Looking for a new mens watch...

Thread from 2015:

Hello Hive, My Titanium Seiko just crapped out, (It was a good life) I am looking for a new watch so I figured I would ask some questions/ "preferences" I know what I want: 38-42 mm face Bracelet Blackish, numbered face, (On the "sixes" is ok.) Prefer day, but date is a must! Racing heritage! Budget: 500 to 1500. I know that sounds like a lot but, this is my hobby, my passion: precision! This will be by one present to myself this year... (track days don't count) I am very curious about Hamilton, and their Khaki III.. simple and handsome. Or the Tag Formula...Bold, and well known... A company that has a story... warms my heart.. A Rolex Explorer with day and date function would be perfect...Pedigree (racing) and respected, although suspect for the money. I know I am missing some...but I really like the Hamilton (so simple but lacks the pedigree) Show me what I am missing.. I would love to hear!

I can't help you. I wear a $28 Timex. But I really would like to understand your passion. What makes a man want to spend $1500 on a watch?

In reply to EvanR:

I would love to tell you why I am willing to sacrifice some things in my life, Cable, High speed internet, fast food, Etc, In a private message..

We all have our passion: We all have a reason why we spend long hours at work, shoveling E36M3 or flying an airplane... we all go home to stare at a bolt that will just not come off...

Then we come here, share, and wonder why we didn't thing of "that" sooner. and that is why I have posted...

Some wrist watch threads have been covered on this board...

But thank you for your input: my 33 dollar Timex will be waking me up in the morning...

I really love the look of the Tissot PRS516, though it is a little big. You can get it in a quartz chrono, auto, and auto chrono.

Man :/ the battery died in my Seiko recently. Now you're going to have me looking at replacements to go with the $10 fix!

Ah watches my other vice besides cars. I'm a dive watch guy but I dabble in the chronographs. Well lets get down to it:

Usual disclaimer about NMNA included here.

Omega Speedmaster ref 3510.50 with the Tritium tubes: $1290

1968 Omega Seamaster Chronostop Ref 145.007 $1500

Slightly over budget but lovely (a Doxa should come in no other color than orange) Doxa 300T with the sapphire bezel and crystal $1775

Hamilton is a very storied brand so I wouldn't be so quick to write them off. Their current form exists under Swatch but they were based out of Lancaster PA once upon a time and provided watches to the railroads. They also make several of the X-Wind and Khaki Field models with chronographs.

Hamilton Pan Europ Chronograph $899

Again slightly over budget but they seller is willing to negotiate (Larger than you specified though): Oris Aquis Chronograph $1650

Ball produces several chronographs but I can't find any of the Fireman or Trainmaster line for sale right now.

Here's a white faced Hydrocarbon Chronograph $1300 They do come in black too.

I shop the used market quite a bit since I'm generally looking for something that's been out of production for a while and I'm not willing to take the hit to buy new from an AD. Always use Paypal (so you can reverse if the following happens) and get the watch authenticated by an AD if it is something common enough and valuable enough to make a forgery.

Now if you aren't set on a storied established brand and want to dive off into the wonderful world of microbrands....

I currently own nearly the entire line of Halios watches (full line when another reasonably priced Bluering shows up for sale) and I'm waiting for their newest one to show up on my doorstep:

If you want to keep looking on the used market: www.watchrecon.com is the best place to start. It'll list the current price and link you to the post selling the watch. Generally much more reasonable than Feebay. Let us know what you get so we can geek out with you.

I was going to recommend a Tudor Heritage Chrono but they're $2200+ on the used market still. You can net a Black Bay for under 2k though.

Tudor is it's "own" brand but share movements with Rolex and it's a subsidiary. Vintage Tudors actually came with the Rolex crowns installed and are often called the "poor mans" Rolex after Rolex moved to a luxury brand rather than a tool watch brand. Personally I don't care and have been debating selling off a few watches to buy a red Black Bay.

There's this brand out of Detroit called Shinola that makes cool watches. Mostly leather strapped ones, but they also make the Filson watches that have bracelet straps. They look pretty cool but I've never had one in person. May be worth a look?

Sinola/Filson Watches

I have an older Concord Mariner that I really like. Here's a link to the newer version:

http://www.concord.ch/us/en/shop-watches/mariner-0320260.html#start=1&cgid=mariner-mens

You can find them cheaper else ware.

My first thought was a used Speedmaster as well. Can't go wrong with one of those, they're a classic and have all sorts of heritage.

Do you want a chrono? That's a fairly important first step for this sort of watch. Almost all of mine are chronos because I actually use them. Daily wear is a Victorinox Classic Chrono on a NATO band because I can wear it over a driving suit and it's got 0.1 second precision. But no racing heritage, so there's that.

My wife loves her Tag Aquaracer. You can get them with numbers although they're not that common. It's a sleeker look than the Formula, depending on what you prefer.

Some nice looking watches there. Fortunately, I can have a reasonable facsimile of any of them on my LG G Watch Urbane, which I think you can now get for $200. And it does all the other smart watch stuff. Just sayin.....

And in five years, your LG will be obsolete and worthless. A good wristwatch will keep its value and doesn't need to be plugged in every night. Just sayin...

If you don't have interest in this sort of thing, there are lots of other threads.

procker wrote: There's this brand out of Detroit called Shinola that makes cool watches. Mostly leather strapped ones, but they also make the Filson watches that have bracelet straps. They look pretty cool but I've never had one in person. May be worth a look? Sinola/Filson Watches

Here I was, thinking I'm immune to the desire for expensive watches, and then you have to show those Filsons. I didn't even know Filson did watches, and having them made by Shinola in the US is a bonus. I don't know if anyone else cares, but Filson is one of the Granddaddy's of the PacNW outdoors industry and one of the few that still makes most of their products in the U.S. And I know the CEO (really).

Shinola Detroit

Handmade awesomeness

http://www.shinola.com/shop/watches.html

I like the Black Blizzard

In the world of luxury watches, $2K is inexpensive. It's funny---- when I'm out playing with the big-wigs at Monterey, or Amelia Island, the first thing the fat cats do when seated at a table is check out each other's watches. It's a pecking order, and you can never spend enough. It's very similar to women comparing wedding rings.

I don't have the funds to swim in that pool---- so I stick with the Mickey Mouse watch my grandmother gave me when I was 5. It may not be worth much, but it kills them on sentimental value.

I was going to post about Shinola as well. They've got a storefront down the road from where I live and I was intrigued. Doesn't have the same precision history, but there is a story. http://www.shinola.com/our-story/about-shinola

Hang around the F1 crowd and you'll see a lot of enormous watches. Not necessarily tasteful, but huge. Joe, I like your solution of the Mickey Mouse watch.

I've seen a surprising number of Shinolas being worn. They seem to pop up a lot. Interesting note - when I was visiting Singer a month ago and visiting with Rob The Visionary, he was wearing what looked for all the world like one of my super-simple Soviet watches from the 60s. Thought it was a Shinola at first.

The one of mine that gets the most attention from watch guys is a Mondaine Night Vision. Go figure, it's nothing exotic - but it gets people talking. It's also the most legible watch in the world and extremely comfortable. Not applicable to the OP question, though.

The Shinola Black Blizzard 42 mm is darn attractive!

Y'all are making me feel bad with my black Citizen Eco-Drive + black NATO band.

Keith Tanner wrote: If you don't have interest in this sort of thing, there are lots of other threads.

Really, pretty relevant post in most "Tell me about something you like..." threads. Sad that a forum dedicated to an already broad hobby filled with esoteric and obscure spin-offs needs to remind people that just because its not important to you, that doesn't make it un-important in general...

whats that quote about if you dont have something nice to say? Im just sayin...

My daily wear

The0retical wrote: If you want to keep looking on the used market: www.watchrecon.com is the best place to start. It'll list the current price and link you to the post selling the watch....

well, crap...ANOTHER place to waste my time at

EDT wrote: I really love the look of the Tissot PRS516, though it is a little big. You can get it in a quartz chrono, auto, and auto chrono.

I have a PRS516 auto/non-chrono and really like it. One thing, though: My clasp no longer stays clasped, and it doesn't have a safety. I'm guessing that it somehow wore out.

My daily watch is a Sieko5. It doesn't have a motorsport heritage, but that thing had aged like concrete. For fancy stuff, I have a Tag Heuer Carrera Twin-time that I really, really like.

I had a Seiko5. It was nice. My wife liked it. Now she has a Seiko5 and I do not.

Keith Tanner wrote: And in five years, your LG will be obsolete and worthless. A good wristwatch will keep its value and doesn't need to be plugged in every night. Just sayin...,

5 years? That's generous. I'l consider myself lucky if I get two. It's an electronic gizmo, after all.

If you don't have interest in this sort of thing, there are lots of other threads.

Easy, there. I was poking a bit of lighthearted fun and pointing out that one of the benefits of a modern smartwatch is that you can have lots of cool-looking watch faces, that's all. Trust me, I'm in no position to judge how other people spend their disposable income!

Keith Tanner wrote: I had a Seiko5. It was nice. My wife liked it. Now she has a Seiko5 and I do not.

I like my seiko5. Mostly for its size. I'm 6'1", and not particularly thin, but when I put on a large watch it makes my arms look like a little kid wearing his dad's watch.