A community for watch & horology discussion.
Looking to purchase a watch for around 8k for myself. Currently looking at these 4 primarily but can’t decide. I am open to suggestion for other watches around 8k or below. Please let me know if any of these watches should be avoided for a specific reason. I am not really looking g to resell the watch later on so price retention or premium isn’t a concern for me. Thank you.
This is killing me considering my 3 grail watches are currently a Seamaster, a Speedmaster, and a Large Santos. I personally would stick to that order since the Seamaster just hits all the right spots for me, there's something about it that just always looks good to me.
I'd remove the omega the rest are hard to pick. Probably the Monaco
My pick would be the santos
Omega ftw 🙌
The Breitling is 🔥
I never liked the Monaco from pictures online, but a friend has one and it looks awesome in person. The Breitling (and most Breitlings) is too busy for me. The Seamaster is a classic obviously but the helium valve is silly. Cartier is an awesome brand, but this model doesn’t do much for me.
You need to put a lot more thought into what it is that you are looking for, because these are all fine watches but are incredibly different from each other. Do some more research, and try as many watches on as you can to get a feel for what you like. We're comparing apples, oranges, ice cream and pizza here.
If you are in a hurry to spend this much on a watch but don't know what it is you are looking for, I encourage you to buy second hand so that you don't lose too much $$, should you decide to sell it again in favour of something different after some time with it.
Omega or Cartier. Ignore the Tag and you can get the Brit later when you grow your collection. Those Omega and Cartier are GADA watches. I’d personally go for Omega but you can’t go wrong with either.
Omega seamaster is my dream so I would pick that
Like the pics u got here. This is only my personal opinion but maybe you’ll agree. The omega seamaster is a little big with 43.5mm so it would be a no for me. Personally not the biggest heuer Monaco fan. The movement is not the best and it wears really bulky. It’s iconic but somewhat overhyped.
The breitling is a nice watch. Love the vintage inspired style.
The santos on the other hand is perfect. The right amount of history, style and comfort. Also bracelet change is awesome. So much more versatile
Cartier all the way.
monaco is the most iconic
I was in a Breitling boutique yesterday. Never really liked them from photos but tried on the Deus and Navitimer and going in I thought I'd like the Deus more but the Navitimer is honestly incredible. If you're considering the Breitling I'd go try them both on.
Longines Heritage Tuxedo Chronograph is a good one.
seamaster on bracelet.
I really want an omega right now, but I need a dressier watch so I’d go with the Santos. But if you want or need sport watch it’s the omega for sure! Just not the Tag…
I would look at Grand Seiko or the Glashutte SeaQ as other options
Omega for sure
These are sooo different. Wrist size is a factor with the Omega. The Heuer02 in both Tags is a pretty nice in-house movement and the most complicated of all four. Personally I prefer the Omega if your wrist is large enough or the Top Time.
Love them all except Breitling
Omega, love the Seamaster
Cartier Santos 😮💨🔥
Seamaster seems the most versatile
Breitling
I personally have the omega. I wear it everyday and love it every time I look at it. It matches everything and can be worn with a suit or casually. It is super durable and I love the adjustable metal strap. For $8k I would buy either two seamsters in different colors or a submariner on the gray market or the NTTD omega on the gray market.
Cartier Santos
The Cartier is next on my hitlist, classic watch.
I tried a Monaco on in Italy a few months back as I was in love with them, and the size really took me by surprise, so I ended up swerving it in the end. (I have super skinny wrists so it looked obscene on me)
If I bought a TAG Monaco, id only buy the Caliber 11 with crown on the left.
It's hard for us to say what is best for you. You said you want a 'forever watch' that can go formal or casual (go anywhere do anything). You've picked out 4 nice, but rather different options.
I note that two of the options are chronos with panda style subdials contrast. Is that an aesthetic you're more drawn to?
1 watch is a diver. 1 is connected to racing. 1 is more colorful, and 1 is the Santos which is classic but not for everybody (personally I feel like they're harder to dress down despite all the claims people make).
If one of these feels best to you, do it. Other advice is right, though, try them in first if you can.
...If you want alternatives to consider
A Zenith El Primero is a watch lovers chrono with an amazing history and excellent engineering, and it would compete well with that Brietling on your list, but probably dresses up a little better than the Breitling when you wear a suit. Some people don't like the tri-color dials though.
Omega Aqua Terra is a quintessential (non-Rolex) go anywhere, do anything "sport" watch. Works for literally any occasion except maybe a royal wedding. But, versatility can often be inversely proportional to unique character, and maybe it doesn't speak to you for that reason.
Or why not get best of both worlds and get the monaco in the blue and white dial like the Breitling
Go try them on. Maybe I’m just wholly pessimistic about this sub at this point but god damn people… take some ownership of your life. You’re looking at spending 8k. The Monaco weighs a fuck ton. The omega is ceramic and is almost weightless. The wearing experience is so different. Then the Santos is a relatively thin dressy watch among sports chronos and a diver. Idk man I’m sorry to come at you but this selection is so all over the place I can’t help but think people need to spend more time with their own mind and taste and make the effort to see these watches in person to make a decision rather than ask the internet.
Probably the seamaster imo
I have the omega, it’s tough as hell and stunning in person
I’d say the tag
Team omega
Really like the breitling!
I like speedy more than smp300, at this price I generally want a bracelet and sadly the 300s is not it
Those are 4 very different watches with not much in common. One diver (omega), one unique looking do it all watch (cartier), one classic looking chronograph (breitling) and one very unique looking chronograph (tag heuer).
It seems you are quite far from knowing what you want then and maybe should first try figuring out your use case and/or style more.
Personally i am not a big fan of chronographs. So i would probably go with either the omega or the cartier.
The omega is more sporty looking and more resistant. You can truly wear that for any activity, except maybe super fancy clothes stuff. But i would recommend getting it on the steel bracelet instead. Because a bracelet is always the hardest kind of strap option to source after purchase.
The cartier also can be worn to about any occasion, except the most sporty ones. Plus to me it has the downside of not having a transparent caseback that allows you to see the movement. To me the mechanical nature of it is a big part of buying a mechanical watch in the first place. So covering it up with a flat steel plate thag might as well house a battery, kind of defeats part of the purpose. Thats honestly the main thing keeping me from buying a cartier santos.
Between those two it essentially comes down to the following question: are you more likely to jump off a cliff into the ocean or to get fancy box seats at the opera? Because both are suitable for everything inbetween. If you're a cliff diving guy, get the omega. If you're an opera kind of guy, get the cartier.
Other cool options around 8k include: various omegas (seamaster 300, moonwatch, globemaster, aquaterra), various grand seikos (SBGJ249, SBGA413), various IWC (pilot chrono, Portugieser), various carl f. Bucherer (manero chrono or manero flyback).
Personally i went with the omega aquaterra 41mm green dial. Altho its "only" about 6k. I can highly recommend. Its exactly also a GADA watch like the cartier or the Omega SMP you proposed. But kind of covering all the usecases on both ends, a bit more affordable and with the added seethru caseback compared to the cartier.
You cannot go wrong with that cartier
Cartier for girls 😂
I love the cartier santos.
Santos
One watch- omega If I had a few - breitling
I've had that Omega for about 4 years. I love it and it's extremely versatile. I don't like rectangular watches so that narrows it down for me. But I really like the ceramic case and titanium on the Omega. Just something less common. Most people have no idea it's more expensive than a regular SMP and I like being more discrete. You can get the Omega for around $6k. I wouldn't pay anywhere close to current retail for it.
That Tag has to be the ugliest watch I have ever seen in person. It looks like a god damned brick.
That omega is beautiful