Shopping Trip.

padi65 · Shopping Trip.

I was over in France a few weeks ago for a very fast day trip and the wife wanted to use the ladies powder room. So we called in to a rather overpriced department posh looking store.

Among the makes of watches they had on display were: Jaeger Lecoultre, IWC, Chopard, Girard-Perregaux, Vacheron Constantin, Audemars Piguet, Blancpain, Glashütte Original + many more but no Rolex. It should have been a veritable Aladdin's cave and an experience to savour. But for me it actually turned out to be a very very big disappointment.I tried to get some pictures but was stopped by security WTFF I don't know perhaps they thought I was casing the joint.

The current state of Zenith watches is a perfect example of the trend I refer to,the non WIS type people that buy them deserve them. As I say, this just makes the classic clean designs look even more attractive to me. Unfortunately though, these designs get caught up in the 'our range is more expensive than your range. So it must be better' because it costs more. But we all end up paying very silly money for replacement straps, buckles and servicing etc as a result.The new Zenith Defy Extreme watches IMHO are out of this world bloody ugly. I'll give them a congrats on doing something different, but different is not always good in my book IMHO.

Here where all the makes that I had seen in magazines and read about but some had never seen in the flesh. However, what I saw was not what I expected, it seems that in this store all these expensive(some very incredibly) and revered marques have sold out to the current fashion of over-sized and over blinged watches, most were IMO hideous. The only watch I saw that I would wear was the plain old Lecoultre reverso. It did, however, make me appreciate the clean and classic lines available from other makes that wont break the bank, like Fortis, Damasko, Hamilton,and Seiko to name just a few etc.

These are good honest well executed and robust. The so called 'top' makes left me feeling slightly disgusted with the amount of bling and chavish styling, that they have obviously felt is wanted or needed, by those that have huge bank balances and can afford them.

Watch companies, IMHO, are now like overpaid sportsmen, but once in while there comes someone with a refreshing new style, technology. attitude and hunger. Once they have had too much of the good thing they loose their spirit, trust their old accomplishments to bring them over in the competition and get in a stop rut. In most cases the old stuff is so good it will outlast the newcomers. Classical example the Rolex Sea Dweller.GMT, DJ or Sub will last a life time and beyond.

If there were a law that watch companies couldn't be sold to greedy investment groups, the watch world in todays market would be in much better state. Just look at what´s happening - most good new new stuff comes from very small independents,I love respect all brands of mechanical watches.But even our own Rolex what have they given us new in reality over the last 20- 30 odd years.It might be a case in Rolex eyes if its not broke why fix it,but one day perhaps even that bubble will burst.

Dan Pierce

Interesting read. Have to agree with you on the "our watches are more $$ and bigger so they have to be better" attitude leaves me a bit cold. All sizzle and no steak.

dP

uncle aj

I'm starting to look more at Sinn, Fortis, Marcello C, Glycine etc. In fact I had a Glycine Combat Auto and would have still had it had I not mislaid it.

Best watch for the price I ever had.

padi65