[Closed] Watches (yes, ****** watches)

Any other ideas or i'll just go [s]PS4 and a[/s] Bin Laden Casio

It's only a birthday - pointless going for an unnecessary purchase when you aren't really fussed about it all. Maybe have a nice family/friends day out instead.

my missus does this, i can never be arsed, so i think it would be good i'll go ona bike holiday or something - nope that will turn into a family thing... BUT ITS MY BIRTHDAY..

sorry no help on the actaul subject..

Actually, Suunto - it's like a PS4, watch, spacecraft all rolled into 1

http://www.suunto.com/en-GB/Products/Watches/Suunto-Essential/Suunto-Essential-Copper/

[img] ?width=570[/img]

you'll find it cheaper..

edit

this one

http://www.suunto.com/en-GB/Products/sports-watches/Suunto-Ambit3-Peak/Suunto-Ambit3-Peak-Sapphire/

[img] ?width=570[/img]

Have a look on www.christopherward.Co.uk English company but Swiss made.

Have a look at Certina - I got a Certina DS Podium Auto for a ahem, significant birthday recently. I've got an old-ish Omega Speedmaster too, but I prefer the Certina - it's lighter and much easier to read at a glance. And more waterproof, too.

You can't discount more guitars. There's always something different.

Mrs B got me an Ovation for my 30th, wouldn't have thought of it myself at the time but it's my most played now.

Just bought the Suunto Peak Saphire last week with the HR belt for £280 (shop on eBay).

http://en.uhrenlounge.de/shop/certina-herren-automatik-kollektion-s-69-483.html

There you go - I got mine from these people in Germany. The website lets you make an offer of a lower price!

You can't discount more guitars. There's always something different.

Mrs B got me an Ovation for my 30th, wouldn't have thought of it myself at the time but it's my most played now.

Yeah, this was on the list, fits in with her budget, lord knows I could use a new acoustic and it still leaves room for a Gibson SG

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Japanese domestic market (aka "JDM") automatic Seiko. Ignore any "it's only a Seiko" nonsense and enjoy the fact you have a watch as good as a rather more expensive Swiss equivalent. And Seiko manufacture their own movements (which you don't get on a Tag Heuer).

I have this for every day wear - Seiko Sarb065 "Cocktail Time":

[img] [/img]
(not my picture)

And have one of these waiting for me to collect from the post office - Seiko SBDC003 "Sumo":

[img] [/img]
(also not my picture)

Even after import duties (mine are from [url= http://www.seiyajapan.com/ ]Seiya Japan[/url]), they're both under your budget.

Yep, agree with the above. Seiko it should be. You'd me mad to buy anything else at that price. Jdm Seiko's are different beasts to some of the high St stuff they sell. Have this on my wrist right now...

[URL= http://i1280.photobucket.com/albums/a491/loddrik1/Mobile%20Uploads/32CDB67A-7F86-4EEB-A946-6F6AE031C0D9_zpstqbcwye8.jp g" target="_blank">http://i1280.photobucket.com/albums/a491/loddrik1/Mobile%20Uploads/32CDB67A-7F86-4EEB-A946-6F6AE031C0D9_zpstqbcwye8.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]

That Sumo looks like something James Bond would have worn in the 80s.

Archiymede.

£25 over budget but nicely designed and made watches with good movements.

that sunto thing is gopping, fine if you have unkempt hair, live in a camper van and work at a youth activity centre playing action man but it’s ugly as sin.

Not a big fan of wearing a watch but I do have a stainless Citizen Eco Drive and 10 years later it's still doing its thing, albeit on my desk most of the time.

It's a lovely bit of kit. Some nice Ti ones in that bracket.

Whats the largest/smallest diameters you would consider? And do you mind quartz or does it have to be mechanical?

I've got a hankering for one of these - right on your price point and description. Smart, modern, understated.

http://www.uniformwares.com/watches-and-timepieces/

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Didn't he say he had a chunky Seiko divers...?

Otherwise I would have suggested something seiko and tweaked...

[img] [/img]

Cocktail time is classic..

Couple of guys at work have uniform wares watches; simple, understated & stylish.

[img] [/img]

Not Swiss & below your budget, but Daniel Wellington make nice simple timepieces too

[img] [/img]

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https://www.danielwellington.com/uk/men

Why not give the money to charity??if your struggling to think of something to waste money on

Buy from Europe, the weak euro is making Steinhart and Stowa watches very tempting.

The Sumo and Tuna can are really nice, I have a hankering after Ioddric's Tuna, I must admit!

@ CountZero - will do pics when I've got it.

@ Twinw4ll - interesting thought!

The Tissot is nice and classy as are some of their powermatic models. A good watch will last a lifetime and tis always nice to put a dress watch on to make you feel like it's special event/party time 🙂

Leather strap all day for a gentleman's dress watch.

I have a Tissot Visodate automatic as an everyday watch and I like it. Mine is the same age as me (from 1968) but it doesn't look much different to that one.

FWIW two colleagues have the Tissot and it's very nice.

[img] [/img]

You could buy a steel strap instead to match if leather is not your thing.

http://www.elliotbrownwatches.com/

Mentioned it before and still not got round to buying it, but for 300 sheets, the Inox will be my next watch. It has a strange lug width, but leather straps can be bought, it's not the most technologically advanced watch - but just look at it....

[img] [/img]

Tis nice, but date is in a poor place/angle.

Seiko brightz like this maybe

http://www.creationwatches.com/products/seiko-japan-82/seiko-brightz-automatic-sdgm003-mens-watch-6068.html

Bit over budget but a very well made watch.

Tis nice, but date is in a poor place/angle.

[img] ?v=1390747822[/img]

When exactly is your birthday?

The reason I ask is because the correct answer to the op is to find a birth date watch - a nice and all original 40yr old Seiko classic such as the 6139-6002 will easily fit the budget but Seiko serial numbers also include the month it was made so finding the right one is approximately 12x harder than finding any other watch that was made the year you were born.

Happy hunting!

Not really. It's in that position on my Seiko SPORK, and my Yokobies Mod Seiko 5 Military has the window in that position; it means you can get a day/date in without losing the indice for 3 o'clock, perfectly sensible, it doesn't spoil the aesthetics of the face. It doesn't make it any more difficult seeing the date, and how often do you need to do that anyway?

It makes the date harder to see if you wear your watch on the right arm and I appear to need to check the date every 5 minutes as I can never remember it and I have to sign and date everything I do.

It's nice to look at, but it's a very chunky quartz that would drive me mad with the date placement/angle. And on reading it has a non-standard lug width? I couldn't live with it.

Not a highjack as such, but does anyone know a reliable replica watch site? I'm liking the look of Bell and Ross phantoms, but for occasional use, disliking the price.

I have an Elliot Brown - it's a classic looking and attractive watch, that although quartz and requiring a battery at some point, is more accurate than an auto and won't need horrendous servicing.

They are also very nice guys to deal with.

Someone in the office acquired from the web, a watch looking very much like a Tag Heuer Space X. IIRC, they paid <£100.

Strange, the case, buttons, glass all seemed indistinguishable from the genuine swiss watches I own. Being of the correct weight, well finished and highly polished as you'd expect an original to appear.

Made me realise that prices for genuine examples, reflect costs of sponsorship, paying likes of Lewis and Leonardo, isn't cheap and adds nothing to the ownership experience, for me.

I also wondered whether the premium brands are now manufacturing in the far east?

It makes the date harder to see if you wear your watch on the right arm and I appear to need to check the date every 5 minutes as I can never remember it and I have to sign and date everything I do.

I'm right handed and wear my watch on the right - as a kid with my first watch no-one told me it was supposed to be on the left.

Right was right to me.

According to some that means I'm gay - which is news to me. 😉

I also wondered whether the premium brands are now manufacturing in the far east?

Define 'premium'. Fashion brands will use movements from Japan like Miyota, nothing wrong with that but the real cheap Quartz movements that feature in most Diesel/Nixon types cost peanuts. A lot of premium brands are using the cachet of in-house movements not just modified ETA's / Valjoux etc. so some watch buyers would ignore Bell & Ross and Panerai simply for the fact the same movement can be had in a £400 watch.

Some people don't care and just want a wrist bauble, others like the idea of a movement that no other manufacture has.

AFAIK none of the high end brands manufacture in the Far East, it would kill their brand overnight. There is The Gran Seiko's but they are looked at differently to a cheapo citizen.

AFAIK none of the high end brands manufacture in the Far East, it would kill their brand overnight.

True, but many of the bracelets and other components are certainly made in China. Final assembly in Switzerland- Swiss Made on the dial...

True, but many of the bracelets and other components are certainly made in China. Final assembly in Switzerland- Swiss Made on the dial...

High end brands? Rolex, Patek, Jaeger, IWC, Vacheron etc etc. you think they use Chinese parts 😆

Tag? Breitling? Many of the swatch group brands? - the watches that people actually buy..?

There are very few vertically integrated watch manufacturers.

The brands you mention are out of reach of most people.....

Simply put, if buying a watch;
Rugged? G-Shock
Everyday use? Seiko
Something special? Grand Seiko or something inherited/vintage
Want to tell everyone about it? Something MASSIVE with a shiny brand name.

High end brands? Rolex, Patek, Jaeger, IWC, Vacheron etc etc. you think they use Chinese parts

Some of them will. Most of them will have shareholders to satisfy, and there will be things they want to keep in house to avoid making counterfeiting ridiculously easy, but bits and pieces that the average customer never sees?

I have a Seiko Arnie which has been full restored, very rare now but you may find one in your budget and you wont loose a penny on it.
Heaven forbid if Arnie pops his clogs, prices will go mental.

The brands you mention are out of reach of most people.....

Yes they are 'High end brands'...... 🙄

look at citizen eco drive some very nice watches wont break the bank and never need winding or battries 😕

Give up work and you won't need a watch.

How do you know when the pub is open? 😯

Schofield watch or Gibson ES 345 1964 reissue would be my recommendations.

Does Giles give you a discount then? Are you going to share that with the O.P? Only I think you are stretching the budget there with a Scofield.

[i] High end brands? Rolex, Patek, Jaeger, IWC, Vacheron etc etc. you think they use Chinese parts [/i]

That was a point I was making. That on the basis of the Far Eastern replica, I saw, items such as the case, button tops, glass, bracelets "appear" to be of the same quality and finish. Now this was a replica, but in my opinion, seeing that watch demonstrated to me the genuinely feasible scenario of the premium/Swiss manufacturers having such items made for them in China.

This possibility, made me rethink the prices I see for some of the watches I'd like to own.

the high end manufactures will use outsourced parts but most of these come from the Joux valley where independent producers specialise in one product like hands or balance springs, there is simply no need to go outside of the area for parts. Just because there are fakes from China doesn't mean that manufactures will source their parts there (as I said before it would kill there brand overnight)
If the possibility worries you don't buy an expensive Swiss watch, just start saving for a Gran Seiko.

THANKS ALOT ALL......

....read this post, spent part of my bonus on an Elliot Brown watch - have been looking for a nice watch for some time now (work/dress) - G-Shock only works on the bike and the pub!

Need to remember to buy flowers for the missus on the way home now.

Mr Smith. Thanks for the pithy response, it would seem you know a good deal about the industry. However, I was referring specifically to external parts, comparatively simple to produce.
I wasn't suggesting that the movements (parts of a watch you would not usually see) might be made in China. In fact, I'd agree with you, when I'd assume the internals are very much kept, developed and produced in house.
Cheers.
🙂

Ok, I'll ask.

G-Shock, I just don't get it, nor, do I believe I've ever seen an attractive example. So, to the G-Shock lovers out there. Please help.

G-Shocks? I think they are pretty useless. I've had one before and the thing was so bulky it kept catching on things and then ripping the pins out so the thing fell off.

I reckon the best watch for sports, riding, general stuff is the F-91. It's thin so it doesn't catch on anything and cheap so you don't care too much if the inevitable happens and you smash it up.

G-Shock, I just don't get it.....

Phew, thought I was the only one - guess it's an aspirational purchase, all rufty tufty and macho, probably 😉

[i] Phew, thought I was the only one[/i]
Likewise
🙂

Ooh that Arnie Seiko is cool. I have an Arnie Casio (inherited).

Sadly both my inherited automatics (dad's Certina and uncle's Seiko) aren't repairable 🙁

Yak - Member

G-Shocks? I think they are pretty useless. I've had one before and the thing was so bulky it kept catching on things and then ripping the pins out so the thing fell off.

I've just got a g shock in the post, tbh I only got it as they seem to have stopped selling the DW290 in the UK. The g shock was one of the cheaper ones, as I will only use it occasionaly when doing proper work in Ireland but it is a bit bulky and action man ish, tbh if I'd have seen this thread i would've got a seiko sumo and stuff the extra expense

I like them - can't be hurting anyone. must admit I don't have the big chunky colourful models that you might be thinking about - they do some nice metal bracelet ones these days (my opinion of course!)

At least I know if I go out on the bike with some of the STW massive - to keep you happy I will leave the watch in the car 🙂

cynic-al - Member
Ooh that Arnie Seiko is cool. I have an Arnie Casio (inherited).

Sadly both my inherited automatics (dad's Certina and uncle's Seiko) aren't repairable

Hey Al, why are they not repairable? I've brought many watches back from the dead and parts for Seiko and Certina shouldn't be too hard to find. The only ones that have defeated me are Omega F300 electronic and a Sicura with a low grade pin lever movement from the 60's, both due to unobtanium parts.

There's a price/spec comparison here between a CH Ward watch (£600) and very similar Tudor (£2,000). It's an advert from CHW so maybe not the whole story...
[url= http://www.christopherward.co.uk/battleforthedeep.html ]Battle for the Deep[/url]

[img] http://static1.squarespace.com/static/54c18141e4b06765d7d85a46/t/54dca6fce4b0026201d2f762/1423746814273/?format=500w [/img]

To the OP, this fits the bill and can be found within budget:

[img] [/img]
Victorinox Alliance Mechanical

THANKS ALOT ALL......

Yeah, but you'll look at your wrist and smile every time you see your lovely new watch there, you won't regret it.

It's an advert from CHW so maybe not the whole story...

well Tudor have an long history and have now moved to an in-house calibre, also there are several grades of the same movement and Tudor will also modify the base movement so CW are a bit economical with the truth.
i know which i would rather have on my wrist (have tried all the Tudor’s) but the one i really want is unique:

[img] ?itok=AsORRp2-[/img]

and well out of my price range (will go for big money at auction)

there is no shame in using a Valjoux/ETA movement there a long history of watches with other movements in from all the big names such as a Zenith in the Rolex Daytona.