A community for watch & horology discussion.
If you’re talking about Seiko Automatic or Bulova, I assume your budget is $200-500.
Casio Edifice, Fossil - definitely NO.
Seiko - also NO.
I’d recommend to look at second-hand pieces. You better own a proper higher-level brand that will give you real pleasure.
For example, have a look at Certina, Tissot or Hamilton.
If you are able to find a new piece for your budget, go for it.
However purchasing second-hand piece in good condition is completely usual for watch owners, so do not hesitate it.
Seikos and Casio Edifices are great watches. and there are plenty of Seiko autos beyond $500 that are nice watches and compete with Tissot and Hamilton just fine lol. Seiko make FAR more than the basic Seiko 5 watches
Seiko make FAR more than the basic Seiko 5 watches
And many basic Seiko 5 watches are quite good.
500 you can get a new Certina btw. I feel like they're nicer than Seiko but maybe it's just me. Also many Tissots
Tissots are built cheaply under $2k range. Above that you get decent movements.
Then forget them. Actually inside the Swatch group Certina sits like, between Tissot but above it, and Longines but below it. But the entry level Longines are some of the worse watches I've ever experienced and I'd say a Certina that costs, the same, as a Longines Conquest, will be nicer in every imaginable way shape or form. It's just that Certinas are hard to find unless online, and also...they have a style that's a bit on the too conservative these days
It is very difficult to find Good second hands are not available in my country. Tissot and Hamilton are totally out of my budget.
That’s a pity that you can’t find good second-hand watches in your country.
When writing a comment, I was using my own experience:
I recently (this year) managed to get two automatic pieces from Certina in very good condition on a local online auction (very similar to EBay). One for €160. Another one for €104.
Have you considered Ebay as a market place to bid? Yeah, there are plenty of scams, but not many for affordable brands I mentioned above. So worth a try?
No deliver in my country. Second hand is not an option.
Why not Casio or Fossil?
Fossil, a fashion brand, makes very questionable watches. Yeah, they sometimes might look attractive, but usually the mechanisms there are bad. Simply bad. They take cheap quality materials, cheap movement, which will not satisfy you at all.
Besides, you will not be able to sell them afterwards.
What is your budget? Is there a watch out there (without looking at the price) that you really like the look of?
There are many but they are totally out of my budget. I like beautiful watches nothing simple.
I'd say buy what you like, you will likely buy more in the future.
The first time I spent proper money (to me) was on a £880 G-Shock (MTG S1000) I said to my wife "this is the last watch I'll ever buy" lasted about a year before I bought a chrono.
Since then I have bought loads of watches.
She often reminds me that I said I'd never buy another (she doesn't mind, it's gentle ribbing)
Always one good quality piece over 3 lesser. Quality > quantity.
Go for a Seiko you will regret all day to not go for the most exciting watch.
Less is more
Agreed less is more
What about maintenance issues for automatic? It is difficult to find good shops in my city.
What Seiko Green Dial?
I’m guessing cocktail
While most are saying quality>quantity, I'm quite happy with going the opposite route for now.
I have been buying "cheapish" watches below 500 EUR and I love the diversity. I wanted to have a diver, a dress watch, a Quartz watch, a steel and a titanium bracelet watch.
Should I ever feel like it, I can always upgrade within a certain class (e.g. diver -> better diver). And I don't think that buying a single Grand Seiko right away would have brought me as much joy as this journey.
You’ll buy 3. Then you’ll get rid of them for one. Then you’ll start to notice other cool stuff you want and end up with 5. It’s cyclical.
You should play the long game for watch collecting, get a new piece every year or couple of years and build out your collection with quality pieces
I think depending on whether you want to collect in the long run, and explore the hobby, then you should focus on quality. This allows you to try out and test different watches, slowly realizing your taste; finding out what you like and may not like about watches. As long as they are popular models and are of a good price, they should be easy to sell if need be. This will then fund your next purchases.