Jim:

Your reply is excellent . . . very thoughtful. It certainly gives me enough inspiration to spend some hours over the next few days posting images (AMH collection), creating tables (Camaro), writing articles (International Wristwatch), playing with HTML (Tier 1 and Tier 2 ratings), and even chasing a watch or two (maybe an Omega -- ??).

Thanks for the message. I am feeling more like my old self again.

Jeff

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

: Jeff, to just set the record straight, I think
: we are both still in the same crowd as I
: have never really made a purchase over
: $3K(yet). I am however maybe at the same
: philosophical point as you are hinting at.

: I think the Heuer is a tad behind the Omega but
: that has been on a more historical basis due
: to popularity. I know this site has done a
: lot to even up the ranks between the two
: makers.

: That being said, there is definetly a whole
: world operating above this. Like I said
: there is Patek and then everybody else.
: There are certainly many really cool watches
: to choose from, some with better credentials
: than others with prices to match. This may
: be the cause of our problem with collecting.
: Go figure why an IWC Ingenieur goes for many
: thousands when a simple Omega looks the same
: for under a grand.

: A cult like following gets going and is
: perpetuated. I think we have given the Heuer
: brand a great start at that for the future,
: with matching price appreciation. As the
: cult grows and the number of devotees
: increases the brand prices increase due to a
: limited supply.

: But the problem at hand is what does the sport
: mean to you. If your budget won't allow
: there are plenty of Bull Head Seikos for a
: few hundred dollars. The thrill of the hunt
: can be just as exciting. The same can be
: said for hunting for that special Heuer, or
: at the top of the market, Patek, only
: difference is the number of zeros in the
: price. Actually, there really is a quality
: difference, but maybe that's not why you are
: a collector.
: I collect Heuers because of my interest in
: racing. Therefore almost every watch I own
: is a chronograph. A simple looking IWC
: Ingenieur or Patek for that matter just
: doesn't do anything for me although I
: appreciate the quality and history of those
: brands. On the other hand, my IWC Titanium
: GST is one of my favorites that I wear
: often.
: So this hobby means many things to each of us.
: As we grow our collection and passion, so do
: our tastes and hopefully we will have the
: budget to grow with it.

: Wow, that's a lot to chew on for today. Guess
: this helps me too as I figure out the next
: conquest and addition.