Good Watch in the $1000-1500 Range - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

The Swede · #1 03-03-2013, 05:46 PM

If I had a grand+ to blow, what would I buy?

Lower end Tag or Bulova?

Skippy · #2 03-03-2013, 05:50 PM

$25 Timex and an AR-15.

The Swede · #3 03-03-2013, 05:56 PM

Good god no. Gun to me is an utter waste of money.

P.C. · #4 03-03-2013, 06:52 PM

Sinn 556 or Stowa Antea KS 41. I would even consider a used Omega Seamaster quartz if you're ok with a quartz movement. Tough watches.

I bought a Seamaster 2264.50 several months ago. It's a quartz, about 10 years old, and keeps excellent time.

tbomachines · #5 03-03-2013, 06:54 PM

Watches | Jewelry | Skagen® Official Site

Beautiful design. You might buy a Saab or Volvo after though, be careful

The Swede · #6 03-03-2013, 07:08 PM

Where's a safe place to buy a used watch? Craigslist and meet the seller at jewelry store?

I like that Stowa as well.

P.C. · #7 03-03-2013, 07:11 PM

I bought it off a well-established seller off of eBay and used PayPal to pay for it. Gives you some recourse if there is a problem.

The Stowa has to be ordered straight from the Motherland, and takes about three months. They have a good rep, and are decidedly uncommon stateside. You won't see one on your next door neighbor's wrist.

E150GT · #8 03-03-2013, 08:52 PM

Man $1500 for a watch? I wear a casio calculator watch most of the time. I have recently been eyeing those titaium fossil watches at $325 a pop. But I dont really need it.

suginami · #9 03-03-2013, 10:17 PM

Hamilton. Owned by the Swatch company, which owns Omega, Tissot, et al.

Uses the same high-end ETA movements used by nearly all of the high end Swiss watch companies for a fraction of the price.

Most Hamiltons can be had for around $1,000.00.

You could also snag a used Omega Seamaster Professional for around $1,200 to $1,400.

Medmech · #10 03-03-2013, 11:10 PM

Second on the Hamilton but I don't hear many stories about people who buy used Omega, Rolex IWC ect that have happy endings some of the fakes are so good that experts cannot tell the difference plus it's something you will own a lifetime to get a new one.

C280 Sport · #11 03-04-2013, 12:25 AM

You can buy a used Rolex for around $1,000. I have a Rolex Submariner with the black bezel and used ones can be had for a nice price. Great diving watch! Omega makes a fantastic daily watch. Omega De Ville it's called can be had for $1,500.

C280 Sport · #12 03-04-2013, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Swede

Where's a safe place to buy a used watch? Craigslist and meet the seller at jewelry store?

I like that Stowa as well.

Never buy jewelry or a high end watch off CL! Unless you can go and get it looked at by a professional. Too many posers out there! If they don't let you get it looked at just walk because chances are it's a fake.

suginami · #13 03-04-2013, 12:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by C280 Sport

You can buy a used Rolex for around $1,000. I have a Rolex Submariner with the black bezel and used ones can be had for a nice price. Great diving watch! Omega makes a fantastic daily watch. Omega De Ville it's called can be had for $1,500.

I look at the prices of used Submariners on a weekly basis on watchrecon.com, and it's nearly impossible to find a used one under $4,000.00.

Pooka · #14 03-04-2013, 12:46 AM

A lot of fake Rolex's these days are impossible to tell from the real thing. They will even have a very high quality ETA 2892-2 movement in them which looks very impressive because it is.

However it is obvious it is not a real Rolex movement when you put them side by side. Rolex did use a number of different ETA movements in their Tudor line.

Something to consider.... If you buy a high quality mechanical watch then get an Automatic. Otherwise you will rub the finish off of the crown after winding it for ten or so years. An automatic movement you just give a shake and it starts running. A mechanical movement can be rebuilt every ten years or so and just keep on running for 100 years. A good rebuild will cost at least $250 for a 21 jewel watch.

With a quartz movement you can get incredible accuracy but you will be needing to have the movement replaced in about 15 years. Then you might find that movement is no longer made and there is no interchange available.

A good brand to look for used is Benrus. Get one with at least 25 jewels and it will run for twenty years. A Bulova 23 Jewel is also a good one and both can be found on Ebay for far less than your budget.

Some people are very much in love with Elgin's, which are OK but not much more. There is a model known as the Lord Elgin that is better, but it is still not that much better.

Gold plating is at least 10 microns thick; 20 microns will last longer. Solid gold is really a waste because you will never be looking at it on an atomic level and a 14K case will set you back up to $800 just for the case.

Another good brand is Eterna. If you are looking for a diving watch the Kon-Tiki is a very rugged watch, and if you are looking for a dress watch Eterna made some with a hidden crown which will add a bit to the cost.

Gold plating on a band will last about 20 years since the band sees more wear than the watch case. A good leather strap will last about eight years. Expandable bands are hard to adjust if you lose or add a lot of weight which is why you never see them on high end watches that are made to last for 50 years.

By the way.... What do want this watch to do? They all tell time, so is this for dress or outside work or diving or.....?

Pooka · #15 03-04-2013, 12:49 AM

You will also see movements marked 'unadjusted' which means they were not tested for accuracy in three, five, or six different position.

A watch adjusted to three position might keep better time by 2 seconds a day, but they are not worth the extra cost if all you are going to do is keep time. If you are running a railroad you would need one adjusted to six positions, so sometime you will see watches advertised as 'railroad approved'.