Current Events > Luxury watches are a fashion item that I just never understood

(+) Yeah! (+)

Like whats the difference between a $150-$400 classy looking watch that matches your outfit versus a $5000-10,000 watch that no one is even gonna know how expensive it is unless they're a watch snob.

At least with other luxury items you get performance and/or noticable brand status

They're as relevant as luxury necklaces, bracelets, earrings...
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I like watches, but I'm nowhere near the financial situation I'd want to be in to be comfortable buying a $5000 to $10000 watch
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CableZL posted...

I like watches, but I'm nowhere near the financial situation I'd want to be in to be comfortable buying a $5000 to $10000 watch

I could make 400k per year and I still wouldn't buy a 5000 dollar watch. I would rather buy a 5000 burberry suit and a $400 burberry watch than a $5000 rolex or whatever.

I don't get watches at all. The reason people say you need them is basically "just because"

they are literally a social construct
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DanHaren2019 posted...

CableZL posted...

I like watches, but I'm nowhere near the financial situation I'd want to be in to be comfortable buying a $5000 to $10000 watch

I could make 400k per year and I still wouldn't buy a 5000 dollar watch. I would rather buy a 5000 burberry suit and a $400 burberry watch than a $5000 rolex or whatever.

Yeah, even making $400k/year wouldn't make me comfortable enough to do that. I'd have to be making (and keeping) so much money that $10,000 feels like pennies, relatively.
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Damn_Underscore posted...

I don't get watches at all. The reason people say you need them is basically "just because"

they are literally a social construct

Personally I only wear watches with suits for the style. Otherwise I literally never wear watches, even if I'm going out to dinner somewhere nice.

I personally think bracelets are more stylish...and not the shiny metallic kinds that mob bosses wear...im talking bout the strings and beads that hipsters wear. Not that I would wear those either.

As I understand it, a lot of high priced watches retain their value pretty well if you keep them in good condition. So it's not a *total* waste of money. But I still wouldn't buy one, I'm fine with my $100 Citizen eco-drive I bought 11 years ago.

Damn_Underscore posted...

I don't get watches at all. The reason people say you need them is basically "just because"

they are literally a social construct

You don't always have access to a computer or phone to check the time. It's just a reliable thing to have.
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Hexenherz posted...

As I understand it, a lot of high priced watches retain their value pretty well if you keep them in good condition. So it's not a *total* waste of money. But I still wouldn't buy one, I'm fine with my $100 Citizen eco-drive I bought 11 years ago.

Damn_Underscore posted...

I don't get watches at all. The reason people say you need them is basically "just because"

they are literally a social construct

You don't always have access to a computer or phone to check the time. It's just a reliable thing to have.

You pretty much always have access to a phone, at all times.

if two high value watchers meet, they have to engage each other
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If you think people don't know how much a watch is worth, you're a pleb, basically. A person who knows what watches are worth can spot something like a $50 piece of shit to something like a $1,300 Aquaracer like I have, to a Rolex Submariner.

Don't hate on something just because you don't get it.
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CirocObama posted...

They're not for everyone. It's some peoples hobby, and that's what they choose to spend their money on.

People who enjoy watches, on more than a "this looks nice" level, don't buy pieces so others will notice, they buy them for themselves. I'm perfectly content if no one notices my most expensive piece. I bought it for myself.

I liken watches to womens designer bags. No dude has ever been like "wow, she has a louis vuitton bag, I wanna fuck her so bad" but girls still pay thousands for them. A rolex might get you some attention, but a vach, that's 5 times the price, won't even get noticed.

No but pretty much most girls will notice each others bags, the same way dudes will notice each others cars. Thats my point, bags brands are obvious..its a major accessory item that is obvious. You see it and you know its chanel or whatever. And any dude who has ever had a girlfriend will recognize most of these bag brands. And with cars, its not just the looks but the performance factor too.

But with watches...95% of people aren't gonna know that you're wearing a 5000 dollar watch as opposed to a 500 dollar watch. The other 5% are watch snobs who dont understand why people dont care about watches.

DanHaren2019 posted...

Hexenherz posted...

As I understand it, a lot of high priced watches retain their value pretty well if you keep them in good condition. So it's not a *total* waste of money. But I still wouldn't buy one, I'm fine with my $100 Citizen eco-drive I bought 11 years ago.

Damn_Underscore posted...

I don't get watches at all. The reason people say you need them is basically "just because"

they are literally a social construct

You don't always have access to a computer or phone to check the time. It's just a reliable thing to have.

You pretty much always have access to a phone, at all times.

I pretty much actually don't always have access to a phone.

And it's easier to just look at your watch than it is to reach in to your pocket, pull out your phone, flip it over if necessary and tap a button to make the time appear.
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Hexenherz posted...

DanHaren2019 posted...

Hexenherz posted...

As I understand it, a lot of high priced watches retain their value pretty well if you keep them in good condition. So it's not a *total* waste of money. But I still wouldn't buy one, I'm fine with my $100 Citizen eco-drive I bought 11 years ago.

Damn_Underscore posted...

I don't get watches at all. The reason people say you need them is basically "just because"

they are literally a social construct

You don't always have access to a computer or phone to check the time. It's just a reliable thing to have.

You pretty much always have access to a phone, at all times.

I pretty much actually don't always have access to a phone.

And it's easier to just look at your watch than it is to reach in to your pocket, pull out your phone, flip it over if necessary and tap a button to make the time appear.

So a 5000 dollar watch is worth it because it saves you 0.1 calories and 2 seconds of your life, while taking away the opportunity to check your messages and notifications.

I feel like you didn't fully read my original comment, or didn't fully understand it.
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DanHaren2019 posted...

Like whats the difference between a $150-$400 classy looking watch that matches your outfit versus a $5000-10,000 watch that no one is even gonna know how expensive it is unless they're a watch snob.

At least with other luxury items you get performance and/or noticable brand status

what is the difference between a gold & diamond (top karats) engagement ring and a stainless steel and glass one?

DanHaren2019 posted...

Like whats the difference between a $150-$400 classy looking watch that matches your outfit versus a $5000-10,000 watch that no one is even gonna know how expensive it is unless they're a watch snob.

At least with other luxury items you get performance and/or noticable brand status

I'd say it's very quick to recognise a decent luxury watch which cost more than $5k... but then that could just be reflective of what many of my friends are into.

As for other luxury items, it really depends... I feel that the "real" luxury items offer no tangible performance benefits over other premium or traditional luxury items but instead just excellent craftsmanship/materials/style. i.e. you're paying a premium purely for an X factor rather than a clearly measurable metric/specification. eg a Maybach over an S class for example.

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Fuparulez posted...

If you think people don't know how much a watch is worth, you're a pleb, basically. A person who knows what watches are worth can spot something like a $50 piece of shit to something like a $1,300 Aquaracer like I have, to a Rolex Submariner.

Don't hate on something just because you don't get it.

DanHaren2019 posted...

No but pretty much most girls will notice each others bags, the same way dudes will notice each others cars. Thats my point, bags brands are obvious..its a major accessory item that is obvious. You see it and you know its chanel or whatever. And any dude who has ever had a girlfriend will recognize most of these bag brands. And with cars, its not just the looks but the performance factor too.

But with watches...95% of people aren't gonna know that you're wearing a 5000 dollar watch as opposed to a 500 dollar watch. The other 5% are watch snobs who dont understand why people dont care about watches.

1. Handbags - I agree. I used to think Coach was a good brand and Furla was a luxury brand lol.
2. Watches... I think the average person can usually recognise a luxury watch, and maybe even identify whether it's a Tag, Rolex, etc but most probably can't distinguish between whether it's a basic model or some uber expensive one. Kindof like handbags as well once you get past the brand.

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Hexenherz posted...

As I understand it, a lot of high priced watches retain their value pretty well if you keep them in good condition. So it's not a *total* waste of money. But I still wouldn't buy one, I'm fine with my $100 Citizen eco-drive I bought 11 years ago.

You don't always have access to a computer or phone to check the time. It's just a reliable thing to have.

Mens luxury watches can appreciate in value depending on rarity/condition, just like handbags. Where there's a limited market, and the manufacturer does regular price "alignments", the rising tide lifts all boats.

On a related note, my wife actually buys and sells luxury handbags so I've gotten a good sense of this now.

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I feel like this applies to more than just watches really.
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CirocObama posted...

That's fine though, I can't see why I'd ever buy something to impress other people.

I think it's a cultural thing and also an age/maturity thing. I went through a phase of wanting to look good/dress up/impress people/etc to flaunt my career success at the time but I've long outgrown it. Ironically living in Singapore where it was much more common for everyone to try and flaunt it was when I actually stopped caring about those things.

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CirocObama posted...

I get buying nice things, as, let's call them trophies. Maybe you got a new promotion, or finished your schooling. You went out, and bought yourself something nice to commemorate the occasion. Like the guy who got promoted to manager, and bought himself a rolex, or a mercedes.

Funnily enough when I got my biggest promotion, I bought myself a SNES Classic... nearly at full price too ($1 discount). In hindsight, maybe I should've bought something nicer but it's what I wanted :)

But to go and buy something with the thought "ya, john in accounting is gonna be so jelly" just seems so silly. Buy what you want with the money you earned, and fuck everyone else.

You're right though, it's probably an age/maturity thing. Or maybe being part of a culture where people flaunt, and you just see it as being douchey.

I personally think it's douchey to buy it with the thought of making other people jealous... but it's not so far removed from the thought process of I want to look good/impress people with my success, etc... and in some careers, you do need to be able to flaunt a little bit of success or at least look the part.

What really annoys me about luxury goods though is the way the brands treat the customers which can only be described as snobbish or arrogant. I bought my wife a luxury handbag last year as a push present and was made to feel like they were doing me a favour by inviting me to speak to a staff member, and then being offered a chance to visit the back of the store to let me buy one. Good thing she really liked the bag though.

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^ I damn sure can't distinguish and don't care to.

Of course I'm sitting over here with my 99 piece of shit from the dollar store so you you know I don't give a flying fk lol.

Damn_Underscore posted...

I don't get watches at all. The reason people say you need them is basically "just because"

they are literally a social construct

You don't need a fancy phone either, but people want the newest smart phone. Some people wear them because they work places where cellphones aren't allowed. It's nice being able to tell the time without bringing out a $800 device that attracts the attention of thieves. People are also less judgemental if you look at your watch instead of the your phone in public.
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The only time I ever bought a luxury watch, was in a videogame. True story.
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Its about the craftsmanship that goes into the time piece, more than anything. A hand assembled watch made with multiple jewels and high quality materials is not only going to cost more, but also make a statement

That statement being "I paid a man an exorbitant amount of money to make this by hand, isnt it pretty? It can even tell the time!"
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Beveren_Rabbit posted...

You don't need a fancy phone either, but people want the newest smart phone. Some people wear them because they work places where cellphones aren't allowed. It's nice being able to tell the time without bringing out a $800 device that attracts the attention of thieves. People are also less judgemental if you look at your watch instead of the your phone in public.

I feel that logic is somewhat flawed in the context of luxury watches which are much easier to resell than iPhones which are at risk of being blocked.

As for being judgmental... I think it's more just the looking at your watch is a much more subtle act of checking the time (a quick look) whereas taking out the phone is much more distracting and implies they aren't paying attention to you. That last bit is a society/cultural piece though because another thing I learnt living in Asia is that it isn't considered "rude" for people to be playing with/typing on/using their phone whilst talking to you.

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I'd spend no more than ~$50 on a watch I plan to wear on special occasions. Anything more than that just seems like a colossal waste of money.
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The people that make these kind of topics probably own really nice looking clothes or cars or a high end computer and probably born after 1995.
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I have a $500 watch.

Would like to go higher eventually, but I have other things on my mind that have to be taken care of first.

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Beveren_Rabbit posted...

The people that make these kind of topics probably own really nice looking clothes or cars or a high end computer and probably born after 1995.

I was born in the late 80's :(

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gloBal enemy posted...

I was born in the late 80's :(

Right?? I was born in 1992 than you very much.

Although he's spot on about the car, clothes and gaming PC lmao.

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electricbugs2 posted...

Right?? I was born in 1992 than you very much.

Although he's spot on about the car, clothes and gaming PC lmao.

Haha yeh lol. I feel like now that I've got sufficient disposable income, I thought I'd finally build a decent gaming PC. I still largely wear normal clothes though.

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