Help me pick out a watch.

[0b5cur1ty]

How about the Nomos Tangomat with white dial?

 

[alphaO888]

Originally Posted by TimelesStyle

That's true, but any IWC in that range will have an ETA base, not a true manufacture movement. Nothing wrong with them at all (mine has this), but I'd rather go for something more unique. The Port Chrono, for example, is quite nice, but looks very similar to the 7-day power reserve model which has a much more special movement.

OP: one more I was thinking about, if you don't mind a busier watch, is the JLC Compressor GMT. I think you'll like this as well.

If you're not a watch collector who cares wtf the movement is inside.

All of IWC's watches around the 5-10k range that use the ETA Valjoux 7750 movements are heavily modified by IWC.

Be warned - an example: the IWC portuguese non-in house valjoux movement (around 7k) and the in house 7-day power reserve version (around 11k+). There's a big price difference BUT the in house movement is WAY more inaccurate and known to be off by as much as +/- 20 seconds whereas the ETA movement will be off +/- 3 seconds a day at most.

In other words, in house is not always better.

 

[RSS]

Do you literally mean white face ... or is silvered (per the Jaeger LeCoultre) okay?

 

[TimelesStyle]

Originally Posted by alphaO888

If you're not a watch collector who cares wtf the movement is inside.

All of IWC's watches around the 5-10k range that use the ETA Valjoux 7750 movements are heavily modified by IWC.

Be warned - an example: the IWC portuguese non-in house valjoux movement (around 7k) and the in house 7-day power reserve version (around 11k+). There's a big price difference BUT the in house movement is WAY more inaccurate and known to be off by as much as +/- 20 seconds whereas the ETA movement will be off +/- 3 seconds a day at most.

In other words, in house is not always better.

Based on the OP's statements, I took him to be at least somewhat of a collector. And for a collector, the accuracy/reliability of the movement is not always paramount. My Rolex is a lot more reliable than my Patek, and my Patek requires more frequent service, but I consider it the finer movement by far.

The point to me is that if I am going to pay all that money for an IWC (more than the $3k I paid for mine), I'd like something unique to the brand. That being said, my current favorite movement of theirs is the one in the Vintage Ingenieur.

 

[mgz]

I luuuurve this.

 

[Metlin]

Yes, it's a great watch. Junghans in general makes some great watches that are underrated.

 

[Phrost]

Roland G. Murphy (RGM) 222

US assembled and made using vintage Hamilton pocketwatch movements. Option for brown alligator strap

Manual wind - 41 mm

945 - $3,750
921 - $4,500

 

[scurvyfreedman]

Originally Posted by TimelesStyle

That's true, but any IWC in that range will have an ETA base, not a true manufacture movement. Nothing wrong with them at all (mine has this), but I'd rather go for something more unique. The Port Chrono, for example, is quite nice, but looks very similar to the 7-day power reserve model which has a much more special movement. OP: one more I was thinking about, if you don't mind a busier watch, is the JLC Compressor GMT. I think you'll like this as well.
Except IWC doesn't use a stock ETA. It has custom parts to replace much of the movement and it also finishes the movement, unlike most that just buy the stock movement and stick it in a case that they haven't made either behind a dial that they haven't made either, except for design of the logo. IWC will have made the case and dial, plus finished and upgraded the movement. For $5000 that's about as good as you're going to get these days. My 11yo Ingenieur was $5500 list, but I got it much cheaper than that. My Mark XII titanium EF (ETA movement) was NOS and I got it for 50% off list in Italy. Surely you can find a Blancpain or JLC if you want a complete manufacturer for that price. But, nobody with an ETA is going to exceed IWC for amount of finishing at that price.

 

[impolyt_one]

Can you really find an attractive Blancpain with the OP's requirements for $5K?

 

[Viral]

Originally Posted by TimelesStyle

The only DJ on leather is either yellow gold or white, and at 36mm, it'll be way too small for the OP.

To the OP: I'm going to include silver dials, since in many lights they look white:

JLC is a fantastic choice for a dressier watch, would be a great choice
IWC Ingenieur Vintage (has a black dial, but may be able to order silver dial from the plat version, this is a killer watch)
IWC MK XVI Spitfire (I have the classic and love it)
Rolex Explorer II (I have the black and love it, only comes on bracelet though)
Omega Aqua Terra
Omega Speedmaster (don't love chronos myself but a great wathc)
Glashutte, if you can find one for your price (should be able to)

Sorry for not being clearer.....................DJ2 on leather strap. It's never been done!

 

[scurvyfreedman]

Originally Posted by impolyt_one

Can you really find an attractive Blancpain with the OP's requirements for $5K?
He didn't say it had to be new. I've been out of the watch buying game for about 5 years so I've slipped on prices. That said, usually it's easy to find 25% off list from a regular dealer and 35-40% off from grey market and that's new. Going gently used I'm sure you can find one for that range. I'm not talking complications.

 

[NORE]

Originally Posted by mgz

I luuuurve this.

 

[TimelesStyle]

Originally Posted by scurvyfreedman

Except IWC doesn't use a stock ETA. It has custom parts to replace much of the movement and it also finishes the movement, unlike most that just buy the stock movement and stick it in a case that they haven't made either behind a dial that they haven't made either, except for design of the logo. IWC will have made the case and dial, plus finished and upgraded the movement. For $5000 that's about as good as you're going to get these days. My 11yo Ingenieur was $5500 list, but I got it much cheaper than that. My Mark XII titanium EF (ETA movement) was NOS and I got it for 50% off list in Italy.

Surely you can find a Blancpain or JLC if you want a complete manufacturer for that price. But, nobody with an ETA is going to exceed IWC for amount of finishing at that price.

I'd still rather a movement unique in some way to the watchmaker besides just upgraded parts. And the MK XII used a JLC, not an ETA.

 

[TimelesStyle]

Originally Posted by Viral

Sorry for not being clearer.....................DJ2 on leather strap. It's never been done!

My gripe with this would be that there's no steel Rolex buckle designed for use with a leather strap (they haven't done one for some time at all and never one that would be large enough for the DJII) and I wouldn't want a generic buckle on there.

 

[CustomWorks]

Originally Posted by alphaO888

If you're not a watch collector who cares wtf the movement is inside.

All of IWC's watches around the 5-10k range that use the ETA Valjoux 7750 movements are heavily modified by IWC.

Be warned - an example: the IWC portuguese non-in house valjoux movement (around 7k) and the in house 7-day power reserve version (around 11k+). There's a big price difference BUT the in house movement is WAY more inaccurate and known to be off by as much as +/- 20 seconds whereas the ETA movement will be off +/- 3 seconds a day at most.

In other words, in house is not always better.

The 7 day power reserve watch should not +/- 20 seconds, that is way off, send it in, btw IWC tends to take a while fixing watches - another thing that bugs me with them, where as for example rolex, much quicker.

Anyway back on topic, anything with a 7day power reserve is a much more complex movement then say the iwc port auto, and if you leave it to the red zone (1 or 2 days left), yes it is true it may not be as accurate. However anything within the 3-7 day zone the watch tells pretty good time ( for a 7 day reserve watch ).

The IWC port Auto, is something I thought about buying a few times already, here is my problem with it

1) The leather band isn't the greatest, could be better for a watch that retails over 6k
2) Deployment Buckle would be nice from OEM
3) The movement not exactly sold on this, and this is probably the worse part of the watch for me, too many issues, to the wobble effect, to +/-, ect ect. I would hate to have to service a new watch shortly after purchasing it, espically a brand that takes forever to ship back to you.

Looks wise, it's an A+ for me, I would love the date function which this does not have, but I can live without it.