John Hodges
6
Hi everyone...
I've posted a few questions on here a couple of times. I keep being drawn back. I've been into watches for most of my life, though I didn't get into collecting them until about seven years ago. Since then, I've gone through a wide range of watches from Seiko and Citizen, to Ollech & Wajs and Keinzle, to Omega, Sinn, and Panerai. When I first started buying watches, I bought a Seamaster Professional. I bought it used, and promised myself I would never spend more than $1000 on a watch. :P That actually lasted quite a long time. Four years, to be precise. The first watch I spent more than $1000 on was my EZM1. Then came the Panerai 118.
Now I've started looking farther up the chain. I'm not getting ridiculous about my watch choices, but rather adjusting my watch collection to my lifestyle (or where I see my lifestyle migrating to). The catalyst was the new Rolex GMT Master II with the ceramic bezel. The green hand and text seem refreshing when watches seem to be dominated by red and orange accents. However, as I've waited for my opportunity to acquire a new GMT II, I've been drawn more and more into JLC. At first I looked at the Dualmatic, and thought it could be a great alternative to the Rolex GMT. Then I decided that the GMT was my choice, but that my plan was to go down to a two watch collection and a JLC would be a perfect companion piece. So I decided that the Dualmatic was too similar to the GMT and thought a MC Memovox would make a better companion to a GMT. Then the Reverso started to get my attention. Since then, I've gone back and forth between the Rolex and JLC, which has only made it more difficult for me to choose. Each manufacturer has unique properties I like.
I know it might sound like I'm bringing my question to a biased forum, but I imagine there are many here with both Rolex and JLC, and many more that have had at least one of each in the past, and I'm also not asking for anyone to tell me which to buy. Instead, I'm wondering what others think of their JLC and what it says about lifestyle, etc.
Here are my reasons for my interest in each brand (though with Rolex most of it will be focused on the new GMT rather than the broader collection of watches).
Rolex (new GMT):
1. Rolex Service Centers are just about everywhere. There's one very local to me. (this is kind of a big issue to me after some bad experiences with Omega servicing)
2. Creator of the GMT (and one of VERY few options for a GMT that works the way I believe a true GMT should).
3. Serious upgrades to the GMT watch that I believe bring it up to date. (improved movement, solid bracelet, solid clasp, thicker case, ceramic bezel, larger luminous markers)
4. Looks fantastic on a bracelet. Looks fantastic on a NATO strap. Looks pretty good on a leather strap too when it needs to.
5. GMT is a useful function since I travel and work with people in different time zones.
6. A little bit of a lifestyle statement (not about money, but about sportiness and versatility).
7. Green accents are refreshing.
JLC:
1. Far superior designs to Rolex. Much more refined looks.
2. Big lifestyle statment. (again, not about money, but about refinement and art, yet with a sporty undertone)
3. Love the logo.
4. Big departure from the Panerai it would replace.
5. Wonderful (world class?) movements.
6. Incredible on straps. I think the bracelets are a little on the overdone side, but still nice, and seem very solid and sturdy.
7. While not rare, there are certainly a LOT more people wearing Rolex, and having a watch on that only other watch collectors notice is gratifying.
Either way, I think I'd still like to get both a JLC and a Rolex GMT.
Hope everyone has a great night.
John
Hi everyone...
