mfad•13mo ago

Gift watch suggestions

My dad has a milestone birthday next year and I'm looking to buy him a watch.

My budget is approximately $5000 USD with a bit of wriggle room.

He likes watches on the chonkier side and my mum has said he likes Seiko watches.

Quartz is preferred as I don't think he would take care of an automatic watch.

Smiles•12/9/24, 11:35 PM

I mean taking care of an automatic isn't hard, it's just send it in for service every 5-10 years, it running out of energy doesn't damage the watch

Smiles•12/9/24, 11:35 PM

Why not just Seiko, or if you wanna splash, Grand Seiko

SSmiles I mean taking care of an automatic isn't hard, it's just send it in for service ...

Smiles•12/9/24, 11:37 PM

Not significantly different than getting the battery changed on a quartz tbh

stevie•12/9/24, 11:38 PM

Smiles•12/9/24, 11:39 PM

Realistically the only reason watches get expensive is cause they aren't quartz lol

SSmiles Why not just Seiko, or if you wanna splash, Grand Seiko

midiOP•12/9/24, 11:39 PM

I thought about a GS, just don't know what's out there aside from snowflake face

For some reason I thought automatics had to be taken into service once a year, five to ten is a lot more doable

Mmidi I thought about a GS, just don't know what's out there aside from snowflake face...

Smiles•12/9/24, 11:39 PM

They got a website, would just browse

Smiles•12/9/24, 11:39 PM

Nomos Glaschutte another brand in this price range

Smiles•12/9/24, 11:40 PM

If quartz is fine Seiko did invent quartz pretty sure, could just find one, but they broadly don't get that expensive if this is a status symbol element, just cause most of the expense comes from the small movements of an automatic

Smiles•12/9/24, 11:41 PM

But if it saves you money and he doesn't care...quartz will be more accurate as well, it's better in pretty much all "objective" measurements

midiOP•12/9/24, 11:45 PM

tbh this is going to be a semi flex item for him so I'm happy to go either way on what kind of movement

midiOP•12/9/24, 11:45 PM

I'll take a look at nomos and see if they have some chonkier watches

Smiles•12/9/24, 11:46 PM

Main things for watches are avoid luxury watches for the most part, you want a brand focused on watch making, and broadly Swiss and Japanese makers have the best reputations, but like Nomos is German so there's always options

rawburt-oh•12/9/24, 11:47 PM

Grand seiko quartz pieces are really quite nice too and are not your run of the mill cheap quartz mechanisms, fwiw

rawburt-oh•12/9/24, 11:47 PM

Not talking about the spring drive either, just their standard HAQ pieces

rawburt-oh•12/9/24, 11:48 PM

https://www.grand-seiko.com/us-en/collections/movement/quartz

Grand Seiko

Quartz | Grand Seiko

rawburt-oh•12/9/24, 11:48 PM

They are even decorated nicely

rawburt-oh•12/9/24, 11:49 PM

I'm also more of the type to service in the 3-5 year range for a watch I wear heavily, and would only go to 10 for something I wore really sparingly. But there is some leeway there

rawburt-oh•12/9/24, 11:50 PM

I don't know his taste but something like this is nice and has good heft to it

https://www.mjewelry.com/collections/grand-seiko/products/grand-seiko-quartz-ceramic-bezel-sport-collection-sbgp015-sbgp015-400731

Meierotto Jewelers

Meierotto Jewelers - Grand Seiko Watches

Authorized Grand Seiko Retailer, grand seiko watches, grand seiko watch, grand seiko skyflake, grand seiko dive watch, grand seiko for sale, grand seiko vs seiko

Smiles•12/9/24, 11:51 PM

Ya for the record I've always heard 5 for service, I prob wouldn't go too much beyond that, but it's not significantly outside of a battery replacement, might just need to spend longer at the shop (sometimes it has to be sent to the manufacturer to be serviced, generally your local AD can handle all this for you)

rawburt-oh•12/9/24, 11:52 PM

I love automatic/mechanical pieces so definitely don't want to advocate against them

rawburt-oh•12/9/24, 11:53 PM

Just do know that servicing for a nice mechanical watch can be expensive too, and normal quartz watches (not spring drive) are much cheaper to service and require less work because they have significantly fewer parts

Smiles•12/9/24, 11:54 PM

Ya, like I said from pretty much all standpoints Quartz are "better" but they have less allure than mechanicals in watch circles due to snobbery/bias/whatever

rawburt-oh•12/9/24, 11:54 PM

I think the service interval for the 9f movement is in the magnitude of decades if I remember correctly? For the most part it is just battery replacement

rawburt-oh•12/9/24, 11:55 PM

While a gs full service for mechanical is probably in the $500-800 range for most models

rawburt-oh•12/9/24, 11:55 PM

And that's every three years

Rrawburt-oh While a gs full service for mechanical is probably in the $500-800 range for mos...

midiOP•12/9/24, 11:55 PM

That's a hard no imo

Smiles•12/9/24, 11:55 PM

Just go quartz then easy answer

rawburt-oh•12/9/24, 11:55 PM

Automatic watches are not the logical option for sure ha

Smiles•12/9/24, 11:55 PM

Rawbert smarter than me here mb

rawburt-oh•12/9/24, 11:56 PM

(As I'm wearing one due for a $700 service soon)

rawburt-oh•12/9/24, 11:56 PM

Only thing I would say is to just try to sort out what your dad likes about watches to the extent possible without showing your cards

rawburt-oh•12/9/24, 11:56 PM

Some people just like the little gizmos that spin and oscillate and it's not logical but it makes them happy

rawburt-oh•12/9/24, 11:57 PM

If your dad has this affliction maybe a mechanical piece makes sense

rawburt-oh•12/9/24, 11:57 PM

Otherwise look through some of the 9f pieces, those would be my go to and I should honestly just sell my rolex and other watches and just get a 9f myself

SSmiles Rawbert smarter than me here mb

rawburt-oh•12/9/24, 11:57 PM

No dude I am an idiot knee deep in this

rawburt-oh•12/9/24, 11:57 PM

Trying to save midis dad

rawburt-oh•12/9/24, 11:58 PM

@full of bubble tea (midi) do you think he likes a steel sports bracelet or leather?

midiOP•12/9/24, 11:58 PM

Steel for sure

midiOP•12/9/24, 11:59 PM

Thanks for all the advice

midiOP•12/9/24, 11:59 PM

I think I'll prolly be looking at the GS quartz given all this new info

midiOP•12/9/24, 11:59 PM

I may be happy to fork out for the service but dad is defs not

rawburt-oh•12/10/24, 12:00 AM

This one is cool too

rawburt-oh•12/10/24, 12:00 AM

They have some simpler time only ones that are classic and nice but it sounds like your dad wants a big boy

rawburt-oh•12/10/24, 12:02 AM

My opinion is that you don't need to spend close to 5k to get him a super nice quartz grand seiko. If you feel a craving to spend more get it a nice carrying case and call it a day

I would be fucking over the moon if anyone gifted me one of these, they are awesome

midiOP•12/10/24, 12:02 AM

Yea I like the classic GS but the pic above is more in line with the stuff dad has

midiOP•12/10/24, 12:03 AM

Tho nothing will compare to the diesel watch he has

Digs•12/10/24, 12:03 AM

Is he a car guy, airplane guy, train guy, etc?

midiOP•12/10/24, 12:04 AM

He is a Costco guy

Digs•12/10/24, 12:05 AM

Hell yah