the finer things in life take the form of....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR82FcPHBbg
A watch!
Watches with Volcanic DNA:
Attachment 103146
Titanic DNA:
Attachment 103147
Outstanding really!!
PRESS | ROMAIN JEROME
Printable View
the finer things in life take the form of....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR82FcPHBbg
A watch!
Watches with Volcanic DNA:
Attachment 103146
Titanic DNA:
Attachment 103147
Outstanding really!!
PRESS | ROMAIN JEROME
Nice watches, especially the Volcanic DNA! If I had 18k to burn, this would be on the short list :)
Haven't read through the whole thread but,since I'm older school generation....I long to have a mechanical wind up watch again. Batteries wear out.Watch repair gives someone a job and brings back quality and craftsmanship.
I hear that! There are some very good quartz watches around these days, but for my money all the best movements are mechanical, self-winding (automatic). I'm not an expert on all the different movements, but the bit of pre-purchase research I did brought up a few that still have an almost legendary status today, e.g. the Valjoux 7750 or the Lemania 5100. The 5100 has been used in famous timepieces e.g. the Omega Speedmaster, Orfina Porsche, Silberstein Krono Bauhaus, Sinn EZM1, and others. I got the Sinn used from a friend who bought it new around '99 - it's due for service now, just for a general check-up and because the tritium is dead, but the 5100 movement is still keeping surprisingly accurate time (like -10 to - 15 seconds per day).
Might get on line tonight and see what's out there on the market. I have my grandfathers old pocketwatch that I'm going to get fixed one day when I have the dough.
Sold all my fancy stuff,have a few speedmasters I rarely wear anymore,to big and heavy.
These days I like my military stuff,light simple,and with tritium filled tubes, I can navigate to the bathroom several times each night just by the emitted light:)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...e/milwatch.jpg
I rarely see a watch that I don't like.
That said, I have not bought a new watch in 25 years...I just can't find anything I like better than my Oyster.
Found this site here The Last Wind-Up :: New Wrist Watches . The Mallards and the Momentums seemed fairly affordable and sensible .
I am not sure how Momentum's mechanicals are, but if you are the pro-active type, their quartz watches have the feature that were you to send them the watch after two years - they will service it and garentee the watch for another two years. If you send them the watch after another two years after that, they garentee it again for two more years. It's the 2-4-6 plan.
I had one back in the day when it was called St. Moritz - it was their cheapest watch at the time, but it worked great. According to USPS, I'll have my second one later today :).
If you like diving watches - give the Seiko a looking at as well, if you are ok with an automatic. For $200, they are a great deal... and a classic watch too. Seiko Men's SKX007K Diver's Automatic Watch: Watches: Amazon.com
I've been collecting pocket and wrist watches for many years and the one thing I've finally learned with wristwatches is most have one of just a few available movements out there in them and you can get a very high quality watch that will last the rest of your life for less than a grand. After that you pay for the name on the watch.
Can you name some examples of solid quality watches with reliable movements under $1k? I don't entirely disagree, e.g. I think that certain Rolex models have become mass-produced and are generally over-priced vis-a-vis their actual quality, but there are some other brands like Sinn, Panerai, Hublot, even Omega, which are still expensive, but in my perception have a better price/performance ratio (and better value retention!). The movement is one thing, but technical solutions to water, temperature and shock resistance, overall appearance and usability, quality and construction of case, dials, glass, even bracelet and clasp, play a huge part in what I would consider value for money.
PS: Any watches for sale :) ?
Great thread! Some amazing watches showing their face here.
I no longer own a watch as I gave them all away when I retired. : )
I have had three (traded up to the third and final one). It is an 18K/stainless fluted bezel, jubilee bracelet Oyster Perpetual DateJust, with a black Tapestry dial. I bought it in 1987 NIB from a local dealer that no longer exists.
Prior to that I had the Air King briefly before trading up to an all stainless Oyster Perpetual DateJust with a white roman dial.
My priorities were pretty odd as a teenager...but I made some good decisions;)
I have heard people say that they are overpriced...perhaps they are for some. I have found this watch to be a great value considering I have always loved it, and it has always kept time as well as anything else and never required ANYTHING in the way of service (I did have it checked 3 years ago and they reported that the seals should not be trusted beyond swimming-pool-depth any more...but otherwise it was sound).
I like my Rolex Daytona. I like to wear it on days with a 'Y' on the end of it!
On days when wearing it could cause damage, I like my Bolex from Bali!
I think today's watches are too big. I like the smaller watches that were readily available before the early 70s.
Probably 90% of Swiss Made Watches under 3 grand have either an ETA 2824 or variant and those above 3 grand have the 2892. Some have the newer Valgranges. Most chronos have the 7750 or it's variants. A few have the 2894 Even though they come in grades and some outfits "customize" the mvmts they are still the same animal. You can get a Hamilton with a 2824 for $400 and pay 3 grand for another watch with the same basic mvmt with "modifications". The upgrades in the mvmt cost a few bucks but they charge hundreds if not thousands for them. You can buy (or could a few years ago) an Invicta dive watch Swiss made with the ETA 2892 and a COSC certified watch for $900 and this isn't your typical Invicta. The exact same quality in an IWC ot Omega and your looking at well over 3 grand. I find it amazing how these outfits get away with charging what they do for what you get. it shows you how gullible folks are. it's all in the name or maybe the "brand ambassador".
With the changes at ETA they are going to the Stelita mvmts which are basically clones of the ETA models. Many are going with Citizen and Seiko mvmts because they can't get the Swiss anymore. A few outfits are making their own mvmts. Rolex is a different case because they are the 600 lb Gorilla in the Swiss watch Industry. They are rich beyond all avarice and so have the bucks to do everything themselves though I think their prices are outrageous as is their service too.
My watchmaker will not even mess with an Omega chrono with a 7750,remove the hands and dial, put in a brand new pce of crap ETA 7750 that costs 150 bux,full of plastic parts,and walla you have a new $4000.00 Omega Chrono,$3500.00 of which is the name Omega.woohoo.
Why is your watchmaker not so fond of it? Looks like quite a few watchmakers in various price classes are using the 7750, and according to these independent sites, it doesn't seem to be quite such a POS:
The Valjoux 7750 Chronograph - Part 1 - TimeZone
The Valjoux 7750 Engine
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.
Thanks for the heads up Grizz...Honestly I don't know a whole lot about watches. I have a crappy ol modern Timex heh. I remember when Timex was supposed to take a licking and keep on ticking . Well....it ticks anyway. Oh for the days when a fella could go in to the store,plop down 50-100 bucks and get a decent wind up watch...why live anymore..sheesh ! :shrug:
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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 :)