Y4BBZY
formerly jyabbz
- Feb 19, 2006
- 924
- 471
Time for a new watch thread, old thread has run its course. Opening post will include the basics of watches, recommendation guide, collection guide, maintenance guide, brand guide, and helpful links.
Feel free to post your watches, watch related questions, or anything watch related.
Thread Rules:
+ Don’t quote posts with a bunch of images (one or two) per watch
+ Don’t ask vague questions, “What is the best watch?” --- Read the entire first post
+ Need a Recommendation, Fill out the Recommendation Quote below
+ Don’t post or discuss counterfeit watches (there are sites for that)
Need Recommendation, Fill this out:
Basics of Watches:
Movement:
Quartz = Battery operated.
Solar/Eco-Drive = Battery operated via a light source, exposure to sunlight is the best source.
Kinetic = Battery operated via wrist motion like automatics.
Automatic = Movement powered by wrist motion (and/or Hand-Winding component if included).
Mechanical = Movement powered by Hand-Winding watch’s crown (clockwise).
Crystal:
Sapphire = Very scratch resistant and has hardiness rating just below a diamond but more prone to shatter when struck against solid objects
Mineral = Hardened glass which is more scratch resistant than acrylic, but less than sapphire. Scratches cannot be buffed out and crystal needs to be replaced.
Acrylic = Hardened plastic that is shatter resistance but can be scratched easily which can be buffed out easily with toothpaste or polywatch.
Water Resistance:
Picture below will give you an idea of the appropriate water resistance for different watches.
View media item 874883
View media item 874884
Lugs:
Standard Lugs = has the option for strap changes, look for watches with even lug widths (more strap options), need a strap changer tool or screwdriver (per Panerai).
View media item 874885
Integrated Lugs = has limited to no options for strap changes outside the one provided by the manufacturer.
View media item 874886
Maintenance:
Quartz = battery changes usually every 2-3 years
Solar/Eco-Drive = battery loss starts around 20 years but lack of sunlight power reserve will decrease battery life faster
Automatic/Mechanical = service usually recommend every 3-5 years by manufacturers or if any problems occur but regular cleaning and oiling will suffice. Cost of Service will depend on the movement, availability of parts, and complication. Usually the more complications in the watch, the more expensive the servicing will cost.
Watchwinder or Not
Recommendation Guide:
Before requesting advice on a potential watch purchase, please have an idea of what you are looking for. Fill out the questions below:
Budget = (Price)
Style = (Chronograph/Diver/Dress/Flieger/Pilot/Military/etc)
Finish = (Stainless Steel (Polished/Brushed), Gold-Tone, PVD/DLC)
Band = (Leather/Bracelet/Rubber)
Case Diameter = (38mm? 40mm?)
Movement = (Quartz/Solar/Kinetic/Automatic/Mechanical)
Crystal = (Sapphire/Mineral/Acrylic)
Water Resistance = (Look @ Buying Guide)
Collection Guide:
Tips:
Watch Collection:
There is no set number of watches a person should have. A watch collection of 3 watches should suffice with enough variety for a majority of people.
Tools Recommended:
Brand Guide:
Here is a quick and dirty list of brands that are regarded very highly in the watch community. Not a complete or definitive list.
$5000:
Japan = Grand Seiko, Credor
Swiss = Patek Philippe, Audemars Piaget, Jaeger Le Coultre, Ulysse Nardin, Vacheron Constantin, Rolex, Breguet, Zenith, Panerai,
German = A. Lange & Sohne, Muhle, D. Dornbluth & Sohne, Glashutte Original, IWC
Interesting Sites:
Watch Blog = Hodinkee, Worn & Wound, A Blog to Watch
Watch Forum = Watchuseek/Timezone UK
Shopping = Amazon, eBay, Watch Recon, Jomashop (Gray Market), Authentic Watches (Gray Market), Ashford (Gray Market)
Straps = Crown & Buckle, Panatime, Cheapest Nato Straps
Feel free to post your watches, watch related questions, or anything watch related.
Thread Rules:
+ Don’t quote posts with a bunch of images (one or two) per watch
+ Don’t ask vague questions, “What is the best watch?” --- Read the entire first post
+ Need a Recommendation, Fill out the Recommendation Quote below
+ Don’t post or discuss counterfeit watches (there are sites for that)
Need Recommendation, Fill this out:
Basics of Watches:
Movement:
Quartz = Battery operated.
Solar/Eco-Drive = Battery operated via a light source, exposure to sunlight is the best source.
Kinetic = Battery operated via wrist motion like automatics.
Automatic = Movement powered by wrist motion (and/or Hand-Winding component if included).
Mechanical = Movement powered by Hand-Winding watch’s crown (clockwise).
Crystal:
Sapphire = Very scratch resistant and has hardiness rating just below a diamond but more prone to shatter when struck against solid objects
Mineral = Hardened glass which is more scratch resistant than acrylic, but less than sapphire. Scratches cannot be buffed out and crystal needs to be replaced.
Acrylic = Hardened plastic that is shatter resistance but can be scratched easily which can be buffed out easily with toothpaste or polywatch.
Water Resistance:
Picture below will give you an idea of the appropriate water resistance for different watches.
View media item 874883
View media item 874884
Lugs:
Standard Lugs = has the option for strap changes, look for watches with even lug widths (more strap options), need a strap changer tool or screwdriver (per Panerai).
View media item 874885
Integrated Lugs = has limited to no options for strap changes outside the one provided by the manufacturer.
View media item 874886
Maintenance:
Quartz = battery changes usually every 2-3 years
Solar/Eco-Drive = battery loss starts around 20 years but lack of sunlight power reserve will decrease battery life faster
Automatic/Mechanical = service usually recommend every 3-5 years by manufacturers or if any problems occur but regular cleaning and oiling will suffice. Cost of Service will depend on the movement, availability of parts, and complication. Usually the more complications in the watch, the more expensive the servicing will cost.
Watchwinder or Not
Recommendation Guide:
Before requesting advice on a potential watch purchase, please have an idea of what you are looking for. Fill out the questions below:
Budget = (Price)
Style = (Chronograph/Diver/Dress/Flieger/Pilot/Military/etc)
Finish = (Stainless Steel (Polished/Brushed), Gold-Tone, PVD/DLC)
Band = (Leather/Bracelet/Rubber)
Case Diameter = (38mm? 40mm?)
Movement = (Quartz/Solar/Kinetic/Automatic/Mechanical)
Crystal = (Sapphire/Mineral/Acrylic)
Water Resistance = (Look @ Buying Guide)
Collection Guide:
Tips:
- Know what you want and Plan out your purchases
- Factor in future maintenance costs in your purchase
- Know your resale value, usually all watches depreciate in value but more popular brands and models take less of a hit than others
- Know the difference between Authorized Dealer (AD) and Grey Market Reseller (GM)
- Always try to negotiate when buying from an AD and pay in cash for bigger discount
- Do your research first before buying any watch, read reviews but be careful of overly positive reviews, no watch is perfect and therefore every watch will have a flaw
- If buying used, buy the best condition you can afford of that watch and know its service history
- Know what you want and Plan out your purchases
Watch Collection:
There is no set number of watches a person should have. A watch collection of 3 watches should suffice with enough variety for a majority of people.
- Everyday/Work
- Casual/Weekend
- Dress
Tools Recommended:
- Spring Bar Tool
- (Optional) Cape Cod Polishing Cloth (to restore polish finished)
- (Optional) Scotch Brite Pad (to restore brushed finished)
Brand Guide:
Here is a quick and dirty list of brands that are regarded very highly in the watch community. Not a complete or definitive list.
$5000:
Japan = Grand Seiko, Credor
Swiss = Patek Philippe, Audemars Piaget, Jaeger Le Coultre, Ulysse Nardin, Vacheron Constantin, Rolex, Breguet, Zenith, Panerai,
German = A. Lange & Sohne, Muhle, D. Dornbluth & Sohne, Glashutte Original, IWC
Interesting Sites:
Watch Blog = Hodinkee, Worn & Wound, A Blog to Watch
Watch Forum = Watchuseek/Timezone UK
Shopping = Amazon, eBay, Watch Recon, Jomashop (Gray Market), Authentic Watches (Gray Market), Ashford (Gray Market)
Straps = Crown & Buckle, Panatime, Cheapest Nato Straps
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