Top 20 Best Watches Under $2000 - The Coolest Rolex Ever - 5 Things I Love & Hate About The Sinn 104

okay hi guys and welcome to the show today a hell of a lot to get through now before we get into this video a quick little disclaimer unfortunately I'm not well at all I've got a bit of a flu and as soon as I'm done shooting this video and editing I'm going back to bed my throat is on fire I feel absolutely rotten but I didn't want to leave you guys without something to watch you guys know that I soldier on regardless the only thing that's gonna stop me is or has stopped me from making videos is yep serious major organ failure if you guys have been following you would have known my history with my health issues but anyway hmm so my throat is on fire I'm gonna just be I've got some really good tea here keep hydrated and keep going now first of all as a treat because I'm feeling a little rotten i've Netflixed commando with arnold schwarzenegger as a little treat i haven't ever seen i've seen parts of it but i haven't seen this if you guys remember i did the video about my top favorite ten films with watches and so now i included what was it predator with Arnie's the Arnie I think it's the H five five eight or is it the eight eight I can never remember references but you know the watch I'm talking about I think he wears the same watch in this movie so I'm very much looking forward to watching that secondly we're in a moment we'll be discussing Helen these are the wrong notes we've got the wrong notes here ah here we go sorry I'm I'm all over the place today I'm a little bit I mean yesterday out it was worse but today thankfully I'm able to string a sentence together so I'm gonna do my five loves and loads of thes in 104 I've currently got it on this stunning gray suede strap from Flacco that I got from holburns so we'll be discussing that in just a moment before we get into this I've got to do a swatch check and slightly inspired by the Rolex retaining and look at later I'm wearing my tea salt Janiero this is a tea song not a Timex I'm not gonna muck it up this time but yeah very 1930s inspired telling me to scale they're gorgeous I mean very quite rare now so you'll see why I wore it kind of you know it's it's got to do with the Rolex we're gonna discuss later so anyway let's roll the intro and get into the day's video [Music] [Applause] [Music] before we get on to the Zin because it's related to the Zin let's do a countdown of the top 20 now I have the results here you guys voted this is the top 20 watches new this is not used at all excuse me as voted by the ug w see the Facebook group there's a link in the description if you are not a member it's free to join and there was I'm not 50 60 nominations so a site number 20 number 20 the long jeans heritage flagship I mean it doesn't really get much more long jeans than that it really doesn't in fact when I envisage long jeans in my mind that's what I think about I have not tried this one I gotta get it at 19 the Christopher Ward's c60 yes I reviewed this watch fantastic very very much under the the one thousand dollar range 18 one of my personal favorites the glycine M and number one this I think this is the slightly smaller 36 this of course is a GMT watch hugely iconic it predates the Rolex GMT I think by a few years glycine a brand I absolutely adore very glad that got in there at 17 the Alpena C strong this is a really cool diving watch Alpina's another brand and I'm trying to get them to lend me watches for a review they are being a little bit slow but it's a would be nice if they if they sent something into review guys if you own an Alpina do email me and you're willing to lend it in dying to look at that brand I love their chronograph especially the vintage stuff great brand 16 the Auris big crown pro pilot yes absolutely you guys know I love Oris I really love the look at this one some of the best aviation and diving watches at this price range without a doubt fiercely 100 years independent and standing brand so that was 16 15 the Zin 556 it's the entry levels in however it's minimalist tool aesthetic it's slightly kind of Pfleger ish but it's gorgeous I owe my kin this cause the buying one myself fantastic you guys know I love Zinn so that's at 15 really glad there's a few sins in here at 14 the Stover classic flinger so yes I'm so glad there's a lot of German and brands in there because amazing value for money so that was 14 13 long jeans heritage 1945 as the name suggests very 1940s inspired in it looks gorgeous watch that's well of one of my personal favorites the squall s6 the Atmos this is the bigger brother of the squall one five two one very 60s in design I actually reviewed this watch hugely hugely underrated in my opinion I mean you guys know I love the squatty one five two one but I actually think this is Skylar's best watch technically the quality is even improved they are built like absolute tanks a whole different level to the squad room or five to one so that was 12 sorry 11 we got enormous Orion I have reviewed this piece as well beautiful minimalist Bauhaus German made very thin elegant what more is there to say I love that watch I've also reviewed that one so now we're getting in the top 10 at 10 we have the Tag Heuer aqua racer fantastic I love the Aqua racer I've also reviewed one of them the more kind of brutalist styled one automatics of course I actually almost bought one myself I mean I almost bought all of these you know if I haven't bought them excuse me so that was 10 number nine very happy about this fairly constant slimline moon phase automatic gorgeous watch very very classic feathery constan are just offering so much for so little relatively new brand I believe they were bought by citizen now so it's made of course it's a beautiful more affordable alternative to let's say you know that those usually called through ultra-thin watches was it master ultra that I can never remember sorry my mind is not with me today but yes I love the creation and the movement and this is really gorgeous so that was number nine number eight the Auris diver 65 now I haven't reviewed the standard version I reviewed the special edition the bronze Cobra share I read that version of it I love it I love it I love that watch it was on I have a friend of mine who owns this gorgeous very retro sixties inspired already really have so many affordable divers at this price range they dominate that this this pole here so that was number eight number seven the Longines legend diver which I actually have here I'm gonna review very very soon stay tuned I'm running a little bit behind where I'm always behind them my reviews but now I've been sick a couple of days so yeah very retro inspired that inner rotating bezel dramatic of course how many long jeans is that one two three long jeans in this in this pole fantastic is dominated by German watches by Horus by laundry is fantastic that's this is this is such a fun price range anyway um so that was seven number six ain't shooter yes we got a tutor in there the true the Ranger of course I think it's about forty one millimeters I love their vintage ranges although the prices have shot up it's a kind of I guess it's true dispersion of the Rolex Explorer little dash of red there I think on the second hand if I remember correctly gorgeous automatic of course I mean you guys know I love true this so that was number six number five the sake of marine master three hundred absolutely who was it aboard this Oh Jeremy of course one of the the right honourable admins of the of this very group just bought one gorgeous watch big its Matt show its sake hose higher end diver automatic course very coolly the curves of the case it's just it's it's very rugged and and macho you know and I think it suits Jeremy's style perfectly and I would almost say it's kind of like its actually standard in its finishing gorgeous watch so that was number five excuse me number four young hands the maxvill automatic yes another German brand favorite watch an iconic watch the originals were of course designed in collaboration with max build some real Bauhaus you know because he graduates from the school there of course minimalist stylish iconic what more can we say I've also reviewed one of these as well shout out to my good friend Arthur there to have a look back in the archives so that was number four number three enormous again the enormous club I'm not familiar with this one I prefer the Orion just a matter of taste but really cool to see the club up there fantastic beautiful such good taste such good taste guys I mean there isn't one watch here that I don't like you know fantastic makes me proud of to be part of this community so that was number three number two the aqueous automatic diver from Oris of course and what's great about the Aqua sisters you know you got the entry level with a date and then you got the chronograph see they need the super high-end we're not su behind but the higher end you have the depth gauge which is just a fantastic complication a serious serious dive watch I only wish they had a forty millimeter version I would you know that I can't find them anyway I tried to buy one the other month again you know for the third time and I'm glad it's at number two because it's one of the first watches I reviewed on the channel and it actually inspired me to start the channel because I felt watches at this price range we're not getting enough attention I mean nowadays it's all changed everybody in there and their mothers on YouTube it's design is so unique it's so it was a breath of fresh air it feels a there's a little bit of black band Fifty Fathoms and in there but yet it's modernist it's contemporary the lug guards the case the ceramic bezel everything about it is so endearing so excuse me I've gotta have another sip of the tea here Oh much better so yeah it's a very important watch and another month goes past I don't consider me buying it anyway so what's at number one so that was number two what is that number one well it's no surprise it's the Xing 104 my darling little Zin 104 this is my second one I actually did rebuy it it's important for me to have a German watching the collection I really think this watch is a classic in the making as it's number one let's discuss my five loves and loathe now it was a really difficult watch to to do the the hates the five hates although you know and it's I just do it because that's what the trend is on on YouTube I don't I don't hate anything about this watch to be honest there are watches that I love more than those in one of four that I rape Highlanders in one of four even my Submariner I can find more things I hate about the Samana and I do about this watch that's just how amazing this watch is so let's start with the the five best or five good things positives about this watch number one its design undoubtedly I think Zin just hit a home run when they designers watch everything about it the proportions the scale of everything in relation to everything else the crown guards the angles of the lugs the dial lay out the little minute markings the syringe style hands that display back they even decorated the movement very very nicely for a watch at this price range incredible I love it's truly aesthetic although at 11 millimeters it wears almost quite dressy you can put it on a beautiful strap like I have and you could get away with it wearing it formal occasions although a little bit of a faux pas there is an elegance to it and I think that is a testament to its classic design it's clean yet functional the watch design takes as in back to its roots a simple design without clutter or gimmicks you see the case being used in the chronographs it's the same case now guys I have reviewed this watch so if you want to find out more about its technical specifications have a look at the review I'll leave a link up there that everything has been so well considered in the designer and it translates to how you feel when you wear the wash anyway we'll get onto that in just a moment so number two so that wasn't my first positive number two or first love number two the value for money so it's priced at about 1200 a little bit more for the bracelet version I'm not really big into bracelets as you know the only watch I ever wear on the bracelet is is my rolex submariner because it's got the best bracelet and clasp in the world in my opinion so it's quite a bargain I think at the price range it set a tremendous value for money and I've also got to say it keeps its price impeccably well if you've ever heard what snobs say oh you know watches at this price range do not keep them their money absolute hogwash it's absolute rubbish this watch when I first bought it I almost sold it for literally not even $100 less than that what I bought it for that is how strong the demand is that is how strong Zinn is which is quite unheard of at this price range so it's just proof that it's a solid brand and that shows value for money and that shows that this watch really is a great value proposition there's a ton of attention to detail here gives the feeling of a luxury timepiece and I said this in my very first review of the watch and in my second one when I revisited it a year or so later its nipping at the heels of the big boys it's comparable to brands like Omega in the finishing it really is so that's tremendous value for money okay my third love is it's the perfect everyday watch the complication the daily complication is very legible and easy to read it's a very useful coming I always forget one day a week it is excuse me so for me very very easy also the countdown bezel although it's a little bit unusual it's very useful for cooking and everyday tasks it's also bi-directional so it just it's a bit easier to set you don't have to grind you know turn it all the way around you can set it easily it's also very robust which we'll get onto in them in a moment with my what point is this with my my fourth point I also think it's it's very wearable its styling just goes with everything is hard not to wear so that's definitely my third love of the watch it's a great everyday it's the perfect everyday watch okay so that was number three number four performance now as in state let me just get this the quote correct they say that the mood the bass movement because it is a silly to SW to two hundred although they have modified it they've added them custom rotor the blued screws actually very nicely decorated I must say the performance is impeccable now it's not chronometer certified although they say it's chronometer grade equivalent I have a feeling they they well I'm fairly certain they've regulated it out of the factory both times I've bought this watch it performs impeccably well not only that the loom is outstanding very very clear and legible the hands of generous you can easily distinguish between the hands and which way up the watch is from the loom not only that you've got two hundred meters water resistant which makes it you can go you could in theory you could go diving with this watch it's an aviation pilot watch but yet you can go diving with it it's quite incredible you know how obviously it has the screw down crown you got sapphire on the front and the back beautifully subtly dawned on me on the front usually at this price range you'll see companies they'll put sapphire on the front but then they'll put you know acrylic or whatever on the on the display back no Zingo all the way and I love that that's you know it performs incredibly it's also low pressure resistant they drop tested it they've done a whole bunch of testing and Xin of excellent at doing that it doesn't have the the all the technology that Xin have developed in their higher-end pieces but the expertise the core the craftsmanship is there you feel it performs impeccably well okay lastly I gotta say it's one of the most versatile watches and this is something that kind of again proves that it's a classic or classic in the making if you look at the Submariner if you look at the speed master at the Omega Speedmaster if you look at any iconic classic watch they're very versatile dress this up on a crocodile it will look amazing put it on a NATO put it on a rubber strap it's just very very versatile in fact as such an extent you know it's it's you can almost say it's the only of what she rarely ever need it's not only versatile in its accessorize ation but it's also versatile in its application as the water resistance is so high but for anything any situation so definitely versatility is one of its a major major strong points so let's go on to negatives because this is the really challenging part I've never had such a difficult time finding negatives for a watch and it's very difficult anyway my first little gripe is the cam down bezel I'm so used to the standard dive time bezel of divers that this being in Reverse because it you know it's countdown you got 55 where normally you'd have five minutes it's in Reverse it threw me off a little to begin with there's a little bit of a not a learning curve but you have to get used to it not a major downfall however I must mention that some people really don't like the countdown bezel they're just that just they just don't like it I can understand bit of a Marmite effect I think but a great complication nonetheless secondly now this is probably my major negative of this watch I wish it had drilled lug holes it's such a strap monster that if it had I think it would suit it's it's totally aesthetic some people will be like oh well now I think it would ruin the elegance of the of the lugs those beautiful beveled edge lugs they are quite angular I do love the lugs so much easy you don't scratch the case so I think it would have really suited it okay so that was number two number three they are always sold out it's a victim of its own success the times I've gone to watch buys and try to buy one and how I sold out then I kind of forgot about it I came back a month late sold out I actually had to I bought this and my rebuy is actually a swap I swapped it was a pot exchange for a watch and some money so I had to add buy it essentially on the used market and a lot of people do now unfortunately here in the United States I'm not aware of any stores probably there is zine available here in York but it's for most people in the Unites States especially if you live out further away from big cities it's difficult to try these watches on you're gonna have to order it online so I think that's a big negative for this watch and the brand in general is that you know I never tried this watch on when I bought it the first time I was looking at pictures I took a gamble you know I had already got had the channel for a little while so I took a gamble it paid off massively other times it hasn't it would be nice to be able to try it on unfortunately Zen is still very much a watch enthusiast brand it's still very excuse me under the radar there's advantages to that as well but there's also disadvantages so it's a shame it's always sold out and you can't really try them on so that is my third negative or hey number four and you given roll your eyes at this and yeah I'm sick of saying as well I wish it was a fraction Afflick smaller in diameter had this bin even a 39 or a 38 millimeter watch it would have been perfect just perfection it's already you know close to perfection just for me this is just for me however I got to say from for most people it suits their wrists absolutely fine so it's it's very much a personal hate or pet peeve or loathed or whatever however you want to call it from sorry I'm gonna have some more tea yeah it's it's you know I say this basically in every video ever and I apologize I'm sick of saying it it's just you know skinny wrist problems skinny first of all the wrist problems number 5 it makes me question spending more money on watches now how is that I hate well recently I was approached by a viewer who had I think a $50,000 budget and he wanted to buy two he wanted a to watch collection one in my recommendations I love watches of all levels as you guys know but the feeling this watch gives me it makes me question spending any more on a watch it really does when it and it's a it's a fantastic thing but it kind of makes me reevaluate watch is on a high level it almost makes me think that spending any more money on watches is not distasteful but maybe it's a little overindulgent it's so classic this watch it's so restrained and yet functional and tastefully done that it makes me question spending more money on watches I could at moments I look at this watch I just feel well you know what more do you want this energy shock you don't really need anything more in life there are certain watches that are gateway watches that get you into the hobby and then there are watches like this that I just like I don't need anything more you know it's it's so it makes me quit how is that a negative Wow to be honest I came up with four I think I'm pretty pretty chuffed with that my fifth one is just it makes me question this this hobby the ridiculousness of wanting more expensive watches not really a hatred but I think I did pretty well I came up with four and a half four and a half please do share your thoughts your hates your loves of this watch especially if you are an owner I'd love to hear your feedback on this so let's move on now to the coolest Ronix of all time and it was part of the inspiration for wearing mighty soldier nail because this of course is a 1930s inspired design it's a reissue of some classic classic chronographs but he so did in collaboration with Lamar Nia way back in the 1930s so what is this Rolex well this is a World War two heroes Rolex and it was auctioned off now this article is from bear news I believe they're an auctioneer and antiques specialist in the United Kingdom so a big THANK YOU to them and I must give credit for this beautiful article this was auctioned off a little while ago I'll reveal the price at the end I'll also leave a link to this article if you want to find out more and have a have a butcher's at this incredible incredible watch I'll leave a link in the description so this was auctioned in December the 2nd 2015 this is a rare Rolex chronograph and it was included with the medals of a world war 2 RAF officer shot down by the zoo Gestapo in 1944 now this watch belonged to Flight Lieutenant John Francis Williams and he was known as Jack and he was the 67th allied officer to escape through tunnel Harry during the Great Escape now you all guy you guys have all seen the movie which Steve McQueen so this was the inspiration behind the story of that movie now this was he escaped in March 1944 now what makes this fascinating and this the coolest Rolex of all time is that this Rolex was actually ordered while he was in the camp and it was delivered to him from Rolex to the camp injure their was the camp I think it was here we go this is of course is the Stalag Luft 3 so Jack of course he was part of the hundred and seventh Squadron at RAF great messing him and he used to pilot I believe the Douglas Boston three bombers of the honey in seventh now the article goes in great detail and and he's he's pretty much the stereotypical kind of RAF officer you know driving there's even a picture here of his 1936 MG but what makes this watch so cool is that it was ordered and he and it was delivered to him while he was in the camp and I believe it was used to time training for that for the Great Escape obviously so it actually assisted in the digging and I think they were about three or four tunnels made this was a camp with both British and American prisoners of war in it but if you haven't seen the Great Escape with Steve McQueen I do I do urge you to check it out classic classic war movie in fact actually I've got to add it to my DVD collection but if we look at the watch itself let's have a scroll down it has that classic telling me to scale that beautiful black dial with the gold gilt print on it now I'm not sure but it looks like because the images are not that good but it looks like a column wheel it's obviously manual wine column wheel chronograph gorgeous I mean this is that the chronograph dreams are made of forget forget that the Paul Newman Daytona this is so much cooler because I think it was kept by I think it says here it was kept by an American because he unfortunately he was executed by the Gestapo but it was kept and given back to his family after the war so this is the reference let's have a look this is the reference three five two five it was made in nineteen forty-three you know with the two pushes there that the spacing of the the sub dials just look at that look at that dial I mean come on Rolex you've got you've got to make some chronographs like this it had the oyster case of course it had the oyster case and you can see on one of the pictures there's a little he's even kept the original label it says that the oyster watch is still dust and perspiration proof but will not withstand immersion in water so this is a very early oyster case it's even got the original strap I mean that kind of cognac leather strap I mean you can I'm gonna I'm gonna try and mimic this I think I'm gonna buy cognac colored leather strap with the same stitching and try and do the do the Great Escape I should call this the Great Escape really there's even the documentation and the medals that the jacks medals they're so cool I mean this is what dreams I mean this is a real Grail so how much did it go for let's have a look let's have a look well according to my research it's sold for a staggering one hundred and sixty-five thousand pounds that's pounds not dollars so Wow same it just makes the born human look like you know very quite modest in comparison but I mean definitely that the price is justified owned and used by a war hero in the field probably the coolest story behind any watch I've ever heard the fact it's a Rolex chronograph it's already not a common thing it's just unbelievably cool and you know I very Grail worthy it's just what dreams are made of I'm exhausted my throat is on fire I'm gonna take a one of these echinacea honey lemon with echinacea a throat drop I'm gonna get to bed and I'm gonna watch commando give you an update on psycho Saturday actually I'll try and get some screen captures of eyelids this is a cup and I'm exhausted and I feel absolutely terrible so guys I'm gonna leave it there let's just pop that in mmm thank you very very much watching please don't forget to add your thoughts quiz questions opinions all the rest of it in the comments below I'm off to bed hopefully I'll feel better for the next video yeah don't forget to like this video I am forgetting my thing don't forget to like this video if you enjoyed it and found it useful and as always guys I will catch you in the next one okay

Channel: The Urban Gentry

Views: 440,442

Rating: 4.8128433 out of 5

Keywords: sinn 104, Top 20 Best Watches Under $2000, rolex, 3525, ww2, world war II, the great escape, iconic, luxury, 5 Things I Love & Hate, longines, tudor, watch, best, review, cool, watches

Id: c-Ab7LRHmSM

Length: 32min 29sec (1949 seconds)

Published: Thu Apr 20 2017