The Affordable Hype Watch Conundrum

Here’s the deal. Affordability is relative, as is the concept of what makes something a good value. If you are reading this you know generally speaking swiss watches are more expensive than Japanese watches, which are more expensive than Chinese watches, and almost always automatic watches are more expensive than mechanical, which are more expensive than quartz. Before you say it I know there are exceptions to every rule. Cough…Grand Seiko…Cough. But generally speaking some watches just fall into that goldilocks zone. We could posit what makes a watch gain hype, and keep that hype but ultimately at some point the masses just latch onto certain watches, and they somehow obtain the reputation of a good value. But why? The question is, how much of that is group think or hype, and how much of it is that the watch really is just that good? Fair warning—I don’t have any real answers. But, I do own, and have owned a couple of watches that have earned the reputation of good value. Here I will give my opinions of why these these particular hype watches bottle magic. With that said here is a case study of two watches at drastically different price points that somehow both are a great value.

The Newest Watch to Penetrate the Public Subconscious.

Arguably, I am stuck on the hype train; or perhaps i’ve been hit by the hype train. Recently I was able to get my hands on the new Seiko 5 gmt. There isn’t anything I could say here that has not been said about the reincarnation of the SKX with the addition of a GMT complication. Yes, a few beloved features have been deleted, omitted, yeeted, or otherwise tossed into the scrap heap of cost cutting measures. And no, this isn’t the SKX that you picked up for the price of dinner and a glass of table wine at olive garden. But we are living in a different reality right now. Get over it. But still, there is some magic bottled into this watch. I’m not going to regurgitate the specs of this watch here; you can get that anywhere. But, I will highlight a few things that have been said before and absolutely hold true. There is something magic about the case that the numbers just dont capture. Yes its a tad thick, but that is hidden. Yes its a tad wide, but that is also hidden. The magic of this watch is all in the case shape and the lug to lug length. Somehow this watch wears much smaller than the 42mm measurement would suggest. Also the watch has a decent thickness, without the water resistance to match, but they also squeezed a caller gmt movement into a case that’s only marginally thicker than your beloved skx. While this watch is by no means small, it wears great on the wrist. It has wrist presence, whatever the hell that means, but it also has a tendency to disappear on the wrist and not be a burden in the way other 42mm watches may.

The other magic at work here is the bezel. The friction fit, non clicky, bidirectional bezel, honestly isn’t that cool. But, BIG BUT, the almost holographic, color change bezel feature is cool as hell. Pair that with the applied indexes on the dial, therow in a few pops of color on the gmt hand and dial and you have a great looking watch. At least with the ssk001, you have a classic combo that is both harkening back to its older brother, and that other gmt who shall not be named. But this watch maintains plenty of its own DNA. That way it is not firmly in homage territory. Its got a nod to the non value leader ultimate hype watch but still is absolutely its own thing.

Oddly enough, my favorite thing about this watch is also arguably its worst feature. I am in love with this jangly ass jubilee bracelet, pressed clasp and all. And, for what it lacks in refinement and quality it makes up for charm and comfort. There is something special about this bottom shelf jubilee that just hugs the wrist. Also if I am being honest the pressed clasp doesn’t bother me at all. Yes milled clasps are nicer, but they also add weight and price, and this is a cheap seiko gmt, so It works.

The other thing about this watch is that it makes everyone smile. Last night I brought the gmt to a red bar meet up. I was told over and over, that they had seen it in photos and knew everything about it without any real interest, but holding it in their hands was just different, and now they had to get one. I got mine sight unseen, but still opening that box and sliding it un-sized onto the wrist, tilting it in the light you experience something that magically is better than the sum of its parts.

One last thing that cant be underscored for any watch to reach legendary status, at least for me, is the strap beastiocity. Is that a word? It is now. This thing is so versatile and looks so good on almost every strap, with one caveat. It doesn’t lean into vintage, so avoid off white threading. But this thing looks great on so many straps. And on other bracelets. I could ramble on about options but a picture is worth a thousand words so here are a few thousand words for you to ponder.

The perfect watch (for me, and probably for most of you)

Look at my instagram and you wont be shocked that I love vintage inspired watches. I’m the proud owner of a speedy, a hamilton khaki, a black bay pro, and the subject of the next few paragraphs, my perfect black bay 58 gilt. I cant think of a more popular watch over the last few years, or one more talked about so I will try not to belabor the points too much. Where the numbers on the seiko 5 gmt don’t tell the story. The numbers on the black bay 58 do. Again, I wont say what they are because you already know. Also, i’m so bad at math even saying it has a 20mm lug width gives me anxiety. But here, tudor just got the numbers right. The case size is perfect, lug to lug is perfect, lug width is perfect, the thickness is perfect, the water resistance is perfect, the 60 click bezel is perfect and so tactile. the way it clicks right in at 12 is perfect. It is finished beautifully, the aluminum bezel promises to age with its owner and collect stories of door knobs, roller coasters, desk dives and curious kids. Its hard to put into words exactly how, just right tudor got this watch. Again pictures do not do it justice but when it is in your hands and it hits your wrist it just works.

Like I said, I cant think of a more talked about watch, outside of its big brother, but that is for good reason. Tudor just got it right. A few more things about this watch. This watch has 2 of my favorite features in a watch. 1) the best complication is…wait for it…power reserve. Fight me. I love a good power reserve. If you have a watch, 2 watches, maybe 3 watches who cares about a power reserve. When you have a watch problem like I clearly do power reserve is the complication that matters.

Feature #2 is no date. I am a sucker for symmetry. I don’t hate a date at 3. Put it at 6 and i’m golden. But put no date and I’m thrilled. I know this is a deal breaker for some. But for me I hate setting a date. I hate posting a picture that I took on Sunday on #tudortuesday with the date proving I am a damn liar. It’s the little things. I also don’t want to have to worry myself with setting a date every few days worrying with if it is AM or PM. Aint nobody got time for that.

Oh yeah, in house movement. Ehh I guess that’s cool and adds some value although it will be perhaps more difficult to service. As least Tudor doesn’t charge an arm and a leg, I hear the going rate is a single arm. No legs needed. Others could learn from this. cough…zenith…cough.

While i’ve used the word perfect ummm way too many times in this post. The 58 is not all sunshine and rainbows, which is my favorite colloquialism. At least yet. I don’t see how a T flit clasp wont find it’s way onto the run of the mill 58 gilt and blue in the next 15 to 20 minutes rendering this paragraph a cautionary tale for used or back stock 58s, if backstock 58s existed. While the rest of the watch is again, perfect, FOR ME; the bracelet leaves some room for improvement. If your wrist is like mine it fluctuates between 1 and 1 trillion millimeters for no reason constantly. I need more than 3 micro adjust holes and I need an on the fly adjustment, and while we are at it I need a half link. Luckly, even though tudor hasn’t heard our pleas at least yet on these 58s others have. I have a few shout outs to do. 1) my favorite uncle, uncle straps, the artist formerly known as uncle seiko has some cool stuff for the 58. 1) the half link is the best money you will spend on a 58. Honerable mention, I love his jubilee that fits the original tudor clasp 3 micro adjust holes and all. Read back to my praise of the seiko jubilee the same applies here as long as I wear it a tad loose to account for my weird wrist. The other savior for me right now is the steel reef flip link. I dont know what it is called but that thing combined with the uncle straps half link gave me the perfet fit and just enough wrist swell control. This combo just works for me. To the point where if tudor messaged me now, and said I can buy a 58 bracelet with T fit and no wait at their absurd retail I probably wouldn’t. First, that is never gonna happen, because last I checked you cant even ask for a ranger bracelet without buying a ranger. And If you could get a ranger bracelet, it would take damn near a year and cost nearly a thousand dollars.

Lets get this out of the way. I am team faux rivets! I love em. I like the way they feel when I pet my tudor bracelet like the adhd weirdo I am. I also think they fit the vibe. Those of you who say you don’t like them because they are form over function are liars because all this shit is form over function. Again fight me. I will lose, because I am a coward and I am out of shape, but seriously lets fight about faux rivets. None the less, after I lose the rivet war I will gladly tell you about the rivet free options. 1) you can try to buy a ranger bracelet but good luck with all that. 2) Forstner has you covered with the model O. The model O is a traditional rivet free oyster style bracelet with a cool spring loaded flex link and a literal shit ton of micro adjust holes. So you get plenty of flex and if you can find a toothpick or springbar tool you have plenty of adjustability. This was my go to until I got the steel reef a few weeks ago. It is slightly less refined compared to the oem tudor but for a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of the price of an OEM tudor bracelet its a steal.

The last section, you guessed it, is that the 58 is famously a strap beast so it has the strap beastification down pat. This one is the reverse of the Seiko 5 white thread need not apply. Other than that everything works. here are some pictures and maybe a few affiliate links. thanks for the support. I made $1.40 off of amazon affiliates last month I’m such a sell out. On to strap pics!