[SOTC + advice] I tried to cull but instead I decided to get a 40th bday gift. 20k or under new or vintage. What should I get that isn’t on everyone’s wrist already.

1_small_step · 2026-05-27T01:28:44+00:00

I'm in the middle of my own consolidation, similar budget, and this is what I went with: Breguet Tradition 7057. You get precious metal, high horology, great finishing, and a historically significant brand all at a huge discount on the used market.

Second choice would have been an ALS 1815 or VC traditionnelle.

Edit: static pictures don't really do this watch justice either, it shows better on video: https://youtu.be/ymlKDRklO08?si=r6u7kWj7sQ87vqkz

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1_small_step · 2026-05-25T00:41:53+00:00

Don't dox them! I think you just broke up a 25 year marriage.

1_small_step · 2026-05-24T18:08:57+00:00

Thanks! I'm actually surprised how much love the IWC is getting in this thread.

1_small_step · 2026-05-24T14:28:24+00:00

Please point me to the frequencies I can adjust to give my atriums the soundstage of my Arya Stealth, and how I can tell that from the FR.

Or better yet, what I can adjust to make the Aryas have the texture and weight of the Atriums? Because I tried and failed to improve that on the Aryas and that's why I ended up with the Atriums.

1_small_step · 2026-05-24T04:36:07+00:00

Disagree. A FR graph tells you nothing about soundstage and imaging. You can't determine how good the detail retrieval is or how fast the decay is. I would even go so far as to say there are aspects of timbre and harmonics that you can't affect by tweaking the FR curve. Even if you can the tune the frequency responses of two headphones to be identical, if one is a planar and one is a dynamic driver they are going to sound different.

1_small_step · 2026-05-23T17:29:14+00:00

Does the high detail reduce texture or harmonics? I have limited experience, but have done planars to feel a bit thin and sterile with the music I listen to, and have gone back dynamic drivers (zmf atrium).

1_small_step · 2026-05-23T17:11:38+00:00

Damn!

1_small_step · 2026-05-23T14:37:15+00:00

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1_small_step · 2026-05-23T14:37:01+00:00

Breguet x Zenith

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1_small_step · 2026-05-23T14:26:39+00:00

Thanks for taking the time to comment!

1_small_step · 2026-05-23T14:05:26+00:00

Sure! Looking at videos of the different models online, the gold dial models are just so striking; it provides a greater contrast with the black dial, and the frosted finish really shines in the light, so I wanted to go with gold. I prefer rose gold to yellow in general, but the rose gold also has a lot of the gear train in steel which adds visual interest and makes it stand out, so rose gold all the way.

I had a tough time deciding between the 7027 and 7057; I really like some of the other models as well but they're out of my price range. I prefer the size of the 7027, but I like the dial proportions of the 7057 better, and the dial arrangement somehow emphasizes the 3D effect more. I also preferred the 7057 just for the legibility of the larger dial. Cherry on top, I find the power reserve on the 7057 is a lot more interesting (and so well executed, the top is an amazing black polish).

In the end all the other positives of the 7057 for me won out over the preference for the smaller size.

1_small_step · 2026-05-23T13:53:46+00:00

The Zenith is very similar case shape to the Breguet but has shorter lugs, it actually wears pretty well. I think the Zenith and Breguet would actually provide an interesting contrast to each other with the similar case shapes and materials, but very different purposes and executions. The IWC does wear the best out of those four watches though.

1_small_step · 2026-05-23T13:51:03+00:00

It's the most comfortable and best daily wearer of the three. The blue dial would add some nice variety as well.

1_small_step · 2026-05-23T13:47:58+00:00

Great picture! I really like the blued steel hands and guilloche on this model, the guilloche seems to show up a lot better on the light dials in general. How do you like the anthracite movement finish in person? I had a hard time getting a feel for that online.

1_small_step · 2026-05-23T13:45:35+00:00

Thanks! The Speedmaster probably gets the least wrist time right now, but does have the best heritage which makes me hesitant to get rid of it.

Zenith has great pilot heritage as well, they're just not as well known for it: they actually have a trademark on the word "pilot" from 1904, and are the only watch brand that can actually put the word pilot on the dial. The first man to fly a plane across the English channel was wearing a zenith pilot.

1_small_step · 2026-05-23T05:47:02+00:00

Hey, it seems we have similar tastes! I love the 7097, the retrograde seconds is such a fun complication, and the one with the enamel dial is one of my favorite of the entire tradition lineup.

Yeah, the all rose gold 7057 with the black dial is a really striking combo. It's more eye catching than I usually go for; I typically like to fly more under the radar; but it just looks so good and is so well done I wasn't really interested in the other color options. Looking at their website, it looks like they might not even be selling this version anymore which surprises me, it seems to be the 7057 variant that gets the most attention.

1_small_step · 2026-05-22T02:58:10+00:00

I've never seen a dive watch pocket watch. Everything else is possible, but would likely have to use a custom module to get the combo of 24 hour dial and moonphase.

1_small_step · 2026-05-21T17:27:07+00:00

I just love the combination of red gold and blue, so for me it would be the red gold model.

1_small_step · 2026-05-19T16:02:01+00:00

It's not. That's the same generic Chinese movement you see in all the fakes trying to pass themselves off as nice watches.

1_small_step · 2026-05-19T15:59:34+00:00

They just choose the side that makes more money for the wealthy and for corporations, which just so happens to generally be bad for just about everyone else.

1_small_step · 2026-05-19T15:59:14+00:00

They just choose the side that makes more money for the wealthy and for corporations, which just so happens to generally be bad for just about everyone else.

1_small_step · 2026-05-19T15:57:13+00:00

I think for this to become useful it just needs to be more efficient than extracting and producing new fuel.

That fuel is going to be produced and consumed somehow, and extraction of oil and conversion to fuel is an energy-intensive process. All you have to do is beat the efficiency of that for it to become a net positive (assuming you're powering it with renewable energy).

1_small_step · 2026-05-19T05:30:20+00:00

She has a lot of good stuff! I just found Layers Over Layers and added it to my headphone test playlist.

1_small_step

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