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brainsausage

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As noted in the title, I'd like some opinions from some of you watch aficionados out there. My second Nixon just bit the dust. I ordered a different model, received it in the mail this afternoon, and was nonplussed to say the least. It just feels and looks cheap. Figured it was time to be a grown up and invest in a proper watch. Did a little bit of research online over the last couple days before the Nixon arrived (I had a feeling it wasn't going to work out). I'm a big fan of Filson's gear and was eyeing these two models:

ImageUploadedByKitchen Knife Forum1449709257.586368.jpg

ImageUploadedByKitchen Knife Forum1449709281.480244.jpg

Up until I read some reviews online that mentioned that they're not really worth the money considering the overall build and the quality of the movement. So to sum it up, I'm looking for something with the following:

- field watch styling, very close to the above Filson's
- durability, including water resistance(I'll be wearing this at the restaurant, so full submersion many times a day)
- analog dial
- prefer a bracelet, but would consider anything but rubber/synthetics
- around 40mm case size. Nothing over 45
- quartz movement (I think...?)
- and finally, something that looks well made, but not ostentatious. Prefer matte finishes. Blacks, greys, and earth tones.

My budget is around $600, but can stretch if it's worth it. Any suggestions?
 
Sell me all your shig kitaeji's and then buy one of these. You can get a dark face if you want but you will not regret it. Best everyday wear watch I've ever had.

IMG_0540.jpg
 
old photo. Only have to adjust once per year at the end of Feb. Great watch, I love the workmanship that goes into one of these things. Not a George Daniels masterpiece (although he did invent the coaxial movement) but for something to wear every day it's pretty awesome. This one only loses about 2 seconds per month which is awesome for an automatic.
 
Not really to my tastes, even if I had said shigs to sell...

If I could track down an authentic 40-50's era omega field watch however, well...

I do have two kidneys🤔
 
Although I do rather like the case... What model is that?

It's the Aqua Terra Annual Calendar. I like the clean lines and the fact i only have to set the day/date once a year is really nice. I've swapped for a couple of days with some guys i work with that have Rolexes but I've never bonded with a Rolex. Fine movement, nice watch but just not to my taste. My dad has a Patek Philip that I'll get someday in the way distant future....now that's a watch!!
 
*shamefully hides fifteen dollar Casio a la Walken in Pulp Fiction*
 
I have a Victorinox titanium divemaster 500. Don't really care for the knives but they make some decent timepieces for the price point (I think I paid under $900 CAD at the time). The glass (I believe they technically call it something else?) is made of sapphire and after 7+ years doesn't have a scratch despite all the abuse it's seen
 
Yep, sapphire crystal is amazing. Revolutionized the watch industry. I'm hard on watches, always seem to bang them on something either at the gym or just on normal trips down the hallway. This one is holding up very well and it keeps great time. Got lucky and got one that isn't on the outer extremes of certification (+6-4 sec per day for COSC). I bought one for my wife (keeps her out of my hair for buying all the knives) for our anniversary this year and it keeps at least as good time a mine or even better maybe. The coaxial movement is superb.
 
I'm a slow watch kinda guy. No need to be in a hurry. WWW. Slow-watches.com
 
I had a really nice long narrative typed up explaining why I'm afraid of having a nice watch, even though I've always wanted one, but somehow it was all erased when I left this window to search for a link of my current watch to post/share.
This, in a perfect little nutshell, is a great example as to why I'm afraid to spend so much for something so cool. It'll get busted without a doubt. Won't stand a chance. Heck, I can't even keep a typed monolog explaining my fear/passion for a new watch, let alone this watch itself.

I promised myself a gentleman's watch when I graduated college, but I dropped out instead. So then I promised myself the same watch when I graduated culinary. But post graduation I was piss broke and tied to the newly acquired "monkey in my back " named Student Loan Debt.
That plus my girlfriend at the time thought it was crazy, selfish and stupid to fulfill this commemorative wish.

Yes, today after all the money I've collectively spent on lesser expansive watches I could have a really "nice" one. I get that. But that nice watch would be worthless and busted by today. And that's my biggest fear.
 
I loved that Lum Tec. I remember looking it up immediately after reading that post back when, and was a bit crestfallen. Way outside of my self-allowed watch budget. But in searching for that watch I discovered replicas. Perfect for me, but still pricey given my clumsy advise on watches. ..
 
Yeah, I hear ya Marc. That's why I'm hoping to find something on the rugged side. Which is what the Filson's tout themselves as. But supposedly the quartz movement in no way justifies the price tag. That and I'm looking for something that'll take up a bit less real estate on my wrist.
 
Those Lum Tec's are frickin awesome looking. And are about a grand over my budget😿

If you do a Google shopping search or ebay search you'll find them around the $500 mark. Still out of my league though.
 
Sadly I learned a few months ago 'budget' is even more verboten when it comes to watches then knives. Dang entry prices are more than a damascus Burke. One nice watch could keep a knife knut fat and happy with customs for a year.
 
If you are not opposed to pre owned you can open up the field a little bit. watchrecon.com just type what you are looking for.
 
Sadly I learned a few months ago 'budget' is even more verboten when it comes to watches then knives. Dang entry prices are more than a damascus Burke. One nice watch could keep a knife knut fat and happy with customs for a year.

I keep catching myself doing a rundown of which knives I could pick up for the same price of the watches I'm considering.
 
More of an aviator-style watch, but you could consider the Jorg Gray 6500. I've run it hard for several years, the "scratch resistant mineral crystal" lens is in decent shape considering what I've put it through (I work with large rough hardened steel castings) and can be replaced if necessary. I received it as a gift but at $400 I'd buy it again if I lost it. Looks sharp and I've been really happy with it but my watch-geek game is all but non-existent, probably a good thing for my wallet. For other reasons mentioned in this thread I couldn't bring myself to spend much more than that.

There is also some history behind it which may be good or bad depending on your views. It's the "official" watch of the US secret service and also worn by the current US president. Jorg Gray makes a commemorative version with Obama mentioned on the battery cover, and standard / non-commemorative version. Only difference is the text/logo engraved on the battery cover (nothing visible while wearing.)
 

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