Watch buying advice

[Earnyourturns]

I would like to buy my son a mechanical watch as he has shown an interest. Of course, he would like a Rolex but as he is only 14 there is no way I am spending anywhere near that sort of money. He will get my Explorer in the (hopefully) distant future.

I know this is a Rolex forum but I also appreciate all the other, non Rolex related watch information that gets shared.

What inexpensive mechanical watch would you good folks recommend?

Open to all suggestions.

Looking forward to your responses.

[maylebox]

Kudos to you for encouraging his mechanical interest. What's your budget?

[tyler1980]

depending on price requirements you could look at Tudor or Seiko

[Old Expat Beast]

I would start by looking at the Seiko SKX and SRP lines. Plenty of seasoned collectors here own one of these, and they are cheap, tough, reliable and respectable.

[Zakalwe]

Check out the Seiko Presage line. You won’t find a good mechanical for a lot less than their least expensive watches at circa £300. They’re reliable. They all (I think) have display casebacks, which I reckon is good if you’re cultivating your son’s interest in the mechanical side of things.

[alpharulez]

Agree with suggestions on Seikos. Some inexpensive models available usually on sale on Amazon etc.

Another brand would be Tissot. They do some interesting automatics too.

[tryptobphan]

I think Seiko and Tissot are the way to go, too, if budget is a concern.

However, if budget is not a concern, I am going to go out of the left field and recommend Nomos. I think Nomos watches, especially the manual winding watches with a rear sapphire display case, have qualities that draw people into watches and make them appreciate watches. I personally recommend the Nomos Club series.

[DocJacko]

How about a simple Swatch Sistem51? It’s fully mechanical, self-winding, and very affordable, with a display case back to admire all the gears in action.


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[watchmavan]

Really de on the price range you want to look at.

At the less expensive end, it's hard to go past Seiko. Rather than a ubiquitous SKX007 I'd go for a Turtle.

Mid range perhaps an Oris or Tag

Little better and to last perhaps a Tudor

Anything better than this and you start to scratch at Rolex.


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[rolehex]

Seiko would be my vote as well.

[Earnyourturns]

Thanks for all the quick responses. Seiko definitely looks like a good contender. I think the divers style watches will appeal to him, although it is harder to find a dive watch with a display back which would be good so that he can see the movement. He also loves the look of my Explorer. What are peoples thoughts on Sinn and Stowa? I like the Seiko price point though. He does look after stuff, but he is a 14 year old boy and things do get lost from time to time.

Any more suggestions?

[tryptobphan]

As an alternative to Seiko, how about Orient Mako USA II? It's a dive watch that has all the dive watch features you expect:

1. Unidirectional rotating bezel
2. Lumination on Indexes and Hands
3. Sapphire Caseback to view the movement
4. Sapphire Glass to protect the dial

Other things that I appreciate about the Orient Mako USA II that others may not notice unless they own it:

1. Applied Logo, I am a big fan of applied logos on my watches, but not all watches have it
2. In-house movement by Orient
3. Tough watch that can withstand daily punishment better than my more entry level Seikos

[RHIII]

Originally Posted by tyler1980

depending on price requirements you could look at Tudor or Seiko

I like this idea


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[WaxedElvis]

Agree with the the above on Orient - hard to beat for the price. Several diver options from them to consider. I'd also look at Seiko. Glad to hear the young man is a WIS in the making.

[beshannon]

Seiko 5

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Seiko-5-B...&wl13=&veh=sem

[PJ S]

Orient or Seiko 5 – all the watch he’ll need until his appreciation (and himself) matures.
Anything fancier looking and pricier may draw unwanted attention.

[_speedmaster_]

It would kind of depend on his style. But I would look at Seiko, Hamilton or entry-level Nomos.

[Cryten]

Inexpensive is very subjective, but I'll give it a go.

For around the $1k mark I'd suggest an Oris Aquis, if he doesn't lose it it'll last him well. Swiss, reputable brand, sapphire front and back, eta inside, options of rubber or bracelet.

If he likes divers, and Rolex in particular then Steinhart can be a good option. They mostly make Rolex copies, but the quality is good, they're swiss-ish (legally anyway), sapphire crystal and eta. At around $400 they're good value and a good entry point for a future WIS.

Otherwise Seiko, as already suggested. Just keep in mind hardilex is just Seiko's brand of mineral crystal. At his age I was pretty hard on watches and scratched and broke a few seiko crystals.

[michaelodonnell123]

Seiko.

[AEC]

Originally Posted by Earnyourturns

I would like to buy my son a mechanical watch as he has shown an interest. Of course, he would like a Rolex but as he is only 14 there is no way I am spending anywhere near that sort of money. He will get my Explorer in the (hopefully) distant future.

I know this is a Rolex forum but I also appreciate all the other, non Rolex related watch information that gets shared.

What inexpensive mechanical watch would you good folks recommend?

Open to all suggestions.

Looking forward to your responses.

Have a look at this thread showing the Merci LMM-01 I just ordered (have yet to receive it). With a hand-wound ETA 2801, 37.5mm case, and an acrylic crystal, I think this model could be an ideal starter.

http://https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=605886

[DGB]

For a teenager Seiko SKX is perfect.

Reliable, good price, sporty.

He will enjoy it for many years ( if he doesn’t loose it before)

[mementomori1983]

Get him a vintage Tudor Prince Oysterdate. Can be had for around $1k in most cases. If the budget is much lower go Seiko or Swatch Sistem51.

[Earnyourturns]

This is all fantastic advice. Thanks so much for all the replies. I really appreciate all the time people are giving. It shows the passion people have for this hobby, sharing information for a potential new WIS.

[tryptobphan]

I think we all enjoy this hobby, so have fun researching all of these watches online. I recommend watching Youtube videos and Googling the reference numbers to look at images.

If you don't already know, get your son's wrist size, get a watch that currently compliments him and is a size larger perhaps so he grows into it more. Good luck with everything. Let us know what you decide on when you get it!

[antbkny]

Seiko. He may get interested in modding as well.

[AK797]

Raymond Weil.

[Justindo]

I would recommend a Seiko 5, SKX, or SARB or perhaps a Hamilton Khaki if he prefers field watches. All are excellent watches and perfectly appropriate for a young man in his teens to early twenties. All should serve him well until he enters his profession.

[Earnyourturns]

Thanks for all your responses. After a bit of research, I think I am leaning towards a Seiko, probably a 007. More questions to come.

[Dauntless]

Hamilton Khaki

[ProdigalGil]

Orient would be a 14year old budget and a good test to see if he grown to likes complication. The value prop for the orient is you get a lot of the power reserve and even an analogue rule.

If it turns out he starts to mention the -25 +15 accuracy, he is a natural picking these cues.

Otherwise, since it’s also fun....Swatch’s sistem 51 for sure.


#Spinning

Good luck in choosing.




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