Help with purchase(s)

[Andrew115]

Hi,
Many of you are very well schooled in timepieces and I am a rookie with them. Hoping I can get some good advice.

I am buying 6 watches for groomsman gifts for my wedding. I want to keep them under 300 each. I am hoping for a smoking deal, closeout or something that has good value for the $.

I would like to get something that has classic look and has a professional unique understated class to it.

Any suggestions or places I should start shopping?

[m630]

As watches are a very personal purchase for many, I would only offer a suggestion to rethink the choice and perhaps consider other gifts that may be more meaningful to your groomsmen. While I think the thought is commendable, Im not sure how useful the gift may be to them in reality as most men have their own style and would not want a watch that every one of their close friends/family etc may have.

Two good options for a long use grooms gifts may be something like engraved silver cufflinks from somewhere like Tiffany's (similar budget I believe). I will say that when I rec'd these, they were my best wedding gift, and Ive been in quite a few, since I will have them for a lifetime.
A second option could be what I presented (I was married not long ago), where I had given a nice designer wallet/credit card holder to each groomsmen. Again you can get these in the $200-$300 range and it can be used for years to come.


Im just not seeing a $300 watch as something that would be useful to most, and at the end of the day you are spending nearly $2K, so you want to make it something that they will actually use and perhaps have for a lifetime as a rememberance...jmho

[m630]

As watches are a very personal purchase for many, I would only offer a suggestion to rethink the choice and perhaps consider other gifts that may be more meaningful to your groomsmen. While I think the thought is commendable, Im not sure how useful the gift may be to them in reality as most men have their own style and would not want a watch that every one of their close friends/family etc may have.

Two good options for a long use grooms gifts may be something like engraved silver cufflinks from somewhere like Tiffany's (similar budget I believe). I will say that when I rec'd these, they were my best wedding gift, and Ive been in quite a few, since I will have them for a lifetime.
A second option could be what I presented (I was married not long ago), where I had given a nice designer wallet/credit card holder to each groomsmen. Again you can get these in the $200-$300 range and it can be used for years to come.


Im just not seeing a $300 watch as something that would be useful to most, and at the end of the day you are spending nearly $2K, so you want to make it something that they will actually use and perhaps have for a lifetime as a rememberance...jmho

[kscarrol]

^^ Well said (both times )! And I'm not sure what you could find meeting your criteria of "a professional unique understated class" for just $300.

[MELLOWYELLOW06]

I have nothing to more say that m630
so has so eloquently stated already.
Just wanted to reinforce those points
so that your gifts can be putt to good
use rather than to be pit in a drawer.

[D's Bimmer]

Originally Posted by kscarrol

^^ Well said (both times )! And I'm not sure what you could find meeting your criteria of "a professional unique understated class" for just $300.

Originally Posted by m630

As watches are a very personal purchase for many, I would only offer a suggestion to rethink the choice and perhaps consider other gifts that may be more meaningful to your groomsmen. While I think the thought is commendable, Im not sure how useful the gift may be to them in reality as most men have their own style and would not want a watch that every one of their close friends/family etc may have.

Two good options for a long use grooms gifts may be something like engraved silver cufflinks from somewhere like Tiffany's (similar budget I believe). I will say that when I rec'd these, they were my best wedding gift, and Ive been in quite a few, since I will have them for a lifetime.
A second option could be what I presented (I was married not long ago), where I had given a nice designer wallet/credit card holder to each groomsmen. Again you can get these in the $200-$300 range and it can be used for years to come.


Im just not seeing a $300 watch as something that would be useful to most, and at the end of the day you are spending nearly $2K, so you want to make it something that they will actually use and perhaps have for a lifetime as a rememberance...jmho

Originally Posted by MELLOWYELLOW06

I have nothing to more say that m630
so has so eloquently stated already.
Just wanted to reinforce those points
so that your gifts can be putt to good
use rather than to be pit in a drawer.

Absolutely agree with everyone here. Don't spend the money on watches unless you have a big enough budget to justify something worthy. And even then, a watch is an individual statement. I have an Omega Seamaster that I bought for myself as a wedding gift to me.....lol. Save the $2k and do something like that for yourself and by your groomsmen something unqiue or even something different for each of them.

Happy Wedding....

[rabman5]

Maybe a nice Montblanc pen instead of a watch. At $300 pen is much better than a $300 watch.

[Mr Tonka]

.

[kingofthedemo]

Originally Posted by Mr Tonka

.

>>>>

[tony20009]

Quite often jewelry is chosen as a wedding party gift. There's little practical about it and it's durable. Jewelry was my choice and my wife's, along with that of my parents and grandparents. For a time, hair combs (ladies) and pocket watches (Men) were quite the style, but that was in my grandparents' day. My 'rents gave bracelets (ladies) and cufflinks (men). My wife and I gave necklaces and cuff links.

In the long run, it doesn't matter much what you give, but the general idea is that it be something that is durable enough to last for as long as the marriage is supposed to. To those ends, many brides and grooms opt to give something that, at their chosen budget, has more options that would be considered at the upper end of the object type. The sole reason for such a choice, however, is to be seen as giving something lavish. For example, if the fanciest soup ladle going runs around $200, and one gives as a gift a $180 soup ladle, one has given a very lavish gift. On the other hand, if one gives a $200 car, one has given a "cheesy" gift. (Of course, the cheap cars do have the added benefit that they make sure all of your closest friends and family actually have a means to depart the wedding day venue(s),giving you and your bride some genuinely private time. <winks and laughs>)

(...times have changed, but I think the intent at the time of the wedding is that it'll be "'til death."...then again, that whole "til death do they part" bit had more to do with political and economic stability and predictability than anything else, issuing for the era when marriages were tools of statecraft and economics.)

If you are strongly committed to giving your groomsmen watches, and given that there are so many really great watches out there $300 or so, I don't see why you shouldn't, then I'd suggest going to with dive watches or field watches rather than dress watches. The reason is that they watches are going to be useful and last for a long time.

• Obris Morgan (http://www.obrismorgan.com/explorerpage.html) - Mechanical dive watches well made and smart looking. Most any fellow would be quite happy with one.
• Sea-Gull - Very nice manufacture watches from China. Lots of styles to choose from. (Word to the wise: if you find folks who deride them on the basis of their being Chinese, ignore them and tell them to bring you the one they wore that didn't serve as expected.)
• Berhnardt (https://www.bernhardtwatch.com/) -- Nice looking divers and general purpose style (i.e., things that more or less resemble a Rolex DateJust (either), Air King, Perpertual 36, Milgauss, or Explorer (not Explorer II)). Suggestions include the Binnacle Diver and Binnacle Anchor II.

There are plenty of other watches available in your price range, OP, but one thing to keep in mind is that since you are buying so many of them, you should be in a in a fine position to haggle a 20% to 30% discount off the price, even if you are buying direct from the makers and not from a retailer. So be sure to contact them directly on the phone or in person when you are ready to buy.

• Don't mention the word marriage. Just say as gifts...call it for a work related event or something. Saying "wedding" will make the price go up at least 100%.

Congratulations on your betrothal. I wish you and your bride all the best.

[Devious21]

Originally Posted by tony20009

Quite often jewelry is chosen as a wedding party gift. There's little practical about it and it's durable. Jewelry was my choice and my wife's, along with that of my parents and grandparents. For a time, hair combs (ladies) and pocket watches (Men) were quite the style, but that was in my grandparents' day. My 'rents gave bracelets (ladies) and cufflinks (men). My wife and I gave necklaces and cuff links.

In the long run, it doesn't matter much what you give, but the general idea is that it be something that is durable enough to last for as long as the marriage is supposed to. To those ends, many brides and grooms opt to give something that, at their chosen budget, has more options that would be considered at the upper end of the object type. The sole reason for such a choice, however, is to be seen as giving something lavish. For example, if the fanciest soup ladle going runs around $200, and one gives as a gift a $180 soup ladle, one has given a very lavish gift. On the other hand, if one gives a $200 car, one has given a "cheesy" gift. (Of course, the cheap cars do have the added benefit that they make sure all of your closest friends and family actually have a means to depart the wedding day venue(s),giving you and your bride some genuinely private time. <winks and laughs>)

(...times have changed, but I think the intent at the time of the wedding is that it'll be "'til death."...then again, that whole "til death do they part" bit had more to do with political and economic stability and predictability than anything else, issuing for the era when marriages were tools of statecraft and economics.)

If you are strongly committed to giving your groomsmen watches, and given that there are so many really great watches out there $300 or so, I don't see why you shouldn't, then I'd suggest going to with dive watches or field watches rather than dress watches. The reason is that they watches are going to be useful and last for a long time.

• Obris Morgan (http://www.obrismorgan.com/explorerpage.html) - Mechanical dive watches well made and smart looking. Most any fellow would be quite happy with one.
• Sea-Gull - Very nice manufacture watches from China. Lots of styles to choose from. (Word to the wise: if you find folks who deride them on the basis of their being Chinese, ignore them and tell them to bring you the one they wore that didn't serve as expected.)
• Berhnardt (https://www.bernhardtwatch.com/) -- Nice looking divers and general purpose style (i.e., things that more or less resemble a Rolex DateJust (either), Air King, Perpertual 36, Milgauss, or Explorer (not Explorer II)). Suggestions include the Binnacle Diver and Binnacle Anchor II.

There are plenty of other watches available in your price range, OP, but one thing to keep in mind is that since you are buying so many of them, you should be in a in a fine position to haggle a 20% to 30% discount off the price, even if you are buying direct from the makers and not from a retailer. So be sure to contact them directly on the phone or in person when you are ready to buy.

• Don't mention the word marriage. Just say as gifts...call it for a work related event or something. Saying "wedding" will make the price go up at least 100%.

Congratulations on your betrothal. I wish you and your bride all the best.

Tony - If you started a blog, I would read it. Fantastic stuff as always.

[owen2001]

Originally Posted by Devious21

Tony - If you started a blog, I would read it. Fantastic stuff as always.

Not to hijack the thread, but speaking of watch blogs. My buddy here in Denver is a fairly well-read watch blogger. Here's a link to his site. It's pretty good stuff and he gets to travel around on the watch company's dime to check out the latest products, etc. Anyway, maybe there's some ideas here:

http://blog.perpetuelle.com/

[Andrew115]

Originally Posted by tony20009

Quite often jewelry is chosen as a wedding party gift. There's little practical about it and it's durable. Jewelry was my choice and my wife's, along with that of my parents and grandparents. For a time, hair combs (ladies) and pocket watches (Men) were quite the style, but that was in my grandparents' day. My 'rents gave bracelets (ladies) and cufflinks (men). My wife and I gave necklaces and cuff links.

In the long run, it doesn't matter much what you give, but the general idea is that it be something that is durable enough to last for as long as the marriage is supposed to. To those ends, many brides and grooms opt to give something that, at their chosen budget, has more options that would be considered at the upper end of the object type. The sole reason for such a choice, however, is to be seen as giving something lavish. For example, if the fanciest soup ladle going runs around $200, and one gives as a gift a $180 soup ladle, one has given a very lavish gift. On the other hand, if one gives a $200 car, one has given a "cheesy" gift. (Of course, the cheap cars do have the added benefit that they make sure all of your closest friends and family actually have a means to depart the wedding day venue(s),giving you and your bride some genuinely private time. <winks and laughs>)

(...times have changed, but I think the intent at the time of the wedding is that it'll be "'til death."...then again, that whole "til death do they part" bit had more to do with political and economic stability and predictability than anything else, issuing for the era when marriages were tools of statecraft and economics.)

If you are strongly committed to giving your groomsmen watches, and given that there are so many really great watches out there $300 or so, I don't see why you shouldn't, then I'd suggest going to with dive watches or field watches rather than dress watches. The reason is that they watches are going to be useful and last for a long time.

• Obris Morgan (http://www.obrismorgan.com/explorerpage.html) - Mechanical dive watches well made and smart looking. Most any fellow would be quite happy with one.
• Sea-Gull - Very nice manufacture watches from China. Lots of styles to choose from. (Word to the wise: if you find folks who deride them on the basis of their being Chinese, ignore them and tell them to bring you the one they wore that didn't serve as expected.)
• Berhnardt (https://www.bernhardtwatch.com/) -- Nice looking divers and general purpose style (i.e., things that more or less resemble a Rolex DateJust (either), Air King, Perpertual 36, Milgauss, or Explorer (not Explorer II)). Suggestions include the Binnacle Diver and Binnacle Anchor II.

There are plenty of other watches available in your price range, OP, but one thing to keep in mind is that since you are buying so many of them, you should be in a in a fine position to haggle a 20% to 30% discount off the price, even if you are buying direct from the makers and not from a retailer. So be sure to contact them directly on the phone or in person when you are ready to buy.

• Don't mention the word marriage. Just say as gifts...call it for a work related event or something. Saying "wedding" will make the price go up at least 100%.

Congratulations on your betrothal. I wish you and your bride all the best.

This is what I was looking for. Great info and I really appreciate your time to generate are response and provide great feedback. I am going to research some of these options. Thanks a bunch! I hope you would be open to further discussion as I narrow down some of these options.

[Andrew115]

Originally Posted by m630

As watches are a very personal purchase for many, I would only offer a suggestion to rethink the choice and perhaps consider other gifts that may be more meaningful to your groomsmen. While I think the thought is commendable, Im not sure how useful the gift may be to them in reality as most men have their own style and would not want a watch that every one of their close friends/family etc may have.

Two good options for a long use grooms gifts may be something like engraved silver cufflinks from somewhere like Tiffany's (similar budget I believe). I will say that when I rec'd these, they were my best wedding gift, and Ive been in quite a few, since I will have them for a lifetime.
A second option could be what I presented (I was married not long ago), where I had given a nice designer wallet/credit card holder to each groomsmen. Again you can get these in the $200-$300 range and it can be used for years to come.


Im just not seeing a $300 watch as something that would be useful to most, and at the end of the day you are spending nearly $2K, so you want to make it something that they will actually use and perhaps have for a lifetime as a rememberance...jmho

Thanks for your response, I appreciate your feedback and understand your feelings. Each person has their own takes on these maters and funds for gifts. My friends and family would be very happy with a $300 watch and it will probably be the most expensive timepiece they will ever have, reserving it for special times. Many of the traditional gifts are not as usable as I would like and would really like to give a gift that would last for many years and have a function provided they cared for it.

I got a mont blanc pen for a gift in a wedding and I still haven't used it. I am always losing and misplacing my pens. While it was a very nice gift, it hasn't seen the light of day.

Thanks again for your feedback and response, it appears many people here agree with you and I see your points.

[kscarrol]

Good luck with your search! I understand what you're saying about watches vs pens... I misunderstood what you were looking, thought you were looking for something dressier. Tony is right, there are some really nice watches out there at your price point. And congratulations on the impending wedding!

[tony20009]

Originally Posted by Andrew115

This is what I was looking for. Great info and I really appreciate your time to generate are response and provide great feedback. I am going to research some of these options. Thanks a bunch! I hope you would be open to further discussion as I narrow down some of these options.

NP. Just be sure to post with enough time for me to reply. My schedule and participation on B-post comes and goes in spits and bursts.

All the best.

[Andrew115]

Originally Posted by tony20009

NP. Just be sure to post with enough time for me to reply. My schedule and participation on B-post comes and goes in spits and bursts.

All the best.

I will keep this in mind. Thanks again. Congrats on 4K posts!

[tony20009]

Originally Posted by Andrew115

I will keep this in mind. Thanks again. Congrats on 4K posts!

TY, Andrew.

One other brand that comes to mind for a very nice sub-$300 watch is Anstead. http://www.ablogtowatch.com/anstead-...-watch-review/ It's also a dive watch, which, frankly is a good thing as it's the style most folks find easy to wear.

All the best.