[robert1234]

Hey all,

I'm wanting to pick up a nice watch to celebrate finally knocking out a law degree and getting a graduate position.

I've been interested in watches for a while and originally my tastes were for very clean JLC MC or reverso types. However, as I read more and more about watches I'm liking the look of sport watches with a storied history so things like the speedy pro and the rolex GMT have begun to take my fancy.

So my conundrum lies in the fact I can pretty much enjoy most watches making it very difficult to choose just one.

As such, I was wanting to pick up something that looks great with a suit and can also do weekend duty. I'd probably be shooting for something with a steel bracelet as its pretty hot down here in Oz. I want to pick up a watch I can wear everyday at work but one that wont attract undue attention (every man and his dog has a rolex in the legal profession and it may look a bit odd if im rocking up to work in my ealry 20s in a rolex)

At the moment I'm oscillating between an IWC mark xvi and ye trusty old speedy pro. So far the speedy pro is a couple of points ahead as dropping the kind of money an IWC requires for a standard ETA movement strikes me as a bit odd.

Other watches that I've considered:
- aqua terra (hands look a bit off to me so its out of the race)
- railmaster 39mm - i like the look of the clean dial and the sporty/dressy versatility and vibe
- rolex datejust (a tad too small for my liking, plus has the rolex recognisability factor)

My budget is about 3500 USD.

Ideally I would like this watch to be one i hold on to forever and i know i will eventually add something dressier later in the coming years.

If you guys have any other suggestions which you think check the above boxes please let them flood in!

Thanks gang

 

[greg19]

Go for a Speedy. Trust me, you won't look odd with a Rolex at all. Because of our age people may ask you if it's real but you can always tell them the truth or any story you want. If people ask me I just tell them that the lume pip is real but that's about it. Congrats on he law degree!

 

[Goostah]

I would also say speedy pro - definitely an icon in the watch world. Only knock is you say it's a commemorative purchase so I assume you want to buy new!? The current retail on speedmasters are simply ridiculous - they only make sense as a pre owned acquisition.

 

[VicLeChic]

As sport watches go within your budget, a second hand Planet Ocean 8500 would probably be attainable, if you're ok with that. You might even be lucky and find an unworn PO 2500, which IMHO is the best looking Omega in the last 10 years.

My second choice would be Breitling Avenger II Seawolf followed by Bretling Colt Automatic.

 

[Morrisdog]

I think you should buy what you like! i really don't think any of your current boss's would care if you turned up with a rolex. Therefore you should check out the rolex sub, Rolex exp 1 and perhaps the new OP 39mm. Otherwise the Speedie pro is absolutely awesome. I have a omega SM 300 which I love. I guess it falls into the dressy diver category. The adjustable metal bracelet is something I find particularly useful.

Another brand I think you should check out is Cartier.

Living in Oz you are going to struggle with your budget of 3500 USD unless you get into the second hand market.

 

[Watch Fan in Beijing]

Another vote for the Speedie. It's a classic.

As for Rolex, I agree with maybe the Explorer 1. It's a bit more subtle (as it doesn't scream "Rolex" as some of the brands other designs) and I think its looks are more suited to a younger person than the Datejust, as fine as the Datejust is. Just my .02

 

[giodoc]

The good news is your decision will be easy! For around $3500 there simply is no other watch on this planet that can compete with the Speedmaster Pro. I would strongly encourage you to purchase the 3570.50 model as its the closest thing you'll get to the original "moon" watch. Anything with crystal (either in the front or the back) is basically useless as its not NASA approved for flight missions (the 3570.50 is flight approved). The only other watch I could recommend in your range would be a Seiko Ananta (they cost about $2k), but make no mistake the Speedmaster is infinitely better in my opinion.

The bad news, there is no watch that you can wear for all occasions. I know people think you can, but the truth is once you get used to wearing a watch at work in a professional setting it'll feel weird wearing it out with your friends on the weekend (trust me on this one). An option could be to look at brands like Stowa and Steinhart. Most people have no idea what these brands are and they make absolutely fabulous watches. For example, you can buy a Steinhart Ocean 1 Premium (with or without titanium) AND a Stowa Antea for around $1600. For this price you'll have a solid "weekend" watch in the ocean one and a solid dress watch for work while you're figuring out what to buy next.

So to recap, my first recommendation would be to buy a Steinhart and Stowa (and save your money for the SpeedyPro as I think you'll enjoy it more if you have other options available). My next choice would be to buy the SpeedyPro by itself and work on saving for your next option (that JLC Master is an awesome choice btw). Finally, I would say buy an Ananta for about $1500-$2000 and save for that SpeedyPro for your next purchase.

Hope this helps!

 

[burning]

What about a Longines?
This one is stunning, but there are some others..

 

[sticky]

Think about a Rolex Sub because it really is a watch for all seasons.

 

[robert1234]

thanks for the input guys!

i dont have an issue going second hand, theres not too much out there is if paying full RRP plus a lot of the watches im liking have been discontinued (like the railmaster and the iwc mark xvi, but they pop up quote often)

also ill be travelling a lot in the coming months around europe and japan so ill have a chance to look at quite a few dealers both ADs and the secondary market.

i like the PO but it may be a bit too large for suit wear for my liking. the new rolex OP is a really nice offering I think in the 39mm. part of my consideration is i want to eventually expand the collection and i dont want to have something ill later want to replace. sadly the explorer i (36mm) is a bit small for my taste and im not the largest fan of the way the numbers look on the 39mm version, but ill have to try it out in person first to see.

that longines is a good looking fella, however, i like the speedy as for me its the quintessential chrono with a ton of history and can always have a place in a collection even if i diversify a collection at a later time.

at the same time im in no rush to get sometime so im happy to bide my time

keep the suggestions rolling in!

 

[sea0bass]

Grand Seiko SBGA083

 

[ConfusedOne]

Sorry to follow the herd here but get an Omega SpeedMaster Man on the Moon. I would also consider the unique variations of the Speedy Pro with my favorite being the dark side of the moon.

 

[crispy12120]

Congrats on the law degree!
What about the new Oyster Perpetual 114300 39mm? In my opinion it's a classy yet understated watch that you can wear with a suit or anything else.

 

[UberDave]

How did this thread get Speedmastered to death but the "Which chrono under 5k" thread didn't?!

Seriously though, with your budget and desire for a 'forever watch' the Speedy is hard to beat. Others I'd consider (limited to those on bracelet): Tudor Pelagos, used Submariner, Seamaster 300.

And congrats on the degree.

 

[ajbutler13]

Another vote for the Speedy Pro. And personally, since I have no immediate plans to go to the moon, I'd get the sapphire sandwich version so I could gaze upon that gorgeous movement whenever I wanted to. I'd also give a hard look at the Breitling SuperOcean Heritage...



...and the Nomos Zurich Blaugold:



The Nomos may stretch your budget a little, though.

 

[mpalmer]

Rolex Explorer. Versatile, not highly recognizable, classic.

 

[shemp55]

Congratulations on your achievement!

How about Aqua Terra 2500 - same case and bracelet as the Railmaster, but slightly more dressy.

 

[DanTSX]

Aqua Terra m8!

And +20 cool points for using "oscillating" in a watch forum.

 

[SodiumMonkey]

I would think you would want to purchase something new (even if grey market) for a commemorative piece. I have a hard time commemorating an event in my life with somebody else's watch.

I also suggest the Breitling SuperOcean Heritage. Mix and match with leather, mesh, nato, etc. to pull off a really wide variety of looks in a broad spectrum of dress.

I believe you could get a TAG Carrera 1887 new in your price range as well. I think that would be another very fitting option for your scenario.

Both command a lot of wrist presence. Both can be dressed up or down effectively. The Breitling gets the nod for me for several reasons, one major one being the thickness of that TAG.

 

[MediumRB]

You want Rolex without Rolex? Well, that is why Tudor exists!
And maybe look at some of the more formal Sinn models (e.g. 6000 series); they have authenticity and value.