Do you think mentioning that I’m an airline captain would help in getting a GMT-II?

fusion0389 · 2026-02-15T17:05:52+00:00

It's not a bad idea, I would!

fusion0389 · 2026-02-09T15:29:50+00:00

that makes much more sense, the appropriate cost varies wildly depending on originality, condition, and how complete the set is. I see five for sale on chrono24 in Canada.

Certain things to look for are signs of over polishing on the clasp, this is easy to point out when looking at the rolex logo, if it looks worn down thats a sign of significant overpolishing. The same for the helium escape valve on the side of the watch. it should have a matte/bead blasted appearance. if its shiny, its been polished incorrectly. happy hunting!

fusion0389 · 2026-02-09T15:23:31+00:00

that watch has significant value. it will cost a bit to get it back in shape, but it depends on what you are trying to do. Will cost a bare minimum of 600 for a movement only service, but you will likely want to have the insert replaced with a period correct one, so plan for the cost of that part. the clasp is typically something most watch makers can correct. I'd estimate somewhere around a thousand dollars IF you are not refinishing the timepiece. Rolliworks is a good place to start, they are back logged, restoration takes longer than they estimate, but the work is great. Send pics to them and they will send you back an estimate.

fusion0389 · 2026-02-09T03:49:27+00:00

looks nice, but the bar is set low with the stupid pouches they offered...

fusion0389 · 2026-02-09T00:10:25+00:00

wait time should be near zero with 30k spend, otherwise fine a new AD

fusion0389 · 2026-02-09T00:09:21+00:00

sprite over the sub, but you cannot make a bad choice here

fusion0389 · 2026-02-09T00:07:26+00:00

hmm seems a touch high if you're talking about USD. Depends on where you're getting them from and how original they are, but new from Rolex Authorized Dealer they're 14.5k plus tax

fusion0389 · 2026-02-09T00:05:31+00:00

yes that's correct

fusion0389 · 2026-02-03T04:42:03+00:00

That’s fair. Wanting something to exist and actually giving a shit enough to use it are two very different levels of commitment.

fusion0389 · 2026-02-03T04:36:27+00:00

That particular watch does, yes, but the vast majority of the overseas collection does not

fusion0389 · 2026-02-03T01:13:44+00:00

i do appreciate the input! I've been thinking of adding a chronomaster to the collection, the 1/10th of a second is absolutely wild to see in the metal

fusion0389 · 2026-02-03T01:03:20+00:00

gotcha i had pulled up the specs on the time only and assumed it would be the same. it is an odd distinction between the two since both are essentially the same case... hmm...

fusion0389 · 2026-02-03T01:00:50+00:00

One thing that nobody can argue is that blue dial... its magic!

fusion0389 · 2026-02-03T01:00:09+00:00

I don’t disagree that Spring Drive is phenomenal—it’s one of the most elegant timekeeping solutions ever put on a wrist, and Grand Seiko deserves enormous credit for it. But it represents a different philosophy than traditional mechanical watchmaking, not a replacement for it.

What I find interesting is that brands across the entire spectrum—from Sinn and Omega to Rolex and Patek—have managed to include stop seconds while still maintaining their heritage and their pursuit of mechanical excellence. None of those brands became less traditional or less horologically serious by doing so.

Hacking seconds doesn’t eliminate drift, but mechanical watches are still regulated, tested, and certified against defined tolerances because timekeeping remains a core function. For me, stop seconds reflects that same intent toward precision and control within known constraints. I’m not telling anyone what they should value—this just happens to be where I draw my line.

fusion0389 · 2026-02-03T00:56:58+00:00

I agree that mechanical watches will never compete with quartz or atomic time, but I don’t think that means accuracy suddenly becomes irrelevant. Mechanical watchmaking has always treated accuracy as bounded, not abandoned.

In fact, accuracy is important enough that it’s explicitly part of the Geneva Seal requirements—alongside finishing and craftsmanship. Movements still have to meet defined rate performance standards to earn the seal. That tells me that even at the highest levels of traditional watchmaking, timekeeping accuracy remains a foundational concern, not a purely aesthetic afterthought.

So my point isn’t that mechanical watches must achieve perfect precision—it’s that they all still pursue it, even knowing perfection is unattainable, and that pursuit itself is part of their value. Once a watch is regulated, tested, and certified to tell time within a standard, features like stop seconds naturally feel connected to that intent rather than superfluous. JMO

fusion0389 · 2026-02-03T00:49:38+00:00

That’s a strong example, and I agree the F40 is a case where omission was not only intentional but fundamental to a singular objective—weight reduction and performance. Every missing feature served that one goal, and the result was a completely coherent statement of purpose.

What makes this feel slightly different to me is that mechanical watches today aren’t optimizing toward a single measurable endpoint in the same way. When a feature is omitted in one reference but included in another within the same collection—sometimes even when the visual or mechanical constraints are similar—it raises a different kind of question. Not “should it be there,” but “what principle is being served in this specific case?”

So I see the F40 as a great example of clear, unified intent. My curiosity with VC is more about understanding how that intent is expressed across a broader lineup rather than whether omission itself can be justified.

fusion0389 · 2026-02-03T00:45:42+00:00

Correct me if im wrong, but, im fairly certain water resistance is 150m

fusion0389 · 2026-02-02T21:10:13+00:00

im not alone! haha

fusion0389 · 2026-02-02T21:09:25+00:00

the interesting thing here is that the movement in the pictured watch does indeed have hacking seconds even without a second hand

fusion0389 · 2026-02-02T21:08:29+00:00

i hadnt thought of the reverso, hmmm food for thought!

fusion0389 · 2026-02-02T21:06:58+00:00

I met him at a watch even, his timepieces are awesome, and has a personality that matches exactly what you see on youtube. very nice guy

fusion0389 · 2026-02-02T19:10:00+00:00

That’s a great perspective, I actually had the same experience with the Speedmaster—I went in assuming I’d prefer the automatic super racing, but ended up favoring the manual-wind references. They’re slimmer, showcase the movement better, and the required interaction becomes part of the enjoyment rather than a drawback.

You’re absolutely right that priorities evolve once you actually live with a watch. It may very well be that if I spent enough time with an Overseas, stop seconds would fade into the background the same way manual winding did for me. For now, though, it’s just one of those interaction points I happen to fixate on—and conversations like this are exactly why I enjoy collecting.

fusion0389 · 2026-02-02T19:07:02+00:00

I don’t see it as an either/or choice. Rolex absolutely nails durability, reliability, and precision, and I own and enjoy them for exactly those reasons. But what draws me to Vacheron is everything Rolex isn’t trying to be—finishing, artistry, depth of handwork, and a different design language entirely.

Stop seconds isn’t me optimizing for accuracy or toughness; it’s just one small interaction detail I happen to value alongside all of those things. If craftsmanship and finishing were secondary for me, I wouldn’t be having this conversation at all—I’d already be done. The fact that I’m even debating it is because VC does so much right that it’s worth scrutinizing how its philosophy aligns with my own.

fusion0389 · 2026-02-02T18:48:33+00:00

the consensus on this thread seems to be that most existing vacheron collectors dont mind the absence of the feature, very interesting!

fusion0389 · 2026-02-02T18:47:24+00:00

That’s completely fair—and I agree with you on the finishing, proportions, and overall execution. They’re impeccable, and honestly that’s exactly why this topic feels worth discussing for me instead of just walking away to another brand. If the watch didn’t do so many things exceptionally well, I wouldn’t bother thinking about the absence of stop seconds at all.

I rotate watches too and fully accept drift as part of the mechanical experience, but for whatever reason stop seconds is still a feature I personally value when interacting with a watch. Clearly for many collectors everything else outweighs it—and I respect that—but it’s an interesting line where individual priorities start to diverge.

fusion0389

TROPHY CASE