Thread: What types of watches do you like?

Step back and think about why a mechanical watch costs what it does. Start with the movt. A quality one like a 2892 at top grade can be obtained wholesale for no more than $150. At one time casework had to be done by a highly trained machinist who had to carve out the case from a block of stainless and then perform all the exotic cuts to make a fancy case. That cost big money. These days they have a CNC machines that can robotically make the most elaborate of cases for next to nothing. A sapphire xtl even at 4mm thick is probably no more that 70-80 bucks for a top of the line with coatings. Dial and hands are mass produced and can be had from a few bucks to a couple hundred for real fancy stuff involving some hand finishing. Even the fancy wood box comes from China and cost maybe $20. Most outfits and I mean good watches like Omega for instance don't even spend much time QCing their products. They get slapped into a box off the line and then add to the cost allowing for a service to get it right after sale. Unless you are talking precious metal cases or jewelry class watches meaning stones inlay-ed which requires hand work depending on the watch a little hand polishing using a machine is about the limit. Heck if you buy a typical Seiko human hands don't touch it. But at least they are honest about it and the prices reflect that.

The fact is when you look at the cost of a watch most of the cost has little to do with the actual product. it's the hype and the advertising and the endorsements and the sponsorships. Contact an outfit like JLC and request a catalog and you get a bound book airmailed to you from Switzerland. Most companies at least have a lame excuse that they have limited production so they must charge more to recoup their costs. An outfit like Rolex that sells well over a million watches a year and at the prices they charge? Ever see a picture of their new headquarters? It would put Fort Knox to shame.

I have always said and maintain that if you are buying a watch and it costs over two grand the most expensive single component in that watch is the name on the dial.

Like TBS said, custom stuff costs big bux,handmade stuff,the finest watch I ever owned was a Blancpain Moonphase,100% handmade,took them right at a year to do,all in house,watch is long gone.
Heres another example of a rather simple one off,that would cost some serious coin today.
Back in the day when the Canadians were putting out bids for the SARS watch,they also wanted a bid on a Quartz model,so some buds of mine made one (only one) we had a freind who is the finest machinist bar none make the case, bezel, screwback,No CNC stuff,all by hand using his antiquated bridgport and one of my old flatbelt lathes,100s of hrs of machining and hand fitting went into this watch,The finest quartz Mvmt, was used (Rhonda),the mineral crystal is 5mm thick,it is a screwback with full military specs laser engraved on the cover,The Canucks decided they did not want a quartz model( another venture in the tank I still wear this watch almost every day,it is a perfect timekeeper with date,will run circles around any Rolex or patek ever made as to keeping time (as will a $20 casio) just lacking in the cache dept.

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Like TBS said, custom stuff costs big bux,handmade stuff,the finest watch I ever owned was a Blancpain Moonphase,100% handmade,took them right at a year to do,all in house,watch is long gone.
Heres another example of a rather simple one off,that would cost some serious coin today.
Back in the day when the Canadians were putting out bids for the SARS watch,they also wanted a bid on a Quartz model,so some buds of mine made one (only one) we had a freind who is the finest machinist bar none make the case, bezel, screwback,No CNC stuff,all by hand using his antiquated bridgport and one of my old flatbelt lathes,100s of hrs of machining and hand fitting went into this watch,The finest quartz Mvmt, was used (Rhonda),the mineral crystal is 5mm thick,it is a screwback with full military specs laser engraved on the cover,The Canucks decided they did not want a quartz model( another venture in the tank I still wear this watch almost every day,it is a perfect timekeeper with date,will run circles around any Rolex or patek ever made as to keeping time (as will a $20 casio) just lacking in the cache dept.

That is a beastly looking watch. Your friend does very good work. It looks like something out of Sinn's line up made sweet, sweet baby with a Seiko (sumo or 007, maybe both).

HamburgO, thanks for the backup. However, I don't think you have priced and Eterna lately, but the model. All dial, isn't cheap, at least a couple grand. And do your homework guys the 7750 was invented by a Rolex watch maker back in the 30s or 40s, maybe a little later but I've read it several sites and on several sellers of watch movements.

Originally Posted by Grizzley1

HamburgO, thanks for the backup. However, I don't think you have priced and Eterna lately, but the model. All dial, isn't cheap, at least a couple grand. And do your homework guys the 7750 was invented by a Rolex watch maker back in the 30s or 40s, maybe a little later but I've read it several sites and on several sellers of watch movements.

deeds, not words Grizzley,or should I call you jack lets see something that supports your erronious claims.
Would never be so rude as to call B.S on the unknowing.

I gotta say, gents, this thread has been very educational, and might even have saved me some money.

Pixel, that's a mighty cool watch on your picture. I really like these tool/military style designs. I also want to apologize for making a comment to you, months ago, that you don't know a good watch when you see it. I stand corrected!

Bigspendur, your post above has really helped put this whole subject in clearer perspective. With the amount of Rolexes and Omegas I see on people's wrists, I do think they've become a fairly well mass-produced item that is still being touted as luxury. Kinda like Louis Vuitton bags and some other stuff.

All that said, I still have my beady eye on a second Sinn There's something about those watches in general, their purpose built designs, the submarine steel and the extra engineering that goes into them (anti-reflective crystal, hard PVD coatings, gas or oil filled cases, moisture-binding copper sulphate crystals in the case, chrono dials that'll still work and stay sealed at +200m) that appeals to my gearhead nature and might actually come in handy when surfing, diving, hiking, shooting (I know, I know, other watches would probably do as well...).

The interesting thing here is that while Rolex, Omega, Ebel, Audemar and so many other brands have been positioned as luxury items for decades and are in our consumer consciousness as such, I had never even heard of a Sinn before seeing one for the first time. I had no idea what it was worth, but it was love at first sight. I began researching the history, and liked the whole story more and more, until it did turn into "that obscure object of desire". I talked a friend out of his EZM1 for some pistols, and I'm real close to buying a U1000 at retail... - but will probably wait to see if I can score a used model somewhere.

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Like TBS said, custom stuff costs big bux,handmade stuff,the finest watch I ever owned was a Blancpain Moonphase,100% handmade,took them right at a year to do,all in house,watch is long gone.
Heres another example of a rather simple one off,that would cost some serious coin today.
Back in the day when the Canadians were putting out bids for the SARS watch,they also wanted a bid on a Quartz model,so some buds of mine made one (only one) we had a freind who is the finest machinist bar none make the case, bezel, screwback,No CNC stuff,all by hand using his antiquated bridgport and one of my old flatbelt lathes,100s of hrs of machining and hand fitting went into this watch,The finest quartz Mvmt, was used (Rhonda),the mineral crystal is 5mm thick,it is a screwback with full military specs laser engraved on the cover,The Canucks decided they did not want a quartz model( another venture in the tank I still wear this watch almost every day,it is a perfect timekeeper with date,will run circles around any Rolex or patek ever made as to keeping time (as will a $20 casio) just lacking in the cache dept.

Did your buddy use a traser face? It looks almost exactly like theirs? - traser® H3 more light watches | P 5900 Type 3

Originally Posted by Sailor

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.

Originally Posted by bharner

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 thebigspendur

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 thebigspendur

Step back and think about why a mechanical watch costs what it does. Start with the movt. A quality one like a 2892 at top grade can be obtained wholesale for no more than $150. At one time casework had to be done by a highly trained machinist who had to carve out the case from a block of stainless and then perform all the exotic cuts to make a fancy case. That cost big money. These days they have a CNC machines that can robotically make the most elaborate of cases for next to nothing. A sapphire xtl even at 4mm thick is probably no more that 70-80 bucks for a top of the line with coatings. Dial and hands are mass produced and can be had from a few bucks to a couple hundred for real fancy stuff involving some hand finishing. Even the fancy wood box comes from China and cost maybe $20. Most outfits and I mean good watches like Omega for instance don't even spend much time QCing their products. They get slapped into a box off the line and then add to the cost allowing for a service to get it right after sale. Unless you are talking precious metal cases or jewelry class watches meaning stones inlay-ed which requires hand work depending on the watch a little hand polishing using a machine is about the limit. Heck if you buy a typical Seiko human hands don't touch it. But at least they are honest about it and the prices reflect that.

The fact is when you look at the cost of a watch most of the cost has little to do with the actual product. it's the hype and the advertising and the endorsements and the sponsorships. Contact an outfit like JLC and request a catalog and you get a bound book airmailed to you from Switzerland. Most companies at least have a lame excuse that they have limited production so they must charge more to recoup their costs. An outfit like Rolex that sells well over a million watches a year and at the prices they charge? Ever see a picture of their new headquarters? It would put Fort Knox to shame.

I have always said and maintain that if you are buying a watch and it costs over two grand the most expensive single component in that watch is the name on the dial.

Thanks for all the good info guys....lots to munch on here.

Originally Posted by Neil Miller

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

Yeah, now I've forked out 1/3 of the price for my Tissot to get the battery changed and it pressure tested I'd rather a wind up watch. seems I could post the watch to Canada, get the work done there, pay for the work have it posted back for cheaper than having it done locally!

Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

Yeah, now I've forked out 1/3 of the price for my Tissot to get the battery changed and it pressure tested I'd rather a wind up watch. seems I could post the watch to Canada, get the work done there, pay for the work have it posted back for cheaper than having it done locally!

Uh... but then you would be out a watch for what would seem like an eternity .

I end up spending large percentages of the initial cost on bands myself lol... sigh.