Reply With QuoteSeiko Stargate.
Give me it quick and dirty. What's your gut reaction to that question?
I'll tell you mine - PRS-18Q. Only issue is no bracelet.
I really like the look of the Obris Morgan Explorer II but they're sold out.
I like the option of having a bracelet for 'smart'.
Can be new or used, quartz, auto or manual.
Opinions valued as ever. Fancy clearing the decks for one watch.
TVM.
Last edited by TaketheCannoli; 1st February 2015 at 11:17.
Seiko Stargate.
Quartz: PRS-18Q
Mechanical: SKX-007
Orange Monster?
Skx007
How about a Steinhart? Pretty decent VFM. Personally I prefer ocean one vintage red without that date bubble as it less noticeable as a Rolex homage!
Creation are currently selling their monsters for 200 USD, definitely worth a look and a lot of watch for that money
Agreed re the PRS18Q, I would like a bracelet as well. That having been said, it just looks so "right" on a nato.
Mine came with a grey nato, but if you think it needs to sit a little lower, try one of our hosts two peice nylon strap on deployment. I tried a black one, which tones it down a bit, and have just put it on a grey one which I really like.
I also have an SKX009 on an SEL super oyster, which is a completely different animal.
Had a few divers and handled quite a few more, i still maintain for around £250-300 second hand you will be hard pushed to find better quality than a Marcello C Tridente, i purchased mine from SC immediately after i first got access (like you do)
The bracelet is the nicest i have worn, the quality/finish is top notch in pretty much every department, lume is bad but luckily that is not really a concern for me, timekeeping is excellent too
For the price you can realistically use it for every occassion and not worry about dings/damage/scratches although mine is still mint after nearly a year of ownership, i wont spend out a fortune in servicing and i doubt id lise a great deal of money if i decided to move it on in a few years
Its a watch that i think will stay with me as i dont really see the point in letting it go, not very popular on forums but that just means you dont see them very often so they are a challenge to find
How about the 18A a fantastic watch and one of my favourites, I also own a Skx007j with a Murphy bezel which gives the watch a more refined look and could be dressed up on an oyster bracelet.
Alternatively my other diver is a Seiko 009 with a vintage twist, aged lume, faded Pepsi bezel and a lovely high dome acrylic complete with a BC flat vent rubber strap.
I would love the old Stargate with white dial, it just looks a bit more dressy in that variant.
PRS 18 A for me. Seiko SKX if you have to have a bracelet.
Andy
Wanted - Damasko DC57
Seiko Spork for me on the stainless bracelet, although difficult to get hold of them now.
I'd say PRS18A (I'm wearing your old one as I type David!). I have it on a green and black GGB Zero and it's very military! Perhaps not the best for smart wear but perfect for everything else.
Thanks everyone. Some great suggestions but nothing yet to sway me away from the PRS-18 Q or A. The SKX007 on a super oyster is a great watch but I've had about 10 of them over the years!
Keep 'em coming!
Agree 100%. Quality and finish way above their price range. But you're right, the lume is poor, if that's of importance.Originally Posted by Montybaber
I'll be 100% honest about the Marcello- it's the brand and the branding that puts me off. It's not just about them as I feel the same about C Ward. I couldn't have their branding on a watch.
Last edited by TaketheCannoli; 1st February 2015 at 11:19.
Im genuinely curious why this is? Cant say it bothers me
How about an Orient Sub 2ER00001B a superb classic looking watch on a bracelet, don't know if you can still buy new but there was one on SC recently, don't know if it was sold.I saw a review on it years ago when someone baked the dial to age it and it looked superb.
Edit: Take a look at the new Vostok Neptune, before you dismiss it's a superb looking watch with a very nice bracelet and comes in three colours the green and blue are beauties, great price too which will give you funds for the CWC you've always fancied :)
Last edited by barryw; 1st February 2015 at 11:53.
Don't think you can beat Seiko's 2nd gen Black monster for that money!
I came across Eddie's site while looking for a replacement for my aging, but superbly accurate Seiko SKJ (5M43-0A40) and would have picked up one of his 18Q's if I wasn't looking for an auto.
The Black monster 2nd gen is really good value for money, great build quality, good accuracy and after a 2 min charge, the lume will light your way and stay good until morning.
It's a pure brand thing. It's why companies spend multi-millions on brand advisors. Some get it right and some don't. Some appeal to me and some don't.
So CW and Marcello don't but Precista and Smiths do. However I know some who don't like the way Precista is scribed on the dial and therefore they feel the way I do about CW and Marcello. Christopher Ward actually acted on feedback I believe around people not liking 'CW'. They then changed it to Chr Ward or whatever it is now and I think that's worse.
It's just a personal thing, I'm sure the watch is fantastic.
I agree with all of that however the Monster bracelet is awful; tinny and blingy with links that I don't like the design of.Don't think you can beat Seiko's 2nd gen Black monster for that money!
I came across Eddie's site while looking for a replacement for my aging, but superbly accurate Seiko SKJ (5M43-0A40) and would have picked up one of his 18Q's if I wasn't looking for an auto.
The Black monster 2nd gen is really good value for money, great build quality, good accuracy and after a 2 min charge, the lume will light your way and stay good until morning.
More good suggestions here, if a wee bit pricier I think many still come under £250:
http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.ph...r-up-to-%A3300
Cheers for the reply very interesting and i suppose it is all personal preference, i don't really think about it if i am honest but if that is why i could buy one for such a low price means i am over the moon :)
I bought a jumper last weekend and one had a well known logo and one didn't (in fact i had never heard of the manufacturer) the non branded was better quality and although more expensive i preferred the fact it didn't shout its price tag, my pet hate at the moment is everyone advertising their coat manufacturer to anyone that happens to be following them walking down the street
i can understand the brand name/logo/font on the dial looking ugly and ruining its look though, as long as it looks good to me and the quality is there i don't really mind who made it
Nobody really cares anyway do they?
For 250 I would, without a doubt, go vintage.
I picked this up on sc ages ago from Senraw. Lovely cushion cased record which iirc was a subsidiary or at least linked to Longines.
I think I ended up selling it on eBay for just shy of 250.
Dont think that any of the new offerings bar the 007 come close in terms of attractive robustness.
I've got one of these for diving
http://www.scubastore.com/scuba-divi...7WUaAqll8P8HAQ
Mine's been to Scapa Flow, Cuba, California and numerous other places diving and been perfect every time. Clear, easy to read, always correct. (Strap's big enough to go around a dry suit too!)
Can't say fairer than that, really.
I've got lots of other dearer (and a few cheaper) dive-style watches, but this is my 'diver'!
M.
Last edited by snowman; 3rd February 2015 at 10:15.
Sold this to a mate at work, but was always impressed by its 'built to last' feel. Braclet was a bit flaky mind you, so always wore it with leather or rubber.
Last edited by Cicero; 1st February 2015 at 16:40.
I emailed them on Thursday to see what the situation was and they told me they'd be back in stock in the next few days. Seems a bit vague and I was wondering why they aren't accepting pre orders but they've nothing to gain from lying so I can only assume it's right.
Should be able to pick up a Kemmner Turtle in great condition for about that amount.
Obviously you can't go wrong with a Seiko. A Sumo might be able to be had preowned at that price. Lovely watch.
I can endorse the OM Explorer II. Very solid and well-made piece of kit, and a great bargain.
How's the lume? That was the only downside of the first version for me...
Top of the range G-Shock? Great watches.
Despite it's failings the OM is the one for me.
Maybe an Orient Ray (Left) or Orient Mako (Right)
but you cant go wrong with a Seiko Monster
Might just sneak in a used Steinhart Ocean one for that price. Fine watch.
I'd also suggest a Deep Blue of some kind, very solid and well-made.
Seiko Monster must take some beating for that budget? Although Sawtooth just squeaks into budget.
That said, if I was using a diver for actual diving (in water *shudder*) then I'd be leaning more towards the Citizen Orca or 'Zilla, I've had both and both have felt utterly bulletproof.
I have a couple of Scuba-Fin 200m models at the moment which don't quite feel the same high quality.
My new find,a Tag Heuer 1000 Quartz diver.
Seiko Monster, Citizen Aqualand, Memphis Belle
The best diver for about £250 has got to be an original vintage 6309-7040. A great classic that still stands out today.
Mini Tuna (blue Limited Edition version!) a wjean mesh bracelet for it.
The Orient M Force is a pretty nice watch.
Speaking as someone who eeks out a living as a designer come brand consultant what you are describing is not liking the logo rather than the brand. The logo is a tiny indicator of the brand or the personality of the company as a whole. A brand is built or destroyed on quality of service, of product, of customer relationships etc.
I'm afraid i can't answer the OPs question. I'm guessing he doesn't mean an actual watch for diving but rather the most versatile, durable and reliable dive styled watch in that price range. Something you can wear working in the garage one day then wear to a wedding the next.
That is of course very true, I'm a designer myself, but I've not bought various watches in the past due to poorly designed logos (Zeno's bonkers plane) logo typestyle (Speedbird) and even the size of logo (Smiths Everest).
These things sadly do matter to many, just as much as brand perception and the aftersales service one experiences.
As a consumer I can confirm that (semantics aside) I perceive a company's logo to be part and parcel of the brand. A poor logo diminishes the brand as a whole in my mind. As with sweeney above, I have chosen not to buy watches from brands that I might otherwise have liked because of what I perceived to be a displeasing logo.
^^^ Good idea.
A used Steinhart Ocean 1 Black
This ones close, but a bit over budget; for people who take their 'Divers' diving
http://tinyurl.com/p5t9ebp
But most people on here will want some thing like this:
or this:
Last edited by nibby; 4th February 2015 at 00:24.
Posting Permissions
