Show your watch thread

[Grant]

What new watch would you buy for R 2k - R 3k?

rather look about for a 2nd hand watch

 

[Grant]

this is the only answer.

famously worn by Bill Gates

its a good solid watch

 

[Jefferson D'Arcy]

this is the only answer.

famously worn by Bill Gates

G-Shock square or Casioak could also fit the bill.

 

[Sapphiron]

costs very little, unless there are broken / defective parts needing replacing.
otherwise, a service is little more than internal cleaning, lubrication, and replacing any seals - call it a round R1k.
R1k = R330 p/a, or R30 p/m - less than a beer a month

sure
i happen to have a thing for automatic and manual watches.
some may like pineapples while others prefer roadkill.

trying to compare an auto / manual watch with a battery driven watch is somewhat like comparing a speedboat to a light bulb..
neither is specifically better or worse than the other.

of batteries and seiko - this lying in a drawer for years:
View attachment 1930536

Or comparing and horse with bike.

R1k for a service is about as much as the Casio goes for to buy. Its like BMW X5 drivers and their wheels and tires that cost about as much as a second hand car.

People pretend they get the horse as a form of transport (telling the time) but its not about that, its about "look at my horse, my horse is amazing"

Its not a watch, its jewery.

 

[Grant]

Its not a watch, its jewery.

the rabbi would like a word with you

 

[airborne]

Not really, service only if it falters, unless you like throwing money away. Modern lubes are very good.

This is 24 years old, Apollo XVII edition. Still works...

View attachment 1930529

The problem is if you don't service a mechanical watch regularly, as in a full tear down service every 5yrs you risk prematurely wearing out vital parts that may be near impossible to find/replace. That's assuming it’s a near daily driver watch, if it’s just used on the odd special occasion then you can get away with far less servicing.

costs very little, unless there are broken / defective parts needing replacing.
otherwise, a service is little more than internal cleaning, lubrication, and replacing any seals - call it a round R1k.
R1k = R330 p/a, or R30 p/m - less than a beer a month

The only way to properly service a mechanical watch is a full strip down to clean and lube and that does not cost R1k more like R15k if it's done by the official service centre. You could get it done for less by a reputable watchmaker but it's still not going to be a hefty chunk of change because it is a complicated and highly skilled task.