Similar Watches To Rado
You don’t necessarily need to spend a lot of money on a timepiece that will earn you respect or even praise from a dedicated watch snob. While most “lower-end” watches will not satisfy the particular attention to detail or value that serious enthusiasts are keen to notice, there are a number of superlative “everyman” watches that will nevertheless garner a nod from the horological elite.Why is it, however, that watch snobs are hard to please? Are they merely measuring up other watch lovers by how much money they are spending? It often appears that way, but that isn’t the precise truth. More accurately, it would be safe to say that most of the timepieces available that have unique or very refined designs and excellent materials, as well as features, tend to be much more expensive. Timepieces are often an inherently expensive item (hence why they are in the luxury category), so it isn’t surprising that cost is often associated with how “nice” something is.Everyone would love to enjoy deep pockets when it comes to purchasing watches, but the reality is that finding a good watch that is also a really good value takes some work. Fortunately, the aBlogtoWatch team has compiled this list of 10 affordable watches that get a nod from snobs so that you can mingle with the elite timepiece collectors of the world and not feel as though your choice of watch is being immediately dismissed.1., and Seiko SKX007That is quite the trifecta: three world renowned dive watches.
In some sense, they all represent some of the best in the segment. With extremely competitive prices, solid build quality, and a manufacturer like few others on this planet, one or more of these have more than likely made it to the “must-have” lists of beginner – and seasoned! – watch enthusiasts alike. Neither the Monster, with its unquestionably unique looks, the Sumo, with its standard modern dive watch style, nor the SKX007 with its fantastic legibility could have been omitted from this list – so we put all three in here. Solid cases, reliable, workhorse automatic movements, and excellent lume are just some of the key features that make these pieces really stand out. With suggested retail prices of around $450-$550, these watches would already be a remarkable value proposition, but since they are often available at discounted prices, any one of these truly is a lot of watch for the money. 2.Although over two years have passed since its debut at Baselworld 2013, the Swatch Sistem51 still very much means a new dimension for mechanical watches – and for that, it must be held in high esteem by every watch enthusiast.
Comprising 51 parts and completely assembled by robots, the Sistem51 brings the mechanical timepiece into the third millennium in a way no other ever has. With a price tag of just $150, and a selection of for 2015, the Swatch Sistem51 easily can – and perhaps should – be a part of any watch collection.3.The Victorinox Airboss Black line encompasses three models, with the three-hander Mechanical Black Edition being the most affordable version, followed by two chronograph iterations. The majority of these choices are right on the money, and you can’t have a conversation about WIS-approved affordables without Seiko and Orient. However, I think the notion of “affordability” is a nebulous one which needs to be defined more explicitly, not just on this site but across all watch-related media. Really, the concept that a $1000 timepiece is “affordable” is a bit dishonest – it may be “attainable” with savings for many people, but is hardly affordable to most. The Affordables Forum on Watchuseek generally tries to showcase watches that are sub-$1000, which on this list disqualifies the Dietrich and SevenFriday, both of which I find to be markedly overpriced for their specifications, although they have strikingly unique aesthetics. As alternatives, one might consider the Hamilton Intra-matic or the Seiko SARB065 “Cocktail Time” which both come in comfortably under the $1000 ceiling and are generally respected by WIS as honest, well-finished, and – yes – affordable.
Even for those of us unworried by watch snobs, this is an interesting list. As with all “Top Ten” lists, many will disagree.
I love my Mondaine, but another suggestion might be Deep Blue. Solid construction and T-100 tritium or spectacular lume for well under $1K. Just picked up a used tritium diver model (500 meter WR) on eBay for $330 in perfect condition.
Also, in the uber-tool watch category, Casio makes a model with atomic clock accuracy,solar power, altimeter, barometer, temperature, etc., with a titanium case and bracelet for under $300. Cooler that a Rolex in the mountains. We definitely live in a great time to be a watch lover.
I don’t own an Apple watch, but I have witnessed a phenomenon. The 12 to 20 something generation has their own idea of what makes up “new prestige”. To many of them, it is new tech, and $200.00+ sneakers. I couldn’t tell you what someone’s shoes are worth, in that category, to save my life. Most, in the that generation, however, can.
Apple products have a cult like following because they have some great products, and have that “cool” factor that is intangible. Tech and shoes have risen to iconic statuswith their own snobs. I’m still ticking at analog speed 🙂. I couldn’t disagree more with that second paragraph.
The reason why watch snobs buy what they buy is because they’ve been brainwashed by advertising. There is no watch worth the asking price.
Some get close but most fall way short.And they’re not friggin “timepieces”, they’re watches. FredSwanepoel Apple’s not giving figures, but it may be selling the Watch pretty briskly.
Estimates have it moving about 30,000 per day, or about 2.7 million every quarter. That’d put a lot of the luxury watch market to shame, I think.It’s a question of what your interest is in watches.
I’m mostly thinking about the sort who think that “real” watches must be mechanical and cost thousands of dollars, the ones who can’t imagine a true watch fan as anything other than a rigid traditionalist. The truth is that many watch fans aren’t so inflexible., and I think it’s fun to talk about the Apple Watch as a serious option precisely because it challenges that definition of what a nice watch is. Does it have to carry an elaborate Swiss movement to have value, or can you find that value in something that makes your life easier?. Rclayton Totally agree with you about Deep Blue! They make some awesome watches.
As for Casio’s G-Shock lineI don’t see how it was left off the list. My older brother was in the middle east right after the first Gulf Warand almost everyone of the men and women under his command was sporting one of their solar/atomic clock watches. He still wears one to this daydespite being able to afford a much more expensive, snob approved watch!!!As for watch snobs.I have never cared what anyone thinks about what watch I wear!! If they get upset.I’ll gladly wear wear a watch they approve of.if they buy it for me!!! I posed the offer to many an online watch snoband have always gotten no response from them!!! As for a watch snob coming up to me in person and making a disparaging remark about my watch.one has yet to be that foolish.
But I guess when you are 6’6″ tall and over 300 lbs.they covet their own health more than their disdain for my watch!!! LOLI sayto heck with what others thinkwear what you like and what you can affordand if you go overboardin my case.make sure your wife doesn’t know how much you spent on the watch!!!
Yeah, I sometimes think ABTW is having an ID crisis – they seem to relish mocking watch enthusiasts, and have recently gone full guns trying to cover low cost watches. I find that the more people learn about watches, and these are the type of people that I meet and talk to about watches, the less snobby they are. Sure most of the high end are making their bread and butter out of people who simply only care about a label, but those people aren’t here reading these articles. To be honest I think the majority of readers here are the polar opposite of watch snobs – they are like watch-Marxists! “This watch is charging more than the raw materials, it’s a disgrace!”. Nice article.
A subjective list like this always seems to generate a lot of response. A few brands that I think are affordable plus well respected are Mido and Frederique Constant. I know that what constitutes affordable is again subjective but I think the Dietrich is inching out of that range. 1,000 dollars seems to be the upward limit of what “affordable is without skipping the monthly bills (for most of us at least). And to echo what a lot of people are saying, you can’t go wrong with Seiko. So many choices at so many price points,. Iamcalledryan given your reply, I realize I assumed too much of what others would understand and that I should have been more specific I wasn’t actually specifically talking about.those.
watches, but watches in general across the spectrum and the fact that the 2nd paragraph and thoughts like that are part of the problem (no offense, I know they mean well). And what I said applies to all price pointsSpeaking of Patek, for example, how many “experts” will compare watches from Rolex and Patek as if they are equals? They are NOT equals.I could waste far more than just an afternoon explaining to you and others in detail the “tangible, measurable, objectively obvious differences” between the two brands that puts Patek light years ahead of Rolex.But look at their respective advertising budget. Where would Rolex be (or not be) if they spent as little as Patek does?
No where near Patek that’s where.And looking at Rolex models, did the Albino Daytona that sold for $1.3million a couple weeks ago, when a non-Albino would sell for no more than $100k (which is overpriced as is) make sense? There is absolutely no “tangible, measurable or objectively obvious difference” between the Albino and a non-Albino that could ever justify a $1.3 million dollar markup.
It was just a different dial color that was considered a failure because no one could read it, so Rolex stopped making it, and that particular watch happened to be owned by Eric Clapton.Or, did you think spending $5million on the Patek 136 because “its so understated no one would ever know its anything special”, as one so-called “expert” used to justify its price tag make sense? Again, there is no “tangible, measurable, and objectively obvious difference” between the 136 and the hundreds and hundreds of far more beautiful and better all-round watches Patek has made that are worth about $5 million less.The 136 is nothing like the Patek Supercomplication in other words. That happens to be one of mankind’s greatest marvels if you ask me and sold for only double what the 136 did.Wouldn’t you prefer a Datograph (and many other watches) for example, a watch often referred to as the greatest watch of all time, and that is a relative bargain at $60k-$90k a thousand times more than that 136? Certainly it has far more “tangible, measurable, objectively obvious differences” than the 136 does.
Iamcalledryan I would disagree with your sentiment. ABTW covers a lot of high-end watches in addition to more reasonably-priced ones, and thus covers a lot of ground for watch enthusiasts of all stripes. That’s why I prefer this to, say, Hodinkee, where I feel out of place since I don’t make the big bucks and don’t think it’s reasonable to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for a vintage watch simply because of text on the dial. We “Watch-Marxists” have no problems shelling out thousands for a watch, but it has to be worth our hard-earned dollars, and slapping a Valjoux 7750 or ETA 2824 into a generic-looking case and selling it for $6000 doesn’t really do it for us. Many of us just ask for honest value – at least, as much value as one can expect from a luxury good – without obscene markup. I agree with you, wholeheartedly! Well said sir.
I actually own a PP, but seldom wear it. It was my grandfather’s, and will someday be my sons’ swatch. I wear, my VC, Victorinox, JLC, Mido, Seiko, Hamilton, Genta, Rolexes, SwatchyesI admit it 🙂 and so onbecause I am a watch enthusiasts. Never a snob. I appreciate the mosaic of wristwatches that I am privileged to own. I like it when someone notices my watch, regardless of the brand, because it makes me feel good and strikes up a conversation. I applaud your attitude and wish you well.
I think you and I would get along very well if we met. I can’t argue with what you have developed upon, not too much.I don’t think you should consider the PN Daytona market in any other context than an uber-niche collectors battleground. I do accept some of your broader comparison between Rolex and Patek, namely that they should not be compared!But I forgive Rolex for their advertising efforts and the attitudes of many of their clients – recent in depth articles about the Rolex manufacturing process impress me greatly and have turned me onto the brand. In the same way that you cannot compare Rolex and Patek, nor should you compare their advertising budgets – they have entirely different business models and as such will rely on advertising to differing extents.And as for the Datograph – there is little closer to perfection that a chrono can go.
I have a very sweet spot for German brands, even Swiss brands from the North.The LV anecdote is cute, but very cynical and is getting alittle outdated. There are certainly rich idiots out there, but there is something legitimate that lay between MSRP and a general sense of worth – that tends to be the myriad costs that a company can avoid, cut corners on, or take head on – like developing new materials, in-house production, excessive finishing techniques, excessive quality assurance.
And many of these things have changed WITHIN brands over the last 2 decades, and they go some way towards explaining why inflation is not the only bridge between the price of a Sub then and now. People buy pay these prices either because they undersdtand that fact and are happy to, or because they have been well advised, or because they are following the crowd – I don’t really care unless it is me that is doing the buying!.
Johnwithanh LapYoda Ah yes, the “convince my wife”! How many times have I tried to justify the absolutely unjustifiable when it comes to watch prices.
Atomic Radio Controlled Watches
I last about 2 minutes before I realize how idiotic I sound! Omega Planet Ocean or 2 weeks vacation with the kidsuh, but look at this orange bezellol. My most expensive watch is an ebay Speedie for a little over 2k, and I saved a long time for that one! My justification – to myself – is that it is definitely a watch my son will one day own, and hopefully, his son/daughter. LapYoda ABTW does cover high end, but the comments are so utterly predictable.I have never felt that Hodinkee requires that I afford the watches in order to be enthusiastic about them.
I guess some people struggle to admire things they can’t afford – I have no problem with it! The articles are not “you need to buy this” articles, they are simply sharing the details, and I don’t really care about pricing on a watch I can’t afford even if they take a zero off the end.I think ABTW is starting to frame itself as that “honest value” source, and probably a good idea because Hodinkee are hands down more slick in their approach.And I still stand by the comment. Ariel and John spend about 90% of their time on their podcasts mocking the brands, mocking their readers. It’s about negativity, I guess I am just getting a little too old for it.As MarkCarson says, i can just move on – which is something I find myself doing more here now after about 6 years of avid readership. Egznyc Yepas we say in Texas.you’re preaching to the choir!!Ohalso.besides diamonds.let’s not forget about the $1000 plus pair of shoes that they just “have to have!”.you know the ones I am talking aboutthe ones with the red soles.and then there is the dozens of purses that they must have to match every outfit!!!
Yesthe three items were recently purchased by my wifea new diamond ring, new shoes and a new purse.just because she was going on a business trip. And I got the “look” when I mentioned that I needed to pick up one of my watches from the jeweler that I had dropped off to be cleaned! ( My jeweler cleans my automatics for a mere $100.a bargain!!
I cannot believe the double standard imposed here – particularly as it was women who have had to endure their share of such discrimination over the years one would think they’d be more open minded. Rather, now that they have more purchasing power and independence than in the past, they think they should be telling their men how to spend their hard-earned dollars.And then you got “the look” Wow. I don’t suppose you can very diplomatically, gently, mention that at least you’re not buying a new watch for every occasion (unlike her clothing and shoe habits), but are just taking care of an existing watch in your collection (it’s like darning one’s socks;-)). Just be sure to make it playful/humorous or it’ll backfire!. Marbstiu The Swatch Sistem 51 is only interesting to me as a marvel of production. But not one of much else.
It would not be on my list if I was making this list myself. If the movement kept better time or could be used by 3rd parties or did not have plastic escapement parts, or (well you get the idea). I don’t think its a great watch, even for its price point. It only claim to fame IMO is the price for a Swiss mechanical and that it is produced with so little human labor. I don’t care for the looks of the current Sistem 51 references, the plastic case or the erratic timekeeping. But I will keep an open mind as perhaps something worth strapping on my wrist will evolve from this plastic “see-what-I-can-make-for-a-buck-and-a-half” watch.
David Bredan iamcalledryan LapYoda MarkCarson Thanks, David. Mrbst So I take it that you don’t subscribe to the theory that the Sistem 51 is “Baby’s First Mechanical Watch”, ha ha.I wonder what the market for the Sistem 51 really is. I’m assuming that the fact that it is mechanical is something of a minor feature for Swatch buyers.
Are are they trying to sell it as eco-friendly since it never needs a battery replacement? And yeah, the emerging smartwatch market is something Swatch will have to address in the future.
But fore sure you can buy a better mechanical watch but it will have just have a Chinese movement. Then again, it may have a metal case in the plus column.I wonder if Swatch built the Sistem 51 not because the market demanded it, but rather they built it because they could (and plan to make money from it). Mrbst Grinnie Jax MarkCarson And not only the movement what is concerning me about the Swatch: I have had their diver watch for 125$ and it was worst watch I ever had: the lume was like a joke compared to my non-diver Seiko 5 for 40$, the NATO strap was extremely low quality, became covered with pellets after a month! The plastic bezel stopped functioning after 1 single bath in the sea Later, when I was going home I found that the plastic buckle had cracked in a half. And the last: its quartz movement was by no ways accurate for quartz! It is funny to say, but my mechanical Orient Star gained only 1 minute in 2 month (I used some tip of putting the watch on the crown for night) – and quartz Swatch got same or more!
I am very sorry to say that, but Swatch is the worst quality watch within ultra-budged segment. Even chinese watches like Parnis, Marina Militare, Sea-Gull are of better quality.
However, many Swatches look not bad at all, designers work can be easily seen. I bought the leather strap version and it feels really comfortable.
At this price I’m sure it’s not a high-end leather but it feels and looks great. I still wear the watch to work daily and people often ask me about it (little do they know what I spent on it). It’s still running the same as when I bought it, and it keeps time really well, which is a good sign. So yeah, very happy with the watch. The Pulse8 support team was really great too. I contacted them before buying to make sure they were legit and to ask a few questions about their returns policy and they were very helpful. I definitely recommend!.
I think I could be considered somewhat of a snob; I have a white-gold Daytona, blue stainless/yellow gold Submariner and 1962 and 1942 vintage Rolexes. But among my favorite watches are my Seiko series 5 automatic, day, date; and my Swiss made Hamilton which is modeled after the watches Hamilton made for the US Military when they were an American company. I paid about $250 for the Hamilton, and -and I still cant believe this – $58 for the day/date function Seiko. I have no idea how they sell the watch at that price.
I wear the Seiko when I’m doing work where the watch gets banged around a lot. I’ve had the for a while and I’ve never even adjusted the time. So maybe I’m not that much of a watch snob after all. Sorry pal, but casio doesn’t cut it. If there is a line between a joke and something even remotely respectable, casio is under it (maybe with the exception of gshocks).
You just can’t have your name attached to 10 euro watches and be respectable brand at the same time, it simply isn’t possible.Which is a shame, because they do make some nice watches in the 200 euro range. But the name casio kills it. They should have used a different name for the toy garbage like citizen does, or create a new brand detached from casio for the upper line. This way the brand is spoiled forever.That said, the watch you linked is a cheap looking knock off a breitling aviator watch, and a pretty bad one at that. Id be embarassed to wear that.
There are many more better looking and more original watches from casio. Vostok is very nice and has a certain aesthetic to them but I wouldn’t trust it going divingyou’re likely to die. Or if you’re using it everyday, then set it 5-10 minutes fast because you’re going to start being late to meetings. I had one many years ago that had a huge deviation and despite getting it regulated, my watch maker just said the mechanical tolerances are just too wide for it to perform well.Butthen again how many of use here actually dive and how many of use here don’t rely on our smart phones for meetingsit’d s fun piece thojust my 2 cents. While I agree with you in the sense that I could care less about what others think about my watches (I buy a watch based on how it speaks to me, not how I THINK others may react to it), I disagree in that not all “enthusiasts” are out to impress others or desire to be part of some distinct group or be noticed by others based on a material item.
Nobody needs to wear a watch to tell time any longer, and if we’re honest, most people will notice the car you drive or the clothes you wear long before they notice (if ever) that piece of obsolete technology on your wrist. Many of us buy and wear watches because we’re simply fascinated by mechanical devices. I think you’ll find that many of today’s watch enthusiasts are also fascinated by firearms, engines, or any number of other intricate mechanical devices.
The Sistem 51 movement boasts 90 hours of power reserve, an impressive achievement compared to the 42 hours of an ETA or a Soprod. A bidirectional transparent rotor (which will never hide the view of the technical elements, as the counterweight is located around the rotor) winds the single barrel. Once again, such a detail is usually only found in fine, expensive watches.
Last but not least, Swatch states it has an accuracy of +/- 7 seconds per a day, a rate that is actually very close to COSC chronometer requirements (-4/+6 seconds per a day). The movement boasts 90 hours of power reserve, an impressive achievement compared to the 42 hours of an ETA or a Soprod. A bidirectional transparent rotor (which will never hide the view of the technical elements, as the counterweight is located around the rotor) winds the single barrel. Once again, such a detail is usually only found in fine, expensive watches.
Last but not least, Swatch states it has an accuracy of +/- 7 seconds per a day, a rate that is actually very close to COSC chronometer requirements (-4/+6 seconds per a day).Sistem 51.Yes the Irony Sistem 51 watches can all be serviced. It appears Brega Watches is merely a storefront for numerous Chinese watch brands — Benyar, Binssaw, Cadisen, Guanqin, Kinyued, Megir, Pagani Design, Parnis, Naviforce, Ontheedge, Reginald, Torbollo — which are hardly any brands of note to A Blog to Watch readers. Anyone familiar with Aliexpress (who offer all of these Chinese watch brands) will immediately realize that Brega places a 100%+ surcharge on all of these watches. I doubt any presentation box they could provide would merit such a surcharge, though I have been moderately happy with the watch purchases I’ve made through Aliexpress. There are so many watches on the market these days but my favorite right now is actually not one of the usual overpriced options everyone seems to run towards A watch should be a conversation starter, a status symbol, an absolute must have accessory for every well dressed man.
As such a watch will tell a story about you, who you are, your moral values and in what direction your life is heading. Godforbid you go anywhere without an appropriate timepiece – Crime!My favorite right now is the Ambassador Heritage 1921 I find it stylish yet classic and modern yet chic.Ambassador watches exceed the standard.
They are not mediocre, common, or antiquated. But instead, are testaments to exceptional craftsmanship that are instant classics which transfix everyone.Luckily this isn’t a watch that I spent loads of money and you can pick them up for a little under $250 which for a truly magnificent timepiece like this is an absolute steal!. Realizing the necessary hyperbole of the heading, it’s still an oxymoron – the class bias inherent in snobbery demands the object cannot be within the grasp of the hoi polloi, either by exclusivity/scarcity, or price. An elite club’s symbolic tokens may not require high cost, but limited numbers only for members provide a built-in guarantee that ownership/membership cannot be bought, and the article alone does not certify entry. Affordable snobbery suggests only that you and several thousand other posers believe you are special, because you like less expensive items that read more luxurious than they cost, and the need to have it mistaken for a pricier object is essential to the attraction.
A lot of folks will skip over the snob portion and just consider they got a real good deal in something they like, and do not become depressed, should no one notice their special adornment.