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Stealthlobo

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Thanks for all of the replies.  I am looking for a style of watch to be used for outdoor activities. This is when my phone won’t be on hand or out of signal (swimming laps, kayaking, hiking, jeep off-roading, skiing, fishing).  I have other  larger purchases planned over the next few years so I plan to buy two watches below $1000 for now with a higher end watch coming after the other goals are achieved.  One will be a dress watch.  I was trying to stay away from a Apple Watch or digital. But I could be talked into it since I will also have the dress watch to start.

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11 minutes ago, bitteraztec said:

Thanks for all of the replies.  I am looking for a style of watch to be used for outdoor activities. This is when my phone won’t be on hand or out of signal (swimming laps, kayaking, hiking, jeep off-roading, skiing, fishing).  I have other  larger purchases planned over the next few years so I plan to buy two watches below $1000 for now with a higher end watch coming after the other goals are achieved.  One will be a dress watch.  I was trying to stay away from a Apple Watch or digital. But I could be talked into it since I will also have the dress watch to start.

Dude get please get one of these, than post a picture, to make me jelly enough to get it too.

https://www.gshock.com/mudmasterwatches?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2MWi_O7W6gIVEvDACh2WvwimEAAYASAAEgII6_D_BwE

I am no watch expert but I do fancy myself an outdoors man of exceptional quality and one of these is what I want.

 

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5 minutes ago, bitteraztec said:

Well that fits the bill.  If I go digital that will most likely be the one.  

 

This is super sexy as was posted earlier but just out of that 1k price range and more than I would pay for beat em up, also does not have some of the features of the mudmaster but still sexy af and rugged.

https://www.gshock.com/watches/limited-edition/mtgb2000ph2a

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40 minutes ago, halfmanhalfbronco said:

 

This is super sexy as was posted earlier but just out of that 1k price range and more than I would pay for beat em up, also does not have some of the features of the mudmaster but still sexy af and rugged.

https://www.gshock.com/watches/limited-edition/mtgb2000ph2a

And I live and Phoenix.  It’s meant to be.  These things are monsters, 56mm.

I missed it upthread.

 

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2 minutes ago, bitteraztec said:

And I live and Phoenix.  It’s meant to be.  These things are monsters, 56 mm.

I missed it upthread.

 

It is gorgeous and would seem to fit all your needs.  A real piece of badassery.  I still like the mud series cus altimeter baby but for aesthetics the Phoenix is amazing.  Beautiful and rugged, just like you :)

 

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On 6/1/2021 at 9:02 PM, halfmanhalfbronco said:

My most treasured possessions are worth absolutely nothing, my grandfathers old wood carvings.  Lumberjacks, indians, humming birds, a Pokemon he made me (Alakazam).  Bring back memories of sitting watching him work in his wood shop.

My late grandmother spent years in the later chapters of her life putting together books where she would (literally) cut and paste images and then over them she would paste some typed out nugget of wisdom - from a poem, famous quote, or even her own wisdom (she was a wise woman). She created over a dozen of them in all until Alzheimer's put a stop to that.

I would spend most afternoons (and many weekends) over there as a child, and she would go over these and explain the wisdom contained in those passages that had it to give. 

Skip ahead a few decades and when we had to pack up and evac in advance of the Witch Creek Fire in 2007, these were the very first items I loaded into the car(s). They are my most treasured possession - as far as I am concerned, every bit of wised, every secret, on how to live a happy life is contained within those volumes. 

Market value? Those books and $3 will buy you a cup of coffee. But they are my single-most prized possession. :)

I randomly pulled one off the shelf and opened it up to post a couple examples...

IMG-3894.jpg

IMG-3891.jpg

Some were simply intended to crack a smile:

IMG-3892-2.jpg

And here are the books en suite:

IMG-3890.jpg

 

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12 hours ago, halfmanhalfbronco said:

 

This is super sexy as was posted earlier but just out of that 1k price range and more than I would pay for beat em up, also does not have some of the features of the mudmaster but still sexy af and rugged.

https://www.gshock.com/watches/limited-edition/mtgb2000ph2a

11 hours ago, bitteraztec said:

And I live and Phoenix.  It’s meant to be.  These things are monsters, 56mm.

I missed it upthread.

 

56mm? That's not a watch; it's a hockey puck.

 

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Well the dream is still alive. I had my yearly meeting with my financial advisor this am and mentioned my 'unhealthy' interest in watches ;). He then told me his good friend is a high level district manager at Reed's and got me on his higher lvl wait list for the Snoopy! It's still a longshot but at least there is hope! 

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13 hours ago, bitteraztec said:

Thanks for all of the replies.  I am looking for a style of watch to be used for outdoor activities. This is when my phone won’t be on hand or out of signal (swimming laps, kayaking, hiking, jeep off-roading, skiing, fishing).  I have other  larger purchases planned over the next few years so I plan to buy two watches below $1000 for now with a higher end watch coming after the other goals are achieved.  One will be a dress watch.  I was trying to stay away from a Apple Watch or digital. But I could be talked into it since I will also have the dress watch to start.

So to make sure I fully understand, until such time as you purchase a higher-end watch, you are looking to acquire two watches within a $1000 budget, one of which will be a dress watch, and another go-anywhere-do-anything watch that can handle the outdoor lifestyle we enjoy in SoCal?

How important are value, heritage, and brand recognition in your consideration?

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1 hour ago, Stealthlobo said:

Well the dream is still alive. I had my yearly meeting with my financial advisor this am and mentioned my 'unhealthy' interest in watches ;). He then told me his good friend is a high level district manager at Reed's and got me on his higher lvl wait list for the Snoopy! It's still a longshot but at least there is hope! 

Maybe try a new financial advisor?? :D JK. It's a sign, I supposed. Good connection. Good luck, my man!

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1 hour ago, DoubleBlueGold said:

Maybe try a new financial advisor?? :D JK. It's a sign, I supposed. Good connection. Good luck, my man!

Right?? Lol, he's also a big poker player, been in the main event  of world series of poker the last few years. Bad financial advisor! Lol

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6 hours ago, TheSanDiegan said:

So to make sure I fully understand, until such time as you purchase a higher-end watch, you are looking to acquire two watches within a $1000 budget, one of which will be a dress watch, and another go-anywhere-do-anything watch that can handle the outdoor lifestyle we enjoy in SoCal?

How important are value, heritage, and brand recognition in your consideration?

I would like to keep it at a combined $1,000.  But would consider moving that up to $1,500.

I care about heritage and brand recognition more so on the dress watch. And I always like value.

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22 hours ago, bitteraztec said:

I would like to keep it at a combined $1,000.  But would consider moving that up to $1,500.

I care about heritage and brand recognition more so on the dress watch. And I always like value.

Okay. So I waned to wait to see what was actually available at below retail prices before making any suggestions - no use suggesting a watch made out of unobtanium.

These watches are currently available through a gray market retailer I have used many times over the years. There are other trustable gray market vendors as well, but at least this is a start.

I also need to include the disclosure that I automatically moved your budget up to your new ceiling for you. :ph34r: This is borne out of my own personal experience and resulting bias that given a softly defined price cap with a recognized exception, I almost always end up defaulting to the exception.

So there are several routes to go - given what you would expose a daily watch to, conventional wisdom says to err on the side of utilitarianism and skew the purchase towards a dress watch. Say you cap your sports watch at the $500 price point. Hamilton, Alpina, and Glycine come to mind.

Hamilton is a heritage US (Swiss-made and now HQ'd) brand that makes a very solid watch for the money. They have a rich history and heritage in American horology, and have long-specialized in field (the Khaki line) and aviation watches. Their Khaki line includes this gem which IMO is a phenomenal watch for just $15 over that cap:

hamilton-khaki-navy-scuba-automatic-blac

100m WR, so no worries getting it wet.  Screw-down crown. A dive (eased time) bezel adds to functionality. Save the bracelet for desk diving and put it on a NATO strap and it ain't coming off your wrist in even the most adverse weekend conditions. And bonus points for it being a 'batman' (black & blue) color scheme. Link

A straight field watch will also work for you and cost you about $100 less. 

hamilton-khaki-field-king-automatic-silv

Link

While combing through I also came across these Revue Thommen. RT began as a watchmaker in the 19th century and Thommen has been in the aviation industry for over a century. While as a watchmaker they saw a reboot sometime in the last few decades, they have the name and history, and IMO make attractive watches. Here's a dive watch for $400:

revue-thommen-diver-automatic-blue-dial-

300m WR, screw-down crown, killer blue gradient dial, and a proper dive watch handset. Bonus points: you can get it in Aztec colors:D

Link

But tbh you're not going to gain that much more recognition spending $1000 on a dress watch than you will spending, say, $600-$800, possibly less, so you might want to consider elevating the utility to watch to something that would work in all but the most formal circumstances, and skew your purchase accordingly.

I'll post a few suggestions of more upscale sports watches in the $700-$900 range in the next post.

 

 

 

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22 hours ago, bitteraztec said:

I would like to keep it at a combined $1,000.  But would consider moving that up to $1,500.

I care about heritage and brand recognition more so on the dress watch. And I always like value.

So in continuation with the above, below are three watches currently available from the same vendor that many would argue are a notch above the ones I posted above (though that RT is calling out to me as I type this).

Beginning with Hamilton, the Pan Europ is a heritage watch that was released as a 3-hand companion to the Pan Europ chronograph. But watch guys all get chubs from this watch:

hamilton-american-classic-pan-europ-auto

42mm case and beautiful casework. Downside is the bezel looks like it should rotate but it is fixed, and it only has 50m WR, so you probably wouldn't want to take this kayaking. But f*ck if it isn't a great watch to wear on the way. Link

Next up would be one of my top two choices for a true go-anywhere-do-anything watch below $1000 - the Longines Conquest. Longines is the 3rd-most recognized watch brand in the world behind Rolex and Omega. The fit and finish on their watches is outstanding. The conquest is a heritage watch that has been made since 1954. This is a sports watch that more than holds its own in a boardroom alongside watches that sell for 5x the price or more.

longines-conquest-silver-dial-automatic-

300m WR, screw-down crown, fit and finish watch that cost 3-5x the price, and heritage coming out its ass backwards. A whole lot of watch for $860.  Link

And since we're just a tit hair away from $900, let's see what that extra $40 gets you.

I've made no bones about being something of an Orgs fanboi. "Real watches for real people." They are the antithesis of brand-ambassador driven brands that we all know from magazine double-trucks. Formed a year before Rolex and like Rolex, still independently owned. Unfortunately for people like me, their name recognition has gained traction in both the US and Asian markets, and suggested retail prices have climbed accordingly. However, there are plenty of good buys to be had in the gray market.

Like the Pan Europ, the ChronOris was borne out of midcentury motorsports. However, this watch has an interior dive bezel, actuated by the crown at the 2o'clock position. It also has 100m WR - sufficient for water-related activities (e.g., kayaking) - and comes on a NATO bracelet to ensure it doesn't come off your wrist even under strenuous loads.

oris-chronoris-automatic-black-dial-men_

Oris, like the next brand I'll suggest, has a shitton of red within the watch community and are well-known for punching well above their weight - you get way more watch for the money than you do with almost any other brands. Link

Lastly, the last watch I will suggest that runs about the same as the Oris above is Ball. I've spoken of them upthread - another heritage American watch company who has been making watches in Switzerland for over 120 years. The company was privately owned and operated by the ball family since their inception in the 19th century until they were purchased by a large concern a decade or so ago. WC Ball, family patriarch was given the responsibility by the US government to standardize the requirements for timekeeping devices to be carried by conductors and engineers working our railroads in the 19th century.

Now, they are know for making f*cking tanks. Their motto is "accuracy under adverse conditions." F*ck yeah it is. The fit and finish on their watches is superb, and every watch relies on tritium to illuminate handsets and indices, so you can read the time at a glance at Zero Dark-Thirty. 

They have several model lines, and the Fireman will ally provide you with a screw-down crown and a minimum of 100m WR. They have a wide variety of dials under the Fireman line, but this is the online I found on sale from the same vendor:

ball-fireman-racer-automatic-white-dial-

Piepan dial, screw-down crown, 100m WR, cyclops date, and one of the best bracelets in the business. Link

So there's a range of some good sports watches with some brand equity to their name, ranking from $400 up to $900. Let me know what appeals to you from the last two posts and when I have some downtime over the weekend, I hunt some old online fishing holes to see what else might float your boat.

I'll cover dress watches in the next post.

 

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Moving on to dress watches, this will be comparatively short.

If you want to stay with Swiss watches, here are three suggestions that run in the $600-$700 range. If you're willing to consider Japanese watches as well, Seiko's Presage line is filled with stunning watches that can be had for $300-$500. And their is plenty of prestige - Grand Seiko watches are considered on par with Patek Philippe watches in fit and finish.  

Speaking of which, dress watches should remain simple. Unless you're in the market for a five-figure heirloom, remain understated - less is more.

Beginning again with Hamilton, the Hamilton Intramatic line is filled with heritage and mid-century goodness. A stunning watch with a stunning gradient dial for $600:

hamilton-intra-matic-automatic-black-dia

Crazy that it lists 100m WR, as I'm used to seeing dress watches with little to no WR whatsoever. Link

An off-the-radar brand that has plenty of heritage but is far better known in the European and Asian markets than here at home is Mido (pronounced "mee-doh"), but they have plenty of respect and cred within the  watch community. For the same price, this Mido has a big date compilation which is one of those understated adds to a dress watch that really adds a lot without violating dress watches aesthetics.

mido-baroncelli-iii-automatic-white-dial

Link

Bump it up another handy to $700 and now you're in consideration for one of the most iconic watches ever made - the Junghans Max Bill:

junghans-max-bill-automatic-black-dial-m

Max Bill was a famous architect, artist and designer and the Junghans Max Bill is the epitome of simplistic elegance as defined by the Bauhaus movement. Bonus point for being made in Germany. Link

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3 hours ago, Stealthlobo said:

@TheSanDiegan

What are your thoughts on Seiko's King Turtle compared to the others you mentioned for that ~$700 price point?

Seiko-Prospex-King-Turtle-SRPE03-SRPE05-review-8-1536x1025.jpeg

I think the entire Prospex SRP line deserves a mention. I'm wearing my STO Turtle as I type this, on an Uncle Seiko tropic strap. 

Every single watch is ISO 6425 certified, and that bezel action is second to none. An awesome, iconic dive watch, for sure. Macy's has several models available around or below $400, and they almost always have a couple code out there to knock a few more bones off.

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6 hours ago, TheSanDiegan said:

Let me know what appeals to you from the last two posts

Thanks for all of the info and recommendations.  For the sport watches I like the last three.  I would probably choose between the Longines and the Ball, and pair it with the black Junghans Max Bill dress watch.  I also like the Seiko Presage shown upthread for a dress watch.  Are sport chronograph watches less versatile?

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On 6/1/2021 at 1:18 PM, TheSanDiegan said:

For every watch with a minimum 100m WR rating, there is at least one with 50m WR rating or less. Some dress watches have 5m WR rating, and some very expensive ones at that. I once had to take an Omega in for servicing after it got wet while (vigorously) washing my hands. No shit.

WTF, Omega!

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