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What do you mean "you decided to get your grail"?

3950 Views 101 Replies 72 Participants Last post by  gr8adv, 
Buramu
That's not how any of this works.

Grails are supposed to be unattainable. The stuff of legends and lifetime quests.

Not something you decide to save up for for an extra month or two and then walk into an AD and get one.
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B
“…I told him we’ve already got one”
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Jorgerg
Grail is a fun word to refer to a watch one really loves and is somewhat hard to get because of price or availability…is not something to take so seriously 😅. Mine is an omega seamaster for example, something in the US you see wears any Joe in any Mc Donald’s or Burger King and it is available even in Costco. But here is another story and another context; so, there are many ways to see the world around, don’t get stuck or too serious about grail. Enjoy watches as a whole
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Nokie
My "grail" is my next watch.

Then the next one after that, and so on and so forth.......
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kramer5150
I usually think of my grails as being totally unobtainable. .But there are varying degrees of it. I don't see why there needs to be an imposed mandate on the use of the word.
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profgt3
I'd suggest the term "grail" in the context of purely material items (ie non-religious or mythological) might be commonly used to describe items like watches, cars, comic books, trading cards, athletic shoes, art, or any other item that people want but don't need AND can't really justify owning for any reason other than it's just something they've wanted for a long time and either can't afford or can't find or both. The opportunity to obtain your grail item sometimes occurs when you get a sum of money you wouldn't ordinarily have (big bonus, winnings, inheritance, etc.). Or it might be the result of finding the grail item at a much lower price than the market value. Or if money is no object - finding the item available to acquire on the vary rare occasion that it enters the market. I also think that for many people obtaining the grail item only results in them identifying a new, more illusive grail item - maybe in the same category as the previous grail but often something completely different. It's like grail capitalism. If grails can't ever be obtained then the market for grails collapses. It's the hope and ultimate acquisition of the grail item that drives the market for that particular grail type item - many of which were virtually worthless at one point and largely disposed of. Thus making them very rare, hard to find, hard to buy and thus . . . . . grails.
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thewatchidiot
Tagdevil said:
Regarding definition of grail, to each his own I guess.
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Is that a definition then?;)
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Paneristi89
awesome, another thread about what a grail is or isn’t
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appophylite
I understand perfectly well that in the traditional sense, a grail is that which is unobtainable.

Personally though, with watch collecting, I fail to see a benefit if placing a watch on the pedestal of 'Grail' if it is completely unobtainable. Why should I lust after something I will never have? I'd rather pedestal a watch that is just out of reach, but still obtainable as a grail.

Ex. When I started in the hobby, the Speedmaster Prof. was my grail. Just out of reach, but still obtainable. I have had it on my wrist for 10 years now. I don't really have a defined grail anymore, but if I were to suggest a watch that could be considered a grail for me, I could categorize the Seiko Springdrive Spacewalk as one such - it isn't completely unobtainable, but it will likely be just out of reach for me in my lifetime :)
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McChicken
NC_Hager626 said:
No, it is not a debatable topic. Just like the correct usage for homage and the correct spelling for a folding clasp is deployment not deployant, aren't debatable either.
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Now that's a good one.
I have always said Deployant, maybe from reading TZ articles and here 20+ years ago.
I understand neither is correct, and on Ebay or AliX it's a "Butterfly Clasp"
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B
Or we think it is our grail because it's out of reach, maybe impossible... Then it happens. Isn't that we keep having new "grails"?
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S
Buramu said:
That's not how any of this works.

Grails are supposed to be unattainable. The stuff of legends and lifetime quests.

Not something you decide to save up for for an extra month or two and then walk into an AD and get one.
Click to expand...
You will never find and get your grail watch with an attitude like this.
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midshipman01
I don't think it's quite that deep. For me, it's just your favorite watch that you have no current ability or immediate plan to be able to acquire. Doesn't have to be almost impossible necessarily, just requires that something change for it to become a possibility.

And for me, and I'm sure others, I don't really covet watches whose price make them impossibly unattainable. I think the most expensive watches I even sort of like are still less than 20 grand.
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hiboost
HarrisLam said:
To me the phrase of "grail" in the community's common language is defined as THE END GOAL. It should be difficult but also within sight (but perhaps not within reach).

In 2021 when economy was good, my "grail" was Lange 1
Perhaps even the Grand Lange 1 moonphase, but because I also wanted GO PML which comes with a moon anyway so I probably wanted to opt for the vanilla Lange 1 instead.
Yes I was that greedy.

In 2022 we all know what happened to the financial market. My "grail" became just the GO PML.
It's something I can see myself getting, but not quite there yet unless I want to blow a hole in my portfolio.
It is something I can see myself getting when my cash flow is more than 5x the cost of the PML, which technically is just 50K.
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With all due respect (and I say that sincerely having read many of your posts over the years) I can't believe that you actually mean this. The dictionary definition of "grail" is "a thing that is eagerly pursued or sought after." So technically this could refer to any watch we buy. Are we not eager when we buy them? Is there not some element of pursuit in each one of these non-essential acquisitions? But I believe this misses the spirit of differentiating a grail watch from simply a watch. The grail watch should quite simply be the one watch, after all you did to get it, that you'd never part with if you had to sell off your entire collection. The one watch that you cannot imagine ever trading for another, regardless of the economics. It's simply "the one." And thus I would offer that this title cannot be re-assigned based on the stock market going up or down. This is a question of passion, of desire. Your designation of a grail piece should only change if you fundamentally change your tastes. Perhaps you gain an appreciation for more complicated pieces, or become intrigued by the rarity of a vintage reference. Your ability to obtain the grail may fluctuate, but your feelings for it should not. In your example above, if anything, the Lange 1 should be even more solidly your grail now that it is become difficult to achieve. If you were in a position to consider it before, then you should be able to achieve that again at some point. Why not savor the long term journey?
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sticky
When you’ve waited 45 years for your grail and see no hope of getting it then suddenly a bit of money comes your way any WIS worth his salt would jump at the chance (i know I did)
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H
hiboost said:
With all due respect (and I say that sincerely having read many of your posts over the years) I can't believe that you actually mean this. The dictionary definition of "grail" is "a thing that is eagerly pursued or sought after." So technically this could refer to any watch we buy. Are we not eager when we buy them? Is there not some element of pursuit in each one of these non-essential acquisitions? But I believe this misses the spirit of differentiating a grail watch from simply a watch. The grail watch should quite simply be the one watch, after all you did to get it, that you'd never part with if you had to sell off your entire collection. The one watch that you cannot imagine ever trading for another, regardless of the economics. It's simply "the one." And thus I would offer that this title cannot be re-assigned based on the stock market going up or down. This is a question of passion, of desire. Your designation of a grail piece should only change if you fundamentally change your tastes. Perhaps you gain an appreciation for more complicated pieces, or become intrigued by the rarity of a vintage reference. Your ability to obtain the grail may fluctuate, but your feelings for it should not. In your example above, if anything, the Lange 1 should be even more solidly your grail now that it is become difficult to achieve. If you were in a position to consider it before, then you should be able to achieve that again at some point. Why not savor the long term journey?
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Thanks for having been reading my comments through the time I've been around and most of all actually recognizing my name. That means a lot when my avatar is nothing but a capital "H".

I guess the main differentiation here is that you seem to define the grail as an unshakable faith that, once decided, should never be changed under any circumstances.

Whereas I define it as something "I can see in the horizon". Think something along the lines of the good old interview question of "where do you see yourself in 5 years?"

Or to clarify, I'm not "giving up" on the Lange 1. I'm merely accepting the likely possibility that I might never be able to get it. All that does is giving more exposure to PML in questions I answer in posts.
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derekdeadend
some nerdy watch bro in a basement coined this term probably, not a scientist. it isn't science and who cares.

way too much arguing and belittling on this forum.
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sdiver68
I don't know which version of grail mythology OP is referencing, but Sir Gallahad did indeed obtain the holy grail.

A grail by definition is something that's almost unobtainable..but with the right long term determination and luck can be achieved.
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F
Buramu said:
That's not how any of this works.

Grails are supposed to be unattainable. The stuff of legends and lifetime quests.

Not something you decide to save up for for an extra month or two and then walk into an AD and get one.
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Yes it is absurd and annoying.
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keerola
I’ve got many grails in my watch box. And i have parted ways with even more.
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cheu_f50
Some people define their grail the same way this girl I know who's been twice divorced and thrice married defines her "one and only"
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