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.

Buy the watch. As long as it has the paper work and the box it will hold it’s value if you ever need to sell it. I actually buy and sell Rolex/Breitling watches and I can tell you they are a real investment if you buy the right one and look after it.

One of the only indulgent things I own is an Omega Seamaster. I still love mine, my husband regrets (me) buying his and wears the £8 digital watch my brother gave him for Christmas.

My only reservation is the cost of battery replacement if it's not the automatic ones. Mine costs around £50 each time (so it's watertight) and I think more like £80-100 at an Omega dealer. Might seem like nothing but I do think I could have bought several nice watches with the money I've spent on new batteries. While they don't break often, repairs are not cheap.

If it would bring you a lot of pleasure and you can afford it, go for it. If your partner's opinion will take the gloss off or make you feel guilty evermore, I'd perhaps reconsider.

You only live once, it's something you've always wanted has an investment value too.
Holidays are distant memories 6 weeks later, rolex will give you a feeling of satisfaction every time you wear it.

Selfridges have got a watch for sale for £191,000.00! www.selfridges.com/GB/en/cat/jewellery-watches/fine-watches/womens-fine-watches/745-lt-ce_price_gbp-lt-191000/?fh_sort_by=price_dsc

Call me old-fashioned/ a pleb but I just want a watch that tells the time.

Watches are not as good an investment as they once were.

There has been a shift in the demand for that sort of thing, as people switch to phones and fit bits to tell the time.

The very good watches, such as Patek, Phillips Dufour etc will hold their value. Rolex are a good to OK make, but suffer from being associated with the worst of the 1980s.

If you want that watch, go for it, but don’t treat it as a solid investment - the market for that sort of thing is shrinking.

If it's not going to endanger your family finances or make your DH miss out on anything, and you've got a reliable valuation of what you are buying, why not?

Two things - don’t ask ransoms.

I really wanted an expensive kitchen but bought one from a high street store as lots of comments - I hate it - can’t wait to rip it out!

But, secondly , make an experience of shopping.

I wear a necklace I bought on holiday that is just a silver piece made by a local artist. It was about £100. I love it more than any other more expensive bits of jewellery I have. I bought a similar one for a friend (actually bought her’s first) and went back in store and treated myself as an afterthought!! But it means a lot to me as when feeling annoyed etc think about my friend who helped me during a difficult period. So I’d go with husband and make it a happy experience in a nice location - buy him lunch etc.

I think it's utterly mental but probably just can't relate to having that kind of spare cash for a watch, I felt indulgent enough spending £300 on an Apple Watch! But if they genuinely go up in value then I suppose that's risk mitigated!

I'd def try on first though!!!

I’m with your DH. I’m not a watch person so one that costs as much as my car seems like madness to me. It’s all relative, I don’t want to think about how much I’ve spent on running shoes that I wear for 2 months and then shove under the stairs.

BUT, it’s your money. You really want it and nobody is going hungry for you to have it, So go for it.

I would also recommend having a serious think about why you really want it. Is it really because it's an investment? (could be a good reason), is it because you genuinely really love the actual watch more than other watches?

Or is it because it's the status symbol of having a Rolex? Do you want people to be noticing it or commenting on it? Are you going to be going into parties and pointing it out to friends? (like the wife of my husband's friend who keeps pointing out her multiple diamond Tiffany ring). If this is the case, then maybe think about what's really important in life, and that most people might think you're a little bit of a dickhead.

Don't you just look at the time on your phone! Spending ridiculous sums of money on so called luxury items is unnecessary and somewhat obscene ,in my book. It's about time all those high end companies went out of business and we only bought what we actually need.

OP, if you love it, get it.
I’m not really into watches although I have a couple of Cartiers but currently wear my trusty Iwatch most of the time.
I brought DH one if the brand new Tag Carreras for our wedding 11 years ago which he wears for special occasions (wears a garmin day to day).
I’m going to get him a Breitling for his 40th (in 4 years!) because I know he’ll love and appreciate it.

I would enjoy a Rolex but would like to create one myself (which you can do at one of the dealers). Choose the band, the interface etc. When I put together what I wanted, it came in at £7500 which I thought wasn’t bad for a Rolex!
I’m in no rush to get it though but will do in time.

This is something you truly want and you know you’ll love it, then get it and cherish it.
I have very expensive jewelry and feel the same.

Most people dont spend £6k on a family holiday (just saying)

many people spend a lot MORE so it's a moot point.

@quizqueen

Don't you just look at the time on your phone! Spending ridiculous sums of money on so called luxury items is unnecessary and somewhat obscene ,in my book. It's about time all those high end companies went out of business and we only bought what we actually need.

yes, let's all go back to our caves, it will be so much fun. You won't have your internet to moan on MN anymore though.

@quizqueen for goodness sake!
What a ridiculous comment

Perhaps instead of posting on this unnecessary forum you should just go and do something else more necessary.

We don’t live in a communist country , luxury items are freely available to those able to purchase them . Seriously

My DH bought himself a Breitling watch for a similar amount. He'd wanted one for years and he had the money saved up. It's not my thing but it's made him happy.. even if he's too scared to wear it half the time

We have separate finances and different priorities in life, I love to spend money on nice experiences, he likes to spend it on nice things. He doesn't begrudge me going off on an expensive tour somewhere so I don't moan about his spending. Things for the house or holidays together are still treated as a joint expense so neither of us feel hard done by.

My husband used to always talk about getting a Rolex watch “some day” so I bought him one for his 50th birthday ten years ago. Best birthday present ever, as it was something he really wanted and he wears it all the time (unless doing gardening etc). If you can afford it without difficulty, I’d go for it, if it’s something you’ve always wanted rather than a passing whim.

Oh and @quizqueen I own a Rolex and an Omega and a Cartier shoot me now

Apologies for the stealth boast

I would be worried about how easy it would be to re-sell, if you eventually wanted to recoup the value/investment. I understand that fake Rolexes are quite difficult to distinguish from the originals. What is to stop a dealer insisting yours is fake?

It's about time all those high end companies went out of business and we only bought what we actually need.

Need is very subjective. I bet most people don't wear 80% of their clothes and shoes, and thus have bought far more than they need. I may have an expensive watch but I rarely buy clothes and wear many of them until they have holes in. Over a few years, I'm not spending any more buying a watch, I'm just spending it on one big item, rather than a pile of clothes, shoes, make up etc.

With that logic, is it ok for luxury watch retailers to go out of business but not places like Primark that encourage people to buy more clothes than they "need" because they're cheap?

I would buy it. As you say, something more permanent for your money than a holiday. Though my husband would be exact same as yours. I bought him a Longines watch for his 40th, less than a thousand euro, we can afford it no prob, and he thought that was mental 😂.

@makingmyway10

Oh and *@quizqueen* I own a Rolex and an Omega and a Cartier shoot me now

Apologies for the stealth boast

Why on earth would you post this?! Who cares?

I am fascinated--- is six thousand pounds a normal number for people to spend on their family holidays? I notice that nobody is blinking an eye here????

@MistyFrequencies

I would buy it. As you say, something more permanent for your money than a holiday. Though my husband would be exact same as yours. I bought him a Longines watch for his 40th, less than a thousand euro, we can afford it no prob, and he thought that was mental 😂.

I bought mine a Longines too - the point at which he thought I was mental was when it had to be sent away to have a new battery put in it at vast expense. It’s now referred to as the “white elephant”!

If you buy "well" (and by well I mean stainless steel, 36mm, dark or silver dial) then your Datejust will be an appreciating liquid asset. Demand outstrips supply on these watches and year-on-year price rises are reflected in the values of pre-owned watches.
Bimetal Datejusts don't hold their value as well as the steel case and bracelet models.

I always have a bit of an eye-roll to myself when people start on the watches are a waste of money and insanity, particularly when on the subject of Rolex, AP, Patek etc. These watches have gone beyond pretty trinkets and into the realms of luxury investments which provide a larger return on selling than ISA's and savings.

The best day to buy a Rolex is always yesterday.
In 2016 the Submariner was changing hands at around 3.6k. They're now at 8-9.
The GMT Master II 16710 was 4k, they're now 12k for good examples.
Datejusts were ranging from 2-3k pre-owned. You're now looking at spending 6k.

Essentially you're paying 6k to wear and enjoy a watch that will last for a lifetime should you keep it, if you sell it in the future, you'll have paid yourself to enjoy wearing a watch for a few years.

I expect those complaining about watches being wasted money see no issue in buying a car and watching it depreciate with every mile driven.

I say go for it and enjoy it, but do beware that standard "woman size" DJ's below 36mm do not hold the same value as the the mens.