A certified chronometer is consistent to -2+8 seconds per day under a variety of conditions such as different positions and high and low temperatures. Basically just a lab test.

Ok.................

What kind of watches do we all have in our bottom drawers and what do we wear every day?

Except for dressy occaisions I rotate my watches. I have an old unreliable 1920s Patek for dress when accuracy isn't important but image is.

Others favourites are:
Omega Seamaster s/s early 1960s
Omego Cosmic 2000 s/s early 1970s
Rolex Explorer I mid 1970s
Omega constellation early 1980s
Patek Phillipe Nautillus s/s (original jumbo 1982)
A quartz (shock! horror!) Baume Mercier (Most accurate, reliable and abused watch I've ever owned)
And a couple of rainbow bright Lokmans for the beach.

Excellent Cam! We've got our own resident watch expert.

Milu: nice collection!! :)

I have only the Heuer Monaco and a LeMania Elvstrom Sailing Watch (about 20 years old). Many more on the want list!

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads/lemania.jpg

Haha - I am definitely not an expert! But I have picked up a few things along the way (I don't work in the business but used to help out in the university holidays, etc).

I have a few (as in 3 or 4, not 20!) of our own brand watches ("Olympic" FWIW - only available in Australia and New Zealand but if anyone wants one overseas, let me know ;) - always the salesman..). Nothing too exciting - they are not high end watches (out of a range of 200 or so, we have few over NZ$300), as the thought of paying near retail for a luxury brand watch is too scary given my circumstances (whereby I pay import cost..).

Well got to buy into this thread. You are either into mechanical watches or not (and most, sensibly, aren’t) But be aware that that there is a huge jewellery and brand factor involved. TAG Heuer is an example. TAG (Techniques Avant Gard) bought the well regarded manufacture named Heuer in the mid 80’s and stared to produce reasonable quartz watches and build a hell of a brand. They have recently cashed in on the resurgent interest in mechanical watches by marketing some Heuer retro re-issues (Targa, Monaco). Horologically speaking, these are generally regarded as uninteresting watches which contain extremely ordinary mechanical movements (the Val Joux 7750 in it base form) which can be found in great watches from any number of manufactures at a third or half the prices of these branding exercises from TAG.

And then there’s Rolex, who actually make a good watch, and make there own movement, a rarity these days. A sublime marketing company, Rolex divides watch people because the majority of rolex owners has no interest in the actual watch, but is very interested in the brand, and are very often complete poseurs. We have all met them. The dichotomy for folks who are interested in such things is that they actually make a good (but massively overpriced) watch.

911 folks might be interest in a brand called Sinn. These are German with Swiss movements, well made (on par with say Omega) little known outside Europe (except by enthusiasts) hard to get but reasonably priced. Made in little factory in Frankfurt by a small company founded by a Luftwaffe pilot after the war. They have website, you buy direct, and they are a great intro to “quality” watches.

BTW, to answer the original question “does anyone know what makes a $1000 watch better than a $200 one?” For lovers of things mechanical and beautiful, here is a detail of a A.Lange and Soene caliber. This is a hand wound calibre. It can be found in watches that start at, well more than $1000. Who needs a stinkin battery? Ofcourse, these minature marvels are aircooled and can go places 911's cant.

http://www.imagestation.com/mypictures/inbox/view.html?url=http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid26/p4363dd3f0cf8b2b5ac05d11a87247ef1/fd7db2f1.jpg.orig.jpg&caption=langechrono&id=42528 73457

Chiming in...
 

With a recently received Omega Speedmaster Pro. Gift from the wife this christmas, she know I love watches _and_ spacecraft!

Wear it pretty much every day, and the crystal is taking some abuse (since it is actually plastic) but everything else looks great. I also have a BMW M watch (flame suit on) bought at the factory museum - nice and slim with a speedo face. I also enjoy my Rip Curl quarz surfing watch for, well, surfing! It has a great rubber band that drains water well and it doesn't mar the board.

For track driving, I like to use a museum watch from the Auto zum Technic museum in Speyer - has a great timer.

Chris

Depends on whether you want more than just the time..
 

29 years ago, a kid at a high school basketball game found a Timex under the bleachers. He asked me was it was mine. I said no and the little brat said "take it" and threw it at my stomach. It still runs today and keeps correct time.

However, now I've stuck with Movado. I like the thin look, and saphire crystal, with no numbers on the face. Very simple. I can't tell you the number of people that have tried to tell time on it and couldn't. Easy when you get used to it; I can tell to the minute. I'm not sure I'd pay that much for a speedometer face without knowing what's inside.

I've got a 1974 Omega Speedsonic s/s for everyday use - a certified chronometer, of course! I just sold a Breitling Grand Premier and am going to get an original Heuer Monaco to replace the Breitling.
Milu - I like you're Omega collection!

Gotta say Rolex gets my vote. Dad was an Air Force fighter pilot, wore his GMT Master through the Korean War, and 2 trips through Vietnam. In typical US fighter jock style, he was a Corvette guy but never had a bad word for a P-car. Left it (the watch, not the car--it was long gone) to me when he died. I took it to a shop to see what it would take to get it back in shape (he beat the hell out of it) and the parts and labor would have cost more than a new one.

So in the momento box it went, and I ended up buying a Rolex Submariner, all stainless steel. Contrary to an earlier thread regarding Porsche drivers being into gold chains and open shirts, I don't do either.

Still have my G-shock from my military days.

Only thing on my wish list would be a white faced Rolex Daytona chrono, Paul Newman era (yeah right) or a new one that (gulp) goes for about $4K Over list price (of over $6K).

I have one of those - a 1968 model, fully restored, manual wind movement. I don't wear it all that often mainly because of the acrylic crystal and doubtful waterproofness. Waaay to easy to mess up and not cheap to replace. My 'daily driver' is a 1996 version Seamaster Pro "James Bond" automatic, the one with the blue ratcheting bezel and wavy blue face. Built like a tank. Still looks virtually brand new after 7 years of almost daily use. Third one is a late 50's or early 60's Seamaster rose gold leather band model, also automatic movement. A classic.

Not really a watch guy in particular, so these 3 plus maybe a Rolex Daytona will last me another few decades.

Just on the COSC (certified Swiss Chronometer) certificate. More marketing for the weak minded. COSC is a standard agreed by the Swiss industry. Movements are requires to meet a number of tests in a number of "positions" (note the "adjusted to "n" positions" seen on many movements) COSC standard is that the movement must be able to run between -6+4 seconds per day. (Any quartz will kill this BTW)

The standard is sort of pointless because its done on an uncased movement. As soon as its fitted to a case, finished, re-adjusted and then shipped to a retailer somewhere, the COSC is worthless. All good mechanical watchs will be reguated by a watchmaker prior to purchase, and will need to be done again after they "run in" They are a tiny machine after all, with springs, gear trains and lubricants, typically beating at between 28800 and 36000 beats per hour.

A number of mid and high end manufactures (IWC and Jaeger LeCoultre for example) do not bother with COSC and apply more rigid standards of their own.


stuart 87 carrera

Hmm watches, just love them. It was like a friend of mine said when I bougth the Porsche "Now you just need a good watch to go with the car and you are all set".

If You like exotic watches I will give You a good (?) suggestion. A swedish watch called Sjöö Sandström. Made in Sweden with swedish steel and swiss chronometer inside.

The Swedish king has one and Kenny Bräck is using one. Who doesn't want a swedish blonde ??

Check out www.sjoosandstrom.se for more.

I chose the Tag Heuer for a rather unique reason. The sapphire crystal is LOWER than the bezel, and does not get ruined while turning a wrench everyday! Mine is now 11 yrs old and the face/crystal look brand new!! The price at the time was about a grand, and I was thinking Omega but couldn't deal with the crystal location: I new I would wreck it if I wore it everyday. Mine looks something like this, as it is not available anymore.:http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads/tagwatch.jpg

Say what you want but my Timex Expedition "takes a lickin and keeps on tickin!"
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads/Timex Watch.jpg

My Seiko Kenetic (a self winding electric watch) looks like my old Rolex Submariner and keeps much better time. The Rolex was sold to fund the purchase of my 911 many years ago.
-Chris

Which watch winder?
 

I'm sure glad that you are able to post pictures of your watches, otherwise I would have no idea what time it is.... I used to wear a brand X (Hirco), it was a 40's calendar, moon-phase with a pink-gold case. I lost it when my watch guy died. He had a heart attack and when the paramedics took him away, they left the shop door open. I also lost a 30's Mickey Mouse kid's watch at the same time.
If I can find a replacement band, I can wear a 1917 Elgin; the band lugs are soldered to the case and the face is rotated 90*, clockwise. Sometimes, I wear a late 30s/40s Gruen Curvex driver's watch. But, honestly, since my old-timer watch repairman died and I lost those watches, I don't wear a watch very often anymore and just ask people if they have the time....
Does anyone know about an American watch factory that was bought by the Russians after WWI? I must be getting old, I can't remember the name.

There are several Porsche Design watches currently on ebay, but this will be my next purchase.
I like different.

http://www.chronomaster.co.uk/Fortis_24_hour_b.JPG

[edit]
Well, that wasn't my purchase, so the fact that it's gone is no big deal. :D
[/edit]

Wayne, The difference is obvious -- I am really surprised you asked.

The $2,000 watches have voice recognition, 3D image projection and GPS location for mapping. The cheap $200 watches only have data storage.

- Randy

I regularly wear a Tissot Ballade automatic. For my gadget/garage side I have a Casio G-shock and for my Gee-whiz factor I have a Trazer self illuminating Navy Seals watch.

I think I am going to go get a $20 dollar watch from target, print off a picture of a speedometer, and put it inside my watch. I could even use model paint to make the hands red. Then I will sell it on ebay as a "custom porsche watch" for $500.