ubiquitous Posted February 7, 2007 Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 Sinn 756 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wheaton26 Posted February 7, 2007 Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 i'm looking at this seiko samuri for one of my buddies. looks like you can pick one up for around $250.00. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HauteHippie Posted February 7, 2007 Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 Just came into some disposable cash. What would you get for 1K. I'm looking for some new ideas so no Speedmaster automatics please Fortis, for me, is boring and proper. So, definitely an Oris. If you don't like titanium, then get a TT1 Divers in stainless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goochenbrau Posted February 7, 2007 Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 I got this for like $350, if I remember correctly. Its not too bad for the price... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thealphabeta Posted February 7, 2007 Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 I couldnt agree more, this is one of my favourites!! I just love hands like that and the whole thing is sophisticated and well engineered! Sinn 756 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazz Posted February 7, 2007 Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 TT1 divers are great value Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crystalcranium Posted February 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 TT1 divers are great value Oh man, what a photo! If I just had $2000 to spend, I'd get one in each color. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris5264 Posted February 7, 2007 Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 I just passed up the one on the right for 550 (usd). I needed some time to think and after thinking about it, it was gone.... btw,,,did you ever check these aquamatics out? A giant tank of a watch, I picked one up for about 600 with a bracelet. http://www.network54.com/Forum/246582/mess...tch+-+Aquamatic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetsons Posted February 8, 2007 Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 Not too bad. http://forums.timezone.com/index.php?t=tre...05312&rid=0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stang Posted February 8, 2007 Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 Watchdude, I agree 100% on the Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon series. I read the Ball website overview of these watches and they're simply amazing. 300M water res, 12,000 A/m antimagnetic, 7,500 x g shock resistant, operable down to -40oC, tritium GTLS tubes. Those things are the M1A1 Abrams of the watch world! The chrono w/ ETA Val7750 can be had for ~$2000. A lot of cheddar to be sure ... but worth it IMO. This is the only watch I would pay thousands for. Good call. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stang Posted February 8, 2007 Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 Ooops, my bad. Reference was to the Engineer Master 2, not the Hydrocarbon. Still, I concur on the Ball watches. (sorry all, I can't edit my previous post). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangerman Posted February 8, 2007 Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 (edited) If you like dive watches check out the Marathon G-SAR (Automatic) or T-SAR (Quartz). http://www.broadarrow.net/sale.htm Very tough diving tool watch . Gets rave reviews on dive watch forums. The auto is around $700 and the quartz around $450. Plenty of high end professional users go for them. For example the auto is used by some Canadian and US Gov customers. NASA search and rescue use the quartz. As a bonus this will still leave enough for a nice rep as well. Edited February 8, 2007 by dangerman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frontin Posted February 8, 2007 Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 Hamilton X-Wind Auto Chrono---$650 http://www.hamiltonwatch.com/index_flash.html Zodiac Oceanaire Diver---$450 http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/2889753/0~2376...2373966&P=5 Budget Pick; Diesel Metal Chrono---$195 http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/2930795/0~2376...2373966&P=1 Zodiac Super Sea Dragon---$275 http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/2907319/0~2376...2373966&P=4 Chase-Durer Abyss 1000---$899 on shopnbc.com http://www.chase-durer.com/watches/abyss1000dia2.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazz Posted February 8, 2007 Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 Oh man, what a photo! If I just had $2000 to spend, I'd get one in each color You should be able to get them for under a grand, I bought the blue one from a AD a few years ago for $950AUD (on bracelet but I also ordered the strap) and the black one I picked up in a trade on the board. Very solid watches at 44mm, I love em! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crystalcranium Posted February 8, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 You should be able to get them for under a grand, I bought the blue one from a AD a few years ago for $950AUD (on bracelet but I also ordered the strap) and the black one I picked up in a trade on the board. Very solid watches at 44mm, I love em! Some important updates. My wife doesnt hate the Oris TT1 Date in blue. That's quite an endorsement from her! My preference, of course, would be the regulator Oris diver because of the bullet proof certification etc... but it is an odd looking watch and a little over the budget (but this wouldn't be a typical decision from me without pushing the limits a bit!). I love the 1000M diver but it only comes on titanium and I don't want a 44mm watch that weighs 75 grams. So if it's going to be an Oris diver, it looks like the 300M SS Blue dial/bezel diver. Also under serious consideration is the Ball engineer Diver II. Does anyone have any information on the modern history of the Ball watch company? I know the ancient history of Webb Ball and the railroad watches but this company looks like a Swiss buyout of the name with no real lineage to the Ball Watch Company from 1890, like Hamilton watches have no real association to the Hamilton watch company from Lancaster, PA. The Fortis and Sinn watches are a little too austere and functional. Still open to suggestions!!!!! For those of you suggesting watches <$1000, I really want to spend all of this money in one shot!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephane Posted February 8, 2007 Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 Hi All, Just in case...I posted a topic for a Baume et Mercier 8685 GMT in the VIP Trade area... Cheers Stephane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stang Posted February 9, 2007 Report Share Posted February 9, 2007 Crystalcranium, I'm unsure of the current history of Ball watches myself. I read somewhere that they are a Swiss company but the corporate history (via website www.ballwatch.com) indicates american origins. The movements seem to be Swiss ETA or slight modifications of the base ETA movt., so, probably very reliable. I did read somewhere that the expression "Get on the ball" was a reference to the accuracy of these watches ... a way of telling the conductors to get an accurate watch & be on time. Kind of cool having a common expression attributed to a watch. My fascination w/ Ball stems from their exception engineering of the watch housing. I participate in a lot of X-game style activites (motocross, skiing, rollerblading, jetskiing, skydiving, kyacking) so a durable watch is my primary concern. Buying "ready-to-go" ETA movements seems like a way to devote most R&D efforts into the case itself. Plus, I've owned a tritium watch before (Chase-Durer, before switch to Superluminova) and I really miss the tritium. You have to own a T3 watch to appreciate its appeal. Glows non-stop for 20-25 years. I wish there were more tritium + chronograph options besides the Luminox & Traser ones. : ( Question: Anyone know the durability of Quartz vrs Mechanical movements for "explorer" type conditions? Which movement is tougher, more resistant to natural phenemenon (cold, heat, magnets, shocks, water, etc). I've heard differing views on the subject. The Fortis, H X-wind & Oris seem to be excellent & nice looking watches but just don't have the "Guess what my watch can do/take" conversational value of the Balls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stang Posted February 9, 2007 Report Share Posted February 9, 2007 I apologize for the lower-case American in my previous post. Definitely not intentional and deserving of an immediate correction. Therefore .... AMERICAN !!!! F-N-A Brother!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Posted February 9, 2007 Report Share Posted February 9, 2007 I just passed up the one on the right for 550 (usd). I needed some time to think and after thinking about it, it was gone.... btw,,,did you ever check these aquamatics out? A giant tank of a watch, I picked one up for about 600 with a bracelet. http://www.network54.com/Forum/246582/mess...tch+-+Aquamatic Where did you see that deal! /Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Posted February 9, 2007 Report Share Posted February 9, 2007 (edited) If you like dive watches check out the Marathon G-SAR (Automatic) or T-SAR (Quartz). http://www.broadarrow.net/sale.htm Very tough diving tool watch . Gets rave reviews on dive watch forums. The auto is around $700 and the quartz around $450. Plenty of high end professional users go for them. For example the auto is used by some Canadian and US Gov customers. NASA search and rescue use the quartz. As a bonus this will still leave enough for a nice rep as well. Always found the military stuff like Marathon overpriced because all the wannabes drive up the price too much. Do just as well with a rep and spend a little extra to get a good water seal on it. Oris gets my vote. /Tim Edited February 9, 2007 by Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pugwash Posted February 9, 2007 Report Share Posted February 9, 2007 I did read somewhere that the expression "Get on the ball" was a reference to the accuracy of these watches ... a way of telling the conductors to get an accurate watch & be on time. Kind of cool having a common expression attributed to a watch. "On the ball" pre-dates wristwatches as a phrase. What you heard is called advertising. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tag Posted February 9, 2007 Report Share Posted February 9, 2007 My choice : Seiko Marine Master 300M (a bit off your budget tough) Oris TT1 Divers Titan Chronograph Oris TT1 Meistertaucher Regulateur Omega Aqua Terra (quartz) Omega SMP Black (quartz) Tag Heuer Aquaracer (quartz) Tudor Prince Date Chrono How about : Blancpain Fifty Fathoms (vintage) Breitling SOS Eterna Kontiki Mido Ocean Star Commander (70's style; about $500) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NRG Posted February 9, 2007 Report Share Posted February 9, 2007 I'd recommend a look at Damasko watches. http://www.damasko.de/eng/index.html A bit more than your budget, however, extremely well made and engineered, check out the 'prospect' and 'technology' links... I have the DA36 that would just fit your budget: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crystalcranium Posted February 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2007 Crystalcranium, I'm unsure of the current history of Ball watches myself. I read somewhere that they are a Swiss company but the corporate history (via website www.ballwatch.com) indicates american origins. The movements seem to be Swiss ETA or slight modifications of the base ETA movt., so, probably very reliable. I did read somewhere that the expression "Get on the ball" was a reference to the accuracy of these watches ... a way of telling the conductors to get an accurate watch & be on time. Kind of cool having a common expression attributed to a watch. My fascination w/ Ball stems from their exception engineering of the watch housing. I participate in a lot of X-game style activites (motocross, skiing, rollerblading, jetskiing, skydiving, kyacking) so a durable watch is my primary concern. Buying "ready-to-go" ETA movements seems like a way to devote most R&D efforts into the case itself. Plus, I've owned a tritium watch before (Chase-Durer, before switch to Superluminova) and I really miss the tritium. You have to own a T3 watch to appreciate its appeal. Glows non-stop for 20-25 years. I wish there were more tritium + chronograph options besides the Luminox & Traser ones. : ( Question: Anyone know the durability of Quartz vrs Mechanical movements for "explorer" type conditions? Which movement is tougher, more resistant to natural phenemenon (cold, heat, magnets, shocks, water, etc). I've heard differing views on the subject. The Fortis, H X-wind & Oris seem to be excellent & nice looking watches but just don't have the "Guess what my watch can do/take" conversational value of the Balls. Yes the origins are American....19th century America and the Ball watch company was bought by Hamilton USA I believe so the original Webb C Ball company that made railroad standard pocket watches is long gone as an independent organization. The modern watches are very nice but I don't especially care for the idea that this is a new company that bought the trademark rights for an old name. Super luminova has an inexhaustable life span with no loss of its' ability to absorb and emit light. I would think any electric watch would suffer from extreme temperature problems. The Speedmaster manual Moonwatch survived numerous torture tests of extreme temps and conditions. Just an update on the watch. My wife has upped the ante saying she'll chip in for my birthday so now the target price is around $1800. Looks like an Oris Artilier Chronograph is in the crosshairs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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