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the cheapest high-end watch...


hackR

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Whoever OK'd the layout really let this article down. It shows the "surprise winner" at the very top of the page, and no one even bothered to take a picture of the specific color/strap combo described in the last paragraph.

Otherwise, an entertaining read based on a very loose definition of "high-end"!

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I wouldn't say that a Seiko 5 is a "high end" watch. So, in my humble opinion, it cannot be the "cheapest high end watch". If I'd have to make a choice, I would grant this award to Pequignet Manufacture Rue Royale :

w1p7nk.jpg

25iyu50.jpg

This watch was presented for the first time in Basel 2012, where I discovered it. Beautiful, and great finishing. The public price is around 4500 € for this one made in stainless steel (other versions in gold are more expensive).

Pequignet is a French brand, not so famous yet, and now real manufacture since they presented this watch with a new movement fully developped in house (and including several complications). I never saw any rep of this brand yet, but could we say that this new model deserves it ?

Anyway, if we don't speak anymore about "high end watches", but generaly about "cheapest high quality watch", I will immediately say : Seiko 5. It's an icredible quality for the price.

Paul

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I wouldn't say that a Seiko 5 is a "high end" watch. So, in my humble opinion, it cannot be the "cheapest high end watch". If I'd have to make a choice, I would grant this award to Pequignet Manufacture Rue Royale :

w1p7nk.jpg

25iyu50.jpg

Paul

I'm liking that very much :) never seen or heard of that before.

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I'm liking that very much :) never seen or heard of that before.

I'm not surprised that you don't know this brand, as it is not so famous. Or should I say "not yet" ?

Many people consider that high end watches ("haute horlogerie") only comes from Swizerland (and probably, they think that Lange & Söhne is a Swiss brand). The Swiss watches industry has a powerfull communication, and for sure they will not speak about a French brand. In the past, there was a strong watch industry in France also (in the area near the Swiss border), but it almost completely disapeared during the 70s because of quartz crisis. But we still have schools to teach very good watchmakers. And many Swiss brands work with French subcontractors (mainly for after sales service).

Famous old French brands like Bréguet or Cartier are Swiss now. Péquignet is a very old French manufacture. They had difficulties in the past, and went up and down. But they are on a growing trend now. During Basel 2010 they introduced their new movement, with a full in house development. During Basel 2011, they introduced the new range of watches using this movement (pictures above show one of these models). They are beautiful, and very elegant thanks to their size which is not so large (diameter 42 mm). And it is quite flat, despite complications, because these complication were fully integrated since the very beginning of the development process of the movement. Power reserve : 72h. Classical and such a touch of class ! (see the collection on www.pequignet.com)

Just one other pic :

ibzaeg.jpg

High end quality watches can come from other countries than Switzerland. With Péquignet they can come from France, and as said by Watt44 they can also come from Japan. Credor and Grand Seiko, brands from Seiko group, can compete with the most beautiful Swiss watches.

Paul

Edited by Bardamu
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I just bought two Seik 5's on the bay to start my online watch repair course.

http://www.clockmaker.com.au/diy_seiko_7s26/

I discovered that course earlier tonight and I too am buying a watch tomorrow. Looking at the military 5. I did some reading around the net and I'm pretty impressed with the 7S26 movement. Sounds like a winner to me. But I do understand why many would dismiss it.

Good luck with you project.

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I'm not sure where he is with the course - it doesn't yet cover the re assembly of the watch

Yes, I saw that the reassembly of the movement is missing. Maybe that's the last chapter of the lesson : "do it by yourself !" :frusty:

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I think a lot of you are taking that article a little too seriously. It's a sarcastic piece. The author had a bit of fun and his last jab was picking an affordable good quality watch that is high end in all but snob-name-brand factor.

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Cheapest High end watch?

Pretty sure you will find that amongst the Longines range.

Seiko do make good watches and have done so for many years but the are more the volkswagon of the watch fraternity.

Ken

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except that lack the marque of high end watches R.

Their top of the line stuff make be as good as any watch but that doesn't make them high end any more than a volkswagon can be compared with a porsche, even though they are owned by the same company.

Ken

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