My new toy!

Quadophile

Quadophile

Hon. Acoustical Engineer
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From time to time I get an urge to buy a watch, I was going through the phase and decided to get one. This is the first time I am buying any watch below the $100 mark, my current favourite is a Tissot PRS 516 Automatic which I had bought a decade ago for $500. I had no intention of spending that kind of money on a watch now. My criteria for a watch and challenge to myself was to buy a watch for under $50.

The inspiration came from an interview of Steven Spielberg who admitted that his favourite watch was a Casio and that he could afford to buy one every month to replace the one on the wrist. If Steven Spielberg could do it why can't I do it too. I thought to myself that I must have been a stupid fool having owned an Omega Speedmaster in the past (which I eventually sold). If I could buy a watch under $50 I could very well replace it every few months and the cycle could repeat itself. It would be fun buying a watch every now and then and not worry about the pocket, breaking it or loosing it.

Here is what I was looking for:

Under $50.
A quartz for accuracy.
Had to have the traditional hands and not be just a digital readout..
It had to be a black dial (I like them and they are easy to read at a quick glance).
Must be elegant to look at and not be gaudy like the G-Shocks.
Have a unique feature that sets it apart from run of the mill watches.
Must be water resistant to at least 50 meters.
Had a light switch for in middle of the night viewing
A multi-purpose watch (casual/dress) which one can wear with jeans or a suit depending on the occasion. That meant a bracelet instead of the typical resin strap which I certainly do not like.

This watch fit the bill not just perfectly based on all the above requirements but was one step ahead in some aspects. Above is not just my initial impression but my final impression as well. I am not one of those who like to discuss about durability of a watch when it actually cost under $35, I could say that for a Tissot and rightly so as it is still serving me after a decade but not for this one. If it lasts me even a few months (which I am pretty sure it will) it would be worth every penny I spent on it, and I would be back looking for another one similar to this.

Here is a link I found for the watch available at Amazon.uk
 

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Best value for money watch I ever had was one I got for free from a company. It did have their logo right across the face but it kept perfect time. :D

I hardly ever wore it but did so several times when I went on holiday to way out places where there was a slight chance of being mugged. Fortunately that never happened but I would like to have seen the mugger's face.

I believe that it is possible to get reasonably good time keepers for just a couple of pounds now. A few years ago, whilst on holiday somewhere I bought my wife a rather smart watch for $7 at a market. It had "Cucci" on the face (yes, that's Cucci) in very small print. Anyone looking at it always read it as "Gucci" and was very impressed. It also kept perfect time. :)
 
nivrip said:
Best value for money watch I ever had was one I got for free from a company. It did have their logo right across the face but it kept perfect time. :D

I hardly ever wore it but did so several times when I went on holiday to way out places where there was a slight chance of being mugged. Fortunately that never happened but I would like to have seen the mugger's face.

I believe that it is possible to get reasonably good time keepers for just a couple of pounds now. A few years ago, whilst on holiday somewhere I bought my wife a rather smart watch for $7 at a market. It had "Cucci" on the face (yes, that's Cucci) in very small print. Anyone looking at it always read it as "Gucci" and was very impressed. It also kept perfect time. :)
Click to expand...

I would suggest you buy genuine watches and I have no reason to doubt that one could get a decent Casio for under a tenner. Yes you can from Amazon UK, in fact you could buy two for under a tenner! :drool:
 
This is mine I've had it approximately 10 years now. When I bought it for £75 legitimately
it was worth the price tag you see on page.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Krug-Baumen...D4ES/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1316656044&sr=8-4

I chipped part of the face several years ago and I have not had it repaired, not have I bothered wearing another watch as yet. TBH 6 or 7 years later I have not missed wearing one either

Very nice watch though I will add and well worth the cash I paid for it at the time :)
 
That sure is a great watch reminds me of the Omega Seamaster which looked almost similar to the this one
 
Heres mine I paid £18 quid for it from Amazon about 4 months ago, love Casio watches as its the straps that break not the watch, they are also the best watch for going underwater with and lots of professional divers use them as a back-up to there Dive computers!

Perfect time to the second using the Wave-Ceptor technology too!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Casio-WV-58...=sr_1_1?s=watch&ie=UTF8&qid=1316668861&sr=1-1
 
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crazylegs said:
Heres mine I paid £18 quid for it from Amazon about 4 months ago, love Casio watches as its the straps that break not the watch, they are also the best watch for going underwater with and lots of professional divers use them as a back-up to there Dive computers!

Perfect time to the second using the Wave-Ceptor technology too!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Casio-WV-58...=sr_1_1?s=watch&ie=UTF8&qid=1316668861&sr=1-1
Click to expand...

Yes I remember this watch as I was considering getting it, it was available with a bracelet too. The only reason I did not go for it is that I like hands and am so used to it that it takes me a while before I figure out what time it is on a digital watch. mind you it is only for the wrist watch and not digital in general. If I use a digital watch I always prefer 24 hr format rather than 12 hour format. I am kind of very rigid in my ways, maybe I am old fashioned or something. :lol:
 
Didn't want the bracelet version as I get a free wax of my wrist everytime I put the watch on!
Gave up with metal bracelets they need adjusting most of the time to fit my wrist and people rip you off for adjustment..Lost count of the amount of times I have taken bracelets to get adjusting only to be told "oh thats a special type of link that needs a special tool or needs sending away sir, Oh the price sir that'l be £20 for adjustment for that type sir" :mad:
No I'll stick with standard strap thanks, I can adjust that myself with a flick of me thumb..:D
 
crazylegs said:
Didn't want the bracelet version as I get a free wax of my wrist everytime I put the watch on!
Gave up with metal bracelets they need adjusting most of the time to fit my wrist and people rip you off for adjustment..Lost count of the amount of times I have taken bracelets to get adjusting only to be told "oh thats a special type of link that needs a special tool or needs sending away sir, Oh the price sir that'l be £20 for adjustment for that type sir" :mad:
No I'll stick with standard strap thanks, I can adjust that myself with a flick of me thumb..:D
Click to expand...

I have a watch tool kit for which I paid $9.23, I can fix most things myself including links of bracelets no matter what kind. :lol: Only today I removed two liks for my daughters watch and off she went with the watch that perfectly fit on her wrist. It took me less than 3 minutes to do it. I gave her the watch as her graduation present. Here it is in its full glory.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Seiko-Women...YT82/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1316672668&sr=8-1

Here is the tool kit

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001AS6OGA
 

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Thanks for the link quad but I'll stick with me standard strap, won't cost me nowt! :thumb:
 
Quad, your new watch looks very smart and stylish. :thumb:

It's funny, but a few years ago, I was shopping, and missing my watch, which I'd forgotten to put on! Anyway, rather than feeling "lost" without the time, I purchased a cheapie right there and then. I was in Asda at the time and was surprised to see that they had quite a lot of different styles - some of which looked a bit tacky, but I chose one of the (genuine) leather-strapped variety. It cost the princely sum of £6..!

Despite being so very cheap, it could quite easily have passed for something much more expensive. I happen to favour hands too, and this watch even boasted a date feature! So, something which I'd purchased on impulse, just to tide me over for the day, actually became one of my favourites!

That was a few years ago. The thing which has surprised me most about it, is that it has kept its looks. The metal has not tarnished or changed colour, (which I fully expected to happen after just a few weeks.)

I suppose the lack of "clockwork" innards is what can keep prices so low. Quartz clock movements can be purchased fairly cheaply from hobby stores, so maybe that's why there are decent watches/clocks to be had at such reasonable prices?

(Think I will buy a repair kit... my favourite local jewelery shop has now closed down, so it's a bit of a trek to get batteries changed now.) :)
 
Very nice Quad :)

I stopped wearing watches in '94 when I got my first mobile phone, I couldn't see the point of carrying two timepieces.

Other reason I don't wear a watch is I don't favour jewellery, I don't have any jewellery at all and a watch is sort of jewellery I suppose.

Last watch I had was a Casio, plain black with a black strap and must admit I liked it a lot, I can be seen wearing it in some of my Facebook pix.

Most of my friends wear watches and like them a lot, they would no doubt apreciate your latest acquisition more than I.

Hope it gives you lots of pleasure Quad :)
 
Great looking watch Quad. :thumb:

Last year, for Christmas, in October, I bought me a new watch and I too hadn't worn a watch for centuries.

I used to have an 'imitation' Rolex, was a very good one, used a Seiko movement ... so, it was the make I chose, that, and me dad used to wear this same one. :)

http://www.seiko.co.uk/products/seiko/c/other_seiko_watches/m/sgga48p1_sgga48p1

I wear it everyday.

tick tock :)
 
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