Retirement watch

[Ozone]

One of my team is retiring in a few months, he has worked for the company for about 30 years and i am looking to get a watch sorted out for him. I have very little knowledge of watches in general and wondered if anyone can make any recommendations. The budget is approx £250 - £300, he isn't in to bling or flashy stuff, doesn't like gold but likes engineering and functionality eg simple workman like stuff - probably not a face with 10 dials - just a simple face with time and date window.

TIA

[Ikemi]

I know this doesn't help you, but if I was the bloke who was retiring, I'd rather have a Goldsmiths/Ernest Jones gift certificate for £250-300. Watches are quite personal items and you run the risk of purchasing something you like, but he doesn't ... Goldsmiths/Ernest Jones have a large range of watches ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand, so he can treat himself or put it towards a piece he really likes

[Ozone]

Thanks Ikemi i understand what you mean but i would like to give hime something engraved with our thanks on it. He would possibly keep it in the box anyway, it is only a token (no pun) gesture really.

[Ikemi]

Ozone said:

Thanks Ikemi i understand what you mean but i would like to give hime something engraved with our thanks on it. He would possibly keep it in the box anyway, it is only a token (no pun) gesture really.

Ah, okay How about a Mondaine?

http://www.watchshop.com/Mondaine-Watches.html

[Landlord]

IMHO the Mondaine looks a bit "young" for a retiree - but just IMHO, as I say.

How about this one?

Edit: Plain face but check out the back! Available with different straps/silver face/etc. I have two CWs and I love them

Further edit: D'oh! How you going to engrave that with a message! Unless you can engrave the glass? Or the box...

Edited by Landlord on Thursday 21st July 14:18

[CommanderJameson]

It's a crashingly dull answer, but:

What about a Seiko?

[Ozone]

Ikemi said:

Ah, okay How about a Mondaine?

http://www.watchshop.com/Mondaine-Watches.html

I like those but as Landlord says probably a bit "young"

Landlord said:

Further edit: D'oh! How you going to engrave that with a message! Unless you can engrave the glass? Or the box...

Thanks.

CommanderJameson said:

It's a crashingly dull answer, but:

What about a Seiko?

That is pretty much what i had in mind (boring or not)!

It does look plain to me but it's not for me so that is probably the template to compare anything else to.

[Landlord]

Good call by CommanderJ.

[blueg33]

New Tissot Visodate. Great value, proper auto watch, looks like it cost much more

[Chris Type R]

Perhaps something from here - http://www.christopherward.co.uk/men/view-all-1.ht...

[andy_s]

blueg33 said:

New Tissot Visodate. Great value, proper auto watch, looks like it cost much more

That's a good shout.

[RemainAllHoof]

blueg33 said:

New Tissot Visodate. Great value, proper auto watch, looks like it cost much more

I was thinking of this but I don't know how the general public view Tissot.

[Lefty]

I don't mean to be sound like an arse but a £300 watch as thanks for 30 years service?

I'm a contractor so get fk all (apart from my invoices) but my mrs got £300 of vouchers for only 10 years service from a well known high street book retailer. And they're a grippy shower of s.

[Ozone]

Lefty said:

I don't mean to be sound like an arse but a £300 watch as thanks for 30 years service?

I'm a contractor so get fk all (apart from my invoices) but my mrs got £300 of vouchers for only 10 years service from a well known high street book retailer. And they're a grippy shower of s.

Yep, i'm not in charge of the budget, but that's a fair summary unfortunately.

Edited by Ozone on Thursday 21st July 16:58

[GC8]

Gone are the days, it would appear; where thirty years of service earned a gold Omega. Come to think of it - many of the ones that I have seen were for twenty years service....

[Miguel Alvarez]

Ok lets have a plate spinning exercise and get some blue sky thinking done lol.

Seriously. What about a vintage Omega from the year he started? I'm sure you could pick something up from Austin Kaye in the £300 price range.

[GC8]

Something I was about to suggest.

http://www.austinkaye.co.uk/Gents-Omega-Geneve-Man...

Not far over budget and the backs clear for you to engrave. Austin Kaye's prices do seem a little high, but they are in that London.

[Ozone]

Quinny said:

How about something from Christopher Ward....??

They do some nice understated classic styles... And an older gent who like his engineering may appreciate a British watch

Yes, ChrisTypeR suggested them, they have some nice ones on there.

Some good suggestions so far guys, thank you.

[sneijder]

blueg33 said:

New Tissot Visodate. Great value, proper auto watch, looks like it cost much more

Beat me to it too.

Some cracking pictures on this thread if you scroll right down :

http://forums.watchuseek.com/f67/tissot-visodate-1...



I think I'm correct in saying it's very well presented in a wooden box too, but don't quote me on that.

[Mattt]

I would go with: http://www.christopherward.co.uk/sale/preview/mens...

Just over £230 delivered, including engraving.

Quality automatic, alligator strap, well within budget.