Do you think expensive watches are worth the price?

17 years ago

My sister just emailed me and told me she bought herself a Rolex watch. I have no problem with her spending her money on what she wants. It is her money. I just don't get spending $5000 or more on a watch. I am perfectly happy with my $10 Indiglo Timex with a croc pink leather band. I am hard on watches with all my outside gardening and inside remodeling though my last one made it over 10 years.

Would you spend that kind of money on a watch? Now, maybe a diamond ring I could see.

Clare

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Comments (50)

monica_pa Grieves
17 years ago
Yes. If I needed one and wanted one enough to pay the price...and right now, I don't. My current watches all work.
alisande
17 years ago
I don't get it either, but my DH (who was reasonably frugal in most ways) had a fondness for good watches. It certainly wasn't a status symbol with him; he just appreciated the workmanship, I think. When we lived in Manhattan I wore a Movado with an 18k gold band from Tiffany's. Now it sits in my safe deposit box, along with another of mine and a couple of his. I'm happy with my $19.99 watch from Walmart.
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mtnwomanbc
17 years ago
Not for me. I stopped wearing a watch when I started carrying my cell phone everywhere.

I once had a very expensive watch (for me, anyway) that I lost in a parking lot. I grieved about its loss for a couple of years and vowed I'd never buy anything that expensive again when all I really needed was something functional. Several Timex Indiglos followed after that.
alisande
17 years ago
Monica, just curious--how does one "need" a $5,000 watch?

And I have to correct my post. My current Walmart watch cost $12. :-)
mtnwomanbc
17 years ago
Frankly, for $5000, I'd rather go on a nice vacation to France, perhaps including a Mediterranean cruise. Not sure it would be enough, but a good start.
ann_in_florida
17 years ago
I find that the things I "need" are totally different from the things I "want" or would like to have. Like others, I'm completely happy with my little Timex that I bought on sale at Kmart. I just can't imagine even wanting to wear a $5000 watch on my arm. There are so many neat things I could do with $5000 that would bring me so much more pleasure.
country_bumpkin_al
17 years ago
I was also wondering how or why anyone could justify a $5,000.00 watch as a NEED! The purpose of a watch is to tell time and it doesn't matter if it's aa $5.00 watch or a $5,000.00 watch!

I think too many people have confused needs and wants!

Now to answer your question..Not just NO...but H3LL NO, I wouldn't spend that much on a every watch in a shop..much less ONE watch!*S*
azzalea
17 years ago
If you're asking for personal feelings? I don't think ANY watch is worth the price--to me. Can't stand wearing them. Stopped years ago. There are clocks pretty much every place you happen to be (we've got at least 2-3 in each room of our house), in the car, in stores, along the road (in front of banks, etc). And if you happen to be a few seconds in a place without one, your cell--as someone else mentioned--is always handy, and much more accurate than most watches, regardless of price.

Nope--definitely wouldn't spend that on a watch. If I were tossing $5000 around, I'd buy a custom-made retro kitchen table, and the retro range I've had my eye on. Hey, the range probably has a clock IN it, and it's only $3500 or so.
caflowerluver
Original Author
17 years ago
To me it is like saying, "Hey everyone, come rob me!" And she has been mugged at ports when on cruises and lost everything. I know she bought it as a status symbol, but that is something I don't get either.
Clare
amicus
17 years ago
For my 40th birthday, my inlaws gave me a Rolex. It worked well for 10 years, then slowly started losing time. I was told it needed an internal cleaning by a Rolex jeweller, which would cost $200.00! I haven't worn it since, and bought a $20.00 Walmart watch which is still on the same battery for almost 4 years and keeps time perfectly.
grammahony
17 years ago
Sign my name under Country Bumps. Hell no. I have 2 Timex Indiglos. One with a silver face, and one with a gold face. Depends on the other jewelery I'm wearing as to which watch I wear.
Leslie
marilyn_c
17 years ago
No, I wouldn't do that. My husband bought me an "expensive" watch when we were dating...it cost $360 in 1965 and that was a fortune back then. I don't even wear a watch...my cell phone, computer and clock in the truck are all I need....however, I knew a girl who had a $5,000 Rolex, and I mean to tell you....that was one beautiful watch. I don't usually even pay attention to things like that...but that was fabulous.

It's not something I would ever do tho....even if I could afford it and had everything else I wanted.
wildchild
17 years ago
I don't wear a watch.

I can see paying several hundred dollars for a good watch but at a certain price point it is no longer about quality but simply about status. I'm not impressed by status.

I'd do like Mtnwomanbc and take a nice vacation with the money. I was born without the "material" gene.
monica_pa Grieves
17 years ago
No,CB...I do not have want or need confused.

One person's want can be another person's need. Depends on how much something means to you.

Cost is relative. Relative to what someone can comfortably afford.

Many people on this forum drive what you might call an expensive car, or live in larger homes than yours....what's the difference between a car, house or watch? All three are things that many people want and need daily.

Do you call then out on those purchases if they cost more that you are willing to spend ?
ronm80
17 years ago
DH gave me a rolex for Christmas in 1982. I wear it everyday and have never had it worked on. A rolex will not work if you don't wear it or have a thing that shakes it. Mine is now worth twice what he paid for it. At my age now I could not care less about an expensive watch. Another negative about a rolex is there are only 2 or 3 places in the US that can clean and repair them. DH sent his to NY for repairs to the tune of $480.
monica_pa Grieves
17 years ago
BTW...the most expensive watch I own is a gold and diamond Tissot watch that is over 25 years old...still keeps good time. It was an anniversary gift.
Mystical Manns
17 years ago
Some people *need* to have a watch to help them keep track of time. When they go to fulfill that *need* by buying a new watch, they may *want* an expensive one. I have no problem with that. I have no idea if they're worth the price. For functionality, probably not since technology has the $20 Timexes which do a great job. But for craftsmanship, which is costly, then they may very well be worth the cost.

I'm the self-proclaimed purse addict, but I can't justify hundreds (thousands!) of dollars for purses. But hey ... let me win the lottery or discover a long-lost priceless painting in the attic, and it oculd happen. LOL!
sue_va
17 years ago
No way. There is nothing that I want or need that I would pay $5000 for.

As to a watch, I don't wear one any more. I only like a stretch band because I don't like anything dangling on my arm, and I can't find a watch with a band that fits my skinny wrist.

I bought one at WalMart a couple years ago that was okay, just a little loose. Then it needed a new battery and I took it back to have a new one put in. The clerk broke the crystal and they didn't have another watch that fit my wrist. I've looked around and can't find one, even in the children's watches.

Of course there is the clock in the car, which BTW, I never bother to change when the time changes. And no, I don't have a cell phone.

I don't feel deprived by not knowing exactly what time it is. I plan on never being in a hurry. Rushing around is bad for you!

Sue
sue36
17 years ago
This is no different than cars, houses, etc. Does anyone need a Mercedes when a Chevy will get you from A to B? Does anyone need a 4000 sf house? No, they want it. And on their priority list it's important enough to spend the money.

I don't have a $5000 watch. But I did buy one that cost quite a bit more than that for my father (Rolex Submariner). I had reached a point in my career where I'd "made it" to a certain degree and wanted to thank the one living person who'd done the most to get me there, my dad (my mother passed away that year). It was a lot of money to me at the time (still is), and I couldn't afford to spend that on myself now, but my father's loves that watch and it makes him very happy. So to me, it was worth every penny.
jayokie
17 years ago
no, I wouldn't spend that kind of money on a watch. That kind of money would make needed repairs on my house. My $20 watch from WM is doing just fine; when it must be replaced, I'll go the same brand if it's available. Certainly not thousands of dollars.
barbara3
17 years ago
I can think of a great many things I could do with $5000 and buying a watch would not be one of them. Last fall I bought a Guess watch which was on sale for 50% off and then 50% off again so I got it for about $50. It has a bracelet-type strap and I wear it every day. It fit my criteria which was a face (dark background, light hands) big enough so I can see the time without having to stop and put on my glasses!
sheilajoyce_gw
17 years ago
It doesn't appeal to me. I have lived in "high rent" suburbs for years, though, where one-upsmanship is a lifestyle. And the snob appeal of keeping up with and surpassing the Joneses I certainly understand. If if floats her boat, great. I hope she has all the pleasure from wearing it that she can get and that she can well afford it. It beats spending it on liquor or gambling or lots of other things.
rthummer
17 years ago
Dh and I received an Omega when we first got married from an Aunt and Uncle. I could not even afford to get the watch fixed as it was so expensive to even fix it. I had rather have a plain ol' fossil, timex, seiko, (water resistant) watch. Once you drive that watch out of the jewelry store they have lost 50 to 75% of the value already. So, what is the deal? I am not one for prestige anyway. I don't have the need to impress. LOL
janie_ga
17 years ago
For $5,000 I want it to have a steering wheel, A/C, and an automatic transmission! LOL

Have not worn a watch in years but I always bought the cheap plastic Walmart ones.
country_bumpkin_al
17 years ago
'Scuse me,Monica...I didn't mean to step on your toes and I certainly don't want to get into a pi$$ing contest with you (or anyone else) and I don't have the NEED for anyone to agree with me! Whether it's you or someone else, I will never understand how someone can define a $5,000.00 watch as a NEED (other than in their own mind)! I stand by what I said, the purpose of a watch is to tell time and as long as it's a working watch, any watch will serve that purpose.

In all honesty we all have pretty BASIC needs. Food, Shelter,Clothing..that's pretty much IT! After that it's pretty much all about choices and wants. You may go to the store and buy a very expensive steak, bring it home, have your Chef cook it for you and eat it off a china plate. I on the other hand may go buy hamburger meat, bring it home, cook it in a worn out skillet and eat it off a paper plate. At the end of the meal...the purpose has been served because we both have a full stomach!

"The Mind Justifies What the Heart Embraces"!!*S*
monica_pa Grieves
17 years ago
Unfortunately, due to CB's post...my chef broke my china dishes and quit :(
Chemocurl zn5b/6a Indiana
17 years ago
I just see an expensive watch such as that as a piece of jewelry....not really needed, but just wanted....just like some women like expensive gold, or diamonds, purses, shoes, clothes, etc.

None of the above was ever my thing though, thankfully.

Sue
matti5
17 years ago
I am sure there are some people who buy for status, but not all do. My in-laws owned a small jewelery store for 55 years where my father-in-law was an expert in watch making and repair, because of this, early on my husband had a great appreciation and fondness for watches, as a kid he would spend Saturdays at his dad side taking them apart and putting them back together. Today he has an amazing watch collection and appreciates watches of all sizes, shapes and prices. He wears an expensive Omega, not for status, but because of the craftmanship.
susanjf_gw
17 years ago
i have a 4-leg watch...ashley the cat lets me know when it's breakfast and dinner time, lol. i have my dad's 1970's omega, but it's put away for oldest ds. dh used a seiko my mom bought for him in spain...(and one he "won" as employee of the year)
lynn_d
17 years ago
I have a couple of expensive watches, one is a Movado the other is a Rolex, I wear one of them daily, usually the Rolex. Do I 'need' it? No, but do I enjoy wearing it.

I sold them for a few years, no one really needs a rolex but they do earn them. They are a often a milestone, either a gift from a loved one or a gift to one's self for an an accomplishment. Some we sold were for college graduations, promotions at work....whatever one wants to mark with a fine timepiece. Every rolex is made by a master craftsman.
lilliepad
17 years ago
Even if I had the big bucks to fork over on an expensive name brand watch I probably wouldn't.I could put a new deck on my house for $5,000. I'd be afraid to wear something that expensive.
As long as it looks nice and keeps time I'm happy.I do have a "thing" about watches,love them,and I have about 8 at the moment.Thing is,I only wear one of them all the time!LOL I have never spent more than $50.00 on a watch.I like the unusual ones.Most of the ones I have came from HSN.I bought new batteries for 3 of them a couple of months ago and haven't even had one of them on yet.I always go to the one I'm wearing now.
When DH retired they gave him an expensive watch.Can't remember the brand but looked it up and it's worth about $300.It's a beautiful watch but he has never worn it and probably never will.He wears the same old Timex all the time.LOL
To answer your question."Do you think expensive watches are worth the price?" Probably,in someone's eyes,but not to mine.
minnie_tx
17 years ago
I have a couple of watches in a drawer someplace. I never wear one. I've never been attracted to diamonds or jewelry or watches.
helencolby
17 years ago
There is no way in holy heck I would spend that much on a watch. A car yes, a watch NO !! To me, buying expensive things when a comparable less costly item is available and will work just as well, (and in many cases better,) is nothing more than conspicuous consumption !! A keep up appearances kind of thing. By my own admission, I tend to be a very vain person, and I spend money on nice clothes, but you would never catch me doling out big bucks for brand new Gucci bags, or new Versace clothing. So, saying that, I guess that never felt the need for spending huge amounts of money on "Things". "Things" are very temporary anyway, so why bother with a Lexus (overpriced Toyota with a superiority complex) when a $20,000 brand new Honda will get you to the tavern just as quickly and efficiently. Who needs a 6 bedroom mansion with 5 bathrooms when there are only two people living in the home and they seldom, (if ever) have guests stay over?

It just blows my mind that we live in the richest country on the planet and spend money like it was nothing, while people right in our own towns and cities are dying of malnutrition and exposure. What is wrong with this picture I ask you?

Sorry, but spending big bucks on anything unnecessarily is in my opinion a cry for attention. And a crappy way of getting it.

Told ya I was opinionated !! LOL

Helen
mcmann
17 years ago
I may be going out on a limb here - but how many of us are wearing diamond rings? I doubt any of us need a diamond or a wedding band for that matter. We know if we're engaged or married. But that ring can bring so much pleasure to the wearer.

So if someone buys a $5000 watch I hope they receive great pleasure from it.
clubm
17 years ago
A Timex watch is just fine with me. I have jewerly sitting
in the safe deposit I never wear. There are crazys out there.
ruthieg__tx
17 years ago
I don't for a minute think it is a need....but...if someone has the money and wants...a $5,000 watch...I say go for it. Who cares how someone else spends their money. I have a beautiful little seiko that needs repair...I took it in for repair about 6 years ago and it was going to take a few weeks so I went to Wal-Mart or Target or somewhere and spent $9 on one to use till mine was out of the shop...6 weeks later my watch wasn't repaired and the guy said it was going to cost more than it was worth...seems my washing it in pant pockets and drying it in the dryer wiped it out ...so guess what...I'm still wearing that $9 watch...If the woman wants the $5,000 watch...good for her...not my thing but Good for her.

On the Other hand....

as some one said ...so why bother with a Lexus (overpriced Toyota with a superiority complex) when a $20,000 brand new Honda will get you to the tavern just as quickly and efficiently

I can answer that one easily...because we wanted a Lexus and not a Honda...
maybee_gw
17 years ago
Is it just watches we're talking about...I have a $6,000 ring that I wear every day...but, I have no desire to spend that kind of money on a watch...
jemdandy
17 years ago
You buy a Rolex to impress. It is a quality watch, but I don't think its is worth $5000. It attracts thieves.

For time keeping and other chores, I buy Casio Data Banks for around $70 or less. The time keeping is good, battery life excellent, and it comes with a group of useful functions such as a stop watch with a split, count down timer, alarm, and phone numner storage. It has become one of my most valued tools.
matti5
17 years ago
Excellent point Mcmann!!

When I was car shopping a couple of years ago, I did my research and test drove many cars, from Hyundai's to Mercedes. I ended up buying an Infiniti G35. Similar in price to a Lexus. My decision was based on several factors NONE of which included attention seeking.

Yes, I agree that some people are attention seekers, but please do not lump everyone in that category.
jaybird
17 years ago
ummmmmmmm you are asking the lady who just bought a nifty looking watch at Family Dollar store :^)
litereader
17 years ago
I probably wouldn't spend $5000 on a watch, but I would stand up for anyone who wanted one and could afford it. Everyone has their hot buttons. I wanted a Saab convertible -- didn't need it, could have bought a LaBaron or whatever. But, I worked for it, I waited for it and I got it! I enjoy it every day. I hope everyone loves and enjoys something that someone else thinks is an outrageous thing to spend money on. What the heck -- enjoy life while you got it.
cynic
17 years ago
Absolutely not. I'm not a jewelry person. It's a device to tell the time. A $10-$15 watch works as well as a $10,000 watch for my needs and probably lasts as long. I do things and watches get banged around, crystals scratched and they get beat up. I'm not out to impress people so to me it's cheapies. And now I use my cell phone for a clock more and more. It's more accurate than the watch and I don't have to reset it twice a year.
stephanie_in_ga
17 years ago
No. I would lose it, it would be a waste of money. I buy sunglasses at the dollar store 5 at a time for the reason. I lose things! DH gave me a Bullova (sp?) watch after our 3rd child was born. It was a beautiful watch and I liked it very much, it was a special gift. I took the kids to beach one day and forgot to take it off and leave it in the car. I *thought* I slipped it into my bag without drawing attention to myself. Someone was watching. I walked away, came back and it was gone. That fast, someone saw me and immediately took it. Dumb me. Big lesson learned. It was not the dollar value of the loss, it was the whole experience of having something given me to for a special occassion taken by a stranger going through my stuff. I do not live a life suitable for expensive jewelry. If I hadn't lost it that day, it would have fallen in the toilet or something on another day.

In the want/need thing... it's not that wanting is a bad thing. To me, it's that calling a desired material object a need undervalues the real needs people have in life. I'm not saying wanting a fancy piece of jewelry, or even buying it, is wrong. I'm saying it's wrong to put such a desire in the same catagory as food, shelter, health and love. It's wrong because doing so shows a lack of empathy and appreciation for what matters in life.

I wish I had that watch back. But if my choice that day was lose the watch or lose my memory of the day the watch was given to me... no contest, the thief can keep the watch.
chisue
17 years ago
The most accurate watches today are not the most expensive, hand-crafted Whatevers, but the under $500's that reset themselves using GMT. (That info was in a funny story in The New Yorker about the annual watch convention in Switzerland this year.)

The expensive watch is bought because it is known to be expensive. It's jewelry. It's status. It's a 'reward'. A woman can go anywhere in her underwear if she's wearing a sable coat and diamonds (and a status watch).

I haven't worn my most expensive watch in years. It's a Baume et Mercier evening watch (face covered) in a heavy gold mesh bracelet. It's happy in the safe deposit box in the bank, and I'm happy that it was there when our house was burgled two years ago.

I usually wear a Citizen self-winding watch with a silver and gold colored metal mesh band. I think it was about $250. My favorite was a Seiko gold metal band, wafer-thin, that ran on a battery. They stopped making them and wouldn't repair mine. I dislike clunky jewelry (and watches).

The most 'fun' watch I owned was bought for me by my mom in Switzerland when I was 14. It was a ring watch. Guess who forgot she was wearing it when she got into the bathtub six months later?
mtnwomanbc
17 years ago
Funny about the GMT watches...I have a GMT alarm clock that's been off 6 minutes (fast) ever since approx. 3 months after I bought it. Beyond the warranty, of course.

The watch I lost and mourned was a wafer-thin water-resistant Seiko LaSalle. I had bought it 75% off due to employee discount (I worked for them for about 8 months 25 years ago). It still was over $150, which was more than I could afford, but I bought it anyway. It was a beautiful and understated silver and gold mesh -- never had to choose which color metal to wear!
wine50
17 years ago
Well said Monica PA. I don't understand why people spend hundreds/thousands of dollars buying dogs when they can go to the pound and get one who needs a home for free. I would never spend that kind of money on a dog because I'm not a dog person and think a dog is a dog. I don't know why people spend so much money on antique furniture. It has no appeal to me. But, I don't care, it's not my money. Chances are most people on this forum have at some time spent money on things that would be considered foolish or questionable by others. It's all relative folks. I have a very beautiful, very expensive watch that I wear most every day. It is not meant to be conspicuous or pretentious. I love the look and feel of the watch. Am I foolish to spend that kind of money on a watch? Absolutely not. I worked hard in my life to achieve the sucess that affords me certain luxuries. To each his own. So to answer the original question of do you think expensive watches are worth it? To me, yes.
Kathsgrdn
17 years ago
Expensive watch to me is over $50, LOL! I've bought one or two when I was young and single that were less than $80, so a $5000 watch is outrageous to me. I don't care how well it's made.

I just had 2 links taken out of a watch I bought a year or more ago at Wal-Mart. I really like the watch, has a stretchy band with silver and gold colored links and is pretty. I paid less than $25 for it, and spent $15 getting the links taken off at a jewelry store last week and I really had to think if it was worth it.
Lindsey_CA
17 years ago
As has been said more eloquently already, everything is relative. Not everyone here at the Table is in the same income bracket; and not everyone that is in the same income bracket has the same recurring expenses -- for example, hubs and I don't have any kids, grandkids, or pets, so we have more disposable income than folks with the same income level with kids/grandkids/pets. If someone with less disposable income is frugal and sets aside money to buy something "expensive" why shouldn't he/she treat themselves to it?

I'm going to be buying a new car within the next couple of months. Hubs has me deciding between a Mercedes C300, Lexus ES350, and a BMW 325i. I said that perhaps I didn't really need one of those three, and that I'd price out a Toyota Avalon (because I have always loved my Camry). Well, imagine my surprise when the Avalon priced out more than $2,000 higher than the Lexus. So, why should I not buy a Lexus just because some folks see it as an "overpiced Toyota with a superiority complex" when it's less expensive than a Toyota?

As far as watches are concerned, yeah, I wear what some would consider an expensive watch (msrp is about $3,000). Not as expensive as a Rolex, though. It's a Tag Heuer, from the Link line:

It's (in my opinion, anyway) not "flashy" or "attention getting." Hardly anyone realizes that it's a Tag Heuer - most folks think it's a Seiko! But this is the watch that I wanted because I like the quality of workmanship that goes into a Tag, and, most importantly, I like the looks of it.

I also wear, right next to the watch, a diamond tennis bracelet that's over 5.5 carats. Retail price now would be somewhere between $20K to $25K. But it was a gift to me from my brother, and he paid significantly less than that to have it custom made for me 15 years ago (I have a brother-in-law who is a Certified Master Bench Jeweler). Yeah, there have been a couple of times that I've been nervous wearing it, but only a couple. Most people don't think it's real. :-)
chisue
17 years ago
mtnwomanbc -- Yes! That's the Seiko I had too: the LaSalle! I wonder why they stopped making them. I just loved that wafer thin watch. Maybe they went out of vogue when people started wanting what I consider to be 'clunky', thick watches.

lindsey_ca -- I'm not so sure it's whether you can afford something or not. It is individual choice, that's for sure. An expensive watch has never been my thing, but I've had other expensive jewelry. DH could easily buy me a large carat replacement diamond, but I don't want to pay a ton of insurance on one, and my 1.2 pear and I have 'history' together. We've driven Jaguars for years and enjoyed the V-12's etc., but now one X-Type suits our needs. Maybe it's age, but I don't care what anyone thinks if (s)he is judging me on my possessions.

One of the wealthiest people I've known said he liked me from the first time we met. My mother and her best friend and I pulled up to a home in Florida. They went indoors while I gathered some packages out of the car. The house boy stopped washing down the driveway and came over to help me. I said good morning and wasn't it a nice day, etc. as we went into the house. (My mother taught me to be nice to *everyone*.) You've probably guessed -- the 'house boy' was the homeowner. I don't know if that was a little 'test' or a coincidence. I do know that wealthy people wonder if people like them for themselves.
lyndy_pa
17 years ago
I couldn't answer this yesterday because I was so busy at work, but YES definitely expensive watches are worth it. I only wear movado, now they aren't really that expensive - $900 - $1200. I have two and have had them for ten years and they work perfectly. They never go out of style and I get compliments on how they look always. I have an everyday one and a dressy one but I tend to wear the dressy one with the little diamonds on it all the time. Only once did I have to replace the batteries and it was only $50.00. I would love to have a rolex, my best friend has one and it is beautiful. I really can't afford one though.

Do you think expensive watches are worth the price?

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