Pentoman and others, a lot of the German watches like Tutima and Muhle(Glashutte) are old, old brands that are new again, that is, they were brands manufactured in the eastern part of German in factories that had been shut down or nationalized under the old eastern govt. These watchmakers are now coming back and are hoping to catch on. Some of the watches are really beautiful, but they seem kind of expensive considering these companies have to prove themselves again. I find there is still a difference in quality between the eastern and western parts of Germany.

The other thing to consider when buying an automatic is that you will have to buy a winding box because there's no way you're going to wear the watch every single day. The days youre sick, on vacation, want to wear your old watch or just simply want to go watchless are the days you'll need the winding box. I've seen these boxes for $300.

Also, don't just buy the watch from the cheapest dealer, buy it from the most knowledgeable, "honest" dealer who will be there if you have problems.