Advice - IWC & Sinn watches

[dom9]

uktrailmonster said:

chriswren said:

Today I picked up an ICW Spitfire Chrono Pilot and even though it is a beauty, I can't see it taking the same punishment as the Paneria

Why not? Which bit do you think is going to break?

Mine did... Twice... In the first year!

It lives in it's box most of the time now...

It's not an everyday watch.

[uktrailmonster]

Sounds like you got a lemon. I never had them down as being inherently unreliable.

[chriswren]

The Paneria just has more bulk to it with a larger caseing that could take a few knocks.

Also the odd scrape or scratch on the Panaria (that I have) will only add to the characture.

On the other had the IWC is a pretty watch and not somthing that you want to have scraps and dinks in. It also has an alligator leather strap that you don't want getting wet all the time and the Paneria is a Titanium strap that wont care one jot.

[lostgear]

Seriously guys, dont buy any type of high end highstreet watch brand, like IWC, Omega, Rolex, Paneria. They are all overpriced junk. The markups on these are huge. For instance most IWC's and Omegas use a modified Swiss ETA movement which cost no more than £200 max in their base form. The big watch houses do a bit of upgrading on the movement and then wap a huge markup on the price to cover their advertising costs.

If anyone is serious about getting a workhorse watch there are any number of small brands which deal direct with sole suppliers like Chronomaster etc. I would highly recommend Sinn and Damasko and check out timefactors and www.tz-uk.com for second hand sales and decent impartial advice.

By the way, I bet no one on here has ever heard of a Damasko, let alone seen one:-

Damasko DA37
Chronometer grade ETA Automatic Movement
Saphire Crystal with AR coatings
Ice hardened Steel case (4xhardness of stainless steel)
Anti magnetic case
Various case modifications etc.

As far as I know there are only about 10 of these in the country. Costs about £500 if you can find one and blows the socks off anything IWC/Omega/Rolex can produce at 20% the cost.



Also picture of a my Sinn 756 on Ben Nevis this year (£975)

[uktrailmonster]

lostgear said:

By the way, I bet no one on here has ever heard of a Damasko, let alone seen one:-

You've lost your bet then. Yes Sinn, Damasko etc (how about Glycine too?) are fantastic value for money and quality is on a par with all the big high street brands. But Omega are certainly not over-priced junk. They might have gone a bit over the top with their cheesy marketing in recent years, but a classic Speedmaster is very hard to fault, either on class or price. I see your point, but you're being a bit extreme.

[205lad]

lostgear said:

Seriously guys, dont buy any type of high end highstreet watch brand, like IWC, Omega, Rolex, Paneria. They are all overpriced junk. The markups on these are huge. For instance most IWC's and Omegas use a modified Swiss ETA movement which cost no more than £200 max in their base form. The big watch houses do a bit of upgrading on the movement and then wap a huge markup on the price to cover their advertising costs.

If anyone is serious about getting a workhorse watch there are any number of small brands which deal direct with sole suppliers like Chronomaster etc. I would highly recommend Sinn and Damasko and check out timefactors and www.tz-uk.com for second hand sales and decent impartial advice.

By the way, I bet no one on here has ever heard of a Damasko, let alone seen one:-

Damasko DA37
Chronometer grade ETA Automatic Movement
Saphire Crystal with AR coatings
Ice hardened Steel case (4xhardness of stainless steel)
Anti magnetic case
Various case modifications etc.

As far as I know there are only about 10 of these in the country. Costs about £500 if you can find one and blows the socks off anything IWC/Omega/Rolex can produce at 20% the cost.

Overpriced yes, junk no.

Guess it depends on what you can afford.

What you're failing to factor in here is that the right Rolex or even Omega will actually hold it's value and may even increase over time.

Certainly I like my Sinn watches but I'm not kidding myself they've done anything other than lose half their value the moment I put them on my wrist.

[pastrana72]

lostgear said:

By the way, I bet no one on here has ever heard of a Damasko, let alone seen one:-

Seen a few, and worn a few (at WIS meetings, where every one brings there watches along), very hard to buy, as they do not produce a lot, demand outstrips supply. Fantastic quality.

I am a sinn owner too, fantastic value for money.

[tobeee]

I like the look of that Damasko, but am perfectly happy with my Sinn 356. I don't really care what the movement is or how accurate it is, and I'd be unlikley to notice either. It just looks good! And none of my friends or colleagues have one!

[lostgear]

uktrailmonster said:

You've lost your bet then. Yes Sinn, Damasko etc (how about Glycine too?) are fantastic value for money and quality is on a par with all the big high street brands. But Omega are certainly not over-priced junk. They might have gone a bit over the top with their cheesy marketing in recent years, but a classic Speedmaster is very hard to fault, either on class or price. I see your point, but you're being a bit extreme.

Yes a bit extreme, perhaps junk is the wrong word, maybe just overproced would do, sorry. Intresting though how the classic Omega you mention is over 45 years old. Another classic, the Rolex Explorer again is over 50 years old. They knew how to design watches back then!

Glycene, Stowa, Zeno, Marcello C, the list of alternatives is endless.

I especially like the Sinn 356, reasonably priced abd not too big. Good choice

[Johno]

I am in the process of purchasing my IWC Chrono, however I did consider very carefully a Sinn, and latterly a Damasko DC56.

However, of all of them I still prefer the IWC. I will however add the other 2 to the collection as it grows, my choice being a 765UTC as well.

You have great taste (or at least very similar tastes to my own - not a really a measure of greatness).

IWC's are highly priced, they are considered though to be worth their weight and many of the reviews I read of high end watches continue to recommend them for their quality.

Described the other day in a review as the 'wathcmakers watchmaker'. It all comes to personal choice and I really want an IWC

Edited by Johno on Wednesday 13th August 17:50

[lostgear]

Johno said:

I am in the process of purchasing my IWC Chrono, however I did consider very carefully a Sinn, and latterly a Damasko DC56.

However, of all of them I still prefer the IWC. I will however add the other 2 to the collection as it grows, my choice being a 765UTC as well.

You have great taste (or at least very similar tastes to my own - not a really a measure of greatness).

IWC's are highly priced, they are considered though to be worth their weight and many of the reviews I read of high end watches continue to recommend them for their quality.

Described the other day in a review as the 'wathcmakers watchmaker'. It all comes to personal choice and I really want an IWC

Edited by Johno on Wednesday 13th August 17:50

Appart from the price the IWC's are great watches. I particularly like the old mk xii and xv, but the Portugeser chronos look fab.

[pastrana72]

IWC are stunning, I would have a few if I could afford to, but they are out of my pricerange for now.

[cyberface]

I love the doppelchronograph for the complication but it's too damn big

Tried it on and it just was too big for my wrist, it looked silly. And IWC are now following the trend of ever bigger watches, the new Spitfire is the same size as the old Doppel and too big, and the Portuguese rattrapante (what I'd *really* like) is also too big.

IWC do lots of things with the base movement (ETAs, again) to customise them to their own spec, whereas Sinn tend to focus more on the functionality of the case - things like tegiment hardening, copper sulphate capsules for water absorption, oil filled watches that are practically indestructible, etc.

Some of the German 'special forces' Sinns look like they'd take an absolute beating and still come out looking perfect, whereas I wouldn't treat an IWC Portuguese roughly. I guess Sinn are focusing more on the tool watch end, but prices do seem to be going up along with popularity...

[tertius]

lostgear said:

Seriously guys, dont buy any type of high end highstreet watch brand, like IWC, Omega, Rolex, Paneria. They are all overpriced junk. The markups on these are huge. For instance most IWC's and Omegas use a modified Swiss ETA movement which cost no more than £200 max in their base form. The big watch houses do a bit of upgrading on the movement and then wap a huge markup on the price to cover their advertising costs.

If anyone is serious about getting a workhorse watch there are any number of small brands which deal direct with sole suppliers like Chronomaster etc. I would highly recommend Sinn and Damasko and check out timefactors and www.tz-uk.com for second hand sales and decent impartial advice.

By the way, I bet no one on here has ever heard of a Damasko, let alone seen one:-

Damasko DA37
Chronometer grade ETA Automatic Movement
Saphire Crystal with AR coatings
Ice hardened Steel case (4xhardness of stainless steel)
Anti magnetic case
Various case modifications etc.

As far as I know there are only about 10 of these in the country. Costs about £500 if you can find one and blows the socks off anything IWC/Omega/Rolex can produce at 20% the cost.



Also picture of a my Sinn 756 on Ben Nevis this year (£975)

You're new here aren't you?

[lowdrag]

In nearly a year my Spitfire chrono has never been off my wrist wheher in the shower, swimming or whatever and it hasn't missed a beat. Yes, the watch isn't cheap but I bought it because it is 42mm and with ageing eyesight I needed the clearest face I could find and this was it. I love the Sinn range but they don't make one as clear as this. Incidentally, the Spitfire is 2mm smaller than the Chrono at 40mm so if you like the Spitfire style and the chrono is too big this is a viable alternative although a Sinn at that size would be better value.

[cyberface]

tertius said:

lostgear said:

...waffle...
Also picture of a my Sinn 756 on Ben Nevis this year (£975)

You're new here aren't you?

That's a lovely photo of the Sinn on Ben Nevis though, regardless of the quality of the rest of the post...

[NJH]

VFM depends how you measure it. How many manufacturers sell high quality toolish watches with an in-house movement (not ETA based) for less then Rolex. About the only example I can think of is Seiko with the MM300 divers watch. So there you go Rolex are actually cheap.

Agree about Sinn. I have an EZM3 as my daily wearer and I can't see a single mark on the bracelet for example (AFAIK not tegimented just blasted finish doesn't show marks like a brushed or polished finish will). It is a very understated watch and TBH it doesn't look or seem that impressive at first, but give it time and you start to appreciate the approach Sinn take.

[lostgear]

[/quote]

You're new here aren't you?


[/quote]

I'll take that as a bite I bet you drive a Porsche dont you!

Edited by lostgear on Thursday 14th August 21:51

[tertius]

lostgear said:

tertius said:

You're new here aren't you?

I'll take that as a bite I bet you drive a Porsche dont you!

Edited by lostgear on Thursday 14th August 21:51

Gosh how did you work that out ... ?

BTW I fixed the quoting for you.

[magoo001]

Hi Guys!

I am bitten by the Sinn bug! I am hoping to get myself a 757 and there has been several post praising Neil and chronomaster.
Is it reasonable to expect a discount on a sinn watch these days? Any thoughts appreciated