Friendzoned Watches: It's Not the Watch, It's Me.

Imagine the “friend zone.” We’ve all been there. It’s that awkward place where you adore someone’s vibe, you laugh at their jokes, you even gush about them to your friends, and yet you know, deep down, they’re never making it past “platonic brunch buddy.”

Watches have their own friend zone, too. These are the brands and models we admire from a safe distance. We love their personality, we appreciate their history, and we’d even defend them in a heated Reddit thread. However, despite all the above, we have no interest in putting the proverbial ring on it. They’re fun to talk about, fun to borrow, maybe even fun for a one-night fling at a watch meetup. But actual ownership? Nah. That’s a commitment we’re not ready to make.

So, let’s pour one out for the Friendzone Watches: forever respected, forever admired, but forever living in the “I love you… just not like that” category. Below is a list of our friend zone watches, some of which may surprise you. 

Grand Seiko Evolution 9 and Sports Model Line (Bryan)

This one’s a little awkward. I actually used to own the Grand Seiko White Birch. We had a good run, made some memories, but like a lot of relationships, it eventually ended in a clean break. Now it’s less “soulmate on the wrist” and more “amicable ex I still wave at across the room.” Basically, the White Birch is the watch equivalent of a post-divorce friendship: we don’t hate each other, we just both knew it wasn’t meant to be.

I’ve already covered the flaws before, but to recap: the lack of taper on the bracelet made this elegant watch wear like it was hitting the gym too hard, and the clasp was, well… mid at best. Honestly, you’ll find better clasps on micro-brands like Nodus, which says a lot when you’re paying Grand Seiko prices.

And that’s why the Grand Seiko Sport line isn’t moving in with me either. Take the SBGJ237: a stunner with a high-beat 9S86 GMT movement and a dreamy white-and-blue sapphire bezel. On paper, it’s everything I should want. But in practice? At 44mm (even if it wears smaller), it’s pushing the limits of my wrist real estate. Then there’s the same old culprits: the uninspired clasp, the bracelet that refuses to play nice, and the chef’s kiss of annoyance, the 21mm lug width. Why Seiko loves 19 mm and 21mm lug widths, I will never know. Try finding straps for these pieces without losing your sanity. 

At $7,600, there are plenty of other GMTs that don’t come with this kind of baggage. So, Grand Seiko Evolution 9 and Sports Line, I admire you, I respect you, I’ll even defend you. But these models? They’re firmly in the friend zone.

Cartier Santos (Bryan)

The Cartier Santos is one of the most iconic watches ever produced. While today it’s considered an elegant staple in Cartier’s lineup, its origins go all the way back to the dawn of aviation. The story begins in 1904, with two friends: Louis Cartier, the visionary French jeweler, and Alberto Santos-Dumont, a Brazilian aviation pioneer. Santos-Dumont was frustrated with pocket watches and asked Cartier to design a timepiece he could wear on his wrist, something practical yet stylish. Cartier delivered, creating what is widely recognized as the first pilot’s watch and one of the first wristwatches specifically designed for men.

As an aviation enthusiast, one would imagine that the Santos would be high on my radar. And yet… here it sits. In my friend zone.

I know, I know. It doesn’t make sense. This is the watch equivalent of the perfect rom-com lead. It’s stylish, dependable, and rather good-looking. The Santos has it all, but somehow I’ve managed to keep it at arm’s length. Every time I think about pulling the trigger, I find myself hesitating. Why? Well, the movement doesn’t exactly set my heart racing, and that polished case might as well come with a warning label: “scratches at the mere thought of contact.”

But here’s the thing about rom-coms: eventually, the main character wakes up. They stop chasing drama, look across the room, and realize the love of their life has been standing there all along.

So, for now, the Cartier Santos stays in the friend zone. But unlike some of the others, I know how this story ends. One day, after I’ve learned the error of my ways, this watch and I are going to have our big third-act reconciliation. I’m just not there yet. 

Jaeger LeCoulte Reverso (Bryan)

Then there’s the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso. By all accounts, this should be the one. I love the brand, I love the design, I love the sheer cleverness of flipping a case around in case I fancy a quick game of polo. The Reverso is horological poetry, and the brand, well, you know what they say? JLC is the watchmaker’s watchmaker. 

And yet… I don’t want one. And it seems, many people don’t either. 

Part of the weirdness is Jaeger-LeCoultre itself. JLC lives in a kind of collective friend zone. We all admire them. We all praise their history, their innovation, their craftsmanship. We nod thoughtfully whenever someone posts a Reverso wrist shot, and we’ll even defend them passionately in a debate. But when it comes time to actually swipe the credit card, most of us… don’t. Meanwhile, brands like AP, who have been milking the Royal Oak harder than a dairy farm, are laughing all the way to the bank.

Personally, there is also a style issue. The rectangular case just doesn’t fit my style, and at these prices, I need more than horological respect to pull the trigger. It’s the classic “perfect on paper” situation. Like the Santos, the Reverso should be a piece that I lust after.

However, that’s simply not the case. Unlike the Santos, however, I don’t see a future where the Reverso will wind up in my watch box. 

Maybe it’s not me. Maybe it’s all of us. The Reverso is that universally respected friend: stylish, dependable, always invited to the party, but somehow never the one anyone takes home at the end of the night.

Now let me pass the hot mic to our other co-founder. Jian, who’s in your friend zone? 

Rolex Datejust Collection (Jilliano)

This may be a controversial one, but I have a few reasons why I don’t intend on buying a Rolex Datejust at any point in the foreseeable future. The Datejust is one of Rolex’s most iconic watches, although calling a Rolex ‘iconic’ has become almost meaningless, because almost every single one can be considered an icon. With its fluted bezel and cyclops or date magnification window, the Rolex Datejust can be considered one of the best examples of a watch that can be as dressy or as sporty as one would want. I, for one, have never been a fan of the cyclops, however. Yes, I’m aware that the cyclops was made because Rolex wanted to highlight the fact that they made the first automatic movement with a date that would automatically change at exactly midnight in the early 20th Century, but that doesn’t mean I love it. 

Another reason is that my Dad’s first Rolex - which he still has - is a two-tone 90s Datejust (is there anything more 90s than two-tone?), and I just can’t justify spending more than $5,000 on a watch when I can inherit one from the same collection, except it has way more sentimental value attached to it. I’m sorry, Rolex. I know you have been begging me to join your waitlist for a Rolex Datejust, but I’m just not interested. 

Rolex DJ of Jilliano's father

Cartier Tank (Jilliano)

I love how the Tank looks, and in general, I believe that Cartier’s heritage in horology is the envy of almost every brand. The Tank case, additionally, is - as I wrote about the Rolex Datejust - iconic. But, I can acknowledge its beauty and iconic status, while simultaneously pointing out that the Cartier Tank is a bit too expensive for what it actually offers - at least, for me. The base model Cartier Tank comes with a Swiss quartz movement and a mineral crystal, and this plain, stainless steel model with a leather strap will cost you about 3,000 dollars. For a thousand dollars less, I can get the Grade-5 titanium Echo/Neutra Rivanera with a mechanical Swiss movement with a similar, yet still unique design to the Cartier Tank. 

To reiterate, I love the Tank and its heritage, but there are, unfortunately, many other watches which bring more value to the table for me, and I gotta prioritize, or else I won’t be able to afford the upkeep of this website. 

 

Sinn 556 (Jilliano)

The Sinn 556 (specifically, the variant with no numerals and a red seconds-hand) was one of the first watches that grabbed ahold of my attention when I first started this expensive hobby, and to a certain extent, that’s true even today. But, it’s almost as if the more I learned about other watches, the less the watch seemed to be worth it… at least in Japan. See, in Europe, the Sinn 556 can be purchased for around 1,190 EUR, which is roughly 200,000 JPY (have I mentioned how weak the yen is, yet?). 

If I were to visit the Sinn Depot in Tokyo (because the store in Fukuoka was shutdown), that same exact watch is going to cost me at least 300 Euros more. At that price range, the watch will be competing with many more watches which - from a sheer value proposition standpoint - severely outclass it. In fact, Sinn in Japan is so overpriced that my friend and future Watch Brief guest writer, @tokyo_watch_guy on Instagram flew all the way to Germany to buy his tough Sinn chronograph. 

So, Sinn 556, you may be one of the very first watches I liked and I still love your design, but I think you will remain in the friend zone for now.

My first time wearing the Sinn 556 in Fukuoka

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Friendzone Watches Will Continue to Evolve

So, there you have it. These are the watches that are living rent-free in our friend zone. They’re beautiful, they’re talented, they’ve got great personalities, but for the reasons mentioned, they simply won’t find their way into our watch boxes. 

The friend zone in watch collecting isn’t about dislike. It’s about admiration without attachment. These are the pieces we’ll always cheer for, always recommend to others, and maybe even flirt with from time to time. But deep down, we know they’re better off on someone else’s wrist.

Every collector has a few of these. The watches you love to love, but not to own. The ones you defend online but quietly scroll past when it’s your own money on the line. If you have watches like this, please do let us know in the comments section down below. 

Who knows, maybe one day, one of them will surprise us.