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What do you say when someone asks "Nice watch, how much did it cost"?

56K views 324 replies 223 participants last post by  SethThomas 
#1 ·
I just don't feel comfy telling anyone that I spent over 10k+ on a watch, including my own family..... Is there a way to diffuse this? This happens often at poker tables, and yesterday my neighbor and I were chatting and she said she spent $2k on a watch and her husband freaked out, then she asked me how much mine was.... I deflected, distracted and left....
 
#177 ·
My daughter and her husband , both professionals , live in a townhouse in a gentrified area of a huge city. They play a game between the two of them called millionaire or hobo, since their neighbors might be one or the other. They invented the game to make sure they never treated anyone differently due to their outward appearance. You never know. All my watches are NOT flashy and though they might cost more than your car , I do not use them to display anything but the pleasure that they give me.

Very few people are WIS's and when I run across one , we have fun discussing the merits of this or that. To everyone else , you'll never know.
 
#178 ·
I haven't been asked that exact question but I hope if I am that I answer it like I did when my doctor asked if I own any firearms. I leaned in and asked if his wife shaves her funny business. He looked at me with this mortified look and I said, "oh I'm sorry i thought this was part where we ask each other inappropriate questions that are none of each others business". The visit then proceeded without any more nosy questions.
 
#181 ·
What do you say when someone asks "Nice watch, how much did it cost"?



I wouldn't get away with that.
He'd probably tell me.
(I play poker with my GP.)
Would I then be obligated to answer him?

I'm generally uncomfortable with discussions about money in a social situation. (Mine or anybody else's).

I just don't see any benefit for anyone to do so.

It does depend on the situation, and the person asking sometimes though.

I can't abide people who like to loudly proclaim what they earn and what they pay for their "things" in public.

Even worse, are those who then feel that because they have announced theirs, that others are now obligated to share.

This happened to me once in a restaurant when one of the group (Who I knew pretty well) announced to all, (Some of who I didn't know at all) how much he paid for his car, and then asked me how much mine cost. When I declined to answer he threw out "But I told you".

My meek response of "But I didn't ask" didn't go down well with him and others who had already volunteered an amount.

As a result, I was embarrassed, left the party soon after, and we haven't spoken since.

In a one-on-one situation, with someone who I know and is interested in the item, not just the $ value of the item, I would probably be willing to share.

Others I would deflect, or politely decline.

Maybe it's just me and I'm overly sensitive?
 
#180 ·
At the poker table I always tell. It works in favor of my table of image. Away from the poker table I have two responses :
Stranger- I can't remember but I'm sure the sales person's commission was good.
Someone I know: I just tell them.

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#182 ·
Depends. If I'm talking vintage watches with someone in the know, I might answer them since the price of vintage is always in flux.

If it's a new piece, or someone who is not interested/knowledgeable about watches, I usually just jokingly say "more than $10" and deflect the question.
 
#183 · (Edited)
In India this isn't really a taboo question. There is a very large discrepancy between the haves and have-nots over here. Usually when I am asked this question, I gauge the level of interest of the other person. If he/she is clearly educated, middle class or affluent, I have no compulsions discussing the real prices. People will typically ask such questions to gauge if they can figure out a way to afford something they like. Then there are the obscenely rich over here. I normally never need to ask them, I either know, or I do not care, or, as is typically the case, they will bring it up somehow. In many cases innocently and in many more as a way of bragging. Either ways, who really cares?

A recent acquaintance of mine was very open about his Submariner purchase and the amount of discount he got on it, probably because he knew I liked watches and subconsciously or consciously was able to gauge I could find a way to afford one if I wanted. Until he told me, I had no idea that you could buy a Rolex on discount in India. He has since offered to put me in touch with his friends AD for other watches who gives upto 30% discount. For this level of discount, I'd have to typically go to Singapore. I have no issues asking after how much people spent on their cars or approximate prices for housing in areas I'm looking to buy a house. I won't do this if it is clearly a car I'm not going to be able to afford or a housing type or area where I wouldn't be able to buy a house. I like to do research so I know the typical list prices, and for the ones I do not, I rarely get surprised. I want to be able to find the real market price. We are a "good deal" oriented people, we like to get a good product at a good value and like our friends and neighbours and acquaintances to do so as well.

With a large percentage of the country below the poverty line (25% I think) or the majority of the general public just fighting to be able to afford a house or make ends meet, or the truly financially unfortunate, I get very uncomfortable; how can I disclose the price of my Omega to someone who makes USD 100-200 a month, or 500? It simply isn't cricket. I try to change the topic, but our culture is very warm and open so I'm not always successful.

Would I ask someone this question in the west? I might ask an American if I felt he wouldn't be offended by it. Its not something I'd even consider doing with a European until and unless they were a close friend.
 
#184 ·
"Never ask a question you don't want to know the answer to"

If someone asks I tell them, if they feel bad about the answer they should not have opened their mouth

I think in the US, part of the issue is that people are taught not to talk about money. I think that is foolish. Working in the financial field for over a decade dealing with consumers, I have found that most of the country cannot balance their checkbook or run their household budget. If you cannot talk openly about something so important, how can you improve it? There should be more conversations on the importance of credit and finance.
 
#188 ·
If it's not a friend, I usually just say "quite a lot" and leave it at that. People usually get the hint. For friends, I tell them them the price I paid. It hasn't been a problem with friends distancing themselves since I've always lived in cities where people don't buy cars and would rather spend that money on a nice timepiece.
 
#191 ·
I have never had anyone ask about my watch(es), BUT I have had various folk ask inappropriate questions about other things.

A rather irritating neighbor who has no qualms about getting personal with others in our neighborhood about anything asked how much do I get from Social Security.
Others have asked how much did my house and car cost.
Another asked how much was my yearly salary when I was working for a large defense contractor.
A "former" mere acquaintance asked what my pension was.

I met those questions with a "glaring drop-dead stare through the back of the head" response, and none of those folk asked me a second time. The stare seems to have made them uncomfortable (its intent.)

On one occasion though, a very nosy (and inept, he was a foreigner and had poor English) refrigerator repairman asked me twice what was in the two huge safes in my dining room. Between his ineptness (pounding inexplicably and unsuccessfully like hell to try to release the ice-maker panel in the fridge) and his repetitive question, I totally lost it.

I responded that what was in the safes was the formula for getting him fired for sticking his %^#$@*&! nose where it did not belong. Then I told him (almost shouting) to pack up his sh__ and get the "F" out of my house. He very quickly and quietly packed and left; he could not get out of there fast enough. He obviously knew he had made a VERY bad mistake.

That was immediately followed up with a nasty phone call to the company to find his manager with whom I had a very serious talk. The manager was informed that if any burglars ever presented themselves, I would be pointing detectives right to their company as that repairman from their company would give me cause to suspect something to do with the crime. THAT really unnerved the manager, who became more than extremely apologetic. He said nothing like this had ever happened in all the years he had employees and was disturbed to learn of what had just happened.

Don't know if the guy was fired, but I like to assume that at least his experience with me would cause him to keep his big fat nosy mouth shut in the future.

The best way to deal with these brainless nosy no-boundaries idiots is to not respond if possible. The "dead stare" also seems to help in making them re-assess what they just said.
 
#193 ·
As at least one other person has mentioned, the way to respond is actually quite simple. This one is generally an innocent, offhand question so I treat it as such. If the question comes from a stranger or casual acquaintance , I just say it was a gift so I don’t know. It’s a lie, of course, but saves hurt feelings and does no harm. If it’s a family member or close friend asking I just answer. Nothing to hide and no need to get defensive. It’s not like it’s top secret information.
 
#196 ·
I try to assess their intentions for asking. If they appear to be earnestly interested in obtaining such a timepiece, I'll give 'em the name of the watch and recommend they look it up. If they're being annoying regarding just how much I spent, I might say something like " less than the sex-change operation you've been secretly planning for yourself."
 
#201 ·
I know this has already been stated but “you wouldn’t want to know” seems to be a perfect deflection. If someone has to ask what your watch costs they probably don’t know watches and aren’t interested in the actual price. If you’re a watch person you already know or can find out in two seconds on your cellphone if you’re genuinely interested.


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