Looking for the perfect watch, please help!

S

SteelStickler

Joined
Mar 22, 2013
Messages
322
Hey everyone, I found an old no-name watch and wore it for a day, and now I'm really high on the idea of investing in a nice watch for every day use. I'd like to go sort of big and get a quality piece first, instead of working my way up the rungs of the dissatisfaction ladder (took me $400 of knives to bite the bullet and buy a Strider and a sprint PM2, this time I'd rather just go with something nice first).

That said, my budget is around $400, but could be stretched to 500 for the right watch.
My priorities are:

Clean, utilitarian but refined look. I love the Marathon GSAR JSAR TSAR series, but they're a little over budget.
Domed Sapphire Crystal While being domed isn't required, I really love that look. I am very keen on getting a sapphire crystal as I want to own the watch for decades and durability is a priority. The Maratac Mid Pilot showcases the look of the crystal that i'm looking for (that watch is a little too austere for my liking)
Customer Service/company integrity Ideally, the watch won't have problems; in the event that it does, however, I'd like to rest assured that I'll be treated with respect and professionalism.
Automatic movement What can I say, they are just too cool to pass on. I love the notion of not having to replace batteries or leave it in the sun or what have you.
Mostly Black/Metal w/ minor color accents I just haven't warmed up to that screaming orange look.
Keeps Good Time Seems like a no-brainer, but whatever watch I buy I'd like to be fairly accurate. I know autos have more margin for error than their quartz and atomic counterparts, but more than a minute or two a week off seems sloppy to me.
LuminescenceEither top-notch Lumin or Tritium, but I need to be able to see it at night. I carry a flashlight 24/7 so tritium isn't required so long as the lume charges well.
Ease of reading Not looking for those watches that have 55 complications on their faces; a crisp chronograph might be nice, but we can check those overcrowded faces at the door please.
Something between 41-45mm, and not standing too tall I like a solid build and stout case, however some watches are just crazy big and I'm not tryna.
Rotating Bezels, unless the aesthetic is super clean, need not apply
SS Bracelets are nice, but I'm planning on a Maratac synthetic band Thus, any costs saved by not nabbing a watch with a nice bracelet is a +.
I know thats a lot of conditions, but all suggestions are welcome and most appreciated. If you disagree with some of my preferences, tell me why you think I'm wrong and should take a second look!

Thanks so much BF
 
Get a Marathon TSAR*. I've owned 3 or 4 of them and they're great. They're not out of your budget, I've never paid more than $400 for one, and that was my first one that I bought new. The others were bought pre-owned for $300-350 ish.

There is actually one for sale on the USN right now for $300.

Lee

*In case you don't know, there are differences between the TSAR, GSAR, CSAR, and JSAR:

TSAR: 40mm case, 20mm lug, Quartz movement
JSAR: 44mm case, 22mm lug, Quartz Movement
GSAR: 40mm case, 20mm lug, Automatic movement (same as TSAR but with automatic movement instead of quartz)
CSAR: 44mm Case, 22mm lug, Automatic chronograph movement
 
You can buy 1 seiko Orange Monster and 1 Black Monster and have $$ left over....great lume. dive watch
 
ljusmc, I wish i could just pounce on that TSAR but the process for creating a profile over at USN takes time, apparently! Thanks for the heads up and I'll be trying to lock down a TSAR asap.
 
Another vote for a Monster or any 7s26 caliber watch. Amazing quality for the price, runs practically forever ( my Monster is abt 10yrs old) and no worries w/ batteries
or the like.
 
If I had these requirements, I'd look at Hamilton watches. Most are over $400, but a few models are close.
 
I would hands down, strongly recommend taking a look at the Hamilton automatics in that price range. I absolutely love the Jazzmasters, and they're unbeatable, in my opinion, for the price. Send me a PM if you need some good websites to browse for them.
 
I will second the vote for Marathon. Great watches. Here is my JSAR:

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Look into NFW watches. Specifically the Autopilot or Viperfish. They have them in black and they are super tough automatics. Above all the customer service is equivalent to that of Chris Reeve's. Easily one of the companies with the best customer service in the watch industry. Since it's pretty much a one man show when you call NFW you are basically calling the owner's cell phone number, and he's a great guy to talk to.
 
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