This is my first post but I have been a lurker here for the last three months. This forum and other websites has been extremely informative on purchase of my first real watch: JLC MUT Moon 39. I love the watch and all but I kind of look ridiculous wearing it casually. I split my time between office and field work and chronograph function will be heavily used for work. Budget is around $10,000USD. I already considered JLC's own chronograph but I don't want to be stuck on one brand. My preferences for it to be stealthy enough but for others to not expect it to be worth $10k and case to be made of titanium (but it doesn't HAVE to be titanium). Being stealthy rules out brands like: Rolex, Omega, and Breitling. Watch should be preferably between 36mm-40mm but I can deal with anything up to 42mm.
Thanks in advance for any guidance any of you can provide.
VC Overseas Chronograph / AP RO Chronograph for roughly ~12k. If those don't strike your fancy then perhaps an IWC Portuguese Chronograph (41mm) which retail for roughly 7k.
I....I don't know what to say. Most of these thread's budgets have at least 2 decimal places missing, LOL!
10 grand....hmmm....If you have a JLC master, surely a Zenith el-primero is calling your name?
Pretty sure that this would be no issue with most nicer watches in that price range, but make sure that the chrono function is adequately jewelled in order not to cause problems with extensive chrono usage.
I know you want to fly low but when I think nice chronograph I think Breitling (any 01 varient) Omega (speedy or poc), or Rolex (daytona). The others are great but just dont seem to fit the bill as well.
For a field watch, the IWC Aquatimer is one of the best of all time, up there with the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms which many regard as the greatest field chronograph of all time (Air Command, a bit smaller, is also nice). I've owned both. The FF has a much finer movement and low light readability of the chronograph subdials is better. IWC timing bezel is a fabulous design. Both are magnificent and both can be had for under budget, pre owned. I just sold my Fifty Fathoms for $8,500.
Zenith would probably be my first option.... But a more stealthy choice might be this one, and it has an interesting history as well.... Porsche Design
Get a Habring2 split seconds chronograph and youi will own a very special chronograph made with knowledge and a heart. Almost unique, if not, very exclusive
Habring produces 50 watches per year tand each model is only produced to a maximum of 12 pieces per year.
I didn't really want get in to used or vintage watches until I became more experience WIS but used AP Royal Oak chronographs are calling out to me.
So my contenders are:
Royal Oak (black dial)
IWC
Zenith
and JLC (even though I already have another JLC)
Thing about IWC, I heard they are trying to move toward their in-house movements. Any guess on when their chronograph will be updated with their in-house movement? Yes I'm aware of the Classic Chronograph with price approaching that of AP. For that kind of money, I'll just get the AP.
Zeniths el primero is a great watch, I handled one the other day at the AD. I was very impressed, beyond that I would say a nice used daytona could fit the bill, Rolexs wear wonderful.
I like the Dark Side of the Moon idea. Very stealthy. View attachment 1344004
The 2 subdial layout and the date at six give it a clean (shall we say "unpretentious"?) look, And all those ceramic parts give it a weight of just 91 grams with the strap.
I've got chronographs from JLC, Chopard, Blancpain, Rolex, Zenith, Omega, Credor and a bunch of other makers. Personally out of what I own as a titanium daily wear field watch used regularly for timing I'd wear my Tutima Titanium Military. The central minute totalizer is functionally superior to sub dial totalizers in my experience.
The only requirement it may fail to meet is the $10K budget in so far as it is substantially less expensive than $10K. Getting a military issued watch might make for a more esoteric time piece, but I don't think any military organizations ever issued the Titanium versions of these watches. Sinn makes some watches based off the Lemania 5100 and Fortis used to make watches based off this movement, and it might be worthwhile looking at what is available from these makers too.
Yes it's pricey for an eta chrono but it's sexaaaaayyyyyy with an A.
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