Watches

[shiftbmw]

Recently I've been looking at watches. My criteria are as follows:

1) Under $200
2) Automatic
3) Metallic bracelet
4) Luminescent hands

Looking for suggestions. Any input?

The topcontender thusfar:

[mamzak]

Completely, totally off topic but I was in Vegas last year in a watch shop and I asked the guy how much a certain piece was:

Me: So what's the damage on this one?

Salesman: This particular piece is one of 6 in the world, and is selling for six hundred..
Me: That's all?!
Salesman: ...thousand dollars.

[mrsleeve]

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Yeah what was it?? A tourbillon movement or something????? almost had to be. Me when it come to the $$$$ watches am a Big Omega guy love the Speedy Pro's and Planet Oceans


Shift:
For under 200 NEW thats going to be about the best bet. I just bought a seiko SKX007 on a bracelet off of ebay and awaiting its arrival next week some time. Its the same 7s26 movement as the Monster you have up there. Your other options are the Sumos or the sport 5's, with similar movements both from seiko. Dont let any one kid you just because its a seiko does not mean its not as good as the Swiss. Seiko is one of only a few watch manufacturers, that design and make all their own movements in house. Patek is one of the others. Seiko's up market Premier lines are great, and have a few autos that range into the 6k range MSRP. While what you are talking is great for a Daily watch and good value for money, and will get the watch bug started, ans it gets expensive.

Your going to be hard pressed to find a better and tougher sub 200 dollar Auto, than a 7s26. Citizen is back to making auto divers again but like the Seiko not officially available in the US. The citizen pro master diver is basically a clone of the Seiko 007/009 right down to the available Pepsi bezel. Again ebay is the best sources for these watches.

A hamilton Field Khaki is a good option but will be 250 and up (new and heavily discounted) and on leather or NATO style strap.

You might be able to find a ok used Marathon SAR on ebay or good watch forum for about 350 and up (much much better watch) but new with a bracelet you are looking at 750ish New and 500 Good used. SAR will be my next one after I finally break down and get my Speedy pro broad arrow.

Edit the Seiko SKX 007

[mamzak]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Yeah what was it?? A tourbillon movement or something????? almost had to be. Me when it come to the $$$$ watches am a Big Omega guy love the Speedy Pro's and Planet Oceans


Shift:
For under 200 NEW thats going to be about the best bet. I just bought a seiko SKX007 on a bracelet off of ebay and awaiting its arrival next week some time. Its the same 7s26 movement as the Monster you have up there.

Your going to be hard pressed to find a better and tougher sub 200 dollar Auto, than a 7s26. Citizen is back to making auto divers again but like the Seiko not officially available in the US. The citizen pro master diver is basically a clone of the Seiko 007/009 right down to the available Pepsi bezel. Again ebay is the best sources for these watches.

A hamilton Field Khaki is a good option but will be 250 and up (new and heavily discounted) and on leather or NATO style strap.

You might be able to find a ok used Marathon SAR on ebay or good watch forum for about 350 and up (much much better watch) but new with a bracelet you are looking at 750ish New and 500 Good used. SAR will be my next one after I finally break down and get my Speedy pro.

I have no idea what it was... I'm not a big watch guy it just looked really fancy. It was black and lime green, and had like triangular prisms that revolved around eachother to show the time? I don't know.. it was pretty crazy.

[Dermeister3]

i fail

[mrsleeve]

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Those are not AUTOMATICS THOSE ARE QUARTZ

[archie]

[Bishop]

Damn Sleeve, that thing looks awesome. My girlfriend bought me an Invicta 8926 Pro Diver SS Automatic (I'm 95% sure this is the model, I don't really have any paperwork telling me what model it is, and I've never looked till just now) a few months back. I like it, think it looks pretty good. I've never really worn a watch but I'm pretty happy with it (what's your thought on it Sleeve?). I've only got 2 gripes, but 1 is pretty minor. The minor one is the watch dies if I don't wear it for like 2 or 3 days, VERY understandable for one that keeps itself wound when on the wrist, and every once in a while I'll look down and compare it to my phone and it'll be 1 or 2 minutes fast or slow.

[mrsleeve]

Damn Sleeve, that thing looks awesome. My girlfriend bought me an Invicta 8926 Pro Diver Automatic a few months back. I like it, think it looks pretty good. I've never really worn a watch so I think it's a good intro watch (what's your thought on it Sleeve?). I've only got 2 gripes, but 1 is pretty minor. The minor one is the watch dies if I don't wear it for like 2 or 3 days, VERY understandable for one that keeps itself wound when on the wrist, and every once in a while I'll look down and compare it to my phone and it'll be 1 or 2 minutes fast or slow.

With Invictas its a love em or hate em kinda thing. I dont really like invictas all that much but for a intro into "REAL Watches" they are not that bad, kinda like the Timex of Automatics (all though I have seen a Timex auto out and about in the last year or so)

The Power reserve (or time it takes the main spring to unwind) on yours is prolly 32ish hours, I am not that familar with them but IIRC all of invictas movements come from Miyota which is a division of Citizen. Unsure of the durability of yours but they are not known to be as shock resistant or robust as the seiko 7s26. So long as your not roofing your house with it on your hammer hand or chopping wood with it on it should give you plenty of service out of it..

There is a very simple way to fix your keeping it wound issues. BUY A WATCH WINDER. you put it in the winder when your not wearing it and the compartment inside the box rotates slowly alternating directions to keep it wound while not over winding it. They can be had on the low side for 35 bucks and can range into the many 1000's.

A mechanical watch no matter the winding method manual or automatic, or the price will never ever be close to as accurate as a cheapo 10 dollar quartz watch (even with a uber cheap quartz you are talking about a few seconds a month or even a year not a day). But if its running more than a min fast or slow in a day on the wrist then take it to a watch maker and get it Regulated (adjusted). one like yours if you can get it to with in 30sec +- in a day then you will be golden. The more expensive lux brands that "Chronometers" are certified to be -6+4 seconds a day. Be careful with a watch habit, you think a car habit is expensive .................................................. .......................

[Bishop]

With Invictas its a love em or hate em kinda thing. I dont really like invictas all that much but for a intro into "REAL Watches" they are not that bad, kinda like the Timex of Automatics (all though I have seen a Timex auto out and about in the last year or so)

The Power reserve (or time it takes the main spring to unwind) on yours is prolly 32ish hours, I am not that familar with them but IIRC all of invictas movements come from Miyota which is a division of Citizen. Unsure of the durability of yours but they are not know to be as shock resistant or robust as the seiko 7s26. So long as your not roofing your house with it on your hammer hand or chopping wood with it on it should give you plenty of service..

There is a very simple way to fix your keeping it wound issues. BUY A WATCH WINDER. you put it in the winder when your not wearing it and the compartment inside the box rotates slowly alternating directions to keep it wound for while not over winding it. They can be had on the low side for 35 bucks and can range into the many 1000's.

A mechanical watch no matter the winding method manual or automatic will never ever be close to as accurate as a cheapo 10 dollar quartz watch. But if its running more than a min fast or slow in a day on the wrist then take it to a watch maker and get it Regulated (adjusted). one like yours if you can get it to with in 30sec +- in a day then you will be golden. The more expensive Chronometer are certified to be -6+4 seconds a day.

I edited my post after looking up the price, they're on sale now but retail seems pretty respectable for an intro watch. Regardless, I do think it's an intro watch, but I like it. I only wear it when I'm out and about and usually at work (not shock inducing on the watch). When I detail a car, or work on the car, or anything else that will risk smacking / smashing the watch, or dragging it across paint, etc.. I take it off. Sometimes though, since I'm not used to watches yet, it'll sit and that's when it dies. I think it stays pretty good though considering I'm not as good about wearing it and keeping it wound (probably) as I should be. I re-set it every 1-2 weeks roughly, sometimes sooner if I don't wear it, sometimes not at all. I've been debating taking it to a watch maker anyway to get it checked out to make sure maybe something didn't happen during shipping or something.

Any links on the watch winders, never heard of em (cheaper the better, full-time student, part-time work).

[mrsleeve]

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you have PM, and the 007 I just picked up from ebay I got for $116 NEW,

[Bishop]

Checking now, I remembered seeing something about watches a while back and wanting to chat people up. Now that I have one that's now a total cheapo, it's kinda nice to have around.

[Hey-U]

I'm a pretty big fan of St Moritz for entery level watches. My friend works on tug boats and has been wearing his divers watch for 15 years. I am currenty wearing a Titan II which is a knock off of an IWC made watch.
[IMG][/IMG]

[sherpa]

Watch browsing -- it's a sickness... I got into e30s to divert my attention from watches.
I concur on the Seiko / Seiko 5s for your price point. Completely unpretentious, too. 21 jewel Japan movement will take care of your needs. Automatics are never as precise as quartz, but that's not really why you buy them.

[2002maniac]

I think that seiko monster might be just perfect for you.

Look into Debaufre too if you want something a bit more dressy.