Watches

TopBanana said:
Have a look into service schedules and cost too as some of the more luxury brands can be very expensive - might be worth putting some of your budget to one side to allow for that over the next ten years.
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Agreed Rolex want about £500 for a standard service on a non complication.
My GMT is more like £750

However its every 5-10 years depending on how rough you are.
 
Mr Bump said:
Agreed Rolex want about £500 for a standard service on a non complication.
My GMT is more like £750

However its every 5-10 years depending on how rough you are.
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Rolex charged me over £700 for a standard service on a non complication about 5 years ago. Had it done by a local watchmaker recently for closer to £250 including replacing the mainspring. Keeps better (less bad!) time now than it did after the Rolex service. Makes my car's servicing look cheap!
 
Nod said:
Rolex charged me over £700 for a standard service on a non complication about 5 years ago. Had it done by a local watchmaker recently for closer to £250 including replacing the mainspring. Keeps better (less bad!) time now than it did after the Rolex service. Makes my car's servicing look cheap!
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I had a full service on my Panerai, which had a snapped mainspring, which came to £360 via an independent watchmaker. I think most decent watchmakers can fix higher end watches as long as they can get hold of the parts. AFAIK Swatch, who own ETA, don't send anyone except authorised repairers spare parts anymore. I might have made that up though:thinking:

This video fascinates me. As Bump said you either appreciate it or you don't. I think a movement is a thing of beauty.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfNOgWGME_c
 
Aye right, reckon he was months putting that together again:p
 
Nod said:
Rolex charged me over £700 for a standard service on a non complication about 5 years ago. Had it done by a local watchmaker recently for closer to £250 including replacing the mainspring. Keeps better (less bad!) time now than it did after the Rolex service. Makes my car's servicing look cheap!
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yeah rolex quotes are without parts :-)

friend of mine had her dads datejust fully restored and it needed a few bits and it was closer to £1k but the job they did was amazing.
 
HuntingMartians said:
Is that about a 5% increase in value every year? Is that a good investment?
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Purely as an investment, no. As something that gives me pleasure from owning and wearing it's nice to know that it's appreciated in value over time rather than depreciated.
 
john_e said:
Purely as an investment, no. As something that gives me pleasure from owning and wearing it's nice to know that it's appreciated in value over time rather than depreciated.
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That's pretty much it once you get over the initial outlay its barely 100 quid a year in maintaining it.
 
BUT, bear in mind that you can get a solar powered, radio controlled watch for the same as a cheap year's running cost. Almost as good looking and less likely to get you mugged! (Note that I still usually wear Dad's Rolex rather than the Casio WaveCeptor Solar, unless timing is critical.)
 
Gupster said:
I had a full service on my Panerai, which had a snapped mainspring, which came to £360 via an independent watchmaker. I think most decent watchmakers can fix higher end watches as long as they can get hold of the parts. AFAIK Swatch, who own ETA, don't send anyone except authorised repairers spare parts anymore. I might have made that up though:thinking:

This video fascinates me. As Bump said you either appreciate it or you don't. I think a movement is a thing of beauty.
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I'm afraid you are right about Swatch, http://watchguy.co.uk/swatch-group-parts-policy/

These guys seem to have a decent rep and have an auction soon http://watchesofknightsbridge.com/
 
ORIS used to use modified ETA movements supplied by swatch. I believe they had to go in house after they stopped supplying them and prices went up.
 
Mr Bump said:
ORIS used to use modified ETA movements supplied by swatch. I believe they had to go in house after they stopped supplying them and prices went up.
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I've just had my Oris Tonneau Chronograph serviced by Ryte Time. It looked lovely on the outside but had become impossible to wind via the crown. Steve at RT opened it up and said it had some friction rust on a couple of parts due to a combination of poor maintenance (oops) and probably a little bit of moisture getting in at some point. He managed to get hold of some spares and even sellotaped the ones he'd replaced on a little card for me to look at :). That Oris uses a modified ETA 7750 and it must be about 12/13 years old. Looks like I got a bit lucky then.....
 
Gupster said:
I've just had my Oris Tonneau Chronograph serviced by Ryte Time. It looked lovely on the outside but had become impossible to wind via the crown. Steve at RT opened it up and said it had some friction rust on a couple of parts due to a combination of poor maintenance (oops) and probably a little bit of moisture getting in at some point. He managed to get hold of some spares and even sellotaped the ones he'd replaced on a little card for me to look at :). That Oris uses a modified ETA 7750 and it must be about 12/13 years old. Looks like I got a bit lucky then.....
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I don't think the parts for ETA movements are to much of an issue, I believe they simply will not supply complete movements any more. To be honest I allways thought ORIS were being cheeky using ETA movements, I know they are now producing using some of there own in house stuff, the caliber 110. But I am not sure how much they are making.

The thing is they will have a lot of ETA movements in the store room, probably enough for decades.
 
ORIS Calibre 110
 

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Mr Bump said:
ORIS Calibre 110
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Fair play Oris, thats a hefty power reserve. I hadn't seen this before. I hope they continue with in house movements. With all the costs/time involved in developing the 110 I presume they will. I've always liked Oris, my first automatic was one of theirs.
 
I think I once owned about 20 ORIS watches at one point, only have one left no as a keeper.
couple of old photos from my insurance files.







This is the only one I have left, an ULTRA rare full Steel Chrono bubble date, one of the only watches ORIS had full COSC carried out on and worth a lot of money.

 
@Mr Bump that one with the brown strap on the far right of the second photo is lovely - do you remember what model that is?
 
I wish i hadnt started this thread now as im even more undecided than ever. Still liking various Breitling models but some IWC, Bremont as well and saw a few Omegas that i quite liked as well as a few others mentioned. Suppose i need to read up more and watch some more videos before going to try a few on my wrist.
 
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markyboy.1967 said:
I wish i hadnt started this thread now as im even more undecided than ever. Still liking various Breitling models but some IWC, Bremont as well and saw a few Omegas that i quite liked as well as a few others mentioned. Suppose i need to read up more and watch some more videos before going to try a few on my wrist.
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Research is always a good thing but you get to a point where you just overload on info. There's nothing quite like trying them on. You'll eventually fall for one that just sits nicely and you won't be able to stop yourself staring at it.

For years I lusted after a Jaeger Lecoultre Reverso Day Night. I'd never actually tried one on but I liked it so much I was sure it'd be perfect. Earlier this year I found one at the right price in the right condition and pulled the trigger. Imagine my utter disappointment when I found it was just too small for my wrist. Ridiculously, I wore it around the house for a whole weekend before I had to concede to the reality.

I don't know where you are but if you're anywhere near the South East Bluewater is a great place to try out loads of different brands, including pre-owned.

Good luck with the search and let us know what you eventually go for.
 
Im central Scotland and not far from Glasgow so plenty of places around. I would like to narrow down my search to 3-5 watches then plan a day trying them on, only then would i make a final decision. Any idea how good Bremont are when compared to the likes of Breitling etc as both offer a few watches i really like the look of but want a reliable watch from a reliable maker.
 
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markyboy.1967 said:
Im central Scotland and not far from Glasgow so plenty of places around. I would like to barrow down my search to 3-5 watches then plan a day trying them on, only then would i make a final decision. Any idea how good Bremont are when compared to the likes of Breitling etc as both offer a few watches i really like the look of but want a reliable watch from a reliable maker.
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I've never owned a Breitling but AFAIK, depending on which Breitling you choose, they use modified movements from someone like ETA. ETA produce very reliable and well regarded innards.

I own a Bremont MBIII so have done a fair bit of reading on their manufacturing, design etc. They also use pretty heavily modified ETA movements to COSC standard.

You probably already know this but they are built to withstand some pretty serious abuse. The MB range have been designed & tested along with Martin Baker (hence the MB). Martin Baker are a British company that manufacture ejection seats for fighter pilots so the MB watches have lots of features to protect the movement when subjected to extreme g-force. If you happen to be a pilot and have used a Martin Baker ejection seat to escape from your crashing jet fighter Bremont invite you to purchase the MB1 which is only available to these specific pilots. It has a red ring around the case and is very rare and not available to the general public unless the pilot decides to sell it like this one.

The obvious difference between the 2 is that Breitling have been around for years and Bremont are a very young company, about a decade or so. Therefore Breitling have heritage and Bremont don't if that's important to you. It is to some militant horologists but I loved the Bremont and what they're trying to do so didn't care. Subsequent to buying it I got invited to a Bremont event and met Giles English, one of the 2 brothers that set up the company. They're so enthusiastic about bringing quality watch making back to Britain that it's hard not to want them to succeed and I think their watches are brilliant.

My first Bremont had a fault, it wouldn't wind properly via the rotor. Through the serial number they traced the problem to a batch that had an incorrect torque setting on one of the components. They sent me a new watch with a spare Nato strap (£185) by way of an apology. It's a young company and the MBIII was a new watch for them. You probably won't get that issue with a Breitling but then you probably won't get that level of customer service or an opportunity to meet the founder of the company either.

Hypothetically, if we were out in Glasgow looking for a watch for you I'd be trying to get you to buy a Bremont (if it was a Breitling/Bremont face off) for a number of reasons that possibly wouldn't resonate with you at all - it's such a personal thing.

So, in summary, get a Bremont ;)
 
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Mr Bump said:
I think I once owned about 20 ORIS watches at one point, only have one left no as a keeper.
couple of old photos from my insurance files.



This is the only one I have left, an ULTRA rare full Steel Chrono bubble date, one of the only watches ORIS had full COSC carried out on and worth a lot of money.

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I've always had a soft spot for the Big Crown (top left). My wifes got one and I've always thought it a handsome watch. That Steel Chrono is a beauty too.......
 
A nice watch is a joy to wear , not to mention a great investment. Funnily enough I'm just looking at an Omega Planet Ocean, Ive currently got an Omega Seamaster Chronometer I bought 11 years ago for £1600, I'm getting quoted a px value of £2500, I could probably get more if I sold it privately. I can put up with appreciation like that! I cant understand the current need for Apple watches that flash and chirp all day - isn't that what your Iphone is for? Do you really also need the same thing on your wrist because you are too bloody idle to get your phone out of your pocket?
 
Overexposed said:
A nice watch is a joy to wear , not to mention a great investment. Funnily enough I'm just looking at an Omega Planet Ocean, Ive currently got an Omega Seamaster Chronometer I bought 11 years ago for £1600, I'm getting quoted a px value of £2500, I could probably get more if I sold it privately. I can put up with appreciation like that! I cant understand the current need for Apple watches that flash and chirp all day - isn't that what your Iphone is for? Do you really also need the same thing on your wrist because you are too bloody idle to get your phone out of your pocket?
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I think you mean smart watches. Other manufacturers do make them you know. The Tag Heuer Connected is a nice looking example.
 
Yip, been reading more about various watches today again. I have about 3 or 4 in mind that i like varying from about £2k up to £5k. I just beed to see who stocks them and go try them on. Its coming down to Breitling and Bremont with just 1 Onega that i quite liked the look of. There is also 1 Tudor which is nice and gasnt been ruled out as yet.
 
Ricardodaforce said:
I think you mean smart watches. Other manufacturers do make them you know. The Tag Heuer Connected is a nice looking example.
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Correct, but personally I just cant see the point of having something chirping on your wrist thats doing exactly the same as the phone in your pocket and something that requires the phone to be present to work properly! And that is aimed at all smart watches regardless of manufacturer!
 
Overexposed said:
Correct, but personally I just cant see the point of having something chirping on your wrist thats doing exactly the same as the phone in your pocket and something that requires the phone to be present to work properly! And that is aimed at all smart watches regardless of manufacturer!
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I would tend to agree but can also see that for some people, being able to see at a flick of the wrist who's calling/texting/messaging and to see the gist of the message is a lot easier than digging the phone out of a pocket/bag/other room. For me, a smart watch would make no sense at all but Mrs Nod's is very handy, especially when her phone's elsewhere (but within Bluetooth range!) The best thing about hers was that it knocked a zero off an iWatch's price (and works with Android or iProducts) in the Currys/PCWorld sale.
 
Mark, I collected watches for many years and had owned literally hundreds from £100 to over £10k. If you click on my blog in sig you'll find images of most of them. I'm guessing by the mention of Breitling that you're thinking of a sports watch rather than a dress watch. I went through many Rolex Subs and Sea Dwellers as most do. When deciding to finally quit collecting and go with a single watch (I used to have 10+ at any given time) I wrote an article about settling on the Tudor Pelagos and why I'd chosen it over other brands. You can read it HERE. However, shortly after, one of my favourite watch manufacturers, Damasko of Germany, finally produced a bracelet for my all time favourite watch, the Damasko DC66. I wrote a subsequent article about the DC66 HERE. I've now owned the DC66 for several years and have wanted for nothing! Damasko make many different watch models and are known amongst real collectors and enthusiasts for both their quality and innovation. The cases are made from "iced steel", a process that makes them almost impossible to scratch. You can literally buy a Damasko that 10 years old and had 4 owners and it will look brand new. The DC66 has an Valjoux 7750 chronograph movement, one of the most respected out there. However, Damasko now produce their own in-house movements and I'm told they're excellent. If you're more interested in the quality of the watch and movement than you are the brand name then a Damasko would be my strong recommendation. For servicing (and this goes for those who own Rolex watches, too) use Duncan at Genesis Watchmaking. As well as being a friend of mine, he's serviced all my Rolex watches for years, is one of the very few Rolex Approved Repair Centres and is far cheaper than sending to RSC. Here's my DC66:

 
Overexposed said:
Correct, but personally I just cant see the point of having something chirping on your wrist thats doing exactly the same as the phone in your pocket and something that requires the phone to be present to work properly! And that is aimed at all smart watches regardless of manufacturer!
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The watches do a lot of other stuff that your phone can't do. As for saying it "requires the phone to be present to work properly", well that's not true. If I am in the gym, and my watch has no connection to the phone in my locker, it still works properly. It just won't receive phone calls or sms messages. But it will continue to monitor my HR, pace, measure my active calories, record my workout and tell me the time whilst streaming my workout music to my ear buds.
When I am at home, even if my phone is turned off, the watch will receive calls and messages from my family and emails.
 
After reading your blog about the bracelet, I would say to you that there is wiser eating grass!
 
Mikesphotaes said:
After reading your blog about the bracelet, I would say to you that there is wiser eating grass!
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The bracelet saga was a PITA but nothing to worry about if you're buying the watch one the bracelet direct from Damasko, so not really an issue for the OP.
 
Ricardodaforce said:
The watches do a lot of other stuff that your phone can't do. As for saying it "requires the phone to be present to work properly", well that's not true. If I am in the gym, and my watch has no connection to the phone in my locker, it still works properly. It just won't receive phone calls or sms messages. But it will continue to monitor my HR, pace, measure my active calories, record my workout and tell me the time whilst streaming my workout music to my ear buds.
When I am at home, even if my phone is turned off, the watch will receive calls and messages from my family and emails.
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Before the iPhone was released I always thought I'd want one. When it finally hit the market I thought about it and suddenly the thought of having yet another device by which people could contact me left me cold. I have a child and a family so when I come home I turn off my phone. If I want you to reach me in the evening then you'll have my home number. If not, I'll talk to you tomorrow. When my phone is off I do still like to know the time, however, so my watch does exactly what I want it to and not more.
 
WingTsun said:
Before the iPhone was released I always thought I'd want one. When it finally hit the market I thought about it and suddenly the thought of having yet another device by which people could contact me left me cold. I have a child and a family so when I come home I turn off my phone. If I want you to reach me in the evening then you'll have my home number. If not, I'll talk to you tomorrow. When my phone is off I do still like to know the time, however, so my watch does exactly what I want it to and not more.
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Each to their own. For me the most important aspects are health monitoring, workout recording and music streaming when in the gym.
 
@OP - I bought mine as an impulse when I was on a conference in Amsterdam and thought I should treat myself a little. As I know the town a little I went off the tourist trail and into an area where the locals would go. Nice service where the watch was made how I wanted it from Rolex parts; you know different brace, different body, face etc. I went in for a Tag or equivalent but it just didn't look good on my wrist. I would advise to try them on as what I liked in a picture was very different in reality. Anyway whilst I spend a while there trying things on I had a nice drink ;) etc...

I didn't set out to be price conscious but just set myself an upper limit for a treat. How surprised was I that when I had it valued in the UK for insurance purposes two weeks later, it was valued at nearly £1,800 more than what I paid.

I went back when I got engaged; very similar experience in that only 5 buyers are allowed in at any time, the ring she choose was made to fit whilst we were enjoying a spot of lunch at their (well ours obviously) cost with a nice bottle of wine. And again the UK valuation was much higher as proven when it got stolen and the insurance had to get involved. I had all the certification and photos and original payment receipts. Apart from being undervalued on my insurance (grrrrr) there was no issue at all.

The point is, with the difference you can get some flights, really nice hotel, and make it a nice weekend to treat yourself. I would seriously not look to buy anything like this in the UK.

Just my 2p
 
My wife is off to New York quite soon and if i see something here then i MAY get it cheaper over there as there is a Breitling store near her at Woodbury Common outlet. The warranty may be an issue though depending on what make of watch as some have international warranty and others don't...Someone on another forum pointed me towards a company called Gemnation, anyone heard of them or eat with them as the Bremont Alt1-Zulu i liked is at a very very low price--is it to good to be true as they often are?
 
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