30th gift

[zhead77]

Hi all,

I've just passed the 30 mark and want to add to my (rather modest) watch collection.

I currently have:

Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso Classique
Christian Dior Riva Chrono
Raymond Weil traditional oblong quartz movement
CK fashion watch
Zenith inherited
Cartier Tank Francaise inherited


This time, i'm torn between buying a number of different watches. I must say that this forum has added to and not shortened my list. Is it normal to dream about some of the Panerai's shown on here...?

My budget is about £2k and I've been looking at:

New:
- Dunhill carwatch
I know little about the brand but saw this in their Jermyn street boutique and loved the design. I don't know (and am struggling to find a lot of detail on the brand)
- Omega Seamaster Co axial chrono
- Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean
I've always thought that I should own an Omega (and always liked their simpler designs) and my father (the prompt for a love of watches) has always recommended the Planet Ocean range. I like the blue or orange bezel versions of these and for some reason I can't fathom, I want any Omega to be new.
- Breitling Superocean Steelfish Black

Second hand:
- IWC Pilots Watch Classic
I'm a big fan of the IWC watches and admire their quality. My only concern here is buying at the bottom end - am I sucker punching for the name?
- Rolex Submariner
One of those watches that keeps shouting at me from behind the shop glass.

My worry is that i've always been a bit too 'high street' with my purchases, especially on the fashion watch side of things.

I was hoping to understand more about the prestige pieces and to make my next buy based upon quality of movement and engineering rather than an impulse.

All thoughts welcome.

Cheers,

Neil

[Andy_CTR]

Hey Neil, you've got yourself a nice predicament here!!

Out of your list I don't fancy the Dunhill or Breitling but love the rest! Get yourself down to Bond St and start trying some of these buggers on!

That website is dangerous though isn't it!! Had a quick squiz round myself and found these ones caught my eye as well!

Breitling Skyracer
IWC Aquatimer Chrono
Bell & Ross BR 01-94 Chrono
Rolex Explorer 2
Girard Perregaux Sea Hawk 2
IWC Spitfire(love the chrono version of this too!)
Breitling Super Avenger

Not sure what sort of thing you're after, but at this price you're unlikely to get a duffer!

I think you'll find that at this price point in the majority of the prestige brands' ranges, you're going to get modified versions of the standard ETA/Valjoux movements, (apart from perhaps IWC/Rolex), as in-house movements start costing big bucks! I wouldn't let this put you off though! (and I could be talking out my arse!).

Happy hunting!

Andy.

[zhead77]

That websites dangerous and so is this one......I've already been given more and more links to pre-owned forums. I didn't know this forum topic was here and I can see there being an initial spike in my finances.....ho-hum, I'll keep justifying them with a curt 'It's an investment' to any doubters. :-)

How you doing Andy? Have you sold your CTR yet?

[Andy_CTR]

I'm doing well thanks mate! Not sold the CTR yet, but I've just put a deposit down on a mint DC5 in Japan, so I'd better pull my finger out!

PS - Investment sounds like a good excuse to me!!

[zhead77]

You lucky beggar - i've driven a DC5, muchos fun. We should organise some track days for next year.

I'm loving your Omega on the post your collection thread. It's what made me start looking at them.

Good to meet another watch afficionado so local.

[Andy_CTR]

Funnily enough I bought the Omega for my 30th too, (I know I don't look it )! I've had it a year now, and still love it to bits. If you want to meet up and have a closer look / try it on, you're more than welcome.

RE the track days, I'm hooked since brands, so sounds like a good plan! Just got to wait till mid November before I get the teg, as it's not left the land of the rising sun yet

[RTBmotorsport]

The Bell and Ross would be a superb choice- I have a BR03-92, and it is quite simply the best purchase I have ever made.
Ill post some pics if someone can point me in the right direction. Mine also came in under your budget.
Rob

Edited by RTBmotorsport on Tuesday 2nd October 19:06

[firesafetydave]

My 40th just coming and i have now got my first decent watch a Omega Seamaster co axial chronometer - looks fantastic and feels fantastic - a bit over budget at nearly £3k but i think well worth it.
Good luck with searching
Dave

[dbroughton]

IWC Pilots watch isn't trading on the IWC name.

It may be the cheapest in the range but not by much and it is a CLASSIC!!!

I think the mark 16 says it all.

Get one of these. Coolest watch in your list. should also get one new for £2k

[tertius]

Andy_CTR said:

Hey Neil, you've got yourself a nice predicament here!!

Out of your list I don't fancy the Dunhill or Breitling but love the rest! Get yourself down to Bond St and start trying some of these buggers on!

That website is dangerous though isn't it!! Had a quick squiz round myself and found these ones caught my eye as well!

Breitling Skyracer
IWC Aquatimer Chrono
Bell & Ross BR 01-94 Chrono
Rolex Explorer 2
Girard Perregaux Sea Hawk 2
IWC Spitfire(love the chrono version of this too!)
Breitling Super Avenger

Not sure what sort of thing you're after, but at this price you're unlikely to get a duffer!

I think you'll find that at this price point in the majority of the prestige brands' ranges, you're going to get modified versions of the standard ETA/Valjoux movements, (apart from perhaps IWC/Rolex), as in-house movements start costing big bucks! I wouldn't let this put you off though! (and I could be talking out my arse!).

Happy hunting!

Andy.

I think Rolex movements are all in-house now they have stopped using Zenith movements in the Daytona; IWC are not, they mainly use heavily modified ETA/Valjoux movements except for the very expensive calibre 5000 watches. The G-P Sea Hawk 2 is also in house, the rest on that list are all ETA/Valjoux.

[zhead77]

Thanks Gents, I'll update once I make a firm decision (and stop trying on far too many watches to add to the list).

Current fave: Rolex GMT II although the Omega GMT comes a close second. I just need to square away the extra cost really.....

[dbroughton]

I sometimes think this movement thing is getting a bit out of hand. You know, the one were a watch is only good (great) if it has an in-house movement.


It has to be about economics. You can make your own movement if


1. You charge enough

2. You sell enough

Obviously the first option usually gets you a great watch that is highly exclusive. The second option, I am afraid applies to Rolex. I read that they produce more watches than all of the other Swiss watch makers combined. For Rolex, making their own movements, makes more economic sense than buying in ETA movements. If the numbers are true then ETA movement watches are more exclusive then Rolex movement watches and should be more highly prized

Before I get the Rolex owner son my back, I am winding you up (get it) just a touch.

Danny

[tertius]

dbroughton said:

I sometimes think this movement thing is getting a bit out of hand. You know, the one were a watch is only good (great) if it has an in-house movement.


It has to be about economics. You can make your own movement if


1. You charge enough

2. You sell enough

Obviously the first option usually gets you a great watch that is highly exclusive. The second option, I am afraid applies to Rolex. I read that they produce more watches than all of the other Swiss watch makers combined. For Rolex, making their own movements, makes more economic sense than buying in ETA movements. If the numbers are true then ETA movement watches are more exclusive then Rolex movement watches and should be more highly prized

Before I get the Rolex owner son my back, I am winding you up (get it) just a touch.

Danny

I think there is some truth in this, however, a couple of comments:

Firstly although Rolex make a lot of watches (far more than any other quality Swiss maker) they don't all have the same movement, so I'm fairly confident, that, for example, the movement in the Daytona is produced in far smaller numbers than the ubiquitous Valjoux 7750.

Secondly, Rolex make pretty much every part of their watches they are one of the true manufactures and its certainly about more than just the movement.

(By the way I'm not a Rolex fan at all and don't own one.)

Finally, I have no problem at all with watch makers using bought in movements from ETA or Sellita or anyone else, however, I do object when they give these stock movements their own calibre number, put them in a blingy case and charge manufacture prices for them.

There are true manufactures out there who will sell you an in-house movement in an in-house case for prices not far off what some makers charge for an ETA-based watch.

Equally there are makers out there who will sell you an ETA-based watch made to similar quality for a fraction of the price.

I know which (two) of these three types will be getting my money.

(I've deliberately not touched on those makers who start with an ETA ebauche and take parts away, add their own and basically remake it into something near in-house).

[dbroughton]

bit like aston martin and the jag engines.

[tomtom]

dbroughton said:

IWC Pilots watch isn't trading on the IWC name.

It may be the cheapest in the range but not by much and it is a CLASSIC!!!

I think the mark 16 says it all.

Get one of these. Coolest watch in your list. should also get one new for £2k

Agreed.

You'll also be surprised at what discount you can get, on a new watch, if you haggle for it, on some of the IWC range. Certainly plenty will fall in your £2k budget.

[Stuart]

Interesting thread. I'm in a similar position at present, but really only struggling to make up my mind between two watches;

1. Omega Speedmaster, steel strap.

Classic design, iconic watch. Versatile (can be worn under a double cuff comfortably) but I worry about the acrylic face scratching (and can't afford the sapphire crystal version).

2. Heuer Carrera. Probably with the perforated black leather strap.

Again an icon, but when I tried on the steel strap version it just didn't feel as good as the omega, and the strap is actually a little thin for the watch itself.

Thoughts/input/alternative suggestions welcome. Also, I hadn't heard of watchfinder.co.uk before. Are they legit and can I safely spend my money with them?

S

[RTBmotorsport]

[RTBmotorsport]

[Don1]

Rob, you bastard! That's on my 'I WANT ONE NOW!' list...

[anonymous-user]

tertius said:

dbroughton said:

I sometimes think this movement thing is getting a bit out of hand. You know, the one were a watch is only good (great) if it has an in-house movement.


It has to be about economics. You can make your own movement if


1. You charge enough

2. You sell enough

Obviously the first option usually gets you a great watch that is highly exclusive. The second option, I am afraid applies to Rolex. I read that they produce more watches than all of the other Swiss watch makers combined. For Rolex, making their own movements, makes more economic sense than buying in ETA movements. If the numbers are true then ETA movement watches are more exclusive then Rolex movement watches and should be more highly prized

Before I get the Rolex owner son my back, I am winding you up (get it) just a touch.

Danny

I think there is some truth in this, however, a couple of comments:

Firstly although Rolex make a lot of watches (far more than any other quality Swiss maker) they don't all have the same movement, so I'm fairly confident, that, for example, the movement in the Daytona is produced in far smaller numbers than the ubiquitous Valjoux 7750.

Secondly, Rolex make pretty much every part of their watches they are one of the true manufactures and its certainly about more than just the movement.

(By the way I'm not a Rolex fan at all and don't own one.)

Finally, I have no problem at all with watch makers using bought in movements from ETA or Sellita or anyone else, however, I do object when they give these stock movements their own calibre number, put them in a blingy case and charge manufacture prices for them.

There are true manufactures out there who will sell you an in-house movement in an in-house case for prices not far off what some makers charge for an ETA-based watch.

Equally there are makers out there who will sell you an ETA-based watch made to similar quality for a fraction of the price.

I know which (two) of these three types will be getting my money.

(I've deliberately not touched on those makers who start with an ETA ebauche and take parts away, add their own and basically remake it into something near in-house).

I think alot of these issue will be solved when The Swatch group start phasing out the supply of ETA movements to non Swatch group makers from next year.

I have two questions though:

1) If IWC take an ETA ebauche and modify it is it still an ETA movement? I'd say so.

2) If Omega use an ETA movement isn't it still an in house movement as both are part of the Swatch group anyway?

Edited by stovey on Sunday 7th October 23:27