Thread: What types of watches do you like?

Originally Posted by bharner

Is it bad that 90% of the time I have either a G-shock or an Orient Mako on my wrist? Both cost under $100. Both are have managed to survive swimming, scuba, skiing, mountain biking, shooting, fly fishing, and my kids. I've got a couple of Vostok watches but I want to sell the Komanderskie and get my Amphibia relumed and have new seals put on.

Bharner...tell me a bit about Vostok watches please are they good ? I am looking online at a couple of websites.

could someone also explain these engines and numbers etc. ? I'm not knowledgable about watches but If I could know what I'm looking for,I might look into getting one of these russian windups.

Haven't got a clue about those numbers and things but I love my Tissot PRC 200. It 'only' cost 500 bucks which is pretty much my max. I couldn't even consider paying thousands.

Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

.... but I love my....

I would suggest that is all that matters. Price and other people's opinions be damned. Own and use what you love!

My preference is for mechanical (wind up) watches. Favourite makes are Gruen, especially the longer curves designs from the 1940s/50s, Longines (not the really OTT models), that sort of thing. Classy, but understated.

Regards,
Neil

Originally Posted by Nightblade

Bharner...tell me a bit about Vostok watches please are they good ? I am looking online at a couple of websites.

Vostoks, Poljots and other Russian watches are widely available for cheap. Starting from maybe 15 (manuals) or 30 (automatics) and up. Although people think that those with fancy faces are exact copies of the ones made for KGB, Soviet army/navy etc but actually those original watches had very simple, stylish (imho) faces with no submarine or tank etc symbols.
As far as i know, Vostok and Poljot in general are ok watches that keep their time relatively well for their price.

I would prefer automatic over manual wind-up, but it is up to your preferences. I have no idea about online sellers. I would probably look Russian watches in ebay, specially those that come directly from Russia.

As long as the Vostok watch you're looking at is a Vostok and not a Vostok Europe and you're getting it from a reputable seller, it should be good. The Amphibia is we'll built and originally a dive watch for the Soviet Navy. I'm honestly not too familiar with all the different movements they have but the Watchuseek forums have a board devoted to knowledge of Russian watches. And a decent classifieds section where used watches can often be found in good shape for decent prices.

Originally Posted by Nightblade

Bharner...tell me a bit about Vostok watches please are they good ? I am looking online at a couple of websites.

Well, first Russian Watches aren't that great, any of them. Some of the older ones from when the the country fell apart are garbage. Poljot makes most of them and the better watches use old toolings which the Swiss sold to the Russians however though they are quality mvmts the old toolings have since worn out and the Russian replacements aren't very good.They use these high jewel counts to try and compensate for the lack of quality.

As of late Vostok was sold and is now Vostok Europe and their watches are made in Lithuania with Russian mvmts. I think the Poljots are the best of the Russian watches at present. Their top of the line watches use Swiss current production mvmts and the cheaper ones use the older mvmts. I think Poljot also was sold in part.

Russian watches are what they are, mostly large clunky type watches that aren't too accurate.

If you want to know about Swiss mvmts there is a website (which I've forgotten) that lists them all.

All the basic Swiss Mvmts are quality pieces and are designed to run well for a long time and are cheap to produce. Rolex, by the way never used anything but their own manufactured mvmts. The only exception was the Daytona which used a Zenith mvmt until a couple years ago. They used to own Tudor and they used the standard ETA Mvmts but Rolex no.

Oh, my first watch was a Timex my dad bought for me around 1960. it cost $9.95 and lasted around 15 years. In those days they were made in the U.S.

Originally Posted by Grizzley1

sorry, I'm calling bull shit on this, as I have many, many watches with the 7750 and 7751 and my watchmaker says the price of these movements has gone up like crazy about $6-$700 and I've had mine repaired once or twice already, but they very rarely break. As a matter of fact, if you do a little searching. There is a webpage devoted to selling nothing but watches driven by this engine. It is one of the best out there bar none. Also do a little more homework and you'll find out this movement started out in Rolexes to state the facts Jack.

I completely agree with you that there are plenty of good timepieces using the 7750 - lower-cost like Eterna and Tissot, technically sophisticated tools like the Sinn, and luxury watches like the Panerai and Chopard (not Rolex though ;-)). That's good enough for me...

I have a bunch of watches, most of them are quartz and manual wind cheapos that have worked fine for me over the years. I think my favorite knock-around is a black Swatch that I bought at an airport for $150 plus tax because I forgot my regular watch at home. Over six years now, this Swatch (made in China) has been across Europe, Central-, and South America with me, in cities, jungles and a few oceans. The finish is wearing here and there, but it still works just fine, and looks okay (actually gets "nice watch" compliments).

So I know that one doesn't HAVE to spend thousands of dollars. But I disagree with the prevailing opinion in this thread that it's just crazy and a rip-off to spend more than a thousand dollars for a good watch. There is quality and workmanship in an expensive watch that goes way beyond the movement at its heart. You might as well say it's crazy to spend money on a tailored suit when you can buy one at the Men's Wearhouse, or that it's crazy to drive an Audi if a VW will do the job. For that matter, why spend hundreds to thousands on a set of straight razors plus accessories when you could make do with a Gillette and a can of foam...?

It comes down to what one can afford, and what one is willing to spend. Recently, most of the timepieces that I like and could afford seem to be in the $3 - $6k range: Sinn, some Panerais, Rolex - and I'm looking at getting good deals on lightly used models in that range.

Originally Posted by HamburgO

I completely agree with you that there are plenty of good timepieces using the 7750 - lower-cost like Eterna and Tissot, technically sophisticated tools like the Sinn, and luxury watches like the Panerai and Chopard (not Rolex though ;-)). That's good enough for me...

I have a bunch of watches, most of them are quartz and manual wind cheapos that have worked fine for me over the years. I think my favorite knock-around is a black Swatch that I bought at an airport for $150 plus tax because I forgot my regular watch at home. Over six years now, this Swatch (made in China) has been across Europe, Central-, and South America with me, in cities, jungles and a few oceans. The finish is wearing here and there, but it still works just fine, and looks okay (actually gets "nice watch" compliments).

So I know that one doesn't HAVE to spend thousands of dollars. But I disagree with the prevailing opinion in this thread that it's just crazy and a rip-off to spend more than a thousand dollars for a good watch. There is quality and workmanship in an expensive watch that goes way beyond the movement at its heart. You might as well say it's crazy to spend money on a tailored suit when you can buy one at the Men's Wearhouse, or that it's crazy to drive an Audi if a VW will do the job. For that matter, why spend hundreds to thousands on a set of straight razors plus accessories when you could make do with a Gillette and a can of foam...?

It comes down to what one can afford, and what one is willing to spend. Recently, most of the timepieces that I like and could afford seem to be in the $3 - $6k range: Sinn, some Panerais, Rolex - and I'm looking at getting good deals on lightly used models in that range.

It's all about utility and consumer surplus... for everything. I don't normally like spending large on a watch simply because, I have broken or lost more watches than I can remember... But maybe it's like my buddy says, "I am too poor to buy cheap things David."

Maybe I should get myself one of those indestructible Sinns and call it good... and hope I don't loose it