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Similar from Citizen f you're interested in unique dials and traditional methods of watchmaking:
The Chronomaster. https://www.seiyajapan.com/products/the-citizen-eco-drive-aq4020-54y-japanese-traditional-paper-dial-made-in-japan.
The back story & manufacturing of this watch is frankly fascinating, enjoy: https://deployant.com/review-enter-the-dragon-the-citizen-aq-4020-54y-best-quartz-watch-in-the-world/
I like my G-Shocks and just ordered this. Think Merak has a custom with the negative display (looks better imo) and Derek has this model. Reduced from £450 to £337.50, so took a punt
Please tell me £37.50 is a mistake....
Yes, it was....
Cheap awesomness.
Or even cooler for a couple of hundred. Automatic as well.
Followed the link to the Deployant website in Krytons post above and came across this - suppose it should be pretty nice for $307,500 but check out the works!
Wow love that @Bullet. I’ve learned something new there, I didn’t know about fusee chains before. A watch with a tiny bicycle chain, how very awesome.
Anything similar to a Tag Heuer Monaco Gulf or similar squareish watches?
It's my current favourite, but the £5k RRP is a little off putting. Any homages out there?
Those Grand Seiko's are lovely - massive fan of the black dialled versions. The movement is incredibly smooth 'in the metal'. Love em.
The problem with Rolex though is that you'll never be quite 'there' until you get one. That's the draw of Rolex. It's the watch that you'll always be slightly curious about. Always eyeing up. Always stopping when you walk past the AD to see whats in the window. Always checking Chrono24 for prices. It'll always be 'the one that got away'.
Good luck 😉
Whilst I don't doubt the exceptional build quality and craftsmanship of the Grand Seiko, I just cant get my head passed the fact its the same brand that I have in my seiko 5 auto that cost me £40 30 years ago. It just doesn't have that intangible allure that an Omega or Rolex might have.
The problem with Rolex though is that you’ll never be quite ‘there’ until you get one. That’s the draw of Rolex. It’s the watch that you’ll always be slightly curious about.
Nah, for me they're too obvious. Like in James Bond when he gets asked 'Nice watch, is it a Rolex?' it's just what everyone who has a chunk of disposable income and wants a watch plumps for without really thinking about it. In that price bracket I'd get an Omega, (though they are skirting close to the obvious choice) or a Grand Seiko every time.
I recently purchased a Breitling Avenger Seawolf 2 with the Pro Diver strap and Cobra yellow face and went to have the deployant strap adjusted and the jewelers I went are Rolex dealers and I did enquire about buying a GMT Submariner as I was looking at some second hand.
Apparently the new model is out now but the waiting list is very long and I was advised if I bought another model of Rolex it would put me in a better position in the waiting list. But why would I buy say a Datejust model just to bump up the queue? This is sadly the way a lot of Rolex dealers work and trying to buy the actual watch you want is a minefield and they push you to buy something else to get the watch you want. I overheard another customer trying purchase a £25k watch and he was having the same issues and was politely pushed towards another very very expensive model until the watch he actually wanted became available.
What's the odds? I pre-ordered an Alkin Model 2 back in the spring and a Vostok in October. THe postie brought both today.
I like both of those. 👍
earl_brutus
Full Member
Whilst I don’t doubt the exceptional build quality and craftsmanship of the Grand Seiko, I just cant get my head passed the fact its the same brand that I have in my seiko 5 auto that cost me £40 30 years ago. It just doesn’t have that intangible allure that an Omega or Rolex might have.
I assume you didn't see the post about the £300,000 Seiko in the "what kids watch?“ thread!?
Whilst I don’t doubt the exceptional build quality and craftsmanship of the Grand Seiko, I just cant get my head passed the fact its the same brand that I have in my seiko 5 auto that cost me £40 30 years ago. It just doesn’t have that intangible allure that an Omega or Rolex might have.
I was discussing this with my son last night but in the context of Fender vs Squire, Gibson vs Epiphone, Bentley vs Seat etc....
Whilst I don’t doubt the exceptional build quality and craftsmanship of the Grand Seiko, I just cant get my head passed the fact its the same brand that I have in my seiko 5 auto that cost me £40 30 years ago. It just doesn’t have that intangible allure that an Omega or Rolex might have.
Unless you are a watch person.
I picked the GS up and had it sized, it really is a stunning watch, right up their with the best I've worn, and easily on par with Rolex.
I didn't even consider an Omega when I was looking.
The problem is getting your watch knowledge from instagram lol. (no insult intended btw).
The Spring Drive is about as far from a Seiko 5 as it's possible to get.
I have a GS springdrive. I love it. Although some days the electronic wizardry in it diminishes my love of it. I hark after a fully mechanical watch now. The thread title sums it up for me.
Model 2 verdict? Early days but I like it.I don't have any other divers of that compressor case style so it is different. The bracelet is good quality. Sized by taking out 1 link in 2 minutes as it is screw pins. 6 micro adjust holes.
Higher end movement than anything else I have - Miyota 9039
Saphire glass.
Good design features. Drilled lugs for easy strap changes. The hour indice markers on the face are actually holes cut on the upper dial which look black as they expose the black lower dial.
Both crowns are easy to operate and screw down easily without any issue catching the thread.
Nice legible design. I do shifts in a car an have found a couple of my watches can't always be read at a glance in bad light. I would expect no issue with the Alkin.
Supporting a UK designer.
Happy with the build quality and specs for the price. Probably down to whether you like the look.
https://www.beansandbezels.com/reviews/alkin-model-two-watch-review/
^
I've never heard of Alkin but that ticks all my boxes for an understated tool/field watch.
👍
I did enquire about buying a GMT Submariner as I was looking at some second hand.
Apparently the new model is out now but the waiting list is very long and I was advised if I bought another model of Rolex it would put me in a better position in the waiting list. But why would I buy say a Datejust model just to bump up the queue? This is sadly the way a lot of Rolex dealers work and trying to buy the actual watch you want is a minefield and they push you to buy something else to get the watch you want. I overheard another customer trying purchase a £25k watch and he was having the same issues and was politely pushed towards another very very expensive model until the watch he actually wanted became available.
There is no 'waiting' list. The in demand models go to [s]Watchfinder[/s] the best customers first, so when a GMT for example comes in the store manager will have an 'expression of interest' list for that model prioritised by spending history. Time spent on the list is of little consideration
You can buy a new GMT tomorrow at a vastly inflated price and there's no shortage of them, you just have to accept that its what they're worth in a free market.
The current alternative is buy whatever Rolex the AD can offer, some jewellery for the Mrs and maybe Tag Heuer at RRP while you're there. Return in a few months and buy a Breitling, mention the GMT while at it, then return and buy something else and repeat. By the time they do have one for you you'll have sold all those unwanted watches you bought and hopefully lost no more than the five or six grand extra you'd have to have stumped up last year when you first wanted the GMT.
Model 2 verdict?
After first 24hr on wrist - running around 4s a day slow. Very comfortable on the wrist. Very legible during a nightshift in the car. I'm happy with it.
Can anyone recommend a decent Batman GMT? So far I'm thinking on the top-of-budget Stienhart Steel...
...but wondering if there's anything I've missed thats not a Seiko, any ideas? Thanks
How about a G-Shock for £6,500?
Not even half tempted and I like my G-Shocks
Not much love for them in general on here, but this MAY be more up STW's street - might buy one when they come available AW 500
New watch day (well, it was some time this week...)
Stowa Verus - been after one since they came out. Found one on ebay at the same time Nick Crossley reminded me that he's been after my Timefactors Speedbird GMT for ages...
wondering around the Rolex dealer in Bahrain today and found a sports model actually in stock for the first time in a while!
sea dweller
had a try on and whilst it was a lovely piece, didn't feel quite so special on the wrist at a price of £10,000! I'll stick with my vintage sub for now...
Probably the only model your likely to take dip in price on when bought new.
Stowa is handsome. A flieger classic is on my to do list when I find a reasonably priced one!
Great fleiger, very nice.
Wow, £10k fora area dweller, roles prices just keep climbing
Okay, so aside from the "investment" end of the market, where do you guys get a nice watchstrap for much cheapness? Just to go on a Timberland identical to this:
It would be nice to re-use the branded buckle and wrapover bands but by no means a dealbreaker.
Also, I'm just not interested in expensive watches, but I do like interesting things for pocket money prices. Has anyone had experience of the cheap Seiko 5 from India, some lovely (It's OLD, not RETRO) 70s and 80s designs for not much money, like this:
I'm also looking at some Junghans from Germany, we have some of their clocks and it was my grandfather's favourite make to work on as a clock repairer, so a browse on ebay shows lots of funky and classy designs to explore.
I buy quite a bit of stuff from Watchgecko, the straps they do are usually really good. They're not mega cheap but they're not expensive and usually have some deals on.
Steveostraps will make you a nice one a reuse the buckle if you send it to him
Watch Obsession have some nice stuff too
@Kryton57, Tag Formula 1 Calibre 7 GMT?
And if you were interested in a lightly worn one with box and paper then drop me a note.
Watch straps I've used Watch Bandit for nice ones and Cheapest Nato Straps for the more bargain end of the market.
I looked at all those funky Seiko's when we were doing the watch swap. There are so many of them, I'm suspicious. I reckon they are, well I'll call them modern homages because I doubt they are copies of actual Seiko models. There were a lot of Oris's similarly offered, but you know for less that £30 if they work then I'd be tempted. Would be interested to see what the experts on here think.
Love the GS SBGH267 with the dark blue face! I’m not a classic, dress-watch sort of person, but if I had the cash available, I might seriously consider one of those!
Had a look at the link to the chain-drive fuseé watch - now that is a work of horological art! Just the amount of care taken in crafting the enamel dial pieces is impressive, but I’ve never, ever seen anything like that movement before. Now, all I need is a £175 million Eurolottery win, and I’ll put down a deposit!
Whilst I don’t doubt the exceptional build quality and craftsmanship of the Grand Seiko, I just cant get my head passed the fact its the same brand that I have in my seiko 5 auto that cost me £40 30 years ago. It just doesn’t have that intangible allure that an Omega or Rolex might have.
Do a bit of research into the history of Seiko, their GS movements are as good as anyone else’s, chronometer grade, they just can’t be bothered with getting them certified by the Swiss, and they were among the first to produce a true dive watch, and I believe the first to produce a monocoque front-entry case with the MarineMaster 300.
Nah, for me they’re too obvious. Like in James Bond when he gets asked ‘Nice watch, is it a Rolex?’ it’s just what everyone who has a chunk of disposable income and wants a watch plumps for without really thinking about it. In that price bracket I’d get an Omega, (though they are skirting close to the obvious choice) or a Grand Seiko every time.
Seiko Emperor Tuna for me! 😎
@lunge thanks for the offer but I suspect that’s above my €600 limit (of which I can’t decide if a wireless seatpost is more useful 🙂 )
@chipps - that Stowa is really nice, about as clear and legible as a watch could possibly be!
I’m blind as a bat without my glasses, so my watches are all pretty bold. The Stowa has excellent full (blue!) lume too, so is great at night.
two more votes for WatchObsession for a great range of straps and for SteveO Straps for handmade stuff. I have tiny wrists and he’s made me a couple of great straps to suit.
V nice Chipps. I've been hankering for a field/pilot style watch lately and looking at either a Hamilton Khaki or a Sinn 556A. I prefer the Sinn but it's 3x the price...
I need to throw some money at the car first and then hopefully it'll be new wrist bauble time in the new year, and because everybody loves pictures -
That date window on the Sinn - what were they thinking?
"It's good but is a bit TOO clean and uncluttered?"
"I think you're right, but I can litter the dial with a near-useless date window, and for extra irritation I'll unbalance the whole look by plonking it at 4:30!"
"Perfect. You're a genius!"
The 556i has the date at the 3 o’clock but has baton indices rather than the 3/6/9 Arabics
I like both! Plus there’s a version with a red second hand!
The red hand one is far nicer. 