Reply With QuoteDoes he want all 12? The obvious answers with 3-6-9-12 would be a Panerai?
A friend of mine asked me to tell him of a prestige brand that has a watch with Arabic numerals. I could only think of the IWC Big Pilot. The chap currently has a Breitling Super Ocean Heritage 46 mm. So that is the size he seems to want. Any ideas welcome.
Does he want all 12? The obvious answers with 3-6-9-12 would be a Panerai?
Sticking with Breitling, there's a few in the superocean range with fully numeralled dials, or 3-6-9-12 type dials, in 44 and 46mm cases.
Hi,
Have you considered a Zenith Pilot's Watch at 45mm?
https://www.zenith-watches.com/en_gb...30-679-21-c801
https://www.zenith-watches.com/en_gb/collection/pilot
If the man is a true friend, do him a favour and talk him out of buying a big watch. The writing is on the wall, watches are slowly getting smaller. It is only a matter of time before big watches will follow in the path of 1970s flared trousers.
Buying a cheap big watch is fine, he will be able to bin it, but binning an expensive watch is not good.
Oh come on, Mick, why do you always insist on presenting your opinion as if it’s incontrovertible fact?!Originally Posted by Mick P
If the man wants to buy a big watch because that’s what he likes to wear, then that’s what he should do. My personal opinion is that he will always have plenty of choice...
Simon
That's a remarkably uninformed opinion. Im no fan of big watches and think they look absurd on average to small wrists but, for people with larger wrists, there will be a market for larger watches - and quite right too.
Even in the 60s the speedmaster was 42mm.
The major brands cater for all sizes - rolex included, with their increased size SD - again lm not a fan but, at 43mm , it's catering for someone.
Ive learned that ill-considered generalisation and intolerance combined with opinion stated as fact leads invariably to argument. All very Trumpesque...
Hi helmbarrie, this is an interesting enquiry actually - when you look around it’s notable that a high proportion of higher-end watches appear not to favour Arabic numerals.
As with another poster here, I immediately thought of Breitling - probably because I own these two...
Simon
I said he should try and talk his friend out of it but and the end of the day it is the mans choice. However if he is the fashion conscious type, he is going to be feeling a bit out of it in a few years time.
Just my humble opinion.
Well, they do say they're like bumholes...
Nice to see youre being humble though.
How about the Oris 111 Big Pilot? It’s 44mm I think. I had the artelier version which was too big for me at 43mm and nearly all dial but the movement was fantastic.
As someone with nigh on 8 inch wrists (depending on diet and temperature) anything under 40mm looks childlike on my wrists and to be safe when considering watches with shorter lugs 42 is a minimum. Dial diameter is a faintly ludicrous measurement anyway as there is the crown to consider and case and even dial design can make a watch look or 'wear' larger or smaller. If the guy wants a big watch with Arabic numerals then I'd certainly steer him towards another Breitling (older run out stock) as they seem to be veering towards the vintage look no numerals, smaller watches - although they do still do bigger ones.
I'm not a fan of traditional pilot watches but if they float his boat then fine.
Yes it is.
Simon
I don't get the whole "opinion stated as fact" thing.
I don't understand why anyone would ever hold an opinion without believing that is factual. That would be idiocy.
Simultaneously, whenever anybody makes a statement, it should be assumed that it is just their opinion. It is your obligation to assess that statement on its own merit, and determine whether you believe, as the person making it clearly does, that it is factual.
In academic discourse, there is an expectation that you will provide sources, whereas in casual conversation, this is not usually expected, but one should be able to provide them if asked, and given sufficient time, and in either setting nobody should be expected to caveat everything they say with "this is just my opinion, but...".
Do your own research, form your own view, and assume that everything, whether it's published in a scientific journal, or espoused by some ranting idiot on a forum, is just someone else's opinion.
When expressing an opinion, any reasonably intelligent/ self aware person always acknowledges that though he/she believes it right, it may be wrong.
It also comes down to how an opinion is expressed. Some people express them in such a way that suggests that this possibility cannot exist.
I had a manager once who assured me "l only ever argue when lm right".
Utter tosser.
When confronted with any kind of factual information, he was usually wrong...
Edit. I do acknowledge that, on many occasions, stating that a thing is your opinion isn't necessary - "wood isn't made of iron" as an example - but, if a statement is likely to lead to debate then it helps to have the smarts to recognise this and adjust your tone to accommodate. Social awareness and all that...
Let me be the first to admit that lm as likely to make this mistake as many other people, and in the past have done a lot - l just try harder nowadays not to out of respect for others.
Last edited by Umbongo; 5th June 2020 at 14:57.
I'd be looking at the Patek Philippe Calatrava 5522A.
https://www.watchfinder.co.uk/Patek%...c61ee62&rank=2
Now that's a big handsome thing... and l bet thats not just my opinion! Haha!
Except all academics?
I would argue that any reasonably intelligent person would know that this is implied.
Everything, and I mean everything, is just someone else's opinion.
Glad we agree.
I would also say that some people actually don't know this is implied, until reminded.
I would even so far as to say that,even when reminded, an obnoxious minority still can't get to grips with the concept.
Last edited by Umbongo; 5th June 2020 at 15:07.
Yep, that's my experience too. :)
H Moser's Heritage pilot watch
How about a Dornbluth? Only 42mm but wears much bigger owing to lack of bezel.
Thank you chaps for all the very helpful suggestions.Personally I am with Mick P, wearing a watch the size of a small clock on your wrist will surely fall out of fashion, they cannot realistically get any bigger can they? Before my friend bought his Breitling Superocean Heritage 10 years ago I did suggest a Rolex Sub. He said he just was not excited by the Rolex and worked hard to get a good discount on the Breitling and managed 30 %. He really looked after it wearing it only on a weekend and one day the whole winding stem came adrift. Breitling fixed it under warranty. It happened again after the warranty period and Breitling claimed he had damaged the case. He did manage to pay for this with an insurance claim. It would put me off buying another but I think Mycroft's suggestion of the Breitling with full Arabic numerals would fit the bill. I did show him the pictures of the IWC Big Pilot but the cost before discount of £11500 was too much for him for a watch he has never heard of! I will show him Umbungo's suggestion of the PP Calatrava. He will be blown away with the idea of a watch at £16000 new for sale at £39000.
My friend is not really a watch enthusiast, he just wants a big in your face watch with a name on the dial that everyone knows, so that really means just 4 brands - Rolex, Omega, Tag Heuer and Breitling. That is the power of marketing I guess. If David Beckham keeps advertising Tudor and they get round to making a 46 mm model that could get added to his list
I don't think watches can get much bigger, no. But I'm also not sure they have got any bigger.
The Radiomir was a 47mm divers watch made in 1936. The Navitimer has always been at least 42mm and the 1806 in a 48mm case came out in the mid 60s. The omega ploprof came out in 1970 with a mammoth sized case. Not sure what the dimensions are, but the bezel alone is 42mm in diameter.
There have always been huge watches about. I think their popularity has increased in recent years is all. Probably coincides with fewer people wearing dress watches than in the past.
The current Seiko diver reissues are a good example of this. The SRP line with it's 45mm case is probably thought of by some as a big modern watch, but it's a faithful re-edition of the 6309 from 1976.
The new captain willard that's coming out has a 43mm case, and that's actually been down-sized from 1968 6105, presumably to suit modern tastes.
IWC Portuguese auto.
Planet Ocean 600M maybe? The GMTs are big enough you can see them from space.
The brief makes me feel a little uncomfortable! But the Vacheron Constantin 56 ticks all three boxes: certainly not small, high end brand, Arabic numerals.
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