Watch for a grand?

[Pinosaure]

Looking on spending upto and a little over a grand on a watch for graduation, Would apreciate a few opptions from you guys as you all seem to know what your talking about
I saw a 1000m divers watch by the name of enzo mechana which i thought was pretty funky but i cant see myself being able to wear the watch on a more formal bases (too darn big!) i would like somthing dressy that would look good with work wear (shirt and tie) but also somthing that i could wear on a day to day basis.
What i really want is somthing that is going to stand up to the test of time and be somthing that i can hand down one day to my son apon his graduation

Edited by Pinosaure on Tuesday 17th February 20:58

Here are a few watches that i like the look of...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Maurice-Lacroix-Pontos-Reser...

http://www.wristwatchreview.com/wp-content/uploads...

http://www.chronomaster.co.uk/BS_756_5.JPG

Edited by Pinosaure on Tuesday 17th February 21:02

[Dominic H]

Pinosaure said:

Looking on spending upto and a little over a grand on a watch for graduation, Would apreciate a few opptions from you guys as you all seem to know what your talking about
I saw a 1000m divers watch by the name of enzo mechana which i thought was pretty funky but i cant see myself being able to wear the watch on a more formal bases (too darn big!) i would like somthing dressy that would look good with work wear (shirt and tie) but also somthing that i could wear on a day to day basis.
What i really want is somthing that is going to stand up to the test of time and be somthing that i can hand down one day to my son apon his graduation

Edited by Pinosaure on Tuesday 17th February 20:58

Here are a few watches that i like the look of...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Maurice-Lacroix-Pontos-Reser...

http://www.wristwatchreview.com/wp-content/uploads...

http://www.chronomaster.co.uk/BS_756_5.JPG

The Maurice Lacroix: Nice, I like 'Reserve de marche', as a complication. Since they ditched the quartz stuff, and really got stuck into the mechanical pieces, they've done well.

Enzo Mechanica: Never seen one of these in the flesh, but the proportions look great fun, slightly mentalist!

Sinn 756: Really well made watches, excellent value and a lot of deserved praise from PH'ers.

Have fun choosing, and congratulations on graduating!

Edited by Dominic H on Tuesday 17th February 21:19

[Papoo]

Stowa Marine Original (roman numeral version). Anyone that's been anywhere near one of these can attest it's beauty, craftsmanship and value. It's also rare enough to make Rolex seem run of the mill.

Tertius, a member on here has the same piece without roman numerals. It's delicious.

It's also pretty big. It isn't anywhere near as 'plain' as pictures make it out to be, and the ENTIRE back of the case is display chrystal. mmmmmmmmm... Movement..

[Pinosaure]

Thanks but havent graduated just yet, 3 more months untill freedom!
That stowa does look very nice, and on the right strap i think could look fantastic
Keep them coming lads

[Stuart]

I have the 756's baby brother, the 856 (no chrono, slightly smaller) and love it. I also have a Stowa Marine Original and can vouch for the quality. You can't go wrong with either.

Happy to go used? If so, get yourself over to the TZ-UK.com sales forum and start looking around. For £1000 you have a lot of choice.

[DjSki]

Marathon SAR, about £500 on the metal bracelet. Not available in the UK but search the net and you will find them. Save yourself some money.....

[Seb d]

I can vouch for the Maurice Lacroix, lovely, lovely watch, really elegant, but that is rather expensive for the previous model. Here's the current version on a bracelet and it still works out cheaper even if you get stung for the import duty http://cgi.ebay.com/MAURICE-LACROIX-PONTOS-RESERVE...

[Pinosaure]

That maraton does look like it means business doesnt it! I love the divers but considering the occasion i would prefer to get somthing a little smarter i think. That Maurice Lacroix does look nice although i do prefer it on a strap hmmmmmm!

[Slagathore]

Damasko!

Works out at £807, plus what ever the tax comes to, so possibly around the £1k mark?

That would be my choice if I had a spare grand!

[chrisr29]

I'd go second hand at that price. Something like this:

http://www.austinkaye.co.uk/Products/Pre-Owned-Wat...

Best thing is it wont be worth the best part of sod all five mins after buying it.

[Seb d]

Pinosaure said:

That Maurice Lacroix does look nice although i do prefer it on a strap hmmmmmm!

Ah, well it's always cheaper to buy a watch on a bracelet rather than adding a bracelet at a later stage and while the ML croc strap costs £290(!), you can pick up an even nicer alligator strap with a deployant clasp from watchworkx for just £75. Bargain!

[Pinosaure]

Your a wise man seb <In borat voice> I like you, you be my friend? <End borat voice>
These Maurice Lacroix watches are really starting to speak to me, the thought of second hand doesnt bother me at all as long as the watch is in near as makes no diffrence mint nick, that rolex does look nice but for want of a better way to describe my self, it seems a bit ''old man''

Edited by Pinosaure on Tuesday 17th February 23:31

[CommanderJameson]

Nomos Orion, £845 from Chronomaster:



Nomos Orion with blued hands, £775 from Chronomaster:



Not large watches, these; just 35mm across.

[chrisr29]

^^That's very nice^^

Call me shallow though, but I'd rather stick me grand into something that I know I can get most of it back on if need be, like a used Rolex.

Who's Nomos anyway, never heard of them?

[CommanderJameson]

Used Rolex for a grand? You'll be lucky.

NOMOS are a small watchmaker based in Glashütte, who are a manufacture (i.e. they make their own movements. I believe they buy some bits in, but they do enough to them to be considered a manufacture) and who have the world's smallest pictures of nice watches on their website.

They seem to be garnering generally positive comments and there's an informative thread at TZ-UK - which, incidentally, is the thread that piqued my interest.

I'm really quite intrigued, and intend to get one before the year's out (credit crunch means the Dornblüth is on hold). Large white-faced Tetra with power reserve for me, please!

Edited by CommanderJameson on Tuesday 17th February 23:59

[Pinosaure]

Fair point chris but i dont intend on selling or flipping what ever watch i buy due to the fact that it will be my graduation present...Those nomos watches do seem very nice indeed!

[tertius]

chrisr29 said:

^^That's very nice^^

Call me shallow though, but I'd rather stick me grand into something that I know I can get most of it back on if need be, like a used Rolex.

Who's Nomos anyway, never heard of them?

German manufacture, beautiful watches, and quite innovative. IMO they do the nicest implementation of a power reserve indicator:



As mentioned above here is my Stowa:



and the back:



However, in your position I'd be thinking about an Omega Speedmaster Pro, available used in your price range, and going to hold its value pretty well from that point I would say:

[Pinosaure]

Your Stowa looks fantastic on that blue strap i must say!
Those Omega watches really just dont do anything for me im afraid, i know that they are very popular around here but i must have seen 10 in the past few months of thinking about a watch for my graduation and that has put me right off. I would rather have something a little less main stream i geuss...
I'm liking the Stowa, Maurice lacroix and nomos at the moment. They all seem to have much more charactor then the omega and that rolex in my opinon;that said i know pretty much nothing about watches at the moment

Edited by Pinosaure on Wednesday 18th February 00:11

[chrisr29]

Pinosaure said:

Fair point chris but i dont intend on selling or flipping what ever watch i buy due to the fact that it will be my graduation present...Those nomos watches do seem very nice indeed!

Yup,see where you're coming from. Guess it will have sentimental value to you........never know though,if you keep it long enough it may well appreciate

[Pinosaure]

chrisr29 said:

Pinosaure said:

Fair point chris but i dont intend on selling or flipping what ever watch i buy due to the fact that it will be my graduation present...Those nomos watches do seem very nice indeed!

Yup,see where you're coming from. Guess it will have sentimental value to you........never know though,if you keep it long enough it may well appreciate

I'f my fiat keeps on breaking down i may have to flog it off in the future for another repair your right! <Borat voice on> I am also liking zoo, zoo will also be my friend? <Borat voice off>