Funny Thing Is I Already Have the Holy Grail Watch

True, I've been coveting the Seiko Sumo and Seiko Tuna and a few Panerai Luminor models as well. But having watches that pricey freaks me out when it comes to actually wearing the watch. When it comes to the look, feel, build quality and price point and having a watch I'm comfortable wearing all the time, then my favorite watch, my Holy Grail watch, is the Seiko Black Monster. No wonder I have generation I and II.

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Comments

[jonnybardo]

I wore my Black Monster for the first time in a week or two. What a watch. It might be my most comfortable - along with my Orient Revolver.

But Holy Grail? I think not. After purchasing the Revolver I've come to appreciate the subtle but noticeable higher quality of the bracelet, clasp and overall build.

For me the (reasonable) Holy Grail is the Tuna or Orient Saturation Diver.

[Angelo]

Besides, if you have the Holy Grail, it sort of kills the fun...the adventure.

[Bill]

I can't speak for anyone else, but I lose enthusiasm for a widget if I can't actually use it. If a tool is too precious to risk in the real world, it bothers me that I'm not using it. And then if I do use it, all too often I find this engraved gold inlaid enameled widget doesn't really work at all, because it was only meant to be looked at.

On the other hand (given that if I'm going to really fall for a widget it will be at least nominally practical, see above) I've found that if I have my heart set on some Holy Grail I might as well go ahead and save up for it. If I settle for the second best watch, next month I'll settle for another second best watch, and the month after yet another second best, and so on. In the long run it would have been cheaper, simpler, and better, to just get what I wanted in the first place, be satisfied, and enjoy it.

[jonnybardo]

Wise words, gentlemen.

Bill, I agree with you - although I haven't put this into practice enough. I'm trying to wean myself off the practice of buying watches that I like but don't love. Part of this means selling all of those watches that I don't love (about a dozen) and perhaps using those funds on the watches that I really love. I keep on balking at a price over $500, not to mention the $800-1000 range of a lot of watches that I love (e.g. the Seiko Tuna, Orient Saturation Diver, Zenton), but I've had no problem with spending that much on four or five watches over the course of a couple months. So I see myself gradually buying fewer, but more expensive, watches.

Angelo, I agree. For me there is no "The" Holy Grail, there are a bunch of Grails at different tiers. Right now the closest thing to THE Holy Grail is the Seiko Marinemaster 600MM, which is a $4,000 watch. But that's partially THE Grail because it is so expensive; I can safely say that I like it more than, say, the Tuna - but I love the Tuna as well, just not quite as much.

For instance, my nerdy self likes to rate watches on a scale of 100 and if the 600MM is a 99 (there probably is no perfect 100, which fits what you said), the Tuna is probably a 97...and for a quarter the cost it is worth getting the Tuna first. The MM600 is something to work up to in a few years.