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What gen would you buy for $500-1000


Ylfig

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Not to sound like a d***, but if I had $500- to $1000 to spend on a gen, I wouldn't. At that level reps are nearly always a far superior value. Aside from the warranty you get with it, a $500 watch is unlikely to be significantly better than a good rep, probably won't have better fit and finish, will likely have a similar ETA movement, and will have zero brand cachet if you care about that. It just does not compute to cheapskate like me why anyone would spend $1000 on a 44mm 6497 Powered third tier branded watch when they can spend $800 on a modded watch that is effectively identical to a $4000 Panerai, or buy a collectable Seiko dive watch when the same money gets you a highly collectable modded MBK "$5000" LV that would fool almost anyone on the wrist

Now this raises some interesting questions for me, I do not have the huge experience with reps that many of our members have but can we really say that reps are better quality than the vast range of gens available in the $500-$1,000 category? Seiko divers, citizen ecodrives, Precista, MkII, Ocean 7, etc, etc. My UPO and UPO lite are not bad for the money but are nowhere near as good as equivalent spec gens I could buy for the same money.

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With regards to Seiko, IMHO there brand message is not really clear. They are at the same time a low-cost brand and a in-house movement expensive brand.

Not to be to hard on Seiko but they need to figure out where they are on the scale. Are they Swatch or are they Rollies? Maybe this is working for them , I can

Edited by NotASolder
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Now this raises some interesting questions for me, I do not have the huge experience with reps that many of our members have but can we really say that reps are better quality than the vast range of gens available in the $500-$1,000 category? Seiko divers, citizen ecodrives, Precista, MkII, Ocean 7, etc, etc. My UPO and UPO lite are not bad for the money but are nowhere near as good as equivalent spec gens I could buy for the same money.

But if you want to make a fair comparison you need to compare it with a serviced & regulated rep. All non-serviced movements out of the box - either Swiss or Asian - will always be a gamble. However, after modding and decent oiling most high level/'super'/'ultimate' reps (with AR, sapphire crystal, Superlume, Swiss movement - or perhaps even some Asian - and handpicked by the collector for extra QC) will certainly stand the comparison to a mid range - or even better - gen watch.

Just my 2 cents...

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But if you want to make a fair comparison you need to compare it with a serviced & regulated rep. All non-serviced movements out of the box - either Swiss or Asian - will always be a gamble. However, after modding and decent oiling most high level/'super'/'ultimate' reps (with AR, sapphire crystal, Superlume, Swiss movement - or perhaps even some Asian - and handpicked by the collector for extra QC) will certainly stand the comparison to a mid range - or even better - gen watch.

Just my 2 cents...

That's exactly right--every rep I buy gets serviced and modded as well as a high quality stap. This adds $200 or so to the price but keeps them well within the OP's range. I have never seen a difference in reliability or fit and finish between a solid rep and a sub $1000 gen.

Specific case in point: I'm in the process of helping another member build a handwind PAM w/ a jimmy case, guard, etc: He's having The Zigmeister service the movement and lume. My smith is helping install an OEM crown and custom tube. I bet the total cost is well under $750, even if he does a single sided AR coat. W/ a jimmy case, good guard, single AR, The Zigmeister lume, and 1:1 funtioning crown, and serviced swiss movement, I'd love anyone tell me a gen that will be more reliable, more durable, have a more interesting design, and a "better"brand name (since I do care about cachet as long as I am spending my dough) because I'll immediately go out and buy one.

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Way too many options in that range.

Here would be my top five (all used to get under the $1000)

Oris TT1

Sinn U1 on a rubber strap

Schaumburg Aqua Diver

Meistersinger Autodate 43

Glycine Lagunare

Or you could just get a sweet modded Pam rep and a lot of great straps.

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With regards to Seiko, IMHO there brand message is not really clear. They are at the same time a low-cost brand and a in-house movement expensive brand.

Not to be to hard on Seiko but they need to figure out where they are on the scale. Are they Swatch or are they Rollies? Maybe this is working for them , I can

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When I was down in Cozumel a couple months ago, I picked up this Philip Stein Testlar watch for about a $1000. It came with 2 gator straps, yellow and black. Apparently Philip Stein is one of Oprah's favorite things. It utilizes Testlar technology which repels and neutralizes harmful electro-magnetic energy emitted by cellphones, computers and other electronic devices. While wearing it, your bodies electomagnetic field is reduced to the time before the electronic era. To get full effect of the watch, it must remain on your wrist constantly. This is hard to do for me since I have oodles of reps begging to be worn. The way this technology works is by 2 testlar chips embeded on the caseback of the watch. Over time, the saturated electromagnetic energy is absorbed by the testlar chips and will turn dark and will need replacement. I did not buy this watch because of the testlar. I bought it because I like the style and look of the watch. It is incredibly comfortable to wear. The case is like a Franck Muller Curve, by contouring around your wrist.

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Methinks the gentleman should do more research.

There are only two players in the world with manufacture movement, who build almost every part for their watches including their crystals... one is Seiko the other Rolex.

I guess you won't be buying any Tuna Can Divers ($1500+) nor Grand Seikos ($3000+) soon. LOL :)

I second pmwf.com as THE place for research into your question.

Nice point, but actually there are a few more than two... and some of them are surprizingly small operations...

However the only other manufacture other than Seiko that comes close to our friends price requirement that I can think of is NOMOS...

It is POSSIBLE that you might be able to find a NOMOS Stainless No-Date Tangente with the older 1T (not manufacture, based on Peseux 7001(ETA)) movement for a little over $1000, but the new one with the in-house Alpha movement would be more than double that...

Regards,

POTR - Old soldier

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How about this one? Swiss automatic, gen, works perfect. I'm raising cash for another toy...... :whistling:

fortis1.jpg

I purchased an early 1960's Rolex Precision Oysterdate in all stainless for under $900 off eBxx. I was in good shape and ran well. This is an often overlooked Rolex that can still be found for under $1000.

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Hey!!! It is not the watch, it is the man purse that gives him a way (and his hair, and his jeans, and his shirt, and his belt, and his finely trimmed eyebrows, and his tiffany bracelet, and the way he holds his manpurse) NOT THE WATCH!!!

LOL :lol:

Well, Jawo. So long as you don't look like this character, wearing his Teslar. :o

cronfh0.jpg

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Hey!!! It is not the watch, it is the man purse that gives him a way (and his hair, and his jeans, and his shirt, and his belt, and his finely trimmed eyebrows, and his tiffany bracelet, and the way he holds his manpurse) NOT THE WATCH!!!

LOL :lol:

I sense an underlying agenda to your CR-bashing, V.. ;)

There's NOTHING wrong with a man plucking his eyebrows a little to avoid looking like the deranged Dr. Nikolas Van Helsing in Cannonball Run.

The same could be said for designer jeans and a little bag for your toiletries. I hate the guy more than most people, but come.. let him live it while he can, most portuguese men look like three kinds of [censored] after they hit 35. :p

Being a fairly coarse man of 6'2 and 200lb I still see nothing wrong with looking man-pretty!

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