Malaysia Watch Forum

Main Forums => General Discussion - Modern Watches => Topic started by: sanguoich on April 01, 2011, 08:45:32 PM

Title: What are we paying for in a watch?
Post by: sanguoich on April 01, 2011, 08:45:32 PM
This post is not meant to be inflammatory, I just want to get your opinions.

As far as watch collecting goes, I'm barely at the beginner level.
Currently, I have  5 watches, mostly "tool" watches like my Casio pathfinder, G-shocks or my divers (because I like the look  ;D ) 
I have seen some higher end (more than ~2K) watches that I like the look of.

But before I pull the trigger, what I would like to know is what determines the price of a watch above the RM5K region?

Is it the movement?

From just reading around, some of these watches are sharing the same movement. For example, ETA, Miyota, China made.
However, the prices can range from 100 dollar difference up to thousands of dollars?

Or how about materials? Stainless steel + sapphire glass + solid bracelet/good leather strap. I think this is pretty standard  for watches in this range, so there shouldn't be too much difference there unless you are using some exotic materials like diamonds or gold plating. :D


So what exactly is it that can cause this wide price gap? Is it just the branding?
Title: Re: What are we paying for in a watch?
Post by: G.MAC on April 01, 2011, 09:07:28 PM
a watch is a piece of art as said by the CEO of omega. You cant put a price on art. If art is viewed as just some " piece of canvas with paint on it" then it would not warrant a high price. More or less it is more of the appreciation of the timepiece in this case. Although the movement maybe similiar or that the materials maybe the same, no watch should be viewed as the same or similiar. There is no justification to buying an expensive watch as the main function of a watch is just to tell the time which anything nowadays is capable of doing so. Just consider buying an expensive watch as something self-satisfying. Just my 2 cts.
Title: Re: What are we paying for in a watch?
Post by: chrisyen on April 01, 2011, 09:30:22 PM
U ask here in Mwf, u will get the above answer
bcoz we all r watch nuts

same question u post it in another forum, ppl wil tell u now his car got clock, hphone got clock, rm10k also tell time... So y pay mo?

Watch is art, symbol, status, character, acessories, tool, jewel, toy... To some1 if he love watches.



 
Title: Re: What are we paying for in a watch?
Post by: Friedrice on April 01, 2011, 09:59:52 PM
It's usually the branding for watches equipped with ETA movements (ie. how much they think their customer base is willing to pay). A Ball and Tag Hueur is on equal footing when it comes to fit and finish but what sets TH apart (besides the price) is that they are much better at marketing than Ball. Same thing with the in-house giants, Rolex and Omega, where both are on equal grounds when it comes to fit and finish but Rolex is just slightly better at advertising (hence the price disparity). In the world of watches, it is all about the image and brand recognition. The more exposure (ie. advertising) that the brand gets, the more expensive it will cost.

So, it all boils down to whether if you want a watch that is instantly recognizable (Rolex submariner and rolex datejust) or a watch that only a hardcore watch nut would know (Omega Speedmaster Pro and Jaeger LeCoultre Memovox).
Title: Re: What are we paying for in a watch?
Post by: Angryrodent on April 02, 2011, 12:21:36 PM
I actually check what time it is over n over during the day.. and if at the office and no real work to do I play around with whatever watch im wearing,to have something that you're more or less inlove with on your arm is worth alot money to me  ;D But the same goes with everything... what kind of car do I really need (spent to much)? should i be looking for a vintage fender strato when I'm not that good at playing (gonna spend to much)? Aslong as I'm happy I dun care what anybody else thinks about it.. just want to know what time it is i'm sure ure cellphone can tell you :D
Title: Re: What are we paying for in a watch?
Post by: hanz079 on April 02, 2011, 12:41:41 PM
You actually pay 30% for the watch and 70% for whatever it comes with.
My 2 sen.  :Cheers:
Title: Re: What are we paying for in a watch?
Post by: TheHobbit on April 02, 2011, 05:28:40 PM
Here I am on holiday and I do not have Internet connection, sigh!! anyway, basically like hanz079 said, the actual value of the watch is lower as compared to the asking price. The price you pay includes things like advertising, packaging, incidental cost like fighting against fakes, etc. If you consider discounts, profit to the distributor, profits to the shop, etc, the actual value of the watch is a lot lower as compared to the asking price.
Title: Re: What are we paying for in a watch?
Post by: GlySinn on April 02, 2011, 07:26:59 PM
U are paying for the feel good (syiokalingam) factor for yourself  ;D
Title: Re: What are we paying for in a watch?
Post by: terrenceterrence on April 03, 2011, 02:58:51 AM
you're paying for some fat arse swiss guy's retirement fund and also financing their world class state welfare system
Title: Re: What are we paying for in a watch?
Post by: gapper on April 03, 2011, 06:55:48 AM
U are paying for the feel good (syiokalingam) factor for yourself  ;D

i second that. u r paying for the self-syiokaism! :Jumping:
Title: Re: What are we paying for in a watch?
Post by: zameenzahari on April 03, 2011, 09:33:08 AM
I paid for nice watches...I try not to think too much and I stopped counting long ago!
Title: Re: What are we paying for in a watch?
Post by: sanguoich on April 03, 2011, 11:38:04 AM
you're paying for some fat arse swiss guy's retirement fund and also financing their world class state welfare system

LOL! This is my favourite answer!  :Laughing_on_floor:

But seriously, my thinking is aligned with you guys.
And I think GMACC hit the nail on the head with what he said about there being no limit to the price you put on art...

Its all about the self syiokism; owning an amazing looking timepiece that incorporates human ingenuity and precision engineering into its design, powered by the movement of your wrist. Now thats really amazing.  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: What are we paying for in a watch?
Post by: hanz079 on April 03, 2011, 03:09:14 PM
"self-shiokaism" and "shiokalingam" is two new words I learn today that can actually be used in real life situation!!  ;D
Title: Re: What are we paying for in a watch?
Post by: kltime on April 04, 2011, 02:07:12 PM
you're paying for some fat arse swiss guy's retirement fund and also financing their world class state welfare system
;D

Personal opinion of 'self-proclaimed' WIS and finance trained watch lover :

Watch price = Materials + movement + brand equity

In Swiss watches, the brand equity or branding for high end watches perhaps as high as 80%.
For the 'affordables' segment of the market,e.g. Seiko/Citizen (Japanese) or Vostok (Russian) , the brand equity is probably 10-20%.

 
Title: Re: What are we paying for in a watch?
Post by: kenixck on April 05, 2011, 07:02:07 AM
i have a friend who have never own a watch in his whole damn life ...  :HammerHead:
why ?
he doesn't like the feeling of something around his wrist, he views time on his HP. ( a strange but good guy )
Title: Re: What are we paying for in a watch?
Post by: kokies on April 07, 2011, 12:55:41 AM
For me resale value and how much i make my wife angry
Title: Re: What are we paying for in a watch?
Post by: Angryrodent on April 17, 2011, 01:33:49 PM
yes the explaining to wife why one spent so much on a watch is priceless :)
errrr.....errrrr....hmmmm... It's an investment love! Incase something bad happens i can sell it.
Title: Re: What are we paying for in a watch?
Post by: ry on April 18, 2011, 11:28:28 AM
For me it is brand,design and recently simplicity.I ve got a Franck muller with ETA movement and a Panerai with Valjoux movement(no doubt tweak by them),simply speaking mass market movement,yet pay a premium for the watch.My last few watches were all very basic watches,manual winding,no date and no second hand ie PAM 000,PAM249 and PAM 183.Trouble with this facination is it ll never end,you will be eyeing other watches and for me the hope is to sell my earlier collection to part finance my newer ones.It helps too with an understanding wife and sacrificing luxury cars for Malaysan made cars.
Title: Re: What are we paying for in a watch?
Post by: Friedrice on April 19, 2011, 01:54:10 PM
Yeah, tell me about it. My Honda Accord is already 4 years old. My wife has been nagging me to upgrade to a Jaguar but I kept putting it on hold because of my watch hobby. My wife got so fed up that she bought a Mercedes C200 for herself and made me pay the monthly installments on it. And worst of all, she did an 85% 5 year loan which is the maximum so I have to pay through my nose for the interest. Before this, we usually buy stuff with cash. This is the first time we're on loans. And I can tell you that it hurts so much that I'm putting off my plans to buy the Patek Philippe 5035YG from my friend on hold. :'(
Title: Re: What are we paying for in a watch?
Post by: GlySinn on April 19, 2011, 02:04:57 PM
Hence.... someone should start a spin-off thread :
If got money, but u can only buy 1 item, buy nice car or buy nice watch?

 ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: What are we paying for in a watch?
Post by: Cotsner on April 19, 2011, 03:59:00 PM
Well,those watch maker spend alot of money in choosing good material, arranging abwhole bunch of wheelsband gears! All to fullfill the 'syiokaism' of a watch lover! Well go for it! It's worth it afterall! Cheers
Title: Re: What are we paying for in a watch?
Post by: siodee on April 20, 2011, 12:25:26 PM
For watch lover, if compare to land, house or car, when disaster strike, at least I still can wear all my beloved watches and run to a safe place... :Laughing_on_floor:
Title: Re: What are we paying for in a watch?
Post by: Omnipotent on April 20, 2011, 01:01:07 PM
For watch lover, if compare to land, house or car, when disaster strike, at least I still can wear all my beloved watches and run to a safe place... :Laughing_on_floor:

how many pieces do you have? if you take time to wear them all at once, you might not be able to make it out during disaster strike  :mooning:
Title: Re: What are we paying for in a watch?
Post by: Friedrice on April 20, 2011, 01:32:08 PM
We already have more property than we can shake a stick at. Buying more would be redundant. My parents and hers have assets totalling up to 8 digits, both locally and overseas. And between us, we already have 2 condo units (one in Mont Kiara and the other in Cheras). Both are currently being rented out. So, why buy more properties when you have to pay land assessment, sinking fund, maintenance etc on all of them. Not to mention that we have to make sure that all the tenants pay up every month. Makes me feel like a loan shark sometimes. At least with watches, I only need to overhaul them once every 3-5 years. :)

And don't get me started about offshore investments. The last time I checked, my overseas portfolio of bonds and forex are not doing too hot (well, except for the singapore dollars which was a wise investment).
Title: Re: What are we paying for in a watch?
Post by: Cotsner on April 20, 2011, 06:27:45 PM
Watch n properties are sumthing not to be compared! Well,let's just hope the wife can understand our feeling when the husband is buying a $5000 watch instead of a $5 watch frm de street! Some principle : can they bring a 80cents plastic bag to do shopping instead of a $800 branded bag? Hehe! Cheers!
Title: Re: What are we paying for in a watch?
Post by: ultraman on April 22, 2011, 01:04:00 PM
One response in this thread reminded me of an anoxious poser at LowYat forum.

If I may borrow a quote from TZ forum: {Remember Erwin Goldschmit .........
 
he was a well known and pretty good (but not great) auto racer in the early '50s who was not the most pleasant fellow. As a result, he was not made to feel welcome at social events with drivers and their families, and he grew increasingly angry about his exclusion. His final frustration on being excluded from some club or event (I don't remember which one it was) led him to accuse the leaders of the group in public of being anti-semitic.

The response seems relevant to this thread: "Erwin, you seem to believe that we don't like you because you're Jewish. But we don't like you because you're a [material discharged from the lower GI tract]."

Wearing a Patek on one's wrist is a sure sign of only one thing - the presence of an arm. "Money is related to class only in the minds of people who have too much of the former, too little of the latter or none of either." (Doug Robarchek)}

Mod, Please feel free to delete this thread if app.

This is the best reply i have read in this forum.  :thumbsup:

and it did remind me of a poser in LYN as well. Wonder if we meant the same person...   :Cheers:
Title: Re: What are we paying for in a watch?
Post by: takashi78 on April 22, 2011, 01:09:24 PM
One response in this thread reminded me of an anoxious poser at LowYat forum.

If I may borrow a quote from TZ forum: {Remember Erwin Goldschmit .........
 
he was a well known and pretty good (but not great) auto racer in the early '50s who was not the most pleasant fellow. As a result, he was not made to feel welcome at social events with drivers and their families, and he grew increasingly angry about his exclusion. His final frustration on being excluded from some club or event (I don't remember which one it was) led him to accuse the leaders of the group in public of being anti-semitic.

The response seems relevant to this thread: "Erwin, you seem to believe that we don't like you because you're Jewish. But we don't like you because you're a [material discharged from the lower GI tract]."

Wearing a Patek on one's wrist is a sure sign of only one thing - the presence of an arm. "Money is related to class only in the minds of people who have too much of the former, too little of the latter or none of either." (Doug Robarchek)}

Mod, Please feel free to delete this thread if app.

Have no idea at all how this is related to the topic?

Title: Re: What are we paying for in a watch?
Post by: GlySinn on April 22, 2011, 01:19:08 PM
For watch lover, if compare to land, house or car, when disaster strike, at least I still can wear all my beloved watches and run to a safe place... :Laughing_on_floor:

 :Laughing_on_floor: :Laughing_on_floor: :Laughing_on_floor:
..And if u don't have enough wrist/arm space... u can always strap 'em on yr ankles...
Title: Re: What are we paying for in a watch?
Post by: cuffs on April 22, 2011, 01:40:16 PM
good gawd, brompton's comment really got me in stitches  :Laughing_on_floor:
Title: Re: What are we paying for in a watch?
Post by: TheHobbit on April 22, 2011, 01:47:23 PM
For watch lover, if compare to land, house or car, when disaster strike, at least I still can wear all my beloved watches and run to a safe place... :Laughing_on_floor:

 :Laughing_on_floor: :Laughing_on_floor: :Laughing_on_floor:
..And if u don't have enough wrist/arm space... u can always strap 'em on yr ankles...

The late Mr. Hayek use to use 4 on each arm.
Title: Re: What are we paying for in a watch?
Post by: takashi78 on April 22, 2011, 03:23:33 PM
I actually know one person who straps vintage Rolex to his ankles!
While wearing one on each hand.
Title: Re: What are we paying for in a watch?
Post by: TheHobbit on April 22, 2011, 03:55:05 PM
I actually know one person who straps vintage Rolex to his ankles!
While wearing one on each hand.

Must have taken inspiration from Jason Statham in Transporter 3. It is rumoured that he wore his Panerai on his left ankle when the producer put the bomb on his wrist.
Title: Re: What are we paying for in a watch?
Post by: terrenceterrence on April 22, 2011, 04:08:09 PM
all the roadies are bloody thieves i guess  :Laughing_on_floor: so Statham does not trust it being left alone
Title: Re: What are we paying for in a watch?
Post by: hanz079 on April 22, 2011, 04:26:39 PM
I guess Brompton could not have said it better... :Cheers:
Title: Re: What are we paying for in a watch?
Post by: Friedrice on April 22, 2011, 05:07:06 PM
One response in this thread reminded me of an anoxious poser at LowYat forum.

If I may borrow a quote from TZ forum: {Remember Erwin Goldschmit .........
 
he was a well known and pretty good (but not great) auto racer in the early '50s who was not the most pleasant fellow. As a result, he was not made to feel welcome at social events with drivers and their families, and he grew increasingly angry about his exclusion. His final frustration on being excluded from some club or event (I don't remember which one it was) led him to accuse the leaders of the group in public of being anti-semitic.

The response seems relevant to this thread: "Erwin, you seem to believe that we don't like you because you're Jewish. But we don't like you because you're a [material discharged from the lower GI tract]."

Wearing a Patek on one's wrist is a sure sign of only one thing - the presence of an arm. "Money is related to class only in the minds of people who have too much of the former, too little of the latter or none of either." (Doug Robarchek)}

Mod, Please feel free to delete this thread if app.

It's really a waste of time trying to reason with green eyed monsters like you. I was just replying to a poster who advice me to invest my money in property instead of spending it on cars and other depreciating assets.

This is a free forum, everyone and anyone is given the freedom to state their views and opinions freely here. If you don't want to read something, no one is forcing you to. But to call someone moneyed but crass and low class is really insulting. Especially when we are all MWF forumers here. You are probably trying to instigate a fight here but I have no issues with you. So what is your problem?
Title: Re: What are we paying for in a watch?
Post by: ck77 on April 22, 2011, 08:22:24 PM
guys, please don't go overboard and off topic here, else the thread would be lock.
Title: Re: What are we paying for in a watch?
Post by: ck77 on April 23, 2011, 03:36:39 PM
brompton, we are 1mwf  :Dancing_banana:

since this thread is heading nowhere, now is locked.