[Twixboy]

Half of this thread is filled with useless replies. How about a real example? Let's say the typical BMW owner makes about $150k/year. I think a $1000 Tag Heuer watch is perfectly reasonable for someone earning $150k/year. That comes out to 8% of monthly income, which is fine because you're only paying $1000 once. You're not paying $1000/mo for it.

[Twixboy]

Originally Posted by F32

C'mon now, buddy...you drive a Z4. Just being humble?

Originally Posted by jlspeed29

lol... z4

What's this supposed to mean? IMO the E89 35i is a much more engaging and fun car to drive than either the F32 or a MB C300. Aren't all 3 in the same price range too? You make it sound like the Z4 is the bottom end of BMW (which the C300 is for MB).

[ScBlacksunshine]

Originally Posted by grimlock

Why is everyone from H.K. a tool?

haha cause it's Hong Kong...have you heard the popular music there? Guys crying about how heart broken they are in every goddamn song will tend to do that

[ScBlacksunshine]

Originally Posted by se15679875

There are all sorts of rules of thumb for house (~2X annual salary) or car purchases (10% monthly income). What's the rule of thumb for a luxury watch?

IMHO, these Suze Orman rules are marginal at best for financially challenged that can't do simple budget and need some hard rule to fall inline to a social norm. X2 annual salary for a house? I guess majority of people that want to buy a crap shack in Culver City or Santa Monica will at least need to make 400k+ a yr to be consider financially responsible. With median household income in LA hovering just above $42k, guess most people can only afford to buy a tent down some back street alley in SoCal

[neverdone]

I don't think there is a percentage like other things. Like cars, watches (time pieces) are a hobby, not just a fashion accessory.

I am a collector and I'm slowly working my way to a more expensive watch all the time, it all depends on how much I save PARTICULARLY for that watch and what my wife allows me to spend. ( fuck you guys )

I have a collection that ranges from a $300 (cdn) Seiko, to a $2k Tag Heuer and what I buy has no bearing on what I make, only what I have to spend on something that in most people's opinion, is useless.

[Twixboy]

Originally Posted by neverdone

I don't think there is a percentage like other things. Like cars, watches (time pieces) are a hobby, not just a fashion accessory.

I am a collector and I'm slowly working my way to a more expensive watch all the time, it all depends on how much I save PARTICULARLY for that watch and what my wife allows me to spend. ( fuck you guys )

I have a collection that ranges from a $300 (cdn) Seiko, to a $2k Tag Heuer and what I buy has no bearing on what I make, only what I have to spend on something that in most people's opinion, is useless.

You just described my mindset on watches to the T. If I buy a Tag Heuer watch it doesn't mean I have $2k of disposable income in every paycheck. It just means I saved $2k over the course of 2 years by canceling my cable TV and landline.

[jtodd_fl]

Damn. I had high hopes for this thread. Watches, like most things, have a wide range of value. Some can be bought and they hold their value quite well. A $100k Patek is a better way to spend money than a $5K Omega. (Assuming you have enough liquidity to let that much money sit, while the watch appreciates.) After owning the Omega for a few years, you will lose a few thousand dollars, while with the Patek, you will likely have made many MANY thousands. Now, many people buying Pateks are of more modest than $1 Million/month incomes. Many make under $500K. Using $480k for rounding, at $40k per month, it would be 250% monthly income, but a pretty smart buy (again, assuming the right circumstances.)

[MikeStammer]

http://www.jomashop.com/patek-philip...6104g-001.html

"As low as $33292 per month"

buy 4 and go long baby

[jtodd_fl]

Originally Posted by MikeStammer

http://www.jomashop.com/patek-philip...6104g-001.html

"As low as $33292 per month"

buy 4 and go long baby

4 of those or one of these (takes the celestial and adds a Tourbillion, a minute repeater with grand and petite sonnerie.)

[E30toF30]

Originally Posted by neverdone

I don't think there is a percentage like other things. Like cars, watches (time pieces) are a hobby, not just a fashion accessory.

I am a collector and I'm slowly working my way to a more expensive watch all the time, it all depends on how much I save PARTICULARLY for that watch and what my wife allows me to spend. ( fuck you guys )

I have a collection that ranges from a $300 (cdn) Seiko, to a $2k Tag Heuer and what I buy has no bearing on what I make, only what I have to spend on something that in most people's opinion, is useless.

Agree with this.
I don't think how much you make should have any bearing on what you "should" spend on a watch (within reason. Everyone's circumstance is different. A guy making $35k/yr that has a family to take care of is different from a single 25yr old with no real responsibilities even if they both saved for 5 years etc... )

Not uncommon that people will save for months or even a couple years to buy their grail watch, tucking away a small part of each paycheque to go towards a purchase (be it watches, electronics, cars or any other "toy"). . I think that's pretty normal. save $150/month into a fun account and you can buy a pretty decent watch after a couple years.

Like someone else here said, we have guys here spending $2500 on an exhaust (or any other mod) . How is that any different than the guy who spend $2500 on a watch? If you ask me, the watch will hold more value for a much longer time over the exhaust. But to reach their own. Everyone has their own vice. Clearly all of us here have at least one common one that we like to spend ungodly amounts of money on.

Some of these "guidelines" suggested by people are just silly. Need to make $500k/year to justify buying a $5000 watch? Does that mean you need to make $5m/yr to buy a $50k car?

[apexkingjusto]

Everyone's circumstances are different. My buddy a very famous anonymous IG watch collector hasn't earned $1 from his own work in his 40yrs on this planet. I've met CXO's who've worked their ass off for years, make 800k+ and wear sub $1000 watches.

I bought a wg daytona used because I love it, it's a good investment, it can be insured, and enjoyed at the same time!

Sometimes I feel it's a bit much when I'm around people who I know make 2x more then me and wear say datejusts or I see peers of mine wearing datejusts. But I just remind myself that it's a good investment that I was able to make and am still very financially sound (equity in house, savings for sons college, paid off cars, retirement savings...)

[MDaveyy]

I couldn't see myself spending over $300 on a watch ever, but I guess everyone has their own hobbies/tastes. I'll stick to the Watch Station store across from my house who constantly has 60% off sales on poor guy waches that look really good.

[Rat3d ///M]

Originally Posted by MDaveyy

I couldn't see myself spending over $300 on a watch ever, but I guess everyone has their own hobbies/tastes. I'll stick to the Watch Station store across from my house who constantly has 60% off sales on poor guy waches that look really good.

Thats because it's not what you are into. There are two kinds of people that spend absurd amounts of money on a watch (okay, maybe three).

1. The self-made business owner who wears a Rolex to work just because it's the thing to do, and he can afford it.

2. The hard working middle class man who has an interest in horology and fine time pieces and collects nice watches as a hobby.

3. The self absorbed asshole who flaunts a Rolex because he thinks he is cool.

4. (okay, maybe four) The hard working middle class man who saved a little bit, and bought himself something nice so that he had something to show for a personal achievement, or a goal he met in life.

I personally fall in a little bit of 2 and 4. That being said, I am sure there is something you spend asinine amounts of money on that I would find absurd. I don't understand why my wife (or any other female) will spend $350 on a purse at the drop of a hat.

That said, my first Rolex I spent 35% of my household (wife and mine income combined) monthly income on (current income that is, at the time, it was more like 60%). I have an Omega that I spent 21% of my income on, and I just bought my wife her first Rolex for Christmas (@ 25% of our monthly income). I don't think there is really a written rule with watches like there is with cars or houses. If you want to splurge and can afford it without going into debt, why not spend the money? Life is too short not to enjoy the finer things.

[Rat3d ///M]

Originally Posted by apexkingjusto

I bought a wg daytona used because I love it, it's a good investment, it can be insured, and enjoyed at the same time!

I love the Daytona's. I've been itching for my next Rolex purchase lately, and have really been eyeing them, but I am afraid I could not in good conscience spend that amount of money on a watch (plus my wife would take my balls in collateral and I would never see them again). I am looking into the Submariner's as well, which is a little more realistic in price for me. Just can't decide on date vs. no date.

[MKSixer]

Originally Posted by apexkingjusto

Everyone's circumstances are different. My buddy a very famous anonymous IG watch collector hasn't earned $1 from his own work in his 40yrs on this planet. I've met CXO's who've worked their ass off for years, make 800k+ and wear sub $1000 watches.

I bought a wg daytona used because I love it, it's a good investment, it can be insured, and enjoyed at the same time!

Sometimes I feel it's a bit much when I'm around people who I know make 2x more then me and wear say datejusts or I see peers of mine wearing datejusts. But I just remind myself that it's a good investment that I was able to make and am still very financially sound (equity in house, savings for sons college, paid off cars, retirement savings...)

I think the whole formula thing is silly. Buy what you can comfortably afford. If you have doubt's beyond normal buyer's remorse after you make the purchase, you may have purchased too much watch for your budget. When you look at your watch it should bring you joy and happiness, not regret!!

I love the Daytona and had an SS one for a month. They are beautiful and distinctive but attract way too much attention. I sold it for more than I paid and miss it every day!

Cheers-mk

P.S. I currently have a Breitling Colt, Tutima DI300 in Titanium, Oris Williams - F1 in CF, Fortis Spacematic 42, A couple of quartz Tag-Heuer's, and a handful of automatic Invicta's.

[P1]

It's threads like these that turns me off from owning a nice watch. Seems that, along with all the IG "look at my watch on my steering wheel turds", many on here directly correlate it to showing off their wealth (or lack thereof).

Sometimes I get the feeling that nice watches are turning into the ADV.1 of wheels, and the Ed Hardy of t-shirts.

[jtodd_fl]

Originally Posted by P1et

It's threads like these that turns me off from owning a nice watch. Seems that, along with all the IG "look at my watch on my steering wheel turds", many on here directly correlate it to showing off their wealth (or lack thereof).

Sometimes I get the feeling that nice watches are turning into the ADV.1 of wheels, and the Ed Hardy of t-shirts.

I think for many, that is true. But for still many others, it is about the watch itself and what it embodies or represents. I think a lot of M3/M4 owners actually like them because they are quietly impressive - not about flashiness or ostentation. I think truly great watches are the M's of watches. Some can be worth many times more than others, but the value is "under the hood". Don't give up on watches - give up on some of the owners. If you had to abandon products because some of the owners were idiots, you wouldn't be driving a BMW!

[MKSixer]

Originally Posted by jtodd_fl

I think for many, that is true. But for still many others, it is about the watch itself and what it embodies or represents. I think a lot of M3/M4 owners actually like them because they are quietly impressive - not about flashiness or ostentation. I think truly great watches are the M's of watches. Some can be worth many times more than others, but the value is "under the hood". Don't give up on watches - give up on some of the owners. If you had to abandon products because some of the owners were idiots, you wouldn't be driving a BMW!

Well said.

I like each of my watches for different reasons and even keep a few that were given as gifts but may not be my favorites because the gift was thoughtful. I personally don't like all of the attention that something like the Daytona garnered. I know people that buy Rolexes because they want to show off and I know some that buy them because they are like a money market account you can wear on your wrist.

To each his/her own.
Cheers-mk

[Hooter]

I've always worked on the 1x principal mate.

So if your monthly income was say $8000, you should spend $8000 on a watch.

[AMGSlayer]

Originally Posted by Hooter

I've always worked on the 1x principal mate.

So if your monthly income was say $8000, you should spend $8000 on a watch.

^This

Spend all of it. If you can't afford it, then finance it. If you can't finance it, then steal it.

Its what the cool kids are doing.

[Hooter]

Originally Posted by AMGSlayer

^This

Spend all of it. If you can't afford it, then finance it. If you can't finance it, then steal it.

Its what the cool kids are doing.

Yes. It makes a statement.

[neverdone]

Originally Posted by AMGSlayer

^This

Spend all of it. If you can't afford it, then finance it. If you can't finance it, then steal it.

Its what the cool kids are doing.

Sounds legit. Let's do it.