40th musings (To vintage or not to vintage...)

[OhDark30]

Get the Sinn!
Usually I'd say 'vintage is the answer!' but you've found a special and sexy watch, in the right size, at a price you can afford
The vintage examples you give are going to be spendy and/or less of a tool watch aesthetic

Unless of course you got yourself a birth year Pogue (tool watch, more affordable, space history :-)

pic & more here:
http://blog.dreamchrono.com/2013/11/seiko-6139-pogue/

[squire76]

Get the Sinn!
Usually I'd say 'vintage is the answer!' but you've found a special and sexy watch, in the right size, at a price you can afford
The vintage examples you give are going to be spendy and/or less of a tool watch aesthetic
Unless of course you got yourself a birth year Pogue (tool watch, more affordable, space history :-)

pic & more here:
http://blog.dreamchrono.com/2013/11/seiko-6139-pogue/

Yeah, I've considered the birth year Pogue. This opens up the option of buying a new piece as my one significant purchase while still affording the Pogue as a vintage, birth year option. A very tempting outcome.
Likewise, if I get the Sinn as my main "good watch" and tool watch aesthetic, there are any number of affordable vintage pieces I could get just to tick off that vintage aesthetic and interest.

[ljb187]

Greetings all.

Firstly, let me apologize if you have already been subjected to my endless agonising on either "The other forum" or Instagram. My 40th is next year and I must be undertaking the most drawn out decision making process for any mid-tier watch ever...
I aim to spend around $2500-3000AUD...

You're posting on watch forum about a milestone purchase that'll cost a ton of money and you're apologizing? You'd be within your watch-wearing rights to agonize till your 50! This is the best part; milk it for all it's worth because these chances don't come around all that often.

I wanted to vote Club, but the Sinn's the one I'd rather look at day in and day out. Those chunky 38mm 7750 cases are among the most distinctive going...I always thought of them as little M4 Shermans. In general I wouldn't worry a lot about toughness. It's true the Sinn won't scratch as easily, but past that they're all toast after a 3 foot drop.

[Nokie]

Another vote for the Sinn. Just too unique to pass up IMHO.

[tribe125]

Sinn 356.

Mostly for the reasons you've given -

• The look, feel, presence.
• The size is about perfect at 38.5mm.
• The dial aesthetic.
• A watch you could wear pretty much anywhere, anytime.

I don't see the fairly common movement as a negative, but a plus. There'll always be someone not too far away who can service it and the cost will be relatively modest for a chronograph.

I wouldn't go vintage. I'm not saying that vintage watches can't be everyday watches but it's not what they're best at. In the long run, maintenance costs will be higher and (depending on the watch) parts may be scarce. I wouldn't mind betting that most vintage watches spend more time in drawers than on wrists. Meanwhile, their owners save up for the fuss-free modern watch that will better suit their needs.

Both of the Nomos models are nice (very nice, actually, and I doubt whether you'd be disappointed by either), but don't have the 'enduring classic' character of the Sinn.