Official Misc Wristwatch Crew Part III: No Fashion Watches

[TurboLagBrah]

From ablogtowatch

Top Ten Living Legend Watches To Own

1. Rolex Submariner



It was 1954 that Rolex originally released the Submariner, and the watch industry hasn't been the same since. The Submariner was never released as a luxury product, but rather a professional diver's watch that anyone could enjoy. It attained a cult status for being a damn good sports watch and later in the 1980s when the mechanical watch gained a more luxury status and Rolex began its long path to become the world's most desirable luxury timepiece brand. The Submariner is their most popular model for good reason. Durable and legible, its slick style remains timeless, and most importantly - suitable for most any man (and many women) regardless of look, style, or age. It goes without saying that the perennially good design of the Rolex Submariner is alive and well today in its newest renditions featuring 40mm wide cases available in steel, two-tone, or 18k white or yellow gold. Pricey with an average price of about $8,500, but sure to be timeless and retain value. rolex.com


2. Omega Speedmaster

We all know what a Speedmaster looks like, MISC only allows 8 pics so had to edit it out

Regardless of price, prestige, history or technology, the Omega Speedmaster is widely considered to be the quintessential sports chronograph. You want a handsome but not showy chronograph with a great history, distinctive look, and a long enough life to offer many different versions? That's a Speedmaster. Why? The Omega Speedmaster was good enough for NASA and one was strapped to Buzz Aldrin for his 1969 moonwalk. The Moonwatch is basically the Submariner of chronographs, there are lots of versions, plenty in the used market, they hold their value well and have evolved relatively slowly. Whether you fancy a manually wound 3570.50 or the updated co-axial automatic Speedmaster 9300, you really cannot go wrong and you'll own a piece of horological history Priced from about $4,500 - $8,700 for steel versions.. omegawatches.com


3. Audemars Piguet Royal Oak



Facing bankruptcy in the expanding wake of the quartz revolution, the Royal Oak is the watch that saved Audemars Piguet and made them the brand they are today. Knowing they needed revolution and not evolution, Audemars Piguet brought in none other than Gerald Genta to design a watch that could introduce the brand to a bigger market. Genta created the AP Royal Oak ref 5402ST which launched in 1972 with a price tag so aggressive that not only did it vastly exceed the price of any of its competition, it even out-priced most gold watches on the market. The world had no reference for a steel luxury sport watch, making the Royal Oak an all-in play by Audemars Piguet. While the Royal Oak may have been a polarizing idea from its inception, it created a new watch archetype, the luxury steel sport watch, and acceptance grew fast enough to keep Audemars Piguet in business and the distinctive Genta design is a now an integral part of their brand iconography Starting around $20,000. audemarspiguet.com


4. Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso



1931 saw the debut of the Reverso, which was one of the original partnerships between Jaeger and LeCoultre, which subsequently merged to form a singular brand. From the start the Reverso was destined to be a high-end watch being made for members of Britain's elite society as a timepiece to be worn while playing polo in then colonial India. While the flipping case concept seems simple by today's standards, it proved complex to initially industrialize. The rectangular case originally flipped to display a solid metal back to protect itself. The art deco styling and handsome mannerisms of the angular timepiece made it a quick hit among high-society folk especially in Europe. The middle of the 20th century saw a halt to Reverso production and it wasn't until the 1980s that the Reverso started to come back. This was especially the case in the last 20 years. Its handsome styling is of course classic, but also timeless and inherently masculine. Jaeger-LeCoultre has also offered a dizzying array of Reverso styles and sizes to appeal to most luxury watch customers. The Reverso case and movement are made totally in-house by Jaeger-LeCoultre. Prices average around $10,000. jaeger-lecoultre.com


5. Rolex Datejust



Easily Rolex's most fundamental watch, the Datejust has been around since 1945 when Rolex added a date feature to their Bubbleback watch. The Datejust is evidence to what Rolex believes to be most essential in a watch. Rolex is a conservative brand and the Datejust is their most practical model, offering everything you need in an everyday piece and nothing more. While a 41mm version was launched in 2009, the Datejust was previously available only in smaller sizes including 36mm (mens), 31mm (mid size) and 26mm for the ladies. This enduring model has been worn by many famous individuals including President Dwight Eisenhower, literally countless actors, and even Tony Soprano. One of the quintessential Rolex models, the Datejust offers excellent versatility, working just as well with jeans and a t-shirt as it would with a suit and tie. Prices start around $9,000 (for the Datejust II), but the sky is the limit if you like yellow gold and pave diamonds. rolex.com


6. Tag Heuer Monaco



The Heuer Monaco was launched in 1969 as one of the first automatic chronographs in existence and one that Jack Heuer named in honor of the famous Monaco GP Formula One course. With its square case and now-famous Calibre 11 automatic movement, the Monaco was even seen on Steve McQueen's wrist in the 1971 film Le Mans. An absolute classic in the chronograph world, the Monaco was discontinued after only a few years but the design saw a McQueen reissue in 1998 and was later relaunched by Tag Heuer in 2003. Vintage and limited edition Monacos are extremely desirable and claim a considerable fee in the used market. Whether you're channeling Steve McQueen or Walter White, a Monaco will provide about as unique a wrist presence as can be found today From about $4,500. tagheuer.com


7. Glashutte Original Senator Navigator



In addition to diver-style watches, the most popular sport watches are pilot-style timepieces - and there are tons of them. Pilot watches are some of the original "big watches" and it is hard to pinpoint exactly who created them first. People tend to agree that many of the early ones were German and Swiss from as early as the 1920s. This particular quintessential design is sometimes referred to by the "B-uhr" name and has been reproduced by dozens of brands. Because we like them, we chose the Original Senator Navigator by Glashutte Original to represent this iconic living legend watch as there is no clear "living parent" to the design. Glashutte Original makes a few pieces in their Original Senator Navigator pilot watch collection with an average price of about $7,000 and they are very high in quality even though they are rare to be found even where Glashutte Original watches are sold. Other brands who offer this design sell them at prices from a few hundred to many thousands of dollars. glashuette-original.com


8. Breitling Navitimer



The early 1950s heralded in the era of another famous pilot watch - the Navitimer by Breitling. What made this piece famous was its combination of chronograph and slide-rule bezel. While not the first Breitling piece to offer these complications, the Navitimer was quickly adopted by military and professional pilots as a useful tool because in addition to telling time, it was able to offer a range of necessary inflight calculations. This was thanks to the slide-rule and chronograph combo. When cockpits went digital, the utility of the Navitimer subsided, but today many pilots are still trained using traditional analog calculation systems as a backup if electronics fail. The Breitling Navitimer is much more than a tool having attained the status as a high-end tool watch for the discriminating and intelligent active guy. Today, Breitling offers version of the Navitimer with their own in-house movements and it remains one of the brand's top sellers. Price is about $9,000. breitling.com


9. Cartier Santos



The Cartier Santos is a surprisingly enduring design that is actually quite closely linked with the birth of manned flight. Alberto Santos-Dumont was the first man to achieve sustained flight in a fixed wing aircraft circa 1906. Dumont was close friends with a French jeweler named Louis Cartier and had shared with him the difficulty he experienced when trying to check his pocket watch while flying. Cartier set about to design a wrist-mounted watch that would allow Dumont to view the time without removing a hand from the flight controls. In helping Dumont with a practical problem, Cartier created the first pilot's watch and likely kick-started the trend of men wearing watches on their wrists, which was generally only done by women at the time. The original Santos design lives on today as the Santos 100 in which the distinctive square-style case and roman numeral dial have been updated to a modern 51 x 41.3 mm size. The Santos has endured because of both its origins and its functional sporting design which looks great despite being over 100 years old. Starting from about $6,700. cartier.com


10. IWC Portuguese

Already know what a Portuguese looks like

The story of the IWC Portuguese collection starts with its name. According to IWC, a group of Portuguese ship merchants traveled to their manufacture in Switzerland in the 1930s asking for a legible and highly precise watch able to be worn while onboard a ship. At the time it was necessary to have precise marine chronometer clocks while at sea because there was no way for the ship to update its clocks while far from land. The men from Portugal wanted precise wrist watches as opposed to having to rely on stationary clocks. While it is unknown how precise these original clocks ended up being, what is known is that the watches to come out of the relationship proved very popular. Their design is based on ship instrumentation and marine clocks, and they remain extremely popular sellers for IWC today. The Portuguese comes in a range of styles but each has that large-size dial look with applied Arabic numerals and properly proportioned hands. To many, it is watch design perfection, and by all accordingly a living legend. Average price is about $10,000. iwc.com

Notable Top 10 Living Legend Watch runner-ups: Breguet Classique, Bell & Ross BR 01, Junghans Max Bill, Patek Philippe 5270, Patek Philippe Nautilus, Panerai Marina Luminor, Hublot Big Bang, Rolex Daytona, and Movado Museum Dial.

Discuss.


Only ones I would care to own are the Rolex Sub, Speedmaster, Rolex Datejust, Portuguese, and the Tag Heuer Monaco Gulf Edition or 24 (even with all the Tag hate, that watch is still special imo).

[Fernizzle]

i'd be in on the rollie sub, the speedmaster, tag, GO, and the portuguese.

count me in on rolex cyclops "haters"

[electabuzz]

After reading that questionable list I felt like throwing my own together, my top choices, not including anything over 100k of course and pieces that could be acquired within a few months (aka no independents). So here is my unsolicited list, feel free to make your own or call me out. All I really care about are classical watches which shows.

1.
JLC Ultrathin 39 Moonphase


2.
GO *Panoreserve
[img]http://www.chrono****e.com/img_revues_b/26_Glashutte_Original_PanoReserve_08.jpg[/img]

3.
ALS Datograph



4.
PP Calatrava in gold



5.

[Busch12]

Forgive my lack of knowledge and horological vocabulary, but I'm looking for a watch recommendation.

I'm in love with the omega speedmaster, the moon watch, but don't think it would ever be viable for me as I believe it would be too small on my wrists. I don't believe they make the speedy in an XL size like the seamaster amirite? My orient mako for reference looks a bit feminine on my wrists with its size. I'm not sure what size my wrists are no tape measure around.

So I'm looking for a chronograph (I believe the proper term) with a black dial and 2-3 sub dials. I would like to keep it under $2000. Size I'm thinking 43-45mm.

Here is a shot of my mako for reference, it may just all be in my head. Does it look too small? 41mm I believe.

[canuckbrahh]

After reading that questionable list I felt like throwing my own together, my top choices, not including anything over 100k of course and pieces that could be acquired within a few months (aka no independents). So here is my unsolicited list, feel free to make your own or call me out. All I really care about are classical watches which shows.

2.
GO Senator
[img]http://www.chrono****e.com/img_revues_b/26_Glashutte_Original_PanoReserve_08.jpg[/img]

isnt the senator a little different from this one?

I would put the VC patrimony on that list. One of the best executed dress watches/classical watches there is

[electabuzz]

isnt the senator a little different from this one?

I would put the VC patrimony on that list. One of the best executed dress watches/classical watches there is

Yeah had the senator on my mind for some reason, fixed it.



Yeah I like it..

[ScudBro]

List is BS. The only two watches I'd buy from that list are the Speedy & the Reverso (gonna buy one with moonphase in a year or two).

[LankedOut]

After reading that questionable list I felt like throwing my own together, my top choices, not including anything over 100k of course and pieces that could be acquired within a few months (aka no independents). So here is my unsolicited list, feel free to make your own or call me out. All I really care about are classical watches which shows.

1.
JLC Ultrathin 39 Moonphase


2.
GO *Panoreserve
[img]http://www.chrono****e.com/img_revues_b/26_Glashutte_Original_PanoReserve_08.jpg[/img]

I saw these when I was in Switzerland the other day. I think I would prefer the PanoMatic Lunar over the Reserve. The JLC Moonphase is so biuriful, if I was ever to buy a higher end watch it would probably be that.

[foodpr0n]

wow fuk dat list.

[TurboLagBrah]

Natural Patina:

Absolutely natural. That's what I did with my Helson and I love the results. Took it on a dive trip to get it started and almost a year later it still looks great. I know it's not a Lum-Tec, but since it's all I have here's some pics.

After some Carnuba wax applied


After 3 months


After 7 months


Honestly I'd always thought I'd be cleaning it monthly. But the look has really won me over & I love it. Hopefully I'll be picking up a Lum-Tec Bronze this summer to go with the Helson.

Artificially achieved patina:

When I receive my M53 I will be using Liver of Sulfur like I did on my other bronze watches. I personally like the artificial patina look. Good thing is if you don't care for the way it comes out you can always clean it off and start it over.

[foodpr0n]

Electabuzz, those could each be sub 10k or close pre owned yes?
I wish the GO was slightly thinner. 10mm is as large as I like....11 being the max I would go.

Not sure about the ALS though....bit more there (30-40k?)

I would take a patrimony > the calatrava I think. Then again, the saxonia could be my choice for a dress piece.

Really nice choices though.

[Geoloop]

After reading that questionable list I felt like throwing my own together, my top choices, not including anything over 100k of course and pieces that could be acquired within a few months (aka no independents). So here is my unsolicited list, feel free to make your own or call me out. All I really care about are classical watches which shows.

1.
JLC Ultrathin 39 Moonphase

2.
GO *Panoreserve

3.
ALS Datograph

4.
PP Calatrava in gold

[LankedOut]

Continued:





Artificially achieved patina:

Hnng I love the Bronze Moray, too bad not many were made and they were out of my price range anyway..

[snizzle77]

Bruhs, how are Vostok russian watches?

generally good watches?


I kind of like the funky look to them, and was wondering how their quality/reliability is..

[electabuzz]

Electabuzz, those could each be sub 10k or close pre owned yes?
I wish the GO was slightly thinner. 10mm is as large as I like....11 being the max I would go.

Not sure about the ALS though....bit more there (30-40k?)

I would take a patrimony > the calatrava I think. Then again, the saxonia could be my choice for a dress piece.

Really nice choices though.

The Datograph and the PP are both above 10k, the actual PP I posted is vintage which means it doesn't really fit my criteria, but a used modern Calatrava could be bought for 15k or less I imagine.

That ALS is worth every penny, it's hand finished and it looks amazing in the flesh. Although the GO is a bit thick, I am in love with that dial layout.

[Bastian727]

My poverty watch collection.




That is all.

[Kabananga]

My poverty watch collection.




That is all.

brb Hubble telescope

[BBNobu]

Been following this thread for weeks now. My Seiko Sport 5 Automatic stopped moving so I bought a Armani Exchange watch as a "Temporary" watch.

After reading this entire thread, decided to get a "decent" watch from either Seiko or Hamilton.

Here's my watch collection.




Here's my new watch


upclose pics ( took with my phone hnggg )







Hamilton, Viewmatic Open Heart. Bought this off Ebay Auction for $400 ( Cheap as fuk, looks brand new too ). Checked retail stores and they sell for like 99,900+ Yen ( $1000 ).



I love it so fuking much. Repped the 4 guys above me + OP and subbed to thread. <3 Ty OP. Lots of good info here.

[canuckbrahh]

Been following this thread for weeks now. My Seiko Sport 5 Automatic stopped moving
.

As in ran out of power or something is wrong with the movement? id imagine that wouldnt cost much to service brah

[Fernizzle]

frickin heart attack yesterday. left my hammy and a ring i really like on a shelf in the locker room at the gym yesterday.

they were exposed for at least 15 minutes before i realized something was off about my wrist and i had already walked a few blocks. never again.

[darkninja67]

Congrats on that Hamilton BBNobu

[BBNobu]

As in ran out of power or something is wrong with the movement? id imagine that wouldnt cost much to service brah

I dropped it a few times and broke the winding mechanism inside the watch. I tried to get it fixed but it would cost $200+ here.

Congrats on that Hamilton BBNobu

Thanks brah! <3

[canuckbrahh]

I dropped it a few times and broke the winding mechanism inside the watch. I tried to get it fixed but it would cost $200+ here.


Thanks brah! <3

Cot damn, that sucks.
The Hamilton is very nice though, I've been wanting a jazz master for forever now.

[electabuzz]

Bruhs, how are Vostok russian watches?

generally good watches?


I kind of like the funky look to them, and was wondering how their quality/reliability is..


[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v700/sjackal/VostokKomandirskie1.jpg[img]

i have always been close to pulling the trigger on one of these.

They are tough as nails and reliable, I've heard the bracelets are absolute trash. From what I've heard/researched they are certainly worth the <$100 price tag they usually receive.

[darkninja67]

need some cheering up
post some IWC porn

[ScudBro]

need some cheering up
post some IWC porn

I'll post some regular porn:











My HNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGG watch, but in gold:

[darkninja67]

Very nice ^

[canuckbrahh]

I'll post some regular porn:

question for electabuzz-would you still say the finishing on the lange here> PP? cause im just not seein it

[ScudBro]

Friend of mine who specializes in reselling watches bought an IWC Perp Cal in rose gold last week. Put it on his website on thursday for about 25K US & it was sold on friday haha

[electabuzz]

question for electabuzz-would you still say the finishing on the lange here> PP? cause im just not seein it

Old PP finishing is very good, but In my opinion they are living off their name and aren't worth the price tag nowadays.

Finishing is not something that machines can do that a trained polisher/watchmaker with years of practice can. Inside corners are also something that machines just can't cut properly, cutters wear out and will never rival a clean filing job.

Where I'm going with this, is that ultimate finishing requires skilled hands, not CNC grinding. ALS is one of the last manufactures that knows this and it shows. If you get a chance to see a nice ALS in person you will see it right away. Dufour owns a Datograph btw and admires the finishing. I've first hand seen PP bridges with vibration marks on the bevels, which is something that a basic Seiko rarely has.

Next time you look at a big picture or a watch magazine look at the bevels and any rounded section for tiny chatter marks, if you can find a good picture of a movement for me I will try to find everything wrong with the machining and assembly to show you, it's actually amazing how many imperfections there are in most watch advertisements, I think I'll start taking pictures.

But as always even the majority of enthusiasts don't get into my level of detail in horology, so PP is still a contender, but I would look elsewhere if I had 20k to spend. Their restoration department is top notch though,

They are having an event at their museum in Geneva this weekend and it's gonna be beautiful.

But realistically I'm just an ******* who has way too high standards for commercially produced watches.