I don't understand high-end wristwatches

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Originally posted by Tingkai
This is my favorite watch. Classic design. Simple in some ways, but there is attention to details.

See, that's a nice watch. But is it six times as nice as similar $200 watch? I don't see it...

[Tingkai]

For me, it's not about the price. It's about the design. I've seen $100,000 that to me look gaudy. I don't like the look of Rolexes. But to each their own.

Having said that, $150 dollar watches usually look cheap to me. Those watches seem to be just functional rather than art. Although a friend has a cheap Timex that actually looks good in a minimalistic way.

[Tingkai]

Originally posted by Rufus T. Firefly
See, that's a nice watch. But is it six times as nice as similar $200 watch? I don't see it...

Depends on how much you can afford to spend. When that watch first came out it cost HK$10,000. I really wanted it, but couldn't afford it. A few years later, I picked it up for about HK$4,500, that's about US$600. I could afford that.

I used to have a Seiko US$100 watch, in some ways similar in design, but it was just a watch. For me, the Omega provides a lot more satisfaction where the Seiko provided none.

[DaShi]

Originally posted by Tingkai
For me, it's not about the price. It's about the design. I've seen $100,000 that to me look gaudy. I don't like the look of Rolexes. But to each their own.

Having said that, $150 dollar watches usually look cheap to me. Those watches seem to be just functional rather than art. Although a friend has a cheap Timex that actually looks good in a minimalistic way.

I'm sorry, but anyone who buys a (let alone 3) $1000 watch and then says it's not about the price is deluding themselves.

[Mr. Harley]

UR - you spend the money to get them the luxuries that they desire but don't buy for themselves because they know they are luxuries. If you are both mature, you only do that within the confines of your family budget. For example, for the last two years my wife and I have spent very little money, as we didn't know how the contract out of my job would proceed. Now that I will get to keep pay for three years, have a move where I will have to pay the sales cost of my house, and have a firm salary for what they will do to my job in three years (40% cut) which means I will be transferring into another field - we can both evaluate the little luxuries we can afford for each other.

When you cannot afford them, it's alot of little things - she cooks me something special that I know stretches her kitchen abilities (something that intimidates her she didn't cook at all before the age of 20), I read stories to our little girl and keep her quiet letting my wife sleep in for two hours, etc. One of the problems couples get into is they let their impulses to do something for their partner exceed their financial ability. You might push it somewhat for a really big purchase, while cutting out something like eat-out lunches at work for three months to pay for it, if you are mature about it. But you always "balance the budget" so to speak.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Mr. Harley
When you cannot afford them, it's alot of little things -

Even if you can afford lots of luxuries, IMHO the little things are still very very important

Originally posted by Mr. Harley
UR - you spend the money to get them the luxuries that they desire but don't buy for themselves because they know they are luxuries. If you are both mature, you only do that within the confines of your family budget. .

Always. You only spend what you can afford. I don't buy anything that doesn't fit within the budget. Buying luxuries is nice but you don't gamble with your financial security

Originally posted by Mr. Harley


I read stories to our little girl and keep her quiet letting my wife sleep in for two hours, etc.

-- Good one-- I do the same with our little boy (actually I have to take him out of the house since being quiet for 2 hours is not in his nature . . . but the thought is the same)

[Alexander's Horse]

the thing about white collar work is men have few ways to distinguish themselves from other office workers. Its the tie, the shoes, the cut of the suit or the shirt or watches. so high end watches have a market

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Alexander's Horse
the thing about white collar work is men have few ways to distinguish themselves from other office workers. Its the tie, the shoes, the cut of the suit or the shirt or watches. so high end watches have a market

Within a given workplace differentiation is by who has the best OFFICE.

[Tingkai]

Originally posted by Alexander's Horse
the thing about white collar work is men have few ways to distinguish themselves from other office workers. Its the tie, the shoes, the cut of the suit or the shirt or watches. so high end watches have a market

I agree with you, and to add detail...

If there are women in the office, then good shoes are important. Polished of course.

In a male dominated office, the tie is important, because it's the first thing people will notice.

The cut of the suit is extremely important because it is subtle. If the cut is good then people will notice, without really knowing why.

The shirt can make all the difference because it is the most subtle aspect of it all.

The watch is a minor detail, but it can make or break the whole thing. There are great looking, expensive watches that look casual and there are cheap watches that look upscale. The watch has to match what you're wearing.

And then there is the question of what everyone else is wearing. I work in an office where people don't wear suits so if I wore a suit I'd stick out like a sore thumb.

So instead I wear smart casual, a cut above the rest which creates the impression that I know what I'm doing, even if I don't. On Sundays ( I work at a daily newspaper), I often wear a hockey jersey which makes me look athletic, even though I'm not.

It's all a game.

[Combat Ingrid]

Originally posted by Tingkai
I agree with you, and to add detail...

If there are women in the office, then good shoes are important. Polished of course.

In a male dominated office, the tie is important, because it's the first thing people will notice.

The cut of the suit is extremely important because it is subtle. If the cut is good then people will notice, without really knowing why.

The shirt can make all the difference because it is the most subtle aspect of it all.

The watch is a minor detail, but it can make or break the whole thing. There are great looking, expensive watches that look casual and there are cheap watches that look upscale. The watch has to match what you're wearing.

And then there is the question of what everyone else is wearing. I work in an office where people don't wear suits so if I wore a suit I'd stick out like a sore thumb.

So instead I wear smart casual, a cut above the rest which creates the impression that I know what I'm doing, even if I don't. On Sundays ( I work at a daily newspaper), I often wear a hockey jersey which makes me look athletic, even though I'm not.

It's all a game.

Thank Cthulhu I work in a research lab, where noone cares about stupid things like that!

[Provost Harrison]

Originally posted by Alexander's Horse
the thing about white collar work is men have few ways to distinguish themselves from other office workers. Its the tie, the shoes, the cut of the suit or the shirt or watches. so high end watches have a market

Yeah, that is if you don't have a personality...

[Provost Harrison]

Originally posted by Combat Ingrid




Thank Cthulhu I work in a research lab, where noone cares about stupid things like that!

Same here...

You know it amazes me just how much politics go on inside people's minds...

[Tingkai]

There's a reason for it.

In every office, there is politics. It would be nice world if everyone got ahead just because of the work they do, but we all know that's not the case. It's all about the game.

[Lul Thyme]

Originally posted by Tingkai


I agree with you, and to add detail...

If there are women in the office, then good shoes are important. Polished of course.

In a male dominated office, the tie is important, because it's the first thing people will notice.

The cut of the suit is extremely important because it is subtle. If the cut is good then people will notice, without really knowing why.

The shirt can make all the difference because it is the most subtle aspect of it all.

The watch is a minor detail, but it can make or break the whole thing. There are great looking, expensive watches that look casual and there are cheap watches that look upscale. The watch has to match what you're wearing.

And then there is the question of what everyone else is wearing. I work in an office where people don't wear suits so if I wore a suit I'd stick out like a sore thumb.

So instead I wear smart casual, a cut above the rest which creates the impression that I know what I'm doing, even if I don't. On Sundays ( I work at a daily newspaper), I often wear a hockey jersey which makes me look athletic, even though I'm not.

It's all a game.

There are tons of work places where nobody cares how you are dressed. As someone pointed out, scientists in labs or even at university for example....

[Kontiki]

For all the indignant science geeks here, realize it goes both ways. I'd kill myself before I worked in a research lab or similar type environment. To each their own.