Rolex watches

[brentspeak]

I've always been aware of the name "Rolex", but I always assumed that Rolexes were just like any other garden-variety watch -- Timex or Seiko. Then I'm in a jewelry store, and I see Rolexes listed for $5,000, $10,000, and the salesperson tells me that those are just the "mid-priced" Rolexes.

A "mid-priced" watch that costs $5,000-$10,000??? Are Rolexes made out of solid gold or platinum?

(Disclaimer: My "luxury watch" is a $35 Timex Expedition Camper)

[TZ]

1. Some of them are gold and diamond encrusted, yes

But also like many luxury items you are also paying for the prestige of having one.

[brentspeak]

5. There should be a "TARP edition" Rolex

For bailed-out bank execs.

[Deep13]

9. Made of extruded plastic and string. nt

[Mike 03]

28. The irony is that within those "elite" brands, the most expensive watches are IMO the

absolute ugliest. Who wants fucking diamonds on your watch? It looks ridiculous.

Give me a Navy Seals watch, $300. That makes a hell of a lot more sense to me, because it can withstand all sorts of environmental traumas.

[brentspeak]

33. I have a Swiss Army watch hiding somewhere

That probably can do well in extreme weather.

[Deep13]

2. Some of them are gold and have diamonds.

My favorite model is the Lunar Explorer, used by Apollo astronauts on the moon. The ad for it I saw in the 1980s had the retail price over half a million bucks.

[brentspeak]

3. Half-a-million dollars...

I should learn how to make watches. Holy canoli.

[Deep13]

6. Well, the lunar environment is pretty tough on machines.

I suspect it was specially made for that rather limited application.

[1]

20. no self-respecting apollo astronaut would wear a rolex to the moon...

they wore omega speedmasters.

[Deep13]

22. Shit, that's right!

I mean I remember from somewhere it was Omega, but I don't think I knew the model. So that thing will survive 500 deg. instant temperature swing?

[1]

24. i don't know about 500 degrees, but its a hell of a watch...

a fine mechanical timepiece. and when you put one up against a diamond encrusted rolex, it is dirt cheep.

buzz is a big fan...

[Turbineguy]

47. I bought one of those in 1975

I figured it was OK since I had worked in the Apollo Program. Navy Exchange price in Japan: $180. I decided, next payday, I'm buying. When I came in a week later, it was on sale. $153.

I've spent 4 times that much since then on cleanings and o-rings.

15 years ago a guy offered me $2000 for the watch. No deal.

Last year the winding mechanism failed. I haven't found out how much it will be to fix yet.

The chronograph watch I had before then was like an Italian sports car. It ran fast and none of the accessories worked.

[Pierre.Suave]

30. I am going to question where you got your info...

There is only 1 watch authorized for flight in space, and it is most certainly NOT a Rolex.

it is an Omega Speedmaster Professional.

http://www.omegawatches.com/index.php?id=439

http://www.omegawatches.com/index.php?id=303

[Deep13]

37. I'm going to answer.

I saw an ad in National Geographic back in the 1980s or early 90s showing a watch called a Lunar Explorer. My recollection was that it was a Rolex, though I may simply have confabulated the brand name later. I recall that it was RATED for lunar use, but not necessarily AUTHORIZED for that purpose.

I still have the issue, somewhere. I'm afraid getting to the bottom of this does not mean enough to be to find and check all the Natty Gs from 1983 when I first started getting them to 1992ish since they are not in order.

[HopeHoops]

4. The yuppy and the BMW accident.

A copy is just finishing his doughnut in the Duncan Donuts parking lot when he notices a yuppy come out of $tarbuk$ yacking on a Blackberry. The yuppy gets in his BMW, badly parallel parked in front of the store, and reach to close the door handle. Just then, and SUV roars past and rips the door right off of the BMW.

The copy drops his doughnut fragment in his lap, throws on the lights and siren and races to the scene. He calls for backup to look for the SUV and then gets out to check on the yuppy. The yuppy is still yacking on the Blackberry. "SIR? SIR! That SUV just hit your car, are you okay?"

"Hang on, there's some guy here. I'll get back to you." The yuppy looks over at the cop, notices the car door is missing and yells "MY BEEEEEEEEE-MER!!!"

The copy has meanwhile noticed that the SUV ALSO took off the guys entire arm and it is gushing blood. "HOW CAN YOU BE WORRIED ABOUT YOUR FUCKING CAR??? Look what happened to your ARM!"

The yuppy looks over at his arm and screams - "MY ROOOOO-LEX!!!"

[brentspeak]

7. .

:7

[flvegan]

8. Rolex Presidential Platinum will set you back $50k.

A Rolex Datejust (I think that's the cheapest) is around $3k.

Of course, you could spend a half million dollars on a Patek Philippe.

[brentspeak]

11. That one watch costs more than a lot of houses

[MajorChode]

16. The Air-King used to be the cheapest model

It has no date function.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

10. 14K, 18K Gold, Platinum, Diamonds or their less expensive stainless steel and gold.

My affluent ex in-laws had a matching set.

[Crabby Appleton]

12. 5,000 would be a low-priced Rolex and would be stainless steel

the gold ones will set you back quite a bit more.

[pokerfan]

13. Rolex Sea Dweller

$179,980.00

http://www.interwatches.com/rolex-sea-dweller-1665-p24233

[sammythecat]

34. That's just fucking nuts.

Really.

I'm not religious, but spending that kind of money on a watch is a sin. That's just being a pig.

[gmoney]

42. wow, I had a watch I got from Meijer for $30 that looked just like that.

kept pretty good time, too. Nothing I do that I can't be a couple minutes late or early for anyway.

[Shell Beau]

14. You could probably spend as much as you wanted on a Rolex!

I just got a TAG Heuer as a gift and saw the price! OMG!!! $2700! Freaked me out. I knew they were pricey, but damn!

[MajorChode]

15. Most Rolexes are made out of either SS, or 18K gold

A few are made out of platinum and some are jewel encrusted (but many of those were modified from the factory). They have had the same basic design for decades. Most have mechanical movements.

My Rolex that was given to me in 1982 is essentially identical to one they still sell today. The biggest difference is the new ones are sold with a synthetic sapphire crystal. As with all mechanical timepieces, they will regularly gain or lose several seconds over the course of a week. They are self-winding via the regular movement associated with wearing them, but may be manually wound also.

Although there are many variations, there are three basic models. There's the least expensive one that has no date function (Air-King), there's a model that has a date function (Date or Datejust), and there's a model that has a date and a day function (President).

All mechanical Rolexes have jeweled movements, which is not to be confused with jewel embellishments to the exterior. Instead of metal touching metal for the moving parts, they have jewels which make contact and wear much less, which is why a properly maintained Rolex will last for decades of regular use without needing repair.

[trof]

17. My Rolex excursion

Back when I was a hot rock young pilot, rakin' in the dough, I decided I deserved a Rolex.

I was on a layover in San Francisco and out for a morning stroll.
I passed a pawn shop with some Rolexes in the window.
Hmm...
I knew that a new one was boocoo bucks, but a used one?
I stepped inside.

"How much for that Rolex in the window? The steel one with the bezel?"
"That'll run you five."
"Five hundred?"
He laughed.
"No, five thousand."
"Oh...thanks."

And that was the end of my Rolex dream.
:rofl:

[MajorChode]

29. young pilot and rakin' in the dough does not compute.....

Which is why I never had much of a desire to make a living flying.

I think mine cost around $1500 new, but I didn't pay for it, so I don't really know, and it was over 25 years ago. It's a steel date model. However some of the more elaborate models were an order of magnitude higher in price, even for a steel version.

[trof]

18. Here's my Seiko Pulsar solar watch

I love it, even though it's a bit clunky.
Solar powered.
No batteries...ever.

# Solar 4000 Technology is an eco-friendly power system offering uninterrupted power for 180 days when fully charged by any light source.
# Never need to change a battery.
# Stainless Steel case and bracelet.
# Rotating bezel.
# Black pattern dial with silver tone hands.
# Luminous hands and markers.
# Date.
# Rotating bezel.
# Water resistant to 200m.
# Screw-down crown.
# Fold-over deployment clasp.
# Scratched resistant mineral crystal.
# Case measure 44mm wide by 15mm thick.
# 3 years original manufacturer warranty.

[mwooldri]

19. About that Timex...

After the way that Timex treated their workers in the factory in Dundee, Scotland - I'm never buying a Timex ever again.

[brentspeak]

32. I didn't know about that

After reading about it (surfing the web), I don't think I'll buy Timex again, either.

[old mark]

21. Rolex Submariner used to be good reliable watches, but the are

ridiculously expensive. I think anyone who actually wears a $10,000 watch is really asking for trouble.

My usual watch is a gold Pulsar day/date from 1971.
I have some "better" watches, but they are all mechanical from the 1940's to early 1960's. Have a nice old Omega, too, but never wear it.

mark

[Deep13]

23. My fancy watch is a Bulova something or other.

It was something like $200 at Sears. It has a narrow, curved, rectangular case and a stainless band. It has a calendar too. I forgot it was called Bul-oh-vah and was calling it a Bul-vah at Sears. Oops. It really was an honest mistake.

[taught_me_patience]

25. I'm "hoping" my wife buys me one as a graduation present

I'd like a Submariner LV w/green bezel. I'd also like the black bezel to interchange if I get sick of the green. These are sweet watches that maintain value in case you need to sell it in the future.

[bluedigger]

26. I used to have that model Timex!

I like the Timex Expeditions for field watches. Tend to go through them pretty fast, but for the money, you can't beat 'em!

[brentspeak]

31. I like the look of it.

It's got "basic, no-frills wrist-watch" written all over it.

[bluedigger]

45. Yeah!

I like watches I can glance at...

And find out what time it is!

[Mike 03]

27. Ten thousand sounds cheap for brands like Rolex, and others as well.

I remember reading that a brand called Breitling (or Brietling) made a watch that Leonardio Dicaprio had paid two hundred thousand for. I can't attest to the truth of that statement, but I don't think it is unusual for some extremely rich people to spend $100,000 or more for a watch.

Maybe others can correct me if I'm wrong.

[Evoman]

35. I treat my watches like shit. The few times I've had nice watches, I've wrecked em quick.

I don't deserve or want nice watches.

Right now I'm wearing a Kodiak Grizzly Watch. Tough and it comes with replacement straps and a swiss army knife type tool with a little flashlight....price, 40 bucks.

[dysfunctional press]

36. i gave up on watches a long time ago. exactly WHAT time, i couldn't tell you...

since i don't wear one.

[Bertha Venation]

38. I used to have one of those Timexes. I loved that watch!

:hi:

[snooper2]

39. my friend is a watchmaker and works for Rolex

you would be suprised at what some of the tiny gold gearpieces cost :)


Comparing a Rolex to a Timex is like comparing a Rolls Royce to a Chevy Chevette :rofl:

[blueknight]

40. no it isnt,

the whole idea of a watch is to keep the time isnt it? if so, i garuntee a rolex does'nt keep time better then my timex

[Shell Beau]

41. I consider mine a piece of jewelry. It is different than a Timex. Sorry.

[cloudbase]

43. A Rolex is

a plane ticket home or a get-out-of-jail-free ticket if your job happens to take you to some of the less savory parts of the world.

[Shell Beau]

44. I bet it is.

I do not own a Rolex. I have a TAG Heuer. Not as pricey as a Rolex, but still a really fine watch.

[Turbineguy]

49. Buy your Wife one.

I did. In 1982. Gold and stainless.

Then a few years later I bought myself one to celebrate losing a job.

[cloudbase]

50. We've actually discussed that.

I got mine back in '86 after a particularly bad summer aboard the Overseas Ohio with Ziggy and Clappy. I've no doubt their notoriety extended out to your coast. They were legend in the Gulf.

[Roon]

46. If you buy a counterfeit rolex

no one will every know!

[Turbineguy]

48. My cheapskate college roommate

bought a fake Rolex for his Mother. She refused to were it saying if she was going to risk having her arm cut off it would be for a real Rolex.

[Roon]

51. Great point,I never thought of that..

My ex lover was so weird.He wore a fake gucci watch and kept fake credit cards in his wallet so people would think he was "wealthy".

[TK421]

52. I used to have a Seiko....man, that thing could really take a beating

died not that long ago, in fact

Rolex never impressed me...I don't get it