Large watch recommendation (£8k ish budget)

[Austin3000]

I'm looking for my next watch as I wanted two to hand down to my sons. They will be worn daily (not at the same time!) and I fully expect, and want them to pick up some marks and patina along the way, as when I hand them down they become part of my story I guess.

My current watch is an Omega Moonphase which I love as it's solid (very heavy) and you don't see them very often. I looked at the normal speedmaster but despite being almost double the price I had to have this.

So I've bene researching for a while and finally got around to physically looking and trying some on this weekend and I was a little disappointed. On my radar has been an IWC Big Pilot and (if I stretch the budget which I'm open to) a GMT Master Pepsi (ref 17650 aka Magnum PI watch).

Went to the local IWC dealer and they only had the 43mm which I was quite underwhelmed by. Felt very light and not special to me whereas I remember when I tried a full fat big pilot a couple of years ago it felt much better.

I then tried on the Rolex (1990 GMT Master II as that's all I could find) and it felt tiny and the bracelet loose and flimsy. Now maybe I have bigger wrists than normal (powerfully built director wrists ) but it looked undersized.

I'm going to try a big pilot this weekend and possibly a Rolex Datejust 41mm but am I overlooking anything? Any other suggestions?

My Omega has complications (chrono and moon phase) so I'm looking for something cleaner and dressier.

For reference, this is the Rolex (40mm) on my wrist


And this is my omega (44mm) on my wrist

[SarlechS]

never tried one on but have you considered a Zenith El Primero Chronomaster Sport? 41mm but i've read that it wears bigger than it is

obviously a lot of history behind the watch.. tied with the Rolex Daytona, i think its a strong purchase for your budget

[Jamescrs]

I too have large wrists and my daily is an Omega Planet Ocean which is quite a large watch.

Have you considered Panerai? I've never tried one but a colleague has one and that appears to be quite a large watch too.

[richthebike]

Could you stretch to a Sea Dweller 126600?

[Austin3000]

Thanks for all the suggestions so far!

I think the Zenith is a bit close to my current watch but I hadn't considered the sea dweller. What's the wait like on those though? I'm not in a rush so happy to put my name down and have bought from a local AD recently too (my wife's watch).

The Panerai has been on my radar, I saw a black ceramica 1950 with a brown leather strap that caught my eye. Does anyone know how easy it is to swap the straps on them as I would like the classic rubber strap too. Info on their website isn't very forthcoming on if you can do it yourself or like Cartier where you have to send it off.

[richthebike]

Wait for a Sea Dweller not too bad, its not got the broader appeal of some of the others due to size. In my experience its definitely worth asking, I did that in 2020 and they had one in the safe which I took home with me.

[gregs656]

As soon as you mentioned the 5 digit GMT I thought that the bracelet would disappoint you.

The Omega 600 GMT is a much chunkier object. 43.5mm, wears superbly.

[Chris Stott]

Austin3000 said:

The Panerai has been on my radar, I saw a black ceramica 1950 with a brown leather strap that caught my eye. Does anyone know how easy it is to swap the straps on them as I would like the classic rubber strap too. Info on their website isn't very forthcoming on if you can do it yourself or like Cartier where you have to send it off.

You can change the strap on a Pam yourself in under a minute.

My slightly battered PAM00320... 44mm, GMT, 1950 case... worn pretty much everyday for the last 4 years... on various straps. They aren't small, and they aren't light.

[nikaiyo2]

Austin3000 said:

The Panerai has been on my radar, I saw a black ceramica 1950 with a brown leather strap that caught my eye. Does anyone know how easy it is to swap the straps on them as I would like the classic rubber strap too. Info on their website isn't very forthcoming on if you can do it yourself or like Cartier where you have to send it off.

It’s the point of Panerai there is an entire industry selling custom straps for them, the straps are secured by pins screwed through the case… I can do it so literally any one can.

Going to be a little controversial, but I would not pay £8k for one when a 0 or 112 or 210 are pretty much the quintessential Panerai for 1/2 the cost and can be serviced anywhere.

Have you looked at Ulysses Nardin or Girard-Perregaux, both make fabulous watches.

[cabbron]

Big wrist too and similar to op in many respects. My definite keeper for inheritance, and my daily, is the Omega PO 45.5, non chronograph, discontinued around 2015. Great presence, heft but clean and uncluttered. I think it will age classically well. Wears great. Everything seems small these days, definite trend seems 38mm to 42mm.

[Stu-nph26]

Rolex seadweller 43 would be perfect but you’ll have to stretch the budget a little.

[jules_s]

I wouldn't buy a Panerai new tbh

I'd aim for an older 47mm or 44mm min - lots of the 47mm 1950s are better proportioned in my eyes

[WhisperingWasp]

I was thinking Panerai straightaway too. However, with passing them on in mind - and the preference for a larger case - perhaps the Planet Ocean as others have mentioned. I reckon dad handing down his "pair" of Omegas has a nice ring to it, they will kind of go together as such and mean more?

Am I making sense?!

[troc]

I’ve a glycine incursore which is 46mm and nice and chunky. Might be a nice, leftfield option.

[Dicky Knee]

Not really recommendations as I don't own any of them (sadly):

Zenith Big Pilot:

https://www.zenith-watches.com/en_gb/products/pilo...

Breitling Superocean Heritage (several sizes-all big):

https://www.breitling.com/gb-en/watches/superocean...

Breitling Navitimer (again several sizes):

https://www.breitling.com/gb-en/find-your-breitlin...

Breitling Avi:

https://www.breitling.com/gb-en/find-your-breitlin...

JLC Polaris (maybe too small at 42mm but lovely watches)

https://www.jaeger-lecoultre.com/eu/en/watches/jae...

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms may be in budget with some haggling:

https://www.blancpain.com/en/fifty-fathoms/bathysc...

[Wills2]

Stu-nph26 said:

Rolex seadweller 43 would be perfect but you’ll have to stretch the budget a little.

Agreed if you like a big watch then the SD43 is a good choice if you want it heavy as well as the OP suggested the gold/steel version is quite weighty.




At the other end of the scale price wise, something like the Omega PO 2500 45.5mm on a rubber strap with a deployant clasp would also fit the bill

Edited by Wills2 on Wednesday 26th January 10:45

[Austin3000]

Thanks for all the suggestions, certainly opened my eyes to some new possibilities. I've looked at some of the suggestions and narrowed(!) it down to the following:

- Rolex Sea-Dweller (love the James Cameron dial but conscious it will be hard to get at retail and even find one to try on but if that's the one I don't mind waiting)

- Panerai Luminor with black ceramic or carbon case (tried 44mm on yesterday as I was passing, lovely thing and wears well on me)

- IWC Big pilot Le Petit prince (46mm)

- JLC Polaris (blue face with brown leather strap)

This one was a wild card but really like the look of it and always admired JLC. Looking at the website, I'm unsure if this describes me though

"the Polaris Automatic timepiece in steel accompanies the active, curious man with sure taste and an assertive personality."


With the above (excluding the Rolex), does anyone have any experiences with the discounts available at the AD's? I got 10% off my Omega straight away from the Bond Street store... should have gone in lower but you live and learn...

[troc]

I have a Polaris chronograph and it’s 42mm but wears quite small (short and well-shaped lugs). Awesome watch, looks amazing, very well made and by one of the ‘proper’ names in watchmaking. I seem to remember I got around 10% discount.

[Barchettaman]

Don’t Omega make a fairly massive Railmaster? Clarkson has one, I think. Maybe worth a look.

[Deep]

Austin3000 said:

Thanks for all the suggestions, certainly opened my eyes to some new possibilities. I've looked at some of the suggestions and narrowed(!) it down to the following:

- Rolex Sea-Dweller (love the James Cameron dial but conscious it will be hard to get at retail and even find one to try on but if that's the one I don't mind waiting)

- Panerai Luminor with black ceramic or carbon case (tried 44mm on yesterday as I was passing, lovely thing and wears well on me)

- IWC Big pilot Le Petit prince (46mm)

- JLC Polaris (blue face with brown leather strap)

This one was a wild card but really like the look of it and always admired JLC. Looking at the website, I'm unsure if this describes me though

"the Polaris Automatic timepiece in steel accompanies the active, curious man with sure taste and an assertive personality."


With the above (excluding the Rolex), does anyone have any experiences with the discounts available at the AD's? I got 10% off my Omega straight away from the Bond Street store... should have gone in lower but you live and learn...

The Sea Dweller and the James Cameron DEEPSEA are two completely different watches...it is confusing how they name them though.

The Deep Sea is bigger than the regular Sea Dweller, in particular with regards to thickness, it's really chunky.

The regular Sea Dweller is a good shout. I think it's a beautiful watch and has good proportions.
It's a good watch for guys like us who are powerfully built......lol