Gents watch for £150-£200......Monster?
Gents watch for £150-£200......Monster?
Author
Discussion

DJFish

Original Poster:

6,018 posts

294 months

Monday 24th February 2014
quotequote all
Chaps,
My little brother will be 18 fairly soon and I've been told to choose a watch for the above price range for his birthday.
I'm thinking a nice stainless Seiko auto would be a good choice and last a lifetime, what else should I be considering?

Also where's the best place to buy Seikos?

Cheers
Dave

evenflow

8,889 posts

313 months

Monday 24th February 2014
quotequote all
Mondaine?

drab

422 posts

183 months

Monday 24th February 2014
quotequote all
best place for seikos: www.creationwatches.com/

imo !

DJFish

Original Poster:

6,018 posts

294 months

Monday 24th February 2014
quotequote all
Thanks, much appreciated!

SVS

3,824 posts

302 months

Monday 24th February 2014
quotequote all
Check out Orient watches too, which are also high quality for the money. (About the same quality as a similarly priced Seiko.)

tigerkoi

2,927 posts

229 months

Monday 24th February 2014
quotequote all
Hi,

The SKX007 is genuinely one of the best, value-for-money, all-rounders, you can find.

The 'Monster' is a lovely, well-hewn, item, and I wore one today, but the 007 is really something that can work for so many occasions, even if you're a late teen. I enjoy all my Japanese divers - Monster, Tuna, Ecozilla, Kinetic...but the 007 is the most versatile.

- on a Jubilee, Nato, or even an aftermarket Yobokies or W Jean Oyster bracelet, its very amenable if the mood changes

- lovely, solid engine. Literally, you can almost pick one up after it's been left for awhile, and the second hand will start sweeping

- classic dimensions (42m), not too heavy and not too light, with an "oyster-ish" case and timeless bezel and marker design

~£110 from Creation - who dispatch very quickly, with hardly any border/tax interruption - makes it almost too bargainous.

I really like, and will keep all my watches, Swiss, Japanese, German, Spanish...whatever. Price and brand are of fairly tertiary importance to me. But as much as I enjoy my Omegas and Breitlings and whatnot, I genuinely can't think of a better and more impressive bit of kit (for say £150) than a nice Seiko diver to receive as a present. Especially a 007.

Your brother may end up bashing it around. But he'll keep it.

andy tims

5,606 posts

277 months

Monday 24th February 2014
quotequote all
I'm a massive Seiko SKX fan, but have a look at the Precista PRS 18 from TimeFactors. The auto is slightly over budget, but worth it IMHO.





The quartz is within budget.

Edited by andy tims on Monday 24th February 22:17

DJFish

Original Poster:

6,018 posts

294 months

Tuesday 25th February 2014
quotequote all
tigerkoi said:
Hi,

The SKX007 is genuinely one of the best, value-for-money, all-rounders, you can find.

The 'Monster' is a lovely, well-hewn, item, and I wore one today, but the 007 is really something that can work for so many occasions, even if you're a late teen. I enjoy all my Japanese divers - Monster, Tuna, Ecozilla, Kinetic...but the 007 is the most versatile.

- on a Jubilee, Nato, or even an aftermarket Yobokies or W Jean Oyster bracelet, its very amenable if the mood changes

- lovely, solid engine. Literally, you can almost pick one up after it's been left for awhile, and the second hand will start sweeping

- classic dimensions (42m), not too heavy and not too light, with an "oyster-ish" case and timeless bezel and marker design

~£110 from Creation - who dispatch very quickly, with hardly any border/tax interruption - makes it almost too bargainous.

I really like, and will keep all my watches, Swiss, Japanese, German, Spanish...whatever. Price and brand are of fairly tertiary importance to me. But as much as I enjoy my Omegas and Breitlings and whatnot, I genuinely can't think of a better and more impressive bit of kit (for say £150) than a nice Seiko diver to receive as a present. Especially a 007.

Your brother may end up bashing it around. But he'll keep it.
Didn't know you could get an oyster style strap for Seikos, I changed my jubilee for a rubber strap as I didn't like the flimsyness, then again what do I know, I've just discovered my 007 is actually a 013, I've only had it a decade!

I'm thinking I'll probably go for a Seiko, though I'm tempted to get a Monster for myself at the same time.....scratchchin


tigerkoi

2,927 posts

229 months

Tuesday 25th February 2014
quotequote all
DJFish said:
tigerkoi said:
Hi,

The SKX007 is genuinely one of the best, value-for-money, all-rounders, you can find.

The 'Monster' is a lovely, well-hewn, item, and I wore one today, but the 007 is really something that can work for so many occasions, even if you're a late teen. I enjoy all my Japanese divers - Monster, Tuna, Ecozilla, Kinetic...but the 007 is the most versatile.

- on a Jubilee, Nato, or even an aftermarket Yobokies or W Jean Oyster bracelet, its very amenable if the mood changes

- lovely, solid engine. Literally, you can almost pick one up after it's been left for awhile, and the second hand will start sweeping

- classic dimensions (42m), not too heavy and not too light, with an "oyster-ish" case and timeless bezel and marker design

~£110 from Creation - who dispatch very quickly, with hardly any border/tax interruption - makes it almost too bargainous.

I really like, and will keep all my watches, Swiss, Japanese, German, Spanish...whatever. Price and brand are of fairly tertiary importance to me. But as much as I enjoy my Omegas and Breitlings and whatnot, I genuinely can't think of a better and more impressive bit of kit (for say £150) than a nice Seiko diver to receive as a present. Especially a 007.

Your brother may end up bashing it around. But he'll keep it.
Didn't know you could get an oyster style strap for Seikos, I changed my jubilee for a rubber strap as I didn't like the flimsyness, then again what do I know, I've just discovered my 007 is actually a 013, I've only had it a decade!

I'm thinking I'll probably go for a Seiko, though I'm tempted to get a Monster for myself at the same time.....scratchchin
Hey Dave,

Yep you sure can. Quite a few aftermarket options. I must admit, I think the 'Presidential' is the best option - personal preference!

You have to pick up a Monster when you have the chance. It would be rude not too smile

andy tims

5,606 posts

277 months

Tuesday 25th February 2014
quotequote all
My old SKXA53 on the "President" bracelet for reference.


tigerkoi

2,927 posts

229 months

Tuesday 25th February 2014
quotequote all
andy tims said:
My old SKXA53 on the "President" bracelet for reference.

Boom! That looks very, very, nice indeed.

I've got other fish I need to start frying - right place, right time, right money, a Reverso has my name on it. And then like Homer in Treehouse of Horrors VI, I get sucked back into more Seiko wonderland...

A Sawtooth next, or a Sumo? Push all my cards in and go for the Golden Tuna? If my minds drifts to a Grand Seiko diver, I never get any sleep.

For me they are the Ford of watches. Loads of Orions and Zephyrs in the catalogue. But also RS200s, Cosworths and '72 RS1600s.


16plates

1,926 posts

158 months

Wednesday 26th February 2014
quotequote all
Chances are if he's 18, a £200 Seiko won't be 'cool' really... (Despite it arguably being the best for the money...)

I'd be more inclined to get him a fashion brand; TW Steel, Fossil, Armani or even a G-Shock. Maybe consider a nice Citizen too, good ones tend to be slightly north of £200 though.

DJFish

Original Poster:

6,018 posts

294 months

Wednesday 26th February 2014
quotequote all
Too late, I've ordered him a black faced monster, if he doesn't like it I'm sure someone will make use of it. smile

Rosscow

9,719 posts

194 months

Wednesday 26th February 2014
quotequote all
I got a Seiko Kinetic for my 18th birthday.

I've worn it every day for the following 14 years smile

One like this:



I suppose I'll upgrade one day - maybe for my 40th?

Debaser

8,648 posts

292 months

Wednesday 26th February 2014
quotequote all
Get an SKX007 on an oyster.


checkmate91

861 posts

204 months

Wednesday 26th February 2014
quotequote all
Or a jubilee. This is a 13 but you get the idea...


Edit: Just seen you've ordered something already!

Edited by checkmate91 on Wednesday 26th February 19:12

Chunk49

353 posts

181 months

Wednesday 26th February 2014
quotequote all
What's the difference between a 13 vs a 007 vs a SRP125J1? And how do these Seikos compare with the Orient Mako?

DJFish

Original Poster:

6,018 posts

294 months

Wednesday 26th February 2014
quotequote all
Chunk49 said:
What's the difference between a 13 vs a 007
About 7mm width as far as I'm aware but I'm happy to be corrected.

checkmate91

861 posts

204 months

Wednesday 26th February 2014
quotequote all
Chunk49 said:
What's the difference between a 13 vs a 007 vs a SRP125J1? And how do these Seikos compare with the Orient Mako?
Hehe, I'm glad you asked that question!

Same movement, different case sizes is about it, both 200m divers with screw-down crowns.

The SRP125J1 is 2mm bigger than the SKX007 on the left, 013 on the right and it's a sports watch, 100m, I've got a similar model SNZF17j1, which is a nice modern dress watch but it's not the same as the skx models. Nice bracelet though smile

Dunno about the Orient Mako, sorry

Edited by checkmate91 on Wednesday 26th February 21:54

Chunk49

353 posts

181 months

Thursday 27th February 2014
quotequote all
Thanks checkmate. Really useful info.

Which one is the 13 and which one is the 007? I'm confused!