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I have recently developed a love of watches as you can see from my entry here
high end watches
Since that entry dealt with ultra high end watches that are pretty much unattainable, this entry will deal with some reasonably priced, high quality mechanical watches from some companies that might not be super well known.
Recently I have been getting in to pilot style watches.
In particular I am looking in to getting a Prometheus recon 5
![[image loading]](http://ablogtoread.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/dhm2pgs6_54ckft9wfd_b.jpg)
with a Swiss Unitas 6497 movement
![[image loading]](http://ablogtoread.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/dhm2pgs6_55dzc857gn_b.jpg)
This watch retails for about 250 to 300 Euros depending on whether you have to pay the VAT tax.
Considering that good quality quartz watches will run you about the same amount, I think its a fantastic value for a mechanical watch with a trusted swiss movement.
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I like it. It's very clean and readable like a fortis or jorg gray.
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United States24788 Posts
Can you please add a little bit more? All you seem to have done is mention what you are going to be interested in and then post a picture of 1 watch... not enough content by itself to warrant its own blog.
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oh I thought I could put everything in to separate posts. I was going to do 1 company per post.
another company I like is Steinhart, especially their NavB uhr line. though certain versions of this line will run up to about 700 euros which starts getting kind of expensive.
![[image loading]](http://www.gnomonwatches.com/images/SteinhartNavBuhrGold4L.jpg)
Its important to know that most watch houses do not make their own movements.
They buy the movements from a select few houses (less than 10 I believe) that do make their own movements.
So when researching in to buying a watch, its important to find out the type of movement the watch has and research in to the reliability of that movement.
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Also, there are a lot of lesser known watch companies that have good workmanship and movements but stylistically are homages to more famous higher end brands.
I typically try to go more for houses with a more original look but some of these brands can be a good alternative if you must have a certain style.
A good example is Debaufre. Great movements and craftmanship but stylistically their watches resemble other high end brands.
![[image loading]](http://www.watcheshead.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/csar-all-black-pvd-unitas.jpeg)
This watch resembles a Bell and Ross
while this one
![[image loading]](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3424/3290083181_f42a45ee83.jpg?v=0)
resembles a Rolex Submariner.
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I find these to be extremely expensive . Sundial is cheaper : P
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Now those watches I listed above are all $350 dollars +. While affordable, I wouldn't call them cheap.
If that is still too much, there are a few other options for good mechanical watches.
Sea Gull has some very nice watches that start out at around $100 and go up to $400.
They have their own in house movement but it is a Chinese movement. Its actually a fairly high quality movement but doesn't carry the Swiss badge.
![[image loading]](http://www.usseagull.com/upimages/20100116044509382.png)
![[image loading]](http://www.usseagull.com/upimages/20100113015444178.png)
![[image loading]](http://www.usseagull.com/upimages/20091120235712422.png)
![[image loading]](http://www.usseagull.com/upimages/20091120235721848.png)
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Invicta is another company that has some good quality watches but stylistically, I find their watches to resemble other brands too much. I can't even call them homages anymore as they look like exact copies.
here's the invicta
![[image loading]](http://www.hood.de/img/full/1307/13071928.jpg)
here's the rolex
![[image loading]](http://houstondiamondoutlet.com/images/rolex_submariner.jpg)
Did I mention the submariner (AKA the Savior watch) is copied super frequently?
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If you like a dive style watch like the submariner, but not something that looks like an exact copy, the Orient Mako can be a good choice.
Orient is a Japanese watch house that has been around since 1950 and makes their own in house movements and turn out some affordable good quality mechanical watches. ($100 to $250)
In particular, their Mako model has been a good seller
![[image loading]](http://www.orientwatchusa.com/images/CEM65001B-b.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://www.orientwatchusa.com/images/CEM65001B-1.jpg)
for a more sporty look, the orange Mako on a rubber strap looks pretty good to me too
![[image loading]](http://www.orientwatchusa.com/images/CEM65004M-2.jpg)
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wow i appreciate watches so much more now
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dude...Seiko 5, you can never go wrong with that!
![[image loading]](http://www.pmwf.com/Watches/WATCHSALES/Seiko5MilitaryBlackSNX809K/Front.jpg)
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I got my brother a Hamilton Khaki a few years ago:
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Yup the Seiko 5 is great. Even though most Seiko watches on the market are quartz now, they make some good automatics.
Automatics mean mechanical watches that are wound by natural movements of the wearer's arm.
In this case, the 5 in the Seiko 5 refer to
1. automatic 2. water resistant 3. shock resistant 4. date 5. day
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On August 14 2010 12:53 lac29 wrote:I got my brother a Hamilton Khaki a few years ago:
very nice watch. Hamilton is a very nice brand of watches.
They tend to be a bit more higher class than the watches I've listed but they are still more affordable than a IWC, Rolex, Panerai.
I really like some of their Jazzmaster watches though they are a bit outside my budget.
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Hello~
I'm really into haute horologerie and I consider myself to know a bit more than the average Joe. I hope you re-considering purchasing a mechanical watch at a price point below $1000 US. I'm all for lower-end watches but it is in my opinion that anything below $1000 isn't really a quality mechanical watch and perhaps it would be in your best interest to save for now and when the time comes you can purchase something that will last you a lifetime.
Some opinions regarding the opinions posted above:
1. Seiko does make great watches, matter fact just as good as Swiss-made watches in terms of time-keeping/accuracy and are priced usually 100s below the price-point of the competitors model. However, in terms of automatic movements, Seiko is very lacking in their entry/mid level movements are usually even the ETA/Valjoux base, modified movements are superior. Seiko's flagship models pretty much carry the brand. Thus, their quartz and high-end gets a thumbs up and for their entry/mid I give them a thumbs down.
2. Any self-respecting watch house will not copy a design of another watchmaker and produce them. It's really a shame.
3. Invicta makes terrible watches. Do not purchase. If you really want one you can find them in outlet malls for super cheap. Hamilton is really just an more expensive Swatch watch.
4. Orient would be a good purchase in terms of price-point in relation to quality. Not too many people know about Orient I'm surprised it was even mentioned.
My 2cents: Save your money, till you have around 2/3/4000 and then purchase a mid-priced watch at that price point. It'll last you a lifetime and buying a lower-end watch and saving up again for a nicer upgrade will just be a hassle and you will end up having a cheap watch that you won't wear. (This is from my personal experience)
GL
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you guys know that a 10 dollar quartz is more accurate than any of these hundred dollar watches right? You are only buying the design and the quality. The accuracy part is bullshit.
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Yes quartz movements are more accurate than mechanical watches. But, you are wrong about buying the design and quality. It is more about appreciating fine craftsmanship and a sense of a personified watch. It is 'alive' so to speak, if it an automatic it will wind with your arm movements. Furthermore, mechanical watches have complications which add to the complex nature of the watches.
In terms of accuracy, as long as you maintain your watch most mechanical watches will be accurate and be off by a few seconds per time period depending on it's movement/other climate factors/usage and so on.
Why buy a Rolls Royce when a Suzuki does the same job?
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was design and quality hard to understand? Im not gonna argue there isnt craftsmanship involved. Its just that theres iffy movements even in 5k watchess, which are also ridiculously expensive to service because of the need to reseal and retest the watch. Mechanical watches are great accessories. But a few seconds off is optimistic of their timekeeping ability.
Anyways if its for daily wear, have to reccommend seiko. Bullteproof.
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Quality = reliability of a watch and the watch performing it's intended functions. Quartz > Mechanical
Design = aesthetic appeal. Quartz watches are more diverse in design > Mechanical that usually follow set bezel shapes such as the tonneau.
It wasn't that hard to understand and I don't stand corrected in my previous statement.
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Man these watches look hot, I don't care about the time if I want accurate time I'll look at my cell phone but man, I just LOVE the look of those open end watches where you can see the gears and shit, if anyone could link me to a site where I could get cheap ones, even fake ones or whatever that just have that type of look of open moving gears, with a decent stylish look hit me up
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On August 15 2010 02:11 ZlaSHeR wrote:
Man these watches look hot, I don't care about the time if I want accurate time I'll look at my cell phone but man, I just LOVE the look of those open end watches where you can see the gears and shit, if anyone could link me to a site where I could get cheap ones, even fake ones or whatever that just have that type of look of open moving gears, with a decent stylish look hit me up
what price range are you looking for?
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I agree with ThePurist on the spirit of his post but disagree on several points. while I know where he is coming from, I think for most people, a $1000 entry point is too steep especially for their first mechanical watch.Its also a rather arbitrary number. I find nothing wrong with buying a $200 mechanical watch that might not have super precision but will also work for quite a few years.
Also while Hamilton is owned by the swatch group, so is Breguet, Glaschutte and nobody would call those glorified Swatches. Not saying Hamilton is on the same level as Breguet or Glaschutte but calling it a glorified Swatch is a bit of an oversimplification.
I'm not a huge fan of Invicta either but I've heard some good reviews on their reliability.
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arent digital watches more accurate???
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On August 15 2010 11:11 Malgrif wrote:
arent digital watches more accurate???
Yes.
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the question of digital vs mechanical is kind of like saying "why get a painting of yourself if photos are more accurate" ?
If you think of a watch purely as a tool then yes by all means go digital but there is a certain beauty and art to the workings of a mechanical watch.
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On August 15 2010 11:15 lixlix wrote:
the question of digital vs mechanical is kind of like saying "why get a painting of yourself if photos are more accurate" ?
If you think of a watch purely as a tool then yes by all means go digital but there is a certain beauty and art to the workings of a mechanical watch.
Well said man, I gave the "why get a Rolls Royce when you can buy a Suzuki to do the same thing" example previously lol.
Keep in mind my posts before are just my opinions but they aren't based off nothing. In the end I feel saving for a mid-tier watch would be good that's all. Lemme know what you decide to get though~ if you do get something, I'd love to hear about it.
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On August 15 2010 10:51 lixlix wrote:Show nested quote +On August 15 2010 02:11 ZlaSHeR wrote:
Man these watches look hot, I don't care about the time if I want accurate time I'll look at my cell phone but man, I just LOVE the look of those open end watches where you can see the gears and shit, if anyone could link me to a site where I could get cheap ones, even fake ones or whatever that just have that type of look of open moving gears, with a decent stylish look hit me up what price range are you looking for?
Cheap XD under 100 lol, something that looks like these, the skeleton look.  I don't really care about its timekeeping ability whatsoever, if I have to adjust the time every month big deal lol, I just like the look of moving gears, an all black finish, etc. That Hublot Bigger Bang video just looks so cool, if there were a fake version of that, that was cheap I'd be all over it lol. If I want to know the time I'll look at my cell phone which is satellite corrected timing haha, But if I want something that'll just look classy as hell and help accessorize with the other stuff I wear, these are just awesome.
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Imo, it'll be pretty hard to find a nice looking skeleton mechanical watch for under $100.
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The disappointing thing is that even mechanical watches you pay a good deal of money for will have problems. About 10 years ago my father bought the IWC Portugese and loved it for the first two or three years. Then it started to break down every year or so. They always repair it, but it's frustrating to have to go through that process so many times. The self-winding mechanism is what gets screwed up quite frequently it seems.
So I'd be a bit skeptical of the claim these are investments which are worth it since they are "lifetime purchases". They can easily turn into expensive headaches.
I am quite happy with my Tissot and would recommend the brand: same exact mechanism as Omega at a lower price point. If you find a design you like, it's a good deal.
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I think the key thing to keep in mind is buy a watch for yourself. Don't let anybody tell you what you should or shouldn't buy.
If you like the reliability of quartz, go quartz. If there is something about mechanical watches that attract you then buy that.
We all place different values in to how much we are willing to spend for something, whether it be a car, a watch, food, clothes, etc...
In the end, buy something that makes you happy.
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I must say almost all of the watches posted in this thread are really ugly imo.
I don't care much for watches, maybe that's the reason why I don't find them appealing?
My watch:
![[image loading]](http://boardshop.md/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/krew-color-watches-6.jpg)
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I don't know how old you are but that is a difficult watch to pull off in a lot of settings.
Also its quartz so really apples and oranges with the other watches in this thread.
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Just curious what you think of TAG Heuer watches? I've always found them aesthetically pleasing and was considering saving up and getting one.
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Tag belongs to the big 4 of mid tier luxury watches in my mind (Tag Heuer, Rolex, Omega, Breitling).
There are some Tag Heuers that I like very much such as the Carrera.
The thing with Tag is that they also produce a lot of in my opinion, over priced quartz watches, trying to profit off the brandname.
Thus this dilutes the brand name a bit. you kind of lose a bit of the aura of exclusivity.
Its like if you had a Porsche Carrera GT but everybody is running around with Boxsters.
Basically what I'm saying is that not all Tags are the same.
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Hi! I searched for "chronograph" and it led me here.
Can anyone help ID this watch? It is pretty. 
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/5GQl2.png)
The watch was shown on an April 2012 Japanese drama titled Kagi no Kakatta Heya.
Thank you! ^_^
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EPT![[image loading]](http://www.78863.com/images/Hamilton-4743.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://quartzimodo.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/snke011k-thumb.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://www.german-watches.com/pix/a/g/1244288371-14366.jpg)
