Are Baume and Mercier good watches at $1200?

acidboy said:

I wouldn't buy b&m... they're ****.

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That's an awfully bold statement without any sort of reasoning to follow it. Do you care to elaborate? I'm very curious to hear the opposition as it's very unusual to hear that B&M watches aren't worth the price. 90% of watch connaisseurs (or anyone that knows anything about timepieces) would agree with me when I say that it's a great starter watch.

For the record, I have a Baume et Mercier Capeland S in my collection.

You get a hell of a lot for the value and it's one of the best starter watches out there. First of all, B&M is owned by the Ritchmond Group which also owns Mont Blanc, Cartier, etc. It's not a cheap watch nor does it have a cheap name/reputation.

Larger 41.5mm Face
Automatic ETA / Valjoux movement-For the record, the same movement they put in B&Ms they also put in Breitlings.
Saphire Crystal
Screw down signed crown
The signed deployant strap and bracelet I own are well made and have held up to abuse.

Yeah but are they any better at a $1100 than a $500 Jazzmaster? Or an $800 Longines Conquest?

I don't think they are **** and vintage ones are quite nice, but I don't think the new ones are interesting. Also, my guess is that he is being offered a quartz at that price.

Cant kill da Rooster said:

Yeah but are they any better at a $1100 than a $500 Jazzmaster? Or an $800 Longines Conquest?
I don't think they are **** and vintage ones are quite nice, but I don't think the new ones are interesting. Also, my guess is that he is being offered a quartz at that price.

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Yup! So the general census is HELL NO!! lol.. got it! Thanks guys.. Ill think Ill go to ebay and see if I can spot some vintage omega's from top rated sellers... hopefully can find a diamond in the ruff..

I would encourage you to use TimeZone or Watchnet over Ebay for a few reasons.

1. Less likely to get ripped off (still use caution when buying online).
2. Pricing is better on TZ.
3. TZ sellers are more responsive and give a better indication of condition.

save yourself $900, get this http://www.ebay.com/itm/SEIKO-SARB0...istwatches&hash=item27c8891def#ht_3171wt_1163 wear it for two years and then sell it for double what you paid for it.

Cant kill da Rooster said:

Yeah but are they any better at a $1100 than a $500 Jazzmaster? Or an $800 Longines Conquest?
I don't think they are **** and vintage ones are quite nice, but I don't think the new ones are interesting. Also, my guess is that he is being offered a quartz at that price.

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There are subtleties that make them different. Hamiltons are great watches for the price. I have an older Hamilton Dress watch and it's simple, but built like a tank. I think Hamiltons are great starter watches, but they aren't known for being a high end watch. In my opinion, Baume et Mercier has a better reputation for being a higher end mid level watch. Just person opinion though of course.

chocsosa said:

Yup! So the general census is HELL NO!! lol.. got it! Thanks guys.. Ill think Ill go to ebay and see if I can spot some vintage omega's from top rated sellers... hopefully can find a diamond in the ruff..

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I own an Omega Seamaster, Baume et Mercier Capeland, Mont Blanc Sport, Mont Blanc Star, a Hamilton 17 jewel and a few other sub $500 watches. The Capeland is made extremely well and I'd recommend it to anyone. I paid $700 for mine for the record. I would have spent $1000 on it if I could do it again.

edmorel said:

save yourself $900, get this http://www.ebay.com/itm/SEIKO-SARB0...istwatches&hash=item27c8891def#ht_3171wt_1163 wear it for two years and then sell it for double what you paid for it.

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A Japanese movement watch is not in the same category as Swiss Made watches. Sure, they're making great quality watches in Japan now, but with high end watches, you pay a premium for the brand history.

Cant kill da Rooster said:

I would encourage you to use TimeZone or Watchnet over Ebay for a few reasons.
1. Less likely to get ripped off (still use caution when buying online).
2. Pricing is better on TZ.
3. TZ sellers are more responsive and give a better indication of condition.

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I agree to an extent. As long as you know how to use ebay and know what to look for, you'll be fine. I've bought/sold around $30k worth of stuff on ebay this year alone and had only two issues that were immedietely rectified.



Ich_Dien said:

No they are not.

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This.
Baume & Mercier are aimed more towards design & jewelry.. which of course doesn't necessarily make them "bad"
If you like their design, go for it.. otherwise there are better choices

at the approx 1k range I'd say Stowa at the lower end, and Sinn or Nomos at the upper end as good choices



edmorel said:

save yourself $900, get this http://www.ebay.com/itm/SEIKO-SARB0...istwatches&hash=item27c8891def#ht_3171wt_1163 wear it for two years and then sell it for double what you paid for it.

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You go do that lol



randomhero88 said:

  A Japanese movement watch is not in the same category as Swiss Made watches. Sure, they're making great quality watches in Japan now, but with high end watches, you pay a premium for the brand history.
 

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If I was in a decent mood, I'd educate you on how Seiko is more of a true watch brand than 95% of what you consider Swiss, how they are more innovative and have more history with mechanical movements and how among the watch people in the know, at the high end (grand seiko), they are considered to be among top 10 probably.



edmorel said:

If I was in a decent mood, I'd educate you on how Seiko is more of a true watch brand than 95% of what you consider Swiss, how they are more innovative and have more history with mechanical movements and how among the watch people in the know, at the high end (grand seiko), they are considered to be among top 10 probably.

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I like Seikos in the lower range, Seiko 5, they have a lot of great divers...but every Grand Seiko I have seen (only in pictures mind you) have put me to sleep.

The one you posted I thought was quite interesting. I looked up some comments on it afterwards, all good. I don't understand the double your money part though.



Cant kill da Rooster said:

I like Seikos in the lower range, Seiko 5, they have a lot of great divers...but every Grand Seiko I have seen (only in pictures mind you) have put me to sleep.
The one you posted I thought was quite interesting. I looked up some comments on it afterwards, all good. I don't understand the double your money part though.

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It was a bit tongue in cheek, those (spirit) watches have been discontinued and they are currently selling for about double what they were selling for when new.

If you like the styling, at the low end Seiko is pretty much unbeatable. In terms of the high end, a lot of the spring drive stuff is butt ugly and they have some real ugly stuff up and down their line but I own this GS and I think its as beautful as any dress watch out there:



Their MarineMaster is an iconic, benchmark dive watch. They do retrogrades, disc's, column wheel chrono's (depending who you ask they were the first to do a column wheel), hi beat movements etc.


The thing about watches though is that no one is really buying them for their function. A quartz watch that we get in a kids value meal will tell more accurate time than pretty much any of the highest end watches. So we are buying a piece of jewelry which appeals to us from a brand/perception perspective. I am a Seiko fanboy because of their history, innovation etc but I don't kid myself, I know that there is also a bit of "I'm so smart and in the know wearing this grand seiko while the shlubs wear their Concord's/Baume & Mercier etc etc".



edmorel said:

The thing about watches though is that no one is really buying them for their function. A quartz watch that we get in a kids value meal will tell more accurate time than pretty much any of the highest end watches. So we are buying a piece of jewelry which appeals to us from a brand/perception perspective.

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Lots of people do buy them for function. I don't always understand paying for this even though I can appreciate matching functions while maintaining a certain asthetic. For example I get paying more for a flyback, gmt, durabiltiy, calendars and so on but not for the aesthetic of the movement itself. Still learning this.

I do appreciate your love for Seiko though.

edmorel said:

If I was in a decent mood, I'd educate you on how Seiko is more of a true watch brand than 95% of what you consider Swiss, how they are more innovative and have more history with mechanical movements and how among the watch people in the know, at the high end (grand seiko), they are considered to be among top 10 probably.

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Your post comes off awfully condescending, either by intention or not. I made sure to add a disclaimer that just because a watch is not swiss made, does not mean that it isn't of high quality.

With any high end item such as watches, pens, shoes, etc, you are going to pay a premium for history and reputation. Do Patek Philippe watches cost tens of thousands of dollars to make? Of course not, but their reputation is worth the markup. Mont Blanc is another perfect example. Their markup is something ridiculous like 90%. However, the resale market is still ridiculously high because the demand is there.

Seiko makes great watches, I will be one of the first to agree with that. However, they don't have the reputation for being a high end luxury item. They are more than worth their value and they are well made timepieces, however, I would never spend thousands of dollars on one. There is a Chinese manufacturer making Rolex replicas with extreme precision. They have several hundred dollar movements, quality built cases and bracelets and they even have their own specific serial numbers. They sell for $600-1000. In the end, they're more than worth the price as far as build quality is concerned, but does that make them worth the same price as an authentic Submariner? In my opinion, no.

Baume et Mercier isn't the best watch for the value. I agree with that. However, they have a fairly rich history, a prestigous ownership, and their watches are solidly built. They are certainly one of the best values for the money at least in my opinion(and many others).


My best advice is to look into what the retail is and what they go for used. As I said before, I paid $700 for my Capeland S. I've seen them go for as high as $1200-1400 in used condition on Ebay. That means I got my timepiece at a good price. Find something you like, something that is well made, and something that will hold its value and if you can accomplish all three of those, you're making a good investment.

What is a "starter" watch? Is this a watch that you buy, thinking I am only a low level so and so or what? Calling something a "starter" is a pretty bizarre statement. For my twelve year old daughter, does she need "starter" perfume? For my new employees, do they need "starter" ass chewings?

Can we please come up with a better, more fitting description?

Big T said:

What is a "starter" watch? Is this a watch that you buy, thinking I am only a low level so and so or what? Calling something a "starter" is a pretty bizarre statement. For my twelve year old daughter, does she need "starter" perfume? For my new employees, do they need "starter" ass chewings?
Can we please come up with a better, more fitting description?

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A starter watch in my opinion is one you buy for more than just looks and for more than just an accessory. Some may spend $100 or others may spend $5000. My idea of a "starter" watch is something that you buy as a beginning to a "collection."

If you would like a better term then you're welcome to offer one yourself. I've heard the term used in many different circles of people so I'm not the only one using it.