New HQMilton site

[ravenhome777]

I must say that I'm not too crazy about the new HQMilton website. You can no longer view a long list of watches that are available. I haven't signed up. Maybe you can see them once you sign up. If that's the case, it's kind of cheap ploy to get an email list. Not impressed.

[Juhuatai]

? You can click all watches->available and you get all available watches.

[zapokee]

It's more the HQ Milton descriptions that bug me. I wish they'd give more detail about the watches, rather than just describing everything as "excellent." If I'm paying 30k for a watch, I'd like to know what's good and bad about it.

Analog Shift produce really good detailed descriptions with lots of information about the watch's history, heritage and condition. Example:

https://www.analogshift.com/collecti...antin-overseas

Hodinkee also do it quite well, with their "Things we like" (good stuff) and "Things you should know" (bad stuff) approach.

[Kingface66]

Originally Posted by ravenhome777

I must say that I'm not too crazy about the new HQMilton website. You can no longer view a long list of watches that are available. I haven't signed up. Maybe you can see them once you sign up. If that's the case, it's kind of cheap ploy to get an email list. Not impressed.

All of them are still up there. Not organized as well, but over 400 pages of their sold pieces.

And Zapokee’s right. The descriptions are simplistic and far too generous. Jacek’s departure had a lot to do with this, I’m guessing.

[chocopeluche]

Tried to use the new site on my phone, it was unbearable, and confusing.

[Kingface66]

I'm not basing this on anything other than a hunch, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were easing their way out of vintage altogether. Selling used modern pieces is probably both a lot easier (vintage is a mind field, blah blah blah), and more profitable.

[wsfarrell]

Originally Posted by Kingface66

The descriptions are simplistic and far too generous. Jacek’s departure had a lot to do with this, I’m guessing.

Jacek appears to be carrying on the tradition. Here's a 5513 case described as "excellent" at Tropical Watch:

[Kingface66]

Originally Posted by wsfarrell

Jacek appears to be carrying on the tradition. Here's a 5513 case described as "excellent" at Tropical Watch:

Oof

[ree7]

Have never bought from them but loved browsing their old site. This new one feels like a step back. Watches in the list feel too close together and the whole theme makes it look like a jeweler's website.
Jacek's website, meanwhile, feels like an art gallery

[rootbeer7]

Originally Posted by wsfarrell

Jacek appears to be carrying on the tradition. Here's a 5513 case described as "excellent" at Tropical Watch:

Well it’s excellent if you want polished to buggery!!

[ronricks]

Their new site is awful. Much preferred the simplicity of the old site.

[Bladeshot]

Yep. Old site was better.

[AJMarcus]

Originally Posted by rootbeer7

Well it’s excellent if you want polished to buggery!!

Those lug holes make me cringe.

[77T]

Originally Posted by wsfarrell

Jacek appears to be carrying on the tradition. Here's a 5513 case described as "excellent" at Tropical Watch:

I couldn’t find that example in the website - could you share the link?

Agree it isn’t “excellent” except in the sense that it’s free of dings.

It is clear that the polisher took an aggressive bevel on the outer edges of those lugs. From the inner edges (seen in blurred relief in the background), there is more metal for the endlinks to engage.

The HQMilton website seemed to work well on my iPhone but the search function isn’t up to snuff - about the same as tropicalwatch.com methinks.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[ravenhome777]

Originally Posted by Juhuatai

? You can click all watches->available and you get all available watches.

Ya, but if you click "Vintage" you get 12 watches, and no option to continue. You used to get a huge long scrolling page of all vintage watches, and you could filter on Available or Sold or both. How are people supposed to look at vintage watches, if they can only see 12????

There seems to be a trend by new web designers who make websites look flashy and trendy, but dramatically reduce functionality to a point where it makes it unusable. Don't quite understand that.

[ravenhome777]

I will say that I do like HQMilton watch photography. The side shots of watches let you see the lume very well. I hope they don't change that.

[TuRo]

Hq Milton was my go to research aid for 100% correct dials last 5 yrs, on say 59-63 Square/ Pcg gilt 7928s...Real shame if that's dissapeared!

[1665fan]

Yes that one needs to head straight to the laser weld….. it’s toast….. pretty sure 99.9% of his watches are excellent

[Wahlberg]

I'm not a fan either, their old website was PERFECT to look and browse through, especially the older pieces from years ago.

You can't even save their pictures anymore.

[joli160]

Originally Posted by wsfarrell

Jacek appears to be carrying on the tradition. Here's a 5513 case described as "excellent" at Tropical Watch:

In vintage everything is possible but using the term excellent whilst it is in fact scrap is very funny.

[linesiders]

The old HQ site might be the best reference in Vintage anywhere.

Originally Posted by Kingface66

Oof

I was looking at this image and foirst thing that came out of my mouth was "Oof".

Then I saw your post.

[TuRo]

Which one on Tropical Watch ? - The one with the perfect lumeplot brown speckled dial and brown long 5 insert is my idea of heaven !

[Wahlberg]

They no longer list the old/sold watches or am I doing something wrong? I did a search for a 16700 and nothing showed, only current listings.

When I checked ''all watches'' -> ''sold'' -> nothing showed up either. What a shame if all the sold watches are gone.

https://hqmilton.com/collections/previous-inventory

[Kingface66]

Originally Posted by Wahlberg

They no longer list the old/sold watches or am I doing something wrong? I did a search for a 16700 and nothing showed, only current listings.

When I checked ''all watches'' -> ''sold'' -> nothing showed up either. What a shame if all the sold watches are gone.

https://hqmilton.com/collections/previous-inventory

Ugh, what a drag. That was such a fantastic and well-organized source for vintage examples. That’s a real loss. It seems they’re turning into another run of the mill, don’t-care-much-about-vintage online watch shop.

[zapokee]

Yes, the "Sold" section on the HQ Milton website is now empty.

Come on, HQ Milton. That was one of the Internet's best references for vintage Rolex photos.

[Old Expat Beast]

You should be still able to find sold watches individually with Google. I just typed in 'Rolex 5501' and found the AK I bought from them about eight years ago.

https://hqmilton.com/products/1964-r...-air-king-5501

[Styles Bitchley]

The wayback machine should be able to help with research. Not all the photos are archived, however.

https://web.archive.org/web/20220207....hqmilton.com/

[Wahlberg]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

You should be still able to find sold watches individually with Google. I just typed in 'Rolex 5501' and found the AK I bought from them about eight years ago.

https://hqmilton.com/products/1964-r...-air-king-5501

Yeah I did that as well but that's no solution in the end when you're looking for multiple watches and several things such as watches/bezels (colours/fades/fonts)/dials/comparing the lugs and thickness of the case/...

The old website and old listings were PERFECT. So easy to browse, see them all at once and compare.

Perhaps it cost them too much traffic, I have no idea.