^^^^ Got it. That all makes sense. I was just curious if there was some whizzbang-amazing feature that came on the Bremont that wasn't on the Timex. (And I totally agree on the lighted hands deal.)
Sweet Bremont. I think they did a great job in the design.Well, my Bremont came in the mail a few weeks ago, and I'm quite impressed. It's my first "nice" watch, and my gift to myself after my aircraft commander upgrade. The Z time and time zone bezel are awesome for the kind of flying I do. In the short time I've owned it, it has crossed all 24 time zones as well as crossed the equator- good times. Definitely a huge step up from my Citizen Skyhawk.
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Sweet Bremont. I think they did a great job in the design.
I contacted Bremont about designing a CG watch and they are totally into it, but getting enough pilot's to pony up the $$ is liking pulling teeth.
Any suggestions? If you could have just one nicer watch (not a Rolex), what would it be? And--this is a stupid question--how does one go about buying higher end watches? Do I just march into a jewelry store at a high end mall while I'm Stateside, and look at shiny things until I find one I like? Is a specialty store better and if so, how do I find a good one? Anything else I need to know?
Really depends on how much you're looking to spend. If he's not down with Rolex (who makes very nice stuff, and has a ton of brand cache), but thats the price range you're in, here's a few I'd recommend:
-Omega (specifically the Speedmaster Professional lineup and this one )
-Tudor, which is Rolex's little known brother. The Heritage Black Bay is my personal want right now. ( http://www.tudorwatch.com/#/en/ )
-Bell and Ross - More of a vintage look ( http://www.bellross.com/us/ )
-Bremont - They've been doing stuff with military more, and have some neat pieces. ( http://www.bremont.com )
In terms of how to go about it, I'd pick which one you want and then find an authorized dealer in Japan or nearby (Hong Kong?) that's favorable exchange rate-wise. Some will knock a bit off the price (heard as much as 10%ish, but that's a LOT), but they won't move too much. AAFES and the NEX are authorized dealers for some brands, if you want to go that route. Stick to an authorized dealer, otherwise the warranty will be void and resale value down the line will be diminished. Some brands have boutiques in big cities like New York, Tokyo, etc. No discounts there at all.