This is a bad idea, right?

[Raza]

Between the recent @mlcor and @geoffbot threads, a dark, dark thought has crept into my head.

Once you admit that something doesn’t necessarily have a permanent place in your collection, that it could be replaced by something that just fits you a little better, it’s almost the first step in searching for a replacement.

Now, it’s no great secret that I’m looking to buy a sub $10,000 daily wear watch this year. Sub $8,000 even better.

It’s also no secret that I’m not too keen on letting my collection balloon again. I like having a small number of watches of commensurate quality that I am happy to swap out whenever I feel without making me feel like I’m missing out on something.

So, this is the bad idea.

I love my Black Bay GMT. I think it’s better looking than the GMT Master II. It arguably fits my wrist better (though at times, the weight can bother me). But it’s more stealth, it’s brushed all around, it doesn’t just work, it suits me.

But then again, the Rolex is a Rolex. That carries a lot of weight with enthusiastic and hoi polloi alike. Even I’m not above being enticed by a fancy nameplate, I’m self aware enough to know that advertising and marketing work on me, to a limited extent, but they do and it would be a lie for me to say otherwise.

It’s not like the GMT II is a slam dunk. I don’t think it looks as good as the Black Bay. The polished center links don’t exactly set my heart alight, even though they did answer the prayers of many when they added the Oyster bracelet. It’s flashier; it’s almost a worry to travel with, which is perhaps a negative for a watch that is meant to be my dedicated travel watch. It most certainly isn’t the perfect fit for my wrist, though it works, which is the same for the Black Bay, to be honest. And yikes, the cyclops.

But, if I sell my Black Bay, that undoubtedly cuts the cash outlay down to a comfortable level and it stems the tide of a growing collection, leaving me free to add a dress watch as I see fit when I feel like it.

This is a bad idea, right? I mean, for all the reasons I stated, the GMT Master II is still not the perfect choice, and at the price it is (even with the Rolex bubble bursting), it really should be, shouldn’t it be? Late night flight of fancy, isn’t it?

[geoffbot]

Well, you probably can't get one at retail. Are you prepared to pay overs?

[mlcor]

IMO, you’ve listed a number of pretty fundamental things that don’t satisfy you in the GMT, which should tell you something…

I admit I’m biased, though—I don’t like GMTs, the extra hand bothers me because it’s visible all the time, and for me, I only want to see two times when I’m traveling and need to see both. That’s why I like the setup on my JLC, where the second hour hand is hidden underneath the first hour hand unless/until you need it. But that’s just my personal preference, I’m sure there are people who want that second time zone visible all the time.


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[litlmn]

IMO, you’ve listed a number of pretty fundamental things that don’t satisfy you in the GMT, which should tell you something

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This pretty much.

I think you've answered your own question within your post. The Black Bay over the Rolex.

But.... why not just keep it, and get the Rolex if you really want (Or think you do)? If you list your BB GMT it on a forum, you'll get 2.8K for it maybe. Prices seem to be dropping on it recently, and there are several on Watchrecon. If you trade it in, you may get 2K for it (maybe, maybe less). So is it worth it at that point?

[Cybotron]

It seems your set on the Black Bay so you should probably keep it. Would you get the Rolex at retail or on the grey? Do you have a good relationship with your AD? The good thing about having your name on a so called list is you don't need to put down a deposit.

[tribe125]

The dopamine-releasing properties of Rolex are undeniable, but might be at their fizziest in anticipation. Hans Wilsdorf was a chemist and he passed his knowledge on.

I’ve been thinking about my next watch since October, and there are a couple of Rolexes on the shortlist. They can be ‘beaten’ in a dispassionate assessment, but then you think about the green box and your resolve is being fizzed away.

Dispassionately, I too prefer the Tudor GMT to the Rolex GMT. It’s unaffectedly handsome. Side-by-side, the Rolex looks dressed to impress, but less handsome. The material differences are negligible, the Tudor is less than half the price, the Rolex can’t be had by walking into a shop and handing over the money. For me, it’s game set and match to the Tudor - except for the crown, the kudos and the green box…

Let the fizz settle.

[Raza]

Well, you probably can't get one at retail. Are you prepared to pay overs?

Never, of course. But with prices falling, it’s only a matter of time. I wouldn’t call it a burst bubble, but there’s a slow leak.

[Raza]

IMO, you’ve listed a number of pretty fundamental things that don’t satisfy you in the GMT, which should tell you something…

I admit I’m biased, though—I don’t like GMTs, the extra hand bothers me because it’s visible all the time, and for me, I only want to see two times when I’m traveling and need to see both. That’s why I like the setup on my JLC, where the second hour hand is hidden underneath the first hour hand unless/until you need it. But that’s just my personal preference, I’m sure there are people who want that second time zone visible all the time.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think you may be right. I think this thread might have been the result of some frustrations over the watch search bubbling up during a bout of insomnia.

This pretty much.

I think you've answered your own question within your post. The Black Bay over the Rolex.

But.... why not just keep it, and get the Rolex if you really want (Or think you do)? If you list your BB GMT it on a forum, you'll get 2.8K for it maybe. Prices seem to be dropping on it recently, and there are several on Watchrecon. If you trade it in, you may get 2K for it (maybe, maybe less). So is it worth it at that point?

Wow, I had no idea prices were dropping on the BB GMTs so much. Last I checked, they were still hovering around the $4,000 range, similar to gray market.

It seems your set on the Black Bay so you should probably keep it. Would you get the Rolex at retail or on the grey? Do you have a good relationship with your AD? The good thing about having your name on a so called list is you don't need to put down a deposit.

Oh, I have a lovely relationship with my AD! Bought my first Black Bay from them, got my Submariner from them…then they closed down during the pandemic. So now I’m a man without an AD. Unless I go to Govberg, pay 8% sales tax, and suffer the indignity of the Rolex guy giving me that “there’s no way *you* can afford this” look.

The dopamine-releasing properties of Rolex are undeniable, but might be at their fizziest in anticipation. Hans Wilsdorf was a chemist and he passed his knowledge on.

I’ve been thinking about my next watch since October, and there are a couple of Rolexes on the shortlist. They can be ‘beaten’ in a dispassionate assessment, but then you think about the green box and your resolve is being fizzed away.

Dispassionately, I too prefer the Tudor GMT to the Rolex GMT. It’s unaffectedly handsome. Side-by-side, the Rolex looks dressed to impress, but less handsome. The material differences are negligible, the Tudor is less than half the price, the Rolex can’t be had by walking into a shop and handing over the money. For me, it’s game set and match to the Tudor - except for the crown, the kudos and the green box…

Let the fizz settle.

Can’t argue with a thing you’ve said.

[skywatch]

If I were to summarize your own first post, and all the correct responses above, the answer is simple: Keep the Tudor. Anyway, it's a stealth Rolex.

[crownpuller]

Yes.