Watch & water resistance questions

[Fire and Ice]

DH surprised me with a beautiful watch for our anniversary last week that is a Baume & Mercier Riviera

I went in to have a couple of links taken out of it and while there I asked about the 50M water resistance rating. I was told that I could not safely get the watch in water but the accidental splash would be ok. When I asked more questions the guy brought out a sheet of paper with these ratings:

50M - Moderate exposure to moisture will not damage the watch.
100M - Submersion in shallow water acceptable. Showering, dishwashing, and other similar exposure to moisture can be tolerated.
200M or more - Watch has been designed for diving.

So now I wonder if I need to exchange the watch for one I can wear all of the time and not worry about it. I love having a beautiful time piece (this is a first for me). I find myself wanting to look at it all of the time

but I don't want to have to take it off 10x a day when I need to wash dishes, give the kids a bath, or take them to the pool.

So here are my questions: Which water rating do I need? Is it still possible to have a beautiful jewelry piece that doesn't look too sporty? I want something that looks more like jewelry which is why DH chose the model w/ diamonds. Should I exchange the watch and if so, what would you suggest?

I've looked at the Tag, Omega, and Rolex. All of models are similar but Tag and Omega would be the closest in looks to the B&M Riviera. The Rolex is lovely but once the diamonds are added, it’s more than I want to spend right now. Btw, I love gold watches and used to wear all gold but DH purchased steel because my new rings will be platinum and my studs are already platinum. When I asked about a two-tone watch, DH said he didn't like them.

*whew, that was long*

 

[widget]

F&I...congratulations on your beautiful new watch!!!

I can''t answer your question...LOL in fact your ''question'' had a lot of answers.

Being safe for occasional splashes (50M) would do for me. I''m not bothered by taking off my watches for doing wettish chores. I''m so paranoid that I''d probably remove mine even if they were approved for diving!

I haven''t looked, but surely there must be dressy (diamond) watches out there with 100M ratings??

Anyhoo...congrats! It''s lovely!

widget

 

[Fire and Ice]

Thanks widget.

I guess my answers in the post aren''t really *my* answers, just what the guy at the watch store said. I don''t know how much of it is true.

I''m one of those people that is lost w/out a watch. So I wonder what rating is really safe for what I want to do. Ex. dishes, gardening, bath time for the kids, swimming, etc.

Rolex 100M
Omega Constellation 100 M
Omega Aqua Terra 150M
Tag Link 200M
Tag Aquaracer 300M

Tag has the best water resistance ratings but I wonder if 100M would be enough. I''ve also read that Tag is a very new watch company and considered by some to be trendy and more for the younger crowd. Omega, OTOH is a very old & respected name in watches.

I''ve read every thread I can find on watches here and my head is spinning.

 

[crown1]

hi! i have a breitlling ss diamond hour markers and diamond bezel mop face. it is 100 meters. i can''t post pics but if you google matatora''s watch mine is like it but different band since the style was changed. i liked hers so well i had to have it. don''t know if it is dressy enough for you but i love mine. hth.

 

[Fire and Ice]

I hadn''t considered the Breitling but after looking on their site they do have some nice models. I''ll have to try that one on today too.

I''m going today to make the exchange since this is the last day we can do it. I hope I make the right decision so I don''t have watch regret.

 

[monarch64]

F&I, I''m 30, and last year DH got me the Tag Link with mother of pearl face and diamond markers. It''s rated at 200m and I wear it when doing dishes, watering plants, basically all the time except when sleeping or showering. I''ve had no problems with it so far. There''s another PS''r, LisaC, who owns a few Tags and has been very happy with them as well. My DH also has a Link (men''s version), and he''s very hard on watches and his has held up quite well also. HTH.

 

[Jewels]

Hi F & I,

I can''t speak for other brands other than Tag Heuer as I do not own them. Between DH and I, we have 9 Tag watches. The first one was bought in 1990. All of them are still running very well. Love them all. TH is not a new company; it''s been around since 1880. Official timekeeper for one of Olympics and many formula 1 races.

Most of the Tag watches go up to 200M. They have so many designs and IMHO look good for anyone in any age. Got my first Tag when I was a teenager and still loving and wearing them at 31. For sure good value for your bucks. If you are looking for an everyday watch, the one Monarch has is very nice, you also get some bling from it. At your price point, you can also consider the Alter Ego, but it is a dressier watch. Oh, if you get a TH please get it in steel!!!!

Good luck with your search, if you have any further questions on TH, let me know.

Keep us posted on your progress.

 

[monarch64]

Jewels, sorry, maybe I had you mixed up with LisaC when I was telling F&I about the other Tag lover here on PS! I had a thread about my Tag about 1.5 yrs. ago I think, and I remember LisaC responding and I think you responded and posted pics of some of your Tags as well, but correct me if I''m wrong, lol!

It''s hard to keep track of all the great people and their bling here!

 

[Jewels]

Date: 5/31/2007 1:21:11 AM
Author: monarch64
Jewels, sorry, maybe I had you mixed up with LisaC when I was telling F&I about the other Tag lover here on PS! I had a thread about my Tag about 1.5 yrs. ago I think, and I remember LisaC responding and I think you responded and posted pics of some of your Tags as well, but correct me if I'm wrong, lol!

It's hard to keep track of all the great people and their bling here!

No worries Monarch. I bet you are enjoying your Tag and the bling bling in your Tag

 

[Jewels]

F & I - any updates on your watch? Did you keep the B&C or did you exhange it for something else?

 

[Fire and Ice]

Sorry I didn''t get back to update sooner. DH and the kids are all sick.

I did trade the watch. It was a very sad moment since I really liked the BM but I just couldn''t live with something that I felt nervous anywhere near water.

I tried on several watches but the sales lady kept pushing the Tag Link saying it was "kid proof" and DH liked the Link w/ diamond bezel and diamond markers better than the Aquaracer. He didn''t like the face of the Aquaracer but I liked the bracelet style much better than the link. So in the end I walked out w/ the Link because the face seemed more classic to me and I felt I could really wear it with everything.

Fast forward....I''ve worn it a few days and I just can''t make myself love this watch.

I like the face but I don''t enjoy looking at the bracelet. I just can''t get over the polished SS and Link design. So now I''m trying to find something w/ a standard bracelet design that is a combination of brushed & polished or all brushed.

I''m seriously considering the Omega Aqua Terra since it has the bracelet style I like and it''s WR to 150M. Any opinions on this watch?

Here''s another question for anyone reading this thread: My new rings will be plat (long story in the thread "Jeweler lost stones") so I would be fine w/ all SS if I only wore my wedding set but I have other pieces that are YG. Do I need a two-tone watch to pull together the look? Should I also consider two-tone just so it will look better on me? I''m of french descent and look the part.

I''m very petite 5''2" approx 95 lbs w/ yellow undertones, lt brown hair & hazel eyes. I look great in YG and warm tone clothes.

DH would prefer the all SS w/ the plat rings since I wear my watch on my left hand. However, I would like the opinion of PS''s since everyone here loves jewelry and has great taste.

 

[Jewels]

Hi F & I,

Sorry to hear that you and your family are not feeling well. I''m also sorry to hear that you do not like the Tag Link.

I have some feedback to your questions and here they go:

I do not own an Omega so I can''t comment. All I know is that it is a very good brand. Have you had a chance to try on the Omega?

I found Monarch''s tread (hope you don''t mind me posting Monarch) and it has a few pics of my Tag watches. The 2000 Series is the older version of the Aquaracer. My fav Tag is the 2000 Series, it''s so classic and I wear it 80% of the time. There are many versions of the Aquaracer, poilish steel, brushed steel, 2 tone steel, gold and steel. Black face, silver face, white face etc. You should give it another chance and try on a few versions. Try them on at a store which carries many Tag watches and if you find something you like, get the serial number, go back to the store you got your watch from and ask them to order the one for you.

As for steel, or two tone gold and steel, don''t worry about having it to match your rings and jewelry. Just get the one that speaks to you. My old e-ring was in YG and my new rings are in platinum, they all look very good with my 3 steel Tags, my one 2 tone Tag and my black band Tag. But if I could only choose one Tag, I would get the one in brushed steel.

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/which-watch-do-you-like.38587/

Good luck. You have so many choices, you''ll for sure find something you like.

 

[monarch64]

No worries Jewels, and thank you for digging up that thread, i''m not so good at finding threads and posting links, ha!

F&I, sorry to hear you''re not happy with the link bracelet...but understandable, to each her own, right? I agree with Jewels, don''t worry about coordinating all your metals, get what you love and don''t worry about all the rest. currently Dh and I are actually struggling with whether to get me a tri-color or all white gold rolling ring with diamonds on one band and we just can''t decide because I wear either all white metals or all yg on a daily basis and we both can''t decide whether we like the "mixed" look of the metals, lol! But a RHR is totally different from a watch because with a RHR you can change it up and with a watch you most likely will be wearing it every day...hmmm...I can understand your dilemma.

I don''t know much about Omega at all, DH has been considering Rolex as his and my next watch purchases so we haven''t even looked at Omega, but from what I hear and see they are great....if you find a style that suits you and is water resistant so you can wear it around the pool and kids then I say go for it!

 

[Fire and Ice]

Jewels - Thank you for the thread link. You have a beautiful watch collection!

It''s very good to know from both of you that it doesn''t matter if I mix metals or not. I would suppose that anything would be fine since I''ll only be wearing my plat set on my left hand.

Monarch - I think the tri-color would be beautiful and my mind is thinking of something a-la the Trinity ring. It''s the first mixed metal ring I fell in love with!

Ok, so I finally found a watch that I really like the entire design of but it''s out of budget right now and I''m not even sure it exists since it''s listed on amazon.

I can''t get the pic to post so I''ll just give the link: http://www.amazon.com/Rolex-Oyster-Perpetual-Datejust-Diamond/dp/images/B000KL74QM

 

[widget]

Hi, F&I...sorry you''re having trouble finding just what you want. That Rolex you just posted is yummy...maybe worth waiting for?

Or maybe you could check some sites that sell formerly owned Rolexes?

Regarding mixing metals...I think there''s no problem at all, unless they''re being mixed on the same watch. Just me, I guess...but I really don''t care too much for two-toned watches. Neither fish nor fowl sort of thing. Since you wear your watch on your left, I''d go for stainless steel, and not worry about what my right hand was wearing.

widget

 

[Fire and Ice]

Date: 6/3/2007 9:16:56 AM
Author: widget
That Rolex you just posted is yummy...maybe worth waiting for?

Or maybe you could check some sites that sell formerly owned Rolexes?

DH did say I could upgrade in a few years if I still want to but we have to wait until the new house is built and the kids are little older.

In the meantime I''ll either trade again or just wear the Tag even though it doesn''t smile at me. Whatever I do, I''ll need to figure it out soon since today is the last day I can trade my watch. At the very least, I''ll have to get them to fix the Tag or give me another one since the second hand doesn''t line up between the 15 to 30 marks. This is not at all what I expected for a watch at that price.

I checked some of the pre-owned watches while at the store and they didn''t have any models I liked. They mostly had the bracelet style that seems most prevalent. I''m blanking on the name of it right now but it had the little pearls in the middle of the band. I don''t know what it is but this bracelet kept pulling the hair on my wrist.

Regarding mixing metals...I think there''s no problem at all, unless they''re being mixed on the same watch. Just me, I guess...but I really don''t care too much for two-toned watches. Neither fish nor fowl sort of thing. Since you wear your watch on your left, I''d go for stainless steel, and not worry about what my right hand was wearing.

Thanks! You know, after watch-watching

all weekend, I found I didn''t care for the two-tone look either when I was seeing it on others. So I get to tell DH that he''s right...again.

 

[Jewels]

I am not a huge fan of Rolex but I love the one you posted. It''s worth saving up for.

So did you see any other watches in the store today? I hope you end up with a watch which you''ll like.

 

[Fire and Ice]

I tried on several but really liked the Omega Aqua Terra 150M WR. The sales lady called me back and says it doesn''t come in quartz (even though the Omega website says it does) and also the price is much more than the Tag. Argh!

I''m not sure I can justify the price to get the Omega AT in auto, as it''s easily twice the price of the Tag but I love the classic design of this watch. It also has luminescent markers so I can tell the time in low light and the crown is easier to use.

So what would you do?

 

[Fire and Ice]

Here''s the Tag Link:

 

[widget]

It's beautiful!

Have you checked with any other dealers locally or on line? Seems weird to me that Omega says they have a quartz version when they don't...

widget

ETA: I posted this before I saw the Tag. It's pretty too, but I prefer the Omega. Hope you can chase one down somewhere. Good luck!

 

[monarch64]

They''re both beautiful...as far as movement I''d go for the Omega with auto vs. the Tag with quartz if that helps at all and you can justify the price difference.

Sorry I don''t know anything about Omega. I will say this: my Tag came with an appraisal from our jeweler, and the diamonds were graded, which was a pleasant surprise (I hadn''t researched Tags with diamonds, DH surprised me with the model he ended up giving me). Also, will your jeweler come down on the price of the Omega automatic from retail? Just food for thought.

 

[monarch64]

One more thing: have you tried adjusting either watch when trying them on? I do find the Tag very difficult to adjust, DH usually has to do it for me as he has stronger fingers than I, so I wonder if that could be a possible point of comparison as well?

 

[Fire and Ice]

I just found out that the Omega I wanted was discontinued approx a year ago. The Omega rep said he gets more calls about that watch than he can count and doesn''t know why they discontinued it. Omega might want to take a hint.

The other version they have is the automatic but the bezel is different. I''ll post a pic of it.

So now I''m back to square one.

I''m now considering the Tag Aqua Racer as well since it has the luminescent hands and a different bracelet style. But is it too sporty for the classic where everyday & everywhere watch I''m looking for?

Also, while I''m on the idea of the everyday watch...is it inappropriate or too much to have the diamond bezel? If I would be better off with a simpler style, please let me know.

 

[Lorelei]

Omegas are incredible watches and are worth the cost. As to the diamonds on them, I think they are generally G- H VVS. I wear one with a diamond bezel daily and it looks great with everything.

 

[Jewels]

I like the Tag Link you posted, I''ve tried it on before and love it. The mother of pearl face is super nice. The only thing is that the price is pretty steep. Can you also post the Aquaracer that you like?

You can certainly get away with having a bit of diamonds on your watch for everyday wear.

 

[Fire and Ice]

Here you go Jewels! It''s not the best pic.

 

[monarch64]

The Aquaracer is really pretty, definitely blingy but not too much, imo, for everyday wear. I looked at that one as well when choosing my Tag, I do remember i liked the bracelet on it better than the Link style, but DH persuaded me in the end to get the Link, hee hee. I''m happy with it but wouldn''t turn up my nose at an Aqua either!

I would think you could get around 30% off the retail price, something to consider.

 

[Jewels]

I like the Aquaracer too. Did you have a chance to try that on? I am sure it cost a lot less than the Link.

I also like the plaiin Aquaracer without diamonds in it.

 

[Fire and Ice]

Thanks for all of the feedback!

Lorelei, which Omega do you have?

Jewels, thank you for all of the info on the Tag. The Link is what I'm currently holding (the manager said he would give me more time to make my decision and I certainly appreciate his patience.) Luckily, the price of the Link is not an issue. DH said to get what I like as long as I'm under $7000. I never imagined years ago when we were just starting out that I would spend that on a watch.

The only thing I have to think of right now is the style of the watch; elegant and appropriate for everyday and business dinners w/out being too blingy, quality build, and able to take a beating and be dunked in water. Quite a list, eh?

I'm still stuck on the 3 - Link, Aqua Racer, or Omega in auto mechanical w/ the spaced diamond bezel.

I have to admit that I'm leaning towards the Aqua Racer right now. The spaced diamonds on the Omega aren't as pretty to me as the solid circle of diamonds on the model that was discontinued. The Link bracelet is ok but I guess isn't for me. The Tag is the closest I have come since it has the luminescent hands, WR rating, etc. However, is the watch too common? I don't want something that everyone around me is wearing.

Oh, and I found I watch that I would LOVE to have if the face were a tad smaller. It's 37mm and they don't have plans to make it smaller.

Glashutte Sport Evolution M

 

[Jewels]

Date: 6/9/2007 4:43:40 PM
Author: Fire and Ice
Thanks for all of the feedback!

Lorelei, which Omega do you have?

Jewels, thank you for all of the info on the Tag. The Link is what I''m currently holding (the manager said he would give me more time to make my decision and I certainly appreciate his patience.) Luckily, the price of the Link is not an issue. DH said to get what I like as long as I''m under $7000. I never imagined years ago when we were just starting out that I would spend that on a watch.

The only thing I have to think of right now is the style of the watch; elegant and appropriate for everyday and business dinners w/out being too blingy, quality build, and able to take a beating and be dunked in water. Quite a list, eh?

I''m still stuck on the 3 - Link, Aqua Racer, or Omega in auto mechanical w/ the spaced diamond bezel.

I have to admit that I''m leaning towards the Aqua Racer right now. The spaced diamonds on the Omega aren''t as pretty to me as the solid circle of diamonds on the model that was discontinued. The Link bracelet is ok but I guess isn''t for me. The Tag is the closest I have come since it has the luminescent hands, WR rating, etc. However, is the watch too common? I don''t want something that everyone around me is wearing.

Oh, and I found I watch that I would LOVE to have if the face were a tad smaller. It''s 37mm and they don''t have plans to make it smaller.

Glashutte Sport Evolution M

OMG, you didn''t mention that you can go up to $7,000. You do have a list of requirements. Ok, I''m going to be really bad, I''m going to suggest that you get 2 watches....

Get this