Viewing 30 posts - 1 through 30 (of 30 total)
  • Watch Help Please…
  • BigDummy
    Free Member

    I know this place is a periodic hotbed of watch enthusiasm, and I’m a bit at sea. So. Watch help please. 🙂

    I would like to buy my girlfriend a watch. Budget tops out at about five hundred quid. She is hard on her weapons and equipment and it needs to be durable. Ideal specs:

    38-40mm dial
    Analogue
    waterproof (20m minimum, 100m for preference)
    Time and date but not too much else going on
    Metal strap

    Any thoughts?

    Thanks in advance 🙂

    BigDummy
    Free Member

    For what it is worth, I am currently thinking this one looks quite suitable:

    deadlydarcy
    Free Member

    [Removed by poster for irrelevance]

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    BigDummy
    Free Member

    It’s going to be like that, is it? 🙄 XXX

    LeeW
    Full Member

    Would your GF be happy wearing something a little masculine? Like the Christopher Ward.

    BigDummy
    Free Member

    Yes, absolutely Lee. Don’t want to end up with something massive as she’s quite small, but apart from that, all good.

    stumpy01
    Full Member

    Under your budget, but I really like the Mondaine watches. Keep telling myself I’ll buy one, one day.

    They do a ‘sport’ version with a metal strap, 100m waterproof and you can get it with just the date or with the day/date.
    EDIT – not sure if it’s a bit big….

    Like this:

    http://www.pretavoir.co.uk/mondaine-sport-i-swiss-railways-sbb-a667-30308-16sbm.html?sf=y&gclid=CPmll_f6gtQCFckV0wodxuYBJQ

    I’ve never used that website to purchase anything before, it was just the first link that came up with a decent picture….

    deadlydarcy
    Free Member

    I know v little about watches…but Mrs DD loves her Mondaine Helvetica watch I got for her at Christmas (it was through hints that landed on me like an elephant). Her brief was “classy, not masculine but not girly” and to be fair, I think they fit that bill really well. Plenty within budget too.

    TheFlyingOx
    Full Member

    Steinhart diver all day long for that budget.

    Steinhart watches

    njee20
    Free Member

    Mondaine watches should have a sweeping second hand which pauses at 12 each minute, it’s how the Swiss railway clocks work, and it’s very pleasing! I’ve got a Mondaine wall clock which doesn’t, and it annoys me!

    Very nice watches though. I doubt your GF will care about the motion of the prototype on which they’re based!

    thekingisdead
    Free Member

    The Steinhart divers are a great watch for the money, but v heavy and quite masculine so not sure if suitable for a feminine wrist?

    BigDummy
    Free Member

    Good options on both the Mondaine and Steinhart, thanks! (And I certainly don’t mind dipping under budget – that’s always lovely…)

    The size thing does worry me just a touch. 42mm is probably alright though. 🙂

    BigDummy
    Free Member

    but v heavy and quite masculine so not sure if suitable for a feminine wrist?

    She commonly accessorizes with 9mm pistol in a leg holster and a bloody great knife, so while it’s a concern, it’s not too much of one. 🙂

    stumpy01
    Full Member

    njee20 – Member

    Mondaine watches should have a sweeping second hand which pauses at 12 each minute, it’s how the Swiss railway clocks work, and it’s very pleasing! I’ve got a Mondaine wall clock which doesn’t, and it annoys me!

    They do have a version that does just that…..
    I didn’t realise the significance until you just explained it though!

    Taken from their website:

    The fascinating execution of stop2go, like on the original clock, features the famous red second hand that turns full circle in 58 seconds and then waits at 12 o’clock for the black minute hand to move on, before jumping one marker forwards, starting its next rotation.

    https://www.mondaine.com/watches/official-swiss-railways-watch/stop2go/a512-30358-16sbb.html

    beanum
    Full Member

    I was going to suggest a Victorinox Inox but this one is cool too and is in budget.

    Victorinox Maverick

    lunge
    Full Member

    Have a look on Amazon at the Orient watches. Very, very good watches for the money, solid movements, well made and extremely reliable. There are various versions, the Mako or the Ray are the 2 that spring to mind but have a look and you’ll find something. Plenty of change from £500 too I’d imagine.

    TheSouthernYeti
    Free Member

    Don’t mess about… https://www.luminox.com/

    plyphon
    Free Member

    The vintage Steinhart looks nice, but the rest are too much of a Submariner homage for me. There’s paying homage, then there’s simply copying…

    I quite like the Christopher Ward range also. I’m not in the market for another watch right now, but if I was looking for a diver in the sub-£1000 range thats where I would start.

    JAG
    Full Member

    accessorizes with 9mm pistol in a leg holster and a bloody great knife

    I need a picture please 8)

    peajay
    Full Member

    Marathon TSAR medium, 36mm, I’ve got the full size one and it’s hard as nails, looks great on nato!
    I’d post a pick but I’ve always failed on this forum at pics!

    nickdavies
    Full Member

    Mondaine wouldn’t really be up to the job it sounds like it’s intended to be used for, drop me a pm if you are interested though. Most of them don’t do the stop go sweep njee mentions, it’s a cool feature on the ones that do though.

    I’d look at the longines hydroconquest lady or gents if that’s too small. Christopher ward also good at that price point. You might struggle a bit getting a 38-40mm divers these days as you’ll find ladies are smaller and gents are bigger. Oris do a ladies aquis or a 40mm gents which could be ideal. The ladies aquis aren’t great sellers so even though they’re over your budget by quite a way you do see them heavily reduced.

    CountZero
    Full Member

    but v heavy and quite masculine so not sure if suitable for a feminine wrist?

    I thought, how patronising…

    She commonly accessorizes with 9mm pistol in a leg holster and a bloody great knife, so while it’s a concern, it’s not too much of one.

    Glad you added the clarification! 😀
    I could go for a woman like that!

    thekingisdead
    Free Member

    but v heavy and quite masculine so not sure if suitable for a feminine wrist?

    I thought, how patronising…

    Wasn’t meant how it sounded! As a slim wristed male I have to choose my watches carefully. A ‘sub’ is way to masculine for my dainty wrists 😉

    wrecker
    Free Member

    It’s a fair comment. A 9mm pistol is a small weapon assuming a standard mag. A 42mm watch will be big on a little wrist, particularly if she’s using her hands a lot for drills etc. A good, tough 38-40mm tool watch without a huge profile would likely be perfect.
    At that price point and use, I’d have a look at the Hamilton khaki range.
    http://www.alexander-jewellery.co.uk/gents-hamilton-watches-h64455133.html
    http://www.alexander-jewellery.co.uk/gents-hamilton-watches-h70595133.html
    http://www.alexander-jewellery.co.uk/watch-40030.html
    20% off on that site too.
    Mind you at £650, I’d let you have my Damasko DA38, which would likely be absolutely perfect.

    Saccades
    Free Member

    Casio MSG-300C-1B Ladies Baby-G

    Use the other £400 to get her coke and hookers.

    AlasdairMc
    Full Member

    The Steinhart Ocean 500 isn’t heavy as it’s titanium, and I have one on my wrist at the moment. It’s a durable watch too

    CountZero
    Full Member

    There’s always a 1980’s TAG Heuer Series 1000:
    http://www.tagexchange.co.uk/Sold-Mens/TAG-HEUER-1000-SERIES-MENS-WATCH-980.113B.html
    Really small watch by today’s standards, I’ve got skinny wrists and my black version looks small, especially compared to my Seiko SPORK.

    BigDummy
    Free Member

    Chaps, you have excelled yourselves! Some brilliant ideas here – thank you all very much 🙂

    njee20
    Free Member

    They do have a version that does just that…..
    I didn’t realise the significance until you just explained it though!

    I think it’s the more expensive ones that do it, not unreasonably. Like I say, it’s very pleasing!

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