Watches and an itch I may need to scratch

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I currently have three watches. One was a wedding gift, one was bequeathed to me, and one I purchased. Lately, and I don't know why, I've had an itch I just may need to scratch, and I want to buy myself a really nice watch.

1. 41mm Tag Heuer Link WT5110 Automatic from around 2000. This was a wedding gift and it's been my go-to daily watch for 23 years. It's been serviced twice, keeps time like a champ, it has been with me through thick and thin, and I love it for its nostalgic value to me but I'm kinda bored with it.

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2. 36mm Rolex Datejust Black Dial Thunderbird Model 16253 from 1987. This was bequeathed to me from my FIL who had three girls and only my wife is married. It was pretty beaten up when I received it and I sent it to be serviced. The bracelet is in particularly bad shape (super stretched) but it was $4k for a new bracelet. The crystal is also acrylic (I believe 1988 is when they went to sapphire) and it scratches very easily. The band also just barely fits me and I get a little carpal tunnel if I wear it too long. This obviously has sentimental value to me and I tend to only wear it on special occasions for short periods of time. Weirdly, it doesn't feel like MY watch. My FIL and I had a great relationship and while I'm honored (if that's the correct term?) by the bequeath because he loved this watch, I kind of feel like I'm just a steward charged to take care of this watch until one of my three boys, my FIL's only grandsons, are old enough to care for this watch. To me, that seems like a better home being passed from grandfather to grandson.

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3. 43mm Citizen Eco-Drive Sapphire WR100 E111-S070856 Calendar Date Black. I think I paid $150 for this watch and it's super comfortable, it keeps time accurately, just needs to be worn in the sun every 6 months or so, and from a bang for your buck POV it is a super solid watch. Clearly doesn't feel built to the same standards as the Tag or Rolex but a great watch.

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Lately, I've become obsessed with Grand Seikos - not really but I really like them. I think they're absolutely gorgeous, my understanding is they are built like few other watches, and while they may not have the same name recognition as Rolex or Breitling or Omega, amongst watch people they seem to have a great reputation. The contrarian in me likes that they are great quality but also not as mainstream as other watch brands. I want something awesome but not necessarily flashy. Does anyone know anything about Grand Seikos? If yes, what's your opinion of GS? Below is a picture of my dream GS but I have not made up my mind. This is a little out of character for me to even think about spending this kind of money but hey, I can't take it with me, and I can at least leave each of the children a nice memento to remember me. :)




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Two kinds of Grand Seiko: the standard movement which you've shown above. Nothing unique, just an upscale version with limited production and higher build quality. Then there is the Grand Seiko with the Spring Drive movement, which is quite unique.
 
You've got some nice pieces there, nice stories to match. I have a GS with SpringDrive, and I can say the quality is very high, but the zaratsu finish is a short-term source of amazement. The finish likes to pick up scratches from regular wear, made all that more noticable because of the high clear polish of the areas of the watch that are still pristine. So it is a great watch, but as a owner it pisses me off a bit. The mechanical movements are IMHO as good as it gets in classic watchmaking, the SD is a unique product, but the true watch collectors will always reserve a space for a pure mechanical.
 
Two kinds of Grand Seiko: the standard movement which you've shown above. Nothing unique, just an upscale version with limited production and higher build quality. Then there is the Grand Seiko with the Spring Drive movement, which is quite unique.
It's interesting that the Spring drives are $1300 less than the standard movement.
 
You've got some nice pieces there, nice stories to match. I have a GS with SpringDrive, and I can say the quality is very high, but the zaratsu finish is a short-term source of amazement. The finish likes to pick up scratches from regular wear, made all that more noticable because of the high clear polish of the areas of the watch that are still pristine. So it is a great watch, but as a owner it pisses me off a bit. The mechanical movements are IMHO as good as it gets in classic watchmaking, the SD is a unique product, but the true watch collectors will always reserve a space for a pure mechanical.
Interesting comment about the finish. My Tag is pretty scratched up after +20 years of daily use but it doesn't have anything like the zaratsu finish. The only thing that tends to really get to me is crystal scratches which are pretty rare for me on the two sapphire crystals. Besides the bracelet fit, one of the reasons I don't wear the Rolex daily is the acrylic really does scratch really easily.
 
Interesting comment about the finish. My Tag is pretty scratched up after +20 years of daily use but it doesn't have anything like the zaratsu finish.
I have over 40 watches, with about 10 in regular rotation, so the GS SD is not worn when I change the oil on anything...but it's still an amazing watch, just the famous Zaratsu is only going to remain perfect if you put the watch in a glass display case - not a solution. The scratches I have are nothing deep, it just seems fragile whereas other watches don't see so affected.
 
I have over 40 watches, with about 10 in regular rotation, so the GS SD is not worn when I change the oil on anything...but it's still an amazing watch, just the famous Zaratsu is only going to remain perfect if you put the watch in a glass display case - not a solution. The scratches I have are nothing deep, it just seems fragile whereas other watches don't see so affected.
If I may ask what's your favorite watch and why?
 
Been a Tag guy for a long time! Have you considered a Tudor? I love them - super nice watch but not flashy or a super known brand like Rolex (I believe they are made by Rolex though) or Omega, kind off the path like GS. The Tudor Black Bay is a gorgeous watch.
 
I am obsessed with using my phone to figure out what time of day it might be. They tell me at Cell Phone Addicts Anonymous (CPAA) that the power to beat this disease (yes, it is a disease!!) lies within me. Making amends with friends and family who have suffered greatly because of this addiction is the first step. Or at least that is what the counselor seems to think. There is help for us, but we must make the first step in acknowledging our disease and asking for it.
 
It seems like there are two kinds of watch people just like there are two kinds of car people. Some owners enjoy using them, looking at them, taking care of them. Others just view them as appliances that do what they are supposed to, and only when they break down do they pay attention to them. I wear this grey market Casio bought on Ebay a few years ago for fifty bucks. Like that it beeps on the hour and think the automatic time setting is pretty cool.

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I like watches with silver and gold combined like the Rolex in the second photo. I've never spent that kind of money on a watch but have owned a few low price silver and gold (or brass that looks like gold) watches over the years. Silver and gold look is my favorite by far, and it just feels right to me for the look of it. I also prefer metal glasses frames that have both silver and gold look to them.
 
Citizen Eco-Drive Perpetual Calendar watches are excellent for every day wear and are WR 200 rated. They won’t cost you two arms and a leg. They also come with Safire Quartz Crystal. I had a Seiko automatic for a few years and the Citizen beats it in every category. I don’t even know where that Seiko is. It crapped out on me and it went in a drawer.
 
It seems like there are two kinds of watch people just like there are two kinds of car people. Some owners enjoy using them, looking at them, taking care of them. Others just view them as appliances that do what they are supposed to, and only when they break down do they pay attention to them. I wear this grey market Casio bought on Ebay a few years ago for fifty bucks. Like that it beeps on the hour and think the automatic time setting is pretty cool.

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My wife and I are weirdly unsentimental when it comes to our marriage or children but for things that have been passed down from generation to generation and for me watches we are very sentimental. We have +100 year old Persian rugs in our house that were purchased new by my wife's great grandparents. We have a piano purchased by her great grandparents. We have jewelry purchased by her great grandparents and grandparents. When my MIL passes we will have a whole lot more passed down from those generations.

When I think of the Rolex I think about how my FIL, who I respected very much, received that as gift when he became partner in 1987 and how he wore that watch every single day for 33 years. He went to court with it on. He traveled the world with it on. Now I have it and one of my kids will have it. I hope 50 years from now one of them is still wearing it.

When I pass my Tag onto the kids I want them to know I wore that (almost) every day for at least +20 years. I had it on while dissecting a human body in anatomy lab. I had it on at 3am in a children's hospital ED while seeing children who were MVAs. I had it on the first time their mother and I went to Italy. I had it on the first time I made partner in private practice. I've done a lot of living with that watch on. I hope one of them is also wearing it 50 years from now.

That Casio is BOSS!
 
I collect watches too but look for the unusual, my next one will be a Damasko. Made in Germany with an in house movement that is not just a Seagull ebauche, the ice hardened steel is pretty cool. The prices are affordable, this is one I am considering, the price is 19% less if shipped to the USA.

 
I have 3 watches one I particularly like as it's a Seiko that gets the proper time over the air at 2AM to adjust itself. And wife bought it.

However I wear a FitBit now to monitor things like my heart.

A watch on each wrists. Seiko and FitBit?
 

Buy the watch.

You might find a deal on Chrono 24 or elsewhere that will ease your out of pocket pain.

Let us know.
 
If I may ask what's your favorite watch and why?
I have no specific favorite, but I wear my San Martin sub, my Proxima MM300 homage, my Zelos Swordfish 40mm, and on special occassions the GS SD. My siblings got me the Zelos Swordfish for my 60th, I have a dozen or so Orient's as well ~ great watch brand that is not so common.

SM V3 & Yellow by Ken , on Flickr

Proxima by Ken , on Flickr

20220829_184919 by Ken, on Flickr

20190925_230644 by Ken , on Flickr

20190914_155151 by Ken on Flickr
 
I am obsessed with using my phone to figure out what time of day it might be. They tell me at Cell Phone Addicts Anonymous (CPAA) that the power to beat this disease (yes, it is a disease!!) lies within me. Making amends with friends and family who have suffered greatly because of this addiction is the first step. Or at least that is what the counselor seems to think. There is help for us, but we must make the first step in acknowledging our disease and asking for it.
 
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