Reply With QuoteNomos have quite cheap inhouse movements. I think Zenith Elite also is below 5k.
The incredible fakes that come from China with 'correct' ETA movements etc make me think it is pointless to spend £2k on a watch that has been recreated in China for £150. Bristling SOH are a perfect example. Beautiful watch, but the fakes a everywhere.
So I need to start saving for something the fakers can't or don't do.
JLC and Vacheron come to mind.
Any other £5k~ish watches with in house movements?
I guess most of the Germans ( G.O., Dornbluth etc ) are in house?
Nomos have quite cheap inhouse movements. I think Zenith Elite also is below 5k.
Grand Seiko, with many models below 5000,00. Everything made inhouse and with stricter chonometer standards than the Swiss. Not so easy to see then live before buying.
the Grand Seiko are, I understand, amazing.
But though I have a couple of 'lesser' Seiko, I don't think I could bring myself to drop thousands on one.
If you are into tinkering, you could build yourself one from parts for less than £500. You can buy case sets and a complete movement to just pop in. You will need a reasonable amount of tinkering skills and tools though.
:wink:
Get a Grand Seiko Spring Drive. I'm not aware of any convincing fakes of them.
There are El Primeros below the 5k mark as well, like the Captain El Primero and the new Pilot.Originally Posted by Normunds
The Tag 1887 springs to mind at around 3k. And Omega 330X based movements or 8000 series calibres are also good value, and the bridge layout on the 8500 is hard to fake (there are some fakes out there with a copy of the arabesque decoration)
Rolex.
Cheers,
Neil.
The new Omega in-house 8500/9300 caliber Planet Oceans?
Could you give some suggested sources for the various bits and pieces?
But the Omegas and Rolexes are plagued by the easy fake syndrome.
Most of the chines fakes with ETAs etc are being modifed so that the sub wheels are in the right place, etc. Most are waterproof to 100m+, they have upped the quality of the bracelets.
I really cannot see myself spending a few k on an Omega or Rolex again - though they are lovely watches they are just too common and too easily faked.
I think my future has a JLC, or Vacheron or Glaschutte in it...
Breitling B01
zenith el primero
panerai 312/351
Zenith EP is on my list.
I think it was released in 1969, no?
what's best? Bullitproof? Go Rolex. You'll be done with 1250-1500€ for a nice Datejust, 34mm's will be even cheaper.
The El Primero is a very nice movement and can be had for reasonable prices, especially the HW versions.
5k UKP should get you a very nice JlC.. great watches.. The Master Compressor is a great watch whatever version. I like the older Masters (Master Date, Moon, Hometime, Control etc) very much too.. very sleek and stylish. I've never seen a convincing fake of one of these but then again, I don't come across much fake watches / fake people ;)
Glashütte could be an option.. Very nice, very German. Dornblüth too, great watches.. but not everyone would agree they're 'manufacture' since the unitas base is still visible to the trained eye.
Something to keep in mind is that these watches/movements should be brought back to the AD or even the brand for service.. very expensive. Every watchmaker can service an Unitas 649x or ETA 28xx.. they can probably service the above too, but they won't get the parts etc.
i believe it was 1969, by some measures the first automatic chronograph movement an interesting account of that claim is here
It sounds like what you really want is something less common, not something difficult to fake. I haven't seen anybody convincingly copy an 8500, so an AQT8500 with a glass back would be easy to verify. If you want something different, which is what it sounds like, there's no reason to spend 5k to do it (though you can if that's simply the range you're shooting for). As mentioned, Nomos is a great choice for in-house and less common. There are loads of options on Timefactors, other small independents like Stowa, etc etc.
As too many collectors do not realise when they buy.
It surprises me the brands that do get faked. I took out a cannular at work and noticed that the chap had an A. Lang & Sohne on his wrist. He told me it was a fake. When I had a browse online it didn't look that close to the original but it was a nice watch all the same. Shame it was a fake as I'm looking for another two register chrono and might have been interested.
So you are asking yourself why the ETA-based fakes are £150 (which is actually a normal price for a mass-produced mechanical watch) instead of asking yourself why the original models are £2000 ??? And generally instead of asking how products that are (in any measurable parameter - from accuracy to power reserve) technically inferior to a £100-£200 good quartz are still sold at £2000 and over ???
That's the way forward, or back, depending on which way you look at it. :DGo vintage, John :)
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