Watch Dandy

Let me pose a little thought experiment. How much have Rolex online forums cost the global economy in terms of wasted productivity in the workforce? How many hours are lost speculating over the Crown’s possible new releases, comparing advice on how to change an Oysterflex, or conducting snap polls on whether to buy the GMT Root Beer or the blue dial Submariner (two tone)? By my calculations, the dollar value would buy Paul Newman’s famous Daytona several times over. Rolexforums.com has hosted more than 11 million posts alone. But what is the psychological impetus behind this intense buzz of activity? Hiwa Khezri decided to find out. During his Masters degree in Management and Strategic Marketing at the Catolica Lisbon School of Business and Economics, he completed a dissertation that delved into Rolex online brand communities (AKA Rolex’s unofficial fan-boy sites). Hiwa analysed a mountain of posts from two Facebook sources – the Rolex Forum and the Rolex Forum Norge (Noreweigan) for his paper entitled: A Netnographic Study of Rolex Members’ Motivations for Online Engagement. You can read the whole thing here. But essentially Hiwa found that the reasons for posting came down to three main drivers. 1. Social validation Members…

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As far as ubiquitous movements go, the SW200 and its variants is one to make your eyes light up when you see it on a specification sheet. Originally a clone of the ever-loved ETA 2824, once the patent had expired, Sellita’s version remains just as reliable, affordable and well-performing as its ETA twin. The 4Hz beat rate, 38 hour power reserve and moderate 4.6mm thickness makes it a great all-rounder movement for any watches that can house it. Here are five great examples… Montblanc 1858 Automatic The SW200 is no stranger to luxury treatment, being disguised here as the calibre MB 24.15 in this Montblanc 1858 Automatic — probably one of the best exploration-themed watches of the modern era. The smoked-blue fumé dial combined with the silver steel case and crisp white highlights evoke the feeling of a snow-swept mountain, as depicted by the instantly recognisable Montblanc logo. The thin, rotating compass bezel just adds to the vintage charm of the 40mm watch, as do the printed minute markers and large cathedral hands. Offering 100m of water resistance, this watch can handle the most intrepid adventure, while the 20mm lug width ensures you can put it on an adventure-ready alternative…

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