quote:

Originally posted by armedprof:
<snip>
My opinion on Tech - The Apple "watch" is not a timepiece. It is a tech toy worn on the wrist.
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Not a timepiece? It reports time with to-the-second accuracy.

A tech toy worn on the wrist? Ask the infirm person whose Apple Watch reported his fall to emergency services when he couldn’t arise.

In the early 90s when I got my first real job out of college I bought myself a Citizens automatic watch. The sales person asked if I was an engineer because I insisted on a mechanical watch and wasn’t the least bit interested in a quartz watch. Apparently, engineers dig mechanical watches, at least they did back then.

FWIW, my 14 year son asked for a display cases for his watches for his birthday. Guess what isn’t in the display case? My wife’s old Apple Watch because as he said, it’s not really a watch. The Hamilton I posted earlier is my 17 year old’s. We looked at a bunch of different watches and that’s the one he picked out.

Aglifter. I wear either of my classic GMT Masters' with a suit and it's not absurd at all. And I'm NOT wrong!
Anybody that thinks a $15,000 - $20,000 watch with a suit is absurd is ridiculous.
Love those blanket statements.

To the OP, lot's of good choices given. I would also recommend a look at Tissot, great bang for the buck IMHO. Between my wife and I, we own 3 of them, I have a mechanical automatic (SeaStar 1000) and a NASCAR quartz chrono, my wife's is one of their upper level quartz chrono's.

Boattrash, I don't think price has anything to do with it. It's an old school 'couture' general rule, metal straps don't pair well with suits. Leather straps were the rule. Nowadays, no one really adheres to that.

I don't own any Rolexes, but if I did, the GMT would be it, great choice! I would even prefer it over the Daytona.

quote:

Originally posted by BOATTRASH1:
Aglifter. I wear either of my classic GMT Masters' with a suit and it's not absurd at all. And I'm NOT wrong!
Anybody that thinks a $15,000 - $20,000 watch with a suit is absurd is ridiculous.
Love those blanket statements.

A) A GMT isn’t a dive watch. TMK, they were designed to be worn with professional attire. (Now, if he’s going to work for commercial diving company, a dive watch is a great idea, etc.)

B) Money never determines whether or not something is appropriate. Suits, etc are not about “wear your most expensive stuff.” In business, a suit is about being at work. Unless the company is in diving/maritime etc such watches aren’t related to being at work.

C) His company/role will tell him, but there used to be meeting in O&G where personal electronics had to stay outside. The smartwatch may not work.

If you’re thinking lifetime, heirloom watch, I’d say avoid anything electronic…..probably not going to last for generations.

Id say a top end quartz like a Marathon, Seiko SBBN031 Tuna, Tag Heuer Aquaracer….great ‘grab & go’ and quartz movements are accurate & relatively inexpensive to replace.

Or an auto like Christopher Ward, Glycine, or Steinhart (their Vintage GMT is nice). Scurfa, Helson and Deep Blue probably deserve a look as well.

The Helm Vanuatu may be the value leader in the diver space now….

Non-diver - The Hamilton ‘Interstellar’ Day Date is a classic that will look sharp in 50+ years.

Does his alma mater/ alumni association offer any watches? Just a thought.

If he does want an smart/electronic….Garmin Fenix 7 or Tactix 7 (7 = touch screen)….durable/capable.

Good luck,
Boss

quote:

The Helm Vanuatu

Speaking of that one… Ronin, I’m on the list for one and for the notification my number was up July 12th. I wasn’t looking to buy, and asked if they’d hold my place. I forgot about it and started another SBR instead, so if you think a Vanuatu would be the ticket, let me know and I’ll arrange to have you take my spot. Should be honestly just about any day now, so I guess think it over quickly lol.

quote:

Originally posted by P220 Smudge:

quote:

The Helm Vanuatu

Speaking of that one… Ronin, I’m on the list for one and for the notification my number was up July 12th. I wasn’t looking to buy, and asked if they’d hold my place. I forgot about it and started another SBR instead, so if you think a Vanuatu would be the ticket, let me know and I’ll arrange to have you take my spot. Should be honestly just about any day now, so I guess think it over quickly lol.

Smudge.

Email sent

quote:

Helm Vanuatu

But, but, it's a 'Dive Watch'...Oh, the Horror!

quote:

Originally posted by Aglifter:

quote:

Originally posted by BOATTRASH1:
Aglifter. I wear either of my classic GMT Masters' with a suit and it's not absurd at all.

A) A GMT isn’t a dive watch. TMK, they were designed to be worn with professional attire.

Oh, I see.

The GMT says 2-22 on the rotating bezel. The dive watch says 10-50 on the rotating bezel.

So even though the two watches are otherwise basically identical, that minute difference means one is appropriate to be worn with professional attire, whereas the other must only be suitable for wetsuits and swim trunks...

(And by following your line of thinking, anyone wearing a GMT that isn't a pilot or otherwise work for an airline is being unprofessional, and must be daydreaming about flying when they're supposed to be focusing on work. )

GMT were designed for pan am pilots as they can tell time for 3 time zones. Pilots wear suits to this day and I’m quite sure they were wearing suits in the 50’s.

I have an explorer 2 that only tells 2 time zones. Same movement as a GMT but the 24 hour bezel is fixed. Also a no date sub 2 lines on face. As well as a bunch of seiko mechanical sand a g shock solar world time that is my daily. Never have to worry about the battery.

"However, understand that most younger folks these days have no interest in a mechanical watch. They're much more apt to wear a smartwatch.

So before you go dropping $300-$700 on a watch, find out if he's even interested in a traditional watch, or if it would just sit in a drawer collecting dust. Otherwise, just get him an Apple/Android watch (to match his choice in phone).""

^^^ I'd second this idea.
I have owned and worn a Datejust for a few decades but haven't worn it for the last 8 years or so, since I started wearing my Apple watch.
And I'm not even young at this point (71) and a technical Dinosaur and still have seen the light.

I'm only halfway there, my daily wear is my Citizen CZ Smart Hybrid. Not quite a smartwatch, but partly.

Dressier times, it's the Monster. Need to get a battery in my Movado. Haven't worn it in a few years since it stopped.
Tiniest screws I've ever seen, even my tiny IT kit doesn't have a bit small enough.

Thank you Rogue. I had decided not to respond to those other comments. I was going to say I know that the GMT is not a dive watch, that it was designed for airline pilots. You said it all for me. Side note, my Pepsi was my dad’s that he got in 1961 in Hong Kong when we went there for vacation from Saigon. He paid $150.00 for it. That was during the beginning of the jet age hey day for Pan Am. We flew Pan Am over to Saigon and back from Saigon on brand new 707s. It was great!
Another side note; after I got my 2 tone in 1980 my girlfriend at the time said that’s nice but now you need a dress watch. I told her if she thought that it wasn’t dressy enough for some event then I didn’t need to go or she could stay home and I’d go myself.

I'm going to advise this Baltic, it's in the price range, interesting to look at and has a very neat movement.

https://baltic-watches.com/en/...s/mr-roulette-silver

quote:

Originally posted by FenderBender:
I'm going to advise this Baltic, it's in the price range, interesting to look at and has a very neat movement.

https://baltic-watches.com/en/...s/mr-roulette-silver

As a Seiko-head, I'll say there are some very nice watches in their Presage line, similar in appearance to that Baltic and on both sides of that price point.

Any of the Henry Archer watches are within budget
https://henryarcher.com/en-us/...ucts/akva-ocean-cyan

and I'll put out a recommendation for the watch I'm wearing at the moment, the Hitman.

https://wisetimepiece.com/collections/hitman-no-date

quote:

Originally posted by BOATTRASH1:
Another side note; after I got my 2 tone in 1980 my girlfriend at the time said that’s nice but now you need a dress watch. I told her if she thought that it wasn’t dressy enough for some event then I didn’t need to go or she could stay home and I’d go myself.

Power move.

I’m certain I saw some Olympians wearing high dollar watches while competing including a Richard Mille. I know I’ve seen other pro athletes have worn Richard Mille while competing. I’m sitting there showing my wife RM watches and she doesn’t think they are attractive… I’m thinking well we could sell the house and buy one if you like ! Lol.

RM gives away a substantial portion of their annual production to athletes etc.

Really odd business model, but obviously it works - though I’ve never met anyone who bought one/would admit to buying one.

ALS, MB&F, HYT make more interesting stuff, in my will never spend that kind of money on a watch opinion for the “wear a nice house on your wrist” crowd.

(Admittedly, sometimes I do think about selling off a variety of toys, and buying an ALS)