30th Brithday Watch

30th Brithday Watch

Author
Discussion

aron916

Original Poster:

42 posts

155 months

Friday 24th October 2014
quotequote all
Mentioned on here a while ago that i was looking to upgrade my Rolex Air King which i got for my 18th - i still have it and still dont use it as its just too small so looking to sell on / px.
My 30th is coming up in Feb so i thought it would be a good time to treat myself.

I have had a quick look online but i think i need to go proper window shopping to get a feel for the watches.

What recommendations do you have based on the rough criteria below?

Budget of £5-6k
40mm +
Nothing too crazy but id still like something a bit different.
Not a massive fan of Tag, Breitling or Omega

Really liking this but dont think my budget will stretch frown
http://www.thewatchgallery.com/shop/hublot-classic...
thanks

TimLambert7

642 posts

124 months

Friday 24th October 2014
quotequote all
Sounds like you need a Panerai.

Bit different? Check
>40mm? Check
£5-6k? Check

Take a look at this:

http://hackettwatches.com/hw/items/PART9PRM5F

SWT has some as well:

http://swisswatchtrader.co.uk/watches/panerai/

Failing that, I'm completely in love with the Tudor Heritage Blue Chrono and I guess it could be considered 'different' and well within budget too.

http://swisswatchtrader.co.uk/watches/tudor/herita...

Failing that again, Bremont?

aron916

Original Poster:

42 posts

155 months

Friday 24th October 2014
quotequote all
liking this panerai: http://swisswatchtrader.co.uk/watches/panerai/lumi...

how do they hold their value compared with say a rolex sub?

Gio G

2,945 posts

208 months

Friday 24th October 2014
quotequote all
OP - when you mean different, do you mean something exclusive? What are you into, Divers, Pilot etc..

G

aron916

Original Poster:

42 posts

155 months

Friday 24th October 2014
quotequote all
Gio G said:
OP - when you mean different, do you mean something exclusive? What are you into, Divers, Pilot etc..

G
Quite like the idea of exclusivity where only people 'in the know' could appreciate the watch for what it is.
Would prefer a diver style to a pilot - dont want anything too 'busy' - i find Breitlings a little busy for my liking.

By different i mean something a little out of the ordinary - dont get me wrong i have nothing against the classics and have toyed with the idea of the Rolex Submariner for a while but they seem to be quite 'popular / common', a classic choice but maybe too obvious.

RobCh

151 posts

178 months

Friday 24th October 2014
quotequote all
I agree about the busy-ness of many Breitlings, but the Superocean Heritage models look very sharp and clean to me.


Alternatively from another fairly mainstream brand, an IWC Aquatimer?



cannedheat

947 posts

274 months

Friday 24th October 2014
quotequote all
aron916 said:
Quite like the idea of exclusivity where only people 'in the know' could appreciate the watch for what it is.
Would prefer a diver style to a pilot - dont want anything too 'busy' - i find Breitlings a little busy for my liking.

By different i mean something a little out of the ordinary - dont get me wrong i have nothing against the classics and have toyed with the idea of the Rolex Submariner for a while but they seem to be quite 'popular / common', a classic choice but maybe too obvious.
Yachtmaster? The blue face one is lovely and you hardly seem them out and about - http://www.iconicwatches.co.uk/rolex-yachtmaster-s...

Mr_C

2,441 posts

228 months

Friday 24th October 2014
quotequote all
Blancpain fifty fathoms

Paul Drawmer

4,865 posts

266 months

Friday 24th October 2014
quotequote all

Sy1441

1,113 posts

159 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
quotequote all
I'd go for a BLNR GMTII in a heartbeat.

Non-Dress Diver wise I can't see past my IWC Aquatimer Galapagos.



Edited by Sy1441 on Saturday 25th October 09:36

PJ S

10,842 posts

226 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
quotequote all
aron916 said:
Quite like the idea of exclusivity where only people 'in the know' could appreciate the watch for what it is.
Would prefer a diver style to a pilot - dont want anything too 'busy' - i find Breitlings a little busy for my liking.

By different i mean something a little out of the ordinary - dont get me wrong i have nothing against the classics and have toyed with the idea of the Rolex Submariner for a while but they seem to be quite 'popular / common', a classic choice but maybe too obvious.
Grand Seiko Diver or GMT.

http://www.jurawatches.co.uk/collections/grand-sei...
http://www.jurawatches.co.uk/collections/grand-sei...
http://www.jurawatches.co.uk/collections/grand-sei...
http://www.jurawatches.co.uk/collections/grand-sei...

aron916

Original Poster:

42 posts

155 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
quotequote all
My issue with the above is it looks too much like a submariner.
If it looks the same and costs the same I think I'd rather go for the Rolex

gbbird

5,186 posts

243 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
quotequote all
Why the range of 5 to 6k? Buy a watch you like, not because it costs a certain amount. Go under or over, it does not matter

Graemsay

612 posts

211 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
quotequote all
I'd suggest taking a trip to your local jewellers and see what speaks to you. But here are a few things that haven't been mentioned above.

The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms that Mr_C mentioned is nice, but I prefer the Bathyscaphe. It's a bit more understated. There's also the recently released Chronograph, but that's outside your price bracket.

If you want to go for a more leftfield choice, the Cartier Diver is something a bit different. It might be too ornate, but it's a fully certified ISO 6425 diver's watch, unlike most of the competition.

Jaeger LeCoultre do a few diving watches. The Deepsea Chronograph or Memovox (which has an alarm) could be options, though slightly outside your price bracket. The newly released Geophysic would be another, but it might be a bit small, and not a diver.

A few really leftfield choices...

The Habring2 Felix is made by a small operation in Austria. If you want something that only the cognoscenti would recognise...

Or maybe a Nomos Ahoi. Not a diving watch, but a swimming watch.

Lastly, go shopping in January. Harrods had a few Hublots going really cheap in their sale earlier this year.

PJ S

10,842 posts

226 months

Sunday 26th October 2014
quotequote all
aron916 said:
My issue with the above is it looks too much like a submariner.
If it looks the same and costs the same I think I'd rather go for the Rolex
You'd rather a watch made in the many tens of thousands compared to one hand assembled, completely, made in far fewer numbers?
You did also want something that wasn't obvious to everyone - so why would you even consider a Rolex?
And there's no other movement made by anyone else that is like the Spring Drive.

aron916

Original Poster:

42 posts

155 months

Sunday 26th October 2014
quotequote all
Agree on the price, doesn't need to be a certain value but a top line of £5-6k

On the Rolex front, what I'm trying to say is that the style as above is a little too similar, so ideally looking for something different to this look.

Thanks for the other suggestions guys!

aron916

Original Poster:

42 posts

155 months

Monday 27th October 2014
quotequote all
Quick snap of my current watches.
Please excuse the terrible iphone quality.

Left to Right - Clogau Sports, Wenger Commando, Rolex Air King.

TimLambert7

642 posts

124 months

Monday 27th October 2014
quotequote all
aron916 said:
Quick snap of my current watches.
Please excuse the terrible iphone quality.

Left to Right - Clogau Sports, Wenger Commando, Rolex Air King.
You've got most bases covered with those three.

I'd suggest either a really elegant dress watch like a Jaeger Master Calendar or something relatively outside the box like a Panerai would work really nicely.


aron916

Original Poster:

42 posts

155 months

Monday 27th October 2014
quotequote all
well the rolex may be used as a part ex for the new one so that might be gone - would be nice to keep - maybe pass onto my son on his 18th... then again, its not being used now and unlikely to be so its £1800 odd sat there which could go towards getting me a very nice watch that i would use.
Dont really have many occasions for dress watches and agree that a Panerai might be the way forward.

Edited by aron916 on Monday 27th October 11:58

marcosgt

11,011 posts

175 months

Monday 27th October 2014
quotequote all
If I was spending that sort of money and could find one, I'd go for a Blancpain Fifty Fathoms or a Zenith El Primero of some sort, in that order.

M.