Wasting money on expensive items

Cross ball point pens.
3 times the price of a Parker jotter, but 10 x the quality.
If you like a nice pen, but don't want to spend a fortune, get one of these.
Feels heavy in the hand, and quite chunky, but you soon get used to it. (Stop sniggering at the back)
I've had one for ten years, still looks like new. Uses the steel tube refill, so no leaks.
Just need to learn to write now...
 
This.

A lesson I learned far too late in the day.

It makes far more sense to buy expensive clothes and treat them well than contributing to the disease that is fast fashion. It’s better for the planet, plus you’ll treat those clothes very well and if you do it right they’ll be timeless. Or buy some shitty H&M gear each and every month.
Is this really the case nowadays, though? I can't remember the last time I threw something away because of a lack of quality. I don't think people buy shitloads of fast fashion because it keeps breaking, it's because it's so cheap that it doesn't matter that you're throwing away perfectly serviceable clothes.

I'd also say that when stuff is really expensive, with the exception of certain items, it's usually not because it's better quality, it's because it's designer.

You can buy cheap clothes and have them last a long time. It's just that most people don't.
 
03c659249996c2eac3b1814fc7f64a58.jpg
 
Anything that offers a lifetime guarantee shouldn't be overlooked, even if the initial cost seems expensive.
I can't justify buying snap on tools, (i'm a DIY mechanic) but I have a chest full of halfords advanced. I've not broke any of them yet, but if I do they replace, foc.
I had a Swiss army knife that I broke the blade on, (over 20 years old) I emailed them, more for a laugh than anything, they replied saying send it to us we will take a look. I did. 2 weeks later a brand new replacement arrived.
Gerber multitool. Broke the main blade. Sent it back, replaced with a brand new one, and they sent me a nylon pouch and bit set.
Quality and customer service seem to go hand in hand.
Buy the best you can afford
 
Talking about watches my Dad who died when I was very young and he had an Omega one from the 1940's.
It had no strap on it didn't work and the watch screen was badly scratched.
My mum gave it to me when I was about 15 but I just left it in her draw as I didn't want to lose it at the time.
Long story short it stayed in the draw for about 25 years and then my mum decided to let my sister have it to give to her son.
I was a bit pissed off my sister had not cleared it with me first being the only son and basically we fell out over it.
There was no way she would have paid for it to be restored so to get it back I offered to buy her son any watch in the Omega range to give it back to me.
Of course to save face she declined and sent it back to me.
I took it to an Omega specialist and then it had to be sent over to Switzerland for a quote.
With a new strap the renovation bill was over £3500 for a watch at most, is worth about £300 but sentimentally as its the only thing I have of my fathers it was a price that just had to be paid
Super story mate. Watches can carry a tonne of emotional memories. They are so personal and evoke so many memories.
My Dad had an old Smyths 9ct gold ‘Railway Watch’ (they were presented to railwaymen at their retirement) that was his dad’s. Like you, he never wore it as he was scared to death of losing it/damaging it and it stayed in his wardrobe for over 40 years.
I had it restored for him and got it working perfectly (well as good as a 60-odd year old watch can ever run) and he then wore it until he himself passed away a few years ago.
My brother has it now (Dad wanted to give it to me but I think things like that should go to the eldest) but we both wear it occasionally on special family occasions. It cost a lot to have it restored but I would have paid ten times the amount. Every time I see it I think of my dear old Dad, and my grandad who I never got to meet.
 
Super story mate. Watches can carry a tonne of emotional memories. They are so personal and evoke so many memories.
My Dad had an old Smyths 9ct gold ‘Railway Watch’ (they were presented to railwaymen at their retirement) that was his dad’s. Like you, he never wore it as he was scared to death of losing it/damaging it and it stayed in his wardrobe for over 40 years.
I had it restored for him and got it working perfectly (well as good as a 60-odd year old watch can ever run) and he then wore it until he himself passed away a few years ago.
My brother has it now (Dad wanted to give it to me but I think things like that should go to the eldest) but we both wear it occasionally on special family occasions. It cost a lot to have it restored but I would have paid ten times the amount. Every time I see it I think of my dear old Dad, and my grandad who I never got to meet.
Horology, in a nutshell.
The study of, and the appreciation of time.
And time is the most precious thing we all have, and share, as humans.
Sorry to hear of the passing of your dad, but I'm glad he got to wear his dad's watch during his later years, I'm sure he would have enjoyed it, you did a great thing.
Wonderful to read your memories, and I hope that watch ticks on for many years to come.
 
Last edited:
Horology, in a nutshell.
The study of, and the appreciation of time.
And time is the most precious thing we all have, and share, as humans.
Sorry to hear of the passing of your dad, but I'm glad he got to wear his dad's watch during his later years, I'm sure he would have enjoyed it, you did a great thing.
Wonderful to read your memories, and I hope that watch ticks on for many years to come.
Thank you very much mate. That’s a lovely message.
 
This.

A lesson I learned far too late in the day.

It makes far more sense to buy expensive clothes and treat them well than contributing to the disease that is fast fashion. It’s better for the planet, plus you’ll treat those clothes very well and if you do it right they’ll be timeless. Or buy some shitty H&M gear each and every month.

Same for cars. Buy a piece of junk and pay for endless servicing.

I own a few luxury watches and they are great conversation starters and people who dismiss them need to understand them better. The sheer level of diligence that goes into making them is remarkable.
I don't feel the need to understand luxury watches better. Expensive watches are just items of jewellery that happen to tell the time, and some of them not very well.
 
Cross ball point pens.
3 times the price of a Parker jotter, but 10 x the quality.
If you like a nice pen, but don't want to spend a fortune, get one of these.
Feels heavy in the hand, and quite chunky, but you soon get used to it. (Stop sniggering at the back)
I've had one for ten years, still looks like new. Uses the steel tube refill, so no leaks.
Just need to learn to write now...
No matter how expensive the pen, it still produces shite.
 

Don't have an account? Register now and see fewer ads!

SIGN UP
Back
Top
  AdBlock Detected
Bluemoon relies on advertising to pay our hosting fees. Please support the site by disabling your ad blocking software to help keep the forum sustainable. Thanks.