Back enjoying the forum

[Dan]

Hello All

So it’s been many moons since I last posted here and have recently found my way back with some serious catching up, which has been both enjoyable and very informative. I’m struck by how much the watch world has moved on and I have devoured many threads dedicated to both new (to me) brands and to the current state of the new and used markets. As always this forum is a treasure trove of wisdom which I find very reassuring as I embark on my next watch buying project…

The classic 50th birthday watch. It would be fair to say that I share many of the thoughts and dreams that have been previously shared on this subject so no real need to recap those, what I find interesting is how a very serious brush with Covid over Christmas has retuned my feelings on what to get and why. So 3 months at home recovering gave me ample time to read here first and then head off to the wider internet to research and I was chomping at the bit for my first field trip after restrictions were lifted. Turns out Bluewater Shopping Centre in Kent has a lot of watch shops so I managed to try plenty that I wanted to….

Grand Seiko Snowflake, Skyflake & a quartz blue face (not sure of the ref?
Glashutte Original 70s Panorama Date (blue face)
Tudor Black Bay
Omega Aqua Terra (blue face) and Seamaster PO Pro 600, Moonwatch Hesalite
Certina DS PH200

So a bit of theme (blue faces) which continues to be a strong preference for me. And so to Rolex. A birth year Sub has been a long held dream (a purchase I should have made when I was 40 given the prices now(!) but I decided to build a home cinema set up instead which has provided 10 years of huge enjoyment for the whole family and which I do not regret at all) No vintage Sub of interest to me at Bluewater but the absolute star of the show from the whole day was most unexpected as I had not factored it in (or really knew much about it) until I saw it in the window of WatchFinder….

Z-Blue Milgauss

Loved it the second it went on my wrist. What more can I say? From nowhere it’s currently top of the pops. Went home, discussed it, plus birth year Subs, with my wife who surprised me by doubling down on getting the right watch and blow the expense (near death experiences for your husband will do that to a person!) So the budget is up to £10K and the project is now a birth year (or close to) Sub no date or a not massively overpriced Milgauss (if that is even possible) Plus whatever else peeks my interest (I was very taken by the Glashutte PanoReserve blue face that recently passed through SC and need to try one on)

So thanks to you all for your help so far and I hope to share my progress as I go. I will certainly be asking questions and keeping a close eye on SC. Not 50 until October and don’t feel in any rush so the hunt continues (field trip 2 with my wife in central London on Thursday) Whatever I get will join an IWC Pilots Watch, a King Seiko Chronometer (which I bought here in 2009 and will be the subject of a future thread) 2 CW's, an obligatory G-Shock, a Garmin for fitness duties and an Apple Watch because I'm a fully paid up member of the cult of Apple!

All the best

Dan

[Onelasttime]

Sorry, couldn't resist. Welcome back.

[Dan]

Hehehe, the last time I heard that ringing out was at Glastonbury 2019 (that feels like a lifetime ago!) when my friends had lost me!!

[Rinaldo1711]

Welcome back - good luck with the birthday watch.

[Dan]

Many thanks

[tommyzzj]

welcome back!

[Dan]

Cheers!