Which watch?

[Waveoff]

Good luck getting any sports model Rolex from a dealer these days, without waiting an abhorrent amount of time or shelling out 2x cost second hand.

Only way I’ve known someone getting their hands on a Rolex at MSRP prices was overseas on deployment in Japan.

Edit: I see you’re going for a used model. Good luck either way, congrats on the kid.

 

[ChuckMK23]

Our son is due to be born in March 2023 and I have been cleared by the wife to purchase a watch for him to hand down after he goes out on his own. I know I want a Rolex but am a little torn on which one. I am on the waitlist for the Sub but am considering the new 36mm or the 39mm Explorer and the black bezel GMT Master ii. Does anyone have experience with these watches?


My daily wear is the new Speedmaster 3861 and I have a 7.5 in wrist.

Thoughts?
Submariner?
Explorer 36mm or 39mm?
GMT Master ii black bezel?

Air King? I thought this model was available a little more widely at retail. Bad gouge?

 

[SynixMan]

Both my CO and myself have the previous gen GMT Batman (116710BLNR). I’ve been wearing it near daily for almost 6 years and it’s been bullet proof. Either a GMT or a Sub would be an awesome watch to pass down.

I have small wrists and the 40mm GMT fits me fine. Unless you are going for a “dressier” look I would say the 39mm Explorer or the GMT/Sub would all be excellent choices, the main difference being the secondary function. Personally I find the GMT hand and the rotating bezel very useful both for flying and while traveling.

GMT II would be an amazing gift he would cherish the rest of his life.

 

[Griz882]

Good luck getting any sports model Rolex from a dealer these days, without waiting an abhorrent amount of time or shelling out 2x cost second hand.

Only way I’ve known someone getting their hands on a Rolex at MSRP prices was overseas on deployment in Japan.

Edit: I see you’re going for a used model. Good luck either way, congrats on the kid.

Sorry guys, but the whole watch thing has just gotten stupid. I can’t believe that many men have that much excess currency to waste on used watches that sold for a few thousand bucks brand new. There isn’t a Rolex or Omega on earth worth a year or two of mortgage money. I admit that I like the older watches like the Waltham aviators and Benrus Sky King, but I can snap up one of those for under a thousand bucks. A $6500 watch is costly enough…a $30,000 used watch is simply a bad spending decision and all of this is made worse by guys who don’t understand half the watches functions.

But I’ll still look at pictures of @mad dog and his hairy wristed watch displays.

 

[mad dog]

…But I’ll still look at pictures of @mad dog and his hairy wire hair Jack Russell terrier wristed watch displays.

Fixed it for you, dude.

 

[Waveoff]

Sorry guys, but the whole watch thing has just gotten stupid. I can’t believe that many men have that much excess currency to waste on used watches that sold for a few thousand bucks brand new. There isn’t a Rolex or Omega on earth worth a year or two of mortgage money. I admit that I like the older watches like the Waltham aviators and Benrus Sky King, but I can snap up one of those for under a thousand bucks. A $6500 watch is costly enough…a $30,000 used watch is simply a bad spending decision and all of this is made worse by guys who don’t understand half the watches functions.

But I’ll still look at pictures of @mad dog and his hairy wristed watch displays.

My opinion is if you want a gmt/chrono/alarm/dive function in a mechanical watch for function’s sake, you can get something of quality for <$1500 tops.

If you want a Rolex, omega, or literally any item of the sort for the sake of having something luxurious…do whatever you want as long as it’s not hurting anyone. No one “needs” a fancy pants watch when a Casio can do it all. But if you want a Rolex because you desire a Rolex, then damnit buy a Rolex and deal with the financial implications as you please. If you buy a gmt master II because that’s the “only option for a gmt complication”, that makes you an idiot.

 

[mad dog]

Double dog vintage Hammy railroaders for church today…950 [circa late 1920s] and 950 B [circa early 1960s] respectively…and no, I didn’t take my vintage 1970s Lionel O gauge bicentennial Norfolk & Western GP-9 locomotive to church…





And then it turned in to double dog Seiko Sunday…1986 6309-7049 and 2016 SRP777 respectively…

 

[SynixMan]

Good luck getting any sports model Rolex from a dealer these days, without waiting an abhorrent amount of time or shelling out 2x cost second hand.

Only way I’ve known someone getting their hands on a Rolex at MSRP prices was overseas on deployment in Japan.

Edit: I see you’re going for a used model. Good luck either way, congrats on the kid.

I got mine in 2019 in Bahrain at the mall. They had good stock at the time. GMT in TT/Gold, Sea-dwellers, Deepsea, Explorer 1 and 2s, Subs in TT/Gold/Plat, Platonoas. No straight up steel Subs/GMTs. I even got a little off MSRP, but that was pre-covid and all the crypto bros buying up everything.

It's slowing down outside of major metros. I live in a mid sized midwestern city and my AD said it wouldn't be too long of a wait for a Pepsi GMT, and I told him I'd come back on year 2 pay ?. They don't play the games some ADs do where some customers are more equal than others. I'll be interested to see what the "Certified Preowned" initiative they just announced will do to the market.

Meanwhile when I've hit other worldwide cities it's all "display model only" or a few Datejust models, and the staff sucks. The Panerai dealer was much chiller and actually wanted to sell me a watch.

 

[sevenhelmet]

I got mine in 2019 in Bahrain at the mall. They had good stock at the time. GMT in TT/Gold, Sea-dwellers, Deepsea, Explorer 1 and 2s, Subs in TT/Gold/Plat, Platonoas. No straight up steel Subs/GMTs. I even got a little off MSRP, but that was pre-covid and all the crypto bros buying up everything.

It's slowing down outside of major metros. I live in a mid sized midwestern city and my AD said it wouldn't be too long of a wait for a Pepsi GMT, and I told him I'd come back on year 2 pay ?. They don't play the games some ADs do where some customers are more equal than others. I'll be interested to see what the "Certified Preowned" initiative they just announced will do to the market.

Meanwhile when I've hit other worldwide cities it's all "display model only" or a few Datejust models, and the staff sucks. The Panerai dealer was much chiller and actually wanted to sell me a watch.

Panerai makes cool looking watches. I've been wanting to give them a closer look- just don't trust myself to not do something fiscally stupid.

 

[mad dog]

Lucky double dog Seiko automatics for Mandatory Metallica Monday…it was also American Airlines vs. Delta Air Lines in a super nasty table tennis duel…and I’m happy to report that Delta Air Lines won. 1986 6309-7049 and 2016 SRP777 respectively…

 

[Griz882]

My opinion is if you want a gmt/chrono/alarm/dive function in a mechanical watch for function’s sake, you can get something of quality for <$1500 tops.

If you want a Rolex, omega, or literally any item of the sort for the sake of having something luxurious…do whatever you want as long as it’s not hurting anyone. No one “needs” a fancy pants watch when a Casio can do it all. But if you want a Rolex because you desire a Rolex, then damnit buy a Rolex and deal with the financial implications as you please. If you buy a gmt master II because that’s the “only option for a gmt complication”, that makes you an idiot.

I do have to state that I begrudge no person spending their hard-earned cash as they wish…you earned it…but I reserve the right to call it a poor spending decision. Take note that I am subject to the same metric…for god’s sake, I bought a helicopter!

 

[insanebikerboy]

Panerai makes cool looking watches. I've been wanting to give them a closer look- just don't trust myself to not do something fiscally stupid.

You’re a better man than me. Fiscal responsibility is the last thought on my mind when I’m buying a luxury Swiss watch.

 

[ChuckMK23]

Fiscal responsibility is the last thought on my mind when I’m buying a luxury Swiss watch

If you go the Omega route, don't pay retail! For $3800 a new, current gen Speedy can be yours through NEX and AAFES - which is an amazing bargain and super reasonable.

 

[sevenhelmet]

You’re a better man than me. Fiscal responsibility is the last thought on my mind when I’m buying a luxury Swiss watch.

I'm married, and would like to remain so. It's amazing how often this keeps me from doing stupid things. She tolerated my first 8 watches, but there's a limit to everything...

 

[TF7325]

Sangin Neptune keeping me company while on leave ??