Cheap can be stunning!
I just returned from a long diving trip to the Far East. On the way back I had nothing to do on the plane and started to list my watch purchases in 2009. What I concluded was that last year I bought 10 new watches with an average purchase price of a bit over € 19,000. But the shocking thing was that I realized that this year I have bought till now nothing (or actually not picked up the ordered watches yet).
When I came back to my current home country I went shopping. In my domestic country there are no watches I would buy - or that is what I thought... Till I stopped to look at the cheap watches in the leading department store. I noticed a watch which looked like a perfect diving watch to me and it costed below €1,500. So what could I do; I bought the watch.
Now I have been wearing it for four days and nights. The watch is beautifully made and it has everything needed but nothing extra. The dial is near to perfection, the saphire looks great, the packing was a big surprise... And all in all, the watch looks too good to be so cheap. Furthermore, it seems to be bloody accurate on the wrist.
I looked the watch side-by-side to my other diving watches. Some of them, costing nearly 10 times more, do not have any special feeling compared with this cheap watch.
I must say that it is very rare that a new watch would bring me so much pleasure as the new aquisition does. Additionally, when this new diving watch did not break the bank, my enjoyment is doubled.
Can anybody guess what could this new beauty be? Amanico should not participate; I guess the question is too trivial for him. I will post a picture of my new diver when I have seen your guesses.
Best regards,
Kari
A tudor
Hydronaut? Or Ball? Geez this is a steady anticipation to what you've bought, master story teller
its got to be a Longines legend diver non date
i'm being specific with 'non date' as you said 'everything needed and nothing extra'. a date is not needed on a dive watch and thats about the going price for that model. the casing is also superb and probably worth 3-400 euro's on its own.
if i'm right then its a great watch, i dont own one as it doesnt fit into my strict collecting criteria, but if i was into dive watches i'd have one straight away.
look forward to the pics.
best
Graham
Good argumentation
Graham, you have a decent argumentation. I saw this watch a few weeks ago and it really does look good.
Now I'm interested to know what it actually is...
Cheers!
i know my french friend...
but they are far more than 50 quids.
Seiko's go just to pay for my winters fuel bill :(((((
A bit more than the legendary 50 Quids, true.
But the watch is worth an effort.
And as for your fuel bill, it can get some more months, now that Spring is here!
Don't thank me, it is my pleasure.
Best,
Nicolas
Well, now . . .
. . . that's a surprise . . . I had no idea it was on your list . . .
Almost got one a couple weeks back but lost to a trader
Thought I mentioned it to you... :-(
Put getting another one on hold until I finish all the repair/servicing on all my recently acquired vintages.
Of course - all could change if some fabulous other beauty plops into my lap.
Damn, I'm blacklisted? :)))
I know what it is, and you're perfectly right.
Some brands should take this watch as an example on what to do and how to do it.
Welcome to one of the most popular watch, here.
Damn, I speak too much.
I beg your mercy, your Honor.
Best,
Nicolas
Sincerely, I don´t know...uhmmm??? :)))
Well done!
This longines LD is a Hit and a kind of Purist´s Friendship Watch!
Enjoy it in the best of health
Best
Emilio
You are all so right...
Longines Legend Diver has it all: The optimal water tightness of 300 meters, good and wearable size, light weight, it is extreamly readable, the bezel can be locked in a secure way and the strap is simply great. I just compared the strap with the ones of my Fifty Fathoms or my Polaris Tributes and Longines is a clear winner. Furthermore, normally I do not buy watches with ETA movements but in this kind of tool the reliable ETA might be the optimal solution.
And sure; no date is needed. All additional "complications" would just make a diving watch very messy. All in all, this Longines is a real tool watch and a tool should never cost too much! I have a bad habit to hit the corals on my dives and I do not think that I will ever use either my red gold Fifty Fathoms or platinium Polaris for diving.
However, taking into account that after some tens of dives my watch always looks pretty terrible, I made two very logical decissions... First of all, the Legend Diver feels just right on the wrist and it is a pleasure to admire. But also it is a perfect tool watch for real diving. So I went this afternoon to the shop and bought a second Legend Diver! They even gave me a 15% discount on #2 without I had time to ask for any.
The first Legend Diver goes now to my dive bag and for the time being the number two stays in my wrist. In due time this watch will prodly join my Submariners, Sea Dwellers, Fifty Fathoms and other fine diving watches. I am sure that this watch will get quite a lot of wrist time in the future.
Best regards, Kari
2?
I would be tempted to say that such a watch would cost the double of its retail, so buying two is not illogical!
Best, my friend, and congrats!
Nicolas.
PS: As for the Polaris Strap, it is certainly the weak point of the watch, but an after market will work greatly.
Same problem with the LLD strap, IMO.
Two...
Nico,
I love Polaris so much that I bought three. And like too often you are right: LLD is so cheap that one could easily cost what two are costing for the time being.
In my opinion the Legend Diver is the very best bargain in the dive watch market today.
Kari
Now, you should do a last thing, Kari...
HUNT a Vintage Longines diver!
It is worth it!
Best,
666.
You should know it better Nico!
You are proposing me a never ending road: first a vintage Longines, then vintage Polaris or two, then a couple of vintage Fifty Fathoms, then vintage Submariners, then...
That road would lead me to powerty!
Best, Kari
This is the kind of powerty I like! :)
You know, Kari, we discussed ( in real ) about that.
The link between the Present and the Past is one of the most interesting and exciting thing!
Best,
Nicolas
Me too :) Two rich men here, Filippo :))))
Don´t worry, my dear Filipo... You´re a really rich man.... you have me!
Best, hermano
Emilio
Count me in, please :-)
By the way, Kari: do you own Nokia?
?!
?!
?!
Just kidding...
Congratulations on those fine divers!
Regards,
Marcelo
This message has been edited by marcelo on 2010-04-06 10:39:50