What time do you wear?

Gosh, you guys are getting testy about the Rolex, Aero thing.

Where do those of us stand that used to wear Rolex and respect their durability and resale value but got annoyed at all the knock offs and decided to move on.

Move on to what?

An ordinary Timex from Target at $34.00 that keeps perfect time, use it for vacations so I don't have to worry about it getting stolen or lost.

For everyday here at home, an Omega Titanium Seamaster which is another mechanical automatic watch that for some reason I'm fond of. Too big, too heavy, but it "ticks" like a human heart, making it seem friendly to me, at least more so than the "perfect" Timex.

Zenith El Primero Sport. Classy watch that can be worn everyday. Classic automatic movement that has been accurate to two seconds a week for the last two years.

I have a Rolex GMT II and yes it does run a bit fast (1 sec / day) and I don't care a jot! I've only had it for a couple of years, and it's given me no problems - it does the multiple timezones and you change the hour hand independently to keep the seconds ticking whn you move time zones too. I did have a couple of fake ones for a fraction of the price, but firstly they fell apart when I dropped them (both) and secondly I always thought I was kidding myself. So I bought this one when I was flush and think to myself one day I'l be able to give it to a younger relative and it'll probably be worth more than what I paid for it.

For accuracy I have a radio clock linked to the Caesium clock in Geneva which cost all of £60.

Is it bling? To some yes. To me, I'll just never have to buy another watch.

Snofun, the problem I have with your posts is that you don’t hesitate to say things as fact that are more opinion.

Shorton’s point was that you are boasting of your watches quartz accuracy comparing it to an automatic. You have followed up by making claims about the Rolex quartz that I suspect you haven’t a clue about. Either way it’s a pissing match.

You say that a Timex is more accurate than a Rolex. Have you ever owned a Rolex? I will bank my money on the Rolex quartz, keeping apples to apples; even with an automatic, if you learn its characteristics, you can control its timing on how you lay it when not worn and it will be very accurate. Perceiving that you have never owned an automatic, you are making claims with no experience. Futhermore, when speaking of Rolex, you generalize them, you can get a Rolex quartz like your Breitling, just as you can get a Breitling automatic; Breitling’s automatics will not be as accurate, in general, as their quartz movements, so what does this say?

You criticize automatics because one must move their wrist to keep them going, that is part of owning an automatic that some like.

As for which will last longer, an automatic or a quartz, an automatic can always be maintained, if a quartz fails, it is thrown in the hurby-curby! Furthermore, look at the vintage market, it doesn’t take long to see the vast market for vintage mechanical watches.

You also imply that people who purchase a Rolex do so to impress neighbors and friends, I wouldn’t doubt that some may, but that is a sweeping generalization and one I do not believe as a whole, in fact, I know it not to be so.

Lastly, I have tried not to get personal in my replies. You have repeatedly put down people for spending large sums of money for watches such as Rolex, claiming your watch to be far superior. An argument could be made that your purchase is the foolish one; the Brietling Aerospace lists at over $2000, correct? When you replace the battery, ask to see inside, I suspect you’ll see mostly plastic, similar to the Timex.

I would like to state again, I don’t look down on your purchase, it is what you wanted and brings you joy, for other it would not.

Brian – Maybe I’d take your admonition more seriously if you didn’t appear so officious yourself in your addressing and correcting “us” in your posts – along with your freedom to use presumption and assumption when convenient in addressing me. I also tire of the pissing match, however so succinctly I reply as follow -

I said my opinion was that performance should be the ultimate goal of a premium piece of hardware, and notwithstanding your attribution, YOU stated quite factually on Jan 14th-“no automatic watch will keep time as well as a $50 Timex”, so my opinion and your fact apparently agree, and I’d assume particularly so when comparing a very high quality quartz movement to a Timex.

And notwithstanding comments about reliablity, a local dealer told me today -“A Submariner should come in every 3-5 years for maintenance– it’ll cost $410 and take 10 days if we’re not backed up. An Aerospace should come in when the battery fails – cost $35, time 30 minutes”, and reliability was stated as “not an issue”.

So the probability is greater that a Rolex can be fixed if broken, however it’s also apparently more likely to break due to complexity, and it’s required to have frequent and costly maintenance. So for a substantial sum of money, you get something not as accurate as a Timex, that requires substantial additional cost and time for maintenance, and is more likely to require repairs.

OK, the attraction continues to elude me, but that’s just my opinion as I said. You do get a web site that dedicates 20% of its masthead to celebrities or “ambassadors” who wear them, and another 20% to sponsored events if that’s of interest to you though – not my cup tea. Thanks anyway.