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Watch Snob on Choices, Rolex and Why American Watchmaking Isnt a Thing

Wealth of Choices

I’m sorry this is so much like all the other questions you get, but I wouldn’t want to proceed without your advice. I’m relatively new to collecting so don’t have any watches of note, and am going to ask for a “real” watch for Christmas. I have landed upon four options under $2,500 that are compelling to me for one reason or another.

They are: - Casio G-Shock Aged Black IP (GMW-B5000V-1) - Nomos Club Campus 38 (Ref. 735) - Hamilton Intra-Matic Auto Chrono (H38416541) - Seiko Presage Urushi Byakudan-nuri Limited Edition - (SPB085)

From these options, what would you suggest I write in my hand-written, wax-sealed letter to Santa this year?

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I do not often own to being speechless, and of course, I am expressing myself figuratively as I am not actually speaking, but that is the most all-over-everywhere list of first-good-watch watches I think that I have ever seen. In four watches you have covered a considerable amount of real estate in the landscape of modern watchmaking – you have a multifunction quartz watch (albeit one with obvious ambitions to be taken seriously as a work of art) a sturdy self-winding chronograph, a relatively sleek and diminutive Bauhaus-inspired dress watch, and an almost baroquely ornate art-dial wristwatch. You have also managed to cover Switzerland, Germany, and Japan geographically (and we can even say America with a nod to the country of origin of Hamilton).

What is one to make of such a diverse collection? I can only say that you seem to have studied the matter and found that there is indeed, a tremendous variety of value offerings to be found across the watchmaking landscape, and each of the watches you’ve selected can be recommended on its own merits but I own that I am at my wit’s end when it comes to recommending which one you should possibly buy.

I will say, The G-Shock might be a fine choice but is a bit much for a first choice; the NOMOS seems a bit too demure for your tastes, and the Intramatic perhaps too plain in its workmanlike execution (which might suit another chap down to the ground, but doesn’t seem as if it would wear well for you over time). The only thing left is the Seiko, which has enough drama and visual complexity for a dozen watches and whose beauty of execution will give you much to admire over the years to boot.

The Perfect Travel Watch

I have a couple of business trips lined up and a vacation to a beach island as well in the next few months. Could you suggest me a travel watch - one which can work in different settings - have a decent water resistance. I usually prefer smaller sized watches, and not looking for a GMT or Dual Time complication. Any suggestions?

There is not a great deal to work with in your query – I always urge those seeking my advice to try to reveal a bit of themselves in their missives, the better to fit recommendation to individual character but your question is so enigmatically phrased that making any deductions about which direction your taste might tend to carry you, is challenging in the extreme. However, your query is brusque, businesslike, reveals nothing of your character; it is unsentimental and asks to get down to business quickly, suggesting that you are the sort of person who brooks no nonsense, respects efficiency, and expects focus and dispatch from his or her colleagues.

The obvious choice for someone of your character is Rolex. Rolex is like a suit from the American clothier Brooks Brothers; it requires no imagine to buy, necessitates no exercise in particular of taste nor does it require any refinement of judgement; you may buy it in confidence that it is of quality and correct in every way. Like a Brooks Brothers suit, it will also reward deeper investigation into the heritage and history of the company that makes it, should your curiosity ever be piqued, which I suppose might happen but based on the lean efficiency with which you choose to communicate, I think that is not the way to bet. Buy a steel Rolex Oyster Perpetual, and think no more about it.

The State of American Watchmaking

I bring two cases before you today, M' Lord, seeking your wisdom and judgement. First, the case of one Tutima Glashütte, the other, other, other Glashütte brand which seems to have a complex, though seemingly legitimate history and clung tenuously to life in West Germany after the War. Like Lange, they returned to Glashütte after the Wall fell and turned out an in-house minute repeater and split second chronograph (the Tempostopp, a fine looking timepiece if I may say so). Yet, I happen to have stumbled upon this brand through one random article covering a recent Baselworld, and all my internet research has turned up little in the way of reviews or even general knowledge of the brand. What then is your opinion of Tutima? Is it an underrated and overlooked brand that executes respectable watchmaking like its Glashütte kin, or is it relatively unknown for a reason and not worth one's time?

The second case is that of a certain Weiss Watch Co., based in Los Angeles, CA. Through personal correspondence with the brand, as well as my own research, I have learned that, though the movement of their 42mm American Issue Field Watches is based on an ETA-Unitas caliber 6497, it has been both mechanically and cosmetically modified and is manufactured, jeweled, hand-finished, tuned, and assembled in their L.A. workshop. Only the mainsprings and sapphire glass are outsourced to Switzerland. Additionally, the case and dial are made in-house. Aside from all this, the watch looks great, in my opinion. Does this young brand represent the first lightening shades of a new dawn for American watchmaking? Or does the Right Honourable Snob require more evidence before he is willing to concede that American watches are more than Shi*ola?

Let me answer your second question first. American watchmaking is largely a thing of the past. Where it is practiced in a way that makes the term “watchmaking” really meaningful, is largely in the hands of a few artists and artisans who must perforce obtain parts and tools from abroad. The problem with trying to establish a real base for watchmaking in America, and reviving what was once one of the most influential and important watchmaking traditions in the world, is that the industrial base no longer exists and has not for many decades.

English watchmaking has the same struggle; there is no industrial base which can readily supply essentials ranging from lubricants and jewels, to escapement parts, to the balance and spring, mainspring, and gears and pinions. Everything must be sourced from abroad and this is as true of Weiss as it is of any other American brand. I feel that Weiss, to be candid, was not entirely honest with its claims of American manufacture at the outset, and a glance at their website gives the unfortunate impression that they are simply glossing over the fact that really making an in-house movement, is as far beyond the capacities of American hopefuls as it has ever been. I leave it to you to draw your own conclusions.

Tutima is a worthwhile and worthy company, with much of interest in its history, including the manufacture of some watches for use by pilots and military pilots which are much appreciated and valued by collectors of military timepieces. I have noticed over the last decade or so, that they are attempting to reposition themselves at the higher end of the scale in terms of luxury watchmaking and about this, I have mixed feelings.

Taken on their own, their luxury level watches like the Tempostopp chronograph, Patria dress watch, and Hommage minute repeater are all fine pieces of watchmaking, but I find myself feeling nostalgic for the watchmaking of yore, when Tutima made some of the most honest instrument watches anywhere, which were embraced by professionals and which I suspect, were they still in production, would be met with great enthusiasm today.

I cannot bring myself to offer anything but praise for the quality of their watchmaking at the higher end, but their identity as a company feels a bit unfocused to me now, at least compared to the past, and given who some of their immediate neighbors in Glashutte are, I fear they have given themselves an awfully tough row to hoe.

Send the Watch Snob your questions at editorial@askmen.com or ask a question on Instagram with the #watchsnob hashtag.

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Watch Snob, Khareem Sudlow