Watches - another OCD problem
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Not the same watch, but I've been wearing a Sinn 556A every day for the last year; at work and at home
It depends what you do, and how you look after it, but mine's definitely not had any special treatment and is holding up well:
The stainless steel case has a couple of light marks, but still looks clean and smart.
I work in the optics industry, so maybe I'm overly critical here; it's got a couple of very faint scratches across the sapphire glass which are only visible under glancing incidence light (ie you've got to look really hard to spot them.)
In the last month or so, I've noticed a tiny mark on the face that looks like the anti-reflection coating might be coming away (they coat the sapphire on the front and back faces of the glass), but again you've got to look pretty hard to spot this. (I seem to remember reading about this before I bought it too; maybe worth a bit of research if you think this might bother you)All in all its a pretty tough watch, looks good (imo) and is good to 1-2 secs a day (which I'm happy with)
Hope this helps -
I can get onboard about the evolution of jeans no problem. But a 1000 euro watch…I can't afford to buy another for a good few years so I want something that stays fresh as long as possible and doesn't look like shit within a year of daily wear. Sinn have obviously understood this having developped a steel hardening process (not available on the 104). I'd love to not give a shit believe me...just can't help it
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Maybe take a look at these too:
www.damasko.de -
@bertoni the Longines looks shinier because it's on the leather strap. Put it on the NATO, and it'll be dressed down. And bear in mind these are either studio shots or renders, so shinier than it's likely to be in the metal.
A watch will scratch up over time, but a stainless steel case probably won't age that much. If you want to get the sort of patina that'll make @Giles drool then get a silver or bronze case.
What I'd suggest doing is traipsing around your local watch dealers, and try everything on that you think might work. For example, I really liked the big, bronze Zenith I posted the other day despite it being not what I'd want on paper.
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Glad to help.
If you want one watch to do it all then I'd be looking at something a bit more plain. The Tudor Heritage Ranger, Sinn 556, or the Longines would be the sort of thing I'd go for.
Wear it on a NATO strap with jeans, or a shiny leather one with a suit. It'd be rugged enough for the former, but smart enough for the latter.A watch with a rotating bezel looks less dressy, and is more likely to catch on suit cuffs, particularly as they tend to be a bigger style.
Incidentally the Longines COSD on a NATO strap is €1480, so a bit above your budget.
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If you're crazy about your watch getting scratched, the nice thing about stainless steel cases is that you can do remedial work on them yourself. For polished surfaces, Cape Cod polishing cloths will buff out all but the really deep marks. For a brushed finish, I like fiberglass scratch pens to restore the original appearance.
Just like with jeans or boots, minor maintenance can go a long way.
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Also you'll probably be getting your watch serviced every few years. The case will probably be refurbished, and it'll come back looking pretty close to new.
Bear in mind that this is one cost most first time watch buyers don't take into account. It also takes anything from a few weeks to a few months. That's why @Tempvs doesn't have any spares, he needs them for when his others are off getting serviced!
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For @Giles, aBlogToWatch has a week on the wrist with the Grand Seiko Spring Drive Diver.
@bertoni you could always email Sinn and ask what they charge for a service. Breitling was £300 / €450 a year ago. Even so, the cost was less than buying a cheapish new watch every couple of years.
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@Graeme Thanks mate, will do. I was wondering if someone on here might point me in the direction of a decent 'How to change a strap on a watch without lug holes' sort of vid? The Sinn apparently has no lug holes and i'm wondering how you actually change straps? VERY noobie I know but hey, you gotta start somewhere no?
