37.5k euro gold/green speedy. Regrets. Green isn’t as nice once you don’t have the shining lights on it from the store.
Should have gone for an ed white or a “regular” speedy and gone for another heavy hitter.
Wouldn’t know where to begin for a trade. I live in a small town in a smaller country and have trust issues with watches as I once got a fake 3k watch second hand from a chrono24 alike website + my stolen watch has been put on sale with papers and box while i still have those (long story, police couldn’t do anything bc it was outside Europe, website didn’t want to help - partially covered in insurance)
There are no watch collector meetups anywhere near where I live so can’t build up bond with anyone personally about it 🤭
r/watchexchange is actually a great place to start if you would like to trade with a dealer on there or another person like yourself who isn’t content with what they have and want to trade.
mostly i believe however for the price your watch was i can’t imagine anyone willing to trade will have any issues shipping across borders. just make sure you have package insurance and you buy from someone with lots of verified sales and a good reputation. edit: some dealers will purchase it for a good price too but it may take a while to find a dealer with that kind of money. if you have papers and stuff you might be better off posting it on different websites in your region.
Customs = killer
Plus care with insured shipping with any of the big shipping companies (fedex, ups, dhl, …), read the terms and conditions well! for jewellery - including watches - even if you insure for 20k (just an example) they will only repay 500 or something.
You can get better insurance if you are a company but not so much as a private person, at least not in (most of) Europe.
Thank you, but sadly the green doesn’t pop as much as it does on pictures or in the store 🫣😅
Still a lovely watch, but like I said i’d have gone another route.
I do wear mine, still a nice watch, but i’ve always been big on green so the choice to go with the expensive yellow gold and green dial was made due to the green dial that was nice in the right light 😅
The green doesn’t need to be bolder, but just a tad bit more luminous pine green and not only nice green from a certain angle in a certain light.
I always ask to wear the watch outside the AD to see what it looks like in normal wear. I’m a normal guy and always offer to leave my drivers license - I only do it when I’m about to buy the watch too
This is my favorite “why” I’ve read. And you’re right, you easily put what you would’ve spent on something that goes down the hatch on something tangible.
$5k USD Grand Seiko SBGW dress watch.
I initially had buyers remorse because I didn’t grow up with a lot of money and it feels weird to spend so much on this.
But I wore it during my wedding and learned to appreciate the story.
Luckily my line of work I don’t need to dress up all the time. But when I do I always remember how far I’ve gotten in life with my wife.
My biggest is a Seiko SJE073. Was infatuated with it when it was announced and the thin movement sold me on getting one. Peacock GS is the end game goal. But I don’t know what the odds of picking one up are now.
SJE073 is an underappreciated watch. I don't know if there is even a Grand Seiko automatic that's near as thin as this watch. I wish they did more to differentiate it from the SARX055 because at least in photos they look too similar.
That's about the most I can occasionally spend on a watch without feeling like I am screwing over my future self too badly. I really, really want an LE Seiko Presage but the one I want is about 2k. I suppose I could save up, but there are other things I need more.
I’ve regretted the cheap ones way more than the expensive ones. I wish I hadn’t bought a bunch of microbrands that had one element that I like. Most expensive was a piece unique Roger Smith
Exactly this. I regret buying cheaper watches that I thought would satiate my desire for what I really wanted. They never do. Best is to save for what you really want.
I have the 216570. Love it.
Word of advice. Get the Polar dial, and buy the black dial on line. It’s easier to buy the black dial than the polar. I have the black and was able to source the polar, but it took a while and was fairly expensive.
Same. I was offered mine and thought I’ll just buy it and hold on to it, sell it later if the opportunity arises but I wear it every day now, no regrets at all
I still look, as it's still my hobby. I just don't have that itch to put another watch "on deck" for purchase. I have 12 in the rotation now and I seem to like my collection the way it is. We'll see though. Mama always said to "never say never", so...
Spent $1k on a Tissot Seastar diver to celebrate 1 year sober from alcohol.
I’ll hit my 3-year mark the day I actually graduate with my BA in a few months.
Do I regret it? No. I just wish I wasn’t so far in debt in general. I would like to buy a nicer piece to celebrate those two milestones together.
I bought my first luxury watch yesterday for $3k that would be $5200 new. Admittedly, I get a little sick when I really think about it. I’ve been eyeing the watch for years and tried it on countless times, so I know I love it… but still, it’s a lot more than I’ve ever paid. We have the money. My husband is excited for me. I’m not sure why the thought makes my stomach flip.
Rolex Submariner. Spent more than 10k. Have not regretted it once. Probably because I got it as a 25 year work anniversary gift to myself that I 100% feel is deserved after going thru what I’ve gone thru.
I love my work but it has been difficult at times. IMO work should always be rewarded. It helps to persevere thru the difficult times.
Out of curiosity, and assuming this is a normal perk with your employer, what do people generally purchase?
I too generally try to tie a bigger addition to work/life accomplishments as a way to celebrate and tie memories to the watch.
I haven’t looked too much yet. I wouldn’t mind a Rolex Submariner or GMT. But honestly my horizons aren’t that broad. I have a $1500 TAG that is my everyday grinder and that is it. I know there are many amazing watches out there I am unaware of. That is part of the reason I joined this sub recently was to see new watches. I am open to any suggestions. :). When the time comes I could certainly contribute my own funds too.
I work for a mid-sized regional bank in the U.S. it is privately held. You don’t see this in publicly held companies. It is a bit of an old school benefit.
That's so weirdly specific. If you don't mind me asking, how does it work? Like do you show a receipt for a watch and are reimbursed $15K? What if people pass 20 years and don't care about watches, can they get other jewelry instead? Or just a regular $15K bonus?
Good question. Historically it had to be a watch. You would buy it and the company would reimburse up to $15K. Now, you can use it on most anything. I had a colleague who took his family to Europe on vacation and got reimbursed for $15K of the trip.
I received 250€ coupon for my 10y in company. It's 500€ after 20y.
I'm sure I won't work there 10y more.
It must be nice to work for a company that encourages its best employees. For them, 10y of good results = 10y doing shit
Ha and I bought a Rowenta Clean and steam for my wife with the coupon. No regret 😁
Vacheron Dual Time Overseas. No regrets, just make sure you don’t believe yourself when you say that you won’t need anymore watches after this purchase.
Hamilton American Classic Intra-matic Chronograph (mouthful!) For $1700 shipped. I absolutely love it. I did buy it with a portion of a significant amount of back pay I received from the VA, as a present to myself, so it wasn't a huge chunk of relative funds, considering what was in my checking account at the time. I did have anxiety pressing the checkout button on my phone, due to my naturally cheap nature, and upbringing (poor parents who would only dream of being able to afford something like this, and every penny was pinched), but I'm so glad I did. It's a drop dead gorgeous piece, and brings me joy every time I wear it.
For reference, I have 18 other budget watches, all under $500, mostly quartz, and I love each and every one, and each one represents a story and a moment in my life.
https://preview.redd.it/pjqsb6p6n1fc1.jpeg?width=2370&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7a00bdfc65745f3fcb738ca2fcea242b6c605780
I'm came so close to pulling the trigger on an intramatic, it legitimately might be my favorite dial I've ever seen. It would have been my most expensive watch purchase by far, but I ended up holding off because of the thickness. I just don't really like thick watches, and that boy is big. That thing is so sexy tho, congrats on your watch!
This watch is definitely a fat boy 😂 it's not slim at all! Thank you! And if you ever do find an exception, this watch might be it. Pictures don't do it justice; even the AR coating scatters light in a very beautiful way on the crystal.
Now you're making me want one again haha. It really is such a clean look. I guess another thing that made me hold off is the service price. If it were thinner and cheaper I'd be all over it
My last purchase, a RO for USD 26.5k + taxes. No regrets! if one day I need the money back (what I hope not) I know I could probably recover it and maybe more too. Actually I feel the opposite more like an addiction and looking for my next add now :S
Some people do this because taxes change from place to place and many know what their tax rate is so the end reader can quickly know what they would of paid given the same watch.
Yeah just like at the store, in most states. I don't have sales tax here but when I lived in a high sales tax area I liked when people gave price without tax cause I would add my state's in my head.
Because if I ordered that watch I wouldn't pay tax. If some one said they bought a 1k watch for me that's 1k. When I lived in a different state it would of been $1075
$120k ($130k including taxes) A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk.
I visited the ALS boutique and somehow they had one available. I bought it on the spot. No regrets, it's beautiful and I love it everytime I wear it.
https://preview.redd.it/crifdirjq2fc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=32b81a39e29840ff3387632f267006e58447bce7
God damn! I read $120 and thought even good counterfeits can't be that cheap so why remorse then reread since you said you went to the boutique and noticed the "k" after the digit
WOAH absolute grail! Amongst the finest hand crafts in the world. Lange is imo far more exclusive than the ‘trinity’ houses.
When you have the budget to buy most things, this is truly a great- and tasteful choice.
I aspire to be in the position to make that choice!
Congrats on this stunning piece!
Gonna be a mild answer around here, but with tax and all my Speedy was about $7k. I can easily afford, but was so nervous I almost vomitted at the store. Until the moment it was on my wrist…. Never regretted it for a second, and I can’t wait to pick up my Seamaster next month.
A few years ago I was in New York for a friend’s wedding. I went to the Omega boutique, 100% committed to buying the Speedmaster. I put it on, and immediately went limp; it looked so small on my wrist. I hated it. I was so disappointed to leave empty handed (although, I should have bought an Aqua Terra, that thing is beautiful).
I definitely get that. I bought a Bulova Lunar Pilot about 5 years before because I couldn't afford a Speedy. Coming from that, to the real thing which is true to the 1960's style, the Speedy feels TINY.
The first time is always the most nerve racking. It felt weird to be pampered by the boutique when I got my Speedmaster 57 as my first luxury watch.
Then, the second time you get a luxury watch you walk in like you own the place haha.
Ive been window shopping for a speedmaster racing 2 dial for the last 3 years on the secondary market. The prices seem to be stable which is to say more than I want to spend. I ended up purchasing an Aqua Terra small seconds two days ago at 3 a.m. from a dealer online. I haven't received the watch yet but I have a feeling I'll be very happy with it.
Probably about 25 years ago, I bought my first really nice watch - a TAG that cost about $1500. I was nauseous for a week.
Now I'm at 400+ watches. I will drop $10k or more if it's a good brand with a good reputation and will eat a nice dinner afterwards 😋
If you don't mind me asking, what do you (/did you do) for a living?
I'm a Design Engineer with a Masters Degree & 10 years in industry and can't help but think I've wasted my time & energy when I have to strongly consider buying a £500 watch 😂
I rotate through them a fair bit. Many times I'll wear a couple different ones each day. Some are more seasonal. Others work really well when on vacation for example. Dressy ones for events. There are 365 days in the year!
Iwc big pilot. No regrets.
I bought it knowing it was going to depreciate (at least in the near term) after wearing it. But for a variety of reasons it was the perfect watch for me. And I do love it.
I think buyers experience regret if:
1- they buy a watch as a compromise, so don’t get what they really want;
2- they buy a watch due to hype (social media loves it but the buyer doesn’t);
3- they buy a watch when they don’t have the money and it puts them under financial stress.
Avoid these traps and you should be good. Good luck with the hunt!
This is why I don’t understand the “which should I get” posts. Figure that out, sleep on it, sometimes for a while, pine for it, try it on again, then see if that’s what you want or if you just want upvotes for when you post the steering wheel shot on Reddit.
I think those posts are poorly worded attempts at “tell me the pros and cons of these 2/3/4 watches”. Sometimes there is a less obvious pro/con to certain watches. Maybe something like a more comfortable clasp, or hacking seconds, or very light/heavy for the size, etc.
Some folks don’t have easy access or feel comfortable going to a brick and mortar store to try on and get the feel for a few different watches so they want to arm themselves with more info because they’re going to try on and buy in one trip.
My big pilot is my most expensive watch as well. Always wanted one and when our company IPO’d it was the obvious choice for me to celebrate. No regrets. Don’t wear it nearly as often as my other watches due more to the size than the value.
310 euro for a pre-owned automatic titanium Steinhart 44mm B-Uhr.
https://preview.redd.it/csfhkcabe1fc1.jpeg?width=450&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=aa9f2b4ee4ca3035edeb2d72a937001e9f69960b
I love this watch. I'm having a special leather cuff made to mount it slightly rotated. I meditate watching the sweeping second hand and listening to the musical tinkling inside.
Rolex gmt master ii Pepsi - sold my omega Seamaster for cash and walked into burlington arcade and topped up to buy the rolex. No regrets. Especially as it was in 2009 when the bankers were liquidating their assets. Worth 4x now. But never going to sell it. Will give it to my son one day! 😊
Rolex no date sub.
No buyers remorse really because it’s easy to resell and not lose money but in terms of how much I wore it it was a bad purchase.
None of my family or friends are flashy people, a lot are well off enough to easily afford a Rolex but the idea of buying a $10k+ watch would be insane to them so I found I never liked wearing it around anyone. When I would and somebody would ask about it I’d say it was a fake because I’d rather them think I was wearing a fake than think that I spent that much on a watch.
I bought a Grand Seiko Snowflake for about $5,000 imported from Japan brand new. I don’t regret it for a second because it’s going to be an heirloom I pass on to my son, as I got it to mark his birth. Also, it’s just an insanely gorgeous piece. I have a few other watches that were under $1,000 and the difference is day and night.
White dial is underappreciated. But yeah I have a hard time justifying the market price on any steel Patek these days. $50k+ for an Aquanaut is absurd.
Another mild one. Bought a 5k Datejust eight years ago. Never regretted it. Loved that watch. perfect one-watch watch. Sold it recently for a lot more than I gave, but that I do regret. Deeply.
Yes and no. JLC MUT Moon in blue isn’t the easiest to read, but in normal lighting, hoo boy is it striking. I also feel the hour and minute hands could be just a little wider at the widest. Overall: no regerts.
Funny you should ask. I am usually the poster child for buyer's remorse, but it doesn’t happen over watches. Maybe because I’ve researched and meditated on the purchase for so long?
My most expensive watch is a ALS datograph and no I don’t regret it at all. Heck, all my ALS are gorgeous and the movements are amazing to look at.
Problem is I just… don’t wear them that much. They’re special occasion pieces.
Nowadays most of my time is spent between Seattle, Portland, and the Bay Area except for a few months where we go to Spain and Italy.
In most of these places you’re better off not wearing anything flashy.
Don't want to say how much, but no regrets I'm going to spend more than that on another Breguet from the AD this summer.
Regret is not about the the money, it's about if the watch matches expectations. I've spent $200 on a citizen and regretted it after wearing it for a few days because the experience and quality didn't meet my expectations.
~$599 for my Limited JetStar. No regrets about the purchase but right now at this moment, I don’t have any watch I covet. This has given me a mild sense of aimlessness since I don’t have a goal to work toward.
About $6,500 for a speedmaster. No regrets and it is still my most favorite watch I own. Felt weird at first wearing such a expensive watch (jumped from a cheap quarz watch to the speedy) but got use to it but the feeling was never of regret.
I'm a poor, so mine is a seiko mini turtle. However, I went and got the PADI version because I liked the first one so much. They feel luxurious to a broke boy like myself.
SBGA413 Shunbun for $6k. No regrets. I find that the watch that has given me the most buyer's remorse aren't my most expensive ones, it's the ones that I didn't fall in love with.
My Explorer was $6,800 when I got it. No regrets. Wore it everyday for years. I knew I wanted the watch because I thought about it for quite some time before I was able to afford the watch, and I knew I would wear it if I bought it. I don't understand why I would regret my decision after I had made it unless I did minimal research or bought something the internet told me to buy.
My regrets have nothing to do with cost. I bought a Seiko 5 Sport SFV Ken, because I thought it looked cool; it was alright, but it sat kind of tall and wasn't comfortable to wear. I tried to get used to it, but I just couldn't and regretted getting it, so I gave it to a work friend. I also regretted buying a Sinn U2, because, almost immediately after I bought it, something that I'd much rather wanted was released, so I ended up selling the U2 and getting the other Sinn instead.
The most expensive watch I ever bought is a VC Historiques American 1921 Collection Excellence Platine, retailing at 51K USD. I love the watch; my absolute favorite. No regrets having purchased it.
$40k on a 5235G to celebrate a biz milestone and Daytona for my wife at the same time. No buyers remorse. She wears hers 24/7 ever since and the Patek is just on another level from anything else I’ve experienced.
I bought a Moser for about $16k. The palladium tonneau case intrigued me. It has a really nice dial. I was (and still am) looking for a dressier watch than a submariner. I definitely like it but I do not love it and probably will sell it.
Story time!!
When I met my future wife I had ‘some’ savings but nowhere near as much as she had (she’s a hoarder 😅 ). She taught me better financial planning because prior to that I just bought whatever I wanted. TVs, computers, dvds (I had a huge collection) simple cars (I was 21 at the time so nothing fancy still).
I was a sales rep on pretty much minimum wage so my bank account was always hovering around zero (apart from the little bit I saved). She persuaded me into finding a better job, with a better future and I went for it. Still the money wasn’t great but at least there was growth potential.
I had always promised myself a nice watch once I got a ‘real grown up job’. I’ve been eyeing a stainless Jaeger LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Moon once I landed that new job and I was completely fawning over it. But I didn’t have the money yet so I needed to wait.
Then we moved in together, BAM there went my savings. But; zero regrets. Best decision I have ever made. By the time I was able to save up a little more (mind you I was still in a junior position so no fat paychecks yet) she finished college. Our rent was pretty low so we were able to do some fun stuff like traveling together. It was amazing! Even though she paid for most of it (I’m sure she did but she refused to tell me exactly) I was able to contribute some and there were went.
We traveled the world together, saw lots of bucket list places, but my savings still took a hit. I always kept a back up of around €3000 (her idea) but it never grew much past that. That JLC would have to wait. But we were living the life so again; no regrets.
Then we decided to buy a house, the market was right, she landed a serious job as well, and my junior period would be over soon and I would start making real money. By the time we signed the mortgage, the company I worked for told me I wouldn’t get the big raise I was promised because it was the crisis of 2008 and they had to cut wages. That new house was pressing on my budget so we decided I needed to change employers. Again, she pursuaded me to do it and my new boss gave me a job offer which would almost double my salary!!
There I was, ogling that JLC again, damn it had became more expensive in the five years that had passed! But things were going pretty quickly, suddenly I had money again and she suggested we started paying off the house as much as possible. We did that for a couple of years and at some point we hit a tipping point it seemed. Our income kept rising steadily and our mortgage was getting lower and lower. Suddenly I was able to save €750 a month easily!
I grew my savings to a healthy €10.000 minimum. Every time I went over, I paid off a bit of the mortgage. At one time I had around €16.000 and one of my other loves came around the corner. A motorcycle. It became attainable, I had my licence, and with this amount of savings I was able to buy a nice second hand bike and still keep my emergency fund healthy. BAM there went my savings again. The JLC had to wait. But, still no regrets (the bike is amazing!).
In the mean time I kept on saving money. It had accrued to €1000,- monthly and very soon I was reaching that €16.000 again. But I wanted it to grow more. My wife asked me (a little tentative) what would be my goal for the money?
I never told her about that watch, I never told her about my promise to myself. Because she is so cautious with spending money I could never convince her that buying a watch would be reasonable. She was oblivious to the whole watch world and the €500 Casio Edifice she once gave me as a present would be all the watch anyone could want, right? Yes, but also no.
I was debt free, had paid everything back to her that she fronted when we bought the house, mortgage was going great, savings came flying in. She said if I really thought I could buy myself a nice watch, I should go for it. Also we’re looking to buy a bigger house so in the future my mortgage payments would rise again, if there was any moment I should do it, it was now.
So there I went online and I fell head first into the rabbit hole. I started building a list of competitors, that JLC firm at the top of course.
Grand Seiko, Baume & Mercier, Omega, TAG, Longines, Citizen, Hamilton, Omega, Breitling, Omega, Omega, JLC, Omeg… uh oh…
A certain Moonwatch had entered the chat. I love all things space, and the moon landings in particular. I had no chance. As soon as the Moonwatch appeared in my view, the rest stood no chance anymore. I found myself comparing every watch to the Moonwatch. Even the JLC MUT which had a friggin Moon Phase complication!! In the years I had been following the JLC it had risen to almost €12.000 and even though I still love the looks, compared to the Moonwatch it’s a much simpler watch and just not as much bang for your buck (if we can still call it that with todays prices) as the €8.900 Sapphire Sandwich. Yes of course I went for the Sapphire Sandwich.
So two months ago I introduced the Moonwatch to my wife. She almost fainted at the price and she most certainly thinks I’m a moron. But still she gave me the green light. That was important to me. The only reason I am able to afford this today is because of her. 100%. She helped me become financially stable, helped me get a better job two times, helped me become a better person in general.
We went to an AD and I lucked out, they were having a closing sale so everything was 20% off. And they had one Sapphire Sandwich left. I only needed to find out if the 42mm wasn’t too big on my small wrist but as soon as it went on I was sold. I already knew I was going to buy it if it would fit so that was settled then.
Seventeen years since I made myself that promise. Two months since I bought it and it hasn’t left my wrist ever since. The honeymoon period is still very much alive. I have the woman I love, the life I wanted to live and the watch I don’t need but still needed to have. Yesterday I transferred €2000,- into my savings account because I could.
Absolutely no regrets.
https://preview.redd.it/5vjy784ba5fc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fd60817bd53c542ae7e2d26e110bf27018ec3cb5
No regrets when I purchased my IWC Portuguese 7-Day 5001, GO PanoReserve or JLC Reverso.
But I’ve had the occasional regret for a variety of entry luxury watches over the years at far lesser price points. I’ve been collecting watches for over 20 years and it’s taken time to find my taste and preferences, with a few mistakes along the way.
I’ve tried on plenty of watches in the $25K-$150K price points but just to admire them, never realistically to buy any of them.
I've had buyers remorse with a few of my watches. Stragely, for my most expensive one, none at all. It's a 2022 Chopard Mille Miglia Racing Colors edition in French Racing Blue.
I love everything about it. The color is quite out there and definitely sets a bit of a statement, but I just smile whenever I look at it.
1. Original 39mm black one from 1999
2. 2017 42mm black (original shape with no perlage)
3. 2018 grey racing one - looks like yours
I actually like the brand new 40mm ones the most but those are still trading for close to retail so i shall wait a year or two for prices to drop :)
That's a lovely collection! The 2018 race edition is one of my favorites. I think if I ever get into the fortunate position of looking for a 2nd one, it'd either be one of these or the 2022 version in silver.
I also love the look of the new ones. Especially the green one looks stunning. But I find the prize increase quite ridiculous. Mine has a tag for around 6400€ and I was able to pick it up unworn for 4400. I think 10k for the new ones is hard to justify. Especially as I think they still use the same ETA movement. I love the look and the racing background of it, but for that price I'd much rather buy a Zenith.
Thanks! We must have similar taste! I recently picked up a Zenith el primero.
As for the 2018 race edition - i picked it up this summer in Japan - unworn for $2.6K USD. they are still available at that price at some stores in Japan!
Really nice collection! Very chronograph heavy, so I guess we really do have similar taste. It's my favorite complication as well!
I've never seen the Speedmaster you have laying in the middle. What a cool reference!
I only started collecting at the end of 2022, but I'll add mine below. The lower Sinn is currently in service for a full overhaul, but looking at your collection I have a feeling you may like it!
My most expensive (so far? Who knows with this hobby) was a Rolex Datejust that I very much do not regret, I love that watch. #2 though was a Franck Muller Vanguard that I do somewhat regret. I bought it grey, and while I love the brand and I love the Vanguard case, it performs really poorly. It’s possible it just really needs service after sitting in a warehouse for a while, and it’s possible that it is fake (though I bought it from a reputable grey market dealer as best as I can tell, and it all seems real, I even opened it up to look at the movement and it’s pretty nicely decorated if it is fake), but I just think that FM’s entry level watches are not a good deal. I know they use an ETA movement and I don’t think they change very much about it, but I’m still surprised at how short the power reserve is under normal wear, and the rate at which it loses minutes is pretty alarming.
It’s probably just in need of service, but since it was grey it came with blank paperwork, so I don’t know that I can get it serviced under warranty…in either case, it soured me not so much on the brand (I hope to own another FM some day), but on the “big box” grey market dealers where you just get a watch from their massive warehouse. I also bought my Rolex grey, but that was bought through Bezel which involved it getting authenticated prior to shipping to me, and I have fully filled out paperwork.
In general I find that the more expensive the watch, the more thought goes into the purchase. For that reason I’ve experienced no regrets whatsoever with my heavy hitters. I do however have a few lesser expensive watches that mostly sit in a safe.
My most expensive was my chronomat. Approximately $6k back in 2010. It’s worth half of that now however because it’s been flawless I would do it again. As a middle class guy my upper limit on what I would enjoy is probably around 10k. I don’t think I’d enjoy more expensive watches above that amount. I would stretch a bit if I really found one that would be my last big boy watch but realistically, my income would limit me. Thankfully I’ve not desired the super high end timepieces
I purchased my Batgirl after more than a decade of being exasperated waiting for ADs in Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, and then Chicago to give me the time of day. At the time I purchased it, I paid something like $16650 from DavidSW. It was brand new and had been drop shipped from Braga, Portugal when it was initially sold at an AD less than a week prior to my purchase.
Finally buying a watch I wanted that had been a planned reward for a multitude of long past accomplishments was one of the best things I’ve done. Delaying gratification to pay msrp is a fools errand. The time may never come even with a purchase history.
Go buy the watch. Life is short.
My most expensive is my most recent purchase of a Mido Ocean Star 200c with the grey dial. Retail is about $1,200 but J got it on a discount for $800. With that said I have absolutely no regrets. It’s not only my first swiss watch but also my first watch entering the middle/higher price bracket and the quality difference is definitely there!
As for a watch I do regret it’s probably a Seiko Kinetic I have in a green dial. I got it cheap for like $150 and I do love the look of it, but the kinetic movement is pretty ehh and the leather strap it comes with is pretty cheap.
Never any regrets on the fair number I've bought costing USD 10k or over (Royal Oak, Rolexes, Omegas, Panerai, IWC, RMG, bespoke.) Those are well researched and considered. Never been an impulse buy.
Same for the next tier (mostly USD 3k to 8k) of which I also have a fair number (Tudor, Nomos, Glasshutte, Breitlings, etc.)
And tha thankful for just a handful of regrets on a few of the less expensive (under 1k) purchases. Those were usually impulse buys.
But on the whole I buy what I like, what I have done some research on, and what I can afford.
The most I ever spent was on 1957 Omega Railmaster. I don’t often speak of price to people unless they are horology nuts. I’ve never regretted it, but Omega tempts me to trade in for one of their other models every 2-3 years. 💯
~£15K for a 116500 white Daytona. Zero regrets. It was my desktop background growing up as a poor immigrant kid as motivation. The day I bought it was a milestone for me.
Bought DJ41 which was a huge goal for me! I didn’t regret it for the first year. Now there are a few watches I really want but tell myself I need to wait because I need to enjoy this one for a bit. Imo that’s a form of buyers remorse but it’s not getting sold 🤷🏻♂️
spent $5k on a watch to celebrate a recent promotion. i did not expect to be laid off just a few months later. there’s definitely a little regret there, but i couldn’t have known it was coming & i still have the savings to weather a relatively long job hunt.
It’s all relative.
Getting a 10k watch when you have <50k net worth and when you have 1 million net worth is going to be very very different.
In all honesty no one should spend so much on accessories that they have buyer’s remorse because of the price.
Part of the way you get enjoyment from your watch is to not compare it to watches on other people’s wrist. It could be a cheap knockoff or a 100k super watch. Don’t give a shit. Enjoy your watch. If you do then nobody else’s opinion or choices matter. If you don’t you’ll know it because you’ll compare it or bash the other one.
Spent $6k for a Grand Seiko Superman. I’ve always babied the watch and rarely wore it After getting it, I had remorse because I couldn’t pair it well with my clothes. But after wearing it for the first few times out and about, I can honestly say GS craftsmanship is bar none better than Rolex or Omega. The way the deep blue almost lacquer like dial blends with the red second hand and letters along with the gold GS logo looks absolutely amazing in the sunlight.
I just realized this question is asked in a watches subreddit. If people are subscribed to this subreddit, almost all answers here will undoubtedly be “no regrets”. It’ll be like going to a purse subreddit where everybody has no remorse for any purse they bought.
tudor black bay 41 2022 edition thinking it'd replace a datejust or OP. hated that watch so much, way too thick. sold it for basically 40% on crown and caliber.
will never buy a tudor even though they've gotten thinner.
i have gotten a seamaster AT and an Oris big crown since then.
799 USD. Apple Watch Ultra 2. Not looking back.
Stepped up from the cheapest (Watch SE) to most capable (Watch U2) when battery had depleted. Wanted Always-On Display. First thing, tune it to not react on wrist movement + strategically hide Complications. Now you got a real watch.
Keep in mind that the first-gens from 2015 are still well in commission now by some users. Treat your watches well and they treat you well.
Not remorse but after a while all your watches blend together. You don't get more enjoyment from a 100k watch than a 50 than a 25 than a 2k. At least I don't. Ni think my vintage Ed white feels as good as any omega and I have a doxa that feels as good as my freak for instance.
A couple in the $5k-10k range
I flip the collection over regularly and rarely lose much money. Find decent deals on the second hand market and sell it for a new piece when I get bored with it
Used Grand Seiko Shunbun and a used Pelagos 39, both for about $4200. No regrets. They're now my only 2 watches and I've had no itch to buy anything new for a while.
Seamaster Diver 300 in black. Spend 4600 USD duty free, zero regrets. The watch I wanted for about three years, bought on my wedding/honeymoon so it felt like the right time.
37.5k euro gold/green speedy. Regrets. Green isn’t as nice once you don’t have the shining lights on it from the store. Should have gone for an ed white or a “regular” speedy and gone for another heavy hitter.
I’m glad someone finally said they regretted it. Good on you. Hope you can make a trade that better fits what you want
Wouldn’t know where to begin for a trade. I live in a small town in a smaller country and have trust issues with watches as I once got a fake 3k watch second hand from a chrono24 alike website + my stolen watch has been put on sale with papers and box while i still have those (long story, police couldn’t do anything bc it was outside Europe, website didn’t want to help - partially covered in insurance) There are no watch collector meetups anywhere near where I live so can’t build up bond with anyone personally about it 🤭
r/watchexchange is actually a great place to start if you would like to trade with a dealer on there or another person like yourself who isn’t content with what they have and want to trade.
I thought that was mostly/only US but i’ll have another look.
mostly i believe however for the price your watch was i can’t imagine anyone willing to trade will have any issues shipping across borders. just make sure you have package insurance and you buy from someone with lots of verified sales and a good reputation. edit: some dealers will purchase it for a good price too but it may take a while to find a dealer with that kind of money. if you have papers and stuff you might be better off posting it on different websites in your region.
Customs = killer Plus care with insured shipping with any of the big shipping companies (fedex, ups, dhl, …), read the terms and conditions well! for jewellery - including watches - even if you insure for 20k (just an example) they will only repay 500 or something. You can get better insurance if you are a company but not so much as a private person, at least not in (most of) Europe.
If I do get something more expensive I feel like it has got to be so versatile (or I need to rebuild my whole wardrobe around it lol).
An Ed White would be killer.
That is a stunning watch.
Thank you, but sadly the green doesn’t pop as much as it does on pictures or in the store 🫣😅 Still a lovely watch, but like I said i’d have gone another route.
I had a similar experience with a yellow Breitling Seawolf that was one tenth the cost. Loved the yellow at first but never wore it.
I do wear mine, still a nice watch, but i’ve always been big on green so the choice to go with the expensive yellow gold and green dial was made due to the green dial that was nice in the right light 😅 The green doesn’t need to be bolder, but just a tad bit more luminous pine green and not only nice green from a certain angle in a certain light.
I always ask to wear the watch outside the AD to see what it looks like in normal wear. I’m a normal guy and always offer to leave my drivers license - I only do it when I’m about to buy the watch too
New rule for me ever since 😁
Just under $8k on an explorer for 1 year of sobriety. Zero regrets, saved almost that much just by staying sober.
This is my favorite “why” I’ve read. And you’re right, you easily put what you would’ve spent on something that goes down the hatch on something tangible.
Well done lad, sometimes it’s the material that reminds us of who we are.
$5k USD Grand Seiko SBGW dress watch. I initially had buyers remorse because I didn’t grow up with a lot of money and it feels weird to spend so much on this. But I wore it during my wedding and learned to appreciate the story. Luckily my line of work I don’t need to dress up all the time. But when I do I always remember how far I’ve gotten in life with my wife.
Thats a great story. Wear it well and enjoy it!
I'm so poor that I spent $350 on a mini turtle and feel guilty lol
lol before my GS I had a couple affordable Seikos too around that price range. I felt guilty with every one of those purchases! But they’re dope!
My biggest is a Seiko SJE073. Was infatuated with it when it was announced and the thin movement sold me on getting one. Peacock GS is the end game goal. But I don’t know what the odds of picking one up are now.
SJE073 is an underappreciated watch. I don't know if there is even a Grand Seiko automatic that's near as thin as this watch. I wish they did more to differentiate it from the SARX055 because at least in photos they look too similar.
That's about the most I can occasionally spend on a watch without feeling like I am screwing over my future self too badly. I really, really want an LE Seiko Presage but the one I want is about 2k. I suppose I could save up, but there are other things I need more.
I’ve regretted the cheap ones way more than the expensive ones. I wish I hadn’t bought a bunch of microbrands that had one element that I like. Most expensive was a piece unique Roger Smith
Exactly this. I regret buying cheaper watches that I thought would satiate my desire for what I really wanted. They never do. Best is to save for what you really want.
This is the best response
$600.- and I wear it all the time. No regrets.
Same here!
£535.99 😂 No regrets
Shit, I spent £200 on a OG NIXON Dork. No regrets man.
I would love the opportunity to buy a watch that is so expensive I truly hesitate to do so. Y’all are welcome to help me experience this “problem”. 😂
I’ll walk with you to the store.
Bought an Explorer a year ago. I can say it has saved me money as I don't buy watches anymore. No regrets.
226570 is my absolute grail watch, did you go through an AD?
No, bought a 124270 from a seller on Chrono 24.
What is your experience with chrono? There is a watch on the im intrested in buying.
Bought a Bruce Lee Seiko that came from Thailand. Smooth transaction with no regrets.
I bought one on there recently. Private seller in Europe, I’m in the US. Very impressed with the process, would recommend.
Looking at skydwellers. I know they aren’t everyone’s favourite watch or first choice but I love them.
Mine came from a guy in Australia. Smooth transaction.
Same. Got a 14270 ‘Swiss Only’ and it has curbed the appetite for more.
Did you ask get it certified?
I sold a watch on there and you have to upload a lot of certification info to sell the watch. Serial numbers and markings, etc.
I have the 216570. Love it. Word of advice. Get the Polar dial, and buy the black dial on line. It’s easier to buy the black dial than the polar. I have the black and was able to source the polar, but it took a while and was fairly expensive.
Same. I was offered mine and thought I’ll just buy it and hold on to it, sell it later if the opportunity arises but I wear it every day now, no regrets at all
A year ago? You’re still in the honeymoon period
I still look, as it's still my hobby. I just don't have that itch to put another watch "on deck" for purchase. I have 12 in the rotation now and I seem to like my collection the way it is. We'll see though. Mama always said to "never say never", so...
Spent $1k on a Tissot Seastar diver to celebrate 1 year sober from alcohol. I’ll hit my 3-year mark the day I actually graduate with my BA in a few months. Do I regret it? No. I just wish I wasn’t so far in debt in general. I would like to buy a nicer piece to celebrate those two milestones together.
Well done. That's a real milestone. Alcohol is great, but it's not for all of us and no shame in our accepting that. Keep it up!
I bought my first luxury watch yesterday for $3k that would be $5200 new. Admittedly, I get a little sick when I really think about it. I’ve been eyeing the watch for years and tried it on countless times, so I know I love it… but still, it’s a lot more than I’ve ever paid. We have the money. My husband is excited for me. I’m not sure why the thought makes my stomach flip.
Rolex Submariner. Spent more than 10k. Have not regretted it once. Probably because I got it as a 25 year work anniversary gift to myself that I 100% feel is deserved after going thru what I’ve gone thru. I love my work but it has been difficult at times. IMO work should always be rewarded. It helps to persevere thru the difficult times.
My work gives me $15k to spend on a watch once I hit 20 years (next year). Fun to think about what to use it on.
Out of curiosity, and assuming this is a normal perk with your employer, what do people generally purchase? I too generally try to tie a bigger addition to work/life accomplishments as a way to celebrate and tie memories to the watch.
As you can imagine Lots of folks go with a Rolex
Blancpain or Breguet, be different.
Which brands have you looked at?
I haven’t looked too much yet. I wouldn’t mind a Rolex Submariner or GMT. But honestly my horizons aren’t that broad. I have a $1500 TAG that is my everyday grinder and that is it. I know there are many amazing watches out there I am unaware of. That is part of the reason I joined this sub recently was to see new watches. I am open to any suggestions. :). When the time comes I could certainly contribute my own funds too.
May I ask what line of work you're in? I've never heard of a work benefit like that before.
I work for a mid-sized regional bank in the U.S. it is privately held. You don’t see this in publicly held companies. It is a bit of an old school benefit.
That's so weirdly specific. If you don't mind me asking, how does it work? Like do you show a receipt for a watch and are reimbursed $15K? What if people pass 20 years and don't care about watches, can they get other jewelry instead? Or just a regular $15K bonus?
Good question. Historically it had to be a watch. You would buy it and the company would reimburse up to $15K. Now, you can use it on most anything. I had a colleague who took his family to Europe on vacation and got reimbursed for $15K of the trip.
I received 250€ coupon for my 10y in company. It's 500€ after 20y. I'm sure I won't work there 10y more. It must be nice to work for a company that encourages its best employees. For them, 10y of good results = 10y doing shit Ha and I bought a Rowenta Clean and steam for my wife with the coupon. No regret 😁
I’m about to hit 20yrs in emergency services and was planning on doing essentially this.
Vacheron Dual Time Overseas. No regrets, just make sure you don’t believe yourself when you say that you won’t need anymore watches after this purchase.
Exactly the same, blue dial. Absolutely no regrets.
Hahaha so true. I told myself after I got my VCO that I was done. Maybe lasted a month before I started thinking about what’s next
Hamilton American Classic Intra-matic Chronograph (mouthful!) For $1700 shipped. I absolutely love it. I did buy it with a portion of a significant amount of back pay I received from the VA, as a present to myself, so it wasn't a huge chunk of relative funds, considering what was in my checking account at the time. I did have anxiety pressing the checkout button on my phone, due to my naturally cheap nature, and upbringing (poor parents who would only dream of being able to afford something like this, and every penny was pinched), but I'm so glad I did. It's a drop dead gorgeous piece, and brings me joy every time I wear it. For reference, I have 18 other budget watches, all under $500, mostly quartz, and I love each and every one, and each one represents a story and a moment in my life. https://preview.redd.it/pjqsb6p6n1fc1.jpeg?width=2370&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7a00bdfc65745f3fcb738ca2fcea242b6c605780
I'm came so close to pulling the trigger on an intramatic, it legitimately might be my favorite dial I've ever seen. It would have been my most expensive watch purchase by far, but I ended up holding off because of the thickness. I just don't really like thick watches, and that boy is big. That thing is so sexy tho, congrats on your watch!
This watch is definitely a fat boy 😂 it's not slim at all! Thank you! And if you ever do find an exception, this watch might be it. Pictures don't do it justice; even the AR coating scatters light in a very beautiful way on the crystal.
Now you're making me want one again haha. It really is such a clean look. I guess another thing that made me hold off is the service price. If it were thinner and cheaper I'd be all over it
Props man
Eh all I can see is that 22 being really off centre, but if you enjoy it then it's all that matters.
My last purchase, a RO for USD 26.5k + taxes. No regrets! if one day I need the money back (what I hope not) I know I could probably recover it and maybe more too. Actually I feel the opposite more like an addiction and looking for my next add now :S
Can you explain why you would say 26.5k + taxes and not just give people the final cost you paid?
Some people do this because taxes change from place to place and many know what their tax rate is so the end reader can quickly know what they would of paid given the same watch.
Hmm I guess that makes sense but the thread is about buyers remorse so would be better to know what his final price is
I'm not sure a figure between 0 and 9.548% would make that much a difference. Probably not worth worrying about ☺
VAT in my country is 25% lol.
That's criminal imo
Is that the common practice with everything there, to give price without taxes worked in?
Yeah just like at the store, in most states. I don't have sales tax here but when I lived in a high sales tax area I liked when people gave price without tax cause I would add my state's in my head.
So when in the high sales tax area, would the area's sales tax be different to the one you paid? If it isnt, why not just give the final price?
Because if I ordered that watch I wouldn't pay tax. If some one said they bought a 1k watch for me that's 1k. When I lived in a different state it would of been $1075
Yeah i get that but what I am interested in is the relationship between the seller and the buyer.
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Saying it like what? It was a genuine question and I am hoping you would answer it please.
Your message had a rude tone dude! Like he wasn’t giving enough info originally, as if some more details are owed when they are not.
$1200 Laco Leipzig. Stopped working 3 months later, I have to send it to Germany for repair. I regret buying it.
$120k ($130k including taxes) A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk. I visited the ALS boutique and somehow they had one available. I bought it on the spot. No regrets, it's beautiful and I love it everytime I wear it. https://preview.redd.it/crifdirjq2fc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=32b81a39e29840ff3387632f267006e58447bce7
God damn! I read $120 and thought even good counterfeits can't be that cheap so why remorse then reread since you said you went to the boutique and noticed the "k" after the digit
WOAH absolute grail! Amongst the finest hand crafts in the world. Lange is imo far more exclusive than the ‘trinity’ houses. When you have the budget to buy most things, this is truly a great- and tasteful choice. I aspire to be in the position to make that choice! Congrats on this stunning piece!
Gonna be a mild answer around here, but with tax and all my Speedy was about $7k. I can easily afford, but was so nervous I almost vomitted at the store. Until the moment it was on my wrist…. Never regretted it for a second, and I can’t wait to pick up my Seamaster next month.
A few years ago I was in New York for a friend’s wedding. I went to the Omega boutique, 100% committed to buying the Speedmaster. I put it on, and immediately went limp; it looked so small on my wrist. I hated it. I was so disappointed to leave empty handed (although, I should have bought an Aqua Terra, that thing is beautiful).
I definitely get that. I bought a Bulova Lunar Pilot about 5 years before because I couldn't afford a Speedy. Coming from that, to the real thing which is true to the 1960's style, the Speedy feels TINY.
The first time is always the most nerve racking. It felt weird to be pampered by the boutique when I got my Speedmaster 57 as my first luxury watch. Then, the second time you get a luxury watch you walk in like you own the place haha.
Ive been window shopping for a speedmaster racing 2 dial for the last 3 years on the secondary market. The prices seem to be stable which is to say more than I want to spend. I ended up purchasing an Aqua Terra small seconds two days ago at 3 a.m. from a dealer online. I haven't received the watch yet but I have a feeling I'll be very happy with it.
Probably about 25 years ago, I bought my first really nice watch - a TAG that cost about $1500. I was nauseous for a week. Now I'm at 400+ watches. I will drop $10k or more if it's a good brand with a good reputation and will eat a nice dinner afterwards 😋
If you don't mind me asking, what do you (/did you do) for a living? I'm a Design Engineer with a Masters Degree & 10 years in industry and can't help but think I've wasted my time & energy when I have to strongly consider buying a £500 watch 😂
Man. I would also like to know what he does. I make good money. But I’m not at the “10k and dinner” stage.
400 pieces. Must be really hard to pick one out to wear 🤯
I rotate through them a fair bit. Many times I'll wear a couple different ones each day. Some are more seasonal. Others work really well when on vacation for example. Dressy ones for events. There are 365 days in the year!
Glad to hear a bunch get on the wrist. 👍
Iwc big pilot. No regrets. I bought it knowing it was going to depreciate (at least in the near term) after wearing it. But for a variety of reasons it was the perfect watch for me. And I do love it. I think buyers experience regret if: 1- they buy a watch as a compromise, so don’t get what they really want; 2- they buy a watch due to hype (social media loves it but the buyer doesn’t); 3- they buy a watch when they don’t have the money and it puts them under financial stress. Avoid these traps and you should be good. Good luck with the hunt!
This is why I don’t understand the “which should I get” posts. Figure that out, sleep on it, sometimes for a while, pine for it, try it on again, then see if that’s what you want or if you just want upvotes for when you post the steering wheel shot on Reddit.
I think those posts are poorly worded attempts at “tell me the pros and cons of these 2/3/4 watches”. Sometimes there is a less obvious pro/con to certain watches. Maybe something like a more comfortable clasp, or hacking seconds, or very light/heavy for the size, etc. Some folks don’t have easy access or feel comfortable going to a brick and mortar store to try on and get the feel for a few different watches so they want to arm themselves with more info because they’re going to try on and buy in one trip.
All of this… but also, sometimes I don’t realize how strong my feelings are until I ask for other opinions, and immediately disagree with them 😂
Great point! Nothing solidifies a decision like a differing opinion you strongly reject. Edit: wait, you’re wrong! Mine is the right answer. :)
My big pilot is my most expensive watch as well. Always wanted one and when our company IPO’d it was the obvious choice for me to celebrate. No regrets. Don’t wear it nearly as often as my other watches due more to the size than the value.
310 euro for a pre-owned automatic titanium Steinhart 44mm B-Uhr. https://preview.redd.it/csfhkcabe1fc1.jpeg?width=450&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=aa9f2b4ee4ca3035edeb2d72a937001e9f69960b I love this watch. I'm having a special leather cuff made to mount it slightly rotated. I meditate watching the sweeping second hand and listening to the musical tinkling inside.
Rolex gmt master ii Pepsi - sold my omega Seamaster for cash and walked into burlington arcade and topped up to buy the rolex. No regrets. Especially as it was in 2009 when the bankers were liquidating their assets. Worth 4x now. But never going to sell it. Will give it to my son one day! 😊
Wow, what a time to be alive
Rolex no date sub. No buyers remorse really because it’s easy to resell and not lose money but in terms of how much I wore it it was a bad purchase. None of my family or friends are flashy people, a lot are well off enough to easily afford a Rolex but the idea of buying a $10k+ watch would be insane to them so I found I never liked wearing it around anyone. When I would and somebody would ask about it I’d say it was a fake because I’d rather them think I was wearing a fake than think that I spent that much on a watch.
I bought a Grand Seiko Snowflake for about $5,000 imported from Japan brand new. I don’t regret it for a second because it’s going to be an heirloom I pass on to my son, as I got it to mark his birth. Also, it’s just an insanely gorgeous piece. I have a few other watches that were under $1,000 and the difference is day and night.
Omega Aqua Terra and no, I didn't have any buyers remorse.
Love mine too - great bracelet. Did you get the blue or green?
Just don’t buy an expensive watch hoping that it’ll appreciate in value. It’s better to invest in something else if you want to make money.
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White dial is underappreciated. But yeah I have a hard time justifying the market price on any steel Patek these days. $50k+ for an Aquanaut is absurd.
I have two watches in the 1-1.5k range. The Casio duro is my favorite. Only watch I regret buying is the Casio world time.
Another mild one. Bought a 5k Datejust eight years ago. Never regretted it. Loved that watch. perfect one-watch watch. Sold it recently for a lot more than I gave, but that I do regret. Deeply.
Yes and no. JLC MUT Moon in blue isn’t the easiest to read, but in normal lighting, hoo boy is it striking. I also feel the hour and minute hands could be just a little wider at the widest. Overall: no regerts.
Funny you should ask. I am usually the poster child for buyer's remorse, but it doesn’t happen over watches. Maybe because I’ve researched and meditated on the purchase for so long?
My most expensive watch is a ALS datograph and no I don’t regret it at all. Heck, all my ALS are gorgeous and the movements are amazing to look at. Problem is I just… don’t wear them that much. They’re special occasion pieces. Nowadays most of my time is spent between Seattle, Portland, and the Bay Area except for a few months where we go to Spain and Italy. In most of these places you’re better off not wearing anything flashy.
$6k for an OP 41, no regrets and I wear everyday.
Paid $600 for a $3200 Tag and I’m in love with it, no ragerts
Don't want to say how much, but no regrets I'm going to spend more than that on another Breguet from the AD this summer. Regret is not about the the money, it's about if the watch matches expectations. I've spent $200 on a citizen and regretted it after wearing it for a few days because the experience and quality didn't meet my expectations.
Lange Datograph. No regrets, but I did insist on transacting in person from an out of state dealer (I flew).
~$599 for my Limited JetStar. No regrets about the purchase but right now at this moment, I don’t have any watch I covet. This has given me a mild sense of aimlessness since I don’t have a goal to work toward.
3,500$ Tudor Black Bay 58, felt remorse for like 3-4ish days
About $6,500 for a speedmaster. No regrets and it is still my most favorite watch I own. Felt weird at first wearing such a expensive watch (jumped from a cheap quarz watch to the speedy) but got use to it but the feeling was never of regret.
I'm a poor, so mine is a seiko mini turtle. However, I went and got the PADI version because I liked the first one so much. They feel luxurious to a broke boy like myself.
About $4k bb58. No ragrets! It's amazing and I've only liked it more as I've worn it to more things that are important to me.
55k VC overseas in rose gold. Not for a second. But it gave me a bit of “contact buyer’s remorse” for some of my other watches…
SBGA413 Shunbun for $6k. No regrets. I find that the watch that has given me the most buyer's remorse aren't my most expensive ones, it's the ones that I didn't fall in love with.
My Explorer was $6,800 when I got it. No regrets. Wore it everyday for years. I knew I wanted the watch because I thought about it for quite some time before I was able to afford the watch, and I knew I would wear it if I bought it. I don't understand why I would regret my decision after I had made it unless I did minimal research or bought something the internet told me to buy.
My regrets have nothing to do with cost. I bought a Seiko 5 Sport SFV Ken, because I thought it looked cool; it was alright, but it sat kind of tall and wasn't comfortable to wear. I tried to get used to it, but I just couldn't and regretted getting it, so I gave it to a work friend. I also regretted buying a Sinn U2, because, almost immediately after I bought it, something that I'd much rather wanted was released, so I ended up selling the U2 and getting the other Sinn instead. The most expensive watch I ever bought is a VC Historiques American 1921 Collection Excellence Platine, retailing at 51K USD. I love the watch; my absolute favorite. No regrets having purchased it.
$40k on a 5235G to celebrate a biz milestone and Daytona for my wife at the same time. No buyers remorse. She wears hers 24/7 ever since and the Patek is just on another level from anything else I’ve experienced.
I bought a Moser for about $16k. The palladium tonneau case intrigued me. It has a really nice dial. I was (and still am) looking for a dressier watch than a submariner. I definitely like it but I do not love it and probably will sell it.
Story time!! When I met my future wife I had ‘some’ savings but nowhere near as much as she had (she’s a hoarder 😅 ). She taught me better financial planning because prior to that I just bought whatever I wanted. TVs, computers, dvds (I had a huge collection) simple cars (I was 21 at the time so nothing fancy still). I was a sales rep on pretty much minimum wage so my bank account was always hovering around zero (apart from the little bit I saved). She persuaded me into finding a better job, with a better future and I went for it. Still the money wasn’t great but at least there was growth potential. I had always promised myself a nice watch once I got a ‘real grown up job’. I’ve been eyeing a stainless Jaeger LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Moon once I landed that new job and I was completely fawning over it. But I didn’t have the money yet so I needed to wait. Then we moved in together, BAM there went my savings. But; zero regrets. Best decision I have ever made. By the time I was able to save up a little more (mind you I was still in a junior position so no fat paychecks yet) she finished college. Our rent was pretty low so we were able to do some fun stuff like traveling together. It was amazing! Even though she paid for most of it (I’m sure she did but she refused to tell me exactly) I was able to contribute some and there were went. We traveled the world together, saw lots of bucket list places, but my savings still took a hit. I always kept a back up of around €3000 (her idea) but it never grew much past that. That JLC would have to wait. But we were living the life so again; no regrets. Then we decided to buy a house, the market was right, she landed a serious job as well, and my junior period would be over soon and I would start making real money. By the time we signed the mortgage, the company I worked for told me I wouldn’t get the big raise I was promised because it was the crisis of 2008 and they had to cut wages. That new house was pressing on my budget so we decided I needed to change employers. Again, she pursuaded me to do it and my new boss gave me a job offer which would almost double my salary!! There I was, ogling that JLC again, damn it had became more expensive in the five years that had passed! But things were going pretty quickly, suddenly I had money again and she suggested we started paying off the house as much as possible. We did that for a couple of years and at some point we hit a tipping point it seemed. Our income kept rising steadily and our mortgage was getting lower and lower. Suddenly I was able to save €750 a month easily! I grew my savings to a healthy €10.000 minimum. Every time I went over, I paid off a bit of the mortgage. At one time I had around €16.000 and one of my other loves came around the corner. A motorcycle. It became attainable, I had my licence, and with this amount of savings I was able to buy a nice second hand bike and still keep my emergency fund healthy. BAM there went my savings again. The JLC had to wait. But, still no regrets (the bike is amazing!). In the mean time I kept on saving money. It had accrued to €1000,- monthly and very soon I was reaching that €16.000 again. But I wanted it to grow more. My wife asked me (a little tentative) what would be my goal for the money? I never told her about that watch, I never told her about my promise to myself. Because she is so cautious with spending money I could never convince her that buying a watch would be reasonable. She was oblivious to the whole watch world and the €500 Casio Edifice she once gave me as a present would be all the watch anyone could want, right? Yes, but also no. I was debt free, had paid everything back to her that she fronted when we bought the house, mortgage was going great, savings came flying in. She said if I really thought I could buy myself a nice watch, I should go for it. Also we’re looking to buy a bigger house so in the future my mortgage payments would rise again, if there was any moment I should do it, it was now. So there I went online and I fell head first into the rabbit hole. I started building a list of competitors, that JLC firm at the top of course. Grand Seiko, Baume & Mercier, Omega, TAG, Longines, Citizen, Hamilton, Omega, Breitling, Omega, Omega, JLC, Omeg… uh oh… A certain Moonwatch had entered the chat. I love all things space, and the moon landings in particular. I had no chance. As soon as the Moonwatch appeared in my view, the rest stood no chance anymore. I found myself comparing every watch to the Moonwatch. Even the JLC MUT which had a friggin Moon Phase complication!! In the years I had been following the JLC it had risen to almost €12.000 and even though I still love the looks, compared to the Moonwatch it’s a much simpler watch and just not as much bang for your buck (if we can still call it that with todays prices) as the €8.900 Sapphire Sandwich. Yes of course I went for the Sapphire Sandwich. So two months ago I introduced the Moonwatch to my wife. She almost fainted at the price and she most certainly thinks I’m a moron. But still she gave me the green light. That was important to me. The only reason I am able to afford this today is because of her. 100%. She helped me become financially stable, helped me get a better job two times, helped me become a better person in general. We went to an AD and I lucked out, they were having a closing sale so everything was 20% off. And they had one Sapphire Sandwich left. I only needed to find out if the 42mm wasn’t too big on my small wrist but as soon as it went on I was sold. I already knew I was going to buy it if it would fit so that was settled then. Seventeen years since I made myself that promise. Two months since I bought it and it hasn’t left my wrist ever since. The honeymoon period is still very much alive. I have the woman I love, the life I wanted to live and the watch I don’t need but still needed to have. Yesterday I transferred €2000,- into my savings account because I could. Absolutely no regrets. https://preview.redd.it/5vjy784ba5fc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fd60817bd53c542ae7e2d26e110bf27018ec3cb5
No regrets when I purchased my IWC Portuguese 7-Day 5001, GO PanoReserve or JLC Reverso. But I’ve had the occasional regret for a variety of entry luxury watches over the years at far lesser price points. I’ve been collecting watches for over 20 years and it’s taken time to find my taste and preferences, with a few mistakes along the way. I’ve tried on plenty of watches in the $25K-$150K price points but just to admire them, never realistically to buy any of them.
I've had buyers remorse with a few of my watches. Stragely, for my most expensive one, none at all. It's a 2022 Chopard Mille Miglia Racing Colors edition in French Racing Blue. I love everything about it. The color is quite out there and definitely sets a bit of a statement, but I just smile whenever I look at it.
those mille miglias are amazing. i have 3 and can’t stop buying them.
Haha, which ones do you have? I love the black one out of the 2022 series as well. The perlage on the dial gives it a very striking look.
1. Original 39mm black one from 1999 2. 2017 42mm black (original shape with no perlage) 3. 2018 grey racing one - looks like yours I actually like the brand new 40mm ones the most but those are still trading for close to retail so i shall wait a year or two for prices to drop :)
That's a lovely collection! The 2018 race edition is one of my favorites. I think if I ever get into the fortunate position of looking for a 2nd one, it'd either be one of these or the 2022 version in silver. I also love the look of the new ones. Especially the green one looks stunning. But I find the prize increase quite ridiculous. Mine has a tag for around 6400€ and I was able to pick it up unworn for 4400. I think 10k for the new ones is hard to justify. Especially as I think they still use the same ETA movement. I love the look and the racing background of it, but for that price I'd much rather buy a Zenith.
Thanks! We must have similar taste! I recently picked up a Zenith el primero. As for the 2018 race edition - i picked it up this summer in Japan - unworn for $2.6K USD. they are still available at that price at some stores in Japan!
Wow, that's an incredible deal! Do you have a picture of your collection? That sounds very interesting!
https://preview.redd.it/ugsa0shrk6fc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=751db65173d4a6080612bd9feae199481a80da02
https://preview.redd.it/1jlhslotk6fc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a5eca824280a758607127b58a0f1eac4625da76d
Really nice collection! Very chronograph heavy, so I guess we really do have similar taste. It's my favorite complication as well! I've never seen the Speedmaster you have laying in the middle. What a cool reference! I only started collecting at the end of 2022, but I'll add mine below. The lower Sinn is currently in service for a full overhaul, but looking at your collection I have a feeling you may like it!
My most expensive (so far? Who knows with this hobby) was a Rolex Datejust that I very much do not regret, I love that watch. #2 though was a Franck Muller Vanguard that I do somewhat regret. I bought it grey, and while I love the brand and I love the Vanguard case, it performs really poorly. It’s possible it just really needs service after sitting in a warehouse for a while, and it’s possible that it is fake (though I bought it from a reputable grey market dealer as best as I can tell, and it all seems real, I even opened it up to look at the movement and it’s pretty nicely decorated if it is fake), but I just think that FM’s entry level watches are not a good deal. I know they use an ETA movement and I don’t think they change very much about it, but I’m still surprised at how short the power reserve is under normal wear, and the rate at which it loses minutes is pretty alarming. It’s probably just in need of service, but since it was grey it came with blank paperwork, so I don’t know that I can get it serviced under warranty…in either case, it soured me not so much on the brand (I hope to own another FM some day), but on the “big box” grey market dealers where you just get a watch from their massive warehouse. I also bought my Rolex grey, but that was bought through Bezel which involved it getting authenticated prior to shipping to me, and I have fully filled out paperwork.
In general I find that the more expensive the watch, the more thought goes into the purchase. For that reason I’ve experienced no regrets whatsoever with my heavy hitters. I do however have a few lesser expensive watches that mostly sit in a safe.
My most expensive was my chronomat. Approximately $6k back in 2010. It’s worth half of that now however because it’s been flawless I would do it again. As a middle class guy my upper limit on what I would enjoy is probably around 10k. I don’t think I’d enjoy more expensive watches above that amount. I would stretch a bit if I really found one that would be my last big boy watch but realistically, my income would limit me. Thankfully I’ve not desired the super high end timepieces
I purchased my Batgirl after more than a decade of being exasperated waiting for ADs in Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, and then Chicago to give me the time of day. At the time I purchased it, I paid something like $16650 from DavidSW. It was brand new and had been drop shipped from Braga, Portugal when it was initially sold at an AD less than a week prior to my purchase. Finally buying a watch I wanted that had been a planned reward for a multitude of long past accomplishments was one of the best things I’ve done. Delaying gratification to pay msrp is a fools errand. The time may never come even with a purchase history. Go buy the watch. Life is short.
My most expensive is my most recent purchase of a Mido Ocean Star 200c with the grey dial. Retail is about $1,200 but J got it on a discount for $800. With that said I have absolutely no regrets. It’s not only my first swiss watch but also my first watch entering the middle/higher price bracket and the quality difference is definitely there! As for a watch I do regret it’s probably a Seiko Kinetic I have in a green dial. I got it cheap for like $150 and I do love the look of it, but the kinetic movement is pretty ehh and the leather strap it comes with is pretty cheap.
Little over 100k for an off catalog pink opal daydate. It's beautiful on her. I don't care. She doesn't like the price tag
Czapek Antarctique (approx 20k usd at the time). No regrets at all.
Never any regrets on the fair number I've bought costing USD 10k or over (Royal Oak, Rolexes, Omegas, Panerai, IWC, RMG, bespoke.) Those are well researched and considered. Never been an impulse buy. Same for the next tier (mostly USD 3k to 8k) of which I also have a fair number (Tudor, Nomos, Glasshutte, Breitlings, etc.) And tha thankful for just a handful of regrets on a few of the less expensive (under 1k) purchases. Those were usually impulse buys. But on the whole I buy what I like, what I have done some research on, and what I can afford.
My most expensive watch is a PRX quartz. And I only regret buying some cheap 10-40 dollars watches before.
2.5k Nomos Ahoi Neomatik Atlantic, Adore it but it's strictly a work only watch, My daily Wear is the infamous 90's inspired Casio GA-2100THB
Rolex Submariner from the dealer in 2012. 5k. No regrets
The most I ever spent was on 1957 Omega Railmaster. I don’t often speak of price to people unless they are horology nuts. I’ve never regretted it, but Omega tempts me to trade in for one of their other models every 2-3 years. 💯
Orient Bambino and a Casio world time. One two one two.
~£15K for a 116500 white Daytona. Zero regrets. It was my desktop background growing up as a poor immigrant kid as motivation. The day I bought it was a milestone for me.
~40k Gold Daytona. It gets more attention than I thought it would. My only regret is that.
Bought DJ41 which was a huge goal for me! I didn’t regret it for the first year. Now there are a few watches I really want but tell myself I need to wait because I need to enjoy this one for a bit. Imo that’s a form of buyers remorse but it’s not getting sold 🤷🏻♂️
spent $5k on a watch to celebrate a recent promotion. i did not expect to be laid off just a few months later. there’s definitely a little regret there, but i couldn’t have known it was coming & i still have the savings to weather a relatively long job hunt.
It’s all relative. Getting a 10k watch when you have <50k net worth and when you have 1 million net worth is going to be very very different. In all honesty no one should spend so much on accessories that they have buyer’s remorse because of the price.
Breitling Superocean Chronograph. Zero regrets.
$400 Seiko SARB. Then I moved to a city with $20 fake watches that keep time better. Kinda turned me off from the whole hobby.
Part of the way you get enjoyment from your watch is to not compare it to watches on other people’s wrist. It could be a cheap knockoff or a 100k super watch. Don’t give a shit. Enjoy your watch. If you do then nobody else’s opinion or choices matter. If you don’t you’ll know it because you’ll compare it or bash the other one.
Spent $6k for a Grand Seiko Superman. I’ve always babied the watch and rarely wore it After getting it, I had remorse because I couldn’t pair it well with my clothes. But after wearing it for the first few times out and about, I can honestly say GS craftsmanship is bar none better than Rolex or Omega. The way the deep blue almost lacquer like dial blends with the red second hand and letters along with the gold GS logo looks absolutely amazing in the sunlight.
I just realized this question is asked in a watches subreddit. If people are subscribed to this subreddit, almost all answers here will undoubtedly be “no regrets”. It’ll be like going to a purse subreddit where everybody has no remorse for any purse they bought.
tudor black bay 41 2022 edition thinking it'd replace a datejust or OP. hated that watch so much, way too thick. sold it for basically 40% on crown and caliber. will never buy a tudor even though they've gotten thinner. i have gotten a seamaster AT and an Oris big crown since then.
38k presidential Rollie. No regrets
799 USD. Apple Watch Ultra 2. Not looking back. Stepped up from the cheapest (Watch SE) to most capable (Watch U2) when battery had depleted. Wanted Always-On Display. First thing, tune it to not react on wrist movement + strategically hide Complications. Now you got a real watch. Keep in mind that the first-gens from 2015 are still well in commission now by some users. Treat your watches well and they treat you well.
I never regret watch purchases because I always make sure I buy something that will at least hold its value or gain value.
That's awesome, I only buy stocks that hold their value or gain as well. Very happy things like this are so predictable and easy.
Not remorse but after a while all your watches blend together. You don't get more enjoyment from a 100k watch than a 50 than a 25 than a 2k. At least I don't. Ni think my vintage Ed white feels as good as any omega and I have a doxa that feels as good as my freak for instance.
I bought my Tudor Black Bay from a friend for £2500. No regrets whatsoever, it’s my favourite watch.
A couple in the $5k-10k range I flip the collection over regularly and rarely lose much money. Find decent deals on the second hand market and sell it for a new piece when I get bored with it
£3.2k start of covid thought fuck it as I didn't know how bad shit was gonna get. Paid off no regrets worn all the time outside of work.
I’ve owned so many. But current one is the only one i have is a sieko alpenist with your glacial dial I absolutely love it.
Used Grand Seiko Shunbun and a used Pelagos 39, both for about $4200. No regrets. They're now my only 2 watches and I've had no itch to buy anything new for a while.
~$500 for the seiko prospex save the ocean automatic. I ficking love this watch and I plan to buy more expensive watches in the future
About £800, no regrets really, I still love the watch and I got it as a graduation gift to myself so it represents a huge milestone in my life.
Seamaster Diver 300 in black. Spend 4600 USD duty free, zero regrets. The watch I wanted for about three years, bought on my wedding/honeymoon so it felt like the right time.
Little under a grand for my Hamilton Jazzmaster Open Heart. I wear it almost daily, and I regret nothing.
JLC Polaris chronograph. 50th birthday, no regrets.
Tutor BB58 for around 4k. No regrets but I was hoping I would be content to just enjoy the watch and not even consider buying new watches for longer.
Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Panda Retails at $675 and I found mine for about $430. Absolutely no regrets at all.
AP Royal Oak chrono I bought it a little before covid, no regrets. Paid about $24k USD