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**LesserBlackDog** · December 11, 2012, 08:51 PM

It's hard to give recommendations without more concrete criteria. How do you feel about:

Watch movements (i.e. automatic vs. quartz)
Size
Bracelet vs. strap
Dial color

If you like the Orange Monster and are interested in the dive watch style, the Orient Mako and Orient Ray are well-liked around here. They are both dive watches like the Monster, but slightly smaller and dressier in design. They are automatic and Japanese-made, like the Monster. You can generally find them for $120ish at various online watch sellers. Put one on a leather strap and it will be dressy enough for most business occasions.

**LesserBlackDog** · December 11, 2012, 08:54 PM

Also - this may be obvious, but if you think the Orange Monster is inappropriate to wear at work, you might take a look at the more subdued Black Monster. Seiko also has a variety of "Mini Monsters" (actually the same size as the regular Monsters) in a few different color combinations that are slightly less eccentric-looking than the original Monster.

**WilderPegasus** · December 11, 2012, 10:37 PM

Orient Mako XL can be had in your price range.

**JBarwick** · December 12, 2012, 12:00 AM

I am with BenR. I think size and bracelet/strap are your first decisions then dial color and movement. Sites like Ruelala and Myhabit tend to have some nice looking watches in a variety of styles and colors. I keep wanting to pull the trigger on a Rotary automatic in rose gold but haven't made the dive yet.

My first watch was a cheap Timex from Target until I saved up for a Hamilton Khaki automatic which I wear in every environment. It is a 44mm case with brown leather strap and takes a beating. I was on a plane next to an executive at a company and we were both wearing the same watch. He loved to durability as did I and he said it was a travel watch.

Good luck there is a lot to learn. Also check out the other watch thread where the guy is going crazy over his quartz movement Timex not having the second hand hit the hash mark. It's cheap for a reason and I doubt accuracy comes first.

**LesserBlackDog** · December 12, 2012, 12:10 AM

I actually don't think Timex is a bad way to go for your first watch. Timex has quite a bit of variety in their designs and you can look at a bunch of them in-person at Target or Wal-Mart. Before I got seriously interested in watches, my daily-wearer for many years was a simple Timex Expedition analog. And I have to say, I was pretty disappointed to learn that Indiglo is not a universal feature to all watch brands. I wore that Timex literally every day, awake, sleeping, at the gym, at the office, even occasionally into the shower (accidentally). It's actually still in perfectly fine aesthetic and working condition, though the leather strap finally fell apart. It was actually the search for a new strap that led me into watches and watch-collecting in the first place.

Timex still makes some really nice stuff. If you want to try out a style of watch, an inexpensive Timex is a good way to do it without breaking the budget. I still have this simple field watch:

As well as this one with a vintage pilot style to it:

The main thing to be wary of with Timex watches is that they have quite a loud tick. If you don't sleep with some kind of white noise and you leave the watch out in the open, you will probably hear it. It isn't too hard to keep them in a drawer, a watch box, or a nightstand, though (or even on your wrist, under the covers).

**jesot** · December 12, 2012, 01:50 PM

The Mako was under consideration before I came here.

I ended up ordering a blue one for $120 because I liked the options for changing the strap down the road when I have a better every day watch. I added a Skagen 858 for $55 as well.

I'm really excited to start my collection.

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Need my first watch.

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