What's YOUR spending limit for a watch?

[stockjock1975]

Hello everyone here at TRF! As I was looking at the latest edition of WatchTime magazine, I began to ponder a particular question and wanted to get all of your thoughts on the subject.

This latest WatchTime shines the spotlight on many of the fine timepieces being shown at this years Basel. These are some of the finest pieces released from some of the most prestigious watchmakers in the world. As you can imagine, they also cary a very hefty price tag. As I was looking at the latest watch from (you fill in the blank here....PP, AP, Breguet, etc.) with a limited production and a 6 figure price, I just began to wonder if I would ever buy a piece like that even if I had the resources to do so?

Even if I was wealthy, I think I would personally strugle to purchase a $100,000+ timepiece and not constantly worry when it was strapped to my wrist. Even the $6k to $12k that we all here at TRF pay for our Rollies seems at times like a large chunk of cash for, lets be honest here, a purely selfish, luxury item.

So my question to you is, do you have a limit as to how much you would ever spend on a wristwatch? As I tried to answer my own question, I kept coming back to $25,000 as an answer. I think I would be willing to consider the purchase of a $25,000 watch, but I don't know that I could ever go above and beyond that price point. How about you?

Just curious as to where each of you would draw your own personal line in the sand.

[moviefreak]

If I was to spend 30k to 40k on a watch.. I would also be thinking about spending the same amount but getting more watches...

[HL65]

That all depends on which watch--some of the watches I really like --like Lange Sohne, AP and some others get up there in price. It is best to not look at them as after a while they start to call your name --both when awake and asleep......

[srgriff]

Originally Posted by stockjock1975

Hello everyone here at TRF! As I was looking at the latest edition of WatchTime magazine, I began to ponder a particular question and wanted to get all of your thoughts on the subject.

This latest WatchTime shines the spotlight on many of the fine timepieces being shown at this years Basel. These are some of the finest pieces released from some of the most prestigious watchmakers in the world. As you can imagine, they also cary a very hefty price tag. As I was looking at the latest watch from (you fill in the blank here....PP, AP, Breguet, etc.) with a limited production and a 6 figure price, I just began to wonder if I would ever buy a piece like that even if I had the resources to do so?

Even if I was wealthy, I think I would personally strugle to purchase a $100,000+ timepiece and not constantly worry when it was strapped to my wrist. Even the $6k to $12k that we all here at TRF pay for our Rollies seems at times like a large chunk of cash for, lets be honest here, a purely selfish, luxury item.

So my question to you is, do you have a limit as to how much you would ever spend on a wristwatch? As I tried to answer my own question, I kept coming back to $25,000 as an answer. I think I would be willing to consider the purchase of a $25,000 watch, but I don't know that I could ever go above and beyond that price point. How about you?

Just curious as to where each of you would draw your own personal line in the sand.

15K is the most I would pay now, with the price increases rolex make every year we will all be paying those prices 20 years from now.

[bobernet]

There was a time when I'd have told people I would never in my life pay 4-5 figures for a watch. Times change. If I was worth 8 figures, I don't know what I'd be willing to spend.

[Lowflight]

I can't justify over $5k for one watch.

[zippaul]

Great question. I think my personal limit regardless of income would be $10,000 and even that would be pushing it. I view these timepieces in the same vain I would jewelry and art as odd as that may sound. They (in my case "it") are pieces of engineering artwork that I for the most part wear as jewelry. It does tell time but clearly that is not the sole reason I wear it. Hard to quantify but the dollars are.

[RIducati996]

Before I purchased my first Sub, 2 months ago, my spending limit was $3500. That limit went out the door pretty fast

[snow_rocks]

Originally Posted by stockjock1975

How about you?

Just curious as to where each of you would draw your own personal line in the sand.

Depends on how many aluminum cans I have collected!

[JPersat]

It would really depend on what watch it is, and how bad/long I have been wanting it. Me personally, I think I would have a hard time spending over $10k.

[mborner]

On a watch? $800. On a Rolex? $10k. I'm not much of a watch fanatic but I love Rolex.

[mike]

As stated it really depends on a couple things.

1. The arguement of quantity vs. quality. Some prefer to have a number of fine time pieces at somewhat affordable pricing (though now a days I'm not sure what that is). Some prefer to place the funds in one or two (more?) grail type pieces.

2. The purpose the watch has in a collection or is it to be a daily wear. I can see getting into rarified air for that particular vintage grail piece that either satisfies the desire to own a truly great collector's piece, but I'm not sure I could use it as a daily wear.

I'd have to take a more pedestrian approach for a watch I would subject to grind of consistent wear. There was a time when I thought "$1000 dollars for a Sub?? Are you nuts!!"

Boy how times have changed.

[jets]

I remember when spending more than 300 dollars on a watch was insane. I just spent 9K on a DSSD. In the end I believe I would be hard pressed to pay more than $15K on a watch at this point.

Ask me again in ten years...the thought frightens me.

[Tools]

I notice that the older I get, the less I want to spend on a watch....or almost anythng else for that matter.........

Prices for jewelry (and a luxury watch is jewelry) is usually related to income...

If you can drop 10 grand on a tennis bracelet for your significant other, or 20k on a diamond ring; it makes sense to spend twice that on a watch that will last you a lifetime...... or any other figure that you are comfortable with ..........

[snow_rocks]

Originally Posted by jets

I remember when spending more than 300 dollars on a watch was insane. I just spent 9K on a DSSD. In the end I believe I would be hard pressed to pay more than $15K on a watch at this point.

Ask me again in ten years...the thought frightens me.

Yeah, I remember when 500USD was a lot for a camera body,

then I bought 2 Leica M7s!

[maxxor]

10 grand cdn or us would be my limit......for now......

when i bought my sub, i could have bought a breitling superocean and omega seamaster for same price...

but hey...needed the sub....

when i bought my breitling avenger seawolf (direct competitor to the deep sea rolex), i said to my self "well now you have a sub and an avenger seawolf for the price of a deep sea)

sometimes quanity sometimes quality.....

[vjb.knife]

I have spent as much as $8k USD on a watch but wouldn't ever do it again. To me there is no watch worth more than $6K and that is actually an insane statement when I look at it. I guess the most I am willing to spend on a watch is going to depend on the watch and the day that I am standing in the dealer with it in my hand.

[multimedia]

Originally Posted by snow_rocks

Depends on how many aluminum cans I have collected!

$8-10K, but then again, all depends on the situation and how things are looking financially at the time of purchase. For example, I would never buy a watch on credit.

Cheers,
Joe

[Speed]

Well, with the exception of the Speedy Pro I just sold, I have never purchased a fine timepiece (Rolex) new. I think I would like too...but have not had the right circumstances. Therefore $4K has been the max so far.

Now I would LOVE a mint White Dial Daytona...I know, who wouldn't...so that means I will eventually have to break that upper limit to date. < sigh >

[icnbne]

for now, about 8k..
in the future, who knows, depends on my income..

[Jason71]

I hope to have the money to spend $25k on the White gold Submariner at some point. I guess I could probably get it if I liquidated 1/3 of my watch collection, but I just don't want to part with my Rolexes or Doxas.

[timeisfathaoftruth]

I always think that my limit is the last amount spent on a watch....Seems, however, that I am invariably wrong.

[mpkRolex]

I started with the $50 Casio 15 years back..now I am upto $10k with the SS daytona...I dont know how far I will go few years from now.

[Windy City Watchman]

I'd really prefer to keep it as close to $10K as possible, so I'm crossing my fingers that Rolex doesn't go crazy with the Daytona prices in the next few years.

[PeteNYC13]

Great thread...
I have no idea what my limit will end up at, I hope it increases as my earnings increase. It scares me sometimes that my 9 year old Sub is my "cheap" watch. There were many years where this didn't seem possible (I would have been happy with a $20 Armitron) and I am thankful each day that I have the ability to have an expensive hobby - I am shocked the my limit has been reset for the past few years. Maybe it stops at $10 k... but you never know!

-Pete

[SLS]

Sadly, I don't see myself buying two pieces that I really want...A DRSD & a 1655 Exp. I suppose that I cold sell off part of my collection, but I just don't see that happening.
Scott

[brent d]

Can you guess what i just got? And yes its a rolex.

[Leasky]

8K GBP and that will be on a used 118### but not this year.......

[DOUBLE 0 SE7EN]

Well, GMT MASTER IIc will be my final watch...That means 6000usd is my final limit for a watch....Because I have to buy a new house and I will pay it for a long time..
But; I am really afraid that in the future sometime maybe I can save some more to have a SS Daytona...But I never promise..It is just a fantasy..a reason to live:)

[AstroBoy]

It's a lot of burgers to flip! But...Oh...well, "You Can Only Live Twice!"