I've got an EB Canford which is one of the quartz models. Quality wise you can't really fault them, feels rock solid and the action of the internal bezel is silky smooth and perfectly weighted.
I fancied a new strap for it about a year ago but "accidentally" ordered four from EB - bracelet, leather deployant, rubber dive and their version of a Nato and they're all really high-quality as well.
Only downsides for some would be that they're relatively chunky unlike the current fashion for youth-sizing, and as a brand they lean into the bearded SF hipster lifestyle a bit enthusiastically.
I had been thinking of selling it because I don't wear it much since getting the Certina but I'm actually wearing it this weekend and I'm reminded how much I like it.
Elliott Brown made the STW watch and IIRC they were the original Animal watch manufacturers. The STW watch is really nice in the flesh, I'd have bought one if they did a 'youth-size' (🤣) model, but it was too big for me.
Annoyingly my favourite watch has started to lose time seemingly randomly. It's a mecha-quartz, used to keep very accurate time but now it can be accurate for a few days, then like today it lost 10 mins in 2hrs whilst wearing it. Going to keep track to see if i only loses when it's on my wrist. I guess a new battery would be my first option but I only had it changed 6 months ago. Anything else it could be? Watch was a new old stock model when I bought it at the start of the year, wondering if some of the components have degraded being sat on a shelf but that sounds unlikely?
If I can't resolve it then what are my chances of getting a refund given I only bought it 8 months ago? Seller is a US based company and I purchased through eBay. Would be a shame though as it's a perfect watch to me.
So, Jnr aged 14 picked up a Promaster Eco Drive yesterday, looked woefully at me and said “Daddy, this would be a perfect starter Watch for a collection, can you think about getting this for me as an early (January) birthday present?”.
Talk about using my own micro-hobby to pluck at my heart strings….
<span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);">So, £3950 for either or these, both being held behind the desk by the AD for me, but which one?
</span>
I’ve got to say the green is stunning, but it’s so flash yet could be worn with work attire! Whereas:
… much more “yatch club” casual, right?
Top one. The dual bezel with numbers that don't match up of the second one, I don't like it.
Not that you should listen to me.
Top one, I think it’s the nicer of the two and could take a different strap more easily if you wanted a change of profile (Zulu, rally, plain leather). I have been wearing my 25 year old brietling a lot the last few weeks, they are very good watches imho
The dual bezel with numbers that don’t match up
I think if you lined it up properly they would, mine lines up exactly that one just looks like user error.
Yeah, I think the Heritage looks more classy and fitting for a man in his fifties. I’m sitting here overthinking with conflicting thoughts now on the basis of dipping into savings for such an expensive purchase.
@kryton57 top one, but and you shouldn’t pay any attention to this how is that green ? It looks all black in your pic. A pic Which is enough in focus and up close, nice to see for a change.
Only point I can see is the adjuster looks a bit left out on the heritage.
For 4 grand do you not get a metal strap ?
What is going on with the adjuster in the second pic ?
The AD popped out the crowns for some reason.
here’s an internet pic which shows the green better. I’d say this pic shows how the Watch looks most of the time, it goes deeper to black in low light and a brighter sunburst “Hienekin bottle” green in the sun light. The indices and hands are highlight polished, there’s a lot of light play:
it can be had on a mesh strap for an extra £150, but he doesn’t have stock.
I’m sitting here overthinking with conflicting thoughts now on the basis of dipping into savings for such an expensive purchase.
I'm not surprised, neither of them look very nice. Sorry.
I’d go with the Superocean Heritage for sure. Looks v nice in the flesh.
Doesn’t it also have a better/fancier movement than the regular Superocean?
Top one. I like Breitling but can’t deal with the massive contrasting chapter ring on the bottom one
Omega Seamaster up the page can be had for £4k. I'd have that over either.
On the subject of Seamasters I’ve just ordered a blue SMP 300M (October 22, near mint,) and am awaiting delivery. I’d like a blue rubber strap for it, so has anyone found an aftermarket one that fits them properly? Or am I better off biting the bullet and sourcing an OEM Omega one?
I’m all for a bit of understated excellence normally, so here’s a pic of my trusty AT.
still like a nice dive watch as a bit of a contrast
I'm not quite sure what it is about those Breitling watches but they don't float my boat. Watches are a very personal thing.
Omega Seamaster up the page can be had for £4k. I’d have that over either.
They are a bit ordinary though? Very nice but ordinary.
Top one. And I'd definitely get it on mesh for a veritable heritage look.
I like the look of the Breitling and was really taken by them a few months ago. Of those two, the green dial heritage is smashing and my preferred. The ones with the wide white rehort look great in the bright lurid colours like turquoise or orange but for me not so good in other colours. What put me off was reading in to it there are many many reports of ludicrous service costs and poor service with breitling so be aware of this before you make a decision.
4k for the old omega is too much, they Are readily available as very common so there is no need to pay that for one. Used pos are 3k, diver 300s £2-2.5k
reading in to it there are many many reports of ludicrous service costs and poor service
Thanks, I’ll look into it. After sleeping on it I’m not sure I’m ready to drop £4k on a watch, so I’m going to wait. There’s no compelling discount here - as there used to be - anyway and I’d incur 3% CCard charges so why bother with the emotional purchase
I’ll be off to the capital early next week to browse a wider range of luxury watches. I’m quite liking the new Hydroconquest GMT fwiw although they are not in stock in stores. Who knows, I may go back to the Breightling AD and try and negotiate in a few days, but if I can’t get it 10% cheaper than UK prices there is no point rushing.
I much prefer Scapegoats Seamaster to the one in the link.
I was keeping it quiet but have saved the fund for a Sinn U50, so all of these are up against that. Yes it’s more an “if you know, you know” rather than “sparkly in your face” piece but I really need to find somewhere I can try one on first.
was keeping it quiet but have saved the fund for a Sinn U50, so all of these are up against that.
Personal choice - but I’d take the Sinn all day long over the Breitling
4k for the old omega is too much, they Are readily available as very common so there is no need to pay that for one. Used pos are 3k, diver 300s £2-2.5k
current market is buoyant as the RRP has shot up to £5.5k. You’ll find plenty of pre 2018 iterations at that sort of money, but loads of chancers trying to offload the latest METAS movement ones at 4-4.5k 😏
"I’m quite liking the new Hydroconquest GMT"
Firstly, I'm not really sure I agree with it being called a hydroconquest, the dial design is so far removed from the hq that it's effectively a totally different thing.
Secondly, I think the grey and rose gold hq is one of the best looking watches available today.
Thirdly, you definitely need to try a hq in the flesh if you're considering one because I tried the version I mentioned above and it was somewhat underwhelming to put it mildly!
Oh I know. Tbf the latest watch nearly knew/ with some of the 5 year warranty left is worth more. £3.5k is about right on those. Mostly those asking more are for the 'seaweed ', the green one. They were hard to get for a while and some people really trying it on with asking over rrp. They still seem to command a bit more than the other colourways. The best is the white dial and black bezel though, I have good taste.
Oh and yes the planet ocean as scape has is very nice. Its a very big heavy and thick lump but I love mine
I much prefer Scapegoats Seamaster to the one in the link.
I was keeping it quiet but have saved the fund for a Sinn U50
Yes Scapegoats is nicer & DrPs too. Sinn U50 is a very nice thing.
Yeah thanks, I’ve read / watched many reviews. I do like the modern look with Germanic form and function in a very respected watch, but also the “invisible” crystal.
Mostly though that it’s not in your face and would only be recognised by Watch fans. I’d be worried about getting home from a bar in London with the Heritage still on my wrist and as much as I love the watch, what’s the point if you can’t wear / enjoy it when you want to. For sure over the years of this thread my modus operandum has developed to want a respected and recognised watch which can be worn in all environments from work to pub to pool. The Hydro - I like the green with gold accents - as a “dive gmt” with a second rubber strap would fit the brief, the Sinn less “office”, albeit I have other watches I can wear of course…
on a different note and perhaps re the Hydroconquest, I thought I’d enjoy a GMT on holiday, but in actual fact the two I brought with me merely serve to remind me it’s 3am at home when pouring an evening drink, which I don’t think is helping my jet lag!
@scapegoat the Zealande ones are supposed to be good. I have the factory rubber and deployant on my white ceramic one and it’s lovely but you’ll pay big bucks for it. Very rarely wear it on the bracelet
Yes I was just about to say again, knowing Kato agrees, white and black is THE best colourway.
Isn't DrP's the same as the one linked? Or was it non wavy dial and sword hands? The simpler dial is nice but three wavy dial is uniquely seamaster.
It certainly is. I nearly bought the black one but the white is really quite something in the flesh. Plus it’s easier to read 😂😂
IMO Seamaster’s should have a wave dial, it’s as much part of the design as the five link bracelet. The plain faced ones just don’t work for me. I wish I’d kept my old Goldeneye as well now, but it went to fund the new one
Gosh, that’s lovely.
https://www.watchuseek.com/attachments/20230820_190726-jpg.17723898 /" alt="" />On SMPs, I do like the rhodium silver and blue combo. But not enough to excuse the HEV!
The 3rd watch in my collection. You guys...
You are flattering me! 🤣
Hev, skeleton hands, scallop bezel, wavy dial. These are marmite features most surely, but they make the seamaster
The white ones are inside your budget Kryton
I thought I’d enjoy a GMT on holiday, but in actual fact the two I brought with me merely serve to remind me it’s 3am at home when pouring an evening drink, which I don’t think is helping my jet lag!
I only found GMTs good for work trips. But I used to do a lot of those.
An emulation of Gaidongs pose yet with a lower tone: 😂
"Does it get better than this?"
Words can't even begin to describe how much I hate absolutely everything about that watch.
I like a Pelagos. Nearly bought one a few years back but bought the GMT Black Bay instead. What do you dislike so much about it?
I cannot speak for Ivan, IMO the 5 lines of text could have been simplified to 500m Chronometer, perhaps with a curve like the smiley older Black Bay with the Chronometer.
5 lines is a little too me,me,me,me and me.
I have tried one on many years ago and it overhung my dainty boney wrists. Looked like a pop Swatch on me.
Mainly the text, the hands, the text, the thickness/flatness of the case, the text, the blue, the text, the media hype, the text.
When it was released every single watch media outlet lost their shit over what was the addition of a fairly straightforward colour choice worth maybe a paragraph and a couple of photos. Watchwise it was the biggest case of emperor's new clothes I can remember.
It hasn't got a cyclops though so it has that going for it at least.
Edit: @Wally - turns out you can probably guess at least some of what I'm going to say!
