First watches

My first was a citizen Promaster Skyhawk AT blue angels edition, love it to death but it has gotten away from my tastes in recent years.

My recommendation is get whatever you like at the moment, don't think if you'll like it in the future or not, your tastes will evolve and adapt with you.

Happy hunting

First mechanical watch was a Swatch Sistem51. Would recommend a Seiko or Orient as a first mechanical

I have no idea what department store quartz watch it was that my grandmother got me, but I highly suspect it was a lady's model.

I think I'd have to recommend the Casio MQ-24 unless one has more specific needs. Or a pocket watch is good too. I wouldn't recommend a mechanical watch if one is new. Or sane.

My “first” watch was one of those old Casio Databank calculator watches. I would use it for school work all the time. My first mechanical watch was a fake Rolex Submariner “Bluesie” from Mexico that my grandmother gave me back when I was in high school that she got from a vacation. That fake Rolex was what sparked my curiosity for mechanical watches. It was many more years before I purchased my own timepiece. The first watch that I bought for myself was my Rolex Yacht Master 37 with rhodium dial. It satiated my appetite for a good year and a half. Then Covid hit and like a bunch of other people, I turned to buying things over experiences and my watch collection started. It’s since gone on to become a huge part of my life and I’m so grateful for all the new friends I’ve gained on and off line. I have meet some truly exceptional friends and they’ve all come through my local RedBar chapter. The watch community has been very good to me and I look forward to many more years of friendship and collecting. So, for a first watch right now I would recommend either a Casio, Orient, Seiko or a micro brand like Traska or maybe a Seagull 1963. All cheap enough to be beaters and yet good enough to see if you really like the hobby. I’ve even bought Swatch Sistem51 and they are cool for what they are. I just say buy what you like and what you can afford and you’ll soon figure out your preferences

First watch I purchased myself after I ended school and started in my profession, Oris Artelier. For a young professional, I would recommend Tudor 1926

My first purchase was the Seiko 5 SNK809 in blue. Great starter watch and one of the cheaper introductions to mechanical movements you can get.

Edit: WOW after posting I looked up prices and it’s definitely doubled in price since I got it in 2016. But I still recommend it, maybe finding one used.

My first real watch.

The seiko world timer or pilots watch Purchased in 1978

My first watch was a 1971 Timex Sprite I got from Santa Claus for Christmas when I was 6 years old. "Santa" used to bring my brothers and me watches for Christmas every one to two years, so I have had watches all my life, and have purchased a number of them over the years. However, that was more "need a watch, buy a watch," without any real idea of what I was doing. It was all Timex and Casio and other budget watches, but only one at a time. When my current watch would break, or even when the battery would run down, I would simply buy another budget/cheap watch.

I did not become a true collector until about 2017, when my wife got me a Citizen Corso AW1236-03A for Christmas that year. That sort of ignited a spark in me, and I started collecting and learning seriously, but unfortunately not simultaneously. 🤣 I went down the Invicta rabbit hole until the watches started breaking (4 of 6 in half a year), and bought some other fashion brands, like Fossil and Relic, until I really started learning about the history of watches. Once I started learning, I added more Citizen, Seiko, Tissot, Hamilton, Bulova, and other big brands with some heritage to my collection, while remaining primarily at the budget/entry level of collecting. So really, the first watch of my collection was that Citizen Corso AW1236-03A that my wife gave me.

Citizen is also one of the brands I recommend to new collectors. A wide range of entry-level Eco-Drive and automatic options exist for the new collector, and Citizen is a brand with a good deal of heritage in watchmaking. I usually recommend Eco-Drive rather than a Citizen automatic to new and curious collectors. I used to recommend Seiko to new collectors, but not so much anymore. The price increase and QC issues with many of the new Seiko 5s and other entry level watches have led to me no longer recommending Seiko to new collectors, despite my love for my Seiko watches. Instead, I point them to Orient for a good entry-level automatic watch.

I also do recommend Islander to new collectors, despite it being initially, and still to a certain degree, an homage brand, although the newer Islanders do show some originality in their designs. For the money, a new collector will get a solid watch with excellent customer service. Of course, I always make sure new collectors know to check out what Timex and Casio are doing with new releases.

My first watch a swatch irony what ever watch you like the you got to like it your self first

My first watch was the 1986 Swatch Tonga. Hard to recommend one to you but you’re in the right place to get ideas!