Some advice I got today from a former watch collector

[beshannon]

Originally Posted by dr35mm

Want a better advice? Buy a Rolex, enjoy the hell out of it, beat it and focus on making memories with it, not which one to get next.

Exactly.

If you are only looking to spend less do you actually enjoy the watch?

[Speed]

Originally Posted by beshannon

Exactly.



If you are only looking to spend less do you actually enjoy the watch?

Totally agree...that said, the plethora of "What is the average discount I should expect on a _______" threads indicate a ton of folks think this way.

[beshannon]

Originally Posted by Speed

Totally agree...that said, the plethora of "What is the average discount I should expect on a _______" threads indicate a ton of folks think this way.

Some have been conditioned to always look for a "deal".

[Ginseng]

Originally Posted by beshannon

If you are only looking to spend less do you actually enjoy the watch?

I don't find the two to be mutually exclusive. The key for me is uncovering the global balance that I seek and the situational, opportunistic balance.

So, getting a good deal is worth some effort. Not calling 20 ADs across multiple world regions, but a "reasonable" bit of work. And, would I enjoy a watch more if the deal were better? Sure...but more in the notational sense than anything having to do with the fundamental engineering or aesthetic appreciation.

[handsfull]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

Send it to RSC Hong Kong for $300 and save even more

....and get better results.

[AndyWright]

I always buy new. I don't like to wear something that has been worn or used by somebody else.

[heygawgaw]

Originally Posted by FTX I

I'll try to explain guys. I'm on my third watchmaker. Not because the former two were not good or anything like that, but because they passed away. My first good friend around 1999, and the second, also a wonderful person, around 2008. That's what you get when your friends are much older than you and I miss both a lot. The guys that work on my watches since then simply stop what they're doing to help me. The 14060M I bought two months ago is a good example. I was not in the city and I was told by a friend a guy was selling his watch. We adjudted the price on the phone and I told him to take the watch to my watch guy, he went there the next day, my watchmaker opened the watch, took pictures and called me right away. We talked for around 30 minutes on the phone about the watch, I told him everything I expected, the deal was closed with the seller, and one week later when I got back in town the watch was perfect and ready for me. He charged 300 bucks. So this is just an example. I saved much more than sending to RSC and the watch was ready in a week not two months. I mean, this is how I see any collection. Like the records I collect since I was 13 years old. I "lived" in small record shops all my life. I have friends there. I talk about music there, so the same goes for watches. This advice (OP) is like hey why you spend so much on records, have you heard about deezer and spotfy? Hope I could explain why I disagree.

So what you are basically saying IS in agreement with the OP. You just have the fortune to have a watchmaker that you can trust. From your story, this watchmaker is an exception, rather that the rule from my experience.
Buy used (let someone else take the depreciation), get it checked out by reputable watchmaker.

[The Libertine]

Grasp of the obvious?

[904VT]

As with anything in life, it really depends on the particular situation, make, model etc. It's a great deal to pick up a pre-owned, excellent condition if the model is precious metal, or if it has a significant wait-list/premium i.e. SS Daytona. But with many other models that float around MSRP, it doesn't make much sense i.e. 116610LN, 116610LV, 116710BLNR etc.

I find it hard to agree with any blanket statements, other than if you purchase "right", you will be just fine. Whether that be new, pre-owned etc. depends on what makes it "right" to you.

[landroverking]

Everyone should go the new AD once. Other than that it makes more since dollar wise to go pre loved. I would never buy new again.

[faz]

As an avid motorcycle fan, (not a very good rider though), I used to flip motorcycles every few months to get to ride different types/models. It was very costly when I started to do it with new bikes. Then I started getting used (almost unused) bikes and I actually started making money... nothing to quit my day job for, but like $200 after all said and done and riding a different bike for 6 months! This was enough to keep my wife off of my back and give me the chance to play.

Same advice can go for these watches, I guess. Especially if you are buying and selling to try on different watches. Different scenarios demand other approach though. For example, for my wife and to mark an important anniversary, I will still go as far as buying from an AD to give her the full AD experience and memory of purchase and wearing the piece out of the store. For my own last couple of watches, a Fedex delivery from DavidSW or others was good enough and worth the savings.

So yeah, good advice if it fits your specific scenario.

[joli160]

I prefer new, like to peel off the stickers and be the first to wear it

[Nikita70]

As far as cars and trucks go, I have never bought a used one. I just like buying them new.
For watches I don't seem to have the same mindset. And buying my 16760 used was the only option, obviously. Kind of interesting to think about what kind of life my watch has had, where has it been, etc. It's 30 years old. Looks great, feels great on my wrist.

Not to say I'd never buy new but it certainly is much cheaper to buy used, especially if you are patient. I just bought a Doxa, it's 5 years old and absolutely mint. Looks like it was never worn. Full kit. Way under what a new one costs. What's not to love?

[Noxa]

Isn't it odd as I feel the exact opposite, I've never bought a new car as the savings for used are just so massive, new Cayman or used 911 at the same price, I know where I'm going. See Rolex in general I just don't really see the savings, well not here in the U.K. anyway. I just don't like knowing a watch had memories and a history beyond me as it's so close to you in like a car, maybe odd to think I don't know. I'm not opposed to used but for me unless an incredible deal shows itself then I'll always be buying new.