I’m limited to some Rotary’s and a Casio G-Shock Sid so I’m sure I’d only count as a fringe member of any consortium  LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

Steve D wrote:

Iguana wrote:

Got this as a 50th treat to myself in 2016

Guess what I got for my 60th.

Need to wind it up, it was the same time yesterday

Steve D wrote:

I’ve finally decided on the diver. The chrono is far too busy and chunky for me plus I have two chrono's already. The Diver is nice and slim and can double up as a dress watch as it’ll slip nicely under a cuff. It also has a ceramic bezel so quite scratch resistant. Finally made my mind up when I saw it for a reasonable price in Jersey last week. Almost bought it there and then but bottled it in case I got caught bringing it home. Plus, they have a new SMP300 coming out in August. Thicker than the current model and with an etched wave dial, an exhibition caseback and a peculiar shaped helium escape valve. I just don’t like it so have gone for one of the last of the current models with the 2500D movement.

Just ordered it. Got a VERY good deal - £200 cheaper that the price of the 'tax free' one in Jersey plus an extra £100 store card coming as a promotion from the wife’s new Amex card for hitting a certain spend level. Coming tomorrow. No sleep for me tonight.  Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.

And it’s here! Looks black in the photos but it’s a lovely deep blue. Gotta take the dog out now, she’s been crazing me all morning so I’ll get my tools out and size it up later.



 Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.

You’ll get your tools out and size it up What about the watch?  LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

So there seem to be a number forum members who are very keen on their watches. I am in need of a new watch. As a non enthusiast, but someone who appreciates nice things, what sort of brands and where is a good place to start looking up to a maximum of say £250 ??

My previous/current watch a Bering Radio Control which I think was about £150 4 or 5 years ago has just stopped working and is apparantly "not economically" repairable which I feel quite p****d off about

Anyway, hope I haven't lowered the tone of this thread too much

Thanks steve

For £250 if you want a solid watch that is mega accurate , reliable , hard wearing , I’d look at something from Traser . http://www.traserwatches.co.uk/index.php?option=category

Great service , repairs don’t cost the Earth in the unlikely event you need one , and you are not paying for fashion brand status or association with some celebrity . Functionally and accuracy wise they will run rings around things costing ten or twenty times the price( they have a Swiss quartz movement ) . I used one of their base H3 military watches as my fishing watch for over ten years and my travel watch in places where I’d have been murdered for my GMT Pepsi . 2009 GS Auto Zermatt Silver - Sold June 21 after 10 years of ownership

2016 Subaru Outback SE 2.0 diesel SE Premium Lineartronic Sold 2024 after 8 years and 80k miles . Best Car I ever owned !

2023 Toyota Hilux invincible X 2.8 Auto .

Last edited by MartynB on 17th Jul 2018 1:24 pm. Edited 1 time in total

From the Andy McNab books I gather Traser are popular with our special forces.

jenks1950 wrote:

So there seem to be a number forum members who are very keen on their watches. I am in need of a new watch. As a non enthusiast, but someone who appreciates nice things, what sort of brands and where is a good place to start looking up to a maximum of say £250 ??

My previous/current watch a Bering Radio Control which I think was about £150 4 or 5 years ago has just stopped working and is apparantly "not economically" repairable which I feel quite p****d off about

Anyway, hope I haven't lowered the tone of this thread too much

Thanks steve

Wouldn’t surprise me . I think the days of the M.o.D issuing Rolex Submariners and Rolex Sea Dwellers to its James Bond types are long gone , although one of the Gulf States was still issuing GMT Masters to it’s fighter pilots in recent years. The Basic H3 traser was designed as a mil spec watch hence it’s reliability . 2009 GS Auto Zermatt Silver - Sold June 21 after 10 years of ownership

2016 Subaru Outback SE 2.0 diesel SE Premium Lineartronic Sold 2024 after 8 years and 80k miles . Best Car I ever owned !

2023 Toyota Hilux invincible X 2.8 Auto .

A couple of lads (brothers) who I know of, served on the front line in Afghanistan and their choice of watch for the rough and tumble environment was a Casio G-Shock. At £50 even I could stretch to one for my work on the front line on the dog walk  LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

@ jenks1950
have a look at SEIKO Kinetic Auto Relay ranges, i bought myself one for a wedding present at about £250, they type thats self winds due to wrist movement and 16 years later, never serviced and its been faultless

don't wear it now, as i gone Apple watch, but even a year or so later its hands still rotated to the correct time when i moved it Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

Thanks for the tips chaps that gives me some ideas to get started

I guess that style wise I am drawn either to something slimline/plain or maybe something a bit chunkier, though not loads of dials

Steve

Well, I'd say look at quartz or manual wind models if you want thinness(Auto's tend to be on the thicker side) and avoid too many complications. Complications are anything extra apart from the hands - chrono, day, date, moonphase etc. which generally add bulk as a bigger movement is needed. Quartz are generally cheaper but more accurate. Best thing is to try some on in shops - one 39mm size face will look different to another of the same size - all depends on things like the bezel, lugs etc. Find what you want in jewellers then look online for the best price. Don't rush. Good luck, Come back and let us know how you get on.

These are not bad value and plenty in your price range.

https://www.orient-watch.com/ Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.

Well this is what I ended up with..................A seiko solar powered jobbie which i am very pleased with .............so far

I ended up buying it from the high street at full price (£299) as you definitely need to see, touch and try on. I realise that you can buy cheaper online but at this price i didn't feel the extra time and aggro was worth any possible saving

Anyway thanks everyone for your suggestions which were really helpful and got me started in the right direction