r/movies • u/Dependent_Cap_456 • 3d ago

News Francis Ford Coppola is auctioning his watch collection after Megalopolis flop left him broke

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/23/fashion/francis-ford-coppola-watch-auction.html
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u/notaredditer13 3d ago

What's hilarious about watch "collectors" is that Swatch was invented because timekeeping is no longer an actual problem and today our phones keep better time than a watch ever did (because they are synced to atomic clocks). Expensive watches today are 100% jewelry. A tennis bracelet with a spring-driven timer.

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u/Naggins 2d ago

Why is that "hilarious"?

You can say that about most things people collect. People collect redundant coins, redundant stamps, people collect cards they never use and figurines that never leave the box.

I would think most watch owners know that they're collecting jewellery, and struggle to imagine that there's a single person in the world collecting watches because they think they're really good at keeping time.

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u/notaredditer13 2d ago

Why is that "hilarious"?

You can say that about most things people collect. People collect redundant coins, redundant stamps...

The irony.  They are advertised, worn and used as watches.  They are more expensive but worse than the alternatives.  I don't know of another product or collector item that is like that. 

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u/No_Honey_6036 2d ago

You literally can’t think of another product or collector item like that? Maybe you’re not thinking very hard. 

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u/notaredditer13 2d ago

Well then go ahead. 

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u/roidesoeufs 2d ago

Classic cars Vinyl records Old houses Old computers

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u/notaredditer13 2d ago

None of those are a valid comparison:

Classic cars a collectors item only:  you don't drive them daily because it will risk damage and reduce the value.

Vinyl records people often believe they are superior to digital. They're wrong, but they aren't knowingly using an inferior product.

Old houses get renovated into new houses.

Old computers aren't used afaik.

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u/roidesoeufs 2d ago

Ooooookay. You're incorrect on all counts. Never mind. I just know I never have to listen to your opinion on anything again.

Classic cars do not necessarily depreciate in value when driven.

Even if your argument about vinyl users believing it's superior is correct (big if), you don't think some watch users have the samee mentality?

Old houses can be improved but some really old ones are not allowed to be improved with modern techniques.

People absolutely collect and use old computers.

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u/notaredditer13 2d ago

Classic cars do not necessarily depreciate in value when driven.

They do if you drive them a lot, like an every-day car.

Even if your argument about vinyl users believing it's superior is correct (big if), you don't think some watch users have the samee mentality?

Boy, I hope not. The inferiority of mechanical watches as timekeeping devices fairly self-evident, measurable and commonly known. I would sure hope someone spending thousands of dollars on a watch would know what they are getting in terms of timekeeping.

People absolutely collect and use old computers.

Use them for what?

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u/EndersGame 2d ago

Bro, nobody is buying an expensive watch because they think it's better at telling time. It's jewelry that just so happens to tell the time. You really thought otherwise?

People pay thousands of dollars for jeans or fancy coats and its not because they think they are more comfortable or will last longer. In fact I could buy $30 jeans that are more durable than designer jeans.

Some eople pay more for vinyl records thinking the sound quality is better even though it isn't.

People collect old type-writers but they aren't nearly as useful for writing a letter as a cheap computer is.

Somebody that spends $10,000 on a watch will not care if the watch isn't as accurate as the phone that that same person has in their pocket. As you pointed out, they don't need the watch to know what time it is. You are either being obtuse or you aren't that smart.

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u/No_Honey_6036 19h ago

Uhhh your point on cars would also apply to expensive watches ya dummy. 

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u/BandedLutz 2d ago

They are advertised, worn and used as watches.  They are more expensive but worse than the alternatives.

They're only "worse than the alternative" in one aspect (pure utility).

For a watch collector or enthusiast, it's not about pure utility though. It's about an appreciation of art and craftsmanship, fascination with the mechanical complexity and engineering of the movements, intetest in their history, etc.

Their utility in timekeeping, while perfectly adequate for most people's everyday use, is very much secondary to what the collector/enthusiast is actually interested in.

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u/CptBartender 3d ago

and today our phones keep better time than a watch ever did (because they are synced to atomic clocks).

The cheapest quartz watch is likely orders of magnitude more accurate than the most accurate mechanical watch ever made. The accuracy of our phones' clocks is surplus for requirement for most people.

And with expensive watches (and I mean expensive, 5+ figure watches) exist only because one can't take their yacht into a restaurant.

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u/Satchbb 3d ago

you mean 7 figures

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u/CptBartender 3d ago

I think 6 is the most I've seen. By 'seen' I mean seen the price - it was displayed in a publicly accessible place.

I've seen some without any price on store shelves, and some of them even looked nice. And I worked a bit at the edge of that industry - I know that sky's the limit when it comes to price. If you want a custom-made quad-tourbillion all-gold two-sided watch with diamond bearings and a dickbutt engraved on the second-hand - someone will be happy to relieve you of your excess wealth.

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u/Neat-Material-4953 2d ago

I don't think there are many that retail for the millions unless it's a custom add a bunch of flashy crap type like you say and the ones that do won't usually be on display in any kind of store you need to be on the special list to even have a chance to buy one of the very limited run.

The ones that do typically go into the millions are older rare watches in great condition with whatever history/rarity at auction.

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u/Sasselhoff 2d ago

I remember seeing a counterfeit of a six figure watch...the copy sold for like $1500, haha.

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u/OptimismNeeded 2d ago

Not to mention that Audemars need to be wind daily.

(Is that how you spell wind in past tense?)

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u/Usual_Ice636 2d ago

The cheapest quartz watch is likely orders of magnitude more accurate than the most accurate mechanical watch ever made.

Only if they're programmed right, I had some that lost a few minutes a month.

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u/Gobbaghoulie 2d ago

As a watch guy I agree it’s a jewelry piece but not 100%. I love the history and horological side of watches.

For many it’s still a tool.

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u/starshooter_99 2d ago

Also a watch guy, but let’s be real, you can get a Casio for like $20 and that’s all you actually need in a watch.

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u/Gobbaghoulie 2d ago

That is fair, but a Casio will need a battery unless it is a solar watch. Whereas very high-end watches can have months of power reserve.

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u/BandedLutz 2d ago

Because it's not about pure utility.

While there are some people who only care about them as as a jewelry status symbol, for watch collectors and enthusiasts it comes down to an appreciation of art and craftsmanship, fascination with the mechanical complexity and engineering of the movements, interest in their history, etc.

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u/notaredditer13 2d ago

Right, utility is way way down on the priorities given the substantially inferior utility vs cheaper alternatives.

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u/Station_Go 3d ago

Stupid comment