collect old 6139s. All goes to show education and good taste aren't necessarily happy bedfellows, eh what?

C'mon Henry, bling comes in all shapes and sizes.

Best regards Graham


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