Oh oh, I've got a new addiction. First it was knives, then pistols, then nicer knives, and now mechanical watches. I've always been a Timex kind of guy. Buy a watch, wear it til it quits working, and toss it in the trash. The gadget guy in me suddenly became infatuated with the concept of a quality piece of intricate machinery instead of two dollars worth of circutry. Neat gizmo versus utilitarian quartz really isn't much of a contest on the coolness scale. Thus said I started looking around lately for a quality but entry level mechanical that I could wear without worrying too much about bashing my wrist into things by accident. Clumsy oaf and expensive watches don't match up too well.
Long story short is that I went with the suggestion of several of you and bought a O&W Ranger from West Coast Time. I can't say enough nice things about this watch. It is far nicer than the pictures led me to expect. It has a nice heavy feel that suggests quality construction. I've been wearing it for the last two days now and so far it has been within 1 second of atomic clock whenever I've checked. The watch is quite comfortable, despite the weight. It has now replaced both my Timex as my everyday watch AND my Swiss Army Officers which was my suit and tie watch. The Timex will probably still ride in the sqaud car with me, but I think the Ranger will probably go everywhere else. Anyone looking for a quality watch at a very reasonable price could do far worse than giving Howard at West Coast Time a call. Great customer service too.
Only problem is now I'm hooked. Now I don't know if I'll be happy till I have that Omega Seamaster I was looking at. I've got better than 2 dozen quality production knives laying around my place. I've got several Sigs and a nicely customized Colt Commander. That one Seamaster will put me back further than all of them combined. And its like Lays chips, you can't have just one. There's also the Bell and Ross, and that Breitling....
ARGH!
Long story short is that I went with the suggestion of several of you and bought a O&W Ranger from West Coast Time. I can't say enough nice things about this watch. It is far nicer than the pictures led me to expect. It has a nice heavy feel that suggests quality construction. I've been wearing it for the last two days now and so far it has been within 1 second of atomic clock whenever I've checked. The watch is quite comfortable, despite the weight. It has now replaced both my Timex as my everyday watch AND my Swiss Army Officers which was my suit and tie watch. The Timex will probably still ride in the sqaud car with me, but I think the Ranger will probably go everywhere else. Anyone looking for a quality watch at a very reasonable price could do far worse than giving Howard at West Coast Time a call. Great customer service too.
Only problem is now I'm hooked. Now I don't know if I'll be happy till I have that Omega Seamaster I was looking at. I've got better than 2 dozen quality production knives laying around my place. I've got several Sigs and a nicely customized Colt Commander. That one Seamaster will put me back further than all of them combined. And its like Lays chips, you can't have just one. There's also the Bell and Ross, and that Breitling....
ARGH!
? Plus police love to buy and trade stuff. I picked up a Strider SMF from another officer for $100. He just didn't like it. Too big and clunky he said. I said thanks, and yes it is big and clunky, heres some money. I just picked up a Sig 229 DAO with night sights that was a sample gun Sig sent to our department before the evaluation trials last year. This was obviously not one of the trial guns because there is no wear on the rails, If this thing has a thousand rounds through it I'd be suprised. After 2 months (according to the paperwork from the Firearms Unit) they sent it back to Sig, who sent it to a dealer, who sold it to me. Less than 400 after the dealing was done. Perhaps it would have been more accurate to say that the Seamaster will set me back as much as either my drawer full of sharp and pointy toys, or my pistols, but not both. 
In either case, it is an expensive addiction.