What is everyone wearing?

2018 42MM Glashütte Original Senator Perpetual calendar

Going to go on the Aution block soon.. wanted thoughts on what a realistic reserve would be.. Please chime it with just a number if you want (no judgement on low numbers) and a thought about it if you have time....

Now some pictures

Quick question, I made a post a few days ago about RD La Monegasque.

The problem is that I know there were more responses (got the notifications through email) than the ones I can see in the thread on the website.

And the notifications give just a few words of the reply - so cant read them there also.

Even when I click directly on the email notification link - it wont show that particular response on the web.

Tried switching browsers, killing cookies etc.

Best,

D

Dear Members,

Thank you for being part of our private community. As our membership grows, protecting the integrity, speed, and efficiency of our marketplace is our top priority.

To ensure everything runs smoothly for everyone, we need to address two operational challenges that have recently impacted our group:

1. The Importance of Committed Deals

Lately, we have seen an uptick in members backing out of confirmed transactions. We want to remind everyone that this is a private, WHOLESALE buying community.

When a deal is accepted, inventory is locked up and other members miss out on opportunities. Because we pass our wholesale pricing and margins directly to you, we must enforce a strict policy moving forward: members who back out of a committed deal will face permanent removal from the community. Please ensure your funds and choices are fully aligned before making a firm commitment to buy.

2. Streamlining Communication and Inquiry Standards

We are also receiving a high volume of basic questions where the answers are readily available through simple research.

Please take a few minutes to watch this video, this will explain how to do some simple research to get answers you may need: https://www.ftwcollective.io/how-does-marketplace-work

Because this is a wholesale operation, our lean team focuses entirely on securing pieces at rock-bottom prices. If we transition to high-touch, retail-level customer service, we would have to adjust to retail pricing to cover that overhead. We are always happy to help with legitimate, complex questions when the answer isn't clear, but we ask that you do your own initial due diligence first.

3. All Purchases Are Final

In alignment with our wholesale structure, all sales and deals are strictly final. We do not offer retail-style return windows, exchanges, or refunds. Please make sure you are 100% committed to the piece before committing and clicking "purchase".

Thank you for your continued membership and support! These guidelines are in place to protect the pricing, the time, and the exclusive standards of this community. We truly appreciate the vast majority of our members who consistently buy honorably, efficiently, and professionally.

Best,

Fed

I've noticed something over the years: no matter where a collector ends up, Rolex, Patek, independents, vintage, or high horology, a surprising number of us seem to have owned a Panerai at some point.

It got me wondering...

What percentage of FTWC members currently own a Panerai, or have owned one in the past?

Why do you think Panerai has become almost a rite of passage for so many collectors?

What do you think draws collectors in?

• Military heritage?
• Iconic design?
• Endless strap combinations?
• The Paneristi community?
• Entry Level pricing?
• Or is it simply one of those brands that almost every collector experiences at some point?

Paneristi Check-In!

Let's make this fun...

Post your Panerai wrist shot!

Current owners, former owners, or even an old favorite you've since sold, everyone's welcome.

I'm curious to see just how many Panerai have passed through FTWC over the years.

I have a feeling the percentage is much higher than we think. Let's find out.

https://www.chrono24.com/breguet/type-xx-transatlantique--id42886438.htm

I'm considering this Breguet, but I don't know a lot about this model. Fed - I saw your review where you didn't love the cam movement....

Also, this listing says the watch is platinum. I didn't know they did this watch in platinum. Can that be correct?

Appreciate any comments from you guys. Fair price?

I think it’s pretty clear this kills warranties, it kills resale, and possibly a whole lot more. But I’ve been thinking of getting my aqua terra worldtimer engraved - something similar to what we see on revolvers.

the history of the watch. This is the watch I got when initially spending time with my, now, wife when covid was finally coming to a close. Here’s some of the first places we visited and our city.

Does anyone have any experience with engraving your watches?

Hey guys,

this is one of my all time favourites. Roger Dubuis La Monegasque RDDBMG0001. It's rather rare and prices fluctuate wildly.

Here are two examples.

One from EU:

https://www.watchfinder.fr/montres/roger-dubuis/la-monegasque/mg42-821-90-00-0er01-b/422982

I have a problem with it since the year is clearly wrong, this isn't the "box", I think the buckle on the strap is wrong and I just don't believe its "new". Also they had it in the store for more than a year.

And the second one from HK:

https://www.chrono24.com/rogerdubuis/roger-dubuis-la-monegasque--id46608194.htm?searchHash=2b52eded_xrr2rJ&pos=2

No box, no papers, don't really know anything about the dealer + there are taxes and duties (I'm situated in EU).

In short, any thoughts on the fair price and which one would you choose? Also, no one would fake this watch, right?

Or maybe I just wait till one shows up here :)

Thx,

D

What is everyone wearing?

I'm looking for th following

BrandTudor

ModelClair de Rose

Reference M35800-0010 (Blue dial with diamonds)

MaterialSteel

Anybody has this watch in like new or unworn condition?

Every collection tells a story. How are you writing yours?

At What Point Do You Stop Buying Watches... and Start Building a Collection?

I've been thinking about this lately, and I'm curious if anyone else has gone through the same evolution.

I think most of us start in the exact same place.

We buy the watch we've always wanted. Then another. Then the one everyone seems to be talking about. Before long, the watch box starts filling up, and one day you catch yourself wondering...

"How did I end up with these many watches?"

Somewhere along the way, something changes.

You stop asking:

"What's my next watch?"

And start asking:

"Why does this watch deserve a place in my collection?"

To me, that's when collecting really begins.

It has very little to do with budget and everything to do with mindset.

That's also what makes this hobby so interesting. There isn't one right way to collect. Some people focus on vintage pieces, others on complications, independent brands, specific eras, or even a single manufacturer. Every collection tells a different story because every collector values something different.

My Philosophy

Personally, I've found myself moving away from chasing whatever is getting the most attention.

Instead, I enjoy looking where very few people are looking.

The forgotten references.

The discontinued models.

The watches that make another collector stop and ask, "I've never seen that before... what's the story behind it?"

Those are the pieces that usually grab my attention.

Over time, I've become especially interested in the Neo-Vintage era, roughly the 1990s through the early 2000s.

For me, it feels like a unique period in watchmaking. Many brands and watchmakers seemed focused on building the best watches they could, investing heavily in movements, finishing, dial work, and case construction. Looking back, some of those pieces feel almost over-engineered, yet many remain surprisingly overlooked today.

That's where I enjoy searching.

Not necessarily for the most popular watch...

But for the hidden gem.

The piece with exceptional craftsmanship, an interesting story, and a level of quality that makes you wonder why it isn't talked about more often.

I also enjoy buying intelligently. If I can find a watch that's undervalued, buy it below current market prices, wear it for years, and eventually sell it for close to what I paid if I need to, that's a win in my book. It lets me experience incredible watches without feeling like every purchase must be a one-way expense.

Maybe that's just the accountant in me trying to justify another watch.

Buying Less. Buying Better.

As my collection has evolved, I've realized I'm buying fewer watches than I used to.

But I spend far more time thinking about each purchase.

I've become more interested in owning pieces that have a reason to be there.

A watch doesn't have to be expensive.

It doesn't have to be trendy.

It doesn't even have to be well known.

It just has to make sense.

Before I buy something today, I usually ask myself a few simple questions:

• Does this watch tell an interesting story?
• Does it represent something important in watchmaking or for the brand that created it?
• Would I still want it if nobody else ever saw it on my wrist?
• Is it becoming harder to replace rather than easier?
• Do I see myself enjoying it twenty years from now?

If the answer to most of those questions is yes, it usually earns a spot in the collection.

I'm curious if anyone else has experienced the same shift.

Has your collecting philosophy changed over the years?

Do you still buy the same way you did when you first got into watches, or has your definition of a "great collection" evolved?

There are no right or wrong answers here. That's one of the things I enjoy most about this hobby. Every collector sees value through a different lens, and I'm always interested in hearing what shapes someone else's decisions.

I was wondering, if you had to choose which models (lines) would be in your top 3.

So, not a specific reference or a "stand alone" piece even if that one is your grail (for which you would trade all your other watches).

My choice (interchangeable):

Reverso - JLC

Overseas - VC

Classique - Breguet

If you want you can go deeper specifying the line (i.e. reverso / tribute / duoface) or keep it broad.

Thx,

D

Hi All,

Quick question. As a watch dealer and watch repair facility we have a ton of watches in the safe, this goes without saying... Occasionally (more often than not) our watchmaker gets overwhelmed and some of the watches we buy that need a little love sit the safe for months if not years.

Watches that need service, need parts, may need a strap or have broken bracelets. Watches that can definitely be repaired but that we either do not have the time to source parts or there are other priorities we have to work on. We have over 30 of these project watches...

Watch dealers usually sell these to other dealers "as-is" (while explaining what it needs) for very low prices just to get their money out of a project they have no time to complete...

Would you guys be interested if I posted some of these in the marketplace? Or would you prefer to just only keep it to the normal fare? I would rather pass the deals along here than dump to another dealer, but if you guys think it is a bad idea then I will obviously refrain from doing so.

Curious what others feel about when you feel it's time to move on from a watch. I suspect some sell to fund a new watch, the piece holds no thrill anymore, doesn't fit well, doesn't meet expectations, etc.

For me, I once sold a classy JLC Master Calendar because the 'ol eyes couldn't enjoy the small complications without readers. I have a few pieces now that don't get wear time and no particular excitement when putting them on. Anyone have a code they go by?

The recent SubDate that sold was a great find, but it went to whoever just happened to be on the site at that moment. Is there some way to allow more members to have a shot at something. Raffle to buy?

JLC perpetual calendar. Very few around, as it's in gold. Good deal?

https://www.chrono24.com/jaegerlecoultre/jaeger-lecoultre-master-control-perpetual-calendar-black-140240807sab--id47522553.htm?SETLANG=en_US&SETCURR=USD

Hello everyone,

Greetings from Croatia. Federico I am long time fan and primarily here to support community and knowledge. I recently bought Corum Admiral A395/04292. NOS box papers still in stickers. For 1600 Euros roughly same in $. Since there is little to no info online what does the community say?

Cheers

Tell me I’m not the only one :)

Also - please add more women options to the marketplace!! Thanks.

So - I tried on an old Franck Muller from the 90's and it wore surprisingly great and looked more interesting than I had expected.

Anyone have an advice for the vintage side of Franck Muller?

Best I can tell the story goes that the early 90's and very early 00's stuff (e.g. before he departed) are the place to start. Might also be that the early stuff was gold and platinum and the brand started to go sideways when they were cranking out stainless cases and lowering quality so maybe stick with WG or platinum (??)

As far as aesthetics, for me it has to be at least mildly complicated. Those are the interesting ones and part of the reason is they push the numbers to the side.

Does anyone have some words of wisdom on these, experience, stories from the 90's, servicing issues to watch out for, what years to focus on before things went sideways, red flags, etc. etc. etc.

Anyone have one or know someone who wants to move something like this? I don't want to spend too much but, on the flip side, want to do it right the first time. Best I can tell if you like the look there are some of these that are under-appreciated.

Hi guys Fed here!

Let's do little member roll call. Post who you are, where you are from and what brought you here!

Obviously I am Fed. I live in Miami and I am the creator/admin of FTW. I have been collecting and working in watches since I dropped out of college many moons ago. Started by serving champagne in the Cartier Fifth Ave boutique in NY to now having a youtube channel, this great community and delraywatch.com. Watches is my addiction and unfortunately I think I am too late for a twelve step program!