derek_starship, An autojumble's a glorified boot sale for middle aged blokes with beards and anoraks to hunt through boxes of filthy old car parts and where often other nerdy stuff like watches or bikes are sold.Dogging then?
So I hear. There's nothing else for the traders to do when the punters have gone home.
Either get a £100 quid watch you like, or spend some money on a decent (well known) brand IMHO. The middle ground is a dangerous place.
If you buy a niche one like the Sinn etc. mentioned above you'll just end up trying to bore people that it's the same internals as a Omega, blah, blah blah, blah blah.
In car terms, it's like buying a Nissan GT-R. Yes, technically it maybe be a better spec than a 911, carbide ceramic titanium cupholders, 15000bhp, 8 turbos etc. but in the end of the day a) that girl you're trying to impress will be bored witless and b) it's still got a Nissan badge on it.
If you have to explain something it's not worth it.
Some of us don't need others to know how much we paid for a watch though. Unless you buy a rolex, most premium brands are made of 316 steel which IMO is just too soft and dents too easily. I love sinn because the technology makes it a far more durable watch. Most of the watch buying public have no idea who Sinn are, I am in no hurry for that to change. If that's what's important to you then a breitling or panerai would be suitably overpriced and flashy for your needs (at least panerai now have an in house movement which is more than can be said for the low grade ETAs breitling charge a fortune for...).
Breitling are now selling watches with a manufacture movement in the new Chronomats, although they do command a slight premium over their usual blingy offerings... about £3k extra if I remember correctly.
They are still selling ETA based watches for a lot of money as well though.
2nd for timefactors. I think it is a bit funny,a load of people who would NEVER buy something just cos it said Chris King on it debating whether expensive watches are a waste of money.To the OP If it is a diver you want,google Ocean7 and Helson,both up and coming watchmakers.I have an Ocean7 LM and it is as good as my Seamaster (plus o7 are not the evil empireof atchmakers,unlike Omega)
.I have an Ocean7 LM and it is as good as my Seamaster
"Good" in what way - both tell the time properly?
Err no,in terms of the movement used within,finishing quality, Lume etc.
duckman - Member
Err no,in terms of the movement used within,finishing quality, Lume etc.
The watch I'm wearing today has a see through case and I must say all the gubbins in there looks very nice, all engraved and whatnot, ticking away doing whatever it does.
There is something about a mechanical device assembled by hand, engraved and hopefully in someway having a human element in it's construction that I like and am happy to pay for. The guy that made mine is on the end of the phone if required, builds the cases and so on from scratch and does all the engraving and regulation himself. It's worth it to me, also mine was made to my spec, customised if you like, there are no others like it it's one of a kind from a run of 200, in a world where you can buy anything if you have a few quid I have something unique, stupid and sad I know but there it is.
I have a unique bike too and I'm sure we can all identify with that or we'd all be on specialized (I like specialized)..
Sometimes it just about not being in the herd, although I fully accept I'm in the herd of idiots who buy expensive watches!
Cynical-al I expect you can tell the quality of the said watch. If you consider it value is down to your own agenda and views, but the build quality between a premium watch and a highstreet one is evident. Why do people expect you to have to justify your watch?
This what you want!
...if you have such bad eyesight that you need giant numbers on your wrist...
That's minging.
I guess my point is folk saying "my watch has such and such a movement" is a bit like "my xtr rear mech has stainless pivots/ti bolts/ceramic bushings".
Few if any of the "improvements" have any real/significant benefits, so it's a waste of money for most folk.
man's watch 
£3k and it doesn't even appear to tell you the date.
Why do you need a watch to tell you the date? Take yesterdays date and add a day, if it's the end of the month you'll have to roll over to the next one mind.
Many of the 'top end' watch makers use the same mechanism which can be bought (trade) for c£30, the rest of the price is design and manufacture of the case and marketing the label. If you want a well made but well priced mechanical watch get a Vostock (Russian), distributed via Ebay. A jeweller once explained to me how although they charge a fortune for setting accurate time on a Rolex it's a very simple operation but they charge because of the brand and those types of customers are very happy to pay it. I laughed like a drain.
In that case chvck, why do you need a watch to tell you the time too?
The date is after all, still the time.
Have a look here http://www.christopherward.co.uk/men.html real Swiss made watches without the 20 times mark up of the commercial brands plenty of choice and a unique use it for 60 days and send it back if you dont like it guarantee.
Had both, and the designer ones are not of anywhere near the quality but are usually more fashionable at the time! A Hugo boss can soon look dated in certain styles but some are very nice. Don't blow your wedge on an expensive watch until you have looked at all makes styles, you've got to be certain of "the one".
C-al,depending on the type of movement in your watch is similar to the difference in say,the material used in fork internals on an entry level fork and a top end fork.Should last longer and will be nicer to use.I can get as wet as I like with either of my divers,wear them while climbing,read them in the middle of the night without trying to press a button etc and be sure they will still function exactly as required.Mind you; that B&r is gouping!
In that case chvck, why do you need a watch to tell you the time too?The date is after all, still the time.
Seriously? If I have the time I can determine the date by working out if it's past midnight, if it is I'll work out the date from yesterday, if it's before midnight it's still the same day. Generally. Though if that method fails I'll look at my phone.
That b&r is not too my taste. I don't know what jewler BillMC went to, but that's not quite the case. Swatch own a few premium brands and platform share the movement between brands. Vostok have a military look due to thier roots, they have tried to go like IWC and crack the premium Market. If you want a tough watch made in Russia get a Kalashnikov, it's far cheaper and has a novelty value that will appeal to office warriors and middle managment hardmen.
Has no one mentioned Citizen yet?
Seriously? If I have the time I can determine the date by working out if it's past midnight, if it is I'll work out the date from yesterday, if it's before midnight it's still the same day. Generally. Though if that method fails I'll look at my phone.
Or you could just have a watch with the date on it in the first place.
Used to have one of those bell and Ross BR01's and while they are nice, they are seriously overpriced for what they are. Again, Sinn do it much better (and used to make B&Rs watches for them anyway).
To echo previous posts, fashion watches do have the same internals.
Bought the wife a few- D&G ,armani etc. Take the back off to reveal alot of empty space and a small quartz movement.
Me I have an Oris big crown.Reasonable price £400. Movement made by Oris and a watch that will last a lifetime.
I can talk with some informed experience here. I work for Chanel. A few facts
Chanel aren't just 'fashion' watches. They are Swiss Made, in a factory owned by Chanel.
The factory is a 'proper' watch factory, making only precision watches.
Armani are indeed just cheap Quartz movements in cheap cases. As are Boss. Chanel and Dior are not as both business have a premium jewellery business which dictates that they cannot be 'costume' jewellery.
The family that own Chanel (the Vertheimers) also have a majority share of Bell and Ross.
Bell and Ross are made in the same factory as Chanel.
Other than Rolex, most premium watch manufacturers use the same automatic movements (ETA in the main), but one ETA movement is not necessarily like another. The complexity of the movement is what dictates the price, based on some very subtle differences which most people wouldn't notice (not meant to sound patronising, it's just that very small changes can cost a lot and deliver very little perceivable difference).
Are 'expensive' watches worth the money? You decide. Personally I own a Chanel J12 Superlegera and Bell and Ross BR01-96 (guess why!). Both great watches. Both Swiss Made. Both lovely.
You know you have bought quality if the watch is worth repairing if it goes wrong (unfortunately price is no guarantee of longevity - and actually the more you pay, the more complex the movement and the more risk of a problem). Certain 'designer' brands don't repair, they just replace as the watches aren't worth much at cost.
I guess, like anything, you pays yer money, you takes yer choice.
I love those B&R watches and the fact that Smurf doesn't makes me like them even more. I like the fact that I can easily tell the time with the merest glance at the watch at arms length, without having to hold my wrist eight inches in front of my nose for a couple of minutes just to do the same. I like my MWC G10 for much the same reason, it's clear, uncluttered and very easy to see in the dark. As it's possible to buy good quality replicas with full auto mechanical movement for £55, I'll be getting one sometime soon. I also have a TAG, a well-worn Series 1000 with black case and luminous face that I've had for around twenty or so years and paid £250 for. In that time I think it's had three batteries, and the face replaced after the locating pins sheared off. Lovely, simple watch, easy to read at a glance, keeps pretty good time, although not quite as good as the G10. I really dislike complicated, cluttered watches; they are designed to shout “LOOK AT ME” and impress people, not do their primary function: tell the frackkin' time!
Has no one mentioned Citizen yet?
Lorus
Sekonda
Timex....
I'm glad solarider is talking sense. My girlfriend has a White j12 (not my cuppa tea) it's more than a fasion watch as you rightly said. Chanel would never put thier name on a watch not worthy of the brand. If I was to have my time again or forced to retrain I think I could see myself as a bespoke watch maker.
Count Zero walks into a large watch vendor:
Count Zero "I'd like a watch that Smurf doesn't like please"
Watch Vendor "Would you like me to call him and list all his disliked models?"
Count Zero But of course, I'm a discerning customer, it's the least you can do.
Watch Vendor "Do you have his number?"
Count Zero "JUST FIND IT MAN BEFORE I GO SOMEWHERE ELSE"
Has no one mentioned Citizen yet?
elfin »
Lorus
Sekonda
Timex....
Really? I don't know a great deal about watches, nor do i know nothing, but I'd always thought of Citizen as being a level above those
I've got a Titanium Seiko. Robust, light and surprisingly sexy (to me). Oh, and it tells the time too.
I'd always thought of Citizen as being a level above those
Maybe. I was just thinking of brands you can get in Argos, really. IE; decent nice looking watches what tell the time goodly, but what don't cost silly money, and are much better value for money than 'designer' brand ones.
Maybe you could add brands like Rotary and Pulsar to something like Citizen, cos they do some nice watches too, no?
I dunno it's all bollocks really isn't it? Let's be honest.
Just buy what you like and can afford, and don't worry about it.
I've got a basic Seiko; bought it 'cos I liked it. My £12.99 Decathlon one is more useful though as it's fully waterproof and has a stopwatch on it which is useful for swimming.
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