[tony20009]

For some reason folks always want a manufacture watch, but they don't usually want to spend $8K+ for one. I can understand that so here is a listing of brands that I can think of and that have at least one model that costs less than $6K. Some of these brands have many models below that price point.

I've emboldened some that I think many folks have never heard of but that are seriously worth looking at. I've put question marks next to the one's I'm not 100% sure they have an in-house movement that is also sanely price, but IIRC, they do.

• Seiko - almost every watch they make is in-house, quartz and automatic, but a few aren't
• Citizen (all)
• Nomos
• Alpina just a couple models are in-house
• Damasko
• Frederique Constant - Alpina's dressy brother but more in-house models too
• Universal Geneve - They do a micro rotor automatic similar to PP's but not as elaborately finished. Of course, it's also not as elaborately priced. All the same, not a lot of folks do automatics that allow one to also see much of the movement.
• Tag - three in-house calibres
• Omega
• Seagull
• Wempe
• Pequignet
• Prim
• Raketa (??)
• Chronoswiss (?)
• Dornbluth (?)
• JLC
• Cartier
• Rolex (Air King & Oyster Perpetual)
• Zeitwinkel
• Paul Gerber (http://ahci.watchprosite.com/show-fo...aker-in-zrich/) - I should be more clear....they do a lot of work on a base ETA and it comes out being far more than your typical dressed up 2824, so...here they are. Their own 100% in house model is more like 3x $6K.

I know there are more that are escaping me right now...

All the best.

[1MOREMOD]

Still think I want a nomos tangente 38 at some point. And still like the monaco despite them being overpriced. Maybe used.

[Devious21]

And I still want a Damasko.

[tony20009]

Paul Gerber's affordable model.

• 

[TSM330i]

Look for used watches and you'll definitely be able to expand your list of watches available by manufacturer.
With Rolex you'd be able to add Sub, Sub Date, Milgauss, GMT, new style Explorer II etc.

www.watchrecon.com

[Rotorocious]

Is Hamilton considered like crap in the watch world?
Their aviation style is the only thing that's caught my eye but everyone looks down on em.

[finaloption]

Originally Posted by Rotorocious

Is Hamilton considered like crap in the watch world?
Their aviation style is the only thing that's caught my eye but everyone looks down on em.

not at all. i would say the opposite, if anything.

affordable nice looking watches with some swiss ETA movements and some quartz. historical american brand.

the jazzmaster auto chrono w/ it's valjoux 7750 movement priced around a little over $1k is one of the best bang for bucks imo.. similar watches with the same movement is sold for thousands more

[m630]

Originally Posted by finaloption

not at all. i would say the opposite, if anything.

affordable nice looking watches with some swiss ETA movements and some quartz. historical american brand.

the jazzmaster auto chrono w/ it's valjoux 7750 movement priced around a little over $1k is one of the best bang for bucks imo.. similar watches with the same movement is sold for thousands more

....i do appreciate them for the bolded comments above. While my current styles are not in line with their offerings, I would never look down on them. I have a heirloom Hamilton from '64, its gold and square and tiny, but invaluable to me. I only wear it once a year max, but it would never leave my collection.

And funny enough, one of my Panerai uses the OP III calibre, which is a slight variation on the 7750 (P1). Id say you can save nearly 10K on the movement if you went with the hamilton!

[1MOREMOD]

I have a couple hamiltons also and think they are a good value.

[Red Bread]

Add Vulcain, they even have an alarm complication.

[tony20009]

Originally Posted by Rotorocious

Is Hamilton considered like crap in the watch world?
Their aviation style is the only thing that's caught my eye but everyone looks down on em.

Agree...nothing wrong with a Hamilton at all.

FWIW, the 7750 is a very important movement. It's one of the ones that saved the mechanical watch industry from veritable extinction.

All the best.

[Rotorocious]

Good stuff.
I'm looking at a pilot or x wind.
Love the aviation cues

[m630]

Originally Posted by tony20009

Agree...nothing wrong with a Hamilton at all.

FWIW, the 7750 is a very important movement. It's one of the ones that saved the mechanical watch industry from veritable extinction.

All the best.

its a great movement and now part of history.

[MikeRR]

Originally Posted by Rotorocious

Good stuff.
I'm looking at a pilot or x wind.
Love the aviation cues

Got a x-Wind Chrono LE and a PanEurop LE they are very nice watches, just switched my Daytona to the PanEurop this morning.
But they don't belong to this thread as they have no inhouse movement.

[Rotorocious]

Originally Posted by MikeRR

Got a x-Wind Chrono LE and a PanEurop LE they are very nice watches, just switched my Daytona to the PanEurop this morning.
But they don't belong to this thread as they have no inhouse movement.

How long have you had the hammy?
Ever had to send it in for service?

[MikeRR]

Have been owning both for several years, the PanEurop since it came out 2011.
No problems at all but I have a lot of watches in rotation so they don't get that much wrist time overall. But I don't feel they will need servicing anytime soon.

[ny330xi]

Originally Posted by tony20009

For some reason folks always want a manufacture watch, but they don't usually want to spend $8K+ for one. I can understand that so here is a listing of brands that I can think of and that have at least one model that costs less than $6K. Some of these brands have many models below that price point.

I've emboldened some that I think many folks have never heard of but that are seriously worth looking at. I've put question marks next to the one's I'm not 100% sure they have an in-house movement that is also sanely price, but IIRC, they do.

• Seiko - almost every watch they make is in-house, quartz and automatic, but a few aren't
• Citizen (all)
• Nomos
• Alpina just a couple models are in-house
• Damasko
• Frederique Constant - Alpina's dressy brother but more in-house models too
• Universal Geneve - They do a micro rotor automatic similar to PP's but not as elaborately finished. Of course, it's also not as elaborately priced. All the same, not a lot of folks do automatics that allow one to also see much of the movement.
• Tag - three in-house calibres
• Omega
• Seagull
• Wempe
• Pequignet
• Prim
• Raketa (??)
• Chronoswiss (?)
• Dornbluth (?)
• JLC
• Cartier
• Rolex (Air King & Oyster Perpetual)
• Zeitwinkel
• Paul Gerber (http://ahci.watchprosite.com/show-fo...aker-in-zrich/) - I should be more clear....they do a lot of work on a base ETA and it comes out being far more than your typical dressed up 2824, so...here they are. Their own 100% in house model is more like 3x $6K.

I know there are more that are escaping me right now...

All the best.

You seem to have missed one of the most highly regarded value in house movements ... A Zenith El Primero 3 hand can certainly be had grey market for less than $6k...And the Elite can be had I believe from an AD for that.