Wearing a PP... Is it different?

[997.2]

Hi guys,

Obviously this is a very niche and cool place to be, and I do feel out of place posting here as I do not have a PP, and also on TRF sometimes I feel odd as I have 'just' a submariner (a phrase that would sound cocky to the every day person but here it's really just a cheap Rolex)

But I am wondering...

Do you spend a lot of time worrying about the PP on your wrist? Some of you have easily $500k++ in PP, some PP even costing more than that in one watch..

After just a couple of months with my sub, it is no longer mint but has scratches on the bracelet and lugs. It's stainless steel, Patek's are precious metal which is even more scratch prone.

A scratch on a SS sub, not a huge deal, it will polish out okay if I want it to, and it's not a hugely expensive Rolex anyway, (although still a nice piece that deserves me being careful) but some of this subform member's watches would easily lose the value of my Rolex by an accidental bump into something hard and metallic.

I guess what I am getting at is, for those who wear PP every day, what different behaviors have you developed while wearing PP compared to other watches like my Rolex that can take a bump every once and a while? I have had many watches over the years, mostly Omega, and from daily use all end up scratched despite by best and conscious efforts to not touch them against anything, surely I am missing something, besides the class and price of entry.

[polarinda]

I keep my left arm up all day.

[waspy1]

From my short stops by the rolex general forum, I'd say the typical rolex guy is more obsessed with keeping his watch perfect and spotless than most of the Patek folks who seem to keen to wear them whenever possible. Seems to be that way at least. I'd say I try not to do anything particularly hazardous with my nautilus but I really don't mind the odd hairline scratch here and there. Doesn't stop my running with it or the odd dip in the ocean.


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[dualcarb]

Just enjoy the watch like you do any other watch. They are meant to be worn and that's just that. Unless you are OCD which would make the whole watch wearing and enjoying your watch on your wrist a not so enjoyable event...just me two cents.

[Passionata]

no worry even scratched Pateks are beautiful

[lapince]

Before my sub I wore an Omega which got bumped/scratched not bad, after a sub for 1,5 years, in that time not one major scratch or bump, when I flipped it the watch looked as if 1 month old, have been wearing a 5712 for 9 months, apart from minor scratches nothing so I guess after sometime you get used to it, plus when I go through a door my left arm is always behind me not to bump it, oh and I even sleep with my watches, I sleep better like that, so if you can just get one, sure it will scratch, how much is up to you, and so what?

[mikeceee]

You've seen the movie: the boy in the bubble right?

I keep my left arm in a bubble. It's worked out pretty well so far.

To be honest though its a fair question. I think you just sort of develop an awareness to not bump your arm into anything. I also insure my watches and if I am going to be doing anything (like tinkering with a dirt bike etc) I take whichever watch I am wearing off. It's one of those things that crosses your mind as a big deal before you own one yet becomes a non issue once you wear one.

[Racerdj]

I am not abusive with my watches I wear. Before I made my first Roles or PP purchase, I decided that I was going to enjoy it and not keep it in my safe for the next owner. Things happen and when I am doing something that might damage or scratch my watch, I just remove it until I am finished. Back in the 70's, I took good care of my Seiko quartz.

[GDOG]

I think this is a very fair question. I too do not have my first Patek yet.

I think there are very few (although surely some) Patek owners of $100k+ pieces who treat them like an everyday beater.

I have several Rollie's and others that I rotate, some I'm more careful with than others. My everyday DeepSea, I just try to wear and enjoy! I will do the same when I aquire my first "everyday" Patek. In my case, I still wear my Timex Ironman for hunting/swimming/running.

I do agree with others that whatever watch you wear is meant to be enjoyed, and sometimes there are compromises that need to made to care for it.

[kilyung]

I wear all my pieces the same... carefully. Having said that - it's just a watch.

[locutus49]

I agree with one of the above posters. Many people are more careful with their Rolexes than Pateks.

I think it is because Rolex is a watch that working class people aspire to, and stretch their budget to afford. So they baby their "baby." It is often their one expensive object.

Patek owners tend to be more affluent and are used to interacting with very expensive objects, and treat them like they would any other high end object. Just an opinion and a broad generalization. Naturally there are affluent Rolex owners, but not many working class people wear Pateks.

[subtona]

Originally Posted by locutus49

I agree with one of the above posters. Many people are more careful with their Rolexes than Pateks.

I think it is because Rolex is a watch that working class people aspire to, and stretch their budget to afford. So they baby their "baby." It is often their one expensive object.

Patek owners tend to be more affluent and are used to interacting with very expensive objects, and treat them like they would any other high end object. Just an opinion and a broad generalization. Naturally there are affluent Rolex owners, but not many working class people wear Pateks.

John,

I work my butt off & fight to keep it.
When folks are passionate about things they will find a way.

.. Very often it is regular working class folks who choose to do without elsewhere.

[RussW]

Nothing further to add to the above advice, but wanted to say you are not out of place posting here. Welcome aboard

[raclaims]

I don't wear a patek playing sports but other than that just wear and enjoy and assume damage will happen no matter what then u can just relax

[benlee]

I divide my watchers between beaters and non-beaters. Beaters are what I put on when going to work and most of the time forget its there while I went about being busy. PPs is in the second category so I will never wear them daily and will be more careful when I put them on.

[Racerdj]

I second the post, you are not out of place here or anywhere else. Welcome! We all like watches.

[lapince]

Originally Posted by subtona

John,

I work my butt off & fight to keep it.
When folks are passionate about things they will find a way.

.. Very often it is regular working class folks who choose to do without elsewhere.

I agree with Gus, ok I'm a little above what you can consider "working class" as long as income goes, but believe me, I have 2 Pateks, and if I was a "reasonable" person I would have none, this to say that my watch budget is very big compared to my total income and capital, but I just love watches and I consider that I have an investment on my wrist, both were bought brand new but at a very good price, one for 3.000 euros less than retail, the other for 5.400 off retail, so I figure that if one day I will need some money I can just sell one, God I hope not, and get more or less what I paid for it.

If you can get one, even if it's a big investment compared to your income, get one, don't worry about scratches or bumps, the happiness it will bring you is way more than the worries about a few scratches…

And you're not out of place posting here, I also posted here 1 year ago asking if the Patek quality was really worth the extra cash, and 1 year later I have only 2 watches both Pateks, a 5712 and a 5726, so I guess that talks about Patek being worth the extra cash...

[JorgeCCW]

I wear my Pateks on daily basis.... if i am gonna play a sport or play with kids or swimming i switch to something that match the occasion..... so not too much different from before Pateks came to my life; because you always are gonna have favorite beloved pieces... the only difference is that now those pieces are Patek

[Toony]

I just wear it and enjoy wearing it. A scratch will always happen. No need to fret about it. Enjoy any watch you put on your wrist.

[HL65]

I take care of everything I own and like any other watch I wear and enjoy. Am I careful? Yes but I am careful with my Rolex too.

[descartes]

The issue for me is not specific to Patek, but whether the watch is made of a precious metal or one which is otherwise prone to scratches (like an AP Royal Oak or a PP Nautilus). These type of "scratch magnet" watches I wear very carefully because contact with another object WILL leave a mark, and sometimes a prominent one that may be hard to live with depending on how pristine you like your watch to look.

For this reason I tend to wear Rolex on a more daily basis, including vintage Rolex where the patina is part of the beauty.

[GB-man]

You don't have to own at Rolex to post on trf and certainly the same goes for patek!

I only have one pp, a 5167a. I am more careful when wearing it vs my Rolex but not paranoid. Scratches will come and PP will take care of it come service time.

You learn to be aware of your wrist and it comes naturally. I now have less scratches on my newer rolex vs my first because buying PP and AP has taught me the art of wrist awareness

[997.2]

Cool stuff guys! Thanks for the replies. I want a 5711 one day - hopefully I will develop better awareness by then!

[subtona]

Originally Posted by 997.2

Cool stuff guys! Thanks for the replies. I want a 5711 one day - hopefully I will develop better awareness by then!

5711 riding the train

[AK797]

Originally Posted by descartes

The issue for me is not specific to Patek, but whether the watch is made of a precious metal or one which is otherwise prone to scratches (like an AP Royal Oak or a PP Nautilus). These type of "scratch magnet" watches I wear very carefully because contact with another object WILL leave a mark, and sometimes a prominent one that may be hard to live with depending on how pristine you like your watch to look.

For this reason I tend to wear Rolex on a more daily basis, including vintage Rolex where the patina is part of the beauty.

[srvrf]

I don't own a PP but someday I will likely have a 5980 or some type of Nautilus chronograph. As I've moved from Quartz chronographs to automatic chronographs, I know that as the cost of s watch increases, I've been more careful, but scratches and evidence of wear are both inevitable. So as you move up, your definition of a nice watch that you are always worried about versus a "beater" that you just wear and forget changes. If you can afford a 40k PP, a 10k watch may be your "beater." So I'd just suggest buying the nicest watch(es) within your means, and I think you will just wear and enjoy it(them).


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[kneedeep]

Careful enjoyment of all my watches. They get a ding or a scratch, so be it. At service time, they can be brought back to like new.

[CWIN]

Originally Posted by HL65

I take care of everything I own and like any other watch I wear and enjoy. Am I careful? Yes but I am careful with my Rolex too.

This

[stradman]

Originally Posted by HL65

I take care of everything I own and like any other watch I wear and enjoy. Am I careful? Yes but I am careful with my Rolex too.

X 2....

[stockjock1975]

As an owner of a few Pateks.....and a variety of other brands as well, here's my comments and perspective on this topic. The average life span of a human being today is roughly 85 years. Assuming that we have reached the position in life to afford our first Patek by the age of 40, that means that we only have 45 years of enjoyment from a watch that brings us so much joy and pleasure. That said, why would I waste one day not wearing something that truly makes me happy for the sake of trying to keep this object in pristine condition?

Call me sappy, but I want to hand my watches to my son years from now on my deathbed. I want him to look at all the marks and scratches that these pieces have accumulated over a lifetime of travel, adventure, and excitement. Then, place them on his wrist and continue to lead on where I left off. That, in my opinion, is what life is all about.