| 2008wagon |
Here's a new topic for everyone to ponder, if they so choose. I hope it's never been posted before, quite honestly I did not do a search......
I'm looking for a nice, good quality wrist watch. I am partial to Seiko, I'll tell everyone that up front. I was told by a premiere Seiko retailer in my area (Premiere meaning they carry all the high end watches) that Seiko still assembles these watches under one roof, they don't outsource for components, and they still produce everything they build on the higher end (like their Kinetics) right in-house.
Anyone know anything about this? Is it true? Be nice to think it was.
I'm also considering Citizen, and possibly the right Bulova. They're both much less than money than a Seiko, so I gotta believe there is a reason for that. I've also been told by quite a few jewelers that Citizen Eco Drives are not always reliable.
Oh, and I'm looking also at Raymond Weil brand.....we're talking lots of money on those.
So anything anybody knows I'd appreciate hearing about your experiences.
Thanks!! |
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| bheinz57 |
What are you really looking for, a lighter wallet or classic styling?
I have really nice Fossil watches that keep the same time as those Seiko's.
You want a full metal watch it sounds like, no leather band? Some watches can be really $$$$ and keep the same time as a Casio.
My best looking watch is an old Fossil Stainless with a black no numbered face with a single (fake) diamond at the 12 o'clock.
A very classy watch that tells perfect time, and for under $90.
Brian |
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| 2008wagon |
We're talking apples and oranges here. When I said good watch, I meant a good one that's gonna cost me $250 or more. I want a stainless steel band. Fossills and Casios are not what I'm talking about, no offense to you. I want good styling, excellent reliability, and good customer service should I ever need it, and I'm willing to pay for it. I don't want to be buying a new $60 watch every year or two. But I appreciate your opinion.
I know people with 15 and 20 year old Seikos and Bulovas. I bought my wife a Fossil 2 years ago, and to my non-surprise in one month it totally quit.....just what I expect when I buy a $50 watch. And then it took forever to get it fixed, at one point Fossil couldn't even find the damn thing in their system!! So for about 3 weeks, the thing was essentially "lost" in their facility until they finally found it. The jeweler even said they're not that good of a watch, but that they have them because they had up to date women's styling. Shortly after, they got rid of the line.
This is no different than buying a car. Sure, I could have bought a $8,000 Dodge Neon. It would run and drive just like any other car, when it's not broke down. But instead I bought the Outback I wanted, even though I had to pay a lot more for it. |
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| Juan |
In a former life I sold fine jewelery and watches. If you want a watch that will last forever and is recognizable as a fine watch go with a Rolex. Avoid the no-name brands as they are crap. Also if you go with gold case make sure it is solid gold and not plated. The plating will wear of in time and give the watch a "patina." (Patina is a fancy word for worn out looking. :21: )
I have no knowledge of the current watch brands, but in the day Seiko and Pulsar were the same watch on the inside. Also Seiko/Pulsar only had a couple of watch works, all the differences were in the case and the face. I sold a lot of Pulsars to people that were interested in a good watch at a good price.
Personally I love older watches and have 3 Seikos that are all over 15+ years old. They all have the "patina" of worn gold plating, but I am quite fond of their long used look. :blingblin |
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| 2008wagon |
I've seen some of those older Seikos, they are very nice. I had a Pulsar for years, great watch. Seikos and Pulsars are still one and the same I'm told by the jeweler.
And that's just it; I want something that is recognized as a great timepiece. Something that people will look at and go "wow, that is a really nice watch!". Seiko seems to have the best styling at the moment. I looked at Rolex's yeserday and did not really see aything that "popped" for me. But that was just in the store, perhaps the website could show me other things.
I also had a Caravelle brand watch just a few years ago. It's a cheaper Bulova line. I paid about $100 for it and in 3 years it broke and was going to cost more just to have it LOOKED AT than I paid for it!!
I'm done with the cheap crap watches, no question about it. |
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| bikemobile |
| I've had 3 or 4 fossils. Very happy with all of them. I wear a Timex black rubber Ironman now because it was cheap and I can set it to 24 hour mode to get used to military time. |
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| superu |
quote: | Something that people will look at and go "wow, that is a really nice watch!". | |
Guess it really depends on the people you are hanging with.
At my son's baseball game last Saturday I had 3 people ask about my Highgear Alterra, (happens often while out hiking as well)
which I wear all the time with the exception of when I'm wearing a Pink shirt with french cuffs as it won't fit well with them.
In that case I wear my Citizens Eco-Drive. Rock solid reliable for 6 years now.
If you're looking for an heirloom watch, it'd be hard to go wrong with the 40th anniversary Omega Speedmaster!
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| superu |
quote: | Rolex's yeserday and did not really see aything that "popped" for me. | |
That's the whole idea.
Just like the LWB 95 Range Rover that pulls up to the polo match doesn't scream look at me.
It's about classic elegance. ;) |
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| ron917 |
Timex. My watches get the crap beat out of them, I'm not going to buy an expensive one. The Timexs last 10-12 years for me. Change the battery and the band once each in that time. By the time they need the third battery, the buttons have stopped working or the case has cracked from abuse. $30 for a new one, and I'm good to go for another 10-12 years.
My brother has a $6,000 watch that he's very proud of. That's a lifetime supply of Timexs for 20 people! |
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| johnson |
My daily wear watch is a Citizen Eco-Drive Titanium/Gold Chronograph from circa 1998. I've worn this watch every day for roughly 10 years, not a single problem. At the time I bought this, it was either going to be a Seiko or Citizen (they were the limits of my budget at the time!) and I must have tried on like 20 different ones until I came across this one.
My recommendation is to try on as many as you can at various stores, then buy the one that looks the best to you online. Try to get the model # of the watch you like, as sometimes it is very difficult to find that one particular model later (especially if it is discontinued).
If you're planning a trip to Las Vegas anytime soon, there is an excellent Seiko outlet shop at the Las Vegas Premium Outlets (this is the mall that is close to the New Market Center).
If I was going to buy a significantly more expensive watch (i.e. $1000+), it would be either a Tag Heuer Link (sporty) or Raymond Weil Parsifal (dressy). Like my Citizen, I think many watch models from the 90's look better than the ones offerred today. The Parsial is another example of that, the older style from mid-90's looks better in my opinion than the one they have today.
One word of caution, beware of the watch-buying addiction. I know a guy I work with who has this and buys an expensive watch every few months. He probably has like 20+ watches, all $1000+. It can be an expensive habit! |
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