Hello,

My 40th is fast approaching and some family members wish to club together to get me a watch. I wear a G-Shock day to day but it would be good to have something a bit smarter to wear on occasion. The budget would be £600 max. I have very little knowledge of watches and so would be keen to hear any suggestions from the STW hive-mind…..

I would suggest you consider Tissot and Raymond Weil.

A good second hand vintage Omega – much better than the modern ones IMHO.

Cheers

Danny B

http://www.christopherward.co.uk/le.html

Beautifully made watches at sensible prices

If you get something mechanical don’t forget the future servicing costs.

OK, its your 40th, quite a landmark, be nice to have a watch that only appreciates in value rather than something that could cost £600 & never be worth more than £100 later down the line, for that reason.

This

A good second hand vintage Omega

http://www.steinhartwatches.de/en/

http://www.timefactors.com/

http://www.stowa.de/lshop,shopstart,137215659911262,en,1372156634-11680,,,,,.htm

http://www.watchshop.com/Seiko-Watches.html&tab3=400to700

http://www.watches-of-switzerland.co.uk/brands/glycine-watches

have a look at Steinhart – great range with nice automatic movements

good example :
http://www.steinhartwatches.de/en/Jubilaeumsuhr-JG-74-Ltd-Edition-333-pcs,427.html

+1 For Christopher Ward. Well known, well respected.

The C60 is a nice watch, 300m Water Resistant, auto, Chronometer certified, all the features of an Omega without the price tag.

I’m a bit of a watch addict and have a few different ones, just about within your budget I just bought a Halios Laguna, which I love…worth a google.

300m Water Resistant,

Why?

TurnerGuy – Member

If you get something mechanical don’t forget the future servicing costs.

Just the same for quartz movements, my old TAG Series 1000 is at least £90 just for a service.
Look for a Seiko Tuna.

I wear a G-Shock day to day

The budget would be £600 max

I have very little knowledge of watches

Why not get something else with the money related to something you’re passionate about?

TRANSFORMERS WATCH.

BigButSlimmerBloke – Member

300m Water Resistant,

Why?

Why not?? 😉

You wouldn’t want to test it.

Depth ratings on watches more dictate how appropriate they are for certain activities. So a 25m depth rating is shower proof, 100m is swim proof etc etc.

300m means that it’s suitable for diving in…ie it’s VERY waterproof…

HTH.

Depth ratings on watches more dictate how appropriate they are for certain activities. So a 25m depth rating is shower proof, 100m is swim proof etc etc.

I don’t own a shower that is over 25m deep, but what if I did? What then?!

chojin – Member

Depth ratings on watches more dictate how appropriate they are for certain activities. So a 25m depth rating is shower proof, 100m is swim proof etc etc.

I don’t own a shower that is over 25m deep, but what if I did? What then?!

Er..I’d probably take it off. HTH

The Christopher Wards do look good and as said they are a well respected company.

Time Factors offer good value for money but there is evidence of non existent back up service Google ‘Smiths Everest problems’.

Most appreciation in premier watch brands new and vintage is driven by the GBP devaluation against Swiss Franc in recent years it is debateable whether buying a vintage watch will lead to future appreciation.

Hamilton are worth a look as are Seiko SARB models both can be found on Creation Watches website. You are unlikely to pick up duty charges but factor those in when planning budget.

Why not get something else with the money related to something you’re passionate about?

Even though I am not ‘passionate’ about watches I do still wear and use a watch every day of my life and as stated could do with one that is slightly smarter than my G-Shock for when the situation requires.

Some of my family have expressed a desire to get me one – I am flattered and delighted by their generosity.

To all of you who have made suggestions – thank you! I will look at all of these tonight after work.

300m means that it’s suitable for diving in…ie it’s VERY waterproof…

HTH.
I dive to 30m and wear a £60 dive watch. How much more waterproof do you think a watch needs to be?

BigButSlimmerBloke – Member

300m means that it’s suitable for diving in…ie it’s VERY waterproof…

HTH.

I dive to 30m and wear a £60 dive watch. How much more waterproof do you think a watch needs to be?

Great stuff.

I don’t get your point? You make it sound like I make the watch? It’s a nice watch, and if it was Water proof to 25 metres not 300, I would have listed that as one of it’s features…If you want to know why it’s waterpoof to 300m, maybe email the company.

I like the look of Shinola watches

http://www.shinola.com/shop/watches.html

geoffj – Member

I like the look of Shinola watches

http://www.shinola.com/shop/watches.html

They look good but the ‘Doesn’t know shit from shinola’ cracks may get tedious

I’ve got a bit of a thing for Orient at the minute, particularly the Orient Star range for something a bit more formal.

Like this one…

I’ve also added a Laco Augsberg to my ever-expanding list of things I need…

Clicky…

Rado watch. Virtually scratch proof. Automatic. This is in budget…

http://www.watchtag.com/13738.html

Fantastic watches. I’ve got 3 and my wife has 1. A bit different from your omegas. ^^ is a nice one

Might go for a bit more than your budget, but who knows…

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Gents-Gold-Omega-Auto-Geneve-Watch-Box-1973-Stunning-/151070294358?pt=UK_Jewelery_Watches_Watches_MensWatches_GL&hash=item232c7dc156

Here’s my two most expensive watches, the one on the left, a TAG Series 1000 I bought in the early 80’s, cost £250, and I’ve had three batteries replaced, along with the face, after the retaining pins dropped off, cost over £100, around twelve-fifteen years ago. A new battery is at least £30, if you take it to a TAG dealer.
The Seiko SPORK cost me £350 last year, new with warranty, (discontinued model) mechanical automatic, so no batteries. I never wear the TAG, the Seiko I love, and is what I wear everywhere, except to work, to avoid damaging it on machinery. The nearest watch that TAG do to the Series 1000, is at least £1100 now, and I prefer the Seiko in just about every way. A really good watch doesn’t have to max out the budget.
[edit] Before anyone points it out, I know the TAG is an hour slow, I never bothered to put it forward because I don’t wear it).

I’m a big fan of Nixon

http://uk.nixon.com/mens/watches/

Ceebug – Member
Why not get something else with the money related to something you’re passionate about?
Even though I am not ‘passionate’ about watches I do still wear and use a watch every day of my life and as stated could do with one that is slightly smarter than my G-Shock for when the situation requires.

Some of my family have expressed a desire to get me one – I am flattered and delighted by their generosity.

Fair enough. I love the Mondaine i got for my 30th. Don’t know how deep it will go, but the face is so clear and well designed i can see the time out the corner of my eye.