Re: I travel through Chicago O'hare frequently....
You are 100% correct. Your average person doesnt know watches. A coworker and I play this game with the receptionists out front. We present her two watches: the first one is a nice suisse brand (Omegas, DJR, Hamilton KFCA, Oris, Ball, Midos etc) and the second (from my coworker) is a cheap Chineese ebay watch (usually with the "furbillion" escapement). To this date she has only guessed mine twice. The first with the old Omega Deville and the other time with a Omega Constellation. Cuz, She's never heard of the other ones.
So, to answer everyones question. The commoner recognizes two things: Gold and Rolex. I would bet I could remortgage my house, buy a $150,000 Franck Muller tourbillon and she would pick his $50 Chinese watch.
: I think if someone sports an Omega because they
: really wanted the Rolx then it's a shame.
: the Omega is a great piece of equipment and
: somethin like that needs to be carefully
: chosen..
: Of late I've been wanting to upgrade my SMP
: quartz (I opted for a Bond edition chrono
: which I ought have on Friday) and I looked
: at the main watch manufacturers having a
: pretty good idea of what I needed beforehand
: and knowing what I do and don't like. I went
: to my local jeweller who carries Rolex, Tag,
: Omega and Breitling the only four that
: really interested me. I got the catalogues
: and I have been back and forth a LOT to the
: jeweller to ask questions and see the
: equipment. They must be sick at the sight of
: me by now... Anyhow at least I bought
: something from them for it! But on looking
: at the models in the catalogues, which have
: made their way all over the house as my
: family read them too I look at the Rolex
: catalogue, which is a very nicely presented
: document... my opinion is that their
: products look a bit boring (I'm sure I've
: walked into the line of fire with that). The
: Rolex look is very 'copied' by now. Very
: much so the Submariner and the date-just.
: The number of people I see about sporting
: wannabe Rolex copies is uncanny. The
: date-just their 'stock model' if you like
: has nothing to get excited about, it has
: it's own look, sure but it's been robbed of
: it's individuality. The Submariner looks
: great and I have to say holding a real brand
: new Rolex submariner is something I
: reccomend to anyone (even if you have no
: intention of buying it, they don't need to
: know) it feels lovelly. It looks great on
: your wrist. But it's shine has again been
: robbed by the copies. Tag are very common
: and for me don't really appear very exciting
: so I pretty much looked at the catalogue a
: few times and that was that. Breitling are
: VERY distinctive and have a very apparent
: element of style. They really are great
: pieces of equipment. I had a Colt auto back
: in the day and never had any major issues
: with it and by today they have streamlined
: their range and have something for everyone.
: The spec of their sea dwelling watches is
: outstanding. I was very very impressed by
: them and indeed lined myself up for buying a
: Chronomat Blackbird (which I probably still
: may do knowing how weak willed I am). On the
: other hand there was Omega. The styling is
: very distincitve in it's own right and the
: equipment just keeps on going. There was
: never any question, I think once you own an
: Omega for whatever reason and appreciate it
: for the great item of equipment that it is
: you can pretty much discount Rolex out of
: hand. It was touch and go on my buying a
: Submariner for some time but I didn't fancy
: waiting and I fancied buying a £2350 watch
: that looked like Joe Bloggs' £50 watch even
: less. My Omega was £1600 that I spent not
: because I wanted to be a flash yuppie. I
: spent it because I wanted the best equipment
: that was individual to me.
: My thoughts...
: Pete J
