$35 Mechanical Field Watch Challenge

[Animal Mother]

I do think the amount allowed should be the same regardless of currency ($35, €35, etc...). Otherwise you are enforcing some type of exchange rate.

Not sure I agree. That would give some a distinct advantage and others a disadvantage, e.g. SGD$35 is only USD$24, whereas GBP£35 is USD$42, meaning I've USD$18 more to spend on a watch than a member in Singapore.

[watchpalooza]

I do think the amount allowed should be the same regardless of currency ($35, €35, etc...). Otherwise you are enforcing some type of exchange rate.

Not sure I agree. That would give some a distinct advantage and others a disadvantage, e.g. SGD$35 is only USD$24, whereas GBP£35 is USD$42, meaning I've USD$18 more to spend on a watch than a member in Singapore.

I can see that perspective. Do local valuations compensate (meaning are watches in Singapore for example priced lower)? I know here in Europe the same watches are priced much higher than in the US (regardless of VAT). If I am buying in USD from the US then I get the same price as you (+ VAT), but if I buy in local currency I must pay more.

Example:

Amazon.com (US): $37.49 and free shipping

Amazon.de (Germany): $37.49 + $7.12 VAT = $44.61 + another $20.64 to get to total price of $65.25...then $21.80 shipping on top

[Stretch44]

I do think the amount allowed should be the same regardless of currency ($35, €35, etc...). Otherwise you are enforcing some type of exchange rate.

I'm on board with this, as long as it's for your home currency.

[PetWatch]

I do think the amount allowed should be the same regardless of currency ($35, €35, etc...). Otherwise you are enforcing some type of exchange rate.

There is no perfectly equitable conversion due to regional economic differences so I think this is the best approach. 35 based on the local currency where purchase is made.

Another suggestion, going forth change the challenge value to $36 or do away with the 35+1 leeway. Someone already got confused by this.

Best to keep it simple.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[Sporkboy]

I do think the amount allowed should be the same regardless of currency ($35, €35, etc...). Otherwise you are enforcing some type of exchange rate.

I'm on board with this, as long as it's for your home currency.

The purpose of converting a standard amount to a local currency was to remove any advantage or disadvantage that one might have due to their home currency being valued more or less high than another.

This does not account for local product availability or value and I don’t know if there is a good way to account for that or if it should be accounted for. There are certain products that will be more accessible in a given country than others, so they should be valued less highly than those that are more rare in that country. This is an advantage/disadvantage of geography and is something we have to live with.

The problem is that different currencies can vary wildly with respect to what one dollar/pound/euro/yen/peso can get you locally. I will do a little more investigating, but I don’t see a way around converting a base amount in dollars to a local currency.

Until further notice, the $35 USD or however much $35 USD buys of your local currency rule will stand as written. You may use the exchange rates available at the time of your purchase to account for global market fluctuations.

Taxes, duties and shipping are not included in the limit (I will make a rules clarification here), but I understand the frustrations with this issue.

[PetWatch]

I do think the amount allowed should be the same regardless of currency ($35, €35, etc...). Otherwise you are enforcing some type of exchange rate.

I'm on board with this, as long as it's for your home currency.

The purpose of converting a standard amount to a local currency was to remove any advantage or disadvantage that one might have due to their home currency being valued more or less high than another.

This does not account for local product availability or value and I don’t know if there is a good way to account for that or if it should be accounted for. There are certain products that will be more accessible in a given country than others, so they should be valued less highly than those that are more rare in that country. This is an advantage/disadvantage of geography and is something we have to live with.

The problem is that different currencies can vary wildly with respect to what one dollar/pound/euro/yen/peso can get you locally. I will do a little more investigating, but I don’t see a way around converting a base amount in dollars to a local currency.

Until further notice, the $35 USD or however much $35 USD buys of your local currency rule will stand as written. You may use the exchange rates available at the time of your purchase to account for global market fluctuations.

Taxes, duties and shipping are not included in the limit (I will make a rules clarification here), but I understand the frustrations with this issue.

On second thought, using $35 usd conversion rate is the simplest most equitable solution, since 35 in some currencies won't buy a candy bar.

PPP, purchase power parity online tools can be used to compare the cost of living in different areas, in order to compensate for regional cost of goods. That becomes more complicated, but it could be allowed to be used as an individual option.




Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[Sporkboy]

I'm on board with this, as long as it's for your home currency.

The purpose of converting a standard amount to a local currency was to remove any advantage or disadvantage that one might have due to their home currency being valued more or less high than another.

This does not account for local product availability or value and I don’t know if there is a good way to account for that or if it should be accounted for. There are certain products that will be more accessible in a given country than others, so they should be valued less highly than those that are more rare in that country. This is an advantage/disadvantage of geography and is something we have to live with.

The problem is that different currencies can vary wildly with respect to what one dollar/pound/euro/yen/peso can get you locally. I will do a little more investigating, but I don’t see a way around converting a base amount in dollars to a local currency.

Until further notice, the $35 USD or however much $35 USD buys of your local currency rule will stand as written. You may use the exchange rates available at the time of your purchase to account for global market fluctuations.

Taxes, duties and shipping are not included in the limit (I will make a rules clarification here), but I understand the frustrations with this issue.

On second thought, using $35 usd conversion rate is the simplest most equitable solution, since 35 in some currencies won't buy a candy bar.

PPP, purchase power parity online tools can be used to compare the cost of living in different areas, in order to compensate for regional cost of goods. That becomes more complicated, but it could be allowed to be used as an individual option.




Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

OK, I just suggested over on Discord using the F-91W to establish Purchasing Power Parity, though that term is new to me. Was waiting for feedback to see if this made sense to introduce.

Currently in the states the base model F-91 is $11, so this would be a 3.18 F91 challenge. Does that make sense?

[BostonCharlie]

Funny the things you stumble across. I remember hearing about painted-on hands. Now I've seen it:



There was another where the seller said the case back didn't fit perfectly. One good look and you could tell it wasn't the original back to that watch -- it didn't match its vintage.

[PetWatch]

The purpose of converting a standard amount to a local currency was to remove any advantage or disadvantage that one might have due to their home currency being valued more or less high than another.

This does not account for local product availability or value and I don’t know if there is a good way to account for that or if it should be accounted for. There are certain products that will be more accessible in a given country than others, so they should be valued less highly than those that are more rare in that country. This is an advantage/disadvantage of geography and is something we have to live with.

The problem is that different currencies can vary wildly with respect to what one dollar/pound/euro/yen/peso can get you locally. I will do a little more investigating, but I don’t see a way around converting a base amount in dollars to a local currency.

Until further notice, the $35 USD or however much $35 USD buys of your local currency rule will stand as written. You may use the exchange rates available at the time of your purchase to account for global market fluctuations.

Taxes, duties and shipping are not included in the limit (I will make a rules clarification here), but I understand the frustrations with this issue.

On second thought, using $35 usd conversion rate is the simplest most equitable solution, since 35 in some currencies won't buy a candy bar.

PPP, purchase power parity online tools can be used to compare the cost of living in different areas, in order to compensate for regional cost of goods. That becomes more complicated, but it could be allowed to be used as an individual option.




Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

OK, I just suggested over on Discord using the F-91W to establish Purchasing Power Parity, though that term is new to me. Was waiting for feedback to see if this made sense to introduce.

Currently in the states the base model F-91 is $11, so this would be a 3.18 F91 challenge. Does that make sense?

It's a theoretical means of calculating the equivalent price valuations of goods and services in different currency regions.

The easiest to use without research into the price of a watch, such as the Casio you reference, would be the Big Mac index converter. The resulting implied value figure is the PPP, which is usually different than a currency conversion calculation.

I think this is getting a little too complicated, but if you want to allow it someone could use it to their advantage, or ignore it.

What does the price of a big mac have to do with the price of a watch? "Presumably" it reflects local valuations.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source= ... 0448494507





Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[BostonCharlie]

Another hazard: the fake Fortis or Oris watch. I actually like this one it is so over the top:





An homage? Or the original?

[Sporkboy]

On second thought, using $35 usd conversion rate is the simplest most equitable solution, since 35 in some currencies won't buy a candy bar.

PPP, purchase power parity online tools can be used to compare the cost of living in different areas, in order to compensate for regional cost of goods. That becomes more complicated, but it could be allowed to be used as an individual option.




Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

OK, I just suggested over on Discord using the F-91W to establish Purchasing Power Parity, though that term is new to me. Was waiting for feedback to see if this made sense to introduce.

Currently in the states the base model F-91 is $11, so this would be a 3.18 F91 challenge. Does that make sense?

It's a theoretical means of calculating the equivalent price valuations of goods and services in different currency regions.

The easiest to use without research into the price of a watch, such as the Casio you reference, would be the Big Mac index converter. The resulting implied value figure is the PPP, which is usually different than a currency conversion calculation.

I think this is getting a little too complicated, but if you want to allow it someone could use it to their advantage, or ignore it.

What does the price of a big mac have to do with the price of a watch? "Presumably" it reflects local valuations.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source= ... 0448494507





Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Thank you PetWatch, I appreciate your knowledge on the matter.

It is getting complicated exploring this situation. I believe the $35USD or rough equivalent (exclusive of taxes/shipping/duties/bribes to local officials) has worked well for the first challenge, so we will stick with it for now.

As for the $35 or $36 limit, the purpose is to give a bit of flexibility if something is just over the limit. If we change it to a hard limit of $36 then We lose the flexibility when someone goes just over $36, at which point we could just have no limit at all. The $35 and no more than $1 over rule will stand as written.

[PetWatch]

OK, I just suggested over on Discord using the F-91W to establish Purchasing Power Parity, though that term is new to me. Was waiting for feedback to see if this made sense to introduce.

Currently in the states the base model F-91 is $11, so this would be a 3.18 F91 challenge. Does that make sense?

It's a theoretical means of calculating the equivalent price valuations of goods and services in different currency regions.

The easiest to use without research into the price of a watch, such as the Casio you reference, would be the Big Mac index converter. The resulting implied value figure is the PPP, which is usually different than a currency conversion calculation.

I think this is getting a little too complicated, but if you want to allow it someone could use it to their advantage, or ignore it.

What does the price of a big mac have to do with the price of a watch? "Presumably" it reflects local valuations.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source= ... 0448494507





Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Thank you PetWatch, I appreciate your knowledge on the matter.

It is getting complicated exploring this situation. I believe the $35USD or rough equivalent (exclusive of taxes/shipping/duties/bribes to local officials) has worked well for the first challenge, so we will stick with it for now.

As for the $35 or $36 limit, the purpose is to give a bit of flexibility if something is just over the limit. If we change it to a hard limit of $36 then We lose the flexibility when someone goes just over $36, at which point we could just have no limit at all. The $35 and no more than $1 over rule will stand as written.

I'll try to do a quick sample test to see if this calculator is useful for a future challenge.

The rules are fine, just want to point out that as it stand there is a hard $36.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[watchpalooza]

OK, I just suggested over on Discord using the F-91W to establish Purchasing Power Parity, though that term is new to me. Was waiting for feedback to see if this made sense to introduce.

Currently in the states the base model F-91 is $11, so this would be a 3.18 F91 challenge. Does that make sense?

It's a theoretical means of calculating the equivalent price valuations of goods and services in different currency regions.

The easiest to use without research into the price of a watch, such as the Casio you reference, would be the Big Mac index converter. The resulting implied value figure is the PPP, which is usually different than a currency conversion calculation.

I think this is getting a little too complicated, but if you want to allow it someone could use it to their advantage, or ignore it.

What does the price of a big mac have to do with the price of a watch? "Presumably" it reflects local valuations.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source= ... 0448494507





Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Thank you PetWatch, I appreciate your knowledge on the matter.

It is getting complicated exploring this situation. I believe the $35USD or rough equivalent (exclusive of taxes/shipping/duties/bribes to local officials) has worked well for the first challenge, so we will stick with it for now.

As for the $35 or $36 limit, the purpose is to give a bit of flexibility if something is just over the limit. If we change it to a hard limit of $36 then We lose the flexibility when someone goes just over $36, at which point we could just have no limit at all. The $35 and no more than $1 over rule will stand as written.

So is it $35 USD, or $35 local currency?

[BostonCharlie]

My offer was rejected -- it was a long shot. I wonder if some of these sellers are puzzled about suddenly receiving numerous low ball $35 offers. I might not have an entry after all, but I'll be cheering y'all on.

[Sporkboy]

It's a theoretical means of calculating the equivalent price valuations of goods and services in different currency regions.

The easiest to use without research into the price of a watch, such as the Casio you reference, would be the Big Mac index converter. The resulting implied value figure is the PPP, which is usually different than a currency conversion calculation.

I think this is getting a little too complicated, but if you want to allow it someone could use it to their advantage, or ignore it.

What does the price of a big mac have to do with the price of a watch? "Presumably" it reflects local valuations.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source= ... 0448494507





Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Thank you PetWatch, I appreciate your knowledge on the matter.

It is getting complicated exploring this situation. I believe the $35USD or rough equivalent (exclusive of taxes/shipping/duties/bribes to local officials) has worked well for the first challenge, so we will stick with it for now.

As for the $35 or $36 limit, the purpose is to give a bit of flexibility if something is just over the limit. If we change it to a hard limit of $36 then We lose the flexibility when someone goes just over $36, at which point we could just have no limit at all. The $35 and no more than $1 over rule will stand as written.

So is it $35 USD, or $35 local currency?

$35 USD or however much of your local currency that $35 USD will buy.