Well, watched many videos on youtube, don’t have impressions in person yet. Classic Breitlings look like vintage airplane parts you can drive nails with. Transocean is nice but too nice and incomplete design for my taste. Navytimer looks good but won’t do for this occasion. Omega makes no impression at all, any of them. I guess, I would most likely have to go with Rolex Oyster 19 with dark rhodium dial. Damn, I’d have to live with no audio upgrades for about...three years at least, probably five. I’ll manage, no doubt.
Whart, Yeah, I have been reading but not posting, just not much to say. Besides, as you can see, kids need new shoes which means I am completely out of audiophile funds. I myself would probably go with certified used watch, but someone says no way - new only. Okay.. And I definitely want to stay under $6k, even that is in fact beyond my means. Well, I'll have to partly finance it, I guess. I took a look at Panerai. Italian with Swiss movement. I think, he won't like the design, too expensive too. Interestingly, great watch costs as little as great cables or cartridge..
@inna- funny, I just mentioned you in another thread about ultrasonic record cleaning that I hadn’t seen you post for a while.
I’m not a heavy wristwatch collector- I’m aware of the market and have a few odds and ends, an old Rolex, a fancy chronograph from Cartier that I bought years ago, when I gave my wife a smaller vintage one; my daily, if and when I wear a watch, something I only do now if I get out of my pajamas and actually get dressed all proper like to go somewhere, is a Panerai. That thing has taken a beating- it was really slammed in a motorcycle crash a decade or more ago, and the factory rebuild it for what seemed, at the time, to be a fairly low price. Cool collector hobby- some of the serious vintage and modern watches are fabulous pieces of design or mechanical engineering. I’m not really up on it; you can have something that tells time for cheap or have something that is really a piece of art.
Stringreen, That's a pretty good reliability if you ask me. Yeah, I know, there are places, including in New York City, where you can have it fixed for much less than at the factory. However, I would be buying new with five or six year warranty. Omega has this polished sophistication look, Breitling is kind of in your face ruggedness, and also usually bigger and heavier.
For all of you with good watches.....recently, my Breitling Navitimer would stop. I sent it to Breitling who would fix it for 1550.00 dollars but I declined and had them return the watch. I found a guy in Florida who fixes all these kinds of watches.....I sent mine to him thinking I’d never get it back, however, he completely reconditioned it (the same as Breitling), for 520.00. Recommended. By the way as far a dependability on Breitling is concerned....mine is at least 50 years old when it needed service....I used it for flight navigation (now I can hardly read the numerals)
To clarify. The person this gift is intended for is not at all a watch aficionado, but he appreciates fine things and he does need good watch for decades to come. Just one watch.
Help me out, people ! I am so stressed that I can't even listen to any records. Need a gift for a close relative. Can't decide, Omega or Breitling ? Both have an appeal. Consider Breitling Seewolf and Superocean models or Omega Planet Ocean and Aqua Terra. I know nothing about watches. Aesthetics is important but reliability and performance are much more important, including waterproofness and shock resistance. Not for deep diving, mostly for everyday wear and occasional outdoors. Would really appreciate your thoughts.
I had picked up a domestic Japanese only limited edition Mr G on ebay, they were not available in the US at all, even the instruction book was in Japanese only. I liked to use it as my barbecue watch as it had multiple timer functions.
So my wife and I were in a watch store and the sales clerk behind the counter asks in a super excited voice, "is that one of the real Mr G's, oh my god I've never seen a real one". My wife's eyes sort of rolled and she told me it must be a guy thing, which is what she says about audio, cars, tools, etc.
I bought and sold watches on ebay so I was able to keep a lot of very nice watches.
A few years ago I got the nicest Omega I had ever seen, it was one of the Aquaterra Tonneau solid 18k that normally has an alligator band at $8500, this one had a solid 18k band and listed at about $16,000, weighed 4.5 ounces, a truly gorgeous and elegant watch. Got it on ebay for $3500 which is what the one with the black strap should have gone for, it had never been worn or sized. I wore it for a couple of years for dress, figured I'd sell it if I could get $8k and it sold for $9500. I still wish I had that, but I needed the money at the time. When you are buying and selling things for a living you can't get attached to something you can make that much on.
Hi String, Yes, they have watches that cost more than a Bentley, but they also have watches that are far more reasonable, and they are also quite reliable, and beautiful. They are the world's second oldest brand, with Vacheron Constantin being first.
I love the design and execution of Audemars Piguet watches, but as someone who sells them, I have to say that I can't think of another watch in its price range or below it that has a worse record for reliability. Most that we sell are back for one reason or another within the first year. I know that sounds unbelievable, but it is true. I'm a sure there are exceptions.
Back in the early 2000's I got the "watch bug" and started buying all kinds. Sold off most of them. Now I am down to very few. Just selling a Breitling chrono that has been an expensive headache and got an Omega Speedmaster to replace it. But hard times economics has forced me to appreciate cheaper ones(not to mention cheaper Hi Fi) . I even get a kick out of the cheap Vostok Russians, fully jeweled, waterproof, and absolutely no concern about cosmetics of the caliber inside. But they run great and are cheaper than dirt!
I'm a real watch friek . I own a Rolex President , An ebel which I wear daily and just got my 1967 accutron space view repaired which sat for 30 years not running.
I am not a Watch Enthusiast (Spelling) Per Se, but being that I am SORT OF Fashion Conscious, I do have a watch for whatever occasion or moment I encounter in my life.
Three Watches pretty much cover everything I do in my life.
For Everyday/Working/Running Errands or What Have You, I otherwise wear a Timex Digital Expedition (in Black) -- $40.00.
For when I am going out (Dating/Partying/Hanging Out), I use wear a Dressy/Casual Timex Indiglo Chrome Colored Watch with Day & Date, Brown Leather Band, Roman Numerals on the Face, and a Turquoise Backguard Light -- $60.00.
For Dressier Occasions for when I am going to Suit Up or for Formal Occasions (which then I may wear a VERY NICE Suit, or even go the whole hog and put on a Tux) when I am stepping out and going on the town, then I tend to wear a Citizen Eco Drive Tank Face Gold Watch with Roman Numerals and Date and a Brown Crocodile Leather Band (never needs a battery nor winding EVER) -- $200.00.
09-08-14: Donjr I just bought a Hamilton Jazzmaster GMT auto.
funny! I bought one too earlier this summer!! ;-) is it the H32695731 model? did you get the black dial with the red GMT hour hand? I really like mine as well....enjoy it!
Thanks Roxy. I always wanted an automatic that I could hand down to one of my boys. One of them really likes watches so he can have this one when I kick. We like to travel so the dual time aspect of the watch will make it fun on our next trip.
I just bought a Hamilton Jazzmaster GMT auto. My intention was to buy a Hamilton Intramatic. My local dealer didn't have one with a bracelet so I decided I'd order one. I asked the guy which bracelet would come on the watch and he handed me the GMT. I put it on my wrist and both my wife and I were awestruck. The guy told me that if I bought a watch they had in stock, he would give me a great deal. He took $300 off retail which is very nice indeed. This watch is so beautiful I can't believe it.
I have a couple of broken $50 watches around here somewhere. If I want to know what time it is, I pull out my trusty dumbest of all dumb phones and hope the battery hasn't run out yet. The retail value of my entire wardrobe is probably below 2K, including socks and under ware, and I drive a 2006 accord with about 130K miles on it.
I can afford everything I want, and pay cash, because I don't want much. There are those who desire things that scream, "look at me." I'm somebody. For the most part, I stopped seeing myself through the eyes of others when I was 19. I know who I am.
To me, stuff is just perishable stuff waiting to be consumed on the last day--see Brahms German Requiem. Alles herrlichkeit des Menschen wie das Grasses, blumen, Aber, Bach cantatas bliebt in ewigkeit.
Now, I have absolutely no problem with someone buying a 10K watch, as long as they are financially secure and responsible, As for me, keep your Rollex and give me Schutz.
Hi Schubert, Sorry for the confusion. I was actually referring to the comment about all watches telling the same time, regardless of cost. I am sorry that you feel religious guilt concerning material possessions, and I'm not sure of what you mean when you say you know better. I guess I know for sure that you don't care about watches, and you like Bach cantatas.
I think a system to play Bach Cantatas is VERY necessary and anything more than a Seiko is not. My current system cost about 8k , I could have achieved what was required for 2k so I'm as guilty as anyone else. perhaps more than most 'cus I know better. Not to mention the other many K's I've spent over the last 40 0dd years.
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