[Closed] So, just sent my watch off for a service...

Just seen this, I have a 20 year old a Ebel sportwave. Never had a service, I get the battery done by a guy in Banbury, in a little trailer. Cost £3.
It has just stopped prematurely.
Oh dear.

£580...hmmm.
a mere £340 for this
[img] [/img]

however the 1959 version...
[img] [/img]

that...won't ever go back to Geneva....they quote £880!! which is nuts, as its a far simpler movement.

http://www.omegawatches.com/customer-service/watch-intervention/service-prices

Hmm, well for me, cheap bikes are less fun because they perform less well

So isn't the parallel that cheap watches are less enjoyable because they perform less well? For that, you'd have to understand that being utterly accurate is not a key function.

Okay, I'll admit it, I do have a s**** watch or two - but not one of your common Rolexes, one of these:

[url= http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2230/1779345381_baa63aa9db_z.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2230/1779345381_baa63aa9db_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/cycleologist/1779345381/ ]Hewlett Packard HP-01[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/cycleologist/ ]Ben Cooper[/url], on Flickr

It eats batteries, but it's the ultimate geek watch possibly 😉

Hi Fred,

*wayves*

xx

So isn't the parallel that cheap watches are less enjoyable because they perform less well? For that, you'd have to understand that being utterly accurate is not a key function.

Now I'm really confused. I thought the whole point of a watch was to tell the time. You're going to have to explain what the key functions of a watch actually are.

Hi Fred

Not just me thinking that then.

You might as well save your money

best laugh of the day old bean. 😆

aracer, the key function of high end watches is to be admired, in my view. they are a piece of jewelry primarily. I know it is daft. yep, I agree, but I enjoy my watches.

One of the worst fashion sins imo is wearing anything analogue looking that costs less than say 2K pounds. Unless like I said its a Swatch.

One of the worst brands of watches and biggest accessory sins are for example Tag Heuer watches IMO. Why - It shows that you 'care' about your watch, but that you could not afford a proper watch. If you cannot afford a proper watch then just buy a Swatch. Otherwise save up a bit of money and buy a cheaper IWC etc...

[IMG] [/IMG]

In fact, I have only seen one watch that I would buy and wear, given the money, and that's this one:

[IMG] [/IMG]

Which you'd still look down on, kukonaya, because, while its made in the Rolex factory, it's not a Rolex, and is about £1000 cheaper than the base Rolex.
But all you care about is how you appear to your hipster friends, which is, ultimately, superficial and false.
Oh, btw, I do actually own a TAG, cost me £250 around thirty years ago.
Still works, although it is, like me, a little worn around the edges. And I don't much care, either.

MrSmith : IRL Troll

Count, it is a shame Tudor aren't in the UK currently. Of their Heritage range I like the black bay for appearance, the Pelagros is a little too much like the original snowflake sub and you can get one of those for not much more then half the pelagros.
There are a few Swiss made watches around that are clear and simple, you seem to like the military style, have you looked at CWC? They are similar in price to Seiko but with ETA movements.

GfS With a handful of Fake Omegas from Bali, and a nice Casio ]which sadly got spin-kicked to death by a big chap around a punch bag one drunken evening...]

[IMG] [/IMG]

🙂

MY NAME IS OZZY MANDIALS, LOOK UPON MY MIGHTY WATCHES AND DESPAIR.

It's just a watcch dude..

but i am ozzy mandial, oh, it doesn't work. fak. I AMMM OZZY MANDIAL though etc. funny thread 😀

Now I'm really confused. I thought the whole point of a watch was to tell the time. You're going to have to explain what the key functions of a watch actually are.

Actually, I said that being utterly accurate was not a key function. Have you ever been 1/1000th of a second late for something?

If for you, the sole purpose of a watch is to tell the time, then of course you'd choose the cheapest. Nothing wrong with that.

My watch is old. I like objects that have history.
My watch has sentimental value, being chosen by me as a gift from my mates on my 30th.
My watch is slightly battered, I like things that look used.
My watch keeps terrible time and requires frequent winding, I find this charming.
My watch only comes out on special occasions, for me it seems somehow a part of these events.

There are 5 key functions for me, and the only one related to timekeeping views accuracy as a negative! Other people might have different reasons. Sure, some people might have slightly distasteful motives, which I highlighted as a bit of a joke.

Been resisting this thread.....

I have a wooden boat, it's not as good as a modern fibreglass boat, it's more expensive to maintain, slower and just not as good. 

But... It was made by hand, it needs a bit of love to keep it afloat and it's a bit special. A wooden boat has never been used to attract fittie hotties but I like my wooden boat, I appreciate the work that went into making it.

I have a Land Rover, blatantly thrown together by blind Monkeys in Birmingham, it's slow, noisy, cold, leaks, lacks airbags and ABS and does far fewer MPG that a Skoda Octpractical, but it was built by hand (poorly) and I love it. I smile driving it. (I hated our New Golf Tdi thing, loathed it!)

My watch has no electricity, just lots of tiny cogs pushing other tiny cogs that make it work and this fascinates me. I love it. It loses time, stops and isn't clever enough to work out which months only have 30 days, so it needs a bit of help now and again. I could have got a super efficient Casio G S-watch that could tell me the time in Bogota to 1ms for less than the cost of a service. But I have had one and it was a factory produced disposable commodatity that was always destined for and probably now is landfill.

I loved the steel, handbuilt Mercian bike I had (RIP) much more than the better lighter carbon bike I now use.

Cheaper & better doesn't mean it's as good 🙂

aracer, the key function of high end watches is to be admired, in my view. they are a piece of jewelry primarily. I know it is daft. yep, I agree, but I enjoy my watches.

Fair enough. At least you're prepared to admit it. Like many others on this thread, I wouldn't dream of spending that sort of amount on jewelry (though I'm happy to admit to spending money on bike stuff which has only aesthetic benefit, nowhere near the amount some people will spend on a watch though).

I must admit I have spent £300 on a watch though. Here's a picture of the one I own:

[img] [/img]

mate at work comes back from Greece with a ferrari watch with stick-on extra dials. also has a whole bunch of other fake watches. He's 66 on his 4th wife and a lover of teh ladies. Loves his Knowingly-taking-the piss-fake bling. Couldn't meet a better dude.

I got a Iron man Triathlon for sports, 3 Breitling copies from far east when pissed? that the wife loves and a Oris divers for my 40th to pass to my Grandson- just as my Grandfather passed a Longines gold watch to me.I am not from a well to do family but my Grandfather worked hard to give my Father and me chances. I have worked hard to give my future Grandson chances and a watch symbolizes our climb from outside Lav to Mortgage free at 40 years old .Hopefully the watches will carry on? if not my Grandson gonna get some sweet rides when he is 5 foot tall ha ha

Neil, that small seconds Omega is lovely. *Thumbs up/generic kudos forum term*

I've git a semi at the thought of so many people irritated that I'm wearing a Breitling right now, it's an even better felling than feeling richer than the Casio wearers...

I'm wearing a Breitling right now

Ooof! Keep talking you filthy beast....

LOL at username/irony/subject collision above.

Is this still going? Have we achieved world peace yet? Anyone changed their position? No, thought not. 🙂

I'm wearing a Breitling right now

Bond never wore a Breitling, just saying. 😉

I have - I was at work, then I went home and now I am back at work again.

Bond never wore a Breitling, just saying.

Thunderball. Just saying.

Bond? Seiko man I heard (for a bit).....

I'm wearing a Breitling right now
Ooof! Keep talking you filthy beast....

It's a self winder, and it's not going flat in a hurry....

LOOK UPON MY MIGHTY WATCHES AND DESPAIR

Best most erudite pisstake of the thread, well done, made me laugh 🙂

I use my phone to tell the time. I wonder if the reason people don't appreciate the engineering that goes into it is because they don't understand it?

If you claim to be interested in engineering you should be absolutely blown away. It makes the contents of these watches look like toys.

Moly, they're electric which dunt count. It's witchcraft dontchaknow 🙂

Electrickery isn't real engineering - that's why this:

[url= http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4153/4949209583_fc8ac00f5a_z.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4153/4949209583_fc8ac00f5a_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url]

Is infinitely cooler than this:

[img] [/img]

It's a self winder, and it's not going flat in a hurry....

[img] [/img]

Thunderball. Just saying.

Huh, howzabout that...

Electrickery isn't real engineering - that's why this:

Is infinitely cooler than this:

Nope. The latter is cheaper, better and more reliable. Any engineer would appreciate that. People who think cogs and gears are better in engineering terms are romantics or blinded by nostalgia I reckon 🙂

The latter is cheaper, better and more reliable.

Cheaper, yes. But that Curta is 60 years old, has never needed batteries, and can still do many calculations faster than an electronic calculator 😉

Cheaper, yes. But that Curta is 60 years old, has never needed batteries, and can still do many calculations faster than an electronic calculator

Many?

Sounds like you are making excuses for it tbh. Plus I've got solar powered calculators that never need batteries.

Romantic. That's it.

Gears and cogs?

Keep it real.

[img] [/img]

Is this still going? Have we achieved world peace yet? Anyone changed their position? No, thought not.

No, but we know exactly how long we've been bickering for.

Only if someone has been timing the thread with a digital watch.

Sounds like you are making excuses for it tbh

Yup 😉

I said many calculations because the reason it's faster is due to the entry method - if you're adding a long list of similar numbers, for instance, it's quicker to change one or two digits and crank the handle than it is to type in the whole number again.

Plus I've got solar powered calculators that never need batteries.

Any of them 60 years old yet? 😉

I dunno, ask me in 60 years.

Age on its own does not confer value.

Age on its own does not confer value.

No, but it's a good indicator of reliability.

ampthill, i will try to answer some of your questions, i like fashion so maybe i can give you some tips

Yes, we should care what people look like and you should care what you look like IMO.

Well no-one needs to be upset because it is just my opinion

Oh yes! you could definitely tell when it's a fake very easily!

Yes, your orange watch is definitely better than a Tag Huer for many reasons. 1-Your watch is functional and you use it to jog/run and as timing instrument. For what you do and for your lifestyle it is perfect. Although personally I would never advocate bright colors like that. Some women might not find that attractive.

I would like to give you another little tip/experiment if you dont mind: Try to do something a bit different style wise next time you go out or go to a bar for example. Try to put in some effort and just take it one step up. Like if you normally wear jeans and tshirt to bar, now try with jeans and nice shirt with collar, maybe put some gel in your hair and smell nice or bit different than usual. Shoes are very important too, try wearing some nicer shoes. And also take off your orange watch. Just try it once and see the different response you get, if any. I think you will be very surprised.

I'm touched that you replied and was never upset by your post just amazed

My worry is that the appearance thing is a slipper slope. Do we not employe the ugly. Do we have a max BMI for the receptionist? How do we judge people from other cultures if we judge by appearance

It is true that when I wear a collar to work I get positive comment. But is it just a cheap trick. Shouldn't they be impressed buy who I am and what I do

[IMG] [/IMG]

15 years old - £30 when new. Getting close yet?

Clothes maketh the man.

So being a city get and working in a dealing room I get to see alot of poncy watches.... (some are really rather serious money)

On one hand they make sense as some high end watches will hold thier value if not actually increase in price while you get to enjoy them. ( so better than buying flash motors or all mountain super bikes for the local woods)

But then on the other hand... there have been a number of watches lost on big nights out.

And that's why I wouldn't invest in one.... I'd forget my own head if it wasn't screwed on.... and anyway I look enough like a city w***er with my stripped shirts and red braces.

What's wrong with a bit of romance?

I have a thomas the tank engine solar calculator which is 25 years old and still works plus it plays the thomas the tank engine theme music.

Cool. As. ****.

No, but it's a good indicator of reliability.

Not on its own. Something that's been kept in a cupboard for decades doesn't need to be reliable. And people seem to value things that are rare, but of course many things that were common are now rare because they were UNreliable and broke a lot.

What's wrong with a bit of romance?

Nothing, but romance and large sums of money aren't really compatible are they?

So, uh, what's everyone's take on 18 carat gold ones then? Those are impractical to the extreme, and there is no more engineering in hat that a steel one, in fact it probably harder to form the steel. And diamonds?

This is nice n tasteful
[img] [/img]

Cant' tell the time on it though. (Belongs to [url= http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.13675/title.kanye-west-buys-ridiculously-expensive-watch-with-his-face-on-it ]Kanye[/url] )

15 years old - £30 when new. Getting close yet?

The squint buttons would drive me to distraction. If it's electronic, it has to be a HP with proper clicky buttons and Reverse Polish operation.

"What's wrong with a bit of romance?"

"Nothing, but romance and large sums of money aren't really compatible are they?"

Depends who you're trying to have sex with doesn't it?

What? Yeah I love re-arranging me equations for fun...

EDIT: I hope you're riffing of the mechanical watch theme.

Attached - the holy grail, presumably
[img] [/img]

Yes - you really don't think this is astounding?

The problem with electronic stuff is we're getting close to Arthur C Clarke's thing about how sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. I've got an iPhone - it's incredible what it can do. But it's a featureless black oblong. Open one up, and it's full of more featureless oblongs. Whereas something mechanical, you can see the cleverness.

If all these really nice watches cost so much to service they cant be that good !Shouldnt they work for years like a 20 quid Timex does without maintenance?

The problem with electronic stuff is we're getting close to Arthur C Clarke's thing about how sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

That depends how clever you are. 😉

It is extremely clever, for sure.

It is also utterly outdated. Technology has moved on, though it may be physically featureless as you say, it is vastly more practical. While the Antikythera Mech is astonishing for it's age, what it can actually calculate is now the work complexity of a musical birthday card.

See Colossos vs Bombes, throughput of GPUs, the internetz etc etc etc

Just because something is outdated it does not mean it has no worth. Is a painting less worthy than a photograph, does a book have less value than a film?

We all ride and I assume enjoy owning a mechanical device the design of which is over 100 years old. We could all drive, ride motorcycles or go by some other method but we choose an old technology that works. I expect many of us are mechanically sympathetic and enjoy a well oiled silent machine, mechanical watches are similar to that IMO, old yes but still wonderful things..

sure - but it's sentimentality and not a practical decision

try wearing your automatic for a few weeks when riding your bike and see how well it keeps time then

That depends how clever you are.

True 😉

One thing I remember from working for IBM - apart from the depressing corporate culture - was that not one of the several hundred people working at that site knew how the whole system worked. Not really. They each knew their own little bits in great detail. And that was only a few mainframes handling an insurance company.

I doubt there's any one person who truly understands how an iPhone works. And by that I mean they could sit down and write the hardware and software design by themselves.

We could all drive, ride motorcycles or go by some other method but we choose an old technology that works.

There are practical advantage to cycling, not least that it's the most energy efficient mode of transport going. Not disputing your point but that's a poor example.

So, what we are saying is that there's nothing wrong with a cheap watch, or an expensive watch, and that it's all about choice of the consumer.

Who'd have thunk people have different onions on stuff?

My preference is that I love my Brietling (30th from the then g/f now wife), wear a timex when sailing or mountain biking which is also fine, and utterly hate the Kayne watch above, but equally dislike my friends rose gold and diamond studded rolex.

I doubt there's any one person who truly understands how an iPhone works. And by that I mean they could sit down and write the hardware and software design by themselves.

Too true I met some one who worked for imagination. They just design the graphics chip. There might be a few people who get how that chip works but would only have limited knowledge of how the main processor was layed out

Yes - you really don't think this is astounding?

For it's time, maybe. But isn't saying that a disservice to the intelligence of the ancient greeks? Are we expecting them to be superstitious simpletons who made up whatever ideas suited them about how stuff worked? They did a lot of that, of course, but they were still intelligent people and were able to express it in certain areas in a way that still holds today. They were just as clever as us, they only lacked the body of knowledge we have.

Just because something is outdated it does not mean it has no worth.

Of course, but similarly just because something is old doesn't mean it's necessarily wonderful. Old watches and other machines are fantastic things, and it's great that we still have this knowledge.

BUT

The people who make these £4k watches are only making stuff this way because they know that some folk will pay tons of money for them. That's it.

I doubt there's any one person who truly understands how an iPhone works. And by that I mean they could sit down and write the hardware and software design by themselves.

This is true but it in no way detracts from its amazingness, to me. I know enough about it to marvel at the sheer number of man hours that've gone into it. Not just in its development but in everything all the way back to 1947 and further. On the shoulders of giants we all stand.

The people who make these £4k watches are only making stuff this way because they know that some folk will pay tons of money for them. That's it.

But why is that an issue? The world is full of things that are more expensive, but do the same. Some of these objects bring pleasure to people, and that has a value for them. Another individual may not be able to understand a particular choice, but I'll almost guarantee that they are making another purchase decision based on the same feelings / values.

Agreed, just look at the bun fights kids bikes kick off & the difference in cost between the most expensive & cheapest is only £150...

I love a nice watch. I love a nice bike. 🙂

Some of these objects bring pleasure to people

I have a 1962 Rolex, it is not flash it attracts little attention. My Grandad gave me this in 1989 (it hasn't been serviced since although I have a quote for £150). When I wear this I have to wind it up once a day and maybe I think about my Grandad and the wonderful gift he gave me.

I have decided to give this to my daughter when she is 18 and who knows she may give to her child. There are not many things in life that you can do that with.

[img] [/img]

Genes? 😉

OK - I hope everyone has a lovely time enjoying their watches.

You'd expect a Ferrari to cost more to service than a Mondeo though, wouldn't you? And probably not be as useful.

My own (relatively cheap) 'expensive' German watch has the logo removed, so where does that put me in the 'only buying a watch to look flash' argument?

Of course I consider myself superior to the brand-whores with their Swiss Rolexes and Omegas but I love those watches too.

Mainly though I love the history, (pointless) engineering, the hand-written certificates of manufacture, the six-month wait and the little flight case Herr Engineer sends them out in.

What's wrong with that? I love traction engines too, and strictly speaking, there's no point to having them any more.

Some people are so [i]boring[/i] it defies words. And most of them seem to post on here.

Don't you people have phones?

but equally dislike my friends rose gold and diamond studded rolex.

I can't think why. That sounds reet tasteful, that. Proper classy, like! 😆

I have a Omega Seamaster, spent my entire first paycheck on it when I secured my first PAYE job after leaving uni in 2000, a reckless decision but I've worn it every single day since, only take it off to bike as it nearly broke my wrist once, lesson learnt, in an OTB my arm will break before the watch...

It's a quartz model as that was all I could afford, I bought it purely for me, I have no interest in what anyone thinks or how expensive/cheap their watches are. I love my watch, hopefully it will last my lifetime. 🙂

A young man did once comment that 'nice watch, shame it's not a chronograph' as he showed me his. He might be right, I've no idea.

A new battery is expensive though, costs about £100 every 5 years, I've no idea why, I'm almost certainly being taken for a ride... 😆

I have decided to give this to my daughter when she is 18 and who knows she may give to her child. There are not many things in life that you can do that with

Knowledge, values, wisdom.. but yeah nothing important 😉

I could pass any old junk down through my family. Pots, dishes, glassware, old mobile phones etc etc.

Some people are so boring it defies words

Lol.. so just because I don't care to be pumped for large sums of cash for something that does nothing interesting, I'm boring? Really?

Incidentally, all I've said on here is that buying expensive watches is daft. I've not judged any of the posters - some admit they are daft, some don't, I've just enjoyed reading the justifications people have given. Some are quite good, some are not 🙂

Come now you can't tell me this isn't the height of taste and sophistication. I give you........the Gaytona.

[img] [/img]

(Actually this might go all the way around the terrible dial and actually be awesome)

Don't you people have phones?

Yeah, that's awesome. How to pull it off though...?

Maybe I should take some style tips from [url= http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/style-tips-for-the-trails ]kukonaya[/url]

Bear necessities,
Thank you :-). I bought the modern one this year for my 40th , for many of the reasons others have mention.... For me, to have something to admire and to have one thing that I might pass on to someone andthey may keep and remember me by. I spent 3 years and a lengthy thread on here choosing it. Thinking it is too expensive and big to wear biking, climbing and diy-ing I admired the 1959 version in the window of a very small local jeweller in crystal palace. Gf bought it for me. Dial is tatty but the mechanism is superb and clean, it keeps time to a very reasonable -12 secs +-1 sec a day, cost a 20th of the new one and I love it, sometimes more then the new one.
Bought my mum a pretty little 9 ct gold 1960 omega geneve for her 70th a month before my own birthday, she adores it, shocking Time keeper! . All very pretty things.

I have a 1962 Rolex, it is not flash it attracts little attention.

That's pretty classy and understated actually. 🙂

The wris****ch became popular in the late 19th/early 20th century as it is much quicker and more convenient than having to fish your time keeping device out of your pocket when you need it.

It's sweatier and less comfortable though. And more expensive (since the phone is already paid for and present for other reasons).

I don't wear my watch for those reasons.