UK Watch Forum banner

How much are you willing to spend?

2K views 53 replies 28 participants last post by  chas g 
#1 ·
On a quartz? Me, $1500 max

Manual mechanical? Me, $3000 +/-

Automatic? Me, $5000 +/-
 
#3 ·
You are both a bit rich for my budget, although my budget has grown a fair bit over recent years. I pretty much always buy pre-owned so my money is going a bit further (when I am fortunate and not getting my leg lifted).

Quartz - £200-300

Manual - £400-500

Automatic - £1200-1500

Although the vast majority of my collection in each catagory came in well below those top end levels (the exception to my rules, my birth year DateJust was a little over £3,000, but that is my one big splurge and the acheivement of a long obsession).

The average price I have paid for the 14 Auto's I have is £636 (so highly skewed by the DateJust). Second highest was £1,300, cheapest was £56.

My two manual's cost £120 & 160 respectively.

The average I have paid for the 8 quartz in my collection is £90.

So 24 watches, with an average price of £412 each (inc. delivery but excluding any odd's and sod's, extra straps, servicing, etc...)
 
#8 · (Edited by Moderator)
First part is easy: there will be no more quartz. So, unless I reach the age where the government starts dishing out free skydiving and bungee jumping, and I decide I need a G-Shock, the answer is £0.

The second is more difficult. Why should I differentiate between manual and automatic? Autos might be slightly more convenient, but, in general, are less visually attractive.

In terms of budget, whether M or A, I have a self imposed guideline of not exceeding four figures. I have strayed a bit over that on a couple of occasions -- for objects of extreme desire; both manuals.
 
#9 · (Edited by Moderator)
First part is easy: there will be no more quartz. So, unless I reach the age where the government starts dishing out free skydiving and bungee jumping, and I decide I need a G-Shock, the answer is £0.

The second is more difficult. Why should I differentiate between manual and automatic? Autos might be slightly more convenient, but, in general, are less visually attractive.

In terms of budget, whether M or A, I have a self imposed guideline of not exceeding four figures. I have strayed a bit over that on a couple of occasions -- for objects of extreme desire; both manuals.
Much of this is very similar to what I was going to write. I haven't bought a quartz watch for a long time and I don't envisage buying another.

As to automatic or manual wind, it depends entirely on the watch itself. Again, I would have a slight preference for manual but it doesn't matter all that much.

Regarding the price, I could never be sure that I would put a ceiling on it, and equally I would be aware that at certain price levels I should start to feel uncomfortable. I have on a couple of occasions come close to buying something only to stop myself in my tracks and consider whether I was really prepared to pay that kind of sum for that watch, or indeed any watch.

That said, my habits have changed. A few years ago I used to spend a lot of time buying relatively cheap, mainly vintage, watches. I was very much into quantity over quality, if truth be known. However, over the last five years or so I have averaged one purchase per year, and in one case I went for almost two years without buying a watch. Going forward, I'm very happy with my collection, I need to sell a few rather than buy any more, and I think I'm only likely to be interested in superb watches from superb brands. But I'll keep my own counsel over price limits because you never know what might turn up.
 
#15 ·
£400 on a Quartz although a GS may break that at some point in the distant future.

For manual or auto, currently about £3.57 and a testicle because that would be the real cost but theoretically whatever I can afford to spend on a watch that I love. Very theoretically!
 
#37 ·
my mother always taught me not to spend what I don't have.
A wise lady indeed :thumbsup:

Not keen on this merge -- two completely different questions.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bricey
#23 ·
For me auto/manual are budget dependent - right now, realistically no more than 1,500-2k but if I won the lottery tomorrow, I would be happy spending much more.

Quartz though, I think even if I had millionaire money, I wouldn't spend over a certain amount. C.350 unless some sort of high precision quartz where I might be willing to go up to around 750-1000 if I loved it.
 
#26 · (Edited by Moderator)
Ignoring the 'what can be afforded in your life at the moment' replies of the other thread, I'm interested what people's hypothetical limit would be if money was not an concern?

If you were to win the euro millions lottery, or managed to sell your big app idea to Google for £100m, or your book idea became a best seller and then got a huge 7 part movie deal, what would be your limit for a watch then?

You have a 9 figure bank account and can feasibly buy anything in the world of watches without needing to give a seconds thought to the actual cost, does your budget mean you spend crazy money?

For me, I think (and kind of hope) that I would still have a limit of what I was prepared to spend on a watch, and I think it would be boringly low to some, I doubt I would be prepared to go above £10,000.

Would you have a limit? Would anyone seriously drop 6 figures for a Richard Mille? Or consider creeping into 7 figures for some rare and exotic auction piece?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bow
#30 ·
A nice collection of vintage stainless Rolex Subs & SD would do me. And a full set of the original LV's would give me something to chase after while I'm soaking up the sun and having a few V&RB's

:biggrin:
 
#33 ·
In truth, I probably would not go much up-market from my current status.

The likes of RM, HYT, Christophe Claret, Jacob & Co and Hublot do very little for me on the taste front. And I'm not into complications beyond a date and moon phase. Basically, I'm a boring three-hander fellow.

Being suddenly rich would give me the advantage of being able to buy my better pieces new -- but the frustrations of the hunt for something which should be beyond me, followed occasionally by the elation of success, are a very enjoyable part of this hobby.

So, what would I get?

-- Something from F P Journe, Lang & Heyne, De Bethune, Czapek for certain -- and possibly have a flirt with Andreas Strehler.

-- Despite general feelings of apathy towards the "Trinity", I'd probably also get an 1159, simply because it is so good to see AP making attractive watches again.

-- I'd certainly have another hard look at ALS to see if I could finally find something to stir my soul (certainly wouldn't be a Zeitwerk)

-- I'm likely too old to survive the Roger Smith waiting list, but I might try.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bricey
#35 ·
Hypothetically if i had all the money in the world, i still wouldnt go above 50k and i still wouldnt pay above RRP.

There are a couple of exceptions to that rule....for ultra limited pieces like the JLC Kingsman.

In my current state, my 'happy place' is between 2k and 5k but id stretch up to 6-7k for some really nice JLC or Glashutte pieces.
 
#36 ·
I dont really differentiate between movements, its more watch brands where i set limits.

i suppose though

Quartz - 3K (because of the 9F in grand seiko)

Automatic or manual - up to 7K for brands like JLC or Glashutte.

I tend to have levels within brands so for instance Longines up to 2K, Tudor 2K-3K, Omega or Grand Seiko 3K up to 5K, Glashutte or JLC 5K-7K....with Rolex somewhere in between. Anything above those limits, and im generally not comfortable associating brands with that price point.....i think for instance if im spending 5-7K on a watch then i would rather have JLC or Glashutte finishing and brand prowess over that of Omega or Rolex.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top