Thinking of buying my first good watch...pro's and cons?

[Computerpro3]

I'm about to turn eighteen years old. I have a good amount of money in savings and I have plenty of toys. However, one thing I do not have is a watch - good or bad. I had a Fossil but it got stolen last year. Until recently I didn't find myself really needing one, but lately I find myself glancing at my wrist only to be irritated I have no idea what time it is. Further, I have begun going to events which require dressing up a lot more often - be it for business, classical concerts, prom's, etc. When I'm in a suit I feel rather incomplete without a watch.

My parents recently asked if I had any idea what I wanted for my birthday. I just said "take me to the NY headfi meet". They said that while that's a good start, they wanted to get me something that would have great sentimental value and that I would keep with me for a long time.

So today just to see how it would go over I threw out the possibility of having them pitch in for a nice watch for me. They thought it was a great idea because they could get it engraved and a good watch can concievably last a lifetime. But the only problem is that I would feel very, very uncomfortable asking for them to pay for a significant part of the watch. I'm assuming I'd end up paying aobut $800 for a watch around $1000.

Obviously this is a major decision. Business has been going well lately, and a situation where I got scammed for $625 looks like it's going to be resolved. Assuming that money actually gets back into my hands I should end up with about $1500-2000 "play money" - money that is not put aside for savings, college, car repairs, etc.

Do you think it's responsible to drop $800 on a watch in my situation? I'm undecided.

Pro's:

Only have to buy a good watch once - might as well do it while I have low expenses
Parents engraving would be a nice keepsake
Will compliment formal and everyday attire
I will know what time it is!
Certainly more practical than the Wadia I was going to buy

Cons:

That's my Wadia fund
A $100 watch can tell time too
Spending $800 I could save
It would be incredible owning such a timepiece, but I might feel awkward sometimes

Sigh. What would you do? And what watch would you buy? I'm thinking of either a used Breitling SuperOcean or a used Omega Seamaster.

 

[ricksome]

Nice situation to be in!!! I lose and break items like watches, pens, rings, etc. I always go for the cheap stuff because of my track record. Good luck with whatever you purchase.

 

[ghopper]

i think 800 dollars is wayyy overkill, especially for your age.

 

[Nospam]

Very nice quartz watches can be had for $500 or less. In your situation, I don't see a reason to spend any more than that.

Of course, it's your money...

 

[kramer5150]

Heres what I do...
I buy 2-3 JUNK watches from walmart $5-$10 each. Japanese movement that (I'm willing to bet) is made in the same fabrication/assembly house as casio, timex, armatron (etc) ~$19 watches. They keep surprisingly good time.

Those are my daily beaters... the ones my kids barf all over and piss on (literally). Scape/scratch them on the swimming pool and stuff and I dont care. Toss em' when the battery dies.

I also have 3 G-shocks that I use mountan biking. I've beat the SNOT outta those things over and over again and they keep on ticking. I would have a difficult time not recommending a G-shock to a budget conscious watch shopper.

Here on the left coast, we have to re-set our clocks twice a year anyways, so... as long as it keeps accurate time for 6 months its good enough.

My main watch is a titanium Citizen eco-drive. I see watches like headphones, 1-2 good ones and some cheapies to beat on daily.

See if you can live with that. If after a month or 2 you still feel the urge to upgrade.... go for it.

 

[Sovkiller]

Get a good Pulsar or a Seiko, for less than a $100.00, and keep the money to be invested in major things later on, with 18 years old, beleive me, this watch will be a waste, at that age I literally waste a few of them...not good ones of course...

 

[Vertigo-1]

I would recommend against it. I also think that the large majority of watches that cost $800+ would clearly not look right on an 18 year old, case design and bracelet wise. It WILL look awkward on you, as you already suspect. Also ask yourself if you'd honestly feel comfortable running around with $1000 worth on your wrist and crashing that into doors and other people. Not to put you off buying a nice watch though, as it's understandable for anybody with some disposable income to want a "nice" watch. At your age, I would look more for a sports watch, and you can find some very nice ones easily for <$300, particularly among Seiko's lineup.

 

[J-Pak]

I'm 23 on a decent career path and I have been using a $70 Casio Seamaster for 4 years. The temperature thing still works

I was given a very expensive Rado for my high school graduation that I have come close to losing twice. Both times nearly gave me a heart attack. Once when I was moving out of my first year housing, I could not find it when I was in my new apartment (it was luckily in one of the boxes). Another time after one of our annual black tie balls. I had a little to drink and the next morning the watch was no longer on my wrist

Instead it had made its way into my tux's inside pocket.

I pretty much leave that thing in my parent's bank deposit box now.

 

[TopShelf]

Is that watch goin help you get laid? lol at 18 thats what you should be thinking,

800 bucks at 18, I would buy a nice jacket, or a cheap watch, put a few hundred in the bank and use the rest to hang out and have fun with

 

[Computerpro3]

thanks guys, some very good advice. Still not decided but learning towards a less expensive one at the moment.

I must say though, if it was headphone equipment we're talking about 95% of you would be say "full steam ahead"!

I really could pick up a nice used TAG for around $300-400 out of pocket if my parents chipped in $200. I mean, a Breitling can't be TWICE as good.

A sporty TAG would look a lot better on someone my age too I suspect.

 

[jbloudg20]

I wear a discontinued Citizen that was given to me for out anniversary present, but I know cost about $200 at the time. Personally, I can't imagine wearing anything more than that. I say buy a nice, but not terribly expensive watch that is on sale or discontinued.

 

[majid]

Head-Fi - if your wallet has made it so far, prepare for the coup de grâce...

If you want a watch that you will still be wearing in 10-20 years' time, it would have to be a mechanical watch with a sober, classic design, and any worth keeping, even a basic Omega Speedmaster would cost you more in the $2000 range. Keep in mind servicing (once every 2-3 years) is not cheap, usually in the $200-300 range.

I don't know if you use fountain pens. A good Montblanc or Pelikan can be engraved and would fit within your budget. I still have the Waterman Edson I bought straight out of college.

 

[majid]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Computerpro3 I really could pick up a nice used TAG for around $300-400 out of pocket if my parents chipped in $200. I mean, a Breitling can't be TWICE as good.

Breitling is all marketing. They just buy commodity movements and slap them in a case, without any specific tuning or customizations. So no, they would not be better than Tag-Heuer.

 

[Computerpro3]

Wow, I did not know this. It appears you know your stuff. What would you suggest both in the $500-800 range and the $800-1200 range (used is fine)?

When buying used, I assume you reccomend avoiding ebay like the plague?

edit: As for style, I'm not into flashy stuff. The styles I like are along the lines of Tag Aquaracer Automatic Chrono, Breitling Avenger Seawolf (little too big though), Omega Seamaster, etc. It needs to be something I can wear with a suit and in nice casual outfits.

 

[majid]

About 10 years ago I bought an Omega Speedmaster chrono for about $1000 in France. It's essentially an automatic version of the manual chronograph Neil Armstrong wore to the Moon. Apparently it now sells for over $2500 in the US. In 1999, I saw an IWC Fliegerchronograph for $1200 at Zurich airport, when it costs $3200 in the US today.

I know there's been inflation and the dollar has fallen against European currencies, but most likely the bulk of the difference is in price-gouging by US importers. You can try eBay or a gray-market importer like Ashford.com, but there is an element of risk involved. You might want to wait until you have the opportunity to travel to Europe or the Far East to get one. Some of the best prices in the world are in places like Dubai in the Middle East.

Zenith and Oris used to be good value, but the word is out and they have been jacking their prices up. If you're going to make that kind of purchase, you should probably start by researching the brands on places like www.timezone.com to see which brand's heritage and approach correspond most to yours. It doesn't make sense to buy an expensive (and maintenance prone) mechanical watch unless you are a fan of mechanical movements and how they work.

Heuer, Longines and Baume & Mercier have OK reputations, but I would start with an Omega. Omega is not strictly speaking a manufacture (a watchmaker that makes all its own movements), but they are part of the same group that produces the movements used in most other Swiss watches, and they have developed their own movements like the coaxial escapement used in some of their high-end DeVilles. They're not just a marketing campaign wrapped around commodity movements like Breitling or Panerai. My Speedmaster kept near perfect time without servicing for 7 years before I upgraded to an IWC and gave it to my father.

I don't know how much a used Rolex goes for nowadays. Obviousy, you should only get one from a reputable source, some Chinese counterfeits are remarkably close. Rolexes is not just marketing either, even if it is the brand watch aficionados love to hate. Rolexes are very reliable, built like tanks and hold their value very well. If one day you find yourself stranded in the middle of Outer Mongolia, you'll probably be able to pawn one and get back home...