I have always been interested in watches. I own 5 or 6 wristwatches and 2 pocket watches. My interest lies in American and European watches that are not battery operated and non-quarts. I’ve been told recently that Russian watches are very well made and some are on the level of Rolex for only tenth of the price. So is this true? Is there better? Excluding Japanese, who makes the best non-battery, non-quarts watch for the price?
I can’t help you with your question, but since the subject of watches came up. . .
I have a $5 watch that I bough from Wal-Mart in December 1995–and the MF is still going strong on the original battery. Yes, it keeps perfect time. Well, basically. When I reset it twice a year with EST/EDT changes, it has lost a minute.
I wear a Cartier Santos (old design - early '80s hexagonal), but that’s more of a jewelry thing that I do for my brother; my Seiko quartz digital keeps better time.
BTW, the Cartier was inherited - no way would I spend that kind of money on a watch, unless I was iinto it. And I’m not.
I’ve always liked Tag-Huer watches. Breitling makes a very nice aviation watch.
Aren’t most European watches measured in liters? 
I used to covet the Breitling Chronomat. But then I saw Rolex. I like Rolex’s bigger dial. I normally wear a GMT Master II. I also like dad’s 1974 Seiko Bell-Matic. I’ve had it serviced and I’ve put it away, but I have a duplicate that I wear. It sort-of resembles the Rolex Air-King but it has the day and date, an alarm, and a really nice bright metallic blue dial. I don’t wear dad’s silver Vulcain Cricket, but it works fine. I understand Vulcain is still making watches, but I haven’t seen them here in the U.S. For kayaking I often wear a Submariner. For jet-skiing I like to wear a cheap G.I. surplus Stocker & Yale wind-up. FWIW, Rolexes are rather “un-hip”. The stainless steel ones aren’t so bad, but the gold ones are a bit “much”.
As for the OP: I’ve seen photos of some of the Russian watches. Some of them look pretty good. I think Coldfire may have been looking at them. I think people said that they were cheaply made and not very accurate. Invicta has some automatic watches for about $100 or so.
If you want to keep the watch for a while, you should probably look at Tag-Heuer, Rolex, Breitling, etc. There’s a nice-looking German brand out there, but I can’t think of its name. I think they’re issued to the Luftwaffe. Seiko has the S-Wave automatic. I’ve seen a few of them, and they look really nice. And being Seiko, you can trust them.
[sub](This thread reminds me that I need to get my “James Bond” Sub onto eBay.)[/sub]
I liked the look of Rolex and had one for about 5 years but it kept horrible time so I got rid of it. Found out later from a friend that you have to leave it with a dealer for a month or two and he can make incremental adjustments for you until it’s just right. Still, that’s kind of a pain in the ass when others are bang on right out of the box.
I’ve got a Tag Heuer now and I love it. Good looking and it keeps perfect time… just like my wife.
No automatic watch is going to keep time as well as a good Quartz watch. Still, a Rolex should be accurate out of the box – especially if it’s a chronometer. Last time I checked, my GMT II gains a couple of seconds per day; which is within chronometer standards.
I have always wanted a Rolex or a good TAG. Due to budget constraints, I used to wear a Citizen.
With that said, I must mention that a few years ago my company gave me this watch. For a special project that I did.
I thought it would be a good everyday knock around watch. Turns out I love this watch. This is the only watch I have ever owned that I can read in any light, or no light. I can even read it at night without my glasses. Keeps perfect time also.
I have had two goddam watches stop cold on me this week. First my old Timex died, so I bought a beautiful new Fossil, with a silver bracelet band and a pale blue face. Stopped on me this morning. I’ve heard of faces that stop clocks, but . . .
I gotta dog out my grandfather’s old pocket watch and start carrying that . . .
Yes. It is buried in the back yard, so I will need a dog to find it . . .
Is your grandfather wearing it?
d&r
I have a Tissot watch that I’m pretty happy with.
Originally posted by Eve
The same thing happened to my Fossil watch, Eve. Mine lasted for a whole three months before it crapped out. My friend’s watch lasted for about ten months before it died. Take it back to the shop you bought it from and return it.
:smack: Lousy Coding errors.
If you like TAG, but can’t stomach the price, try Tissot. I love Tissot watches. I think they are just as nifty as a TAG, but are about a third to half the price. Swiss made, accurate, and a few models that are downright swank.
My biggest problem is that my wife got me a PR50 Tissot in 1998…We were broke newlyweds and she spent half her paycheck on it. Why is it a problem? Because now I can never replace it with the Tissot I want! It was a very special gift that I can never replace! It doesn’t have a light or an alarm, which sucks cuz I travel with business and this means I have to carry a seperate alarm with me. It is nice and has withstood my clumsiness (Say yes to safire-crystal faces) and keeps the time just fine. But it was a plain model, and I want more…
Spoiled I am, yes…
-Tcat
In the world of the true watch afficianado, Rolex is a dirty word. Not because they are bad watches, but because they are ridiculously overpriced for what they are: a run of the mill movement, nice design, with over a million copies made per year. Watches thought of as “better” in this regard are many:
The best of the best: Patek Philippe or A. Longe & Sohn
Other very good: Audemars-Piguet, Vacheron Constantin, Girard-Perregaux, Breguet, Blancpain, Jaeger-LeCoultre
These watches all have movements (the inner workings) that are hand finished if not hand made. Here’s a couple of articles that point out the differences, which matter to a watch lover, even if, as a prictical matter, none of the beautiful hand made watches can ever keep time as well as a $30 quartz Timex.
The Rolex Explorer Movement
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Movement (Used by Vacheron Constantin, and a few others)
shelbo: Rolexes are good “middle class” watches – well-made, but not hideously expensive. I’ll wear a Rolex in the kayak, flying, diving, construction – any number of activities. I don’t think I would wear the other brands while I’m doing that sort of thing. Besides, the Submariner looks better than a Patek Phillipe Aquanaut or Nautilus.
check it out…Philippe and others found here. Looks like Patek Philippe is considered to be the best.
Personally, I can’t wear a watch. They quit working after awhile. Sometimes a few minutes and sometimes a few days. But, eventually it’ll stop and it doesn’t matter what type, brand, cheap, expensive…no matter.
I don’t fully understand why, but some days…
it’s strange, (sorry 'bout the hijack). I carry a pocket watch and it’ll run sometimes…unless I forget and carry it for too long.