Nothing worse than a 55mm gray market wooden Franken Watch that was stolen and cleverly converted into a fake vintage Rolex and then sold on eBay at AD pricing.
So, I guess I'll have to cancel the purchase of that stolen much hyped 56 mm vintage Doniel Washington wooden converted pocket watch from the grey market.
I've never been a fan of wooden watches, but I'm a huge lover of antique wooden clocks like French empire period portico clocks and English Georgian bracket clocks made from mahogany, walnut or ebony with gilt ormolu mounts and inlays, they're magnificent pieces of work. Great video TGV 👍
This information is beneficial indeed. You can avoid a lot of headaches by playing it safe. Watch enthusiasts can be impulsive (I have been) and that can cost a lot of money, and confidence. Great advice!
Hi Urban Gentry, Your last point about stolen watches really struck me. You see, I received a Rolex Daytona 116503 for my 18th birthday from my godmother and her husband. It was truly the most treasured gift I had ever received and wore it everywhere. I receive the watch at a point in my life were I was starting to really enjoy horology and become passionate about the topic. I began researching more and more and discovering more and more. Until I went on a summer holiday in Spain (2019) with some friends where my watch was stolen. My parents had warned me not bring the watch with me and not to wear it. They told me it would be better off at home. I ignored them because all I wanted to do was show my watch off to the world! It was as if I wanted it to be apart of me and I wanted to create stories with it so that when I pass it down to my children it would have its own family history. However, as mentioned it was stolen from me. I was mugged by force and never felt so stupid, worthless and weak. I was emotionally destroyed and even though it has been a few months since the incident I still think about, what if? What if I listened to my parents, what if I was more careful. Everybody told me it wasn't my fault it can happen to anyone and sure their right, but I will never shake off that feeling of it being my fault. I had only owned the watch for a few months and it truly hurt. It was as if something had stripped a part of me away. I was so ashamed I couldn't even dream of looking into my godmother and her husband's face and tell them what had happened. Luckily, I have an amazing mother and amazing family who were there to support me. As I said it has been a few months since the incident and I still think about it today. It is only in the past few weeks that I have been able to enjoy the passion of horology again, as after being mugged, I couldn't wear a watch for months, nor look at one. Especially a Daytona as it hurt to see it. You see, owning a watch isn't just a thing on your wrist, it is much more than that, and that watch meant something so specially to me and that is why it has affected me so deeply. Anyway, I just wanted to thank you Urban Gentry, as it is thanks to you that I have begun to embrace horology again and started to wear a watch again. I also wanted to share this story with you and the rest of your viewers as I don't want people to make the same mistakes as me. Hopefully everybody can learn something from my horrible experience. I really do hope you see this Urban Gentry and the rest of your viewers, and if you do please don't hesitate to ask me any questions or contact to me as it would make my day. Thank you for reading my story, Philip
I've had no issues at all buying seikos, citizen, etc from gray market.. eBay, TJ Maxx , jomashop, etc. Alot of times, the gray market is half the price and these Japanese watches last forever. I wouldn't buy gray market if I were in the market for a Rolex or high end Swiss piece. But for Seiko, citizen, Bulova, it seems just fine
I understand the rationale for making a "better" watch buying decision but my young son bought me a tasteful looking minimalist MVMT watch for Christmas two years ago and I'm thrilled with it.
Sorry but as a bigger man(6’3, 242 lbs) watches smaller than 42mm look about as stylish as wearing pants 2 sizes too small! A young relative gave me a nice bulova watch that was 38mm and the band was too small and the watch face was”too petite” for my wrist
@@basshead. That is true, but they are a digital technology, which historically become obsolete over time, where as the analog technologies still remain today. It's just a matter of time ^_~
Love the inclusion of the overhyped watches. Man it’s so true! 2019 is the year of the hype. It seems that manufacturers and the watch community are getting sucked into the idea of scarcity. No ones going to miss out and watches are far from scarce. Sure, some high end brands are creating a limited market, but guys for those that collect, don’t lose sight of the journey. It’s a passion of time, over time.
Hey Urban Gentry, thank you for getting me into watches, making quality content and just being a proper gentleman. Keep up the good work! Wholeheartedly From Long Island.
That's where I got my Orient Bambino from. I don't care if I can save a few bucks elsewhere, I know what I'm getting, I know if something wrong it will be taken care by LIW or Orient if needed.
a similar thing happened at the 'end' of the green dial production I bought mine below RRP and it is a fantastic watch having kept running even after being on the wrist in 100 mph car crash (combined speed in a head-on collision) but I saw them on ebay for almost three times the price.
Wouldn't call it stupid, I'd say uninformed...people that haven't been exposed to the information in videos like these have no way to know they're being scammed lol I almost made some of the same mistakes as a newbie to watch collecting but I stopped myself and did a few hours of web surfing and research.thankfully I didnt pull the trigger on a $200 vircenco lmao I really thought I was getting a bargain
I wonder if it’s the same thing that happened to the Seiko Spirit Smart. They were going for under or around $200 on Amazon a few years ago and now they’re in the thousands. I’m guessing because production also stopped on those.
I started my horological journey because of you TGV and it was when I was doing research for a DW and saw your video discussing it and well I bought myself my first automatic, the beloved Seiko 5 SNK809 😊
Dear tgv, i used to be a watch snob but after watching your channel, i got into watches and appreciated them more than ever..:) bought 2 seiko watches and a swatch body and soul...really amazing...more power! Greetings from the philippines
When I saw your intro I thought: This man got it, this style and humor that makes him untouchable by all his haters and competitors. Respect Sir! You are the one and only governor.
True at about Basel world. Also glad I'm not the only one who is sick of limited editions that just get scalped. From Rolex to Seiko they are all doing it now.
Owen Treadgold unless u use a high polish finish on it i dont think youd notice the small scratches, unless u were using something like polyurethane. Wood treated with oil should be ok
Fiber reinforced polymers are very durable. I imagine the wood is basically stabilized with so much plastic it's virtually a polymer. The idea that it's ecofriendly is a joke; they're just going to end up in a landfill.
TVG, I could NOT be into watches and still love watching your channel. It's like not being a car guy and still loving Top Gear. (Of COURSE the British one.) But I am into watches, so....bonus. Keep it up mate.
You nailed it TGV. There's absolutely nothing wrong with an oversized watch if you have the stature. 9 inch wrist here and anything under 44mm looks like a toy on my wrist. I know a lot of guys have wrist envy and wish they could pull off wearing the larger pieces.
You said something profound in your video and I've been thinking about it the past couple of days. Your remark about buying a genuine piece of art and wearing a bit of history on your wrist is so deep, I decided to buy a Sinn 104 like the one you showcased in your video.
Kinda freaked out by the Halloween mask.bit to convincing to be honest. I agree with all your points and take most of them into consideration before a purchase(except wooden or fashion,never gonna happen). Btw 'scumbaggery' definitely worth an entry into the English Dictionary.good work fella.
Excellent review with a great deal of valuable information. Every point you made was "right on" and to the point. I have abided by your suggested rules for years, before I watched this RU-vid piece. It's all logical and it makes 100% sense. It is imporant that you continue to make your points and letmyour voice heard. Thank you very much!
thank you so much TGV for your videos.. i really enjoyed them.. i like your perspective and knowledge, and humour.. and thank you for your #1 list stolen watch!! my new Timex watch i just bought was stolen by someone!! and i can’t imagine that new watch being sold again and someone gonna buy it.. i was so angry because it was hard for me to bought that new Timex. thank you for spreading awareness about not buying stolen watch. 👍🏻👍🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
I also still stick to your first rule, which is never go in to debt for a watch, so I am patiently saving up for my Tudor Black Bay GMT and also hoping the prices will come down in the meantime. Thanks for the great video and I hope you and yours are doing well. P.S. You are ahead of the game and have Halloween sorted out already too, lol. :)
i was been told i was no.15 on the long waiting list of Tudor AD here in Malaysia..and the AD only received 1 to 2 every few months..ouch.....i've done saving for the Black Bay GMT..but no stock!~
I am putting my daughter through Pharmacy school, paying them monthly, it's year 5 our of 6. When it's done, I'll be ready to retire soon there after, I'm not a fan of non AD or vintage watches, on the later it's a me thing and respect others who do like vintage watches. I'm willing to drop $5 or 6K and pay for it upfront, either a Seamaster or Speedmaster. This is for me to wear and enjoy, while I prefer automatics, would be more than happy to go winding.if it will put in the affordability area. I've been to one AD in Philadelphia and they do have what I want when the time comes, as well as their suggestion of recent pre-owned. I just want something with the peace of mind of a warranty, not having to worry about constant servicing and when the time comes, will be able to go to that store and have them take care of it, and either I pick it up or have them mail it back. I don't know for some reason I've always liked Omega's watches. Everybody has their own feelings and wants, no right or wrong. I hope you get your Tudor and find enjoyment from it.
Bought a Faulty watch and then poor customer care.... He can’t say the name and me neither. But the name start with Joma and finish with shop. I can’t say more. I am sorry.
I've seen people say the same thing but I love the fact you rep a $20 Casio the same way you do your Sinn. I grabbed the same one for $16 CDN, and on a Friday I often throw it on as I now refer to it as Casio Casual Fridays. Keep doing what you're doin TGV
Wow! I go to work in Beijing on April 2, click on your channel and we are wearing the same watch! Casio digital, great minds. Let me be a bit clearer, I bought it last summer, brought it to Beijing but never wore it. Put it on the first time Tuesday.
Great vid. Everything you said is true and common sense. I cannot afford the Rolexes and Omegas of the world, but I have a nice collection of legitimate, high-quality watches that I enjoy and am proud to wear. Keep up the great work, love your channel!
"Not everybody can be Flavor-Flav...." Haha!! Love the opening "scene" too. Happy April Fool's Day! Interesting about the converted pocket watches, as I had no idea about those. Great video! Thank you TGV.
TGV, I am a bit late to the party but I could not agree more with your number 1. I work at a small watch retailer/servicer and we are an AD for several well known brands. Last year our store was broken into and almost 100 of our pieces were stolen by thieves. We are still fighting to get our watches back but it has been over a year almost two. Although the police have tracked a majority of them, many are still missing and they are holding onto them for evidence. We are a small business and crimes like that hurt us very bad.
I love wooden watches. One, they're super light-weight and comfortable. Two, they make great conversation pieces! I get more compliments on my wooden watches than my more expensive watches.
Just noticed...I built the same Star Trek Enterprise model that he has on the top shelf! painted each and every window by hand. (hundreds of windows). A labour of love.
Peter Shallis I bet more of us have been caught out than we like to admit, I’ve got a Franken Seiko 5 on the way from India after a drunken browse on eBay lol
I cant thank you enough for your video on high end counterfeit watches. I was SUPER close to getting one. I ended up saving a little more and getting the Seiko SBDC051. I couldn't be happier! Love this Seiko, its so solid! Thanks again!!!
As a man who had his first mechanical watch stolen whilst on holiday (38mm Christopher Ward trident) I couldn't agree more with your #1 pick. Something that I wouldn't wish on anyone else! Great list and video as always TGV
Great video! With all the affordable watches with history and heritage (and reliability) between $500 and $1200, why buy a fake or illicit "hot" watch? Save your money and get something that will supply you with the inner satisfaction of it being authentic and well earned.
Hey TGV, Regarding the grey market, I had a pretty bad experience with a grey-market seller (which will remain unnamed). I ordered a Citizen NaviHawk AT, and things seemed fine until I looked closer. The solar panel for the EcoDrive on the center of the dial was much more brown-grey than in the photos that I'd seen, which wasn't a huge issue. What *was* a significant issue was the power reserve. It would take *hours* to charge to full and remain there for mere minutes before dipping to the second segment. Possibly the power cell, possibly the EcoDrive could have caused this. Didn't seem right for a watch that can run for 6 months on a solar charge of 45 minutes. No chance of registering with Citizen's excellent 6yr warranty as is typical with grey market, but I had been very watchful of these details thanks to your previous video about the grey market. I actually called Citizen and got top-tier help; I asked about the replacement cost of the power cell under warranty -- zero, for life. That experience alone convinced me to return the watch and rebuy it from an authorized retailer. The "gotcha" came when I decided to return the watch. Not a restocking fee, but the grey market place charged me their original shipping fees, despite getting originally "free shipping" on top of paying for shipping back to them on my end. Obviously the shipping *isn't* free, but charging that to your customer on a single return is rediculous when that fact was only stated on the RMA form. Not in their returns info section on the website. ONLY on the RMA form. I was out about $40. Not the end of the world, but worth getting a proper warranty from Citizen and not worrying about issues. I found the watch for $80 more on Overstock.com, an authorized Citizen distributor, still about 60% of retail price, and the watch shipped from Citizen *directly.* Lesson learned: always look around. Do your research, and then research further. Thank you for the amazing content, TGV.
I have a dinner plate sized fossil that I bought to "get me back into watches" lol which clearly I was never actually into. I had a casio and bulova quartz dress watch from zales lol. 10 years later I had zero. I got that stupid fossil, which led me to my sieko 5, which lead me to the orient ray 2 I got 2 days ago. Now eyeballing a chronograph. Im not very well paid so the going is slow, but I am super into all of this right now thanks to you. As long as I remain within my budget all should be well. Cant deny starting to really want a speedmaster tho. Like really really want. Thanks TVG.
Great video, as for buying a stolen watch, if you are not buying new, it's hard to know. Anyone can buy a box and papers on ebay. You're better off buying a new Seiko 5 than risking buying stolen or a franken.
Yea. I buy inexpensive vintage watches and I assume they will require a rebuild. So, I make sure to only buy the ones that I really fancy. In pure financial terms, it is an irrational decision, but I like old watches. Yes, it is risky.
Thank you for adding the disclaimer at the end of the Pocket Watch segment. There are plenty conversions out there that are upfront about the fact that they are a conversion and are done extremely tastefully. As someone with thicker wrists (8.25"), many vintage watches are off limits for me due to their extremely small size. Converted pocket watches give me an opportunity to wear something vintage that is more in my size. I particularly love converted Elgin watches because they aren't tremendously expensive or rare so I don't feel I am destroying some valuable piece, and they have some truly beautiful dials.
Top 3 best selling watches in Czech Republic according to Heureka (biggest price comparison portal) 1. Daniel Wellington DW00100164 2. Foxwood Black Velvet - wooden watch 3. Diesel DZ7370 - 57mm watch ... I dont want to live on this planet anymore
diesel 57 mm???? well, the people generally swallow marketing shit all over the world, but that diesel, that's real simpleton mark....and the story goes on that czechs are not as big peasants as poles and slovaks :)
Grey market is fine based on what you are buying. If you are looking for a watch over 1500 dollars you should go with an AD/quality used. A 300 dollar Tissot or something though? Go ahead, it will be fine.
@@eyeheartsushi2212 good choice! Tissot makes some great watches, a PRC 200 chrono was actually my first "real watch" purchase when I started collecting.
bro your breakdown of the crime syndicate and the pain that these bastards are founded upon that do this shit to people to sell dumbass watches that aren't worth human lives and suffering.... The awareness and acknowledgement of that alone deserves 10 times the subscribers you have.... Props to you bro
I am actually writing a book about watches,Mostly social history and changing attitudes about time. You sparked my interest in watches and I am really enjoying the research . I even unearthed turn of the century watch catalogs at our university library. Regarding you list of shame, I have to say that my dad is so thrilled with his wooden watch that I feel I must defer to his 85 years experience in this instance 😊
My Dad’s friend found a Tag Heuer Carrera in its service box in the glove box of a bmw curtesy car. He reported it to Tag Heuer and to the BMW dealership neither of which said it had been reported. At this point I suppose there isn’t really much he can do as it has been about a year and he hasn’t heard anything, does this kind of count as stealing though?
@@nevahenuf How can the finder trust that the people at the dealership would act any more honest than he? Further, what is the dealership going to do, force him to surrender the found property? I think not. This story sounds completely plausible.
Hi! Great video. I saw the Invicta homage to the Russian diver and that watch it is suposed to be very big. It was made to be used above the diver's cloths. It has it´s history too. Cheers.
Very interesting and informative video, I totally agree with your comments and advise, I have followed you for some time now, even purchased quite afew of your recommendations. Not lately, gone off in different directions, but it is nice to see you back in the chair, with your friend.
Tristano has referenced/cautioned against certain gray market dealers without naming anyone specifically. I get it. Does anyone know who he's specifically referring to? Great vid, TGV! Thanks :)
I have bought over 10 watches thru jomashop(all in $100-$700 range).........no issues whatsoever.However,if I were to buy something more “highend”....Omega or Rolex for example.....I defiantly would go thru an AD or reputable used dealer.
@@jstrat121 good luck. The reason most go to grey market is you can't get a Rolex sports model from an AD period. They have wait lists years long. If you want one in any reasonable timeframe, you have to go grey market and pay the upcharge.
I already used to enjoy your videos, and just subscribed after watching this one and listen to your opinion about fake and stolen watches. Well played man!
One of the many advantages of the microbrand.....as long as you but from a good one...(long Island watches, boldr etc) you can avoid almost all of these pitfalls and still have a truly great watch
I don't know anything about Hodinkee but I know they pissed me off. How do they have any influence over a particular watch and company? Something isn't right. I don't watch any of their videos on RU-vid. Again I don't know anything about them, so this may be a ignorant comment, but it seems they don't love watches they just love the market. That is my impression. Maybe someone can explain them to me.
Glad you mentioned Vortic as an exception to the pocket watch rule. I mentioned them the last time you did this list. I got a Vortic in Feb and love it.
