# Does Any Watch Maker NOT Print its Name on Watch Face



## erdavis (Sep 19, 2004)

I am looking for a watch of good style, but one without a name stamped on the face. I work in a job of judgemental twits, and they love to scan around and make "brand judgements" where ever they can find them. 

I want a watch when people look at it they just enjoy its beauty, they are not squinting to see the 2 pica type identifying the brand or logo.

Does this exist?


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## detaildoc (Dec 31, 2005)

Unfortunately I cannot think of any so called "name brand" watches that doesn't have some sort of insignia of brand. If you want military/dive style watches, then those can be found, such as 

However, in the dress watch arena, I cannot think of such a watch as the name is how one identifies those watches.


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## OmegaBlogger (Mar 25, 2007)

The name still appears on this Rolex but I think would be almost impossible to read for the casual looker.


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## Teacher (Mar 14, 2005)

I've never heard of this on good watches. However, you can purchase a watch and have it redialed, omitting the name. 

As for the brand-conscious "twits:" yeah, they're out there, but I try to ignore them. They are probably too trendy and stupid to learn better and too shallow to even be worth the effort.


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## wvuguy (May 29, 2006)

In fact, the question makes me wonder why ANY manufacturer.....of pretty much ANY product sold/distributed in typical retail.....would willingly sell that product without branding it in a traditional (or roughly traditional) way for that given product segment. 

I personally can't think of too many reasons why a watch manufacturer wouldn't want to identify itself.


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## crazyquik (Jun 8, 2005)

Do they make MTM watches? How much does it cost to get a watch redialed?


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## Teacher (Mar 14, 2005)

Good redials tend to run around US$100-250. I've never had it done myself, so I can't recommend anybody.


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## rip (Jul 13, 2005)

crazyquik said:


> Do they make MTM watches? How much does it cost to get a watch redialed?


In the past, Patek Philippe would custom make dials for their watches. I seem to remember one made for either Henry Graves or James Packard, major Patek customers, with only the customer's name in the dial. This, however, was back in the 20s and for customers who, in today's dollars, spent millions with Patek. Of course, if you buy a Patek, then you needn't ever worry about anyone putting it down. It is, I think, without argument, the finest watch in the world.

Other than that, Roland Murphy in Mt. Joy, PA, does absolutely stunning dial work. Although he specializes as a watch maker, in the sense that he actually makes watches rather than just repairing them, he is noted for his custom work, and is a master of the rose turning machine to create truly awesome guilloche dials.

If you want to go cheap but good, check out KirkRich Dial,
https://www.krdial.com/services.htm


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## ChicagoTrad (Feb 19, 2007)

erdavis said:


> I am looking for a watch of good style, but one without a name stamped on the face. I work in a job of judgemental twits, and they love to scan around and make "brand judgements" where ever they can find them.
> 
> I want a watch when people look at it they just enjoy its beauty, they are not squinting to see the 2 pica type identifying the brand or logo.
> 
> Does this exist?


I think it would be very difficult to find a modern watch that was made this way- although there are relatively few people making movements these day- so many of what people consider to be "watchmakers" are nothing more than assemblers who put together their own case with a movement someone else made (ETA). However, in the more interesting days of watchmaking there were multitudes of swiss companies making watches and there were some realy unusual alliances among the companies. One example of this is an older Tiffany watch I purchased for my wife with a rolex movement, and that looked as if the band/setting had been custom made for someone - probably in the 20's.

You can still sometimes find quality older watches that ended up without a name on the dial - sometimes because they were leftover stock when the company closed or sometimes they were manufactured for a jewelry store who never took final possesion and put their name on them. Or someone who collects old watches might have the parts to put together something for you - a quality movement with a non-branded face.

I purchased a couple of watches from Girard at 
www.girards.com
he has quality vintage watches at reasonable prices. You can also search around and ask people on 
www.timezone.com
There is a huge amount of expertise over there and someone could steer you in the right direction.

Good luck,

Alan

- wearing a small, rectangular Wittnauer with black face, beveled glass crystal, and a Longines movement today. It is from the 50's, keeps beautiful time and looks like nothing I've seen made this decade


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## shawndo (Feb 22, 2007)

There is a special edition Panerai PAM 249. Not sure how you feel about Panerai. This is from 2006, but done as a tribute to a vintage style.










RGM, as mentioned above, is another really good choice, if you want to go the dressy route. I'm sure you can request a dial with no brand name.


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## tasteful one (Oct 6, 2006)

*The people you work with, Dr. Kissinger...*

...don't sound like they'd be able to appreciate much of anything without having some vapid frame of reference, like a name. So, my advice would be to buy what you like, and let them think whatever they want.

May I recommend either a Patek or a Breguet or a Blancpain (my personal favorites...and never been the butt of any defamatory remarks, too.)


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## hcivic91 (Aug 29, 2006)

Please allow me to make another suggestion; purchase a brand with little or no recognition here is the US, Tudor for example. They make great watches at the fraction of the cost of their cousin's, Rolex. Last spring while in Switzerland I purchased a Tudor chrono, I've gotten several compliments on it but on one has recognized the brand!


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## crazyquik (Jun 8, 2005)

erdavis said:


> I am looking for a watch of good style, but one without a name stamped on the face.


2nd down from the top


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## Bog (May 13, 2007)

First ask yourself if you really need a watch.

These days, when every computer, phone, and city corner tells time, it is quite redundant. That is one reason why watches have evolved into jewelry and billboards.

I once asked Tiffany's if they would remove their name off of some silverware they were selling. They refused. Ha!


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## Nantucket Red (Jan 26, 2006)

Bogdanoff said:


> First ask yourself if you really need a watch.
> 
> These days, when every computer, phone, and city corner tells time, it is quite redundant. That is one reason why watches have evolved into jewelry and billboards.


This argument is invariably brought up.

Of course, you need a watch. It's one of the most significant elements of one's style, and is being read at subtle levels as a signifier of your tastes and personality by many different people all the time. That was one of the points of this thread.

I can't help but feel that the sort of people who are constantly consulting their cell phones are quite self-centered. Whether that's an accurate perception or not may be debatable, but there's no denying that constant cell phone use conveys that impression.

Another point is that I don't want to have to use both hands or haul out some piece of equipment just to check the time when I could much more elegantly turn my wrist and glance at an aesthetically pleasing small miracle of precision workmanship.

The trend toward abandoning the watch in favor of the cell phone speaks of a rising poverty of style.

I'd curse the memory of any family member who died and left me a cell phone instead of a fine watch.


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## Cantabrigian (Aug 29, 2005)

I spoke with RGM a bit last year about some of the custom work they can do. I came away from that call with the impression that they can do just about anything you want - for a price... 

If you really want to make a watch nameless, give them a call.


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## medwards (Feb 6, 2005)

There's always Vacheron Constantin's Atelier Cabinotiers Special Order.


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## Cantabrigian (Aug 29, 2005)

And for that matter, if Audemars will custom diamond-encrust your Royal Oak Offshore, I don't see any reason why they wouldn't change the dial for you.


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## P-K-L (Mar 11, 2007)

Try wearing a Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso with the face hidden :icon_smile_wink:


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## medwards (Feb 6, 2005)

P-K-L said:


> Try wearing a Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso with the face hidden :icon_smile_wink:


Of course, my Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Duo has a face on each side...so you'd need a Classique or Grande Taille. Then you could always have whatever you wanted engraved on the blank side. Generally, individuals opt for their initials, but you could always make a statement...like "Mind Your Own Business"


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## angle_slam (Jan 18, 2007)

Nantucket Red said:


> I can't help but feel that the sort of people who are constantly consulting their cell phones are quite self-centered. Whether that's an accurate perception or not may be debatable, but there's no denying that constant cell phone use conveys that impression.
> 
> Another point is that I don't want to have to use both hands or haul out some piece of equipment just to check the time when I could much more elegantly turn my wrist and glance at an aesthetically pleasing small miracle of precision workmanship.


It's also a lot easier to discreetly look at the time with a watch then it is with a cell phone (e.g., you're in a meeting or at lunch and don't want to be rude by getting your cell phone.) Yes, you could try to be discreet and place your cell phone on the table before the meeting, but there are some meetings where it is plain rude to even bring your cell phone (job interviews, client interviews).


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## Beresford (Mar 30, 2006)

Nantucket Red said:


> I'd curse the memory of any family member who died and left me a cell phone instead of a fine watch.


Especially if the phone looks like this:

:icon_smile_wink:


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## India1-1 (Nov 3, 2011)

Hi I have just designed a watch which can be sterile, it is for Special Forces use, it Has a Swiss Valjoux 7750 Chronometer movement, and will be finished in a Matt " Firearms Finish" They will be selling for $2,000 Canadian Dollars, ....any interest


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## DG123 (Sep 16, 2011)

Somebody would have to be within a foot of you to read the brand of your watch. Buy something you like and forget about what other people may think.



erdavis said:


> I am looking for a watch of good style, but one without a name stamped on the face. I work in a job of judgemental twits, and they love to scan around and make "brand judgements" where ever they can find them.
> 
> I want a watch when people look at it they just enjoy its beauty, they are not squinting to see the 2 pica type identifying the brand or logo.
> 
> Does this exist?


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## JerseyJohn (Oct 26, 2007)

Bog said:


> First ask yourself if you really need a watch.


I've always wondered why someone would stop wearing a watch because the time is on their cell phone. There's a good reason why the wristwatch replaced the pocket watch a century ago: it's more convenient. Why go back to the 19th century? Actually, it's more than backwards, because at least most pocket watches only required you to haul them out and look at them. They didn't require you to press a button, too.


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## Racer (Apr 16, 2010)

erdavis said:


> I am looking for a watch of good style, but one without a name stamped on the face. I work in a job of judgemental twits, and they love to scan around and make "brand judgements" where ever they can find them.
> 
> I want a watch when people look at it they just enjoy its beauty, they are not squinting to see the 2 pica type identifying the brand or logo.


If you're going to go this far, you might as well go all the way. Buy a quality, inexpensive automatic watch, one that is not easily recognized. One of the many widely-differing Seiko 5 watches would do nicely. Replace the metal band with an alligator or alligator-grain strap. Get the watch re-dialed, or the face re-touched, but instead of eliminating the brand name, replace it with a "brand" name of your own invention.

Wear the newly-branded watch to work. When your brand-whore colleagues ask about it, tell them it's the most exclusive watch brand in the world - so exclusive that it's not advertised anywhere, and only special people who are specially invited can get one, like the Amex Centurion card (which, being brand whores, they've certainly heard of). They will drive themselves crazy googling the world to try to find this exclusive watch brand you're wearing.

Won't that be fun? :biggrin2:


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## StephenRG (Apr 7, 2005)

Racer said:


> Wear the newly-branded watch to work. When your brand-whore colleagues ask about it, tell them it's the most exclusive watch brand in the world - so exclusive that it's not advertised anywhere, and only special people who are specially invited can get one, like the Amex Centurion card (which, being brand whores, they've certainly heard of). They will drive themselves crazy googling the world to try to find this exclusive watch brand you're wearing.
> 
> Won't that be fun? :biggrin2:


If you want to take this one stage further for a little additional investment in time and money, register and set up a one-page website in the name of that invented company. The page should be all black, except for a small dialog box in the middle, captioned, "Please enter the number inside your invitation"...


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## joenobody0 (Jun 30, 2009)

Teacher said:


> I've never heard of this on good watches. However, you can purchase a watch and have it redialed, omitting the name.
> 
> As for the brand-conscious "twits:" yeah, they're out there, but I try to ignore them. They are probably too trendy and stupid to learn better and too shallow to even be worth the effort.


IWC has produced some special edition watches that didn't have their name on it. The very first white dialed Mark XVs come to mind. Super limited release when new, and impossible to find now.


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## dddrees (Apr 5, 2015)

Frankly I have to say this sort of thing never bothered me. Besides generally no one notices what I am wearing let alone what brand it is in the first place. That is unless I'm at a jeweler or around somebody interested in watches. This really is much to do about nothing.

~


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## filfoster (Aug 23, 2011)

If the OP mentioned a price point, I didn't see it. An affordable, no-name watch maker is Victorinox whose name doesn't appear on many of the dials but yes, there is that Swiss Army badge thing....around $500 and up, maybe better pre-loved or gray market.


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## marklim (Aug 15, 2015)

mb&f hm3


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## zyxwvutsr (Sep 20, 2013)

Dunno why this old discussion was resurrected, but, for what it's worth, I happen to own a .


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## Bernie Zack (Feb 10, 2010)

zyxwvutsr said:


> Dunno why this old discussion was resurrected, but, for what it's worth, I happen to own a .
> 
> View attachment 15122


I was just thinking the same thing. And in response to the question posed 7 years ago with regard to whether a person "needs" a watch in this day and age, is the sentiment still the same?

I don't know if checking a cell phone for the time is any more or less offensive than checking a watch, especially considering that some may be checking for important messages.

As for me, I prefer a watch to determine the time, and will not stop wearing one just because my iphone keeps better time. (Except when I am walking and I want to see my time on mapmywalk)


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## orange fury (Dec 8, 2013)

dddrees said:


> Frankly I have to say this sort of thing never bothered me. *Besides generally no one notices what I am wearing let alone what brand it is in the first place.* That is unless I'm at a jeweler or around somebody interested in watches. This really is much to do about nothing.
> 
> ~


...and then there's people like me, who identified what you were wearing without even opening the photo. Ah, WIS-dom...

very nice piece, btw :beer:


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## dddrees (Apr 5, 2015)

orange fury said:


> ...and then there's people like me, who identified what you were wearing without even opening the photo. Ah, WIS-dom...
> 
> very nice piece, btw :beer:


Thank you sir.


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## ROI (Aug 1, 2004)

I've seen a rather handsome watch with no brand identification on the dial, but I don't know who made it.


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## Fred G. Unn (Jul 12, 2011)

All of the watches by Uniform Wares are logoless:
https://www.uniformwares.com/home


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## alphadelta (Oct 2, 2007)

Here's my O&W pilot watch with no name on dial or caseback:


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## CSG (Nov 22, 2011)

I have an Archimede 39H Type B flieger watch which has no name on the dial. I've been wearing it the past week (for better or worse, I've got a dozen watches in rotation). These are ETA 2824 automatic movements with a sapphire caseback.


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## goodear (Nov 29, 2007)

erdavis said:


> I am looking for a watch of good style, but one without a name stamped on the face. I work in a job of judgemental twits, and they love to scan around and make "brand judgements" where ever they can find them.
> 
> I want a watch when people look at it they just enjoy its beauty, they are not squinting to see the 2 pica type identifying the brand or logo.
> 
> Does this exist?


Check this out:


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## Cassadine (Aug 22, 2017)

crazyquik said:


> Do they make MTM watches? How much does it cost to get a watch redialed?


Not exactly.


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## pkincy (Feb 9, 2006)

Well first there is the question of good style and than the question of brand. I can't help on the latter but can on the former and the branding is about as subtle as possible.


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## StephenRG (Apr 7, 2005)

pkincy said:


> Well first there is the question of good style and than the question of brand. I can't help on the latter but can on the former and the branding is about as subtle as possible.
> 
> View attachment 33355


If I win the lottery - hard to do as I don't play it - the Eichi II would be one of my purchases.


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## RogerP (Oct 31, 2012)

How about just not giving a crap about what other people think about your watch? A better solution on many levels, IMO. Because people can be judgmental about your sterile-dial no-name watch, too.


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## Cassadine (Aug 22, 2017)

goodear said:


> Check this out:


"Style" is a matter of opinion. Mine, as for that specimen, is that it has scarce, if any, style. 
This has more style. But be forewarned-- both watches are substandard as far as movement, finish etc.


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## Cassadine (Aug 22, 2017)

Cassadine said:


> "Style" is a matter of opinion. Mine, as for that specimen, is that it has scarce, if any, style.
> This has more style. But be forewarned-- both watches are substandard as far as movement, finish etc.
> 
> View attachment 33436


Now that I think about it, if you did go for the stylish "submariner" in red, via China, its going to draw _more _ attention that an understated-plain dial Tissot, Citizen etc.


shawndo said:


> There is a special edition Panerai PAM 249. Not sure how you feel about Panerai. This is from 2006, but done as a tribute to a vintage style.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Is that a Panerai _homage_? Plenty of those around.


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## SG_67 (Mar 22, 2014)

Just pondering how much the world has changed since the inception of this thread 12 years ago.


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## Cassadine (Aug 22, 2017)

I just re-read the entire thread. Observations:
1. It's from the dark ages and has been reborn at least 2x
2. The OP's post tells us nothing. He wants/wanted a "good" watch, but doesn't state how he defines that word. Nor does he give us price point. 
3. The advice is all over the horological map. Patek, Vacheron et. al. are beyond the budget for many.


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## Cassadine (Aug 22, 2017)

SG_67 said:


> Just pondering how much the world has changed since the inception of this thread 12 years ago.


Indeed! And did I not play the fool by not rereading the entire thread BEFORE inserting myself into the discussion with such bravado? Oy vie.


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## Yonkle (Feb 19, 2016)

*There's there's some pilot watches that have sterile dials Archimedes Mido and Stowa come to mind pretty simple watches but solidly built and somewhat reasonably priced*


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## Big T (Jun 25, 2010)

Several decades ago, I bought my first, decent watch: a Tag Huer. After a couple years, I had to send it back to Tag for service. Got it back, along with a heft cost. At that time, I was serving on a board and I noticed am acquaintence also had a Tag on his wrist, though it had appearances of being high end. I cautioned my friend that when he would send it for service, be prepared for a stiff price. He just laughed, saying if it quits, he'll toss it, as it was a $40 knock-off.

Funny thing, even after knowing it was counterfeit, I had trouble telling it from the real thing! Today, there are "homage" watches made so well, that were it not for the name, one would have difficulty knowing which is which, and an Orient homage to Rolex comes immediately to mind.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

Big T said:


> Several decades ago, I bought my first, decent watch: a Tag Huer. After a couple years, I had to send it back to Tag for service. Got it back, along with a heft cost. At that time, I was serving on a board and I noticed am acquaintence also had a Tag on his wrist, though it had appearances of being high end. I cautioned my friend that when he would send it for service, be prepared for a stiff price. He just laughed, saying if it quits, he'll toss it, as it was a $40 knock-off.
> 
> Funny thing, even after knowing it was counterfeit, I had trouble telling it from the real thing! Today, there are "homage" watches made so well, that were it not for the name, one would have difficulty knowing which is which, and an Orient homage to Rolex comes immediately to mind.


Have you ever had to repair/replace the wrist band on your Tag Huer. I have the Tag Link Series Professional Chronometer, carved from a single block of stainless steel they said. I wore the watch on my daily road runs and they tell me the associated vibration literally shook the band apart. After twice replacing /repairing the band, each time costing just a little less than $500, I put the watch with the friable band away and now wear ir at most three or four times a year to church on Sunday mornings. :angry:


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## Big T (Jun 25, 2010)

eagle2250 said:


> Have you ever had to repair/replace the wrist band on your Tag Huer. I have the Tag Link Series Professional Chronometer, carved from a single block of stainless steel they said. I wore the watch on my daily road runs and they tell me the associated vibration literally shook the band apart. After twice replacing /repairing the band, each time costing just a little less than $500, I put the watch with the friable band away and now wear ir at most three or four times a year to church on Sunday mornings. :angry:


No, but a cleaning and a minor fixing cost me almost that much! I was contacted if I wanted the watch returned to "like new" condition, with my reply "no" because my perception of it was already in excellent condition!

I have several good watches, but none that would be in the Rolex range. I'm just too stingy to splurge that much!


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## Doctor Damage (Feb 18, 2005)

eagle2250 said:


> Have you ever had to repair/replace the wrist band on your Tag Huer. I have the Tag Link Series Professional Chronometer, carved from a single block of stainless steel they said. I wore the watch on my daily road runs and they tell me the associated vibration literally shook the band apart. After twice replacing /repairing the band, each time costing just a little less than $500, I put the watch with the friable band away and now wear ir at most three or four times a year to church on Sunday mornings. :angry:


Metal bracelets always have some 'give' in them so I'm not surprised about this. You should have been wearing a leather or better yet a nylon strap instead, which would have eliminated the shaking.


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## Doctor Damage (Feb 18, 2005)

RogerP said:


> How about just not giving a crap about what other people think about your watch? A better solution on many levels, IMO. Because people can be judgmental about your sterile-dial no-name watch, too.


This is the best way to approach this issue (and it applies to clothing and shoes, too). As long as you don't wearing some big cheeseburger-sized diving watch or something with diamonds all over it, then most people won't notice your watch.


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## Dhaller (Jan 20, 2008)

Big T said:


> No, but a cleaning and a minor fixing cost me almost that much! I was contacted if I wanted the watch returned to "like new" condition, with my reply "no" because my perception of it was already in excellent condition!
> 
> I have several good watches, but none that would be in the Rolex range. I'm just too stingy to splurge that much!


I recently had to get a replacement band and ten-year service for my Rolex Sea-Dweller: $2000. Ouch.

But looking at it long-view: I bought it in 1994 for $3800 (Sea Dwellers kiss $10,000 now), and had its standard service twice and one band replacement (~2500), so total cost of the watch is currently $6300. I've worn it for 25 years (daily - I never even wind it, because I'm always wearing it), so that's about $250/year. That's probably less than I was spending on cheap(er) watches back before I had the Rolex, because I was always buying various Seikos and such.

But the Sea-Dweller was *it*. I could finally be mono...chromatagamous.

At this point, the Sea-Dweller and I have had so many adventures (and I did buy it as a "working watch" when I was a field scientist, so it's climbed mountains, been to Antarctica a few times, and so on), that I think we're in for the long haul. Even if it does cost me a grand every 7-10 years or so.

DH


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## Dhaller (Jan 20, 2008)

As for a luxury watch brand not printing the logo: when I was in college, a (very) wealthy girlfriend of mine wore a Piaget watch with her family name instead of "Piaget" on the dial; her grandfather had them made for his grandchildren. She was Parisian, and the family was connected in various ways to fashion (her neighbor was Yves St. Laurent, who let her come over when she was little to look at drawings), so maybe it was a personal favor, but you can always approach the company and ask!

You can probably just have a watchmaker crack the case and swap out the face, of course; I'm sure there are third-party face vendors out there.

Of course, the shape of the watch will remain unchanged (you can't hide the Piaget-ness of a Piaget, for example.)

DH


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