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Favorite Watch Purchase / Deal of 2020

Discussion area for watches, clocks and all other timekeepers.
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TheJohnP
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Favorite Watch Purchase / Deal of 2020

Post by TheJohnP »

It's December 29th, so time to reflect on watch purchases for the year.
Granted, the less said about 2020, the better.
But a shining light is the metal on our wrists.

Here's the thread from last year for anyone who wants to reminisce - viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1467

So post your favorite watch and/or watch deal of this year.

Favorite Watch:

Hands down the Antoine Tavan Jour/Nuit.
Granted, I bought it in 2019 but being Kickstarter it didn't deliver until this year.
This is probably the highest quality "artisan" watch I'll be able to own with my limit of not spending more than $1k.

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Honorable mentions:

Mühle-Glashütte Panova Blau
Been eyeing this one for a couple of years and was finally able to pull the trigger.
Liked it even more once I got it off the OEM NATO strap.

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Ball Trainmaster Legend
This one had tritium and gold, both of which I never liked. So I should've have even considered it, but was drawn to it and glad I picked it up.

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Seiko Presage **** Time Starlight
A watch I wanted the moment I first saw it, but never expected to find one. Especially on a good deal. That dial doesn't disappoint.

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Favorite Watch Deal:

Easily the Tissot Le Locle Chronometre from Nordstrom Rack.
Bought it for $218 with an MSRP of $1,250.
Crazy price for a COSC watch on bracelet.

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Re: Favorite Watch Purchase / Deal of 2020

Post by Split-Time »

Great idea for a thread John!

My favorite watch of the year, without question, is the Speedmaster. What is also cool about this watch is that while it had been on my radar, it was a post by [mention]whoagorgeous[/mention] that made me pull the trigger...combined with my wife saying, "do it!" That watch didn't work out (DavidSW was great to work with BTW) and I ended up buying a new watch. That is the short version and I left our the other two that I tried to purchase, plus the this one ended up lost in the mail for a day or so :shock:. Wore it today and absolutely love it. Sometimes I'm wound up too tight, but having my wife onboard as she was is very special (and maybe it surprised me!). The timing worked out that this purchase coincided with an accomplishment that I wanted to commemorate (an possibly have something to hand down to my son), so in that regard I am happy that I didn't make the purchase sooner.
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Deal of of the year, for me, is the Milus Snow Star. I have been admiring this watch, especially the pictures that [mention]Rainshadow[/mention] has been sharing. It feels like the "nicest" piece that I own and just seems to fit me.
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Honorable mention goes to this guy. Proof that you don't have to spend a lot of money to get a fun watch that you enjoy, and a dare say, even makes you happy. It has quite the following from several of us. When the part becomes available I have a small mod planned for another.
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None of this would have happened without the great people here. Not just finding the deals, but learning about some of the watches and figuring out what I like, don't like and why. Thanks to [mention]ManOnTime[/mention], [mention]TheJohnP[/mention] and [mention]watchpalooza[/mention] for making and keeping this such a great little corner of the internet!
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Re: Favorite Watch Purchase / Deal of 2020

Post by Stretch44 »

My favorite watch(s) received this year are my Grandpa's watches. While I didn't purchase them, I did have to have some of them completely overhauled, which wasn't cheap. I am specifically drawn to his Omega Geneve and Leonidas.

Absolutely love that my grandpa wore the Omega to his job every day and I do the same. It was manufactured in 1960, so it's 60 years old. It's in great shape and it's a looker. I also distinctly remember seeing this on his wrist when I was a little kid. He always wore the face on the underside of his wrist.

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I also love the Leonidas and the history of it. It's from the 40s and my grandfather got while he was in WWII. From my research, I have found that it was German military issued during the war. Other than that, I have no idea how he got it while over there. I wish I knew the story.

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My favorite purchase was definitely my Omega Seamaster Trilogy. I never thought I'd be able to pick one up, but the stars aligned and it happened. Many know the saga I went through trying to get this watch, but it was well worth it!

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Runner up is my Longines Legend Diver. Love this watch and always admired it from afar. I think I have a thing for vintage inspired watches...

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Best deal was definitely my Christopher Ward Bronze Trident. I was able to pick this up during the Christopher Ward Hunger Games with the AUD conversion trick at the beginning of Covid. I really wanted the 38 mm, but settled for the 43 mm and it actually works really well.

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Deal runner up would be my Timex Expedition thanks to the Super Cheap affordable Watches Thread. $3.00!!

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Re: Favorite Watch Purchase / Deal of 2020

Post by Rainshadow »

Terrible 2020 was horologically not too shabby :) Here's some of the best stuff to come in.

A watch that puts a smile on your face when you wear it is priceless. My bumblebee Vostok does that and has gotten a lot of wrist time. I love the acrylic bubble, the red accents on the dial, the light play on the indices. It just pops!

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The Lip Dark Master had been on my radar for quite a while, so I pounced on it in a millisecond when the Timebyme deal came along in the HUISABH thread. A fun design throwback watch, a nice watch for in the car too.

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Not really a deal, but I found myself raving about this Longines Conquest in a thread about GADA watches here. Only then realized I that could and would actually buy it myself :). So I very unusually proceeded with a plan and flipped my SARB and a Glycine first, then ordered this 39mm beauty from Monaco Luxury store. I love how it projects confidence in an understated way.

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Wow! I got lucky and won a Seiko here on the forum in the River Edge give-away. That really cheered me up!

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The Snow Star... another great find here! Flipped my Stop2Go and then some for it. I love the story but even more all the sparkle when it moves, in any light. Very clean but not in a Bauhaus minimalistic way. When you dress it up it looks sharp enough for a Sicilian wedding, dressed down it's a quiet silvery joy.

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Finally, not a deal at all but a wonderful gift: my grandfather's Election Grand Prix from the thirties. Comes with a ton of family history no money can buy.

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Re: Favorite Watch Purchase / Deal of 2020

Post by Boourns »

Best deal is a no-brainer: the TJM $160 Airboss.

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Honorable mention to the SUPER CHEAP thread purchases. A $2 (after $1 Amazon credit) Timex and a $9 Casio.

My favorite acquisition is probably my mini turtle. I have wanted this one for a while and finally pulled the trigger.
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Honorable mention goes to the C65 manual wind. Just a very sold watch for an excellent value (<$400).
I wish that watch were 38mm?
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Re: Favorite Watch Purchase / Deal of 2020

Post by Neurogenes »

Hi all. I love this thread. It's a good pick-me-up at the end of the year.

My favorite purchase this year was The Ascendent from Mr. Jones.

Sure, I love the watch, but it also has a bit of meaning for me. My wife and I bought a condo in 2007, about a year before the bubble burst. A few years ago, we moved and tried renting our condo. Well, that didn't go well. At all. When we finally sold our condo earlier this year, it was the end of a disaster for us. We sold for about 20% less than we paid, the last tenants had made life difficult for our former neighbors and friends, and between unpaid rent and repairing damages we lost pretty much every dollar we had ever saved. But the thing is, it was the end of all that. Right now my family is healthy, my wife and I have jobs, and we don't have a condo in Chicago. I bought The Ascendent when our condo sold, and it isn't just a pretty timepiece. It's also a little weight on my wrist reminding me that the one on my shoulders is gone.
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Re: Favorite Watch Purchase / Deal of 2020

Post by Sussa »

Overall favorite: Unimatic U1-EM. This is a watch that bowled me over the first time I saw it and I never got it out of my mind. But being a sold out limited edition, it took a long time to find one in my price range. This is one of the watches that I think, had I bought it earlier in my watch buying history, I'd probably have far fewer watches.
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Favorite deal of 2020: Citizen Nighthawk. Nabbed for a good price through an Amazon deal, this watch is far more impressive in person than on paper. Comfy bracelet, lots of features, in a gorgeous package.
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Dark horse favorite: Mr. Jones Ascendant. I liked it enough to want to see it in person for the right price, but didn't expect to like it as much as I do. Lots of depth and detail in the dial, and surprisingly easy to tell time in a non-traditional way. It's like a little work of art on your wrist.
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Favorite watch acquired but not bought: My great-grandpa's Elgin pocket watch. Acquired under the unfortunate circumstance of my grandma passing, I wish I had known about it when my grandpa was alive so I could know more of the history. Looking forward to getting it repaired, maybe wearing it on a wristlet, and definitely being a good steward of it for future generations.
elgin-pw.jpg
Bonus favorite deal: Thanks to [mention]Boourns[/mention] for posting the Samsung Galaxy Watch + Buds deal in November. My wife had been toying with the idea of a smartwatch for awhile, and she loves a good bargain. This was too good to pass up, and she is very happy with it. Also, I was finally able to convince her to try the buds after a failed campaign this summer and got to hear those three magic words: "you were right."
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Re: Favorite Watch Purchase / Deal of 2020

Post by tommy_boy »

Great thread. Fun to see all these different watches.

I think I sold as many as I bought this year, not chasing deals but refining the collection.

My tastes are pretty boring and not dressy (dive, pilot, field styles, mostly).

I think my #1 fave is the Alpina Startimer Heritage GMT, blue dial.

It is a good size for me at 42mm, unlike most Alpina pilot watches.

The movement adjusts the same as my Seamaster GMT (jumping hour hand).

I attach the stock pic because the dial's color is hard to capture:

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I added a 23mm bracelet (branded Victorinox) to dress it up a bit:

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Others worth noting:

The limited edition Vero Windup Watch edition automatic, 38mm beadblasted titanium case, Sellita motor.

Since they're made in Portland, I dropped in to their shop and they removed its easily-scratched finish.

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The Tourneau GMT at a very good price. Cool casework, decorated motor, nice strap:

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Just my $0.02 USD as always.
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Re: Favorite Watch Purchase / Deal of 2020

Post by DogOnTime »

Easy one for me: Halios Fairwind.
I wasn't a big Halios fan until this watch, it rectified 99% of the criticism I had about their previous models.

Finishing is unreal and makes almost every other brand under 3k look like a joke. Value for this is legitimately unprecedented in my eyes and has truly altered my appreciation for microbrands.

Audiophile analogy: this is the ER2XR of the current watch world... It shouldn't exist but it does.
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Re: Favorite Watch Purchase / Deal of 2020

Post by Sporkboy »

Favorite Deal:Timex DataLink Ironman Triathlon-Orang
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This was the exact variant I was after in damn near perfect condition and under $20. To top it off, the quest only took 1 month. Not sure how that aligned, but I got it and it was more than I expected function wise, so this one tops the list.

Favorite non-purchase: Grandfather’s Bulova.
This is the watch he wore when my mom was growing up, so I picked it from a handful of watches that were offered to me.
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Re: Favorite Watch Purchase / Deal of 2020

Post by pdsf »

DogOnTime wrote: Thu Dec 31, 2020 1:46 am Easy one for me: Halios Fairwind.
I wasn't a big Halios fan until this watch, it rectified 99% of the criticism I had about their previous models.

Finishing is unreal and makes almost every other brand under 3k look like a joke. Value for this is legitimately unprecedented in my eyes and has truly altered my appreciation for microbrands.

Audiophile analogy: this is the ER2XR of the current watch world... It shouldn't exist but it does.
Very glad to hear about this. Congrats. And now you got me looking up ER2XR as I have been looking for some corded headphones.
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Re: Favorite Watch Purchase / Deal of 2020

Post by TheJohnP »

DogOnTime wrote: Thu Dec 31, 2020 1:46 am Easy one for me: Halios Fairwind.
I wasn't a big Halios fan until this watch, it rectified 99% of the criticism I had about their previous models.

Finishing is unreal and makes almost every other brand under 3k look like a joke. Value for this is legitimately unprecedented in my eyes and has truly altered my appreciation for microbrands.

Audiophile analogy: this is the ER2XR of the current watch world... It shouldn't exist but it does.
Shame it still has an external bezel.
:lol:
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Bricks and mortar get my licks just for kicks
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Re: Favorite Watch Purchase / Deal of 2020

Post by IKEEPGOODTIME »

My entire collection turned over this year so i could list them all but these two standout


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Re: Favorite Watch Purchase / Deal of 2020

Post by Boourns »

DogOnTime wrote: Thu Dec 31, 2020 1:46 am Easy one for me: Halios Fairwind.
I wasn't a big Halios fan until this watch, it rectified 99% of the criticism I had about their previous models.

Finishing is unreal and makes almost every other brand under 3k look like a joke. Value for this is legitimately unprecedented in my eyes and has truly altered my appreciation for microbrands.

Audiophile analogy: this is the ER2XR of the current watch world... It shouldn't exist but it does.
Excited to hear this. I am going to try my hardest to snag a Universa, but I haven't gotten any emails from Halios in a long time.
I wish that watch were 38mm?
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Re: Favorite Watch Purchase / Deal of 2020

Post by BostonCharlie »

It's been fun going back through my WRUW posts -- after I figured out how to search by author, lol. Also cool to see others' pickups. I need to improve my game ;-)

I have other 2020 deals I like better, but this 2020 deal is the one I wore the most. It is my 2020 watch:

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