Ulysses writes:
At the end of the day I believe that the things we possess and covet reflect our personal values. Maybe there is a disconnect somewhere that I haven't been able to discover but that's how it is for me. I was raised in a frugal lifestyle and took on the values of my parents, who came to admire certain characteristics of Japanese engineering. They didn't like ostentation, considering it immodest especially without the quality and craftsmanship to back it up.
This pretty much summed up Japanese cars, radios and watches of the time; unassuming on the outside but built supremely such that the casual observer would not notice except through years and years of unfailing service. As stunning as certain watches can be regardless of price (whether too cheap to be true or grossly overpriced), value and quality in combination (like engineering and aesthetics) must go hand in hand to satisfy me, and while it's easy to find possessions that have more of one than the other, finding a product that hits the balance perfectly is rare. Finding that balance is an art in itself and something that in our disposable outsourced world has been largely forgotten.
Well said, Ulysses. I find myself being a bit less frugal in outlook, but with a similar desire to find watches that combine value and quality, and that aren't flashy but understated...to a degree.
But I think you hit the nail on the head with the rarity of finding that balance of quality and value. I would only add aesthetics as well, although I suppose that is part of quality.
This is why, to me, the Seiko MarineMaster 600m represents the ultimate watch. Its quality is as good as 99% of more expensive watches--Spring Drive movement and very fine build and finishing--but it maxes out the price at around $4K - versus the more expensive, but perhaps even inferior quality Rolex and Breitling and Panerai. So the MM600 is, in my mind, the best combination in the $4K+ range.
In the range slightly below that ($2K-4K) you have Omega Seamaster, and then below that ($1K-2K) you have the Orient Saturation Diver, and then around $500 you have the Sumo and Orient Revolver. In the $300-500 range you have the Orient Beast and M-Force, Seiko Velatura, and a few Citizens. Of all $150-300 watches, at least divers, there may be no better combination than the Seiko Black Monster. All of these represent, in my opinion, that rare combination of quality and value.
Posted by: jonnybardo | March 20, 2013 at 09:38 AM