When a Grail is not a Grail

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smalls
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When a Grail is not a Grail

Post by smalls » Sat Jul 17, 2010 8:52 pm

When I first got my Sub I thought the world had stopped spinning. I was literally holding the holiest of holys in my hands and it felt great. I even stopped visiting the forums for a while. But alas, like all good things it has about come to an end. It just doesn't see the wrist time anymore and I've often contemplated selling it but I doubt I will. It still is a fantastic watch and I enjoy wearing it, but if it came down to it, I think I could be just as happy with my SKX007 or SMP Bond. Maybe there really is no grail and I'm just running in circles chasing my tail.

So have any of you guys finally gotten that grail piece only to have it leave you kinda cold after a while? I guess we're always on the hunt which is why this is a sickness :shrug:

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Re: When a Grail is not a Grail

Post by SCM64 » Sat Jul 17, 2010 8:54 pm

Thats why I prefer to have a handful of watches. "grail" is too much pressure to put on one watch. :lol:
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Re: When a Grail is not a Grail

Post by bloozy » Sat Jul 17, 2010 9:11 pm

When I first got my PO, I thought that it had ruined me for this hobby and for other watches.
I completely lost interest for weeks.

Finally I made myself come back to the forums. thn I made myself buy a couple more watches. That pretty much jumpstarted my interest again though.

As for grails, they are only really grails until you get them, then you wear them and they find their ways into two categories.... keepers or flippers. Some you keep, like my Po, knowing that unless some financial ruin or the equivalent comes along, it ain't going no where.

Sometimes flippers get flipped and then you realise... ooops that was a keeper and you aren't happy till you get it back again. I currently own my third U1, it won't go anywhere unless again, finances dictate... or unless I trade it for a different U1. (i'm not sure I'm lovin' the SDR like the original, but i'm going to give it some time).

:headbang:huh hu huhhuh hu....he said he's gonna give a watch some time.:headbang:

Now I think we WUS, IMHO have grail after grail. On my list... Orange/Orange 45mm PO, Breitling SOH, blue and black on mesh, Ball Alligator, white dial, Ball fireman serie1 blue on black, Sinn UX, U2, U1000 and some others, Matt's Kobold is callin' me.....well those will keep me interested for a while.

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Re: When a Grail is not a Grail

Post by craniotes » Sat Jul 17, 2010 9:32 pm

bloozy wrote:As for grails, they are only really grails until you get them...
That's exactly how I feel about it. I mean sure, we still love them, but then it's on to the next one. And if there is no next one, well then, congratulations mo' fo', because you've achieved ultimate WIS enlightenment and are now free to go and find another ridiculous hobby to obsess over...

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Re: When a Grail is not a Grail

Post by naihet » Sat Jul 17, 2010 9:38 pm

There will always be that next one...i like to think of it as having many grails...after the SD, i dropped off considerably but since then ive managed to flip a couple and gain another couple. Still if i were to loose all but one i would keep that SD :thumbsup:
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Re: When a Grail is not a Grail

Post by Brian D » Sat Jul 17, 2010 10:34 pm

SCM64 wrote:Thats why I prefer to have a handful of watches. "grail" is too much pressure to put on one watch. :lol:
Great way of putting it Steven :thumbsup: .
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Re: When a Grail is not a Grail

Post by Jamie » Sat Jul 17, 2010 10:55 pm

I don't know for me a Grail like the real grail is somthing that is beyond the horizon that I could spend a lifetime looking for but never find. (let's see if I can think of an example,,, somthing like an original Zenith El Primo in mint condition)

The pursuit is more than half the fun. That's MHO an explains why I don't call any of mine Grails not even the Stingray and that was hard as hell to find.
Last edited by Jamie on Sun Jul 18, 2010 1:58 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: When a Grail is not a Grail

Post by jbw » Sun Jul 18, 2010 1:34 am

This has always been my grail watch and i know i will never own one..way out of my reach now , So i am happy to keep buying and changing watches and dream of the 5517.

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Re: When a Grail is not a Grail

Post by sixtysix » Sun Jul 18, 2010 2:01 am

I have only bought 1 watch on my grail list, and I still love it. But I have other (more expensive) grails too. One day I hope to have enough jing to get to the next one. In the mean time I just keeep looking for stuff on my want list.....usually nothing fancy, and continue to pare down the collection as my tastes change. When I first determined my 'grails' I picked one at $500, one at $1000, one at $6K and one with out a limit but still one day obtainable ($13K). $500 never worked out since I bought several in that catagory. The Sub can still be the 'grail' but you can keep looking for other stuff too. It keeps you interested. Buying a grail does not mean you will never buy another......
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Re: When a Grail is not a Grail

Post by demer03 » Sun Jul 18, 2010 5:05 am

Oddly enough, Matt has me thinking about this stuff. I have spent the last two years flipping and chasing my tail..spending a stupid amount of money, for what? (I definitely did not MAKE money on this)

I like watches, I accept that. What I need to do is take a break and wear what I have for a year. With all the life-changing point I am at with kids heading off to college, I think it's a good time to slow my roll.

I am not saying it's going to be easy...(I need a blocker for the WUS/TZ sales forums :rolleyes: ), but I am really oing to try. I am down to three nice watches, and a handful of others. I don't think I could do the "one-watch" thing....been to edge too long that I need some variety.

Damn...rambling...back to your regularly scheduled thread.
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Re: When a Grail is not a Grail

Post by dukerules » Sun Jul 18, 2010 5:09 am

Agreed on the idea that the chase is at least half the fun. I do find that the proverbial shine comes off most of my pieces in a few weeks (except it hasn't for the IWC AT!), but then with time I again start to appreciate the intrinsic qualities that drew me to the particular piece in the first place. A couple of years ago, I bought a Doxa GMT and a TSAR within a couple of months of purchasing what had been my grail piece for years, a Sea-Dweller. I honestly thought about selling the Sea-Dweller because I was just so over the moon with the new acquisitions. Guess which one I still have two years later? I do think that you could make out like a bandit with a small haul of some pretty nice pieces if you ever did decide to sell the Sub (hey don't we all like to spend each other's money?) :think:

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Re: When a Grail is not a Grail

Post by jimyritz » Sun Jul 18, 2010 5:22 am

craniotes wrote:
bloozy wrote:As for grails, they are only really grails until you get them...
That's exactly how I feel about it. I mean sure, we still love them, but then it's on to the next one. And if there is no next one, well then, congratulations mo' fo', because you've achieved ultimate WIS enlightenment and are now free to go and find another ridiculous hobby to obsess over...

Regards,
Adam
----------

Well said Adam....Buying, selling, trading and thinking about that next purchase are all part of the hobby...

To me , Grail means the end all be all...once I find it or can afford it (New A& P Offshore Diver or Glashutte Sport EVO) then it's time to close up shop and move on....

Mike

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Re: When a Grail is not a Grail

Post by suddha » Sun Jul 18, 2010 5:47 am

I got my Grail - the no-date Sub - once before. Then I traded it in on a very seductive IWC that I was happy with. But I missed the Sub the day after it was gone. When I got a second chance and it was my 40th birthday gift from my wife, I knew it was THE one Grail for me. The watch hits all the right marks for me - the great history, the versatility, the toughness that doesn't need to be 1000m WR, 45mm wide, and have an HRV to be tough...

There are certainly others I'd love to have and may chase again (current financial priorities prohibit it) but I know I'll always come back to the Sub as my go-to watch and the one I'll have on my 70th birthday (Allah willing that I make it that long).
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Re: When a Grail is not a Grail

Post by moishlashen » Sun Jul 18, 2010 7:29 am

Good thread. I came to the realization is there is no perfect watch-just one you like a lot. So I have a handful of watches I like a lot with a handful more I would like to have and the occasional new piece that pops up. I've been doing the soak time thing also with watches to truly determine if it is one I will keep in my small collection.
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Re: When a Grail is not a Grail

Post by T.R. » Sun Jul 18, 2010 7:33 am

Aren't they all grails...? :shrug: :scratch: :cheers:
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Re: When a Grail is not a Grail

Post by craniotes » Sun Jul 18, 2010 7:47 am

moishlashen wrote:I came to the realization is there is no perfect watch...
And thank god for that, otherwise none of us would be here, since we'd already have our grails safely on our wrists have no need of other watches. :bananastoner:

But seriously, for me this statement means that there is no single all-seeing, all-dancing piece, and that the hunt has to parsed down to watches that come as close as possible to perfect for a given role. For example, I view my new GO Sport Evo GMT as a near-perfect GMT watch -- based on my personal criteria, that is (quickset hour hand, in-house movement, decent water-resistance, sporty appearance, WIS street cred...). Of course, as a diver or a strict dress piece, this watch doesn't make the grade, which is why I have divers and dress watches lurking elsewhere in the watch box...

Yup, it's the hunt that makes it all worth it. :love:

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Re: When a Grail is not a Grail

Post by carlodwc » Sun Jul 18, 2010 8:56 am

I would like to share my thoughts about this, while I actually just posted my first thread and covered this exact point, I think there is a bit more to say. The definition of a Grail could be different from each person's perspective and viewpoint. Even the watch or type of Grail could be different.

What I think however is that what occurs is that one has a goal in mind, which is let's say to get a certain thing done (Get a Sub or something as an example) then he works at it and literally plays the game of reaching that goal. Once the goal is reached the game is over. Of course to sit there and do nothing is not the proper thing, one should at that point, look around and find another goal to reach and another game to play. In this case he could find another watch to get (Like a Seiko diver... - just kidding... :mrgreen: )

Then he can start again and play the game to achieve that new goal - watch. It is better to work toward a constructive goal at all the times and renew or change one's goal every time one is reached so the person can be alive and active and positively working on doing something he deems good in intention and rewarding at the end - like a new watch. :thumbsup:

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Re: When a Grail is not a Grail

Post by cali kid » Sun Jul 18, 2010 9:17 am

I've always felt it wasnt the watch but the thrill of the chase that made it a grail! I dont care how nice your grail is once you've got it your mind is one to the next big final, final grail! :shrug:
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Re: When a Grail is not a Grail

Post by PoliMalaka » Sun Jul 18, 2010 10:39 am

I concur that the idea of a grail is better than the reality. Hence it being called a grail. UNATTAINABLE is the very definition.

That being said, I am also at a place where I've come to a level of contentment with my collection.

I wear 3-4 watches regularly. The rest just sit.

Mostly I wear my Seiko 009, Hamilton Jazzmaster Chrono, and Tissot PR516, but this one is by far the best and most worn.
If I had a grail, this would be it.

Veratile and rugged yet refined and classy.
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Re: When a Grail is not a Grail

Post by Docrwm » Sun Jul 18, 2010 10:40 am

Yup, Speedy for me. Got it, was left cold, tried for a few months, but in the end I sold it and haven't looked back. :thumbsup:

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Re: When a Grail is not a Grail

Post by mattcantwin » Sun Jul 18, 2010 10:54 am

Grail?


Nope, they're all just watches. :stir:
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Re: When a Grail is not a Grail

Post by vbuskirk » Sun Jul 18, 2010 10:57 am

moishlashen wrote:I've been doing the soak time thing also with watches to truly determine if it is one I will keep in my small collection.
I googled "watches soak time", and this is what came back :

http://www.hulu.com/watch/19187/saturda ... rk-soakers
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Re: When a Grail is not a Grail

Post by smalls » Sun Jul 18, 2010 10:59 am

My problem is I have a bad habit of selling watches only to realize that I kinda liked them, hence the 3 Doxa 1000t's and 5 Monsters. Also 3 TSAR's, 2 007's, maybe even 2 PO's. I think if I ended up selling the Sub I would just regret it like Suddha and come back to it so I'll just hold on to this one. But for now I guess I'm grail-less. Sure I like the MM300 and U1 and would love to try out a Steelfish and Kobold but I don't have to have any of them. Guess I need to keep on lookin' ;). Oh, and save up some money :banghead:

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Re: When a Grail is not a Grail

Post by moishlashen » Sun Jul 18, 2010 11:02 am

One thing I've done recently too is I have categories like dressy diver, tool diver etc. I will have my favorite watch from each category then and only 1 watch per category etc. Works for me so far. In the past I've had 6 Fricker divers at the same time, 6 Anonimos at the same time. That doesn't work for me at all :shrug:
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Re: When a Grail is not a Grail

Post by HelloNasty1 » Sun Jul 18, 2010 11:03 am

I just sold my Capeland S XXL (and a few others), I know I will regret this down the road. :banghead: Gotta do, what ya gotta do...great Grail though. :thumbsup:
Better to regret something you have done, than something you haven't done...

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