Went watch shopping today

"DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish!" (daft-ryosuke) 07/24/2020 at 21:16 • Filed to: Watchlopnik

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Pic for Attention

My 25th birthday is Sunday, and I wanted to celebrate a quarter of a century down with a nice watch, one that’s a little step above my Seiko, so I went shopping around.

I was most impressed with Bromberg in Birmingham, an extremely friendly environment with helpful staff. They had a splendid selection including these fine Tag Heuers. No Seikos or Omegas though.

I was immediately taken by this Formula 1 Gulf and the Aquaracer next to it. Perhaps because Senna was pictured next to it, but I held it in my hands and was extremely impressed with the quality and feel.

I was nearly suckered into a Shinola as well, with the prospect of an American-made watch being very interesting. But after doing some research I found it’s mostly all advertising jargon.

Please enjoy my findings while I mull things over.

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish! 07/24/2020 at 21:27

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A little step above Seiko? You mean a Grand Seiko!

That guy costs 75 large btw

notsomethingstructural > DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish! 07/24/2020 at 21:39

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My dad’s 65th birthday is about a year away and the dude never asks for anything. Real have not want not type. But I’ve been saving toward getting him a dumb nice watch for a good year and a half already, with one to go . Expecting to have a good $5-7k put away by then, which is more than my car, but considering what he’s given both personally and financially to everyone else around him , it’ll be worth every cent. Dunno how I’m gonna wait another year, I’m absurdly excited.

Jb boin > DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish! 07/24/2020 at 21:44

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I unfortunately don’t really apreciate most of the current Tag Huer lineup.

The Formula 1 is a 1500€ quartz watch that gives me a cheap feeling with its date window position/size/font/color and subdials placement/size that looks wrong to me .

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I really like the dial and hour window of the Aquaracer GMT but the case is unfortunately too “blocky”, the same goes for those strange “things” pointing outs i de of the bezel :

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One model that i like and is on your pictures is the C alibre 16 that exists in very nice combinations but i unfortunately in another price bracket.

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Didn’t know about Shinola, they have some interesting models, might be a little expensive if they are fully made in C hina but if the quality and QC are good i would rather buy one with a Sellita SW200 or one of their in-house movements (havent checked if they are really “original” designs or simply rebranding) than a quartz Tag that will be more expensive .

DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish! > ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability 07/24/2020 at 21:48

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If my Seiko is the Lexus of watches, that’s the Toyota Century 

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish! 07/24/2020 at 21:56

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I do really like the look of the Formula 1 Gulf. But gulf colors look good on everything so...

gin-san - shitpost specialist > DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish! 07/24/2020 at 22:09

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I’m personally a fan of the Monaco, but a mechanical model would set me back even more than it costs for my annual vacations abroad, maybe even twice as much...

That Aquaracer looks like an awesome choice. Are you pretty much set on buying that, or are there any other brands/models you’re looking at?

gin-san - shitpost specialist > notsomethingstructural 07/24/2020 at 22:09

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Gives you plenty of time to find that perfect watch and with a budget like that you’ll be able to find a great piece.

gin-san - shitpost specialist > ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability 07/24/2020 at 22:14

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I’d love a Grand Seiko, really beautiful watches:

It’s like a Toyota Century: enthusiasts will know what you have but outside of that it’s not going to carry that luxury brand recognition of something like Rolex or Porsche.

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > gin-san - shitpost specialist 07/24/2020 at 22:16

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I wish i could afford one :( I love the sleeper status of those, especially love the engraved/embossed watch faces some of them have (I know its not exactly that but you know that I mean)

gin-san - shitpost specialist > DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish! 07/24/2020 at 22:17

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Ah you beat me to it!

benjrblant > DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish! 07/24/2020 at 22:36

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Happy birthday! Mine's on Tues!

Dr.Jeckyl > notsomethingstructural 07/24/2020 at 22:51

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You are a good person. 

notsomethingstructural > gin-san - shitpost specialist 07/24/2020 at 23:28

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I’m really torn between trying to get him the right timepiece myself , and calling some stores in a cluster of manhattan to get a name for someone there who could show him some options. Let him and my mom make a day of it going store to store. They can keep my CC on file. I can’t imagine I’m the first person who would ask for that right

notsomethingstructural > Dr.Jeckyl 07/24/2020 at 23:50

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Dang thanks,  I was worried people would be like “wow look at mister fancy watch asshole in a pandemic”

ranwhenparked > notsomethingstructural 07/24/2020 at 23:58

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My parents would never cooperate if I tried something like that - I’d be giving them a chore to drive downtown, find parking and schlep around town and pick out a watch, when the Bulova he bought at Sears in 1969 still works, and I shouldn’t be doing that, because I can’t afford it, because I obviously can’t be a good salesman because I never sold them anything when I was a child , and they’d wind up getting him a Timex and hiding a check for $5, 00 0 in my luggage or something.

God damn it, gift giving is infuriating.

gin-san - shitpost specialist > notsomethingstructural 07/25/2020 at 00:17

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You said that your dad is not the “wanting” type of person, so my recommendation is to buy him a piece yourself.

I say that because your parents may have a hard time spending your money and end up getting something less extravagant than you had imagined. My parents would have a hard time spending that amount of my money since they’re not that wanting type but they basically have to accept a gift (and I may downplay the price aspect).

If his birthday is a year away you definitely have the time to research and find a piece that’s great for your dad. Maybe you can even drop in some questions time to time (not sure how, that’s up to you lol) to see if there are any preferences your dad may have.

Whichever way you decide to go, you’re doing a great thing for him.

notsomethingstructural > gin-san - shitpost specialist 07/25/2020 at 01:29

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I think I could probably put the proverbial gun to their head and give them a minimum, and tell them if it’s less than that I’ll end up buying one myself and ship it to him , and then he ’ll have really wasted my money on the first one because he didn’t accept the gift . They know I wouldn’t bluff on that either.  I think I could get my mom on board with this if she thinks he would enjoy a day for himself, but if she sees it your way I’d probably listen to that.

notsomethingstructural > ranwhenparked 07/25/2020 at 01:31

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Lol, I don’t think mine are quite that bad (see above) and I can afford-ish it enough-ish but a few years ago I could totally see this happening. At least they like to head into the city. 

E90M3 > DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish! 07/27/2020 at 10:29

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What’s your budget?

I got a Day-Date as a present to myself for my 30th this year.