My First Post! Best watch under $3,000

Longines, Marathon, Damasko, Sinn, Junghans? What direction are you headed: diver, field, dress, pilots?

There’s so much action under $3k, a great time to be into watches in this price point! I’d echo @TheSharperTheBetter’s point, what type of watch are you looking for? I struggled with this before buying my first luxury piece, ended up being between the Nomos Metro and Speedmaster, couldn’t be two more opposite watches lol 😂.

Also are you interested in smaller companies/microbrand watches, or more mainstream?

@TheSharperTheBetter @twistedlugs Thanks so much for the feedback guys! So to both your points that is definitely something I'm struggling with haha. I currently have a Speedmaster Ultraman, and Vintage Seiko Pogue, Seiko Sarb033, Seiko Blue dive watch mod, and a couple of casios. 

I do like the idea of perhaps a Grand Seiko HAQ GMT? I think they're great. I do love Tudors as well but a lot of the Tudor divers are above the $3k mark. Nomos is fantastic but the main one id buy is the blue dial Zurich Worldtimer, but that's in the $5k range. 

Ive looked a lot of watches, but I guess maybe they're some watches I haven't thought about. I'm also not opposed to Micro Brands as well. 

I’m not familiar with a lot of microbrands, but I do like Christopher Ward and Baltic.

For $3k, in vintage I’d look at vintage Omega constellation pie-pans. For new, either one Oris or two Junghans. 

Look at Marathon, Sinn, and Damasko if you want something "toolish", and different. 

Longines has so many great offerings around that price range. They also carry incredible brand heritage and fantastic finishing. I don’t have one yet but will soon!

Got my bb58 for 2900 imo the best in that range 

Mechanical: Milus

Quartz: The Citizen

BB58 on their fabric strap is a winner 

Welcome to the forum. Lots of great recommendations there. I don't have much to add. If you don't mind staying well under 3 grand, some of the swatch group brands are pretty good (Mido, Tissot, Hamilton, etc)

The Rado Captain Cook is pretty cool as well.

It all depends on what you are after in the hobby. If you want an amazing watch for under 3 grand, then there is a lot on offer, for a lot less than 3 grand actually. If you are looking for hyped watches that show up on pretty much every watch enthusiast's youtube channel, it's not as easy to stay under 3 grand, and find something you don't already know about :)

Ball is often overlooked. With the tritium tubes, unique designs and improvements to the ETA they offer a ton of value.

Again, what do you want? There is little direction other than you have up to $3k to burn. 

You have mainly sporty/tool watches, and you seem to like divers but do you want something different like a dress watch? Do you want new or vintage (and I would say avoid vintage)?

The Grand Seiko GMT is a great idea! It sounds like you're leaning towards a GMT/world time watch, perhaps an Oris Aquis GMT or the Oris Big Crown Pro Pilot Timer GMT if you're feeling crazy. There's also the Baltic Aquascaphe GMT.

Aside from GMTs, Monta is a great brand (I feel like a broken record on this, every other post/comment I have here is about how much I like them lol). There's also the new TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 with the steel bezel, I really like this one, reminds me of 90s TAG.

Norqain might be worth looking into, their designs aren't really for me personally but their quality is supposed to be good.

Diver - Breitling superocean (used $2800usd) / Tudor BB58 (hunt for a used one under $3000)

Chrono - Omega Speedy Reduced ($2500-3000usd) / Hamilton Intra-Matic Auto Chrono ($2150 on site less for used ) Good Luck on the search! 👍🏻

Seiko mm300

Well if you don’t know what style of watch then the only thing you can get at the moment is scope creep. Think long and hard about what you want, and then ask more questions. 
Just don’t buy vintage, slippery slope.

I need to do a nice deep dive into my soul haha. I have come across two watches i love. But...impossible to find. The Grand Seiko SBGN001 and the Monta SkyQuest GMT with the Aluminum Pepsi Bezel. So..what can you do? hahah

Fantastic Watch! But i have a Seiko Mod that I built after this watch haha. It cured my MM300 itch!

If it were my money I'd go grand seiko quartz gmt 👍

Cartier Tank Must ($2740) is just killer if you’re not opposed to quartz. It depends on your style but I think its really versatile and obviously carries so much history and elegance.

I also really like the new King Seiko re-releases ($1700): https://www.fratellowatches.com/new-king-seiko-collection/

What about the new-ish Aquastars, or a DOXA for some color?

I also like Sinn in this range.

I am a fan of Doxa and Sinn, I'm currently looking at those now! Thanks a lot!

For 3k I’d stretch and get a bb58. Or get two 1500 dollar watches- Oris and zodiac 

If you don't care about name brand, here is a watch that I am 99% sure was made by IWC, with definitely an IWC movement within it. 

If you care about impressing people who are not watch nerds, then pass on this one. If you want a watch that should cost a hell of a lot more than 3K, and you like the way it looks, this is about as good of a deal as you will find, for what it actually is.

IWC Mark XVI if you're going used. Tudor BB41 grey market. New, lots of options from Oris

I’d look into the Mido Oceanstar GMT. It’s a bigger watch at 44mm and 13.3mm thick, but if you have the wrist for it, it’s only $1200 with a “true” gmt jumping hour function, sapphire crystal, 80 hours of power reserve and a ceramic bezel. It’s also a looker.

Great topic! Here are a few ideas from different segments/brands - all modern references:

Anonimo Epurato - $2,800

Ball Fireman - $1,500

Casio MT-G G-Shock - $1,000

Farer Bernina Gran Turismo - $1,900

Hanhart 417 chronograph - $2,100

Maurice Lacroix Aikon - $2,100

Nivada Grenchen Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver - $2,100

Oris Divers Sixty-Five - $1,300

REC P-51 Green Hornet - $1,700

Sinn 104 - $1,500

Tudor Black Bay Bronze - $3,000