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Rolex owners, which watch would you downgrade to?

4K views 58 replies 42 participants last post by  Jason71 
#1 ·
Hello fellow Rolex owners,

I feel like the watch game is a progression from entry level watches to high end watches. It's an itch that cant be scratched for some of us, ultimately leading to aspirations to own ludicrously expensive watches such as AP or Patek. But for most of us, the road to satisfaction ends with Rolex.
This got me thinking, when one has reached their goal of owning a legendary Rolex, can anyone relinquish this time piece for something of lesser prestige and be truly happy?

What watch or brand can you downgrade to and be satisfied? Or can you only move up from Rolex to satisfy that insatiable hunger?
 
#2 ·
That is such a personal decision that will vary widely by tastes and where you are in life at any given point. If someone spends years finding a grail piece (and some of us do), why would we ever relinquish it? There are stories tied to the watch that become part of our watch journey.

One more thing... To be 'truly happy', focus first not what's on your wrist, but appreciation for your health, family and friends.
 
#4 ·
Seiko...I went through a period of Seiko dive warches, Skx007, MM300 and a couple of Tuna. All great watches but once I’d made a decision to give my daughter my old Submariner I realised I’d miss a Rolex and replaced it with the DeepSea. It was an easy decision to let all my other dive watches I had go. I kept the SBBN015 Tuna and if I ever had to I’d go back to that. They are only material trinkets and yes we all like them but they’re definately uneccessary. If anyone ever has to over stretch themselves trying to buy anything other than food or shelter for you and yours then for me it’s the wrong thing to do.
 
#6 ·
I suppose could downgrade to an Omega
 
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#9 ·
I had an old Rolex Sub date I bought in the 80’s that was in need of service, I wanted to put it away for one of my kids. I replaces it with a MKII LRRP GMT, and honestly I didn’t really miss the sub that much. I was recently in the market for a new daily wear sports watch, and after looking at the price and general unavailability of Rolex sports models decided to pick up a pre-owned Grand Seiko SnowFlake. Not exactly a budget watch either, but the workmanship and attention to detail is easily on par if not better than Rolex, and love or hate the spring drive I have seem about a +/- 4 seconds a month accuracy. I do like the Rolex brand, and many of their models, but there are a lot of really good watches out there, for a lot less money
 
#10 ·
Interesting question, if for no other reason than, "what constitutes a downgrade?" For example, I think most non-watch people would consider a Royal Oak a downgrade, given that they've heard of Rolex but haven't heard of AP. But since we're all watch lunatics here, let's stick with the idea that we're moving from a Rolex to something the cognoscenti would consider "less prestigious" (recognizing that no two people agree on what "prestigious" in this context means either, but we have to start somewhere).

I think you're asking an advanced question whose answer will change based on the individual and where they are at in their watch journey. Which is to say that each individual prizes different things for different reasons, and a lot of them are emotional reasons that you cannot rationalize. So to say that someone can "downgrade" from a Rolex that was a milestone purchase commemorating a major achievement in their lives....because this competing brand over here makes a watch that is "just as good for a lot less money," sort of ignores the entire reason the Rolex was purchased to begin with.

I also think you're also making an assertion that we buy specific brands for their prestige. Certainly this is the case for a lot of us, but I don't think it's a universal statement. I think for a lot of us - or maybe I'm just speaking for myself here - perceived prestige may factor into the purchasing decision, but I'm not buying a watch I think is UG-ly (with a capital "UGH") just because it has a prestigious name on the dial. You have to fundamentally like what you're looking at first and foremost.

Me personally? I just bought an APRO, in spite of owning a couple Rolex, because I wanted to celebrate a milestone birthday and wanted something I hadn't experienced before. Was prestige a factor in my decision to purchase. Sure, in the sense that I wanted something that was - in my perception - above where I normally was and wanted to experience what that was like. Has the APRO destroyed all other watches for me? No, I don't think so. I mean, sure, I could see myself going the rest of my life with the APRO and maybe the Sub as a two-watch collection...or those two plus the Oris Source of Life, Snowflake, and Frogman as a five-watch collection (that is an almost perfect 5x5 matrix of a little bit of everything)...but at the end of the week, I still take off whatever I'm wearing and put on my Oris Source of Life for the weekend. So no, neither owning a Rolex, nor owning something "above" a Rolex, has diminished my appreciation for a simple Oris Aquis.

Regards,
Alysandir
 
#11 ·
Who on earth are you speaking for??? I basically don't agree with anything you've said here (to the extent I can even make sense of it), so guess I can't comment save to say I'm happy and fortunate that I have two Rolexes, but I could live without them. Watches are not life..
 
#16 ·
Really dude? Watches are not life, which is a true statement, but completely irrelevant.
If you're ultra rich and your first Rolex was handed to you from their parents as a birthday gift, then I can understand why you wouldn't "get it". FYI, most people work their way up the ladder thru years of saving and hardwork, and I'm speaking for those people.
 
#12 ·
I'm new to Rolex ownership, but at this point, I'd say my Rolex is the last watch I'd give up and Rolex is probably the highest-end brand I care to own. If I absolutely had to "downgrade" from my Rolex, I'd keep my Oris Big Crown ProPilot Worldtimer, and that's about as "low" as I'd willingly go.
 
#13 ·
I understand where the op is coming from.... I've a variety of watches including seiko, tudor, omega and a modern sub. I do perceive the sub to be the king of my collection and it could possibly be the one watch if I really had to choose....but my planet ocean and tudor gmt get much more wrist time than the sub to the point that I'd be happy with either of those as my primary piece. Would I miss the sub? Yes, I do never intend to part with it (it does have a sentimental reason to its purchase) but I don't feel either the planet ocean or tudor are any lesser watch. So in answer to the original question, I enjoy a time piece for what I like about it not the brand perception it may have or be perceived by others. I don't feel either would be a downgrade from a rolex in how I felt about wearing them.

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#14 ·
If I had to sell all my luxury watches due to financial reasons I would have no problem selling them. In the end they are just watches. I have no problem going back to my first automatic Hamilton or Victorinox. Those watches got me into the watch obsession and I'd be just as happy with them on than any Rolex or Omega in my collection. Okay, okay, maybe I'm a little happier when I wear my Sea-Dweller or Aqua Terra, but not by too much. LOL

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#44 ·
I have no problem going back to my first automatic Hamilton ...
I'm wearing my Hamilton right now (same one, except black dial, currently on the oyster bracelet). I wondered if I would enjoy it less, but I find that I still appreciate every aspect that made me choose it as my first nicer watch. If I had to spend life with only one of the other watches in my hoard, it would be that one.
 
#15 ·
Hello fellow Rolex owners,
What watch or brand can you downgrade to and be satisfied? Or can you only move up from Rolex to satisfy that insatiable hunger?
When it comes to wristwatches, nobody NEEDS one, so Satisfaction and Happiness are matters of choice. On a related topic, "prestige" is merely esteem among strangers.
I have several relatively inexpensive watches which are a delight to wear and use in that they are reasonably accurate, comfortable to wear and durable enough that I'm not cosntantly running to the watchmaker to have something adjusted or repaired. There are several high quality micro-brands and I love wearing my Seikos and Orients (which even the most snobbish WIS among us will usually at least grudgingly acknowledge to be worthy of wrist time). "Value" is something you may want to factor in also. For example, I learned that a replacement crystal for my Rolex Oysterdate (parts cost alone) was more expensive than a Seiko Sarb033, so I bought both. Now, when I return to the pool deck where my Rolex crystal was broken last time (yes...alcohol may have been a factor), I'll be wearing the Sarb.
 
#17 ·
I don't like the word, "downgrade". I prefer to use the term,"different". You're talking as of Rolex is the be all and end all. It isn't and if you think it is I would say that you probably haven't experienced many other watch brands.

Me, personally - I love lots of brands and Seiko will always be in my heart including Grand Seiko.
 
#18 ·
The ONLY thing I disliked about my Seiko dive watches was the fine thread screw crowns. The later Tuna are an exeption as they feel very much like Rolex give watches. The 007 and MM300 never leaked though but needed extra care when closing. The bezel on the MM300 got scratched easily also.
 
#19 ·
years ago I sold my Sub and replaced it with a quartz Omega Seamaster and was quite happy with the decision, and am still happy with the decision 16 years later. For me a watch is a time-keeping tool. While the Sub may have been accurate by 1960's standards, in 2003 it just wasn't very good at that task IMO, as it ran +6spd. I originally bought it because I wanted a "nice watch", didn't care about the Rolex snob appeal then, and care for it even less today.
 
#24 ·
Really dude? Watches are not life, which is a true statement, but completely irrelevant.
If you're ultra rich and your first Rolex was handed to you from their parents as a birthday gift, then I can understand why you wouldn't "get it". FYI, most people work their way up the ladder thru years of saving and hardwork, and I'm speaking for those people.
OK FYI, I am not educated, privelliged or eloquent. Not particularly wealthy either.
Drive a cheap van and live pretty sparse. That's my choice. Same as it's my choice to wear a Rolex or my Casio.
Either way, who works hard for freedom of choice usually needs nobody to speak for him. Owning a watch is not a social climbing tool or a status symbol. 99.99% don't care anyway.
 
#25 ·
I‘ve never fancied the Rolex watches, the fact they only serve as statement watches these days anyway doesn‘t help to like them.

Lets play a watch game within the game:
Pick a budget, for example 7-15k$.
which watch would you buy and take to a lonely Island where you can‘t show off to anybody than yourself for the rest of your life?

I rather pick a seamaster that I really like and enjoy instead of a must-have watch in every mens boring watch collection.
If I would get a dollar everytime someone talks about his collection with the lines „...and here is the sub, a classic that should be part of every collection...“ - I would own a Patek world time by now :).

Well, true taste can‘t be bought.
 
#31 ·
I've never fancied the Rolex watches, the fact they only serve as statement watches these days anyway doesn't help to like them.

Lets play a watch game within the game:
Pick a budget, for example 7-15k$.
which watch would you buy and take to a lonely Island where you can't show off to anybody than yourself for the rest of your life?

I rather pick a seamaster that I really like and enjoy instead of a must-have watch in every mens boring watch collection.
If I would get a dollar everytime someone talks about his collection with the lines „...and here is the sub, a classic that should be part of every collection..." - I would own a Patek world time by now :).

Well, true taste can't be bought.
You earned my respect when you observed that it's about what you like and enjoy that matters.

You lost my respect by implying that no one actually can like and enjoy Rolex because you personally find them to be "boring statement watches."

And to answer your question...which watch would I want on a deserted island from my collection? The Frogman, of course. After that? The Sub.

Regards,
Alysandir
 
#36 ·
Cannot ever downgrade. Just keep and enjoy your peak level. Its your peak, why go downhill. Once you downgrade, you will find the less quality, less workmanship, less finishing, less robustness feel, etc. I don't see it as a logical decision. Definitely will miss the rolex / any grail piece you've once had

UNLESS, u bought rolex only for fame and flexing, then u go downgrade because u don't need to flex and enjoy what model u trully like, because u don't like the rolex from the start. That's more sensible
 
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