[954Stealth]

IWC Portuguese 7-Day Power Reserve (42.3MM) or a Glaschutte Senator Observer ... Which one should I get?

[1MOREMOD]

That's a tough call both great looking. I like the white face iwc with blued hands slightly more because I prefer the date placement on it, but like the idea of the less common glaschutte.

[overcoil]

IWC - though I don't think they have their best looking Port's at present.

[RedlinePSI]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

That's a tough call both great looking. I like the white face iwc with blued hands slightly more because I prefer the date placement on it, but like the idea of the less common glaschutte.

Is that the one with the blue numbers and blue band as well? I was very close to getting that but it was just a little too much blue. In retrospect, since I ended up getting something double the price, maybe buying a black band for it was not such a bad idea.

[bunnn]

Originally Posted by 954Stealth

IWC Portuguese 7-Day Power Reserve (42.3MM) or a Glaschutte Senator Observer ... Which one should I get?

While I love my IWC, I'm very disappointed in the movement for a watch in this price segment. You should look into the movement for the Glashütte as well. That said, I love everything else about my watch.

[1MOREMOD]

Originally Posted by RedlinePSI

Is that the one with the blue numbers and blue band as well? I was very close to getting that but it was just a little too much blue. In retrospect, since I ended up getting something double the price, maybe buying a black band for it was not such a bad idea.

Does look like a blue band and not a fan of that either. Out of my price range. Got a stowa marine with white face not that long ago and like it.

[cogriff]

Senator all the way.

[overcoil]

Originally Posted by bunnn

While I love my IWC, I'm very disappointed in the movement for a watch in this price segment. You should look into the movement for the Glashütte as well. That said, I love everything else about my watch.

Curious why your disappointed in the 50000 movement? I thought that caliber family was very good.

[tony20009]

Both are great watches. I honest don't know which one I'd pick between the two, but right now, I'm leaning toward the GO, and that mostly because I assume it's got a smaller power reserve (PR) than 7 days. Seven days is a lot of winding to refill the PR. If you actually need the 7-day PR, I guess the IWC is the clear pic.

Construction wise, the only thing I can think of is that IIRC, the IWC uses an acrylic crystal and the GO uses a sapphire one. I happen to prefer sapphire crystals, but the crystal is hardly the "be all, end all" to a fine watch. Lots of good watches, Rolex being one, have used acrylic crystals until fairly recently.

I prefer a more "standard" sized watch, and in that regard, the IWC wins out, although at 44mm, the GO is still very wearable. Pick the one that looks and feels better on your wrist if all other factors are equal.

Styling matters are up to your own preference. I happen to like the blue markered IWC quite a lot, but I have a lot of watches too, so I don't mind choosing ones that are a bit "different;" I don't need one that will look good with everything or that have no color splash on their face.

That said, I think the GO is a bit better looking overall, particularly the one with the blue hands. On the styling front, the only reason I would not pick the GO between these two would be because I had a different GO in mind to buy later. GO stands out among high end watches in that their designers have an extremely good eye for aesthetics. Nobody implements asymmetrical balance better than GO and if I had my mind aimed toward a Panomatic Date, or even a Panomatic Counter (symmetrical), I'd hold off on the Senator Observer.

Since you've shared nothing about why you are making this particular watch purchase, it's impossible to suggest one with a mind toward which would be better for you. There's nothing about either watch that is so overwhelmingly better/worse than the other that absent your requirements I can suggest one over the other. Having no info about you or your expectations, I'd say buy the one that you can get at the lowest price or at the best discount. I can promise you that a "test drive" should make clear which you prefer and that's the one you should buy. Both are very nice.

All the best.

Edit:
I check the IWC website and the Portuguese does indeed have a sapphire crystal.

[Alamat]

IWC baby! Don't have one yet but I'm planning on it on our next ED.

[overcoil]

Tony20009 wrote. "... IWC uses an acrylic crystal and the GO uses a sapphire one. I happen to prefer sapphire crystals, ..."

I do believe the IWC is sapphire on both sides?

[tony20009]

Originally Posted by ScottSinger

Tony20009 wrote. "... IWC uses an acrylic crystal and the GO uses a sapphire one. I happen to prefer sapphire crystals, ..."

I do believe the IWC is sapphire on both sides?

Given your comment, I checked the IWC website and it is indeed sapphire now. I'm nearly certain (but not 100% thus why I said IIRC) that at one point it was acrylic on the front at least, but it's possible I'm confusing it with a different watch. Either way, I don't think that is that high on the list of factors to make me choose one way or the other.

TY for inspiring me to check. I'm sure the fact of the crystal material matters to some people.

All the best.

[bunnn]

Originally Posted by ScottSinger

Curious why your disappointed in the 50000 movement? I thought that caliber family was very good.

Allowable tolerence is +/- 24 seconds. Mine is about 15 seconds fast per day.

[consolidated]

GO SO is such a beautiful watch, I'd buy it for the movement alone, the tiny details thru the back are quite nice in this price range. If you have an average to large wrist no question in my mind, 44mm is big without being gaudy, great looking dial and more discrete in grey.

I have a GO Pano Lunar XL and Senator Sixties square chrono, I enjoy them a little more than my IWC pieces. They feel quite special and I appreciate their German design and craft sensibilities, a little different from the Swiss.

[1MOREMOD]

Originally Posted by bunnn

Allowable tolerence is +/- 24 seconds. Mine is about 15 seconds fast per day.

Yeah I've run into that with a few movements. It's withing spec but seems like a lot. I have an a10 that is off 20 seconds a day.

[Cairo Kid]

Glashutte. No contest.

[954Stealth]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I'm going to go with the IWC...perhaps the GO in next year's acquisition.

I've tried both and I just was really drawn to the IWC. It fits my wrist better, I like the smaller bezel and I find the movement right on point for this price point (I know someone said they're disappointed, but I am actually quite happy with it)
I think it was Tony who said that I didn't list my reasons/needs in the watch. I did that purposely to get some unadulterated responses that were purely the agenda of the responder and not tailored to suit my OP.

[consolidated]

Congrats on a very nice purchase. We need to see a pic!

[1MOREMOD]

Yeah did you get the white face with blue hands?

[tony20009]

Originally Posted by 954Stealth

Thanks for the replies everyone. I'm going to go with the IWC...perhaps the GO in next year's acquisition.

I've tried both and I just was really drawn to the IWC. It fits my wrist better, I like the smaller bezel and I find the movement right on point for this price point (I know someone said they're disappointed, but I am actually quite happy with it)
I think it was Tony who said that I didn't list my reasons/needs in the watch. I did that purposely to get some unadulterated responses that were purely the agenda of the responder and not tailored to suit my OP.

Nice watch. Enjoy it and wear it in good health.

It was I who said that I couldn't recommend either for you specifically seeing as I knew nothing about your objectives for the purchase.

All the best.

[Rg21044]

Glashutte. You will go a month of Sundays before you see another "in the wild".

[eric@helix]

Pics!