What's the Hamer of watches?

[Guitarseh]

Looking for something classy but not necessarily classic. Somewhere in the hundreds of dollars max, not thousands. Nice enough for working with suits, but tough enough to wear everyday.

Thoughts?

Thanks,

Mark

[zorrow]

Citizen!

[prototype-fan]

If the Hamer comparison is valid versus watches - then Tag isn't it - everybody knows what they are and what they stand for - but they're soooo ubiquitous - in my uninformed, HO.

I agree. I own a Tag and love it, but they're everywhere and you ain't going to find one for $350.

[Travis]

Oris have a good rep, 100 years of history and are all mechanical Swiss movements - also sponsor the Williams F1 team. I believe that they would fit into the budget as well. Well respected and slightly different to the norm.

Mind you, I dont even wear a watch - use the clock on my phone!

I have an Oris TT1 and I love it. I've had it for about 9 years now and I just took it in for its first servicing. It's built like a tank and has a nice classic look to it.

[m chops]

TAG

http://www.tagheuer.com/the-collection/aqu...=WAJ2110.BA0870

+1: Impeccably high quality professional performance and durability for hundreds--not thousands--of dollars. And nobody looks down their nose at a TAG Heuer.

I don't know. But maybe you are right. I guess I don't look down my nose. It strikes me as higher end.

I sit in my dentists chair, and watch his TAG Heuer flash in my face. And I think his Range Rover in the parking lot and how much he charges for a simple cleaning and scraping, and get offended.

If he wore a simple seiko, citizen, or something of that ilk, I wouldn't notice at all . . .

[lincsman]

Tissot touch screen.

I'v had mine for 4 years without it missing a beat,its a cool watch to mess about with as well.

Lincsman

[Punkavenger]

Just found this old Casio in a drawer covered in paint and plaster. Soaked it in simple green for a few days, bought a new band/battery. Looks like new! Incredible watch, keeps perfect time and has been treated very roughly as I used it for my work watch for years and years ... then gave it to my son to play with when he was a kid! $129.00 in the early 90's.

AD-520 ... evidently they are a bit of a collectors item, Denzel Washington wears them quite often.

http://www.pmwf.com/Phorum/read.php?4,85127,85269#msg-85269

you can find them used on the net for between $30 and $50 ... Talk about a deal! Highly recommended

[Disturber]

Looking in to buying a new Watch. Anyone own an Oris? They seem like the Hamer of Swiss watches. Quality like an Omega or Rolex, cheaper used.

These are all pretty cool Oris models: Chronoris, BC3 , BC4 , aquis , Williams F1 ,

[crunchee]

Mind you, I dont even wear a watch - use the clock on my phone!

+1! I haven't worn one since I retired from the U.S. Navy, I carry my not-very-smart phone (strictly for calls and telling time only, no apps please) around all the time anyway, so what's the point?

If I had to choose, Hamilton for the military background, or Swatch...basic black with either a black or white face only, none of that artsy graphic stuff. If money was no object, Omega Speedmaster Professional, please.

[hamerhead]

Hell we can't keep time, let alone tell time.

[velorush]

Swatch

My Swatch (bought in 1984) gave up the ghost. It's still in really nice condition and one of the more interesting designs, but the works is completely frozen up.

Now, not as fancy schmancy as all these others mentioned, but my $125 (1987 dollars) Seiko purchased as a college graduation present [still] keeps fantastic time.

Not as impressive as an Omega, Tag or Rolex, but then again, neither am I.

ETA: found a photo of my Swatch! Of course, back in the day it typically sported at least one lime green Swatch guard.

The site this picture was on had it for sale for $450.00! Too bad mine doesn't work.

[Tres Aardvarks]

When my wife was running a pro cycling team, she made regular trips to Geneva and ran with a very well heeled crowd. She had a pretty severe watch fetish for a while, and that's reflected by a pile of Swiss watches in her jewelry box. She also got me a couple (along with cheaper ones). I've got a ridiculously cool Technomarine (which is triangular in shape and freaks people out), a fancier / classier Maurice LeCroix, and my old Festina. My favorite watch I wear all the time? The Citizen Eco-Drive she got me for Christmas. She and her dad scored it for stupid cheap at Kohl's(due to crazy Christmas pricing, big % discount, and piles of Kohl's cash they both had).

[BadgerDave]

I have watches I like very much from Festina, Skagen and Burburry.

The two Burburrys are by far the most expensive - presents from my wife. A dress watch and a sports chronograph.

[MCChris]

I want me a Shinola. Detroit flava, baby.

[jim777]

Most European watch companies simply buy their movements from ETA and then stamp their mark on them. Very few companies actually make their own movements; what they make is the cases. A great way to get a watch every bit as good as one of the expensive brands without the band name is to look on ebay for the movement you want, like say an ETA Valjoux movement or something. Check Frei and Borel's website and read up on some movements and get something great for cheap (http://www.ofrei.com/)

[Boomerang~Junkie]

Lincsman is dead on: The Tissot touch screens are fully bad-ass, very well made, classy as hell and James Bond cool. They just might be your Hamer of the watch world. I've also owned a couple of "Fortis" - used on the space station for a while. More subdued and stone classy, they should be on any watch short list, very well made watches as well. They make (made?) an awesome 24 hour face watch.

Another option: And don't fall out of your chair laughing at this post until you've researched them a bit and how well they are made. But OAKLEY makes some bad ass watches. Yes, Oakley - my everyday watch. I'm not going to claim they are the Hamer of watches, but some of them are pretty damn cool. While certainly not rare by any means (a few models were), they make damn fine watches that are very well engineered and keep incredible time. Much better than some of my more expensive watches.

Many of their models are too trendy for me, but there are a few that are awesome. Mine is pretty trendy though (Minute Machine), but it caught my eye for some reason and even after a year of waiting - I was screwed and had to have one. Its a big ass, titanium and has a synthetic sapphire crystal and is waterproof to 300M. They can be purchased well below their listed retails. You'll either love them or hate them. Something to throw into the mix.

http://www.oakley.com/store/watches

http://forums.watchuseek.com/f5/24-hour-fortis-my-first-nice-watch-590774.html

[bondedbybrick]

I've got 2 Tissot's - a PR 100 and a PR 50. I've had them for over 15 years. Both automatic, keep good time and are reliable (I wear a watch every day). I like the sapphire crystal lens, which is impossible to scratch. Not terribly expensive (<$500) and a nice entry level Swiss-made watch.

[Guitarseh]

Hah, I was just thinking that I started a thread like this several years ago, when I realized that it is the same thread Tons of good advice here, for sure.

Mark B

[Armitage]

Even a cheap watch keeps excellent time... my wife buys a cheap "fashion" watch and keeps it until the battery dies, then gets a new one. She gets three or four years off a thirty dollar watch and doesn't have to worry about losing or wrecking it.

[seeker]

Good and timely thread. Pun intended.

I reached a certain sercice milestone with my company, and I get to choose a watch as a reward. Been given a budget of up to $1000. Am starting to look at the Citizens. My current watch has atomic radio synching, which I've -really- gotten used to.

[mudshark]

Timex

Thirty bucks, throw it away and get a new one. Occasionally carry my grandfather's old Elgin Raymond pocket watch. I reckon my cell phone probably keeps more accurate time than any watch.

[ib2010]

Could never afford a true Hamer equivalent timepiece. But after a couple of sloppy Seikos, and searching for SIMPLICITY, Skagen appeared. Japanese quartz movements have yet, (after a year and a half on the first one) adjusted the time. Between $60-$100. A couple way thin and lite.

[Toadroller]

+1 on the Skagen. I've always liked Danish design principles; simple, clean, modern. Interestingly enough, kind of like Shaker furniture. If you ever get a chance to visit Copenhagen in the summer...

My wife picked me up a Skagen similar to the two on the right (same band, darker face with carbon fiber) for Christmas a few years ago and I've never adjusted the time. Also, I've received multiple compliments on it.

That said, we bought a used car off a lot this spring and found a ladies Citizen eco-drive in the glove compartment, about a $400 watch. My wife likes to joke that we bought a working watch and it came with a sometimes working car, all for $7000.00

Ah well. The car has settled in. It is a pretty A4 with the V6 and 6 speed manual.

[seeker]

Ended up getting this Citizen. Atomic time-keeping and no battery replacement. Giving the remainder of my alloted funds to charity.

[Boomerang~Junkie]

Very nice watch (and charitable of you).

[Punkavenger]

http://www.shiels.com.au/citizen-eco-drive-bm640107e-watch-30006079.html

Citizen black face eco drive ... no need for batteries, keeps perfect time, waterproof. Easy to read at night. (bought a nice leather band to replace the black canvas one) Love it!