The only thing in your post that made me smile a bit and smurk was “complete my collection.” Haha. Do we ever complete the collection? Seriously though, your budget calls for a Seiko diver.

Thank you for clarifying. I think I definitely got caught on the bandwagon with my comment. So to go back to your basic question I will say this. First off welcome aboard! I can’t speak for everyone, but I would be willing to bet the majority of us that own more Than four or five mechanical watches probably just let them do their thing and if a particular watch has stopped, then we simply give it a wind, maybe set the date, and we are on our way. I have a fairly large collection of mechanical pieces, some even hand wound. most of my watches have power reserve between two and five days so it just depends on how often I wear a particular watch. I think for a lot of us another part of the allure is being able to wake the watch up from its sleep. Get it running, and enjoy that aspect of the ownership. I in other words, what you may first see as a downside because the watch stops, is part of our upside as a collector.

Yeah I’m surprised to see Omega on this list. Beautiful watches. Impeccable quality. Brand recognition with a long history. And you can walk into most ADs, walk out with what you wanted, and usually at a bit of a discount too. And at retail, I’d even say Rolex stainless tool watches are valued well for their quality and how well they’re made.

Well I think a lot of us can go on and on about the allure of a mechanical watch; how without any electronics it runs through complicated wheels, gears, and springs all on its own while keeping time and integrated into intricate cases and stylish dials. Essentially your wearing an engine that runs without gasoline. You would have to appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into a mechanical watch movement and history of the art to want one. That is the appeal of a mechanical watch; the more time spent making a mechanical movement and tighter tolerances and quality equals more accuracy.

Although it’s possible, I doubt the watch was over a minute off when it left the factory. But I bet it left the factory with a defect or misalignment. More than likely whatever is causing it to be off is being exacerbated by the repetitive banging and shaking from wood chopping; essentially made it more apparent.

I am a HUGE fan of Oris watches. If I could only own one Oris it would be the pointer date too. It’s their oldest model and the watch that has the most history in their line. But it wears a lot different than the Longines. It’s thinner on your wrist. Plus the Longines is on a bracelet, which gives you the added benefit of putting it on a strap for a different look. If you can find an AD that has them I would try them on, take some wrist shots, look at yourself in the mirror, etc. you’ll find your answer.

The fact that you only need to mention Tudor in a topic brings this many responses (agreeable or not) tells you that it has accomplished what the company has clearly set out to do from its inception; bring quality and value to the masses. I would absolutely love to hear what my fellow crunchers out here will say to this…. You legitimately have $3000 in your pocket that’s burning a hole for a diver/tool type watch, please give me your alternatives that like the Tudor Black Bay also comes from a company with as much rich history in watch making, is made with the same quality and finish, has an in house movement with similar specs, and brand recognition. I would love to see this list of comparable watches in the $3000 high end bracket. I’ll make it easy for you. It doesn’t exist. You may not like the look of the Tudor BB, but there’s a reason it’s become as popular as it is.