# Outstanding watches under $500



## Larry Poppins (Jan 14, 2014)

The premium watch thread got me thinking, there are many great watches that cost thousands with legendary brands and loyal followers, and many fine watches for a grand and a half, but what about the low end? Surely there must be examples of good design, well made cases or interesting movements at or below the $500 price point. My own inquiries have led me to favor Ollech & Wajs but these are mostly military inspired black face watches. I'm sure there are others I have not yet considered.


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## smmrfld (May 22, 2007)

Can't go wrong with a Seiko 5, which comes in various dial colors and is readily available for under a hundred bucks.


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## MarkY (Mar 24, 2005)

If you shop around, you should be able to find a Hamilton or Oris for around $500. Oris will be a bit tougher to find.


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## StephenRG (Apr 7, 2005)

Tissot have a few decent dress automatic watches available for less than $500, e.g.:

https://search.jomashop.com/search#...id&af=cat0:automatic gender:mens brand:tissot


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## alphadelta (Oct 2, 2007)

In addition to the above suggestions, I would add used or vintage watches. Check out the sales corner at timezone.com. As with any purchase, buy the seller as well as the watch.


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## momsdoc (Sep 19, 2013)

StephenRG said:


> Tissot have a few decent dress automatic watches available for less than $500, e.g.:
> 
> https://search.jomashop.com/search#...id&af=cat0:automatic gender:mens brand:tissot


Now those are reasonably priced, stylish watches I could wrap my head around.


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## Takai (Jun 2, 2013)

Love my Seiko Autos for general wear, you might also take a look at some vintage Longines, or Junghans.


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## gerbilunit (Sep 24, 2013)

Not sure if this is agreed upon here, but I have an orient mako which for the price point and the construction, i'd say is excellent. Seiko 5's are a pretty piece as well.


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## jm22 (Apr 18, 2013)

I've been looking for a nice watch with a leather strap for months. I prefer leather straps when I'm wearing a suit. Those Tissots are right up my alley. I look forward to others' recommendations.


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## MarkY (Mar 24, 2005)

This Hamilton can be had for under $400 on Amazon. I've had this watch for almost 5 years and love it. Nice daily wear watch.


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## nibo (Jan 17, 2014)

If you have the patience for ebay or etsy, you can find some nice vintage pieces for under $500.
I myself have several Omega's, Tag Huer's, and Clebar's among others from the 1950s-70's I sniped off ebay.


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## IvanD (Jan 5, 2012)

My watch of choice at the moment:









Well under the $500 threshold too.


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## StephenRG (Apr 7, 2005)

More from Jomashop:




or in black


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## MaxBuck (Apr 4, 2013)

I must say I can see the point of someone's purchasing a $10,000 timepiece that has a mechanical movement, since such an instrument is the product of trained craftsmen displaying their skill. But in a <$500 watch this seems silly, since in that price range we're talking simple mass production techniques. At that point I don't understand why the purchaser doesn't opt for the demonstrably superior horometry provided by a quartz movement.

My best watch is a Raymond Weil quartz movement in a simple gold case, and as a dress timepiece it served me well when I wore such things. Later I bought Skagens, which were elegant looking if fragile and were suitable for casual wear. I agree that the Hamiltons and Tissots above are nice-looking things to put on one's wrist, but equally nice-looking watches are available at similar price points with quartz movements that will keep better time. Ruediger, Seiko and Citizen all offer some excellent choices.


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## jm22 (Apr 18, 2013)

MaxBuck said:


> I must say I can see the point of someone's purchasing a $10,000 timepiece that has a mechanical movement, since such an instrument is the product of trained craftsmen displaying their skill. But in a <$500 watch this seems silly, since in that price range we're talking simple mass production techniques. At that point I don't understand why the purchaser doesn't opt for the demonstrably superior horometry provided by a quartz movement.
> 
> My best watch is a Raymond Weil quartz movement in a simple gold case, and as a dress timepiece it served me well when I wore such things. Later I bought Skagens, which were elegant looking if fragile and were suitable for casual wear. I agree that the Hamiltons and Tissots above are nice-looking things to put on one's wrist, but equally nice-looking watches are available at similar price points with quartz movements that will keep better time. Ruediger, Seiko and Citizen all offer some excellent choices.


I think watches are becoming much more of a fashion accessory than a functional one, particularly with smartphones. Some people would rather have a watch that says "Tissot" or "Hamilton" than "Seiko". Additionally, people may just like the look of certain watches over others, since they likely aren't using it for actually telling time.


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## godan (Feb 10, 2010)

Does anyone know how routine maintenance is scheduled and what costs are involved for mechanicals in this category?


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## Larry Poppins (Jan 14, 2014)

godan said:


> Does anyone know how routine maintenance is scheduled and what costs are involved for mechanicals in this category?


I have mine oiled every 12-18 months, or when the automatics run slow or the stem wound one runs noisy. My watchmaker charges $40 for regular service and more for what he calls overhaul. H says don't bother with that until the watch stops running, which hasn't happened to any of my O&Ws.


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## Ed Rooney (Nov 6, 2012)

Larry Poppins said:


> I have mine oiled every 12-18 months, or when the automatics run slow or the stem wound one runs noisy. My watchmaker charges $40 for regular service and more for what he calls overhaul. H says don't bother with that until the watch stops running, which hasn't happened to any of my O&Ws.


Modern synthetic lubricants last much longer. You should get 5-7 years without needing ripen the case. I've seen some Seiko automatics that have never been opened.


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## jm22 (Apr 18, 2013)

And now the search begins for a good deal on that Tissot Le Locle. This forum continues to cost me money haha


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## RogerP (Oct 31, 2012)

Ed Rooney said:


> Modern synthetic lubricants last much longer. You should get 5-7 years without needing ripen the case. I've seen some Seiko automatics that have never been opened.


Correct. And if you purchase something with a basic ETA movement, your options for getting it serviced at reasonable cost from a local watchmaker increase significantly.


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## Larry Poppins (Jan 14, 2014)

Five to seven years eh? I will now cease to feel guilty for my lapse in having my watches serviced. I fear that whatever moneys I save in not having my current watches serviced will quickly be spent on a Seiko 5, or maybe a Grand Sport Kinetic.


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## phyrpowr (Aug 30, 2009)

www.gnomonwatches.com has a number of brands, mainly with Swiss ETA movements, under $500. Not into it myself, but it looks interesting.

I am, at present, wearing my Dad's Kent Deluxe, as old as I am (63 years), 17 jewel automatic "Incabloc", also anti-magnetic and water resistant (says so on the back). A generic Swiss movement, imported and branded with various names (as best I can tell) in the late 1940s-early 50s. This particular name was imported by a NY jewelry concern, and later bought by Kay Jewelers Dad wore it to work every day as an electrical contractor, never took any special care of it, and it still keeps pretty good time if I wear it every day, to keep it wound.


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## Dieu et les Dames (Jul 18, 2012)

I bought a watch for my lady friend from the Jomas Shop a couple months ago. Highly recommend it, because their prices are crazy low.


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## TradThrifter (Oct 22, 2012)

My Seiko 5 gains about +5 minutes a month. I have to reset it every month. Is this normal?


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## motosacto (Apr 14, 2012)

TradThrifter said:


> My Seiko 5 gains about +5 minutes a month. I have to reset it every month. Is this normal?


That's 10 seconds per day--sounds reasonable for a mechanical watch that's not a COSC-certified chronometer...


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## romeo (Apr 1, 2013)

check out the Tag's and Movado museum they look very descent even Muhle Glashute German watch very nice and have a very distinct look.


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## tocqueville (Nov 15, 2009)

motosacto said:


> That's 10 seconds per day--sounds reasonable for a mechanical watch that's not a COSC-certified chronometer...


Not bad at all.

The 7S26 movement in the vast majority of Seiko 5s is sort of the Kalashnikov of horology: There are prettier, more precise and accurate movements, but none that is as cheap AND as robust and reliable. A Seiko 5 will not fail you and will last for several decades without servicing. After all, at the price, there's no good reason to pay to have one serviced unless the watch has sentimental value.


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## tocqueville (Nov 15, 2009)

The best cheap watches are, in no particular order:
Seiko
Citizen
Orient
Tissot
Hamilton
Christopher Ward

The lowly Seiko 5 costs $60 and is really sharp looking, particularly on a leather strap, which might cost another, what, $40?. I should rephrase: there may be over 100 different Seiko 5 models, many of which are ugly, but there are a few really sharp models. One is bound to find something. Here's one example:










If you look on the 'net, you'll find lots of threads consisting of people posting pics of their favorite Seiko 5s. Like I said, not all are great looking, but there's always at least one to suit every taste. Here's a thread: https://forums.watchuseek.com/f71/post-your-favorite-seiko-5-a-611642-post4467202.html

Seiko also makes many other ranges between the 5 and the $500 mark. They're denoted by their serial numbers. Check out the SARB, SARX (about $500), and SARG lines, among others. Really, there are a bunch, and I'm not including their quartz models. Favorites include the SARB017, which is really special, and the SARB065, known as the Cocktail Time.

I wear this Seiko, a SARB035, which cost me $350 new. I love it. The bad news is that it's sort of a gateway drug for Grand Seikos. Pic lifted from the net:









Here's the SARB065 Cocktail Time (about $400):

And the SARB017 (about $400):









For not much more than a Seiko 5, one can get a really sharp Orient, like the Bambino, which I think costs maybe $100:










For a little more ($150?), you can get this model, the Symphony:









Tissots and Hamilton's have already been mentioned and have terrific reputations. A new brand is Christopher Ward, which has rapidly developed a strong following. Here's a Christopher Ward C5 Malvern, which comes in both automatic ($485 new) and quartz flavors:

And then, of course, there's the option of buying second hand or vintage. I bought a second-hand Stowa Antea a few years ago for $420. Alas, I have to get it fixed. On reason I bought my Seiko SARB is my confidence that I won't need to get it fixed any time soon:


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## RogerP (Oct 31, 2012)

I've always wanted to own the Cocktail Time.


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## tocqueville (Nov 15, 2009)

RogerP said:


> I've always wanted to own the Cocktail Time.


Me, too. Which reminds me: I'll edit my post to identify the Cocktail Time.


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## Takai (Jun 2, 2013)

Mmm... That Stowa is quite tasty, I've been trying to debate on either that, or the Junghans Max Bill for about a year now. And the reason I have my Seiko is the same, it's a beater watch, that still looks fantastic, and is reliable, though the Grand Seikos, and even the Lord Marvels/King Seikos are some of the nicest sub 10k watches I've looked at. Currently have a 7006-8007, but I've got a really nice 30J Sea Lion in pieces I need to have put back together x.o Both came in an odd lot of watches.


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## Semper Jeep (Oct 11, 2011)

tocqueville said:


> Seiko also makes many other ranges between the 5 and the $500 mark. They're denoted by their serial numbers. Check out the SARB, SARX (about $500), and SARG lines, among others. Really, there are a bunch, and I'm not including their quartz models. Favorites include the SARB017, which is really special, and the SARB065, known as the Cocktail Time.
> 
> I wear this Seiko, a SARB035, which cost me $350 new. I love it. The bad news is that it's sort of a gateway drug for Grand Seikos. Pic lifted from the net:


I'm another fan of Seiko's SARB line of watches. I wear the SARB017 quite frequently and have to say that it's among the most comfortably wearing watches that I own. I think I paid about $400 early last year.

(pardon my poor iPhone photography skills)

















And as others have mentioned, the Seiko 5 line has some great looking watches well below the $100 mark, but it takes a bit of searching because they also have many horrible designs that you need to sift through to get to the good ones.


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## VaEagle (Oct 15, 2013)

I have a Tissot Chronograph with a blue face and constantly receive compliments about it. And unlike Seiko or Citizen, I don't think the average person knows Tissot and thinks of it as a cheaper watch.


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## jm22 (Apr 18, 2013)

VaEagle said:


> I have a Tissot Chronograph with a blue face and constantly receive compliments about it. And unlike Seiko or Citizen, I don't think the average person knows Tissot and thinks of it as a cheaper watch.


I really like Tissot, I've been lowballing all the "Buy It Now" on ebay. No one seems pleased


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## filfoster (Aug 23, 2011)

Piling on this thread only to echo others. I love my SS Seiko 5 and agree the Tissot and Hamilton watches are very nice for the money. The Tissot dress watches are handsome indeed.

I window shop the Hamilton Jazzmasters on Amazon regularly.

Can't Victorinox and Wenger be added to this list? There are some at the OP price point.


(It is arguably no qualification and a tasteless admission of improvidence to add that I own three Rolexes, bought new. The Sub no-date is a daily 'wearer'. A GMT Master II ceramic and a Roman White face Date-Just, two-tone rest in boxes in the dark except as the mood strikes.)


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## Semper Jeep (Oct 11, 2011)

filfoster said:


> Piling on this thread only to echo others. I love my SS Seiko 5 and agree the Tissot and Hamilton watches are very nice for the money. The Tissot dress watches are handsome indeed.
> 
> I window shop the Hamilton Jazzmasters on Amazon regularly.
> 
> Can't Victorinox and Wenger be added to this list? There are some at the OP price point.


The first nice watch I ever bought was a quartz Victorinox about a decade ago and it still works great with the occasional battery change. I think they make some very nice watches but you really need to search around because the prices can vary greatly from retail shop to retail shop. If you don't mind buying second hand, the prices for Victorinox can be extremely good, even for ones that are basically new. They do not seem to hold their value at all (good for a buyer, bad for a seller).

I've never owned a Wenger but have handled them and they seem serviceable enough. The designs are usually pretty simple, military inspired designs and I don't think they don't have quite the price range as the Victorinox brand offers. Like Victorinox though, if you search around you can find them massively discounted off of full retail. Victorinox now owns both brands so I wouldn't be surprised if they use many of the same movements and have similar accuracies (but haven't really looked into the details to confirm)


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## jdto (Nov 19, 2013)

I'll add my endorsement of Seiko. I've got two Seiko SARB automatics the 021 and the 035 (and I'm planning on getting the SARB017) and they are really nice watches for the money. I've read where some say they're the best $1k watch for under $500. The newer SARX models also are very nice, with a bit more attention to detail and fit and finish, for right around the $500 mark. The 6r15 seems to be a well-regarded movement and I like the hacking second hand, as I get OCD about syncing the time to my internet atomic clock. I also have the SBDC003 "Sumo", which I picked up as a more casual, sporty option. My little collection is rounded out by a Seiko 5, which is a very nice-looking watch and an ESQ Movado, which is also in that price range and has a good look to it.

SARB021









SARB035









SBDC003









Seiko 5 SNKL41 (on a burgundy leather strap)









ESQ Movado Synthesis


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## kravi (Feb 26, 2013)

I bought a Tissot quartz (Couturier) for ~$250. It gains half a second a month, is clean, and looks sharp. It also survives my rather abusive lifestyle. I'm hard on gear.


EDIT: This is a close approximation of my watch. Mine is shiny silver rather than matte.
EDIT 2: I apparently forgot how to spell quartz...


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## Tiger (Apr 11, 2010)

I own the Tissot Tradition (picture below is not mine) - very nice Swiss watch with an IWC "look."









Also own the Tissot Le Locle automatic - absolutely love it! (Again, picture below is not mine.)


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## StephenRG (Apr 7, 2005)

Actually, this thread makes me wonder what value there is in buying basic ETA-movement-(or equivalent) watches for much more than $500! I wouldn't quibble about paying a little more for the SARX019, though...


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## tocqueville (Nov 15, 2009)

StephenRG said:


> Actually, this thread makes me wonder what value there is in buying basic ETA-movement-(or equivalent) watches for much more than $500! I wouldn't quibble about paying a little more for the SARX019, though...


That's a hotly debated question on watch forums, for, as you probably know, an astonishing number of really expensive watches use base ETA movements. Certainly, for about $1000 one should expect a higher grade ETA. I think that for more than $2000, one should start expecting to see something in-house.

The 6R15 movement in the Seiko SARB/SARX/SARG models are about as good as a base ETA, basically as good as what one will find in a $500 watch with an ETA (Tissot, Hamilton, etc). That's one of the reasons why a $350 SARB is such a great value.

From what I've read, the best movement one can find in a sub-$1000 watch is the Miyota 9010, which Citizen (Miyota's parent company) puts in its Grand Classic Automatic (about $750). There are more and more watches on the market with these...look for them or their close siblings, the 9015. Miyota movements are good, and because they're a bit cheaper than Swiss equivalents, watches with them inside are often lower priced and, frankly, better values.


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## Tilton (Nov 27, 2011)

I've been toying with the idea of buying a vintage Omega Constellation. They can be had on ebay for 400 on up, so not too bad. Anyone have any thoughts on them?


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## tocqueville (Nov 15, 2009)

Tilton said:


> I've been toying with the idea of buying a vintage Omega Constellation. They can be had on ebay for 400 on up, so not too bad. Anyone have any thoughts on them?


Do it. Factor in your budget a service, however.


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## RogerP (Oct 31, 2012)

Tilton said:


> I've been toying with the idea of buying a vintage Omega Constellation. They can be had on ebay for 400 on up, so not too bad. Anyone have any thoughts on them?


Buy the seller more than the watch - and vet any prospective purchase on watch forum. Great deals can be had in a vintage piece, but it takes a bit more homework.


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## godan (Feb 10, 2010)

*Don't buy a problem*

The comments above by Toqueville and RogerP, together with RogerP's post elsewhere that most ETA movements can be serviced by a competent watchmaker, form the core of what I learned during a brief, foolishly expensive, enthusiasm for vintage higher-end watches. To do something dumb in the smartest way, I settled on buying only fully refurbished models from a well-established brick and mortar shop with which I had a good business relationship. There are ethical sellers on the internet, but can you (or they) be certain in detail that someone who knows how has been inside the watch and done what is necessary to maintain and lubricate it? And, will they be there some years in the future when you need them again? If not, any forthcoming service intervals must be to some degree speculative, so one essentially buys a problem. An example of the sort of shop I trust can be found on the website for RightTime in Denver. It is best, and more fun, to find one that you can visit in person.


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## Tilton (Nov 27, 2011)

Yeah, I was basically planning to double the price for service, so buy for $500, put another $500 into it. That still comes out about $400 less than vintage Omegas I've seen for sale locally, and there isn't much of a market around here that I've found, though maybe someone in the DC area knows some shops I don't.


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## TradThrifter (Oct 22, 2012)

My only dilemma with buying vintage pieces is the servicing. Seems like too much of a hassle. I think I'd rather just buy a newer, but less expensive watch. Then I can be sure that it won't cause me any trouble and if it does I can always send it back.


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## tocqueville (Nov 15, 2009)

Tilton said:


> Yeah, I was basically planning to double the price for service, so buy for $500, put another $500 into it. That still comes out about $400 less than vintage Omegas I've seen for sale locally, and there isn't much of a market around here that I've found, though maybe someone in the DC area knows some shops I don't.


This is something i'd like to know myself. I have my grandfather's Omega and would like to get it fixed.


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## thatkidwho (Dec 31, 2013)

If you already have jeweller/store you trust ask him who he use as a watchmaker. You might be able to save a few bucks going straight to the watchmaker. Once you really get into watches find a good watchmaker. Often you can buy directly from him some nice refurbished pieces at reasonable prices.


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## jm22 (Apr 18, 2013)

I decided against Tissot and went with Seiko 5, for the price difference I can't justify it. Plus, it leaves me extra $ for the AE Seconds 2 for $250 sale coming up :wink2:


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## romeo (Apr 1, 2013)

There are many fashion watches that are under $500 and are pretty durable and good looking want more info or details on watches check out watch https://forums.watchuseek.com/forum.php


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## Ed Rooney (Nov 6, 2012)

StephenRG said:


> Actually, this thread makes me wonder what value there is in buying basic ETA-movement-(or equivalent) watches for much more than $500! I wouldn't quibble about paying a little more for the SARX019, though...


Bingo. Hublot and Frank Muller are making a killing selling $500 watches to footballers for $15K.


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## Tiger (Apr 11, 2010)

jm22 said:


> I decided against Tissot and went with Seiko 5, for the price difference I can't justify it. Plus, it leaves me extra $ for the AE Seconds 2 for $250 sale coming up :wink2:


I own both, and the Tissot is a superior watch, and worth the extra cost, I believe. I use the Seiko 5 version that I own as a summer casual watch, while my Tissots are for work and nice weekend wear.


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## jm22 (Apr 18, 2013)

Tiger said:


> I own both, and the Tissot is a superior watch, and worth the extra cost, I believe. I use the Seiko 5 version that I own as a summer casual watch, while my Tissots are for work and nice weekend wear.


I actually ended up with a Seiko SARB033 for $200. The movement in that is considered at least as good or superior to a Tissot. Again, I love the look of the Tissot, it may be my next watch, and the white textured face would be nice.


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## IotaNet (Jun 28, 2009)

I am not a watch connoisseur by any stretch but I have always had excellent luck with Seiko. I just bought this one yesterday:


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## immanuelrx (Dec 7, 2013)

jm22 said:


> I decided against Tissot and went with Seiko 5, for the price difference I can't justify it. Plus, it leaves me extra $ for the AE Seconds 2 for $250 sale coming up :wink2:


When is the 2 for $250 sale going to be?


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## bobelmore (Jan 26, 2014)

Larry Poppins said:


> The premium watch thread got me thinking, there are many great watches that cost thousands with legendary brands and loyal followers, and many fine watches for a grand and a half, but what about the low end? Surely there must be examples of good design, well made cases or interesting movements at or below the $500 price point. My own inquiries have led me to favor Ollech & Wajs but these are mostly military inspired black face watches. I'm sure there are others I have not yet considered.


I own several watches, but I prefer my Citizen Blue Angels chronograph most of the time. Maybe not dressy enough for a suit, but it works for most everything else.


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## jm22 (Apr 18, 2013)

immanuelrx said:


> When is the 2 for $250 sale going to be?


Depends what size you are, haha. Don't want to have you steal my possible shoes. I'm kidding, end of February/Beginning of March


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

bobelmore said:


> I own several watches, but I prefer my Citizen Blue Angels chronograph most of the time. Maybe not dressy enough for a suit, but it works for most everything else.


Welcome to AAAC, bobelmore. Nice watch....do you get much use out of all the features the design incorporates?


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## godan (Feb 10, 2010)

eagle2250 said:


> Welcome to AAAC, bobelmore. Nice watch....do you get much use out of all the features the design incorporates?


Eagle raises a pertinent question for anyone owning or considering a watch with multiple features. After a bad experience beneath the sea, I will never again trust an ordinary quartz watch battery, but when Citizen Eco-Drive technology arrived, I bought a couple and discovered that I wanted better visibility and longer duration of the stopwatch feature. Considering Casio G-Shock technology, I like that the atomic time setting is transmitted by a station close to my home. Different G-Shock models certainly offer what I wanted and have additional features, such as a countdown timer and time recorder, that I have learned to appreciate. However, the "audible" alarms are too weak for me to hear. I have no interest in world time, tide tables, moon phase, altimeter, thermometer etc., and I dislike the Casio practice of cluttering watches with tasteless writing and decals. In the context of Eagle's question, with modern solar powered digitals, I can certainly find everything I want on models of Casio G-Shock, but each includes features from which I get no use at all. Even so, I now own and use five for recreational purposes.


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## TradThrifter (Oct 22, 2012)

I don't need too many features on my everyday watch. I'm not the biggest fan of chronos or tachymeters. I prefer a simple, clean dial. My favorite features are date, sweeping seconds, power reserve and moonphase. I wear my G-shock for rugged activites and to the gym.


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## jm22 (Apr 18, 2013)

This is the watch I went with. Tried to keep it as simple as possible. Black dial with a brownish sunburst effect when the light hits it right. And I bought a black alligator strap to change it up when I'm wearing my suits.


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## TradThrifter (Oct 22, 2012)

jm22 said:


> This is the watch I went with. Tried to keep it as simple as possible. Black dial with a brownish sunburst effect when the light hits it right. And I bought a black alligator strap to change it up when I'm wearing my suits.


Beautiful. One of my favorites for sure.


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## WouldaShoulda (Aug 5, 2009)

Tilton said:


> Yeah, I was basically planning to double the price for service, so buy for $500, put another $500 into it. That still comes out about $400 less than vintage Omegas I've seen for sale locally, and there isn't much of a market around here that I've found, though maybe someone in the DC area knows some shops I don't.





tocqueville said:


> This is something i'd like to know myself. I have my grandfather's Omega and would like to get it fixed.


Eckers in Bethesda cleaned and refaced a Hamilton for me and I was pleased with the result.


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## WouldaShoulda (Aug 5, 2009)

Tilton said:


> Yeah, I was basically planning to double the price for service, so buy for $500, put another $500 into it. That still comes out about $400 less than vintage Omegas I've seen for sale locally, and there isn't much of a market around here that I've found, though maybe someone in the DC area knows some shops I don't.





jm22 said:


> View attachment 10130
> View attachment 10131
> This is the watch I went with. Tried to keep it as simple as possible. Black dial with a brownish sunburst effect when the light hits it right. And I bought a black alligator strap to change it up when I'm wearing my suits.


Good choice!!


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## Ed Rooney (Nov 6, 2012)

My guy in Annapolis typically does a service on a vintage Omega or ETA for about $250-300. He's also Rolex-trained and has the Rolex pressure tester for dive watches. PM for contact info.


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## jm22 (Apr 18, 2013)

I also dressed it up with an alligator band


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## StephenRG (Apr 7, 2005)

jm22 said:


> I also dressed it up with an alligator band


I get contact dermatitis from alligator straps ever since eating snake soup at Ser Wong Fun in Hong Kong...


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## StephenRG (Apr 7, 2005)

phyrpowr said:


> www.gnomonwatches.com has a number of brands, mainly with Swiss ETA movements, under $500.


Thanks - on reviewing the site I found just what I was looking for, at an unbeatable price!


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## Kreiger (Nov 6, 2011)

StephenRG said:


> I get contact dermatitis from alligator straps ever since eating snake soup at Ser Wong Fun in Hong Kong...


That's frightening! I've heard of adults developing an allergy after exposure, but I've never heard of a 'snake allergy'!!!


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## FilipI (Jan 31, 2014)

Tilton said:


> I've been toying with the idea of buying a vintage Omega Constellation. They can be had on ebay for 400 on up, so not too bad. Anyone have any thoughts on them?


I own two Omega watches that belonged to my grandfather, meaning that they are 40-50 years old. One is automatic golden and the other is manual gold plated. They both work well and look very nice, and I still wear them. The belts need to be replaced every 2-3 years, but except from that every piece of the watches is original, and they never had to be repared. So I vote "yes" on Omega.


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## Tilton (Nov 27, 2011)

StephenRG said:


> I get contact dermatitis from alligator straps ever since eating snake soup at Ser Wong Fun in Hong Kong...


This gets my vote for most interesting post for the week.


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## StephenRG (Apr 7, 2005)

Tilton said:


> This gets my vote for most interesting post for the week.


LOL! The full story seems to be this: the Chinese claim that snake soup is "warming" in winter, which I thought was traditional Chinese B/S. But when I ate it, I got a distinct warming sensation. A biologist friend of mine said that there are some odd proteins in reptiles and the warm feeling was actually a kind of allergic response. This then sensitised me to reptile in general...obviously not everyone gets that sensitisation!


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## sacafotos (Jan 28, 2014)

jm22 said:


> I decided against Tissot and went with Seiko 5, for the price difference I can't justify it. Plus, it leaves me extra $ for the AE Seconds 2 for $250 sale coming up :wink2:


Where is the seconds sale? AE or TSM?

Also, what does NYO (online shoe retailer I think) stand for?

Thank you!

Raise your words, not your voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder. -- Rumi

Jacket: 36S/38S. 
Shoes: 7.5EE-8.5D.


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## Tilton (Nov 27, 2011)

StephenRG said:


> LOL! The full story seems to be this: the Chinese claim that snake soup is "warming" in winter, which I thought was traditional Chinese B/S. But when I ate it, I got a distinct warming sensation. A biologist friend of mine said that there are some odd proteins in reptiles and the warm feeling was actually a kind of allergic response. This then sensitised me to reptile in general...obviously not everyone gets that sensitisation!


I'm glad the sensation I get every time I eat uni doesn't sensitize me to oysters! Or, and perhaps more importantly, my oyster belt buckle!


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## Tilton (Nov 27, 2011)

WouldaShoulda said:


> Eckers in Bethesda cleaned and refaced a Hamilton for me and I was pleased with the result.
> 
> View attachment 10133


Thanks! that's less than 180 degrees around the beltway from me, so I'm in for it.

On another note, I've expanded my search to relatively recent Omega Seamasters and Breitling Colts, both automatic. Unless, of course, someone has a better idea.


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## rbstc123 (Jun 13, 2007)

I used to work for Seiko and I cannot tell you how many times gentlemen wearing a Rolex came in the store and bashed the Rolex and left with a Seiko. Clearly Rolex is a quality timepiece and I am not bashing them. I'd love to add a Submariner to my collection one day. I am just stating what I witnessed. Most of them stated that if they did not have the Rolex routinely serviced that it would start losing time and they never had a problem with the Seiko automatic watches they owned before. I own the following Seiko watches: Seiko 5, a Premier chronograph, digital, 2 Automatic Divers (built like tanks), and a Kinetic Sportura chronograph. The Seiko 5 gets more use than all the rest because it is a classic stainless band with silver face and goes with everything. I love my collection of Seiko watches. I hate I can no longer buy them on discount...


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## rbstc123 (Jun 13, 2007)

Very nice looking Citizen. Another quality watchmaker.



tocqueville said:


> That's a hotly debated question on watch forums, for, as you probably know, an astonishing number of really expensive watches use base ETA movements. Certainly, for about $1000 one should expect a higher grade ETA. I think that for more than $2000, one should start expecting to see something in-house.
> 
> The 6R15 movement in the Seiko SARB/SARX/SARG models are about as good as a base ETA, basically as good as what one will find in a $500 watch with an ETA (Tissot, Hamilton, etc). That's one of the reasons why a $350 SARB is such a great value.
> 
> From what I've read, the best movement one can find in a sub-$1000 watch is the Miyota 9010, which Citizen (Miyota's parent company) puts in its Grand Classic Automatic (about $750). There are more and more watches on the market with these...look for them or their close siblings, the 9015. Miyota movements are good, and because they're a bit cheaper than Swiss equivalents, watches with them inside are often lower priced and, frankly, better values.


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## momsdoc (Sep 19, 2013)

The Tissot Le Lode is a fine looking watch, which i am going to purchase. Most will think it is a more expensive watch, and the uninitiated will associate the name with a high end Swiss watch maker.


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## bobelmore (Jan 26, 2014)

No, which is interesting, because it has some nice features (such as calculating how much fuel you have left for your flight), but my iPhone covers about all the functions the watch has, and much faster.

One nice feature that I do use is the time zone. You select a time zone for the digital display, then when you land in a new city, you simply press a button and it switches the digital time zone with the analog. Then when you return home you press the button again and you are back to your home time zone.


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## Tilton (Nov 27, 2011)

I always thought that having multiple time zones on a watch was totally gimmicky until I started working for a company where I have only two coworkers here in DC and all the rest in San Antonio, Ft. Knox, Maui, and St. Louis.

The Tissot Le Lode is a nice looking watch and a good deal for the price, but I doubt anyone will think it is significantly more expensive than it is when taken on its own. What high end Swiss watchmaker would the uninitiated associate the Tissot name with? Anyone who would know what JLC, Panerai, A. Lange, etc are would likely be able to recognize them and would certainly know what Tissot is and anyone who doesnt will think that Rolex, Omega, and Patek are the only major luxury Swiss watches around, and definitely won't know what brands fall under the Swatch/ETA umbrella.

If your goal is to have a nice watch and a good value, it is a good buy. If your goal is to fool people into thinking you spent 6x as much as you really did, you'd to better to get a Seiko SARB035 and let viewers from afar think you bought an Aqua Terra.


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## rpfey (Dec 8, 2013)

StephenRG said:


> LOL! The full story seems to be this: the Chinese claim that snake soup is "warming" in winter, which I thought was traditional Chinese B/S. But when I ate it, I got a distinct warming sensation. A biologist friend of mine said that there are some odd proteins in reptiles and the warm feeling was actually a kind of allergic response. This then sensitised me to reptile in general...obviously not everyone gets that sensitisation!


Excuse me for being ignorant, but what is traditional Chinese B/S?


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## StephenRG (Apr 7, 2005)

rpfey said:


> Excuse me for being ignorant, but what is traditional Chinese B/S?


It is to show my dismissive attitude to Traditional Chinese Medicine.

https://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/acu.html


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## 2010doran (Feb 5, 2014)

I just stick to a simple Timex Easy Reader with straps for different occasions. Watches from Swatch and Orient are also extremely good values. Another option in the $500 range is to carefully look for some vintage Omegas on eBay, but beware of unoriginal parts.


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## godan (Feb 10, 2010)

StephenRG said:


> It is to show my dismissive attitude to Traditional Chinese Medicine.
> 
> https://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/acu.html


Well done! In the martial arts, where there was also money to be made, we encountered a seemingly endless barrage of claims about secret techniques and ancient Chinese wisdom. After early "no rules" karate contests evolved into today's mixed martial arts, the claimants were noticeably thin on the ground. The contributions and capacities of Chinese martial arts are solid enough to be described truthfully, but the need to claim special secrets, beyond the understanding of "Western" science, cheapened everything.


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## tigerpac (Jan 23, 2014)

A real timepiece for 500? I'd recommend a nice vintage. History and quality all in one. Can get a wonderful Omega in that price range.


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## rpfey (Dec 8, 2013)

StephenRG said:


> It is to show my dismissive attitude to Traditional Chinese Medicine.
> 
> https://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/acu.html


I'm actually an American born Chinese and a biochemist. I take issue with your choice of wording and find it quite rude. I'm not arguing that traditional Chinese medicine is scientifically sound -- far from it. But I do not visit other countries and call any part of their traditions and cultures "B/S" as you like to say. If that's the attitude you take then please take your business elsewhere.


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## Magnusson (Feb 4, 2014)

rbstc123 said:


> I used to work for Seiko and I cannot tell you how many times gentlemen wearing a Rolex came in the store and bashed the Rolex and left with a Seiko. Clearly Rolex is a quality timepiece and I am not bashing them. I'd love to add a Submariner to my collection one day. I am just stating what I witnessed. Most of them stated that if they did not have the Rolex routinely serviced that it would start losing time and they never had a problem with the Seiko automatic watches they owned before. I own the following Seiko watches: Seiko 5, a Premier chronograph, digital, 2 Automatic Divers (built like tanks), and a Kinetic Sportura chronograph. The Seiko 5 gets more use than all the rest because it is a classic stainless band with silver face and goes with everything. I love my collection of Seiko watches. I hate I can no longer buy them on discount...


I am a watchmaker, and I work on Rolexes primarily, and daily. I also see a good number of other watches. Here are some thoughts...

The thing to keep in mind is that in this day and age, with cheap, accurate, and tough quartz watches and cellphones, the watch is more than ever a piece of jewelry, rather than a tool. It just happens to be the only really varied and unique piece of jewelry that it's socially acceptable for men to wear in most circumstances. Consequently, aesthetics, "heritage," "image," various cultural associations, and other intangible emotional factors play a much bigger part in the choice to purchase a timepiece than utilitarian considerations of accuracy and reliability, per se.

That being said, because we've all become used to quartz watches which tell the time with phenomenal accuracy (usually only gaining or losing a few seconds a month) for long periods of time with no maintenance or owner attention whatsoever, we have pretty exacting standards for mechanical watches, too. In the old days, an average wristwatch might keep time to 30 seconds a day. A good one could manage 10. Nowadays, such relative inaccuracy wouldn't be accepted by most people unless they had reasons to put up with it.

Hence, it follows that one should choose a watch based on one's needs, which is common sense, but most people don't know their needs when it comes to a watch.

Again, "in the old days," (understanding the history is important to understand today's options) the best wristwatches were those that were both accurate (ideally better than 10 seconds a day) and tough, by which I mean that they were waterproof and could maintain their accuracy while being subjected to shocks, jarring, vibration, and all the other disturbances which accompany an active life.

Pre-Quartz, which debuted in about 1970, Rolex, Omega, etc. were the go-to watches for this sort of thing. They were expensive, but if you really needed a tough and most importantly, relatively accurate watch by the standards of the day, and one that was made to a very high standard and would probably not stop at a critical moment, these watches were your choice.

As former holders of the title "best watch," they have that mystique and heritage I alluded to above, and so still command a high price and are in demand as functional but nonessential jewelry. Rolex corners the market on frogman and explorer mystique, Omega has astronaut mystique, Breitling has pilot mystique, etc. These were the best mechanical watches that could be had, when the mechanical wristwatch was the king of the hill in terms of personal timekeeping. It bears noting too that "best" is relative. These were the best in a functional way, but the "best" in terms of hand craftsmanship was Patek, or Vacheron, or A. Lange, et al., who all mastered the art of "best watch" as it pertained to the old era of the gentleman's pocket watch.

Anyway, since 1970, we have quartz, which allows anyone to pay $9.99 at the corner store for a watch that would put any mechanical to shame for accuracy and durability. Therefore, people who buy mechanicals today usually do so for other reasons.

A) they need a watch to wear in a place that might not have competent jewelers to change batteries -they're going to be spending some quality time in sub-Saharan Africa, for instance.

B) they are attracted to the art and heritage of the mechanical watch.

For both of these purposes, both Seiko and Rolex will fit the bill. Rolex appeals to the more well-heeled, because it is a better watch, objectively speaking. The quality of materials and machining is higher, the accuracy and reliability, when properly cleaned and oiled by a competent watchmaker, is phenomenal for a mechanical watch, and it has a dose of romance and prestige.

However, most of us balk at the thought of wearing a $7,000+ watch to places where the locals might not earn that in a year or ten. We also might not have that kind of money ourselves to drop on a watch, and we would not be pleased if something happened to our expensive timepiece when we were really using it as the mid-20th century equivalent of a Casio G-Shock.

If we just need a tool to tell the time, the Seiko is hard to beat. I wear one myself: this evening I was wearing a 7S26 diver. My watch tends to lose about 20 seconds a day. I'm a watchmaker, and might be able to adjust it to keep a slightly closer rate, but I haven't bothered... It's accurate enough that if I set it 5 minutes fast, it'll be several weeks before it's 5 minutes slow and necessitates my setting it again, and I am not some commando who is ever going to need to coordinate my actions to the very second. The Seikos offer most of the Rolex build quality, in terms of the case, and their movements, while comparatively imprecise (objectively speaking) and inelegant, are just as strongly-built and reliable, thanks to advances in manufacturing since the '60s. They come in a wide variety of styles to suit everyone's tastes, and they're cheap. The aforementioned diver cost me $186 NIB on eBay, and the equivalent Rolex watch, the Submariner, sells for around $6500 these days I think.


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## Checkerboard 13 (Oct 6, 2009)

Shaver said:


> There is no need to be so precious. B/S is B/S - indiscriminate of ethnicity, colour, creed, gender, religious or sexual orientation.


Enough of the thread drift. Get back and stay back on topic. Everyone.


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## rpfey (Dec 8, 2013)

On a related note, the thread got me interested in watches below $500 but through some haphazard searching, I've decided on a Stowa Antea KS or a NOMOS Glashütte model.


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## godan (Feb 10, 2010)

Magnusson: Your post #88, above, is insightful, helpful to the discussion and, to my knowledge, accurate. Thank you for the quality of that contribution.


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## Larry Poppins (Jan 14, 2014)

I'd like to second what godan said re #88. Thanks Magnisson. When a watchmaker says that a Seiko offers most of the Rolex build quality for a price I can easily afford, (well maybe next month) it does change my opinion of things. Indeed so many people have sung the praises of Seiko mechanicals I may have to scroll through some ebay listings this afternoon. But then I have an automatic (O&W Submariner-ish) and a stem-wound chronograph I have worn for years so the Seiko Kinetics are gaining appeal because I don't have a watch with that sort of movement. If I had to tell time, down to the second I would wear my Seiko Radiowave digital. I know it's accurate and will never need a battery, but it's black and has all the styling of a mid 80's digital watch. I use it to set the time of my other watches but rarely wear it. It's just the sort of thing for travel, if I ever find the time and resources to leave the PST, but at a hair over .5k it's not relevant to this discussion.


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