I am amazed by technology.
Crikey - have a look at the watch in this picture.
It uses a Temperature Compensated Voltage Controlled Crystal Oscillator (TCVCXO).

Other watches with dual Xtals etc are at this link:
http://forums.watchuseek.com/showthread.php?t=2087

I don't have that problem when I am in Germany.

I'm sure Coral Sea will be able to oblige you with some good advice on this question. He is a wristwatch aficionado. I'll remind him to post here.

Depends what you use it for Bobby...

Unless you're Bill Gates, there's no point in wearing a $100,000 Rolex while mowing the lawn or changing the oil in the car..

So something fairly robust and able to keep time...the watch YOU can afford, but one that will not cause heart palpitations if it's lost or broken...


Personally, I always used to buy the $19.95 "no-name" specials from Big W......but that was because it didn't matter if it got smashed while subduing a drunk at the pub...

JC Denton wrote on Nov 20^th, 2010 at 1:19pm:



Thanks - did you read the link to the forum?
see here:
http://forums.watchuseek.com/showthread.php?t=2087

Gizmo.
Quote:


What a bogan you are. 

I think an Omega or Rolex would calm you down
and help avoid pub brawls.

Muso.
Quote:


I bet the rate goes up when you see some babes getting physical in their leotards?

Talking of time - did you notice that freediver never changed
the time on this forum when we went to daylight saving?
It's an hour behind.

Gizmo.
Quote:


OK - Now I understand.
A $20 plastic watch would be perfect for your line of work.

I know someone who used to buy one of those every time the battery went flat.
He said it was easier than trying to muck around replacing the battery.

My watch is 30 years old.
It's a Seiko quartz sports 100.
It still keeps time to better than 2 seconds per month.

Gizmo.
Quote:


You really need to upgrade.
Babes go for guys with Rolex or Omega watches.

Quote:


While it's true that quartz watches can be more accurate than any mechanical watch, you'll find that it's the mechanical watches which are the most prized.

Quote:


Yet you pick two brands who only make mechanical watches?
Omega never have (their Swatch brand aside) and Rolex stopped making them a decade ago.

For a lot of us, there's something about having a miniature mechanical marvel sitting on your wrist.

Are there still some neo-Luddites out there who don't realise mobile phones have clocks in them nowadays?

Quote:


Yeah, but it looks like garbage and as a result, makes you look poor. A nice watch is about status signaling, it's plain and simple.

Quote:


Arabs love status signaling too. I mean when you're that ugly, what choice do you have?

Bobby. wrote on Nov 20^th, 2010 at 9:41pm:


My humble apologies, you're correct, although Rolex ceased production of the one in the OP in 2001.

It's probably a good idea for both Rolex and Omega to offer budget (quartz) movements as an alternative to their pricier mechanical automatic movements. Especially for those who are purely making a purchase based upon the brand name.

Quote:


Yes, the mechanical automatic version costs around $5,000. The quartz version retails for under $3,000.

So in comparison, the Quartz version is the budget version - that's if you're looking to spend between $2k and $5k on a wrist tick tock by Omega.

Care to guess which one will hold its value the best?

I just noticed this thread, I am a watchmaker by trade, but haven't worked as one since i finished my apprenticeship 28 years ago, thanks to the cheap watches available nowadays watchmaking is about as useful trade as candle stick making.
I dont even know if they still run a course nowadays, but even in the class I was in we only had 18 people from all over NSW so I doubt too many more trained after me.
All of that said, I never worked on a rolex but omega made some  quality watches,as for the run of the mill affordable watches on the market now, Seiko still make a couple of mechanical watches, I have one that I bought about three years ago and it was only a few hundred bucks,but it gains about a minute a month and as its a 100 metre (which only means you can go ten metres under water btw) watch I wouldn't bother trying to get it fixed, once they are opened the seal can not be guaranteed to work as well.
If you want the "best" I'd be looking at Swiss made, but thats just my opinion,as bobby has said most quartz watches keep better time anyway. I remember when Casio watches first became popular in Aus, that was the beginning of the end for watchmaking, all they needed was a new battery and the customer was on their way.

skippy. wrote on Nov 22^nd, 2010 at 2:26pm:



Thanks Skippy.
Did you ever work on a dual crystal temperature compensated watch?
That seems to be the ultimate in time keeping now.

As for 300m waterproof - I doubt that too.
When people go diving they buy a proper divers watch -
they don't use a Rolex. 

i still wear wristwatches. your story was sad skippy. my dad owns a bunch of swiss watches and loves watches too. quartz watches changed everything.. it must have been very bad for the people who were so passionate about making mechanical watches and seeing their trade vanish.

Quote:


There's one made in 1980 for sale on the net - with an 18k gold bezel - for around $4,500.

Rolex make a series of dive watches with a true water proof depth of over 3,000 metres. Of course nobody has ever worn one that deep.

Nice watches.
There are so many good looking watches for under $200.
Here is one.
You wonder whether the expensive ones are worth the extra money?

abu_rashid wrote on Nov 21^st, 2010 at 1:34am:


But abu, the thread is about wristwatches...

Besides, there are times and places where you can't really carry a mobile phone with you...

Whatever happened to the fob watch?

Miss Anne Dryst wrote on Nov 25^th, 2010 at 12:13pm:


It was politically incorrect and offended boat people...
those...

"Fresh Off the Boat"..

...However, i'm sure Skippy would have loved it.

Miss Anne Dryst wrote on Nov 25^th, 2010 at 12:29pm:



I like to think it is.

Allowed I mean...depends on the mods mood.

Miss Anne Dryst wrote on Nov 25^th, 2010 at 6:59am:



Not always - a girlfriend of mine - a long time ago - bought me a watch that
I didn't like.
It had thick gold plating on it which soon started to wear thin under the bracelet
& started to look tatty where it wore through in other places.
Even thick gold plating soon wears through.

Oh and I love fob watches too.

..   All watches.

Ticking vintage alarm clocks, church clocks, clock towers, pocket watches, grandfather clocks,  I even have a clock tower screen saver.

A Minnie Mouse watch!
Can you still get them?

Bobby. wrote on Nov 25^th, 2010 at 6:30pm:



ok ok lol
But men's watches are designed so as the time is easier to read. Whilst we have to squint to actually be able to see the time!!

Just not fair.   

Bobby. wrote on Nov 25^th, 2010 at 6:34pm:




Thanks
But maybe they have gay guys watches, which would be more feminine.
Best of both worlds then.

Bobby. wrote on Nov 25^th, 2010 at 10:57pm:



Guess that does sound funny lol
Do they make a half way watch, not the big chunky guy watches or the itsy bitsy girl watches, but half way?
And can you get them in hard plastic/rubber, so then can also be in brighter even fluorescent colours?

Bobby. wrote on Nov 26^th, 2010 at 6:38am:




Thanks for the tip
I couldn't grab the pic either.
So I went and googled for it and found something similar.
Biut mid-size looks good
http://www.amazon.com/Haurex-Italy-Womens-7A340DNM-Yacht/dp/B0037W556C?tag=landing_page-20

Although its metal they also have the 'rubberised' ones and in some nice colours too.

Thanks, I may just do that too.

And surely there must be fakes around:

see here:
http://www.ioffer.com/i/new-omega-automatic-watch-watches-177105871

Bobby. wrote on Nov 26^th, 2010 at 10:27pm:





Nice watch, but if I was that outlet I'd be changing the name.

Anne.
Quote:

The guy in that advert has never sold anything before.
It's probably an internet scam.
You'd probably end up with nothing.

Quote:

Yes - definetly if you would rather not have the cash in the bank instead.

Quote:

If you bought a quartz watch then you would only need to replace the battery.
To keep the seals intact you would need to go to an authorised dealer
to have new seals/o-rings as well.
I don't think that would be too expensive - more an inconvenience.
The pure mechanical types would  be costly to repair & I am not
sure if proper repair facilities & parts are available in Australia.

Quote:

Those places would only give you 10% of what the watch was worth
so not a good idea.

Quote:


A qualified watchmaker could repair an Omega, there would still be places in the capital cities where you could get parts.
I'm not sure if they are still there but most of the places we used to get parts from were in Elizabeth street in Sydney.
Smith and Smith is one I remember and another place called Rowland I think, but that was years ago they could have moved on.
I remember being a first year apprentice and having to go to the city twice a week to get parts and pick up watches /clocks and jewellery we didn't repair ourselves. In those days we even took jewellery into Castlereagh street for engraving, nowadays any Mr minute can do it.

I have just browsed an interesting watch website.
They seem to have everything there from watches costing a few
hundred dolllars to others costing as much as a house.

See link:

http://www.watchonwatch.com/

skippy. wrote on Nov 28^th, 2010 at 8:28pm:


I can understand that - I am also fascinated by the movement myself.
I could never work out they made such small precisely machined cog wheels
which mesh so perfectly.
They really are mechanical marvels.
I suppose every watch collector would have one.
How long would they go for before requiring expensive service?
I have a 30 year old quartz watch which just requires a battery every 5 years
& has never been cleaned inside yet it still goes perfectly.

Latest find - the most accurate watch you can buy is the Citizen Chronomaster.
It is accurate to better than ± 5 seconds per year
& sells for about $2,500.

See here:

Watches are my thing, them and good Italian shoes.
I have a Longlines, a couple of nice Fossils(cheap but nice),Omega and a casio calculater watch for a bit of fun, but my next purchase will be a Thomas Sabo ceramic.
http://shop.thomassabo.com/EN-en/watches/rebel-at-heart/watch/pid/WA0068-220-203
So far I have 9 and wear a different one everyday

The photos don't do it justice Bobby.
Looks extremely elegant and classy in real life.