New Collector - educate me on my choices!
Hi all,
I have been into watches for a few years, but always made do with one... however when my Longines went in for repair, I ended up buying an Omega Speedmaster Mk40 as a 'temporary' watch :)
Now I've decided, having been looking at a few forums for a while, to start a proper collection. I'm looking to build up to 4-5 watches (one from each category below) over the next 2-4 years, but I'd like your advice and suggestions as to where I am going right/ wrong in my initial thoughts. And, for info/ help, I'm 30 and have diddy 6.5inch wrists so anything above 42mm I am expecting will be out of contention! I am also not a massive fan of the traditional Rolex Sub style diver's watch (although happy to be convinced I am wrong!). The budget is probably up to 2K per watch on average, happy to use eBay, grey sources and go for good condition second hand pieces etc.
Anyway, this is what I have been thinking I want/ need (current favourite in bold):
Chrono:
Current: Omega Speedmaster Mk40
Thoughts: Tag Monaco (blue dial), Longines Heritage 180th Single Push Chrono (with the roman numerals), Omega Speedmaster Mk2
Moonphase:
Current: Longines Master Collection Moonphase
Thoughts: Frederique Constant Slimline Moonphase, Montblanc Heritage Moonphase, Montblanc Star Twin Moonphase, Chronoswiss CH8523, Vulcain President's 50's Moonphase
Diver:
Current: None
Thoughts: Omega Aqua Terra 2500 (white dial, blue hands), Omega AT 8500 (white teak dial, gold hands)
Dress:
Current: None
Thoughts: Nomos Orion Datum 38, Nomos Zurich Blaugold, Tudor Glamour Day Date, Tudor Style
GMT (particular help wanted here for reasonably dressy but also durable choice):
Current: None
Thoughts: Tag Twin Time (anthracite dial + bracelet), Longines Heritage 1938 GMT
Thanks in advance for the help!
I think its a mistake personally trying to have one watch from each "category" as you end up trying to buy watches for no other reason that to tick a box.
There is an AT White face gold hand 8500 going very cheap on SC at the moment. Unworn and fully stickered for 2100 (rrp 3500). There is not a lot of love for that model. Also is the AT a dive watch really.
Edit. The one on SC has silver hands and hour markers not gold.
Last edited by 893bet; 8th March 2015 at 15:53.
I think dress and moonphase could merge into the same category and save a few £
Lots of fun coming your way. Nice choices for the chrono but I prefer the Autavia to the Monaco., love the MK2 though and the Longines Heratige.
The AT isn't really a traditional diver but a great all rounder.
Worth listening to. I did that for years and had quite a few I didn't really want or wear.Originally Posted by 893bet
Looks like you have about 6 grand to spend. I'd keep what you have and spend that on something very special as you have already have 2 lovely watches. Although I'd swap the Mk40 for a classic Moonwatch.
What would that be... For me a Jaeger-LeCoultre of some description from the Master Control series - probably a Geographic, and then a boutique diver for a few hundred; Steinhart, Timefactors, Helson, Crepas, Benarus, Kemmner, Obris, there are literally dozens to choose from.
As with all watches,the choice is endless.I was in Harrogate yesterday and looked at all sorts of watches,mostly if not all actually "Vintage",they were all for sale at the local dealers with the typical very high prices too!.
Your choices are all good....for you that is,and mine and others would possibly have different choices too,which tbh makes it good actually.
I'm on the lookout for another dress watch and quite like the look of the Longines Flagship,hence my wtb for one...but no body has taken the hook as yet!.
I wouldn't call the Aqua Terra a dive watch because it doesn't have a rotating bezel.
There are no "right" choices in each category but I will tell you what I would go for right now if I had the cash for each with a roughly £2k budget (finding out what you want will change often and is half the fun of this game!)
Chrono: Omega Speedmaster Professional (predictable yes, but still a fantastic watch)
Dress and Moonphase combined: JLC ultra thin moon phase, or Glashutte Original PanoMaticLunar
Diver: You don't like Sub style divers eh? Ok well that discounts my original choices of a Pelagos or a Black Bay. But something like a Sinn U1 (or U200 for a smaller size) or Longines legend diver would be very cool and a bit different
GMT: For me there is only 1 brand that does GMTs that I desire, Rolex. Explorer II or GMT Master all the way. For something different and a proper hard tool watch in your collection. Bremont MBIII or cheaper is Sinn 856 UTC.
I really, really like both the JLC and the GO but whilst (oddly perhaps) I've never been bothered at having nominally 3-4k on the wrist but something about >5k makes me have a sharp intake of breath. Anyone else?
With the diver, I can certainly appreciate the Tudors - one of my good mates has a Sub and I think what pit me off is that a) I struggle to see the value in it (and I'd never hear the end of it if I bought one too!) and b) most other equivalent watches seem like a 'me too'. But the BB and Pelagos seem like very highly regarded watches, I've just not quite worked out why?
Hold your horses and take some time to consider this. It seems like you have about 8K to 10K to play with and that could buy a really nice watch. Would you like one outstanding watch or a collection of something mediocre?
Be happy with what you have got and perhaps use the money you would have spent on this collection on a nice PP or VC one day. To me TAG holds no interest and I would avoid FC and Montblanc.
Omega is a good choice and Grand Seiko is good for those with small wrists.
Could somebody explain why that is please?
Is it the colour combination?
>5k is a hell of a lot yeah and if you'd feel uncomfortable with it then I wouldn't go that high. Personally I am nowhere near being able to afford that but if i am lucky enough to in the future i don't think i will take issue with it.
BB and Pelagos are highly regarded i think because the quality of them is outstanding, yes they have "just" ETA movements in them but that is missing the point of the watch, the cases and bracelets are beautiful and from what i have seen you really are getting Rolex quality minus the in-house movement which may or may not be a deal breaker.
Also the JLC could be sourced for under 5k quite easily i reckon. Second hand or grey.
The conclusions i've come to are that:
- there should only be one automatic in your collection and
- if you need a date your automatic should have one.
There is no point in skimping on this watch, when you have worked out what it is bear the cost, there is no acceptable substitute. Make sure too that you buy it with a box papers and everything it should have.
Everything else is disposable fun.
Also think that would make sense...
Hard to quibble with that but one could consider also the (now disco/d) Omega Seamaster 300M GMT. Classic dive watch with the wave dial and clear caseback, as well as the GMT:
http://www.omegawatches.com/collecti...41-mm/25358000
What about something vintage like a tudor sub?
Agreed, lovely watches, I also like the black and white one.
Just if I was buying a watch to fill a GMT space that I had in a collection, it could only be Rolex for me.
The new liquid metal PO GMT is also gorgeous, if a bit big.
Thanks, some good ideas already!
I have also been looking at Ball - some of their GMT and moonphase watches seem to fit the bill at a reasonable price. Thoughts from threads I've seen seem to be pretty positive - has that changed?
Take your time over this (no pun intended) as there is little point buying something that you don't really need or will actually use just because you think that completes the collection.
The omega AT are really nice but don't really tick any of your boxes, although could happily do dress, but the likelihood is that it might be better to aim a little higher as suggested on one to cover that and moon phase.
For the chrono the tag you've picked is nice but you are probably just as well staying with your Omega or switching to the moonwatch (boring, predictable and loads will say the same but for good reason) which on a strap can also pass as a little bit dressy if you like.
You'll probably end up with a Sub at some point though, most of us do!
For the purpose of flexibility in the future, certain brands are a lot less easy to flip if you change your mind (you will) so the likes of Omega are a bit safer. Oh, and don't buy at RRP and look at the second hand as you've mentioned.
Good luck with the journey.
NOMOS Orion 38. I have one and I think it's just a perfect watch.
It's not that I dont 'like' divers, it's just that I dont 'get' them at the minute.
Like the idea of a day/ night indicator, what other options are out there?
Couple of interesting opinions there, I guess given other advice (although still unsure) I could combine gmt and diver if going down the seamaster or Rolex Explorer 2/ GMT master route as well?
Regardless of the categories most watch collections endup as one favoured watch that gets 80% of the wear and the rest that split 20% between them. So if you have too many watches they dont really get worn. Arent really an investment but will still cost you a few hundred quid every few years to service. Id suggest a max of three watches and then a one in one out policy.
Sorry duplicate post
Last edited by pearlwhite67; 9th March 2015 at 08:45.
Hi all,
Thanks for the advice so far, I have been doing quite a bit of thinking based on the excellent help so far... I have a revised list below:
Chrono:
Current: Omega Speedmaster Mk40
Thoughts: Tag Monaco (blue dial) - I think I would need reasonable persuasion as to why the Monaco was a bad idea at this point
Dress:
Current: None
Thoughts: Nomos Zurich Blaugold, Montblanc Heritage Moonphase, Omega AT8500
GMT:
Current: None
Thoughts: Rolex GMT Master Pepsi dial - this is a long term aspiration (or it's the first I buy then use it as a daily for a year)
Thanks in advance for the help!
If I was to go Nomos (which is just stunning) then I think I might feel sad that I a) have no more Longines in the collection b) Don't have an Omega of some sort and c) have no Moonphase (my favoured complication). However I know that my wife would definitely divorce me if I spent any more than what the above would cost! Two steps forwards, three steps back?!
Some posters here have been trying to say this and I think it is worth repeating:
Take your time. Find a watch you really want, buy it and enjoy wearing it.
This will give you far more satisfaction than a collection of watches that you sort of like, wear once in a blue moon and just bring inconvenience. They take up space, they should be insured, they need to be serviced, and unless it is an exceptional piece it will depreciate.
Find a watch you REALLY like, buy it and invest the money you had planned to spend on the "collection". Who knows, in 10 years or so you might have a enough to buy a nice Patek. In the meantime just enjoy your Rolex or whatever you decide on.
And with respect, or disrespect if you like, to Nomos, well I have nothing nice to say so I will just shut up. However, here is another person's opinion:
BAD LANGUAGE ALERT!!! Do not view if you are offended by bad language.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q___XnRC-XE
Thanks - I have probably not stated well enough that I do see this a long - term thing, part of the advice sought is how best to build, and recommendations for how/ where to start. Clearly I have not done a great job with this to date having gone and bought 2 chronos with the same basic movement behind them in the last three years!
I agree with this totally. Only buy a watch if it really (really) appeals to you. I didn't stick to that at first and now I have quite a few watches I'm going to end up selling.
At the end of the day its a personal hobby and what appeals to one collector will be hideous to another.
Just as well really otherwise we would all want the same watches! :-)
If it was me this is what I would do;
Chrono - Onega Speedmaster Professional
Moonphase - wouldn't bother having that AND dress categories but if you really wanted then probably Christiaan Van Der Klaauw Ceres 1974
Diver. For your budget either a Tudor Pelagos or an Omega Planet Ocean 8500
Dress. For your budget I would go Stowa but in the real world I would combine moonphase and dress categories and get the Omega Globemaster when that comes out.
GMT - I wouldn't bother to be honest. Maybe a Breitling Aerospace?
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