Prague Automatics?

S

synghyn

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Dec 8, 2004
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I'm not a huge watch guy, I've got or have had a few decent watches, Seikos, Citizen, etc but nothing real high end, and only one cheap mechanical and no automatics.

So I was looking around at a few different watches thinking about picking up an automatic, admittedly for gadget value mostly. Keeping in mind that I wear and use everything I own, and I don't want to spend an arm and a leg on something to scratch and beat the heck out of it, I was looking a little lower end. Intro over.....:D

What do you more experienced watch folks think of:

1) the Timex automatics, looked at a couple, but just generally qualitywise.

2)the Prague Automatics, chinese I know, but reviews, admittedly from overstock, and amazon customers seem to be decent. I hadn't seen them before, so here's a link to one I was looking at.
http://www.overstock.com/?page=proframe&prod_id=1567826#custreviews

Any thoughts are appreciated, and yeah I have been looking at other threads too, I just haven't seen any mention of either of these.

Jon
 
A few thoughts: I HATE Timex watches. Just can't get into them. Also, I just can't get into the Prague Automatics. First of all, they look like Chinese junk, and the watch you linked to is also going to be very small. For my money, I'd look at the Seiko and Seiko 5 "Military" models. You can see a good selection of them at http://www.chronograph.com. They have good prices, and a big selection. The prices there also include shipping. They're located in the orient, but are very good people to do business with. With the "Military" models you get a great movement, and about the cheapest quality auto out there. If seiko doesn't do it for you, look at the Invicta 8926. Its their Rolex sub-clone, with a miyota (sp?) movement and quality case. Its bigger than the Seiko, and not that bad as a product. You can get either for under $100, and in many places WELL under $100. Just go to the Seiko/Citizen forum and look in their "for sale" section. You'll routinely find nice, barely used, Seiko Military watches for around $50 (shipped, in many cases).
 
Heh, I appreciate a man who speaks his mind. :D

First, whats wrong with Timex generally? Seriously, not giving you a hard time, I've got an older expedition( I've had for 5 or 6 years that has truly lived up to the old takes a lickin' slogan, and looks ok for it in a beater kinda way, still a camping, yardwork kinda EDC watch, and still waterproof(two batteries, new gasket after the second battery).

Second, on the Pragues, ok you don't like the looks, but have you heard anything(or anyone else of course) good or bad about them. I mean if their crap, let me know, but if it's just aesthetics then we may disagree, what can I say?

Third,Seiko Military case diameter is 1mm bigger than the Prague(on average), which is on the small side(for both,duh, I admit I hadn't caught that) I'm used to a bigger watch than that, 40-45mm, although I've got a few smaller. I didn't see a Military "5" watch or series, and the forum seems to be down over there.
Also couldn't seem to find the Invicta 8926, to look at, discontinued maybe?
I appreciate the responce, and any further thoughts.

Jon
 
You can get Seiko 5's all day long on Ebay---for $40-$50----meaning $20-$30 plus $18 shipping.

Stick with the sellers located in Singapore(pokemonyu and premier world)---and you'll get a true Seiko automatic for not too much. Shipping in my case takes a little over a week---I'm up to 4 or 5 of these sweet little watches now.
 
Yeah, I had seen the Military watches, it was the "5" designation I wasn't sure about. I guess I maybe had seen these then and hadn't noticed the difference, was looking for the 5 attached to the Military designation or some such, not sure really, I was thinking SpyderJon had meant they were larger watches or something.

I like the relatively plain design but(and I probably should have mentioned this earlier, heh) I like a white(or biege or light grey, whatever, but light) face, and a metal band, preferably with a button release foldover clasp, but any foldover clasp is really ok, just not for god's sake an expansion band. And since I'm not used to an automatic, I guess a gauge of some kind on the face would be, um, reassuring I suppose(plus gadgety and cool looking, heh, yeah so I'm geeky that way). I also am used to about a 40-45mm case(total, including bezel, not really sure how you measure these things), usually on the 40 side of that I suppose. And while thin isn't a big deal, it isn't a bad thing either.

So big deals would be light face, 40mm(about) and metal band, well ya know and automatic and affordable.
 
omaha-beenglockin said:
You can get Seiko 5's all day long on Ebay---for $40-$50----meaning $20-$30 plus $18 shipping. Stick with the sellers located in Singapore
Click to expand...
Are those watches Japanese or Chinese made?
 
The "K" in the model designation indicates Korean manufacture. But they are still real Seiko watches----not cheap/bogus/fake Chinese made watches. Also if you look on chronograph.com there are many Korean Seiko's there too----the "J" in the model designation indicates Japanese manufacture.
 
Howdy again! I'm glad I didn't ruffle any feathers. As far as Timex, I've just never found anything about them that was "special." Maybe they're great watches, but I'd rather have a Casio, personally. I grew up with Timex watches, and they were- to a watch- pieces of crap. I applaud you, though, for getting new gaskets! Most people don't think of that with their Quartz watches.

Okay, on to the Pragues. No, I don't like the looks, but again its just that there's nothing "special" about them. No, I haven't heard anything about them, but with the sheer number of watch companies that are out there its not surprising. I'd rather stay with an established company, personally. I've always taken the Chinese label as meaning crap, but that's just me. I'm not against asian watches at all, though, just that when a watch company is offering a tarted up watch with a name that's meant to sound european (I usually assume they're trying to evoke the image of the swiss manufacturing houses with names like these), that they're heavy on "sizzle" and light on "steak." If that makes sense?

As far as the size of the Military watches, with the dial that 1mm looks a lot bigger than it sounds. Also, buy the "K" models. They use the same parts as the "J" models, and there's no indication that the "J" models are ANY better than the "K" models. Its only that the "J" models are more expensive. Oh, and for the Invicta, look under "Invicta Pro Diver" and you'll find the 8926. Its a Rolex Sub-clone, and pretty easy to find that way. I should have told you to look under "Pro Diver" before- sorry :foot: !

Okay, so if you want a light colored dial- which the military watches come in Tan and a white-ish full lume-dial versions- and possibly a charge indicator; may I suggest the Orient line of watches? Orient is partly owned (maybe majority controlled?) by Seiko, and they put out a pretty good watch. One quirk to them is that a lot of them have a quick-set button for the DAY and not the DATE. Unusual, but they're still pretty nice, and they go for a very good price usually!

I guess I just wouldn't want you to have your first experience with automatic watches be a bad one.
 
Yeah, I don't ruffle easy, I'm a service tech, I deal with customers with busted half million dollar machines everyday. Wanna see someone get obnoxious?:rolleyes:
After the advice, and the specific ok on the K mark(I was wondering about the Korean made Seikos), I ordered a Seiko 5 Military, heeh, you could say it's got a light colored dial.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=ADME:B:EOIBSAA:US:11&Item=180004000649
Shipped to my door for under $65, I'm ok with it so far, I'll let you knowq on this thread after I have it for a few.

On the Invictas, I saw a couple I liked enough, but they were pricey, and most were a little more modern tacticle than my taste runs. They got some nice ones, if the bug takes, I'll keep an eye on them.

On the Pragues, I dunno, I saw a couple I liked quite a bit. Some faily understated, some a littler more over the top. I'm a complete mechanical geek, so looking at the gears and wheels running the watch turns me on no end, and they had a couple skeltal watches, that were pretty sharp for half of what the other real see through movements were. So, I'll keep an eye on them too, but I guess I'll see what I think of a good quality safe bet does for me first.

Whats nice on this one, for one I like a nice clean watch face for normal wear(or crazy complicated, I'm odd that way) and that's a pretty clean face if I may say so, heh. And I have to use 24 hour time daily for timecard, and other work crap, so the prominent 24 hour time is a plus for me. Pretty white even for my taste though, we'll see. I might have to pop it apart(and yeah I do have an idea what that would entail, I'm just frigin nuts) and airbrush the face to darken the white a bit if need be.

Oh and after I pointed out a bunch of different watches to my wife, and then a watchmaking site, she just rolled her eyes, and said, oh cripes here we go again,hehehe. Have I mentioned I have a workshop?

Jon
 
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