Lee's Watch Thread for MM'ers of Impeccable Taste

[WRXtranceformed]

So as part of a fun birthday weekend, wifey and I stopped by a pre-owned luxury watch dealer here that has gotten really good reviews. I like to window shop for stuff I am too frugal to actually buy, but I also like to track resale markets when I get really involved in a hobby like this. If you remember, I had been keeping an updated Google doc with pricing on several different models of interest (<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1vab6WhskfiRmQVKEi8kX2ZDx2_iqIgcqm1Z-hOZSUSE/edit#gid=0">https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... edit#gid=0</a><!-- m -->) as well as my own personal trade tracking history but I wanted to also see what the more traditional retailer / high end pawn market looks like. Plus, there's no substitute for actually trying something out that's really expensive before you buy.

I tried on a few Breitlings (there are only a few models I really like of theirs), a few Omega planet oceans, and then came the Rolex case. Tried on an anniversary-edition green bezel Submariner:


It's nice but carried a hefty premium ($10k+ even used) because it's a sought after model. Also tried on a DSSD out of curiosity because I am used to wearing bigger/thicker watches:


It was way thicker than it looks though and is just weird, did not wear comfortably and is definitely more of a "tool" watch as far as expensive watches go (ie something James Cameron would take down with him filming underwater trenches)

I noticed a few of my "grail" watches in the case, several older GMT Master IIs in both stainless and two tone but the older models don't stand out as much, they look more primitive. Then the guy says they have a back room with more Rolexes and asked if I wanted to see them. Sure I said. Big mistake that was. I try on the newer green hand and Batman:




Instantly I became drunk with power. I was transported to a place where I could smell exotic old lady perfumes and the oil-drippings of the restored classic cars in the six car garage, hear the inner-office whisperings of the hedge fund manager trying to weasel more money out of retired investors for his ponzi scheme. I felt like I had just tried on the dang Ring of Power and was mentally transformed into a shriveled, withering Gollum.

It did not help that my wife was like "um that looks amazing on you, go ahead and get it". Thank God my sensibility and pragmatic nature took over as I was mildly shaking when I pried them off my wrist. It was then and there that the GMT Master cemented itself as the top spot on my list; there is no Navitimer Blue Sky, there is no orange bezel Planet Ocean XL, there is no Submariner...there is only The One.

I decided that I would start building a "kitty" for that type of watch (as Mike Brewer calls it in Wheeler Dealers) with any pieces I have that are not currently getting wrist time or that I had on the docket to trade, so my TAG is up for sale (if anyone is interested, I give you special MM love you long time price: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://forums.watchuseek.com/f29/fs-tag-2000-professional-blue-dial-recently-serviced-lightly-restored-4285402.html">http://forums.watchuseek.com/f29/fs-tag ... 85402.html</a><!-- m -->). I justified it to myself that if I set money aside little by little eventually I will get there and not feel bad about the big purchase. The things we do for love!