Having sold a watch (painfully) which I promised to sell after buying another, I got a little leeway to pick up something a little less expensive, which also fit a need in the collection. The search for a black dial watch on bracelet under $1000 was tricky, for obvious reasons. Quality next to my other pieces was an issue--if I just don't feel the watch stands up to the others, it will sit in the winder. Variety was an issue as well. My Chrono-matic SE, my 3536-3 Aquatimer, and my Sub, even in two-tone blue, are really sport-first pieces. I wanted something to fit more like a dress piece, which knocks out most of the indie makers. If I go higher up in perceived brand quality at least, then condition becomes an issue. Also, there's the never-ending issue of getting a bracelet which doesn't look copycat or feel cheap.
I started looking a new Hamiltons. The price leader was a Valiant three-hand, a surprisingly nice piece well within the budget. Decent band, simple arabic dial, number style just a bit like a Portuguese, not bad. But I never stop at the first thing I see. I kept on investigating and the natural sport bent sent me looking at pre-owned Oris pieces. I liked them, could see owning one as a sport watch actually used for sport, but it didn't truly fit the need.
The Hamilton GMT caught my eye and on a recommendation I took a look. Great piece for the money,listing at about 1300, but the dealer who would deal did not have one on bracelet, and the store which did was a little tight with discounts. The latter dealer then pulled out something he thought might fit my stated needs, a Ball Trainmaster Eternity. I hadn't even looked at the Ball counter, they all seemed on the sporty side to me and just a little too heavy on the tubes. But this one had a classic look, restrained, a great sunburst dial, a nice bracelet. Perhaps most important, wearing my IWC at the time, the Ball stood up from an appearance, detail and workmanship standpoint. But it was way over the budget.
I went home to consider my options, back to WatchRecon I went, and there was a pre-owned Trainmaster Eternity for sale. It was still a little more than I wanted to spend, though less than the dealer was holding for the Hamilton, and I ended up buying it.
A couple weeks on, now, I am really happy with the purchase. It's a completely different look from my other pieces (the GMT Hamilton had a bit of a sport look) and as is the case with most Ball watches, the piece was obviously regulated tight from the factory. I'm within 2 seconds a day so far. Part of the unique look of the piece is a severely domed sapphire crystal, which aids the classic look but makes for a lot of reflections, even with AR on the inside. Photographing the piece is nearly impossible, and just doesn't do it justice. At 39.5mm and all dial, its a very nice size. The crown is an unusual, sort of antique-inspired piece larger than normal but very easy to use. In photos it doesn't look as good, but I'm fine with it in the metal. Since it is a Ball, the tubes with whatever Ball calls it in them are there, but they are discreetly applied and its refreshing to have a dress watch you can read at night. No luck yet photographing them. The applied dagger markers provide great readability. One knock on dressier pieces is that they are harder to read. This piece might be in fact the easiest to read of my four.
Watch prices are rising at a frankly crazy rate, but there are still some values to be had. This piece is , I think, about $2100 new. I got it at about half that, in near-mint condition with all papers, etc. All insanity is relative, I suppose, but I think I can say within context that you still don't have to pay insane money to get a quality watch.
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