Going with the standard STW rulz, I bought one of these Redux COURG titanium watchs when it was a Kickstarter project so I am obliged to recommend it.

You can pick the numeral styling you want from about four. Nice mix of diver and pilot for me as a work watch.

Think this’ll be my next purchase

Why are timefactors watches popular on here?

I have a couple of Timefactors watches – a Speedbird GMT and a Smiths Everest. Great watches!

My favourite, that I keep coming back to is a smaller-sized B-Uhr- style German pilot/navigators’ watch. There are LOADs out there – mine is an Archimedes (as they do a 39mm and I have the wrists of a girl), but there are affordable ones by Steinhart that are fantastic too. Both companies do a range of sizes.
https://www.steinhartwatches.de/en/flieger-watch/nav-b-uhr-44-automatic-a-muster.html

That Nav B-Uhr 44 Automatic A-Muster Chipps linked to is a lovely classic design, and one I’d be perfectly happy to own and wear, although I’m not so keen on the riveted strap, but that’s easily replaced anyway.

more silly questions:
When people say “daily beater”, does that mean a watch worn daily with an automatic movement? Or a watch worn daily to withstand a bit of abuse?

Do the Seiko divers watches people mention above put up with a bit of abuse? e.g. wearing swimming, MTBing, gym etc etc

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Yobokies-Extremely-Limited-Edition-Albacore-Divers-Watch/112739935035?_trkparms=aid%3D888007%26algo%3DDISC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D49131%26meid%3D2a3cbb5f483b4222950ab23f8d2ed29f%26pid%3D100009%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26sd%3D112739954918&_trksid=p2047675.c100009.m1982

OP, that second picture is my wrist! Freaky.

At around £400 i’m a big fan of the Hamilton Khaki field watch range.

These are either just under or just over £400:

That king auto is stunning at £425.

http://www.hamiltonwatch.com/collection/khaki/field/king-auto/h64455133

John Lewis stocks them and they are very impressive ‘in the metal’.

I have a few watches, including the Christopher Ward watch shown by the OP. I really like Christopher ward. The movements are in many cases the same as in the “big” brands and I have 6 of their watches! Their titanium trident is every bit as nice as a Tudor but less than 1/4 of the price in the sale. Casio Oceanus also do (did?) some great watches, but recent offerings from Casio have not appealed to me. I think what this thread shows is that we all have different taste in what makes a nice watch, some of the ones above really don’t appeal to me.

For the people who liked the Magrette watches, they have a European distributor.

They have some of the older watches in stock, which might be interesting?
I haven’t worked out if there is a price advantage, but personally if I was ordering a watch on spec I would prefer to go direct and deal with Dion the owner directly.

Forasec

I have a Christopher Ward C2 Lido that I’ve only worn a few times and was thinking of selling.

Just like the one pictured in this link…
https://www.christopherward.com/media/manuals/c2_manual.pdf

I don’t think they make anything as cool-looking as this now, but I do like the one you posted (can’t find it on their site however).

@elshalimo

My “daily beater” is an auto that I don’t mind getting scuffed up, that I can wear every day. Used to be a Submariner, but I fancy looking after that one a bit more now!
Fenix 3 is probably worm the most but is one hell of a big watch for everyday strutting around!

Apparently my blue Magrette watch has now arrived at Coventry airport from NZ 😀

Thanks everyone for all your help and suggestions. There’s been some lovely watches suggested and a few not quite to my taste. I thought i’d pop a quick post up to confirm what i went for in the end. and the winning suggestion was….Jerrys…

Seiko SARB033

I just need to wait for it to arrive from Japan so i can put a leather strap on it as i wasn’t wholly convinced by the bracelet.

Oh my, that’s lovely.

Hovering over picking one up with the white face – I can’t beat the eBay price of £240 though with a bracelet (although I’d prefer leather); is there a link for where you sourced yours?

Thanks.

Hi Bear.

I went for the white one in the end so I didn’t get the SARB033, it was the SARB035, my bad.

I did see a few on Ebay but couldn’t bring myself to trust them so went with Seiya as they seems to be a trusted seller in Japan. here’s the link

Seiyajapan

with a 5% discount it comes to £254 but it’ll be an extra £50ish when it hits customs

Looking at all the reviews for the SARB033/035 they get nothing but glowing praise. I just need to look out for a suitable leather strap now (next thread here i come)

Now you’ve bought a very nice watch, brace yourself for absolutely no-one noticing/complimenting it, ever 😀

Great, thanks and enjoy 🙂

😆

Damn fine choice, that’s a lovely watch.

I agree

I have just two watches ..both priceless in terms of sentimental value ..both from the missus ..
An Animal bought for £60.00 eighteen years ago ( which needs re-sealing ) as the first ever present ..
Also a Tag Heuer Kirium bought for my 50th ..10 years ago ..(in need of a bracelet repair) for a little bit more money than the Animal .. 😉
Edit : As Finbar says above ..only one person has ever noticed it in 10 years ..

People don’t comment about watches, unless it’s a fellow aficionado. That’s the nice thing about it though, people don’t notice or judge (unless it’s a Breitling then you’re immediately identified as a tit).

It’s your thing, that you like, that you know is something special and you can have a little smile to yourself at owning a quality item that’s better than most folks’ possessions, without having to step into an Audi or hang your suit jacket so people can see the Canali label.

DTF, how am I doing?

Sarb0035, top choice. I had one, excellent movement for the price and finish is super.
You will sell it on for very little loss when you need to. Nice 39mm size.

This week postman brought a timefactors Smiths seafire.

That 35 is a great choice, even better in real life, compared to the pics. You also bought it from the best Seiko shop!

My blue Magrette Kara turned up this week, very happy with it. Bit larger than my usual watches but looks nice and unusual. It has a good quality clasp on the rubber strap. Comes with nice box and case. Glass back to show the mechanism and nicely made. Just over £500 all in. No idea how you post a photo on STW atm.

Thi sieko that’s been modded to look like a £7k Omega :

I went in a slightly different direction which some love and some hate:

I wanted something manly, shouty and that doesnt ever run out for social wearing, never owned an eco drive before so: