Wedding present watch help

[SaintEtienne]

Afternoon all -

Having rearranged twice due to COVID, I'm getting married in September.

Future Mrs Saint Etienne is buying me a watch as a wedding present - fk knows what I'm buying her, that's probably a whole other thread, but we're looking around the £2k-£3k-ish mark. She's adamant I don't just tell her what to buy, but rather give her a few options of things I like around that sort of price point, which she'll then surpise me with on the big day in September.

So I was hoping to build up a little list of likely candidates.

My thoughts so far -

• Something I can wear regularly, so not a dress watch - already got a couple of options there, and dunno when/if we'll ever get back to the point when I need to wear one more than a couple of times a year.

• I can't wear leather straps

• She's not keen on the idea of getting me anything second hand/vintage.

Have been thinking Tudor Black Bay, Rado Captain Cook maybe.

Seems to be an awkward price point (obviously very good of her, not looking a gift horse in the mouth etc) but there's tons of choice at/around the £500 mark, then there seems to be a massive gulf until you get up to about £5k (at least in my limited knowledge)

Any obvious contenders that fit the brief?

Oh i'm a long slim-armed individual, so any massive 45+mm faces are a no go.

[Animal]

Buy second-hand, it'll open up far more possibilities...

[randlemarcus]

SaintEtienne said:

She's adamant I don't just tell her what to buy, but rather give her a few options of things I like around that sort of price point,

Well dear, there's always the Omega dark side of the moon in black/black, but I cant decide whether to have the black leather strap or the obsidian one

Watches are such a personal thing. If you have a look around and get down to specific models, in specific metals, you're going to be happier than hinting at a GMT-II, and getting a Yachtmaster. You may fall foul of the being prescriptive clause though.

[anonymous-user]

Animal said:

Buy second-hand, it'll open up far more possibilities...

This.

Absolutely this.

But, a Tudor Black bay is well within your £3k budget, and an absolutely lovely watch.

Edited to comment on this:

randlemarcus said:

<snip>
Watches are such a personal thing. <snip>

This is a massively important point. I'm hugely fussy about which watches I buy and own, and if someone bought me one that wasn't exactly what I would buy for myself, I wouldn't wear it.

I appreciate she wants to buy you a watch, which is a really nice idea, but honestly, if it turns out to be something that you don't lust after, you won't enjoy it, you won't wear it, and you will ultimately still want the watch you wanted in the first place...

It could end up being. waste of money unless you choose it, or put some money to it and get what you really want.

Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 25th March 15:16

[SaintEtienne]

Yes some sensible advice here, I know - but she's vetoed second hand (new start in life, new watch, maybe?) - and since it's the only stipulation she's made, and it's her money, I'm not argue against it too much.

Tudor Black Bay is the shout, already on the short list.

I believe (she does this for me every Christmas with bags/shoes) I'll give her a list of 5-10 options, any of which I'd be happy with, and then she'll pick from there.

Also take your point on watches being personal things but come on, where's your romance? I can't ask her for £2,500 in used tenners as a wedding gift to take and buy myself something nice, like asking for cash off your old nan so she doesn't buy you the wrong CD at Christmas!

[anonymous-user]

There is no right or wrong here, and I suppose it depends on how you think, or how your wife thinks, about stuff like this.

I can only speak for myself, but my wife is a very practical financially minded sort, and she has absolutely no issue with us buying each other (or buying ourselves) stuff like watches or jewellery, as long as it is exactly what we want so that we get some 'use' out of it and with that in mind she would rather be a bit unromantic with material positions and gifts, than one of us end up with something we didn't really want or wear.

Horses for courses and all that sort of thing. Suits me perfectly as I'm really choosy/fussy over my possessions and a lot of the time gifts are great fun, but aren't what I would have chosen myself.

Another wedding example: I probably haven't worn my wedding ring since we got married a few years ago, because I don't like rings. My wife knew I wouldn't wear a ring so was happy for me to buy a really inexpensive one that would pretty much just be used for the ceremony.

We are happy to be romantic with each other in all sorts of other ways, but it would appear that buying stuff for each other isn't one of those ways!

As long as you do what makes you both happy, that is all that matters.

Good luck with it all, and have a great wedding day!

[The Big G]

Slightly left field suggestions, but at that price there are some other options for something new. Have you considered some of the German brands such as nomos, muhle glasutte, sinn and damasko? They make some great watches for a good price point in that awkward middle ground.

[richthebike]

A few decent daily options that you could look at (and I'd personally pick over a non-58 Black Bay).

- Seiko SLA021 or 023 (same watch in black or blue)
- Sinn U50 or U1 if you want a bigger watch
- Doxa 300T or 300 COSC
- Grand Seiko Quartz: either an SBGV or the GMT SBGN005. You can also get an entry level GS mechanical for just over 3k.
- Tudor Black Bay 36 is lovely (like a new 36mm Explorer 1 would be if they still made it for half the money)

Obviously a Black Bay GMT is also lovely if you like the size.

[SaintEtienne]

Cheers, some suggestions I wouldn't have thought of there.

Really like the Doxa especially.

Been doing a bit of googling, adding Longines Hydroconquest and Brietling Superocean to the 'maybe' list.

Edited by SaintEtienne on Thursday 25th March 19:30

[TTmonkey]

Where are you going on honey moon? If somewhere exotic, take the money and spend there on a tax free one?

[SaintEtienne]

TTmonkey said:

Where are you going on honey moon? If somewhere exotic, take the money and spend there on a tax free one?

That's a great point, and one I haven't considered. Until covid we were doing UAE & Sri Lanka. I imagine the former provides more scope for buying a nice watch.

God knows if we'll get there with the travel situation as uncertain as it is now though.

[anonymous-user]

SaintEtienne said:

Cheers, some suggestions I wouldn't have thought of there.

Really like the Doxa especially.

Been doing a bit of googling, adding Longines Hydroconquest and Brietling Superocean to the 'maybe' list.

I have a SuperOcean 44 and I absolutely love it. Easily one of my favourite, and gets worn a lot more than most of my other watches.

[mickyh7]

Give her a £2k top up and tell her to get you a Seamaster.
Wears well anywhere. Looks great.
Sorted.
Your right though £2k-£3k is dead water new.

[gregs656]

mickyh7 said:

Give her a £2k top up and tell her to get you a Seamaster.
Wears well anywhere. Looks great.
Sorted.
Your right though £2k-£3k is dead water new.

Idk that I would spend the extra 2k on a Seamaster - and I’m a big Omega fan.

Bremont do some nice watches at this price point.

[gregs656]

Put the budget as 3500 just to see what watches of Switzerland have assuming a bit of wiggle room on price. Some lovely watches-

https://bit.ly/3coo384

The Pelagos would be very tempting.

Changed the link as the WoS one changed part of
It to an emoticon.