18th Birthday watch

[underwhelmist]

Son #1 turns 18 in a couple of months and he's expressed an interest in a watch. He particularly likes skeleton watches, probably on a metal bracelet, and I'd like to get him something from a proper watchmaker rather than a fashion brand. Any recommendations in the region of £300 please?

Thanks awfully!

[Ninjin]

A skeleton watch is designed to show off the movement and as such, only an automatic is worth looking at. The cheapest automatic watch by a proper watchmaker brand will be around £100, for something like a Seiko 5.

However for your £300 budget you aren't going to get Skeleton Automatic watch within that budget. What a lot of automatic watches do have within your budget though is a glass case back, which means you can see the movement from the back of the watch.

I did find this for you though, with discount 25%, it's within budget too.

https://www.watchshop.com/watches/mens-bulova-mech...

Edited by Ninjin on Wednesday 3rd June 06:31

Edited by Ninjin on Wednesday 3rd June 06:32

[Mr_C]

https://www.rotarywatches.com/en/the-rotary-collec...

A few to choose from here.

[Dan_1981]

Bulova would be the brand that springs to mind most readily for a skeleton at that price point.

[T6 vanman]

Ninjin said:

I did find this for you though, with discount 25%, it's within budget too.

https://www.watchshop.com/watches/mens-bulova-mech...

For the Rotary equivalent
https://www.shadestation.co.uk/designer-watches/Ro...

[r159]

Rotary ones are nice, this is skeleton, sapphire glass, automatic, metal bracelet 50m water resistant £215.

https://www.watcho.co.uk/Watches/Rotary/Rotary-Men...

[Ninjin]

In my opinion Rotary are not what they were in the past.

Majority of their watches is now made for them in China. They have a Swiss made range which I guess is Swiss made.

At least Bulova is owned by Citizen, which as we all know is a big player in the affordable watch market.

[Paulr1980]

Is there a Tissot that fits the bill? It’s a good brand and the watches are well made. A PRS or something?

[romeodelta]

Tissot do make an 'open heart' but it's a little over budget.

It's quite dressy as well. What style is he after?

[mr_fibuli]

Winner winner! - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33026798608.html

[Baldchap]

mr_fibuli said:

Winner winner! - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33026798608.html

[mikeveal]

Hamilton Thin-o-matic or Tissot Visodate are the budget go to watches, but both are double the budget.

For a quality watch that will last, look at Seiko or Orient. Avoid Bulova, Timex.

[DoubleD]

An 18 year old that wants a watch?!

[lostkiwi]

mikeveal said:

Hamilton Thin-o-matic or Tissot Visodate are the budget go to watches, but both are double the budget.

For a quality watch that will last, look at Seiko or Orient. Avoid Bulova, Timex.

What's wrong with Bulova? Have several and they're great.

[Barchettaman]

lostkiwi said:

What's wrong with Bulova? Have several and they're great.

+1, Bulova are solid watches.

[Bumblebee7]

Perhaps not a 'proper' watch brand but I've always been very fond of Fossil skeleton watches which remind me slightly of the Cartier Tourbillon.

https://www.watchshop.com/watches/mens-fossil-town...

They've got a few that look good if you look around. Movement in this is Japanese, though many of their models remain made in Switzerland.

[mikeveal]

Barchettaman said:

+1, Bulova are solid watches.

I'm not a fan of most modern Bulovas. I don't think you'll get a watch from them that will still be going strong on this lads 70th birthday, which is what a 18th birthday present watch should do.

I also don't think that you'd want much of their stuff to still be going 52 years after you'd bought it. The vast majority of their stuff seems to be fashionable now, rather than a timeless design.

Generally I'm not a fan of Quartz stuff. I really don't think quartz is a good idea for a watch where longevity is required. It (generally)can't be repaired and they do not last indefinitely.

Horologically I'm not a fan of the smooth sweep of the Precisionist quartz. Yes it's nice and accurate and that is to be applauded. It's the cynical mimicing of the Accutron using a tweaked quartz engine that puts me off.
If you want a smooth sweeping second hand, buy an old Accutron. Or a Spring Drive.

Despite the fact I have little love for quartz, I have always fancied a Computron though. The re-release is a viable contender compared to seeking out a good original.

I do have a completely different opinion of the pre-Citizen Bulovas.

[underwhelmist]

Thanks for all the suggestions, we settled on the Bulova as suggested by Njnjin in the first reply (with input from the young sir himself). It’s a very nice watch and he’s extremely pleased with it.

He still hasn’t bought me a pint though!

[Orchardab]

Seiko Turtle.

[Doofus]

Orchardab said:

Seiko Turtle.

Well although it's entirely irrelevant, it's twice as verbose as all of your other posts, so well done you.