What do you guys recommend for a good watch?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - What do you guys recommend for a good watch?

Posted: 9/5/2010 3:45:01 PM EDT

I find it hard to beleive that watches havn't been discussed here before. I did a search and couldn't find any threads on it. If anyone here can pull an old thread up it would be greatly appreciated.

I'm looking for something built to last. A "teotwawki" watch if you will.

I would like to go no batteries. No quartz. I just really want to go analog, and automatic or selfwinding. I would also like to keep it under $400.00 if at all possible.

I know G-Shocks are hard to beat for a dependable watch. I've got one on my wrist right now. I just want to try something else.

I've been looking at the Seiko Black Monster. It seems to meet most of the criteria for what I'm looking for.

I've also been looking at the Marathon G-SAR. It's a bit out of my price range but if it's "The One" to have then I guess I could sell something to fund it.

So whats on your wrists?

Posted: 9/5/2010 4:03:53 PM EDT

[#1]

Question: Which of your criteria does the black monster not meet?

Any of the automatic Seiko dive watches will probably meet your needs (especially under $400.00).
I have a seiko divers watch like this:

and like it a lot. However, I did swap out the rubber strap for a metal bracelet.
Been running for years and has not needed a tune-up yet.

My daily wear watch is 1970s vintage Omega Seamaster:

Posted: 9/5/2010 4:42:49 PM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:
Question: Which of your criteria does the black monster not meet?

Any of the automatic Seiko dive watches will probably meet your needs (especially under $400.00).
I have a seiko divers watch like this:
http://a.imageshack.us/img375/2365/seiko.jpg
and like it a lot. However, I did swap out the rubber strap for a metal bracelet.
Been running for years and has not needed a tune-up yet.
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I like the look of the Seiko dive watch that you posted. A member on a different site that I correspond with reccomended one of those as well.

The only reason I said the Black Monster met most and not all of the criteria I was looking for is because I don't know everything about it. Would you reccomend the diver over the Monster?

Posted: 9/5/2010 4:54:53 PM EDT

[#3]

The black monster is a divers watch. (says Divers 200M right on it)
Seiko makes a lot of different automatic divers watches.

Most of them are water resistant to 200 meters.
I don't dive, but I swim a lot.

I have not seen a black monster in person, but you need to be careful as some of Seiko's watches are really BIG and heavy.
I am a big, old guy, so its not a problem for me... but if you have girly wrists..... you are going to want to check.

Do a search for Seiko automatic divers watches and you will find a lot of different styles. It is simply a matter of finding one you like.
If you are not interested in only a divers watch, Seiko makes lots of automatics.

Just be careful to stay away from the kinetic quartz, because they still have a capacitor (battery) in them.

Posted: 9/5/2010 4:56:16 PM EDT

[#4]

anything but rolex

seriously though, try LUM-TEC (google them) AWESOME stuff, very very well built.

Posted: 9/5/2010 5:02:10 PM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
anything but rolex

seriously though, try LUM-TEC (google them) AWESOME stuff, very very well built.

Nice.
However, I am not seeing too many (any yet) under $400.00.

Posted: 9/5/2010 5:13:08 PM EDT

[#6]

Silas,
While not an analog (as they eventually need to be taken apart & cleaned), for a long term SHTF time keeper of reasonable price, I chose the Casio, tripple sensor, S/S, solar Pathfinder.

Posted: 9/5/2010 5:16:32 PM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:

Question: Which of your criteria does the black monster not meet?

Any of the automatic Seiko dive watches will probably meet your needs (especially under $400.00).

I have a seiko divers watch like this:

http://a.imageshack.us/img375/2365/seiko.jpg

and like it a lot. However, I did swap out the rubber strap for a metal bracelet.

Been running for years and has not needed a tune-up yet.

My worn-daily, 7 year old Seiko automatic, like that above, has had a black nylon 1 piece strap ( http://www.countycomm.com/zuluTWOBUCKLEINDEX.htm ) since I bought it new. Neither has failed, and I've never needed to get a tune up for the watch.

Posted: 9/5/2010 5:16:41 PM EDT

[#8]

I wear a Tissot T-Touch when I wear a watch. Not much of a watch guy, but it was s gift, so I honor the giver by wearing it once in a while.

Posted: 9/5/2010 5:21:58 PM EDT

[#9]

we just had a big watch thread about two weeks ago!
personally i like a sapphire crystal instead of plastic or mineral glass because i've chewed up plastic crystals and cracked mineral ones before.
i like a titanium case, bezel, back and band to save weight... some of the stainless watches are heavy beasts. i'm not one of those people who has acid sweat that etches everythnig, but i've had cheaper watches with plated brass backs get etched over time.
i'd like a battery compartment that can be accessed without opening up the whole back. some can be opened with just a coin.
i prefer analog over digital. don't care about day/date or other advanced chronograph features. the calendar on my watch says today is the 27th when it's actually the 5th. i jut ignore it now.

wish i could have gotten this watch without it.
tritium markings are very nice, and an electroluminescent face is also nice. glow in the dark is not so impressive.
G-Shock works, but it's digital. meh.

Posted: 9/5/2010 5:22:16 PM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
The black monster is a divers watch. (says Divers 200M right on it)
Seiko makes a lot of different automatic divers watches.

Most of them are water resistant to 200 meters.
I don't dive, but I swim a lot.

I have not seen a black monster in person, but you need to be careful as some of Seiko's watches are really BIG and heavy.
I am a big, old guy, so its not a problem for me... but if you have girly wrists..... you are going to want to check.

Do a search for Seiko automatic divers watches and you will find a lot of different styles. It is simply a matter of finding one you like.
If you are not interested in only a divers watch, Seiko makes lots of automatics.

Just be careful to stay away from the kinetic quartz, because they still have a capacitor (battery) in them.

Thanks for all of the info.

I am kind of uneducated on the subject of watches. I'm trying to get as much info as I can though. I only have the finacial capabilities to do this once so I want to do it right.

Posted: 9/5/2010 7:50:18 PM EDT

[#11]

After reading this thread I'm getting a Citizen Eco-drive. I've been wearing a Luminox the past ten years and they are great watches but I really like the idea of no batteries. Just my opinion.

Posted: 9/6/2010 5:23:31 AM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:
After reading this thread I'm getting a Citizen Eco-drive. I've been wearing a Luminox the past ten years and they are great watches but I really like the idea of no batteries. Just my opinion.

An eco-drive has a battery.

Posted: 9/6/2010 5:41:32 AM EDT

[#13]

I have an automatic seiko and it is a very solid watch. No batteries and waterproof. Has the tritium in the hands and dots for teh hours so you can read time in total darkness. I went with a silver one because I think it looks better for daily wear but as mentioned, seiko makes them in a variety of styles and colors. Good watches for the money imho.

Posted: 9/6/2010 7:07:37 AM EDT

[#14]

Seiko Auto as has been said.

Shit, look at the 5 series, you can buy 6 or 7 for $400 grey market, and have watches for you and your loved ones for the rest of your life

Also, just to comment on the one poster about crystals...

...I'm know sapphire is more scratch resistant than mineral crystal, but I don't know if it is actually stronger...

I know I have a few small scratches on my one seiko, but none on the sapphire of my everyday watch.

Either way, that proprietary mineral crystal Seiko uses (Hardlux is it?) is pretty much indestructible

Speed

Posted: 9/6/2010 9:39:31 AM EDT

[#15]

I like the Seiko Divers a lot. They glow long enough to read them most of the night if you have been outside for a while. The larger indices of the divers tend to glow longer than smaller markings. The autos tend to have quirks, but you can tinker with them yourself. I had beat the tar out of mine, and it started running WAAY fast. A couple hours of adjust and check later, it was back into decent shape. When I got tired of the face and hands, I ordered more and swapped them over. When the crystal was too scratched to see, I ordered another and changed it out. No, my watch won't stay in sync with the atomic clock, or the one on the coffee pot

, but it does have other qualities that make it worth having.

Here is my EDC watch:

And here it is after it got beat to heck then cleaned up a bit:

All that having been said, you could buy 4 plain G-shocks for the same price, and when you pulled them out of a drawer a year later, they would still have the correct date and time displayed.

Posted: 9/6/2010 11:47:53 AM EDT

[#16]

Those Seiko Auto Divers may be what I'm looking for.

Does anyone here have any experience with the Marathon G-SAR's? Their price is is a bit more than the Seiko's but I'd still like to give them some consideration before making a final decision.

Posted: 9/6/2010 12:07:44 PM EDT

[#17]

Thought more people would mention the G-Shock

Pretty tough watch, solar(11-months without light), shock resistant.

This model has a stainless ionized wrist band. I lost a few when the resin band finally broke, so I like the metal one a lot.

Here's mine,

FerFAL

Posted: 9/6/2010 2:01:16 PM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:

Quoted:
After reading this thread I'm getting a Citizen Eco-drive. I've been wearing a Luminox the past ten years and they are great watches but I really like the idea of no batteries. Just my opinion.

An eco-drive has a battery.

Yes, I should have reworded that. It recharges.

Citizen Eco-Drive. Solar powered. Will run a year off the battery. Needs only 3.5 hours of sunlight for a full charge and 1 minute for a days run time worth of power. Citizen lab testing claims still 80% battery charge capacity after 20 years. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eco-Drive#Secondary_battery_life_expectancy

Posted: 9/6/2010 2:31:24 PM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
Thought more people would mention the G-Shock

Pretty tough watch, solar(11-months without light), shock resistant.
http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B003A00TQ2&tag=surviinargen-20

This model has a stainless ionized wrist band. I lost a few when the resin band finally broke, so I like the metal one a lot.

Here's mine,
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_91zSUyLQGo0/TCD41bbDI7I/AAAAAAAAAXQ/qWENov1U6gI/s320/IMG_2123.jpg

FerFAL

G-Shocks are awesome watches for sure. Right now I have a non-solar non-atomic G-Shock. It has served me well and is still ticking. I would really like to get an atomic solar "military" edition MudMan in the future.

For right now I'm looking for a mechanical automatic.

I have almost talked myself into, or out of, getting the Marathon GSAR. The only problem is I would have to sell one of my handguns to fund it. I really don't want to do that.

If I can stay strong I'm going to just get either a Seiko Black Monster, or a Seiko like the first one pictured in this thread. They are both great watches from all of the reviews I've read.

Posted: 9/6/2010 4:02:06 PM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:

Quoted:
After reading this thread I'm getting a Citizen Eco-drive. I've been wearing a Luminox the past ten years and they are great watches but I really like the idea of no batteries. Just my opinion.

An eco-drive has a battery.

Yes, I should have reworded that. It recharges.

Citizen Eco-Drive. Solar powered. Will run a year off the battery. Needs only 3.5 hours of sunlight for a full charge and 1 minute for a days run time worth of power. Citizen lab testing claims still 80% battery charge capacity after 20 years. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eco-Drive#Secondary_battery_life_expectancy

Yes, and I am not saying it is not a great watch. I just know that electronics add one more thing that can go wrong.

I do not own one, but looking around the web I have seen posts of people having problems and the battery needing replacement (probably due to user error), however, if you end up needing a replacement it is still expensive.

The Citizen website warranty is a bit confusing as well.
They require water resistant watches (including the eco-drive) to be tested and resealed every 2-3yrs. I think that is a pretty open time frame.
I wonder if you get moisture inside the movement after 2yrs 6mos what they will do.......

Again, I have nothing against the eco-drive, it is a nice watch -
but it is not a purely mechanical watch which the OP states he wants.

Quoted:
I have almost talked myself into, or out of, getting the Marathon GSAR. The only problem is I would have to sell one of my handguns to fund it. I really don't want to do that.

Personally, I would not sell a gun to buy a watch.

Posted: 9/6/2010 4:43:23 PM EDT

[#21]

got mine about 15 years ago on sale (IIRC) for $200.
the band eventually gave up, replaced it, and it keeps on ticking.
I love it, and around the ocean community, it's da-kine.

I like to travel with it, esp while changing time-zones. no menus and buttons to push, just pull the nob and turn.
it's not a precise watch, but all I need is a quick glance - day or night

the only downside is when I don't use it, it stops.
setting the time is no problemo, but if I want to set the day/date, then I really have to think

Posted: 9/6/2010 5:03:03 PM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:
http://a.imageshack.us/img375/2365/seiko.jpg

got mine about 15 years ago on sale (IIRC) for $200.
the band eventually gave up, replaced it, and it keeps on ticking.
I love it, and around the ocean community, it's da-kine.

I like to travel with it, esp while changing time-zones. no menus and buttons to push, just pull the nob and turn.
it's not a precise watch, but all I need is a quick glance - day or night

the only downside is when I don't use it, it stops.
setting the time is no problemo, but if I want to set the day/date, then I really have to think

^^^THIS^^^ Seiko SKX173 or SKX007

Posted: 9/6/2010 5:25:24 PM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:
Thought more people would mention the G-Shock

Pretty tough watch, solar(11-months without light), shock resistant.
http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B003A00TQ2&tag=surviinargen-20

This model has a stainless ionized wrist band. I lost a few when the resin band finally broke, so I like the metal one a lot.

Here's mine,
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_91zSUyLQGo0/TCD41bbDI7I/AAAAAAAAAXQ/qWENov1U6gI/s320/IMG_2123.jpg

FerFAL

Don't trust it! I have a solar atomic watch by G-shock and mine is only 3 years old have a lot of problems with it. Battery is the worst part I switched it to the flip the wrist one time and for got to turn it off before I had gone to bed next morning dead watch took an hour in the sun to charge up. Since that time it will go from high to no power. At night it really sucks because from time to time the light will not turn on so when you get up you might have to place your watch on the lamp to charge up because its dead or about to die. I thought the whole atomic thing would have been cool changes time when I go in another time zone or during DLS. It never does no matter how many times I try it and it takes a day or two for it to change for DLS. This is with my watch and my wife has the same one also she does not have the problem with it losing power like mine does. Also these watches reflect and shine like crazy they are about as tactical as having a mirror on your arm. I love the G-shock watches my last one was the best never a problem had gone to Iraq with me three times but wanted a change and bought a new one. Wish I never did.

Posted: 9/6/2010 5:28:42 PM EDT

[#24]

Quoted:

Does anyone here have any experience with the Marathon G-SAR's? Their price is is a bit more than the Seiko's but I'd still like to give them some consideration before making a final decision.

G-Sar no. But I have had a Marathon Navigator for the past year or so and it's served me well. The tritium is super bright all night long, its tough and won't break and its got that good lookin' tool watch quality I like. The G-SAR is a few steps above mine, the Navigator, so I would think your experiences with the G-SAR would be even better. I think the G-SARs are one good lookin' watch...

The one thing about the G-SAR that can't be said about the Seiko or G-Shocks is that taken care of, they hold their value. The old Marathon (and Adanac) watches still get a pretty penny, even the ones that are beat up.

Posted: 9/6/2010 5:33:59 PM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:

got mine about 15 years ago on sale (IIRC) for $200.
the band eventually gave up, replaced it, and it keeps on ticking.
I love it, and around the ocean community, it's da-kine.

I like to travel with it, esp while changing time-zones. no menus and buttons to push, just pull the nob and turn.
it's not a precise watch, but all I need is a quick glance - day or night

the only downside is when I don't use it, it stops.
setting the time is no problemo, but if I want to set the day/date, then I really have to think

I have this exact watch (Seiko SKX173). The rubber band eventually crapped out for me, so I got a county comm zulu strap. Great watch, haven't worn my G-shock since I got it.

Posted: 9/6/2010 5:44:44 PM EDT

[#26]

Quoted:

got mine about 15 years ago on sale (IIRC) for $200.
the band eventually gave up, replaced it, and it keeps on ticking.
I love it, and around the ocean community, it's da-kine.

I like to travel with it, esp while changing time-zones. no menus and buttons to push, just pull the nob and turn.
it's not a precise watch, but all I need is a quick glance - day or night

the only downside is when I don't use it, it stops.
setting the time is no problemo, but if I want to set the day/date, then I really have to think

I have this exact watch (Seiko SKX173). The rubber band eventually crapped out for me, so I got a county comm zulu strap. Great watch, haven't worn my G-shock since I got it.

yeah, the watch doesn't indicate it (I couldn't find it) but the box confirms SKX173

Posted: 9/6/2010 6:09:34 PM EDT

[#27]

Your best bet is a Seiko Dive watch - pick your favorite (94 choices!)... (link)

My favorite is the Seiko DIver Perpetual Calendar. 8 year battery life and accurate to within 20 seconds per year. The date automatically changes to the 1 at the end of the month - no matter how many days in the previous month (29,29,30, or 31) so you don't ever have to set the date manually... Great watch.

Whichever model you get, be sure it well accept a conventional strap and then get a Zulu strap for it - and don't look back... enjoy!

Posted: 9/6/2010 6:11:21 PM EDT

[#28]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Thought more people would mention the G-Shock

Pretty tough watch, solar(11-months without light), shock resistant.
http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B003A00TQ2&tag=surviinargen-20

This model has a stainless ionized wrist band. I lost a few when the resin band finally broke, so I like the metal one a lot.

Here's mine,
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_91zSUyLQGo0/TCD41bbDI7I/AAAAAAAAAXQ/qWENov1U6gI/s320/IMG_2123.jpg

FerFAL

Don't trust it! I have a solar atomic watch by G-shock and mine is only 3 years old have a lot of problems with it. Battery is the worst part I switched it to the flip the wrist one time and for got to turn it off before I had gone to bed next morning dead watch took an hour in the sun to charge up. Since that time it will go from high to no power. At night it really sucks because from time to time the light will not turn on so when you get up you might have to place your watch on the lamp to charge up because its dead or about to die. I thought the whole atomic thing would have been cool changes time when I go in another time zone or during DLS. It never does no matter how many times I try it and it takes a day or two for it to change for DLS. This is with my watch and my wife has the same one also she does not have the problem with it losing power like mine does. Also these watches reflect and shine like crazy they are about as tactical as having a mirror on your arm. I love the G-shock watches my last one was the best never a problem had gone to Iraq with me three times but wanted a change and bought a new one. Wish I never did.

That sucks, but its the first time I hear such a bad experience with it, did you try using the waranty?
Pretty happy with mine so far.
FerFAL

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - What do you guys recommend for a good watch?

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