At what point in life did you decide to spend some real money on a watch?

that worked... looks lovely.. is there some blemish on the bezel around 8?

Here's the one from Chrono24 for comparison:

Birneybau wrote: »

So why comment on the *squints* Watches and Timepieces forum?

To be edgy innit

Have been looking at a few Watches lately. A significant milestone coming up and just wanted something to remember it by. Rolex has never interested me at all. Thoughts on the following:

http://https://www.breitling.com/mu-en/watches/navitimer/b01-chronograph-43/AB0121211B1X1/

http://https://www.panerai.com/us/en/collections/watch-collection/radiomir/pam00628-radiomir-gmt-power-reserve---45mm.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIibCOrqu15wIVi5-zCh0TtQhMEAAYAiAAEgIoJPD_BwE

http://https://www.baume-et-mercier.com/us/en/collections/clifton-baumatic-men/watch-clifton-baumatic-10469-date.html

California Dreamer wrote: »

Looking on Chrono 24, plenty of dealers have that at around €5k!

Thanks CD, have been shopping around and saw that there are sites with discounts. Just wondering if these are legit ???

jomashop watchmaxx etc....

California Dreamer wrote: »

They are grey dealers. The 2 I have I bought from dealers to make sure I had warranty.

A great source if you go down the Breitling route is breitling source dot com.

Thank you for the info CD, much appreciated.

C0N0R wrote: »

Ok, just looking for some advice here, moved one step closer to buying another watch, visited a Rolex dealer yesterday to look at a Tudor Black Bay Steel and Gold, pretty sure it’s the watch I’m going to go for on the bracelet. Should one expect any discount on the Tudor range? Price is very competitive I think - €3777 based on today’s exchange rate, I work in the Middle East, and from a quick look it’s €5000 in Dublin. My intention was to purchase in Belfast next time I’m home and claim the vat back when flying back here but if no discount is available on Tudor then it makes sense to purchase here.

Can anyone recommend a high quality black rubber strap to suit the Black Bay? I do fancy a rubber strap to tone it down a bit as apposed to buying it on the leather strap.

Also had a look at a couple of Rolex’s - 41mm datejust and 39mm oyster perpetual, quite taken by the perpetual so I think that’s where I’ll be going next, coming in at €4733 at today’s exchange rate, I presume there would be no discount on one of these in an Ad at home?

Decided its best not to purchase both at the moment, buying two at once would take the pleasure off getting a new watch, I’ll spread that out slightly! One thing with the date Rolex’s - I just can’t warm to the cyclops, I know it’s possible to remove it, but are you affecting the future value dramatically by doing this?

Just to finish, I’d like to say thanks, I’ve been lurking here for quite a while and it’s really taught me a lot and peaked my interests in building a collection, I can see how it could become addictive, I’ve already decided I want a speedmaster after the Oyster Perpetual and will be putting my name down for a Sub, just incase! Great forum guys, one of the ones I check first everyday.

Thanks
Conor

That price is around what grey dealers are asking for BNIB, if that was their first price i'd say there'd be room for some movement, its not exactly a very in demand model. I'd offer 3500 and see what they say. As for straps everestbands do really nice good quality bands, but they're very expensive.

On the rolex cyclops, if you get one and remove it, Rolex would replace it for you for free within the warranty period for free if you wanted to sell. Make sure you keep us updated on whatever you get.

I was 39 when I got my Speedmaster, adore the thing.

Always had an interest in watches but only really got into it in my late 30's.

C0N0R wrote: »

Thanks, took the plunge and ordered the strap from Everest this evening, all I have to do it buy the watch now and then when I’m home put all together.

Another quick question - Watchwinders? The watch won’t be worn daily, any recommendations re winders? Some of the wolf ones are lovely, but not sure how I sit with the price?

Thanks again folks

Wolf are nice but tbh you can't go wrong with one from Wish.com or ali express. For a fraction of the price you'll get one thats almost identical.

I don’t see the point unless you have an annual calendar or similar.

Myself & the Missus have a policy of giving fairly good gifts on 'zero birthdays'.

On my last 'zero', she got me a Hamilton intra-matic 38mm.

Nearly 2 years later, it's been on my wrist every single day.

I work in a manual job, keen on DIY, fixing cars etc...

Not a scratch on it thanks to the saphire crystal and the quality ETA 2892 movement is very accurate.

Quality watches are made to be worn.:cool:

So I had had a Longines Quartz watch since 2000, gift from my parents for my 21st birthday. Turning 40 in 2019, I decided it was time to change, especially as the Longines had cracked glass. I hadn't realised how out of date my Longines had become, in particular its small size (33 mm!).

I first googled value for money Swiss watches and came across Hamilton. I bit more research added Frederique Constant, also Mido. But I wasn't convinced after visiting the stores. With a budget I'd set max at CHF2000 and wanting an automatic, I did some more research, and time and again I came across Oris (as well as Longines) for that price range. The more I looked into Oris, the more I liked what I read and saw. Notably they only do automatic watches, they are still independent, they have a long history, and they have begun again to make their own movements (but out of my price range).

So I settled on an Oris Aquis Date like the picture below



I wanted leather because I have a gold wedding ring which doesn't fit so well to metal strap, and also to make it a tad less "sporty". But I think I might get a metal strap, so I can actually swim with the watch, and possibly get a second watch with a strap (the Oris pilot watches are very nice too).

I think for the budget I had the Oris is a very good choice.

Since then, I've done a lot more research on watches, and learnt a good bit. For my wife, I'm going to get a Nomos Tangente and for my Dad for his 70th a Farer watch.

As for myself, now that I've dipped my toe in the water, I might have to upgrade at a future point: watches that appeal include the more fancy Oris options, some of the Bell & Ross models, the IWC Spitfire range, I also quite like the Bremonts and then the Omega Speedmaster Moon models are pretty damn nice too.

Oris at CHF2000 gets a good starting automatic watch, increase the budget to CHF5000+ and you can get a very nice watch.

It's clear that some of the price differences between watches is "name recognition". Obviously, there are technical and component differences, with an in-house movement really increasing the price, but some of the difference is also just branding.

In any case, if you're looking a for a really well made watch with generally favourable on-line reviews and at a price that isn't exorbitant, then I think Oris is a great place to start.

Nice forum BTW!

If I was considering a new purchase for the next major milestone and opted for a Tudor over a Rolex would i be thinking that it was Lidl over Donnybrook Fair?

California Dreamer wrote: »

If I was considering a new purchase for the next major milestone and opted for a Tudor over a Rolex would i be thinking that it was Lidl over Donnybrook Fair?

It would really depend solely on if you were only buying the Tudor as a stopgap or bridge to a Rolex.

I love the Tudor GMT, but I know a few folk who have bought one to scratch their itch for a Pepsi or other Rollie GMT and the watch wasn't loved.

It was a Sub (stitute :P ) and they treated it that way.

I don't know which Tudor you are looking at, but if it's what floats your boat!
Go for it.

Whats considered real money?

When I was 25 I bought a Tissot PRS200 for £400 Sterling. Only wear it when I think of it and special occasions as I normally cant wear a watch at work. but have changed roles slightly so going to start wearing it again.

I would love to invest in a TAG Aquaracer Automatic, but unless I finance it don't think I could afford it

Cassius99 wrote: »

There's a lot of truth in what you've said there. There's a couple of pieces I'd absolutely love to own but the idea of just saving with that single goal in mind doesn't appeal to me right now. I'd miss the quirky little pieces that sometimes speak out to me at a certain point in time.
Plus I'd hate to bypass everything else just to get a grail watch only to be disappointed or underwhelmed by it.

I was always into watches in that I admired from afar but never got into collecting and then ended up heading for my 40th so my wife invited me to do my research and if we could afford it she'd (we'd) get me my dream/grail watch. I therefore went from nothing to a watch I've been and continue to be very happy with 11 years later so in reality I feel I just got lucky that the one I chose has grown on me more and more rather than there being any sort of regrets or coveting of something else.

I did enjoy the research process and whittling my selection down to IIRC the following:-

Cartier - Calibre de Cartier


Edit: Correction from Santos 100 to Calibre de Cartier.

Panerai - Luminor GMT



Rolex - Milgauss



Rolex - GMT Master II



When I looked at the four I had narrowed it down to it struck me that I had chosen 2 GMT type watches and 2 steel bracelet type watches with the Rolex GMT II being the only model which ticked both boxes.

I really liked the look and style of the Panerai but I felt it might not age very well style wise (it has aged well IMHO and looking at it again now I'd still love one!!) but I wanted something classic and robust which I could wear everyday yet it would look smart at the odd formal event and would be something I could pass on to my son so I took the plunge, bought the Rolex GMT II and haven't regretted if for a moment since.

I now live my watch collecting activity through my son who will one day get my GMT II. He loves the watch and showed an early curiosity about and appreciation for mechanical movement and design etc so as he's grown up I've bought him:-

The "Bill Gates" Casio MDV106 which was less than £50



and then as he hit 18 I got him his first automatic movement watch which is an Orient Pepsi MAKO 11 that cost £112 which he absolutely loves.



Those two will do him until he gets to at least 21 at which point I might, if I can afford it, invest in something else for him, perhaps something like this used Omega Seamaster 300m.



When the time is right I plan to do a swap with him so I lose my beloved GMT II but still get to wear an Omega Seamaster 300m which I really like :P

Life never works out as planned but that's the plan anyway