A watch for the wife

Any advice/opinions are welcome.

I would like to buy another watch for my wife. Right now this is her daily wearer and she loves it;



It's pretty, petite, etc. She's taken a bit of interest in watches and would like something larger and more casual. Without putting a hard cap on the price you'll get the idea of where I'm positioned by the following two contenders.

I just found this today and I LOVE it. Of course it's not about what I like but I wonder if my obvious enthusiasm would influence the outcome. (Full disclosure I REALLY want to get my hands on that new movement too!!) It's 36mm, a chunky 13mm thick and it has that Seiko "look" that I just love - the look that has you wondering how the hell you can get so much watch for the price.

http://mywatcheshub.com/seiko-5-sports/seiko-men-4r36-auto-100m-analog-sport-watch-srp197-srp197k1-p-8447/?zenid=d7ea35eu38cgipoe8mvdh18460

After chatting with some of the guys here last night it seemed that the consensus is that an auto for a woman is not typically the smartest idea. Especially if it's not the primary watch. Does anyone have any stories good/bad about introducing the lady-folk to autos? The only other aspect I'm not crazy about is the lack of a sapphire crystal as she seems to beat on watches almost as hard as me. The watch she has (above) is sapphire and has remained flawless.

Here's the other top contender;

http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/WatchesClocks/MomentumStMoritz/PRD~5003-605/momentum-by-st.-moritz-atlas-watch-mens.jsp

It's listed as a mans watch and comes in at almost the exact same width, 36.02mm and a slimmer 10.5mm high. Titanium, and screw-down crown. It does have a sapphire crystal and a Japanese quartz movement. I believe it is Miyota .

?

Based on your price range.....how about this:

http://www.fossil.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryView?catalogId=25005&storeId=12052&langId=-1&categoryId=331106&page=ViewAll


Larger sizes, fashionable, price is right.

Unless your wife is mechanically inclined, i'd stick with quartz. I know from experience (unless the women I date are just stupid).

Besides my G Shock and Suunto, I only own one quartz. I'd go for the look she likes and maybe buy her a winder with her new auto. Us women-folk aren't as dumb as you think we are. We can pick up on a new concept pretty quickly. Heck, she may even get into watch collecting...

My wife has 2 autos (a dress Orient and a Seiko 5) and a G-Shock. She has no problem with the autos at all and commented that she likes seeing the movement working through the caseback of the Seiko and partially visible through a cutaway in the dial of the Orient.

Thanks for the perspective Sarah. We don't really think women folk are dumb - we just like to huddle in masses, grunt and scratch and tell jokes to give ourselves a false sense of superiority.

Like so many of these watch quandaries I think the answer might be "get them both".

If the Seiko was of 7Sx6 vintage I think it would be a tougher sell but this new movement can be hand wound to jump start it when you grab it dead out of the drawer.

Bedlam - I think I'll get the auto first and give it a whirl. Thanks for the input. My wife is pretty cool beans - she'll tear into the wiring behind the TV if things aren't working, she drives manual trans. I think she'll share my enthusiasm with the Seiko. It does have the display back and it will certainly be an interesting departure from anything she's ever worn.

The fact that she's brave enoigh to go behind the tv (which to girls I have dated might as well be the operating table at a brain surgery center) is a good indication that an automatic watch might be the way to go.

Hell i've never driven a stick, never owned one.

Thought this was good for the price. $137 Ladies Orient over at creationwatches. Saphire Crystal. 33mm w/o crown. Quite a few nice looking ladies watches. http://www.creationwatches.com/products/orient-watches-252/orient-automatic-cnr1g003t-ladies-watch-2713.html

Damn you wottime - that is a serious contender thus adding to the confusion. I'm amazed I didn't find that one. Very nice.

export! wrote:Damn you wottime - that is a serious contender thus adding to the confusion. I'm amazed I didn't find that one. Very nice.

Was looking a little further into it and found that it also has an exhibition case back. The band is typical for Orient and a little chinsy.

http://www.skywatchdealers.com/low_prices/orient-automatic-ladies-dress-watch-sapphire-cnr1g005w.htm

I didn't really think any of you thought women were done. I was trying to channel my inner Watch Lords poster and snark it up in here a little!

The divers that have been posted already are very nice. It seems that ceramic and stainless watches are very in vogue right now.

This might be a budget-buster, but it's pretty awesome...

http://www.christopherward-usa.com/women/sport/view-all-sport/w60-sks.html

The Seiko is on the way. She was looking at watches online last night and I casually steered her to the Orient (above). She *really* liked it. Even thought the brown was very nice. Not sure if I made the right decision - she's been let down by mineral crystal watches in the past but Seiko's Hardlex is decent (I have scratched it though).

Oh well I saw it going in this direction - looks like I have a plan for the Christmas present. I better grab that Orient soon before that deal evaporates. There doesn't appear to be many of that model around.

I think autos are great for women! This is because A. Mrs. Conjurer is really into watches and B. She's very smart, much smarter than me, and the only really dumb-ass move she's made in the last 27 years was marrying me.

Since you're going the auto route, Scott, in your price range there's really no other quality choice than Seiko or Orient. I think you mentioned in the chatbox that your wife was a nurse; the only other recommendation I could give to you is to make sure you get her something with a screw-down crown, because all that handwashing can flood a watch pretty easy.

Thanks for the insight John. Similarly my wife has had only one major foible. Lucky for us.

Yup she's a nurse - more of a administrative position. Luckily she's very adept at screwing small pieces so she should have no problem with this crown.

To finish with another double entendre I've grown very excited with the prospect of giving it to her.

+1 to the watch and the whole last response. Very nice.

export! wrote:Luckily she's very adept at screwing small pieces so she should have no problem with this crown.

That's more information than any of us needed....but thanks for sharing

:lol!:

The new Seiko arrived. First impression is very good. The bezel insert is highly polished (I wonder if it is ceramic) and odd numbered hour markers catch a LOT of light too. The overall effect is that the watch sparkles a lot and looks more jewelery-like than most of the brushed stainless watches I'm used to. This is firmly in the plus column. Given the mid size of the case the display back looks comparatively huge and gives an excellent view of the 4R36 movement. I remember the novelty of the first display back auto I had - I think she will get a kick out of this too. I love the look of the bracelet but I'm usually drawn to a larger link such as this. There is no safety clasp on the bracelet. The lume is really done well. The entire numerals are lumed and even with the smaller face this would be the easiest watch in the house to read in the dark. The hour and minute hands are quite thick and have a nice wide application of lume. The second hand is a nice touch with the lumed "blob" on the ass-end. I will glance at her wrist in a dark car in the near future.

The only think I don't like at first glance are the oval hour markers on the bezel but that is certainly a small complaint.

I've fully handwound it and set it exactly to the second with the hacking movement (this was a novelty in itself given my Seiko experiences). I'll comment on the accuracy and take some better pix once it is fully unwrapped out of the protective plastic.

A few pics next to my newly "sapphired" BAM for size comparison.

export! wrote: I will glance at her wrist in a dark car in the near future.

Hopefully, it'll be in your lap after she get's this cool watch!



Shit, did I just say that out loud? :7ujk7jy:

Yeah - and in a blur!

export! wrote:Yeah - and in a blur!

Just make sure you have the cruise control on. You don't want to get pulled over by the Mounties in that position. It might well be the first time this has ever happened in Canada.

Well done, I am sure she will like it. Looks great next to the monster,,,

AJC wrote:Unless your wife is mechanically inclined, i'd stick with quartz. I know from experience (unless the women I date are just stupid).

Am fairly certain women existed before Quartz watches

I'm going to give it to her in about an hour.

The WATCH, John....

It was a huge success. She loves it and got 1/2 dozen compliments today at work.

I knew it was going to go well by her first words when she opened the box. You would think maybe "wow" or "I love it" but she said.... "COOL - look how the second hand moves!"

I knew she was a keeper a long time ago.