What was your first serious watch?

[Rhody]

I had a small distribution business for 28 years before Captain's Choice and sold it about five years ago. Then I realized, "Hey, this needs to be commemorated or something." I've never had a watch of any consequence so a watch it was. But which one? I considered them all and when I settled on the one I would end up getting I had to put my hands on my knees at the price. But it had it all - legibility, an amazing heritage, the manual winding, the size, the "good for any occasion" look. It just does not have a bad angle.

For literally three months I read all about this watch and would go talk to the jeweler and try it on, etc. Back and forth I went. Finally it felt right and I got it. They sized it for me and we got settled up. I was just about to leave and on a whim I asked him what the serial number was. He flipped it over and slowly read it to me. I about fell over. The first two digits are the year I graduated high school. The next two digits are the year I graduated college. The next three digits identify our wedding anniversary. The last digit is a zero. Seriously.

I drove home with a big smile thinking, "Okay God, I've got it - thanks for the affirmation!"

Omega Speedmaster

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and you could probably not buy that watch today at the price you paid 5 years ago!
Unbelievable re the serial number. Thats amazing. The history of that watch is pretty cool too!

 

[Rhody]

A few months back I remember an exchange in the comments section of YouTube regarding the current price of a Rolex.

A wife had taken her dead husband's Rolex to "Antiques Roadshow". It was a 1960s Submariner and she had the receipt showing he had paid about $150 for it, new, in mid-1960s currency. This would come out to around $1500-2000 in today's money.

So where does the $12,000 price tag today come from? Luminous paint isn't expensive. Even sub-$100 Chinese watches have sapphire glass these days. How does one get from a $2000 actual value to a $12,000 price tag?

A Ginault or a high end Steinhart are no doubt closer to what it costs to produce a Rolex.

The vintage market is insane. Especially the limited runs of the red sub or newman daytona. 12k is not even a realistic price these days.

 

[Gryffindor]

The watch that got me started is a Marathon TSAR.

 

[Rushman2112]

Marketing the brand. Nobody does it better than Rolex.

Good as they are, I'd not buy a Rolex, they are really common over this side of the world. They are almost standard uniform!

 

[hcoop112]

Mine was a cheap $60 watch ...sadly only lasted a couple years until it got smashed ...now i just wear a cheap $10 ebay one and it looks like a $200 gschock
Lol

 

[TexOkie Shaver]

Over 50 years ago I bought a Lucien Piccard self winding watch. All I had before it were Timex watches. I don’t recall whatever happened to that watch. It’s probably in a shoebox somewhere. Since that time I’ve had a variety of cheapo watches and then in 2000, I bought a Bullova wristwatch that had a Masonic square and compasses on the face. I wore that watch until I had bypass surgery in 2006. The surgeon harvested the donor artery from my left arm where I wore my watch. After that I can’t stand any type of band on my left wrist, so I stopped wearing a watch. Now I use my iPhone to tell time. I tried a couple of cheapie pocket watches, but it was a pain in the derrière to pull the watch out to read the time when I was sitting.


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[Tirvine]

The only watch I have ever bought myself was a cheap heart monitor watch. I have three amazing winding watches, however. One for graduating from high school in 1967, one my wife gave me in 1979, and one that was my great grandfather's. Being both retired and living the pandemic life, it seems unnecessary to wear a watch most days, but I still glance at my wrist.

 

[Jnatcat]

Mine was this a few years back

 

[xiletero]

As a teenager I bought out of my savings a Casio (plastic) with two buttons facing the front. That was the 1st one. I probably bought 4-5 more Casios during high-school. Used to "flip them". Then with my first paycheck I got an expensive Seiko Chrono w alarms....etc. Interestingly that one quit working....I got a lemon, the battery leaked and fried it. Living in the 3rd world....NO warranty....money wasted!

 

[AshleyC]

First an Omega Speedmaster, then a Rolex oysterdate, then I got a Rolex Submariner.
Now I have nothing, sold them all, next watch will be a Patek Philippe, when I have the money for that lol. Not sure what Patek I want yet though.

Sir...you have my sympathies and condolences in this trying time of financial hardship. I too have learned to depise the taste of Spam and ramen noodles. Add to that the need to watch daytime television...and I feel your pain...

 

[Clay S]

A Seiko 300m dive watch purchased from AAFES around 1984. Got tired of having to ship it to the factory to have the battery changed though.

 

[trentr]

I know it said bought for yourself, but this is the only watch I ever really had that was not plastic LOL. My employer bought it for me for my 20 yr anniversary with the company. Had it engraved "20 years of service". I do not know much about watches, but I think it is a nice one and it means something to me. I am proud of it.