Watches you wear...

[SinceDay1]

Originally Posted by V

Is that good? Not a watch guy at all, but I would expect if I paid a couple hundred bucks I wouldn't have to change the time every 4 days.

Owning mechanical watches is it's own brand of sickness. Winding, resetting and just generally futzing with them is part of the charm. Let me put it this way, I don't look at my wrist 50 times an hour because I'm curious about the time. It's a disease...

If you're concerned with accuracy, your phone will suffice.

[bomber317]

I catch myself listening to my automatic watches more than checking the actual time.

[dubc80]

I like following this thread. Definitely lots of watch connoisseurs in the house!

Ive got a bunch of watches within my rotation but they're Nixons and Diesels. Can't compete! Might have to get one of these fancy grown-up watches someday.

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by pylon

You don't buy auto's for spot on accuracy, that is what Casio's are for.

It's the same reason you don't buy a Ferrari because it gets good gas mileage/reliable/cheap service. It's appealing in other ways.

[CroFlames]

Since most of you have multiple watches, which watch do you recommend spending the most on? A diver? a classic design one? I assume you have your go-to watch when you want to impress or you feel your best in.

[pylon]

Originally Posted by SinceDay1

Owning mechanical watches is it's own brand of sickness. Winding, resetting and just generally futzing with them is part of the charm. Let me put it this way, I don't look at my wrist 50 times an hour because I'm curious about the time. It's a disease...

If you're concerned with accuracy, your phone will suffice.

And this is the crackhouse:

http://forums.watchuseek.com/forum.php

I don't allow myself to visit it more than once a month anymore. A casual click of boredom usually costs me $3-500.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by pylon

Samarai is a cool watch. I have been trying to find an NOS one for a while. Quick question, is it hacking or no? I cannot remember which movement they have.

Nope, no hacking on the Samurai.

[Doodlebug]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Since most of you have multiple watches, which watch do you recommend spending the most on? A diver? a classic design one? I assume you have your go-to watch when you want to impress or you feel your best in.

Obviously it's personal preference, but I do have a soft spot for dive watches. Generally built like tanks. Have divers from $250 (Orient Yellow Mako) to $8500 (Submariner), and derive almost equal pleasure rotating them on the wrist.

Lately trying to see how I can get Doxa Sub without the wife noticing....

[TheyCallMeBruce]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Since most of you have multiple watches, which watch do you recommend spending the most on? A diver? a classic design one? I assume you have your go-to watch when you want to impress or you feel your best in.

My daily is a breitling superocean steelfish. I wear my hublot big bang for parties, and sometimes my tissot le loche for more formal events.

I do have a couple of others that I rotate around as daily, but I do sometimes take my U-boat travelling, since it does fine in water and the ocean.

[CroFlames]

This is great stuff fellas, thanks again. And thanks for putting up with my noob questions.

It sounds like a guy's end goal should be a Superocean, a Submariner or a Seamaster, but take a few baby steps along the way until you get there.

By the time one acquires his Superocean, Submariner, or Seamaster, he will have a few decent watches and learn a thing or two as well

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Doodlebug

Obviously it's personal preference, but I do have a soft spot for dive watches. Generally built like tanks. Have divers from $150 (Orient Yellow Mako) to $8500 (Submariner), and derive almost equal pleasure rotating them on the wrist.

Lately trying to see how I can get Doxa Sub without the wife noticing....

Easily. Buy her one too

[gargamel]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

This is great stuff fellas, thanks again. And thanks for putting up with my noob questions.

It sounds like a guy's end goal should be a Superocean, a Submariner or a Seamaster, but take a few baby steps along the way until you get there.

By the time one acquires his Superocean, Submariner, or Seamaster, he will have a few decent watches and learn a thing or two as well

For some guys, it is, but your tastes in watches may evolve as you build your more reasonably-priced collection and you might want something completely different by then. That's why I think it's a mistake for people to spend too much on their first "real" watch. I almost bought an Omega when I first started out, and now they're way down my list. Converaely, Seikos weren't something that I took all that seriously, but now the Grand Seiko Snowflake is the watch that I'm really lusting after.

[jtfrogger]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Since most of you have multiple watches, which watch do you recommend spending the most on? A diver? a classic design one? I assume you have your go-to watch when you want to impress or you feel your best in.

I'd suggest your end goal will probably change. I'd wager one month after obtaining your grail watch, you will discover a new grail watch.

Originally Posted by CroFlames

This is great stuff fellas, thanks again. And thanks for putting up with my noob questions.

It sounds like a guy's end goal should be a Superocean, a Submariner or a Seamaster, but take a few baby steps along the way until you get there.

By the time one acquires his Superocean, Submariner, or Seamaster, he will have a few decent watches and learn a thing or two as well

My favourite watch is my SS Sub-date. By luck, it was my first high-end watch. Of the three you mention, I much prefer Rolex over Omega and Breitling. I find most watch guys have a clear preference. If you do take the baby step approach, you may find you too will have a clear preference which will emerge over time.

You may find your perspective changes after owning a few. I have a 40mm automatic Panerai (PAM48). At the time I didn't want to go any bigger, and generally preferred the automatic movements. In retrospect, I wish I would have picked up a larger (44-47mm) manual winding version. I find that the Panerais have much better proportions in the larger watches. I'll probably sell it at some point. I still not a huge fan of big watches overall, but Panerai does it well. I'd be happy with one big watch in my collection.

I do have a SS Daytona. Although I never wear it to impress, I'm glad if I am wearing it when I am in an international jewellery shop. I usually end up looking like a slob on vacation (unshaven, in cheap comfy clothes). The Daytona gets me instant respect in most stores. I wouldn't buy a watch for this purpose, and I do like the watch.

[Flames Fan, Ph.D.]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

This is great stuff fellas, thanks again. And thanks for putting up with my noob questions.

It sounds like a guy's end goal should be a Superocean, a Submariner or a Seamaster, but take a few baby steps along the way until you get there.

By the time one acquires his Superocean, Submariner, or Seamaster, he will have a few decent watches and learn a thing or two as well

I think the goal is to find watches that appeal to you, and that you're comfortable wearing. I have a few watches that I wear, the most expensive being 10X the cheapest. Whenever I'm out, no one notices the price... they notice the dial, the band, or how it plays with what I'm wearing.

So just go and have fun with it.

And if it is your first time, I'd say spreading out $3000 on a few watches is better than blowing it on one Seamaster. The time will come for the Seamaster, but having 3-4 watches for now will be more enjoyable.

Aside from some of the other not-so-popular brands already mentioned by other posters, check out the Hamilton line of watches as well. Older Swiss brand, now Americanized, that is cost effective (starting 500 or so...) and relatively stylish. Some models look really good with nato bands. I don't have one (yet!) but have seen them in person and they're attractive.

[CroFlames]

I've basically settled on the fact that my first one is going to be an automatic. So I've been doing some shopping around malls and online. Has anyone purchased from World of Watches?

The reason I ask is if found this incredible deal. I'm not sure about this particular watch, but this is one hell of a deal, is it no?

http://www.worldofwatches.com/detail...44646559165751

Check out the link.

[Table 5]

1) These type of watches are always on sale. If you like it for $95, great...but don't ever think this is a $700 watch, or that you're getting a "hell of a deal". You can find these watches for the same price or cheaper on Amazon all the time.

2) Invictas are cheap because they are pretty much chinese-made junk.

[SinceDay1]

Pretty much what Table 5 said. Invicta is notorious for ridiculously inflated MRSP's giving the illusion of a bargain. You'll see a ton of them on the Home Shopping Network. That watch is pretty much worth $95 and not a lot more. The one thing it has going for it is the movement. The NH35A is manufactured by Seiko and sold to other brands. It's basically a 4R36 and features handwinding and hacking.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

I've basically settled on the fact that my first one is going to be an automatic. So I've been doing some shopping around malls and online. Has anyone purchased from World of Watches?

The reason I ask is if found this incredible deal. I'm not sure about this particular watch, but this is one hell of a deal, is it no?

http://www.worldofwatches.com/detail...44646559165751

Check out the link.

It's really tough not to sound like a snob (and an a$$whole) saying this, but, well, no, don't buy that one. It's no different than the watch you already were concerned about - it's a knockoff of an expensive watch. And I'd be really leery of a bracelet like that on a hundred dollar watch surviving any sort of snag.

Spend, or save, a couple hundred more bucks and buy one of these instead:

http://www.thebay.com/webapp/wcs/sto...012-ska651--24

It's not a dive watch and doesn't have the bezel, but it's big and macho way cooler. It'll probably last forever too.

If you want people to notice it and ask you what kind of watch you are wearing, you don't want to say "it's an Invicta". Nobody has ever heard of that.

[TorqueDog]

I agree with everything RougeUnderoos said, except for the actual watch he picked out, strictly out of personal preference. But check out Seiko, Tissot, and Bulova on The Bay's website. You'll find something in your style for what you want to spend.

Save a bit more and get one of these: http://www.thebay.com/webapp/wcs/sto...021-96a158--24

[CroFlames]

Oh I had no intention of buying that Invicta. I just stumbled across that site and noticed the huge sale. Was more concerned about the legitimacy of the site itself.

I live in the states now and department stores here blow department stores in Canada out of the water. Macy's and Nordstrom have some slick pieces on their sites.

I'm leaning towards Seiko based on what I've read here and elsewhere. The quality, price & the fact that they make their own movements. I've seen some nice Movados and Bulovas around here where I live.