Have you seen this one Hakim?
http://www.tz-uk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=33324
Beautiful watch and Paul's a top guy.
And I'll take the remaining £700 as a finders fee :wink: :lol:.
Cheers,
Gary
If you had GBP2,000.- to spend on a watch, what would you get?
My criteria:
1) chronograph watch only
2) no Japanese makes
3) No Omega
I'm leaning towards the B&R PVD 43mm version or the Breitling Chrono Avenger.
Any other one? :lol:
Have you seen this one Hakim?
http://www.tz-uk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=33324
Beautiful watch and Paul's a top guy.
And I'll take the remaining £700 as a finders fee :wink: :lol:.
Cheers,
Gary
any el primero will do. perhaps on a second hand.
The TAG outlet is Bicester has a few Zenith El Primeros in the 1100-1400 price range, which are NOS.
Dave E
Skating away on the thin ice of a new day
Hi,Originally Posted by hakim
If you want the B&R, I have the limited edition orange one BNIB for about that price.
Have you looked at IWC? You could get a beautiful Aquatimer and have change to buy a U1 beater.
simon
The CA would be an excellent choice I reckon.
If you fancy something a little more dressy, you might just scrape a pre-owned IWC Portuguese Chrono for your budget if you shop around.
Mmmm....
Or you could do worse than a Sinn 103 St Sa UTC for around £1200.
Cheers,
Guy :)
Err, I failed to read 'chronograph watch only' - my B&R ain't the chrono.Originally Posted by gladders
Sorry,
Simon
Great suggestions Guys! Keep em coming! :o
Simon, the B&R Orange is very tempting but I'm getting a Doxa 1000T Pro so thats enough orange for the time being :lol:
It has to be something quite sturdy dor daily useage. IWC Portugese is nice but a bit toooo nice for where I work :?
Zenith El Primero Rainbow, or Rainbow Flyback, or Class Sport El Primero. Or maybe a Breitling Navitimer?
If you're happy with a 7750, the Sinn 756 [UTC or DIAPAL] has lots of useful tech in it [antimag, good WR, optional second timezone] and at it's most expensive incarnation leaves you with about £750 change.
Planet Ocean :)Originally Posted by hakim
That's the answer you'll get on most other boards anyway.
There are several other B&R chronos that I would look at before that square thing (not my thing, personally). That Breitling you mentioned is discontinued but replaced by a steel version called the Skyland. It's about the same price I think, probably £2k after discount. There's also the SuperOcean chrono, which is another big chunk of steel and has a high WR rating. At the same price point is the Ebel 1911 Discovery, which IMHO looks great on a strap and the price is probably more negotiable.
There are lots more options from £1,000-1,500 (Oris, Longines, Hamilton, Sinn, Glycine, Fortis, Edox etc.) and many from £3,000 upwards (IWC and others). The £2k mark actually looks a bit thin if you discount Omega.
Used, the world is your oyster. There are so many watches to choose from, and in so many different types of condition and age. Impossible to start, unless you can give an idea of a specific style that you like.
...but what do I know; I don't even like watches!
Ha!Originally Posted by andrew
In that case, I'm saying Seiko Flightmaster SBDS001.
Or a Sinn 903 H2 or H4.Originally Posted by quoll
Nobody seems to have mentioned Tudor. The new models are a dogs breakfast but until recently they looked fabulous. A s/h one would easily fit in your budget.
I've always presumed that you also get access to Rolex service with these and that has to be a good thing in the long term.
If the one in the link ever comes up again I would buy it in a heartbeat.
Breitlings strike me as overpriced for what they offer - which is hardly surprising, considering the scale of their marketing budget.
That's what I like about Sinns - and the 903 is, IMHO, preferable to a Breitling Navitimer, at a far more realistic price (£1275 new)...
Bell and Ross Space 3.
Tutima
Oris
SINN DIAPAL...Double the time for the money! Great watch, great value!
WOW! Great suggestions. Now I'm really getting mixed up :?
Andrew, I did check out the Planet Ocean in April this year but too heavy. That huge chunk of stainless steel is good enough for the gym! It may be better on a strap but didn't try that.
Lots of Sinn suggestions but I only ruled that out because I've owned so many the past couple of years. 3 U1's, UX, 2 EZM2's, 142, 356, 103. Great watches but I want to try something different. :)
as said, go for el primero, technically the best chronograph movement ever made (after daytona) and in your price range :wink:Originally Posted by hakim
An IWC for sure!
Why not a 3706.....you can get them pretty cheap these days... :shock:
they are never cheap enough! iwc flieger and spitfire are very bad examples of quality to price ratio (something quite often found in modern iwc). be ready to pay 3k usd for a modified eta 775x. cant be worse! - imo of course-Originally Posted by salmonia
Second hand Kobold chrono?
G
If you can get over the "weight = quality way of thinking / concept" titanium is the way forward............... well I think so anyway.
If you can get used to the fact it oxidzes leaving a dull grey sheen you will be fine. Often people mistake scratches on titanium for scuffs on the oxidized surface, trust me these are vey easily sorted, often with a quick clean with a very soft tooth brush and neutral PH soap.
5 minutes and your TI watch is generally looking as good as new.
Their are pleanty of large chrono's out their in Ti that have a weight of circa 100-130 grammes, a comparable 316l stainless steel watch of the same dimensions would be circa 200 - 240grammes +++ if not more.
Ti really does wear very well, it warms up quicker, has a different feel on the skin, is non-allergic so no nasty rashes :shock: and if looked after looks great.
That has probably only added to the confusion
Regards
Paul
If you like something retro and orangey and not supersized, how about an Oris Chronoris? It loses the constant seconds and 12-hour totaliser, so doesn't look like a conventional chrono, but I think it's extremely well-built and comes with a strap and a bracelet. It's comfortably within your budget, too, leaving funds for a nice winder to put it on.Originally Posted by hakim
Echo the comments about the Sinn 903 being a cut-price Navitimer - if you can handle the idea of not being able to look at one without flying to Frankfurt or Madrid first :D
...but what do I know; I don't even like watches!
Can't go wrong with the CA IMO (but you'd expect me to say that wouldn't you :wink: ) - This is especially so as its about to be discontinued for the Skyland.
The CA looks great on bracelet/leather/rubber and though its a huge hunk of metal, as its Ti it doesn't feel at all heavy. In fact its one of the most comfortable watches I've owned.
However, while I was was looking for mine I was REALLY tempted to get a SBDS001 Flightmaster (as recommended by Seamaster73 earlier). I'm still toying with the idea ........ :wink: :D
Cheers,
Vagabond, thats exactly the model I'm leaning towards right now. I had the same version but the Sea Avenger with the Pro2 bracelet but the chrono was what I always wanted to try.
Its not cheap but look at that thing! Looks like an Abrams tank! :P
Guess I really have made up my mind then...... :lol:
Thanks everyone! :)
Hakim, here's another (not very good) pic - just in case you were teetering on the brink of indecision..... :wink: :D
Good luck. :)
P.S. You wouldn't believe how close I was to pulling the trigger on your Seawolf - I had been looking for a CA for quite a while and the Seawolf caught my eye as an alternative.....but I'm really glad I held back. You know what they say, patience is a virtue and all that ...... :wink: :)
Hakim,
Some comparison shots of the watches recommended.
John
Whislt the M1 CA is quartz the case is the same pretty much.............. do these pic's help at all????
Rest assured, if you do pull the trigger on a chrono avenger you will not be dissapointed.
Regards
Paul
p.s. come to the darkside,
Vagabond, thats the problem I had. I originally wanted the CA but went for the SA and it always left me wanted for more. I'm sure the CA will be the right choice.
Just to put a spanner in the works, yesterday I saw a pic of the 2007 LE Black Chrono Avenger. WOW! Now I'm really stumped! :lol:
John, thanks for the pic! Lovely watches especially the IWC. Thats a watch I'd like to own one day particularly the blue on white version.
Paul, your pics are a big help. I'm a bit hesitant to buy quartz at that price even though I know its a very capable watch.
Thanks all!
Is that the LE "black-steel" SKYLAND? I didn't know that there was a LE black CA too :?Originally Posted by hakim
If it is the Skyland then I'm not sure how easy it would be to get hold of a LE .....In anycase I much prefer the font of the numerals on the CA to the Skyland. Here's a borrowed pic of the "black-steel" Skyland. Mind you, it is a looker.... 8)
For me it would have to be an Omega...............sorry!!!!
I wont be filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed, I am not a number, I am a free man, my life is my own!!!
Be seeing you
Toodle pip
Griff.
me too :)Originally Posted by Griff
Yes Vagabond, thats the one! :P
Lovely, but I too prefer the numerals on the CA.
Hmmm. The second subhand should be white imho.Originally Posted by vagabond
I'm not as think as you drunk I am.
Damasko - anyone?
or Sinn
You might even pick up a second hand UN...
How about a nice Tutima?
The possibilities are (almost) endless.
Cheers,