given a choice, which would you rather own and what's the reason for your choice?

[hellboy]

dear Everyone,
if given a choice, which would you rather own and what's the reason for your choice?

a) Blancpain Tribute to Fifty Fathoms (with no radiations dial, limited run of 500, long history of brand)
(no worries on servicing as it is readily available in singapore)

b) Vintage VDB II Base (brand new, very limited run of 15, fairly new company) $5700 SGD (servicing might be an issue as it'll have to be sent back to germany)

considering the price, would you buy VDB and save the rest of the money for other stuffs?

or would you rather spend the money on a much reputable brand like Blancpain (immaculate movements and worry-free after service) for a peace of mind?

thanks a million in advance for all your inputs as i'm kinda vexed at this point

[Oceanklassik]

My choice is the Blancpain 50 Fathoms

[triton]

you already know my choice - neither.

[dmitri]

Fifty Fathoms, simply because it's one of my dive watch grails.

[burnz]

blancpain FF without a doubt.
imho, any money you pay towards a VDB will just be wasted and down the drain..

[toffeesthings]

Agree with Bro Burnz, Dimitri and Ocean...any Blancpain 50 Fathoms (limited edition or normal version, current or vintage) in a heartbeat.

I have the No Radiations version and it just radiates on the wrist!
(PM me if interested to buy, I might just let go at the right price : p )

Anyway, the FF might cost about 3 times more than the VDBII but there is such a thing as pedigree and brand equity in Blancpain.

On a more serious note, I guess even if you get the VDB, you'll eventually save up enough to get a FF and when that happens, it'd probably be hard to sell of the VDB...

[dmitri]

Maybe I should revise on my post a little:

Not being aware of the VDB brand myself, I'd have to say most people would've picked the FF simply based on brand equity, if not the design and heritage of Blancpain's diver watches.

The huge price disparity is a tad curious too. Obviously I will not attempt to write off TS' preference for the VDB piece as a purely subjective taste thing, nor will I cast aspersions on his penchant for all things limited edition (15 pieces in the world is truly limited).

Personally, at that price range of an FF, the dive watch fan in me would probably have considered a close (or closer in terms of price, brand, prestige and recognition) substitute such as the MCDC or any of the Navy Seals pieces that JLC carries. That said, I do not consider them to be substitutes as I would love to own them all given the opportunity.

I do not buy watches while considering their resale value simultaneously. If this means anything to TS, then perhaps the FF is an obvious choice. I derive this from Blancpain's brand equity and recognition of course and not from concrete dollar values and percentage loss when attempting to resell it pre-owned.

With Blancpain clearly the more desired brand out there, the demand might cause price rigidity in the resale market (there is no rigidity in the brand new watch market since prices always exhibit and up up and away upwardly mobile trend). The resultant: you can be more assured that the FF won't cause you to lose too much money when you eventually decide to sell it. Don't quote me because it largely depends on how you take care of your piece.

So which would I pick as the rational buyer? The Fifty Fathoms, beyond the shadow of a doubt. And, to add, as a keeper, be it the tribute version, the radiation version or the normal FF.

In conclusion, I might also indulge to add that if you were willing to consider the FF, then the VDB will probably not fill the void. In which case, who knows? You might end up buying the VDB first then make another swoop for the FF. However, if it is fine by you, go ahead by all means.

[hellboy]

appreciation to everyone

dear Oceanklassik, triton, dmitri, burnz, toffeesthings,

here's a big thank you from the bottom of my heart
to all of you for taking the effort and your precious time to provide me a light at the end of the tunnel, really appreciate that

it's so true what bro dmitri mentioned on not being able to fill the void if i bought something else and naively thinking that i'll forget about the Blancpain...it did happen to me before on other purchases
also the in-depth on history of brand, collectable reasons and value, is a very commendable effort to help a distressed member like me make decisions with a clearer mind

what bro toffeesthings & bro burnz said on the value of Blancpain vs the VDB makes great sense as BP is a brand with rich history as compared to VDB, which doesn't ring a bell as much, if any at all
the price for the VDB is definitely on the high side considering that it's from a micro watch brand...perhaps the limited supply on production pieces contributes greatly to the price.

[turboducky]

dear Everyone,
if given a choice, which would you rather own and what's the reason for your choice?

a) Blancpain Tribute to Fifty Fathoms (with no radiations dial, limited run of 500, long history of brand)
(no worries on servicing as it is readily available in singapore)

b) Vintage VDB II Base (brand new, very limited run of 15, fairly new company) $5700 SGD (servicing might be an issue as it'll have to be sent back to germany)

considering the price, would you buy VDB and save the rest of the money for other stuffs?

or would you rather spend the money on a much reputable brand like Blancpain (immaculate movements and worry-free after service) for a peace of mind?

thanks a million in advance for all your inputs as i'm kinda vexed at this point

.
It has to be Blancpain, it's such a reputable watch brand. Although I think you should use your heart when getting a watch, good luck!

[dmitri]

Thus far,

Blancpain 5 - 0 VDB

(1 vote voided by triton)

[ocean9]

Buy what u love to wear NOW and can afford IT. Regret later