My First Swiss Automatic Watch, need your advise !

[stevenfish89]

Hi all watch lovers  ,

First of all, happy new year 2015 and best wishes everyone ! I joined this forum almost fell months and it's really interesting (especially the "what is on your wrist today? (Part 2)") which everyone is sharing the pictures of their "baby" or you can call it "wife" and definitely learn a lot from wrist knowledge from all the discussion.

Since the poison in me is quite bad right now, and i would like to get my 1st Swiss made automatic watch by my own 2014 hard work (bonus) with budget constraint (got some commitment currently). Due to i'm still newbie in this and require some sifus here can recommend me few brand with pictures base on your preferences according to the criteria as below:-

Size : prefer 40mm above
Movement : Swiss made
Watch type : 3 hand and not prefer chronograph at this moment
Usage : Office wear (therefore is simple and nice)
Budget : RM3000 or .....
Others : Prefer black leather strap with Folding Clasp Buckle (this is not so important  )

Feel free to comments and hopefully i able to purchase it before CNY this year.

Thank you  !

[CKL1213]

I'm sure you will get a lot "why don't you save up some for ..."

[mike]

Get a pre owned watch. Many pre owned market now. Can go and have a look which watch is in ur budget.

[Nutralife]

If you prefer a new one for half the budget, You may want to consider Steinhart Ocean 1. Good looking and value for the money.



Or look around for a 2nd hand piece within your budget range.

[TJWN]

3000 or lower/higher?

Lower: tissot visodate, Hamilton intramatic, glycine combat, junghans max bill handwind.

Personally recommend Hamilton intramatic (if you don't mind its a two hand watch) or max bill (if you don't mind handwind)/the automatic one is price higher than 3k

[hidden830726]

Take a look at Stowa Flieger too. Off course their Marine / Antea range might interest you too.

Slightly lower than your budget, ETA movement, date or no date up to you, black dial, black leather strap. Suitable for office wear.

The company with good reputation / service too.

EUR 705 + Fedex Delivery will be around = RM3180.03

Delivery Time: End of January 2015

[cklim]

What about Luminox Field 1801 with ETA movement? Big in size at 43mm, solid yet nice looking, price nearly rm3k after discount.

[Timeless]

SevenFriday or Ball

[hidden830726]

TS want for office wear i think

[james]

go for seven friday m-series 

[Everdying]

i will echo what TJWN said.

[JeepWH]

The Tissot Visodate mentioned by TJWN is nice

[mike]

go for seven friday m-series 

Tell me something good about SevenFriday, design otherwise

[echoesian]

Take a look at Stowa Flieger too. Off course their Marine / Antea range might interest you too.

Slightly lower than your budget, ETA movement, date or no date up to you, black dial, black leather strap. Suitable for office wear.

The company with good reputation / service too.

EUR 705 + Fedex Delivery will be around = RM3180.03

Delivery Time: End of January 2015

Interested in this watch too but I have two clarifications:

1) Are we paying the price with VAT or without VAT?
2) Is it cheaper to buy locally here? If yes, where can I find it in the Klang Valley?

[stevenfish89]

Hi all,

Omgosh  , can't believe i can get a lot of comments and suggestion within 1 day maybe. (Sorry, recently busy working till late night and have to time to log in to forum.)

Hi CKL1213,
thanks for your comment ya, haha.. u mean save up some for..? Rolex? ermmm.. good suggestion, but i think will be quite sometime haha.. thinking to get a newbie or you can say virgin swiss watch.. TQ

Hi mikster,
thanks for your comment ya, ermm.. good suggestion, but due to i'm looking for a low budget watch so i think prefer new at this moment. Perhaps, can you suggest some reliable pre owned market which i can go and visit? TQVM

Hi Nutralife,
thanks for your comment ya, i heard about this brand and do reviewed some of the members in this forum regarding this model. Nice and is looks like rolex tho, haha. At this moment i looking for leather strap instead of bracelet type of watch. TQ

Hi TJWN,
thanks for your comment ya, what i can say is PERFECT ! that's i'm talking about.. really nice suggestion which i personally do some research for Junghans Max Bill and Tissot Visodate as well. Meanwhile, last weekends which i pass by 1 of the Oris AD and saw 1 model is quite nice which around my budget (Don't know the exactly which model). Still considering among all the brand. Need your help ya, if for Oris brand will you still stick to Hamilton intramatic for your 1st choice among the all that you suggested? TQ

Hi hidden830726,
thanks for your comment ya, same question from echoesia that do they have any AD in Malaysia or maybe Klang Valley so that i can pay a visit? TQ

Hi cklim,
thanks for your comment ya, very nice timepiece which i nearly forget about this famous brand Luminox. But, i went to some of the shop which carry this brand but i hardly see this model. Normally will be the Navy SEAL model. Do you have any idea which i can pay a visit and physically hands on of this beautiful watch? TQ

Hi femann,
thanks for your comment ya, I love Ball watches which i personally owned 1 (which is from my dad almost 10 years ago and i recently went for polish with service). At this moment, i trying to look for out of this brand and i know Ball is out of my budget brand for sure. Meanwhile, ya SevenFriday very unique watch but the size is quite Big thoo and i read some review that this watch is not using Swiss Movement with something Miyota Movement (pls correct if i'm wrong). anyway, TQ 

Hi james,
thanks for your comment ya, ermmm.. i think is still too big for my long sleeve shirt (office wear) even though the design of this watch is totally unique. anyway, TQ ya

Hi Everdying,
thanks for your comment ya, YES ! totally agree !

Hi JeepWH,
thanks for your comment ya, yes bro. really nice timepiece which i personally went to 1 of the Tissot AD and have a look for this. Is looks vintage with the "tissot" words there. Meanwhile, i'm still doing a little bit of research and comments from all watch lovers here before i make a decision. TQ

Thank you guys and you guys are ROCK  !

[cklim]

Hi stevenfish89,

I saw many Luminox models (including Field 1801) in Wxxx at Tropicana City Mall.
You may also consider Mido and Certina as these brands hardly advertise, thus their watches are not over-price (we don't have to pay for advertisement fee) or over-expose (too common) 

[mikeylacroix]

SevenFriday uses a miyota8s27 movement..it is NOT swiss lol.

[TJWN]

Hi all,

Hi TJWN,
thanks for your comment ya, what i can say is PERFECT ! that's i'm talking about.. really nice suggestion which i personally do some research for Junghans Max Bill and Tissot Visodate as well. Meanwhile, last weekends which i pass by 1 of the Oris AD and saw 1 model is quite nice which around my budget (Don't know the exactly which model). Still considering among all the brand. Need your help ya, if for Oris brand will you still stick to Hamilton intramatic for your 1st choice among the all that you suggested? TQ

Thank you guys and you guys are ROCK  !

When your question is structured in a way that is specific, it is easier for us to help 

reason for me recommend the intramatic is because of the 2892 movement ticking inside, you rarely see another brand that put a 2892 into the watch at this price range...

(the 2892 movement is thinner and much smooth to wind compare to the 2824 movement [the 2824 is widely used by automatic watch with "swiss made" movement among this price point, the 2892 (or the modified 2892) is equipped by watches that is priced at a higher price point for example: B&R, IWC, Omega, Perrelet, etc)

For Tissot visodate: the price is much cheaper
For Max Bill: the story and heritage behind it is priceless

Not sure which Oris you saw...perhaps a picture could help 

[hidden830726]

Take a look at Stowa Flieger too. Off course their Marine / Antea range might interest you too.

Slightly lower than your budget, ETA movement, date or no date up to you, black dial, black leather strap. Suitable for office wear.

The company with good reputation / service too.

EUR 705 + Fedex Delivery will be around = RM3180.03

Delivery Time: End of January 2015

Interested in this watch too but I have two clarifications:

1) Are we paying the price with VAT or without VAT? Malaysia is without VAT. As long as outside Europe
2) Is it cheaper to buy locally here? If yes, where can I find it in the Klang Valley? Stowa is not a boutique watch, it is often made to order, and only available through their online store. Basically, you place an order, wait for your turn, pay before they made your watch, and they post to you. The only way you can try one is through any owner. But there are tons of reviews available in the net and official forum at watchuseek for your reference and query. Hope it helps.

[hidden830726]

  Agreed on the 2892 in the intramatic, but just slightly small for my preference.

  also for Max Bill

Take a look at Nomos too, but above your budget

[Omnipotent]

you can get Ball Fireman series around your budget...

[stevenfish89]

Hi cklim,
Thank you, i will drop by Tropicana City Mall once i free to have a look on Luminox timepiece. Mido i do have 1 which is last year present from my dad (Mido Commander ii Chronograph 2013). Still love it so much.. Certina i heard about this brand too but is there any model that fit in my requirements? TQ

Hi TJWN,
Thanks for your advise, if i want to specific ermm.. something like Junghans Max Bill or Nomos type of watch.. Simple and nice with 3 hand only. I will consider as well the Hamilton Intramatic which i read through alot of watch review regarding the movement. Thanks again for your suggestion. Btw, is there any watch outlet or AD who carry this brand. The only AD i know is Watatime at Sunway which currently renovation. TQ 

Hi hidden830726,
Agreed ! The Intramatic is nice when i watch review from youtube and i prefer 42mm model instead of 38mm model. Ermm.. regarding Nomos i do notice that is made in germany rite? but i love the simple and unique design. Is there any AD in Malaysia carry this brand? TQ 

Hi Omnipotent,
Noted, will take a second consider for Ball model if i really can't find a watch that love in the first sight. btw, do u know roughly how much will be Ball Firemen Racer Classic cost? TQ 

[cklim]

Personally i like Certina square design which stand out from others.
Although its size does not meet your requirement (only 38mm), at least it comes with black leather strap and folding clasp. Just my suggestion.

[ericys]

Take a look at Longines Hydroconquest model. Movement based on ETA 2824. A company full of history since 19th Century. May burst your budget slightly though. You can easily find some good condition used timepieces on Ebay.



Case diameter is 41mm with 300m water resistance



Here is the chrono timepiece also at 41mm and 300m water resistance



I'm wearing a smaller hydroconquest at 39mm.

[stevenfish89]

Hi cklim,
haha, thanks for your comment. I tried some square design watches earlier but my wrist still look nice on normal shape (circle). 

Hi ericys,
thanks for your comment. The non-chrono Longines Hydroconquest very nice but.. still prefer leather strap at the moment. Haha, i will suggest to my friend who current looking for bracelet watch.