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  1. #26
    RGA
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    I hate Apple but I met a guy here who had the Apple watch in white iWatchz Q Series watchband for iPod nano - Apple Store (U.S.)

    I liked the look of it on the arm and he could change the background to many different watch faces.

    It looked space age.

    The fellow suggested an off brand rather than the Apple version - the off brand is better constructed and about $15 (though I'm in Hong Kong) a fraction of what Apple charges.

    It's not really my thing - but it looked pretty cool.

    Personally I want the Wozniak Tube powered watch Steve Wozniak Showing Off His NIXIE Tube Watch - YouTube

  2. #27
    Super Moderator Site Moderator JohnMichael's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ajani View Post
    I see nothing wrong with wearing an expensive watch if it's what floats your boat. Frankly, admiration of quality workmanship and/history is IMO a far more valid reason to buy a luxury watch than any claims of the need for accurate time keeping. The easiest way to read the time is with a digital clock (like the one on a cellphone), but a digital watch just isn't sexy.


    Interstingly is when the digital read out of time first appeared the talk was easy reading as you state but you lose some perspective of time. If you are looking at a face indicating 12 hours it is easier to visualize two hours with a watch face than a digital read out. Interesting how we humans perceive things.
    JohnMichael
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  3. #28
    Musicaholic Forums Moderator ForeverAutumn's Avatar
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    John, if your watches are all automatic do you have one of those motion thingies to store them in or do you wind them if you don't wear them for a while? When I was shopping for Hubby's watch, I really liked the motion of the automatic watches. The second hand was so smooth. I was thinking about getting an automatic as my next watch, but I like to change things up depending on what I'm wearing or doing each day. If I have to reset and wind it each time I wear it then it might be more hassle then it's worth.

  4. #29
    Man of the People Forums Moderator bobsticks's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ajani View Post
    I see nothing wrong with wearing an expensive watch if it's what floats your boat. Frankly, admiration of quality workmanship and/history is IMO a far more valid reason to buy a luxury watch than any claims of the need for accurate time keeping. The easiest way to read the time is with a digital clock (like the one on a cellphone), but a digital watch just isn't sexy.
    IMO, the ony thing wrong with expensive watches is that their durability seems to be, in my experience, inversely proportional to the cost. There was a time in my life when I could afford such things and was prone to flights of fancy...if the tag says Panerai, Breitling or Movado you can plan on it self destructing when you stroll around the block.

    The two best time pieces I ever owned (and still own)were, surprisingly, by Tag Heuer and Gruen, the latter of which would easily fall into your budget.
    So, I broke into the palace
    With a sponge and a rusty spanner
    She said : "Eh, I know you, and you cannot sing"
    I said : "That's nothing - you should hear me play piano"

  5. #30
    RGA
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    So I went and looked at the watches again today - the 130th Seiko 5 is nice but here's the thing - for about $75 less I can get the same watch but a different colour Some Pictures of the Seiko 5 World Time – SRP127K « Yeoman's Watch Review

  6. #31
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ajani View Post
    I see nothing wrong with wearing an expensive watch if it's what floats your boat.
    Yeah, and don't dare say a $4200 Amplifier is expensive after dropping $3K on a watch.

    I have a couple Seikos but I wear my Citizen Eco Drive all the time and don't have to worry about the battery.

  7. #32
    Ajani
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    Quote Originally Posted by bobsticks View Post
    IMO, the ony thing wrong with expensive watches is that their durability seems to be, in my experience, inversely proportional to the cost. There was a time in my life when I could afford such things and was prone to flights of fancy...if the tag says Panerai, Breitling or Movado you can plan on it self destructing when you stroll around the block.
    That's about the same as other luxury items like cars and hifi equipment. Lots of luxury gear is even less reliable than cheaper gear.

  8. #33
    Ajani
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hyfi View Post
    Yeah, and don't dare say a $4200 Amplifier is expensive after dropping $3K on a watch.

    I have a couple Seikos but I wear my Citizen Eco Drive all the time and don't have to worry about the battery.
    I see no difference between buying expensive watches, hifi, wine or cars. Most persons indulge in something.

  9. #34
    Super Moderator Site Moderator JohnMichael's Avatar
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    I have never spent more than $1,000 on a watch and my Hamilton was less than $500 during a jewelry store sale. The Omega is the most I would spend on a watch at $3,000 in stainless steel. I admire the design of Patek Phillipes, Blancpains, etc but so not in my price range.

    I have owned two Movado Museum watches in quartz and they were dependable for me. As styles change and my wrist enlarged they were too small for me. Friends are wearing them now. I did not mind the Museum watches because they did not have a second hand that jumped around. The Omega styling is timeless but my better watch is too small 35 mm and I am tired of the face and bezel. I would hate to spend a large amount on a watch and grow tired of it.

    Of course once you invest in a mechanical watch you have the joy of sending it off to be cleaned, lubed and time adjusted. I do not think $250 is a lot of money but that is what I would pay to have my watch serviced. When you no longer like a watch it is tough to spend the money on it.
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  10. #35
    RGA
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    Quote Originally Posted by ForeverAutumn View Post
    John, if your watches are all automatic do you have one of those motion thingies to store them in or do you wind them if you don't wear them for a while? When I was shopping for Hubby's watch, I really liked the motion of the automatic watches. The second hand was so smooth. I was thinking about getting an automatic as my next watch, but I like to change things up depending on what I'm wearing or doing each day. If I have to reset and wind it each time I wear it then it might be more hassle then it's worth.
    I've been doing research a lot now on watches. On Seiko's site (mostly researched their technology since it seems they invented most of it) the new Kinetic watches

    "SEIKO's unique Kinetic Auto-Relay technology. It is powered by the movement of your body with Kinetic Perpetual quartz accuracy and reliability. With Auto-Relay, the watch will, when not worn, operate normally for 6 months on a full charge, after which it goes into "sleep" mode for up to four years. The accuracy remains and the calendar continues to show the correct date, month and year, but the hands stop, conserving energy, until, once the watch is put on again, the hands automatically reset to the correct time."

    So perhaps a Kinetic Perpetual watch is up your ally. Kinetic | SEIKO WATCH CORPORATION

    I suppose one of the things that is drawing me to Seiko is that there are more of them (more choices) and they make their own movements and their own watches. As noted many of the very expensive brands buy off the shelf movements and stick their own label on the front. Where is the artistry and craftmanship in that?

    And many have invented absolutely nothing. Further it's crazy to spend multiples of the price for a "name" when you can get a different watch at a fraction of the price with the identical movement. At least Rolex makes their watches so while expensive I now see that you actually get something for the money. I just don't like the looks of Rolex or the fact that knockoffs look identical for $30.

    I think I'm going to get the Sports 5 - it is both Automatic and wind up and has the hack feature.

    Bobsticks

    Your words ring in my head - if the Seiko dies in 5 years it's a $200 watch - big deal - but if I paid $1,000 I'd be rightly pissed off. Plus the expense of cleaning and or fixing them will no doubt be much more expensive.

    The guy here selling Seiko (no commission) said the Sport 5 should go 8-10 years before it needs to be serviced and then it would be $50. They seem well regarded for being durable.

    But by then the style may grow weary to me. Big fat watches are in right now - Girls are all wearing men's watches now. The dainty little things are out. But in 10 years the shift could go back the other way.

    I had a smallish man's Longines - Wittnauer and it looks lousy now but in 1992 it was quite posh. But I would not pay to have that fixed. Back then it was a $400 battery watch. Batteries failed ever 4-6 months and the seal needed to be replaced each time. bah

    I have a Rolex Tudor Oyster that I found in a puddle. Still works to this day - found in 1992. Manual wind. It's weird - have to turn the knob back towards me and then out and then spin forward to wind it. I went to get it serviced and they said it would be $300. Eesh. So it sits in a jar since i'm not entirely sure it's a real Rolex as it seems to have some water damage inside where the hands are.

    I looked at the Solar watches but they still have a battery - and they run 8-10 years and need to be replaced (at what cost I don't know). Seems an automatic/wind up would be the best in terms of least service. Probably run 20 years with not much issue. My dad had a Citizen for 30 years - never serviced it and it never had a problem. it was a 17 jewel wind-up.

  11. #36
    Super Moderator Site Moderator JohnMichael's Avatar
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    I guess it depends on what is important to you. Swiss watches have always been the standard bearer to me. My Hamilton watch uses the ETA 2824-2 25 jewel movement. This movement goes back to the Eternamatic movement which was one of the earlier automatic wind movements. Talk about history. My better watch has an ETA 2892-2 movement which can achieve chronometer status. Swiss watches are continually refined through the years.

    When quartz watches first appeared in the marketplace they put a large dent in the mechanical market. Several makers of movements went out of business. ETA continued to produce Swiss movements for other watch manufactures. Until recently ETA supplied a lot of movements to the watch industry. Of course companies claimed they were their own movements. This caused ETA to reduce the number of movements made. Watch designers took ETA to court. The judge decided after each coming year ETA could reduce the number they sold to others. The watches under their banner still receive the ETA movements.

    Omega watch movements are designed by Omega and ETA produces the movements. Be they automatic or quartz ETA builds for Omega their most recent designs. The co axial escapement is a fairly new design that will improve the reliability of the movement. ETA makes movements for Hamilton, Tissot which are under their corporate umbrella.

    I would love to travel to Switzerland and visit the watch manufactures. When I was in Paris they had a display of the Breguet watches at the Louvre. Their are several Swiss companies that have been around since before this country was a country.
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  12. #37
    RGA
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    I guess from my research is that on the budget end of the spectrum Japanese is the way to go (gee just like cars) and the cost no object is where buying Swiss makes more sense.

    There is a balance between looks, price, and quality at play here.

    http://www.orientalwatchsite.com/dis...nese-vs-swiss/

    The comments part at bottom I found even more enlightening. Paying for a Swiss watch that's made in China (ahem).

  13. #38
    Ajani
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    Quote Originally Posted by RGA View Post
    I guess from my research is that on the budget end of the spectrum Japanese is the way to go (gee just like cars) and the cost no object is where buying Swiss makes more sense.

    There is a balance between looks, price, and quality at play here.

    http://www.orientalwatchsite.com/dis...nese-vs-swiss/

    The comments part at bottom I found even more enlightening. Paying for a Swiss watch that's made in China (ahem).
    There is a reason why Citizen, Seiko and Casio are the best-selling watches globally. For the most part, they are exceptionally reliable. Last time I checked (no pun intended), my Citizen watch from my 14th Birthday was still working - 18 years is a clear sign of reliability.

    The problem is that because those big 3 brands are everywhere, they lack sex appeal. For many persons, buying a watch is about owning something distinctive; whether due to looks, build quality, craftmanship, etc... So the general idea is to move away from the "mass market" brands to more expensive and/or more exotic ones.

    It's just like cars and HiFi. Being too popular can be a turn off for enthusiasts.

  14. #39
    Musicaholic Forums Moderator ForeverAutumn's Avatar
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    Man, you guys are totally making me want to go out and buy a new watch!

  15. #40
    Shostakovich fan Feanor's Avatar
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    Internet user tracking is real-time. After reading the latest comment from FA I idly went to the Citizen website; when I got back to AR, the top ad was for XENTUM watches. Just great. Anyway I kind of like this one ... I like chic simplicity ...


  16. #41
    RGA
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    Ajani

    I sort of understand that but on the flip side of the coin - while I may run into a lot of people who own Seiko - what are the odds of running into someone who owns a Seiko that looks the same. There is far far far far more variety in the looks department, design department, technology department, colour schemes, than Rolex or Omega or most of the smaller brands that I can see.

    Sure there are fewer owners of those brands because the prices are high - but just looking at the Seiko 5 sports series alone and there is a myriad of styles, bracelets, colours. I was looking at the Seiko - Monster series - that fans have named it and the selection is wide Collector's Guide To All the Seiko Monster Variants (Incl. Night & Trek Monsters)...

    Those are not meant as jewelry - they're diver's watches.

    I certainly get the expensive watches - the things look beautiful and if the mechanisms are truly better then you're buying artwork. But that's at the very top end - I wonder about the stuff in the middle price points from those "middle brands" like Movado, Bulova, and their ilk.

    Another site also pointed out that rather than buying one $2000 watch you could buy 10 different Seikos - which technology and "quality wise" are likely to be just as good if not better. SO you get 10 different looking watches - or be stuck with one look all the time. I mean I like the Seiko sports watch I posted as a casual wear all the time kind of watch but it's maybe not as nice going out to a nice dinner (though frankly I personally don't care that much about such things - but I get that some people are so it would be nice to have several watches for various occasions.

    I mean to me you either buy a watch either for the accuracy of time - a Timex digital will be as good as any. Or if you buy a manual for the "quality" of craftmanship in watch making. If it's the latter then it should come down to how accurate they can make the manual watch - ie - you're paying for the high precision quality movement and how well those engineers can get the watch to last a long time and tell good time. And of course the jewelry factor.

    But I've been looking at numerous watches lately - Movado, Breitling, Omega, Patek, Rolex, Harry Winston - eesh the list is endless.

    What I see in the more expensive lines is a clear design pattern their watches seem to follow - while a Seiko has numerous very different looking designs and within the class they follow a similar pattern. Seiko doesn't compete in the looks or work of art department at all with some of those - then again they do with many of those.

    After looks - I am not sure about the technology since they're known to last a long time - so that means the quality must be as good as more expensive watches - and then you ask how well they keep time. Seems to me about as good as you can get from an automatic/manual (see chart scroll down Review of three Seiko watches by Les Zetlein - Pt 2


    I think I get what you mean in the sense of brand name ownership - Walking around with a Cartier on your arm separates you from the unwashed masses.

    Still you could have 3 watches from different brands - Seiko, Citizen, Casio and you might be able to fit in a Tissot all for under a grand. One for each occasion.

    Or be like me with the dainty male Witnauer that would be considered too small for most of what women are wearing today - LOL.

    Still I do like the Blue Omega watch that John Michael posted - it's a stunner. The trick is trying to find a Seiko that looks as nice and I haven't seen one yet - so there is that!

    Err the blue one - the one on the left looks just like every other watch to me.
    Last edited by RGA; 03-13-2012 at 07:27 AM.

  17. #42
    Super Moderator Site Moderator JohnMichael's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ForeverAutumn View Post
    Man, you guys are totally making me want to go out and buy a new watch!


    I am with you. That Omega is calling my name. Since the case is stainless steel it is only $3,000. I have always wanted an Omega and think it is equal to or superior to a Rolex. I may need to hide my debit and credit card and cancel PayPal until the urge passes.
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  18. #43
    RGA
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    The Grand Seiko series looks as nice as many other "posh" watches.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Anyone into watches-sbgr061-l.jpg   Anyone into watches-sbge005-l.jpg  

  19. #44
    Super Moderator Site Moderator JohnMichael's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Feanor View Post
    Internet user tracking is real-time. After reading the latest comment from FA I idly went to the Citizen website; when I got back to AR, the top ad was for XENTUM watches. Just great. Anyway I kind of like this one ... I like chic simplicity ...


    That watch uses the ETA 2824-2 movement. Each ETA movement has three levels of quality. The top model has the Incabloc shock protection system and other refinements. My Hamilton uses the 2824-2 Elabore movement which is the midlevel. That is why watches can vary in price when they look like they have the same movement. A watch is more than a pretty face.
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  20. #45
    Ajani
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    I'm not really into metal bands, but this Seiko is interesting:



    I'm sure it's worth the price based on quality, but it would be a shame to spend $850 on a Seiko, and have everyone assume you're wearing a $100 watch.

  21. #46
    Super Moderator Site Moderator JohnMichael's Avatar
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    A little watch trivia; years ago the quality of a watch was judged by it's number of jewels. Some questionable watchmakers would put in jewels where none were needed. Today a stem wind watch requires about 17 jewels and an automatic needs about 21-25. The moving rotor requires more jewels for the swinging motion that winds the watch. As more complications are added the jewel number increases. Watches with moon phases, date, power reserve, tourbillon, minute repeater would all add to the number of jewels.
    JohnMichael
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  22. #47
    Ajani
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    This is my current watch, cheap but nice IMO:


  23. #48
    Ajani
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    And my Tissot (looking for a replacement brown watch):


  24. #49
    Super Moderator Site Moderator JohnMichael's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ajani View Post
    I'm not really into metal bands, but this Seiko is interesting:



    I'm sure it's worth the price based on quality, but it would be a shame to spend $850 on a Seiko, and have everyone assume you're wearing a $100 watch.

    Seiko used to have a line of watches that were made at the factory they owned in Switzerland. Yes Seiko wanted the Swiss designation on their La Salle line of watches. When I liked a model I asked the salesman what improvements there was in the watch. He did not know so I began to learn about watches. I did not want to spend big bucks without knowing why it was worth it. That is when I became interested in mechanicals.

    I understand what you are saying about expensive Seiko's. A mechanical watch has a longer life if properly maintained. The electronics in a quartz watch have a limited life compared to the potential of a mechanical. Yes there are some long life stories about quartz watches. I would never buy a solid gold watch and bracelet only to need the movement replaced in 6-8 years.
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  25. #50
    Ajani
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    Quote Originally Posted by RGA View Post
    The Grand Seiko series looks as nice as many other "posh" watches.
    Certainly, but it also cost just as much if not more. I knew Seiko had some expensive watches, but I never realized that they had ones over $10K.

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