Low budget daily driver - help me choose

[immigrant]

Managed to kill my Werner watch and want something similar in style but heftier, automatic and a couple of notches up the price and quality scale.

Thinking about the following:


Oris BC3 (large)


Fortis Pilot


Sinn 556, probably a PH favourite

Edited by immigrant on Friday 1st May 11:13

[MarkoTVR]

My order of preference: 1) Sinn 2) Oris 3) Fortis

Not seen that particular Oris before. Different, but nice.

[996nick]

The Oris and the Sinn look nice, but that Fortis is great. Is there a huge difference in price/quality between the 3?

[immigrant]

Pricing is similar across the board

Oris - £467 (Price quoted by Watchfinder, retail is more like £570)
Sinn - £475 (Chronomaster being the only dealer)
Fortis - £495 (Price from Chronomaster, but I think Jura also stock Fortis)

By the way, this is what happens when a Werner watch falls out of your gym locker and hits the tiled floor. More proof that gym locker rooms are bad places to be.

[Burba]

i'd go Sinn, Fortis and then Oris.

Really like that Fortis though, very clean design!

[Spice_Weasel]

I have both an Oris and a Fortis (though not the models you want) and love them both. I'd love to add a Sinn to my collection so my recommendation would be the Sinn. In addition, you'll be wearing something that very few others will be wearing...

If only Sinn would offer a larger (42mm +) pilot-style chrono...

[sparkyhx]

Fortis - Oris - Sinn for me

What about some less mainstream stuff - the small production run stuff that gets advertised thru places like www.WatchUseek.com, e.g. Ocean7, Bathys, Boschett, Benarus,

[CmdrBond]

Given the options -

Fortis - look at www.pilotswatches.co.uk as they stock a good range and get their hands on pretty much anything in the range.

Sinn 556 - but would go with the bracelet if you can find one or the budget stretches to it

Also, whilst you are at pilotswatches take a look at Glycine. Have an Airman 2000 and it is a splendid piece of kit.

Also, another option (sorry if this is going to muddy the water) is either Stowa or Steinhart -

www.steinhartwatches.de
www.stowa.de

[CommanderJameson]

Christopher Ward Kingfisher?

[deejuic]

I like the Sinn. Simple clean and has a great band.

[Soft Top]

MarkoTVR said:

My order of preference: 1) Sinn 2) Oris 3) Fortis

Not seen that particular Oris before. Different, but nice.

Another vote for this order.

[petecoll]

Timefactors Speedbird 3, here:

http://www.timefactors.com/speedbird.htm


Pete

[dustybottoms]

Sinn, Fortis and Oris in that order for me.

I really want one of these Sinn watches very nice looking watch, but as someone else mentioned I really wish Sinn would make a bigger dial version of the 556/656.
I don't tend to like the Fortis watches if I'm being honest, but I really like the one you have selected there, very classy, clean and sporty with a vintage look to it that appeals to my retro side. To be honest I'm really not keen on the Oris selection you have posted up and it looks like a budget watch when compared to the Sinn and Fortis. I like many of the Oris watches but that one really lacks style and personality in my opinion.

[immigrant]

Thanks to all for the feedback thus far.

Regarding other watch brands suggested, nothing really grabs me. The Glycine suggestion is a good one, but I prefer their chunkier models. The watch I'm choosing has to work under a cuffed sleeve.

For some reason, the Christopher Ward watches just don't grab me. I'd never heard of them prior to seeing them on PH. Perhaps seeing them in the metal might sway me, but in pictures they have the look of a fashion house brand.

Speedbird - no. I appreciate the work the guy does, but the design leaves me cold.

Its a very difficult choice but I'm leaning toward the Sinn or Fortis for the moment. Found some wrist shots which show the watches off a bit better.

[MarkoTVR]

Assuming that's your wrist, I'm starting to think the Fortis looks better on you than the Sinn......

Edited by MarkoTVR on Friday 1st May 23:25

[immigrant]

Nope just pics I've borrowed from the net.

[MarkoTVR]

D'oh!!! Only just noticed the difference in hair colour between the pics.......dear oh dear.

[CommanderJameson]

Here's a direct comparison between the website picture and close-up real shot of a Christopher Ward watch:

Website:



Reality:



The fit and finish is really very good at the price-point.

Have you considered what £200 worth of Seiko automatic will do for you?

[andy_s]

That 556 is a corker, an essay in clarity and would be my choice.

[Dai Capp]

Sinn or Fortis for me - Oris leaves me a little cold. Sinn have a great reputation but I reckon if the £'s were in my pocket the heart would say Fortis...

Cheers

DC