What is the deal breaker to stop you buying a watch you were about to buy?

[Bling72]

What is the deal breaker to stop you buying a watch you were about to buy?

Assuming all but 1 or 2 factors was enough to either stop you from buying it, it forcing you to put a hold until something better comes along.

I will offer several options which I hope fits your situation more.

[Bling72]

I really am put off by dials that have poor anti-reflective. Unless it is nearly pitch dark, or under flouro lights at night, and you are looking dead on the dial, you will see reflections.

Another peev, when I want a dial, and you advertise it, you have it in the shop. No waiting lists, expression of interest. It is not limited to watches, now it's for new cars. Imagine if restaurants followed that business model.

[brandrea]

For me it would have to be simply that a watch didn’t have the same aesthetic appeal to me as I’d did in pictures

[Agamemnon]

Harmony of proportions and dimensions are everything.
Rolex teaches.

[enjoythemusic]

Lack of reliability / service quality, a short two-year warranty when retail is over $15k, obvious cost-cutting measures when awkwardly not having date window background match the main dial... quality received versus overly high retail price....

[alphadweller]

When it doesn't wow me IRL, despite the great pictures on their website. It's got to knock my socks off when I handle it and put it on my wrist. It really boils down to that. No thrills, no point.

[Ichiran]

I will do all my research, watch as many videos of the watch and ask for views before I pull the trigger. There shouldn't be too many surprises otherwise...

[Russell996]

Originally Posted by alphadweller

When it doesn't wow me IRL, despite the great pictures on their website. It's got to knock my socks off when I handle it and put it on my wrist. It really boils down to that. No thrills, no point.

Originally Posted by Ichiran

I will do all my research, watch as many videos of the watch and ask for views before I pull the trigger. There shouldn't be too many surprises otherwise...

This!

None of OP options apply to a piece you are about to buy, unless you don’t research a piece prior to deciding to purchase.

[fmc000]

Legibility first as I'm 53 y.o. and wear glasses. I would never consider buying a watch if I can't read the time immediately and I actually sold a Daytona for this very reason a few years ago.

Other than that, I would never buy a new watch without a discount (i.e. not even at retail), I would never buy a watch not immediately available and, finally, I would never buy a watch with cathedral hands.

So, as my first rule is not in the list I did not cast a vote.

[FrugalGreubel]

I have smaller wrists so there’s a lot of watches I really like but can’t even consider because how it would look on my wrist. It’s very frustrating.

[Bling72]

Hi alpha, well I have visited some watch sites, where the images of the dials are such low resolution, it can never do any justice. It's so ridiculous. I have to visit y0utube to have a better view, a decent view of the true sheen of a dial, a far more realistic unphotoshopped, representation of the dials, the bracelets. I am sorry, of the official manufacturer websites they have the worst level of detail for their own products. They really should be following the example of some car manufacturers. they have hi-res (some even 4k) video content. Some sites have a build your own model with extras.

WHY are none of these watch websites allow you to accessorise ? they obviously have a poor or non existent hiring policy to employ any half decent marketer, add some accessories, make cases, matching pens, ties, polishing clothes, anything with a flippin official logo on it, it's easy money, we will spend the money for this. We have web designers and watch companies living in the 19th century.

Frugal - Rolex at least cater some day-date dials for 30mm+ sized dials, way below 38, even if nothing available in 2022, in the past they made countless models of smaller dials and sizes.

fmc - have you considered Longines Hydroconquests ? they do them in 39mm, 41mm, and 43 mm the 6, 9, and 12 are all super lume, and are most highly visible. Quite affordable for a historical, well-known brand.

[fmc000]

Originally Posted by Bling72

fmc - have you considered Longines Hydroconquests ? they do them in 39mm, 41mm, and 43 mm the 6, 9, and 12 are all super lume, and are most highly visible. Quite affordable for a historical, well-known brand.

I'm not in the market for a new watch but thanks for the suggestion.

[taura]

I voted bracelet because that's most likely to stop me right before the finish line (or make me regret the acquitition ). All the other factors will likely be considered earlier in the process. It's easy to forgive flaws in a watch that's comfortable to wear (so you won't even notice it most of the time), but if it's somehow nagging on the wrist, I'll soon hate it no matter how beautiful.

[2bigalow]

A no go for me is a watch that is too thick. <15mm for a chronograph and <13mm for time only.

[Bling72]

taura. I have seen a healthy number of watch reviews of various models, plus some third party ones. you would be surprised just how many fine quality third party ones are out there.

The christopher ward bracelets have 4 to 5 microadjustments no needing to get out any tools to remove links. This makes the clasp longer than the typical one, but you have to trade that off to have room for 5 microadjustments :D

Watchgecko have some various designs of bracelets and straps.

[Bling72]

I sympathise with all of you who voted for price. Especially when the heart is so set on a specific brand. The other option is to find a brand which ticks as many boxes as possible. I found it with Hamilton and Longines. No they cannot replace a Rolex. I do want to get a watch when I want to get one. Now that some brands offset the accuracy and/or how many htz from 36k down to 21k thus you end up with a +/- 10 seconds per day or more instead of 2. The other side of the coin is a longer power reserve. Instead of a 38 hour to 70-80 hours.

That does make it easier for me to rotate more dials during the week without the stress of them stop ticking.

I hear the argument of for & against watch winders.

Yes the newer 3300 series calibers in Rokex dials increase to 72 hours, but back to the availability of them.