AugieTN
US Veteran
That was my thought also. Gen Z is going to be younger and a smart watch is what I thought of.
Just saying....
Need some Gen Z watch buying advice
- Thread starter tlawler
- Start date
That was my thought also. Gen Z is going to be younger and a smart watch is what I thought of.
Just saying....
03hemi
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I got this $10k dollar Swiss mvt. Invicta for $75 bucks on a cruise once! Identical to the Daytona, rumor has it Rolex makes em for Invicta.
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Bill Bates
Member
All the Gen Z'ers I work with wear smart watches. One of these would make a real statement.
Garmin MARQ(R) Adventurer | Damascus Steel Smartwatch
Garmin MARQ(R) Adventurer | Damascus Steel Smartwatch
Jeff423
US Veteran
I use the GMT face on my Apple Watch - best of both worlds.
DWalt
Member
I was working in Colombia for awhile back in the early 1970s. I bought a Seiko 5 autowind watch there for virtually nothing and wore it until the late 1980s when it began stopping. I was going to get it serviced until I found out how much it would cost. I replaced it with a quartz Victorinox Swiss Army which I still have. Nonetheless, any watch that gives trouble-free performance for over 15 years is a worthwhile purchase.
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kwill1911
Member
I'm a watch enthusiast, if not a collector, so these are just my opinions:
1. Not a mechanical chronograph unless he has specific needs for one. Even then, a smart watch or iPhone will do it better.
2. An Invicta, as a gift, is an insult, as are any of the other "fashion" brands.
3. I wouldn't buy my son anything less than a Seiko or Citizen.
4. An Omega would be great, but they have gotten quite spendy. If you are going up to that tier I would look at Sinn or Fortis. Christopher Ward watches have a strong following and are good value.
5. Since it is a gift, I would think about spending enough that it becomes a generational watch, i.e. something he could pass along to his offspring.
1. Not a mechanical chronograph unless he has specific needs for one. Even then, a smart watch or iPhone will do it better.
2. An Invicta, as a gift, is an insult, as are any of the other "fashion" brands.
3. I wouldn't buy my son anything less than a Seiko or Citizen.
4. An Omega would be great, but they have gotten quite spendy. If you are going up to that tier I would look at Sinn or Fortis. Christopher Ward watches have a strong following and are good value.
5. Since it is a gift, I would think about spending enough that it becomes a generational watch, i.e. something he could pass along to his offspring.
OP
He has an apple watch already, but it’s not really practical for sea duty. Luminox watches use tritium lamps and are “one handed, always glowing”. This was instilled in me back in the early 2000’s when I was getting into tech and cave diving. There can be scenarios where the watch dial is your only source of illumination if your main/backup/emergency lights all go out. It’s never happened to me, but I did have to do it in training and I was amazed how much light it actually produced once your eyes had become fully dark adapted. I’ve sworn by Luminox ever since.
Great idea and an even better tradition. You cannot go wrong with any of the brands you have mentioned. I am a big fan of Seiko divers as they just plain work but they are not pretentious. Omega’s are great but can be showy. I’ve had issues with Luminox watches in the past but that very well could be an isolated incident. Follow your gut, your son will remember the gesture far longer than he will remember the brand, etc.
On a related note, my father just went into memory care and mom is in assisted living. my sister cleaned out their home and sent me a bunch of stuff. In one of the boxes was the watch my grandparents gave to my father when he was drafted into the army. He was always very proud of that watch. I am honored, and sad, to now have it in my possesion. What model it is doesn’t matter to me, the fact that it was my father’s is what matters.
Please update us on what you end up dong. I have 2 sons who will both commission in the Army this spring. For Christmas we gave them each a Garmin watch that they both wanted. it’s not what I would have picked out but they both seemed very appreciative and wear them daily.
On a related note, my father just went into memory care and mom is in assisted living. my sister cleaned out their home and sent me a bunch of stuff. In one of the boxes was the watch my grandparents gave to my father when he was drafted into the army. He was always very proud of that watch. I am honored, and sad, to now have it in my possesion. What model it is doesn’t matter to me, the fact that it was my father’s is what matters.
Please update us on what you end up dong. I have 2 sons who will both commission in the Army this spring. For Christmas we gave them each a Garmin watch that they both wanted. it’s not what I would have picked out but they both seemed very appreciative and wear them daily.
AugieTN
US Veteran
I don't know anything about tritium lamps, but if it brightly glows on it's own it's got to be radioactive. Probably not much, but still radioactive.
Just something to think about.
Just something to think about.
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Now this might be completely out of line, but this was my first thought. kwill1911 mentioned a generational watch that could be passed along later. tlawler, you mentioned getting an Omega Seamaster day/date from your father. What about either passing YOUR Omega Seamaster day/date on to him, or buying him a new one if you want to keep yours. I would guess your son would be extremely appreciative either way!
Larry
kwill1911
Member
Again, I'm just displaying my bias, but I wouldn't buy my son a plastic watch, especially not a digital one.
I don't care much about fancy watches but love to go boating, swimming, water skiing, snorkeling, and scuba diving. That's when I'm not gonna use my I phone and wear a diving watch and this is what I use that won't break the bank. If someone was going to spend a bunch of money on a gift for me I'd rather they buy me a gun.
Citizen | Accessories | Citizen Pro Sport 8k Gold Watch Wow Stunning | Poshmark
Citizen | Accessories | Citizen Pro Sport 8k Gold Watch Wow Stunning | Poshmark
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kwill1911
Member
Further thoughts: a chronograph is typically associated with pilots or race car drivers. A Navy officer should wear a diver and one with a GMT function could be useful as the ship traverses different time zones. Here's a nice one:
DWalt
Member
I like the idea of having GMT availability on a wristwatch. Personally, I have no need for it but I do keep a small quartz clock set to Zulu time at home in case I ever do.
If I bought a GMT watch it would be the Seiko Batman GMT-Master II.
If I bought a GMT watch it would be the Seiko Batman GMT-Master II.
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kwill1911
Member
Seiko now makes some GMT divers. At the low end ($350 or so) is one in their 5 Sports line. For $1,500 or so you can get their better Prospex watch.
Jon651
Member
I'm going to second the recommendation for a watch with tritium markers. The ability to read the time in the dark without having to expose the watch to light first is a real bonus. Deep Blue, out of NY, makes several versions with them for a reasonable price that all use the Seiko NH35A/NH36A movement. I have several, and they are real, rugged "tool" watches that have some serious specs. If they ever come out with a GMT movement with tritium markers then that will be my next watch.
Here are a few of their selections:
(stainless versions)
DAYNIGHT PATRIOT T-100 TRITIUM FLAT TUBES AUTOMATIC - DIVE WATCHES
(carbon versions)
DAYNIGHT STEALTH OPS TRITIUM CARBON CASE AUTOMATIC FLAT TUBES - DIVE WATCHES
(polycarbonate versions)
DAYNIGHT PC TRITIUM AUTO 44MM - DIVE WATCHES
I can not recommend any version of a smart watch for anyone in the military as the ability to access cellular or wi-fi data networks is not always available, like at sea but especially during combat conditions. A good old-fashioned automatic mechanical movement that takes nothing more than the motion of your wrist to keep it wound sounds much more practical to me.
AJ
US Veteran
Why not the next time he is home on Leave or you visit him, just take him out and let him pick out what he wants. Just a thought.
Jon651
Member
The amount of radiation from tritium markers is completely negligible and blocked by the wall of the vial that holds it. Essentially, it is glass or plastic vial filled with H3 (hydrogen-3) with the inside walls coated with phosphors of varying colors. The light you see comes from the glowing of the phosphors as they are exposed to the H3. These markers are similar to (but much smaller than) the tritium vials used in night sights on firearms.
All watches that utilize Tritium illumination carry a “T” rating. This refers to the total watch radiation content which is measured in millicuries. Watches with a T25 rating contain up to 25mCi of radiation content and similarly, watches with a T100 rating contain above 25mCi and up to 100mCi, which is easily blocked by the vial walls and a trifling amount. This is far from anything like the truly radioactive Radium-226 that was used in painted-on watch markers of the 1920s and 1930s.
