[torifile]

Mac+, that's a fantastic watch. But very spendy! I love it.

[torifile]

I grew up a watch lover. I remember when I was in the 6th grade, saving up my money to buy a Swatch watch. At times, I had 3 of them on my arm at once. I've long since gotten away from watches but this thread has rekindled my love of them. Maybe I'm crazy but a pilot watch looks like it might fit my budget and style. Nothing fancy but there's something thrilling about seeing them.

I'm looking around for some used ones right now but maybe I've got my one and only Christmas gift item already picked out.

Which would you go for:


or



I'm thinking black straps for either of them. Just looking right now, of course.

[gsxrboy]

The Stowa stuff is nice. One day I'm thinking about the Stowa chrono 1938 in black. Also thinking about a Steinhart NAV B chrono, or Archimede Pilot chrono. I have thin 6 1/4" wrists though so anything bigger than 42mm might be a bit large, counting out the Steinhart @ 44mm. IWC is a little spendy for me at the moment. Also like a Carl F. Bucherer Patravi EvoTec Calendar automatic!

Out of those two above, I think the black face with a black or dark brown strap

So many lovely watches out and about

[torifile]

Originally Posted by gsxrboy The Stowa stuff is nice. One day I'm thinking about the Stowa chrono 1938 in black. Also thinking about a Steinhart NAV B chrono, or Archimede Pilot chrono. I have thin 6 1/4" wrists though so anything bigger than 42mm might be a bit large, counting out the Steinhart @ 44mm. IWC is a little spendy for me at the moment. Also like a Carl F. Bucherer Patravi EvoTec Calendar automatic! Out of those two above, I think the black face with a black or dark brown strap So many lovely watches out and about

The chronos are really nice. I don't see myself ever spending that much on a watch (but then again, I said I'd never buy a BMW about 2 weeks before I did... ).

[Mac+]

Originally Posted by torifile Mac+, that's a fantastic watch. But very spendy! I love it.

Thanks tori - it was a significant year for a variety of reasons and life is too short. Also, I was spoilt by my wife.

I prefer a dark face on a pilot watch, too, btw.

[torifile]

Originally Posted by Mac+ Thanks tori - it was a significant year for a variety of reasons and life is too short. Also, I was spoilt by my wife. I prefer a dark face on a pilot watch, too, btw.

I found a gently used Stowa Flieger. It's the *exact* watch I had placed an order on with COSC certification, to boot.





Alright. I'm cutting up my credit cards. NOW.

[gsxrboy]

Excellent buy

[Mac+]

Looks great tori - congratulations. Wear it in good health!

I must say your ability to make a decision and commit to a purchase is remarkable - my wife will attest that it's not a quality I possess.

Btw, is that some sort of reverse lume? I've never seen it before.

[torifile]

Originally Posted by Mac+ Looks great tori - congratulations. Wear it in good health! I must say your ability to make a decision and commit to a purchase is remarkable - my wife will attest that it's not a quality I possess. Btw, is that some sort of reverse lume? I've never seen it before.

My wife probably wishes I would be a little more pensive in my decisions... But, she knew what she was getting when she married me.

That lume is just from the Superluminova C3 on the hands and dial. They are very bright. The interior of the case is polished so it reflects the lume from the dial and hands. It's pretty impressive. Even this morning, it was still glowing after being in the dark all night.

[addison]

Don't want to sound rude but you mind telling what you paid?

[torifile]

Originally Posted by AWM Don't want to sound rude but you mind telling what you paid?

I'll PM you.

[torifile]

Originally Posted by Mac+ Looks great tori - congratulations. Wear it in good health! I must say your ability to make a decision and commit to a purchase is remarkable - my wife will attest that it's not a quality I possess. Btw, is that some sort of reverse lume? I've never seen it before.

You know, I was thinking about this post and I was wondering what took me from 0 to "I am going to drop way too much money on a watch" so quickly. AWM stated it well: from the time I saw the watch, I was in love.

Seriously. Something about that pilot moved me. At first, I started with the Ikarus (the rhodium faced one), then I went simpler to the black faced watch with date. Ultimately, I pared it down to the black faced watch, with no logo at all. Just the watch itself. All utility and nothing else. That was the clincher. That's weird coming from a tech lover like me. But I find that's the same thing I couldn't get away from with my 335d. There's something about german engineering that appeals to my inner minimalist.

Anyway, I'm done buying shit. Luckily for me, these phases of curiosity don't last long enough to do any real damage.

[ezkcdude]

Are there any watch experts here who can tell me what the name of my watch is? It's an Accutron that I bought around 2000. It was only $150 on sale. I really love it, though. I've tried to find it on ebay, but I can't remember the name/style.

[torifile]

[torifile]

Originally Posted by ezkcdude Are there any watch experts here who can tell me what the name of my watch is? It's an Accutron that I bought around 2000. It was only $150 on sale. I really love it, though. I've tried to find it on ebay, but I can't remember the name/style.

All I can tell you is that it is a Bulova. Check the forums at watchuseek.com and ask there. Terrible URL but great site.

[torifile]

Originally Posted by mariamarry You can try out the collections from Patek Philippe Watch especially Patek Philippe's supercomplication watch, this is really some thing very amazing. The watch has super complicated functions and working mechanism. The machine here includes about 24 separate complications. The cost of this watch goes up about $11million. Not only this one, even you can try out the perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch is also an extraordinary piece form Patek Phillipe store. This one should cost you around 5.63million...let me tell you the fact, these are actually considered as some of the really expensive watches.

Yeah. The Patek Philppe watches are quite the thing. I prefer others, though. I'm not a huge fan of the great complication type watches.

[Boomerangmacuser]

I'm a bit of a watch guy. Yeah you can get the time from your phone, but along the same vein you can also drive a Lada and buy a $300 vanilla PC. But you don't. A watch strikes the balance between form and function. It's more than a piece of jewelry. It's a tool elevated by style. You of all people should get this.

I have priorities that don't let me pay thousands for a timepiece but I appreciate a fine watch. I've been wearing this one since my wife gave it to me as an engagement gift in 1994. Its a Victorinox Officers series. It's functional and stylish. I like analog because I can tell time without having to read the time. The positioning is enough. Just like your speedometer. You know exactly how fast your going when the needle is at 12:00.




I have a few nice heirloom watches I wear on special occasions and a basic Timex Ironman I wear
swimming, paddling, cycling, etc.

Don't hate on watches. Will you still be using that shiny new iPad 15 years from now?

[Escher]

Originally Posted by Boomerangmacuser Don't hate on watches. Will you still be using that shiny new iPad 15 years from now?

Well said, Boomerang!

This thread reminds me that all of my three watches -- a lowly but functional Timex Ironman, a Freestyle USA tides watch, and my trusty Omega Seamaster (quartz, not automatic) -- need a new battery. I better head to the watch store next time I'm Stateside.

[Mac+]

Dig this new one from IWC: http://www.iwc.com/en-us/collection/siderale/

I reckon it might appeal to at least one star gazer on the boards.

WOW.

[gsxrboy]

A tourbillon is very snazzy. A chinese brand called Sea Gull make some very good affordable ones in their higher end watches (i.e. $3000 or so). Without looking for a price etc, I'd imagine that IWC would be a house worth of money.. 100k? 125k? morek?

Edit - many more k's... pricing is 750,000 Swiss cheeses.

[screensaver400]

I've recently become obsessed with this look—I think the deep brown band, cream stitching, and cream dial work together gorgeously.

Not bad for $150 total—and it's a mechanical watch too!

[chucker]

I dig the brown/cream/matte metal combo. Don't care much for the face.

[screensaver400]

I vastly prefer this face (and smaller casing). It's simpler, omitting "100M" "5" and "Sports".

Sadly, it's nearly completely unavailable. Not on eBay, not on watch forums, not NOS, nowhere.



If the unbranded Stowa Flieger came in cream (and was comparable in price to the Seiko, of course), I'd be all over it.

[torifile]

Originally Posted by screensaver400 I vastly prefer this face (and smaller casing). It's simpler, omitting "100M" "5" and "Sports". Sadly, it's nearly completely unavailable. Not on eBay, not on watch forums, not NOS, nowhere. If the unbranded Stowa Flieger came in cream (and was comparable in price to the Seiko, of course), I'd be all over it.

There are several other brands that make pilot watches and are more affordable than Stowa and they might have a cream face. I'll see what I can find.

[Eugene]

I always wondered about inexpensive automatics. Is there really any reason to buy one over a quartz? I mean, I can get a Seiko 5 for $60 on Amazon right now, but it doesn't exactly say "you've arrived" or "keep me as an heirloom" or any of the usual reasons for buying an expensive mechanical. The various Seiko models lose anywhere between 5-10s a day as well, not really that significant but obviously the craftsmanship isn't quite there either. The only reason to me seems to be if someone has a fetish for the mechanism itself and needs a daily wear.

[screensaver400]

Originally Posted by Eugene The only reason to me seems to be if someone has a fetish for the mechanism itself and needs a daily wear.

This. I like the feeling of symbiosis the wearer has with a mechanical watch—it needs you as much as you need it. I like how they're intricately designed machines. Plus, a few years after the nuclear apocalypse, my watch will work and you'll be unable to find a battery. ;-)

I guess it's sort of like comparing a cheap letterpress with a laser printer. A laser printer is better in nearly every way, but just doesn't have the soul that even a cheap letterpress machine does.

I've been using my Rolex as a daily wearer, but I'll be heading up to Berkeley in January to finish my degree (I took a year off to work)... I'd be pretty nervous about leaving a Rolex in a shared apartment/dormitory. I'd like to get a <$200 watch/strap to become my daily wearer, and leave my Rolex with family back home.

[Mac+]

Originally Posted by gsxrboy A tourbillon is very snazzy. A chinese brand called Sea Gull make some very good affordable ones in their higher end watches (i.e. $3000 or so). Without looking for a price etc, I'd imagine that IWC would be a house worth of money.. 100k? 125k? morek? Edit - many more k's... pricing is 750,000 Swiss cheeses.

It is very expensive, but it is also more than just the tourbillon. Be sure to check the reverse side as well. (Not that I'm justifying the expense!)

[Escher]

Originally Posted by Eugene I always wondered about inexpensive automatics. Is there really any reason to buy one over a quartz?

I've always wondered about expensive automatics, too! Why bother with a mechanical wonder if a cheap (or expensive) Quartz model will keep time more accurately? I just can't wrap my head around that.

I have no issue with spending thousands on a nice watch. I absolutely love the idea of a mechanical watch. But I cannot live with a watch that will not keep time accurately, even more so if I don't wear it for a day!

I have spent many thousands on nice watches for myself, and plenty more for my wife. But there isn't a single automatic watch in our household. And I'm proud of that! There are plenty of automatic watches beyond our nuclear family, though. But so far, I haven't succumbed to family/peer pressure. I guess usefulness -- like beauty -- is in the eye of the beholder.

[thegeriatric]

Originally Posted by screensaver400 I vastly prefer this face (and smaller casing). It's simpler, omitting "100M" "5" and "Sports". Sadly, it's nearly completely unavailable. Not on eBay, not on watch forums, not NOS, nowhere.

I dont know if this is any good but take a look.

http://www.seiko.co.uk/products/loru...nts/m/rxf41ax7

[screensaver400]

Not bad, but sadly a quartz. Of the Lorus options, I like the design of this one best:

http://www.seiko.co.uk/products/loru...425l8_rxd425l8