Automatic or Quartz? Considering TH Aquaracer. Please help!
Hi guys,
I'm now looking to get a nice starter watch for myself. I'm a sophomore at college who is interested in watches and looking to buy a decent starter. Budget is up to 1.5K ish but malleable. I was looking up different watches and got to wonder why automatic is more expensive than quartz? I mean Quartz easily beats Automatic in the sense of timing accuracy and practicality (not having to wind every day). Why is it worth extra dollars on automatic then? Also, I'm pretty set on purchasing Aquaracer blue 43mm automatic or 41mm quartz. What do you think? Any other suggestions?
Automatic for sure is the way to go. The second hand sweeping on an automatic vs the ticking of a quartz is hard to beat. Yes you are correct quartz is more accurate, but at the end of day most people don't actually need a watch with smartphones etc. Quartz is much easier to mass produce since it is battery powered, which is why it is cheaper to produce.
How big is your wrist? I am on the skinnier side and don't usually wear anything bigger than 40mm (10mm thickness). So depending on that answer the 43mm may look huge on your wrist. If I was in your shoes I would probably start with more affordable brands like Tissot, Hamilton, Seiko, Frederick Constant and see how much you enjoy wearing a watch / horology. Tag has a great history with F1 etc but from what I have seen a lot people gravitate towards it since they don't want to save up for a Rolex, Omega type watch and see Tag as the next logical choice.
Thanks for your input. I appreciate that. I tried both 41 and 43mm model myself today and they both looked good. My wrist seems to fit well with both.
As for going with more affordable choices, I've been pondering upon that as well and I don't know the anwer. I do appreciate wearing watches and am trying to reward myself for finishing military service with a decent starter like TH. I heard the brands you mentioned (Hamilton, Tissot) are good yet a level down from TH. Heck I don't know perhaps TH is too much for me considering my financial status and background. Within the brands you provided, do you have any specific suggestions?
Also, do you think Aquaracer blue 41 or 43 would work as a dress watch? Or is it too flashy for suits?
Thanks!
For Tissot I would recommend the Le Lecole Powermatic 80 and the Gentleman Powermatic 80 Silicium. For Hamilton I like their Khaki Field and Intra-matic models. While the Aquaracer isn't a traditional dress watch it will work fine with a suit. I'd would get the 41 and not the 43. At the end of the day I doubt anyone will notice what type of watch you are wearing assuming it isn't a gold rolex or flashy Hublot Big Bang. Generally speaking watches I have bought which have more simplistic and minimal designs are the ones I like and wear the most, but that is just my opinion.
I'd say a dive watch like an Aquaracer can generally be worn as a dress watch (with a suit) when worn on a bracelet, but it may not work as well on a rubber or nato strap.
$1,500 is a tough budget spot where you'll have trouble finding anything from luxury brands like Tudor/Omega, but will find numerous fashion and "Swiss" brands which are well overpriced for its specs and uses heritage marketing to self-justify its high prices. I'd put Tag Heuer in the latter category with the exception of a few Monaco and Carerra models (which will run $3-5K). For a solid starter watch, I'd recommend something like an Oris Aquis which will get you much better quality with a similar look and price to the Aquaracer.
That being said, I'd also suggest checking out the German watch market, particularly at brands like Sinn and Stowa. At your budget, these will provide fantastic value and a great watch for your money.
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