What... watch?
Discussion
I'm looking at watches, I have a budget of £3500 and a bit of a short list going on.
There's Breitling, Tag and Omega on it.
Wanted to get some feedback from some owners if possible. If anyone owns one of the above brands can you post and let me know what made you choose that specific watch/brand and what it has been like to live with? especially if you have an automatic movement. Has it lived up to your expectations? Had any problems? needed to service it at all?
Thanks.
There's Breitling, Tag and Omega on it.
Wanted to get some feedback from some owners if possible. If anyone owns one of the above brands can you post and let me know what made you choose that specific watch/brand and what it has been like to live with? especially if you have an automatic movement. Has it lived up to your expectations? Had any problems? needed to service it at all?
Thanks.
I have owned half a dozen of each of those and gradually traded them all due to lack of specialness in real terms. A few have been kept but mainly vintage. If you insist on new then the Planet Ocean/Aqua Terra is nice as are the SuperOcean/ Transocean heritage lines. Or the classic re-editions from TAG.
Adam_W said:
I'm looking at watches, I have a budget of £3500 and a bit of a short list going on.
There's Breitling, Tag and Omega on it.
Wanted to get some feedback from some owners if possible. If anyone owns one of the above brands can you post and let me know what made you choose that specific watch/brand and what it has been like to live with? especially if you have an automatic movement. Has it lived up to your expectations? Had any problems? needed to service it at all?
Thanks.
I have a couple of each. Never had any issues with any of the autos, and they've all been serviced over the years.There's Breitling, Tag and Omega on it.
Wanted to get some feedback from some owners if possible. If anyone owns one of the above brands can you post and let me know what made you choose that specific watch/brand and what it has been like to live with? especially if you have an automatic movement. Has it lived up to your expectations? Had any problems? needed to service it at all?
Thanks.
Been very happy with each of them.
Might be worth looking at Tudor (sub brand of Rolex) or even considering a second hand watch.
I've never had a Breitling but I've had a TAG Heuer Carrera and I currently have an Omega Speedmaster Professional.
Functionally they're both chronographs but the TAG Heuer is automatic and features a date whereas the Omega is manual winding with no date. However to me the Omega is far more special. I'm not sure if that's because of the astronaut connection or if it's because it's more classically pretty. It's probably a mixture of the two.
Those are my only experiences with any of those brands!
Your question is so open that it's hard to answer. Also I haven't had the Omega serviced yet, but the TAG Heuer came back with some nasty marks around the lugs and caseback after a service, which they sorted without quibble. That was when I sold it for a Rolex.
Functionally they're both chronographs but the TAG Heuer is automatic and features a date whereas the Omega is manual winding with no date. However to me the Omega is far more special. I'm not sure if that's because of the astronaut connection or if it's because it's more classically pretty. It's probably a mixture of the two.
Those are my only experiences with any of those brands!
Your question is so open that it's hard to answer. Also I haven't had the Omega serviced yet, but the TAG Heuer came back with some nasty marks around the lugs and caseback after a service, which they sorted without quibble. That was when I sold it for a Rolex.
£3.5K opens a lot of doors in the watch world, and not just those off the high street selling the usual flavours.
Spend a good month or two, at least, reading about and looking at pictures of other brands you probably didn't even know existed.
For that you'd do well to look at TZ-UK.com and watchuseek.com, as well as Timezone.com
To get you started, here's some names for you to research:
Bremont
IWC
Union Glashutte
Grand Seiko
Breguet
Muhle Glashutte
Ball
JLC
Ulysse Nardin
Glashutte Original
Dornbluth
Nomos
Stowa
Check out chronos24.com for prices, and some of those mentioned in your budget will be older (10-15 years) models, but bear in mind the more expensive the watch was (just like cars) the more it'll cost to service – so that may preclude a few brands.
Spend a good month or two, at least, reading about and looking at pictures of other brands you probably didn't even know existed.
For that you'd do well to look at TZ-UK.com and watchuseek.com, as well as Timezone.com
To get you started, here's some names for you to research:
Bremont
IWC
Union Glashutte
Grand Seiko
Breguet
Muhle Glashutte
Ball
JLC
Ulysse Nardin
Glashutte Original
Dornbluth
Nomos
Stowa
Check out chronos24.com for prices, and some of those mentioned in your budget will be older (10-15 years) models, but bear in mind the more expensive the watch was (just like cars) the more it'll cost to service – so that may preclude a few brands.
Adam_W said:
Absolutely gutted today. Went into goldsmiths and took a closer look at the breitling's.
I couldn't wear probably 80%+ of the watches there, I have wrists like sparrows legs and nothing will really fit
Phew. One less Breitling on the streets. (Hides)I couldn't wear probably 80%+ of the watches there, I have wrists like sparrows legs and nothing will really fit
On a serious note, you've a good budget there and could get something very special pre-owned. I'd be glued to Chrono24 if I were you....who am I kidding, I am anyway!
I agree. £3.5k is a fair amount on a watch - so what sort of watch do you want?
Is it for wearing for best? For everyday (with a suit or less smart)? A "divers watch" like a Rolex Sub can often be a good all rounder, but something with a leather strap (IMO) is better with a shirt and suit.
Even with skinny wrists, you can rapidly get used to larger watches - I don;t think I have particularly large wrists and when I first tried on a 44mm Panerai it looked enormous and I nearly bought a 40mm ladies
) version. Now I'm glad I didn't.
Would you be prepared to buy second-hand? Some of the brands you mentioned are much cheaper second-hand.
Is it for wearing for best? For everyday (with a suit or less smart)? A "divers watch" like a Rolex Sub can often be a good all rounder, but something with a leather strap (IMO) is better with a shirt and suit.
Even with skinny wrists, you can rapidly get used to larger watches - I don;t think I have particularly large wrists and when I first tried on a 44mm Panerai it looked enormous and I nearly bought a 40mm ladies
) version. Now I'm glad I didn't.Would you be prepared to buy second-hand? Some of the brands you mentioned are much cheaper second-hand.
Adam_W said:
The budget was determined by the better half as its an engagement present, its going to be for special occasions, I use my Tissot daily. Could go for used, some I have seen look as good as new anyway.
OK, well that makes sense on the budget, but we still need to know what you like and what you are looking for? Every day wear, sports, dress, chrono, etc..Personally for an engagement present I would expect you are looking for something quite special and for me none of the brands you mention are that special. If you are prepared to go used then I would be looking at watches from the likes of Zenith, JLC, Glashutte Original and Grand Seiko.
tertius said:
OK, well that makes sense on the budget, but we still need to know what you like and what you are looking for? Every day wear, sports, dress, chrono, etc..
Personally for an engagement present I would expect you are looking for something quite special and for me none of the brands you mention are that special. If you are prepared to go used then I would be looking at watches from the likes of Zenith, JLC, Glashutte Original and Grand Seiko.
Do some research and find the style of watch (or a few) that you like as tertius says.Personally for an engagement present I would expect you are looking for something quite special and for me none of the brands you mention are that special. If you are prepared to go used then I would be looking at watches from the likes of Zenith, JLC, Glashutte Original and Grand Seiko.
Personally, I'd say don't bother with the more esoteric brands UNLESS something really takes your fancy from one if you're not a watch fan.
A Grand Seiko, for example, is 'just' a Seiko to most people and it won't feel special to most people.
Of course, if you see a GS or a JLC you love, go for it.
Look at an Omega Speedmaster Pro or a Seamaster of some ilk. Nice watch that, despite the snootiness about 'not feeling truly special' (I suspect a bit of a euphemism for 'I only like wearing watches no-one else has heard of'
) , you'll be happy and proud to wear (and maybe pass onto someone some day).But Tertius' advice is spot on, find a watch you REALLY like and then see if you can afford it, not set a budget and a brand and then try and find something there that you can bear, because, long term, it won't be a watch you enjoy owning that much.
FWIW, I've got a Breitling Cosmonaute - The watch I LOVE, I became obsessed with owning one after seeing one in a small watch shop window - and 3 Omegas (A Speedmaster and two older Seamasters).
I suspect the Cosmonaute's a bit Marmite, although for me it has no peer at any price, but the Speedmaster does feel like a special watch (looks great on a bracelet, leather or NATO too, so suitable for any occasion which few watches can carry off), so that would be my suggestion if you pinned me down.
M
Edited by marcosgt on Saturday 7th September 10:32
Thank God - a great list of watches there, anything to stop the monotony of 'Look at my new PO' threads.... 
OP, go and have a good look around watch arcades and shops - don't be afraid to go second hand - you will get so much more for your money. Make sure you get boxes/papers with most of them, and obviously try to deal with names (people with history), rather than eBay.
Finally, have a chat with our own Dominic Hackett - he does a very nice line in helping PH'ers. http://www.hackettwatches.com/hw/
OP, go and have a good look around watch arcades and shops - don't be afraid to go second hand - you will get so much more for your money. Make sure you get boxes/papers with most of them, and obviously try to deal with names (people with history), rather than eBay.
Finally, have a chat with our own Dominic Hackett - he does a very nice line in helping PH'ers. http://www.hackettwatches.com/hw/
marcosgt said:
Personally, I'd say don't bother with the more esoteric brands UNLESS something really takes your fancy from one if you're not a watch fan.
A Grand Seiko, for example, is 'just' a Seiko to most people and it won't feel special to most people.
Of course, if you see a GS or a JLC you love, go for it.
Spot on and well said that man A Grand Seiko, for example, is 'just' a Seiko to most people and it won't feel special to most people.
Of course, if you see a GS or a JLC you love, go for it.
OP; all this thread shows is that you've got lots of research to do; enjoy it. Don't jump into anything because if you make a mistake buying new, it will cost you dearly if you try to trade
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