Opinions, please!

iwantmydinner

Hi!

I'm a major lurker here and am fascinated by the level of knowledge ye all have so I'm looking forward to hearing yer thoughts.

I'm a woman but have always been a massive fan of men's watches. I've finally decided to buy one for myself. I really like this one:
http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/9158070/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7CJewellery+and+watches%7C14416987/c_2/3%7C15701267%7CMen%27s+watches%7C14417316/c_3/4%7Ccat_14417316%7CMen%27s+chronograph+watches%7C14417321.htm

It's fairly typical of the watches that always catch my eye, it ticks a lot of boxes - rose gold, lovely strap, and I could look at that face all day - and to my hopelessly uneducated eye it seems like a good-quality watch at a reasonable price to start off with. That model on other sites looks to be costing quite a bit more - generally in or around the £125 sterling mark.

What do ye think?

PS I have big-ish wrists, but I haven't tried this on yet. It might be on the large side but not by much I'd say!

CarltonBrowne

OK, I'll have a go at this one.

The watch that you link to is not of a type that would typically appeal to a lot of watch enthusiasts and that might explain why nobody's posted here yet. It broadly falls into the category of fashion watch, probably has a cheap chinese movement that cost peanuts and makes no real design statement. None of this matters if you like it and it's not expensive - at least not in my book but I probably spend more on straps annually than most people spend on watches. In terms of it being a mans watch that is neither here nor there - I watched a documentary a while ago where Felicity Kendal suggested that she started the trend in wearing men's watches but if she didn't, you're still in illustrious company.

If I was in your position I wouldn't buy that watch and I'd be looking in another direction. One that is in a similar idiom (you'll have to excuse me but in my head Accurist and Rotary are lumped into the same high street brand category) is the Rotary Super 25 Rotomatic. This is also a gold-plated mans watch but it has a Swiss automatic movement. There's one on Ebay at the minute that is not selling at £150. I appreciate that it's quite a bit more than the Accurist from Argos but you are getting a lot more.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Limited-Edition-Gents-Rose-Gold-Plated-Rotary-Les-Originales-Super-25-Rotomatic-/141329489019?pt=UK_Jewelery_Watches_Watches_MensWatches_GL&hash=item20e7e4dc7b
I have no connection with the seller and you still need to do your due diligence as per any Ebay transaction. There's also a review of the watch here.
http://watchreviewsbymcv.blogspot.ca/2011/04/review-of-rotary-super-25-limited.html

Otherwise I'd have a look at Orients at Creationwatches. Again mechanical movements (but not Swiss) and you may have to pay a modest amount of import duty (or you may not if you're lucky). Here are some examples.
http://www.creationwatches.com/products/orient-automatic-288/orient-multi-eyes-automatic-fet0r004w-4657.html
http://www.creationwatches.com/products/orient-watches-252/orient-classic-automatic-er24002w-3721.html
http://www.creationwatches.com/products/orient-automatic-288/orient-symphony-automatic-fer27004w-er27004w-4777.html

Hope this helps and good luck with your purchase.

iwantmydinner

Wow, excellent, that's exactly the kind of information I was looking for and why I posted in the first place. I want a decent watch, not a fashion watch, so thank you for the links.

TomCo

Or you go on ebay and buy a bunch of vintage mechanical watches for peanuts (most of my watches were between 20-40 quid).
Chronograph's generally tend to be a bit pricier but you can get something under 100 if you look around.

For example, here's a modern poljot chronograph which should end around the 100 mark:

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/CHRONOGRAPH-POLJOT-HAND-WINDING-YEARS-80-/121368242544?pt=UK_Jewelery_Watches_Watches_MensWatches_GL&hash=item1c421c6970

If you aren't specifically looking for a chrono, a Seiko 5 is always a good bet.
I really like their military style watches.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Seiko-5-SNK809K2-AUTOMATIC-SNK809/dp/B002SSUQFG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403888009&sr=8-1&keywords=seiko+5

Here's a funky one I got on ebay for €15:

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/291147755946?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2648

Eoin

iwantmydinner wrote: »

Wow, excellent, that's exactly the kind of information I was looking for and why I posted in the first place. I want a decent watch, not a fashion watch, so thank you for the links.

I wouldn't have called it a "fashion watch" myself - to me, that's something like something from Tommy Hilfiger or Ferrari, where you're paying for the brand name; despite them not being a watch company. I don't know what modern Accurist watches are like, but they did have some pedigree at one stage. I think their movements are now made in Japan, for what it's worth.

Anyway, you'll find very generic looking watches by established watch companies, and unique designs that are absolute tat, so I wouldn't worry too much about a "design statement".

Marcusm

Eoin wrote: »

I wouldn't have called it a "fashion watch" myself - to me, that's something like something from Tommy Hilfiger or Ferrari, where you're paying for the brand name; despite them not being a watch company. I don't know what modern Accurist watches are like, but they did have some pedigree at one stage. I think their movements are now made in Japan, for what it's worth.

Anyway, you'll find very generic looking watches by established watch companies, and unique designs that are absolute tat, so I wouldn't worry too much about a "design statement".

I assume you exclude the Panerai, Girard Perregaux and Hublot manufactured Ferrari branded watches from the "fashion" tag!

emo72

get an orange/black monster or 007 from seiko, proper tool watches with quality movements. look great and not too big for a girls. its where i started out on watches too.

http://forums.watchuseek.com/f74/seiko-bm-vs-om-905198.html

Eoin

Marcusm wrote: »

I assume you exclude the Panerai, Girard Perregaux and Hublot manufactured Ferrari branded watches from the "fashion" tag!

Of course! I meant the ones that are permanently "on sale" for around the 300 quid mark; not ones produced in association with them.

Brief_Lives

Hi,

just to highjack the thread title... I am new to the watch buying fraternity, I am trying to buy my wife something nice and elegant looking... any opinions on this..;
ww w. creationwatches. com/ products/citizen-ladies-eco-drive-52/ citizen-eco-drive-chronograph-fb1112-13d-fb1112-womens-watch-2266. html

I had to space the link becasue of my post count..

thanks in advance...

Eoin

Here's the link:
http://www.creationwatches.com/products/citizen-ladies-eco-drive-52/citizen-eco-drive-chronograph-fb1112-13d-fb1112-womens-watch-2266.html

I bought my wife a watch with a mother of pearl face, and I think they look really nice. It's really personal preference, but the chronograph might make it look a little busy, given the 32mm face.

Wossack

wouldnt be gone on the white strap either - I'd say that'd be prone to getting very grubby, very quickly

Calina

I wouldn't go for the white strap if she wants to wear it daily. 32mm...not sure I'd go for that in a dress watch but it's a question of taste. Most of my non sports watches are 25 or smaller.

Brief_Lives

Any opinions on a Pionier watch, GM-502-3....
something like this..

noble-watches.com/en/pionier/4891-pionier-malibu-diamonds.html

Calina

I have to say I think I'd find that watch hard to read.

Wossack

found the 10fold increase in budget more interesting

into nice Longines territory there I'd have thought

Brief_Lives

Wossack wrote: »

found the 10fold increase in budget more interesting

into nice Longines territory there I'd have thought

true but I found them online for €250 ... and I am deeply suspicious.. I have never heard of the german make Pionier, nd this place is a wealth of knowledge... so.. it is best to ask for opinions..

Wossack

ah, could be the same marketing ploy as Invicta watches - huge RRP, but always on sale, to appear to be a bargain. Not saying thats the case here, but would be suspicious..!

wee thread on em:
http://forums.watchuseek.com/f8/pionier-theorema-watches-german-made-fraud-950469.html

Brief_Lives

great link ... thanks for that... a couple of the watches looked nice, but presumable junk.....
anyway... I am in no rush... I´ll find something I like...

emo72

Wossack wrote: »

ah, could be the same marketing ploy as Invicta watches - huge RRP, but always on sale, to appear to be a bargain. Not saying thats the case here, but would be suspicious..!

wee thread on em:
http://forums.watchuseek.com/f8/pionier-theorema-watches-german-made-fraud-950469.html

Yeah, I nearly bought an invicta once. When I was starting out with my watch fetish, I knew something was off by the sheer amount of them on sale. Dodged that bullet. To anyone that likes invicta no offence meant.

Brief_Lives

How real does this look... its a lovely watch. Quartz though, not automatic.. I have barganined the seller down..
www .milanuncios. com/relojes/tag-heuer-serie-1000-edicion-limitada-134538103.htm

its a limited edition 1989 watch with no papers but it has a box....

Wossack

From 1989 Tag catalog - http://www.calibre11.com/tag-heuer-catalogues/1988-89-catalogue/ - thinking maybe its a 980 029

Looks fairly silver in the pics, so I would say its plating is pretty heavily worn. Perhaps why its distinctive bracelet has been replaced (?)

Brief_Lives

Yes, I was thinking that. Anyway, I will get a look at it. see how it looks.
thank you for the link.