Fine Watches

Any experience or opinions on Cartier Roadsters?

I'm considering buying one as a wedding gift for the lady, but my experience in fine watches is quite limited.

Good watches? Okay? Overpriced brand name junk?

tia

Jorge,
I have a Roadster Chronograph and my wife has a regular roadster. She is very happy with it. It is a medium sized face. Moderately priced. Good looking watch. No problems at all with it. Mine has been perfect as well. No complaints.

quote:

Originally posted by Wine doc:
Jorge,
I have a Roadster Chronograph and my wife has a regular roadster. She is very happy with it. It is a medium sized face. Moderately priced. Good looking watch. No problems at all with it. Mine has been perfect as well. No complaints.

Thanks Doc.

I'm considering the medium-sized (31mm?) for her.

It's a Quartz movement, correct?

Any reason to frown upon that?

quote:

Originally posted by jorgerunfrombulls:

quote:

Originally posted by Wine doc:
Jorge,
I have a Roadster Chronograph and my wife has a regular roadster. She is very happy with it. It is a medium sized face. Moderately priced. Good looking watch. No problems at all with it. Mine has been perfect as well. No complaints.

Thanks Doc.

I'm considering the medium-sized (31mm?) for her.

It's a Quartz movement, correct?

Any reason to frown upon that?

I think quartz movements are of less interest to collectors and investors. On the other hand, they are VERY accurate, so if keeping good time is the priority, go quartz. If you want something that could appreciate in value, it's generally better to look at an automatic.

quote:

In the popular imagination, Swiss watches are made by craftsmen at tiny firms nestled in Alpine villages. In fact, the industry is dominated by one big firm. The Swatch Group... [READ ON]

The Rolex I wear can't tell me the correct time better than a sundial can. Any cheap quartz movement can outperform it.

quote:

Originally posted by jorgerunfrombulls:

quote:

Originally posted by Wine doc:
Jorge,
I have a Roadster Chronograph and my wife has a regular roadster. She is very happy with it. It is a medium sized face. Moderately priced. Good looking watch. No problems at all with it. Mine has been perfect as well. No complaints.

Thanks Doc.

I'm considering the medium-sized (31mm?) for her.

It's a Quartz movement, correct?

Any reason to frown upon that?

I’m sure many many people have had great experiences with Cartier’s quartz movements but my experience (actually my mother’s watch) has been nothing but frustration and pain. She has a Bagnoire which she doesn’t bother wearing much anymore. When she does it’s only as a piece of jewelry. A year or so after buying it (new from a Cartier store) it started gaining time on her wrist. Take it in, add $1k, get it back with the same problem. Repeat. Call back, complain, platitudes from Cartier, “fix” for free, same problem. Call back, yell, scream, get new movement put in. Have the new movement “jump” time ahead in 15-30 minute increments. Add $1k to go along with the worst customer relations ever (as in “well it must be your fault, or the way you’re wearing it. Try wrapping the watch in black electricians tape. We’re not interested in trying to fix it again after this”).

Actually Jorge, my wife opted for a smaller men's version, the 39 mm Automatic. She does enjoy it. Prior to this she had a women's Panther with a quartz movement, which she liked as well, but it had a small face. We both have automatic movements. My Roadster chronograph does have auch larger face than her watch. Fortunately we have not had the crazy time skipping issues with our watch.

quote:

Originally posted by jorgerunfrombulls:

quote:

Originally posted by Wine doc:
Jorge,
I have a Roadster Chronograph and my wife has a regular roadster. She is very happy with it. It is a medium sized face. Moderately priced. Good looking watch. No problems at all with it. Mine has been perfect as well. No complaints.

Thanks Doc.

I'm considering the medium-sized (31mm?) for her.

It's a Quartz movement, correct?

Any reason to frown upon that?

Jorge, did you buy?

I have never been a fan of quartz movement watches, but not sure why really.

Are you looking at a metal or skin strap?

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Originally posted by wine+art:

I have never been a fan of quartz movement watches, but not sure why really.

Very much the same with me.

My favourite watch, which I acquired in 1986, is an Omega Seamaster Titanium quartz with pink gold bezel. I think I like it because it's fairly light and the right size for my wrist. I have 2 IWC/Schaffhausens, a Doxa, and a Rolex, but the Omega is the one that seems always to feel best on my wrist. Has always kept perfect time, too, serviced only once since I bought it.

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Originally posted by Seaquam:
Omega Seamaster Titanium quartz with pink gold bezel. I think I like it because it's fairly light and the right size for my wrist. I have 2 IWC/Schaffhausens, but the Omega is the one that seems always to feel best on my wrist.

Interesting. I also have the Seamaster and agree. It is a very easy watch to wear. I need to wear mine more often.

What IWC watches do you own?

Recently, wanting to scrath that itch. Looking at Breitling or Tissot. I'll report back in the next week or two.

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Originally posted by TPEwinedrinker:

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Originally posted by wine+art:

I have never been a fan of quartz movement watches, but not sure why really.

Very much the same with me.

Perhaps it is because they are devoid of many of the mechanical intricacies and craftsmanship that go into the automatic watches and tourbillons. With that said, if you are interested in a reliable time piece, nothing wrong with quartz. It's just a little sad when it just up and dies and requires a battery change as opposed to an automatic which just keeps on ticking in a watch winder.

When were "self" winding watches invented--or popularized? I remember taking one about in the 60s with its half-moon shaped guts that swung around in the case. Are the self-winders now considered the height of collectible watches or is that title still with the stem winders?

I agree with Winedoc. Automatic are more collectible, and hence cost slightly more.

The question I had for watchmakers was "when not in use, should automatic watches be put on a self winder or left alone"

The answer varied from person to person, but the gist of it was that putting them on a self winder kept them working, but also wears them out more quickly. For some of the watches with day/date/moon phase, trying to reset them after non-use is a real pain in the a$$.

Personally, I keep my AP Star Wheel in it's box when not being worn, and my others on a self winder.

I have an opportunity to pick up an Omega Seamaster quartz relatively inexpensively, but I'm holding out for the Breitling for now. I think it's a very handsome sport watch and feels good on my wrist.

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Originally posted by wine+art:

Jorge, did you buy?
?

I think he was a go based on a few emails.

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Originally posted by Stefania Wine:

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Originally posted by wine+art:

Jorge, did you buy?
?

I think he was a go based on a few emails.

Sorry for not responding sooner, I was MIA this weekend, honeymooning

I did purchase the Cartier Roadster with the pink dial. It has a quartz movement, but frankly, I think that's best for the lady. She's not gonna deal with her automatic having to be regularly reset. It was also the only watch that really screamed out to me as a watch she would really love.

She seems happy with it, so thanks to all for the input.

Congrats Jorge. It's a handsome watch.

Picked up a Hermes watch for Mrs Glennk for our 5th anniversary. She really loves it.

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Originally posted by GlennK:
Picked up a Hermes watch for Mrs Glennk for our 5th anniversary. She really loves it.

I'm sure you knew this post would cause me to post.

Nice, and I'm sure your bride loved it.

I do hope you wrapped the watch in a beautiful Hermes scarf.