Automatic watch?

DJG097

DJG097

Joined
Apr 19, 2009
Messages
2,468
So im in the market for a new watch. I have a luminox, a couple fossils, nixon's, citizens, and a few others. But batteries are pretty expensive now. I was wondering what good automatic watches are out their. I have about $200 +/- to spend.
Thanks
 
Have any other specifications? Size? Weight? Movement? Dial color?

Im sure many people would recommend a Seiko skx007 or 009. Both are great, sturdy watches. Id you want a little more heft, maybe check out the Seiko Monster.
 
I have a Seiko auto which is hefty and fits well. Orange dial, rubber strap, divers watch. Got it for what you mention $. Seiko's probably your best deal.
Personal favorites are two Stowa's, one diver, one dress watch. Bit more $ but great smooth movement.
You might also look at Wenger or Victorinox or Laco, but it's been a while since I shopped.
 
How about a Solar powered Citizen Eco-drive? Both use a recharable battery, but you don't have to wear the eco-drive to charge it just leave it a lit room or by the window.
 
michaelm466 said:
How about a Solar powered Citizen Eco-drive? Both use a recharable battery, but you don't have to wear the eco-drive to charge it just leave it a lit room or by the window.
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Big +1, i have several citizen eco drives amd they have been great. My fist one a sky-hawk is going on 5 years old and still runs great, best part no batteries. Otherwise you cant go wrong with seiko, their seiko 5 series fits in your budget and come in many styles.
 
I'd recommend a Russian watch. You probably wouldn't expect the Russians to come out with good watches, but they have a pretty impressive record for horology. Lately, I've only been focusing only on Russian mechanicals. The good ones are very robust, reliable, and cost a fraction of what a comparable Swiss mechanical would. Much of their watch industry has been going under lately, but there are still watches coming out of there. The big automatic movement to note is Vostok's 31 jewel 2416. They've been made for decades, and have a proven track record. That movement is as nice of an automatic one as you're going to find for the price, IMO. There's a neat video about Vostok's Amphibia (which features the movement) kicking around somewhere on Youtube, explaining some of the features. The famous Amphibia is kind of like the mechanical equivalent of a G-shock. It has some interesting design choices for strength without cost. For an example, the crystal is acrylic, so under water pressure it flexes, making a tighter seal against the case and forcing the water pressure to fight against itself. Neat little tricks like this make it an automatic watch 200 meter water resistance and excellent reliability that only costs $50 (it's gone up a little from that recently, but still remarkable). It is a small watch that doesn't feel as luxurious as more modern ones, though, so you could go with any of the other watches available with the 2416 movement. They even have an updated Amfibia that has a bracelet with solid end links and mineral glass.
 
Seiko 5 Sports are hard to beat. Look for ones made in Japan rather than just a Japanese movement. There is a company in Malaysia that air ships to the U.S. and you will have your watch in two days. Really amazing service and first class watches.
 
I would go for the Orient Mako or Seiko Monster or SKX007 line as others have mentioned. If you have any specific wants (color, size, strap vs bracelet) that might help to narrow it down.
 
jackthedog said:
I would go for the Orient Mako or Seiko Monster or SKX007 line as others have mentioned. If you have any specific wants (color, size, strap vs bracelet) that might help to narrow it down.
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The color or size dont really matter to me and i'd prefer a bracelet over a strap.
 
DJG097 said:
The color or size dont really matter to me and i'd prefer a bracelet over a strap.
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Here's a picture of the Orient Mako XL, I moved it onto a brown leather strap. I think the Orients present a great value.

img0580jd.jpg
 
Do you wear it all day, every day? If not I would stay away from an automatic. I dropped almost 9 grand on a Rolex Submariner just before christmas and it is a pain in my ass. I work on an oil rig and I get dirty all day long, so I don't wear it to work. Usually by the time I get home the watch has already stopped and you have to go through the whole routine of getting it going again and setting the time and date all over.......every day. Biggest waste of a lot of money I have ever made, I will never buy another automatic watch again.
 
Tsujigiri said:
I'd recommend a Russian watch. You probably wouldn't expect the Russians to come out with good watches, but they have a pretty impressive record for horology. Lately, I've only been focusing only on Russian mechanicals. The good ones are very robust, reliable, and cost a fraction of what a comparable Swiss mechanical would. Much of their watch industry has been going under lately, but there are still watches coming out of there. The big automatic movement to note is Vostok's 31 jewel 2416. They've been made for decades, and have a proven track record. That movement is as nice of an automatic one as you're going to find for the price, IMO. There's a neat video about Vostok's Amphibia (which features the movement) kicking around somewhere on Youtube, explaining some of the features. The famous Amphibia is kind of like the mechanical equivalent of a G-shock. It has some interesting design choices for strength without cost. For an example, the crystal is acrylic, so under water pressure it flexes, making a tighter seal against the case and forcing the water pressure to fight against itself. Neat little tricks like this make it an automatic watch 200 meter water resistance and excellent reliability that only costs $50 (it's gone up a little from that recently, but still remarkable). It is a small watch that doesn't feel as luxurious as more modern ones, though, so you could go with any of the other watches available with the 2416 movement. They even have an updated Amfibia that has a bracelet with solid end links and mineral glass.
Click to expand...
I recently got one of those Russian Amphibian watches. I really like the look of it. I concur that the price was also really fair.
 
I have a lot of mechanical watches, almost all automatic now. I also have a few quartz watches for special occasions but I greatly prefer wearing mechanical watches. I think the Seiko automatics are the best deal. The 5's are very inexpensive. Their watches such as the SKX007 are very good and not all that much higher than the 5's. Just like knives you have to know the right place to buy them so you don't pay twice as much as you should.

I have an eco-drive too but I've discovered that they have their own problems similar to problems that Seiko has with their kinetics. These can be very expensive to keep running. I think despite the cost of batteries normal quartz watches are still the cheapest to wear. I got tired of paying $5 per battery at the local drug store so I found where I can buy the batteries online for more like $1 each including shipping and I change them myself.

DSC_6318b.jpg
 
Tsujigiri said:
I'd recommend a Russian watch. You probably wouldn't expect the Russians to come out with good watches, but they have a pretty impressive record for horology. Lately, I've only been focusing only on Russian mechanicals. The good ones are very robust, reliable, and cost a fraction of what a comparable Swiss mechanical would. Much of their watch industry has been going under lately, but there are still watches coming out of there. The big automatic movement to note is Vostok's 31 jewel 2416. They've been made for decades, and have a proven track record. That movement is as nice of an automatic one as you're going to find for the price, IMO. There's a neat video about Vostok's Amphibia (which features the movement) kicking around somewhere on Youtube, explaining some of the features. The famous Amphibia is kind of like the mechanical equivalent of a G-shock. It has some interesting design choices for strength without cost. For an example, the crystal is acrylic, so under water pressure it flexes, making a tighter seal against the case and forcing the water pressure to fight against itself. Neat little tricks like this make it an automatic watch 200 meter water resistance and excellent reliability that only costs $50 (it's gone up a little from that recently, but still remarkable). It is a small watch that doesn't feel as luxurious as more modern ones, though, so you could go with any of the other watches available with the 2416 movement. They even have an updated Amfibia that has a bracelet with solid end links and mineral glass.
Click to expand...
This. I am wearing a Vostok Amphibia right now, and it's a great watch. Cost me about $70 shipped direct from Moscow a few weeks ago.
 
Nothing but good things to say about my Orient ' Ray Raven '.

Looks great and is amazingly accurate.

I find it takes about 2 days or so to completely power down.

I keen to try some other autos like the Seiko monster or 007 models or some other Orient designs.
 
The Citizens Eco-Drive works well ,and you have a big choice . However they don't use a battery. Earlier solar watches used a battery but now the Citizens use a capacitor and it's supposed to last about 10 years.
There have been great advances in the use of capacitors to store electric power in many applications, and there will be more in the future !!
 
Seiko is my watch of choice. Been wearing a Kenetic for years. Never runs down and keeps great time
 
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