Essential watches for any collection...

Cienciano

Ok, I've seen a few watches mentioned as "essential for any collection". What would you consider essential and why? I think cheap and iconic is what makes something a must have.

I'll go with 2:
A g-shock. Hard wearing, sometimes you need function with a handy light and you don't mind if it gets a few knocks, you get a decent one for under €100 so it's not going to break the bank and they're available everywhere. Handy for when you're going to the beach, doing gardening or manual labour and as it's quartz it's sometimes handy to grab a watch and not worry about power reserve or setting it.

A vostok. Again, cheap, plenty for around the €70 you can't afford to not have one, lots of different variations to suit you, and you don't see many about. I've had one for 15 years, it's been thrown about a lot, stuck in a drawer for a year at a time, trashed and it still keeps good time. Good source if anyone wants one:
https://meranom.com/en/

Anything else, second hand and vintage included, that you would consider essential?

bren2002

Cheap & iconic are somewhat mutually exclusive, but in the spirit of the thread

Swatch
Casio FW91

Birneybau

bren2002 wrote: »

Cheap & iconic are somewhat mutually exclusive, but in the spirit of the thread

Swatch
Casio FW91

Swatch? I have one of these but only bought for the novelty.

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/exclusive-hands-on-look-at-the-swatch-sistem51

Wibbs

I'd kinda think more of types of watches I suppose. So my list might be:

Yep agree on G-Shock. Digital only for me, closer to the original the better.

Early Trench or 30's Tank watch of some sort.

Military issued watch, or mil inspired if cost's a factor).

Chronograph of some nature.

Diver. That could be anything from a Rolex to a small brand 1970's example, or the Vostok.

Dress watch.

If pennies are being watched that lot might be cobbled together for under a grand, or if money's no object you could spend millions.

sparrowcar

For me personally

A Seiko (preferably an auto)
A G-shock
A Dress watch
A Birth year watch
A Diver
A Tool watch.

Cienciano

sparrowcar wrote: »

For me personally

A Seiko (preferably an auto)
A G-shock
A Dress watch
A Birth year watch
A Diver
A Tool watch.

A year of birth watch is something I'd like. The problem is, I'm not a fan of 90% of stuff from my year of birth (1977) and the other 9% is too expensive. But definitely my next purchase I reckon, it's enjoyable searching.

blue5000

I suppose the corner stones of a watch collection will vary from person to person.

For me the tool watch is my daily driver, Damasko, my most expensive watch,
then it's the Seiko diver
After that there's a chronograph (Seiko Pogue)
then a few
vintage Longines for a dress watch/birth year watch
Plus a few more Seikos
finally a Chinese watch just to be different.

Then there's the Steinhart on permanent loan to the OH.

2shea

Seiko
Casio
Rolex

wersal gummage

Wondered about this before. I've an over representation of dress watches, I like the sleek nature of them and I've reasonably slim wrists so they work.

Wonder if a pilot / flight watch is regarded as essential by anyone ? I've never really been drawn to them or seen ones I had to have... They tend to be on the bigger side too, but also quite distinctive and some of the straps can even look interesting.

artanevilla

I would try to have:

Field Watch: Timex Expedition
Flieger: Hamilton Khaki
Dress: Tissot Everytime (brown leather), Orient Bambino (black leather)
Divers: Seiko SXK007 (Pepsi)
Chrono/Drivers: Seiko
Digital: GShock/F91-w

I also have one or two with interesting complications: Soviet Alarm Watch and a Quartz Moon Phase for example.

micks_address

I'd say
A diver
Gshock
Dress watch
Something personal

In terms of my own I like my steinhart ocean vintage gmt.
Stowa marine manual wind for dress watch
Aqua Terra skyfall seamaster..I love James bond and skyfall is one of my favourite bond movies.

I'd like a speedmaster moon watch but it's going to have to wait. I might look for a 1978 version..

Lorddrakul

A pilot
A diver
A sport
A dress
A beater
A radio updater
A quirky one

And perhaps a quartz and a mechanical of each type too, just for variation.

Onecoolcookie

Swatch watches first got me interested in the watch world and my passion has grown from there so I will say a Swatch watch

micks_address

I love my Gshock all metal - the grab and go nature of it is great.. don't get me wrong i love the manual wind of my stowa as well.. but a bit like how im too lazy to wear contact lens there's something nice to be able to just grab a watch and not wonder if the time is right.. in the case of the gshock very right

Always Tired

Rolex Rainbow Daytona.

Nah, I dunno. Divers are probably the most versatile but I prefer less chunky watches now. Would think a Junghans Max Bill a great start to any collection. Or a Hamilton Intramatic. Dress watches that can also wear casually.

Im slightly shocked to hear people say a digital watch is an essential for a collection. I actually think the opposite. the main appeal to a watch for me is one that has actual watchmaking craftsmanship in the moving parts and the design of the dial, hands, markers etc. We all carry around digital watches in our pockets now. Least essential thing for a collection imo. Also g shocks are just ugly to me all that plastic its like having a big Lego strapped to your wrist.

micks_address

Always Tired wrote: »

Rolex Rainbow Daytona.

Nah, I dunno. Divers are probably the most versatile but I prefer less chunky watches now. Would think a Junghans Max Bill a great start to any collection. Or a Hamilton Intramatic. Dress watches that can also wear casually.

Im slightly shocked to hear people say a digital watch is an essential for a collection. I actually think the opposite. the main appeal to a watch for me is one that has actual watchmaking craftsmanship in the moving parts and the design of the dial, hands, markers etc. We all carry around digital watches in our pockets now. Least essential thing for a collection imo. Also g shocks are just ugly to me all that plastic its like having a big Lego strapped to your wrist.

Unless you get a full metal one



They have a cool history and being solar and so precise is a nice to have


https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/casio-g-shock-gmwb5000-full-metal-gold-review

Wibbs

Now speaking as one of the oddball champions for the much maligned quartz movement, TBH I do see the issue with digitals. They feel kinda "dead" in a way. Quartz analogue don't to nearly the same degree and some, especially the early examples are actually more "handmade" than contemporaneous mechanicals and certainly more than most mechanicals these days.

IrishPlayer

Vintage /Seiko - Putting these together as I definitely think everyone should have a vintage piece as part of their collection.

Seiko is also a name everyone should have in their collection and is the way to go for first time vintage watches, especially during the 1970s when they were at their peek. Great value, reliable, good availability for parts,huge variety, easy to date and plenty of good information making research more straightforward than other brands.

First Watch - Not always possible for everyone to still have their first watch but really great to have to remember where the journey began.

Inherited /Left Down Watch - For me it's my grandfather's Tissot Seastar, in a way its a watch I wish I never got but it is a way to help me remember him and keeps my interest in watches so I think it is a important part.

Eoin

To buck the trend, I would say a dress watch is not essential. Sure, a relatively unfussy watch probably goes a little better with a suit or tux, but if it fits under a shirt cuff, the odds are that it's perfectly fine.

wersal gummage wrote: »

Wondered about this before. I've an over representation of dress watches, I like the sleek nature of them and I've reasonably slim wrists so they work.

If that's the type that works for you, then it's a good collection. There's no need for variety just for the sake of it.

I wasted quite a lot of money before I figured out just to buy what I like, and not worry about ticking the boxes for different styles. So not being a dressy person and being quite well padded, I typically get slightly larger sports/tool watches.

wersal gummage wrote: »

Wonder if a pilot / flight watch is regarded as essential by anyone ? I've never really been drawn to them or seen ones I had to have... They tend to be on the bigger side too, but also quite distinctive and some of the straps can even look interesting.

If you're not drawn to them, then don't bother IMO - regardless of the brand/style's heritage or popularity.

Cienciano

Eoin wrote: »

If you're not drawn to them, then don't bother IMO - regardless of the brand/style's heritage or popularity.

Yeah, I'd have no interest in a pilot watch myself.

Wibbs

Wibbs wrote: »

Now speaking as one of the oddball champions for the much maligned quartz movement, TBH I do see the issue with digitals. They feel kinda "dead" in a way. Quartz analogue don't to nearly the same degree and some, especially the early examples are actually more "handmade" than contemporaneous mechanicals and certainly more than most mechanicals these days.

I grew up with digital watches so i'll always have some affection for them.

banie01

I already have a Titanium Diver (Citizen Promaster)
And albeit an anathema in here, a smart watch that can pass as a dress watch in a Zetime

If I can scrap to a new watch it would likely be either a Pilot or another Diver.
IWC style pilot or a Breitling Diver I think.
I've not owned a dress watch since my confirmation and the allure of one never really caught me.

I'm a fan of swapping my strap rather than changing my watch

2shea

Casio - retro style or gshock.

Seiko - Sumo or Turtle I would mostly stick to Seiko for there automatic dive watches although I do like my sarb035

Rolex - for a dress watch I feel my Explorer is a sporty dress watch.

fret_wimp2

Wibbs wrote: »

Now speaking as one of the oddball champions for the much maligned quartz movement, TBH I do see the issue with digitals. They feel kinda "dead" in a way. Quartz analogue don't to nearly the same degree and some, especially the early examples are actually more "handmade" than contemporaneous mechanicals and certainly more than most mechanicals these days.

I respectfully disagree! For me its all about pedigree and being functional.
I used to be all about automatics, but with the purchase of a GW5610 on a whim, that changed.
Its digital, no moving parts, but its still got a sense of pedigree, as its a link straight back to the 80's in its styling and being almost identical to the first G-Shock, even down to functionality. It was just done correctly, doesnt need modernization.
Its got a ton of legitimately useful tech built in to make it bulletproof.
It will probably never need to be opened. There are lots of stories of solar atomic g-shocks going 20 years and still having no battery issues.
Its insanely comfortable.
I dont worry about it at all. Most of my autos are nothing special, relatively affordable seikos but they still get mollycoddled, and i hate when the inevitable scratch appears. I have no such worries with the casio, that stuff is its natural environment.
All that adds up to give the watch as much of a persona as any of the autos.

2shea

fret_wimp2 wrote: »

I respectfully disagree! For me its all about pedigree and being functional.
I used to be all about automatics, but with the purchase of a GW5610 on a whim, that changed.
Its digital, no moving parts, but its still got a sense of pedigree, as its a link straight back to the 80's in its styling and being almost identical to the first G-Shock, even down to functionality. It was just done correctly, doesnt need modernization.
Its got a ton of legitimately useful tech built in to make it bulletproof.
It will probably never need to be opened. There are lots of stories of solar atomic g-shocks going 20 years and still having no battery issues.
Its insanely comfortable.
I dont worry about it at all. Most of my autos are nothing special, relatively affordable seikos but they still get mollycoddled, and i hate when the inevitable scratch appears. I have no such worries with the casio, that stuff is its natural environment.
All that adds up to give the watch as much of a persona as any of the autos.

I enjoy my cheap quartz watches immensely for there practicality and don't care if they get damaged (Which is a major advantage to enjoyment of a piece). However being a watch lover I also love having a beautiful automatic piece on my wrist on my days off work or attending different functions etc... Just to have it in your wrist to admire.

Remember watches are really the only bit if male jewellery we have and can wear when getting dressed up.

I have wore my €25 Casio with a 3 piece suit before and got many complements.

Here are the watches I get the most remarks about. As in non watch people saying "cool watch" or "that's such a nice watch I had one of them when I was a kid" and if you are a true watch person you'll love them too how can you not !

e85 near my location

find a wells fargo branch near me

I have never gotten a complement on my Rolex. Apart from when I'm taking it off in a jewellers or watch shop to try on an other watch.

Every watch has its place, €25 Casio all the way up to the 6k+ Rolex or other high end brands.

NIMAN

Looking at those Casio's really takes me back to my teens.

Happy memories.

I remember I had a digital that used to played the Big Ben chimes before going into the Can Can tune, what an alarm!

That would have been very early 80s.

unkel

No such thing as essentials for any watch collection. And I'll even go a step further: a watch fan doesn't even need to own more than one watch!

Shock, horror, ban me

I consider myself to be a watch fan, but nothing digital or smart interests me much (the rest of my life is already spent with things digital and smart), nor does anything chrono. I currently own 3 watches but I only really wear one. A bit like my jeans, I only really wear 2 of mine mostly. I do have 3 cars though

2shea

unkel wrote: »

No such thing as essentials for any watch collection. And I'll even go a step further: a watch fan doesn't even need to own more than one watch!

Shock, horror, ban me

I consider myself to be a watch fan, but nothing digital or smart interests me much (the rest of my life is already spent with things digital and smart), nor does anything chrono. I currently own 3 watches but I only really wear one. A bit like my jeans, I only really wear 2 of mine mostly. I do have 3 cars though

No shock here man, a watch lover can have one watch his hole life!

hoganj

For me there is no excuse not to have a Casio F-91W in your collection. For working around the house/bike/car etc it's my watch. I also use its stopwatch for running, alarm in the morning. Extremely versatile, simple and good value to boot.
Anything else is a nice to have, this would be where your personality and preference comes into play (finances too).

oxocube

unkel wrote: »

I consider myself to be a watch fan, but nothing digital or smart interests me much (the rest of my life is already spent with things digital and smart):D

I work around digital all day so LCD's do nothing for me. I've a Seiko quartz chrono which I really like but stopped working the other day due to the battery dying. This really annoyed the hell out of me.

Because I work with technology I prefer an automatic. It's gears and wheels and the fact I built a lot of lego as a kid, I understand the workmanship needed to get the accuracy needed.

If I was going for Essential Watches for any (as in my ) collection it would be:

One Rolex
One Speedmaster
One Seiko (more than likely a Diver)
One Dress Watch
One Vintage Watch (Birth Year or just a nice piece i.e. 1960 Omega DeVille or Seamaster)
One sports watch (really like the Tags)

Anything else would be considered a luxury

unkel

I could live with that list

IrishPlayer

unkel wrote: »

And I'll even go a step further: a watch fan doesn't even need to own more than one watch

I've wondered this about myself as I only have my Bell-Matic (don't count my first watch as I would need a magifine glass to see it :P, and could never wear my Grandfather's Tissot nor do I consider it mine) am I really a watch fan.

I find it hard to be able to contribute anything useful on here because of that and try to find other ways to.