Watch Thread

Gang, send me recommendations for good design analog watches around $300-$400 US. Want to find the one for me.

 

I'm not terribly knowledgeable in the watch space, but I seem to remember thinking that the Skagen watches were knockoffs of Georg Jensen designs when I was first looking into them. I could be misinformed about this, though. I had always thought Skagen was a Chinese made/designed watch.

 

What kind of design?
So many different styles and options available

 

Show me some. Looking for people's cooler picks.

 

Those watches tho...

And their prices as well

 

I wanted to call the picture "all the stuff I got at a discount" but that would have been bragging

 

Ressence Type 3 and the other one even past discout are a huge pile of money. So yeah, bragging it would be indeed

 

See that Vincero watch above? That's the analog watch that I have. I got it for work, but the design is average to me. I like the black background with the gold color items and the silver bezel. It doesn't offend, but it isn't special.

So I like my watches with a black background. I really hate giant number bezels like the Seiko watches that were posted earlier. I like to keep my bezel simple. Something that shows time and maybe the date is fine. Too many dials makes the watch too busy, which I'm trying to avoid.

So I'm looking for recommendations on which ones might fit the bill at around $300-$400.

I saw this one that I liked:



I think Tsovet had stopped making them. But I would like something in that design that I guess doesn't took too stereotypical like the other watches in the $300-$400 range.

I did see this one that I liked: https://www.amazon.com/Tissot-Unise...21e5de35167e9b&language=en_US#customerReviews


I just don't know enough about watches to know what's cool, what's crap. Quartz or Automatic? Geez I stink, lol.

 

@YMO I think you know if you posted the same sort of thing about audio, we'd all tease you about it.

But instead, let me try to help: I would say enjoy the ride and have some fun looking into what's out there.

Here's a starting place for you, it's all the reviews one watch site has done on watches under $500. Have a look and take your time exploring:
https://www.ablogtowatch.com/tag/watch-reviews-under-500/
Take at least a week, then report back what you've found.

 

This thread reminded me to occasionally wear a watch. @YMO black bracelet goes well with the 5610 (I also have the same Japanese version with the inverse monochrome face, found the standard 5600 a little too colourful). Edit: meant the standard 5610.

 

Nice! So far I like the default band. It worked well with me in the shower.

This was what I was looking for. I'll get started. Thanks!

 

@YMO Not sure what your taste is but in the $400-$500 range I'd be looking at Hamiltons at Jomashop. I own a blue Valiant for date nights and a silver for nights in a jacket or suit.

https://www.jomashop.com/hamilton-watch-h39515754.html

 

@YMO I really like Farer (https://usd.farer.com/) even though their watches are all too small for me. The quartz stuff is regularly found used below $400 and sometimes the automatics go down to sub-$500 range. Christopher Ward is another brand that comes to mind.

I've also seen used quartz from Shinola in this price range:

https://www.shinola.com/mens/watches.html

https://www.watchpatrol.net/?query=shinola

Shinola gets flack for the "not actually made in America" thing and they are a bit overpriced, but the leather is always impeccable and IMO better than the stuff on some multi-thousand dollar pieces - good brand to buy used. The automatics are new and don't have a lot of used pieces floating around. That shouldn't last long though. No need to pay MSRP for a $400 watch - that's my take, at least.

 

Thanks for that! I really like the Quartz Farer models. They both appeal to me. However, it appears they are pricey for a Quartz. Good design thou.

Thanks for the site. The watch design isn't my cup of tea since I don't like the font they are using for the watches personally. However, so many options.

At the moment before I go to bed I guess I'll stick to a Quartz. This is due to I'm lazy and don't want to adjust the time on the watch if it's out of movement on an Automatic. However, Automatics are cool don't get me wrong.

 

Thanks for these!

 

You may well be right: you probably know more about watches than I do. I am even more just-looking on this thread than I am on audio threads, because watches, to me, can be admired, but are not things to spend large amounts of one's own money. Still, I'd go a little further than the colleague who said, "my $5 watch tells the time just as well as your $100 watch," even though he was right!

But I certainly admired the Skagen designs. Perhaps simply the good value for money points to non-Danish origins --- but I could have lived with the words Made in China. As I never bought one, I can't say of they are there are not.

 

This mirrors how I feel quite well. I'm OK with less expensive pieces largely because my lifestyle makes keeping them nice difficult, and the aesthetics of pieces from companies like Skagen are comparable (to me) with the high-dollar brands.

There's certainly a pride in ownership factor that is at play for the very fine pieces, and I admire that too, but it doesn't resonate with me personally enough to spend for them.

 

I used to own a bunch of Skagen watches back in the day. A Danish couple started the brand in NYC. Originally about the only place you could find them was in larger airports with malls/kiosks (I remember buying 2 in the Philadelphia airport). Even tho they used Denmark in the company name, it was only because they claimed the designs were Danish Design inspired. The brand is now owned by Fossil.

 

I think the first thing is to decide what type and size watch you want. Dress watch (Vincero & Tissot pics), aviation watch (Tsovet pic)... probably not a diver or chrono since you want a simple bezel and don't want loads of dials.

I'd normally second @Zhanming057 suggestion and say that Christopher Ward is a great choice... (they use the Schiit model of direct sales, and you can pick up great pieces when they put watches on Clearance). BUT they have really cut back on their quartz lineup (only chrono's and dive watches in quartz) and the automatics are out of the range you were looking at.

That said, I think this CW is a sharp/simple racing inspired watch (quartz):

Or maybe a quartz aviation watch from Jack Mason


One of the many Hamilton Quartz Khaki field watches:


From a dress watch standpoint, there are a boatload of different style Hamilton Jazzmaster and Tissot Visodate quartz watches that all look great... or even a Withings Activite Pop

 

He did what Seiko should have done from the start and I am interested. Skipping this one though despite the good pricing for the moment. I am starting to like my 7002.