The Great Debate: Rolex vs. Independent Brands (Collection Review)

[@TheoandHarris]

Head to squarespace.com/theoharris to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code THEOHARRIS

[@FraserJohnstone1]

I’m a fan, Christian was always the star of the show!! However I think he’s at his best with another person to bounce off, Christian and Michael were great together, his dad or even the other chap……These videos of Christian alone are great, he does have engaging opinions, but I personally enjoy him most when he is with someone else, i enjoy the longer form and I would love to see him do both formats….. !!

[@uncles2000]

Yep

[@mrpoopoo888]

Agree

[@lonewolfemcquade8133]

You're still bringing Mike up😂 Get over it already

[@ozzy1154]

@@lonewolfemcquade8133yeah dude you’re so right, quality literally dropped 80% when he left and hasn’t even begun to recuperate but we should just get over it. Come on

[@osobad1127]

Theo is the comic relief not the star

[@rickfowler3710]

loving the channel Christian. Keep up the good work. Happy Christmas mate

[@oftheessencetimeis1892]

I agree with the others who say that they love this format. One of your best videos. Keep it up.

[@dennisjuenger4996]

Excellent episode - love it & Happy Christmas ✨️🍸

[@witte2702]

hey Christian -- this is an interesting and engaging format of video ..... good job.

[@leoanthony7281]

I like your calm demeanor and approach to this video, you seem to go into more detail with each watch and how your forming your opinions of them, it’s a nice break from the giggle fest.

[@WAMwatches]

Awesome collection! Great choices as well. I would add the Glashutte Original SeaQ in the 39.5 case and add the sapphire case back. Think that's a great next piece.

[@kestonwright9881]

This is the first video I have seen from you. Great honest content. I lean more to the indies but a beautiful watch is a beautiful watch no matter who makes it.

[@BenNS1971]

In 1996 Chopard was launching its high horology collection with the caliber 96 made with the collaboration of Michelle Parmigiani.

[@zsazsa69]

Really like this series, Christian

[@billtodd7693]

Great episode! Merry Christmas!!

[@guillemcorberocarreres2498]

Merry Christmas Christian!

[@remus2001]

FYI: Rolex admitted that their watch didn’t make it to the summit. So they continue to use climbing imagery, but they make no reference to the Hillary’s and Norgay’s expedition.

[@Beck-Stein]

What literature did you read this in? Id be interested in read it as everything i read was contrary. Norgay, being the first to climb the summit, had an explorer on.

[@outcastkatsuki]

Not sure about Norgay but they did do a half-hearted apology about their advertising at the time with regards to Hillary: “In our view, it is quite unimportant as to which person was wearing which watch at the top because, as has been said by Colonel Sir John Hunt, the whole job was a team effort.…if by a fortuitous chance Sir Edmund Hillary's watch did not reach him or if he was not wearing it in his ascent of the last few hundreds of feet, then we regret that our first advertisements in connection with Everest suggested the contrary, although we had every reason to suppose that he received his watch.…It would appear from Mr. Barrett's letter that Sir Edmund Hillary was in fact only wearing one watch at the summit and that a Smiths watch. We congratulate Smiths on the fact that their Smiths de Luxe ordinary wind wrist watch reached the summit with Sir Edmund Hillary. R. A. WINTER, Director, The Rolex Watch Co., Ltd., 1 Green Street, Mayfair, London W.1.” - BHI's Horological Journal from October '53 (p651)

[@pedroaochoa]

@@Beck-SteinThe unspoken story has it that he either left it at base camp or had it in his pocket. What Hillary had on his wrist was a smiths. This has been an ongoing debate but no one has tangible evidence of either claim. Both the oyster and the smiths were used. Hans Wilsdorf was a genius marketer so he sold the shit out of the story true or not. And the legend gets better and better with age.

[@Beck-Stein]

@@outcastkatsuki norgay and hillary made a pack stating neither would state who made it to the top first. Several years later hillary stated that if it was shameful to be the second one up to the top that he should live it. I think he attempted the ascent first and did not make it until his second attempt after norgay was already there. Ill look for the literature.

[@bigbodykarate6403]

@@Beck-Stein what do you mean what literature , this is a known fact since forever . Rolex is all marketing , they were never the first at ANYTHING . Its all BS marketing

[@alocascio5825]

Love this format! GJ Christian!

[@PortWaterDogs4Eva]

Christian, as a female watch nerd, I love your takes on a lot of your watch picks. This is such a great video. I like! more like this please! I love learning about independent watch brands also, not just the boring watches that I love too! Keep up the good work!

[@BenNS1971]

I don’t want to be “that guy”, but, if I’m not mistaken, Habring2 makes between 400 and 600 watches a year. I own the Erwin (dead beat seconds). Absolutely love the brand.

[@thepartrain]

Where do we submit our collections?! This is awesome.

[@BenNS1971]

Garrick was an amazing suggestion!

[@AndreaDoesYoga]

🤔 Really makes you rethink the value of Rolex vs. indie brands! ⌚

[@Ilikeavocados822]

fantastic collection! just FANTASTIC

[@jasonpena2000]

Merry Christmas from 🗽...enjoy the snowy Christmas eve...wild!

[@BenNS1971]

I adore the CK 859. It’s a fabulous watch.

[@BenNS1971]

Loving this video. Congratulations! Would love to participate.

[@Tnecniv12321]

Some nice pieces there, but hardly the "ultimate watch collection". Clickbait.

[@RobMyself]

Thank you for contributing.

[@Beck-Stein]

I think independents have way better finishing but you cannot beat rolex marketing. Collectors value money retention as part of collecting.

[@pedroaochoa]

Well said. I tried explaining this to someone but they immediately freak. They think you’re mad. Makes you think how strong Rolex marketing and sold perception really is. Fascinating.

[@polysyllobic]

If you’re worried about value retention, then you should be putting your money into stocks, not watches. Watches, cars, boats, trading cards, none of these things are investments.

[@Beck-Stein]

@@polysyllobic i never stated it was an investment as it is a hobby. As a collector we buy and sell all the time as tastes and desires alter. For you to state that value retention is not important is disingenuous. I highly doubt you don’t want max price when reselling YOUR watches!

[@lonewolfemcquade8133]

If Rolex sold a terrible product maybe the Rolex is just marketing excuse would have some truth to it but they don't

[@rudimussrodeln]

tell me about the independents with better craftsmanship as rolex

[@Dakota-d4n]

I’m a Tissot and old Hamilton and Bulova watches guy

[@DontDoDaylight]

Thank you, sir.

[@uncles2000]

Omega 210.90.42.20.01.001 Glashütte Original 1-36-01-03-02-05 Grand Seiko SBGE257 Longines L48154922 Casio DW5600E-1V

[@ollik8192]

Laine is pronounced like line and then you add a short "e". It translates as a wave. Great watches, BTW.

[@BenNS1971]

I owned the 124270 and though sometimes I loved it, sometimes I didn’t, so I ended up moving on.

[@mikemurphy8996]

Your one of 20 Men on Earth that can pull off a moustache in 2024. In a non Ironic way of course.

[@pete5534]

Purchase what you like! Go to your local shops, and try something on. If it really speaks to you, buy it.

[@John-sg9fz]

What is wrong with Christian? Why did Anna leave? Why did Michael leave?

[@andrpers14]

Thx Christian @TheoandHarris #theoandharris… I’ll take my time on this. Have actually been looking at a more dressy @habring2 #habring2. Right now leaning 60% to neo vintage pepsi or a sub 16800 or maybe even a vintage tudor sub (having the ck859 function as my dress watch). Would be nice to gift my sons with a rolex they remember me by, a 114270 and maybe a 16800. The current explorer already wears a message from me on the caseback 😅 I’d like the collection to contain different watches (kind of an oxymoron, but explorer, especially 1016 is simply the GOAT). I’ll look into Laine. Superinteresting that you can tailor them. Would be just for me then 😉🎉 Wish you all a merry christmas

[@LanguagesWithAndrew]

Wait wait wait wait wait...we need to hear the "dad had to go to the doctor to get a cockroach removed that crawled in there [where is "there"?!] the night before".

[@dufferjuice]

I enjoy this format!

[@thesmokinggent499]

Where’s Anna?

[@James-nu5ln]

Couldn't watch the whole thing. This was supposed to be about reviewing a dude's watch collection but he just seemed to talk about himself

[@factstology]

where's harris?

[@FraserJohnstone1]

@@factstology who’s Harris? 🧐

[@andrpers14]

Habring oscar ❤

[@ListenToPowerViolence]

It's weird how people are so triggered by Rolex being the best brand by far.

[@pedroaochoa]

Best brand in branding and marketing, by far. No one is even close to the same, and probably never will be. They have incredible brand dna, identity, and value retention. It is the king of the hill. But when you hold a patek, a vacheron, and AP, even a jlc next to the best Rolex model, you realize what high end watchmaking is.

[@ListenToPowerViolence]

@@pedroaochoa I don't care about movement finishing. I was a robust tool watch that will survive thwacking against door frames, drops and whatever else I throw at it. Also Rolex is more accurate than those brands.

[@yonchrr]

Haters gonna hate. Basically flat earthers.

[@Shawn-o4z8y]

Nothings beats rolex

[@draveed]

@@ListenToPowerViolence Sounds like you want a G-Shock.

[@ListenToPowerViolence]

Rolex is the ultimate independent. Big doesn't mean not independent.

[@bigbodykarate6403]

garbage take , rolex movements are trash, Rolex cases are trash (their metal is SOFT scratches just from the hair on your wrist ) Their Dials are Garbage too (they literally dont last long at all vintage rolex needs to be re dialed at some point , you can look for vintage Seiko and the dials are fine same with vintage German brands . its all marketing , The swiss suck .

[@FraserJohnstone1]

@@ListenToPowerViolence Rolex isn’t independent……😀

[@ListenToPowerViolence]

@@FraserJohnstone1 Who owns Rolex then numb tits?

[@ListenToPowerViolence]

@@bigbodykarate6403 Cope, poor.

[@mikemurphy8996]

Ultimate collection: MVMT, Michael Kors, Lacoste, Fossil, modern Movado, Diesel, and last but not least, Daniel Wellington. The case design in a Daniel Wellington is amazing, The Quartz movement in a MVMT is unbelievable, The dials that Michael Kors creates are second to none, I can’t believe Diesel can fit all that watch in a 55 case. A good day for me is when I can match my cologne brand with my watch brand. The other thing that most people don’t know is that the bracelets on a Daniel Wellington are so sharp that I can shave my beard with it. Try doing that with a Rolex. That’s value! Merry Christmas and a happy New Year my fellow watch nerds. I’m on my way to the mall to buy my next watch.

[@FraserJohnstone1]

@@mikemurphy8996 😂

[@John-wf5if]

Rolex is the KING for a reason. Iconic beyond catching.

[@osobad1127]

I have no idea what he is blabbing about, stay off the booger-sugar kid 🤦‍♂️

[@rudimussrodeln]

Ironically Rolex is the only real independent brand

[@uncles2000]

AP and Patek called and said, hold my beer

[@pedroaochoa]

Do you mean independent by operating independently form the Hans Wilsdorf foundation? Or independent by being vertically made in-house? With masters like FP Journe, Rexhep Rexhepi, MB&F, or even Weiss out of the states who make even the smallest screw on their own. What makes Rolex the only real independent? No corporate giant owns Oris, and they now make their own calibers in house. Are they independent? Patek? AP?

[@rudimussrodeln]

@@pedroaochoa FP Journe is a company of shareholders with 20% of chanel owning. The others I don‘t know about, too irrelevant to be called independent for sure. Rolex is the only brand that does not have to care about short profits. Their wellbeing is secured by one of the mightiest foundations in the world. While others may have more handwork and fiddly complications, Rolex builds the most refined product by industry standard. Easily the best and most powerful watch brand in the world.

[@rudimussrodeln]

@@uncles2000 Patek is strong as well, but AP is not even future proof while being operated by a family without successors. AP is way below Rolex and continues to fall, Patek is another story but still below Rolex in regards of future proofness.

[@drdesign6886]

Yeah but it’s not independent. It’s owned by a foundation who also own other brands and assets. Hand Wildorf Foundation is independent. Not Rolex. And no they are now the same thing. A true independent brand is a brand who control themselves and themselves alone without any higher taskmaster than them. So yeah again - not Rolex. Not Tudor. Not most brands these days to be fair, bar a very select few usually at the highest end of the luxury market.