Why are the most passive aggressive rolex haters always the ones wearing a TAG?

[Fensterdub]

I'm going to vent here a little bit, so bear with me...

I was in London at the weekend wearing my Rolex GMTii and got a good few compliments from friends and strangers alike about my watch. I'm always happy to talk to a fellow enthusiast about a mutual horological obsession so I got chatting to some genuinely nice and interesting people.

With the exception of one guy...

I could see he and his friend were looking over at me and focusing on my wrist and whispering in each others ears etc and after a while the guy approaches me and says "Nice watch, I'm from Switzerland so I have a eye for watches. Although in Switzerland we call Rolex a 'Poor Man's Watch'" and he finished his sentence with a smug little chuckle and a hint of a bitchy eye roll.

It was then that I looked at his wrist and saw he was wearing a TAG. I'm sorry, I'm not a snob about anything and I also have a broad understanding about Rolex's position in the hierarchy of watches, but I refuse to listen to that from a TAG wearer.

If he was wearing a something really special, maybe, but then again the vast majority of people who own a top end haute horology pieces have infinitely more class than to pass such an ignorant comment.

Sorry, rant over and as a caveat I would like to stress that I have nothing against anyone owning a TAG Heuer, they're not for me, but I respect any watch enthusiast regardless of budget. However in this specific context I had to take exception.

[Ravager135]

I'm not sure this post is going to gain a lot of traction. I sympathize but personally I don't care what anyone thinks.

[Mick P]

Originally Posted by Ravager135

I'm not sure this post is going to gain a lot of traction. I sympathize but personally I don't care what anyone thinks.

I would say that 99% of the worlds population don't give a tinkers cuss as to which watch anyone else wears.

Mick

[Fensterdub]

There is a slight distinction between passively not caring what people think and actively responding to someone who seeks you out to pass comment.

[Old Expat Beast]

"I was in London at the weekend wearing my Rolex GMTii and got a good few compliments from friends and strangers alike about my watch. I'm always happy to talk to a fellow enthusiast about a mutual horological obsession so I got chatting to some genuinely nice and interesting people."

Was this at a watch meeting or something? I've never had a single compliment on my Rolexes from strangers.

[Fensterdub]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

"I was in London at the weekend wearing my Rolex GMTii and got a good few compliments from friends and strangers alike about my watch. I'm always happy to talk to a fellow enthusiast about a mutual horological obsession so I got chatting to some genuinely nice and interesting people."

Was this at a watch meeting or something? I've never had a single compliment on my Rolexes from strangers.

It was at a 3 day wedding attended by old friends, current friends and people I didn't know.

[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by Fensterdub

It was at a 3 day wedding attended by old friends, current friends and people I didn't know.

Were you flaunting it a bit?

[Fensterdub]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

Were you flaunting it a bit?

If I was, it was entirely subconscious!

The comment in question happened at about 11pm while I was standing at the bar trying to get the bar tenders attention. Jacket off, sleeves rolled up. I wouldn't call it flaunting so much as temperature regulating after dancing!

[Muzz]

Maybe was wanting you to compliment his Tag with the modified Seiko movement?

[East Bay Rider]

The guy sounds like a jerk. Probably drunk and, like so many people nowadays, actually believes that his opinion matters.

[brandrea]

I've never had anyone comment on my Rolex. Sorry that happened. Sounds like a boorish chap. He probably has other envy issues too

[joe100]

Tag owners, it's always the tag owners!

[Ruud Van Driver]

Sounds like a muppet who was most likely lacking in other departments too.

With people like that, my way of thinking is that it's mind over matter. I don't mind, they don't matter.

[GB-man]

Does seem a bit odd so many people noticed your watch. Is it gold?

Forget that moron.

[Dan Pierce]

So you stereotype someone for their watch of choice because they stereotype you for your watch of choice.
dP

[J!m]

Originally Posted by Dan Pierce

So you stereotype someone for their watch of choice because they stereotype you for your watch of choice.
dP

There's a mind bender...

[Fensterdub]

Originally Posted by GB-man

Does seem a bit odd so many people noticed your watch. Is it gold?

Forget that moron.

Well it's 2 tone, but brand new and nice and shiny. One of my own friends commented on it in a group of people which drew attention and comments from the group and started a nice conversation on watches which I'm always happy to get involved in. Another wedding guest was wearing VC Quai de l'Ille (sp?) which I complimented him on immediately and we got chatting about horology.

The swiss guy at the bar was random.

[Fensterdub]

Originally Posted by Dan Pierce

So you stereotype someone for their watch of choice because they stereotype you for your watch of choice.
dP

No and I was careful to stress that point in the original post.

Honestly if someone passed such a comment about your watch, do you think you wouldn't glance at his wrist and have the same line of thought?

[Rootbeer]

Originally Posted by Dan Pierce

So you stereotype someone for their watch of choice because they stereotype you for your watch of choice.
dP

Bingo. And from the first post he really got the OP's goat because he didn't respect the (cost) 'hierarchy' which has nothing to do with horology and everything to do with snobbery.

Reminds me of the Frost report sketch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2k1iRD2f-c

[Fensterdub]

Originally Posted by Rootbeer

Bingo. And from the first post he really got the OP's goat because he didn't respect the (cost) 'hierarchy' which has nothing to do with horology and everything to do with snobbery.

Reminds me of the Frost report sketch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2k1iRD2f-c

I think that's a slightly unfair comment. I think that if someone is going to openly and without prompt or reason criticise your watch, they had better be prepared for the counter criticism.

The hierarchy of watches is a well known concept in this circle and nothing to do with snobbery.

[Dan Pierce]

Originally Posted by Fensterdub

No and I was careful to stress that point in the original post.

Honestly if someone passed such a comment about your watch, do you think you wouldn't glance at his wrist and have the same line of thought?

On the rare occasion when asked if my Tudor chrono was a Rolex, my reply was, "it's a Tudor made by Rolex. Many call it the poor man's Rolex. Which describes me perfectly."

If you would have agreed and admitted being poor your verbal sparing opponent wouldn't have a clue how to react and the look on his face would have been priceless.
dP

[Psmith]

Owning both must make me very conflicted

[Dan Pierce]

Originally Posted by Psmith

Owning both must make me very conflicted

Or an authentic WIS.
dP

[Psmith]

Originally Posted by Dan Pierce

Or an authentic WIS.
dP

Well I do have the official WIS card...

[Kingair]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

"I was in London at the weekend wearing my Rolex GMTii and got a good few compliments from friends and strangers alike about my watch. I'm always happy to talk to a fellow enthusiast about a mutual horological obsession so I got chatting to some genuinely nice and interesting people."

Was this at a watch meeting or something? I've never had a single compliment on my Rolexes from strangers.

X 2 . . . . never . . .

Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk

[cedargrove]

I've seen it many times, where a new watch enthusiast learns there are watches better than Rolex, and they make it their mission to ensure every Rolex owner knows this.

However it's quite common for these guys to eventually come to appreciate Rolex - it happens all the time on another watch forum.

[T. Ferguson]

Tag is a gateway watch. Which is a good thing.

[cedargrove]

Originally Posted by Dan Pierce

If you would have agreed and admitted being poor your verbal sparing opponent wouldn't have a clue how to react and the look on his face would have been priceless.
dP

I like this. I may have responded with "Sure, but it's all I can afford" and depending on his reaction may have added "So, what are you wearing?"

[Fensterdub]

Originally Posted by cedargrove

I've seen it many times, where a new watch enthusiast learns there are watches better than Rolex, and they make it their mission to ensure every Rolex owner knows this.

However it's quite common for these guys to eventually come to appreciate Rolex - it happens all the time on another watch forum.

Yeah I totally agree. This is exactly what was going on here. I only wish some of the commenters on here were there to witness how venomously snide and smug this guy was.

I think some people of here think I went over to this guy, laughed in his face, gave him 15 lashes and rode off in a gold chariot to go and shoot some puppies!

[azguy]

Originally Posted by Fensterdub

I could see he and his friend were looking over at me and focusing on my wrist and whispering in each others ears etc......

I'm calling BS on your whole story unless you are 17