Wearing PM as a daily

[TheVTCGuy]

I am going to try and express this as clearly as possible, but being a Dorklehead it probably will sound confusing and/or antagonistic. Please understand it is not intended as anything of the sort

I have always only owned one Rolex at a time. Honestly, my entire watch collection is my GMT, a vintage Chronosport, and an $18 Casio I wear to the gym. I know many of you own two, three, heck dozens of fine timepieces and more power to you I understand how you cycle through, enjoying each watch for a time then switching over to another. However my philosophy as always been to own only one “Very Special” watch. Neither is right or wrong, and I don’t know if I can explain it well, but I always wanted one… really nice watch and only one.

My grail, is the WG 41MM Sub. Some of you have recently posted yours, and I can not express how jealous I am. IMHO, it is a phenomenal timepiece and being WG, a little bit under the radar. To those of you that own RG or YG watches they are absolutely stunning, but I am just not a colored-gold kind of person.

Now, I am not poor, my financial situation probably doesn’t compare to most of you, but I am not eating meals at the local mission nor sleeping at the hostel either. I can afford a Rolex, a SS and probably a TT if I wanted, but with a little stretch, COULD probably afford my WG sub this year. It would have to be the only Rolex I own, which is fine, and I would plan on wearing it every day (or as much as I wear my SS now). The issue is a pscycho-…. Syckoligical-…. Psy-. The issue is in my head.

I KNOW, I would love wearing that watch. The weight would remind me of this special timepiece, I would stare at it for probably hours a day, I doubt I would even set the correct time, but the whole notion of wearing a $40,000 watch on my wrist is …. Unsettling? Uncomfortable? I don’t know if I can explain it. Literally, i would be wearing something on my wrist that could equal the cost of a car. Now, I am not poor, but there is something that doesn’t sit right spending THAT amount on a fine watch. I know, I am being hypocritical, as some would say “You Dorklehead Paul, you are wearing a watch valued at $10 to $15 thousand dollars right now, what is the difference of going up to a $40 thousand (and don’t say $25, 000 ). It is something of a comfort… thing. I KNOW I would enjoy it, immensely, but would the concept of wearing something that expensive on my wrist every day out-weigh the enjoyment? Would I battle with some kind of… buyer’s remorse? Yes, I COULD afford it, (with a little streteching) but that is still a great deal of money (for me), SHOULD I afford it?

I hope I am making sense… probably not, and this is all very much a first-world problem, and again, those of you that wear PM models as a daily I wish you all the best and enjoy your fine timepieces , but I am not sure if I would be comfortable with the concept of wearing something that expensive.

I this is all gibberish, you guys should have come to expect that from me by now anyway, But if it makes any kind of sense, I am very interested in what others think.

[Jackie Daytona]

I think a lot of us probably feel the same with our SS Rolex. It just gives that feeling of as you describe if and when you have a PM model.

I’m not rich either and really nobody around me can afford Rolex so it always feels special just being able to wear and enjoy even the most basic of Rolex models at all. That being said if you are going to have a nice watch that is sort of an important and special aspect of it all to be able to essentially treasure if you will.

If you can and it gives you that special feeling and is the ultimate keeper then it’s not necessarily just a big expenditure alone. You like watches and this provides what you want as your grail and is the long term special keeper of the bunch I say stretch it and go for it.

[tifosi]

Paul,

Great post and well thought out. As you know, I just got my 126619LB and I had many of the same concerns.

I explained my journey to this piece in my "incoming" post so I won't repeat it.

I am neither rich nor poor, probably similar to you. I live very modestly and only spend money on things I enjoy. Mostly watches. I had a small collection and I was maxed out on what I could ever and would ever have invested into watches. I was done. Could not responsibly spend another dime. I could never add a WG Sub and have any other watches. So I made the move to have the WG Sub as my only watch. ZERO regrets.

I LOVE wearing this watch everyday. For all the reasons you stated. It's fantastic. I chuckle when I drive to work wearing my WG Sub in a vehicle whose value is 1/2 as much as my watch. hahaha. I feel the same way about cars as I do watches. I buy them for me. I don't worry about what image it may portray.

The value of this watch does not outweigh the enjoyment at all (for me). I can honestly tell you that in the couple days I have owned this, I have not thought about the cost of it. I wear it like any of my other previous SS Subs. When I look at it, I only feel joy. It is such a special watch.

This watch was strrrrreeeeetch for me. It is a great deal of money. If this is your grail and you think you can responsibly swing it...you will not regret it. I am confident.

[Jack T]

I would love a WG Sub, the top sports watch in the lineup, in my opinion. I would have a tough time making it my everyday watch, not for safety reasons but wear and tear.

While I can afford the watch, it’s the alimony payments that would get me.

[TheWatchmen]

You won’t know if you’re comfortable wearing it unless you try it, and you might find you aren’t - or you may find that you’ve made it to a point in your life where it feels right to own something like that, and as long as it isn’t adding years of work before you’re able to retire, then it’s all good.

Only one way to find out.

[tifosi]

Originally Posted by TheWatchmen

You won’t know if you’re comfortable wearing it unless you try it, and you might find you aren’t.

Only one way to find out.

Exactly my thought. I'd rather know than always wonder.

[Rushne]

Not sure I can add much to the conversation.

Having spent "only" 19k USD max on a single watch. However over the last few year shave seen the "value" of that watch sky rocket up to almost 100k and down to whatever... 50 k that it is today.

Wearing it was totally fine but I was well aware that it was a 19k watch. As that is what it cost me, but then the stories of people stealing watches became more frequent, the value on the secondary market became more of a factor of stress.

So, if its 40k that I had spent, I think I would be even more stressed haha. Even though I have watches work around that now, I have never parted with that much for a piece myself.
So depends on your stress coming from 1 Spend, 2. How much street stress it could add :D

Hopefully that is confusing enough :)

[MrGoat]

I had an instance when I first purchased my sub. I was wearing it in Walmart and there was a dad and his two kids walking in front of me.

The one kid asked the dad if they could get something (I don’t remember the exact item but it was most likely less than $10) and the dad (in a defeated undertone) told the kid if they got that, they couldn’t get whatever essential (that was under $20).

Meanwhile I am buying non essential items and wearing (read: beating the hell out of) a 10k or so watch.

It struck me, I didn’t know how to react other than some serious self reflection. I came to the conclusion in my case I do quite a bit in my community and for others so why not enjoy some of the fruits of my labor.

Looking back to the situation I had, I wish I’d have thrown a $50 on the ground and stopped him to say I saw it fall out of his pocket or something. I was too self absorbed at the moment though and didn’t know how to react except for self reflection.

I am used to it now and IMO I can enjoy myself without feeling guilty for it. If it is something you can’t get past then you won’t enjoy the watch, nothing actually enjoyed should make you feel guilty.

YMMV


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[codecow]

If you’re put off by the money you won’t enjoy it in my opinion.

I have a couple PM Rolex and like any Rolex they’re a magnet for thieves. Where I live a guy was recently followed home and robbed on his driveway in a neighborhood of $2m+ homes for his Rolex the thieves noticed.

So generally I only wear mine at home and when they’re not on the wrist they’re at the bank in a safe.

So yeah, you don’t want to be in a position where you can’t enjoy it.

[ZC94]

If I were you, I’d make up some kind of rules or rituals… for example, keep the SS and buy the WG. After every 4 wears of SS you get to wear the WG for a day. That to me is a healthy 80/20 rule.

[samson66]

I think it makes a lot of sense for a one-watch-guy. I've often had the same thoughts of going that route (and the same watch you are interested in too). Getting a WG Sub gets you a grail pieced that doesn't scream out "GOLD ROLEX!" to the rest of the world. The white metal allows you to wear it in relative stainless steel annonimity, while the weight and PCLs will alway remind you of the prescious metal you have strapped to your wrist.

My only concern is it might increase the number of places you feel uncomfortable wearing it. And as posted above that is a personal thing. For some folks it may not change anything and they will wear it no differently than any other SS watch. For others it could be something on your mind a lot, "should I wear it here, should I wear it there, is this a safe area, what if..." etc.

But if you want PM and you want only one luxury watch I think a WG Sub makes perfect sense.

[travisb]

I say go for it Paul! I fully get where you’re coming from but we only live once and it can be shorter than we expect. Treat yourself and you’ll be happy you made the jump.


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[77T]

Posting at O’Dark-30 always lends an element of gobbledygook
(Presuming you’re in PTZ)

I once reduced my collection to a SS Omega in order to fund a Platona. Because the Omega was a vintage model, the Platona became a daily wear watch.

Was very happy with that…


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[Smookes]

my 3rd Rolex was a 40mm DayDate YG

I got rid of my first one, TT Date Just 41mm because Id figure why would I need it, now that I have my grail

As much as I love wearing my DD40mm daily, I soon realized I could not wear it everywhere and that you really need different type of watches for different types of occasions.

So, now I have a TT Daytona, DD40, OsyterFlex, Diamond encrusted and a S/S GMT

Don't limit yourself, you need variety.

[brandrea]

It’s an interesting question Paul, and you’ve phrased it well in my opinion.

Ive considered jumping to a PM watch in the past. There are a few things that hold me back:

1. Would I really get a 4x or 6x worth of more enjoyment?
2. Weight is a factor for me. I’ve found I tend to prefer watches that are lighter. I enjoy the heft of wearing a heavier watch, but by the end of the day, I can’t wait to take them off YMMV.
3. Variety. I’m not sure I could do the one watch thing, but you’ve stated you always have so that’s not a factor for you.

Benefits to owning one expensive watch are less servicing costs down the road, which I’ve definitely thought about in my case.

I guess there’s no right or wrong here. In your specific case I don’t think you stand much to lose other than the potential resale hit.

[sjcapp]

Considering getting a PM daily myself at the moment. What I can contribute is this...

As with all purchases in life - cars, homes, clothing, watches, etc. - you have to weigh whether you will feel comfortable with the purchase. The notion of "comfort" comes in a lot of forms: comfortable with the safety risk that comes from owning luxury goods, comfortable with how people might perceive your purchasing behavior, comfortable spending the amount of money that a particular good costs, etc.

As a general rule of thumb, if any of these sorts of comfort issues gives me pause before the purchase, I take it as a sign that I will likely feel those same concerns after the purchase. Be confident in all decisions, otherwise the enjoyment won't be there.

[Ironworker]

For some reason, high end watches just feel right, after owning just one watch for 30 years, a DJ with a jubilee, I decided to buy another bang around watch, I purchased a $500 Luminox and as much as I like it, I feel like I need another high end watch, the Luminox just doesn’t feel right. Buy it, wear it, and enjoy it, we only have so many days left on this planet.

[JSolution]

Once you have bought and overcome the barrier of the initial purchase it will be a distant memory. How many years do you have left to live? 10/20/30/40 who knows! Do it!

[DonRickles]

Just don't, wear it to Vegas!

[DJH1977]

Have a 116509, and it really doesn't seem more fragile than stainless pieces. Sure, I can see that I wear it, but it is under the radar and holds up well. If you can wrap your mind around it, I recommend it. Of course none of these watches are necessary!

[Chiboy]

I wore the same TT DJ I bought in the mid '80s for 30 years, and loved it. Fell for the ceramic white Daytona and got on the list in 2016. When I got tired of waiting, I ended up springing for the platinum version. I still consider it the biggest splurge of my life. And one of my best ever purchases (along with my first Rolex).

I honestly don't recall exactly whether I was uncomfortable with the cost being on my wrist all day, but I think having one really special watch is a great way to go especially if you are a one-watch person. As I am and you are. Every day you get to enjoy this awesome watch, and you can feel the weight on your wrist without even looking at it, but it isn't bothersome. I didn't insure my DJ after the first few years, but do insure my Daytona. It's not such a bad cost, especially if you are enjoying it every day. And it takes the pressure off of worrying about getting robbed.

My FIL wore his gold DD every day and everywhere. We talked about watches sometimes, even though neither of us is a collector. He never thought twice about wearing it while golfing or whatever, and I am somewhat similar, although I don't wear my Daytona while playing sports. After the first hairline on my Daytona which showed up on Day 1 (I'm pretty sure), I realized that was inevitable, and stopped worrying about keeping it perfect for the next guy.

TBH, you seem like the perfect candidate to splurge on a PM grail watch. And being white metal, you can wear it everywhere, or at least wherever you felt comfortable wearing your SS Rolex. And that watch is gorgeous. I hope you pull the trigger!

[jb335]

I understand your concern, Mr. Dorklehead.

When I first went full PM (116618LB), I was very self-conscious wearing it. I worried everyone was starting at me and felt it was obnoxious to have such an expensive watch and whether I even deserved to wear such a watch.

It did impact my enjoyment of the watch. It was not fun. And this lasted for at least two maybe even three…..days. I got over it real quick and within six months I had a second full PM piece. And while I didn’t daily my gold pieces (I never wear gold to the office), I found myself really enjoying the feel, weight and look of a gold watch on my wrist. And no one really paid attention anyway since there is so much costume “gold” out there anyway.

My point is, you very well may feel awkward at first and may even have some buyers response initially. But I bet that subsides really quickly and you get very comfortable with a gold watch. So comfortable it may just open a new chapter and you may have a couple gold watches before you know it.


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[ap1]

Approved

[Mystro]

We are all nuts and if you can wear a $15k watch, you can wear a $40k watch. Wearing almost any timepiece Rolex makes would be considered crazy by most plebeians but we are cut from a different cloth and have different priorities and values of what excites us in life. Life is so short and being too conservative and playing it safe and comfortable can be filled with regrets.

[DonRickles]

I only would worry if we’re talking grey prices!

[watch3r]

While I share your hesitancy, I agree with the majority here saying "go for it" if you feel financially stable doing so. We all justify things in different ways. While I consider my SS Exp II to be a relatively "humble" daily, many of my friends wince when they see me wearing it while fishing and hiking. If you think you will find enjoyment out of the beauty and significants of the PM sub, there's no reason to hold back!

[travisb]

Originally Posted by DonRickles

I only would worry if we’re talking grey prices!

Grey prices on that watch are currently under retail.


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[Seddyspaghetti]

I feel similarly with full yellow or rosegold pieces. I daily my wg dd40 olive and i love how i can enjoy it without flagging the general population that i am wearing a $40k+ solid gold watch. Most they’ll notice is a nice looking silver watch and if they get close enough to read the dial, theyll notice it is a nice looking silver watch that is a rolex. Nothing more.

As for watch enthusiasts/thieves that notice it, well… that’s a diff story lol.

[jamesbondOO7]

It makes so much sense to have only one watch. I have in mind to get there. To have more than one makes no sense, as soon as you put one on, you wonder which other one you should be wearing. Then there is a stage in life when, if it has to be only one, it can only be a PM one.

[Lonehiker]

If it’s a stretch for you I suggest you wait a while. If you rush to buy it thinking life will be just wonderful, think again! You’ll soon get accustomed to it, hedonic adaptation will kick in and then what? Just trying to be the counterbalance here!