Posted: 4/29/2008 6:04:36 AM EDT
| I know Rolex, Omega, and Movado are good companies but I dont know much about watch companies. Lets say in theory I wanted to spend some money on a nice watch. I am trying to find somthing with a stainless steel band but that it is all black so it doesnt attract any attention, any recomendations? |
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Well, "fancy watches" span a very wide price range, with some costing as much as a luxury car, or a normal house. If you are looking for a battery-operated watch, they are pretty much all the same, except for the case and band. Some are very expensive, but only have basically the same movement as a $10 Timex. If you are looking for a mechanical watch, like a wind-up or automatic, then that's where the internal craftsmanship and expense can be. And they can be VERY expensive, but they don't have to be, but they will need to be at least several hundred dollars to get anything halfway decent. The "Big 3" are Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, and Audemars Piguet. They make their own movements, and are the "old masters" for mechanical watches. All are very expensive, and some of them are in the stratosphere in price. Rolex and many other "status watches" purchase movements from Swiss movement makers such as ETA and others. I think Omega might still be making their own movements, but I'm not sure. For the black color, most of the expensive watches that are black, are stainless with a black PVD coating done to them. You should know that even though PVD is relatively tough stuff, it does scratch and gets scuffed, and then it looks pretty bad after awhile, unless you like that rough worn look. If you like a big dial watch, like 44mm dial or something, then a Panerai is a nice watch that is pretty expensive, but around the same price as a Rolex. It's a little different, and most are sporty type watches or very plain looking dress watches. Not too many "gawdy" Panerai watches out there, except that they are a big watch. The reason that they are big, is because they use a movement that was originally used in a pocketwatch. It's the early-style Swiss ETA wind-up movement that was used in the early Rolex diving watches from the early 1900s. And that's what it's patterned after in style too. The original "Underwater Demo Team" watch from days gone by. I like them. Generally if you get a good Swiss, French, or German movement, like an ETA or a Valjoux, you're getting a good watch, and then you just have to pick the brand that has the case and band you like. It's often a situation where people know the brand name, but don't know what's inside it. Rolex made most of its reputation on ETA movements(and some others). Heuer made its mark with Valjoux movements. Breitling used both Valjoux and ETA movements. Watch out for the fakes of all the big name watches. They are out there in large numbers, and can be very good fakes. In fact, the fakes can be so good that in some fakes they are nearly as good as the watch they are faking, and are hard for even knowledgeable watch folks to detect. And some people actually will knowingly buy a very high-quality fake for very good money, because it's just about as good as the "real thing", but costs about half. There is a pretty big market for such things, believe it or not. Basically, it is a personal purchase that is primarily to make you feel good about what you have. Any watch will tell the time. From there on out, it's all about what you want. |
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If you aren't looking to spend TAG or Rolex money I like our h3 trasers. They are all Ronda and ETA movements (swiss). The company that sells them does the 'light' for Trijicon. You only see the glow in darkness - een tough some of the pictures highlight it... Most are > $500 Here's some black ones. Classic Alarm w/big date (for us old dudes)  Classic Automatic  Classic Chrono black w/big date  Or with blue illumination 
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I rather like this one: Oceanus is the first watch to offer 5 motor technology combined with Atomic Solar technology. Each motor controls a movement on the watch face (second hand, chronograph, world time, and 24 hour time). The new fifth motor replaces the function of the LCD screen found in our first generation models with a classic date display. The new OCWM700 series are the first Oceanus to include Multi-Band 5 Atomic Timekeeping which can receive the Atomic signal in the US, UK, Germany and Japan. These new models also feature a Tide Indicator and come in Titanium or Black IP bands. * Multi-Band Atomic Timekeeping (US, UK, Germany, Japan) Receives time calibration radio signals which keep the displayed time accurate Auto receive function (6 times per day) Manual receive function Signal: US WWVB, UK MSF, Germany DCF77, Japan JJY40/JJY60 Frequency: US 60kHz, UK 60kHz, Germany 77.5kHz, Japan 40/60kHz * Tough Solar Power * Tide Graph * 100M Water Resistant * World Time 29 times zones (27 cities) * Daily Alarm * 1/20 second chronograph Measuring capacity: 59'59.99" Measuring mode: Elapsed time * Auto Calendar (pre-programmed until the year 2099) * Accuracy: +/-20 seconds per month (with no signal calibration) * Storage Battery CTL1025 * Power Saving Function * Battery Power Indicator Approx. battery life: 5 months on full charge (without further exposure to light) * Module 4749 Size of case (HxWxD)/ total weight 47.7 x 43.9 x 12.6mm / 103g Link |
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Oris TT1 Divers watch, it has a stainless steel construction with a black dial face. www.thetimezone.com/Oris/73375338454MB.html |
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AFAIK Rolex makes their own Movements, at least for some time now. The have the reputation to be rugged, and I hope so. They are also the most copied, so beware! The "name" still is something "special" ... only topped by Breguet or IWC, but these only for those in the know ... Breitling´s are complacated and 99,999% of their owner´s don´t know either what their watch´s features are or don´t care. Neither is able to use them ;-) Lives on advertising. May I suggest Marcello C or Tudor? Tudor is OWNED by Rolex, so their watches are ( fully licensed ) Copies of elder Rolex models at a good price. I would expect quality to be not too far off, perhaps a little less polishing ... but mostly less advertising. Marcello C makes fine Rolex Type watches, with mechanical movement, I would buy my son one in an instant ( if he was better at school and would treat his watches better )! Omega is fine, 007 can´t be wrong ... mechanical movement on the right models. Glashütte, Piaget, Lange, Longines, even Junghans make fine mechanical watches. Also look at Maurice Lacroix, some finely detailed automatics there, reasonably priced. I never regrettet buying my GMT Master II! But I would NEVER buy a golden Rolex, it´s just too ... pimp like ( "bling" )! ( -> golden IWC, if I suddenly had the money ). Beware: if you get this tick, it´s nearly as incurable as BRD! Just my .02, Hermann |
I'm not too good to wear those 
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