I’m shopping for two watches to add to my collection (which currently consists of a Rolex Deep Sea 40 mm in steel with black dial and a GO Seventies Chronograph 40 mm in steel with silver dial). The first watch I'd like to buy is a formal dress watch with a white or silver dial and black alligator strap. The second is a slightly dressier than business casual watch with brown strap. Both must have deployant clasps.
I’m in my mid-40’s and don’t want to look like an old man but do want to appear professional and mature.
I have a 7 inch (17.78 cm) fairly flat wrist. The Rolex I own fits nicely. The GO is tall but doesn’t look too big on my wrist, but barely. I wouldn’t go any larger than 40 mm and no smaller than 38 mm. The watch needs to fit under a dress shirt sleeve. Two watches are necessary because I don't want to have to switch watch straps all the time to match my shoes (and I do want the strap to come close to the color of my shoes). I would like to keep the spend around $15k for both.
In my line of work a nice watch is good, but I shouldn’t wear anything too showy. I will have a three watch rotation daily (Rolex plus the two new watches; the GO I wear casually on the weekends given its size).
My thoughts thus far:
Brown strap options I’ve identified so far:
--GO Panoreserve (the old hand wind model with silver dial and black hands, standard black strap switched out to GO brown strap, 40 mm, ~$6,200); I love this watch and the asymmetry of the dial. This is my first choice but it wears tall and I am concerned it will catch on my dress shirt sleeve.
--Grand Seiko SBGJ217 (automatic, 39.5 mm, ~$5,850); I like this watch as well but is it too much of an old man/boring watch?
--IWC Portofino (automatic, ~$4,000, 40 mm, silver dial and hands, strap changed out to brown); while I used to really like IWC's after seeing some others I'm underwhelmed by the watch; price is really good, however, and it's not too showy; might be able to buy a Reverso if I got this one.
--JLC Master Grand Ultra Thin (~$5,700, automatic, 40 mm); my wife has a thin JLC alligator strap watch and it hasn’t held up well, so I’m a little hesitant to buy due to durability questions.
--JLC Master Ultra Thin Reserve de Marche (~$6,800, automatic, 39 mm); same question about this watch as above.
--JLC Reverso Large Small Seconds (~$5,000, manual wind); anyone know how the large fits flat 7 inch wrist?
White/silver dial with black strap options I’ve identified so far
--Blancpain Villeret Ultra Slim Automatic White Dial (40 mm, automatic, price on gray market ~$7,500)
--one question I have: are hand wind Blancpain models (which cost less and may open up the opportunity to add a third watch) less durable over the long run because of the mechanical strain of being wound every day or every couple days?
--I’m pretty committed to one form or another of the Villeret but would entertain other interesting suggestions.
Help me to stop perseverating on this! Let me know your thoughts!
I’m in my mid-40’s and don’t want to look like an old man but do want to appear professional and mature.
I have a 7 inch (17.78 cm) fairly flat wrist. The Rolex I own fits nicely. The GO is tall but doesn’t look too big on my wrist, but barely. I wouldn’t go any larger than 40 mm and no smaller than 38 mm. The watch needs to fit under a dress shirt sleeve. Two watches are necessary because I don't want to have to switch watch straps all the time to match my shoes (and I do want the strap to come close to the color of my shoes). I would like to keep the spend around $15k for both.
In my line of work a nice watch is good, but I shouldn’t wear anything too showy. I will have a three watch rotation daily (Rolex plus the two new watches; the GO I wear casually on the weekends given its size).
My thoughts thus far:
Brown strap options I’ve identified so far:
--GO Panoreserve (the old hand wind model with silver dial and black hands, standard black strap switched out to GO brown strap, 40 mm, ~$6,200); I love this watch and the asymmetry of the dial. This is my first choice but it wears tall and I am concerned it will catch on my dress shirt sleeve.
--Grand Seiko SBGJ217 (automatic, 39.5 mm, ~$5,850); I like this watch as well but is it too much of an old man/boring watch?
--IWC Portofino (automatic, ~$4,000, 40 mm, silver dial and hands, strap changed out to brown); while I used to really like IWC's after seeing some others I'm underwhelmed by the watch; price is really good, however, and it's not too showy; might be able to buy a Reverso if I got this one.
--JLC Master Grand Ultra Thin (~$5,700, automatic, 40 mm); my wife has a thin JLC alligator strap watch and it hasn’t held up well, so I’m a little hesitant to buy due to durability questions.
--JLC Master Ultra Thin Reserve de Marche (~$6,800, automatic, 39 mm); same question about this watch as above.
--JLC Reverso Large Small Seconds (~$5,000, manual wind); anyone know how the large fits flat 7 inch wrist?
White/silver dial with black strap options I’ve identified so far
--Blancpain Villeret Ultra Slim Automatic White Dial (40 mm, automatic, price on gray market ~$7,500)
--one question I have: are hand wind Blancpain models (which cost less and may open up the opportunity to add a third watch) less durable over the long run because of the mechanical strain of being wound every day or every couple days?
--I’m pretty committed to one form or another of the Villeret but would entertain other interesting suggestions.
Help me to stop perseverating on this! Let me know your thoughts!
