What would you spend £1k on?

[kiwi_af]

Hey folks!

Currently in the market for a decent watch around the 1k mark, my research has left me scratching me head a little though..

What I want:
- attractive design (I’m digging the blue face + brown leather strap look)
- not a cluttered face (maybe date + chrono, but that’s about it)
- possible appreciation (or at least hold value)

Options I know of:
- Omega Seamaster Cosmic 2000 (restored, no papers)
- Christopher Ward something or other

So, is there something perfect I haven’t found yet? If I went the Omega route should I pay this price for a repainted dial + no papers? Is Christopher Ward worth the money or is it all copycat marketing fluff? Is there a better place to buy than the main online marketplaces?

Cheers!

[AlexC1981]

If you want it to hold its value get a vintage watch (and don't pay too much for it)! I'd leave the repainted dials alone unless they were an excellent price and you really like the watch in question.

Always a good range on Chrono24, but choose your seller carefully. You can easily get a good vintage Omega dress watch for under £1K. Double check you are happy with the size as vintage watches can be quite dainty.

[Barchettaman]

A lovely budget to have!

Does it have to go on just one watch, though?

For my £1k I would be looking at (for example)

Bulova Lunar Pilot (Chronograph)

Seiko Prospex (Dive watch)

A really sweet little vintage automatic dress watch - maybe a Longines or a Rado, or a quartz Omega DeVille.

That’s the three major boxes ticked with three really good watches.

[Nayche]

Big fan of the Seiko Prosepx divers range. Some great designs however I find them a little too large in general.

Really digging Oris at the moment. Can be found lighlty used within your budget.

[alistair1234]

Nayche said:

Big fan of the Seiko Prosepx divers range. Some great designs however I find them a little too large in general.

Really digging Oris at the moment. Can be found lighlty used within your budget.

I picked up a 3 month old one for £800 last year

[vixen1700]

This is next on my want list and can be had for around that budget. The Longines 1945. Not to everybody's taste I imagine but I love it.

Sounds like you should be looking at the Christopher Ward C65 series. Lovely watches.

Or maybe something Stowa..

https://www.stowa.de/en/Antea/

Edited by vixen1700 on Saturday 28th September 12:09

[Bussolini]

Left field suggestion:



anOrdain Model 2

[xyz123]

Each to their own but have a look at longines hydroconquest.

Personally, at the budget I wouldn't worry too much about retaining value. Better to get what you like rather than worrying about future value.

[imperium]

You wouldn’t go far wrong with a Stowa. I quite like the marine klassik, think it’s about £700. Nice clean design.

There are some nice Sinns to be had for under a bag of sand I think too.

[Jumpingjackflash]

Seiko Presage. Some of the dials are unbelievable for the money.

I have the the Shippo enamel dial. It was a little over £1k but still a bargain when you see how they are made on YouTube.

[Macneil]

Have a look on here, great site & shop, loads of watches on display you can pick them up and handle them all too.

https://www.watchnation.com/product-category/mens-...

[Macneil]

https://www.watchnation.com/product/hamilton-ameri...

https://www.watchnation.com/product/seiko-presage-...

[MrVert]

For that budget, I've always been impressed with Certina.

https://www.certina.com/gb

Really nice designs, very well made, quality watches.

[Dicky Knee]

Magrette Waterman Bronze surely?

https://www.forasec.com/moana-pacific-waterman-bro...

Or the new GMT if you want a steel case

https://www.forasec.com/moana-pacific-waterman-gmt...

[lostkiwi]

Dicky Knee said:

Magrette Waterman Bronze surely?

https://www.forasec.com/moana-pacific-waterman-bro...

Or the new GMT if you want a steel case

https://www.forasec.com/moana-pacific-waterman-gmt...

Exactly my thinking.

Also have a look at Mühle Glasshütte. The 29er whilst not having a blue dial is stunning in its clarity and simplicity and beautifully made.

Edited by lostkiwi on Sunday 29th September 20:22

[AmosMoses]

I'd have a look at a JeanRichard Terrascope

https://www.watchfinder.co.uk/JeanRichard/Terrasco...

A lot of watch for the money, these were around £3k new!

[vixen1700]

Everybody needs a Flieger, and 1070 Euros gets you a hand wound 40mm Stowa Flieger Klassik.

Love mine.

[Graemsay]

The Nomos Club Campus 38 Night is slightly out of budget (at £1,200), but has a certain amount of watchmaking credibility.

https://nomos-glashuette.com/en/club/club-campus-3...



Hamilton's Field watches are generally under a grand. I particularly like the Khaki Pilot Pioneer Mechanical.

https://shop.revolution.watch/hamilton-khaki-pilot...

[Gone a bit AMG]

Macneil said:

Have a look on here, great site & shop, loads of watches on display you can pick them up and handle them all too.

https://www.watchnation.com/product-category/mens-...

That blue alpina pilot is lovely

[mikeveal]

kiwi_af said:

Hey folks!

So, is there something perfect I haven’t found yet?

If I went the Omega route should I pay this price for a repainted dial + no papers?

Is Christopher Ward worth the money or is it all copycat marketing fluff?

Is there a better place to buy than the main online marketplaces?

Cheers!

Yes.
There are loads of good watches in that price bracket. Your criterion seems a bit vague.
A grand will get you a vintage JLC memovox, go just over for a futurematic. Both a bit dressier than your picks.
For uncluttered, try the Junghans Max Bill.
There's a good choice of vintage Zeniths at that price range.


No.
At a grand a Cosmic should be all original and unfettled. That's a punchy dealer price too.
If you like the Cosmic take a look at the Dynamic. I'm impressed that you've picked a pretty much forgotten Omega


That's subjective,
Personally I wouldn't pick CW. They're OK, but you can do a lot better. They used to represent fantastic value, but that was when they were a startup & their prices were half what they are now.

TZ-uk has a forsale forum. But you need 50 posts. Don't bother trying to speed post. Also see Watchuseek.