it's a little amusing to read all the negative reactions to a simple admission that d10 wants to show that he's arrived.
to come clean, i don't own a patek, so i can't speak from that perspective, but i have some decent watches that no one where i work knows or recognizes. i only wish there were some watch aficionados around who could appreciate a jlc or a go or show me their patek or lange so i could learn something from more knowledgeable folks.
that said, the idea of not displaying one's wealth to all but a select few seems a little bourgeois. quality: always important, but historically, the wealthy always engaged in conspicuous display. what on earth were the pyramids about (afterlife aside), or commissioning vermeer to paint a portrait of oneself with prized possessions? the wealthy have always engaged in display. it's just a little contrived, and perhaps a little modern, to pretend otherwise.
some folks don't need to be flashy (i would never buy louis vuitton for that reason; i do love the idea of avoiding really obvious, vulgar expressions of wealth...esp. since i'm not wealthy) but there's nothing inherently inferior or to be scorned about someone who admits to the feeling that owning a patek is symbolic of more than just an appreciation for fine watches.
chris hoffman