Celebrating a milestone. Rolex or upgrade e-ring?

[JulieN]

Do you care about automatic vs quartz?

Blued hands are just for aesthetics. I like them.

Looks like automatic Longines with diamonds is in your budget

http://shop.us.longines.com/watch-selector/l81115896.html
Longines PrimaLuna SS/18K rose 26.5 mm (30mm is 6K)

Love the dial on this one http://shop.us.longines.com/watch-selector/women/l81125786.html

 

[ksinger]

You might want to take a look at the Ebel Beluga 26mm and 30mm. Ebel is a solid brand, and they have a distinctive look. And look at them in person, because their site pictures to NOT do them justice at all. They are listed close to your price and might be had for a bit less, putting either of them right in your sweet spot.

http://www.ebel.com/us/ebel-collections/beluga.html

 

[Rosebloom]

Wow these are great options. Thanks for taking time out of your days to give me advice. You don't know how much this means to me.

I've been looking through the Cartier site. What do you think of the Ronde Solo? http://www.cartier.us/collections/timepieces/womens-watches/ronde-solo-de-cartier/w6701004-ronde-solo-watch-small-model

Or the small Tank Solo http://www.jomashop.com/cartier-tank-solo-w5200013.html?green=A67A0385-FB63-5EF2-AAAC-538F417D4C9B&utm_source=mybuys&utm_medium=ff&utm_campaign=webrec&ref8=sggstbx

Why are some arms blue? Should I care that it's a quartz?

And what is this I hear of my budget allowing for a watch and a bangle bracelet? OooOOooo!

I love the Ronde Solo, Tank Solo and Balloon Bleu! If they all cost the same, I'd rank them Balloon, Tank then Ronde. But it's totally a personal aesthetic question and I might completely change that after seeing them in person.

Many people feel that it's not a good idea to spend so much on quartz - that if you're making this kind of investment, it should be an automatic. And that's a very valid argument. While I am not at all brand motivated by any other purchase in my life (would always choose a PS vendor over Tiffany's, drive a reliable Honda, own no designer shoes or clothes or purses), in this one case I have a love affair with Cartier watches. To my eye, no other brand comes close to capturing the effortlessly chic look. And Jackie O, Princess Di, Michelle Obama (and many more style icons) wore Tanks. It's the most classically beautiful look to me.

I will also sheepishly admit that I like that the watch says Cartier on it. So many fine high end watches are brands that only horologists would appreciate. Somehow to me having one exquisite branded piece elevates your whole look. Now a Rolex has the advantage of the across the board brand recognition, beautiful (although a different aesthetic than the Cartier look), and of being a fine time piece that watch experts can appreciate. I love this one that Sna77 got for his wife:



[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/forum/show-me-the-ring/custom-whiteflash-diamonds-by-the-yard-necklace-t168952.html']https://www.pricescope.com/forum/show-me-the-ring/custom-whiteflash-diamonds-by-the-yard-necklace-t168952.html[/URL]

(Scroll down for pictures)

If I were to get a Rolex I would definitely buy a lightly used one. They are so high quality that I wouldn't be concerned about durability and the savings is quite significant.

 

[Dancing Fire]

[quote="LovelyHearts|1373524020|
Why are some arms blue? Should I care that it's a quartz?

[/quote]
yes, depends on who you talk to...

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I have an Ebel watch with diamond bezel but I would buy a Cartier just because I love them. The quartz is just going to be cheaper to maintain over time. I understand that OCD watch people like automatics just like OCD diamond people insist on ideal cut diamonds. But I am absolutely fine with quartz as it is great technology in itself.

Oh and my favorites are the Tank and the Ballon Bleu. Someone sold a BB in rose gold on pre-loved one time, and I adored that watch but it was still too high for me.

Love this: http://www.cartier.us/collections/timepieces/womens-watches/tank/tank-solo/w5200013-tank-solo-watch-small-model

I will say that if what you love is Rolex, don't let us talk you into another brand. But I'd save a couple more thousand and get a new Rolex. I think Pearlmans sells them and they often sell 20% off gift cards the day after Thanksgiving or near then. I would check on that if you really want Rolex.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Oh, and I totally agree with all that Rosebloom said above. Ideally (realistically) I would own a Cartier Tank and the exact Rolex That sna bought his wife. It has the silver dial with diamond markers. It was in the $7k range when he bought it for her, but I don't know the current price. If I could only choose one for myself, though, I'd probably go with Cartier just because they are more beautiful, as far as style goes, to me.

I have to also add that looking back at sna's wife's jewelry that she has exactly the classic jewelry that I love. I am always in conflict over whether to stay totally classic or go with antique! If only that money tree would boom so I could do both!

 

[Rosebloom]

My hubby, who is quite a watch aficionado, chimed in with this:

Fyi - Steel becomes blue when it is heated to an very high temperature. It looks cool, so it is often used on watch hands. But real heat-blued steel is very hard to do well. Evidently very delicate and difficult to get a uniform color. So having blued hands is also a sign of quality.

 

[Dancing Fire]

My hubby, who is quite a watch aficionado, chimed in with this:

Fyi - Steel becomes blue when it is heated to an very high temperature. It looks cool, so it is often used on watch hands. But real heat-blued steel is very hard to do well. Evidently very delicate and difficult to get a uniform color. So having blued hands is also a sign of quality.

True,if they are heated not painted.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I love the Cartier faces and the blue hands, no matter how they make them blue!

You should look through Tourneau certified pre owned because you will see a variety of styles there and get an idea of pricing versus new.

 

[LovelyHearts]

Do you care about automatic vs quartz?

Blued hands are just for aesthetics. I like them.

Looks like automatic Longines with diamonds is in your budget

http://shop.us.longines.com/watch-selector/l81115896.html
Longines PrimaLuna SS/18K rose 26.5 mm (30mm is 6K)

Love the dial on this one http://shop.us.longines.com/watch-selector/women/l81125786.html

The Longines you posted is really pretty, but it just doesn't sing to me. Not sure what it is since the design is so similar to the Omega I was drooling over yesterday.....

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Longines is a very nice brand and I have two (and some of their watches are similar to Cartier). But if you are looking for a status watch, stick with Rolex and Cartier which are the most recognizable. There are brands more elite than those (and $$$), but those are going to be known by almost everyone.

 

[LovelyHearts]

Wow these are great options. Thanks for taking time out of your days to give me advice. You don't know how much this means to me.

I've been looking through the Cartier site. What do you think of the Ronde Solo? http://www.cartier.us/collections/timepieces/womens-watches/ronde-solo-de-cartier/w6701004-ronde-solo-watch-small-model

Or the small Tank Solo http://www.jomashop.com/cartier-tank-solo-w5200013.html?green=A67A0385-FB63-5EF2-AAAC-538F417D4C9B&utm_source=mybuys&utm_medium=ff&utm_campaign=webrec&ref8=sggstbx

Why are some arms blue? Should I care that it's a quartz?

And what is this I hear of my budget allowing for a watch and a bangle bracelet? OooOOooo!

I love the Ronde Solo, Tank Solo and Balloon Bleu! If they all cost the same, I'd rank them Balloon, Tank then Ronde. But it's totally a personal aesthetic question and I might completely change that after seeing them in person.

Many people feel that it's not a good idea to spend so much on quartz - that if you're making this kind of investment, it should be an automatic. And that's a very valid argument. While I am not at all brand motivated by any other purchase in my life (would always choose a PS vendor over Tiffany's, drive a reliable Honda, own no designer shoes or clothes or purses), in this one case I have a love affair with Cartier watches. To my eye, no other brand comes close to capturing the effortlessly chic look. And Jackie O, Princess Di, Michelle Obama (and many more style icons) wore Tanks. It's the most classically beautiful look to me.

I will also sheepishly admit that I like that the watch says Cartier on it. So many fine high end watches are brands that only horologists would appreciate. Somehow to me having one exquisite branded piece elevates your whole look. Now a Rolex has the advantage of the across the board brand recognition, beautiful (although a different aesthetic than the Cartier look), and of being a fine time piece that watch experts can appreciate. I love this one that Sna77 got for his wife:



[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/forum/show-me-the-ring/custom-whiteflash-diamonds-by-the-yard-necklace-t168952.html']https://www.pricescope.com/forum/show-me-the-ring/custom-whiteflash-diamonds-by-the-yard-necklace-t168952.html[/URL]

(Scroll down for pictures)

If I were to get a Rolex I would definitely buy a lightly used one. They are so high quality that I wouldn't be concerned about durability and the savings is quite significant.

Oh my, what a lucky gal Sna77's wife is! Be still my heart, that Rolex is stunning! I think these pictures pretty much sealed the deal for me. A rolex it is!

Initially I wanted a two-toned because that's what I wear now. Here's the Seiko that I wear. The face is too small for my taste (I think 22mm), but it gets the job done and I bought it maybe 6 or 7 years ago for like $50 on Amazon. I didn't care too much about watches then and I was young.

Anyone order from swiss-wrist.com? They have this mid-size that looks alot like the watch that Sna77 got for his wife. http://www.swiss-wrist.com/ladies-rolex/midsize-stainless-steel-datejusts/68274-mop-dia-jbl.html

They have the ladies size ones, that are almost half the price.

http://www.swiss-wrist.com/ladies-rolex/ladies-stainless-steel-datejusts/6917-ss-mop-dia-jbl.html

so I'm looking for pictures to compare sizes of the midsize and the ladies sizes. It's hard to tell how old the watch is by looking at it.

 

[JulieN]

I like midsize. 26 is about the size of a quarter.

 

[LovelyHearts]

I like midsize. 26 is about the size of a quarter.

I frantically looked in my wallet for a quarter and was unsuccessful. Darn. I think I like the midsizes too... I know the Seiko I wear is much too small.. I wear a g-shock too, and that is much bigger and I like it alot more.. just not very appropriate for office wear.

What do you think of this watch? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=251300110637&fromMakeTrack=true&ssPageName=VIP:watchlink:top:en

 

[diamondseeker2006]

BEM bought the 30mm which is on the large side. If you have 24 now you might be happy with the 26mm. One watch you linked has the MOP dial that runs the price up. If you liked sna's wife's Rolex, then look for the silver dial. And I would only buy pre-owned from an authorized Rolex dealer such as Tourneau unless DancingFire can recommend a reliable seller on TimeZone.

You absolutely have to go to a Rolex dealer and try on the two sizes. The 30mm is probably more popular right now, but the 26mm is the classic size and will never go out of style. I think Sna got the 26mm but she has a tiny wrist.

The eBay watch is really old!

 

[LovelyHearts]

BEM bought the 30mm which is on the large side. If you have 24 now you might be happy with the 26mm. One watch you linked has the MOP dial that runs the price up. If you liked sna's wife's Rolex, then look for the silver dial. And I would only buy pre-owned from an authorized Rolex dealer such as Tourneau unless DancingFire can recommend a reliable seller on TimeZone.

You absolutely have to go to a Rolex dealer and try on the two sizes. The 30mm is probably more popular right now, but the 26mm is the classic size and will never go out of style. I think Sna got the 26mm but she has a tiny wrist.

The eBay watch is really old!

Thanks DS! I don't know what I'd do without you. I have no idea what I'm doing, although the last couple of days have opened my eyes to new things due to the PSers helping me.

I'll look for a store nearby and will try to take a lunch break to look. What kind of questions should I ask when buying a used watch aside from the year and condition? Also, what year is considered old?? I obviously want something as new as possible.

 

[Dancing Fire]

[quote="LovelyHearts|1373558623|

Anyone order from swiss-wrist.com? They have this mid-size that looks alot like the watch that Sna77 got for his wife. http://www.swiss-wrist.com/ladies-rolex/midsize-stainless-steel-datejusts/68274-mop-dia-jbl.html

They have the ladies size ones, that are almost half the price.

http://www.swiss-wrist.com/ladies-rolex/ladies-stainless-steel-datejusts/6917-ss-mop-dia-jbl.html

so I'm looking for pictures to compare sizes of the midsize and the ladies sizes. It's hard to tell how old the watch is by looking at it.[/quote]


If you have decide on a Rolex please take your time ,b/c there are plenty of pre-owned ( like new) to chose from.
btw; the watch above is not an original Rolex diamond dial.Here is my wife's 18K/SS Datejust both the dial and bezel are after market which will sell for less than factory original.

 

[kenny]

I would not buy a used Rolex because I could not be certain it was serviced at Rolex at the proper intervals.
Even if was serviced by someone other than Rolex I'd worry they were not competent, or had the tools and parts to do the work as well as Rolex would.

IMO, the only way to get peace of mind is to buy a new Rolex.
I'd also be sure to buy it from an authorized dealer so the warranty is valid.

I believe there are good justifications for this being the most expensive way to buy a Rolex.

 

[JaneSmith]

Congrats on the sweet job! I agree with getting a rolex to celebrate. I bought myself one a while ago and love it!
Do buy from an authourised dealer. The watches are bloody expensive, and for me, I couldn't stomach the thought of getting a lemon or a fake. That said, there are reputable second hand watch sellers out there, you'll just have to do your homework.

 

[LovelyHearts]

[quote="LovelyHearts|1373558623|

Anyone order from swiss-wrist.com? They have this mid-size that looks alot like the watch that Sna77 got for his wife. http://www.swiss-wrist.com/ladies-rolex/midsize-stainless-steel-datejusts/68274-mop-dia-jbl.html

They have the ladies size ones, that are almost half the price.

http://www.swiss-wrist.com/ladies-rolex/ladies-stainless-steel-datejusts/6917-ss-mop-dia-jbl.html

so I'm looking for pictures to compare sizes of the midsize and the ladies sizes. It's hard to tell how old the watch is by looking at it.

If you have decide on a Rolex please take your time ,b/c there are plenty of pre-owned ( like new) to chose from.
btw; the watch above is not an original Rolex diamond dial.Here is my wife's 18K/SS Datejust both the dial and bezel are after market which will sell for less than factory original.[/quote]

Gorgeous watches! So much bling on one screen!

Thank you, I have decided on a rolex and will be sure to take my time. I definitely want to get the right one for this amount of money. I want to be able to wear it 10-15 years down the road and remember how special it is.

 

[LovelyHearts]

Congrats on the sweet job! I agree with getting a rolex to celebrate. I bought myself one a while ago and love it!
Do buy from an authourised dealer. The watches are bloody expensive, and for me, I couldn't stomach the thought of getting a lemon or a fake. That said, there are reputable second hand watch sellers out there, you'll just have to do your homework.

Hi Jane, OMG, yes, I wouldn't know what to do with myself if I bought a lemon or a fake one. They cost so much money!

When you get a chance, would you post your watch? Eye candy is awesome.

 

[LovelyHearts]

BEM bought the 30mm which is on the large side. If you have 24 now you might be happy with the 26mm. One watch you linked has the MOP dial that runs the price up. If you liked sna's wife's Rolex, then look for the silver dial. And I would only buy pre-owned from an authorized Rolex dealer such as Tourneau unless DancingFire can recommend a reliable seller on TimeZone.

You absolutely have to go to a Rolex dealer and try on the two sizes. The 30mm is probably more popular right now, but the 26mm is the classic size and will never go out of style. I think Sna got the 26mm but she has a tiny wrist.

The eBay watch is really old!

I went to a store in Burlingame called Kerns Fine Jewelry and tried on different watches. The brand new ones were crazy expensive and I cannot afford one that I like. I would feel too awful spending THAT much money on a watch, having kids and such.. I guess it's all relative to how much money you make/have, and I want this piece for myself to celebrate, but I don't think I can justify anything over $7K, even $6K is alot... I mean $4-5K is ALOT if you think about it.

I had so much fun at the store though. Such eye candy. I did find a watch in their estate section that I thought was beautiful, which is more than what I want to spend .. it was $6900, and it was 31mm, stainless steel with fluted bezel, jubilee band, black face and diamond dial markers (listen to me! I sound like an expert after just a couple of days of talking with you guys!).

Here's a picture of it. The good thing about buying from them is that I can upgrade if I ever wanted to. But that's not something I'm too concerned with. I don't think I would ever want to give it up.

I will now browse the net until I find something similar for my price range... from a reputable authorized seller...

 

[Dee*Jay]

Here is my Rolex next to a quarter for size comparison.

 

[Dee*Jay]

And next to the Roadster, which is a little bigger.

 

[SB621]

And next to the Roadster, which is a little bigger.

AGGHHHHH DJ I want the Roadster watch!! What size and version is the one you have. I'm in panic mode because Cartier isn't selling this watch anymore so I feel I have to get one asap or else they will all be gone!

Sorry to thread jack OP!

 

[Dee*Jay]

LovelyHearts, now I see that you went and saw some in various sizes in real life. Sorry! Reading/posting from my phone is a little challenging!

 

[LovelyHearts]

Here is my Rolex next to a quarter for size comparison.

Great visual! It looks great on you! When I tried on the smaller face Rolex today, it was the same size as my Seiko, so I decided on the bigger face.

 

[Dee*Jay]

And next to the Roadster, which is a little bigger.

AGGHHHHH DJ I want the Roadster watch!! What size and version is the one you have. I'm in panic mode because Cartier isn't selling this watch anymore so I feel I have to get one asap or else they will all be gone!

Sorry to thread jack OP!

I am pretty sure this is the smallest size. Some of the larger one overwhelmed my arm--I tried on one that was literally bigger than my wrist was wide!

 

[Dee*Jay]

And next to the Roadster, which is a little bigger.

AGGHHHHH DJ I want the Roadster watch!! What size and version is the one you have. I'm in panic mode because Cartier isn't selling this watch anymore so I feel I have to get one asap or else they will all be gone!

Sorry to thread jack OP!

I am pretty sure this is the smallest size. Some of the larger one overwhelmed my arm--I tried on one that was literally bigger than my wrist was wide!

Not sure if this helps at all... BTW, it's hard to take a pic of one hand with the other hand while holding a tape measure with you knees!

 

[Dee*Jay]

Here is my Rolex next to a quarter for size comparison.

Great visual! It looks great on you! When I tried on the smaller face Rolex today, it was the same size as my Seiko, so I decided on the bigger face.

One more thought: Would you consider a Tag? When I was digging through my box to find these others I also came across my old two tone Tag. That isn't my personal favorite Tag style but there are some really lovely Tags that I like a lot. You may even be able to get some with bling... ?

ETA: Yes, I just did a quick search and there are a bunch of options with diamond bezels.