Advice on best bang for buck diver

Pablo_Flox

I think the big lesson here is that if you ask 10 watch enthusiasts for a recommendation, you will get 15 different suggestions!

Its best to get something you like and never mind the rest of us.

ednwireland

I have a citizen which I wear daily and it's great really like it

I have a tag which because it's self winding needs to be worn daily because I don't it needs winding when I get it.

it's also had to be repaired once

and it's expensive so I would wear it out but not every day

pjdarcy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123689530#Comment_123689530

There's only one watch that we'll all agree on. Just get yourself a Casio F-91W and save yourself 900 euros OP 🙂

scwazrh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123689684#Comment_123689684

or keep saving for a Rolex .

Thats both ends of the spectrum covered .

OmegaGene

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123689652#Comment_123689652

get yourself a watch winder and no need for winding, but more importantly line up the bezel on that Tag

banie01

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123689530#Comment_123689530

We're getting better at sticking to budgets though 😉

The usual way a thread like this would go would be someone would ask for the best diver for €500, then we'd all pile in with €2k+ suggestions.

banie01

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123689652#Comment_123689652

Wearing a Citizen myself today. My Anadigi promaster jp3050-55w that I have running as a GMT. It's the most "important" watch I own, bought for me as a 1st fathers Day present and has been under the ocean and up mountains with me.

As for what diver I'd recommend? @fonecrusher1 's gra for the Steinhart is understandable. I think it's a good shout, it's one of those watch brands that I think all of us here have tried at one stage. Great quality and certainly great value, which is getting harder and harder to find.

I've had a look back over my photos to see just how many divers I've tried and owned. I definitely have a preference for diver style watches and GMTs.

The one I regret leaving go most? Is my Breitling SuperOcean II, I'd but that back if I ever got the chance. Much prefer it to the newer models.

fonecrusher1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123690302#Comment_123690302

From the minute I looked at the Steinharts last week I found one particular one that I've kept coming back to. Its been in my brain since. Yes its a very good homage brand with a few token originals but they seem to have some seriously good reputation based on the feedback here and other online sources. But the one i'm looking at in fairness has a fairly original color composition. Its less homagey than others … if you know what I mean.

Ultimately I appreciate good engineering too and they seem to be very well built.

I had a bit of a gra for a few Squales that actually look very submariner(ish) so I thought hold on if its ok to want a kind of sub homage watch then lets circle back to that Steinhart ….

Then theres the Baltic I've been lingering back to as well … I wont even get into that . jesus this isn't even fun anymore. So many lovely watches. It was almost easier when I was mostly a bit of a Seiko only fan.

But i've narrowed it down to pretty much just Steinhart and Squale. And possibly Mido. Traska. And theres one Hamiliton thats been luring me back now and then.

And that Baltic of course.

Oh and did I mention that Henry archer watch?

😶

prime87

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123690531#Comment_123690531

I have one of those I might consider selling, full set as new :)

fonecrusher1

Right so lads so I pulled the trigger on a Steinhart GMT Diver - Ceramic blue / grey. Yes a homage to a submariner but less so than others imo with the color combination. Love the dial & bezel. Bracelet is very comfortable and removing links is a breeze. Watch isn't too heavy on the wrist and the bezel click is sublime. Feels like absolute quality.

… one slight grumble? Lume isn't the best. But not a deal breaker at all.

Happy as a pig in poo I am.😊

H_Lime

Well wear, nice watch enjoy it!

banie01

Lovely watch @fonecrusher1 many of us have owned a Steinhart or 2 in our time.
A very well made watch with a quality movement and great customer support.
Always easily enoughed moved on too should something else catch your eye.
Enjoy it in good health.

Lorddrakul

Fair play, @fonecrusher1, you set out a requirement and got what you wanted.

It looks the business.

Well wear.

fonecrusher1

Some great advice and ideas on here I must say that helped for sure. Thanks all. 👍️

@NIMAN That pic of the Baltic in your post … my oh my what a pretty watch. That was the other watch i'd narrowed it down to. And tbh i'd never heard of Baltic literally until i went looking for that watch. The only thing that made the Steinhart my choice was size consideration. I have 38/39mm watches and they're just a little small on my wrist.

I'd need to try before i'd buy on that one whereas the Steinhart at 42mm is spot on for me.

mik_da_man

Congrats, it's a lovely watch.

I'll admit I have one or two in my open tabs as I never owned a Steinhart so I may change that soon!

prime87

In my opinion worst option you could have selected,

I agree with Nico Leonard on Steinhart

https://youtu.be/AITbbni8z88?feature=shared&t=715

dinorebel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123705742#Comment_123705742

That mans the biggest blowhard on YouTube which is quite the achievement.

OmegaGene

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123706183#Comment_123706183

I agree, he prefers to live the fake celeb life as a YouTuber and be as outrageous as possible

fonecrusher1

I dont feed trolls.

But on this Nico Leonard character .. Loud mouths like him are naturally going to passionately hate brands like Steinhart because fundamentally they are a threat to his business. Which sells high end luxury watches like Rolex, Tudor, Omega longine etc. Of course homage brands are his nemesis. If people buy them they probably arent going to lash out 10 times the money on his stock. So naturally he's going to shout and roar to put people off them.

So his default opinion is always going to be: Dont buy this knock off rubbish. Buy the real thing instead. That narritive is purely in his own interests and nothing to do with genuine analysis of whatever brand he's trashing.

He also does it of course to get views on his youtube channel content. Its all money.

NIMAN

Exactly, don't buy this €500 watch, buy this €10000 watch instead.

Yeah cos someone considering A can afford to buy B.

Fool.

Deep Thought

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123708017#Comment_123708017

yup.. Nico.. enough said

dinorebel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123708017#Comment_123708017

At least on here the budget is normally only doubled when suggesting a watch.

prime87

I still agree with Nico on it.

If you are buying a Steinhart just do not bother.

Save yourself 500 euros and just buy a chinese homage instead.

Wrist satisfaction difference is none. Not going into which watch is slightly better.

OmegaGene

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123710464#Comment_123710464

have you thought some people might like steinhart ? I have certain favourites and other brands I wouldn’t touch but preaching ti people not to buy a brand is a bit of a nico move

NIMAN

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123710779#Comment_123710779

This forum has always had a small element of watch snobs about it, who look down on other people's purchases.

prime87

Apologies if it was taken that way, just looked at it from a practical point of view.

They are solid watches and that is about it, nothing else, the quality is for sure there but I don't find any character in them.

Yes they might keep their value and once bored of it - and you will be - you will be able to pass it on for a little bit less than what you purchased it for - but I suspect that will be relatively quick and is the case because they are being sold in brand new condition used.

When you look at the market there is much more interesting micro brands with non rip-off designs,
and again if you are after a rip-off design Aliexpress/Watchdives is a better choice with more soul - as in a homage with the mini changes any one of us would perhaps like to try, like certain dial color etc. Plus being better value in that sense I think you get more enjoyment from that then.

Hence for me Steinhart is a loose loose scenario.

I just personally don't see an appeal in buying one, to me it is the same as putting a smartwatch on the arm tbh.

H_Lime

There are several brands of Chinese motorcycles which are making waves in the market of late. In the past I always considered them the preserve of cash tight punters not concerned with quality, brand recognition or refinement. They just wanted an a to b machine. This is changing lately. Several manufacturers from china are pumping out models with comparative build, quality and reliability at a level you'd expect from the major players. In certain areas they have superior spec and performance @ this price point. Aesthetics can be clunky at times but each Yr they're getting better and some models are distinctive in their own rights.

So why all this bike waffle...

San Martin are an equivalent in the watch world imo. The SN0144 is an example where for 300 odd quid you can get a very high spec case and especially bracelet and clasp finish. A premier high beat auto miyota and their own design. The chamfering and edge polishing on the bracelet is perfect.

I've handled one and seen it on my tg, it was deffo factory regulated, couldn't be improved upon. The finish is easily on par with my mates tudor costing ten times. The sizing is perfect, they've kept it a shade under 40 and they're gloriously thin, 10 odd mm.

In short, if you can get over it being a Chinese watch you get a beautiful watch that if it had a Microbrand euro or US name would certainly be over 1500 quid.

prime87

Wouldn't go as far as saying SM compares to Tudor. I had one ordered, put it on it was sharp as a knife (as in the actual finishing of the case was really bad), and this was one of their latest models, although really liked the design. Main like with these is the dial usually.

H_Lime

Aesthetics and brand are subjective but SEL to case fit, bracelet flex, quality of case polishing to brushing transitions and spec were all on par with my mates tudor. I've previously owned one San Martin which I sold as I just don't dig gmt and finish was again nearly compatible to the above. They've upped their game with the SN0144 imo.

fonecrusher1

A buddy just got a San Martin SN0128.. (I very nearly got the same) Lovely lovely watch. Great quality. But for sure I think the Steinhart edges it in terms of brushing and bezel quality. Also the 22mm lug bracelet on the Stein is silky soft and comfortable and for want of another word .. just better. Now in fairness my watch was over twice the price of his so it should edge it. But even he agreed there is a perceptible difference in quality. Just how it feels on the wrist. Not much but its there alright. One thing I noted about the SM and maybe its just his particular watch the crown feels like its binding very slightly on the thread. Also lets say I want to move the Stein on at some point. I'm pretty sure thats definitely another advantage over the SM.

So i've had both in my hands and thus for me I can conclusively determine that. For me anyway. In fact its made me love the Stein even more. I'm so happy with it.

In a roundabout way what I'm saying is you can talk about these things all day but unless you've handled both to compare you just can't know the difference.

For anyone taking a dig at Steinhart just handle one first then talk about them.

😊

.. and in case anyone thinks i'm taking a shot a SM .. i've been going back and looking at that green avacado theme one a LOT .. I think i have a problem. I'm just after getting a watch ffs 🤦‍♂️