Sorry read whole post in future!!
How about something from Oris (BC3 etc)
Hello All!
I'm getting a IWC pilots chrono for my impending 40th, but would like a beater watch in a similar style.
It doesn't need to be a bonafide flieger or a chrono, but that classic style, nice and simple high visibility.
The previous recs seem to be around Sinn and Stowa, but the days of them being ~£500 are gone it seems which is a shame. I'd have loved a 358.
I have checked out Archimede, Steinhart, Laco. An auto would be great, around 44mm-ish but quartz is not necessarily a dealbreaker.
Oh, and I'm not a huge fan of the tapered crown. I'd have plainly bought a speedbird if it were bigger, I really love the look of that watch. I tried on a IWC mark, and it was too small.
Am I looking for rocking horse poo?
Any help greatfully received.
Sorry read whole post in future!!
How about something from Oris (BC3 etc)
Last edited by Montybaber; 7th November 2016 at 21:00.
Something from Laco?
Quartz chrono: Trier
Three hand auto: Düsseldorf
2nd hand fortis they are pretty genuine with their flying pedigree. From £543 on Chrono 24 that's a £500 deal including postage all day long.
Alpina - like this one ?
FS: ALPINA STARTIMER PILOT CHRONOGRAPH PVD/GREEN - LNIB
z
Speedbird III.
Can't buy anything better for that money, IMHO.
Yes - details here
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My choice also. The looks aren't as classic as the Luftwaffe inspired watches but the Damasko is the real deal when it comes to legible tool watch. The case being near bullet proof is a big bonus too. At £500 a DA36 feels a lot more special than for instance an Archimede or Steinhart.
First you need to make sure you know what a flieger/aviation watch is. With thanks to Crusader. ;-)
F.T.F.A.
Whilst a little above your budget I'd love to try Eddies latest precista b-uhr.
But then again I'm probably just missing my GO senator navigator
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I can't stomach that crown I'm afraid, I haven't worn a watch with any regularity in recent times and one of the reasons is sticky-out crowns. Gimme a knurled bolt anyday, or even better something off centre. Maybe what I am after isn't a true flieger and I need to open my searches a bit.
Well maybe not a flieger in the classic 1940s sense of the word but bear in mind that a proportion of Damasko's output has ended up fulfilling military or EADS test pilot contracts so they are used for flight purposes and if you were German could call them fliegers at a push! I think this is more true of the chronos but the 3 hander shares the excellent case tech and unbeatable legibility. In fact the only minor drawback wth Damaskos that I can see it that the lume isn't super bright on any of them, including the full lumes.
How about something Russian with the classic Poljot 3133 mechanical movement inside?
Julian Kampmann at poljot24.de is a great seller and has quite a few to choose from. He's not the cheapest though.
Update. With thanks to padders, gordon and benny, I had a closer look into Damasko.
The engineering (I'm an engineer), military association (I'm ex-military) and made in germany (I love german stuffs) associated with the brand on top of them being very hardwearing (typical clumsy bloke) I think I'll get a DA38. Or maybe a 39.....
It's smaller than I'd like but I tried on a Tudor Ranger and it was OK. I think it would be a nice IDGAF to all of those massive shiney chrono (nothing wrong with the watches!) wearing chappies I always seem to be in meetings with.
Seems like that's how they measure their jakes. Well, I have a massive jake* and I don't need a massive watch : )
*I may have made this up.
Good choice I reckon, you can't go far wrong with a Damasko.
A Damasko is a sensible choice for your purpose, the case and crown are extremely resistant to everyday wear, my DA37 and DC56 still look fresh after 10 & 8 years of wear, respectively. Also a Damasko will look different enough to your IWC to ensure you feel you are wearing watches that contrast each other when swapping over, much better than having something very similar IMHO, it makes you appreciate each watch more.
F.T.F.A.
Thanks all.
Pulled the......nearly forgot myself there!
Purchased a DA38 through Jura still 10% off for black friday. I do wish I could have got a DB4, but customs, bank exchange rates etc ain't to be messed with.
Off to Toshi to grab a nice brown leather to put it on now.
Bravo, great choice IMO. Hope it suits and you like it.
Thanks Padders. I deliberated far too much between the black or white face, brished or black case, strap or bracelet.
I'm trawling google images and still not convinced that I have made the right choice. I feel a little agitated to be honest!
I think I should have got the bracelet. Do they pop up for sale on here every now and then?
Can't help with your angst Re: the bracelet which does look very good and is clearly very well engineered but is wincingly expensive. I am not one for PVD coatings so never had that dilemma but at one point I owned both black dial 36 and white dial 37. The 37 was a big disappointment and was moved on. I still have the DA36: I think you chose right with the black dial.
Last edited by Padders; 29th November 2016 at 23:26.
Thanks for the reassurance padders.
What strap did/do you put on your 36?
I quite like the original which is a Damasko specific Di Modell Chronissimo but others like the Hirsch Robby and Hirsch Liberty. They actually look surprisingly good on a brown strap even though you would expect the black dial and grey case to only suit black. Do a google image search on Damasko strap and you will get dozens of options that look great.
Well, I did indeed buy a damask, put it on a toshi phantom. Initially I though it was a bit small, but I really like it now and the strap is lovely.
I'm looking around for deals on Pelagos' now.......