Best Possible Watch for $300-400

[jglenn]

I want to spend between $300-400 on a watch. Any recommendations? I don't have any specifics, just looking for the most quality and the best looking watch possible in this price range.

Would appreciate any suggestions, links, and/or pics.

Thanks!

[gadgetfreak]

I'd go with a Citizen Skyhawk AT
It recharges on light with EcoDrive so you never have to change batteries atleast for a good 10-20yrs
Syncs with Atomic Clock through radio so you never have to set the watch once you tell it what timezone you are in.
equipped with multiple alarms
Perpetual Calendar
Timer
Stopwatch
World Time

A watch that does everything for you and never has to be fiddled with to get the correct time

[ka-boom]

Can you be more specific on what you like?

For a guy? Girl? Child?

Quartz? Mechanical? Auto? Kinetic? Round face? Square? Swiss, Japanese movement? Digital? Analog?

What type of bands? Rubber? Leather? Steel? Nato?

There's just no way to answer this vague question.

[jglenn]

The question is a bit vague on purpose. I just want to see what the best quality I can find in the price point is. My preferences would be a mens automatic watch. In regard to straps, I would prefer Stainless, titanium or a really high quality leather strap. I need a white face or a blue face since I don't have one of these yet.

What prompted this question is my wife wants to give me a watch as a gift. She asked me to find one under $400. This is a hard price point as most of the higher quality watches I know are $1500 plus.

Can you be more specific on what you like?

For a guy? Girl? Child?

Quartz? Mechanical? Auto? Kinetic? Round face? Square? Swiss, Japanese movement? Digital? Analog?

What type of bands? Rubber? Leather? Steel? Nato?

There's just no way to answer this vague question.

[Fullers1845]

Check out the Wenger Terragraph Automatic. Swiss Made, Sapphire crystal. Automatic. Bracelet or strap. Very handsome with a white face and blue hands/indices. ~$200.

[ka-boom]

It's kind of like asking "what is the best vehicle for $30,000?"

That would depend.....
Do you need a van to transport kids?
Do you need a dump truck for business?
Do you need a race car for weekend getaways?
Do you need a 4-door sedan for work commute?
Do you need a classic car to complete a collection?

Do you see how impossible it is to answer vague questions like that?
The same can be said for watches, it's best to say specifically what you want in a watch?

I think given your criteria, and your price, a Seiko 5 would be a nice addition. Seikos come in every conceivable color combination so you can find one that fits your liking. Even some Citizens might fit this bill, but a lot of the ones I'm thinking of are chronometers (which you didn't say either way if you like all those sub-dials, etc).

Seagull is another one that comes to mind in this price range. Specifically the M201S.

[jglenn]

Thanks, I will definitely take a look at some of those. I am basically looking for a Porsche on a Honda Budget. I realize that this is a difficult if not impossible task (The closest I have gotten so far has been my Traser Classic Automatic with a Swiss 2824 movement). To give you an idea of the watches I prefer, I would love a Breitling Chronomat or a Tag Manaco, just dont quite have the budget for those yet.

It's kind of like asking "what is the best vehicle for $30,000?"

That would depend.....
Do you need a van to transport kids?
Do you need a dump truck for business?
Do you need a race car for weekend getaways?
Do you need a 4-door sedan for work commute?
Do you need a classic car to complete a collection?

Do you see how impossible it is to answer vague questions like that?
The same can be said for watches, it's best to say specifically what you want in a watch?

I think given your criteria, and your price, a Seiko 5 would be a nice addition. Seikos come in every conceivable color combination so you can find one that fits your liking. Even some Citizens might fit this bill, but a lot of the ones I'm thinking of are chronometers (which you didn't say either way if you like all those sub-dials, etc).

Seagull is another one that comes to mind in this price range. Specifically the M201S.

[mngambler]

The question is a bit vague on purpose. I just want to see what the best quality I can find in the price point is. My preferences would be a mens automatic watch. In regard to straps, I would prefer Stainless, titanium or a really high quality leather strap. I need a white face or a blue face since I don't have one of these yet.

What prompted this question is my wife wants to give me a watch as a gift. She asked me to find one under $400. This is a hard price point as most of the higher quality watches I know are $1500 plus.

if by higher quality you mean a more recognizable name with millions spent in advertising than I can agree with you

[v76]

Orient CFM00001B - Power reserve, date, 100m WR, great value for money. It retails for $365, I believe.

[jglenn]

Really I could care less about the name and or recognizability. I am looking for a high quality, well made, good looking watch rather than a status symbol.

if by higher quality you mean a more recognizable name with millions spent in advertising than I can agree with you