
I wish a watch would do it for me. It'll be a whole lot easier on the wallet than sports cars.
Get the watch you've always wanted. You deserve it - get it, enjoy it. You're not cheap, you just wired funny.
I bought a nice watch over 20 years ago. Like OP I really, really wanted the watch. I didn't have the patience to wait 40 years to buy it. Would I buy it again now? Perhaps not, given we're in the age of the smartphone. That said, I too have not replaced the battery for at least a couple of years; $100 or more to replace a battery was more than I felt like paying.HardKnocker wrote:Most people today do not wear watches. They use their cellphones to tell them the time.
I have two watches that I never wear. The batteries died. I replaced the batteries and didn't wear the watches. They died again.
Watches are obsolete.
Taylor Larimore wrote:In 1945, at the end of of World War II, I was one of millions of American GIs waiting to come home. The Army organized sport teams to reduce boredom. I was sent to Switzerland to represent the 101st Airborne Division in a swimming match.
On the way back to my unit, I decided to send Swiss watches to my mother, father and brother. I entered one of many small watch shops in Basel, Switzerland and told the proprietor of my desire. He recommended I buy 3 Rolex watches. I told him that I never heard the name, "Rolex," but he assured me they were good watches. I bought the three watches with the promise he would mail them home. I forget the price, but it was not much. A short time later I received letters from my parents and brother thanking me for the watches.
The three Rolex watches are still in the family and I am told they still work.
Best wishes.
Taylor
What a great story Taylor! Thanks for sharing it.Taylor Larimore wrote:The three Rolex watches are still in the family and I am told they still work. Best wishes. Taylor
Why can't you bring yourself to buy one? Maybe because the spinoffs look just like the originals, keep as good time, and (last I checked which was maybe 20 years ago) can be had for about ten bucks?TravelforFun wrote:I've always wanted a Rolex. Wanted it when I was 20 and now I'm 60. I have a 7-figure investment and no debts. I don't think I'm cheap since we live comfortably and travel extensively .... South America couple of years ago, Europe last year, and Australia this year. Every time I go to the mall with my wife, I stop at the jewelry store window and look at that watch but I can't pull the trigger and write an $8,000 check. Wife doesn't know my secret desire or she would have gotten it for me.
I was reading the posts about midlife crisis. Is that what it would take to push me over the edge and buy that watch or am I too late for midlife crisis (which is perfectly fine with me lol)?
If a watch is an asset class, is winding it a case of market timing?RTR2006 wrote:These are timeless designs and well made products that can easily last 60-100 years with proper care and maintenance, so you can and should consider it to be just another asset class.
Yes, but with an automatic watch, that's a good thing!VictoriaF wrote:If a watch is an asset class, is winding it a case of market timing?
Victoria
like dollar-cost averaging, huh?RTR2006 wrote:Yes, but with an automatic watch, that's a good thing!VictoriaF wrote:If a watch is an asset class, is winding it a case of market timing?
Victoria
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RTR
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For the same reason you don't pay $50,000 for a diamond-studded TV... Even if you could easily afford a $50,000 TV, you'd feel silly buying one.TravelforFun wrote:Why can't I bring myself to pay $8000 for a nice watch
I bought a used "mid-range" watch 13 years ago. I have been wearing it daily since and I'm still happy I bought it when I did. The same 1996 model "retails" for about the same inflation-adjusted price as it did in 1999 (all that was lost was the "spread", and the cost of the occasional servicing). My advice to the OP would be to wait for a good deal on the object of his desires (which can be had at authorized dealers, grey market or used) and then do it. Worst case he will out $1k or so when selling it again, should buyer's remorse set in. Obviously used purchases require a bit of care for expensive watches, Rolex' in particular. Given the timeline so far, there should be sufficient time for research, which adds to the fun.keystone wrote:The question I would ask myself is "in 5 years from now, how will I feel about owning it?" In other words, it may be exciting when you first buy it and part of the allure is the you don't currently own it. But how do you think you will feel about it in 5 years? Will it be just another watch to you?
You win the thread, sir!HomerJ wrote:For the same reason you don't pay $50,000 for a diamond-studded TV... Even if you could easily afford a $50,000 TV, you'd feel silly buying one.TravelforFun wrote:Why can't I bring myself to pay $8000 for a nice watch
DTSC wrote:Buy a used one. You'll have a Rolex, but not pay full price.
Since you can afford the watch, you have to find a way to break a 40-year-old habit of not buying it. If you can't break it yourself ask your wife who doesn't have the habit (unless she's in a 40-year-old habit of watching your habit) to break it for you and buy the watch. Or give the money to a friend or relative (who doesn't know about your habit so he won't have the one your wife has) and ask him to break it for you by buying the watch. Be sure to stay with the person you give the money to until the purchase is made.TravelforFun wrote:I've always wanted a Rolex. Wanted it when I was 20 and now I'm 60. ...
The OP is missing a fundamental concept here. Just ask your wife what she would buy if she didn't have to worry about the money. You tell her a Rolex, she tells you "X". You're now out 8k + X. Can you afford it?TravelforFun wrote:Wife doesn't know my secret desire or she would have gotten it for me.
This nails it. The younger set hasn't been wearing watches for quite a while. I took great pride in gifting the family with beautiful Danish Skagen watches, each selected with the individual in mind. But my 36 year old daughter--who is representative--doesn't wear hers and she's reflective of her peer set. They don't wear watches because they're basically single function devices in a multi-function device world. In fact--I no longer wear a watch either (63). Now, it will be interesting to see if technology advances to the point where we will wear a super device on our wrist that looks like a watch but really is something quite different. Except it too will tell time. Full circle...HardKnocker wrote:Most people today do not wear watches. They use their cellphones to tell them the time.
I have two watches that I never wear. The batteries died. I replaced the batteries and didn't wear the watches. They died again.
Watches are obsolete.
The comments about the younger set not wearing watches anymore is true. I wear a watch and am asked the time on a regular basis by those people who don't wear watches.TravelforFun wrote:I've always wanted a Rolex. Wanted it when I was 20 and now I'm 60. I have a 7-figure investment and no debts. I don't think I'm cheap since we live comfortably and travel extensively .... South America couple of years ago, Europe last year, and Australia this year. Every time I go to the mall with my wife, I stop at the jewelry store window and look at that watch but I can't pull the trigger and write an $8,000 check. Wife doesn't know my secret desire or she would have gotten it for me.
I was reading the posts about midlife crisis. Is that what it would take to push me over the edge and buy that watch or am I too late for midlife crisis (which is perfectly fine with me lol)?