Best bargain watches?

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Broch

Life Member
Jan 18, 2009
7,981
7,757
Mid Wales
www.mont-hmg.co.uk
I met a guy today that buys Rolex watches as investments; he buys one year, sells one or two years later and makes several thousand on each deal!!!

He says something about stainless Rolex Sports are the big money makers - these are new watches not antique or anything.

Totally different world for me :)
 
May 24, 2009
4
0
Yorkshire
Another one for the Casio F91-W. Literally bombproof (or not) and about as cheap as you can get.

If you don't require analogue then this watch has everything you'd ever want including a very useful stop watch and alarm. I have a few posh watches but this is my every day watch.
 

Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
12,330
2,293
Grand Cayman, Norway, Sweden
I met a guy today that buys Rolex watches as investments; he buys one year, sells one or two years later and makes several thousand on each deal!!!

He says something about stainless Rolex Sports are the big money makers - these are new watches not antique or anything.

Totally different world for me :)

I suspect he talks about the Rolex Daytona.
 

GuestD

Need to contact Admin...
Feb 10, 2019
1,445
700
Casio Tough Solar. Model AQ-S810W, currently on Amazon for just under £30. I also carry an old Russian Molnija mechanical pocket watch.
 

Laurentius

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 13, 2009
2,422
614
Knowhere
I was looking at the bracelet of my Seiko Kinetic divers watch today, it is scratched to buggery. The face has a couple of scores over it too. It is a watch that takes some serious abuse. Expensive for some maybe, but I think when you consider the cost of replacing a battery on a low end waterproof watch and having it pressure tested each time, this thing is paying for itself.
 

GuestD

Need to contact Admin...
Feb 10, 2019
1,445
700
Might have been the case with the older ones but I think that the technology has moved on and the the capacitors were replaced with proper batteries.

https://oureverydaylife.com/problems-with-a-seiko-kinetic-watch-12250638.html

I've owned three, two with the capacitor, and one with the lion battery, and my old Seiko 5 auto has outlasted all of them without being touched, and taken severe punishment. New in 1991, and still telling the time. Do you think I've had my £15 worth ? :)

_-IGp4qs4Fb7Gi9aBnsPT2u6-6vrbNs-06akLVj8UFc0Qs90_pYFzrIFSLTEAXJDxEmZ58M2jBXzOS61_sJwhjXcAQg_A4n7349NK_3hxB5c7B5Vk2mBBHNUJoJyN5UifD2dQ6TlorC994ZFx3Mz0GcAphenoC6vFNJkCPf3cSCpO7Q6UgkudJ-50sSXS0qWepiW-yXEv5s2scrWzQzx_uoSuYQOpIcdVKS4EB6vroU5n4euAiYCoNkIhkkZ3igH1PEmHp_MLvxPj5WgXAm692a-GmuKRVG9QPgN2ONgloxLcYZwm5XoksUcwLY26VA6ouBMxY8mCmzYYpvK5kN8UbQbSdqFO48g3yVJmDTdb2SH5U_DGhNb3LpWk5UMfngPMRxGqscN-1RfkIkkf7Q33pOir5oblouSDDLXjHChjRo6Z5hbllIwZlBK3yLqDPKbJ_iPl19ZoJEyFcJFuDrebIAt8pUnXqFHGbcTbhsB2j4fHFdtH-o1Zy6QkjphUHaOWQUCOR2eYXNxDw6k6ZMw4TqAchL8em-srit09n5Sho6s-vb-vx9c_ovHzpSDejNksj77RzQO4zPI0CU124wAsf5ZcAUoOAP3ZK_pfz8IwhApjOggFMxs9jeMsagNDDFd6DzIBURNZt3-L16SRwuRHTWEReFr_mI=w340-h600-no
 

Herman30

Native
Aug 30, 2015
1,351
1,030
57
Finland
@Deekin If the "window" (or whatever it is called) is plastic you might be able to polish it and get it a bit clearer with a drop of water and some toothpaste. I have done that on my own watch.
 

GuestD

Need to contact Admin...
Feb 10, 2019
1,445
700
@Deekin If the "window" (or whatever it is called) is plastic you might be able to polish it and get it a bit clearer with a drop of water and some toothpaste. I have done that on my own watch.

Thanks. It's Seikos proprietary Hardlex (glass) crystal, which as you can see isn't very scratch resistant, and it's had its day. I replaced it with this solar Casio, which cost less than £30.
y9mTT0BExlKHzhaEpNVHJwpZ2uQwiWydT7gDCrv-g0W_E3ZwlAsmoiHyj33TeA6bOBVkMY_hnnLjD8xLQGeQXT7zvQn26qdGrSSOJAP6G9RZmWChxDTvAGXkZcCbEHIDt15swm6WH9nNzdymRL9a-WPoTbsJA8G6ycYb0Nq63hbCap-9l8Gp7ZUQCzOU-3SlutPefzrEnNRVu_BDcg-XqrpWB2AICt6N1sqNf4ypcDBXABfN2NnnujnSSMCcTGxyfPk0jm1K7EBT-iXi0QEVuZu4SzIPhDi8TKeilGycI6nZIKUP9tqb-D5BgamSVrjiM7iaSI1xI5zG-d00Bdzi3xKnATqMFQO4eAppZGBcHG2JODclJSpoyxJEGx55qhX7uYlwWxXYjwTyqkfu9hLjPlaWjtarsLT0jL_1MvbJdPOPDObYD7aD3wnKdTX1j1InifpTKv-QcgrKqxRgXp_F6_KAug49XSqkGpLoFjKWp_BacvD8b0wTrrA5GRl-rDUHAGUjV-IYadT28OuHd5_URAxftliYDRzOkKtiEzFSy0Pia1-U1RxUQZrtNrGYinvirM6BZ2QwZ5XtCsqE5hI8sgijR0fCjNLWpOVsJ6MmNWepsLKBSsu9VVsbSvu3KlKRexykS9-HdiAQqopw966HudojB_UeGxE=w600-h800-no

The crystal on it is really "soft" plastic, but you can get these protectors which will fit most watches with a flat crystal, off Amazon, and they work really well. :)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Smartwat...54386&sr=8-6&keywords=Watch+screen+protectors

They come in various sizes, and are the same material as smart phone protectors.
 

66jj99

Member
Dec 22, 2011
47
25
Bristol
SKX007 / 009 : used or bashed about


Pros:
Built for abuse
Best spares availability in the universe.
Holds value.
No battery.
No capacitor.
Purely machanical.
200m Divers rating / ISO certification.

Amazing luminescence - no need to press a button to tell the time after dark.

Cons:
a bit big.

Interesting to read about watch water resistance markings.. 30m means you might get away with showering, but certainly don't jump in the pool!
 

GuestD

Need to contact Admin...
Feb 10, 2019
1,445
700
+1 on the Seiko. Also worth a look is the Russian Vostok Amphibian.
2a53c8bfddcada53744354e0f796c3d8.jpg

They can be had new for £50-£60. Automatic and manual wind. Best option is no date, as the date version is not quick change. They are infinitely modifiable, and parts are cheap, and readily available , they also, like the Seiko, have an interesting pedigree.

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/vostok-amphibia
 
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Duggie Bravo

Settler
Jul 27, 2013
532
124
Dewsbury
I was issued the G10 watch for a jungle patrol, day 1 it shorted on the river crossing, handed it back in on my return and bought an automatic Seiko Divers watch for £300, that was 30 years ago, it is still going strong. I have a Seiko Kinetic which is 19 years old and apart from the strap needing new pins is also going strong.

Out of interest I enquired about servicing, the cost of servicing and resealing the diving watch isn’t economical the kinetic is and that includes replacing the capacitor.

But I would say both offered really excellent value for money!


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Duggie Bravo

Settler
Jul 27, 2013
532
124
Dewsbury
try this guy, ask for Simon. He'll give you a quote before carrying out any work. I have no connection.

https://www.essexclockandwatchclinic.com

Thank you.

The problem with the diving watch is that you can’t get the parts anymore, apart from Seiko directly and they quote £188 to service or £45 to replace the seals.

You can buy an unbranded diving watch with Seiko movement for less than £100.


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