Help Me Decide...
Ok, I plan to buy all 4 of these watches eventually... but which ones would you get first?
They are divided into two categories, based on cost:
Low-End, and Mid-Range.
The choices are:
LOW-END:
The Casio Model MDV-106B-1A2VCF ($50) (I plan to buy 2 of these, because I want to get one for my son, who is a big Casio fan.) So really, the cost is $100.
The Invicta Model 3044 Grand Diver ($84)
MID-RANGE:
The Seiko Model SNE549 Prospex Diver ($284)
The San Martin SN095G Pilot ($260)
(Photo credit: All pics were taken from Amazon.)
I really love the look and aesthetic appeal of all of these watches. Thanks for helping me decide where to start. 😀
Call me Chris! Faithful Christian / Devoted & Loving Husband / Proud Father / Scholarly Librarian / Avid Antiquarian Book Collector / Registered Armiger / Certified D&D Nerd / Watch & Clock Collector.
I’d get the Seiko first. Seiko is the best bang for buck, and a solid maker.
I'd get the Casios first. Then the Seiko. Then the Invicta. Then the San Martin.
I’d get the Seiko first. Seiko is the best bang for buck, and a solid maker.
In what order would you get the rest of them?
In what order would you get the rest of them?
I’d get the San Martin next, if it were me. The other watches do not appeal to me. As opposed to those, keeping with budget friendly options, I would prefer Pagani Design homages instead, but only with Seiko movements. Not everyone likes homages. But I’ve really enjoyed the Pagani watches I’ve bought, and in the price range of about $100 while using Seiko movements, I feel that they represent bargain fun.
Yes, I had intended to swap the strap out for a stainless steel bracelet. My son did that with his Casio "Arnie" watch, and it looked fantastic! 😎
Pic:
You can't see it very well in this pic, unfortunately. 😕
Better pic:
I'd get the Seiko first.
Then you'd be OK with skipping the others.
You can't go wrong with a Seiko diver, especially the solar ones. Quite a good deal at $285 and they are proper dive watches with ISO certification. Amazing lume and proper watch for the money.
If you want the lower end, I'd go with the Casio. Just really a good watch and you get a build quality which is amazing for the price. Screw down crown with 200m WR, and you can dive with it without any problems. You wont find anything like the Duro for around $60. However the lug to lug is 49mm but wears smaller, but if you have 6.5 inch wrist or smaller, I wouldn't recommend it.
If you are going to spend on an Invicta, rather get the pro diver. It looks much nicer and quite good for the price.
Casio Duros first. They look great and you get to share the hobby with your kid.
Then San Martin for huge upgrade in quality.
For me the Casio first (try it on, its big) then the Seiko, not sure about the San Martin, skip the Invicta and get a Orient diver.
As far as watch size is concerned, I have an 8-inch wrist. Or maybe 8 1/16. (I measured twice. I got 8 inches even the first time, 8 1/16 inches the second time. Not sure which is right, but it's at least 8 inches.) Long story short: I can wear any size of watch.
Casio MDV-106B-1A2VCF
I'm going to be the lone Invicta voice here. I've bought them and am a fan.
You are correct choosing the Grand Diver, it's better than the Pro Diver in both build and water resistance (and the Pro Diver is very good). I have a box of just Grand Divers, I like the quality so much. You won't find a better value proposition. The bezels line up, the finishes are superb, it has a screw-down crown and it has the venerable (Seiko) NH35A movement. The clasp is milled, not stamped as it is with the Pro Diver. It really is an up on the quality. And there are tons of different color schemes for the dials and bezels.
[Pictured above: 18k gold (ion) plated version (bracelet and hands/markers) with mother-of-pearl dial.]
Knowing the quality of the Grand Diver, I'd choose it over the Casio, given that I've never held the Casio in my hands before. But at $50 for the Casio, yeah you can get two.
Let me know if you would like some additional, specific pictures of them.
Casio first to have something to share with your son.
imo - rather than the invicta, consider something like the Citizen Promaster BN0200-56E. Admittedly not exactly the same vibe but covers the black dial/black bezel aspect, plus its titanium and ecodrive. One of my favorite watches I own. Nothing wrong with the invitca, just providing an option. You should be able to pick one up on sale under $200 if youre patient.
That casio is great, get those first. I'd probably go for the San Martin next, unless the Casio really made you want a dive watch.
I’d get the San Martin next, if it were me. The other watches do not appeal to me. As opposed to those, keeping with budget friendly options, I would prefer Pagani Design homages instead, but only with Seiko movements. Not everyone likes homages. But I’ve really enjoyed the Pagani watches I’ve bought, and in the price range of about $100 while using Seiko movements, I feel that they represent bargain fun.
When it comes to homages. I am of the opinion that if it looks good, performs well, and is durable, then I will buy it. There are so many so-called homages out there, let's face it, it's no longer an homage; now, it's a style. Or a genre. Something that describes the look of a group of items that are all made in a similar manner. And when that happens, it's nice to be the original, the one who started the trend, because it makes your item more valuable, because of the fact that everyone else imitates it. Homage watches are good for the luxury watch industry, and they know it. So a watch being an homage doesn't even cross my mind. If I like it, I buy it, period. Which is why I plan to check out the Paganis that you mentioned. 😎
When it comes to homages. I am of the opinion that if it looks good, performs well, and is durable, then I will buy it. There are so many so-called homages out there, let's face it, it's no longer an homage; now, it's a style. Or a genre. Something that describes the look of a group of items that are all made in a similar manner. And when that happens, it's nice to be the original, the one who started the trend, because it makes your item more valuable, because of the fact that everyone else imitates it. Homage watches are good for the luxury watch industry, and they know it. So a watch being an homage doesn't even cross my mind. If I like it, I buy it, period. Which is why I plan to check out the Paganis that you mentioned. 😎
I stick to Paganis that use Seiko movements, like I mentioned. I would not buy one with the Chinese made ‘Pearl’ movements. So far, and I have like 6 Pagani watches, they’re great for the money.
I'd get the Seiko for yourself, and the Duro for your son.
At that point you will both have fun, cool watches from great brands.
With those watches on your wrists, be happy with what you've got and just keep tucking away money so that the next watch for either of you, will be even better than those. Forget AliExpress brands like San Martin, or brands that people think are a bad joke, like Invicta. Get something better than that.
Vitally, you have time to do this. Even if you need to save for a year, or two, or three (I don't know your circumstances or how high you want to shoot if given the chance), that Seiko and that Casio will tick away for you two and be excellent watches the whole time. You don't need second watches right away.
I'd get the Seiko for yourself, and the Duro for your son.
At that point you will both have fun, cool watches from great brands.
With those watches on your wrists, be happy with what you've got and just keep tucking away money so that the next watch for either of you, will be even better than those. Forget AliExpress brands like San Martin, or brands that people think are a bad joke, like Invicta. Get something better than that.
Vitally, you have time to do this. Even if you need to save for a year, or two, or three (I don't know your circumstances or how high you want to shoot if given the chance), that Seiko and that Casio will tick away for you two and be excellent watches the whole time. You don't need second watches right away.
The main reason I chose these watches is that I wanted to expand the scope of my collection, to include a range of watches, from inexpensive, to affordable, and up to higher end, very expensive pieces; I did some research, and all of these watches have good movements, which is the true soul of a useful watch.
The idea that I had was to find a few more good watches that I could obtain without breaking the bank. My current collection is 3 watches, which doesn't give me a lot of options, in terms of variety. I figured 7 watches would be kind of a "lucky number."
Future additions to my collection will be more expensive, higher-end watches, which will take longer to save up for and acquire. So in the meantime, I could have a few lower-end and mid-range watches to experiment with. 🙂
The main reason I chose these watches is that I wanted to expand the scope of my collection, to include a range of watches, from inexpensive, to affordable, and up to higher end, very expensive pieces; I did some research, and all of these watches have good movements, which is the true soul of a useful watch.
The idea that I had was to find a few more good watches that I could obtain without breaking the bank. My current collection is 3 watches, which doesn't give me a lot of options, in terms of variety. I figured 7 watches would be kind of a "lucky number."
Future additions to my collection will be more expensive, higher-end watches, which will take longer to save up for and acquire. So in the meantime, I could have a few lower-end and mid-range watches to experiment with. 🙂
I hear you and, as someone who has done similar in the past, it's hard to fault. Although, at the same time, as someone who's done similar in the past and come out the other side, I now feel I have a cautionary tale worth telling.
As we sit here today, I have my collection way down to 8 watches - and four of them are divers. A Casio Duro, a Seiko Turtle, a Yema Superman, and an Omega Seamaster 300m Diver. Have a guess which of these gets worn the most.
Yep, the Omega, and sometimes the Yema. I struggle to get the Turtle on (even though it's a gorgeous green one that was a limited run in Japan), and I just about never wear the Duro, even though it's on a super-comfy and cool-looking nato strap.
So when some of your first hit outs are to get a Duro and a SNE549 for yourself, I'm thinking you'll probably fall for one of those more than the other, and then any other divers you buy to make up your lucky seven (a third? a fourth?) are just going to confuse things even more.
(And yes, I recognise one's quartz and you might be thinking, "That'll be my grab and go..." but in all seriousness, you can set the time on an automatic watch in about 15 seconds. I've never found I've "needed" a quartz in that scenario.)
That's why my suggestion was to go Seiko for yourself and Duro for the son, clearing the decks for low and lower-end divers, rather than throwing even more divers immediately into the mix for yourself, and for him, too. They won't get the wear you think they will.
My inclination for both of you as second watches would be forego another diver right away and think about a classic field watch (which the pilot watch almost scratches, in terms of being a simple, legible watch), and again, avoiding AliExpress friendly stuff like the plague, would point you towards something very affordable but with genuine heritage, like Timex, or if you wanted to go a little left-field, but very interesting, Bertucci. At which point you and your son could both sit back with two very different styles of watch, from companies with great heritage (even Bertucci is heading towards 20 years old these days and has a US based headquarters; much easier to deal with for repairs, etc, than China).
Anyway, I won't go on and on... but I can see what you want to do, and how it could go great, or it could go a bit off course very easily and a year or two down the track you're selling and trying to reconfigure your collection because you've gone too far in one style of watch, or you've got a lot of brands because they were cheap and/or people on YouTube videos raved about them - but who didn't have to pay for theirs.
Having been through a changing collection over many years, I wish I'd seen a few short cuts, here and there at least, to have arrived at a great collection, faster.
Good luck.
I hear you and, as someone who has done similar in the past, it's hard to fault. Although, at the same time, as someone who's done similar in the past and come out the other side, I now feel I have a cautionary tale worth telling.
As we sit here today, I have my collection way down to 8 watches - and four of them are divers. A Casio Duro, a Seiko Turtle, a Yema Superman, and an Omega Seamaster 300m Diver. Have a guess which of these gets worn the most.
Yep, the Omega, and sometimes the Yema. I struggle to get the Turtle on (even though it's a gorgeous green one that was a limited run in Japan), and I just about never wear the Duro, even though it's on a super-comfy and cool-looking nato strap.
So when some of your first hit outs are to get a Duro and a SNE549 for yourself, I'm thinking you'll probably fall for one of those more than the other, and then any other divers you buy to make up your lucky seven (a third? a fourth?) are just going to confuse things even more.
(And yes, I recognise one's quartz and you might be thinking, "That'll be my grab and go..." but in all seriousness, you can set the time on an automatic watch in about 15 seconds. I've never found I've "needed" a quartz in that scenario.)
That's why my suggestion was to go Seiko for yourself and Duro for the son, clearing the decks for low and lower-end divers, rather than throwing even more divers immediately into the mix for yourself, and for him, too. They won't get the wear you think they will.
My inclination for both of you as second watches would be forego another diver right away and think about a classic field watch (which the pilot watch almost scratches, in terms of being a simple, legible watch), and again, avoiding AliExpress friendly stuff like the plague, would point you towards something very affordable but with genuine heritage, like Timex, or if you wanted to go a little left-field, but very interesting, Bertucci. At which point you and your son could both sit back with two very different styles of watch, from companies with great heritage (even Bertucci is heading towards 20 years old these days and has a US based headquarters; much easier to deal with for repairs, etc, than China).
Anyway, I won't go on and on... but I can see what you want to do, and how it could go great, or it could go a bit off course very easily and a year or two down the track you're selling and trying to reconfigure your collection because you've gone too far in one style of watch, or you've got a lot of brands because they were cheap and/or people on YouTube videos raved about them - but who didn't have to pay for theirs.
Having been through a changing collection over many years, I wish I'd seen a few short cuts, here and there at least, to have arrived at a great collection, faster.
Good luck.
I appreciate your advice, and I will take it under careful consideration. I have looked at Timex before, and you're right, they have a long tradition of building good watches. I really admire their Waterbury line. But for now, I must cut my comments short, because it's after 2:00, and I have to work in the morning. 🤣 Goodnight to you, sir. 🥱😴
I appreciate your advice, and I will take it under careful consideration. I have looked at Timex before, and you're right, they have a long tradition of building good watches. I really admire their Waterbury line. But for now, I must cut my comments short, because it's after 2:00, and I have to work in the morning. 🤣 Goodnight to you, sir. 🥱😴
Crikey, off to bed with you! Happy to have contributed some thoughts.
On the low end, the Marlin is a great watch for the money. On the other end of your spectrum, The Seiko is the best choice for the money. Just my 2 cents