Any watch guys have advice for the possibility of an everyday vintage watch?

[JulianHayes]

I don't know a whole lot about watches, but I know I need to step it up. I have been wearing a casio for ages. I own a 1950's Hamilton square gold case, manual, but it too fragile (and formal) for an everyday watch. I'd like to get a new watch in the 150-200 dollar range, or more if justified, and am curious if it is possible to everyday wear a manual watch. Or if there are any modern watches that have a simple look; I like the hamilton and have always liked the thinner old victorinox watches with the red faces and some simple bulovas, but don't know what is good. I do sweat more than usual, and prefer a manual watch, and yeah I know that makes it really hard, but if anyone has suggestions or a place to get started looking at watches, any info is greatly appreciated. Thanks so much, julian

 

[fast14riot]

Personally, for every day wear, and one you don't really cringe if you scratch, check out Skagen. Moderate prices, very slim design movements, analog and clean simple styles. I have one I beat to hell and back every day for almost 3 years now. Its Titanium so it just looks better with wear and tear. I hate the wall clock size watch craze going now, I do not wear pants baggy enough to get that big of a watch and my hand into my pockets, lol! Vintage, I've been eye balling the 70's Swiss Enicar watches. Awesome styling and reasonable prices.


-Xander

 

[Lenny]

Check out the Seiko 5 series of automatic watches.
They come in tons of different looks.
Some are really inexpensive, maybe below $100.
Or, a slight step up to the Seiko divers.
They might run $150-$200.
The divers are a real bargain; great legibility, tough as heck, and timeless styling.
The good selections are usually only sold in Japan.
If you PM me, I can give you a few good sites to shop from.
Or, just go to that famous auction site and search for "Seiko Diver"
Lenny

 

[paltak]

Check out Steinhart pilot watches, great bang for the buck at around $500, and you could get dependable ETA manual movement.

 

[Piso Mojado]

I'd like to get a new watch in the 150-200 dollar range, or more if justified, and am curious if it is possible to everyday wear a manual watch.

No problem. Manual (hand-winding) narrows it down quite a bit, but you still have some choices in your price range.

Vostok Komandirskie (field) watches are hand-winding only. They cost $50–$55 including shipping from Russia. Not as cheap as it sounds because you will replace the Russian watch band, but at least it's a standard size (18mm). 30 M water resistance which means splash resistant only, hand washing but not dish washing. Acrylic crystal, scratches can be buffed out. The case is brass, either polished or chrome plated.

Vostok Amphibian (diver) watches are automatics (self-winding) which can be hand-wound. They cost $80–$90 including shipping from Russia. Count on buying your own strap or bracelet. There are three case styles: two have 18mm lugs, and the squarish "ministry" case has 22mm lugs. 200 M water resistance, you could actually wear one scuba diving. Acrylic crystal, stainless steel case.

Citizen watches with Miyota 8200 series movements are automatics which can be hand-wound. Citizen Eagle 7 were similar to Seiko 5, 1950–style dress watches with 30 M or 50 M water resistance. Their folded-link bracelets are better than Russian bracelets, but what isn't?

Go to the big auction site's wristwatches and run a search for Citizen automatic, new with tags and without tags: then sort the results by price. New old stock sells for $60–$90.

Citizen NY0040 and NY2300 are entry-level diver watches with 200 M water resistance, wearable rubber straps, and hand-winding. NY0040 is out of production, NY2300 is still available in Asia for $110–$120 (or less if you do well at an auction).

My Citizen NY2300-09LB

Seiko 5 Sports are automatic watches, some of which can be hand-wound and "hacked" (the second hand can be set). They have 100 M water resistance (good for swimming but not diving) and good quality bracelets and straps. Some of them seem to be intended for Asian markets only, and you may have to buy from a Singapore dealer to get a good price or the model you want. For one with hand-winding and hacking, expect to pay $130–$150 shipped.

 

[pwerfel]

seiko orange or black monster
SKX779

Best watch for the buck hands down

Under 200

 

[cchu518]

Zodiac astrographic

 

[Sufler]

Tissot Le Locle. This is from Tissot's classic line. The Le Locle model is available with a leather strap or metal bracelet and with different dial indices. You'd have to increase your budget a bit or go pre-owned.

Post over at PMWF.com (Poor Man's Watch Forum) to get more info on various other brands.

Here's a pic off the net.

 

[cchu518]

Do you like funky watches? I used to hoard vintage ones. Lmao.

One of my favorites was the Omega TV. I still have a Constellation version in gold that looks incredibly gaudy but goes awesome with tuxes. The SS ones are much more laid back, are autos, thin and Omega for about $300 on the bay

Rados are similar in price as well as are Hamilton Khaki Field autos which probably have the most readable watch face. I've currently been wearing an SKX007 by Seiko on a daily basis. Monsters are great but they aren't small. The SKX007 with a jubilee band is very comfortable.

Rado also makes one in the price range that you are looking at.

Tissot is a great brand and an easy no brainer buy as well.


I also had one of these.

 

[JulianHayes]

Thanks for all the great responses and pics! I think by posting this thread I just got myself into a lot of trouble... I will be doing a whole lot of research now. Need to consider how important a manual watch is, each watch has its own balance of practicality, value, durability, overall quality, the look.... just like knives. Thanks for great info everybody, now I'll see if I become as into watches as I am into knives..:thumbup:

 

[Luis G.]

I own the newer version of the Le Locle on steel bracelet. It has a guilloche pattern on the dial versus the plainer 1st version Le Locle.
Excellent watch for the money as most Tissot's are.
Can be found for under $400 new from grey dealers, and close to $300 used.

 

[bonzodog]

I got my son a 1950 omega seamaster for his 40th birthday couple of years back.Keeps great time ,it’s a daily user.

 

[Harayasu]

Does it really need to be vintage or just have a vintage look? There are affordable mechanical watches. Timex, Seiko, Tissot and Citizen are some of the brands that make good quality affordable mechanical watches. The Seiko 5 series for example is a great series of affordable automatics. For me they're accurate enough and they don't require much maintenance. My Seiko 5 hasn't been serviced since I bought it, about 10 years ago, and it still runs fine.

 

[Piso Mojado]

Does it really need to be vintage or just have a vintage look? There are affordable mechanical watches. Timex, Seiko, Tissot and Citizen are some of the brands that make good quality affordable mechanical watches.

The way I read it, he wants a vintage-looking mechanical hand-winder, something he could wear as a beater, top price $200. Hand-winding really narrows it down, but he has a few choices.

 

[MajorLonghorn]

I put a big ass scratch on my Tag Heuer Monaco that I'm going to attempt to buff out with some Polywatch. It's the only automatic watch I own that doesn't have a sapphire crystal, and while I like it very much, I sometimes wish I had bought a newer version with sapphire.

 

[Charlie Mike]

How about a Tudor Prince?

 

[Harayasu]

There are quiet a bit old European, mostly Swiss, brands who made manual wind watches. Some of those brands don't exist anymore, but their watches are still around. I've got an old manual wind Pontiac with classic looks (silver/white dial, no date), which has been serviced last year and still runs great. I paid a little over 100 USD for it.

 

[leghog]

I wear vintage watches everyday unless deployed and still own a couple of dozen in my collection. Best advice I can give you is caveat emptor. Over the last couple of decades, vintage watches became so collectable there are many frankenwatches out there not worth anywhere near what unsuspecting buyers are paying for them. If you don't know the watch well, know the seller. Secondly, due to collectability, $150-$200 limits the field greatly. I know I quit adding to the collect once prices climbed stupidly high. Amazes me how much people will pay for a vintage, or even, new watch these days. Bought more now for some symbol of perceived status than anything else. Same with watches so large as they don't properly fit on the wrist. Subtlety is lost. Most buyers of monstrously large watches aren't even aware the watches contain a plastic spacer because the case is much larger than required for the movement --- pure fashion statement --- fashion over functionality.

You may be better served looking for a new or used Seiko with a 7S26 automatic movement. And you can find many in your price range. NEVER pay full retail for a watch. You'll find everything from dress, to mil style, to dive in Seikos with the 7S26 movement. Don't worry whether the watch is made in Japan or Malaysia. Quality is consistent. The movement is tough and reliable. Nearly bombproof.

 

[leghog]

I got my son a 1950 omega seamaster for his 40th birthday couple of years back.Keeps great time ,it’s a daily user.

Vintage Omegas from the '40s and '50s are what I most often wear daily. Plenty robust. Here are a few of my Seamasters. The second one is special as it was gifted from Mom to Dad in 1956 when they lived in Madrid. It's the one "repaint" I own. The top two are bumper/hammer wind automatics --- top has a c.342 and other has a c.354 chronometer. The last is a handwind c.285 from Omega's 30mm family of movements, probably the best and most robust movements Omega ever made (back when they actually made their own movements -- sadly those days are LONG gone).

 

[kimsalls]

The way I read it, he wants a vintage-looking mechanical hand-winder, something he could wear as a beater, top price $200. Hand-winding really narrows it down, but he has a few choices.

As Piso Mojado said a hand-wound watch limits your choices. Buying an Automatic would be easier. With mechanical watches you should factor in a cleaning every 5-7 years. I have a local watchmaker who is reasonable $50-100 per watch for complete dis-assembly, cleaning, and adjusting. He is a great guy, so I view maintainance as a plus to Vintage watches.

I came to knives after watches. Yes, getting into watches is a slippery slope. There are some great, robust watches out there for $75-200 dollars.