The Official Watch Thread.

[Potter]

Looking at an Oris Prodiver 49mm, so nothing really fancy. I can't imagine they're on the 'must have' list of many people. Not fancy enough/ cost enough

It'll be from a chain, Crouch which is part of the Frazer Hart group.

Just wondering what sort of discount I should be aiming for, if it's reasonable to expect something at all?

I didn't know what that was, so I googled it and blimey, that's a big watch, have you actually tried one on?
I would guess at decent discounts for that type of stuff, a very cursory look suggests tidy used ones at about half RRP, so I'd be looking for 25% off in a store.

As to "Do you pay RRP?" then like Moth suggests it depends on the watch, on many off-the-shelf Omegas I'd be pushing for 30% at least, whereas when I asked about discount on a rose gold Audemars Piguet the bloke gently said they don't do discount on their watches.

In fact on some, like a stainless steel Patek, Audemars Piquet or Rolex then getting one at RRP would feel like a discount because used ones can be 2-3x as much.

[Nordboy]

Yep, it is big at 49mm, not as big as it's brother though, which at 51mm is bloody huge.

I tried the 51mm, the 49mm dive watches and a 43.5 oris aquis gmt which was a lovely blue colour. I really like big watches, the 51mm was just too big, thick too, looked like a clock, not a watch.

I found the 43.5mm a bit small for me, it's just what i'm used to i guess. My wife liked this one the most, i think as it was 'pretty'. It was lovely and the blue colour was amazing. But, I preferred the 49mm divers, just seemed to fit. Maybe not the most stylish and big for some people, but it was my favourite of the three. Also, as it's titanium, it also wasn't as heavy to wear as it looks. It didn't wear like you'd imagine a 49mm watch to wear, if that makes sense? Don't think the wife is particularly chuffed with my choice though

I also tried a Breitling, but, while it was nice, wasn't worth the extra £1100 to me.

I also want to wear the watch, all the time, or certainly as much as i can, so want something that i really WANT to put on!!

[Cousin Jack]

A question for those who know more about watches than I do, so that is most of you.

I have 2 Seiko watches.

One is a Kinetic divers watch, bought new in the late 90s. It is marked kinetic and you can hear the kinetic dongle moving in the watch when you shake it. As a kinetic it is obviously quartz, and the second hand moves in 1 second jumps

The other is marked 7005-8022, which I believe dates it to being made in the early 70s. It was inherited rather than purchased, so I have no information on it. It is marked automatic, but makes the same rattle = whirr noise as the kinetic. I think it is quartz (but I am not sure), and the second hand seems to move in perhaps 1/5 second jumps.

Any fool-proof way of telling which it is without opening the back?

[Cousin Jack]

There are lots of his on google all saying 7005-8022 is an automatic

(It also says 17 jewel on the front, I've never seen that on a quarz)

It does say 17 jewels, but how does a mechanical automatic work? I know hw the kinetic generator works, but this 'automatic' sounds as though it is doing the same thing.

[Mr. Dazzle]

A question for those who know more about watches than I do, so that is most of you.

I have 2 Seiko watches.

One is a Kinetic divers watch, bought new in the late 90s. It is marked kinetic and you can hear the kinetic dongle moving in the watch when you shake it. As a kinetic it is obviously quartz, and the second hand moves in 1 second jumps

The other is marked 7005-8022, which I believe dates it to being made in the early 70s. It was inherited rather than purchased, so I have no information on it. It is marked automatic, but makes the same rattle = whirr noise as the kinetic. I think it is quartz (but I am not sure), and the second hand seems to move in perhaps 1/5 second jumps.

Any fool-proof way of telling which it is without opening the back?

Listen to it while holding it right up to your ear.

Quartz watches go "clunk clunk clunk" as the stepper motor advances it. Mechanical ones go "ticka-ticka-ticka" continuously as the escapment rocks back and forth.

Or just ask on the nerds forums. :p

Mechanical automatics use the weight which wangs around to wind up the main spring using a rack and pinion. After that they're just like a manual wind. In fact you can manual wind some automatic watches.

Quartz watches tend to move in powers of 2 (i.e. one second, 1/2 second, 1/4 second etc.) due to the binary counters used to turn the high frequency quartz signal into a slower clock signal.

[Potter]

It does say 17 jewels, but how does a mechanical automatic work? I know hw the kinetic generator works, but this 'automatic' sounds as though it is doing the same thing.

Automatic was a term used in the 70's for mechanical watches that you didn't need to wind, you can see it on watch faces quite often (e.g. the Royal Oak).

Your Seiko 7005 is a mechanical watch, no electronics, the movement of your wrist whilst wearing it will wind it, as Dazzle says.
What you can hear is the rotor sweeping around when you move it.
They're now considered a classic and whilst not terribly expensive they are nice watches with a decent fan base, all the better if you have a history with it and inherited it.

I haven't had great experiences with kinetic watches because you have to wear them very frequently otherwise they lose their charge and once it's gone too low they never recover. And don't forget that you've also got a mechanical movement in there as well that needs servicing just like any other mechanical movement.

It was technology and innovation for the sake of it during a time when electronic watches were new and exciting. I like owning the Arctura because it was a watch that I always wanted as a kid but couldn't afford, but IMHO it's a solution to a problem that didn't exist in the first place and you've got the problems of a mechanical watch and an electronic one all in one package.

[Cousin Jack]

It does say 17 jewels, but how does a mechanical automatic work? I know hw the kinetic generator works, but this 'automatic' sounds as though it is doing the same thing.

Automatic was a term used in the 70's for mechanical watches that you didn't need to wind, you can see it on watch faces quite often (e.g. the Royal Oak).

Your Seiko 7005 is a mechanical watch, no electronics, the movement of your wrist whilst wearing it will wind it, as Dazzle says.
What you can hear is the rotor sweeping around when you move it.
They're now considered a classic and whilst not terribly expensive they are nice watches with a decent fan base, all the better if you have a history with it and inherited it.

I haven't had great experiences with kinetic watches because you have to wear them very frequently otherwise they lose their charge and once it's gone too low they never recover. And don't forget that you've also got a mechanical movement in there as well that needs servicing just like any other mechanical movement.

It was technology and innovation for the sake of it during a time when electronic watches were new and exciting. I like owning the Arctura because it was a watch that I always wanted as a kid but couldn't afford, but IMHO it's a solution to a problem that didn't exist in the first place and you've got the problems of a mechanical watch and an electronic one all in one package.

Can't actually hear it tick, probably 'cos I'm old and going deaf. I actually like it, it is in reasonable nick but could do with a new crystal. I took it to a jeweler to get that sorted, but after 6 months he still hadn't found a crystal to fit. The shop assistant also said something about nothing to service because it is electronic when I reclaimed it, which is what started me thinking it might be kinetic. I like it, as a watch apart from the sentimental value.

My Kinetic divers watch is brilliant, about 20 years old now and works a treat. It had the usual problem with the capacitor, but that has been sorted and it spends most of it's time with about a 14 day power reserve, so swapping to the old one for a week is no bother. I am a fan of kinetic mechanisms.

[Wreckless Rat]

A question for those who know more about watches than I do, so that is most of you.

I have 2 Seiko watches.

One is a Kinetic divers watch, bought new in the late 90s. It is marked kinetic and you can hear the kinetic dongle moving in the watch when you shake it. As a kinetic it is obviously quartz, and the second hand moves in 1 second jumps

The other is marked 7005-8022, which I believe dates it to being made in the early 70s. It was inherited rather than purchased, so I have no information on it. It is marked automatic, but makes the same rattle = whirr noise as the kinetic. I think it is quartz (but I am not sure), and the second hand seems to move in perhaps 1/5 second jumps.

Any fool-proof way of telling which it is without opening the back?

http://people.timezone.com/msandler/Art ... o7005.html

[Potter]

[The shop assistant also said something about nothing to service because it is electronic when I reclaimed it, which is what started me thinking it might be kinetic.

I'd take it somewhere else.
It's not electronic and even if it was a kinetic then it still has a movement that needs cleaning and oiling.

I'm sure I remember reading that the back case on some Seiko's is hard to get off unless you have a special tool that is expensive, which is why many are butchered. It sounds like your jeweller didn't even take the back off.

[Deer Stalker]

There’s a watch thread so I thought I ought to join!

S’up?

[Nordboy]

https://www.goldsmiths.co.uk/Breitling- ... o_s=slisys

Went for this in the end, the previous budget went totally out of the window, but i really like it. I wanted something I can wear ALL the time.

And i managed 15% off, which i was happy with in the end.

[Potter]

Nice looking watch and I think that ticks all your boxes, plus IMHO it's a lot nicer looking than the Oris.

[Potter]

I'm gradually shifting my tastes, maybe just getting older, but I'm hankering for a more dressy watch, but not a full dress watch, something like this AP in rose gold. I tried one on once and it kind of fits between sporty and dressy, it didn't quite do it for me back then but now I think I'm there. It feels a bit more 'grown-up' than my stainless steel sporty watches.



I also tried the full rose gold with diamonds around the bezel and it's truly a beautiful watch, it looks rubbish in photos but IRL it's a work of art, but you need the looks of Ronaldo or Beckham to pull it off, my wrist looked stunning but rest of me didn't match the watch

[v8-powered]

I'm gradually shifting my tastes, maybe just getting older, but I'm hankering for a more dressy watch, but not a full dress watch, something like this AP in rose gold. I tried one on once and it kind of fits between sporty and dressy, it didn't quite do it for me back then but now I think I'm there. It feels a bit more 'grown-up' than my stainless steel sporty watches.



I also tried the full rose gold with diamonds around the bezel and it's truly a beautiful watch, it looks rubbish in photos but IRL it's a work of art, but you need the looks of Ronaldo or Beckham to pull it off, my wrist looked stunning but rest of me didn't match the watch

A nice piece but don't think I could live with Rose Gold though - bit too much Michael Kors to me personally. My next purchase will most likely be a Panerai, ticks that slightly more dressy box.

[v8-powered]

Picked up my new watch a few day ago, happy bunny

[G.P]

I'm gradually shifting my tastes, maybe just getting older, but I'm hankering for a more dressy watch, but not a full dress watch, something like this AP in rose gold. I tried one on once and it kind of fits between sporty and dressy, it didn't quite do it for me back then but now I think I'm there. It feels a bit more 'grown-up' than my stainless steel sporty watches.



I also tried the full rose gold with diamonds around the bezel and it's truly a beautiful watch, it looks rubbish in photos but IRL it's a work of art, but you need the looks of Ronaldo or Beckham to pull it off, my wrist looked stunning but rest of me didn't match the watch

I like the mix of sporty and dressy on that, but I'm not sure rose gold will last the test of time and not sure if it would look as good in pale gold?

[Potter]

Personally I've always liked rose gold, that type of look (rose gold/black strap) has been around for a long time and I've seen a few of the high end watch companies do it well - then Hublot did it and made it look like a cheap G-Shock - but I still really like it.

The one I want is the AP dual time and it went out of production in 2014 (I think) so a secondhand one is the only option.

I also tried on the Vacheron Constantin offshore perpetual in rose gold and I fell totally in love, it makes you look a million bucks even with an ugly mug like mine, definitely the prettiest watch I've ever had on my wrist, but it's too expensive - although for obvious reasons let's leave money out of the thread.

I disagree about rose gold having a shelf life, it's been around in the watch world for longer than I've been alive and they're all still in high demand, try and buy a rose gold Daytona or AP or Patek and most are fetching more today than they did when they left the dealers.
They all look crap in pictures, which is probably why I previously wouldn't have even considered one, but in the flesh the ones that are done well are stunning, like the Daytona, looks rubbish in the pictures but if you get the chance then look at one in the flesh...

[v8-powered]

Only rose gold watch I've seen recently that I could consider buying is a GMT Master II 'Root Beer' but doubt one of those will be heading my way anytime soon....

Friend has just picked up a Submariner 'Smurf', shocked by the price - there is certainly a strong market for many of these rarer models!

[Potter]

Only rose gold watch I've seen recently that I could consider buying is a GMT Master II 'Root Beer' but doubt one of those will be heading my way anytime soon....

Friend has just picked up a Submariner 'Smurf', shocked by the price - there is certainly a strong market for many of these rarer models!

Bloke in the Rolex shop told me he could probably get me a rose gold Yachtmaster fairly quickly (<6 months) because they're a bit niche - if I'd have gone in for a stainless daytona he'd have laughed me out of the shop. A Smurf or Hulk at RRP would be probably impossible, I reckon if any AD has one at all then they'll be going out the back door for a 30% premium minimum.

The bloke also told me that in the last few years they have bets about how long any of the precious metal Rolex Professional range will last if they're not on a wish list and they just put them on display in the window, the longest was 3hrs, he said people must be prowling around near the shop all the time just in case The stainless steel ones all have hundreds of people on each waiting list.

[G.P]

@Harry Good point that the rose gold has been around for yonks - hadn't really thought about it. Deffo agree that in the flesh is the only way to really know about the looks of lots of things. This week I'm having the same struggle with paint jobs on Helmets that look crap on pics but people say are aces in the flesh.....