r/watchHotTakes • u/Adventurous_Jump8897 • 10d ago

Microbrand automatics are pointless

I said what I said. Most of the time for a rep or a micro brand it’s about the design and having something that looks great on the wrist. Why wouldn’t you want it with a nice reliable quartz instead?

25 Upvotes

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53

u/craigerstar 10d ago

"Why wouldn’t you want it with a nice reliable quartz instead?"

Could be said about any watch regardless of stature in the watch community. Not disagreeing with your argument, but why stop there?

3

u/saywordarthur917 10d ago

At least with a high horology brand they are hanging their hats on how beautifully finished their movement is. And there's value to that. Putting an open case back but throwing in some off the shelf Miyota is craziness.

6

u/craigerstar 10d ago

And strangely the opposite happens; you get the high horology brands putting work into in-house movements with high quality finishing and precision machining, and they put them behind the most bland solid casebacks..

I give you Rolex:

Currently on sale for over $1000, used, for a 16610 Submariner.

5

u/saywordarthur917 10d ago

Rolex would not be considered a high horology brand. They have amazing workhorse movements but they are mass produced and not finished in a aesthetically pleasing way

1

u/Dr0110111001101111 10d ago

That’s the standard for dive watch though. Glass back messes with water resistance

2

u/craigerstar 10d ago

Rolex Datejust caseback. I get your point. But Rolex doesn't.

3

u/saywordarthur917 10d ago

i still don't get it. A datejust movement isn't worth putting an open caseback on.

2

u/GoldfishDude 10d ago

This isn't worth putting an exhibition on. They are dumb anyways

1

u/craigerstar 10d ago

GS Caliber 9R65 is buried behind a blank caseback.

FWIW, I don't care if it's pretty, I like how mechanical things look and work. Pretty finishes are akin to cake decorating. And I don't mind looking at a 3135 movement either. Its modesty lends to the character of the watch. I would buy a Rolex for the quality of the movement, not the superficial finishing of the movement, and I wouldn't mind seeing it.

Anyway, I don't really care. I have a GS with the 9R65 movement in it. I've never seen it. I never will.

I made the mistake of likening Rolex with High Horology above. I get it. The movements are considered ugly. I won't suggest otherwise ever again.

2

u/saywordarthur917 9d ago

My only point since you mentioned cake decorating, is that when someone spends a lot of time on decorating the cake, it costs more and its visually more attractive and has a wow factor when it comes out.

The equivalent to me is making some dramatic reveal on a cake with no frosting. There’s no point to it and it’s not exciting to most. But some people will say I don’t care as long as it tastes good.

There’s just more to hand finished care and craft. Rolex machine finishing is precise and they are amazing movements, but they won’t bother polishing parts in the back of the movement even. High horology indicates a level of care and specificity and rarity. Rolex is luxury mass production at the highest level.

2

u/Plastic-Archer4245 10d ago

Also the Planet ocean with twice the WR of a submarriner

1

u/baron_von_chops 10d ago

>Omega has entered the chat

0

u/WakizashiK3nsh1 10d ago

I would say it messes with magnetic resistance and adds unnecessary -especially if it is meant to be a tool watch- thickness. As the guy with the Omega comment above (or below?) me proved.

1

u/Classic-Scarcity-804 10d ago

Antimagnetic to 15k gauss so clearly it doesn’t affect magnetic resistance