There seems to be a watch thread on here quite regularly, so I thought I’d join the clamour with my own.

I don’t really wear watches, purely because I’ve never found one I really liked. Until now…

This is an absolute triumph of design, IMO, but I’m only fooling myself if I think I’ll ever spend £1000 on a watch. You could buy a car for that.

So what’s out there for a more modest budget – say £200 absolute tops – that is similar to the Damasko? And preferably not quartz.

there are lots about in that sort of military design but the budget could be a problem if you don’t want quartz. I take it you’re wanting a manual? Doubt you’ll get an automatic at that price point.

Marathon

Seiko

Citizen Oxy Military

Damasko themselves are a kind of cheaper version of Sinn (also very nice watches). Archimede make a similar pilot/military style for half the price (but it’s not as sexy).
Otherwise, there is this;

Nice looking and eco drives are great. Mineral crystal though so you’ll have to gentle with it. My citizen crystal looks like its been dragged behind a car.

Hmmmm… The Marathon ones are a bit “Grand Seiko” for my liking. As in not to my liking at all; far too big and fussy. And the cases on the less big ones look too… you know how the mid-90s Alfa Romeos had weird looking rear ends? That.

Archimede are more like it, but still at least double what I’d be comfortable spending.

Save and spend a bit more on an Archimeyde or Laco. Stowa out of your price range but similar style
There is also steinhart who do some really nice fliegers for €400

Hanowa Swiss Military are really good quality.

The Citizen Oxy Military just looks all wrong. The bezel is too fat, making the rest of the face look unbalanced. Like one of those Pop Swatch things all the girls wore at school.

Laco look like a possibility. Added bonus is I could probably fit a full haddock supper on it if we run out of dinner plates.

Liking the Hanowa Swiss Soldier the most so far.

If you really want that look, you’d best save your pennies!

Seiko 5 snk809. Think mine was £50

Is what you want.

I have one of these which will do the job until I can afford one of those inthe first link.

I also wear the Titanium Lorus that sobriety recommends, fits under a wet suit and so light that it does not jump around when cycling. Lorus is under the Seiko umbrella and faultless in terms of quality at a price. The only weak spot is the glass – it will scratch.

Wally is right, the glass does scratch up a bit easily, but for the £30 I paid I’m not complaining.

My uncle who’s an ex-RAF pilot wears one as well for day to day wear.

A Poljot Aviator may suit your needs.

They are a Russian watch company who make surprisingly decent stuff.
I have a handwind similar to the above with a handwound mechanical alarm(sounds like a miniature old fashioned alarm clock).

Similar one HERE, slightly over your budget though, but you can pick them up cheaper off ebay or pre-owned.

Hamilton Khaki Field- accurate, robust, sapphire crystal.

Scratch that, the one I found nearly in budget was a manual on Amazon.

You could probably find an auto on eBay from Spain, Germany or the States in budget

Seiko 5.

The Damasco is not unlike a Yokobies Seiko 5 mod, which is basically because they both copy Sinn pilot-style watches; around £85 will get you something like mine:

Difference is size, and a polished case, the 5’s are fairly small, but they’re mechanical autos, not Quartz.
I’ve been toying with the idea of buying a Tudor Pelageos, which is my idea of the perfect watch from the point of view of simplicity and clarity, but it’s also difficult to reconcile the fact that it’s around £2500 more than my Seiko SPORK, and is probably unlikely to be much more accurate.
SPORK:

Pelageos:

Apart from the titanium case and bracelet, and the highly waterproof build, even though I can easily afford the Tudor, I’m finding it really difficult to justify the purchase, in all honesty; I actually bought the Seiko because it was very close in style, and it was easily affordable, having recently seen photos of both.
I have a feeling it’s a purchase I’ll keep putting off…

Hmmmm. I’ve seen that yobokies chap mentioned before. Seems he just makes whatever you want from old Seiko parts he has kicking about in the shed. How would one go about contacting him to buy a watch?

Seikoboy Aka Yobokies calls himself Harold. Google “Yobokies” and look through hundreds of options, then email him. Details are behind the photobucket pics.
His emails are short and to the point. I would also advise the extra £30 for sapphire glass.

Seiko SNDA57P1, perhaps?

Chrono, but subtle, too.

Second hand cwc sbs quartz for the very top end of that budget. Fixed bars though so limited strap choice but a cool quality option.

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/233097801/mwc-g10-lm-military-watch-black-strap?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_uk_en_gb_jewelry_mid&utm_custom1=917aa498-a1a7-4741-b15a-fb28fe1b3845&kpid=233097801engb&gclid=CjwKEAjw8LOsBRDdub-swPW8riISJAAnmS01xrErqonrHdMgjlW7CK6p92XPRPxzYORV2A-Z3bhiXxoCue7w_wcB

Looks close enough to me

Well done billytinkle. I reckon that’s about as close as I’m going to get without it being an actual knock-off.

I’ll maybe start leaving some pics of the Damasko about the house in case the wife fancies buying me a nice combined birthday-christmas-birthday-christmas-birthday-christmas present.

I got this Seiko 5…

Bit like CFH but without the chrono. Not too dissimilar and not too pricey either.

Timefactors. Bit more exclusive and some good ETA and Miyota movements. The Seafire is very minimal and it says ‘Great Britain’ on the dial 😀

Momentum Atlas
http://www.momentumwatch.com/pages/products/list-of-products/atlas.php

Very happy with mine, fulfilled my requirement for that look at a good price and well made.
Available on Amazon.

Mrblobby’s Seiko 5 Military is what my Yokobies Seiko 5 Mod up there ^^ started out as. It’s just had the face and hands swapped to a Sinn pilots-type and the case polished.

Slightly over budget at 375 of those American dollars, but it looks similar to the Damasko, it comes from a well respected micro-brand (just like Damasko are), decent Miyota/Citizen mechanical movement and it comes with a nice bracelet too –

http://www.dagazwatch.com/apps/webstore/products/show/3983024

Hmmmm….

I emailed Yobokies/Harold and have just received a slightly puzzling reply back. I went through his photos and asked if I could have “this face, that case, those hands, that strap” etc. All combinations of what I’ve asked for can be seen in his photos but he’s replied, “Sorry this particular watch uses an integrated bracelet that’s not replaceable with any other bracelet.”

I am confused, and not sure how to proceed. Any ideas?

List up a link of the photobucket page requests you made and someone will work out why he replied in such a way. Harold is direct, but never to my knowledge messes you about.

No worries. We’ve worked out what was happening (I think) 😆

How about a Maratac Pilot?

I love the look of it, it’s just very hard to buy if you’re not a US resident..

There were some on eBay USA last time I looked…

Worn and Wound review
Maratac Pilot

Watches with integrated bracelets don’t allow for swapping out the strap for lots of various after market ones as the lugs are part of the strap design rather than a simple 20mm space inbetween which is a pin bar to hold a standard strap. They can look smarter but are more restrictive.

Watches with integrated bracelets don’t allow for swapping out the strap for lots of various after market ones as the lugs are part of the strap design rather than a simple 20mm space inbetween which is a pin bar to hold a standard strap. They can look smarter but are more restrictive.

That Dagaz watch is rather tasty!
As regarding the issue of the Yokobies watch with integral bracelet, without pictures, it’s impossible to know what the issue might be.
Certainly, there are some modern watches that use a case design more common early last century, where a rectangular ‘U’-shaped loop runs across the case, and the strap, usually leather, is actually stitched directly to it; meaning you’re restricted to stitched-on leather or NATO/ZULU woven nylon straps.

As regarding the issue of the Yokobies watch with integral bracelet, without pictures, it’s impossible to know what the issue might be.

That’s the thing I couldn’t understand. It was just one of these:

but with different face, hands and a leather strap.
That’s an SNK803k2 Sinn homage. Somehow that one can’t be changed, but he has no problem changing a SNK809k2 to my liking, even though it’s the same watch with a different colour face.

On another note, the current GBP/EUR exchange rate means I could purchase the Damasko that I actually wanted in the first place, from Germany, for “just” £625. Nearly half price. It may end up as cause of and part of a divorce settlement though, so I need to weigh up my options.

I have that seiko above, same strap but with white numbers/hands sat in a drawer. Make me an offer if you want it by the weekend 8)
(You will have to get your own spring bars though as I borrowed those for another watch)
The leather straps from Yobokies aren’t great, mine lasted a couple of months, better off with a good aftermarket one like a hirsch.