1. What watches do you currently own?
Right now, my collection is primarily vintage stuff. I have two Tudor Oysterdates (steel & fluted bezel), my heirloom Omega, then a bunch of Seikos. I have an older Bellmatic, which is a cool alarm complication; a chronograph known as the 'Pulsations' which is a rare Seiko Pulsometer (Doctor's Watch, although I hear the heart rate bezel is useless on this model); then a Seiko DX which is this weird kind of retro future looking thing, I also have my first mod, which is a SKX007 based watch.My collection started out as very heavily Seiko based, they're quite affordable and come in a plethora of funky, interesting and just cool designs/complications. As I amassed a bunch of Seikos I figured it was time to branch out, since there were so many other interesting options. This is when I got the Tudors. I like brands with historical importance, there's also a certain aesthetic that attracts me. What attracted me to the Tudor watches was the size, 34mm, I have tiny 6.25” wrists and these watches fit perfectly. The new trend of larger watches and long pointy lugs makes a lot of modern designs look ridiculous on my wrist-which is another reason I prefer vintage, the watches are generally smaller and fit better. I knew the Tudors would be a quality, well-crafted timepiece, they aren't huge or flashy but rather have this subtle beauty that I really enjoy
1966 Tudor Oysterdate
1971 Tudor Oysterdate
Seiko Pulsations
1955 Omega Constellation (Pie Pan)
Seiko Bellmatic
Seiko DX
2. Currently, what is your favorite watch that you own and why?
That's a tough one, they all mean something different to me and I like them for different reasons. The two Tudors definitely get the most wrist time, I love their aesthetic and they're so comfy. I love the Omega because of its sentimental value and, well, because it looks good too.3. What is your grail watch and why?
Really big fan of the Van Cleef & Arpels 'Planetarium'. I love the cosmos, for many reasons, this watch has an absolutely stunning representation of them, not to mention the movement features some wild complications. To me, the features in the Planetarium are really just much more exciting to me than a lot of other watches, especially at that price point.
4. In your opinion, what is the best “bang for the buck” watch available today? (new or used)
New, there are a handful of Seiko models which are really solid choices, though a lot of their entry models, I feel, are kind of lackluster. The SKX007 is always a good selection, a cheap and durable tool watch. Some of their SRP line gets seriously overlooked and they almost all come with the 4R36 movement which is handwinding and hacking-a step up from the 7S26.In terms of vintage and things with a little more character I'd have to say vintage Omega. You can find a lot of really great watches for not a lot of money. Most of these watches are very comfortable, have great movements and look the part too. As much as I'd love to be able to back vintage Rolex/Tudor, I can't because they're in a bit of a bubble right now. If you're patient and vigilant you can find good deals, there are always risks involved in terms of buying vintage/used, but like I said-if you're patient you'll find a watch you can be very happy with.
Another thing with vintage watches (Omegas and more so Rolex/Tudor) is that you have to watch out for fakes and frankens. People are recognizing the value of these vintage pieces and are going out of their way to reproduce or just create aged lookalikes, or they're cobbling watches together from unrelated parts. In most cases if the price is too good to be true then you're certainly looking at something not legitimate. In some situations and at certain price points I may not mind a frankenwatch, but a lot of them try to get passed off as the genuine article.
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