First watch - up to £250

[Stevenj214]

I'm getting my first "real" watch for my birthday in May. After various research and searches on here and other forums, I decided I wanted the Christopher Ward C4 Peregrine Limited Edition I had found on ebay:



Unfortunately forgetting to log in to ebay before bidding meant my last minute bid of £200 didn't register and the watch sold for £196.

I'll keep my eye out for another, but the alternative to that is the standard edition Christopher Ward Peregrine C4SKK:



Can anyone suggest any similar watches which would make a good start to a future collection?

Edited by Stevenj214 on Sunday 22 March 09:28

[Stevenj214]

Could someone edit the title to £250 please?

[Stevenj214]

Further searching this morning has thrown the Astrovia V2 Lux Flight from Werners Watches into the mix for £80:

[Slagathore]

Have to mention the Seiko Monster! can be had for a lot less than £250, usually around £140.



Traser watches are meant to be quite good aswell.

http://www.jurawatches.co.uk/watches-list.asp?type...

Or Wenger do some decent looking watches.



Glycine Combat Sub - £250.

Edited by Slagathore on Sunday 22 March 12:36

[CommanderJameson]

£200, if you don't constrain yourself to new watches, gives you a reasonable amount of scope for shopping on The Bay Of Fleas. One thing you should be aware of is that the CW watches are built to a considerably higher standard than the AstroAvias - hence the price difference.

However, for brand new, I'd abandon thoughts of quartz (hey, I'm a poet and didn't know it):

What about a Seiko? Quality at the price is second to none.

SKX009K2 for £195



Alternatively, add a tenner to your budget and try a Precista PRS-5 Chronograph.



For something a bit dressier, a Tissot PR50 automatic should be easily achievable within your limit:

[Sgt Bilko]

Stevenj214 said:

Oooh, nice. I like that.

Although i like this too, and have one;



For just over £200, you could get 3 from Werners and have a mix.

[okgo]

I think the two watches you have listed look infinitely better than the ugly Seiko monster.

[Stevenj214]

Slagathore said:

Have to mention the Seiko Monster! can be had for a lot less than £250, usually around £140.



Traser watches are meant to be quite good aswell.

http://www.jurawatches.co.uk/watches-list.asp?type...

Or Wenger do some decent looking watches.



Glycine Combat Sub - £250.

Edited by Slagathore on Sunday 22 March 12:36

Hi Slagathore. Thanks for the suggestions. For whatever reasons, I just don't like the look of the watches you pictured. I had a look at both websites you suggested and again, I don't seem to like the style.

What's the deal with the Seiko Monster? Is it renowned?

I did have a further look at other Seiko watches though, and I found a Seiko SNA585P1 for £230:

[Stevenj214]

CommanderJameson said:

£200, if you don't constrain yourself to new watches, gives you a reasonable amount of scope for shopping on The Bay Of Fleas. One thing you should be aware of is that the CW watches are built to a considerably higher standard than the AstroAvias - hence the price difference.

However, for brand new, I'd abandon thoughts of quartz (hey, I'm a poet and didn't know it):

What about a Seiko? Quality at the price is second to none.

SKX009K2 for £195



Alternatively, add a tenner to your budget and try a Precista PRS-5 Chronograph.



For something a bit dressier, a Tissot PR50 automatic should be easily achievable within your limit:

Also thanks for the suggestions. The Precista is a very nice watch. The Seiko I'm not so keen on, but as above I've had another look through Seikos and found the SNA585P1. The Tissot one I'm also not keen on, and looking through the website you linked to - none of the Tissots grab my attention.

You mentioned not to buy quartz - does that mean my budget should be looking at better than quartz, or quartz isn't achievable (forgive my ignorance, I am new to the world of watches).

In the 2nd post of the thread, I mentioned I'd made a mistake in the title and my budget is up to £250 - would that change you recommendations?

[Stuart]

Quartz isn't seen as being "as good" as mechanical watches simply because more craftsmanship goes into a mechnical watch than one operated by a battery. In fact a quartz watch is invariably more accurate over time than a mechanical watch, and many people think that those who poo poo quartz watches are being snobbish.

Me? There's no room in my collection for quartz apart from the cheap digital beater I use to time my (incredibly infrequent) sessions on the treadmill.

ETA - I've changed the title as requested. Let me know when you want me to change it to £300

Edited by Stuart on Monday 23 March 13:39

[m4tt]

CommanderJameson said:

SKX009K2 for £195

You can get them for £140 posted of ebay. Can't help thinking that they do look a bit like a fake Rolex. But I am likely to be missing the point and not knowing the history of them.

Please correct me as I'd love to know the real story.

[ShadownINja]

I suppose you could argue Rolexes are fake Blancpains, if I understand your thinking (and my knowledge of divers watch history is correct).

Edited by ShadownINja on Monday 23 March 23:26

[Slagathore]

Stevenj214 said:

Hi Slagathore. Thanks for the suggestions. For whatever reasons, I just don't like the look of the watches you pictured. I had a look at both websites you suggested and again, I don't seem to like the style.

What's the deal with the Seiko Monster? Is it renowned?

I did have a further look at other Seiko watches though, and I found a Seiko SNA585P1 for £230:

Looks like you are after a smart/dressy Chronograph?

The Monster has quite a following on here. It's just a good all round watch, really. Tough enough for a daily beater, but still a decent diver's watch. It also uses an automatic movement.

http://www.firstclasswatches.co.uk/seiko-alarm-chr...

There is another Seiko Chrono.

Loads more on that website aswell.

[m4tt]

ShadownINja said:

I suppose you could argue Rolexes are fake Blancpains, if I understand your thinking (and my knowledge of divers watch history is correct).

Edited by ShadownINja on Monday 23 March 23:26

What I meant was that to the slightly-trained-eye they look like a Rolex. But wasn't sure if they were made with this in mind or the part red/part blue bezel was a standard diving configuration and Rolex made it more recognised?

[m.c]

how about a Lum-Tec?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LUM-TEC-M1-sapphire-double-A...

Could be had for just under £230 if you dont get stung for taxes

[ShadownINja]

m4tt said:

ShadownINja said:

I suppose you could argue Rolexes are fake Blancpains, if I understand your thinking (and my knowledge of divers watch history is correct).

Edited by ShadownINja on Monday 23 March 23:26

What I meant was that to the slightly-trained-eye they look like a Rolex. But wasn't sure if they were made with this in mind or the part red/part blue bezel was a standard diving configuration and Rolex made it more recognised?

I know what you meant. Fing is, did Rolex do a Pepsi in that style? Or just the half-Pepsi for their 24 hour bezel?

Edited by ShadownINja on Tuesday 24th March 22:17

[m4tt]

ShadownINja said:

m4tt said:

ShadownINja said:

I suppose you could argue Rolexes are fake Blancpains, if I understand your thinking (and my knowledge of divers watch history is correct).

Edited by ShadownINja on Monday 23 March 23:26

What I meant was that to the slightly-trained-eye they look like a Rolex. But wasn't sure if they were made with this in mind or the part red/part blue bezel was a standard diving configuration and Rolex made it more recognised?

I know what you meant. Fing is, did Rolex do a Pepsi in that style? Or just the half-Pepsi for their 24 hour bezel?

Edited by ShadownINja on Tuesday 24th March 22:17

Shows what I know! Can't find one with a quarter Pepsi. My concern was that I like the Seiko, in the same way as I like the Subs, however if I was to get a Seiko would it just make it look like I was trying to pass it off as a Sub. Think I'm guna hav a Seiko by the end of the week... This website is bad for my bank balance!

[ShadownINja]

m4tt said:

ShadownINja said:

m4tt said:

ShadownINja said:

I suppose you could argue Rolexes are fake Blancpains, if I understand your thinking (and my knowledge of divers watch history is correct).

Edited by ShadownINja on Monday 23 March 23:26

What I meant was that to the slightly-trained-eye they look like a Rolex. But wasn't sure if they were made with this in mind or the part red/part blue bezel was a standard diving configuration and Rolex made it more recognised?

I know what you meant. Fing is, did Rolex do a Pepsi in that style? Or just the half-Pepsi for their 24 hour bezel?

Edited by ShadownINja on Tuesday 24th March 22:17

Shows what I know! Can't find one with a quarter Pepsi. My concern was that I like the Seiko, in the same way as I like the Subs, however if I was to get a Seiko would it just make it look like I was trying to pass it off as a Sub. Think I'm guna hav a Seiko by the end of the week... This website is bad for my bank balance!

I have a £50 Seiko Kinetic with the Pepsi bezel and nobody has said, "Nice Rolex."

[Papoo]

ShadownINja said:

m4tt said:

ShadownINja said:

m4tt said:

ShadownINja said:

I suppose you could argue Rolexes are fake Blancpains, if I understand your thinking (and my knowledge of divers watch history is correct).

Edited by ShadownINja on Monday 23 March 23:26

What I meant was that to the slightly-trained-eye they look like a Rolex. But wasn't sure if they were made with this in mind or the part red/part blue bezel was a standard diving configuration and Rolex made it more recognised?

I know what you meant. Fing is, did Rolex do a Pepsi in that style? Or just the half-Pepsi for their 24 hour bezel?

Edited by ShadownINja on Tuesday 24th March 22:17

Shows what I know! Can't find one with a quarter Pepsi. My concern was that I like the Seiko, in the same way as I like the Subs, however if I was to get a Seiko would it just make it look like I was trying to pass it off as a Sub. Think I'm guna hav a Seiko by the end of the week... This website is bad for my bank balance!

I have a £50 Seiko Kinetic with the Pepsi bezel and nobody has said, "Nice Rolex."

That has to be a good thing. My experiences of wearing a real Rolex is that people tend to either ask me if it's real, or tell me it looks like a real one. Wow. Blancpain 50f please.

[ShadownINja]

Papoo said:

ShadownINja said:

m4tt said:

ShadownINja said:

m4tt said:

ShadownINja said:

I suppose you could argue Rolexes are fake Blancpains, if I understand your thinking (and my knowledge of divers watch history is correct).

Edited by ShadownINja on Monday 23 March 23:26

What I meant was that to the slightly-trained-eye they look like a Rolex. But wasn't sure if they were made with this in mind or the part red/part blue bezel was a standard diving configuration and Rolex made it more recognised?

I know what you meant. Fing is, did Rolex do a Pepsi in that style? Or just the half-Pepsi for their 24 hour bezel?

Edited by ShadownINja on Tuesday 24th March 22:17

Shows what I know! Can't find one with a quarter Pepsi. My concern was that I like the Seiko, in the same way as I like the Subs, however if I was to get a Seiko would it just make it look like I was trying to pass it off as a Sub. Think I'm guna hav a Seiko by the end of the week... This website is bad for my bank balance!

I have a £50 Seiko Kinetic with the Pepsi bezel and nobody has said, "Nice Rolex."

That has to be a good thing. My experiences of wearing a real Rolex is that people tend to either ask me if it's real, or tell me it looks like a real one. Wow. Blancpain 50f please.

Yeah, it is not a bad thing. I just wear it because I like the bezel (I have a constant use for it) and couldn't find one on TZ-UK with a black bezel at the time. Patience, etc.