Want to buy my first watch - recommendations (£3k budget)?

[Goatnaldo]

I have just graduated and been blessed enough to be offered a good job in banking. To celebrate my first "proper job" I'd like to buy myself a watch.

My knowledge of watches is nil, but I would like something stylish that is likely to hold its value (I don't plan on selling it but you never know).

I have my eye on a Breitling Superocean II 42 which retails at around £2700.

Thanks in advance!

[PJ S]

You'll not be looking at a Breitling then!
If you're remotely concerned about how much any watch is going to cost you to own for anything less than 10 years, then buy pre-owned – you'll get better quality/more value for the budget.
Otherwise, it's a Rolex in steel that'll give you the safest option of ensuring you get back most of what you paid for it.
Maybe, instead of spending all your budget, just buy whatever you're comfortable with spending on something that really grabs you, and make it a lifelong keeper. Use the remaining budget for something else/rainy day or the building block of your next piece once you've learnt more about watches and your own tastes, etc.

[jonamv8]

Pre owned on a breitling for sure. They are nice tho

[toon10]

Personally at that price I'd not look past an Omega Speedmaster. (Model 31130423001005). As iconic as watches get and a timeless design.

They retail at £3,500 but forum favorite Dom has them at £2895.00. If the style is not for you then I'm sure he would be able to guide you on some options at your budget.

[Todd Bonzalez]

I'd get a speedy too.

[BRR]

Yeah I'd probably go for Speedmaster at that price too, though a lightly used Tag Autavia or Monaco would be up there on my potentials too

[alistair1234]

toon10 said:

Personally at that price I'd not look past an Omega Speedmaster. (Model 31130423001005). As iconic as watches get and a timeless design.

They retail at £3,500 but forum favorite Dom has them at £2895.00. If the style is not for you then I'm sure he would be able to guide you on some options at your budget.

Second hand at that price?

[sidicks]

alistair1234 said:

Second hand at that price?

I'd be choosing this:
https://www.hackettwatches.co.uk/hw/items/JWEBAETF...

[toon10]

alistair1234 said:

toon10 said:

Personally at that price I'd not look past an Omega Speedmaster. (Model 31130423001005). As iconic as watches get and a timeless design.

They retail at £3,500 but forum favorite Dom has them at £2895.00. If the style is not for you then I'm sure he would be able to guide you on some options at your budget.

Second hand at that price?

No, as new as they get. https://www.hackettwatches.co.uk/hw/items/JWEBA48N... I've also seen them in Heathrow T5 at just under £3k but Dom's your best bet.

[mikeveal]

To hold value, you should purchase 2nd hand. Let someone else take the financial hit for driving off the forecourt.
There are exceptions to this rule, notably some but not all Rolexes. But you'll need to take an educated punt and realise that you're in crystal ball territory to make that work.

I suggest you go to Chrono24 and take a look at what you can get for £3K. Personally, if I was shopping for a special watch, with timeless appeal, I'd pick a Reverso at that budget. Yeah, you'll buy other watches but the Reverso will always remain special. That said, it's a dressy watch, not a sporty one. It's not a watch that you'd wear with shorts and a T-shirt.

Your mileage will probably vary.

[Lorne]

Goatnaldo said:

... just graduated .... good job in banking ..... knowledge of watches is nil .... have my eye on a Breitling Superocean

Thanks in advance!

:-) Here we go then...

The first thing you need to know is that Breitlings are the most frequent watches seen in pawn shop windows. Not saying anything, and I know they're nice, but just pointing it out..

Secondly, it really depends on what type of banking you're going into.

If high street banking, then of course a steel Rolex so you can blend in, be seen as a trusted fellow and not upstage your managers bi-steel Rolex. As a bonus, it goes well with an M&S blue suit and it'll last the twenty years you'll need to wait before reaching a level that you can buy a Patek Philippe without your customers thinking you've raided their accounts.

Investment banking of course is a different animal, and one that Corum cater for very well. First question they'll ask is not how much you want to spend, but what your gearing and DSCR appetite is. You'll then be offered some of these magnificent beasts:





If it's a job in trading, again I think Corum would be the default choice:





Finally, if you're going into Offshore Banking (Paradise papers and all that), then there is really only one choice:



Fully 25% of all production has gone to those smartest of all bankers, and being water and shock proof it's a good choice if you suddenly need to leg it from BBC Panorama journalists. Apparently it also hurts if you take it off and throw it at someone.

Edited by Lorne on Friday 12th January 15:05

[harveys]

For around 3k ish. I would get the Tudor Pelagos LHD.

Tudor is a Rolex entity. The LHD is a numbered edition which in theory should hold its money.

Good luck with your decision making.

[KungFuPanda]

Even though I’ve just bought a second hand Breitling, I’d put you off buying one new as they don’t hold their value as others have already pointed out.

Many decades ago when I was a trainee solicitor, I bought a Speedmaster Reduced when I qualified. Paid £875 for it and sold it for slightly more a few years ago. On that basis and with your increased budget I’d recommend a Speedie too.

[mcg_]

I'd get the Breitling Superocean Heritage II myself. Was going to get one, then realised I'm not that rich so a stupid idea.

https://www.swisswatchesdirect.co.uk/watch/ab20101...

[T6 vanman]

The comment that you don't plan to sell,

I bought my first 'serious' watch in 2012 - a Breitling Seawolf, I've bought other watches since but will never sell the Breitling,

If you think banking will be good for you and you'll be in a position to buy future 'serious' watches without the need to sell then get the watch you want now

The Breitling you highlight is a very nice watch, a Omega Speedy is timeless but maybe a bit to in your face and portraying a 'loadsofmoney' look to be a daily wearer for a young pup like yourself.

Think a Bronze Tudor would be a 'serious' watch that you'd look on in years as a keeper but not be inappropriate if you meet clients

Anyway .... Your choice and loads out there to choose from

Don't forget to post the purchase

[Goatnaldo]

Thank you for your replies, some of the watches listed here are amazing (particularly the Corum).

As for the type of banking, I'm in investment banking - I want the watch more so as to mark a milestone in my life that I can look back at in the future rather than to show off to other people.

I'm very tempted now by the Speedmaster with a leather strap (not a fan of metal bracelets).

[hungry_hog]

Assuming you prefer leather and want to wear the watch for work

Omega
Speedmaster as recommended already
Aqua terra or Railmaster (bit more dressy)
Seamasters will be too thick IMO under a shirt cuff

IWC
Portofino

JLC
Reverso

Rolex
old datejust or oyster perpetual model - not as obvious as the newer or sports models

Try and get a deployant bucket as tang buckles in my experience are fiddly and there is a risk of dropping the watch

[Zigster]

For your description, I would ignore some of the left field choices in this thread and stick with something a bit more mainstream as a daily wearer. An Omega Speedmaster or an IWC of some sort would be a good bet.

I think a metal bracelet is a bit more versatile than a leather strap. A bracelet looks better dressed down at the weekend but still looks good with a suit. Save the dressier watch purchase for a special birthday when you’re a bit older (or your future fiancée can buy you one when you buy her an engagement ring - that’s the done thing these days).

And go for a leftfield choice if or when you really start getting in to watches, so you can choose when to wear it rather than wear it every day.

[Lorne]

hungry_hog said:

Try and get a deployant bucket as tang buckles in my experience are fiddly and there is a risk of dropping the watch

Deployant has the big advantage that it doesn't kink the leather like a tang buckle does, so the strap won't develop a tear and will generally last longer.

I'm sure John at dangerous9straps won't mind me posting a pic of a speedmaster on one of his handmade straps - I think this one is ostrich leg

[sandman77]

It would be a Speedmaster Pro for me but only if your comfortable with a manual wind watch (meaning you will need to wind it every day).