Last updated: 12/07/19 Edit 32: Couldn't help myself. Added Urban Jurgënsen and Manufacture Royale. Thread is archived so no promises, but feel free to message me with any requests! A. Lange & Söhne: You work in investments, but nowhere as common as Wall Street. You have been known to casually ask to compare balance bridges with Patek owners.
Alpina: You are subscribed to Outside magazine, and can quote passages from Krakauer’s “Into the Wild” by by heart. You own a pair of serious hiking boots, but they languish in your closet, unworn and unmuddied. You could not afford a Rolex Explorer. If pressed, you would not be able to articulate why anyone would actually
need an “Alpinist” watch.
Audemars Piguet: You are a rapper, and you think the brand name is “Royal Oak”.
Apple Watch: You are either a secretary or nine-figure earning CEO at a Fortune 500 company. You use your Apple Watch Series 4 to track both your weekly jogs and chicken roasts. You are vaguely familiar with the idea that other, “old-fashioned” watches exist, but assume they will soon disappear once they are no longer repaired by their manufacturers.
Azimuth: Your two most treasured possessions are an autographed photo of Leonard Nimoy and a replica copy of the Voyager probe Golden Record. You can only dream of owning an MB&F.
Ball: As you walk through your LED lit hallway, down the stairs illuminated by motion sensing flood lamps, and towards your basement model train table outfitted with 3000 Lumen overhead halogen bulbs, you’re gladly reassured by your watch's Tritium lume - for the brief second it takes to find the switch.
Balticus: You are either a metrosexual 20-something working in Warsaw, or a teenage boy living in rural Estonia. You don’t get to play with your Overwatch team as much as you’d like due to the time difference. You dream of moving to Berlin or New York.
Baume et Mercier: You were touched when your wife got you a Clifton for your wedding. You have since gotten a Rolex, but wear your B&M on special occasions. Thankfully, she got you an automatic, not a quartz.
Bell & Ross: You think IWCs are a pale imitation of a Boeing 767 flight instrument. You want to wear the entire flight panel.
Blancpain: Let’s be real, unless you're Vladimir Putin, the only watch you wear from this brand is the Fifty Fathoms - and it never goes near water.
Bovet: You are the president of an esteemed French bank, say, Société Générale. While browsing the shops near your villa in Nice, you came across a lovely Fleurier, which you bought without even considering a discount. So much less
common than a Breguet.
Breitling: You aspire to be a pilot. You think the Breitling Emergency is the coolest watch ever made. You are unfamiliar with the term “in-house”.
Bremont: You are an Anglophile. After purchasing two models from the boutique, you are hoping one day to be invited to a Townhouse event. You are either blissfully unaware, or painfully so, of the concept of “resale value”. Though you publicly state it doesn’t matter, you are secretly jealous that Tudor is moving in-house. Even you are somewhat embarrassed by their origin story.
Breguet: You properly pronounce “Tourbillon”. You cringe when others refer to dial markings as mere “Arabic numerals”. You wish more people understood the history of horology. Your dream is to visit Paris.
Bulova: You are either a middle-aged man obsessively collecting the 1970's Accutrons of your youth, or you picked this up from the jewelry counter at Kohl's - with a coupon.
Burberry: You are either a skinny-tie wearing American office drone, or a Chav named Derek living in Slough. In either scenario, you believe the checkmark on the dial exudes class.
BVLGARI - Men's: You wanted a watch that looked like a Diesel, but more expensive.
BVLGARI - Women's: While you already have a diamond Datejust, you wanted something a little flashier to go with your evening-wear Chanel handbag. You delight in correcting others when they attempt to read the name on the dial. Even watch geeks will admit your Serpanti is kind of cool.
Carl F. Bucherer: You are a Chinese national who has never visited the United States. Your uncle’s textile factory has vaunted your family into the upper-middle classes, and it is expected that you project a certain image to distinguish yourself from the commoners. The saleswoman assured you that your Manero is for “a man of distinction” and will fit perfectly with your other internationally recognized luxury item, your cherry-red Buick GL8 Sedan.
Cartier: You like beautiful things, and are possibly a woman.
Casio: In school, your glasses were held together with Scotchtape, and the mechanical pencil in your shirt-front pocket always jammed, but your trusty Calculator Watch never failed. You are shocked that others are copying your look ironically.
Certina: You are the 33-year old manager of a Coop supermarket outside of Davos, Switzerland. While you believe fancy watches are for tourists, your Powermatic was listed “Uhren 50% Rabatt!” and looks pretty sweet.
Chanel: When you awake, you reach for your bottle of No. 5 - sprayed at the pulse points - before you check your phone. You love your ceramic white J12 for the way it effortlessly graces most of your outfits. You spend most days at work surreptitiously surfing TheRealReal, desperately trying to emulate your idol, Coco, on the cheap. Secretly, you wish the whole Nazi collaborator thing was just an ugly rumor.
Chopard: When you got engaged, you insisted on a “Chopard for Love” ring in a platinum setting. While your finance-bro fiancee couldn’t be there on the special day, he gave you a Happy Diamonds to go with it on your three-year anniversary. He
will marry you. Eventually. Right?
Christiaan Van Der Klaauw: You are an unusually successful astrophysicist with a NY Times bestselling book. You wear you hair at a rakish angle, and unabashedly use the phase “a priori” in everyday conversation. You actually understand the concept of Sideral time. You first heard of the brand from the oligarch who endowed your research chair using laundered Petro dollars.
Christopher Ward: You can’t afford to spend more than $1K on a watch. You’ve come to actually love your Trident. Secretly, you think the new logo makes your watch look like a toy.
Citizen: You work for NASA, and your job is to set the clocks on the GPS satellites.
Concord: The year is 1986. While all the other middle-managers are celebrating their promotions with Trans Ams, women, or Rolexs, you chose the Concord Saratoga. Placing the leftover cash into Lincoln Savings and Loan bonds and a custom suit with serious shoulder pads, you choose to invest in things that last.
Corum: You spend most days at your estate's dock, "working" on your teak-decked Sloop, so much so that your wife - for whose birthday you bought a subscription to Sail magazine - calls your Coxswain when she wishes to find you. You exclusively wear Sperry’s and have been known to sport a racing flag tie unironically. You know
nothing about watches.
Cuervo y Sobrinos: You are a third generation Cuban-American named Jorge living in Buena Vista, Miami. You drink Bacardi Gold as you grill pulled pork at cookouts and play dominos with your Abuelo. You chose your Rubusto to honor your family, culture, and heritage. Secretly, you’re terrified that someone might find out your legal name is George - and that you speak no Spanish.
Damasko: You earnestly believe that form must always follow function. You lament the paucity of good quality, acid-resistant PVD watches on the market. As you wear steel-toed hiking boots daily, you wouldn’t be caught dead handling, much less wearing, a gold dress watch.
Daniel Wellington: You are a millennial who is into latte art. You think Humphrey Bogart looked
so cool in old movies with his suit and trench coat. You are unaware of the terms "quartz" or "automatic". If you're honest, you had a hard time choosing your watch, as they all look the same on the website. You pay $5 a pop at the jewelry store to change Nato straps, which you recently got into.
De Bethune: You successfully sold your internet company - with no revenue, let alone income - for $450 million dollars. You love technology, shiny things, and the color blue. You have a life-size replica of the Star Trek: The Next Generation bridge in your Rec room.
Diesel: You are either a teenager with vociferous opinions on the PC vs. Console gaming wars, or a playboy far too busy dating multiple women simultaneously to know what that is.
Dornblüth & Sohn: You own a grandfather clock, which you wind daily. Your have the same opinion on Roman numerals as on your ex-wife - cluttered, fussy, and confusing. You drive a vintage BMW - in your opinion, the epitome of a functional automobile - before the snazzy marketing made them much too flashy.
Ebel: Fresh out of law school, you just got your first associate-level job at a big firm. You wanted something pretty but professional to wear to work. You are confused as to why on dates, men excitedly ask to see your watch, then get close, look disappointed, and say ”oh…an Ebel...”.
Edox/Mido: You are a 23 year old German man, fresh out of the University of Heidelberg. Your starter job and soon to be expiring student benefits did not allow you to stretch for a Longines. The salesman’s face visibly fell when you walked through his door.
Eterna: Your KonTiki was a Jomashop 75% off gamble. You have since become a fanboy, going so far as to grow a beard and voraciously reading
Thor Heyerdahl's memoirs. You will order a nature survival kit, tent, and water purification pills online before you lose all interest and snuggle back up to your PS4.
Fortis: You are a young German man living in Düsseldorf. You saved up quite a few paychecks at your Aldi managerial job to afford your Stratoliner. You wish the SR-71 Blackbird was still around. You have re-watched Top Gun 23 times, while imagining that
your handle would be “The Baron”. If you ever actually visited an American airbase, you would be disgusted with the wastefulness and vow never to return.
Fossil: You are a 25 year old man at your first job. Your workplace has open-plan offices and “Sunday Fundays”. You carefully buckle up your leather watch before dates, and make sure it shows under your cuff.
Franck Muller: You are a jocular pediatrician, or possibly, a professional clown. You have a weakness for Tonneau cases and Art Deco numerals.
Frederique Constant: You could not afford a JLC Master Ultra Thin Moon, so you got this instead. You are unsuccessfully trying to make a 42mm dress watch work for your wrist. You were shocked, and a little disappointed, when you learned that the company was founded in 1988.
Garmin: You are subscribed to Men's Health and GQ. Before leaving for work, you lace up your running sneakers and strap on your Forerunner in case you can get a quick run in on the way home. This never happens. Your Bowflex sits quietly in your garage, gleaming and untouched.
Ginault: You spent $1,449 on a Rolex Submariner Homage. You while away countless man-hours on the forums, defending the brand from baseless accusations. You will ultimately purchase Hulk, Pepsi, and Daytona homages from other brands, and with time, will have spent more on replicas than the cost of the real thing.
Girard-Perregaux: You swear that the Laureato is “the next Overseas”, and that the Golden Bridges are an under appreciated masterpiece. You purposely chose a 1966 over a JLC Master Ultra Thin. Secretly, you wonder if you made a mistake.
Glashütte Original: You, overall, cannot afford a Lange.
Glycine: You’ve outgrown the flashy Invicta's of your youth, but are still hesitant to go smaller than 46mm in a watch. Secretly, the vaguely military associations of your Combat Sub mildly arouse you. If he were alive to see it, Eugène Meylan would throw an egg at your face.
Glycine - Vintage: You live in an old age home, with your WWII Purple Heart and military induction papers tucked away discreetly in a corner. You still wear the Airman which you bought on the base at Ramstein in ’49. Sadly, your grandson only visits to eye it covetously.
Graham: You couldn’t resist a watch whose crown is easily confused with a grenade’s firing pin. Your Volkswagen Golf has vanity plates and a silkscreened pin-up on the rear window. You have a shrine to your grandfather in your room, a WWII vet with the British Expeditionary Force, though he only got to flee Dunkirk. Even you suspect the “Watchmakers Since 1659” claim is crap.
Grand Seiko: You think a Spring Drive is the coolest thing since sliced bread. You frequently photograph your Cocktail Time with your Sony camera or, in a pinch, your latest generation iPhone. You have bookmarked Youtube videos of the Grand Seiko factory - in case you meet someone with a Swiss made watch who needs a little convincing. You wish Seiko would do marketing better.
Grönefeld: While trained at RADA, you have peaked as a recognizable, but under-appreciated Hollywood actor. You have impeccable taste and a thing for Salmon dials. You wanted something dressier than your sponsored but boring Omega to wear to the Met Gala.
G-Shock: You are a junior in college, or an emergency room physician. You delight in taking your G-Shock to watch meet-ups, to the horror of the traditionalists. You recently took up mountain biking just to post Instagram photos of your watch on the trails.
H. Moser & Cie: You have a mischievous sense of humor, and in high school, were known to film pranks you pulled on your friends. You have an insatiable weakness for fume dials. While you can’t quite put your finger on it, you suspect the brand will be worth a lot in coming years - or so you tell anyone who will listen. Deep down, you are terrified your Endeavor might just be a passing fad.
Hamilton: You recently graduated college. You spent hours on the watch forums, debating between this or a Longines. You finally settled on the JazzmasteKhaki, though the salesman couldn't tell you anything about it. The highlight of your life was when a random woman on a date said, “nice watch”. You almost married her.
Hautlence: You have a game room in your Park Avenue, per-war classic six filled with pinball machines. You wear pink glasses, to let your underlings at your Goldman Sachs job know that you can be “cool” too. You are not.
Hermes: You are either a perfumer living in the Montmarte district of Paris, or an American woman with an unerringly good fashion sense.
Hublot: You are, simply, wrong.
HYT: You are a successful electrical engineer with lucrative patents to your name, or an internet startup founder that actually solved and monetized a hard problem in computer science. You love nothing more than to hand your H1.0 over to curious passerby, while pontificating upon the intricacies of fluid dynamics.
Invicta - Type 1: You are a non-watch geek dad in a suburban shopping mall. You wanted to get "something nice" for yourself. You find sub 46mm watches "too girly". You enjoy explaining to others, with wide-eyed delight, how your watch is powered by "moving your arm".
Invicta - Type 2: You are in high school, without a summer job. You think the Rolex Submariner is the perfect modern, go anywhere, do anything watch. You feel ostracized on the watch forums, but can’t help but smile when you see your Pro Diver on your wrist.
IWC: You are openly not a pilot, but enjoy having an altimeter strapped to your wrist.
Jacob & Co: You are a formerly successful, now destitute rapper. You pawned this watch at a significant loss.
Jaeger-LeCoultre: You exclusively dress in suits, except on bank holidays, when you wear chinos and your Reverso. You are frequently found on watch forums extolling “the watchmaker's watchmaker” virtues. You think 100M of waterproofing is all anyone should ever need. Your will instructs your heirs to bury you with your Atmos clock, as they surely won’t appreciate it. You hope one day to be able to roll your R’s like the guy in the boutique.
Jaquet Droz: You are either a well diversified collector, or an Arabian Shiek from an oil rich kingdom. If the latter, your other watch is a Rolex Daytona Rainbow with diamond bezel.
Johan Eric: You googled “watch” on Amazon and this is the first thing you found with Prime shipping. In general, you are decidedly not picky, both in watches and in life.
JS Watch Co: While you used to have a very generous circle of friends, your incessant droning on about your trip to Iceland and the sweet Frisland you scored there soured even your most steadfast companions. You now spend most days online, nostalgically looking at Tripadvisor reviews for restaurants in Reykjavik, or re-watching the Lord of the Rings for the twelfth time.
Junghans: You were just hired by a big design firm, but on a starter salary. You visit your local art museum on “free admission weekends”, and hang around free gallery shows. You have a small tattoo on your right bicep. You hope to upgrade to a Nomos one day.
Klasse14: You favorite Instagram influencer subtly bombarded you with sponsored posts showcasing the brand. You hope your Miss Volare will one day star in your own epic selfie in front of the Eiffel Tower.
Kobold: Your “keeper” test is if she’ll watch all six seasons of the Sopranos with you. Your most treasured possession is an autographed napkin from the late, great, James Gandolfini. Since his passing, your interest in the brand has cooled, and secretly, you worry that your Spirit of America is just a more expensive Shinola.
Laco: As you gaze admiringly at the Saarbrücken on your wrist, you find yourself wondering: Was Hitler really
that bad?
Lip: You are a Frenchman originally from Toulouse. You work for the Bureau of Weights and Measurements, converting metric measurements to Napoleonic
Mesures Usuelles for those still living in the First Republic. While you would prefer to wear an Omega, you can only imagine the shocked “
Non!” That would emanate from the mustachioed lips of your supervisor, Gaspard, upon seeing it, and you’d rather avoid an employee tribunal. You’d win, but it’s a hassle.
Longines: You just got your first job out of college. You are looking for something classy and professional to go along with your first real suit. You will one day own a JLC.
Lorus: You are a street-peddler living in Hyderabad. You cannot afford a Seiko 5, but not for any reason that would be remotely funny.
Luminox: You constantly talk about “doing an Ironman”. You sleep in a Naval Academy t-shirt and proudly fly the “thin blue line" US flag on your porch. You make vague allusions to former service when asked, but secretly, you were only a mall cop in the 90’s.
Manufacture Royale: Liberace would like to know where you got your watch.
Marathon: You are a former United States Marine, 3rd Battalion, 6th. You wore this watch on patrol in Kandahar, where your buddy scratched his initials on the case back. This is either a faithful re-telling, or you have entirely imagined the above scenario for color at your current office job.
Maurice Lacroix: The year is 1995. Bill Clinton is president of an economically resurgent USA. You just got promoted to Assistant to the Regional Department President of your longtime employer, IBM. Having recently heard about the value of a “Fine Swiss Watch”, you decided to purchase your Pontos after seeing an ad for it in the pages of Sports Illustrated. It feels right.
MB&F: You are an angel investor in various internet start-ups. You believe in “thinking different” and “changing the world”. Having gone through the various Pateks, Langes, and Journes that befit your station, you now find pretty much every other watch brand ridiculously boring. You wear an Apple watch concurrently on your other wrist.
MeisterSinger: You purposefully wear subtly mismatched socks with your corduroys. You carry your daily possessions in a fanny pack, considering it more practical than a messenger bag. You are perpetually 10-15 minutes late to all your appointments. Secretly, you have a thing for amputee girls.
Michael Kors: You are a 16-33 year old woman. Your house is filled with rose-gold colored accessories. You shop at Macy’s, where you purchased this watch to match your handbag. In the watch world, you are actually one of the sane ones.
Mondaine: You either have a collection of hair mousses to apply based on the weather, or are an oddly obsessive spotter of Swiss electric trains.
Montblanc: You couldn’t afford a JLC. You have since taken to the watch forums, declaring the superiority of Minerva, stating, “it’s over for the over $5K’s”. Secretly, you also hate stacked movement complications.
Montegrappa - Chaos by Sylvestor Stallone: What the hell is
wrong with you?
Moritz Grossman: You are the head of an old family manufacturing firm in Bavaria. Your frauline, Hilda, urged you to finally treat yourself and upgrade from the reliable but tired Swatch on your wrist. Feeling a Lange was too recognizable to the men on the assembly line, you chose the Benu Power reserve, but only to wear at board meetings.
Movado: You are either a 21 year old man wearing a Movado Bold at the club, or an 83 year old gentlemen wearing an original Museum piece. There is no middle ground.
Mühle Glashütte: Your evangelical zeal for the brand makes you the human embodiment of those “allow notifications?” pop-ups. You dream of becoming a mariner.
MVMT: You are a millennial who drives a motorcycle. You have a collection of leather jackets. You hope someone comments on how well your watch matches your sunglasses.
Nixon: You are a 32 year old man named either Chad or Brad living in Encinitas, California. As you spend most days on the beach surfing in your board shorts, you have a perpetual tan even in winter. You aren’t into watches, but your Base Tide was giving you good vibes from the surf-shop window, and it matches your leather Yogi bracelet perfectly.
Nomos: While you initially could not afford a Swiss made watch in art school, you are now a successful Bahaus-style architect. You have a membership to your local modern art museum. While you prefer espresso, you drink drip from a vintage Braun coffee maker. Apple “Keynote Days” are like Christmas in June.
Ochs and Junior: You sincerely collect promotional posters for modern art exhibits. You have an interesting job in either advanced engineering or product design at a well funded startup in Berlin. Somewhat obsessively, you refuse to wear any items with visible brand names. Even you can’t always tell what the hell the date is on your perpetual calendar.
Oris: You are frequently found on watch forums, starting, “Why buy an Omega when you can get virtually the same quality for half the cost?” You think the Sixty Five is exactly what your grandfather would’ve worn - if he was cooler, and not a rural school teacher from Iowa. You are secretly trying to save for a Rolex Sub, but need the cash for your PADI training.
Omega: You are intimately familiar with all 12 manned Apollo missions. You eagerly anticipate the next James Bond film. You refer to your Seamaster as “the thinking man’s Sub, with a better movement”. Bonus points if you know who George Daniels is.
Orient: You are a senior in high school. You love your Bambino, but as you know watches, you don’t claim it’s equivalent to something more expensive. You dream of winning the lottery. You are pure.
Panerai: You frequently exclaim, “What’s the point of wearing a watch if no one sees it?” You live in California, and exclusively wear short sleeves. You are unusually familiar with the Italian Navy’s WWII operations, glossing over the period 1940-1943.
Parmigiani Fleurier: You are the scion of an old, proud Italian banking family. While you of course have a few Patek’s tucked away in the vault at your Lago Maggiora villa, your father, Luca, gifted you your Tonda Tourbillon because he errantly believed it was an Italian brand “like from the old days,
bene!” You don’t have the heart to correct him.
Parnis: You desire a replica Daytona, but your country’s customs force is
extremely efficient at confiscating goods that violate trademarks.
Patek Philippe - Type 1: You took off from work to watch the Henry Graves Super Complication auction livestream. You think the Nautilus is overvalued, preferring the khaki green Aquanaut instead. You are possibly John Mayer, but if not, you hope one day to actually own your own Patek.
Patek Philippe - Type 2: You are a Russian oligarch. You assert that a hacking seconds “damages the movement”. Though you’ll never say so openly, you are secretly jealous of the finishing on a Lange. You feel reassured when you see one of those “For the next generation” ads.
Philippe DufouLaurent FerrieF.P. Journe: You are a Russian oligarch, but with exquisite taste.
Piaget: You claim that the Calatrava and Patrimony "smell of old man". You frequently end arguments with "yeah, but...thinest movement in the world." You cannot actually afford a Calatrava or Patrimony.
Poljot: In the old days, you were a MiG-23 fighter pilot for the Motherland. Your Poljot, along with your state-issued Volga GAZ-24 sedan, marked you as a man of importance among the proletariat. Sadly, in your current job as grocery store guard, only the old babushkas recognize your former glory. It would kill you to know that 30-year old gamers bought your watch online because they thought the Cyrillic on the dial looked cool.
Rado: You are a material scientist tenured at a prestigious university. You have no interest in watches, but could not pass up the mystery and wonder of a watch that never scratches. Everything from your pots to your pants are coated in Teflon.
Raymond Weil: Are you
sure you aren’t wearing a Maurice Lacroix with Roman numerals?
RGM Watch Co: You are a 62-year old Boomer living in Pittsburgh, PA. As you are retired - with pension - from your job as a chemical engineer for US Steel, you have plenty of time to hobnob on
Timezone.com. You post multiple photos of your 801-COE in various lights, to the eager approval of all twelve forums members. You can’t tell anyone, but you voted for Donald Trump.
Richard Mille: If you weren’t an American billionaire, you’d probably be buying an Invicta - with the logos removed, you surely couldn’t tell the difference. You make sure to wear your watch when interviewed by Fortune, with the sleeves of your silk Dolce & Gabana shirt rolled up.
Roger Dubuis: You are a Argentinian Striker, recently relocated to the UK with Manchester United. Stacy, your loyal WAG, got you the Excalibur after you instructed your assistant to leave notes around your Wilmslow mansion with explicit purchasing instructions. All involved acted surprised on your birthday. If you are being honest, you sometimes confuse it with your Richard Mille.
Roger W. Smith: You are the scion of a Japanese telecommunications fortune. You love discussing horology, but only online. You are that unusual combination of billionaire and introvert, perhaps due to your secret insecurity in your own abilities. You fantasize about how one day,
Otuo-San will notice your Series 2, and nod approvingly at you with his tight-lipped grimace. In your own quiet way, this is how you show off.
Rolex - Sub (Ha!) Type A: ROLEX ROLEX ROLEX. YOU CAN’T BUY ANYTHING BUT A ROLEX IT’S THE ONLY THING WITH RESALE VALUE. HAVE YOU SEEN MY TWO-TONE SUB WITH THE CYCLOPS? I LIKE IT ‘CAUSE IT HAS WRIST PRESENCE.
Rolex - Sub Type B: You frequently re-watch all Sean Connery Bond films, asserting that Daniel Craig is not a “real” Bond. You know the difference between the 1016 Caliber 1560 and 1016 Caliber 1570. You believe steel can stretch with minimal effort. You prefer watches with rusted dials and no date. As you frequently speak full sentences consisting solely of reference numbers, it is assumed by passerby that you work for a secretive government agency.
Rolex - Sub Type C: You are a successful Italian-American contractor. You wear a two-tone Datejust - your only watch - which never leaves your wrist. On vacation at the resort in Cabo, you make sure your wrist is angled properly so the waiter can see it when taking your order.
Rolex - Sub Type D: When you found out your wife was pregnant, you rushed to purchase a "birth year" Sub. Your son will not get to wear it until you are dead.
Rolex - Sub Type E: You are a researcher who spends all day next to an MRI machine. While you never wore a watch before, you found yourself suddenly desperate for one after seeing an eerily personalized ad for the Millgauss pop up on Facebook. After the initial triumphant forum pic, the novelty wore off, and most days you just check the wall clock.
Romain Jerome: You have no compunctions wearing a watch made from the Titanic. You have more money than sense.
Scuderia Ferrari: Your friends know not to utter the word “Lamborghini” for fear of starting a rant. Your firstborn son is named Enzo. Your Pilota watch, Ferarri ball-cap, keychain, and limited edition Scuderia Ferrari for Ray-Ban aviators all proudly accompany you as you step into your 2004 Honda Civic.
Seagull: It took quite a few shifts at the Dairy Queen, but you finally got your Ocean Star. You feel like you need a dress piece too, but are unsure when you’d ever wear it. One day, with a JLC on your wrist, you will look back upon this time wistfully.
Seiko: You are starting college this Fall. You spend most days on watch forums, hoping to find newbies asking for help so that you can steer them your way. You think the Seiko 5 is the best value per dollar in horology. Deep down, you know that if you ever won the lottery, you’d trash them all for a stable of platinum Langes.
Sekonda: On the way to a job interview as a Transport of London station cleaner, you decide a watch will make you look more reliable. You grab the cheapest Sekonda Classic from Mr. Singh’s newsstand, and make sure to check it copiously during your interview. You are surprised when you do not get the job. Changing the dead battery three days later, you are puzzled by the Cyrlic writing inside the case.
Shinola: You are a Clinton, or an oddly proud Detroit native. You think the “Made in the USA” controversy was a hit job egged on by Hodinkee. You have average sized wrists, but think they are larger than they really are. You have a weakness for wire lugs.
Sinn: You are subscribed to the WatchBuys newsletter. You cannot afford an IWC. You post numerous photos of your Sinn 356 Flieger, in a vain attempt to reassure yourself that the acrylic crystal was the right choice.
Skagen: You drive a used but well loved Volvo. While you know nothing about watches, you found it cumbersome to check your dumb phone for the time, and began your search for something practical but affordable. As you know the quickest shortcut to get to the cafeteria at your local IKEA - where you get the meatballs weekly - an ostensibly Danish watch held some appeal. You are unaware that Denmark and Sweden are different countries.
Speake-Marin: ”A touch
loud? What do you mean, leopard print pants with a leather jacket is
loud?”
Squale: You cannot afford a Rolex Submariner.
Steinhart: You could not afford a Rolex or IWC. While you truly enjoy wearing your Hulk Sub homage, deep-down, you question where the line is between imitation and theft.
Stowa: You enjoy having an altimeter strapped to your wrist, but cannot afford an IWC. You would love to mention its WWII history, but are unsure how to do so without appearing insensitive.
Stührling: American Airlines flight 1257, direct to Dallas, seat 48B. Two hours in, You saw the Depthmaster in the pages of SkyMall and knew you couldn't pass it up.
Swatch: You are a child in elementary school, or a successful, established artist. You love color. You have a watch collection, but they are all Swatches. You wish you could buy another one of the Irony whose crystal cracked when you dropped it on your kitchen floor.
Swiss Legend: You could’ve bought the Esq. brand chrono - with the same Chinese Quartz movement - for $139, but then it would’t say “Swiss” on the dial, would it?
Tag Heuer: Your first “real” watch was a Link, which you initially saw in the pages of Golf Digest/Tennis Magazine. For the longest time, you had a crush on Maria Sharapova. The chip on your shoulder is slightly lessened when you see photos of vintage Carreras online.
Timex: You are a senior citizen, or an aspiring US presidential candidate. In either case, your grandson is suddenly asking to borrow your watch.
Tissot: You just got your first job out of college, but it pays less than the Longines fellow. You appreciate either classic or ridiculously bold design. After a long career, you will one day own a Rolex.
Triwa: You are a full-time Instagram influencer. Perhaps one day, you will regret the purchase of your Donald Trump “Comb Over” watch - but not today.
Tudor: You assert that the Black Bay 58 is what Rolex “used to be”. You take pride in the quality of the bezel on your Pelagos. You either never will admit, or say all the time, that you wish you had a Rolex.
Tutima Glashütte:As the only way to acquire a Lange would be to sell a kidney, you eagerly sought out an alternative still made in your mythical Glashütte. You fancy yourself a sportsman, though this is usually only expressed by the bench press. While you wear your Grand Flieger daily, if pressed, you could not articulate why, exactly, your watch had to be German.
Ulysse Nardin - Type 1: What exactly do you think you are, some kind of enthusiast?
Ulysse Nardin - Type 2: As soon as you saw the Minute Repeater Voyeur - with a lifelike orgy scene on the dial, complete with moving “parts” - you knew you needed that kind of artistry in your life.
Urban Jurgënsen: Was your watch produced by the
Swedish Chef?
Vacheron Constantin: You think a Calatrava is an ugly duckling compared to the all-encompassing beauty of a Patrimony. You refer to the period from 1987 - 1996 as “the Dark Times”. You wish resale value were higher, but blame Patek fanboys.
Various Microbrands: You are subscribed to the “Affordable Watches” forum on WatchUSeek. You have a Google Alert on Kickstarter so you don’t miss the latest limited release. You are saving for a vintage Rolex, which increasingly appears out of reach. You are filled with a mixture of delight and despair when someone asks, "is that a Rolex?" of your Mk II Nassua. You have a love/hate relationship with Jason Lim of Halios.
Various Vintage: You are Fred Savage. You think anything over 36mm is garish. While you wear your vintage Omega (original dial, of course) all the time, you have been known to slip on your modern Rolex Sub for the beach. You spend your weekends at estate sales, dreaming of coming across an unrecognized Patek for $150, which you bargain down to a clean $100.
Victorinox: After your brief fling with Chinese watches, you decided it was time to step up to Swiss made. You wear your Fieldforce proudly in Econ 101, desperately hoping Brittany will notice it. Plus, you already had the matching backpack.
Vostok: You are a value-oriented teen gamer, or an elderly Russian pensioner. You have 9 inch wrists.
Zenith: You make half-hour long YouTube videos consisting of you chanting into the camera, “El Primero. El Primero. First Automatic. El Primero.“ You scoff at the JLC 751A as a rushed copy. Deep down, you believe the world is unjust, and fear your brand will never be properly recognized.
Zodiac/Doxa: You are a certified Master Scuba Diver Trainer. You smile indulgently at your wealthy tourist clients, who have Submariners and Fifty Fathoms on their wrist. After you've been tipped, you love nothing better than to hand over your SeaWolf/Shark for inspection, casually stating "This baby's been down to 250 feet, no problems. How about yours?"
Edit: Adding some more as suggestions. Last batch was: Frederique Constant, Junghans, Hamilton, Nomos, Panerai, Tag, Tissot, Tudor. Also split Invicta into two. Thanks for my first gold and kind words stranger! Edit 2: Some are disappearing when I make edits, re-added Swatch. Edit 3: Added Bell & Ross, Baume et Mercier, Sinn, Various Microbrands. Edit 4: Added Various Vintage. Thanks agin for the gold! Edit 5: Added Glashütte Original, Jaquet Droz,
Stowa. Edit 6: Couldn't help myself, added Jacob & Co, Oris, Squale, Zodiac/Doxa. Edit 7: Added Fossil and Michael Kors. Modified Daniel Wellington. My first Platinum, thank you!
Edit 8: Added GP and Zenith, split Seiko/Grand Seiko, and added one more Rolex Sub (phrasing!) Type (D). Recognized John Mayer as the Patek expert he really is. Edit 9: Added Movado. Slight tweak to Hamilton. Edit 10: Added Piaget. Edit 11: Added Montblanc, Richard Mille, Shinola, and Steinhart. Edit 12: Added Bremont, Edox/Mido, Parnis. Edit 13: Added Christopher Ward, De Bethune, and MB&F. Modified Frederique Constant. Edit 14: Added Bulova, Franck Muller. Edit 15: Modified Franck Muller, added Marathon. Edit 16: Added Laco (hat tip to Byki!), Maurice Lacroix. Edit 16: Added Swiss Legend. Edit 17: Added Damasko, Dornblüth & Sohn, Garmin, Klasse14, and split Ulysse Nardin into Types 1&2. Edit 17: Added Ball (hat tip to AudiMars and icecityx1221)
. Clarified that 12 Apollo missions only were manned. Thanks for the sticky Mods! I am humbled. Edit 18: Split Casio into Casio and G-Shock; added Concord and Ebel. Edited Marathon for clarity. Edit 19: Added Bovet, Hermes, HYT, Seagull, and Victorinox. Edit 20: Added Chopard, Corum. Edit 21: Added BVLGARI, Diesel, Glycine new and vintage, and Rolex Sub Type E. Edit 22: Added Chanel, Christiaan Van Der Klaauw, and Rado. Edit 23: Added Apple Watch, H. Moser & Cie, Ochs and Junior, and Scuderia Ferrari. Edit 24: Added Montegrappa Chaos, Romain Jerome, Stürhling Edit 25: Added Azimuth, Certina, Ginault, Graham, Johan Eric, Lip, Sekonda, Skagen. Edit 26: Added Carl F. Bucherer and Nixon. Edit 27: Added Alpina, Meister Singer, and updated Sekonda. Edit 28: Thanks so much for the Gold! Added Cuervo y Sobrinos, Eterna, Hautlence, Grönefeld, Luminox, Moritz Grossman, Speake-Marin, and Triwa. Edit 29: Added Balticus, Burberry, Kobold, and JS Watch Company. Edit 30: Added Lorus, Roger W. Smith, Mühle Glashütte and Tutima Glashütte. Edit 31: Added Fortis, Mondaine, Poljot, RGM Watch Co. and Roger Dubuis. Edit 32: Couldn't help myself. Added Urban Jurgënsen and Manufacture Royale. Thread is archived so no promises, but feel free to message me with any requests. Last updated: 12/07/19 submitted by Proper watch reviews are often long, as watch guys literally spaz over the tiniest detail. I appreciate your understanding on the length of this post. This review will be done from the perspective of a game/art lover with interest in watches. I am aware that most people / video gamers are not watch folks so I will explain EVERYTHING. If you are looking for the TLDR, you can scroll down to the "Is it worth buying" conclusion.
Disclaimer: So in the watch world, $2500 is pretty much nothing. In Haute Horlogerie ("elevated status watches") watches can regularly cost anywhere from $100,000 to $500,000 easily, and many people especially the investor types still buy them because they retain their value and can be sold back for their money back. Reason I'm saying this isn't to show off wealth (which I have not) but to put into perspective the industry we are dealing with. A mechanical, automatic chronograph with quick-reset in a Swiss watch can easily cost you $20,000 (cough Rolex Daytona). Yes I am aware that the Swiss-made has been watered down by companies who barely meet the criteria for that moniker, but that is another discussion. This will be mainly about the purchase of the watch, what are the good/bad/ugly, and would I wear this everyday (is this worth buying).
My Reason for buying this are three-fold which by no means would have to apply to you:
- I've followed the path my parents have chosen for me, but I've gotten to the stage in my life where I am starting to spend as much time as I can into what I truly believe I want: make a comic/manga of my own (this will most likely take me a decade or two in order to produce a good one that I can proudly publish). I've always admired art, I've never realized it. I want a watch to reflect my desire for art that I've never realized I had.
- I've become successful in my career and was looking to buy a watch to celebrate my success. That's really how I got into watches, and my goal in watches is the same as any other watch guy: to find the Holy Grail watch (the one out of many you will keep and not look at any other). Many guys have trouble with finding THE ONE which is why you see many people have large collections of expensive watches.
- My first watch that my dad bought me, which I had for 12 years from highschool to college to grad school, was a black watch: Relic Gunmetal Garrett watch with Blue face. It was not truly a chronograph but had 3 subdials. I didn't want to buy another one as I got spoiled by Rolex. I wanted a similar looking watch that are I like and is worth a decent chunk of change and maintains at least some of its value.
Here are the pictures (Submariner in there for comparison to a normie watch):
https://imgur.com/a/IlN8UCg (Yes I used to play the Aion MMO as you can see from the statue. I still treasure the times, I apologize if you missed out on it, it was arguably the best time of my life and many others who played. There are no other MMOs like it. Aion 2 already looks to disappoint with going mobile. I digress.)
Price is $2500 + tax initially, and subsequent servicing fees in the years to follow IF WORN as a daily watch. Yes I am aware that before buying this that this is a mid-tier Seiko, which range from $600-$2000. Why is it $2500? that will be explained below. Also another incentive in buying watches is that they maintain their value unlike cars or videogames the value of which goes down immediately after sale. Some watches can be sold for higher than their Authorized Dealer sale price (namely Rolex), as is with certain brands of luxury purses like Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and Hermes.
My credentials as a watch reviewer is that I am a private occasional collector of Seiko, Omega, and Rolex watches. I've spent a greater deal of time with Rolex than the other two. You can see in my reddit posts history that I've sold some Rolexes on WatchExchange subreddit but I mostly sell on TRF and WUS (two famous watch private sale sites). I have excellent reputation and have sold to CEOs, federal agents, real estate dudes, etc.
Initial impressions / on the outside build of watch - This is a limited-edition Square Enix branded Seiko Chronograph encased in a 5ATM WR case with a display caseback and black-coating on steel build measuring 44mm x 15mm x 52mm x 20mm (all this to be explained below). Supposedly this was made by some fancy house facility in Japan sponsored by Seiko that did some other work but which I personally don't care about. Matte brushing on most parts with polished accents on certain sides and bracelet center links. Sapphire crystal from Seiko.
Limited edition means the price will be
higher than the main line of watch that it is based on, as it includes some special feature/cosmetics that are rare and limited in limited quantities. Omega is notorious for this practice and is criticized by the watch community as it "waters down" the reputation of the company and the strength of the mainstay watch models. Seiko does this too but to a limited extent.
Square Enix branding means that there will not be a word of "Seiko" around the watch, which there is not, but it it still a Seiko Chronograph therefore it would need to be serviced by Seiko. I will talk more about Servicing mechanical watches in a later section. This often scares away most people before they get into automatic watches such as Seiko/Omega/Rolex, therefore I will do a good explanation later.
5ATM water resistance is disappointing but with a display caseback (open caseback that you can see the movement inside) and at this price it is alright as it is tough to get WR with a open display caseback. It will be good for handwashing but keep it out of the steams (more dangerous than water) of the bathroom during shower (or just leave it out of bathroom when showering) and you are not to swim with it. The water resistance is measured when the water is COMPLETELY STILL. A moving water is higher pressure. I'd prefer to see a higher WR without a display caseback for use in swimming/beaches. But they had to go for the showpiece caseback. Also of note is that certain companies do a better job of water resistance, such as a Rolex watch that is only rated for 300m can actually go down much deeper than that. Some companies do worse, and an Invicta that is rated for 100m can sometimes not even take handwashing. I'd trust this to handwashing. If not, I'd be sorely disappointed in Seiko.
Black PVD coating also varies. Initially the watches are made in raw steel then coated with either PVD or DLC black coating. Seiko's mid-tier Black coating is most likely PVD, but there are various qualities of coating. Seiko's Black coating is known to hold up over the years as long as it is not used in heavy manual labor work and used mainly on desk work.
44mm WIDTH is the most important measurement to most folks and it is the width of the watch from one edge to another EXCLUDING the pushers (basically how large it is). 43mm and above is typical of Seiko automatics. They avoid 40mm since Rolex has dominance over that length. 40mm is perfect for most small wrists to mid-size wrists and 44mm will wear large for small wrists, good for mid-size wrists and large wrists. I should mention that black watches make the watch look smaller, so the Sephiroth version gets forgiven by me as far as this 44mm length goes.
15mm HEIGHT is an important measurement that people often overlook but can factor greatly in how heavy a watch is and how comfortable. 15mm height is a bit thicker than what I'd like. 12mm proper automatic chronographs are expensive (Rolex Daytona), most highly water resistant watches that are non-chronograph are 13mm+ (Omega Seamaster), 14-15mm is where a watch can become top-heavy and become uncomfortable for some people. Watch companies who make the case have no control over this height as it is dictated by the needs of the watch movement. 15mm for a mechanical chronograph with a display caseback... its alright, display caseback thickens the case as mentioned prior.
52mm LENGTH is another important measurement that is overlooked. If the watch is not properly tapered down at the lugs (where the case meets the bracelet/strap) and is long, it can look like a pizza pan on your wrist. 52mm is VERY long, but the lugs are thin and properly tapered and is acceptable. It is alright for use, acceptable but not ideal. Not sure if I am off by a couple mm, but it definitely is over 50mm which is a bit long.
20mm Bracelet Size is sometimes the most important measurement if people are looking to swap out the bracelet to a strap that they'd like to use. 20mm straps are the most abundant followed by 22mm straps. 20mm length for use with a bracelet is excellent as 22mm bracelets can make a watch look HUGE. This is a great choice from Seiko AS FAR AS THE SIZE GOES. I have much to say about the bracelet down below.
Brushing on the watch is very well done and the polish (shiny) parts are well-placed and not overwhelming, but necessary to avoid making the watch look dull. Seiko does this for a living so I expect decent brushing.
Sapphire crystal - If Seiko sent me a $2500 watch with one of their Hardlex crystals I'd have raised a revolt and demanded a refund straight from Seiko. Thankfully they sent a Sapphire crystal. Seiko uses Hardlex on most of their under $1000 watches and it is better than acrylic/mineral crystal (which scratch easily). Hardlex can take bigger hits than sapphire but it is worse than Sapphire in terms of dealing with scratches which most people are concerned about. Quality of sapphire also differs from company to company, as a sapphire crystal from $300-or-so watch company can often not take scrapes that a Rolex sapphire crystal can tank. I have reserved feelings about a Sapphire from Seiko as they don't use it as much and therefore aren't the greatest experts at it. I hope they borrowed this crystal from wherever they make crystals for Grand Seiko watches, which are a set of luxury watches above Seiko and below Credor (but its all Seiko under one corporation).
Appearance - I personally love black watches I think they're unique and its what I'm used to. However it may be different for most to prefer a steel watch as that is what most affluent members of society possess. Color might be one thing but the appearance is another. Looking down on your wrist at your watch creates a fish-eye like effect where the small watch can seem bigger and bigger watch can seem smaller. Best to look in the mirror to gauge the true size of your watch vs your wrist. On my wrist it just about fits the wrist, on the mirror it appears slightly big. Something else I should mention is that the watch often looks different inside of your home vs out and about in the Sun (which is why Rolex dealers will have special lighting that costs tens of thousands of dollars). The black watch is beautiful in both the sunlight and indoors, which is not the case with many watches.
Weight - 167g, this is average for a 44mm watch with a 20mm bracelet. At this weight, it is suggested that you take it off at bedtime and sleep without, and definitely take it off during sports. It is a good weight and you will feel it, unlike lightweight watches that disappear on your wrist.
Final impressions of the build: Reeks of Seiko's design modus operandi but I don't dislike it. It looks like they've made a large face and managed to attempt a smaller looking watch overall via tapering of small lugs and choosing the best bracelet size. The only thing I dislike about it is the thickness and water resistance, which had to be that way due to the open-case back. Time will tell if I will like the size and the caseback. Dial matches the outside of the watch well, I cannot speak for the Cloud version but the black version is well done as far as outside build and aesthetics go.
More on the dial below.
Dial The dial, "face of the watch", is considered the most valuable part of the watch and often a determining factor in what model the watch is and its value, regardless of the movement and the case. A Rolex-made dial for the submariner, new in box, can cost as much as $5000. Yes, for that thin piece of metal, more than most people's 2 months salary not counting in tax.
Dial is matte, which is good as I prefer matte dials for easier reading in light. Shiny dials might be good and fancy on clean faces like a that of a Rolex Submariner but with 3 subdials of a chronograph it is best to have matte dials that isn't overwhelming with lights.
I do appreciate that they put a "materia" in the middle, which contrasts very nicely vs the black dial. It appears to be a teal mother of pearl segment in the middle. There is the "FINAL FANTASY VII"logo with an underline, which I feel the underline and the font and the sizing is very appropriate. No second line beneath it for which I have mixed feelings, it might look good or might not. I think its nicely done.
Date window at 4:30 is also well done, simple, well placed, and no tacky date window outline. More on the date function below.
One major complaint I have is
the lume that allows you to see time in the dark. It is seriously meh. Not even the proprietary blue lumes that are hard for complanies to obtain. Don't get me wrong the lume works, its just not that bright and still the old green lume that will fade over a shorter length of time compared to blue lumes. Granted due to the design there isnt much room to put the lume, but at least use the best quality lumes please Seiko? No? God damn you.
There are 6 total hands and 3 sub-dials - Chronograph seconds hand BIG - this is the longest hand that is thin and sits at 12 oclock for the most of the life of the chronograph and measures the seconds upon the chronograph start pusher is pressed.
- Time measure minutes hand BIG - this is the big hand that is longer than the shortest big hand but smaller than the longest big hand and contains a lume. This is the time of the day in minutes.
- Time measure hours hand BIG - this is the big hand that is the shortest and contains a lume. This is the time of the day in hours.
- Time measure seconds hand SMALL - this is the right subdial hand that shows the the time of the day in seconds.
- Chronograph minutes hand SMALL - this is the middle subdial that shows the chronograph time measurement in minutes. Note that is 30 minutes and not 60 minutes as it is impossible to properly display 60 minutes in that tiny subdial.
- Chronograph hours hand SMALL - this is the left subdial that shows chronograph time in hours. This is 12 hours for the same reason as above.
As far as the hands and subdials, IMO they are well done, well accented to easily be read. I wish I had a way to tell if the hands/subdial circles/hour markers are white gold or common metal, but I do not so I'll leave it at that.
Overall impression of the dial: Design is well done. I do like Seiko's automatic chronograph dials as they are well designed and it shows here. But the lume is totally meh.
Seiko 8R48 Automatic Chronograph Movement and long-term care This is a mid-tier automatic chronograph movement with a flyback reset. What that means is that it is not quite $15,000 worthy movements that Rolex uses, but still a decent movement that only Seiko can make at this price. Chronographs measure time when you press the top pusher. Flyback means upon reset, the seconds hand measuring time that has passed will "fly back" to 0 almost instantly. Most quartz chronographs that are contained in $100-200 watches that are battery operated or even in most lower quality automatic chronographs from other companies, when their reset button is hit the chrono seconds hand does not fly back but rather circles back, a motion that can easily be seen.
Since this is not a quartz chronograph the seconds hand does not "tick" but does a sweeping motion. It is powered not by a battery but as an
automatic it is powered by either manual winding of the crown or by the movement of your wrist. This one in particular is a hi-beat movement at 28800 vibrations per hour, which means the seconds hand's sweeping motion is very smooth and hard to tell if it is stopping at all. With a keen eye and a lower beat automatic movement, the sweeping is an obvious set of back-to-back stops that are simply quick in succession. Hi beat is the same but much faster. So 28800 just means smooth sweeping seconds hand. I praise Seiko for being able to make a chronograph movement that beats fast and is automatic, all of only moving parts devoid of electronics, at such a price.
(Pity they failed to capture the reputation they wanted during the Quartz crisis, which was basically a battle of literal survival between Swiss watch companies vs Japanese/American watch companies in 1970s. I digress.)
Hi-beat also means that the
power reserve is lower as more power is used to operate the hi-beat sweeps, usually in watches of this price, at 45 hours. This is adequate for everyday use but not adequate for switching between multiple watches in a week. You may recharge the power reserve via manual winding the crown or just wearing it. Some mechanicals will not allow you to recharge via wearing it and must be wound daily. Some enthusiasts see this as taking care of a pet, but I call bullshit.
There is a
date window at 4:30, which is large and visible. Good date window IMO and the date snaps over to the next date at 12:00, which is indicative of a decent movement. The back of the movement is an
open caseback showing a single decoration of VII. I'd like to have seen more decorations for a $2500 watch.
Seiko likes to overblow their claims of
seconds per day range. Most quartz do not have this as quartz watches are much more accurate than automatic since they are regulated by electronic parts. Automatics are favored by enthusiasts who seen romance in the moving of hundreds of parts rather than "dead heart" of an electronic watch but in exchange must accept this variance in every mechanical watch.
Seiko's tolerance for daily variance in this watch is -15 seconds / day to +25 seconds / day. Most Seiko watches do not reach the outlying ends of this range and stay in the middle. Most Seiko watches end up somewhere in between -8 to +12 in reality, with more in the positive. It is preferred to have the run watch positive as you can simply pull out the crown and wait the seconds required then push in, whereas if it runs negative it makes you have to adjust time everytime you wish to reset the time. In order to fix this a watchmaker would have to go into the watch and this is an annoying procedure. Most watch people rather have it run positive out the gate. Mine in particular runs +4 seconds / day, which is actually within the -4 / +6 of the COSC range (a gold standard for Swiss automatic watches).
Two things alot of enthusiasts don't take into account when buying a watch is
magnetic resistance and shock resistance. This movement has some shock resistance built into it but I prefer you not test it because Chronographs are more prone to shock damage as it has much more moving parts than a non-chrono movements like a Rolex Submariner. This watch has standard magnetic resistance which is just the iron inner casing which can take around 1000 gauss. This must means it will be fine as you move around daily but do not rest it or sleep it on top of an Ipad face cover or your computer speakers, lest your watch become magnetized and run fast, by like minutes faster per day. Quartz watches do not need worry but automatics which contain only moving parts are prone to this. A watchmaker can quickly demagnetize the watch case for a low fee but a full demagnetization part-by-part can be costly. Just avoid resting the watch on top of appliances and electronics.
Servicing is an important part of owning automatics that nags owners, and this manual unfortunately does a poor job in explaining. It is missing any mentions of the movement number and it does not even mention Seiko. So does it expect you to send it back to Square Enix store only to have them send it back to you saying IS YOU CRAZY SON. You need a proper watchmaker with a decade of experience and proper tools to properly service a chronograph and not leave dusts and specs inside. Nay, this watch goes back to a Seiko's service center.
USA Location and Contact info:
https://www.seikowatches.com/us-en/contact/servicecenter Servicing Prices ($363 + tax for this):
https://www.seikoserviceusa.com/pages/serviceprice/ Form to include when sending:
https://www.seikoserviceusa.com/repairorders/howtorepai If this watch is worn as your daily, an automatic watch service will be due in 5 years. It is no small labor to service automatics so expect a turnaround time of 1-3 months to have your watch back. I personally wear them until it is way off the mark in seconds per day (like 10 years) then I send it in for service, as the service covers any worn out parts to be fully replaced. Do as I say but not as I do I suppose, your choice however.
Final impressions of the movement: Totally worthwhile for a $1000 watch, maybe a bit pushing it at $2500 but I understand it is for a limited edition watch as I'd like to have seen more decorations on the movement other than the "VII". Movement's functionality is great, were it from a Swiss company it would be praised and paraded about at this price, but because it is "Japanese" a lot of Swiss fanbois think it low value. In my unabised opinion the movement is astounding for what its capabilities are at this price but the Seiko branding unfortunately has to deal with this reputation. I just wish Square Enix decided to disclose servicing needs, but of course I would think it is a business decision to leave this part out of the sales page.
Bracelet is actually tremendously important to a watch. They complete the watch. This bracelet is good but a business cost-cutting choice here gets some flak from me. As far is how solid it is, it is a solid piece, well crafted, just one particular thing that annoys me.
20mm Bracelet choice is good, it tapers nicely to 18mm at the clasp as it should. The sizing choice is perfection. Links are solid as well as the
end links are solid which means the bracelet will not bend over time nor at the lugs where the watch meets bracelet.
Clasp is a butterfly clasp, I'd prefer a folding clasp as the butterfly can itch some people's wrists but it's a nice butterfly clasp. Clasp closes nicely. I just wish there was more decoration on the clasp other than the inner perlage. You can change out the bracelet to a strap of your choice if desired but I would not as it is a good choice of a bracelet.
Now here comes the one major criticisms I have for this bracelet:
PUSH PIN LINKS I HATE THESE OMG. Some bracelets from previous era luxury watches or most watches just have these push pin links that need a particular push pin tool to remove links. I'd like to have seen screw on pins that can be screwed and unscrewed. Even $100 bracelets from aftermarket companies such as Strapcode all have screw pins.
Overall a solid bracelet forever marred by the choice of push pins. But I believe even some Grand Seiko sports watches utilize push pins. Which I think is a travasty of a choice from Seiko.
The Conclusion, the TLDR - Is it worth it? Should you buy it? There are two things to consider. The watch itself is good, price is a bit higher than I'd like. Before buying, you should think about:
- Do you love the game more than the game itself? Do you think it'll be a treasured memory? Do you love the game so much that you think you'll want other things, keep sakes of the game? I personally love the art that went into this game enough to want to buy this watch, to keep my aspirations for my own comic one day going. How much value do you see in your love for this game or its foundations?
- All watches are/can be investments. Are you financially risk-averse? This is a terminology used in financial investing to determine whether you can invest more into risky stocks or safer bonds. In average-joe English it is asking you if your ass is broke or not. There is much data on popular watches such as Rolex and Omega, but not much data on Final Fantasy branded watches. I've seen prior Final Fantasy watch sales (SE did this in the past) listings that retain the price, actually list for more than what they are. But as an occasional Rolex seller I can tell you this, that although you can command a high price, some items can take a long time to sell (low market liquidity). I take it that for the purposes of selling this item in the future, should you run into financial trouble or no longer wish it in your collection, the product is rare and the customer base is there, but the base might be small in number. It might take a while to sell at the right price.
Final verdict: if you are financially risk-averse, I would suggest you skip out on the item. If you love the game beyond what it offers, want a keepsake, and love what it stands for and it may hold meaning for you in the future in your life, AND you are risk-tolerant and willing to invest in the watch and would have the time to find the right buyer to get your money back incase something financially happens to you in the future, By all means. All these conditions must be met in order for you to make a responsible purchase.
submitted by Quartz Movement vs Automatic. You are about to buy a watch, but you just realized that timepieces use different watch movement to work. Quartz vs automatic offers the right platform for establishing the difference between quartz watches and automatic watches.. The purpose of discussion is to determine how the quartz movement differs from automatic watch movement. There are some misconceptions about the quartz movement. Some see it as inferior to a mechanical movement, despite being more accurate. Maybe part of this is down to the fact that quartz watches are cheaper since they’re quicker and easier to make nowadays. The debate between quartz vs. automatic remains a matter of personal taste. It’s ... Quartz – the movement causes the second hand to move in individual ticks. Powered by a battery. Mechanical – the movement will cause the second hand to move in a smooth sweeping motion. The watch requires manual winding to operate. Automatic – kinetic energy from the wearer's wrist is transferred automatically to drive the mechanism inside the watch. 1. Quartz Movement. In 1969, Seiko ... The words ‘quartz’ and ‘automatic’ refer to the type of watch movement, which is the engine that powers the watch. There are two categories of movements: quartz movements and mechanical movements. The mechanical movement category is further subdivided into two subcategories: automatic (or self-winding) and manual (or manual-winding) movements. Quartz movement vs. Automatic vs. Mechanical. In terms of accuracy, quartz watches win in a quartz movement vs. automatic battle; even mechanical watches don’t hold a candle to quartz timepieces. In terms of operational lifespan, quartz watches can run at least 2 years before you need to replace their affordable batteries. On the other hand ... Automatic watch is notoriously more expensive than quartz watch and this can be attributed to the higher part count in it compared to the relatively easy to construct quartz movement. Not only that, most automatic watch uses stainless steel for most of the mechanical parts including its casing, though Swatch Sistem51 is one of the major brands that released an automatic in plastic casing. Quartz watches are battery powered while automatic movement watches are powered by a spring; Over time automatic watches require mainspring replacement and repair for mechanical wear and tear. Quartz watches only require a change of battery after every few years. Quartz Movements vs. Automatic Movements. While a quartz movement gets its power from a battery, an automatic mechanical movement uses energy from the motion of a wearer’s wrist. Every time the watch moves, a rotor within the caliber spins and automatically winds the mainspring. This is why you may hear someone refer to an automatic movement as a self-winding movement. Next, the gathered energy releases from the mainspring through a barrel to the gear trains, powering the timepiece. As ... Since the 1960s, debates have raged amongst both watch lovers and the industry itself over which is better: quartz or automatic. Whilst most purists would have you believe that there is nothing like precision and tech of a mechanical watch, the modern technology behind the quartz movement certainly has its fair share of impressive features. Quartz vs. Automatic: The Movements The late 1960s ushered in a new generation of watchmaking with the introduction of the first quartz movement. This technological breakthrough set off a tumultuous time for the Swiss watch industry. These Japanese-made quartz calibers were less expensive, more accurate, and faster to