Watches - another OCD problem
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This is the Grand Seiko SBGW269, a Europe-only non-limited edition which is the counterpart to the US SBGW273, 5, and 7 (which are number limited). The dial is very dark brown with a linen texture which is hard to see. I put it on the GS "jubilee" bracelet that was made for an earlier model of the same size. It's a small 37.3mm, hand-wound watch.
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Hey guys,
I'm kind of bored and I am wondering what kind of watch I could buy some time in the future, so I thought your range is really big and that you could direct me or show me interesting watches that I don't know.My Conditions are:
Price +/-10-12k€, blue diver, 40-43mm, longer reserve +3 days, bracelet + orig. rubber is ideal, date is not a condition, my eyes are getting worse, good lume, not bronze
Apart from the longer reserve and the blue colour is probably not a dogma, E.g. I like the GP Laureato for example, but reserve only 54h for +10k€ is disproportionate.
Thanks;-)
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@Moty not blue, but I suspect this bad boy would meet/exceed all of your requirements https://www.grand-seiko.com/uk-en/collections/slga001g
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The Laureato is lovely but it's not a diver at all.
Otherwise, with your criteria the Rolex sub is hard to beat - and to the extent you can get one at all it exists in no date (but black)…
The Glasshute Original SeaQ is beautiful and ticks all your boxes I believe - plus it exists with a large date:
https://www.glashuette-original.com/en/watches/spezialist/seaq-panorama-date-1-36-13-02-81-33/ -
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That is true @JDelage, though I would say from my experience with the SLA023 that the Seiko divers wear smaller than their dimensions suggest - the 44mm of mine feels more like 40-42mm on the wrist.
Controversial but my feeling is that you probably get a better watch with the GS options than you would with a submariner, though they’re obviously not going to retain value as well. Trouble with a subby is actually getting your hands on one for a non-insane price.
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I'd put another vote in for the Glashütte Original SeaQ Panorama Date. I'm a big fan of these, and they're beautifully finished. I'd probably get it on the steel bracelet, and then add whatever straps you fancy.
Blancpain offer the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe in blue, which is a similar price to the SeaQ. The original Fifty Fathoms is also available in that colour, but not with the Grande Date.
If these aren't blue enough for you, the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Big Blue will be what you want. But the power reserve is only 60 hours.
IWC offers the Aquatimer Chronograph in blue, but the power reserve is only 68 hours. Although not a diver, the (Not So) Big Pilot's Watch 43 is a simple, time only watch, unfortunately the power reserve is again only 60 hours.
Cartier discontinued the Calibre de Cartier Diver, but there are still a few out there. They've only got a 48 hour power reserve, but are definitely something different. I wouldn't be surprised if they're really collectible in the future.
Panerai specialise in big watches with big power reserves. The Submersible Blu Notte and Submersible Azzurro would be a starting point.
The Bulgari Octo Finissimo in steel is available with a blue dial. Although it's not a diver's watch, and only has a 60 hour power reserve, it is a lovely piece, and very slim. This one has 100 metres of water resistance, so it can go swimming.
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Controversial but my feeling is that you probably get a better watch with the GS options than you would with a submariner, though they’re obviously not going to retain value as well. Trouble with a subby is actually getting your hands on one for a non-insane price.
Not controversial this side of the room….
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A little surprise from the wife from this past xmas. I very loudly yelled "holy shit" in front of her entire family when I opened it that morning.
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Thanks to you all esp. @Graeme @LewisStonehouse @JDelage
I didn´t want to influence you with my list but you proposed very similar watches
1. GO SeaQ Panorama date
2. Blancpain Fifty Fathoms BATHYSCAPHE Ceramic
3. Panerai Submersible Blu Notte
4. Grand Seiko SBGH291Laureato and Rolex DJ 41mm blue is not a diver but also could be added to my list
Thanks for more ideas
P.S. Bulgari Octo looks really amazing but out of my budget
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You’ll not go far wrong with any of those dude. Happy hunting and keep us posted
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P.S. Bulgari Octo looks really amazing but out of my budget
The Octo in steel retails for €12,300 according to the Bulgari Germany website. So it's only a couple of hundred Euros outside your budget.
Yeah, we're all enablers here…
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Controversial but my feeling is that you probably get a better watch with the GS options than you would with a submariner, though they’re obviously not going to retain value as well. Trouble with a subby is actually getting your hands on one for a non-insane price.
Not controversial this side of the room….
Nor this one. That said, GS are comparatively quite chunky, so if you want something thinner than 13mm or so it may not be the best option.
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Congrats @champ . You have an amazing watch there and an obviously amazing wife.
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So I've been on a deep dive looking at GMT options. I had not realized it, but there are "true GMT" (which I'd prefer to call "traveller GMT") and "office GMT".
The traveller GMTs are those watches that allow you to leave the 24hr hand on your "home time" and quickly adjust the hour hand to the local destination, without having to stop the watch. Some do that via the crown, others using one or two push buttons.
The office GMTs are the watches that allow you to easily change the 24hr hand to track another time zone while the regular 12hr minute and hour hands stay on your local, home time.
The traveller GMTs are much rarer, and often more expensive than the office GMTs. The vast majority of GMT watches are office GMTs.
So I've been looking at the traveller GMTs. The typical example for those are the Rolex GMT master II and Explorer II, which are unobtainium, as we know. I just put my name down for an Explorer II, and I wasn't laughed out of the store. However, nothing will come out of it for months, nay, years if at all. Omega also makes traveller GMTs, as does Grand Seiko. In both cases they are pretty thick (>14mm vs ~12mm for Rolex). Omega used to make a 300m GMT that was thinner, and can still be found on the secondary market. Two other options I've found are IWC (UTC Spitfire, Saint-Exupery, etc) and Ball (which confusingly makes both a traveller and an office GMT within their Roadmaster line - those are very cool watches on specs). Finally, Ulysse Nardin has a traveller GMT movement that uses pushers to move the hour hand forward or backward in 1hr increments, and they've used that caliber on a number of models, most recently in the San Marco line. It would be perfect, but I haven't found a Ulysse Nardin I really like.
I'm going to see if I can try on one of the GS Sport line GMT tomorrow, either Spring Drive (SBGE253/5/7) or auto. They have a number of models in the Heritage & Elegance collection but I tried one on and the thickness combined with the smaller case size makes them quite top heavy.
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While I hadn’t heard those terms for it, the only real GMTs for me are Travelers. I have a Seiko Prospex Kinetic diver that qualifies. So convenient for travel. A GS Spring Drive GMT to me is an ideal travel watch with the long power reserve and accuracy.
