Your watch buying or not buying regrets :(

Every time I see an X33 for sale it brings the "regret" back to me :)

It was December a few years back and I received an email from Ernest Jones Jewellers offering an Omega Speedmaster Skywalker X33 for £2750 (ish I can't remember the exact amount). I had fancied one for a while and this deal was just too good too miss, I put it in the online basket two or three times and then chickened out because I was a little concerned that my wife would see it delivered and ask too many questions :)

I had accumulated enough cash in my watch slush fund from sales at the watch fairs too buy it so I decided to visit EJ in Leicester and buy it only to be told in store that it was an online offer only, the store never offered to have it delivered to them for collection as again they said it was an online offer only.

So I missed the boat but still think about it :)

Some years ago Tony (WTF ) had a IWC Yacht Club for sale, stainless steel complete with a period IWC steel strap. I looked, hummed and hurumphed to myself and missed it! “If the new owner does not gel… etc”. Bit late now but hey ho.

I had a chance to buy blue dialed AP 15202 new from AD for 19k€ euros.
Bought PP Traveltime Aquanaut instead.
Should’ve bought both.

A not buying regret for me. I have wanted a particular watch for decades; in 2019 I had one on my wrist in a lovely jewellers in a European capital, perfect service and provenance but it was about £5k overpriced so I let it slip. Not one has come back to the open market since, there are fewer than a hundred in existence and they ain’t making any more. With hindsight, I’d have bought it.

My father had a two tone Rolex which he'd owned for 20+ years. When he retired he decided to sell it as he wasn't wearing it anymore. He was offered £1,300 from Austin Kaye but said I could have it for £500. I didn't have that kind of money and wasn't into watches back in the late 90s so I declined. Whilst two tone watches aren't my thing, I really regret not buying it as he sadly passed away in 2009 and it would have been nice to wear it and think of him.

Regrets - I have a few….

- Not buying a Panerai 177 back when they were ‘affordable’ money. I recall a friend buying a Submersible in the late nineties for way less than £2000.
- Not hoovering up all the then-unloved Tudors back in 2010-2012.
- Not buying a SD4K - my favourite Sports Rolex of the last decade or so.


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Too many to mention
Especially before the price of issued watches went through the roof.

Lots, (as above) mostly associated with no longer being able to buy watches that I love because they have disappeared out of my budget.

I'd love to have a Tudor 94010, but will now never afford myself one.
I nearly bought a PVD Autavia from a friend (IDF issued, but that wasn't the point, it was just so lovely), but baulked at the £1500 he wanted for it. What a fool.
I would have loved an ND sub of some description, that boat too has sailed.

But, at the same time I must also acknowledge that I did manage to do the same for a couple of watches that are still in my collection, so my regrets don't really bite.
My EZM1 cost me a fraction of what they seem to go for now. Same with my 94110, which I bought from SC here, although that was a fixer upper

I'm pretty settled with the watches I've missed out on as I bought others instead.

In terms of financial regret, I only have one which is based on a vague recollection of contemplating paying c£13k for a white PP Nautilus but it was early days in my increasing watch budget and I delayed too long. I had no real interest in PP but liked that it was less popular and recognised it was probably a once only opportunity. Other than that, I've only bought watches I like and still have most of the significant purchases. Out of the ones I've sold, I miss a West in Space and a pvd Carrera the most, with a slight regret selling a Sinn 856, but I know I wouldn't wear them much if I still had them.

Many regrets of flipping watches but I can’t think of regrets about something I have or haven’t bought. Maybe not buying a sapphire speedy back in early 2020 that rsteenkamp was selling for £3200 and instead going for a Speedmaster 1957 for the same price. The 57 reissue was just too blingy on the bracelet and too thick. Had I gone for the sapphire sandwich I might still have it and now I feel that Speedy’s are overpriced.

Been through nearly every sports Rolex model when they weren’t considered an investment asset. Maybe regret selling/flipping and not just accumulating but that’s purely because of the price rises. At least I’ve “been there, done that” and am confident that in my own opinion, they aren’t worth todays prices.

Having said that, I’m a total ditherer when it comes to SC and I’ve missed out on countless watches I subsequently wanted by leaving it a day to decide.

Not that I could've afforded it at the time anyway, but I remember when Chronext was selling the Speedmaster Tintin for the same price as a standard hesalite Speedy Pro. (back then I think it was about £2400 but could've been wrong - it was about 8 or 9 year's ago)

I wish I had the cash back then to buy it, as it's a watch I'd have enjoyed looking at. Not to mention a decent return (and then some given what they go for now!) if I'd decided to sell it.

LTF had a superb WG Daytona which sold for silly money at the time (£8Kish) that could have been the watch that would have stayed with me forever.
And some 20yrs ago you could buy an IWC 3536/01 for easily under £2K, now they’ve taken a huge jump and are hard to find in a decent condition, fingers crossed though I might have struck lucky over the weekend.

The main one for me that springs to mind was being asked for £2.5k to trade-in and upgrade my 5513 against a 1665 Great White at Austin Kaye in London. Looking back, I kinda wished I'd gone for it.

The main regret about most sales I've made centres around the price that watches go for now vs what I sold them for then, eg selling a Hulk for under £6k, SDc 4000 for about £6k, Speedy Tuesday etc. But really it's only a financial thing - I decided to sell as I preferred to keep what I had so no regrets actually letting them go. However, I do have a yearning for another Skyfall Aqua Terra that I think I sold for £2200 and they hardly ever come up for sale any more.

Watches just seem much more expensive these days and the value of many of the ones I like puts me off wanting to buy and wear it so I just don't pursue them like I used to. £5k ish I could stomach, but wearing something worth closer to £10k makes it seem too much of an extravagance vs other priorities.

Ant

Sub LV, new from an AD in York, about 2003/04.
I think it was £2650 or something and they offered me a discount if I bought it that day.

I didnt.

I kept revisiting the idea of getting one, but my tastes and finances always lacked just behind their price increases.

Now I wouldn’t go for one at even close to current prices.

When they fall back to around £4k, I will get one ;)


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Back in 2017 I wondered into WoS Rolex Boutique in LHR T5 on one of my frequent trips to Italy with work. On display was a Hulk along with a White Gold GMT. The GMT had been there for months.

I asked if I could try the Hulk and if by any chance they had the regular black dial / bezel Sub Date or Sub. Sales assistant says no to the black subs but the Hulk is available, she added that she had only just put it on display and expected it would be sold within the next two hours. She asked if I was flying inside the EU or outside. If I was outside I could get it vat free.

So I am sat in the Rolex shop desperately trying to book a one way flight to Zurich to get the vat free price which would save around a grand. I guessed that the BA App wouldn’t let me as I was clearly already checked in for a flight to Bologna. I gave up and politely declined the watch.

Halfway to the gate I changed my mind and went back, just in time to see another fella buying it. What a muppet I was!! Hulk was £5950 RRP at the time.

I never saw another SS Sub again in there that was available to buy

I still regret missing this: https://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.p...ng-petrol-blue

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Originally Posted by Christian

Many regrets of flipping watches but I can’t think of regrets about something I have or haven’t bought. Maybe not buying a sapphire speedy back in early 2020 that rsteenkamp was selling for £3200 and instead going for a Speedmaster 1957 for the same price. The 57 reissue was just too blingy on the bracelet and too thick. Had I gone for the sapphire sandwich I might still have it and now I feel that Speedy’s are overpriced.

Been through nearly every sports Rolex model when they weren’t considered an investment asset. Maybe regret selling/flipping and not just accumulating but that’s purely because of the price rises. At least I’ve “been there, done that” and am confident that in my own opinion, they aren’t worth todays prices.

Having said that, I’m a total ditherer when it comes to SC and I’ve missed out on countless watches I subsequently wanted by leaving it a day to decide.

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And one regret for me is selling that sapphire speedy - and another after it…. And too many more to mention!

This. It popped up again soon after this thread. Lovely watch.

https://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.p...hlight=lemania

There have been several others also!

Turning down a nautilus before the market went crazy.

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Originally Posted by Ghost Chilli

This. It popped up again soon after this thread. Lovely watch.

https://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.p...hlight=lemania

There have been several others also!

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Amazing coincidence that I was wearing it today!
I'm in the Tintin Speedmaster club - a few years ago I put out a WTB for one and was offered 3 by forum members. At the time, and after discussion with her indoors, I felt I couldn't justify the £3k asking price. Even Mrs W admits that it's the one that got away!

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Originally Posted by Dr Wolff

I'm in the Tintin Speedmaster club - a few years ago I put out a WTB for one and was offered 3 by forum members. At the time, and after discussion with her indoors, I felt I couldn't justify the £3k asking price. Even Mrs W admits that it's the one that got away!

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I personally prefer the racing dial, with it being a bit more muted, but would've still loved to have been able to try the Tintin out!

Hulk at rrp in Robinson's in mcr some years back. Interest free available as well. A Panerai gmt alarm pre owned in WoS. Sales person was odd. She just didn't want me to have it. I should have just said sign me up now. Like others, Kermits at 3250 when a Sub was 2750. I don't think so. I'll take the Sub. Green bezel is a fad.

I didn't get into nice watches until my 50th year, and my big regret is that I didn't reach that point 25 years earlier, as I'd have saved my self a fortune on the watches I like (almost all of which are mid 80s to early 00s).

The previous version of the Royal Oak, £6.5k in Kowloon, Hong Kong. Around 11 years ago. RRP was around £10k I believe at the time and I said no.

I hesitated (and lost!) on a bargain Omega 2254 blue dial a few years back. Still think about that one from time to time

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Browners

LTF had a superb WG Daytona which sold for silly money at the time (£8Kish) that could have been the watch that would have stayed with me forever.
And some 20yrs ago you could buy an IWC 3536/01 for easily under £2K, now they’ve taken a huge jump and are hard to find in a decent condition, fingers crossed though I might have struck lucky over the weekend.

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God, how I wish I still had that watch. From memory though, I’m pretty sure I traded it for my gorgeous 5513 so it wasn’t all bad.

Massively regret not buying several speedmasters when i first got into watches, they were about £1250 used.

I knew a chap on another forum who had about 6 or 7 of them and probably spent under 10K

Never regretted a purchase but I regretted selling a Rolex GMT Master II Pepsi (16710) on here some years ago. I’ve recently purchased another; the only watch I’ve ever re-purchased.

Selling a GMT 16700 for £2.3k in 2012, then a 2011 Sub 14060M for £3.9k in 2015.

But at the time it was market value and I was happy with it.

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Originally Posted by Shakespeare

Regrets - I have a few….

- Not buying a Panerai 177 back when they were ‘affordable’ money. I recall a friend buying a Submersible in the late nineties for way less than £2000.
- Not hoovering up all the then-unloved Tudors back in 2010-2012.
- Not buying a SD4K - my favourite Sports Rolex of the last decade or so.


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SD4K still haunts me as bought a BBR instead doh!


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I popped into the Omega Boutique in Oxford Circus around 2016 and they had a limited edition omega speedmaster Apollo Soyuz on display. Chap told me it was the last one in the company. Tried it on and loved it but hesitated. When I came back to buy it next week it was gone. List was around £5k.

I see them now for around £30k and feel sad about my dithering. I'll never get to own one now. Won't let that happen again and haven't since.

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I wish I'd bought the white PO that was on here recently, missed it when it was "caught and released" too.

A new Seamaster 300m at £2100 in a sale pre-covid.

I regret buying a Black Bay steel and Bronze, should have just bought the Blue Pelagos that I eventually got.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mj2k

SD4K still haunts me as bought a BBR instead doh!


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I sold an absolute minter a few years ago knowing as I did it that I was being a twat.

Came back from Offshore and had to stay in Aberdeen for a Rig move meeting the next day, went into Jamieson and Carry and they had a Deepsea Sea dweller (James Cameron).
Tried it on, went away, went back and tried it on again, just didn't look right on my wrist, arms are too skinny!!
This was 2014 / 2015 I think.
Got home and instantly regretted it, went in 2 weeks later and it was gone, school boy error on my part.

I bought a Seamaster GMT 50th Anniversary (2534.50) on the forum over a decade ago - I reasoned that it was rarer and more interesting than the standard 2254. In retrospect, I just like the 'boring' style of the 2254, it's less flashy and just does what it's meant to. Still have the GMT.

Walking past the window of Goldsmiths in Eldon Square in 2017 and seeing a Sub in the window. I was technically working at the time so couldn’t go inside to enquire about it. That afternoon I decided I would go straight back when I finished work and buy it. Of course, it was gone.


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Loads!
Didn’t go for a 5711 because I thought spending 22k on a watch as a bit mad.
Sold my aquanaut to a pal for 12k.
Bought an unpolished 1675 off him with a lovely faded bezel and sold it because I was worried about damaging it.
Same again for a nipple dial root beer.
Sold my stardust 666.
Bought a Royal Oak 15400 at retail and sold it for under because i was too worried about hashing the bezel up as im prone to do on anything brushed.
All pre the prices on going stratospheric.

I try not to think about it! :knob:

This ... H. Moser & Cie, Heritage, Centre Seconds : https://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.p...centre-seconds

And this ... Glashutte Senator : https://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.p...orn-Since-Full

I really must get off of the fence sometime. Also ... after 13 years on the forum I really must get my 'post count' up so I can actually flip some of my collection - to give me the confidence to buy!