DH says I’m ridiculous for wanting to spend this amount of money on a watch, who is BU?

[Halowinslet]

I’ve been lusting after a Rolex datejust for as long as I can remember, but have always stopped myself from buying because there has always been something more ‘sensible’ to do with the money, like keeping it in savings or spending money on an experience like a holiday. This year I’ve been feeling pretty low what with the current situation and there’s no way I’ll be able to go on holiday this year as I’m vulnerable health wise.

Announced to DH this morning that I’m thinking about treating myself to a nice pre owned Rolex (£6k) on the basis that it’s what I’d usually spend on holidays in a year anyway and they hold their value pretty well, in the event that I ever wanted/needed to sell.

DH thinks I’m being absolutely ridiculous spending such a large amount of money on a watch and now I’m wondering whether I’m having a moment of madness. I should point out that the funds would be coming from my own pot of money, rather than joint.

Absolutely buy it for yourself. I feel the same way about a first edition book, or a really lovely lipstick. It's ALL a waste of money if you want to look at it that way. We don't need any of these luxuries. But it's the trimmings that make life a bit more fun, worthwhile and satisfying. I hope you enjoy it every time you look at it.

At least it’s not a Tag Heuer - now those are ugly watches.

Try it on and if you like it buy it
If anything, this last 18 months have taught us that life is too short, buy something that will make you smile every day

I have a Cartier. Love it. Wear it all the time. It’ll never date and if I ever have a daughter she’ll have it after me. I’m thinking Rolex next. DH is eyeing up a Breitling.

I don't have kids and that is one reason why I can't see the point, for me, of spending thousands of pounds on a single piece of jewellery. I inherited my mother's engagement ring (insurance value £7.5K though I wouldn't get anything like that amount if I sold it). I intend to leave it to my nephew for him to give to his future wife if he ever has one.

But OP it's your money.

Surely entirely depends how much money you have to spare? To me that would be an absolutely insane amount to spend on a watch and I can't fault your DH for having the same kneekerk reaction. But there's no real issue if you happen to have that sort of money easily to spare.

As long as you have a roof over your head and the kids are clothed, fed and bills paid, it's your money, interest rates are low. Its an investment. Go ahead

@Nesbo,
You're spot on ref new RRP vs preowned prices on stainless steel Rolex. I was lucky enough to get a James Cameron Deep Sea at list price last year. Compared to the prices on the preowned sites list price is like a 50% discount.
The trick is to be able to get one at list price...

Do it! I have an expensive and unusual watch that I bought myself when I had a big promotion 26 years ago. I still wear it everyday and it's an investment as well as being beautiful.

I have watches that I'm sentimentally attached to because of the things that happened while I was wearing them, or I bought them to mark something. The fact that they appreciate in value is an aside, but does make a valid point to people who are on the fence about buying something for themselves but feel restrained about it because other people dont understand or want to chuck a judgement or two in.

FWIW I work in the industry and have been involved in luxury watches for about 25 years. Ive seen people buy them for loads of reasons. Some buy them as "one watch forever" that they print their memories on, others buy to invest, others collect. Each to their own.

Id imagine quite a few people have saved 6k in the Covid era by not buying lunch daily and not commuting.
Its not doing much sitting in the bank.

I understand that there are a lot of fake Rolexes around and wonder how the OP will know whether the one she buys is genuine or not.

If I had £6k to spend on something wearable I'd choose a bag over a watch because I'm really hard on watches, I always seem to crack the glass. At least nowadays I wear a garmin and can get glass screen protectors. I'd probably kill a Rolex in a year whereas bags last me for years and years.

But no, YANBU.

DH has a rolex he got for his 21st. He loves it because his parents gave it to him but it has been off for repairs a few times over the years and any problem seems to be an arduous process. So just factor in upkeep hassle as it has according to DH to go to an official dealer and that it is gone for a while...

Why would you care what people on mumsnet think? If you want it and money isn’t an issue just get it!

Rolex are a bit obvious and very much faked. I chose a brand that didn’t carry a premium but is equal quality so not 400% the cost. It still retains its value but very much understated.
Like you I had always wanted a Rolex but when I could afford one realised just how tacky they really look.

@CustardySergeant

I understand that there are a lot of fake Rolexes around and wonder how the OP will know whether the one she buys is genuine or not.

If you buy from a reputable dealer, a) they know exactly what they're looking at and b) there are systems in place to run security checks on pre-owned watches to ensure that they haven't been flagged as replicas, insurance jobs, thefts or losses.

At least go and try it on at a jewellers, you might find it doesn't look right based on your skin tone etc.
I was dead set on a certain watch in the same ball park region but it just didn't look right on me. Got a different style instead but I'd been stashing money away for it for a while.

Definitely do it. I got one for my 40th. It was marked up at 7,300 and we got it for 5,700, it has diamonds on the bezel. I saw it in the jewellers the other day for 10,300, exactly the same one.

My husband has been trying to buy one for nearly a year, unless you’re an existing customer you just can’t get a new one. You have to go on the waiting list. Definitely an investment.

Go for it. Keep all your paperwork and box and photograph it all for insurance

Personally, I'd be with your DH but I think value is a very personal thing and if this is something you want and can afford then go for it.

A huge part of this for me would be whether you have separate or joint finances. Ours are joint and with that comes an expectation that we discuss big purchases with the general expectation that we each have equal access to luxuries, meaning he'd get £6k too. If £12k was on the table though I think both my DH and I would be in agreement that it's going towards a Tesla rather than 2 separate purchases.

I couldn't spend that much on a watch, not least because I'd never dare to wear it in case of loss or theft. Have you factored in the cost of insurance?

If you are going pre owned why not get one from the year of your birth?

Might be cheaper and perhaps has a little more meaning.

Why not?! Do it. You earned it.

I’ve just looked online thinking I’m missing something… they just look like a normal watch. Do they come with a miniature engineer who’s been resized with a shrink ray? Clearly I don’t appreciate expensive things but to my eye it looks like a watch you buy on the market.

@Halowinslet

Stealth boast alert!

Oh for goodness sake, really? I’m posting online anonymously to ask for opinions on buying a watch which costs far less than most MNers would spend on a car or family holiday, hardly a stealth boast 🙄

Do you really believe that most people on MN spend far more than £6K on family holidays? That's really weird. I've never spent anything approaching that, and it's pretty clear that there are a lot of people on here worse off than I am.