"Posts of fame"

[abigsecret]

After reading Stan's post on the maintenance of watches, I realized we were missing a thread that lists all the fantastic posts in one spot!
So with this I want to accomplish such thread!:thumbsup:
Rules: Do not comment on the post here (do that were it was originally posted), so only quote the post here (maybe with a little explanation if neccesary), and it has to be one that is just so intelligently awesome everybody should read it!

:cheers:

[abigsecret]

So..... here we go! :ppg:
I am a (retired) professional engineer, too. We all know that engineering manufacturers, whether it be of cars, aero-engines, locomotives, power-boats or watches, all recommend service schedules that they think will keep their products working for the intended lifetime. All components have a lifespan range - any given component can age and fail within this range, with failure at any point in the range having a statistical probability. Most failures will occur around mid-range, but a small number will occur very early and a similar small number will fail late, or even never. The statistical risk or probability of failure of each component will is usually well-mapped through design models and in-service feedback.

Some products, like cars, are intended to have a limited life and in these cases the manufacturers keep servicing recommendations to the bare minimum - this is so that more people will buy their cheap-to-maintain vehicles, which will need to be regularly replaced with a new one (ie, more car sales).

Equipment sold to industry, such as aero engines and locomotives, have to be seen to have a longer, reliable life and servicing recommendations for these are pitched at a level that the manufacturer thinks will give best performance. As a former aero-engine designer I know that, with absolute reliability being the most important requirement, servicing schedules are set for components and lubricants to be replaced well within their design life range; this ultra-preventive maintenance really does work - aero-engine reliability is incredibly high.

With watches, it is likely that the Rolex service recommendations fall into the category of 'ultra-preventive maintenance' in that I would expect that the five year interval is well within the design life of the oils and seals, etc. In other words, Rolex will gain by erring on the safe side - its watches will retain a reputation for reliability and longevity and Rolex will have a nice little business set-up servicing their own watches.

So, I am not at all surprised that some watches go for thirty years without servicing and still appear to work just fine and the seals feel ok to the touch. These components may well still be within the wider lifespan range. But there will be an equal number of watches that do fail through lack of maintenance, where components have failed earlier - see Stratton's post, for example. It's all a matter of statisical risk - do you feel lucky?

So, for me - I recognise that the Rolex 5 year service interval probably errs on the safe side, but I don't want to depend on luck - I want my GMT to be good for my lifetime - and my son's if he wants to wear it, so I get it done regularly.

Stan.

[frostie]

Yeap that's a great post

[abigsecret]

Post copied from the coffeeshop; Lisa on parenting.... :thumbsup:

A wise friend once told me - before I had kids - that most of the time when you see a kid have a meltdown in the grocery store or restaurant, it's because the kid is tired, hungry, been dragged around shopping too many places, or been fed junk food so he feels lousy, or a combo of any or all of the above. I found that if the kids' basic needs are met - well rested, healthy snacks on hand, water to drink, and a friendly, patient mom who knows her own limits as well as her kids', outings are for the most part very bearable, if not pleasant. Key is also not to try and accomplish too much like you could before kids! That being said, I have on one or two occasions had to carry a kicking a screaming child out of Target, but truly this happened no more than that - and this is with three kids.

What really gets me riled is to see some hog of a mom hitting and yanking her kid around and yelling at him, just because she is bound and determined to try on clothes or whatever and the kid is worn out...

Good parenting starts at birth - if you're in tune with your kid from that moment on, and you understand what makes them tick, discipline sort of falls into place. It did with me. I rarely raise my voice to my kids, and I am not a "spanking mom." I don't have to be. Anyone who has met my kids comments on how pleasant and polite they are. No doubt a certain amount of luck comes into play, and I've definitely been lucky that my children are turning out to be good people. However, I can't discount the amount of time I've invested in them, either.

[Carolina]

Post copied from the coffeeshop; Lisa on parenting.... :thumbsup:

Good call, Mireyna!! :thumbsup:

[Lisa]

I didn't quite know how to do this, but cut and pasted StanGMT's insights about men and women:

StanGMT
"TRF" Member




Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Northumberland,UK
Posts: 186 Wow - this thread really has developed, hasn't it? Since my earlier flippant contributions it has made fascinating reading. Like Lisa, I also have re-read the original thread and I, too, totally disagree with the assertion that everything men do is in some way driven by the search for a mate.

I'm an old guy now and probably 'past it'! When I'm pursuing my hobbies of photography, astronomy, gardening, vintage trains, fine wines and cookery the pursuit of women couldn't be further from my mind!! Anyway, my lovely wife of 36 years wouldn't like it - I wouldn't do anything to hurt her or undermine her trust in me and she's the boss!! Ok, ok, I know - old geezers are like that and we really don't count in the original hypothesis.

But, go back forty years, to before I met my wife, at around the time I bought my GMT. Why did I buy it? It certainly wasn't to pose or attract the girls - I just wanted a good, high quality, robust, waterproof, accurate watch. Yes I liked girls - loved them, in fact - and for the most part they seemed to like me, but lots of the stuff I did those days, like cycle racing, writing my thesis, going to the (football) match, working on my first old banger of a car had nothing to do with finding a girlfriend. All this stuff was just about living - giving myself a reasonable quality of life.

Look at primitive humans - or all animals for that matter. The hierachy of needs goes something like this: the first imperative is to survive - we need air (to breath), water, food, clothing and shelter, in that order. Reproduction comes after all these - if you're not fit, healthy and warm, nooky is a non-starter, irrespective of your gender. In modern society the first five essentials are assumed as being secured for everyone. But there are also other, higher-order needs, such as intellectual, artistic and social stimulation that we must all have. These - and the basic needs - still feature prominently in our repertoire of daily objectives and, for most people, they often feature more highly than sex.

People of both genders cover a wide spectrum of qualities and attitudes. There might be some men for whom sex is the ultimate goal behind everything they do and there just might be a small minority of women who are actually attracted to men who wear the 'right sort' of accessories. But, IMHO, these minorities are shallow and missing out a lot on the finer things of life. In my experience, for the majority of people accessories are just that - they might influence initial impressions, but true attraction is 99% about personality and values. Certainly, I wouldn't insult the many women that I have known in my life by suggesting that they were so shallow as to be attracted to a partner on the basis of accessories.

I don't know if this little rant of mine adds anything significant to this thread, but I've got my oar in!!

Stan.

[abigsecret]

:thumbsup: Good job Lisa!:clap:

[Gil F.]

Should post several of Gedanken's quotes from the last few days with Kris and the other banned member, Doc What's-His-Rich-Ass-Name. I'm still laughing about the throwing toys out of the pram comment.

[Rockrolex]

Great idea, Mireyna. I've made this a sticky. I think it's worthy of that honor.

[abigsecret]

Great idea, Mireyna. I've made this a sticky. I think it's worthy of that honor.

Thank you, I feel honored!:worship:

[abigsecret]

Vu telling us how Lisa received him at her house after he had a watch shipped to her, and he drove very far to go and pick it up!
Lisa; you're the best!:thumbsup:

It's the day after and I'm still a bit tired since I didn't get home until midnight and didn't goto bed until 1 AM since I was looking over the new watch and micro adjusting the bracelet. So waking up at 7 this morning wasn't fun and it's going to be a long day.

So was it worth 6 hours of driving, 400 miles on the odometer, $50 in gas and having dinner at McDonald's? I thought it was, not just to save over $600 in taxes, but also to have the opportunity to meet Lisa, her husband Dave and their three lovely daughters. What really stood out to me that Lisa gave me a hug after opening the door, which was a complete surprise since I wasn't expecting that. But, that's the kind of person she is. It was cute how Lisa's oldest daughter presented me the package on a pillow while on one knee. And I thought it was funny how Dave and Lisa were more excited about the watch than I was. It was like Christmas morning for them. We spent about 2 hours just sitting and chatting and they made me feel very welcome. And I just loved how the baby crawled over to me to look at my shoes...it was adorable.

Lisa had offered to ship the Rolex overnight to me, but I looked at the opportunity of the visit as an adventure. And I am glad that I went on that adventure since it's a much better story. And I believe that my life is better for having met Lisa and her family compared to not having done so. They are really great people. So when I look back upon this, I'm not going to think about the money I saved. I'm going to think about the good memories that came out of it.

I'm working late tonight so I may not be able to post the photos. Not to mention that I didn't really take that many pictures since we were so busy talking and they had a sick child to attend too. So if you would like to Lisa, you can tell your secret and post the photos. I know you want too. :lol:

[KJacques]

Lisa had offered to ship the Rolex overnight to me, but I looked at the opportunity of the visit as an adventure. And I am glad that I went on that adventure since it's a much better story. And I believe that my life is better for having met Lisa and her family compared to not having done so. They are really great people. So when I look back upon this, I'm not going to think about the money I saved. I'm going to think about the good memories that came out of it.


That is what it is all about. What a great story. It made my life better just by reading it. :cheers:

[abigsecret]

Padi, on the accuracy of a mechanical time piece...
Just think what any mechanical watch has to put up with daily then your very small variation in time will not feel so bad.In 24 hours, the escapement of a mechanical watch pushes the gears 432,000 times. Since a day has 86,400 seconds, even a watch that runs five minutes fast or slow each day has an accuracy of over 99.6 percent! A finer mechanical watch that gains or loses about five to nine seconds a day or around a minute a week has a breathtaking precision of over 99.99 per cent. This is very high precision, given the fact that the movement is constantly affected by the earth's gravity, metal expansion and contraction, temperature variations, subtle changes in lubrication and friction, shocks, and so on, your watch is fine. :cheers:

[Lisa]

Robert (Astcell) posted this some time back, and I knew I had to find it for your thread, Mireyna. A soldier with the soul of a poet.....




Cold.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Florida. Moved there 20 months and three weeks ago today. Has it been that long? I remember the summer. Hot. I could not walk to the BX and back without wishing I had a fresh undershirt with me. Stayed there a year. Most the time it was hot. Even when it was rainy it was hot. The only rescue was an air conditioner. Okay stop thinking about A/C. Remember the heat.

Today I dug up memories of Florida. Walking through the French sector of the airport, I needed to think warm. Snow up to my ankles and still coming down. My turtleneck was catching snowfall. My pants felt as thin as gossamer. It's just f***ing cold.

Angelus Oaks. Snow falls there and I got out in it regularly. Played with the dogs, cleared the driveway, threw snowballs. Snowed in now and then. But I could still go outside and not freeze.

It did not take long or the car to be layered with an inch of snow, thus making it indecipherable from all the other cars in the parking lot. I thought I would be able to recognize her of course. But not with this snowfall. This is a very different day. Icicles formed over the wheel wells with water dripping off the engine-warmed hood. Mud flaps were caked with ice and dirt. The ice on the windows would not easily give way to a scraper.

Panama was warm. So was Thailand. And Guam. All warm places that the Army sent me. They even gave me cold weather training for those missions. And what do I get for here? Well, time to remember I suppose. Palm Springs. Phoenix. The warm thoughts come easier now. But they are not working.

It is supposed to be the coldest day on record. -1F or -18C. 33 degrees warmer and ice would not melt. That is cold. Most of the unmarked civilian clothing I am wearing for warmth is from Canada. That was smart. Buying cold weather gear in Florida is not an option. Some brandy would have been nice, but I am working. But staying warm is necessary. Know what? The French make some damned good coffee.

One time while in an old unit we warmed up by resting around a campfire. we soon warmed the bottom of our boots to the point where we hurt our feet when we walked. And our sleeping bags keep us plenty warm. Think warm.

The clouds are low. The snow is everywhere. Above you, below you, around you, and trying to get in you, like a hornet trying to sting you at any cost. Looking off towards the end of the runway, all we can see is the grayness of the distance. The clouds and ground merge together, ominously enclosing us into this freezing eternity.

As a little boy my Mom would dress me in as many layers of clothing. Almost to the point where I could not move. And I was supposed to go outside and have fun dressed like that. Is this a cruel joke? And I have to go pee. Mom, get me out of this. And I do not want to wear a hat that matches what my sister is wearing. Don't dress me like a girl. You can't hear me because my scarf is wrapped around my mouth three times.

My purpose here is specific. I am poised, waiting for a plane. It is supposed to arrive early. Then it is supposed to be on time. Then only 20 minutes late. Add 40 minutes to that. Add another 30. The waiting is not an issue. The cold is.

When I lived in Valencia it snowed one day. Made the papers. I was in 6th grade. We kept snowballs in the freezer to use later. I love the snow. Always have. I'm remembering times when the snow outweighed the cold. High school. Skiing at Big Bear. I could almost wear just a t-shirt. I would if I knew I would not fall. That's California. Orange country. That's not cold. This. This is cold.

French security moves around us in the snow. The flight is about to arrive. In this weather. I see no life on the runway, in the trees, or anywhere around the airport. Wait, there's movement. It's a Shepherd dog. Security. They say we are not to look them in the eye. What plane will land in this winter fog. I wonder at what temperature airplane fuel will freeze. What about blood, will blood freeze? And I heard at some temps you can spit and when it hits the ground it will be ice. But that means uncovering my face. My glasses protect my eyes yet the whiteness is blinding.

I've flown in cold before. To cold places. Alaska in January. Hokkaido in January. Sarajevo in December. New York in February. Seattle in March. Bishkek in December. Moscow in...well does it really matter? It's Moscow.

The aircraft is on final approach. It is a darker shadow of the clouds only. They tell me that is the airplane but I swear it is not. A handful of air crew walk out to the runway to guide the plane to a stop. I wonder how cold it gets in France. I wonder if these people know there are sunny beaches out in the world. From this view, a remote polar icecap seems to be our location. There is no sign of anything warm. I cannot even remember the delicious coffee I had an hour ago.

I heard Al Gore got a Nobel Prize for his concern about Global Warming. Al Gore has never been to Tajikistan.

My flight is here. Never before in my life has simply waiting for a prop driven airplane been an adventure in itself. And yet, the adventure is just beginning. On paper, this is where my adventure shall leave off. Do not fret, I am here and thus it is a happy ending. But let's just say that cold has an entirely new meaning to me, as do many things in my life now.

God Bless.

[Lisa]

Originally posted by Pat (Incurable)
Feb. 24, 2008


As a single person, I find myself ping-ponging between opinions regarding my position vs. partnership. Both have their aspects, positive and negative. Frankly, it's hard to find a lot of positive testimonials from those married it seems nowadays. Coming from the opposite side of the formula, I understand it's not all good but... alone has its problems too. In my quotes thread, one I can relate to is, "All that is not given, is lost...". I think that speaks to singledom pretty well. I spent years chasing things like career, possessions, learning, skills, etc. Without people around you (like family), all these things pretty much exist in a vacuum. They go nowhere. With nobody to share these things with, the value of these "achievements" are diminished. To provide is a great thing, but to provide for nobody but myself... not so important. I bored with it long ago. The best things in life are rooted in sharing. Alone, all things revolve around what I (or you) want. Once achieved, the reward is temporary at best. Doing things for others is far more rewarding.

Color me crazy but, despite the ups and downs, I think we are biologically wired for partnership. The "rewards" of living alone are largely manufactured and a poor substitute for the stuff that has existed since men and women first hooked up. A smile from the heart is priceless and worth way more than any bonus at work, etc. You just have to bank those and, when tough times happen, draw upon them to balance things out. Sorry for the novella, JHMO...
__________________

[SPACE-DWELLER]

Posted by Lisa on February 28th., 2008:

Yes, and since I joined last fall my children are all hollow-eyed and malnourished. I have a vague awareness of them pulling on my pants legs while I sit at the keyboard, eyes glazed. But I nudge them away with my foot, never missing a keystroke, and tell them, "Later." The teachers have called, wondering why the kids haven't been in school. The fridge is empty. Bills are piled up in the mail basket. The laundry chute is so full clothes fall out of it when you open the door. The phone answering machine is full. I've been wearing the same clothes since September and my underarm hair is long enough to braid into cornrows.

But other than that, no, I haven't really noticed that TRF has changed me in any way.

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[Carolina]

Robert (Astcell) just posted this, and I think it belongs in the lineup:

(Feb. 28, 2008)

Keeping things in perspective
I just wanted to take a short moment to document some feelings I have had and I am sure others have too.

Every year I start out with a budget. I plan on saving some, paying living expenses, and basically doing with money what we all do -- just trade it as a receipt against our hard labor for an enjoyable life.

Well it seems every year I set myself up for failure. I plan to have saved X number of dollars, but I do not. Maybe Rolex came out with a new watch. Maybe I discovered Panerai. And maybe I saved up more then I planned but then made friends and family happy at Christmas. Or a car gets a flat tired, I get divorced, the dog gets sick, and so on.

Of course JJ can attest to this, his house was fir to be occupied by Spongebob Squarepants and he determined that no bills and a house were more important than a Swiss timepiece of which there is no shortage.

At the end of the year I do not have the funds I expected. But maybe I have something else. And maybe that something else is worth more than money in the bank

I never see a financial spreadsheet in the obituary columns. Well, not unless the guy was worth Billions. So as long as my assets are less than $999 million I figure no one cares what I have. Sadly, I do fall into this category.

You life is not going to be remembered by the Rolex you wore. You will be remembered much longer for the Rolex that you gave as a gift to a friend, or that you sold to raise money for a worthy cause.

JJ will find more peace in the fact he owns his home than in owning a Blue sub. I find more pride in wearing my military uniform than in any Rolex ever made. And many parents prefer their child's grasp on their wrist over an Oyster band any day of the week.

Basically we trade our money for a item which we perceive to be of the value of the money which we earned. "Easy come easy go" is so right. But if you work hard for it, scrimp and save, and wonder why your savings increases so slowly, you are less apt to spend it on a whim. it is at this time that we truly perceive the value of our labors.

This is not to say that we ought to go to bed broke every night. We ought to save for a rainy day and the unexpected emergency, and then save for the unexpected treasure we find, whether it is art, a watch, a vacation or a dog. Then from that point on we can measure how we live from what we have and who we are, not by a number on a bank statement.

I am not where I want to be financially because of decisions I made in 2007. Maybe I wanted a new toy, maybe I went to town with Christmas gifts for others. Both are true actually. But I have no regrets. I can look back and smile.

Maybe I'll get that 18K sub. Maybe I'll get a book for my nephew. Maybe I'll put a few bucks in the tin can for the animal shelter. What else is money good for?

Just keep things in perspective.

[2careless]

Jimbits76 posted this on 26th Mar 2008, and I think it's fitting to be posted here.

This is a bit long....sorry!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm not all that worried about being in contention for the book etc...I just want to share the story of my family and the watch that symbolises quality, craftmanship and hardwearing ruggedness.

You've heard it before when I joined and seen the pics now and again but it means a lot to me and defines why I love this collection of tiny moving parts on my wrist.

To paraphrase another leading watch company; you never own a luxury watch, you are merely looking after it for the next generation.

The Lewis family and their Rolex watches are maybe a case in point.

Lesley Lewis, a young Englishman was posted with the British Army in Singapore in the 1950's with his wife Muriel and his son Nicholas.
At the end of his tenure, he decided to sell his Hillman car and duly purchased a 1957 6534 Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date in early 1958.
Lesley Lewis had always dreamt of owning a Rolex. In 1958 the 6534 Rolex cost thirty English Pounds, the exact same amount he received for the Hillman motorcar.
Upon discovering his purchase, his wife Muriel was fairly unimpressed to say the least even when the rapidly sought purchase of an antique campherwood chest was proffered as some kind of compensatory measure.
"It is the finest wristwatch in the world," Lesley stated in defence. "These things are almost bombproof!", he pleaded.
As luck would have it, the very next day the winding crown fell out of the watch. Word has it that Muriel's sister Audrey could hear her crowing laughter whilst stationed in Japan!
Unable to repair the watch themselves, the Rolex dealer; Chusan Ltd had to send the Rolex back to Geneva by seagoing vessel.
The family returned to England, Rolex watch and Campherwood chest in tow, Muriel Lewis grumbling for the majority of the trip home that the sale of the car could have paid for a new alligator handbag, an object unseen in the small English town they called home.

When Nicholas Lewis was eighteen years old, he lost his father Lesley to a severe coronary.
Amongst the personal items shared out between his mother, his sister and Nicholas, the Rolex found a new owner.
Nicholas Lewis never wore a different watch. The Rolex 6534 was one of the only links he had to his father and it was his and his alone.
Due to the reverance his father placed upon this watch, Nicholas loved and treasured the Rolex, boldly stating it's greatness as his father had before him.

In 1976, Nicholas' wife Christine gave birth to a son, James.
As James grew, his head filled with silly fantasies about space operas and invincible secret agents, his father always instilled in him the fact that quality, not quantity matters. "There are theree things you should never buy cheap; watches, wines and diamonds!"
"Always buy the best you can afford!"
Each year a new Rolex catalogue arrived displaying the latest, most fascinating watches and strange, exotic sports models. To a seven year boy, Rolex were the greatest watch in the world. Large glossy adverts in the austere Sunday Times supplements, sponsorship of Wimbledon, James Bond's very own choice of wristwatch, the fact that this untouchable, steel timepice was locked to my fathers wrist. The boy never stood a chance.
Who need's marketing when you can rely on your customers and their ancestory's blatant love of your product?

In 1991, at thirty four years old, the watch died!
A cheap service by a local jeweller allowed a seal to be missed.
Swimming in the Atlantic Ocean during a family holiday in Florida, the Rolex filled with seawater and was announced dead on arrival at the nearest AD.
Nicholas Lewis had the movement cleaned but the salt and moisture had almost destroyed the movement and the case.
For ten years it sat dead in a drawer, Nicholas heartbrokon by it's demise and almost emotionally spurned by it's loss.
It was a sad testament to his father until Nicholas realised that he could remove the functionless symbol of his late father from his life and claim on his insurance for a new watch to replace it.
Not only a new watch but his coveted bimetal Datejust! The very watch he used to mark with an asterisk or folded corner in every Rolex catalogue over the years.

During this period, young James had grown up and was living on the island of Gran Canaria, scraping together a living whilst generally enjoying life.
Upon his latest venture, his PADI training, James' passion with Rolex was reignited by the premise of spending his "rainy day" savings on a shiny, new Rolex Submariner. The very same watch he used to mark with an asterisk or folded corner in every Rolex catalogue over the years. The greatest watch Rolex made. Bond's watch!

If his father's Rolex Oyster was supposed to be fantastically waterproof, imagine what a Submariner could do with it's mythical Triplock crown.
Unfortunately James returned home before he had the chance to purchase his dream watch due to a bad case of influenza.
Upon his return home, he struggled to settle and the "rainyday" money slowly vanished as did his dreams of owning his Rolex Submariner.
Following a valuation and insurance write off in 2001, Nicholas Lewis was finally prepared to allow his father's watch to pass on to Rolex Paradise.
When his son, James learned of this, he commission Mr Tylden Reed to repair the watch for a princley sum of £1300. The dream of a Rolex Submariner had well and truly evaporated.
The money did not matter to James, the Submariner no longer mattered to James. There was only his grandfather's watch. Promised time and time again that someday the watch would be his, this watch was his future inheritance. It was his grandfather's legacy. It was part of his family's history. It was really the only link James Lewis had to a grandfather whom he never had the chance to meet.
After eight months the Rolex 6534 came home, almost as as good as new.

This watch now belongs to me and hopefully one day my son, William.
Last year I finally managed to purchase my Sub, the Z series LV. This means that somewhere on file, there are three original certificates with the names of three generations of direct descendants of the Lewis family.

Even though my grandmother stated that she could not believe the fuss over a silly £30 watch, you could tell that she loved it and it would always remind her of her late husband.
Whenever I wear it I catch her looking at it and she cried when I told her I wore it at our wedding in Cuba. Not only wore it but was proud to wear the forty nine year old timepiece inscribed with the words; L J Lewis on it's caseback. It was as close as him being there with us as possible.

So that's it! Why do I love these watches? They are as much a part of my family as the blood that runs in my veins.
To some people they will always be just a watch and they will never understand.

To others, the look, the heritage and history, the form, the function and the tiny heartbeat within mean it will never be just a watch, it's something a whole lot more special.

Thanks for your time and patience.


James Anthony Lewis
(Third Generation Rolex Owner)

[unclesallie]

Should post several of Gedanken's quotes from the last few days with Kris and the other banned member, Doc What's-His-Rich-Ass-Name. I'm still laughing about the throwing toys out of the pram comment.

i missed that series of exchanges....could you point me to the thread, because i surely would love to read that.
thanks,
dan

[Jimbits76]

Kai...thanks for the post, ya could have let me edit the spelling and grammar first tho!!!!

Big love bro

J

[SPACE-DWELLER]

Posted by Patrick on May 16th., 2008:

I find this question posed from time to time and recently tried to verbalize the answer to the questions, "why Rolex," and even, "why mechanical watches?"

I love the fact that the watch on my wrist doesn't need electricity or a microchip or a battery. I treasure that my wristwatch was very likely assembled by hand and hundreds (maybe thousands) of small parts; gears, cogs and springs work in concert every second of every day...with precision that matches or (in some cases) exceeds its battery powered cousins.

As designers and engineers strive to make products smaller and lighter these days, the heft of a steel mechanical wristwatch conveys quality. I find it confidence inspiring that the logo on the dial stands for hundreds of years of mechanical and design innovation. In an era where corporate mergers are commonplace, the Rolex Coronet stands alone, atop a heap of companies specializing in 'luxury goods'...a private entity that continues to attract enthusiasts and the general public alike. While it's aesthetics that drew me to fine watches, it's their craftsmanship that kept me coming back.

Unlike my cell phone, flat screen TV and laptop, mechanical wristwatches have remained virtually unchanged for generations, a mainspring, escapement, case, dial and hands. The term 'obsolete' doesn't enter into the equation. The average person would be hard pressed to differentiate between a 2008 Rolex GMT and one from 1968. My mechanical watches, both modern and vintage continue to work with the same precision as the day they left the factory. If history is an accurate measure, these manufacturers will continue to service them, keeping them running for generations to come. In a day where many product's effective life cycle is measured in months, mechanical timepieces can increase in intrinsic value over the years.

It's only handcrafted products that share this trait...and sadly, many can't point to even one item made by hand that they use daily. From the shoes on which we walk to the cars we drive, there are very few handcrafted items I use daily. I'm pleased to count my wristwatch as one of the remaining few.

Care to share your thoughts on the matter?

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[erwin]

Posted by Patrick on May 16th., 2008:



:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

x2:cheers:

[East Bay Rider]

Brilliantly stated.


New money is better than old money IMO.:thumbsup:

With new money you are still warm from the effort you put in to earn it.

With old money the sweat of effort is but a far distant legend.

All that remains are undeserving useless privileged assholes totally skewed by their purely accidental good fortune to be related to someone who was once actually talented enough to fill the trough that they are current snouting from.

Other than that they are jolly nice people.

I also know someone who purchased a few properties and a decent amount of land out of that crappy paper money.:chuckle:


Post found here (http://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=45671)

[East Bay Rider]

When I put on my Sd, it makes me feel happy. It defines me . I appreciate quality, I am grateful to be able to afford it. Some ridicule me for having spent so much when i could have bought a lesser timepiece. I ignore their pathetic bleatings for they will never set the bar high enough for themselves that they will achieve success which will allow ownership of a quality timepiece. they are afraid to aim high, and perhaps fail. So what you try again , different plan. Snoby? Not at all. I just keep setting the bar higher and higher . I set a goal and achieve it. No one can hold me back, and that is why I have and own a Rolex. No one ever regretted buying quality and service ever. If you aim at nothing, you will surely hit it.

Take what you want from this but the nature of the post is right on.

Found here (http://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?p=687542#post687542)

[Vanessa]

Very well said Larry! :thumbsup:

OK... I'll tell you...

Power Reserve on most Rolex watches is 42-48 hours.. The Daytona is 72 hours, and the Ladies watches are around 35 hrs because of the limited space and smaller mainspring..

But, that isn't what I mean... My question (which, of course, I will answer) is...Why ??? If we wear a watch all the time, why do we need a 2 day power reserve...

Well, it all goes to optimum mainspring pull and isochronism. Isochronism (completely in balance) attempts to achieve the same hairspring amplitude (watch tick tock timing) throughout the entire time the mainspring is unwinding.

Of course, this cannot actually be accomplished.... at some point, there just isn't enough oomph to keep things the same.

Mainsprings are made much bigger and stronger than necessary (for a days worth of ticking) to be able to keep the pull of the mainspring in its upper power curve. On an automatic watch, activity keeps it "topped off"; if you are inactive and mainspring pull drops below optimum, your watch timing is whacky. A manually wound watch takes 50 from a dead stop, but only 25 each morning... Watch engineers expect that both will stay in the top-half of the power curve for most of it's operating time.

So, the next time that you have your watch off for a couple of days and slip it back on........give it a few winds first to get it back in it's best operating curve.....the entire drive train will thank you..

[Tools]

Very well said Larry! :thumbsup:

Thank You Vanessa.........

I consider that high praise indeed...............:lv: