Hey all, good news and bad news. The bad news is that I'm turning 40 next month. WTF. The good news is my mother wants to get me what will be my most expensive watch for my birthday, as she sees meaning in a timepiece to commemorate this passing of time. She was thinking of getting me an Omega Speedmaster Professional, as her husband has one that he likes so much he pretty much wears it exclusively now over about 25 other watches, including a Daytona. But she decided to give me the option of a watch at a similar price. She had been pricing the Speedy at about $3,500, though I'm thinking I could get her to top out at $4k -- 40 hundreds for 40.
Here's my current lineup of watches:
The Tudor Black Bay is currently my most expensive watch, and I wear it pretty evenly with the Stowa Marine Automatic and Orient Blue Mako USA II (oh, I replaced the Orient in the photo with this one). I wear the Seiko SARB017 next most, whenever I've got green on. I like the Oris Artelier Date but don't wear it enough. I rarely wear the Graf Zeppelin Hindenburg. Maybe I would more if I had a strap I liked more on it. And the red Orient Marshall was basically my burgundy watch before I got the Black Bay, so it's obsolete. If I get the Omega, the Oris probably becomes obsolete.
So, I've never considered the Moonwatch one of my grails. I like it's look and it's history. I suppose I haven't been coveting it because of my tiny wrists, which are about 6", and that I tend to shy away from push buttons and watch functions I will never use. But I hear the 42" Speedmaster wears smaller (planning to go out and try one later today). It's not much larger than the 41" Tudor and 41.5" Orient that I wear, and they are big on me but I think I pull them off. Also, let's face it, I don't really utilize any watch functions, including the time. The only real function that matters is for the watch to look good, and I think it does.
The two watches that have been my somewhat attainable grails are the JLC Master Ultra Thin Moon and the Rolex Milgauss blue dial, but those aren't going to be options here. Maybe for my 50th. Ahhh, I don't even want to think about that. My mother seems pretty set on buying from Crown & Caliber, as that's where her husband bought many of his watches. Here's what I see available on the site that peaks my interest.
Omega Speedmaster Professional 006: This is a newer model with the sapphire glass front and back, and the movement displayed. I know purists like the hexalite and solid back, but I think it would be nice to see the movement for the only watch I'd have with one really worth seeing. It also comes with the box and everything.
Omega Speedmaster Pro, From the Moon to Mars edition: Maybe a little gimmicky and certainly not as clean as the original, but I can't help but thinking it will seem pretty cool in the future as humans going to Mars approaches.
Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra 15000 Gauss: This is one that caught my eye when it first came out, and when passing an Omega store in a mall back then I went in and tried one on. I liked how it felt, and I like the history of it being the first truly anti-magnetic watch. It's also COSC certified with a 60hr power reserve. But, while I like the look, I don't have a single piece of yellow clothing in my wardrobe.
Vintage Longines Conquest: Just throwing this in there as another watch that caught my eye on the site. From the 1960s with an 18k rose gold case. As a USC alum, I do like the word conquest. It's one of the main songs the band always plays.
So that's it from Crown & Caliber. But there are a couple new Nomos watches that had caught my eye around this price. They are the
Nomos Tangente Neomatik 39 Silvercut and the
Nomos Orion Neomatik 39 Midnight Blue.
The other Rolex I've considered beyond the Milgauss is the 114300 Oyster Perpetual 39mm. I tried one on a few years ago and liked the feel of it, but the one they have on Crown & Caliber is $5,300. I could try finding one from a private party closer to the price, but it's probably better to let my mother do the purchase. And I've never fully gotten behind the 114300. They seem a little plain to me.
I'd be interested to know what people think, or if there's anything else from Crown and Caliber at $4k that you think I should consider. I probably won't be getting another watch at this price for another 10 years!