[Closed] Watch Which?

I find Christopher Ward an acquired taste. I have one of their Makaria Pro watches, but I fancied that precisely because it was so different to their usual stock in trade which is the sort of historic-type thing.

I like their Trident but it is an unashamed rip of the classic diver's watch. Good prices in their sale though.

Alpiniste?

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Perfect with a black leather strap.

After 20 plus years of not wearing a watch, I was given a Bering Titanium | [url= https://beringtime.com/uk/titanium-brushed-grey-11937-007 ]11937-007[/url] for my birthday last year.

It's a little below your price range but is very understated and wonderfully lightweight.

Or the Seiko SARG003 (compared to the Alpinist here):

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Stop messing around, man the **** up, and get a fenix5.

I did look at the Alpiniste but i'm not really a fan of gold. which is unfortunate as it's a lovely watch.
One Bad Mofo, i like that, it's very Skagen which is another brand i was looking at. but i fancy something a little more chunky (but not too chunky).

Jakester, i did see their Tridents were 30% off, that's what got me looking around their site.

Thanks all, keep the ideas coming

Personally, I'd be looking at the Orient Watches on [url= http://www.creationwatches.com/products/orient-watches-252/index-1-3d.html ]Creation Watches[/url]. Something like this perhaps:
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Or this:
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Elliot Brown have released a few new models recently, well worth a look.

I have an Elliot Brown Canford for daily duties. I LOVE the styling and it's slightly ott chunk.

It is expensive for a Quartz, but beautiful things are often more expensive. They are also lovely guys to deal with.

Thanks Ivan, i quite like the Canford, that's another for the list

Hard to see beyond the Tissot Visodate at this budget in either gold or SS

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Or these pair from citizen one for good and one for a beater...

http://www.creationwatches.com/products/citizen-perpetual-calendar-55/citizen-eco-drive-perpetual-calendar-bl1240-59e-bl1240-mens-watch-2379.html

http://www.creationwatches.com/products/citizen-eco-drive-53/citizen-eco-drive-military-200m-aw1410-24e-mens-watch-9919.html

No personal experience, but some of the [url= http://www.timefactors.com/ ]Timefactors[/url] designs are nice, and reasonable value. How about their [url= http://www.timefactors.com/smithsprs38.htm ]Black Shadow[/url]?

Why not a calculator?
http://www.creationwatches.com/products/casio-calculator-264/casio-classic-quartz-calculator-ca-56-1df-ca-56-1-mens-watch-2699.html

I also have a Canford, lovely watch, only issue is the glass scratches easily.

If you don't mind used have a look at the Longines Hydroconquest. I had one and I think it's a stunning watch. Classic looks, just like a Tudor/Rolex and has the lovely sweeping second hand too. You could find a mint one for that money. I wear a very nice TAG Aquaracer Calibre 16 every day and only sold the Longines because I couldn't bare it just sitting on a watch winder even though I have other nice expensive watches doing the same.

In true recommend what you own fashion; you could have a look at Magrette. You need to put down a deposit and wait for them to make it but you get a good watch for the price imo. It all depends on whether or not you like the cushion case / Panerai look...

[url= http://www.magrette.com/shop/all/370040261 ]Magrette Timepieces[/url]

Otherwise, you might find some inspiration here:
[url= https://www.ablogtowatch.com/tag/watch-reviews-under-500/ ]watch reviews under £500[/url]

Oh, and [url= http://www.maranez.com/watches.php ]Maranez[/url] have some really interesting stuff too - I considered them before buying the CW.

beanum - Member
In true recommend what you own fashion; you could have a look at Magrette. You need to put down a deposit and wait for them to make it but you get a good watch for the price imo. It all depends on whether or not you like the cushion case / Panerai look...

Magrette Timepieces

Hmm, those Magrette are nice..

There’s a lot of crap at that price point.
Look at Tissot or Citizen for a decent brand with decent movement, neither will give you much issue. You may struggle with the styling you like - Citizen will be better for that, 6 year guarantee and no batteries, or you’ll get a Tissot automatic for that.

For left field, Magrette. Excellent watches for the money but you can’t try one on First unfortunately and there is a lead time.

i am liking a few of the Magrettes, and i expected them to be a lot more expensive than they are which was a nice surprise.
thanks for all the help, while more choice is just making it a more problematic decision it is good to see there's more out there.

I’m orderig the blue magrette, not going to be here until May but I’ve fancied one for a while and for a small run watch, Swiss movement with titanium case and ceramic bezel, sapphire front and back it’s very good value for just over £500. Will knock spots off the £500 fashion watches.

Have a look at Certina and Hamilton. Both Swiss made and part of the Swatch/Omega group. Some nice automatics around or slightly less than £500. Uhrenlounge.de have good prices - I' got a nice Certina DS Podium automatic for about £400 a couple of years ago.

at that budget you're strictly in 'fashion' territory for anything new. In which case I'd just go for something nice, simple and cool like a Braun and pocket the rest of the cash.

If you're keen on something decent and potentially different spend the time to dig out something from a proper brand. Here's a very quick example... https://www.vestiairecollective.com/men-accessories/watches/iwc/silver-steel-iwc-porsche-design-iwc-2160799.shtml admittedly not to everyone's taste, but shows that there's stuff out there.

Have a look at Steinhart and Junghans watches. They make some lovely watches in that price range

Look at Tissot or Citizen for a decent brand with decent movement

For that budget I’d look no further than Seiko.

FWIW I recently bought a Seiko 5 SNZG17K for £135 as a daily beater for travelling and it’s a fantastic watch. They do some really nice watches for your money with more sophisticated movements but the 5 is perfect for my needs.

Seiko SARB033 gets good reviews (lots of videos on youtube).

Nice classic design with a diameter of about 39mm. Some people don't like the standard steel bracelet but I like mine. If you have massive wrists the bracelet won't be big enough though as it is sized for the japanese domestic market,

You can find them for about £240 new on ebay.

So many at that price but I’d encourage you to look at Nite watches and Seikos at that price are impressive. Orient is part of Seiko and I’d challenge the comment above ‘at that price point it can only be about fashion...’ . I’d even go as far to say that above that price point it’s all about fashion!

‘at that price point it can only be about fashion...’

Another Elliot Brown Canford owner here.
No issues at all and I love the quietly cool, understated styling

That Sekio Alpinist on the brown leather strap is s lovely looking watch. If I had spare cash - I would buy one based on the reputation and that picture.

I can't answer your question, but the first watch you posted is stylish and beautiful, and the second is gopping.

HTH.

Citizen Eco-Drive Super Titanium Aw0060 looks nice to me

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I don't want to like that Eco Drive due to all those angles but having seen it from other views it is growing on me.
So far i've whittled it down to the CWard, EB Canford, Seiko SARB033 and one of those Mickey Mouse ones where his arms tell the time.... 😆

I'd go for a vintage Seiko 6139 like this...

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70s watch perfection.

This thread piqued my interest and some fantasy eBay browsing. Does this represent value for money?

https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tag-Heuer-WV-211B-Carrera-Automatic-Bracelet-Watch-excellent-quality-classic-/112742244615

There's a few here for you to browse through [url= https://www.watchitallabout.com/category/reviews/250-500/ ]£250-£400 watch reviews[/url] I have a G. Gerlach which are a bit left-field and great VFM and I do like the Melbourne Flinders

Hamilton

[url= http://www.watchsleuth.com ]seiko watch finder[/url]

Use this to hunt through loads of Seikos range across the 5 main styles.

I'd be wary of anything from the Swatch group as they are limiting spares for repairs and increasing service costs.

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.

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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

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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.steinhar****ches.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

[img] [/img]

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:

[img] ?itok=Pqqi7-vj[/img]

[img] ?itok=a--UI5ka[/img]

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.

[url= http://webshop.forasec.com/webstore/magrette/p-1/ ]Forasec[/url]

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...

CHRISTOPHERWARD.COM "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

[img] ?w=640[/img]

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

[url= https://www.seiyajapan.com/collections/seiko?page=2&sort_by=price-ascending ]Seiyajapan[/url]

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 :

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

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