It looks classy that does well done.

Very nice mate, you can’t go wrong with that. I’m tight though so I’d have still looked around as I never pay full RRP. Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.

Called in at the jewellers today and after looking at various options, I’ve decided I would like this for Christmas. The family are giving me cash towards it and I’ll front the balance. Will be placing a deposit but waiting until Christmas to collect and have it fitted. A nice festive trip into town for something special.

Supporting the local retailer as well. Green & Benz in Chesterfield who only have one other branch up in Sheffield.

Click image to enlarge

How about this for a nice watch ? My lad decided he wanted a timepiece . He had a budget of up to £400, and after he went shopping he said he was not impressed with what his money could buy . He also is not willing to wait until I shuffle or this mortal coil to inherit my GMT Master Pepsi

Being young, enthusiastic, internet savvy, etc , he researched for a few months .... and then a package arrived for him from China , marked “broken - toy - repaired “ ! inside was a Noob Factory 9 out of 10 Rolex Submariner Clone . Through research he had found a non scam seller , he had to pay in bitcoin as Barclays bounced every payment to the Chinese website straight away

To be honest this thing is stunning . Forget all the jokes about fakes , as a timepiece in its own right it’s exceptional quality , self winding , accurate , it uses a chinese copy of an ETA movement . The weight is accurate , the crystal and cyclops are spot on , the case and bracelet are stunning , I’d put the bracelet on my watch . I’ve got a real Rolex and a Tudor , I’d happily wear the watch below , and it would take an on the bench examination to see it’s not the real thing . The next step up apparently is a 10/10 replica which has a clone of the actual Rolex calibre inside it .

OK it’s not going to be waterproof to 300 metres , and it probably won’t be working in 35 years like my Rolex , but then again the real thing has had 3 services in its life the last costing £600 .

The cost of this masterpiece below £ £320 delivered






[/img] 2009 GS Auto Zermatt Silver - Sold June 21 after 10 years of ownership

2016 Subaru Outback SE 2.0 diesel SE Premium Lineartronic Sold 2024 after 8 years and 80k miles . Best Car I ever owned !

2023 Toyota Hilux invincible X 2.8 Auto .

I looked into fakes but the illegality put me off them. LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

Some years ago (many) my business partner had a Bolex - interviewing client who commented on his watch. Dave took it off and the glass bezel fell out. Major loss of credability  MY 09 GS manual in Lago Grey, Wood Co arm rest and side bumper strips - now sold.

MY 15 SD4 SE Auto Orkney Grey with colour coded Bumper Door Mouldings

The Doctor wrote:

I looked into fakes but the illegality put me off them.

I didn’t even look into them. I buy a quality watch as a treat to myself and for something to keep, enjoy and pass on to my son. The trouble (or perhaps benefit) of fakes is they only fool those that know nothing. A genuine enthusiast would spot it a mile off. Who would I be hoping to fool if I bought a fake? I’m no enthusiast of Rolex anyway but the crown guard on the above example looks a bit short to me. If I had £400 to spend on a watch I’d spend it on a £400 watch and be happy with it or maybe I’d shop around and try to get a £500 watch at a discount. Maybe age has something to do with it though - I may have done different in my youth.

That looks a nice Tag Dave. I love the blue.  Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.

still happy with it, functional and practical

Click image to enlarge

My lad reasoned this , if he bought a £400 watch , 20% is vat . Of the £360 , 100-150% is the retailers profit and allowance to discount . , so at the high end the watch is in inventory at £180 .Then then remove the distributor margin and then remove the manufacturer margins , and his money would have not got him very much. ( the same margins are true of many high watches and “luxury” goods in general ) . All he has done is cut out the middlemen.

At 24 he has a lot of better, more enjoyable, and/or more pressing things to do with his cash than splurge silly money on watches , he can leave that to the old blokes like me. As I said , when I snuff it ( hopefully not for another 25 years ) he will inherit enough Swiss watches, sporting guns , and high end fishing tackle, et al to keep him e-baying for quite a while .

As far as “illegality” goes I personally don’t give a monkey’s, but then again I’m a live and let live sort of person, who will put his foot down ( and get caught and go on speed awareness) , pay the odd tradesman in cash , and put recycleable items in the wrong bin .. trademark infringement of Swiss watches does not lose me a whole lot of sleep .

As I said, having examined the watch myself it is simply stunning . I don’t want to enter into a protracted debate but You certainly would not spot it a mile off , I’ve had it side to side with the real deal. The phot does not show the crown guard well it’s there , the crown has the Rolex logo and 3 pips , indinstinguidable from real. It needs that level of examination. Side by side . 2009 GS Auto Zermatt Silver - Sold June 21 after 10 years of ownership

2016 Subaru Outback SE 2.0 diesel SE Premium Lineartronic Sold 2024 after 8 years and 80k miles . Best Car I ever owned !

2023 Toyota Hilux invincible X 2.8 Auto .

I have two watches and they are both Skagen. They're affordable and classy looking, lightweight and not affected by fashion! I'm not fashionable

Recieved my first hand wind dress watch today. A Christopher Ward C5 Malvern slimline with a display caseback and a Bader deployant clasp. I wanted one a while ago to wear on my upcoming cruise - it would go great under a cuff when I’m wearing black tie on a formal evening. Unfortunately I’m back from my cruise now so, sometime never...... I don't care, I like it and after admiring it for a while, I’ll put it away for my next cruise.






 Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.

Very nice indeed

New addition, but not for me! I tried to talk the wife into having a new watch - she wasn’t too keen. Anyway, I took no notice at all and after deciding on one particular watch I went out on Saturday to see it in the flesh and, usual story with me - I liked that that one but for a little bit more I can get this one. No, wait, for a bit more again I can get this one....well, you know how it goes. Anyway, I ended up liking one that was a fair bit more than I was originally thinking of paying. I then came home and started looking on the 'net. I saw it in store at Ernest Jones on Saturday but when I looked at it again on the Ernest Jones website, they had them on a special offer for over four hundred pounds cheaper that they had them in their shop window! What’s more, I found a discount code, tried that and got another two hundred off! I ended up paying just twenty quid more than the one I originally went to look at. I’ve never had less than a 20% discount off of the RRP on any watch I’ve bought but I ended up getting a stonking 31% off this one - it definitely does pay to shop around when buying any new watch. Ordered it online ('cos if she didn’t like it it can go back) and it came today. Had to show it to her to get approval and .....she loved it so that’s her sorted. This'll be her first mechanical watch. Automatic movement with a sapphire crystal caseback so you can see the internals - all of which she has not the slightest bit of interest in. Pah, women!

Some blurry iPhone photo's. Looks better in the flesh.



 Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.

Last edited by Steve D on 20th Nov 2018 5:25 pm. Edited 1 time in total

Not another watch but a new Omega Nato strap this time for my Seamaster - birthday pressie from the wife. She allowed me to fit it on and try it out and then it’s going away until next Friday.





 Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.

Each to his own I suppose and it's up to the individual how they spend their money. I have never been switched on by expensive watches or any other form of jewelry , I did once say that when I retired I would buy myself a Leica camera but now that it's just a branded electronic camera like anything else there isn't much point.
However all this did remind me of a conversation with a potter in Devon who makes and sells pots in his village and has a friend in London who sells some for him in his central London shop. The difference is that unless the London prices are marked up to ridiculous levels (he reckons at least five times the Devon prices) then they don't sell. I believe the technical term is a "Veblen Product" like Rolls Royce, Gucci handbags, Rolex etc ie one where the demand goes up with the price. It's all about perceived rather than true value. 3 x FL1 2 manual + 1 auto
5 x FL2 4 manual + 1 auto
Now Discovery Sport P250 MHEV SE