Watch reccomendations, up to $150

StuntDouble

StuntDouble

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Apr 26, 2004
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So I've been told to give gift suggestions to my girlfriend's parents, so I decided to go with a watch, since all of mine are pretty beat up and on their last legs. However, I am having one helluva time trying to narrow it down. The price range I have to work with is up to $150, I'm sure I could go over a couple dollars if I absolutely had to. Anyway, here are the features I'm looking for:

-Analog
-Metal case (not a deal breaker though)
-Nylon or rubber band, or at least a leather one that can easily be replaced by either.
-I'm not interested in chronographs. I just need to know what time it is where I am. Date isn't important
-I actually used the rotating bezel on a previous watch, but again, one of those features that isn't mandatory.
-Some sort of illumination, whether it is luminescent hands, or tritium
-I work in a wet environment, and tend to spend quite a bit of time at the beach, so water resistance is a must
-Accuracy. I'd rather not have to adjust every day if I can help it.

I'm not a fan of metal bands, I just never seem to get them to fit comfortably. If you think you can change my mind, well go ahead. I'm used to something the size of the plastic cased Luminox watches, in width and thickness. I have a cheap G-Shock G-2900 now, and it's about as big as I want to go thickness wise. I'm intrigued by the Seiko automatics, but I've read that you need to purchase a stand to keep them charged overnight, and have read reviews complaining that they tend to run fast. Anyone else have that issue?

Thanks for any recommendations.
 
I'm a big fan of nixon watches, they've got some real decent models in the $100-200 range. I wear a "PRivate" with a dive strap every day. I hate metal link watch bands too, quite a few of theirs are poly or canvas :)
 
Stunt Double
I have read a lot of great reviews for DEEP BLUE.
This watch is next on my Must Buy list. It falls right in your price range and fits all of your requirements.

All Purpose Diver 1K Blue Dial

ALL PURPOSE DIVER 1k Blue Dial

1000 Meters AISI 316L stainless steel divers watch with Seiko Japanese VX42 Quartz movement,Date Feature , Mineral crystal.

Superluminous filled hands and dial marking, triple o-ring crown and double o-ring case back, manual helium valve, 22/20 silicon Strap with Deep Blue logo on buckle,Etch Case back - Deep Blue Helmet

Watch width is 46.00mm, Visual size 44mm (crown and extension not measured) Length is 46mm, Rotating bezel is 40.00mm Total Height is 13.00mm Weight is 100gm , 4 ounces

$149.00

yhst-11234668104341_2178_293129370


They have Black, Blue, Orange, and Yellow face to choose from and some of the best Lume in the industry.
Now I have talked myself into making my purchase.:rolleyes::D

The Seiko automatics you mentioned are great. I have been wearing one for the last ten years with no issues whatsoever. You only need a winder stand if you are not going to wear the watch for a extended time like more than 2 days.

Good luck in your search.
trldad
 
I've found a couple that have caught my eye so far, curious what the general opinions on them are, or if there are some better alternatives.

Citizen Men's AJ0100-02E Professional Diver Black Rubber Strap Quartz Watch
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and
Seiko Men's SKX779 "Black Monster" Automatic Dive Polyurethane Strap Watch
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Seiko Men's SKX779 "Black Monster" Automatic Dive Polyurethane Strap Watch
Click to expand...
are on sale all over. Great watch, mine runs too fast and it is a pain to have to either wear it every day (bought to be a dress watch) or to shake it every day to keep up.
 
Black Monster is a AWESOME watch. Can't go wrong with one of them.

trldad
 
trldad,

Thanks for the recommendation, I just added the Deep Blue in Black to the list.

silenthunterstudios,

I like the idea of an automatic, but I worry how durable they are in the long run, especially since I tend to smack into things
 
StuntDouble said:
trldad,

Thanks for the recommendation, I just added the Deep Blue in Black to the list.

silenthunterstudios,

I like the idea of an automatic, but I worry how durable they are in the long run, especially since I tend to smack into things
Click to expand...

My Seiko black monster has been a brute of a wristwatch. I wear mine 24/7 on duty and off duty. I am a cop and have subjected this watch to countless soakings in rain, beatings against things, shocks left and right, and it keeps on trucking.

Mine keeps good time for an auto. About once a month, I have to re-set the time as it has lost a minute....two tops...when compared to the Atomic clock. The lume is good and once charged, you can read the watch all night long. Gets really dim towards the wee morning hours but still read-able nonetheless.

I love it. I may buy a second one in orange just to stash away. The metal band version is the one I have and adjustments are a bit tricky. The pins have couplers that you must retain when pulling links. It can be daunting to adjust a band to those that have less than stellar eyesight.
 
Seiko Monster on a Zulu strap. Been wearing mine daily since my friend inherited my G-Shock for the past 2 weeks.
 
Quite a lot of Gshocks can be had for that price range and they really take a beating and still keep going on...
 
Reactor. You can find them refurbished at around your price range at watchaddiction.com.

After reading so much about warranty hassles with most of the common brands (in every price range, check reviews on Amazon) I decided to get something a little different. My main complaint with watches has always been the strap breaking off. These use a solid pin, not a flimsy spring pin. They have o-rings on the crown shaft so that the watch is still water resistant with the crown unscrewed (so you don't accidentally ruin your watch in the shower), and they actually pressure test every watch to the stated rating after assembly (or after changing the 10 year battery). They use tritium and copious amounts of glow in the dark stuff on the dial (I forget what it's called, but it's expensive). These are true dive watches (in that diving to rated depth doesn't void the warranty) and mine has done very well over the last year.
 
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I recommend you check out the Orient watches in that price range. I have an Orient Mako and it is a great watch for the money.
 
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