Watches

Criteria

  1. Two-tone: mainly silver (or steel) plus yellow gold finishes
  2. Preferably $10k-$15k
  3. Automatic (plus chronometer)
  4. No additional dials & complexities on the watch face

Summary & Conclusion

The following is a combination of months of contemplation, research & feedback. I have gathered together my favourite manufacturers, and of them my favourite models. For the models which offer different configurations, you will see that I have added a Config section to the tables.

I love the Tudor watches, particularly the Style. However, the price is too low for me; I’m looking for something that is >$10k, something that I wll be wearing for the next 50+ years.

There is a stigma assigned to the Rolex watches, and I don’t know if I feel comfortable wearing that stigma around my wrist for the next 50+ years. Maybe in the future I will buy a Rolex. But I don’t think that this purchase now will be for one.

The bit which concerns me is the lack of config for most of these models. The manufacturers offer them as-is. However, if I wanted this face in that case with this other band, then I would like some flexibility here. I acknowledge that it will cost more. However, every time I ask, I’m given a firm answer: “No”. This applies to the IWC and Breitling watches, as they are within my price-range but only if I can make some customisations. Due to this, I think I will avoid purchasing one of these.

The Tissot is too cheap, and some of the style wasn’t quite perfect for me.

I loved the style of the Longines, particularly the Master. However, this one is not Chronometer; which confuses me because at that price point I thought that every one of these watches would be Chronometer certified. The Record is Chronometer certified, yet it is not quite my style. So this upsets me a little. If Master were Chronometer certified, I’d buy that.

Which brings me to Omega. The Olympic and Tresor are beyond my price range; and the Seamaster is not quite my style. The Aqua Tera is AMAZING! I love it! If only they can combine the styles here. I’d love the look of the 38 in the size of the 41. If they can satisfy this, then I’ll buy that.

So, therefore, the three I am tossing up are:

  1. Tudor Style, except it’s too cheap.
  2. Longines Master, except it’s not Chronometer certified
  3. Omega Aqua Terra, except the style isn’t available in the size I desire.
  1. Tudor
    1. Style
    2. Glamour
    3. Black Bay
  2. Omega
    1. Aqua Terra 38.5
    2. Aqua Terra 41.5
    3. Seamaster
    4. Olympic
    5. Tresor
  3. Longines
    1. Master
    2. Record
    3. HydroConquest
  4. Rolex
    1. Explorer
    2. Datejust
    3. Daytona
  5. IWC
    1. Portugieser
    2. Portofino
  6. Breitling
    1. Premier
  7. Tissot
    1. Excellence
    2. Gentleman
    3. Carson



Manufacturer: Tudor

Image:

Model:

Style

Glamour

Face Width:

41mm

39mm

Link:

link

link

Configs:

silver face$4,720
black face$4,720
silver face & diamonds$5,150
black face & diamonds$5,150

white face$5,150
black face$5,150
white face & diamonds$6,150
black face & diamonds$6,150

Pros:

  • Love the style, look, feel, quality, it’s all great.
  • Love the face, besel & band. All looks amazing.

Cons:

  • If this was just 3 or 4 times more expensive, then I’d buy this straight away.
  • The face is just a little twoo small. If it were in 40/41mm, I’d consider buying it.

Image:

Model:

1926

Black Bay

Face Width:

28mm

41mm

Link:

link

link

Configs:

white face$4,010
black face$4,010
white face & diamonds$4,720
black face & diamonds$4,720

gold face$7,360
black face$7,360

Pros:

  • Love the numbers and the look of the face.
  • Width is too small, and it looks a little… feminine

Cons:

  • Don’t like the chunky seconds numbers around the outside.
  • Don’t like the chunky seconds numbers around the outside.



Manufacturer: Omega

Image:

Model:

Aqua Terra 38.5

Aqua Terra 41.5

Face Width:

38.5mm

41.5mm

Link:

link

link

Configs:

white face$13,775

gold face$14,500

Pros:

  • Love everything about it.
  • Love everything about it.

Cons:

  • If they had exactly this design, except in the 41.5mm size, it would be perfect.
  • If they had exactly this design, except with a white or black face, it would be perfect.

Image:

Model:

Seamaster

Olympic

Tresor

Face Width:

41mm

39.5mm

40mm

Link:

link

link

link

Configs:

black face$18,975

white face$28,550

white face$24,750

Pros:

  • Love the look fo the band
  • Love the face and the case.
  • Very elegant and simple design.

Cons:

  • Don’t like the seconds numbers on the case.
  • No possibility of two-tone band.
  • Too expensive.
  • No possibility of two-tone band.
  • Too expensive.



Manufacturer: Longines

Image:

Model:

Master

Record

HydroConquest

Face Width:

40mm

40mm

41mm

Link:

link

link

link

Configs:

white face & numbers$4,975
white face & diamonds$5,575

rose gold & numerals$5,425

black face$2,925
green face$2,925
blue face$2,925

Pros:

  • Love the style & look
  • Great numbers
  • Perfect two-tone colours
  • Is chronomatic
  • Love the thick links

Cons:

  • Is not chronomatic
  • I don’t like it how the date is cutting off the ‘3’
  • Is not in yellow gold
  • Is not available with normal numbers
  • Don’t like the numbers
  • Hate the hands



Manufacturer: Rolex

Image:

Model:

Explorer

Datejust

Daytona

Face Width:

36mm

41mm

40mm

Link:

link

link

link

Configs:

black face$15,700

silver face$18,050
white face$18,050
black face$18,050
black face & diamonds$20,850

white face$25,300
black face$25,300
black face & diamonds$28,100

Pros:

  • My favourite style!
  • Love the simplicity of it.
  • Love the style. Brilliant!
  • The prestige of this is immense.

Cons:

  • Don’t like the hours-hand though.
  • Also doesn’t come with a white/silver face.
  • Don’t like the date part though.
  • There is too much complexity; too many dials and buttons.
  • Too expensive.



Manufacturer: IWC

Image:

Model:

Portugieser

Portofino

Face Width:

40mm

40mm

Link:

link

link

Configs:

white face & silver case$11,470
white face & gold case$26,305

white face & silver case$7,494
white face & gold case$19,729

Pros:

  • Looks pretty good.
  • Looks pretty good.

Cons:

  • Don’t like the seconds dial.
  • Does not have a metal band.
  • The other band that maybe can be switched does not have gold links.
  • Don’t like the date part.
  • Looks a little femenine.



Manufacturer: Breitling

Image:

Model:

Premier

Face Width:

40mm

Link:

link

Configs:

white face$6,590
black face$6,590

Pros:

  • Love the ‘B’ symbol

Cons:

  • Don’t like the day+date parts
  • No two-tone on the case+band



Manufacturer: Tissot

Image:

Model:

Excellence

Gentleman

Carson

Link:

link

link

link

Configs:

white face$5,125

silver face$2,425

white face$1,225

Pros:

  • Looks pretty good.
  • Looks pretty good.
  • Looks pretty good.

Cons:

  • No two-tone band
  • No customisation to add normal numbers.
  • No two-tone band
  • Too cheap.
  • Too cheap