kyska Posted August 14, 2014 Report Share Posted August 14, 2014 (edited) Well, I feel grown up enough to have a watch bought by the good Dr this birthday. To be honest I've not really paid much attention to them in the past, but the more I look, the more I'm getting excited about it. The question is, what is the real difference between makes? My budget for looking incorporate lots of makes I've found watches I like.....Panerai, Bremont, Longines. I'm not into metal straps, I've not got bear like wrists so these makes seem to suit me. I've found a Longines that I adore, but what is the real difference, is it just taste, fashion? Edited August 14, 2014 by kyska Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FalconFN Posted August 14, 2014 Report Share Posted August 14, 2014 what is the real difference, is it just taste, fashion? Yes, frankly a £10 quartz Casio will keep better time than a £20k Patek Philippe but there is something special about a quality watch. They are mini masterpieces of engineering excellence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loriusgarrulus Posted August 14, 2014 Report Share Posted August 14, 2014 I like my Junhans Mega Titanium. Analogue, but with radio controlled time signal. Nice white face with luminous hands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bi9johnny Posted August 14, 2014 Report Share Posted August 14, 2014 I really like Rado Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted August 14, 2014 Report Share Posted August 14, 2014 Depends on whether you want one for functionality or as a fashion accessory.. What makes a watch is the movement and as a purist it has to be a mechanical movement for me I have a very large collection of watches all automatic or mechanical wind up. Once you have seen the sheer craftsmanship that goes into making a mechanical movement, particularly something top end like a ETA 2824/2T chronometer grade or the Valjoux 7750 you will never wear a Quartz watch. Buy a reasonable quality Swiss made auto with an ETA movement in fly back and get a magnifying glass and have a good look at the movement through the glass. You will be mesmerised. I don't wish to sound a snob but why someone would pay several thousands for a top Swiss Marque with a £ 150 Japanese quartz movement is totally beyond me. You will have to win the Euro millions to afford a decent Panerai.! I have several Longines, fine watches. I also have about 20 rare Swatch Autos, a Vacheron, a Breguet, several Tissots, and a really nice vintage Seconda Auto which believe it or not has a corkingly good movement. I have my eye on a new Bremont but want to find out a bit about the movements they use and where they are made before committing. Oris make some very nice watches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted August 14, 2014 Report Share Posted August 14, 2014 Yes, frankly a £10 quartz Casio will keep better time than a £20k Patek Philippe but there is something special about a quality watch. They are mini masterpieces of engineering excellence. Quite right...even a cheap quartz watch will be accurate to 1 second or so per month whereas even the very best Swiss Mechanical Movements working at 99.98% accuracy will lose a second or two over 24 hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted August 14, 2014 Report Share Posted August 14, 2014 I've been sniffing round an Oris recently. Nice watches and reasonably priced. Every posh watch I have had I've made money on (I have bought second hand and with research) so you get to use a nice watch for so long as you have it, and when you sell it you get more than you paid back. My best one was buying a second hand patek from a jeweller and getting £3k more than I paid for the watch at a Bonhams auction a year later. Nothing desirable ever gets any cheaper over the long term Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted August 14, 2014 Report Share Posted August 14, 2014 I bought an Oris Formula one Auto from Goldsmiths in Gloucester for £550 7 years a go and sold it on Ebay to a guy in Canada for 1350 only a month ago.. I bought by wife an Oris Big Crown for her 40th and its run for 10 years daily without clean or service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyska Posted August 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2014 (edited) Mike, Do you mean panerai at my budget would be no good? Will I be paying for a name? Sorry to sound naive, but I am! I'm purely going on what I like vs my budget, it's not euro million money by a long stretch. Edited August 14, 2014 by kyska Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoggysreels Posted August 14, 2014 Report Share Posted August 14, 2014 Ive a Longines ... its automatic/mechanical. Its accuracy is amazing. Leather strap "Alligator" strap made in France, watch in Switzerland ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countryman Posted August 14, 2014 Report Share Posted August 14, 2014 My Breitling Avenger Sea Wolf has more than doubled since i brought it about 9 years ago, its a serious dive watch that i regularly use for desk diving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amateur Posted August 14, 2014 Report Share Posted August 14, 2014 I've been sniffing round an Oris recently. Can't you be referred to Yewtree for this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonLuke Posted August 14, 2014 Report Share Posted August 14, 2014 (edited) My advice, buy a watch from a company that makes watches. Not a fashion brand that makes (puts their label on) watches. Edited August 14, 2014 by LondonLuke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy RV Posted August 14, 2014 Report Share Posted August 14, 2014 Have a look a Sinn, made in Germany with Swiss movements. Very good quality and you get slightly more for your money than the Swiss offerings. I would also echo the post above! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitebridges Posted August 14, 2014 Report Share Posted August 14, 2014 (edited) I had a Seiko for years and years. Then father told me he bought a Seiko for fifty quid reduced from £250, so bought one as well. Do you know what? I lost both of 'em in about five minutes. ****. I got back late one night and she weren't impressed. Next thing i'm off to the watch shop. It's an Omega Seamaster. Second hand is black and yellow. It tells the date.Can hardly read the **** on the face.....>15'000 Gauss......I think? You can see all the tickerty tock bits in the back. Feels like a good 'un. Edited August 14, 2014 by Whitebridges Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich1985 Posted August 14, 2014 Report Share Posted August 14, 2014 Got a cheapo watch for everyday and my late fathers Rolex for best, they both tell the time exactly the same just seprated by a few grand that's all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted August 14, 2014 Report Share Posted August 14, 2014 Mike, Do you mean panerai at my budget would be no good? Will I be paying for a name? Sorry to sound naive, but I am! I'm purely going on what I like vs my budget, it's not euro million money by a long stretch. No... depends what your budget is are we talking 100,s or 1000,s A decent Panerai would set you back 5-10K Incidentally a former colleague had a ww2 divers watch taken from an Italian navy POW by her late uncle in exchange for cigarettes . She didn't know it had a rolex movement and subsequently put it into auction on my advice and it went for about 37k back to Panerai who bought it. It was the original radiomir with a wide strap to fit over the diver suit and big radioactive numerals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les*1066 Posted August 14, 2014 Report Share Posted August 14, 2014 I have had my Accurist for over 26 years now, and it never loses a minute. The batteries will last a few years if you buy decent ones, and the watches don't cost a fortune to buy. If it ever does go wrong, I'll definitely buy another one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted August 14, 2014 Report Share Posted August 14, 2014 Can't you be referred to Yewtree for this? very good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Munzy Posted August 14, 2014 Report Share Posted August 14, 2014 My advice, buy a watch from a company that makes watches. Not a fashion brand that makes (puts their label on) watches. Couldn't agree more! Budget isn't really relevant, I have spent tens of pounds on a watch and thousands on a watch, the one thing I would never do is to part with a few hundred for a Diesel, DKNY or any other junk fashion watch. Casio are probably the only exception to this rule because original Casio digital watches are so cool at the moment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdsallpl Posted August 15, 2014 Report Share Posted August 15, 2014 Yes, frankly a £10 quartz Casio will keep better time than a £20k Patek Philippe but there is something special about a quality watch. They are mini masterpieces of engineering excellence. Spot on, if you want a watch just to tell accurate time, buy one from Argos for £30. But if you want a classic you have to pay. one of my ambitions is to have a nice Patek Phillippe. In my view the ultimate classic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbiep Posted August 15, 2014 Report Share Posted August 15, 2014 Thing is, you'll often find old top-quality watches for quite cheap money. I've got an Omega Seamaster from the 60s, in perfect mechanical condition, currently needing a new strap. A valuation a couple of months ago came back at £200-300. So you can get good quality for reasonable prices. Slightly related to that, anyone know if any of the leatherworkers on here would make a watch strap ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted August 15, 2014 Report Share Posted August 15, 2014 I bought myself a 1960 Omega Seamaster from Austin Kaye recently. It came with one of their leather straps, so they definitely do them, if you need one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daystate 177 Posted August 15, 2014 Report Share Posted August 15, 2014 Iv got a casio eddifice cost me just over 200 and i like it looks smart feels smart, id love a brettling or such like but i simply cant afford it so my eddifice will do untill my numbers come in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STOTTO Posted August 15, 2014 Report Share Posted August 15, 2014 (edited) I bought a Rolex Submariner new for £180.00 in 1977 which I wear every day and I have it serviced about every five years, when it gets dirty I wash it under the tap, tough as old boots and always looks as good as new, however being a mechanical movement it is not as accurate as quartz. I also have a Rolex Air King that I bought for £20.00 from a junk shop in 1984 had it refurbished by Rolex and use this for best. The price that you would have to pay for one today, would frighten me to death! Edited August 15, 2014 by STOTTO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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