[Rancid]

@XogGyux, @Potemkin you fucking nerds. GET OUT OF HERE!

[ingliz]

brands

I've still got a couple of pairs of vintage 1970s Levis I bought in the '70s. Today, in Japan, they retail for $1,032.00 a pair.

[Godstud]

@XogGyux A fake Rolex is called a Trollex.

I've met a few people who had those, and when I asked if it was real, they said, "Copy. Copy. Copy.".

That said, I've seen some amazing "fakes". A friend has an Omega Skyfall watch that he got in Bangkok 5 years ago. It's indistinguishable from the real thing, even in weight. It set him back a whopping 3,000 baht($86 USD). It's still running!

[Drlee]

I have a real Rolex. It is very impressive. Almost everyone looks at me and figures it is a Foolex anyway. It has been "in the shop" twice for repair. $500.00 the first time and $650 the second. The gold band is stretched and a new band is several thousand dollars. There are folks who say they can tighten a band. We'll see. It is a date just and worth more now than I paid for it. And even at that, worst.investment.ever. I wear it rarely.

I have an Orient Pepsi dial watch. It is 21 jewel movement, accurate to 15 seconds a day, attracts many favorable comments and is a dead ringer for a Rolex GMT Master. Sweep second hand and waterproof to 200 meters. It cost me $150.00 in 2015 and I just had it cleaned and polished for $25.00. Best.investment.ever. I may get a new one just to have it.

Wearing Ralph Loren Socks. Got a horse on the side of them. I am a fucking rock star.

[Godstud]

@Drlee I had a Breitling Super Ocean. It was good to 1500m, for diving.

Sadly enough, it sits at the bottom of a lake that's about 7m deep. The watch band broke as I was getting on the raft and I didn't notice for a few minutes. $2500 USD in the drink.

It was costly to own, however. I had it refurbished after 3 years. It had come to a stop. $600 in Canada, but only $200 in Thailand. I got it done in Thailand.

I've given up on watches. They cost too much. They are unreliable or need maintaining at high prices, and you don't need one if you have a phone. As Roy Kent said on Ted lasso when his Rolex got stolen: "So what? I don't need a phone and a watch.".

[Potemkin]

@Drlee I had a Breitling Super Ocean. It was good to 1500m, for diving.

Sadly enough, it sits at the bottom of a lake that's about 7m deep. The watch band broke as I was getting on the raft and I didn't notice for a few minutes. $2500 USD in the drink.

It was costly to own, however. I had it refurbished after 3 years. It had come to a stop. $600 in Canada, but only $200 in Thailand. I got it done in Thailand.

I've given up on watches. They cost too much. They are unreliable or need maintaining at high prices, and you don't need one if you have a phone. As Roy Kent said on Ted lasso when his Rolex got stolen: "So what? I don't need a phone and a watch.".

@Godstud, you need one of these:

Casio GW 5000.

It’s not a status symbol, it’s not a fashion statement, it’s a machine for telling you the time. Much more convenient than pulling out your mobile phone.

[Godstud]

Wow, @Potemkin, a digital watch!!!? How exotic!


Far too expensive, though. I'd like a watch under $100 that is bulletproof. I'm tough on watches.

[Potemkin]

Wow, @Potemkin, a digital watch!!!? How exotic!


Far too expensive, though. I'd like a watch under $100 that is bulletproof. I'm tough on watches.

It’s a G-Shock, @Godstud. You can’t get a watch more bulletproof than that. I’d had mine for ten years, and I’ve never had to service it or change the battery. It takes a lickin’ and it keeps on tickin’.

[Godstud]

@Potemkin I'll try to find a cheap knockoff.

Actually, it looks like a good watch with a lot of accessories and things you can modify, on it.
https://www.lazada.co.th/catalog/?q=Cas ... 7f6dr4Hhy2

[Potemkin]

@Potemkin I'll try to find a cheap knockoff.

Actually, it looks like a good watch with a lot of accessories and things you can modify, on it.
https://www.lazada.co.th/catalog/?q=Cas ... 7f6dr4Hhy2

Yep, that’s part of the appeal. When I got mine, I swapped out the cheap (but comfortable) resin strap for a better-looking and tougher (but still comfortable) link bracelet. You need to move on from ‘luxury’ watches which need refurbished every three years and have straps which break for no reason, and cross over to the G-Shock side, @Godstud.

[Godstud]

Yes.... I feel compelled to purchase a G-Shock(close to G-string, and I like those).



Also, I am done with fancy watches. No one gives a rat's ass what you have.

They seem much cheaper, here...
https://www.lazada.co.th/catalog/?q=Cas ... 7f6dhZo2FV

Not the one you linked, mind you.

[Potemkin]

Yes.... I feel compelled to purchase a G-Shock(close to G-string, and I like those).



Also, I am done with fancy watches. No one gives a rat's ass what you have.

They seem much cheaper, here...
https://www.lazada.co.th/catalog/?q=Cas ... 7f6dhZo2FV

Not the one you linked, mind you.

That’s the spirit, @Godstud! A watch should just be a machine for telling you the time. Get the most efficient and cheapest machine you can. Job done!

[Godstud]

Ordered one of these. G-Shock GMD B800sc-1bdr

[Potemkin]

Ordered one of these. G-Shock GMD B800sc-1bdr

Excellent choice, my good sir!

[ingliz]

G-Shock

Digital battery-driven watches don't work with me. After a few hours they just stop, so I am stuck with the mechanical. My 40 Maltese Lira Seiko automatic is still keeping good time after 20 some years of daily use, and my even cheaper Russian dress watch is still serviceable after 50. But then I am on Malta time and a few lost minutes here or there is neither here nor there.

[Drlee]

I agree about the watch and the phone. Speaking of brands....

The other day I pulled my Iphone out to answer a call. It is an Iphone 11. I hate it but then I hate all of my phones. I just hate this one worse. I like Siri but she does not like me so she fucks with me. She absolutely will not get addresses right when I ask for directions. My wife, sitting right next to me in the car can ask the same question on my Iphone and it works every time. I do not have a speech impediment or funny accent. I am originally from California and so is Iphone.

One of my kid volunteers asked me when I was going to "upgrade" my Iphone. He said mine was obsolete. The little fucker is lucky I did not stick it up his ass.

[Rancid]

One of my kid volunteers asked me when I was going to "upgrade" my Iphone. He said mine was obsolete. The little fucker is lucky I did not stick it up his ass.

This obsessions with having the newest electronic device is a key contributor to climate change. Tell that kid he's killing the future.

[noemon]

Fashion more broadly has died, at least in the UK.

In Greece clothes stores are going very strong.

3 things we lament with my wife about the UK is the lack of cloth stores, furniture stores and bakeries.

Only the cheap main brands are available, all selling the same clothes.

No boutique independent stores to buy clothes, furniture or bread.

Need something, go to Tesco's, HMV, Topshop and all that crap.

I go to TK Maxx and buy a bunch of t-shirts once per year. Thankfully Levi jeans are still around.

My worry about the car is the potholes and the fact that all motorways are destroyed to the point that any mildly fast car becomes extremely uncomfortable to drive due to the condition of the roads rather than the fear of being mugged.

Lambo's, Ferraris and such are undrivable in the UK, that is you will get a herniated disk if you drive one for more than 15 minutes. As the motorwys are worn(like ripped), the tyres also produce extreme amounts of noise.

Even BMW's are undrivable this year.

Infrastructure has been neglected to the point that there isn't a single proper motorway in Britain.

[Wellsy]

Can’t find it but I think there is sone former east german company that had a philosophy of affordable but quality goods that might fit well within this thread. Can’t remember the company though.

It came up when I saw a discussion of Shaq’s brands being affordable rather than something like Air Jordan's.

[Rancid]

TK Maxx

Fun fact, in the US these stores are called TJ Maxx.