Poor man's watch thread

[blake11]

Does anyone have know of a cheaper watch that resembles the IWC Pilot Chrono? Black face with stainless steel band. Something around $350 if possible. Thanks!

http://www.iwc.com/en/collection/pilots/IW3777/

 

[Cant kill da Rooster]

Steinhart.

http://www.steinhartwatches.de/en/Nav-B-Chrono-44-stainless-steel-bracelet,165.html

It will be challenging to find a chronograph for that price let alone a pilot. Maybe a quartz?

 

[blake11]

Thanks. Any other suggestions? I own the Marine 38. Had it for 3 years and highly recommend Steinhart. Looks 10x better in person.

http://www.steinhartwatches.de/en/MARINE-38,583.html

 

[blake11]

Any opinion on Parnis? I assume they low tier given the price, but have no idea. Switch out for a stainless steel strap and might look pretty close

http://www.parniswatch.net/index.php?gOo=goods_details.dwt&goodsid=526&productname=

 

[Journeyman]

@BostonHedonist @TheWraith @Wes Bourne

If you're into that early 70's aesthetic, maybe go for something from the early 70's?

Mimo, I think that the Heuer GMT Automatic is actually a re-edition from about 10 years back, rather than the original from the 1970s. Still a nice watch, but not "vintage" if that's what someone wants.

Is there anything special about the Glasshutte watches made in East Germany in the post WW2 era? I thought they were more or less mass produced...

My novice impression is that Glashutte Original watches are highly regarded and mainly use precise in-house movements. Many consider GO manufacture finer even than Rolex (which doesn't say much in the realm of high horology). Glashutte, Germany is a watchmaking region and also home to Nomos Glashutte, which some say is one of the first larger manufacturers to have a truly unique take on horology in some time.

No it's not Swiss. For purists that might be a problem. But for this thread, one should be so lucky to see the word "Glashutte" scrawled on one's dial.

Yes, Glashutte is home to quite a few watch manufacturers and nowadays, GO is very highly regarded, as are Glashutte watchmakers such as A. Lange & Sohne and Nomos.

However, prior to re-integration between East and West Germany, Glashutte was (not unexpectedly) a government owned business called Glashütter Uhrenbetriebe (or GUB) which made decent, but not fantastic watches.

So a Glashutte from the 1970s is definitely not the same as a Glashutte from today.

 

[Stebbin]

Any opinion on Parnis? I assume they low tier given the price, but have no idea. Switch out for a stainless steel strap and might look pretty close

http://www.parniswatch.net/index.php?gOo=goods_details.dwt&goodsid=526&productname=

I owned a couple from 2012 when the AUD-USD exchange rate was more favourable. They're not bad watches although there may be some issues with the quality control on the Seagull clone movements. Mine gave out after about a year of wear and I've moved onto other automatic watches.

You may need to replace the straps and service the movement but they do represent a reasonable price:quality ratio.

 

[mimo]

Mimo, I think that the Heuer GMT Automatic is actually a re-edition from about 10 years back, rather than the original from the 1970s. Still a nice watch, but not "vintage" if that's what someone wants.

Glashutte from the 1970s is definitely not the same as a Glashutte from today.

That Heuer was listed as a 1970 model, but I don't know; I'm sure you're right. Either way, it's a sub $1k watch with a bit of style and personality, and pretty respectable I think.

The GUB watches are certainly not premium items like the products of the post-communist era companies: Glashuette Original, Tutima, Muehle, Union, and of course Lange. But they do seem like good value to me: at the end of the day, the same people were making them in 1986 as 1996, to a degree, and the movements were well-proven over decades, just like the solid ETA numbers over the border. I think they look like excellent value: there are plenty around in good running order after forty or more years, which isn't something you can say about original Sea Gulls or Russian equivalents, for example- watches that were made in vast numbers, but are hard to find now in a state suitable for regular use. And then there's the whole retro-commie thing, the 70s designs. Given the price, I am tempted to take a punt on one. I rather like the one I posted. I'm also seriously thinking of getting a Submariner lookalike (ETA powered), made shortly after the fall of the Walll, early 90s. It's $400. What is there to lose?

 

[TradThrifter]

Given the price, I am tempted to take a punt on one. I rather like the one I posted. I'm also seriously thinking of getting a Submariner lookalike (ETA powered), made shortly after the fall of the Walll, early 90s. It's $400. What is there to lose?

Looks really cool from what I can find. Not sure what the depth rating is, but it does appear to have a screw-down crown.

 

[poena]

here are 2 of mine

SKX007

SARG011

 

[unrooted]

POENA, what strap is on the SARG011?

 

[Mead]

That tag is current model?

 

[Mead]

Here are some I've been looking at. Seems like there are not that many great GMT watches out there to begin with. Even fewer entry-level automatic GMTs. Some of these get above "poor man's watch" territory at MSRP, but I think you can find or haggle most below $1k. But here's what I've got so far (apart from the Orient Star). I'm not crazy about all of them, but it's nice to look at all of them in one place.

Zixen Zulu



Glycine Airman Base 22 GMT


Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon GMT


Raymond Weil Nabucco GMT


Longines Admiral GMT



Thoughts? OK Wraith, your turn.

I think the Glycine looks great, thats probably close to 2K

 

[Journeyman]

That tag is current model?

Which TAG?

If you mean the Heuer GMT twin-time posted by Mimo a couple of pages back, no, it's not.

It was a "heritage" model that TAG Heuer put out about 10-12 years back.

 

[Renalan]

Been alternating between this and my baller watch as of late. Really like the face and the domed/curved crystal.

 

[Journeyman]

^Nice! Is that the Seiko SARB065 "Cocktail Time"?