The (Less intimidating) Watch Thread
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@UnTucked I'm pretty certain that @louisbosco will advise you get a Rolex Submariner instead!
I don't know enough about the Seiko or Orient to advise. I found a thread on a watch forum in which people were divided.
I also found an article at Hodinkee about the Seiko, and another one at Monochrome. They both like it, and point out that it's a full ISO 6425 diver's watch, which is relatively rare in that genre.
One thing that appeals with the Orient is that it's a hacking movement. This means the second hand stops when you pull out the crown, whereas it'll keep on moving on the Seiko, and allows you to set the time more accurately.
There's a piece on the Orient at aBlogToWatch.
My suggestion would be to see both in the metal, and then decide which you like the best.
If you're after any other ideas, Hodinkee have a piece on the Tissot Swissmatic, which is basically an uprated Swatch Sistem51.
Another suggestion would be a piece from GS/TP. This is an offshoot of Tender, and are Japanese made watches.
Note that they're really, really small. The Real McCoy's store in London had a few in when I was there in September,
@Anesthetist and I both own watches by Tender, and we both rate them highly. Mine has a copper dial, and gets an awful lot of attention, which is surprising given it was a cheap piece.
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The Tissot is around $400 according to Hodinkee. I don't know the UK RRP.
The GS/TP range from about £250 to £500. The Tender watches used to be around £500 from memory, though I got mine half price.
I think that the Orient Mako is around $400, so they're all in the same ballpark.
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The nice thing about the Orient is that it's easily available for under $200, which is part of the great value it represents. At full MSRP, it's hot a lot more competition, and it's not quite the same standout.
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nah.. i'd say get a seiko 6309. it's a good place to start. the ones that aren't bastardised might be a little hard to find though. otherwise, get a skx007k. @UnTucked look those two up
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The watch blogs are getting in on less intimidating watches.
Monochrome Watches has a list of five watches for under €1000. All of these are from established brands, and all have automatic, mechanical movements.
I like the Mido Multifort Escape, which Monochrome recently reviewed.
Time and Tide have a list of watches under $1000. There's an accompanying video for this one, which starts with a shot of central Melbourne.
I like the Seiko Presage "Cocktail Time". Hodinkee have a week on the wrist review, and aBlogToWatch has an overview of the range.
The only watch that appears in both lists is the Seiko Prospex SRPB53K "Samurai", though in different colours. A brace of Tissot Powermatics also feature, but they're different models.
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I'm starting to narrow down what I'm looking for…
Since I already have a "dive watch" (The Maranez I pictured before), I'll go for something with different styling. I'm thinking that a field watch will do the best at looking good in most situations...
That being said, Hamilton is sitting at the top of my list currently.
*I can REALLY see why this is a "dangerous" hobby. The more I look... The more reviews I read... The more knowledge I gain... I find my "imaginary budget" sliding further and further to the right, because I can't stop thinking "Oh! For just $50 more, I can get an even better watch here! Wait, and another $50 I could get THIS ONE!".... Next thing you know, my imaginary budget has doubled, and I find myself thinking "Just wait it out for a year or 2 and buy a Rolex, bro.... You've lived without watches thus far... You'll survive until then!"
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If you really want a Rolex, and Maddy won't leave you for spending that much, then there's probably an argument for saving for one. Ultimately it'll work out cheaper than buying the intermediate Seiko, Tudor, etc.
The danger is that you'll then think, "I really want a Patek Nautilus…"
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If you really want a Rolex, and Maddy won't leave you for spending that much, then there's probably an argument for saving for one. Ultimately it'll work out cheaper than buying the intermediate Seiko, Tudor, etc.
The danger is that you'll then think, "I really want a Patek Nautilus…"
(For now) "Rolex" is the end goal…
It wouldn't be too big of a stretch for me to set a goal of buying a Rolex before 2018 closes... I would have to make some sacrifices, but it would be doable if I really, REALLY wanted to. My issue is that I tend to dive head-first in to things, without having a REAL "appreciation" for the beauty surrounding it.
For example... After getting in to denim, when I decided I wanted a pair of boots (Boots and denim are like peanut butter and jelly, right?), and after about 2 weeks of researching, I started with a pair of custom spec'd Rancourt color #8 shell cordovan boots, and a few months later I said "F*ck it! I'm calling Brian the Bootmaker and getting a pair of Role Club's built!!!!!". Really, it's no problem, but now I know nothing of the other brands, and I don't even really know if they were worth the money. I mean, obviously they are, especially when people like Vintage Engineer Boots went from 0 Role Clubs to 3 pairs in less than a year, and SWEARS by them... But, I have no first hand experience or knowledge as to WHY that is. I just simply know that "Those in the know SWEAR by them, and it's the best money can buy!"...
I'm trying to take my interest in horology as a journey/learning experience. I know buying a Rolex wouldn't be a waste... But, this time, I want to spend some time in the trenches, gaining an appreciation and understanding...
I mean, let's face it... We're buying these timepieces as jewelry, not as legitimate tools (Generally speaking)... Everyone has a cellphone on them nearly all of the time, and no watch is going to be more accurate than that (Unless they use GPW/RF time sync)... Even a serious diver owning a Submariner is a bit of a stretch, because I'm 99% sure that they are using an electronic dive watch/computer, because for 1/10 the price, you're going to get far more function, performance and reliability.
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*Btw, Maddy wants a Rolex as well… So, the only way she would kill me for buying one for myself, is if I didn't get her one also, lol
Her dad has had an 18k gold Day-Date since the late 70's, and she says she can always remember thinking that his watch was so nice. Well, a few years back, he had a stroke... When the ambulance can to fetch him to the hospital, before they left, they told Maddy to take his valuables, including his watch. She said she wore his watch for about 2 weeks while he was hospitalized. Finally when it was time for him to check out, he asked "Where is my watch?!"... She wanted to keep it, and he wouldn't let her. He told her "No you can't have it! Obviously it's going to your brother after I die!!!".
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I'm going to start posting Langes and Pateks to Maddy's Facebook feed in that case. Something like this, perhaps.
The big difference between a Rolex and a Patek is really down to the level of finishing on the movement.
This is a Rolex movement. It's got an industrial finish to it. Most watches in this price range (Omega, Panerai, Jaeger, etc.) will have a similar look.
In contrast, this is from Patek. A lot of the decoration will be done by hand, along with careful polishing and beveling of the edges of the plates, and it's got a gold rotor. A Lange & Sohne, Vacheron Constantin, and Audemars Piguet all play in this space.
The finishing is more aesthetic than anything else. I doubt that the Patek will be more accurate than a Rolex, nor more reliable. But the hand finishing is what drives the price way up.
