Only "one watch"/only "two watch"

[LtDave]

Correct. It's a mechanical with a higher frequency than quartz and a 55hour power reserve.

They also have hi-beat watches with 80 hour reserves (double barrel/mainsprings), but don't currently offer that movement in a tool/dive watch setup.

You can get a Grand Seiko diver in Spring Drive, Mechanical or Quartz. This is my fancy GS watch, a quartz limited edition:



The second pic is a different GS, can’t delete it for some reason.

[TOTS]

One watch- Stainless case solar quartz on bracelet that you can replace with a leather band as needed. Should be midline between sporty and dressy.

Two watches- pair above with an automatic version of the same build philosophy. Can move more to the dressy or sporty side as desired.

Im offering a philosophy rather than any specific brands.

[DMCutter]

One watch- Stainless case solar quartz on bracelet that you can replace with a leather band as needed. Should be midline between sporty and dressy.

Two watches- pair above with an automatic version of the same build philosophy. Can move more to the dressy or sporty side as desired.

Im offering a philosophy rather than any specific brands.

Yeah, yeah. "Do as I say, not as I do" much? You must have mistaken the P in PF for practical 🤣

[TOTS]

Yeah, yeah. "Do as I say, not as I do" much? You must have mistaken the P in PF for practical 🤣

Man, I tried??



I have bracelets and straps for both. I haven’t found myself in enough higher-dress situations to warrant more than a stainless diver.

[DMCutter]

Man, I tried??



I have bracelets and straps for both. I haven’t found myself in enough higher-dress situations to warrant more than a stainless diver.

But you aren't going to pass on that custom IWC, are you?

[TOTS]

But you aren't going to pass on that custom IWC, are you?

It’s looking like a > 12 month wait for them to build it. And they have raised the price by $1K. Things get worse, I’ll just find a used MKXVIII for not too much more.

[GJM]

I was watching a review of a new Breitling aviation watch tonight. It is a very accurate quartz powered by a battery. To the extent you use many of the functions, battery life might only be a year. The reviewer made the comment there is no excuse for a $5,000 watch from a company like Breitling to not have solar so you aren't constantly replacing the battery. I have Vaer and Bertucci quartz watches that keep perfect time, are solar and cost right at $300. At least Marathon makes it easy to replace the battery in the field.

[vcdgrips]

Continued random musings:

Quartz snobbery is a real thing in the watch world. Many collectors are out of hand dismissive beyond a Casio and/or an activity specific type device by Samsung/Apple/Garmin.

The accuracy differences between a run of the mill quartz watch at +10/-20 a month, is markedly better than the vast majority of automatics whose variation is similar per day. Those automatics can cost several multiples more. BUT - the fit/finish on cases, faces, indices and bracelets is often markedly superior to quartz watches.

Next comment/ edge of my lane, happy to be corrected if wrong: one thing that stops Solar watches from being the default Quartz watch v conventional quartz ones is that the need to collect light really limits what you can do with a dial face relative to texture and/or color variation. Additionally, I suspect that perfectly serviceable quartz movements from Seiko/Citizen/Ronda/ETA and others are cheaper than comparable solar movements.


There was a day thru the early 2000s when brands like Omega and Breitling and even Christopher Ward (when there first started out) had nearly identical offerings in quartz and automatic. The difference in price was typically 2x. However, overall fit and finish was identical.

Today, Tissot, some Bulovas, Casio Oceanus, and a smattering of Citizens/Seikos feel as good in the hand as literally dozens of automatic/mechanic watches in the sub 1K space.

Most do not, particularly if they are sold with an OEM bracelet v a strap. Indeed, the ONE thing, IMHO, that stops Grand Seiko from being superlative in every way relative to a Rolex is their pedestrian, mediocre bracelets. It is a horological sin that at 5K, A Spring Drive Grand Seiko is sold with a bracelet that is not micro adjustable on the wrist when upstart brands are doing on watches that retail for 1/5 to 1/10 of the price.

[camsdaddy]

Continued random musings:

Quartz snobbery is a real thing in the watch world. Many collectors are out of hand dismissive beyond a Casio and/or an activity specific type device by Samsung/Apple/Garmin.

The accuracy differences between a run of the mill quartz watch at +10/-20 a month, is markedly better than the vast majority of automatics whose variation is similar per day. Those automatics can cost several multiples more. BUT - the fit/finish on cases, faces, indices and bracelets is often markedly superior to quartz watches.

Next comment/ edge of my lane, happy to be corrected if wrong: one thing that stops Solar watches from being the default Quartz watch v conventional quartz ones is that the need to collect light really limits what you can do with a dial face relative to texture and/or color variation. Additionally, I suspect that perfectly serviceable quartz movements from Seiko/Citizen/Ronda/ETA and others are cheaper than comparable solar movements.


There was a day thru the early 2000s when brands like Omega and Breitling and even Christopher Ward (when there first started out) had nearly identical offerings in quartz and automatic. The difference in price was typically 2x. However, overall fit and finish was identical.

Today, Tissot, some Bulovas, Casio Oceanus, and a smattering of Citizens/Seikos feel as good in the hand as literally dozens of automatic/mechanic watches in the sub 1K space.

Most do not, particularly if they are sold with an OEM bracelet v a strap. Indeed, the ONE thing, IMHO, that stops Grand Seiko from being superlative in every way relative to a Rolex is their pedestrian, mediocre bracelets. It is a horological sin that at 5K, A Spring Drive Grand Seiko is sold with a bracelet that is not micro adjustable on the wrist when upstart brands are doing on watches that retail for 1/5 to 1/10 of the price.

I hate to sound like a dumb poor but here I go. Other than we like nice things or a sense of pride in ownership is there anything a higher end watch does that a cheaper one will not? I see this sort of like a (timex) Glock 19 vs (rolex etc)a full custom 1911. The timex keeps time, is reliable, is easy to replace and functional and the same can be said for a basic Glock. The nicer watches have more detailed movements and must be serviced and recalibrated and such which can be said of custom handguns. No one will ever look at my wrist and think man that guy has a nice watch but I will be on time.

Of course that said I guess if I only cared what time it was I would simply look at my phone.

[vcdgrips]

Random Responses CD. I am in all caps to differentiate. I am not yelling.


I hate to sound like a dumb poor but here I go.
[YOU DO NOT AT ALL. Most folks could cover all of their watch needs in two watches. Jacket and tie folks 3 max.]

Other than we like nice things or a sense of pride in ownership is there anything a higher end watch does that a cheaper one will not?
[THERE ARE POINTS OF DIMISHING RETURN. THOSE POINTS ARE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 30 AND 3000 DEPENDING ON THE MISSION. IT IS A CONTINUM, NOT A OR B]


I see this sort of like a (timex) Glock 19 vs (rolex etc)a full custom 1911.
[AGAIN, I WOULD SUBMIT IT IS A CONTINUM, NOT A OR B. MOREOVER, A GLOCK IS A FAR NICER FIREARM THAN A TIMEX IS A WATCH.]

The timex keeps time, is reliable, is easy to replace and functional and the same can be said for a basic Glock.
[TIMEX, IMHO IS WIDELY OVERPRICED AND OVERRATED AT ALL BUT THE MOST BASIC OF THEIR DIGITAL OFFERINGS. THEIR NON SAPPHIRE CHRYTALS ON 200 ISH WATCHES ARE HIGHLY PRONE TO SCRATCHING V A VAER FOR THE SAME OR LESS MONEY. CASIO EATS THEIR LUNCH IN THE DIGITAL REALM.]

The nicer watches have more detailed movements and must be serviced and recalibrated and such which can be said of custom handguns.
[SOME TRUTH TO THIS IN THE AUTOMATIC WORLD. USUALLY NO MORE THAN A BATTERY CHANGE IN THE QUARTZ WORLD.]

No one will ever look at my wrist and think man that guy has a nice watch but I will be on time.


Of course that said I guess if I only cared what time it was I would simply look at my phone.
[PHONES ARE NOT OPTIMUM WATCHES JUST AS THEY ARE NOT OPTIMUM FLASHLIGHTS]

BOTTOM LINE-Give me you use case and a budget and I suspect a solid watch can be had.