-
As I’m bored, it’s always more fun spending other people's monies and everyone is being far far too sensible, some eclectic suggestions for your consideration :
IWC 2000m aqua timer IW3536 - titanium or steel versions are in budget. https://www.fratellowatches.com/iwc-aquatimer-3536-gst-watch-review/#gref
Panerai 42mm radomirs wear smaller than you think - there’s a world of choice there both new and second hand
Blancpain Ff bathyscape 38mm (prob nearer 6k than 5.5 but if you’re going to push the boat out for a forever piece....) https://www.jomashop.com/blancpain-watch-5100b-1110-b52a.html?utm_medium=cpa&utm_campaign=8172428&utm_source=CJ&cjevent=40fc7108361411eb82b200350a180512&cjdata=MXxZfDB8WXww
JLC Navy Seals Master Compressor - a most awesomely ridiculously over testestorone’d watch - https://www.ablogtowatch.com/jaeger-lecoultre-navy-seals-automatic-watch-review/
The new swanky seikos - sla017 is my favourite. Although id be really worried if I’d bought one of these in the last year or so as they are due a HUGE value drop now you can get EXACTLY the same watch for £3k less (I may be trying to tease @Regal about that last part) https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/the-seiko-prospex-diver-sla017-based-on-the-first-seiko-diver-6217-from-1965-and-the-prospex-diver-s
Oris 65 diver
Sinn U50 https://www.sinn.de/en/Modell/U50.htm
Bremont s300 models - https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/bremont-supermarine-type-300-301-introducing or the Argonaut. Both available at low and mid £2k. Eg https://www.chisholmhunter.co.uk/watches/swiss-watches/bremont/all.html
Detritus-
The new swanky seikos - sla017 is my favourite. Although id be really worried if I’d bought one of these in the last year or so as they are due a HUGE value drop now you can get EXACTLY the same watch for £3k less (I may be trying to tease @Regal about that last part)
Ha! I'll bite. I'm a connoisseur of midrange Seikos and while I love them (and think this year's 6R-based Prospex divers are the best yet), an SLA they are not.
Interestingly, despite the release of the SLA037 and SLA043, the SLA017 prices seem to be holding at about a third over the original list. I thought they might drop. But the SLA017 is the only one in the original grey 62MAS colourway so unless they do another run with the grey dial they'll probably hold firm.
I really, really like the blue dial hi-beat one (SLA037), it's top dolla but it is a very very nice watch with an excellent movement in it. @IanF should definitely check it out.
Good comparison with the Seamaster 300 (not the 300m) here.
There really aren't that many truly nice 39-40mm divers out there. There's a Rolex sub, obviously, but you already know if that's what you want. The BB58 is cool but do look at the finishing of the hands and so on (they're flat stamped/cut pieces, no real finishing) you can see why it's at the price point it's at. In some ways that adds to its appeal though - it doesn't look as "jewellery" as a Rolex.
The 42mm Breitling Superocean surprised me, I think it's a pretty nice watch for the money and doesn't wear as big as I expected.
-
Wow. Trying hard not to get sidetracked by that Blancpain. That’s a fantastic watch
Regal
IanF
Looking for some advice/random opinions on watches for those of us with small wrists (I’m 16cm circumference and 5cm width). A recent inheritance means I’m looking to treat myself, ideally to a sports diver. Not looking for fussy dials or chrono complications.
Had thought about a Black Bay 58 in blue, but they seem to have all sold out. I have an appointment on Saturday with my local Omega dealer to try the Seamaster 300 and Plenet Ocean 39.5mm, but I’m thinking both might be too big. Anything else I should ask to try while I’m there, or should I just suck it up and wait for Tudor to restock? Max price would be £5.5K, though less=better, obvs.