Watches - another OCD problem
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Heh heh. I love vintage, but am in general a futurist, so those kinds of period hang-ups always struck me as a waste of energy.
The only reason NASA didn't approve sapphire was the danger of it shattering–acrylic won't shatter, and in a sealed spaceship in zero gravity shattering = bad. My understanding is that it was approved for later watch model crystals (not sure if this approval includes EVA). There's no practical reason for that conceit, but I do understand that some aesthetic ones are held by enthusiasts, even if I think they're silly.
Kind of reminds me of Haraki's vintage weaves coupled with modern construction (polycotton, etc). Homage to tradition, but usage of modern materials. Remember, at one point hesalite supplanted some other crystal material; watchmaking has always pushed technology (and has also honored tradition since there was one).
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I'm pretty sure there were a couple people in the 60's that would've killed for a scratch resistant crystal…
Not to mention dirt cheap, super accurate, super durable watches, like your beloved G-Shocks.
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@mclaincausey I've seen G-Shocks on the wrists of astronauts in space, so I know that mineral glass at a minimum are approved for space travel.
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The date issue (and let's face it, scarcity) of the Tudor GMT and the price of the Grand Seiko and Rolex variants have scared me off from those options in my quest for a daily banger GMT, but I really want a GMT with a jumping main hour hand. The massive Oris @DougNg wasn't enamored with is an interesting option, but it comes in fairly high on price as well, and is more in line with a flieger than a diver (mild preference for the latter). Generally I prefer the 24 hour sweep hand, but Oris managed a really nice alternative that is even easier to read and has that cool novel bezel adjustment.
Balancing price, functionality, reliability, and ruggedness, the most appealing remaining option of which I'm aware is the Prospex Kinetic models.
So, two questions:
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are there other GMT models with jumping main hour hands that I should consider?
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has anyone experience with SUN019P1 or similar Prospex models? Is kinetic any good? I don't need an automatic movement unless I'm dropping serious coin.
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Timex is going through a weird renaissance right now:
Might be worth a look.
Don't know about the jumping hour hand.
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Might be worth a look too:
I think the jumping hour hand is going to hold you back. But this has a lot of your check boxes: GMT, reasonably priced, diver (compressor style), date
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Yeah, it's almost G-Shock fugly
Jumping hour is a hard requirement for me.
The case shape is classic for Seiko divers, but definitely not for everyone–fans called the original "tuna" (since it resembles a tuna can) and believe it or not this version is a bit more svelte than the original, which had more vertical sides.
I grabbed one of the ugly mofos and will likely look for a third party bracelet if this one is as painful as I expect.
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Easier to set time zones traveling while maintaining accuracy. Having used the alternative, it's a hard requirement for me now. For seconds not to hack while changing time zones on the main dial of the watch is for me the essence of a useful GMT function.
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Oh no, it means that the minute and second hands don't hack or move with the adjustment, and that only the main hour hand will at a certain crown setting: you can see how that's super convenient for shifting time zones. Particularly if you have an accurate watch and maintaining accuracy is inportant to you. Grand Seiko, Rolex/Tudor, and it seems not too many others do this, since the ETA GMT calibers backing so many on the market don't do this.
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Looking into Sinns. Leaning heavily towards @appaff 's 104 on a leather band. Any advice on best place to buy? Also would likely be looking for an after market leather strap (I prefer a lighter tan color to the stock leather).
Not completely sold yet and am open to other routes, but Sinn seems like a sweet spot on the quality/price chart.
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I really love Sinn. They have the "UTC" that I like a lot as far as travel watches go. https://www.sinn.de/mobile/en/Modell/857_UTC.htm
The one thing that gave me pause was the dehumidifier capsule. The idea of consumable parts in an automatic watch bothers me a little.
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Considering the Tudor Black Bay variations, but dropping that kind of jack I feel like I should be at least considering a used rolex/omega/tag etc.
I need to go to a local dealer and try some on.
Also in the opinion of people with more experience in the industry, is it stupid of me to buy grey market or should I buy direct from an authorized dealer?
Photo from Joma shop…
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All I can say is that you will have a lot more value preservation with a used Rolex than with a new Tudor. Make sure you only get the Rolex from a reputable dealer. There is at least one renowned specialist in used Rolex, https://davidsw.com .
Rolex, Tudor, Omega, and Tag are not at the same level, and I'm not sure what the consensus is these days in terms of ranking (well, Rolex is #1)… I get the impression that Tudor's reputation has improved a lot in the last few years. I like the Pelagos myself...
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@Dishelveled I'd be tempted to take a look at Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight too, which is slightly smaller, and a quite a bit thinner than the original. Hodinkee have a hands on.
Tudor's original in-house movement bigger than the ETA they originally used, and this makes the case a bit thicker. A few people prefer the earlier models as a result.
The Pelagos, as @JDelage suggested, would be another option. They have a titanium case, which will make them a bit lighter.
The Black Bay Fifty-Eight is $3575 on a bracelet. For a bit more ($4400) you could get an Omega Seamaster Diver 300 Metres.
It's probably a step up from the Tudor in terms of finish and materials, and it's got Omega's clever, anti-magnetic movement in it. I saw a pre-release model a few months ago, and it's a nice watch. Hodinkee did a hands on at Baselworld and took one diving.
A Submariner costs from about $7500 and up. Due to Rolex's sales practices, you'll probably be told by a dealer that you can't have one, and as a result they tend to sell at a premium on the secondary market.
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Thanks for the replies, JD and Grame!
Value retention should probably be higher on my priorities, as well as looking into service pricing of grey market watches–esp those with in house movements.
I was def concerned about the dimensions of the Black Bay untill I had it on wrist and was surprised how unobtrusive it felt (actually made me consider going for their larger bronze version).
I dont like the aluminum bezel and would probably go for an aftermarket leather strap.
Still feel there would be room for the Sinn 104 i, between that and the S&G bb I feel I'd be covered for 95% of my watch wear.
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I'd suggest looking at this article from Time and Tide: Why you shouldn’t think about investment value when buying a new watch.
A Rolex will hold its value well, but they also make somewhere between 600,000 and 1,000,000 watches a year, so there's not exactly a shortage. I think that their increase in value on resale is down to supply being artificially limited, and my suspicion is that if you order one, it'll arrive a whole lot sooner than you're quoted.
I probably wouldn't go grey market for a Tudor. Jomashop's discount is around 15% for most of the models, less for the hotter pieces, and you could probably negotiate something off from a dealer. (Unless you want the awesome Black Bay Black, which is 30% off the next few days.) For that you lose the factory warranty.
You can probably get your grey market watch serviced by the factory. I'd check with the company, and also ask about service intervals. I think that Omega suggest every seven years, I don't know about Tudor.
