Self winding mechanical:
Really good value is a Seiko Sports 5, these are 23 to 25 jewel automatics, usually a date window sometimes a day, exhibition back. Movement is made in Malaysia in Seiko plant. Street price is from $95 to $140. Water resistant to 100m.
A tank of a value is the Seiko Monster series. These are 200m dive watches. they can be had in mechanical, Kinetic (quartz) and solar (quartz). Street prices of $250 to $350. Almost indestructible.
A bigger tank of a value is the Seiko Tuna Can dive watches, 600m waterproof. Large and heavy they are hard to find at a big discount. Indestructible.
Swiss watch quality at Asian prices is the Grand Seiko. About $6,000. equal to anything from Basel. Only just now coming to the US. Typically these were all bought in Japan so no official exports until 2015.
Swiss watch affordable mechanical is going to be based on the Valjoux 7750 or ETA 2892 movements. Swatch owns both companies so they dictate who gets them. The Swiss watch industry sued under monopoly laws to keep them from doing that. A deal was struck that gave the industry time to develop their own movements or to use the Stellita movements. This is what Omega, Panerai, Hublot, TAG Huere etc have done. The movements sell for $200 to $600. Hard to justify in watch retailing for $10,000 - $20,000. Valjoux and ETA make "top" level movements with complications and embellishments, even then they are kind of the Ford and Chevy of the industry.
Note that the Swiss watch guys crap all over Seiko and Citizen. If you want to go American, Kobold, RGM and Shinola use Swiss movements from the above named guys.
__________________
Spin Drift
War Damn Eagle
Molon Labe
|