Do You Like Your Watch To Look New Or A Little Beat Up?

[timeisfathaoftruth]

I like mine looking new...as I wouldn't buy one any other way. That said, once I own it, I enjoy it... "without the OCD".

[Sixxgrand1]

Used but not abused in appearance. Example if I cracked the crystal I would have it repaired before wearing it again - even if the crack was just a hairline. The brushed bracelets are a marvel in that they practically show nothing - after having a couple with those PCL's which need frequent cleaning.

I find myself more concerned about accuracy to be honest.

[timeisfathaoftruth]

I like mine looking new....as I wouldn not buy one looking any other way. I can't imagine how anyone on this forum could answer differently. That said, once I own it, I enjoy it..."without the OCD".

PS: To those who like scars on their Rolex, do you have the same preference in the condition of an expensive car?


PS: Sorry for the multiple posts....Don't know how that happened!

[walds11]

I don't mind my SS Sub Date looking a little beat up. Nothing wrong with the rugged look

[Rolex Freak]

Originally Posted by petesjag

And I thought I was anal retentive..The only differene between us is that I would never even let anybody touch mine, so I dont need to carry a cleaing cloth.....I clean mine all the time too. I dont think it makes us freaks, we just like shiny new looking watches!
Have you tryed the Varaet line of cloths yet? The microsilk white cloth is one soft cloth......
pete

No I haven't. I'll look into it. Thanks for the suggestion.

[jnkay]

Originally Posted by MURRAY

Having been a fan of brushed finishes forever I never worried too much about the incidental scratch.....but boy.....once you get a 116613. and the gold PCL. your attention to that occasional scratch seems to amplify...and the desire to keep wiped...it's like the compulsion grows on you....

Anyone else experience this once they got a certain watch?

Yes--same phenomenon. The pcls are pristine and thus scratches are totally incompatible, but brushed finishes are by definition, scratched, so it doesn't bother me as much.

[jnkay]

Originally Posted by CKLinLA

I like both.

Haviing a watch like new feels great, but having a 'as new'
condition watch somehow limits me on when/how I wear it.
A a watch that has been lived with a little ... can be used
however, and without second thoughts.

I used to wear my 1655 Explorer often/everywhere, but since
I had it serviced and polished about 9 months ago, I've had it
on a lot less since . Hopefully, I'll knock it up a little soon, and
can get back to using it however .

Couldn't have said it better.

[Dr.Brian]

Mine started out brand new, really untouched, I have no intention of ever refinishing it at all. I'm all for the natural patina. It's the same with all my watches. I like my dress watch to look gleaming, so if it got a significant ding, I might buff that one up a bit. That's one of the reasons I didn't go with the DD for daily wear at the hospital. It's a bit flashy and would not hold up as well as SS for the long haul. It's a great watch for weekends though.
The Sea Dweller was called to duty for the full stretch, and it's looking at a good 30 years before retirement. If I could source a new style bracelet in a few years time, I might consider an upgrade.

[Warnsboy]

Originally Posted by Rolex Freak

Damn that's bad.

X2

[gelshocker]

Beat up yes, but only if I did it.

[pz93c]

Beat up.

[GradyPhilpott]

I do not abuse my watches.

I do not however pamper them either.

They are meant to be worn and some are meant to be worn in more extreme environments than others.

If there was a practical way to keep the watches pristine through normal use, then I would opt for that, but the fact is that even the most benign usage is going to leave some marks and the more extreme the usage the more marks will be accumulated.

I'd like to keep my DJ looking pretty darned good and I'd like to wear my Explorer the way it was meant to be worn, so that I will wear the DJ as it is was designed, as a dressy watch, capable of far more harsh service and I will wear my Explorer in settings that may be more hazardous than when I wear the DJ, although those may overlap a bit.

So, what I want for my watches to do is reflect the conditions under which they have been worn.

Marines like their uniforms and gear to have some salt on them, meaning that they show some wear, though still serviceable. It is a mark of a Marine who's been somewhere besides boot camp and training schools and has served in conditions that have stressed his gear.

I have the same feeling toward the watches. They should tell a story appropriate to their purposes.

[tattooedfagin]

prefer the 'lived in' look, adds more character. i had a fit when my new DSSD got it's first tiny ding along with a clasp scratch but now i don't think twice about it, just wear & enjoy

[1675-David]

a well used sports watch should be a little bashed up, a well used dress watch shouldn't. If your Cellini looks like it's been on military maneuvers in the dessert them your probably mixing with the wrong crowd.

[Minutehand]

I voted "looking new" because, like most, I like the crisp look of a brand new watch.

However, I do not mind the marks of life, which give the watch character and a memory. The other day I was sitting in a frustrating meeting staring at my hands and noticed a tiny ding on my GMT IIC. This took me back to the event that caused the ding - playing with my kids. So the watch is a bit of a reminder of all the good (and not so good) it has witnessed while on my wrist.

Have a great day all

[rolexertion]

I usually chain mine to the back bumper of the car and drag it a few miles just to 'break it in' when new.

[chestercopperpot]

For me it needs to look like my watch. Not a watch I just bought. So a few nics scraps etc here that's fine.

I never look brand new, so I don't mind if my watch looks the same.

[bluemartinifan]

I like them well maintained, in very good + condition - for but not perfect. I took this Sub on a hard sailing trip to the Carribbean 4 months ago. I was the "crew" on a 42' catamaran for a week. My Sub took a beating - but sustained no serious scars - and now I have bonded with my watch - it will make it very hard to flip for another Rolex.

[sea-dweller]

I like mine - not new, but not beat-up. Kinda' in the middle.

[rolio]

I like mine scratched, scarred, and marred. This is the true essence of use. Some would purchase faded blue jeans, torn and tattered; others would buy the distressed look in everything, just to engage in the used look of the item. To own something old and worn is to understand the true nature of wabi-sabi. Yes, bring on the scratches.

[andrew79]

like to have it in clean condition... :)

[acce1999]

I like the look of a brand new watch. I also like (and prefers) the look of a well used, never polished watch. Especially if it is mine :-). I do NOT like watches that are way too polished. I do not even buy them. There are too many people destroying the lines and the structures of the Oyster cases. Especially the lugs. I dare say that I even dislike it...

Best,

A

[jawalsh]

I'm a big fan of a wabi-sabi watch. The next time I get my watch serviced, I plan on asking the RSC to skip the polish. It helps me appreciate how great of a timepiece Rolex puts out. I've always liked gear/kit that can take a beating and I love the fact that I have a great timepiece that can be worn anywhere I go.

[el reddevil]

"character" is the word..

[Alfredo14]

I'm also another Freak!! I can't stand any scratches on my watches! I really do enjoy a watch, but putting a scratch on it really stresses me out.....lol.

[COBill]

I like mine looking new, but the band and body of my four month-old TT Sub C already has a ton of scratches and there's not a whole lot I can do about it.

(Yes, I have a three year-old Citizen that's less marked up; it wouldn't be so bad if I had any idea how I got many of these scratches but I don't. )

[threemonkeys]

Originally Posted by Rolex Freak

Hello Friends,

I'm the type of person that likes his watch to always look new. I'm constantly cleaning them. I even walk around with a cleaning cloth in my pocket. In fact, if I'm at a party and someone asks to look at my watch, I'll hand it over to them to inspect , but after they return it, I usually excuse myself (use the washroom) and clean the watch (yes I'm a freak, hence the user name). Just wondering what type of person you are...in terms of your watch that is? Looking new or a little beat up.

You and I must have been twins separated at birth.

Yes - I like my watches to look new.