looking to buy a watch budget is 3k

[atila]

Originally Posted by dasai

I know a lot of people in here prefer mechanical watches with lots of dials and such, but here's the watch I use:
http://citizen.jp/stiletto/lineup/spec/665191.html

Simple (only one dial), solar (never needs a new battery), and super-sleek (only a few millimeters thick). It's only $350 or so (less than that when I bought it), but then you could spend the rest of your money on a bespoke suit or something.

fyi citizen eco drives have a battery inside them and they typically need to be changed every 8 years or so. they cost about $60-90 depending who you get it from. the older the watch gets the more susceptible the eco drive is to dying without enough light exposure.

 

[TheWraith]

Originally Posted by benjamin831

The best watch you can buy for $3k is the Omega Speedmaster. Period. Unless you're open to pre-owned watches, then you would have a lot more options.

+1 or the Seamaster. Good watches for the price IMO.

 

[Tuesday]

Ignore the Rolex guys. They do weird stuff like foam at the mouth and swear up and down that a chunky dive watch is a dress watch if it has a crown on the dial.

I'm guessing you want a nice, versatile watch that you can wear for years, confident that people who recognize it will appreciate that you're not wearing some digital plastic wart on your wrist. You have $3K to spend. Not $5K, not $1K today and $8K next week. Since it's one watch to rule them all, it should be able to work with jeans as well as a suit.

Finally, I gather that you're not a watch collector and don't intend to be any time soon.

I agree with the others here who have suggested you go with one of the IWC pilots watches or the Omega Aqua Terra. You can find either one used, they're fairly subtle, and they have enough brand cache that you can easily unload them for close to what you paid (provided you bought it used or at a good discount). I'd love to be able to recommend a UN 1846 Marine Chronometer, but I would be very leery of one that wasn't under warranty.

 

[83glt]

+1 Don't bother spending all that dough on a new watch. That's what everyone else is doing. Be an individual for ****'s sake. Get a good working condition vintage watch from a reputable maker (my personal favorite is CYMA, and not the new Chinese version) from the 50's or 60's for $100, look way more ******* badass than all the poseurs, and go get a suit or go on vacation with the rest of the money. Cyma made killer movements back in the day, and it's a brand that totally flies under the radar. Back in the 50's Cymas would sell in the $350 range new. By comparison a Rolex cost around $450. These are excellent watches.

Originally Posted by dasai

I know a lot of people in here prefer mechanical watches with lots of dials and such, but here's the watch I use: http://citizen.jp/stiletto/lineup/spec/665191.html Simple (only one dial), solar (never needs a new battery), and super-sleek (only a few millimeters thick). It's only $350 or so (less than that when I bought it), but then you could spend the rest of your money on a bespoke suit or something.

 

[Tuesday]

Originally Posted by 83glt

+1

Don't bother spending all that dough on a new watch. That's what everyone else is doing. Be an individual for ****'s sake. Get a good working condition vintage watch from a reputable maker (my personal favorite is CYMA, and not the new Chinese version) from the 50's or 60's for $100, look way more ******* badass than all the poseurs, and go get a suit or go on vacation with the rest of the money.

Cyma made killer movements back in the day, and it's a brand that totally flies under the radar. Back in the 50's Cymas would sell in the $350 range new. By comparison a Rolex cost around $450. These are excellent watches.

Don't do what everyone else is doing, do what I'm doing!

I do agree that older Cymas can be nice, but there are a lot of pieces of junk out there that will cost more to refurbish than they're worth. They are also often very small. That doesn't bother me much, but it's an issue for some.

Why tell the guy not to buy a good watch? He wants a decent watch. There are far worse things, like heroin and syphilitic hookers.

 

[Chillax]

An everyday first watch? Buy a decent looking Fossil and invest the other $2900 in something like depressed real estate. Seriously.

 

[Belligero]

Originally Posted by Chillax

An everyday first watch? Buy a decent looking Fossil and invest the other $2900 in something like depressed real estate. Seriously.

Fossil? Come on man, let's not be too crazy here.

 

[Frihed89]

For newer watches, I'd look at older companies that have been bought up by Giants, like Swatch, and are making a comeback, such as Longines, or some of the classic Longines models. I'd also look around at German manufacturers, who are generally cheaper than the Swiss and perhaps a bit on the clunky side, but very well made. Such a company is Sinn.

You can get a really nicely made, good looking and well-functioning watch for under $3,000 US. Otherwise the next step is another digit up.

Diving watches are not for everyone.

 

[Belligero]

Worth reading:

Velociphile's watch buying guide

KronosClub care guidelines

 

[83glt]

Originally Posted by Tuesday

Don't do what everyone else is doing, do what I'm doing!
+ 1000 Cymas are excellent watches. I never told him to buy a *************. If he can't identify a good watch from a bad watch then that's his problem. I don't understand why someone would spend $3000 on a sparkly new watch. My personal preference is for a watch with a patina, marks, nicks, a history. Like an obscure fine wine, not the latest infused vodka.

 

[mrbig]

I'm going to go out on a limb here:

Omega Planet Ocean (My next purchase)
no Speedmaster Professional (there's no date, and there's no automatic - UNLESS you get the Co-Axial version)
Pre-Owned Rolex Datejust
IWC
Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso


If you need something classic, and dressy - Datejust, Planet Ocean, pre-owned Rolex Submariner or a JLC Reverso will serve you forever.

 

[ArliHawk`]

Another option would be a Grand Carrerra from Tag Heuer. not much popularity on here, but a 2892 chronomoter grade movement.

 

[jbresler]

You can find a very nice second hand Breguet Type XX for ~$3000, maybe slightly more. You have the movement (Lemania), the history (google it if you don't know) and the versatility. Plus, if you care about that kind of thing, you have the panache that very few marques, especially the more mainstream brands, lack.

 

[negusnegas]

+1 on Breguet...followed closely by IWC Pilots (3717)...

 

[Gus]

I highly recommend used as long as you have a reliable source. Go to this site http://www.pduggan.com/

Paul Duggan is a well established no BS firm. I bought my wife's Cartier from them. You will see many nice used Rolex and Omegas for your budget (as well as some other premium watches). Omega Speedster for $1,500, nice SS rolexes for $2K, etc. If you have the time, sign up for their emails and then be ready to jump as soon you see the right one.