So I decided what else is amex for---than to charge up? I took the plunge and preordered a bel canto and the moonphase-----why? Because now a rolex is boring, a grand seiko is boring, and just about anything else is BORING----these are so innovative and unique but look great---I mean you can go to orients site and see some really cool looking watches but when you hold one in your hand you realize how cheap it looks and feels. I suspect that the moon wathc due in December and the Bel Canto due in July 2024 will not look or feel cheap.

I stopped buying and lost all interest in rolex when my gmt rootbeer was stolen as it just takes the fun out of it when you are marked by the watch you wear. I suspect these will be safe to wear as it takes a real watch nerd to know what they are- most criminals will assume they are orients or 29$ chinese watches---or invictas---they have some extremely hideous gaudy watches too.

I looked at the "future" and I better get a part time job to save money- I'm going to covet everyone of the new releases as they are announced. Hopefully by ordering I will be included to buy future watches.

Thank you C W. Not montgomery- chris. Its not a montgomery ward watch---my wife asked me "why do you want a watch from montgomery ward?" I had to explain the whole thing.

mtsaz wrote: ↑Fri Nov 03, 2023 12:34 am Thank you C W. Not montgomery- chris. Its not a montgomery ward watch---my wife asked me "why do you want a watch from montgomery ward?" I had to explain the whole thing.

I'm sure if Montgomery Ward was still trading you would like their watch store today

Yes, nerd-out and enjoy what you like. CW have certainly introduced some interesting pieces in recent times for those that enjoy what they bring.
In the end only you really (should) care....and the n'ere-do-wells who want to steal for a quick profit if it's 'the thing'. Thankfully the steam seems to be coming out of the hype train some just now and they will become less attractive to the wrong people.
I always wonder who's buying these stolen watches, what is wrong with them?

A lot of fun can be had in the game we play with watches the don't cost a bomb but you just dig them.

I really enjoy my Moonwatch and Spring Drive, for example, for what they are but gosh, I'm also enjoying a Brew Metric that's on my wrist at the moment. And my CWs too, for that matter, amongst others.

Noush wrote: ↑Fri Nov 03, 2023 11:29 am I always wonder who's buying these stolen watches, what is wrong with them?

I read a pretty comprehensive piece on watch crime that said thieves were trading them in lieu of cash among themselves. Watches are ultimately more portable than cash. You can carry $200K in watches in your pocket with the right models. After the watches cross a few borders and change a few hands they are easier to get rid of because there really isn't any multinational way to track to the thefts. If the thieves aren't caught locally and the watches recovered there they are gone.

I posted this chart a while ago in the Rolex thread that I thought was very telling. I found a source for historical retail pricing for Rolex models. You used to hear a lot that a persons Rolex cost them a months salary and I wanted to see if that was true. I plotted those prices against the average monthly salary for a college graduate in the US. I stuck with stainless steel models. What struck me were a few observations. First was that Rolex pricing trended just below the average monthly salary of a graduate up until about '88 or so. During the next period the chart inverts and RRP tracks just above the take home line. Then in the early 2000s (about 2004 or so) the RRP skyrockets across all models. Some more than others. What this told me is that Rolex isn't looking at me as a customer anymore. They are after a completely different demographic.

Now compare that chart to this one from WatchCharts that charts the top 30 Rolex models by transaction value on the secondary market. You can see that over the last three years there has been a big spike that is returning to the norm. In fact there are quite a few models that are trading below retail on the secondary market (some of the ultra high end stuff significantly so). I think it has a little way to go down yet before it levels off.

This chart is the overall secondary market which also shows a decline from the 2022 highs. This chart comprises of 60 watches from the top 10 brands.

All of this is to say in a long winded way that demand is definitely falling for the most desirable watches. As they become less desirable and less valuable the thieves will undoubtedly move to greener pastures. The spotlight being thrown on watch crime will also help.

This is longer than I intended and rambling more than I wanted!

We definitely live in a time where we are spoiled for choice. With advances in manufacturing over the last 25 years or so there are now more quality watches at the mid to high entry level than ever before. We are spoiled for choice and should revel in it. We should stretch out of our comfort zones and try new stuff