Never been a watch guy. But my career has me meeting one on one quite often with high net worth guys and I honestly feel having at least moderately decent watch would be a good thing.
I don't have any interest in a smart watch. I'm looking for analog and something that won't break the bank. Seems at a first glance, even used watches are exorbitantly expensive but what do I know.
What would you recommend as an entry level watch? I love the Omega brand but don't know many others.
Thoughts?
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Not sure what it's worth in Philadelphia though. Maybe someone else knows.
They’re also beautiful and made in house in PA.
The watch market/industry is quite crazy.....
If you are looking high end, forget about a Rolex, they are not available, except on the "grey" market for way more than the list prices...way more.
Tudor are also high end, but not as expensive as a Rolex. I bought a Black Bay 58 a few months back and love it.
Someone mentioned Omega...also high end, but they are as classic and respected as any other brand and they are available.
There are so many options, all depends on how much you want to spend!
My suggestion is to figure out your budget and then to a site like jomashop.com to find a style that you like. Mechanical watches IMO are the best. Be careful since watches are really the only item a man can have you might find a few watches. A dive watch is great for casual but not in a more formal situation.
The Omega De Ville Prestige is a rock solid watch and is sub 4K.
Good luck getting your hands on one right now, but the newest model Rolex Oyster Perpetual is a fantastic watch with the time keeping capabilities of much, much more expensive watch.
Not sure what it's worth in Philadelphia though. Maybe someone else knows.
Hello, Louis!
It is a breathtaking watch in looks quality and functionality. Will cost around 4k and competes against watches 2x in cost.
It is a breathtaking watch in looks quality and functionality. Will cost around 4k and competes against watches 2x in cost.
This is a perfect example of why the OP makes no sense. For me, the idea of spending 4k on a watch is totally unimaginable (and I could probably afford it.). This watch is probably great deal and worth twice that. And I get why for many this is a perfectly reasonable purchase. But what good is to to ask about watches without qualifying a general price range. This watch could be half of what you want to spend or 10x what you’re willing to spend. And all are reasonable takes.
I'm sure many will argue, which is fine, but that's what I've found.
I'm sure many will argue, which is fine, but that's what I've found.
I'm not a math expert and I did drink heavily last night, but I don't think this is possible.
"Don't spend over $100 or less than $1000"
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...That's my rule of thumb. Almost all watches that cost less than $1000 have minimal resale value and are no better than sub-$100 watches.
I'm sure many will argue, which is fine, but that's what I've found.
I'm not a math expert and I did drink heavily last night, but I don't think this is possible.
"Don't spend over $100 or less than $1000"
LoL it's a rule of thumb, not an mathematics axiom! You know what I meant!
Anytime.
I find Tag Heuer watches, even the Carrera line, to be a bit too sporty for a dress watch.
I think a 41MM +/-, stainless bracelet with a simple face is the best dress watch.
King Seiko SPB279
Grand Seiko SBGH27
Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra
Been a great everyday watch… even looks good if you have to wear a blazer
But my favorite is my Aqua Terra, just a nice clean looking everyday watch without the extras you don't need. I had a Planet Ocean and sold it realizing I didn't care for or need a divers watch and bought the Aqua Terra.
If possible, when you buy a watch try to buy with a bracelet instead of a strap. A new watch on a strap is not that much less than on a bracelet. But to try to buy that bracelet later will cost a hell of allot more than a good quality strap.
On the budget end, there's Orient. Their Bambino line of dress watches are like the gateway drug of mechanical watches. Bunch of styles and colors to suit a bunch of different tastes. Price range: $115-$200.
Go a step up and you have Seiko. They are a quality Japanese manufacturer and have deep array of watches that dwarfs damn near every other brand. One model that can pull off a "looks rich but doesn't break the bank" is a quartz dress watch in the style of a Cartier Tank, the Seiko SWR052. Btw, the Cartier Tank is what Hans Gruber wore in Die Hard. Price on Amazon? About $160.
Another solid Seiko model is their Presage model. This is dressy but with a touch of uniqueness with their textured dials. Do a search on Amazon and you'll see what I mean. A bunch of different styles and colors but won't break the bank. $300-$450 depending on model.
After that, I highly recommend looking at Tissot. Swiss-made and very good quality for the price point, you can do a lot worse than walking around with one of their watches. They have some gaudy looking sports models but I'm a fan of their dress options. Namely the PRX(kind of a 70s throwback style), the Gentleman, and my personal favorite... the Visodate. Prices vary but definitely shop around. Jomashop is a good site for watches. Range typically around $550-$650ish for those aforementioned pieces with models occasionally going on sale here or there.
Hamilton is an awesome watch company that originally started right here in the US, out of Pennsylvania. They have since moved their operations overseas but still have very good quality. I'm a fan of their Intra-Matic series of dress watches, particularly the panda chrono. Prices are like $1500-2200.
For high-end stuff, I love Omega and their line of Seamaster Aqua Terra watches. They are truly a luxury watch brand. Personally, I could never wrap my mind around the idea of walking around with a $5000 watch on my wrist, but that's just me.
FWIW, I do enjoy Citizen watches and their Eco-Drive stuff makes it so you don't need a watch winder especially if you wear your timepiece every day. Quality is a little hit or miss though so try to look up some reviews before pulling the trigger.
I've left out a ton of solid brands but this is a good place to start. Hope that helps. Cheers.
I saw Seiko and Grand Seiko mentioned above. These are also great choices. Grand Seiko’s Spring Drive movements would be good for someone looking for quartz accuracy in an otherwise mechanical watch. They are truly unique. GS has Spring Drive watches ranging from dress formal to dive watches.
Count me as another vote for the Tudor Black Bay line.
If you’re looking for something more minimalist, check out NOMOS Glashuette. They are a good value and there is something really cool about wearing a watch from a small German village whose entire economy consists of watchmaking.
Impress them with the suit and they'll think your thirty dollar watch cost three thousand. Hell if your wearing a suit you're also wearing long sleeves. Unless you're wearing a big monster watch they won't even see it.
My recommendation - decide what kind of watch style suits you? Dive watch? Rolex Submariner, Omega Planet Ocean / Seamaster, Tudor Blackbay, are classic examples. Dress watch? Classic three hander? Complication (small seconds, chronograph, moonphase)?
Sport watch?
Once you've come to a style decision, determine your budget and then you'll get a lot more targeted responses.
Personally, I have an Omega Speedmaster Professional and a Breitling SuperOcean Heritage that I alternate as my daily wearers, and an IWC Portugieser Chronograph as my dress watch. One is a sport chronograph, the other a dive watch and the last is a dress watch. Look them up - maybe it'll help in your journey.
Whoever recommended Orient is a good place to start. Looks upscale and can pass as much more "upscale" or whatever you want to call it.
I think if you are staying in the entry range, just pick the design you like, movement will likely be from one of the big ones (which is good). Jaeger, Ulysses Nardin, Glashutte will all have something there. Breguet was a personal favorite.
Agreed. But I can understand the OP. And I love watches myself, having inherited a couple of Omegas, a Patek, a Breitling, and a Universal from relatives. If you really want to impress your high net worth clients, you'll have to go with Rolex. 'Been trying to get a Submariner myself for years, but I just gave up and went with an Apple Watch, and won't look back for several more years. Until that bug gets me again. You can get into the field with esoteric selections like others have mentioned here (though no one has mentioned Mille and Audemars yet), but if you don't love watches, you'll go mad. To make it easy on yourself, just go with Rolex, you can't go wrong. It's universally loved and recognized, and likely may increase in value too (especially if you get gold models, and complications).
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impress. Take it from someone who owns Rolexes, Tags, Longines and other Italian Swiss Brands. Get yourself an Apple watch. It'll show that you are the new generation where health and being connected at all times is important.
Agreed. But I can understand the OP. And I love watches myself, having inherited a couple of Omegas, a Patek, a Breitling, and a Universal from relatives. If you really want to impress your high net worth clients, you'll have to go with Rolex. 'Been trying to get a Submariner myself for years, but I just gave up and went with an Apple Watch, and won't look back for several more years. Until that bug gets me again. You can get into the field with esoteric selections like others have mentioned here (though no one has mentioned Mille and Audemars yet), but if you don't love watches, you'll go mad. To make it easy on yourself, just go with Rolex, you can't go wrong. It's universally loved and recognized, and likely may increase in value too (especially if you get gold models, and complications).
I imagine Audemars and the like didn’t come up because of the OP’s desire not to break the bank, not to mention that a Royal Oak is every bit the unobtainium that Rolex sports models have become. If we’re getting into that league, nobody is beating A. Lange & Sohne these days. You get much more watchmaking for your money from Lange, and most of their watches are actually available.
Part of the appeal for me is having a tiny, incredibly precise (and admittedly anachronistic) mechanical device on my wrist. An Apple Watch does not give the same satisfaction (and for me, constant connectedness is overrated).
I bought a Citizen Eco-drive (or something like that) about 25 years ago. Nothing fancy, green canvas band (since I was MIL then), stainless steel frame, solar, glow in the dark indicators and numeralls.
The sucker still keeps running along.....I had the band replaced once. I can't believe it still works. I recommend the brand (It was cheap too - $90 back then).
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The Speedmaster Professional is such a perfect, timeless (no pun intended) design that I wouldn’t even hesitate to wear it with business attire. For a 42mm watch, it doesn’t feel large on the wrist. I’ve heard the redesigned bracelet on the current model is a pleasure to wear, too. Plus, it is fun to wear a piece of history.
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Personally, I have an Omega Speedmaster Professional and a Breitling SuperOcean Heritage that I alternate as my daily wearers, and an IWC Portugieser Chronograph as my dress watch. One is a sport chronograph, the other a dive watch and the last is a dress watch. Look them up - maybe it'll help in your journey.
The Speedmaster Professional is such a perfect, timeless (no pun intended) design that I wouldn’t even hesitate to wear it with business attire. For a 42mm watch, it doesn’t feel large on the wrist. I’ve heard the redesigned bracelet on the current model is a pleasure to wear, too. Plus, it is fun to wear a piece of history.
Which is why I bought it. Except for the new bracelet. Mine is 10 years old. I specifically bought it with the hesalite on the front (not sapphire) and no open caseback in the back as that's the closest to the original and the historical significance of the Apollo 13 mission. Love the watch, and yes, I do wear it to the office.
I know he is poking fun but buying a knockoff isn't a terrible idea. High quality knockoffs cannot be distinguished unless closely examined and many will have good movements in them. These aren't $8 though more like a few hundred. Do you have any biz associates in HK? They can hook you up for 1/10th the cost of the real thing.
I've been in the business world for 25+ years as both a buyer and a seller and I never once thought "that guy has a watch on that makes me want to do business with him"
I've been in the business world for 25+ years as both a buyer and a seller and I never once thought "that guy has a watch on that makes me want to do business with him"
The big investment banks, particularly in the wealth management divisions have dress guidelines. Many of them include wearing a wristwatch of quality. I don't know for certain, but I could see the same thing for attorneys in certain fields. For anyone in those lines of work, the watch is part of the uniform, no different than a well-tailored suit and good quality shoes. In one of my earlier jobs in finance I know people who were told by their managers to stop getting suits from JC Penney and Men's Wearhouse and to take a portion of their bonus into Brooks Brothers and buy decent suits.
Personally, I think it's dumb. I wear my watches because I love my watches. I don't give a crap what anyone else thinks about them. And I certainly don't wear them to impress people. But in certain industries, it's expected.
Few things horrify enthusiasts like counterfeits. Among other things, there is a strong chance that when you buy a counterfeit watch, or anything else, the money is ultimately going to horrible things like human trafficking.