Reply With QuoteThe only advice i can give you is take your time, put your credit card away, read and enjoy this forum and learn. Theres a wonderful world of watches there and one day you will look back at this shortlist and smile wryly.
Enjoy the journey.
New member looking for advice please
I am looking to buy my first "quality mechanical" watch. I presently own a quartz Gucci and a quartz Rado, which is my favourite watch.
I have very little knowledge of high quality watches, but have been reading on forums and looking at lots of watches. Rather than defining criteria, I have simply found a wide range of watches I like - any of which I could happily buy.
I am getting there with creating a smaller shortlist, and have narrowed the list down to a fairly large number of watches, which I like for one reason or another.
These are quite different in style, materials....and price
Not sure how I will narrow the list down though - although the £10k solid gold Longines will perhaps be easy to remove simply for cost reasons.
http://www.christopherward.co.uk/lim.../c900swkr.html
http://www.christopherward.co.uk/men...-cosc-sws.html
http://www.christopherward.co.uk/men...-cosc-gwk.html
http://www.christopherward.co.uk/men...sc-5d-sws.html
http://www.christopherward.co.uk/men.../c9bd-sws.html
http://www.nomos-store.com/en/Watche...stal-back.html
http://www.steinhartwatches.de/en/Ma...graph,863.html
http://www.frederique-constant.com/w...-fc-303mc3p6b/
http://www.frederique-constant.com/w...-fc-315m4p6b3/
http://www.frederique-constant.com/w...-fc-303wn5b3b/
http://www.frederique-constant.com/w...-fc-306v4s3b2/
http://www.iconicwatches.co.uk/longi...73-6-78-6.html
http://www.iconicwatches.co.uk/longi...44-6-11-6.html
http://www.thewatchsource.co.uk/item...73.5.78.7.html
http://www.iconicwatches.co.uk/rolex...116233-wr.html
If anything here is "rubbish" or poor quality in some way, please say so, as that will help narrow the list down :)
The only advice i can give you is take your time, put your credit card away, read and enjoy this forum and learn. Theres a wonderful world of watches there and one day you will look back at this shortlist and smile wryly.
Enjoy the journey.
The Friday thread normally throws up some really nice pieces you wouldn't normally consider.
Have a look through here for some inspiration.
http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.ph...ghlight=friday
Welcome to the forum,. and the madness that is our hobby...
Like what JoshB's advised - take your time!
You might want to start off with a budget, and work from there.
While the internet's a great source of information about the watches you are gunning for, after you have narrowed down your list, you should visit an AD and try them on.
More often than not, a watch that appears to tick all the boxes just wears wrong.
Once you have selected THE watch, do not immediately purchase it. If after 2-3 weeks, it is still THE watch and you have not been distracted by something else, get IT!
As for the watches you have put up, not much input I can provide as I am not familiar with the brands, though I think the Nomos looks best!
Happy Hunting!
Chye
Well, what do you think makes a quality mechanical watch?
the brand or the movement or a particular feature?
it's easy to go and buy a watch, but also easy to get the wrong one, tire of it quickly and flip it at a great loss.
The more time you spend thinking the better the end result should be, besides the journey is the fun bit!
Welcome to the forum. As it happens, I was like you a year ago and regrettably made a purchase that I would not make today. Not a hugely expensive watch though. So I agree with what has been said in that taking your time is key. This hobby is a bit of a minefield and there are so many desirable watches out there.
Welcome . . I've not been around too long but can confidently say you have picked the right place to start your journey.
There are so many watches to choose from with prices which range from the sublime to the ridiculous. As all others have said, take your time and read through the threads here. There is so much great information and opinions on various watches that it helps you. It is not only with those watches you know . . . but those you are not yet aware of which often give the biggest suprises.
Best of luck.
Thats a huge range of prices, even removing the gold one!
................ and quite a variation in style.Originally Posted by ed335d
I suggest you take your time, breathe deeply and consider what YOU think looks best. Only then will you know whether a watch is a keeper or whether you will end up trading it within a few weeks or months. Don't give in to the hunger of just wanting a new watch - there's no rush to get it right.
PS - nothing wrong with any of the watches you have selected, you just need to find your preference
I totally agree. You will look back at your list in 12 months time and rule them all out. Stick around here, there's a wealth of experience and knowledge on this forum. Something will grab your interest and take you down a path you haven't considered.
Welcome aboard,
Everyone here is correct and since being a member of this forum not only
have I gained a mass of information regarding some expensive watches &
some very cheap ones. I find the watches I wear most come from Eddies
collections.
Welcome to the forum Jas.
I can only add my support to the idea that you need to take your time. Perhaps one particular watch will jump at you...remember that there is a lot of knowledge and experience on this forum, so enjoy!
Agree. Take your time. In the meantime you could always buy yourself a relatively inexpensive mechanical. If your taste does change you are less likely to lose much money that way. There are many highly regarded watches at lower price points , eg a Seiko Monster or a Precista Speedbird 3 would both make excellent ' starter' choices.
Good luck everybody. Have a good one.
1 of the watches I looked at for years when i knew nothing about watches I initially brought it as a daisly but only wear it on special occasions as it is so highley polished. I then brought a more expensive watch that I now wear dailey (ish) i dont mind getting dinked and scratched. I still cant believe the most money I have spent on a watch is the 1 I dont mind bruising. But I always say watches are meant to be worn.
PS I know nothing about watches. I go on what I like the look of.
Welcome.
I can only echo what has already been said, take your time, try a few on, do you want a daily watch, a dress watch, chrono, mechanical, diver, etc etc.
Then come back here and discuss what you've found, people on here are honest with their opinions, which to my mind is helpful, ( sometimes cruel, but helpful ).
Watch out though, ( pardon the pun ), it can become an expensive hobby.
The C30 Malvern Chronometer is a quartz watch and you specifically ask for a mechanical, so I'd rule that out unless it's not a big deal.
nice place to be....welcome by the way!
as has been said take it easy - get out and try some on. Me - if money wasn't a problem I would buy the Rolex but
not new, safe in the knowledge you can flip quick!
most important try and have fun with this wonderful pastime.
david
Build up your post count (but not too quickly) and become familiar with the types of watches TZ UK members favour. When you can access the sales forum, get a feel for the watches which sell easily and those that do not - and compare them to those on your list. And BTW, Eddie offers excellent watches on his Timefactors website. Also note where TZ UK members buy their watches and the savings when bought secondhand. And don't believe all that's written in sales adverts.
dunk
Last edited by sundial; 25th November 2014 at 18:37.
Goodness.....wish I had the chance of doing this...starting from zero as it were. After a spoilt childhood (SMP for my 18th birthday!) I became interested in watches later
2000 ish went to Christies and bought the first real watch - a (ringer) Universal Tri Compax 18k Spanish model....for a lot of money. this was my 1st real biggy but was in awful nick. Disaster saved by a nice guy at the Clock Clinic in Putney who managed to get in saleable condition.....sold to the USA via ebay in 2002 for 4k a profit - Being green I was really lucky, however watch broke needed work. I felt very bad about this as I did not have the dough to repay the buyer. 10 years later all is good....to buy the watch now you would need 10k.....incredibly I am still in touch with the buyer!
D
I think you got the perfect response on the first reply... You'll change your mind a thousand times... Take your time, look at the Friday threads and and wait for something to leap out at you!
Again, welcome to the forum, and again, I couldn't have put it better than Josh.
Daddel.
Got a new watch, divers watch it is, had to drown the bastard to get it!
you may definitely exclude Steinhart
44 mm case is uncomfortale due to lugs shape (unless you are 8 ich wrist guy)
Thank you everyone who kindly replied.
The thing I was especially concerned about, lacking knowledge, was whether any of these should be steered clear of e.g. because of reliability, quality or perhaps because they depreciate terribly.
I will remove the Steinhart as advised, as my wrist is only slightly above 7".
The key message I am hearing is to be patient and read a lot of messages here. That makes perfect sense :)
I have modified my view slightly now though. I visited Goldsmiths to take a look at a couple of Rolex watches. I found the 36mm to be a nice size, and the 41mm felt big. Probably only because my daily watch is small though, so I suspect I would get used to 41mm.
More importantly, I really disliked the cyclops magnifier. It felt more obstrusive on the 36mm watch, but that could have been because it had a white face. Not sure if I would get used to it though.
Alternatively, there is the Air King model, which has no cyclops (or date) but that only comes in 36mm (or is it 34mm?).
http://www.thewatchsource.co.uk/item...lver+Dial.html
Is the Air King mechanism different to the Oyster - inferior in any way? (Apart from the missing date obviously.)
This also looks very classic and understated (for a Rolex!).
http://www.rolex.com/watches/oyster-...ue&cfgvar=dial
Keep an eye open for TZ UK members' get-togethers where they their meet to show watches :)
dunk
I went from a 36 to a 44. Now the 36 seems small
Welcome! As others mentioned, take your time. Decide what you would like. Sports, diver, dress, pilot, etc. You don't have the obvious choices in your list, which is good.
Regarding the size, I was a fan of huge watches in the past, now I prefer smaller sizes, after many many watches that came and left my collection. The ideal for me is 40mm, but I really like 38mm watches. Used to wear a 36mm Rolex for almost a year, loved it.
Shorter shortlist
I've managed to whittle down the shortlist, to a more useful version now, having discounted some of the watches and changed a few after seeing them.
In price order only:
http://www.christopherward.co.uk/men...-cosc-gwk.html
http://www.nomos-store.com/en/Watche...stal-back.html
http://www.frederique-constant.com/w...-fc-306v4s3b2/
http://www.thewatchsource.co.uk/item...73.5.78.7.html
http://www.rolex.com/watches/oyster-...ue&cfgvar=dial
http://www.rolex.com/watches/cosmogr...6520-0016.html
I'm struggling a bit to discern what style of watch you're actually looking for - the fact that you have a Longines Master Complications and the Nomos in the same list just baffles me.
What do you like? Or maybe the better question is why are you buying it?
Not trying to be rude, but it's a bit difficult to see where you're going to end up and whether you're going to be happy when you get there...
Oh, and you'll sometimes encounter personal opinion disguised as fact on here - I vehemently disagree with the statement made by Bofff. My wrists are about 7.25" and I own two 44mm Steinharts, both of which are perfectly comfortable (for me!).
No-one said this would be easy :)
Simon
Retailers?
I can understand exactly where you are coming from.
It is odd to have those two in the same list. Or the ChrisWard and the Rolex Daytona.
The only logic is that I tried to choose watches I like the look of, which I would happily wear on a daily basis. Wear anywhere, including in the office.
Being in the UK, can anyone please recommend reliable internet retailers for these watches please?
I realise ChrisWard and Nomos are probably only direct from their manufacturers, but Rolex in particular seem to available from lots of places, and I don't know who is trustworthy - and has good prices.
Why ask questions if you wont listen to the answers?
Because he was hoping for validation of the choices he has already made.
OP: buy a Chr Ward, the best bang for your buck, British stiff upper lip and motorsport heritage and all that good stuff.
Welcome to the forum.
I echo all the sentiments about taking your time. Often the journey is more enjoyable than the destination.
The best advice I think is to go into as many ADs as possible and try the watches on. So many watches look stunning online but don't fit me personally. Watches can be top heavy, sit too high, proportionally too thin, bracelets sometimes don't fit at all well (without micro adjustments), deployant clasps I find very uncomfortable.
Equally I have ended up enjoying many watches that are 'slow-burners', dismissed from photos but so much better in the flesh. I think comfort is very under-rated in the purchase decision.
I think there are actually two ways of approaching this as a hobby/pastime (if that's how you see it).
The first is to buy something relatively inexpensive to start with (or indeed a number of them!), be prepared to buy & sell and gradually define your tastes that way.
The other is to agonise endlessly, haunt ADs and do huge amounts of research - all with the aim of buying the ideal watch first time.
I can't actually comment on the second method because I spent 10 years getting to the point I'm at now. My tastes have changed significantly over that time and I've bought 'blind' many times. I've also never been into an AD for the express purpose of trying on watches... not once.
I've also only ever bought three watches brand new in that time - of which I still own one. In total I've probably bought 40; all the others were second hand.
I suspect my approach is not uncommon here. I also suspect that anyone who is a watch enthusiast will at least go through the stage of owning multiple watches of differing types. Somewhere earlier on this thread someone said go buy a Seiko Monster or similar and start from there (I'm paraphrasing). I tend to agree (although I think you lean more towards dress watches so maybe an Orient Bambino might be a better starting point...).
If you want to go down the new online route, you could certainly consider Iconic Watches. Widely praised on this forum.
Simon
Last edited by mycroft; 28th November 2014 at 09:13.
Do you read your PMs? Already advised you.
dunk
What??? You mean your response below:
"The only advice i can give you is take your time, put your credit card away, read and enjoy this forum and learn. Theres a wonderful world of watches there and one day you will look back at this shortlist and smile wryly.
Enjoy the journey. "
Not at all, I was looking for feedback (especially if negative) concerning the watches I had chosen on my shortlist. That is hardly validation.
- - - Updated - - -
Just noticed the PMs on the websiteThanks :) Reading now.
Mycroft, thanks. I will look at Iconic Watches :)
Is the retailer I had already found ( www.thewatchsource.co.uk/ ) also ok by the way? Or are they not as good as Iconic?
Sundial, thanks to you too for the link in PM.
Last edited by JasH; 28th November 2014 at 22:37.
I started where you are a few years ago. Chris Ward are 'OK' but not well liked on this forum as the designs can be a bit odd. I started with a simple classic flieger from Stowa, then a Marine from Stowa. Then lots of other non-expensive military and dive stuff including quite a few from Timefactors, the sponsor of this forum which bang for buck cannot be beaten. I've now moved onto a Tudor Black Bay and my next will likely be Rolex. A fairly standard journey with a lot learnt and I'd recommend doing something similar - start with bang for buck forum favourites which can be easily sold like Stowa, Timefactors (Precista, Smiths) and Sinn for example. Read, learn and enjoy these watches before spending too much on a single watch later on. Everyone is different but its how I did and and got my wife acclimitised to me spending reasonable sums of money on man jewellery.
And all those after repeating the same advice. Your questions are then of the sort where can i buy now? Is this one ok? What about that one? So yes, thats your prerogative to rush out and shop but it is disregarding advice.
Anyhow. Horses to water and all. Enjoy your new shiny watch :)
First of all welcome to the forum.
Regarding the watches you are considering that you are pretty new to watches and you seem to have a pretty decent budget I can offer some advice to you.
You are fond of Christopher Ward watches. I have owned a few and they are very well built and their customer service is excellent. They also offer a 30 day money back guarantee so if you dont like it you can send it back. Personally I think they represent very good value for money.
Not owned a FC watch but their manufacture watches are in house movements. That being said the moonphase watch looks huge so cant see that being one you would want to consider.
Nomos are great watches and very well thought of, you will very rarely hear a bad word said about them (Unlike the other two who seem to provoke some strong opinion for some reason)
Rolex need no introduction I love the air king but its up to you if you prefer the 34 or 36mm oyster.
It may be an idea if you look at some cheaper options before parting with your cash on something big. Eddies Timefactors watches, Stowa and both good watches to consider, good luck with the hunt.
I agree wholeheartedly with the advice to take your time. It's easy to buy a watch then regret it even a few days later.
It's easy to regret it immediately when you accidentally use your wife's PayPal account.
Serves her right for leaving it logged on.
Oh dear. I'm not sure I would have survived that one.
Mind you, what would I be doing accessing your wife's Paypal account?
Thanks again for your replies :)
I have not made any firm decisions yet, and do plan to look & learn. But there is a temptation to buy a relatively cheap watch quite soon, and hold off on a more expensive one until later. A cheap CW might fill that need, hence the CW remaining on my list.
I have changed my mind on my shortlist many times over the last week, so it is clearly not sensible to spend a large sum whilst I remain uncertain.
But, I do plan to look at watches at retailers, and to have retailers in mind for when I do buy.
With that in mind, I note the recommendation for Iconic, whom I will call next week to chat with. Is the retailer I had already found ( www.thewatchsource.co.uk/ ) also ok by the way? Or are they not advised?
Regarding Stowa, am I correct in thinking they don't have display backs? I think that is why I did not shortlist them, as otherwise they are nice looking.
I do appreciate the advice and assistance, even though I may be rushing a little to choosing "the one"I don't really want many watches, and 2-3 mechanicals are more than enough overall for me. I want to wear them after all :)
No, most Stowa watches have a display back. I think the Partitio is one of the few exceptions. Have you also looked at the Longines heritage conquest?Thanks again for your replies :)
I have not made any firm decisions yet, and do plan to look & learn. But there is a temptation to buy a relatively cheap watch quite soon, and hold off on a more expensive one until later. A cheap CW might fill that need, hence the CW remaining on my list.
I have changed my mind on my shortlist many times over the last week, so it is clearly not sensible to spend a large sum whilst I remain uncertain.
But, I do plan to look at watches at retailers, and to have retailers in mind for when I do buy.
With that in mind, I note the recommendation for Iconic, whom I will call next week to chat with. Is the retailer I had already found ( www.thewatchsource.co.uk/ ) also ok by the way? Or are they not advised?
Regarding Stowa, am I correct in thinking they don't have display backs? I think that is why I did not shortlist them, as otherwise they are nice looking.
I do appreciate the advice and assistance, even though I may be rushing a little to choosing "the one"
Thanks. I just took a look at the Longines Heritage Conquest too. Very nice classic look that appeals to me.
As stated by many people take your time, and try on a good range before you buy. Good luck on your journey
Yes, absolutely :)
My plan as a next step, is to visit "Watches of Switzerland" in Regent St, London. That way I can hopefully actually see all the watches on my list, and try them on. I will do that in the next fortnight.
It's likely that you'll get the watch 'bug' and your taste will evolve as you become more interested in your new hobby. I would strongly recommend deciding on the watch that appeals most to you at this moment and then buying a used one. Then, if you fall out of love with it you can re-sell it without losing too much. When you have such a vast choice try and stick to the popular makes that you can re-sell easily if necessary - Omega, Breitling, Rolex. The Omega Speedmaster, for instance, is a classic watch kept by many serious collectors and can be had for a very reasonable price. Don't forget to research the seller as well as the watch. Good luck and let us know your final choice.
You'll get a shock when you do. So many times I have seen a watch online and thought it looked fantastic until I actually saw it up front and thought to myself "Is that it?"
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