Watchlords

Three On Three Comparing Entry-Level, In-House Automatics From Grand Seiko, Omega, And Rolex

How do affordable models from three of the biggest brands in high-end watchmaking stack up?



We’re back with another installment of Three On Three, our series of comparative reviews of three watches that belong in a single category. This time around, we’re going head to head to head with entry-level, in-house automatics from three of the biggest brands in luxury watchmaking.

Our lineup of watches covers a price range of $3,800 to $5,400, meaning that these are watches that would, in theory, be solid contenders for someone’s first nice automatic watch. Of course, new mechanical watches can be had for less, but there are real advantages to spending a bit more for a watch with an in-house movement from a respected manufacture. The watches we have here today are, we feel, three of the best values in contemporary watchmaking.


https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/three ... automatics

Sigh.
The Omega wins on style points.
Rolex = Boring!
Grand Seiko = How cute! Like a man's penis only smaller.

Yep, the Omega wins on style. The other two are nice, too. I like no-date. Omega is my favorite brand but Im not buying that one. I could never spend that many dollars $$$ on a watch with a limited life strap design. Get it with a bracelet and swap that out for leather or rubber or whatever on a temporary basis. Gotta get a stainless steel bracelet so it's good for decades to come. So among those 3 exact watches, the Rolex wins in my book, even if that traditional size is a bit small.

Omega; style, dial, and movement. Although, the strap is exactly what it looks like, a cost cutter.

I like the Rolex. I admit I endorse a crown for every achievement.

The omega is ugly. The GS bracelet sucks as always. Give me the Rolex.

.

Have been looking for this discontinued wartch bnib from reputable sources for well over a year but no joy.
I think it is a beaut and still want one.



But as they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder------------- and I wouldn't give a shit what others may think of it

M2￠

All three of 'em give me a goddamn boner.

conjurer wrote: ↑

April 12th 2022, 12:30pm

All three of 'em give me a goddamn boner.

Showoff! You keep bragging you can still get erections!

codguy wrote: ↑

April 12th 2022, 11:45am

.

Have been looking for this discontinued wartch bnib from reputable sources for well over a year but no joy.
I think it is a beaut and still want one.



But as they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder------------- and I wouldn't give a shit what others may think of it

M2￠

Is a really handsome watch.

boscoe wrote: ↑

April 12th 2022, 1:15pm

conjurer wrote: ↑

April 12th 2022, 12:30pm

All three of 'em give me a goddamn boner.

Showoff! You keep bragging you can still get erections!

boscoe wrote: ↑

April 12th 2022, 1:16pm

codguy wrote: ↑

April 12th 2022, 11:45am

.

Have been looking for this discontinued wartch bnib from reputable sources for well over a year but no joy.
I think it is a beaut and still want one.



But as they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder------------- and I wouldn't give a shit what others may think of it

M2￠

Is a really handsome watch.

Agree I could be seen wearing this.

I vote GS.

For my first entry-level luxury watch, I didn’t want to break the bank. I ended up picking up a rolex gmt master ii copy, a high-quality replica, and it’s been an eye-opening experience. The attention to detail in these replicas has come a long way—especially the Replica Rolex GMT-Master Watches —and while I know it’s not the real thing, it’s been a great way for me to dip my toes into the world of luxury watches without spending the crazy amounts some of these originals demand. I love the versatility of the GMT function too! Would love to hear more opinions on these entry-level pieces and if any of you have had similar experiences with replicas vs. originals.

Wubbachee wrote: ↑

November 21st 2024, 11:59pm

The attention to detail in these replicas has come a long way—especially the Replica Rolex GMT-Master Watches —and while I know it’s not the real thing, it’s been a great way for me to dip my toes into the world of luxury watches without spending the crazy amounts some of these originals demand. I love the versatility of the GMT function too! Would love to hear more opinions on these entry-level pieces and if any of you have had similar experiences with replicas vs. originals.

We don't discuss replica watches here except in complete disgust, Period.

There are better ways of "dipping your toes into the world of luxury watches" than to wear ripped tymepieces.
Lots of info here at watchlords to send you down a wiser path, recommend you nose around abit.



(Damitt, whom had that signature of a steam roller going over a pile of fake watches- my aging braincells are having issues connecting this morning)

codguy wrote: ↑

November 22nd 2024, 7:21am

Wubbachee wrote: ↑

November 21st 2024, 11:59pm

The attention to detail in these replicas has come a long way—especially the Replica Rolex GMT-Master Watches —and while I know it’s not the real thing, it’s been a great way for me to dip my toes into the world of luxury watches without spending the crazy amounts some of these originals demand. I love the versatility of the GMT function too! Would love to hear more opinions on these entry-level pieces and if any of you have had similar experiences with replicas vs. originals.

We don't discuss replica watches here except in complete disgust, Period.

There are better ways of "dipping your toes into the world of luxury watches" than to wear ripped tymepieces.
Lots of info here at watchlords to send you down a wiser path, recommend you nose around abit.



(Damitt, whom had that signature of a steam roller going over a pile of fake watches- my aging braincells are having issues connecting this morning)

Thanks, Mr. Cod, for this post.

Fake watches are not encouraged here. For the newb, if you're looking for posts about these, there are, I'm sure, plenty of forums around the web dealing with them. Any posts about fakes will be immediately and vigorously enforced.

Wow, this post prompted me to do a five minute googling of fake watches and looks like business is booming. And plenty of forums to discuss them.

Looks like 200-300 USD is the price point for Rolex/Omega, etc. One guy sez he has spent 48k USD his collection of 187 fakes

They are even faking Seiko Monsters. Whole sector devoted to that alone. Those are about 60 USD.

SMH.

Sometimes I feel like everything is fake compared to years ago, not just watches.

If one can't afford the real watch, there are plenty of homages out there that one can purchase. If anyone asks why you didn't get the real thing, you can say you found this watch that's close enough to get others to notice but cheap enough to leave plenty of cash in the wallet for single malt Scotch or some really fine Bourbon.

I enjoy watches but I've got some other expensive hobbies that demand my limited funds, too.

But to buy and wear a fake watch? What the hell for?

codguy wrote: ↑

November 22nd 2024, 7:21am

Wubbachee wrote: ↑

November 21st 2024, 11:59pm

The attention to detail in these replicas has come a long way—especially the Replica Rolex GMT-Master Watches —and while I know it’s not the real thing, it’s been a great way for me to dip my toes into the world of luxury watches without spending the crazy amounts some of these originals demand. I love the versatility of the GMT function too! Would love to hear more opinions on these entry-level pieces and if any of you have had similar experiences with replicas vs. originals.

We don't discuss replica watches here except in complete disgust, Period.

There are better ways of "dipping your toes into the world of luxury watches" than to wear ripped tymepieces.
Lots of info here at watchlords to send you down a wiser path, recommend you nose around abit.



(Damitt, whom had that signature of a steam roller going over a pile of fake watches- my aging braincells are having issues connecting this morning)

bbattle wrote: ↑

November 22nd 2024, 5:57pm

If one can't afford the real watch, there are plenty of homages out there that one can purchase. If anyone asks why you didn't get the real thing, you can say you found this watch that's close enough to get others to notice but cheap enough to leave plenty of cash in the wallet for single malt Scotch or some really fine Bourbon.

I enjoy watches but I've got some other expensive hobbies that demand my limited funds, too.

But to buy and wear a fake watch? What the hell for?

I was wondering the same so I dug in a bit on forums.

Lots of these guys consider themselves top level WISerati, just that their tastes/interests run to fake watches

Just another respectable interest niche. And they see it as no different than someone buying a print of a famous painting or a kit car replica of a famous classic car.


Not a bit of shame or abashedness evident.

WISenheimer wrote: ↑

November 22nd 2024, 7:31pm

bbattle wrote: ↑

November 22nd 2024, 5:57pm

If one can't afford the real watch, there are plenty of homages out there that one can purchase. If anyone asks why you didn't get the real thing, you can say you found this watch that's close enough to get others to notice but cheap enough to leave plenty of cash in the wallet for single malt Scotch or some really fine Bourbon.

I enjoy watches but I've got some other expensive hobbies that demand my limited funds, too.

But to buy and wear a fake watch? What the hell for?

I was wondering the same so I dug in a bit on forums.

Lots of these guys consider themselves top level WISerati, just that their tastes/interests run to fake watches

Just another respectable interest niche. And they see it as no different than someone buying a print of a famous painting or a kit car replica of a famous classic car.


Not a bit of shame or abashedness evident.

I don’t mind homage watches as long as it’s just that there are many makers of great watches that do give homage to the original design. But to out an out put a crown or a name a watch that is not real is a fake and I really don’t have patience for that. I know fakes have come a long way and I ran into one a few weeks ago while on my honeymoon in the Bahamas was at a known dealer but while looking at a submariner I noticed something was off took a few pictures of the numbers and the rotor and sent it to my dealer and he couldn’t find the numbers for a submarine but the number came from a yacht master. I told the manager there to gun the numbers and he actually called to thank me and to offer me a discount for my next purchase.