I hope he went out and bought a lottery ticket after that encounter. IIRC the Caterham is an engine inside of a roll cage with not much else...so the cage did it's job.
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The "Official" Watch Thread and all Things Horological
- Thread starter backmarkerducati
- Start date
Norcorider
Well-known member
I have got a Bulova Curv, tenth anniversary gift! I don't think they make this one anymore.
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Priller
Well-known member
I couldn't care less about the moonswatch, but the fake scarcity, uh, I mean 'exclusivity', thing has infected the whole watch world, it seems. A buddy went to a local jeweller put down a deposit on the newish Citizen Challenge dive watch last week (it's very pretty), and was told they wouldn't let the store place an order because they weren't an official Citizen automatic watch dealer, only Eco Drive and quartz. It's in stock in Japan, but they're limiting supply in Canada.
When the same guy enquired about a Rolex elsewhere, he was told he and the dealer needed to 'get to know each other better' first. Reminds me of buying weed as a teenager, and hanging out at the dealers place fake-laughing at their jokes. He has the money, but walked away on that alone. It's just a watch, not worth grovelling for the privilege of overpaying...
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Certain Rolex you can buy "relatively" easily , like a president or date just, if your a new Rolex buyer and decide you'd like a Submariner or Daytona you'll need to be a regular customer of the dealer.
Its like the Jay Leno episode where he explains he will never buy a Ferarri because he wont buy two cars he doesnt want , to get to the one he wants .
Ther most frustrating part of Rolex , good customer XX gets to buy a Submariner , he sits it in a drawer for the mandatory 'cooliong off' period, then it hits the grey market at 8-10K over retail . He's still a good customer so next yr when another comes up he rinses and repeats . I still want one.
Its like the Jay Leno episode where he explains he will never buy a Ferarri because he wont buy two cars he doesnt want , to get to the one he wants .
Ther most frustrating part of Rolex , good customer XX gets to buy a Submariner , he sits it in a drawer for the mandatory 'cooliong off' period, then it hits the grey market at 8-10K over retail . He's still a good customer so next yr when another comes up he rinses and repeats . I still want one.
Scarcity for many brands is due to COVID, just like everything else. There can also be market area issues (JDM/etc. only watches are still a thing).
What I am not sure is how much the reaction to the grey market has contributed (in amplitude or percentage of the problem) @Priller , a decade or so ago ADs were dumping excess inventory into the grey market where it was sold retail at a deep discount. The brands were spending a lot of time trying to identify these dealers to shut off the flow (and shut off those dealers). Not long before COVID hit Costco had new grey market ~$3400 Speedmasters, Monacos, etc., and that is CDN BTW!
Recently the grey market has changed and is instead selling hard to get models at a significant premium. Specially in the context of COVID shortages.
Of course dealers want to make money and sell watches, but they have the same COVID delivery issues other industries have. They want to make sure that regular/repeat customers get product vs guy off the street (they have one Submarniner...do they sell it to guy that spends lots of money there or some random?) and they are paranoid about grey market guys scooping inventory and getting in trouble with the mothership.
Of course some brands could just be implementing the Ferrari model...
****
PS, what does make me sad is that the doors are locked these days I know have to call in and even sometimes book an appointment to go into the store. I miss just going in and browsing to see what is new. AFAIK this was at least partially due to COVID control but mostly now due to smash and grab.
What I am not sure is how much the reaction to the grey market has contributed (in amplitude or percentage of the problem) @Priller , a decade or so ago ADs were dumping excess inventory into the grey market where it was sold retail at a deep discount. The brands were spending a lot of time trying to identify these dealers to shut off the flow (and shut off those dealers). Not long before COVID hit Costco had new grey market ~$3400 Speedmasters, Monacos, etc., and that is CDN BTW!
Recently the grey market has changed and is instead selling hard to get models at a significant premium. Specially in the context of COVID shortages.
Of course dealers want to make money and sell watches, but they have the same COVID delivery issues other industries have. They want to make sure that regular/repeat customers get product vs guy off the street (they have one Submarniner...do they sell it to guy that spends lots of money there or some random?) and they are paranoid about grey market guys scooping inventory and getting in trouble with the mothership.
Of course some brands could just be implementing the Ferrari model...
****
PS, what does make me sad is that the doors are locked these days I know have to call in and even sometimes book an appointment to go into the store. I miss just going in and browsing to see what is new. AFAIK this was at least partially due to COVID control but mostly now due to smash and grab.
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I often visit Raffi in Cambridge which is a massive store and your buzzed in through a double set of doors , they have a lockout so you can be trapped . Other shop I like has a security guy that will let you in . It’s the new reality .
The glass in watch showcase in high end shops is an expensive special with a plastic film inside you can’t see , you smash through and still can’t grab a watch . I’m guessing insurance is driving all this new process . It makes me a bit sad also , sometimes I just want to look but now feel obligated to engage with the clerk . I know tough times
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The glass in watch showcase in high end shops is an expensive special with a plastic film inside you can’t see , you smash through and still can’t grab a watch . I’m guessing insurance is driving all this new process . It makes me a bit sad also , sometimes I just want to look but now feel obligated to engage with the clerk . I know tough times
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I was just at a friends house dropping off a parts washer I sourced for him, he’s not a watch guy but we were talking and he pulls out a Rolex two tone gold stainless Oyster perpetual datejust . It’s in excellent shape , full kit , new in 2000. He inherited it , hasn’t been out of the box in 15 yrs . It’s not my style but I may need to wrangle it .
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Priller
Well-known member
I could be wrong, but I think scarcity, or fake scarcity, in watches was driven as much by a sudden explosion of crypto-bros with newfound wealth to burn on status symbols as it was by Covid supply chain issues. That and YouTube watch fetishisation driving a certain element of the herd market.
In the case of the Citizen mentioned above (NB6021-17E if anyone cares), they'll happily sell you one from their Canadian online shop for $1200, even though Asian and European retailers have them on Chrono24 for $7-800 CAD, shipping included. But they seem to be limiting retailer access to the watch, which makes little sense to me for a volume brand. Nobody is buying a Citizen for some faux sense of exclusivity, that's for sure...
Citizen Promaster Dive Automatic | NB6021-17E
Citizen Promaster Dive Automatic | NB6021-17E
assaleh.ca
Quebec jewellers!
Nice looking watch!
Edit: that jewellers seems to have a few nice looking watches on sale but wtf is this? Bulova Computron | 98C140
Manufactured scarcity in luxury goods was a thing even before COVID. but as mentioned, COVID causing an influx of money, lack of vacation and other outlets, plus problems with supply chain did not help.
Ferrari, Hermes and Rolex have been doing this for many years before COVID. Need to buy their regular, in-stock items before you are allowed or eligible to get something 'rare' or in demand.
So only way is to play the game, have a connection or pay above MSRP (market value)
Ferrari, Hermes and Rolex have been doing this for many years before COVID. Need to buy their regular, in-stock items before you are allowed or eligible to get something 'rare' or in demand.
So only way is to play the game, have a connection or pay above MSRP (market value)
..or don’t play the ridiculous high end luxury goods game at all. SeaMaster Planet Ocean 600M 43.5mm GMT SS VSF Black Dial on Black Rubber Stap A8605 - GeekTime
I meant if you want one. There are many high end brands that do not play that game. A lot of which I would argue are more interesting, better quality and better looking as well.
Omega is one of them.
My next purchase is probably the GO panomaticlunar in green or the new Speedmaster 57.
That planet ocean looks better than the regular seamaster IMO but my tiny wrists means selection of watches that fit well and look good is much narrower than most. I cannot pull off a 43.5mm watch in any way or form.
We are still sad for you.... JustCounterfeits100???
Why not spend that kind of money on a legit watch of much higher quality and not support organized crime? Lots of options available that will be way better made, will last way longer, and will actually be serviceable...
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I have noted your outrage and concern and am considering the Panerai luminor replica. It looks delightful. Don’t be sad for me, I’m spending what I’ve saved on a tropical holiday in a 3 bedroom villa where the backyard is my own private beach.
There's enough people lying to you throughout the day. There's no need to lie to yourself, too.
OK Confucius!
Just don't step into the water with your 0mega, might catch on fire or some ****.
Pretty sure they aren’t actually rated waterproof (many higher end reps are resistant to 50 M) but they do have clone mechanical movements in some, adapted mechanical movements in others (the one I posted isn’t an Ali Express quartz special) so it won’t catch on fire.
The Reddit reptime forum has a lot of info from many members, some of whom actually own the real thing and wear the reps on a daily basis and keep the real thing in storage. There again, if anything does happen to it or it gets stolen it’s not like you’ve blown $8+k or anything and there’s advice on servicing and modifying the watches yourself too. Best advice is to stay away from Chronograph watches for replicas though apparently.
50m is water resistant, you can fall waterskiing and produce enough pressure to compromise that . Omega ( the real one) makes a 300m watch , your never diving that deep , but it won’t fail in the hot tub .
Unless your a particular breed most guys are not out 8k if a watch is lost or stolen, you’ll have that insured . All mine are . It’s $100 a yr for 80k in jewelry.
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Unless your a particular breed most guys are not out 8k if a watch is lost or stolen, you’ll have that insured . All mine are . It’s $100 a yr for 80k in jewelry.
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Yep, insurance covers any losses and is very cheap. If you are travelling to some rough area better not wear anything that looks expensive, even fake...that way you don't get robbed in the first place, duh.
$300 plus CDN (sometimes even much more) is a lot of money to waste on a BS item with no real warranty designed to look like something but not made to last like it. Dubious water resistance (if they even get to the claimed 50m), poorly lubricated and dust/dirt from the "factory" (the three mechaical watch killers, water, dirt, lack of lubrication). At that price and much cheaper 200m rated mechanical dive watches from good and respected brands can be purchased new that will last decades, come with a real multi-year warranty if anything does go wrong and will hold their value much better (a huge number of options actually).
BTW, the old line "I have the real one in the box at home" is one of the largest BS reddit and other fanboy lies in this counterfeit counterculture. If you can actually afford the real one you would wear it and enjoy.... that's what it is for. "I ride this Honda Rebel with Harley stickers on the tank because my real Harley is at home in the box to keep it safe..."
We ride five figure motorcycles (some multiple five figures), park them out of sight, enjoy them, insure them, maintain them and eventually even wear them out, not leave them at home in a box... wearing a four figure watch is not a big deal if you can actually afford it.
$300 plus CDN (sometimes even much more) is a lot of money to waste on a BS item with no real warranty designed to look like something but not made to last like it. Dubious water resistance (if they even get to the claimed 50m), poorly lubricated and dust/dirt from the "factory" (the three mechaical watch killers, water, dirt, lack of lubrication). At that price and much cheaper 200m rated mechanical dive watches from good and respected brands can be purchased new that will last decades, come with a real multi-year warranty if anything does go wrong and will hold their value much better (a huge number of options actually).
BTW, the old line "I have the real one in the box at home" is one of the largest BS reddit and other fanboy lies in this counterfeit counterculture. If you can actually afford the real one you would wear it and enjoy.... that's what it is for. "I ride this Honda Rebel with Harley stickers on the tank because my real Harley is at home in the box to keep it safe..."
We ride five figure motorcycles (some multiple five figures), park them out of sight, enjoy them, insure them, maintain them and eventually even wear them out, not leave them at home in a box... wearing a four figure watch is not a big deal if you can actually afford it.
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