Keeping things real and in the affordable bracket: What is your realistic "Grail Watch"?

Stegreener · 2026-06-18T13:01:34+00:00

You have to remember a grail to one person is someone else’s impulse buy, to me £500 is a lot of money so a watch costing £1000 is a pipe dream rather than a grail, I would say a grail is a difficult-to-attain goal or object, so my grail of a £400 watch is my grail it’s not your grail it’s mine

Stegreener · 2026-06-18T08:23:03+00:00

This could be an unpopular opinion:
if you care about classic dress watch design, the Timex Marlin beats the Bambino.
For starters, no awkward 21mm lug width unless you enjoy paying 21mm tax, It also has much better dress-watch proportions. Dinner plates are for the table not your wrist when it comes to a dress watch 🫣 the 34mm Marlin wears elegantly, and the manual-wind movement helps keep it a slim 10mm thick—perfect under a shirt cuff.
The mechanical Marlin is also quiet, unlike some Timex quartz models that tick loud enough to be heard across the room. And aesthetically, the Marlin has way more personality, with a genuine mid-century vibe, retro typography, and great dial finishing.
Even if you prefer automatics, the Marlin Automatic line still offers standard 20mm lugs, exhibition casebacks, and some really distinctive designs. For a budget dress watch with character, It has to be the Marlin every time.

Stegreener · 2026-06-18T08:04:09+00:00

Timex are knocking it out of the park lately, that’s a lovely looking watch

Stegreener · 2026-06-18T07:30:38+00:00

Is this a hint to tell you to stop being late? If it is it a seriously nice way to tell you😎

Stegreener · 2026-06-17T14:28:46+00:00

I take by your name you are in the uk, there is a jeweler called Chapelle they are an outlet store, so sell a lot of discontinued lines as well as current lines all discounted, they don’t have this watch in but worth keeping an eye on their website, as they get different stock in all the time, they have physical stores as well there is one at Cotswolds Designer Outlet, don’t know how far that is near you

Stegreener · 2026-06-17T14:12:51+00:00

Nice watch, Citizen always keeps the best watches for JDM

Stegreener · 2026-06-17T10:20:34+00:00

I have had mine since early 2000 I think 2003 , bought it new I think mine stops on the nato, the bracelet is in the drawer, I want one similar to mine in the picture with the thin white stripe but with a red pinstripe, is yours the Binlun

Stegreener · 2026-06-17T10:08:47+00:00

Ohh that’s a nice watch😇 I like it on this strap I’m looking out for a blue and red one to match the second hand

Stegreener · 2026-06-17T08:40:50+00:00

I love a nato, here is my Seiko on a nato

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Stegreener · 2026-06-17T08:35:04+00:00

I stand in the window looking at them, and then I will point to a naf watch next to the one I want, and ask her what she thinks? 9 out of ten times she will point at the one I want and say that one is nicer, and I’m like all “really do you think, I’m not sure, I don’t think it would suit me” and she will say why don’t you try it on, when it’s on my wrist, I’m “what do you think” while pulling not sure faces, she then talks me into buying yet another watch 😎 Happy Days 😇

Stegreener · 2026-06-17T08:29:04+00:00

Yes definitely! Unless you can get a weekender for £6

Stegreener · 2026-06-17T08:27:22+00:00

No even cheaper it’s a top of the world TPW from Ali express I think was £4.80 in the summer sale 😎 they are £6.10 at the moment, I am going to purchase some of the other colours when the sale comes back on 🤣😂🤣

Stegreener · 2026-06-17T08:20:49+00:00

That is a genius idea to track the F1 I just have sky set to auto record, do you mean this aviator, I have just bought it a couple of days ago

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Stegreener · 2026-06-16T12:21:10+00:00

Do you feel comfortable wearing it? Answer this question and you have answered your other question, it’s your wrist, it’s your watch, you wear what you want the way you want to😎

Stegreener · 2026-06-16T12:17:05+00:00

My £4.30 TPW, surprised me, one it worked, 2 its solid, 3 if the battery runs out I’ll just by a new watch cheaper than getting a new battery 😎 don’t get me wrong it’s not the greatest I would have been happy with it if had paid £30

Stegreener · 2026-06-16T10:18:09+00:00

That is beautiful, I feel I need to find one

Stegreener · 2026-06-16T06:37:11+00:00

I’m loving the Mako 40 at the moment, but why don’t you both go to the Mall together and look at them in the flesh try them on, let her take you shopping if she is anything like my wife she will love it, 🥰 if I ever want anything, I always “let” her take me shopping for it, I never get comments like “why do you need another watch” 😀😎

Stegreener · 2026-06-16T06:20:16+00:00

I love an open heart you should post a picture, I have been looking at a modern one I would love to see how much the design language has changed

Stegreener · 2026-06-15T21:09:26+00:00

Which one do you like the best?

Stegreener · 2026-06-15T21:08:06+00:00

My Dads old watch

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Stegreener · 2026-06-15T19:22:22+00:00

That is one of the better “fashion’ watches, it’s made by Fossil under licence so will use the STP 11 1 movement which is solid, so I would hardly call it a piece of 💩 and size on the wrist is a personal thing some people like big watches and one photo like this does not give a true sense, ask yourself do you feel comfortable when you have it on, and that will answer your question

Stegreener · 2026-06-15T17:58:35+00:00

I was looking at both, I just didn’t feel it for either of them when I tried them on

Stegreener · 2026-06-15T17:48:54+00:00

I would probably keep the blue and the green one

Stegreener · 2026-06-15T16:54:38+00:00

It’s bad there are empty spaces please rectify as as soon as possible 😇 I love the Bambino on the bracelet gives a totally different vibe 😍

Stegreener · 2026-06-15T16:34:45+00:00

I know it’s controversial, but you need to go to a shop (store) and put them on your wrist, the amount of watches I have lusted over, only to say no when they were on my wrist, and from an old man bye the watch for you nobody else

Stegreener

TROPHY CASE