TGIF: How to Enjoy Watches You Can't Afford

Watch collecting is one hobby that regularly confronts you with the limits of your financial means. Quite simply for most of us, it raises our awareness of the existence of nice things that we can't possibly afford. Sometimes, it's almost painful. We can see the Rolex that seems so close, yet so far away, in post after post online, in watch collecting magazines, and in the web advertising that follows us around and haunts our online experiences. It can be demoralizing. But, it doesn't have to be. There are ways to enjoy watches you can't afford.

A Rolex Sea Dweller

First, consider the watches that are obvious status symbols. They are sometimes used as a weapon by flashy people who want to measure social status, rank, and class. People who use material possessions to bludgeon others with less wealth aren't being classy. They are being gauche. However, some of these status-symbol watch brands like Rolex have rich histories and are associated with some of our planet's greatest adventurers. As watch enthusiasts, we can focus on the connection between Rolex and heroines and heroes like Mercedes Gleitze, Jacques Cousteau, Sir  Edmund Hillary, Tenzing Norgay, Jacques Piccard, Don Walsh, and James Cameron. I also like to think of the many service personnel around the world who may have them as the result of earning combat and hardship pay in faraway lands. These status brands are actually about more than a flashy trust fund baby can even begin to appreciate.

Sir Edmund Hillary (circa 1953)

Second, think about the horological masterpieces from Breguet, Maximillian Buser and Friends, Constantin Vacheron, and RGM. These are watches that rise to the level of fine art. Fine art. For most of us, it's unrealistic to even contemplate owning fine art like a real Monet or Picasso. We won't be carting the Statue of David home from Florence for use in our garden statuaries anytime soon. Just as we can enjoy the aesthetics of fine art in a museum or in photographs online, we can enjoy the looks and mechanical mastery of high end luxury watches without owning them. We can also seek out art that we can afford and enjoy.

Swatch reminds us that not every fine art watch has to be expensive (Amazon photo)

What do we do with this knowledge? I think we relax. We can focus on watches that we can afford and not worry about the ones that we can't. If you can't afford a Rolex, you can bring elements of the Rolex style into the watches that you can afford. If you want the exact look, you can find it in an homage watch. You'll find five great Rolex Submariner homage watches collected here in my Amazon affiliate storefront.  If you like elements of the look, the iconic watches have inspired generations of independent designs that have dive watch looks. The luxury watch brands can serve as guidance and templates for the watches the rest of us actually wear.

Your watch is about you and your adventures!

Do you still envy fine watches that you can't afford? I do have a surefire financial cure for watch envy. Read my blog post here to find out more!

TGIF: The Plethora of Homage Watches

There are many watches that have been inspired by the classic watch designs of famed watchmakers. In some cases, there is a feature or two that work their way into a design, in other cases a watch may be created as an homage to a classic watch and may look nearly identical save for some branding, and finally there are some watches are counterfeit watches that illegally infringe on trademarked brand logos by copying them completely.

A Genuine Rolex Sea Dweller Dive Watch

Why are there so many homage watches?

One of the things that opens the gates to homage watches and the incorporation of features into modern watches from many watch brands is the sheer age of the iconic designs. I'm not a hardcore student of classic brands that I can't afford, but look at when some of the most iconic watch designs were introduced by their manufacturers:

• Rolex Datejust (1945)
• Rolex Submariner (1953)
• Rolex Explorer (1953)
• Blancpain Fifty Fathoms (1953)
• Omega Seamaster 300 (1957)
• Rolex Cosmograph Daytona (1963)

I'm no legal expert, but in the United States, a utility patent protecting the inner mechanisms of an invention like a watch is good for 20 years. A design patent protecting aspects of the watch shape is good for 15 years. It's no wonder that the doors are wide open for homage watchmakers to copy much of a watches look and shape. However, trademarks on brand names and logos can last forever as long as they are renewed every ten years. This means that homage watches like an Invicta Pro Diver are legal, but counterfeit watches never are.

My Invicta Pro-Diver Automatic

The Advantages of Homage Watches

While some collectors may lament the plethora of homage watches, as a practical matter, they allow all of  us to experience the look of classic watch styles at affordable prices. The Baltany Explorer Homage (below) lets wearers enjoy a Rolex Explorer inspired design. It's a high quality watch built with good materials and solid craftsman ship and it's available for less than $300 here on Amazon. 

A Baltany Explorer Homage

While a Rolex Explorer may never be affordable or prudent for most of us, a Baltany may provide plenty of rugged outdoor watch joy for any of us. The challenge for the old guard of a watchmakers is to invent something new and have decades of exclusive rights to the next icon.

Affordable Alternatives to the Tudor Ranger

The Tudor Ranger line has always embraced it's vintage roots as a tool watch. It's a premium watch from a sister-brand of Rolex. But, while the Ranger is somewhat similar to the Explorer, it has a decidedly vintage vibe. For many watch collectors, the Tudor Ranger is a good alternative choice to the Rolex Explorer. You can see the Tudor Ranger here on Amazon here. The listing isn't very descriptive, but it should have a 39mm diameter case. Unfortunately, at well above $2000, it is priced out of my reach.

Tudor Ranger (Amazon Photo)

A Tactical Frog Ranger Homage

Fortunately, there are affordable alternatives to the Tudor Ranger. The Tactical Frog Thorn T003 PT5000 is an excellent alternative powered by the respected Japanese NH35 automatic movement. It comes with this amazing red dial or a tamer black dial. Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on how vintage you want to be, it only comes with a 34mm dial.  

Tactical Frog Thorn T003 Automatic

I think this one truly embraces the vintage watch look. You can check out the Tactical Frog Thorn T003 PT5000 here on Amazon. The Tactical Frog is certainly much more affordable.

A Pagani Design Ranger Homage

As always, Pagani Design also offers a watch that seems inspired by the classics. This NH35-powered automatic watch looks much like Tudor Ranger in a 36mm case size. Even less expensive than the Tactical Frog, it offers 200 meters of water resistance.

Pagani Design 36mm Automatic

You can check this Pagani Design watch out here on Amazon. I'm excited to see some of the vintage looks and retro vibes resonating from these homage watches. To see more Rolex alternatives, check out my post on Affordable Rolex Explorer Alternatives. The Explorer and the Ranger are quite similar so you might find a look you like there.

Alternatives to Rolex and Omega Dive Watches

Rolex and Omega make some of the most prestigious dive watches in the world. They are legends and rightfully so. They are the watches that are synonymous with adventure. Many, many people want them. But, they cost more than most people can responsibly afford.

That high price opens the door to a lot of scams and a lot companies that make fake watches.  Over on my favorite watch board, we've been discussing an interesting scam to offer homage watches as part of funding a rather hair-brained scheme on kickstarter.  As a consumer, there is no reason to go down that road.  Fortunately, there are plenty of nice dive watches made by legitimate companies.

When the day comes for you to buy a real Rolex or a real Omega Seamaster, you'll be able to do so with pride and with your head held high because it will symbolize real achievement.