What would be the specs of your "perfect daily watch" or "one watch" for you?

[woowoo]

Hi guys, trying to start another fun weekend discussion:

What are the specifications of your "perfect daily" or "one watch"?

Complications, size, metal, WR, whatever you want to say about it, etc...

Also maybe mention if you believe such a watch is currently being made by any brand (if not, maybe such a watch exists and someone will reply pointing you to it)

I will start:

• Size: 38-42mm
• Thickness: <12mm
• Metal: White Gold
• Strap/Bracelet: Both, and easily changeable between strap and bracelet
• WR:>100M, ideally more
• Dial Color: Black, matte, minimal text
• Complications:Date (with date window color matching dial), maybe GMT hand or second time zone
• Brand: Don't care
• Other features: Easily serviceable for many years into the future (Meaning none of these new proprietary space-age materials in the movement that my watchmaker cannot replace or make and in a few decades the brand itself might not even be able to replace it. Gimme old fashioned metal everything)

Ideally I can wear this watch during the day on bracelet and then if I wanted to switch to a nice leather strap and it works with evening attire as well. I can be thrown in the pool while at a party and it wont break my expensive watch. It would be my daily and eventually I will pass it down so I want the brand or my own watchmaker to be able to service it many years into the future.

Does it exist? IMO No. I have gone on chrono24 and put in the specs I am looking for using their search filter. I have not found a brand that makes a watch with all my criteria. That's ok. The point of this thread isn't to find this perfect watch, more so genuinely curious what others on here look for in their dream daily watch and why.

Happy Holidays

[Zoomerang]

For me, it's really close to the 116710LN with a sub bracelet.

This watch meets most of your points

[mongrelnomoad]

38mm, steel or white gold, bracelet or rubber. Date. WR 100m+. Haute horology finishing. 10mm max thickness.

Surprising how hard it is to find a watch that ticks all those boxes.

[woowoo]

Originally Posted by Zoomerang

For me, it's really close to the 116710LN with a sub bracelet.

This watch meets most of your points

Yup the sub is damn close. And can't beat the bracelet.

[ts3]

Originally Posted by mongrelnomoad

38mm, steel or white gold, bracelet or rubber. Date. WR 100m+. Haute horology finishing. 10mm max thickness.

Surprising how hard it is to find a watch that ticks all those boxes.

It isn't easy to find one that ticks all 7 boxes. Patek 5165 is one solution unless you think the finishing is no good. My lowly IWC Mark XV ticks 5 out of 7. It obviously fails on the finishing but the 60m WR has been no issue in hundreds of hours of swimming and snorkeling. 5711/1A ticks 6 out of 7. While being too large on paper it wears smaller than one might think.

[Jay (Eire)]

36mm Day Date could do the trick for me.

[jenniferjanef]

My current daily beater DD40 228239 olive dial.

[MCMartiny]

Something like my PP 5164 Aquanaut but with:

- VCO-like quick change between bracelet, rubber and leather strap
- Micro-adjustment built into clasp
- Harder steel alloy, so less prone to scratches (or maybe tantalum or iridium case)

[mongrelnomoad]

Originally Posted by ts3

It isn't easy to find one that ticks all 7 boxes. Patek 5165 is one solution unless you think the finishing is no good. My lowly IWC Mark XV ticks 5 out of 7. It obviously fails on the finishing but the 60m WR has been no issue in hundreds of hours of swimming and snorkeling. 5711/1A ticks 6 out of 7. While being too large on paper it wears smaller than one might think.

I own a 5066 and want something a tad larger. 5165 would be perfect but they don’t make it any more (I should have added that I’d want it to be new with a manufacturer’s warranty and my name on the papers). The 5711/2 is also passable - it wears well despite its 40mm, is enviably thin, but it’s unobtanium. I don’t like the 5167 as I find it has too much dead space on the dial...

Not familiar with the IWC, but 60m is a no-no. I don’t want to worry about what constitutes too much water this side of a dive.

I tried to get an Odysseus but no dice; I’ve ordered a Czapek Antarctique. They both fit the bill on everything but size - the Lange looked passable on my wrist, and I’m hoping the Czapek wears smaller than its dimensions suggest.

[subtona]

No date
39mm (flexible from 37-40 but 39 is a sweet spot)
Automatic (I enjoy a manual wind movement but as a daily, cant beat auto)
Thin & contoured case (Daytona case is among the best fitting case shape I have owned)
Legible (think of Patek aquanaut and Panerai)
Lugholes (for simple strap swaps)
OEM Bracelet & rubber/leather strap options (AP rubber straps are head and shoulders above the crowd.)
100m WR
Steel or platinum

Patek 5940 cushion case is 37 but as it is not a sports watch, the dial presents as a larger watch. Case hugs the wrist and is super slim. Unfortunately Patek currently does not make a time only version of this. If they did it would be worn often in a very small rotation.

[_speedmaster_]

Originally Posted by subtona

No date
39mm (flexible from 37-40 but 39 is a sweet spot)
Automatic (I enjoy a manual wind movement but as a daily, cant beat auto)
Thin & contoured case (Daytona case is among the best fitting case shape I have owned)
Legible (think of Patek aquanaut and Panerai)
Lugholes (for simple strap swaps)
OEM Bracelet & rubber/leather strap options (AP rubber straps are head and shoulders above the crowd.)
100m WR
Steel or platinum

Patek 5940 cushion case is 37 but as it is not a sports watch, the dial presents as a larger watch. Case hugs the wrist and is super slim. Unfortunately Patek currently does not make a time only version of this. If they did it would be worn often in a very small rotation.

Literally everything you said above, expect i want manual wind and I would add titanium to the materials.

[ts3]

Originally Posted by mongrelnomoad

I own a 5066 and want something a tad larger. 5165 would be perfect but they don’t make it any more (I should have added that I’d want it to be new with a manufacturer’s warranty and my name on the papers). The 5711/2 is also passable - it wears well despite its 40mm, is enviably thin, but it’s unobtanium. I don’t like the 5167 as I find it has too much dead space on the dial...

Not familiar with the IWC, but 60m is a no-no. I don’t want to worry about what constitutes too much water this side of a dive.

I tried to get an Odysseus but no dice; I’ve ordered a Czapek Antarctique. They both fit the bill on everything but size - the Lange looked passable on my wrist, and I’m hoping the Czapek wears smaller than its dimensions suggest.

The Czapek is nice and I hope it works well for you.

When I was in the market for a sports watch years ago the 5167 looked too large on my 6.6 inch wrists and I ended up waiting for a 5711.

The IWC just came to mind as it is exactly 38mm by 10mm. I don't scuba dive, ride jet skis or similar and the IWC hasn't been further down than 5m in the 20 years since I got it. I am more paranoid about losing a watch fooling around in the ocean or lake which is why the 5711 has been limited to pool duty so far.

[stockjock1975]

The JLC Geophysic checks all the boxes for me as a “one and only”. It offers......
1). Haute Horology brand/pedigre
2). Perfect size - 38.5mm
3). Suitable for wear in all environments/situations
4). 100m water resistance
5). Stealthy and does not draw unwanted attention
6. Latest watch technology (ceramic bearings, etc)
7). Extremely comfortable
8). Highly accurate (+1 seconds per day)
9). Excellent durability
10). Great lume for night time legibility

[enjoythemusic]

Doesn't exist for me, yet would pick Bvlgari Octo S, Sub ND, and Panerai with Carbotech case.

[RollinMoses]

VC Overseas. Dual time is 12.8mm thick and steel, but ticks seemingly all your other boxes.

I wear the dual time more than anything else in a collection of Rolex, Tudor, Nomos, JLC, AP and Patek. Rubber strap is to the ultimate daily wear option and with the VC you get all three options in the box.

[woowoo]

Originally Posted by RollinMoses

VC Overseas. Dual time is 12.8mm thick and steel, but ticks seemingly all your other boxes.

I wear the dual time more than anything else in a collection of Rolex, Tudor, Nomos, JLC, AP and Patek. Rubber strap is to the ultimate daily wear option and with the VC you get all three options in the box.

Ya the VC overseas is so damn close to being perfect and probably the closest I have seen.

I have thought about contacting VC to make a white gold version (they r still actually open to discussing doing piece uniques unlike the other 2/3 in the trinity).

One reason I have passed on the overseas so far is the quality and design and fit of their metal bracelet. It’s just not there for me. It could be better. Less chunky and more micro-adjustment. It will probably be many years before another overseas redesign but when/if that happens it could be the perfect watch.

[mongrelnomoad]

Originally Posted by woowoo

Ya the VC overseas is so damn close to being perfect and probably the closest I have seen.

I have thought about contacting VC to make a white gold version (they r still actually open to discussing doing piece uniques unlike the other 2/3 in the trinity).

One reason I have passed on the overseas so far is the quality and design and fit of their metal bracelet. It’s just not there for me. It could be better. Less chunky and more micro-adjustment. It will probably be many years before another overseas redesign but when/if that happens it could be the perfect watch.

You know there was a two-hander ultra-thin in white gold, right? Only 50m WR, but otherwise checks all the boxes. There’s one on Chrono24 now.

[woowoo]

Originally Posted by mongrelnomoad

You know there was a two-hander ultra-thin in white gold, right? Only 50m WR, but otherwise checks all the boxes. There’s one on Chrono24 now.

Thanks. Not going to compromise on WR. Also while the Overseas is a great watch and I have come close to buying it several times, it’s not a perfect watch for me. Not sure who’s to blame, richemont or Christian Selmoni or what, but VC has been lazy and resting on laurels and I won’t support it. They need to make better watches and better looking watches before I buy one.

[mongrelnomoad]

Originally Posted by woowoo

Thanks. Not going to compromise on WR. Also while the Overseas is a great watch and I have come close to buying it several times, it’s not a perfect watch for me. Not sure who’s to blame, richemont or Christian Selmoni or what, but VC has been lazy and resting on laurels and I won’t support it. They need to make better watches and better looking watches before I buy one.

I'm not sure I (any longer) agree about them resting on their laurels - of late, their output has been head-and-shoulders above PP and AP. I like the Overseas well enough, and the WG ultra-thin was by far the best of the breed, but the regular model is just too bulbous to fit on my 6" wrists. One of the reasons I decided to take the plunge with the Czapek is that it seems to hark back to the VC 222 - probably my favourite of all the integrated steel sports watches, and a better one IMO than the Overseas... Other than the metal, the black dial version would have ticked all your boxes. They're all sold out though...

[mongrelnomoad]

Originally Posted by stockjock1975

The JLC Geophysic checks all the boxes for me as a “one and only”. It offers......
1). Haute Horology brand/pedigre
2). Perfect size - 38.5mm
3). Suitable for wear in all environments/situations
4). 100m water resistance
5). Stealthy and does not draw unwanted attention
6. Latest watch technology (ceramic bearings, etc)
7). Extremely comfortable
8). Highly accurate (+1 seconds per day)
9). Excellent durability
10). Great lume for night time legibility

That is a lovely watch...

[subtona]

Originally Posted by stockjock1975

The JLC Geophysic checks all the boxes for me as a “one and only”. It offers......
1). Haute Horology brand/pedigre
2). Perfect size - 38.5mm
3). Suitable for wear in all environments/situations
4). 100m water resistance
5). Stealthy and does not draw unwanted attention
6. Latest watch technology (ceramic bearings, etc)
7). Extremely comfortable
8). Highly accurate (+1 seconds per day)
9). Excellent durability
10). Great lume for night time legibility

Nice watch. Haven’t seen the bracelet before.

[subtona]

Originally Posted by _speedmaster_

Literally everything you said above, expect i want manual wind and I would add titanium to the materials.

Titanium would be totally acceptable.

[mongrelnomoad]

Originally Posted by subtona

Titanium would be totally acceptable.

I want to love Titanium, but every time I try it on, it feels hollow...

[ts3]

Originally Posted by subtona

Nice watch. Haven’t seen the bracelet before.

Me neither and I had missed that the Geophysic line was discontinued in 2019.

[subtona]

Originally Posted by mongrelnomoad

I want to love Titanium, but every time I try it on, it feels hollow...

Grand seiko zaratsu polished titanium is super nice.

[mongrelnomoad]

Originally Posted by subtona

Grand seiko zaratsu polished titanium is super nice.

That’s why I never pulled the trigger on a snowflake. Couldn’t come to terms with the way the case and bracelet felt so flimsy (even though I knew they weren’t)...

[Burlington]

My diver, as is, but in titanium.

[Fort Rolex]

If I could get 100M water resistance on my RO I’d be hard pressed to argue against it

[woowoo]

Originally Posted by Fort Rolex

If I could get 100M water resistance on my RO I’d be hard pressed to argue against it

Yes agree. Very annoying they don’t increase the WR and durability on such a sporty watch. And the RO’s with perpetual calendars have even worse WR at 20M. Lol.

[dchang81]

I wore my 15202 to the pool no issues. Got the WR checked annually tho.