Discussion
Psychotic initiates a fascinating 'scientific experiment' to explore the subjective relationship between a watch's weight, value, and wearing comfort. This multi-part series, beginning with a detailed analysis of a Rolex Datejust, aims to quantify these often-discussed qualitative aspects of watch ownership. His methodical approach and personal insights offer a unique framework for evaluating wristwear beyond aesthetics and mechanics.
This is my humble attempt at conducting a scientific experiment on rather unscientific and subjective topics:
"Is there any relation between the weight of a watch and its wearing comfort?"
and
"Is there any relation between the value of a watch and its wearing comfort?"
Hypothesis
Lighter (and more expensive) watches are more comfortable.
Procedures / Results / Analysis
LEGEND:
*=Almost unwearable. Take it off! Take it off!
**=Uncomfortable but wearable. The strap / bracelet has noticeable flaws.
***=Comfortable. There's nothing wrong with a 3 star watch. This is the score you would expect most watches should at least attain.
****=Nice. This feels good no matter the seasons. I can wear this all day and still feel great.
*****=Sorry, can't take it off. The watch is glued to my wrist.
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Rolex Datejust
Dimensions: 31 mm x 11.9 mm
Case material: Steel
Bezel: 18k yellow gold
Bracelet: Steel and 18k yellow gold
Weight: 70 g
Tendency to pinch - slight to somewhat (I have outgrown this watch)
Wearing comfort - *** (year round)
Length of Ownership: over 15 years
This is my first mechanical watch which I bought to myself for my first job in Hong Kong. At the time, it costed me the equivalent of 1 month's salary - a fond reminder of my first job. I wore this watch on a regular basis, never taking it off - not for baths, sports, high contact events, sleep, punching walls - you get the idea. Needless to say, I fully abused this watch. In its lifetime, it has been serviced 3 times. Its bracelet is hopelessly stretched (the yellow gold links are hollow). I have since outgrown this watch and no longer wear it. Its small size now pinches my wrist.
So this watch is not fair to have in this study of wearing comfort. But since it will leave my ownership soon (I'm giving this piece to my mom), I feel that my trusty old Rolex has earned an honourary spot in this roster of watches.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
Dimensions: 41 mm x 9.8 mm
Case material: Steel
Bezel: Steel
Bracelet: Steel
Weight: 157 g
Tendency to pinch - slight
Wearing comfort: **** (year round)
Length of Ownership: 1.5 years ago
Probably the watch that gets the most wear time out of my collection. I love the bling-bling bracelet. The bracelet reflects light in a myriad explosion of light. Under the right lighting conditions, the RO's bracelet is a sharp, "hack off my arm" attention grabber without any need for diamonds. Who could have thunk (sic) a steel bracelet could be so beautiful! I loved my blue RO so much, that half a year later, I bought the exact same model, this time in white-silver.
Oh yeah, the comfort level on the watch is also very high. It is balanced and fits snugly on my wrist without any unwanted shift in movement.
For hairier arms, however, I can imagine that the bracelet could snag wayward hairs a bit.
Patek Philippe Aquanaut
Dimensions: 40 mm x 9 mm
Case material: Steel
Bezel: Steel
Bracelet: Rubber
Weight: 79 g
Tendency to pinch - none
Wearing comfort: **** (winter) / ***** (summer - predicted)
Length of Ownership: 1 month
As the Aquanaut is the newest member of my family, I haven't owned it long enough to experience the watch in all seasons. Since I bought it during Chinese New Year when temperatures hovered in the single digits Celcius, the watch slides around a bit much on my shrunken wrists. During the winter, therefore, I would give the watch **** stars. Once my wrist has sufficiently warmed up and the watch rests snugly at my optimal watch wearing position however, wow…
The Aquanaut is extremely light and thin. The watch is a natural part of your arm. You hardly know it's there. But yes, it's there.
The natural wearing comfort best reminds me of a scene in Clone Wars where Yoda is giving light saber training. The wrinkled old booger says something like making the saber a part of your arm, an extension - or some junk like that in his broken, grammatically incorrect English. Yes, my young Padawan, that's exactly how I feel about the Aquanaut.
The Force is strong with this one…
Psychotic, Thanks for this - it's very interesting! Having just moved to HK a few months ago from London, I've not yet experienced the heat and humidity of the summer. Looking forward to seeing who your winners are (especially as I'm thinking hard about a 5711/5712 or an Aquanaut)... Esharp
You'll like it here. There's as many watch AD's here as there are Starbucks and McDonald's! Cheers, Alfred
Thanks! Yes, it's a bit insane...there are ADs for every brand that ThePuristS has forums for in the shopping mall below my office , with the sole exceptions of Lange, Patek, and Richard Mille - Patek is across the street, though. Paradoxically, it actually makes me almost less interested! One thing I do find very curious here is the proliferation of single-brand 'boutiques' that are owned and operated by other companies, with (for example) VC next to AP, which is next to
For Lange --> go to 1881 in TST For Richard Mille --> go to Elements in Kowloon Station (Kowloon side) --> go to Pacific Place in Admiralty (HK side) If you are interested, UBoat is kind of rare here but you can find it in TST as well.
Ah yes, of course - I'd forgot that I can get Lange by crossing the street too. That just leaves RM without a shop that's a short walk away on my lunch break. And I've passed the RM shop in Pacific Place, too...I had to keep myself occupied while Mrs Esharp was buying make-up, after all. Really, HK is a slice of watch-shopping heaven! :-)
Eli, you are right about the boutiques in HK. For example, there is no such thing as a stand-alone, independent AP dealership in HK. They are all owned and affiliated with a larger watch-chain company. That's not to knock them. These mega chain stores are traded on the HK Stock Exchange. It's unfortunate that the Lange staff at IFC were unhelpful. I know that location. I often peer through their windows, staring at their latest offerings. However, that store is but a small cubby-hole. Not to exc
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