If not Rolex, then what?

[brian628]

Agree 100%. First and foremost, you HAVE to buy what you like.
Why ever own a watch that you don't like?

I have owned probably 50+ watches of every sort - from $15 Timexes to a $150k Richard Mille to 15 different Rolex models... and everything in between, so Rolexes to me have been the middling part of my collection over the years.

Rolexes are AWESOME. But they are awesome they way a really good chain restaurant is. Way better than McDonalds, but not like an elite steak restaurant in NYC. They are the reliable and beautiful high quality Chevrolets of my collection. By no means the Ferrari's, more like a nice BMW 5-series.

The funny thing is that I get just as much excitement putting on my resin and rubber Luminox as I do putting on my platinum on platinum AP ROO -- or my Rolexes or Patek or Oakleys. They all have their place and they differ vastly in terms of price/heritage/cost, but I'm not sure that any one of them gives me a bigger thrill than any other. They ALL excite me - thank goodness.

Clearly, this is a ROLEX forum and we all love the brand, but I would highly advise everyone to try out different brands. Recently, I have taken a liking to the Sinn brand! These make me think of what Rolex used to be in the 60's. Solid, incredibly high-quality, workhorse, purpose-built tool watches - but priced at 1/5th of the cost.

Try a variety!
Girard Perregaux is another very cool brand that in my opinion is completely under-valued on the secondary market.

[AzHadEnuf]

My pick over a Sub, in a heartbeat.



My pick over a Daytona, in a heartbeat.

[Mystro]

Omega Planet Ocean Chronograph. Perhaps THE best technical diver at any price point. It’s a stunner on the wrist and has a very expensive alpha wrist presence. Great hero movie watch.
As much as I love my DSSD JC, I think the POC has a better movement and offers more features. The chronograph is unbelievably smooth and can be activated underwater. Display case back that is wide and smooth displacing its size making it extremely comfortable. Those features alone puts it in the win category. Fit and finish and build quality is top notch. It’s also under $10k but feels like it should be $20k.

[Mystro]

Originally Posted by brian628

Agree 100%. First and foremost, you HAVE to buy what you like.
Why ever own a watch that you don't like?

I have owned probably 50+ watches of every sort - from $15 Timexes to a $150k Richard Mille to 15 different Rolex models... and everything in between, so Rolexes to me have been the middling part of my collection over the years.

Rolexes are AWESOME. But they are awesome they way a really good chain restaurant is. Way better than McDonalds, but not like an elite steak restaurant in NYC. They are the reliable and beautiful high quality Chevrolets of my collection. By no means the Ferrari's, more like a nice BMW 5-series.

The funny thing is that I get just as much excitement putting on my resin and rubber Luminox as I do putting on my platinum on platinum AP ROO -- or my Rolexes or Patek or Oakleys. They all have their place and they differ vastly in terms of price/heritage/cost, but I'm not sure that any one of them gives me a bigger thrill than any other. They ALL excite me - thank goodness.

Clearly, this is a ROLEX forum and we all love the brand, but I would highly advise everyone to try out different brands. Recently, I have taken a liking to the Sinn brand! These make me think of what Rolex used to be in the 60's. Solid, incredibly high-quality, workhorse, purpose-built tool watches - but priced at 1/5th of the cost.

Try a variety!
Girard Perregaux is another very cool brand that in my opinion is completely under-valued on the secondary market.

^^^X2
Spot on perspective from a long term player point of view. There is a place for every watch within its context.

[Alex_TA]

Originally Posted by Mystro

Omega Planet Ocean Chronograph. Perhaps THE best technical diver at any price point. It’s a stunner on the wrist and has a very expensive alpha wrist presence. Great hero movie watch.
As much as I love my DSSD JC, I think the POC has a better movement and offers more features. The chronograph is unbelievably smooth and can be activated underwater. Display case back that is wide and smooth displacing its size making it extremely comfortable. Those features alone puts it in the win category. Fit and finish and build quality is top notch. It’s also under $10k but feels like it should be $20k.

I'm Omega guy as you probably remember but I had bad experience with PO. Yes the movement is fantastic but mine had a bad habit to drink too much
I suppose it's because of this stupid valve on its side: additional water entry.

[imsayingthough]

cannot get at retail or afford any other watches id love to own so rolex it is.

[duncand111]

You should visit your AD with an open mindset to see what they have available.

[Robert Bruce]

and it is also super accurate and almost as iconic. I'm looking with great envy on the black Seamaster 300.

[Mystro]

Originally Posted by Alex_TA

I'm Omega guy as you probably remember but I had bad experience with PO. Yes the movement is fantastic but mine had a bad habit to drink too much
I suppose it's because of this stupid valve on its side: additional water entry.

There is always sailor in every port that has to drink too much to ruin the fun for everyone.

Seriously, the HE valve on many technical divers have been known to be the source of water intrusion. There are a few DSSD reports of this as well. It’s one more complicated feature that can have the potential of a manufacturing defect. I am not sure if the Omega solution might be less prone to this with the screw down HE valve or if the Rolex automatic is??? Failure is rare with both systems but as you know, you do see them time to time.

I am a diver and like to dive with all my watches. This past summer I found the ability to use the chronograph to time my gear’s run time like outboard and battery operated motors while using the bezel simultaneously was a game changer for me. It opened up so many possibilities on my dives. It’s one of those features you didn’t know you wanted/needed until you implement it into your routine.

[173rdabn]

Look at other brands and decide what works best for YOU. Take price out of the equation and there are a whole world of choices you may not be aware of.

[Goose 104]

I love Tudor as well as Rolex. Here are some of mine.

[aparker973]

Rolex scratches the itch, but it's not the same itch as when you're compelled towards something that isn't Rolex.

I remember seeing a JLC Reverso in the flesh on someone's wrist (instead of in a display) for the first time. I remember thinking "Holy Shit". It also would have been on the less expensive side relative to my other watches.

Still... it stopped me in my tracks. Then it started happening again and again, and I realized that despite having a number of Rolexes, they're just not my favorite brand. And that's (gasp) OK!

Wait until you find the watch that stops you in your tracks, not the one that will make other people stop in theirs.

[georgekart]

Originally Posted by SN13

Good questions.

I personally will not play the over-msrp grey dealer game.

I don't need something so badly that I will succumb to the pressure and spend $13k on a $9k watch.

Your question is loaded because you state "What would you rather have in that price range?" Well you're talking Grey pricing...

Let's use a Grey Dealer I've bought stuff before at discounted prices....

We'll call it Shop-"A".

At ShopA you can buy a new 116610LN for $14,500 right now.

You can also buy a Platinum Breitling 43mm Chronograph for 10k.

Or a Brand new Omega PO GMT Black/White for $5800 (8k MSRP).

Or a Bvlgari Octo Extra thin for $9300 (13k msrp).

Or a Frank Muller Vanguard 18k --- $10,300 (20.5k msrp)

Or an A. Lange And Sonhne Saxonia 18k - $10.9k (15.5k msrp)

Blancpain 50-Fathoms --- $11.5k



The point is, there are ALOT of options if you're comparing GREY to GREY pricing.

Rolex doesn't exist in a bubble. There are tons of options out there that I would rather spend $14k on than a Sub.

Now, at $9k is there something I'd rather have than a Sub? NEW at MSRP? No. Nothing that I can think of.

This. At retail white dial Daytona is amazing. At grey market value I'd rather add a bit extra and get a used Moser Perpetual. Similarly, at MSRP, the Sub is great. At grey market value I'm getting a Glashutte SeaQ Panorama Date and pocketing the difference.

[cvo]

I think a Tudor BB comes closest to a Rolex sub for a 1/2 to 1/3 the price. I have been searching for many years, every time, I come back to Rolex. It is the intangibles that make Rolex so valuable.

[Utomow]

No idea


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[horseShu]

OP, this is a valid question. I also believe that the hobby is more fun if you venture into other brands. The suggestions so far are pretty good. Omega, JLC, Cartier, etc. Just look into their product lines and read reviews. Research first before you put any money.

But do consider that this forum is rather... specialized... towards a certain brand. It'll be hard to get suggestions here.

It's like going to a vegan forum and asking about their favorite steak restaurants.

Enjoy the hunt!

[amanbra]

for me zenith and omega. Maybe JLC

[tom2]

I only know one route, and that is the one that leads to Rolex.

[htc8p]

for me, watch collecting before all this rolex supply issues, was a relatively cheap and wide open market.

i could choose from many different brands all at the same price range and choices between brands were readily available.

i enjoyed shopping around and coparing specs/innovations.

now it seems these are not true anymore

[DGP]

If you can afford it, buy what your heart “tells” you, otherwise you will end up dissatisfied with a substitute.
If money is not an issue but availability is (and like me you don’t wish to pay over the odds on the grey market) go for a FF.
It’s a beautiful watch. I walked into a Blancplain boutique last year and bought one. I was treated like a king. Nice to be appreciated as a customer!

[illiguy]

Rolex is great, we all know that. For some it’s the final destination and, for others, it’s a “gateway drug” to other brands. Some, in lower, equal, and/or high end price points. YMMV.

[Eagles4133]

Buy what you want, not what others want.

If you want something highly respectable but not Rolex, my suggestion would be to checkout either the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscape (wears smaller than the 43mm size suggests) -or- the Glashutte Original SeaQ panorama date.

You should be able to get discounts on both of these!

[Hollie_Rollie]

Originally Posted by VonSomething

Honestly, get an Omega SMP 300 and be done with it, unless it absolutely MUST be a Rolex / AP. Such a great watch though.

Agree 1000000% with this. SMP is worth the grey market price.

[Gerry62]

Tudor Zenith ..... Panerai.

[fooey]

Originally Posted by Hollie_Rollie

Agree 1000000% with this. SMP is worth the grey market price.

Great shot!

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[elrond]

From a owner of 2 Subs and a Sea-Dweller, this just beats them all...

[Calatrava r]

I would get the GO diver if your in the 14K range. Otherwise, buy an Omega or Breitling. Perceptions aside they are all about equal in quality and function.

[eanzenberg]

On some level, greys get a bad name. If you know a SS Rolex retails for 14k but goes for 20k on the grey market, you know people are actively willing to spend 20k, today, on that watch. So you spending that money is not a rip off. If you dont aim to make money on watches, like myself, at least you have piece of mind that the watch will not drop in value. I don’t see a future where a 20k Rolex today will go for retail in 10 years from now. So, that is still a good bet vs. getting a Seiko that drops 50% when you put it on your wrist.

Just my perspective.

[MrMercedes]

100% Panerai!

[Hollie_Rollie]

Originally Posted by MrMercedes

100% Panerai!

That’s a good one. I tried on a bunch of models yesterday. The 1313 is