Watch watching

[sparkyhx]

I currently work in the city (investment bank), but have worked in London now for 4 years. I tend to watch watch on the tube, train, lifts etc.

I have never seen anyone with the same watch(s) as me (even though in my collection of 14 I have Oris, Breitling and Ball)
I have never really seen anything other than high street brands,
- thousands of Omega Seamasters/PO's, very few of any of their other models
- thousands of Rolex's (perpetuals, subs, Airking, milgause (reasonable selection of their models)
- Thousands of breitlings (don't really know their models most of them look the same to me) but not seen any Heritage 46's which is the one I have
- Thousands of Tag's - again don't really know the models

No JLC's AP's, Pateks, Hublot, Girard Perregaux, Glashutte, Lang, etc that I have noticed

Whats your 'watch watching' success

[Hoofy]

That's because most people only know the big names so will only risk spending thousands on those names.

I've seen a Sinn U1 and a green Rolex Sub thing at my climbing centre.

[hilly10]

While in Dubai i sat in the hotel bar one day an Omega would have been a rare sight. Most of what I looked at were over 50k. I thought Arabs could not drink don't believe it

[tuffer]

My Missus works in that London place but only goes in one day a week, she will comment if she spots another IWC but that is all she recognises. People probably double take when they see she wears an Ingenuer or a Da Vinci.

[Snubs]

Similar to the OP. I work in the centre of London and haven't seen many watches from the lesser known brands (could be my own lack of knowledge of course). I think the rarest I've seen was only a couple of days ago, when i was sat on the tube next to a guy who had an IWC Big Pilot. Not the IWC I would choose, but very nice nonetheless.

[Murcielago_Boy]

Through work and play etc (I live in Central London), I've only ever seen/noticed 8 people wearing a Patek ever. (I'm sad enough to have kept count!)

[sparkyhx]

tuffer said:

My Missus works in that London place but only goes in one day a week, she will comment if she spots another IWC but that is all she recognises. People probably double take when they see she wears an Ingenuer or a Da Vinci.

Nice one, I certainly would double take.

Wifey has a bi metal datejust and an Anonimo day-date, and she sometimes pinches my PVD Glycine Incursore cos she likes the california dial.

I do like women wearing subs. Trying to convince wifey to go Steinhart sub homage, or trade bothe the datejust and anonimo for a 2nd hand sub

yeh come to think of it - IWC is a relatively common one to see. I have seen portugeuse the 8 day Pilot and Spitfires - IWC is one of the rarer brands though.

Did once have a long geek chat on a train with someone wearing a Ploprof - much nicer in the flesh than in pics. Unfortunately I was wearing my Chinese Portuguesey style Parnis with the strap that cost 2x the watch.

Edited by sparkyhx on Tuesday 17th September 15:07

[Hoofy]

Oh yes, IWC pilot chrono... Maplin shop assistant!

[Podie]

I work in the West End - plenty of JLC's about, as well as interesting Rolex.

One of our guys has a thing for Omegas - has an old Geneve or two.

My best has to be a Lange & sohne on a waiter.. can't recall the model but it was around £15k worth.

[sparkyhx]

Podie said:

I work in the West End - plenty of JLC's about, as well as interesting Rolex.

One of our guys has a thing for Omegas - has an old Geneve or two.

My best has to be a Lange & sohne on a waiter.. can't recall the model but it was around £15k worth.

Possibly a fake, friend of mine bought a L & S one in turkey. He had no idea how silly he looked. had he bought an Omega I may have believed it was real, but as soon as I saw the name I knew there was no way he had bought it. Tried to tell me it was real and cost 3k ha ha ha - at least do some research if you're going to pass it off as real.

Having said that the waitress/maitre'd in the local Tapas restaurant we went to, had a sub (I assume). She was a rather elegant older lady and looked the part.

p.s. recommend the restaurant 'El Gato Negro' Ripponden

[yeti]

The oilman watch of choice is either a sub or Seamaster... But I guess that pretty much applies to professional life in general. Chronographe are almost always Breitling Colt types.

Those three brands seem to have basically covered the mid range market along with TAG.

Curiously if I see someone with a JLC, IWC, Breitling or Rolex I'll generally speak to them about it. If they have a PP I probably wouldn't. Odd...

[marcosgt]

yeti said:

The oilman watch of choice is either a sub or Seamaster... But I guess that pretty much applies to professional life in general. Chronographe are almost always Breitling Colt types.

Those three brands seem to have basically covered the mid range market along with TAG.

Curiously if I see someone with a JLC, IWC, Breitling or Rolex I'll generally speak to them about it. If they have a PP I probably wouldn't. Odd...

Bloke at work has a rather too flash Breitling and a former colleague had a quartz Seamaster.

No-one I've worked with seems much interested in watches, although I'd be hard pressed to spot a JLC across a desk I suspect.

My diving cohorts likewise - Most have a dive watch (and many dive in them), but I've only noticed a recent Seamaster amongst them. Otherwise, they tend to be diving brand logo'd Seikos (I dive in a Citizen mostly, although my Longines Hydroconquest did a few dives on our summer holiday).

M.

Edited by marcosgt on Tuesday 17th September 18:04

[Vladimir]

A local guy I know well who bought a sports complex and is ex UBS has a nice Patek Nautilus Power Reserve.

Other than that, I've realised how freaky it can look trying to strain to see if a watch is a nice Omega or just a cheap copy. So I've given up.

[Podie]

sparkyhx said:

Podie said:

I work in the West End - plenty of JLC's about, as well as interesting Rolex.

One of our guys has a thing for Omegas - has an old Geneve or two.

My best has to be a Lange & sohne on a waiter.. can't recall the model but it was around £15k worth.

Possibly a fake, friend of mine bought a L & S one in turkey. He had no idea how silly he looked. had he bought an Omega I may have believed it was real, but as soon as I saw the name I knew there was no way he had bought it. Tried to tell me it was real and cost 3k ha ha ha - at least do some research if you're going to pass it off as real.

Having said that the waitress/maitre'd in the local Tapas restaurant we went to, had a sub (I assume). She was a rather elegant older lady and looked the part.

p.s. recommend the restaurant 'El Gato Negro' Ripponden

It was real. We had a good chat.

[texaxile]

Recently saw a very helpful guy in the "3" shop wearing a "Red Arrows" Citizen.

I've noticed that the watch of choice for most immigration staff at LHR/LGW seems to be an Omega of some description, at least 4 of the people at passport check in / out sporting them.

A good friend has his and hers Patek Philippes. He's an IT consultant and she's in HR.

I recently got a couple of NATO straps added to my Seiko's , the staff at the shop seemed to favour retro Japanese chrono's (Casio and another Seiko).

I admit, the watching watches is a fun pastime, not yet seen anyone wearing an IWC though.

[CardShark]

If I can do it discreetly and something catches my eye then I'll always try to cop a gander, though I rarely see anything of huge interest. The last two worthy of any note were a Gulf Monaco and a 2264 Seamaster.

[Vvroom]

My workplace is an horological wasteland. 100 well paid lawyers and about the most 'WIS' piece there is a ladies diamond set DJ that an older lady wears. Armani, drab Seikos and fashion watches rule the roost.

Fear not though PH, I'm on a mission to civilise them.

There is a chap I know from standing in line at Costa who alternates between a Paiget and PP Calatrava. He once noticed my JLC and we had a good chat. I don't see many Piagets in Manchester or in the UK in fact.

[Dan_1981]

Not quite the same league as some of the sober but I was buying a pair if jeans a while ago and was wearing an orange monster, the G shock wearing assistant commented on it.

Had to have been a PHer I thought.

[speedtwelve]

At work everyone and his dog seems to have a Breitling Aerospace. The odd Airwolf and Navitimer as well. Previous boss had a Christopher Ward pilot C8, which was bizarre as he wasn't really into watches.

Amongst my collection I've a Hydroconquest, a Fortis and a pair of Balls . I've never met anyone wearing the same, although the Fortis does get a bit of recognition. Seems everyone second person on PH owns the Longines!

[jules_s]

I watch watch all the time

I've only randomly met a bloke at the Bristol Italia with a PAM

Strangest yet was a meeting at work with contractors.

Two of us and five of them; all five of them wearing Seamasters eek