- THE TOP 20 LIST - |
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01 - Seiko SKX779K "Black Monster" or SKX781 "Orange Monster"9220 views*Movement & Specs: 7S26, Automatic, non winding, non hacking, 21'600 beats per hour or 6 beats per second
*Chosen by: Reto
*Why?: Because you can rarely find a better case and bracelet with even a hidden diver's extension on a watch in this price class.
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02 - Casio G-Shock MTG Series7375 views*Movement & Specs: Solar & Atomic Casio
*Chosen by: Jittery Jim (James)
*Why?: Everyone needs a beater they can truly rely on, and the G-Shock series of watches provides just that. Beyond the durability, this series adds the extra perks of atomic synchronization and solar power, meaning no pesky batteries to change and it's always on atomic time. It's big and it's thick (everything popular in watches today ) and it is just FUN TO WEAR! Thanks to G-Moy for turning me (and half the PMWF gang) onto these great watches!
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03 Precista 89 / PRS-17A423 viewsChosen by: paulc
Why:
I'd like to suggest one of Eddie Platt's Timefactors watches, such as the Precista 89 / PRS-17A that I own. With the current exchange rate, the 17A and 18A are great watches for their price (£180/$300 for the 17A). Closely following known military issue designs, these are made by Fricker in Germany and have the ETA 2824 inside. The size of the PRS-17A is comfortable, (43mm w/crown, 39mm across case; 11mm thick). It exudes mil-watch functionality and good looks without appearing like it borrows anything from the ubiquitous Sub design. Build quality is solid, with no plastic spacers and a double o-ring caseback seal. And although this will vary from example to example, it's by far the most accurate mechanical watch I've ever owned. I wore this most of the spring and summer this year, and timed it over a month, during which it gained 12 sec, with no more than 1.5 sec. variation over any 24 hr. period. That's an average of 0.4 sec/day, or better than most $5K+ COSC certified watches will run (I know it's an aberration: my next best 2824 watch runs at +2/day :) ). Accuracy aside, Timefactors watches are great looking, great wearing, and an incredible value for the money, and the customer service from Platts is unbeatable, in my experience.
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04 - Vostok Amphibia10091 views*Movement & Specs: Cal. 2416B Automatic ball borne, bi-directional rotor winding and handwinding, 21,600 vph, 31 jewels
*Chosen by: Micha & TakesALickin' (Jeff)
*Why?: I'd like to nominate the Vostok Amphibia. This is a real VPMW! Can be had for as little as $25 to $40 and comes in a wide range of varieties! It's rated 200m and comes with an automatic movement (vintage ones can be hand wound). The case is stainless steel. The only real disadvantage? The standard strap is crap - you're gonna need a new one. I included a picture of the only recent model I own, but remember - there is a wide range available.
As a watch that's more representative of the kind of watch that a lot of us poor men have, I think the Amphibia's a great candidate. Super affordable, with it's own clunky Slavic charm, and reliable as a Sherman tank. Powered by the cal. 2416B, it's a dependable entry level water resistant auto - here's a different pic.
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05 - Seiko Spirit5453 views*Movement & Specs: 6R15, the long awaited SEIKO automatic movement with handwinding and hacking feature
*Chosen by: Paperboy Part Deux
* Why?: For less than $300, you get a Seiko with: impeccable fit and finish with a very, VERY distinct Grand Seiko look, the hacking and hand winding 6R15 movement which runs (in most cases, if you believe what you read on watch forums) within (+) or (-) 5 seconds per day out of the box, sapphire crystal, a nice, big signed crown for easy winding and setting, mineral crystal display caseback, solid stainless steel bracelet which is actually the watch's only real weak point because (a) it's too short even with all the links in it and (b) it's difficult to get the sizing just right due to the clasp having only two fine adjustment settings. But, this gives the wearer a great excuse to try a leather strap, a change that really brings out the beauty of this watch, in my very humble opinion.
We need a new photo of this watch! Have one? Email dude.with.watches@gmail.com.
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06 - Citizen Diver NY0040 (Black, Blue, Yellow, Lume)7460 views*Movement & Specs: Miyota Caliber 8203, handwinding but not hacking
*Chosen by: Paulc, supported by Chris L
*Why?: The Citizen NY0040 series (in black, blue, the rare yellow, and black dial with two-tone case) comes with the robust and hand-windable 8203 auto movement (mine runs less than a minute fast per week). A true 200m diver's watch, it wears a little lighter than other popular 200m divers due to its slightly smaller, rounder case. Visually, however, it wears about the same as a Seiko SKX (ie, 007/009/A35) due to its dial size. Other nice features include the screw-in crown at 8 o'clock (great for those of us with wrists that get dug by traditional 3 o'clock crowns), inky black dial (on the watch pictured) and applied indices. The lume on this one is also very good. Dimensions are: about 41mm across the bezel, 44mm incl. crown, 47mm lug to lug, 12mm thick and 20mm lug width. At just around the $100 mark on the internet, the NY0040 series offers a great deal for your money.
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07 - Hamilton Khaki Automatic or Handwind10550 views*Movement & Specs: Mechanical: ETA 2804-2 (latest version); Automatic: ETA 2824-2
*Chosen by: Durable & Andrew F
*Why?: Reason: One of the most legible combinations of dial and hands I have seen; the sapphire crystal and matte finish of the stainless steel is very resistant to scratches; it also looks good with many different types and colors of straps; the oversized crown makes winding easy and a joy; the diameter is a very comfortable 38 mm while the 11 mm height of the watch allows it to fit under one's long sleeves with ease; it beats at 28,800 bph, which provides a silky sweep of the second hand; and finally at under $250 it is a definite bargain!
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08 - Citizen Eco-Drive "EcoZilla"7234 views*Movement & Specs: Citizen Eco Drive
*Chosen By: Mike Lipphardt
*Why?: In the "My diver can beat up your diver" category has to be the Ecozilla. It's big, it's bad and it's very cool. While the all stainless versions can be very fun to wear they are also very heavy, which to my eyes makes the titanium and rubber version preferable. Nice blue lume, HUGE legible hands, great bezel, and a nicely designed, well guarded crown at 9 instead of 3 to improve wearability. Ecodrive means no batteries, quartz means few accuracy worries. Practical and fun, but you have to like them big at 48mm diameter.
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09 -Tissot PRS-516 (Nominated by Les) 1815 viewsThis model comes in several variants, including ETA 2824, Valjoux 7750 and quartz chrono versions. It also comes in several different face colors, on stainless or leather.
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10 -Casio G-Shock Mud Man (Nominated by PaulGeo)827 viewsTough as can be, many colors to chose from, RC! option if you want it, all under the very poor man limit. It's really the epitome of what a tool watch is all about.
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11 - Orient Diver 200M9192 views*Movement & Specs: Model # : CEM65001D; Orient Japan Automatic Movement 21 jewels; Case width: 41.5mm
*Chosen By: Bob Collins
*Why?: A great watch at just under $100 delivered on a thick stainless bracelet. Has day date complication and is quite accurate from my experience. Wet ink blue dial, good lume, red-tipped sweep, screw down crown and pusher, 200M.
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12 - Hamilton Khaki Chrono11059 views*Movement & Specs: Valjoux 7750
*Chosen by: Robmks (Bob)
*Why?:
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13 - Archimede Pilot9868 views*Movement & Specs: Stainless steel case with satin finish, sapphire crystal, screw down case back with mineral crystal showing the robust ETA 2824-2 inside, 50m WR, optional pilot's crown, diameter 42mm or 39mm (excluding crown), thickness 9.9mm and 20mm lug width
*Chosen by: Paulo
* Why?: A great quality watch with Flieger aesthetics for 245 euros plus shipping (Jan 2007) from a company created by Ickler (a well known quality German case supplier for various companies and also owner of Limes).
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14 -Seiko (Prospex) SBCB009 (nominated by thebarak) 1406 viewsIt always shows the correct time to within a second or two, never needs a battery change, dives deeper than you'll ever need, weighs under 3 ounces including the bracelet, has the same legendary lume as the Monster, Never needs winding, you can always see the time, even if you have very bad eyesight and it's dark, it's not crazy big, but can be read easier than many 52mm wrist clocks, it has a Prospex level fit and finish, The bezel turns so beautifully....
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15 - International Watchman Marine Diver11119 views*Movement & Specs: Unitas 6497
*Chosen by: Paulo
* Why?: A PAM 111 hommage with excelent quality all polished stainless steel case, sapphire crystal on both sides, glossy sandwich dial and an Unitas 6497 ticking at 18,000 bph inside. Just 60m WR, so it doesn't qualify as a diver, still water resistant enough for everyday use.
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16 - Citizen Power Reserve Chronograph 21006332 views*Movement & Specs: Citizen Cal. 2100
*Chosen by: Micha
* Why?: Nine hands, Eco-Drive, awesome lume and all this with a little searching for under $300! Need I say more?
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17 - Marcello C Nettuno 3 model #2007.527083 views*Movement & Specs:
*Chosen by: Matt V.
*Why?: It demonstrates that you don't have to sacrifice quality and value on a mechanical watch selling for under $1,000.00 and has been one of my favourite new watch releases of 2007. A far cry from your typical "homage" watches, it is the only other 300m diver watch in my collection (besides a $4,000 Panerai) that features a sapphire crystal viewback and the bracelet is still tough to beat at this (or even a higher) price.
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18 -Debaufre Triton (Also nominated by PaulGeo) 1297 viewsIn the world of big, chunky, beefy divers, this watch stands out on it's own. Nothing else looks like it, which is not necessarily good, but this one definitely pulls it off. Distinctive case design, dial, hands, movement, water resistance... it's all there at half the poor man limit. It's just a unique piece that deserves a spot on the current Top20.
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19 - Vintage or OOP: Citizen Exceed Quartz Perpetual Calendar2489 views*Movement & Specs: Caliber E510
*Chosen by: Catalin
*Why: it is a truly historic watch since it still holds the record for the MOST ACCURATE solar perpetual calendar EVER (at +/- 10s/year). It was the FIRST solar to achieve that (and today Citizen has another caliber still in production - E780 - at that level, but that is not perpetual calendar). The precision is only surpassed 'out of the factory' by 'The Citizen / Chronomaster' (A660, still in production, +/- 5s/year but not solar) and certain limited-editions Grand Seiko (also 5s, but not in normal production and individually VFA, just like some other older very limited editions from the 80s including the +/- 3s/y Cryston 4 Mega and good ETA TC calibers - that apparently ETA does not really care too much to adjust in the factory or generally guarantee after that).
The Exceed is quite amazing with duratect Ti and coated sapphire crystal, but was a little-known very-hard-to-find Japan-only model which could be bought (well into PMWF territory) around 400 US$ - but with the US$ weakness and the model getting out of production the price for the very few NOS models are now over 500$ (and increasing) - still an amazing price.
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20 - Vintage or OOP: Seiko 63097463 views*Movement & Specs: Seiko caliber 6309
*Chosen by: Matt V.
* Why?: A great vintage Seiko diver and gaining in popularity lately!
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