Help me find a watch... budget c£500 (and a thank you!)

[Gingerbiker67]

Firstly, can I thank all the contributors on this corner of the Pistonheads Forum for helping me while away many hours browsing and learning. It’s probably the nicest bit of the website!

I’d like to buy a watch. I’d always promised myself that a Omega would be my retirement gift to myself, I have my Dads old one from the 1970s and I liked the thought of following on with that.

Unfortunately ( and a long story) ill health means I probably won’t get that far. As an aside I would recommend to anyone who is in a similar position and likes the outdoors get an eBike. Mine kept me out and about even well into chemotherapy/ radiotherapy and continues to do so now. Although I avoid the steep stuff in the woods it gives freedom when other events seek to prescribe it.

Budget creep and man maths won’t work; there is lots of other stuff to spend money on in the future: days out when all the C19 cloud lifts etc. The watch is a treat and needs to stay affordable. It will be funded by selling one of my road bikes: let me know if you would like a Cannondale CAAD 10 with carbon cranks and lots of nice bits- light as a feather and a dream to ride. I’ll eventually pass the Omega and this new watch on to my son.

So I already have a couple of Seikos that I like, and a couple of G Shocks. None are special but all are good, they cope with mountain biking, car tinkering and sitting at a desk all day. I volunteer in a Mountain Rescue Team so not dying at the first hint of rain, decent readability will help.

I was lucky enough to go to Cupertino last year and spent some time at Apple. I am a self confessed Apple fanboy, and for the last year have worn an Apple Watch most days. I have sold my Garmin Fenix 5 sapphire as the Apple works so well, I’ll forgive it it’s ( comparably) poor battery life.

I have been looking at divers or pilot watches. Reasonably robust, I don’t need a watch for formal attire, the Omega does that. I’d love a mechanical watch but there is more choice with automatic and even more quartz.

I’ll add some links to watches I have seen and liked below, but I’ll post this now as last time I tried I managed to loose my initial post...

Thanks in advance

In no particular order:

Bulova


Alpina




Baltic

Edited by Gingerbiker67 on Friday 19th February 09:29

Hamilton



And my favourite, but would probably have to be used:

Christopher Ward

Edited by Gingerbiker67 on Friday 19th February 09:38

[Gingerbiker67]

Thanks AL-85, I’ll add that to my places to check.

Uncle John: I didn’t know the Bulova history before I started looking, it’s amazing

[Gingerbiker67]

Thanks, I hadn’t come across Laco. They look good value.

[Gingerbiker67]

Great range of choices to look at; current top two are the Hamilton and the Laco Aachen; hunting the best price down.

Forgive me an idiot question; if I buy from Europe will it now be like previously buying from America with VAT / other taxes to pay?

[Gingerbiker67]

Drooles said:

I have the Hamilton field watch and it’s a nice thing - being a hand wound movement it’s a bit different from my other watches and I like that.

I’ve mentioned in another thread though, that I don’t wear it as much as I should because it doesn’t have a date window and I don’t seem to be able to function without one!

Water resistance is not great either...

Have you actually caused problems with water ingress, or is it problematic because you have to remember to remove it?

[Gingerbiker67]

aussieal said:

I picked up a Seiko Alpinist with a discount from Jura Watches in December, which got it down to £550 ish from memory. It's the SPB119, the one with the sun burst white dial. Hard to beat at that price.

Although I'm starting to really like Baltic watches, particularly the Aquascaphe in black and silver. That would be my suggestion, even more so if they move to a swiss movement like they have with their GMT.

I have started looking at the Alpinist, the name and heritage appeal and they are definitely growing on me.

[Gingerbiker67]

Greendubber said:

Those are great value for money, if I wasnt saving every penny going for my wedding I'd be all over one of those. First Class Watches are a great company to deal with and if you sign up to them you often get discount codes etc I've used them before and the customer service is excellent.

You have very similar tastes to me OP, this thread isnt helping my watch buying restraint. Everything suggested here ticks all my boxes, I have a Bulova Lunar Pilot and it's a really nice watch and I found it doesnt wear as big as some suggest. It feels absolutely bomb proof!

It is hard to show restraint when there are so many nice choices out there. Currently looking at some second hand watches... cos then I get two; that does make sense doesn’t it?

[Gingerbiker67]

AlexC1981 said:

Gingerbiker67 said:

And my favourite, but would probably have to be used:

Christopher Ward

Edited by Gingerbiker67 on Friday 19th February 09:38

If you really like that design you could consider an Orient Kano. It's quite a bit under your budget so may not have the quality you are looking for, however Orient are a decent Japanese brand and are well made.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Orient-Analogue-Automatic...

If only there was a ‘badge delete’ option!

The logo is just a little too fussy for me, but looking at them they do look quite well made.

[Gingerbiker67]

CO2000 said:

If there is some budget creep

http://www.peplowjewellers.co.uk/watches-c7/gents-...

The budget creep would equal the amount saved :@) makes perfect sense... it’s almost budget neutral...

[Gingerbiker67]

Thanks, so many good suggestions but following a recommendation on here this arrived earlier today:

[Gingerbiker67]

Uncle John said:

Gingerbiker67 said:

Thanks, so many good suggestions but following a recommendation on here this arrived earlier today:

Well played Sir!

Hope you are pleased with it.

It really is lovely, bought ‘as new’ from a seller on eBay; they had took very good care of it and well under budget.

I should stop looking at other watches now...