I need a new watch!
 

So my watch that I've been wearing for like almost 30 years now seems to be on its last legs. It's an old Esquire dive watch that's been serviced a few times now. I recently got water in it (again) and instead of servicing it (again) I figured I'd maybe just get a new one. I already have a digital sports watch as well as a smart watch (pebble) so I'm really just looking to replace my Esquire dive/dress watch with another dressy(ish) watch. Doesn't have to actually be a dive watch since I don't actually dive. Suggestions anyone?

Bonus points for pics.

How much you want to spend? My new favorite is my Tag formula one automatic. I hate batteries :)

http://calibre11.wpengine.netdna-cdn...KSHOT_2013.jpg

Yes, what's your budget? It's like asking what car you should buy? A Chevy Spark and a Mercedes S class will both get you where you are going but are a bit different in price. Any watch will tell you the time. What's your goal in terms of durability and price?

OOPS! Sorry, yes those are all very good questions !

I'll start off by saying I don't really have a budget. When it comes to watch I am very particular about 3 things, in this order.

1. Fit and feel.
2. Aesthetics
3. function.

I've been wearing my tried and true Esquire for the past 28 years because it fit all three criteria perfectly. I've been shopping for a new watch for a better part of the past year but haven't found anything suitable to replace it.

I have a fairly small wrist so the watch face can't be too big. 35-40mm (max). The band has to be adjustable enough to fit just write on my dainty wrists. Not so loose that the watch can roll around or rattle too much. Not so tight that it chokes my wrist.

I don't want the watch face to be too cluttered with tonnes of lettering, numbers, etc. I'm particular about how I want my watch to look. I realize this is all very subjective.

The three functions I use most in a watch are 1. Time. 2. Date. 3. countdown bezel (via rotatable bezel).

Steve, are you a watch collector? :-)

My favourite place to shop for watches is Watch It! They have taken my money more than once my next favourite place to shop for watches is surprisingly The Bay I have found they have a very good collection of watches. Watches are to me what shoes are to women.

Police
Casio
Timex
Diesel

All 4 of those brands have what your looking for but prices start at about $130 for what your looking for

Omega Speedmaster - Dark Side of the Moon edition

I am sporting one of these, best watch I have ever found. I wanted to go back to simplicity when I got it.

http://www.citizenwatch.com/en-ca/wa...del=BM6560-54H

Steve

Not really just have a few in attempts of trying to keep up with my wife's collection. Most of mine are automatics and that tag I suggested is probably too big for you although it does have a cool timer feature. The battery option is smaller as far as I remember. Brinks sells them if you want to check them out.

The smallest and most comfortable one I have is probably the rotary due it's lack of weight and leather strap but it's not functional past telling you the time and that's even provided you wound it up before bed.
http://www.payneandson.com/images/Watches/1610_l.jpg

I also really like my Bulova but again not overly functional, rotating Bessel but no date. For me it's mostly about aesthetics than anything else. I have an esquire as well which fits all your criteria but I haven't worn it in years, it doesn't give me any fizz.
http://www.classybrand.com/watch_pho...ova/98A108.jpg

Good place for watch shopping is the watchshop.com, based in UK but ships here fast and easy. Good selection of unique styles and brands you don't see in your typical store.

That almost made my list until I saw the list price :lol: Very cool watch.

Hamilton
 

If you want to buy a Swiss-made automatic, but don't want to spend your kid's inheritance, look at a Hamilton. They are serious watches, at reasonable prices. Here's an example:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aE1gGoTC5lo

I have a Khaki Navy (not the GMT), and I love it!

I've actually been curious about the Automatics and Solar Powered watches. Both very interesting features that I never considered before. After reading watch forums (OMG I'm on watch forums now!), I read that the automatics can be more maintenance in that the oils can tend to dry out? Also there is the danger of over wearing out the auto-winder? I have absolutely no experience with them so I don't know how they are in reality.

The Citizen solar powered watches are interesting, but after reading a bit I did read some posts echoing a knee-jerk concern I would have and that is the constant charge-discharge cycling of the rechargeable battery. I know from electronics that rechargeable batteries have a life expectancy. I don't know how often or easy it is to replace the batteries in those suckers.

A friend suggested an Omega Seamaster Pro in a 36mm casing that seems like it suits my needs. Simple 3 hands, date and rotating bezel and built to last (I think). I have never put one on my wrist though so I may have to try one out to see how it feels.

I do have a Mickey Mouse watch actually :-) That battery has been dead for a number of years though. I should put a new battery in it.

Steve, you must have auto-winders for all your automatics? Aren't you concerned about prematurely wearing them out ? Or maybe you don't use auto-winders.

I've got a citizen solar powered watch and love it. The claim is 11 hours of sunlight provides enough juice for 6 months. No idea how true that is, I don't go out of my way to expose it to sunlight and never had a problem all winter. Only had it a year so I can't speak to its longevity though. My understanding is that battery replacement should be done via sending it in so they can re-waterproof the watch.

When I was researching, what swayed me to the citizen brand was primarily price point. An automatic would be nice, but out of my league at the moment. I had the same battery concerns as you, but from doing a lot of reading I got the impression that the batteries lasted quite a while. The big advantage to solar seems to be they are a little more durable than automatics (no shock sensitivity), and that not having to change the battery all the time means the waterproof seals stay intact for much longer.

I have been saving my pennies :)

Costco has a good selection of watches at various levels of quality and price. Plus if there is ever a problem or you don't like it after awhile they just give you your money back. I have a few nice watches but after my Timex Expedition of 20 years died I just don't seem to like wearing them anymore, or any type of jewelry for that matter. The only one I wear occasionally when we go out some place nice is my Mickey Mouse watch, I tell the wife it's okay because it gold with a brown strap so it looks expensive!

Nah I just wind and set when I put them on, it's a pretty simple task so I don't see the need for such a gimmick. Some will last a few days without being worn so if it's the only watch you wear you won't need to ever wind it but there are others that may not last the night. I've never had problems or preformed such said maintenance but I'm not on a watch forum so probably don't have to :wink:

I had an automatic wind divers watch in the 60's. Loved it, never overwound, wore it every day as well as diving once a week in the summer. Finally quit after about 20 yrs.
Have a seiko auto winder now for about 5 yrs runs perfect.Wear it every day, never overwound. Snorkel with it but never dove.

I could never suggest just one. Just remember even if it's an auto it still needs to be manually wound before you wear it next if it dies. If you do buy on line pay very close attention to case size. Sometimes pics can fool your eye. 40-42mm and no more than about 13-14mm thick is my comfort zone

http://www.bernardwatch.com

I have bought from Bernard. If you ask on the forums I'm sure they would be highly recommended.

Want vintage check out these guys. They are in Canada so no issues with customs $$ crossing the border.

http://www.yorktime.com

http://www.derekdier.com

Derek Dier will get mixed reviews on forums

I think we have the same Mickey Mouse watch !

In my continued research I've found that automatics are not all that expensive. An automatic Seiko 5 can be had for a couple of hundred bucks from what Iv'e seen. Also, I'm very interested in these eco-drives now. There's a massive selection, holy crap. Will have to comb through them all to see if I find one that fits my bill. Thanks for that suggestion on the Citizen, guys!

eco drive. Lithium ion battery, never needs changing
Does that mean if I buy an electric car with Li-ion batteries, they will last forever?

Ya, I am doubting the hype very much as I have quite a bit of experience with Lithium Ion batteries in a plethora of electronic accessories :-) I'm sure it's just marketing fluff.

Having said that, if the battery cell lasts say, 10 years and costs $20 to replace, that's still cheaper than what it costs me to replace my current battery every 2-3 years..

Well, I'm biased as well. My self wind that I wear everyday will last a long time without batteries.

Might I recommend one of these? It has all the features you are looking for and does a bazillion other things too, including making posts on Canreef!!!

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.n...c9cca3ced5ca3f

A little rough wear and tear on that.
Best be careful

I already have one of those but the more popular Apple version.

Oh, the one with the completely broken screen?:lol:

My screen is not broken.

yet

I am big fan of the Diesel and citizen watches but if I am not careful it would be just like SW permanent broke and I have 2 Diesel and a citizen as well as a Police and a slew of Casio and Timex watches.

I like diesel because of the huge watch face and coolness factor I like the citizen because lots of lil dials everywhere and no batteries and Police is same story as the diesel watches the Casio and Timex watches are my work watches.

I have two, one similar to the one I posted and the other a digital version (had to have one that displayed 24 hour time format when I worked for the railroad) the basic one I have had for 9 or 10 years now, still works perfect. you figure it will go 6 months in total darkness, so it doesn't get discharged really. the digital one I have had 5 years now and it still keep perfect time.

I still use my digital one for work, so I use that one 4 days in a row then my other one for my 4 days off. I do also have a 1940something Bulova that was my greatgrampa's that works great also, but only pull that one out once and a while.

Steve

there was a chart that came with mine, 2.5 hours direct sunlight, 7 hours indirect, 11 hours under florescent and something like 17 hours under an incandescent.

Steve

I'd been looking for months nothing really got my attention then seen the Momentum Deep6. I ordered with sapphire crystal and SS band, had around a month and still thinking it's a nice looking watch. It's "oversize" but there's also the M1 that's a little smaller. Canadian based company as well.

wow, thanks for that mark! Never heard of them before but after browsing the M1 series it seems the Deep 6 is what I'm looking for if I can just find it in a smaller casing.

M1 mini
http://www.momentumwatch.com/media/s..._SpecSheet.pdf

lol ya saw those, but I think the Womens M1 TWIST (39mm case) is exactly what I am looking for. It pretty much replaces my current Esquire exactly. Plus I can get it in a funky orange or green LOL. Also, there is something oddly satisfying about buying a Canadian made watch :biggrin:

ok what does case dia with crown, 42.7 mm mean?
http://www.momentumwatch.com/media/s..._SpecSheet.pdf
Colour suit you?

also 3-5 yr battery:sad:

The crown is the little hobby thingy that you use to set the time/date. So that means the entire diameter of the watch including the nobby thingy. Then they list a diameter without the crown which is more what I'm concerned about. 41mm case width (without crown) is my max width. Anything larger than that, even by 1 mm, and the watch is too uncomfortable large for my t-rex/girlie wrists.

Right, the nobby thingy
Thanks for info
Not bad for 125$