18th Birthday Present
My son turns 18 soon and I want to buy him a watch as part of the celebration (in the same way that my parents did). I don’t want to spend a fortune (up to 500 bucks) as he’s only an occasional watch wearer, but I would like something that will age well. He doesn’t like bling and prefers the understated look of a PVD case and matte black dial etc. Below I’ve listed 3 options, which do you prefer and why? Plus I’d love to here if you have any alternative suggestions.
23 comments
Sort by
Cadmunky
Welcome to my WatchCrunch profile.
Brighton, UK
Member since
Last active: 3 hrs ago
Out of those 3, the momentum is the most legible at a glance, so that would be my choice.
The Seiko has a black date which I would prefer and it is a mechanical watch.
🔥
Stealth watches look cool until you’re in a hurry, with a coffee in your hand and a suitcase on the other and jumping from a taxi to a train to a plane and need to check the time in a fraction of a second. Go for practicality and legibility. Voted for the Momentum.
Love the look of that momentum
Victorinox has a couple of black PVD watches in that $500 range if you want to check them out.
Victorinox has a couple of black PVD watches in that $500 range if you want to check them out.
Thanks for that I’ll take a look.
What about a Nite MX10. Full of tritium goodnes though.
That’s a new brand for me to look at; thanks 👍
Personally I feel like the all blacked out look effects legibility. Fortunately there are options with PVD that appear sleek and understated that don't have this issue.
The #orient Raven is one of my personal favorites!
Solar is perfect for an occasional watch wearer. Just keep it by a window and it will be grab&go.
Personally I feel like the all blacked out look effects legibility. Fortunately there are options with PVD that appear sleek and understated that don't have this issue.
The #orient Raven is one of my personal favorites!
The Raven is a great shout; I like it, but unfortunately he finds timing bezels pointless; “kids ehh”
Yeah okay. I forgot Brew had a PVD Metric. That is a solid watch for sure!
As a Scurfa wearer I totally agree about the $500 microbrand sweet spot. And I’m loving the Brew on multiple levels; design originality, lack of military baggage, compact dimensions etc. Unfortunately it’s a little too fussy (read it has subdials) for my son. Any other Microbrands that I might not have spotted?
It to much pressure. Good luck 🍀😂
I love my Seiko 5, and really like the look at that one with that bracelet.
That being said, I'm really looking hard at a Hilton Field Khaki very similar to this one you've shown (in titanium, which is out of the range you're asking about here). That's the one I voted for.
I don't know much about the Smokejumper.. but I'll be honest, upon reading up on it a little I'm seriously liking it and might just change my vote. Legibility, titanium lightness, damn good looking watch.. yeah, for your post and question I have just changed my mind and my vote to this one! Nice! (now to figure out the best way to tell my wife I want yet another watch.. heh)
Love the #hamilton and #momentum as much
I would gift the Hamilton because it has heritage so it’s swaggy and it’s a quartz so zero maintenance for years of precise timekeeping. I wouldn’t gift an auto unless the individual all ready liked mechanical watches and understood the pros and cons of an automatic. Great gift, respect!
I would gift the Hamilton because it has heritage so it’s swaggy and it’s a quartz so zero maintenance for years of precise timekeeping. I wouldn’t gift an auto unless the individual all ready liked mechanical watches and understood the pros and cons of an automatic. Great gift, respect!
Thanks for that 👍