Try Duncan at Genesis. Genuine professional and highly regarded.
Genesis

PS CW are OK but watch out for their regular 50%off sales.

Christopher Ward – can’t see why anyone would buy one of these now.
When setting up the ‘brand’ they sold rip offs style watches at decent prices for the quality they offered, but the their objective was to boost the price once they’d become a recognised brand.

The price is ridiculous now, with their 50% sales representing their true value.

In my opinion, the plant x of the watch world.

Liking these Seamasters a lot. That’s the kind of thing I’m after, and those Christopher Wards are lovely too.
Max budget would be about £3.5k.
Interesting comment about titanium watches scratching easily – thanks for that.

Bit concerned about the perceived inaccuracy of automatics, is that a general view ? Is that likely because they need servicing ?

I’ve got an old Omega Geneva auto that I inherited back in the 70s and it was never accurate, maybe it just needed servicing.
I’m going to try and part-ex it for the new one.

Thanks all for the comments and the ideas, keep ’em coming

Good information on here Watchesuseek
I would stay away from battery movements on high end watches as collectors prefer automatic movements.

I almost bought a Pelagos as I’d been after it for years, but it just didn’t seem “special” so I decided against it. I bought a Steinhart Ocean 500 instead, and I now wear it a lot more than my Seamaster – far lighter and I’m not scared of bashing it as it was so much cheaper (£490ish)

The Wrong Trousers – did you look at the IWC Portuguese ? At you budget you have a lot of choice. Also you should be able to get 10% discount by negotiating. My wife loves to haggle and has quite a few industry contacts and eventually got 25% off list for the IWC – it did take nearly a year to find though. Rolex can be got for similar

On a smaller budget I look at one of these from Seiya San. The Citizen use a coating to their TI which makes them much more hardwearing and with solar power they’re long lived and accurate. Also being a ltd edition in the JDM you won’t see many (any) about over here.

http://www.seiyajapan.com/products/citizen-promaster-x-mont-bell-bn0111-54e

Or

Go second hand after doing some research and get what I think is the gold standard of TI dive watch, IWC 3536-01

http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.php?30768-A-slighty-different-review-on-IWC-Aquatimer-GST-3536-01-ti

You’ll struggle on a portugesier for 3.5k now, maybe second hand if your very lucky and it’s not a desirable one. The baby brother the Portofino is a lovely watch though, that’s on budget.

Op will you go second hand or does it have to be new? Second hand opens up load of options.

Mechanical watches aren’t inaccurate per se but you have a lot of weighted and moving parts working on your wrist that have to work together in different planes of movement, positions, hot, cold etc so a few seconds a day out is possible when wearing under normal conditions. Think of it as wearing an engine rather than a computer. The 70s weren’t great to mechanical watches but your old omega should keep time reasonably after a decent service but it’s going to cost north of £150.

That bronze Carl brashear Oris up there is lovely in the flesh, not to everyone’s taste – I thought it was horrible new but after a few months it’s softens really nicely. Suspect Oris is going to be below your budget but if it does grab you drop me an email, it’s in my profile.

If the Omegas take your fancy not a bad time to buy new as there is likely to be a price increase in the next couple of months, probably around 10%. The seamaster 300m is probably the best watch for a dressy diver in that price point all things considered, step up to a planet ocean for the same money if you go second hand but they are very bulky, especially the new ones. They’re not very original though, so a bit of a boring choice.

I’d be looking at a Tudor black bay for that money, new model has an in house movement and is slightly bigger, and you get a nice range of options as you can have bracelet or leather strap, and both come with a NATO strap option to dress it down a bit. Not quite as common as omega or Rolex but being the baby brother of Rolex there’s still a lot of kudos there.

This is what I’m currently lusting after….

Autos are less accurate than quartz, more expensive to buy and service BUT they are miniature engineering marvels on your wrist and hold their value way better. You pays your money….
With £3.5k you could get a very nice quartz pick up and go day to day wearer and a high quality auto for social/special occasions. The perfect 2 watch combo but expect to have to reset your auto as it will run down after 40+ hrs unworn (or you could stop it but would then need to reset anyway).
The popular makes are popular for a reason but the value added for the more you spend is subjective.
Don’t overlook autos 10yrs old, most can be finished at service to look mint and will probably appreciate to cancel out the service cost if you buy wisely.

for £3.5K I’d look at something where you’re paying for the movement and something that either hold it’s value or appreciate. A lot of brands – even at the ‘high’ end, you’re paying for branding etc. But then (as per ‘what dog’ thread etc), people will typically recommend what they own.

FWIW, with that budget I’d be looking at a used classic. Take Omega for example – that will get you a really, really good Flightmaster;

Or, another chronograph – the Tag flyback;

..there’s an awful lot of choice. And that’s a really healthy budget.

Oh, and continuing the theme of people pushing their choice – the watch that I wear the most – Ikepod Megapode Ti Flyback;

not everyone’s cup of tea though they’re rare, and now starting to appreciate in value…

Enjoy finding a nice Tudor sub, Rolex cases but with cheap to service ETA movements and none of the car dealer image, great with jeans or a suit and the values are only going one way.

Bit concerned about the perceived inaccuracy of automatics

No it’s true. Automatics are not (and cannot be) as accurate as good quartz watches, or internet-connected devices.

If you want to know that every time you check the time, it is accurate to within a second, just use your phone, or get a smart watch.

If you want a piece of timeless craftsmanship and engineering on your arm that makes you feel like you’re Chuck Yeager or James Bond, then get an automatic Swiss watch, and spend a few seconds every morning synchronising it with the pips on Radio 4 8)

You’ll struggle on a portugesier for 3.5k now, maybe second hand if your very lucky and it’s not a desirable one. The baby brother the Portofino is a lovely watch though, that’s on budget.

@nick is quite right on prices (and suggestion). IWC basically priced in Swiss Francs

Also what Hebden says is true, a Quartz watch will always be more accurate than a mechanical watch. You are not
buying a classic watch for absolute accuracy over many months. It takes just a few seconds to check time against an internet source say once a week or two to keep the mechanical on track

Some great thoughts here people, thanks very much.
Am open to second-hand, just whether I have the time / inclination to spend ages searching.
Those IWC Portugeiser are lovely, but probably just a little too ‘dressy’ for me.

I have a few nice watches, and was going to get at least one more before I started wearing my Garmin Fenix, and now really cant see me wearing anything other than a GPS/Sports/Smart watch, I would definitely give one a go before buying an expensive traditional watch to see if you like what they can offer.

Anyway if thats not for you have a look at Bathys watches Hawaii

Bathys

My Seiko SKX is going back because it’s gaining time wildly. It was never that accurate – it always gained ~2mins/day, but I believe that it probably just needs regulating and was a statistical outlier. However something’s gone wrong and it now gains ~2s/minute so it needs fixing. +/- 2-3seconds per day should be achievable apparently.

It came from creation watches. Can’t fault the price or the original service. It’s now (just) out of warranty but they have agreed to fix it for a nominal fee, although this involves sending it back to Singapore. You pays your money…

op, This is my ‘less dressy’ IWC Pilots Chronograph. There is a pic of the stainless bracelet version in the thread. The model is now discontinued but can be found within your budget.

Lovely!

I’ve got a Rado, excellent watch and pretty much bombproof. Don’t really wear it any more so if someone wants to make a sensible offer for it they can have it. It’s this one: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rado-Sintra-Chronometer-R13663162-Ceramic/dp/B001II27WC

I’ve got a Rado, excellent watch and pretty much bombproof. Don’t really wear it any more so if someone wants to make a sensible offer for it they can have it. It’s this one: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rado-Sintra-Chronometer-R13663162-Ceramic/dp/B001II27WC

Argh my eyes!

😀

I’ve got a Casio analogue I replace it every month for six quid when I smash it in work … 3 grand on a watch but Beans on toast for tea !
Doesn’t impress me !

I’ve got a Casio analogue I replace it every month for six quid when I smash it in work … 3 grand on a watch but Beans on toast for tea !

It’s an interesting point. I’ll give it some thought 😀

Good article in the Guardian about why the Swiss watch industry is bigger than ever even though you can get a more accurate timepiece for a fiver:

That Rado is grim, did it come out of a cracker?

if the Portugueser is too dressy then the pilots watches are a good blend of understated tool watch but with a high quality finish and a bit of history. I have handled a few million pounds worth of watch bling (been flown out to Jaeger and Patek plus others in Geneva to shoot the high end timepieces) but often fail to see the value in a lot of the high end but an IWC would be on my list.
I can’t afford a Laurent Ferrier Gallet square or a Langhe & Söhne 😥

Jensen , please do

I have a Rolex which is 30+ years old. It was a 21st present. I wore it continually for nigh on 25 years until the need to be bare below elbows at work meant that I didn’t fancy walking around with it in my pocket as it is now worth more than my car second hand. Still wear it when not at work though.

The elephant in the room is servicing costs. Rolex recommend servicing every 2-3 years as the lubrication used is said to only last that length of time. In fairness, the watch comes back like new with all worn parts replaced. Last time I had it serviced was about 10 years ago and as the glass had a scratch it was replaced as part of the service which then cost around 250ukp.

Cost of service now is 600ukp+ and once the watch is 40 years old that starting price goes up to 1000ukp. As it was playing up and only right twice a day it is off for service but I now have a couple of Seiko solar watches doing duty for work and play that between them cost a lot less than the service cost of the Rolex and should tick for 10 years plus without service. Not sure that I will get Rolex serviced again although I admire the brilliance of a business model that asks you to pay 3k+ for an item without mentioning that you may need to pay the same again every 10 years for the privilege of continuing to use it.

Little seen here but Ralf tech watches are rather nice. http://www.ralftech.com/montre.php?modele=wrx_a_auto-chrono_noon
Cheers 1 shed.

Wow, £3.5k; that’s alot of money. I think the biggest issue with spending that much on a watch, is not necessarily the cost of the watch itself, but the cost of all the other things in your life.
You’re gonna look a bit of a tit with a £3.5k watch if you live in one of those generic Barratt Homes style housing developments on the edge of town and drive anything less than a BMW/Merc/Audi etc.

You’re gonna look a bit of a tit with a £3.5k watch if you live in one of those generic Barratt Homes style housing developments on the edge of town and drive anything less than a BMW/Merc/Audi etc.

😆 said on a forum where no doubt a large proportion of members have bikes worth more than their cars… does a 3.5k bike have the same stigma on the roof of a £500 Ford Focus?

I think the biggest issue with spending that much on a watch, is not necessarily the cost of the watch itself, but the cost of all the other things in your life.

Yep – the opportunity cost. But you could apply the same logic to any discretionary purchases. Is a £5k bike really that much better than a £2k bike unless you’re a pro? Do you really need a Range Rover for the school run? Graphite golf clubs? Bespoke suits? Designer handbags? Etc etc.

You’re gonna look a bit of a tit with a £3.5k watch if you live in one of those generic Barratt Homes style housing developments on the edge of town and drive anything less than a BMW/Merc/Audi etc.

Well, I live in an “average” new-build and drive a Dacia 😀 but I have a Swiss watch. It wasn’t £3.5k but it was certainly in the “expensive” ballpark. It was a 40th birthday present from my family, who clubbed together to get it for me. It will outlast any car, expensive German marque or not. It will probably outlast my house. It gives me more pleasure than a BMW, although I can’t put my finger on why. Probably because it is the only really, really nice thing I own.

When I fall off my perch, my eldest son will inherit it. And hopefully, his son after him. It’s an heirloom in the making.

I doubt anyone on here is a watchsmith if that is the word …you are relying on the word of the manufacturers as to the quality and workmanship of the watches …or is it a cost thing ??

I doubt anyone on here is a watchsmith if that is the word

We don’t need expert analysis – we have Manreviewing!

“Umm, yah. Cracking bit of kit that.”

etc

😀

Hebden Defo

But a more serious answer to your point:

They’re all expensive, they’re all good quality, they all tell the time, so you may as well just go for a brand whose image suits your personality, and a watch you most like the look of.

I get that hebden it’s all personal taste and you are free to spend your money how you wish …it’s madness to slag off one brand compared to another brand as we have no idea what we are looking at !!

I get that hebden it’s all personal taste and you are free to spend your money how you wish …it’s madness to slag off one brand compared to another brand as we have no idea what we are looking at !!

Yeah – really we’re just left with our own preferences. Which is exactly why every “recommend me a…” thread ends up with people recommending what they own. Guilty of it myself!

I was recently in a similar boat..
Fancied a nice watch..yeah, it tells the time as does a mobile, but you’re a long time dead..
I got really interested in the mechanics if it..obsessed almost!
Watching YouTube videos of movement is a guilty pleasure!!

I went for a black seamaster in the end..
I use grenichmeantime.co.uk and basically 3 weeks after purchase it’s 1 second out…
Though of course that’s +8 one day, -12 the next etc etc!

Yeah, it’s a lot for a watch, but hey ho…

DrP

Well on the back of this thread I’ve been checking the accuracy of my watch, and it’s lost 2.5 seconds in around 5 and a half hours.

Not happy at all with that. Going to give it a really good wind in the morning and try it out over a day. If it’s losing more that 5 seconds over 24 hours it’s going back under warranty 🙁

Rolex recommend servicing every 2-3 years as the lubrication used is said to only last that length of time…

That may have been the case 30-odd years ago when you bought the watch but not these days with the modern synthetic oils that are now used. I think Rolex recommend every six years now and Omega’s with the Co-axial escapement have ten year service intervals.

CaptainSlow – Member
Ooh thanks Fudd. Wasn’t aware of that. Got his recommendation off here too…

So….where does one send ones timepiece to be serviced these days?

In my slightly biased* opinion this guy is good – https://www.instagram.com/benchdweller.uk/

*Very biased, it’s my account 😉

My “every day” watch is a lovely Longines Hydroconquest Automatic. Looks superb, classy and not “shouty” at all. I have TAG’s and a Breitling plus a Seiko Auto Divers watch that gets a fair bit of use too.The Longines can be had for very little money and I can highly recommend them.