H20NOO

Porsche watches are made by Eterna, a well regarded watch company. Like most Swiss watches, the movements are made by ETA (http://www.eta.ch/). With few exceptions (Rolex, Blancpain, Audemars Piguet, Zenith, Patek, Breguet, Girrard Perregaux, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Vacheron Constantin and a couple others) nearly all mechanical "Swiss" watches have movements made by ETA and then modified for additional features and finish enhancements.

Gone are the days when each watch company made its own movements. You might be surprised to learn that Porsche Design, Omega, Breitling, Panerai, IWC, TAG, Chronoswiss, Hublot, Kobold, Longines, Movado, Oris, Rado, Tissot, Tutima, Chopard, Corum, Cartier, Bell & Ross, BRM, and dozens of others all use ETA movements (sometimes referred to as Valjoux movements). You might be further surprised to learn that nearly all these companies are owned by either The Swatch Group (http://www.swatchgroup.com/brands/brands.php) or the Richemont Group (http://www.richemont.com/our_businesses.html).

In 2004, Porsche Design introduced the "Indicator" (http://www.porsche-design.com/live/P...esign&flash=0), the first mechanical chronograph watch that displayed the hours and minutes of the stopped time in both analog and digital (mechanical, not LCD) format. The watch, based on a highly modifed ETA 7750 movement comprised of nearly 800 individual parts and carried a price tag of about $85,000. Other than that, Porsche Design watches are largely unremarkable Eterna cases with ETA movements. You could buy similar quality watches from a dozen companines with the same base movements for much less than Porsche charges.

As a watch enthusiast, I admire Rolex for their strict adherance to their marketing and sales strategy and the fact that they are one of the few remaining "Manufacturer" movements - i.e. they make their own movements out of their own parts. I don't own a Rolex but do own some other watches including Zenith, Panerai, Omega, Longines (vintage 1915), A. Lange & Sohne, and others. Next on my wish list is an F.P. Journe Octa Calendar (http://www.timezone.com/library/wbor...4251782343750).

MC

mooty

lange 1? i love those.

Martin S.

is just a decal....whay you would have to wait a year for a decal is beyond me.

I confess, I have had a Rolex watch of one sort or another since 1975. Perhaps its the snob appeal, but I like the idea they are completely mechanical with no batteries. They also keep excellent time...I suppose a quartz watch would be more accurate, but I want all mechanical....just like I want a dry sump in my cars, Porsche comes to mind.

The watches send many potential messages about the wearer:
1. They are insane to spend all the $ on a watch,
2. They are trying to impress the world,
3. They just love precision watches,
4. They have rewared themselves for a significant achievement,
5. Their significant other thinks they deserve one,
6. They have used the watch as a reward goal, if I do this, I'll' get that.
7. They like having the very best.

Personally, I discount #1 and #2, and will agree with #3 through #7.

Now as a fun exercise, substiture Porsche for Rolex....same reasons from my perspective.

PS I am buying my wife one for Christmas....why? For putting up with me all these years.

mooty

i have touted on the list that my wife is very frugal and never buys anything. well, i have bought her two rolex's, omega, seiko, tag heuer, piaget and few others. very strange thing is that is she puts the expensive rolex and piaget on her wrist, she gets a rash and wrist get swollen. she puts on cheaper watches like seiko and timex, her wrist is fine. this is very very persistent, kind of eerie. so i told her i tried, but now we have to buy you really cheap stuff from kmart and target as i can afford the good watches but i can't afford the medical bill incurred by her watch inflicted rash on wrist

H20NOO

Perhaps the weight of the expensive watches is the culprit.

Yes, I own an 18k yellow gold Lange 1 with silver face and blue steel hands. It's been discontinued in that configuration. Maybe good for me!

MC

H20NOO

I love the complexity and intricate sophistication of mechanical watches. Here's one I've been wearing alot lately. It's a 1915 steelLongines manual wind. I love the simple porcelain face which at 38mm is quite large for that vintage. It's a "transition era" watch produced when most people still carried pocket watches. Nobody even notices it but I enjoy its legibility and the fact that you can hear it ticking from 5 feet away! And, it keeps nearly perfect time, running about 10 seconds fast a week. When I bought it, I sent it to Roland G. Murphy (www.rgmwatches.com) to have it serviced. Roland is a very reputable shop for servicing vintage timepieces but, his shop works at their own pace. I sent the watch to them in January and just got it back a month ago... Anyway, it's a nice, understated, elegant and functional.

MC

DaveGordon

This is my only watch, and I love it.. Spent ages trying to find something I liked, and ended up with it - only problem is I hate myself for the occasional scratch etc.. Maybe an IWC mk XV would be a better daily-wearer, or perhaps a Rolex Cosmo..

EDIT: seems from a bit of surfing, that Cosmographs are rather diffcult to get.. I'd seen them in shop windows around here - maybe they couldn't actually sell me one if I asked..

obchuck

Interesting H20!...

Maybe my next watch should be a Rolex instead of another Panerai???

Carrera Mike

Congrats!! But I thought that Porsche drivers are Tag Heuer fanatics??!
I am. The CV2113 wrist band echoes the perforated porsche racing gloves of the early days.

The Carrera Calibre 360 chronograph — the world’s most accurate mechanical chronograph beating at 360,000 vibrations/hour. 360,000 vibrations/hour in a watch has to be compared to a car engine which would reach an unbelievable 75,000 rpms instead of the current 7,500 rpms achieved by the greatest sports cars from Porsche or Ferrari....! ~Tag Heuer


http://www.tagheuer.com/the-news/eve...D57F53&lang=en

http://www.tagheuer.com/the-collecti...ex.lbl?lang=en

http://www.tagheuer.com

H20NOO

Actually, Panerai just introduced their first in-house movement, the 8-day Calibre P.2002 which is both unique and impressive. Panerai has a rabid following as well which promises to keep their values very high, especially for a non-manufacture movement (other than the new P.2002) watch producer.

If I were looking for something high quality, unique and collectible in the Rolex price range, I'd go with Vacheron Constantin, Breguet, Blancpain, Audemar Piguet, or Jaeger LeCoultre. If you want the ultimate in craftsmanship A. Lange & Sohne, F.P. Journe, Richare Mille and of course, Patek Philippe are fine choices but will price out significantly higher.

MC

mooty

avg price of prof. series of rolex are about 8-9k. if you can get me a vacheron at that price, matt...... ;-)

or can you get me an AP rolyal oak offshore for 10K?

i love calatrava's but they look too refined on my rough hands.

Mike in Chi

Martin

I don't have one, but my wife does... for the same reason.

Martin S.

I think Rolex watches look good on the ladies....don't know why, but they do. It gives them more confidence when dealing with other biaches that don't have them! <<<My poor attempt at humor

Mike in Chi

My wife is very good at dealing with biatches even without a watch

H20NOO

http://www.tic-tock.com/wingates/wat...on-Constantin/

A dozen Vacheron's for under $10k.

That Royal Eagle Chrono - Large Date Stainless is a nice addition to any wrist at $9,750 (retail $14,500) with NO SALES TAX!

Royal Oak for $5,450 (http://www.tic-tock.com/wingates/watch-detail/20737)

A dozen Royal Oak Offshore(s) for $13,850 (new) and a titanium Royal Oak Offshore for $11,650 (pre-owned). http://www.tic-tock.com/wingates/wat...demars-Piguet/

All - much better choices than any Rolex in my opinion.

MC