Watch Snob: Does This Watch Kill Jaeger's Cred?

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The Watch Snob is in. Batman on a Jaeger-LeCoultre?

I ran across something beyond disconcerting, as Jaeger-LeCoultre has always been at the top of the list for me in all horological respects: a Reverso with a Batman logo on the reversed side of the case. How can anyone actually take this company seriously now? Rather than the usual "ambassador" garbage from watch companies, Jaeger has taken it a step further into the depths of hell, deigning to produce a watch with a superhero emblem on it. Is this worthy of complete condemnation for this brand? I feel that it is hard to take Jaeger seriously now.There comes a time when the scales must fall from our eyes and we see the world for what is. Our idols never cease to fail us, and watch brands are no exception. Branding a Reverso with a Batman logo (or even Mad Men) is even more egregious in my eyes than Omega’s weak tie-in with James Bond Inc. since Omega has long been a marketing machine. Jaeger is not immune to slip-ups. I find its Master Compressor line an eyesore, and its use of movie actors as props seems beneath it. It’s a question of balance. If the branding outweighs the watchmaking, I will not hesitate to rain down my criticism on a brand. So despite Jaeger’s recent silliness, I can forgive it because, by and large, it builds such magnificent watches, and the Reverso is a fine example. If a little juvenile cartoon-character cross-branding helps pad the watchmaking budget, I’m willing to look the other way while it goes slumming. For now. Chronoswiss watches

I'm just curious on your thoughts on Chronoswiss watches. It's my favorite brand that my budget can afford. I have the Timemaster 24 Hour day and night. It took a long time to save up for. Everything in my life I had to work hard for. I had to pay for half my high school tuition. When I was going to college, I worked full-time night shift at a hospital in the oncology unit. Working 12 hours at night, then going straight to school/clinicals. I averaged 8-10 hours of sleep a week. My professors and clinical instructors were amazed I passed/graduated. Hell, I'm amazed I did it. How could I complain though during all that? There were countless times at work where I was holding the hand of a person dying as they took their last breaths. It puts things in perspective.I now work with cancer patients, stroke victims, cardiac patients, etc. I help them get back to their lives by teaching them how to eat, dress, and bathe. Nothing is more rewarding than seeing a person near death and rehabilitating them to the point where they are able to go home back to their everyday lives doing the things they love. I love what I do and it's rewarding on many levels. Will it ever get me my Patek? Probably not and I'm OK with that. I can admire Pateks from afar. I have the Watch Snob's taste for watches, but not the Watch Snob's budget.Cue the violins and pass the tissues. Was there a watch question in there or was this the first draft of a forgettable new movie screenplay? Oh, yes, Chronoswiss. The short answer is, there are worse brands to have as favorites. If that sounds like lukewarm praise, it is. While I admire some of what Gerd Lang did with the brand at a time when mechanical watches were at their nadir of popularity, the styling of most of Chronoswiss watches borders on the baroque and the movement modifications haven’t gone far enough to really make the cognoscenti sit up and take notice. So they have continued to exist on a rather forgotten second shelf. Still, it’s not the obvious choice in the price range in which you’re looking, so I commend you for looking past the usual suspects. However, while you may not have the Watch Snob’s budget, you still don’t have my taste either. Question from a Watch Knob

I’m a Brazilian guy who owns a Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Reserve de Marche. Is the watch snobby enough to guarantee me the rights and privileges of a Watch Snob?Contrary to what you may think, strapping on a fine timepiece does not endow any guy, Brazilian or otherwise, the title of Watch Snob. There is a considerable apprenticeship and years of study and hands-on experience before one can even approach my dais. And from the fact that you asked this question, it is clear that you are nowhere close. While a watch may befit a certain man, a man is not always worthy of a watch. Continue Reading

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