best watch ever - $300k and can't tell time

[TurboBlix]

i know a lot of you like watches so you may also find this to be quite HI-larious!

http://blogs.wsj.com/wealth/2008/04/...hewealthreport






The $300,000 Watch That Doesn’t Tell Time

A $300,000 watch? Luxury. A $300,000 watch that doesn’t tell time — and that sells out? Pure genius.

According to several news reports flagged by my friends at Luxist, Swiss watchmaker Romain Jerome just launched the “Day&Night” watch. The watch won’t tell you what time it is. That’s so yesterday. But it does tell you whether it’s day or night — helpful, I guess, for billionaire types who can’t afford windows.

As the company’s Web site boasts: “With no display for the hours, minutes or seconds, the Day&Night offers a new way of measuring time, splitting the universe of time into two fundamentally opposing sections: day versus night."

What’s most impressive about the Day&Night is its complexity, given its absolute uselessness. The watch features two tourbillons — devices that overcome the ill effects of earth’s gravity on a watch’s accuracy — connected by a differential mechanism. Instead of hands, the watch has a “contemplative tourbillon operation whereby the ‘Day’ tourbillon operates for 12 hours to symbolize working life, while the ‘Night’ tourbillon takes over afterward to represent an individual’s private time.”

Like other Romain Jerome watches, the watch is made in part with steel salvaged from the sunken Titanic, along with material from the shipyard where it was built. That sounds creepy to me, but maybe today’s buyers prefer morbid metals.

The company’s chief executive, Yvan Arpa, cited statistical studies to explain how the watch better reflects the time-philosophy of today’s wealthy.

“When you ask people what is the ultimate luxury, 80 percent answer ‘time’. Then when you look at other studies, 67 percent don’t look at their watch to tell what time it is,” he told Reuters.

He added that anyone can buy a watch that tells time — only a truly discerning customer can buy one that doesn’t.

And here’s the best part: The watch sold out within 48 hours of its launch.

[Mattlach]

It just confirms what I have been saying all along.

Fancy watches are nothing but silly girly jewelry for men

[TurboBlix]

if you look closely, the bezel is made of rusted iron.

this is purely a watch for rich idiots.

[Tweek's Turbos]

Makes sense, I sleep when I'm tired and I eat when I'm hungry. Why do I need to know "what time" I do that at.

[Chris 9-5]

I have a couple of watches that no longer tell the time...........

eBay here I come

[JonV]

Yeah, I've a Tag or two that have "Timed Out"

[Stefano]

Originally Posted by Mattlach

It just confirms what I have been saying all along.

Fancy watches are nothing but silly girly jewelry for men

I agree, that's true. And has been since the invention of the quartz whatches.

...but I can't see anything wrong with that. If women can, why shouldn't men?

[Mattlach]

Originally Posted by Stefano

I agree, that's true. And has been since the invention of the quartz whatches.

...but I can't see anything wrong with that. If women can, why shouldn't men?

Just seems like a waste of money to me.

I usually don't wear a watch, (I usually use my cellphone or laptop to tell time) but if I for some reason feel like wearing one, I'll pick one up for $8 at Walmart or Target (thank you China) and wear it until it dies

I don't have enough time to care about such silly things as jewelry or designer clothing

[Stefano]

Originally Posted by Mattlach

Just seems like a waste of money to me.

It's hundreds of precisely machined parts perfectly working toghether to make one of the most complicated yet compact mechanical machines man ever built (a watch has much many more moving parts than an engine, for example). So, it's a nice piece of engineering. Just like a Saab. Yes, there are on the market many other cars that do the same A to B job for cheaper, just like there are plenty of quartz watches which tell you the time just fine, but... are you sure you don't want a nice piece of engineering over a soulless chunk of plastic?

That's what luxury is all about. Think about leather seats vs velour seats. Leather seats are hotter in the summer, colder in the winter, more slippery, more expensive, less environmentally friendly, they make you sweat more because air can't pass between skin and seat but... they are more sought after and appreciated. Mechanical watches are the same.

[cjhutch]

Originally Posted by Stefano

It's hundreds of precisely machined parts perfectly working toghether to make one of the most complicated yet compact mechanical machines man ever built (a watch has much many more moving parts than an engine, for example). So, it's a nice piece of engineering. Just like a Saab. Yes, there are on the market many other cars that do the same A to B job for cheaper, just like there are plenty of quartz watches which tell you the time just fine, but... are you sure you don't want a nice piece of engineering over a soulless chunk of plastic?

That's what luxury is all about. Think about leather seats vs velour seats. Leather seats are hotter in the summer, colder in the winter, more slippery, more expensive, less environmentally friendly, they make you sweat more because air can't pass between skin and seat but... they are more sought after and appreciated. Mechanical watches are the same.

Of course you would say that. You're from the land of overpriced motorcycles. I just could not imagine someone actually wearing this watch. It's kinda like those expensive diamond watches that you can't even read the time on because they are too shiny.

[cdaly]

Originally Posted by Stefano

That's what luxury is all about. Think about leather seats vs velour seats. Leather seats are hotter in the summer, colder in the winter, more slippery, more expensive, less environmentally friendly, they make you sweat more because air can't pass between skin and seat but... they are more sought after and appreciated.

I have to say, I think leather seats have evolved to be the luxury item. Used to be they were the standard seat cover. Then velour and other cloths became available, were cheaper to use and more comfortable. Leather upholstery became rarer and more expensive and thus acquired 'luxury' status...

[eXunforgiven]

Originally Posted by Mattlach

It just confirms what I have been saying all along.

Fancy watches are nothing but silly girly jewelry for men

Youre right. But I see it in a positive way though, a watch is one of the few pieces of jewlery a man can buy and not be a fruit. I personaly love expensive watches. I would love a rolex one day, for now my $300 dollar citizen is the most expensive one I have.

[boon94]

so how many watches did they sell?

What time is it?

-Oh im not sure but my watch says its definitely night time

[brunp]

I am a watch person at heart. I have three pairs of watches. One is an older Swiss Miltary watch and a newer daily watch and then another one I wear to special occasions....yep....it is an accessory for me....just like my Saab.

Paul

[dmtinker]

Does anyone here collect watches? I actually have a KGB officers watch that I never wear. I wonder if I should sell it? Would anyone have a clue on what it might be worth?

[TurboBlix]

Originally Posted by dmtinker

Does anyone here collect watches? I actually have a KGB officers watch that I never wear. I wonder if I should sell it? Would anyone have a clue on what it might be worth?

no clue, but there are watch forums out there where people are actually more rabid about watches than we are about saabs. you could probably get the best answer on one of those.

i love watches. i don't really care for jewelry, but watches i notice. but this watch, by the same company who does the day& night watch, exceeds anyone - even a watch fanatic's - notion of ridiculousness:

http://www.romainjerome.ch/en/les-inatendus/t-oxy-concept-en.aspx


T-oxy Concept

Between the forbidden and the ephemeral

The T-oxy Concept represents both the culmination of a preposterous idea and the most extreme form of a particularly sophisticated concept. This exceptional timepiece is a completely rusted high-watchmaking timepiece designed using non-stabilised rusted steel from the Titanic.

Don’t wear it! The T-oxy Concept can only be admired under its glass dome filled with argon. Release it and oxygen will carry on its destructive work where it left off.

Warning: extremely corrosive model, non-guaranteed

[Mattlach]

Sounds like they bought/salvaged some steel from the Titanic and are doing anything and everything possible to profit from it at the expense of hapless idiots with lots of money


A fool and his money are soon parted...

[Spidey]

Sounds more like art than a useful timepiece...form over function etc...and with that kind of price tag he's having a good laugh at anyone who would contemplate buying one.

And they've sold out, Jesus! Of course they have.

I say put it up where the sun don't shine and then see if you can tell if it's night or day .

[Saaboheme]

I just made a 3 minute egg timer from recycled Flintstones jelly jars. It is 4 feet tall and filled with steel ball bearings and weighs 350 pounds. If you can manage to turn it over, the ball bearings smash the glass and run all over the place. Anybody can make an egg timer that times eggs, but it takes real skill to make one that can turn your kitchen into a pinball machine and a home health hazard.