real or fake

[custardtart]

JLC or IWC are generally perceived as watch makes that say you know a thing or two about watches. However, my advice would be to sod that and buy one you like.
5K gets you a lot of superb choices.
Also check out Glashutte, currently eyeing a Senator Original
Top end of budget may see you into something from Breguet?

[CommanderJameson]

LukeBird said:

CommanderJameson said:

Zenith Chronomaster.



Saw (and handled) one of these the other day. Steel(?) case and black face - absolutely beautiful piece. It's a decent size, but not overly large.

>adds to wishlist<

Lordy that is a good looking watch! Dare I even ask how much?!

The steel one is about 4 bags of sand, so although expensive, it isn't drop-dead expensive.

[Ikemi]

For your budget, I'd be looking at an IWC, JLC or a Glashutte!

JLC Master Compressor Chronograph:



Glashutte Panomatic Lunar:

[LukeBird]

CommanderJameson said:

The steel one is about 4 bags of sand, so although expensive, it isn't drop-dead expensive.

Yeah not as bad as I expected... I was thinking more along the lines of Daytona money +

^^ Ikemi good call with Glashutte.
I think you and I both know that with £5k we would be dashing off for a Jaeger LeCoultre!

[Mr E Driver]

The IWC I suggested is now reserved.

[aeropilot]

piquetuk said:

If I were you I would get myself a nice '70s -'80s 5513 Rolex Submariner. Simple, beautiful and it will almost certainly keep rising in value.

That's most likely where my £5k budget would go in such a situation tbh, only because a SD looks too thick on my slim wrists.

If the criteria was a more dressy looking watch maybe a JLC Reverso in one forn or other would tick my box.

[B0LLIKS]

hi everyone, well it seems there are lots of watches out there that i have never heard of, and they all look like the sort of watch i would be happy to own. every time a new pic is posted it just gets harder to make up my mind. i think i will try to find a dealer near me, and if i see them in real life it might be better to feel the quality and maybe then decide what i feel is the one for me.
thanks for the replies guys.......tom

[CommanderJameson]

B0LLIKS said:

hi everyone, well it seems there are lots of watches out there that i have never heard of, and they all look like the sort of watch i would be happy to own. every time a new pic is posted it just gets harder to make up my mind. i think i will try to find a dealer near me, and if i see them in real life it might be better to feel the quality and maybe then decide what i feel is the one for me.
thanks for the replies guys.......tom

Definitely, definitely try some watches on.

You'd test-drive a £5K car before buying it, so test-wear some watches.

[cyberface]

B0LLIKS said:

hi everyone, well it seems there are lots of watches out there that i have never heard of, and they all look like the sort of watch i would be happy to own. every time a new pic is posted it just gets harder to make up my mind. i think i will try to find a dealer near me, and if i see them in real life it might be better to feel the quality and maybe then decide what i feel is the one for me.
thanks for the replies guys.......tom

May be worth trawling through the 'Wrist Check' thread on here. In amongst the £50 specials / Christopher Ward / Monster / etc. PH 'in-watches' (I don't mean that in a bad way, it's just that there are a few watches that have become *very* popular here for some reason!) there are some very very nice pieces indeed. None of the regulars here would post a fake up on their wrist (unless doing it for comedy value, and hence obviously) so the vast majority of the £5k watches up there will be kosher.



(oh, and for my opinion? JLC, obviously. But definitely a second hand one, and ideally one that's just been serviced, and it'll be a very special watch indeed. A vintage Submariner is likely to be a decent investment, but to me that's not really the point, unless it's part of a collection of more than 10 watches and you aren't too sad not to be able to wear it regularly... and as to custardtart, saying a Breguet will be in budget, well unless they've gone up in price *significantly* in the last 5 years or so, you will absolutely be able to get a transatlantique:



... well within budget, and has performed perfectly for 5 years or so... )

[CommanderJameson]

A good safe bet, for both "a nice watch" and "something you can wear every day without worrying if it'll stop working" is the <predictable>Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean</predictable>.

I've got a massive orange one, but the 42mm version with black bezel and white numerals is quite a classy piece.

[LukeBird]

cyberface said:

a Breguet will be in budget, well unless they've gone up in price *significantly* in the last 5 years or so, you will absolutely be able to get a transatlantique:



... well within budget, and has performed perfectly for 5 years or so... )

That is stunning!! I remember you mentioning that before on here CF, just gorgeous... I completely agree with you that I'd have it in preference to a Daytona as well.

O/T Hope skiing was good, did you get my mail beforehand? Just want to check they're getting through now!

[CommanderJameson]

LukeBird said:

cyberface said:

a Breguet will be in budget, well unless they've gone up in price *significantly* in the last 5 years or so, you will absolutely be able to get a transatlantique:



... well within budget, and has performed perfectly for 5 years or so... )

That is stunning!! I remember you mentioning that before on here CF, just gorgeous... I completely agree with you that I'd have it in preference to a Daytona as well.

O/T Hope skiing was good, did you get my mail beforehand? Just want to check they're getting through now!

Yeah, the Type XX is delicious.

But I don't think it suits CF at all, and think that it would favour a more Northern wrist.

Like mine.

Gizzit.

[LukeBird]

O/T CJ, no idea if you're a TZ member but there is a Zenith as posted above (except SS on a black strap) for €3550....

[piquetuk]

cyberface said:

B0LLIKS said:

hi everyone,
thanks for the replies guys.......tom

A vintage Submariner is likely to be a decent investment, but to me that's not really the point, unless it's part of a collection of more than 10 watches and you aren't too sad not to be able to wear it regularly.

I have several friends who wear vintage Subs, Explorer IIs & even more special watches as their daily watch, worn day in day out. It's what they were designed for. As long as they are regularly serviced and pressure tested at Rolex and you don't go cage fighting in them, they should be fine.

And since when was making a sound investment not the point? Appreciating possessions always feel nicer to own than depreciating possessions.

[cyberface]

piquetuk said:

cyberface said:

B0LLIKS said:

hi everyone,
thanks for the replies guys.......tom

A vintage Submariner is likely to be a decent investment, but to me that's not really the point, unless it's part of a collection of more than 10 watches and you aren't too sad not to be able to wear it regularly.

I have several friends who wear vintage Subs, Explorer IIs & even more special watches as their daily watch, worn day in day out. It's what they were designed for. As long as they are regularly serviced and pressure tested at Rolex and you don't go cage fighting in them, they should be fine.

And since when was making a sound investment not the point? Appreciating possessions always feel nicer to own than depreciating possessions.

Not the point *to me* old chap. Not wanting to start any niggles, you see. When I acquired my first Rolex (Explorer II, was very pleased with myself) I wore it ALL the time. When I finally acquired that steel Daytona I'd been lusting after for years, I wore it continually, it picked up a few scratches and then the main chrono hand played funny buggers every so often.

But these were 'new' Rolexes - a vintage watch as old as me with all the papers etc. - I *know* watches pick up dings here and there, and in some respects that's part of the appeal, but to me the only point of owning a '74 Sub over a newish Sub (i.e. not the latest model, which is a bit clunky) would be the investment appeal. And *then* I'd prefer it to be kept in a box as constant wear could reduce its value, no?

(Then again, one could argue that my JLC gran'sport reverso chrono, at the price I paid, is an appreciating investment.... and I'm wearing *that* as a daily at the moment because I like it so much!!! That said, I'd not be bothered if some watch dealer said that it was a completely undesirable piece and worthless on the market - I love it for the sheer trickery of the movement and its subtlety)


As to the comments about my Breguet.... the reasoning behind it was uncannily similar to LukeBird's...

LukeBird said:

+1 I love the Daytona but the lack of date as a daily-wearer would frustrate the buggery out of me!

I had a Daytona, and the lack of date as a daily-wearer frustrated the buggery out of me Hence the Type XX transatlantique (Breguet do a Type XX aerospatiale, which doesn't have the date, for some bizarre reason). The other contender (steel sports chrono with as much (if not more) of a 'special' feel to the Daytona) was the Vacheron Overseas Chrono. The Vacheron is possibly the better watch, but I've got a thing about Breguet so for me, it had to the be the Type XX transatlantique.

The Breguet *does* have a pretty unspecial bracelet, to be frank - no locking clasp, it's a simple friction fit. Not *that* much risk of you not noticing it coming off, but it's not secure like virtually every other sports chrono I've seen.

The added attraction of the Breguet is the flyback complication - press the 'reset' button any time the chrono is working and it'll reset without having to stop the chrono... good for lap timing, for example...

[piquetuk]

/\ /\ I guess that's the joy of being an enthusiast, as with cars it comes down to personal taste in the end. Also I have been brainwashed by a Friend who loves Rolex above all others, so I blame him for my Rolexccentrisity

Have you seen the new/old Tudor Chrono?









I think it looks great!

The one in the middle is the original homeplate.

Edited by piquetuk on Tuesday 13th April 20:45

[aeropilot]

piquetuk said:

so I blame him for my Rolexccentrisity

[LukeBird]

cyberface said:

But these were 'new' Rolexes - a vintage watch as old as me with all the papers etc. - I *know* watches pick up dings here and there, and in some respects that's part of the appeal, but to me the only point of owning a '74 Sub over a newish Sub (i.e. not the latest model, which is a bit clunky) would be the investment appeal. And *then* I'd prefer it to be kept in a box as constant wear could reduce its value, no?

That wouldn't put me off (the wearing a '74 one). I've just bought a Tudor Submariner (so much cooler than a Rolex! ) which is an early 70s (maybe even '74!) and it hasn't been off my wrist since I picked it up. It's lovely and I haven't treated it any differently to my normal daily-wearers, either an SMP or a Speedmaster.
I would buy one and wear it as an investment. A bit of wabi would be much more appealing for a vintage watch anyway!

[aeropilot]

cyberface said:

but to me the only point of owning a '74 Sub over a newish Sub (i.e. not the latest model, which is a bit clunky) would be the investment appeal. And *then* I'd prefer it to be kept in a box as constant wear could reduce its value, no?

No.

That's like buying a classic car and not driving it, and keeping it tucked away in a vacuum carcoon because you don't want to risk the investment potential

[andy_s]

That Breuget is laaaaarvely, simple and effective, very classy.