[MayLerd]

Hi everyone,

I have been stalking these forums for quite some time now and decided I should make an account and perhaps as for some help. I have been interested in watches for years, and have quite a selection of watches all of which cost less than £200 and propelled my interest during my early teens. Tinkering with automatics was always fun, and I became a huge fan of watches and furthered my own interests by doing it.

With my 18th coming up next time, my father, noticing my admiration of watches, decided to offer me a choice for my birthday - any watch I desired for less than £1000. He is the son of a watchmaker, and the owner of many luxury brand watches, though his tastes differ to mine so he wants me to decide on a watch.

I am happy to go preloved, as I know a lot of luxury watch owners treat their timepieces with great care, so I wondered if you could help me broaden my knowledge and find what I'm looking for. I will attach images of the style of watch that really makes me crumble, though its common for them to be tens of times more than I was looking to spend, the idea is there! Again, thank you for your time!

I prefer automatic, and the style shown below (the price though.. that's my fall point, especially regarding that Patek..) also, a moonphase, rather than the day/date..!

 

[geoffbot]

Welcome to the forum and an early happy 18th!

You can get that Oris close to your budget, no?

 

[MayLerd]

Welcome to the forum and an early happy 18th!

You can get that Oris close to your budget, no?

Thank you! Yes, both the Oris and the Maurice are possibilities, I thought I'd throw in images of my current contenders, I was just wondering if anyone has any better ideas - as far as I can tell these forums wield infinite knowledge! If I find no others to sway me, then the Oris is my most likely choice.

 

[Coleslaw]

I would suggest a hamilton jazzmaster maestro chrono. You could get a new one one on the grey market pretty close to your budget (1200 USD) it has a similar look to what you posted and a swiss in-house movement! Can't go wrong with a hamilton for an entry level piece!

 

[omega1234]

Welcome! Unfortunately a Patek perpetual calendar ratrapante chronograph is going to be hard under 1k :-d:-d:-d. I would see if you could find a previous generation SMP or a suggestion I would never usually make, a Tag Heuer Carrera. The movement in the Carrera is nothing special, but its a classic design and a pretty attractive piece.

 

[drunken monkey]

I normally hate doing this but I will go above your budget and point you towards the 38mm Longines Heritage Chronograph.

It has the classic, vintage look and the chronograph sub-dials in a 3-6-9 arrangement but no moon-phase.
It lists at about £1300 but I've seen it cheese than that and closer to your £1000.

 

[sea0bass]

With luck you may find this one for your budget on the grey market.

 

[systemcrasher]

Out of that pack, definitely consider the Longine and Oris.

My personal choice would be the Longine - if your budget can be expanded little.

And start saving for that Patek!

 

[G00dband]

This one might be whithin your budget on the Grey Market. Raymond Weil Maestro Phase de Lune

 

[sea0bass]

I believe this one is also going to be around your budget.

 

[mpalmer]

Looks like you have a great budget for a first watch at 18! Those are quite formal looking watches for an 18 year old. They are beautiful though. I turn 34 in a couple weeks, and I'm not quite sure I can talk myself into one of those yet... In any case, I prefer the looks of the Oris to the Maurice Lacroix, but I prefer the Eterna and both Raymond Weil posted by other members to either as the stainless and silver tones are more versatile and age appropriate than the gold tones.

 

[Macro]

Congratulations on the birthday.

Luxury watch and £1000 don't really go well together, unless you go pre-owned (and probably quite tatty) at that price.

For a milestone birthday you probably want a new watch you can keep - so you either need more money or to drop the 'luxury' bit.

A Longines or Oris would be a good start.

Even better would be to persuade other friends and relatives to chip in for an Omega or Rolex!

Have you read watch snob's articles OP - might give you some pointers?

 

[MayLerd]

Thanks for the response everyone, I really wasn't expecting to come home to so much input! I understand £1000 is a tricky budget, but I'm happy to contribute out my own pocket as well so all ideas are good ideas.

I do like the look of the Weils and the Eterna, more things for me to consider, I'll have a look at their collections now, thank you again, I'm very grateful.

(In the mean time, I can see about a way to raise money for that Patek, I'm thinking a 'Car Wash' at a local village fete might do the job? )

 

[sticky]

What you are looking for is really VFM for your 1K and both Oris and Hamilton will give you that though I dare say that other posters will have their own ideas.

 

[MayLerd]

I've been keeping an eye out for a Longines Master Collection Moonphase, they are settling around £1300 as far as I can see so I might be saving up to keep with that.. I tried the Oris, and it was just not quite what I wanted - anyone got anymore ideas? Moonphase and/or Chrono preferred!

 

[abowloffire]

Out of all the ones posted so far, I like the Raymond Weil the best based on looks. The Oris is ok. Longines have a lot of very nice moonphase watches, and the Master Retrograde Moonphase is my favorite, though that is out of your budget. Just go and try on everything on your list that you can find before you decide to buy.

One more, out of budget, but worth saving for. I might make it my compromise to the MUT Moon 39:

Goddamn that is sexy

 

[TNWatchNerd]

I really like some Ball options in this price range. Just a thought.

 

[MayLerd]

That Frederique Constant is an absolutely beautiful watch. Oh my.. I'm going to have a look some of the Ball range, but they usually lie a bit too high too. Thanks again!

 

[TNWatchNerd]

Ball Engineer II moon phase is close. I'm new here and haven't figured out how to post pics so you will have to google.