What Gives You The Most Pleasure?

Mspeedster
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THFan346 bpsmith
I have certainly got hooked in watches over a very short length of time, although you wouldn’t know that looking at my luxury watch collection of just one.

Still thinking hard about my next one, as so many that draw my eye, but am just interested in the experience of others who have a bigger collection.

As you buy each one, does the pleasure diminish that little bit each time or is it the same every time?

How long does that feeling last until you’re looking at the next one?

Do you feel happier with buying more expensive, but less often, or cheaper and more often?

Which of your purchases do you enjoy the most, more expensive or cheaper end?
I've pondered this question myself. The answer I suppose depends upon where one is on their watch collecting journey.

I used to be a normal person, in that I'd buy a new expensive watch maybe once every 3-5 years. I'd be perfectly happy with that one watch as my only watch for next 3-5 years until the next purchase came along.

In the last 12 years that changed, as I set my sights on certain grail watches. One by one, as each grail piece was achieved a new one would arise. That's when you know you're hooked (as many of us are) on watch collecting. I'm not a flipper, the majority of my watches I still own. So I'm now at a point where I feel enough is enough. I want to go back to being a normal person, easier said than done.
 
Mspeedster
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imagwai imagwai
Going back to what you said about the Seamaster vs Aquaracer, you definitely chose the better watch. The Carrera is the most original Heuer/TAG Heuer in my opinion. The Aquaracer has always been a bit of a Sub wannabe. Heuer is known for it's racing heritage.
I think the Monaco has the Carrera beat when it comes to being the most original (if by original you mean unique).
 
imagwai
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Mspeedster Mspeedster
I think the Monaco has the Carrera beat when it comes to being the most original (if by original you mean unique).
Yeah fair point. I didn't mean original really, perhaps definitive. But the Monaco has an equal claim I guess, or perhaps even stronger with the McQueen link.
 
Hubert
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Mspeedster Mspeedster
I've pondered this question myself. The answer I suppose depends upon where one is on their watch collecting journey.

I used to be a normal person, in that I'd buy a new expensive watch maybe once every 3-5 years. I'd be perfectly happy with that one watch as my only watch for next 3-5 years until the next purchase came along.

In the last 12 years that changed, as I set my sights on certain grail watches. One by one, as each grail piece was achieved a new one would arise. That's when you know you're hooked (as many of us are) on watch collecting. I'm not a flipper, the majority of my watches I still own. So I'm now at a point where I feel enough is enough. I want to go back to being a normal person, easier said than done.
upload_2022-10-31_16-36-16.png
😒 I'd say, being normal is vastly overrated.
 
Aquagraph
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imagwai imagwai
Afraid to say they look dated to me already. That's the trouble with a lot of TAG's "Avant Garde" stuff.

Everything wrong with THF in one sentence.
 
Aquagraph
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imagwai imagwai
Yeah fair point. I didn't mean original really, perhaps definitive. But the Monaco has an equal claim I guess, or perhaps even stronger with the McQueen link.

I agree, I think the Monaco is too quirky to be truly definitive.
 
Aquagraph
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But then, you know, that's the trouble with all that Avant Garde stuff.

😒
 
Mspeedster
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I don't see how the Carrera can be called the most definitive, TAG has so many different versions of the Carrera, I'm not sure what it is these days.
 
Aquagraph
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Mspeedster Mspeedster
I don't see how the Carrera can be called the most definitive, TAG has so many different versions of the Carrera, I'm not sure what it is these days.

Pretty sure Charlie isn't talking about anything with a skeleton dial..
 
imagwai
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I guess I meant anything that mimics the original Carrera lugs/case - anything you would look at and say "that is obviously a Carrera". I just think it gets "a watch" so right.
tag-heuer-carrera-calibre-16-chronograph-cbk2110.fc6266-(2)-15619-p.jpg
 
Mspeedster
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imagwai imagwai
I guess I meant anything that mimics the original Carrera lugs/case - anything you would look at and say "that is obviously a Carrera". I just think it gets "a watch" so right.
tag-heuer-carrera-calibre-16-chronograph-cbk2110.fc6266-(2)-15619-p.jpg
I had no doubt what type of Carrera hits the spot for you. 😉
The 1158CHN is my grail Carrera. It doesn't have the original's case/lugs, but many consider this to be the ultimate Carrera (including Nicholas Biebuyck).
heuer-carrera-1158chn_no4.jpg
When one says Monaco, more often than not the McQueen pops to mind. But when one says Carrera, the image that one might get probably differs a lot from person to person. The modern Cal 16, Sport, Elegant, Skeletons, and Connected are all so different looking.
 
imagwai
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Mspeedster Mspeedster
I had no doubt what type of Carrera hits the spot for you. 😉
The 1158CHN is my grail Carrera. It doesn't have the original's case/lugs, but many consider this to be the ultimate Carrera (including Nicholas Biebuyck).
heuer-carrera-1158chn_no4.jpg
When one says Monaco, more often than not the McQueen pops to mind. But when one says Carrera, the image that one might get probably differs a lot from person to person. The modern Cal 16, Sport, Elegant, Skeletons, and Connected are all so different looking.
That is without doubt a beautiful watch. I don't think it's the definitive Carrera (i.e. the essence of a watch and the blueprint from which other models take their DNA) but it's a worthy grail. I certainly wouldn't mind one!
 
Mspeedster
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Aquagraph Aquagraph
upload_2022-11-1_19-48-39.png

This doesn't look very Carreraish does it?
It does for those who are fans of the 70s style C case Carrera.
heuer-carrera-timekeeping-icon-gear-patrol-slide-21.jpg
heuer-carrera-timekeeping-icon-gear-patrol-slide-41.jpg

This style looks even less Carrera like to me.
01-Phillips-2017-HK-Spring-Heuer-Carrera-PVD.jpg
But that's what I mean, the 60's version is arguably the most definitive Carrera, but not necessarily the most definitive Heuer/TAG Heuer. In fact, the Carrera line might be the most diluted in its various forms.
 
Aquagraph
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So then, the Carrera clearly has a history of being reinterpreted. Interesting that.
 
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