remarque
809
A few points:
Mar 21, 2018,20:11 PM
1) Owning and acquiring watches as a discretionary activity should be enjoyable/fun and make one happy!
2) Watch companies have their own agendas. Rolex Company, with regard to its Rolex watch line, seems to be more interested in maintaining an image within the watch world, rather than pleasing the buyer: as I have said in other threads, unless you are a "somebody" in the watchworld or public eye, or have a "relationship" with a Rolex AD (i.e., have purchased a requisite number of Rolex watches (4? 5? more??) with said AD and are thus a "preferred" client), you have essentially zero chance of obtaining what are deemed "desirable" Rolex models in a "reasonable" amount of time.
3) All to say, the watch enthusiast newcomer, as a "nobody" individual to Rolex and its ADs, is therefore not "worthy" to buy a single Rolex watch that the dealer, should it have one in its vault, deems "desirable".
4) This makes owning/acquiring a Rolex watch, to the typical "nobody" (see 1 and 3 above), not enjoyable or fun!
5) So forget Rolex vis-a-vis Rolex labeled watches.
Fortunately, I do not care for the majority of Rolex watches current design language. Thus, it is certainly easier for me to advise others to forget about spending your money on a Rolex, because Rolex does not value people as customers given their company philosophy (see above)
Oddly, though, Tudor watches, owned by Rolex, has, in the past few years, been slowly yet steadily developing a design language in which a few of their models do appeal to me. At a relatively great value with a very good movement. So last year, I bought a Pelagos LHD, which has turned out to be my most accurate watch in my humble small set. And today, the new Tudor Black Bay GMT also appeals to me, infinitely more than the disproportionate maxi-case and maxi-sized hands "Pepsi" Rolex GMT-Master II. At less than half the price. Maybe I will end up buying my second Tudor!
All to say, if a watch company is not fun to work with, don't. New watches appear every year. Some years yield watches we like, others don't. Be patient and don't get upset over some self-important company label. Remember, keep this pleasure in watches pleasurable.
As to your other mentioned companies (Patek, AP, etc), those watches have always been in a different echelon price-wise, so if they increase they prices, all I can say is remember the old adage: If you have to ask, you can't afford it. As to availability of these stratospheric priced watches, well, I'm sure if you make a nice donation to Thierry Stern's favorite charity in his honor with his knowledge, I'm sure he will help you out with that watch that you think you must have...