Great Watches without Great Names?

[GraphiteBrawler]

Come with me on a strange journey....


So, I'd like to pick the brains of everyone in here about Off-Brand watches that make top tier products. Here is my logic:

I am 26, I work in Home Loans, and make a decent living, but i'm certainly not making 300+ A year. The m3 is the largest flashy thing in my life currently. I'd like a classy watch ( No invicta's or junk) that has the quality of an Omega or mid-tier (3k-5k) Watch, but without the price point. I know I can't be the only person in the world who feels this way. I'd say Lum-Tec is an example of the brand i'm looking for? Though honestly i'm not sure.

I'm not a brand evangelist, though I have a deep passion for the Tag Monaco's.

I'd like something I can wear with a suit, or with slacks and a collared shirt.


All that having been said.

What are you favorite Watch Brand's that nobody has ever heard of? Bonus points if they're more cost effective, but I also am interested in hearing of esoteric brands in general.

For Example, one of my favorite "off" brands is JS Watches, based in Iceland. Way out of my budget, but amazing pieces.

[ahero4eternity]

Archimede Pilot 42 Chrono.

Stowa Marine Original.

Or if you want even cheaper than that, but still admirable, Christopher Ward pieces are nice.

I've had all of the above.

[ahero4eternity]

You said not 3-5k...so how much are you looking to spend?

[GraphiteBrawler]

I'd like to max out around 2,000, factoring in Negotiation.

Even beyond my own request for Idea's, I also just wanted to give people a thread to gush about their favorite small/offbeat brands!

[ahero4eternity]

http://www.christopherward.com/watch...0-5da-sck.html

Or white if you prefer: http://www.christopherward.com/watch...0-5da-swk.html

If you want something unique: http://www.christopherward.com/watch...h-swk-mk2.html

[ahero4eternity]

Originally Posted by GraphiteBrawler

I'd like to max out around 2,000, factoring in Negotiation.

Even beyond my own request for Idea's, I also just wanted to give people a thread to gush about their favorite small/offbeat brands!

Honestly, my suggestion is buy second hand. I've had MANY watches in my day. Similar to cars, I can rarely justify buying a watch new. They depreciation is just too great. Let someone else take the hit. I shop used on WUS.

http://forums.watchuseek.com/forum.php

[dagolfpro]

Just picked up a Lum Tec and love it. M74. I also own Tag, Casio, Omega, and Rolex. I was looking for a watch in the sub $500 range with Chrono and it fit the bill. You might also look at Citizen, Seiko, or Hamilton. Watches are very personal so, look around and buy what you like the most. Good luck.

[mreed]

Stowa or maybe a used Nomos. I have a couple of Stowas and I think they are a good "value" brand.

[Nick the Greek]

Glycine

[1MOREMOD]

Originally Posted by mreed

Stowa or maybe a used Nomos. I have a couple of Stowas and I think they are a good "value" brand.

Same here. Have the marine. Also covet the monaco.

[tony20009]

Just because I'm in a rush just now, I'm going to point you to Orient/Orient Star. They are well below $2000 and they are excellent watches.

Do you have any expectations in terms of timekeeping accuracy (chronometer/DINN levels or something else), water resistance, styling, serviceability (cost, availability locally, etc.), decorative traits, etc?

What in your mind makes the JS Watch "amazing?"

All the best.

[AlphaOmega4]

Hey Tony

Shoot me a PM .. couple watch questions for ya

Thanks

[K19BMW]

Try Oris

[tony20009]

Originally Posted by tony20009

Just because I'm in a rush just now, I'm going to point you to Orient/Orient Star. They are well below $2000 and they are excellent watches.

Do you have any expectations in terms of timekeeping accuracy (chronometer/DINN levels or something else), water resistance, styling, serviceability (cost, availability locally, etc.), decorative traits, etc?

What in your mind makes the JS Watch "amazing?"

All the best.

I should be clear: if you must have a watch that absolutely nobody has heard of, you will need to contact a master watchmaker and commission him/her to make one for you.

I'm going to list makes for mechanical watches because it's almost impossible to go wrong with a quartz watch. Okay, so the list is long, but here we go:

• Gallet -- Their current model that you can buy new isn't even close to being in your price range; however, you can find vintage pieces that are. I mention them because they are the world's oldest continually operating and family owned watch company, being founded in the 1400s. They ceased serial production toward the end of the 20th century when they determined that as their model of making watches and watch components for other high end makers, governments and private individuals was sufficient to get them through the "Quartz Crisis," it made sense to dispense with trying to maintain an end-customer facing business model. Until last year produced watches only on a commission basis. As part of an arrangement to participate in fundraising with the National Watch and Clock Museum, they reintroduced their Flight Officer watch which starts at ~$8.5K. Chronographs are their specialty.
  
  
  
  
• Aquadive
• Deep Blue -- anything using tritium tube lume
• Stowa -- the Fliegers are my preference
• Aristo
• Prim -- A little known manufacture watchmaker (http://www.prim-watches.com/watches/...-40-sitem.html) Both models below use the movement shown. Prim also produce cases for other watch companies.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• RGM -- American made -- http://www.popularmechanics.com/tech...an-watchmaker/
• Towson Watch Company -- American made
• Kobold -- American made -- All their watches are handsome and well made, very well made, really. A few of them have genuinely retarded prices, not because they are pricey, but because there's nothing obvious that explains the very high cost and Kobold don't bother to explain what it is that makes those couple pieces so damned expensive. (At least that was the case last time I looked at their offerings.)
• Lum-Tec -- American made -- The Lum-tec CEO is a B-post member and he offers discounts to B-post buyers. (http://www.e90post.com/forums/showpo...42&postcount=6)
• Weiss -- American made -- Appeared in the June issue of Popular Mechanics
  
  
  
  
  
  -- http://gearpatrol.com/2014/09/03/rev...e-field-watch/
  -- http://www.latimes.com/local/great-r...014-story.html
  -- https://www.hodinkee.com/blog/the-va...ue-field-watch
  
  
  
• Archimede -- Part of the group that own Ickler and make the cases by the same name. Archimede has a lot of looks. Only a few are pictured below.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Defakto -- minimalist, modern styling. Part of the Ickler Group along with Archimede and Limes.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Laco -- mechanical Fliegers
• UHR
  
  
  
• Ventus: Caspian -- https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/398973070/ventus-caspian-a-salute-to-heritage
  
  
  
  
• Melbourne Watch
• Tempest Watches
• Smith & Bradley -- American made
  
  
• Limes
• Lebois & Co -- http://www.fratellowatches.com/leboi...antgarde-date/
  
  
• Visitor
  
  
  
  
• Christopher Ward
  • http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1081561
  • http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...ristopher+ward
• Damasko -- take your pick
• Frederique Constant -- take your pick
• Lew & Huey -- take your pick
• Magrette -- take your pick -- these folks have some cool looking pieces at very sane prices; plus they offer some nifty small details while managing to be quite affordable. (http://www.magrette.com/the-timepieces.php)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Benarus -- take your pick
  
  
• Alpina
• Smiths
• Azimuth
  
  
  
  
• Wempe
• Glycene
• Steinhart
• Muhle Glashutte
• Tutima
• MeisterSinger
• Nivrel
• Zeitwinkel -- not remotely close to what you want to spend but really nice. Perhaps their relative obscurity can get you a pre-owned one for a modest sum???
  
  
• Anything here that I've not already mentioned and that is in your price range (some of them are some aren't):
  • http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=907804
  • http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=907927

One of the better venues for buying modestly priced watches is Island Watch (http://www.longislandwatch.com/). They are watchies there, so you will get great input from them.

All the best.

[Mr Pete]

Tony, appreciate your post with list of watchmakers. Some very great suggestions, so great, I'm now looking to buy another watch. Thanks.....haha

[1MOREMOD]

Originally Posted by AWGroceryGetter

Tony, appreciate your post with list of watchmakers. Some very great suggestions, so great, I'm now looking to buy another watch. Thanks.....haha

Yeah he always puts you onto things I wish I wouldn't have seen

[tony20009]

Originally Posted by AWGroceryGetter

Tony, appreciate your post with list of watchmakers. Some very great suggestions, so great, I'm now looking to buy another watch. Thanks.....haha

You're welcome.

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

Yeah he always puts you onto things I wish I wouldn't have seen

All the best.

[tony20009]

Did I mention before the idea of choosing an uncommon model from an otherwise common or not entirely uncommon maker?

All the best.