It‘s the end of the BLRO and I feel fine

[Nav01L]

A few months ago, I was so stoked, got The Call and collected a BLRO. With the scarcity and the hype, I was super stoked to have it. Far from me the idea to ever let it go. Half a year in, things look really different. In comparison to my GMT LN, the red and blue felt like a whimsical child‘s toy. And with the knowledge in the back of my head that it was essentially irreplaceable, wearing it felt super awkward too. As a result, it went into the safe pretty much from day one, saw no wear whatsoever and what little connection the anticipation had fostered evaporated.

So today, I took the plunge, put some money on top of it and exchanged it for a watch I had been attracted to more genuinely, one which is readily available and no hype at all.

And it feels awesome.

Just as a cautionary tale, the hype has inflated our perception of certain of these watches so significantly, that we all run to the same models, as if there were nothing else. But what you’ll truly and deeply enjoy will never be a function of popular preference and groupthink. And turning one‘s back to the instatrends is easier as I thought.

Stay safe everyone, may your wrists always make you smile, no matter the soda you may associate with it.

[Dr H A]

So which one you bought now ?

[franktehtank]

Sounds like the hype treated you very well. Probably cut $10K off the purchase of that other watch of yours.

[watchmework]

I can't fault you for why you picked up the BLRO....at least you're honest with yourself retrospectively

If you buy what you wan't and what you want only....you'll win in the short and long run. The "market value" of the watch won't matter because you'll keep it for years to come...eventually the watch will be discontinued and the value of the watch will likely go up anyways. But if it doesn't, who cares....you're getting years of enjoyment out of it!

So, what'd you end up picking up?

[Dan Pierce]

Good for you, Fred!

For some reason I've always been averse to groupthink. Many times my preferences have me going against the grain. And that's alright by me.
dP

[calebb90]

Always buy what you like (and can afford) and you’ll never have regrets.


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[c41006]

You can't just leave us hanging like that! What did you get??

[Nav01L]

Originally Posted by c41006

You can't just leave us hanging like that! What did you get??

Nah, of course not, converted it into a Grand Lange 1 in WG, black dial. Couldn’t be happier.

Many thanks to all of you for the kind words and the great takes on the subject!

[schoolboy]

Originally Posted by Nav01L

Nah, of course not, converted it into a Grand Lange 1 in WG, black dial. Couldn’t be happier.

Many thanks to all of you for the kind words and the great takes on the subject!

Nice! Any pics!?

[Nav01L]

Originally Posted by schoolboy

Nice! Any pics!?

Still waiting for it to be delivered... we’re on COVID lockdown, so might be a while...

[schoolboy]

Originally Posted by Nav01L

Still waiting for it to be delivered... we’re on COVID lockdown, so might be a while...

That’s true :(

[JasTPE]

Originally Posted by Nav01L

Nah, of course not, converted it into a Grand Lange 1 in WG, black dial. Couldn’t be happier.

Many thanks to all of you for the kind words and the great takes on the subject!

Congrats! Look forward to seeing your new beauty!

[Nav01L]

Originally Posted by JasTPE

Congrats! Look forward to seeing your new beauty!

Thank you, me too, wonder how long it’ll take to come in in these times.

[Phooi]

Originally Posted by Nav01L

Sorry if I offended you my friend, that line was of course informed only by my own - purely subjective - view on this. I absolutely agree that we all see the world differently and that’s a great thing. All I wanted to convey is what brought me to overcome an ultimately wrong purchase decision I had made based on the hype (luckily that’s easy to reverse in the current market), I never meant to second guess the views of the thousands of people who love and bought this watch for all the right reasons. Just because I‘m not a colorful guy, does certainly not mean you can’t be. And while I may find things you like whimsical, you are more than welcome to find what I like boring and uninspired. It’s exactly those differences that make the world an interesting place and that’s exactly the reason we should not all pursue the same things. Cheers to the differences that make us human.

You’re more than welcome to your opinion. I never felt you were denigrating a group but expressing your personal feelings of the watch.

Originally Posted by Nav01L

Nah, of course not, converted it into a Grand Lange 1 in WG, black dial. Couldn’t be happier.

Many thanks to all of you for the kind words and the great takes on the subject!

So you felt awkward wearing the BLRO due to the value? Wouldn’t the Lange be worse? I love the Lange but I would find it to be more fragile.

[Nav01L]

Originally Posted by Phooi

So you felt awkward wearing the BLRO due to the value? Wouldn’t the Lange be worse? I love the Lange but I would find it to be more fragile.

Great point. The thing is, with the Lange, seeing as it is the delicate piece that it is, I have no expectation of wearing it every day and feel very comfortable taking it out every now and then when the occasion commends. A steel Rolex on the other hand is not what one would take out on special occasions. So that’s where my frustration with it came in. Didn’t wear it out during the day, because it was kinda too „valuable“ (due to its rarity) for that, wouldn’t take it out either in the evening, as it wasn’t (to my subjective eyes) not elegant enough for that. And so, as a result, it just stayed in the vault indefinitely.

I might have to add though that I‘m really not one to baby the everyday portion of my collection. I have them all insured. If something happens to them while I’m out on the mountain, so be it, I’ll just replace the relevant one. But of course, that’s not really easy to do with an at list BLRO. The fact I felt I couldn’t bring myself to wear it the way it should be enjoyed might have had a lot to do with that.

[Phooi]

Originally Posted by Nav01L

Great point. The thing is, with the Lange, seeing as it is the delicate piece that it is, I have no expectation of wearing it every day and feel very comfortable taking it out every now and then when the occasion commends. A steel Rolex on the other hand is not what one would take out on special occasions. So that’s where my frustration with it came in. Didn’t wear it out during the day, because it was kinda too „valuable“ (due to its rarity) for that, wouldn’t take it out either in the evening, as it wasn’t (to my subjective eyes) not elegant enough for that. And so, as a result, it just stayed in the vault indefinitely.

I might have to add though that I‘m really not one to baby the everyday portion of my collection. I have them all insured. If something happens to them while I’m out on the mountain, so be it, I’ll just replace the relevant one. But of course, that’s not really easy to do with an at list BLRO. The fact I felt I couldn’t bring myself to wear it the way it should be enjoyed might have had a lot to do with that.

That’s one of the main reasons that keeps me from getting something like the Lange. I’d treat it like any of my other watches. I’m not a “bull in a china shop” but I wear my watches. I’d wear the Lange in T-shirt and shorts just as readily as I’d wear my SubC with a suit. I bang my watch into things not out clumsiness but out of life. I’m just not sure how well a Lange would do given my lifestyle. That’s probably why I gravitate towards Rolexes and steel sports watches. Probably the same reason I prefer Porsche over Ferraris — very nice but more practical and durable.

[EEpro]

I plan to pay retail and wear it like it's a rental, myself. Handsome looking watch with a lot to offer.

[Cookie88888]

What did you get?!?!?


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[cornerstore]

Each to their own, but there is no need to belittle an iconic watch design like the BLRO as a "whimsical child's toy". Perhaps you obtained yours due to the "group think" you mention but many people did not.

[johnorpheus]

Originally Posted by cornerstore

Each to their own, but there is no need to belittle an iconic watch design like the BLRO as a "whimsical child's toy". Perhaps you obtained yours due to the "group think" you mention but many people did not.

Yeah, I thought the line was a bit much. And everyone who wants the BLRO wants it because of groupthink? Come on, people want it because it's an awesome reference with a great history.

Seems like OP came here to trash a watch a lot of people love instead of actually highlighting the new watch he got, whatever it might be.

[EEpro]

Originally Posted by johnorpheus

Yeah, I thought the line was a bit much. And everyone who wants the BLRO wants it because of groupthink? Come on, people want it because it's an awesome reference with a great history.

Seems like OP came here to trash a watch a lot of people love instead of actually highlighting the new watch he got, whatever it might be.

Agree. When I decided i wanted a Rolex I scoured their site and found two I loved. The GMT BLRO and the DJ41. I started making calls and found out I was screwed.

Zero hype went into that decision. Pure love at first sight emotion and then add the practicality of the piece and that is why it is popular. Not instagram. I didn't even know men's watches were on Instagram. I assumed it was just my niece and her friends.

[Nav01L]

Originally Posted by johnorpheus

Yeah, I thought the line was a bit much. And everyone who wants the BLRO wants it because of groupthink? Come on, people want it because it's an awesome reference with a great history.

Seems like OP came here to trash a watch a lot of people love instead of actually highlighting the new watch he got, whatever it might be.

Sorry if I offended you my friend, that line was of course informed only by my own - purely subjective - view on this. I absolutely agree that we all see the world differently and that’s a great thing. All I wanted to convey is what brought me to overcome an ultimately wrong purchase decision I had made based on the hype (luckily that’s easy to reverse in the current market), I never meant to second guess the views of the thousands of people who love and bought this watch for all the right reasons. Just because I‘m not a colorful guy, does certainly not mean you can’t be. And while I may find things you like whimsical, you are more than welcome to find what I like boring and uninspired. It’s exactly those differences that make the world an interesting place and that’s exactly the reason we should not all pursue the same things. Cheers to the differences that make us human.

[SpicyMikey]

Originally Posted by Nav01L

Sorry if I offended you my friend, that line was of course informed only by my own - purely subjective - view on this. I absolutely agree that we all see the world differently and that’s a great thing. All I wanted to convey is what brought me to overcome an ultimately wrong purchase decision I had made based on the hype (luckily that’s easy to reverse in the current market), I never meant to second guess the views of the thousands of people who love and bought this watch for all the right reasons. Just because I‘m not a colorful guy, does certainly not mean you can’t be. And while I may find things you like whimsical, you are more than welcome to find what I like boring and uninspired. It’s exactly those differences that make the world an interesting place and that’s exactly the reason we should not all pursue the same things. Cheers to the differences that make us human.

Well said. Sometimes people are too easily offended. It's easier in typed conversations without facial or verbal expression available

Mike

[Nav01L]

Originally Posted by johnorpheus

Yeah, I thought the line was a bit much. And everyone who wants the BLRO wants it because of groupthink? Come on, people want it because it's an awesome reference with a great history.

Seems like OP came here to trash a watch a lot of people love instead of actually highlighting the new watch he got, whatever it might be.

Look, I purchased something because I was excited to have an opportunity to do so. Turned out, that’s not a great reason for purchasing something. I wanted to share that experience. That’s also why I left out what I ended up getting (a Lange), as it wasn’t directly relevant to the point I was making.

If you believe you detected any other intention in my initial post, I‘m afraid to say you might be reading more into it than I was trying to say. Let me assure you that I certainly did not mean to trash a Rolex model I have worn daily for 8 years and love dearly (albeit in black). It’s just the Pepsi colorway that wasn’t for me and I hope you can afford me the freedom to hold that - very personal - view.

Respectfully
F

[Abmatt2002]

Originally Posted by Nav01L

Look, I purchased something because I was excited to have an opportunity to do so. Turned out, that’s not a great reason for purchasing something. I wanted to share that experience. That’s also why I left out what I ended up getting (a Lange), as it wasn’t directly relevant to the point I was making.

If you believe you detected any other intention in my initial post, I‘m afraid to say you might be reading more into it than I was trying to say. Let me assure you that I certainly did not mean to trash a Rolex model I have worn daily for 8 years and love dearly (albeit in black). It’s just the Pepsi colorway that wasn’t for me and I hope you can afford me the freedom to hold that - very personal - view.

Respectfully
F

Well said.

[johnorpheus]

Originally Posted by Nav01L

Look, I purchased something because I was excited to have an opportunity to do so. Turned out, that’s not a great reason for purchasing something. I wanted to share that experience. That’s also why I left out what I ended up getting (a Lange), as it wasn’t directly relevant to the point I was making.

If you believe you detected any other intention in my initial post, I‘m afraid to say you might be reading more into it than I was trying to say. Let me assure you that I certainly did not mean to trash a Rolex model I have worn daily for 8 years and love dearly (albeit in black). It’s just the Pepsi colorway that wasn’t for me and I hope you can afford me the freedom to hold that - very personal - view.

Respectfully
F

Hey, no worries. I don't even own a BLRO, so I was offended by it myself, just thought, as others did, that it read like you were making the reference out to be a product of hype instead of an iconic piece. I have no problem at all with you deciding a reference isn't for you personally.

[Aymara59]

Originally Posted by Nav01L

Look, I purchased something because I was excited to have an opportunity to do so. Turned out, that’s not a great reason for purchasing something. I wanted to share that experience. That’s also why I left out what I ended up getting (a Lange), as it wasn’t directly relevant to the point I was making.

If you believe you detected any other intention in my initial post, I‘m afraid to say you might be reading more into it than I was trying to say. Let me assure you that I certainly did not mean to trash a Rolex model I have worn daily for 8 years and love dearly (albeit in black). It’s just the Pepsi colorway that wasn’t for me and I hope you can afford me the freedom to hold that - very personal - view.

Respectfully
F

Good for you! Stand your ground! Congrats on your new purchase and wear it in the best of health!


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[Chester01]

Originally Posted by johnorpheus

Yeah, I thought the line was a bit much. And everyone who wants the BLRO wants it because of groupthink? Come on, people want it because it's an awesome reference with a great history.

Seems like OP came here to trash a watch a lot of people love instead of actually highlighting the new watch he got, whatever it might be.

I did not interpret it that way. Even if OP did, are we not allowed to say we don’t like a piece and here is why. The reality is the watch with excessively thick lugs and pastel colors and the jubilee bracelet is a very different animal from the 5 digits. Objectively, the colors are far from perfect and being wed to the jubilee bracelet is a problem. There is no functional purpose for the extra thick lugs. I think there are some people that can look at pieces objectively and some that cannot. Ceramics are 40 year old technology that seiko puts on 600 dollar watches. Not on the other hand the history speaks for itself, the movement is superb, and the fit, finish, and adjustability of the bracelet is fantastic. Sorry, it’s not a watch without flaws.

With the massive slight of hand going on that these things are rare creates this idea that if one comes up we need to jump on it and buy. Let’s face it, if the AD called, 10 people on this forum and said I have a BLRO, 9 would take it. Good for the OP for his experience. I had a similar one and thought the Daytona was a grail of mine, only to go through 2 over the past 15 years ultimately giving it to my wife because it did not live up to the hype.

[brandrea]

Interesting take Fred

What did you buy?

[Rori]

I agree on the bellow and unlike you I didn't got to the point to buy it but rather pass on it for the Tudor GMT.
Enjoy your new watch safely and in very good health.

Just as a cautionary tale, the hype has inflated our perception of certain of these watches so significantly, that we all run to the same models, as if there were nothing else. But what you’ll truly and deeply enjoy will never be a function of popular preference and groupthink. And turning one‘s back to the instatrends is easier as I thought.

Stay safe everyone, may your wrists always make you smile, no matter the soda you may associate with it.[/QUOTE]