Watches, then?

chillidoggy

You know, I love the brown leather straps with the chrome, and I very, very nearly bought one of the Longines master series like that. But having to take it off to go swimming or boating in case I buggered the strap up stopped me. Still love 'em, though!

stickyfiddle

Of course a quick google shows Seiko do a "Jamilton" in the 5 range. It's not as nice but I wonder if they do something even closer given they seem to make a copy of every nice watch ever..!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v474/mistered/Seiko-Pilot-01.jpg

Snap

So, sticky, have you WAS'd out yet?

Do it, but do it properly. If you are going to spend a decent amount of money on a watch, get a proper one: an automatic or self winder. You are buying into tradition, craftsmanship. A quartz watch is just a circuit board house in a cosmetic bit of metal. Naff all engineering in it. Whereas a WATCH is a remarkable piece of kit. Incredible when you think about it. For example, the Zenith El Primero calibre, invented in 1969, beats at 36000 alterations per hour and was at the the time, the most accurate movement ever made. I have one, in the form of a GMT Chronomaster. Love it. Imagine the skill of making that? Astounding.

got a budget? Stick to it, but consider second hand. At the less mentally expensive end of the market you can get new Hamiltons for a good price (less than a grand) and they are fine watches. Consider also a second hand Tag Carrera or Monaco ( the square face, as worn by Steve McQueen in Le Mans), if you want a Tag.

Heuer (and therefore Tag Heuer) have a great heritage in motorsport. I'd go for a second hand Monaco given a choice-  iconic, timeless and mega stylish.

Also consider Oris, good value, and reasonable new.

Longines do some nice watches.

Mondaine have now released an automatic which is damned fine and very cheap, iconic design, very cool too.

Tudor have relaunched themselves - these are the cheaper line from Rolex, so they look like a lot of the Rolexes and have a true Swiss movement, but are priced between 1 and 4k roughly. Second hand, probably good value again. Thing is, they might not appreciate quite as well as some other brands.

I have a Breitling Navitimer, the Zenith Chronomaster, a Breitling Superocean and an Oris Day Date. The Navitimer is just about my favourite. Someone was saying it's about being flash etc: its not. It's about having something v nice that you wanted to have. If it wasn't about this, you'd get a 5 quid digital watch that will do the job of telling the time.

Get a Monaco, do it, go on......

Also, every watch I own is worth a shed load more than it was when bought new. Which is some small reassurance.

Neil

Niallmo said:

I've been bitten by the watch bug again. Traded some Nectar points to EBay vouchers, chucked in a few quid and ordered this:

 

http://www.pristinewatches.co.uk/image/cache/data/SKX009K1_2-900x900.jpg

Skx009k1. Same movement as the Japanese one but £20 cheaper.

I'm also gonna get a Parnis Sterile Sub or Invicta Sub next month.

Nice, the 007's are perhaps the greatest VFM out there in the mechanical watch world. 

Neil

Snap said:

So, sticky, have you WAS'd out yet?

Do it, but do it properly. If you are going to spend a decent amount of money on a watch, get a proper one: an automatic or self winder. You are buying into tradition, craftsmanship. A quartz watch is just a circuit board house in a cosmetic bit of metal. Naff all engineering in it. Whereas a WATCH is a remarkable piece of kit. Incredible when you think about it. For example, the Zenith El Primero calibre, invented in 1969, beats at 36000 alterations per hour and was at the the time, the most accurate movement ever made. I have one, in the form of a GMT Chronomaster. Love it. Imagine the skill of making that? Astounding.

got a budget? Stick to it, but consider second hand. At the less mentally expensive end of the market you can get new Hamiltons for a good price (less than a grand) and they are fine watches. Consider also a second hand Tag Carrera or Monaco ( the square face, as worn by Steve McQueen in Le Mans), if you want a Tag.

Heuer (and therefore Tag Heuer) have a great heritage in motorsport. I'd go for a second hand Monaco given a choice-  iconic, timeless and mega stylish.

Also consider Oris, good value, and reasonable new.

Longines do some nice watches.

Mondaine have now released an automatic which is damned fine and very cheap, iconic design, very cool too.

Tudor have relaunched themselves - these are the cheaper line from Rolex, so they look like a lot of the Rolexes and have a true Swiss movement, but are priced between 1 and 4k roughly. Second hand, probably good value again. Thing is, they might not appreciate quite as well as some other brands.

I have a Breitling Navitimer, the Zenith Chronomaster, a Breitling Superocean and an Oris Day Date. The Navitimer is just about my favourite. Someone was saying it's about being flash etc: its not. It's about having something v nice that you wanted to have. If it wasn't about this, you'd get a 5 quid digital watch that will do the job of telling the time.

Get a Monaco, do it, go on......

Also, every watch I own is worth a shed load more than it was when bought new. Which is some small reassurance.

Quite an interesting post but a few points I would disagree with.

Whilst I would agree with your Zenith assertion many Swiss watches like Tag, Breitling and Oris simply use ETA/Valjoux generic movements that are used in much cheaper watches also so not exactly unique and you are paying a lot for the privilege.

I think with Swiss watches one should be looking for in house movements  like Rolex, JLC, PP etc.

Quartz movements are fine if the owner doesn't want to have the bother of winding or wearing their watches 24/7.

They are always ready when you are. 

YMMV

 

Niallmo

I used to have a couple of seikos. One modded and one midsize. They were used imports and I sold them for a profit but I always wanted a new one...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v375/Niallmo/9adfec60.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v375/Niallmo/5f9951b3.jpg

I'd love to be able to get a Rolex Sub, Omega Speedmaster and Seamaster and a Heuer Monaco. I'd be buying guitars first at those kinda prices though...

Neil

Niallmo said:

I used to have a couple of seikos. One modded and one midsize. They were used imports and I sold them for a profit but I always wanted a new one...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v375/Niallmo/9adfec60.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v375/Niallmo/5f9951b3.jpg

I'd love to be able to get a Rolex Sub, Omega Speedmaster and Seamaster and a Heuer Monaco. I'd be buying guitars first at those kinda prices though...

I am a long time vintage watch collector but I  think you definitely get more fun out a guitar. 

I do own Rolexes etc etc but for sheer VFM  and a lot of horological interest you can't beat Seiko IMO. 
 

Here are some of my vintage Seikos. I like the 6138/9 chronographs.

Gassage

I have an Omega Blackface Bond chrono- I have a few others but this one is my main squeeze [img]http://forums.watchuseek.com/attachments/f20/1167540d1374735980-omega-seamaster-chronograph-pushers-screw-down-186867d1292759679-omega-seamaster-chrono-diver-james-bond-chrono-213-30-42-40-01-001-omega-1.jpg[/img]

TheMarlin

I worked in a watch shop as a student. I learned loads about watches, and grew to love them.  Over the years, I've had various watches, including Tag Hauer and a vintage Rolex (and several quite convincing Chinese fakes, my brother lives out that way).

But, it dawned on me that they're essentially like women's handbags and shoes.  

Women use fancy handbags, and expensive shoes to impress other women.  It's not a form and function thing, I'm lead to believe that women's shoes are desperately uncomfortable - seeing as my beautiful wifey can't walk any great distance in them.

I sold my watches, and now just check my iphone for the time.  It's pretty much always to hand.

I'd rather spend my money on a another cool guitar

Marlin

stickyfiddle

Snap said:

So, sticky, have you WAS'd out yet?

Not yet. Got a Seiko SNZF17 in the summer which gets worn most days and a Gibson Dove for my 30th, so posh watches are out for now! Tbh I can't imagine spending more than £300 or so on a watch. Definitely fancy a Hamilton at some point, but not in a hurry at all.

boogieman

stickyfiddle;360596" said:

Nice

I currently fancy something field/pilot on brown leather Nato for my next. Hamiltons look very nice but not quite an every-day price. Mind you, I could probably find a "Chamilton" or some such in the dodgy bits of Dubai...

http://forums.watchuseek.com/attachments/f357/727780d1338848846-my-third-hamilton-khaki-pilot-hamilton3.jpg

Mrs B bought me a Hamilton field khaki as a wedding gift. Black face automatic. Very nice it is too.

Niallmo

My Seiko will be a little upgrade on my current daily watch...it's a really great watch, the lume is excellent.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v375/Niallmo/9753D501-B157-4403-AB2C-BE4E7232B31B_zpsymtpao48.jpg

chillidoggy

This is really nice -

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee189/chillidoggy/Odds/imagejpg1_zpsdfbee425.jpg

ThorpyFX

I love a good watch, lets be honest its about the only jewellery a man can get away with wearing. i have a few automatics including a hamilton. Had an Omega seamster chromo but had to sell it to help fund my fiancees engagement ring. A good investment though, bought it for £1400 11 years ago a and got £2400 on part exchange for the ring! 

anyway this is my daily driver now, looks a lot more expensive than it is and as a solar watch its great, no battery and no servicing!!

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m447/thorpy6/SW.jpg

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m447/thorpy6/seikowatch.jpg

Niallmo

@Neil some great Seikos in that shot. I'll be looking around for a few more I think. Probably not divers. I like the normal ones too.

stickyfiddle

I like this one. "Only" nice thousand of your english pounds. It's also HUGE at 46 mm plus a gigantic crown.

http://www.timetailors.co.uk/storage/iwc-big-pilot-croc-1-x.jpg

FX_Munkee

@Niallmo my daily is the orange version of the SKX007 (the SKX011) and I can heartily recommend getting a replacement bracelet for it from this guy
I've got his President bracelet on mine and it's fantastic. The heft/solidity of the watch is properly matched by the strap now. I know they're not cheap but they're definitely worth what you're paying.

stickyfiddle

FX_Munkee said:

@Niallmo my daily is the orange version of the SKX007 (the SKX013) and I can heartily recommend getting a replacement bracelet for it from this guy
I've got his President bracelet on mine and it's fantastic. The heft/solidity of the watch is properly matched by the strap now. I know they're not cheap but they're definitely worth what you're paying.

I can tell that dicks on the bracelet on my SNZF just from the pics. Do you get any rattle from it? (obviously always going to get a little, but you know what I mean?)

thomasross20

My friend was getting just over £5k per month net up in Aberdeen so one of the first things he did was buy himself a nice Rolex - the b*****!! Lool

FX_Munkee

stickyfiddle said:

FX_Munkee said:

@Niallmo my daily is the orange version of the SKX007 (the SKX013) and I can heartily recommend getting a replacement bracelet for it from this guy
I've got his President bracelet on mine and it's fantastic. The heft/solidity of the watch is properly matched by the strap now. I know they're not cheap but they're definitely worth what you're paying.

I can tell that dicks on the bracelet on my SNZF just from the pics. Do you get any rattle from it? (obviously always going to get a little, but you know what I mean?)

Hmmm lets's test <shakes wrist/> Well, It's certainly not "rattle free" but the rattle is only from the standard clasp and TBH has never bothered me. Be aware though they are hefty straps (well suited to the SKX007's IMHO), but that's because they are solid links and solid end pieces.