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jdelcue
32
Sep 1, 2016
Taking quartz out of the equation for simplicity's sake...
It's difficult to argue with the value proposition that is Seiko. From their automatic movement 5 Series at under $100 usually, to their $300-1000ish SARB, SARG, Presage, Brightz lines, their SKX and MM divers, and even luxury Grand Seikos really offer a ton of watch for the money imo. They have something for everyone and are competitive at all price points. Orient, as a subsidiary of Seiko, pretty much fits this model as well tbf.
I also happen to think that there are some other 'less popular' or just smaller companies that make some great entry level pieces at affordable prices. In Germany, you've got the Sinn 556, Junghans Max Bills, Laco Fliegers, Used Looks and Vintages, and just about anything from Stowa (Partitio, Antea, Marine, Flieger) or Nomos depending on your tax bracket (I think their Club is a super cool little watch! and their Tangentes, Orions, etc. are no secret either). Coming out of Switzerland, I really enjoy independent brands like Oris (check out the Big Crown ProPilot and that Diver Sixty-Five!) and BALL (serious adventurers' watches at great values), the Glycine Combat 6 and Alpina Startimer are neat watches, etc.
And yes, Hamilton (under the umbrella that is Swatch Group) seems to be doing things the right way as well. Putting to use all of the might of their parent company's mass production process, coming in at around the $500ish price point for the finished article, their Intra-matic and Khaki Field Automatic watches are quintessential entry-level modern Swiss pieces for me. They look great, good proportions and well-built, with reliable ETA movements and very decent finishing indeed. The bracelets and leathers are appropriate for the price point, they don't feel cheap (which is often a complaint with entry level watches), they use sapphire crystals (not that there's anything wrong with acrylic but sapphire is more expensive so just noting it for value-sake), offer decent water resistance, are pleasant to most eyes, etc. Hard to see a downside, I could recommend them to just about any friend looking to pick up a value mechanical timepiece to start their journey into the wonderful world of watches.
Special mention, I think Vostok is a company that doesn't get a whole lot of exposure to the general public and really deserves a look. For under $100 (usually closer to $50!) you can get a really unique and groovy looking diver with Russian or other quirky stylings, 200m water resistance, screw down crown, automatic hand-windable movement and rotating bezel. I'm convinced that the metal bracelets they come on are just for show, throw that in the trash straightaway and pick your favourite nylon or leather (or rubber as I did) and enjoy! It's not the best watch in the world but it's definitely value for money...
payodpanda
958
Sep 5, 2016
jdelcue+1 for mentioning Vostok for value. Gotta love the Amphibians! (well, some of the not-out-there designs at least, especially the vintage-inspired ones :) )
Do people here have much experience with microbrands? The only one I have personal experience with (and love, as I've mentioned a million times, sorry) is Aevig. I've been wanting to try Halios for a very long time, probably my next purchase. Steinhart is also well loved in the community, I think, but I don't know if that would be considered a "microbrand" or not.
yeuhs
74
Sep 8, 2016
jdelcueLove the Vostok Europes... wasn't aware there was a value line...
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