I just went over to timezone to see if I could get you some direction. It looks like you are already on there though. I'm glad to see that you are putting some real effort into this decision.

 

i saw the Panerai at the dealer over the weekend. I've tried on rolex daytona and nothing felt nearly as good as the rolex. Panerai is rare and highly sought after... but doesn't float my boat. they can produce 30 watches a year and satisfy real collectors, i'm not a collector. u know what i'm saying?

 

IWC or Panerai's are my favorites. if i wasn't so wreckless with watches i'd get one.

 

i'd get the first one if you like to go to more formal outings, i'd get the second one if you plan to wear it day to day.

in my opinion, with that amount of money, i'd rather get another s2k in another color just for the sake of having two. haha

 

i would take day-date

there are sportier watches that you can buy for cheaper and rarer

 

I like the second one but with a white face.

 

Between those two? Daytona hands down. The white gold daytona w/ black dial and red hands stands appart from the daytona that has previously been available in a silver tone (stainless) because never before were you able to get that sweet color combo on the dial.

Yes, rolex does alloy their own gold and they use palladium in their mix so the white gold will wear evenly as another member stated before. heck, you can even polish rolex white gold...it's that far ahead of the white gold used in wedding rings

Now the other members DO bring up a good point though...there are MANY other timepieces out there which will draw more attention from "those in the know" I happen to sell all the brands listed in this thread so I can tell you that there are a LOT of great choices out there when playing with your budget!

Do you own a lot of watches already though? No matter the situation I've noticed that the first expensive watch (20k+) that people seem to gravitate toward is the rolex brand in general. They are without a doubt a sturdy piece that has a long standing history and quite good customer service. while they are not "hand made" like the patek they are 100% rolex made which means that there will always be replacement parts for your piece no matter when you need a service.

Just my 0.02 but as with anything else you should get what makes you happy, what you'll love to wear, and what will help you remember this special time in your life.

oh, just a p.s. if you get the daytona expect a long wait when you need repair or just routine service. Rolex does not train outside watchmakers on the daytona, nor will they ship parts even to authorized dealers. This means your timepiece will need to go to rolex (beverly hills, texas, new york) when it comes time for work to be done. 6-8 aprox time away from your watch for any service. It's just a heads up because most dealers don't often tell you this at the point of sale and I wouldn't want you to be shocked 5 years from now and regret a single thing!

 

thanks Minam, I don't own any watches. I've owned two toned Omega Seamsaters with white gauge that i sold 10 yers ago.
other than that...i havne't had a watch.

parents want me to get a very nice watch since it will be a once in a life time event(wedding..marriage)

but at the same time, i'm not a watch expert or a collector. so Rolex brand is perfect for me. Patek seems too fragile. mostly leather straps.

if I get this it would probably be my only watch for a very long time. and I'd wear daily. casual and dress up.

I'm sort of stuck on these two watches but since you deal watches could you recommend some other brands at my price range? that would be great since all I know is Rolex, Panerai, Patek, and other popular brands.

 

Never been a Rolex fan. In the higher end, I prefer Chopard, Constantin Vacheron and Jaeger LeCoultre.

Edit: My plebian ass sticks with Raymond Weil and Tag Heuer.

 

Sorry - but I would NEVER buy a Rolex. Just not my style. The Panerai is quite trendy. They are modern appearing but I just think they will not stand the test of time.

I prefer IWC's, and Chopard, and Zenith. Then again, I abuse my watches and would rather waste my money on cars instead so I got a Tag carrera.

Ofcourse YMMV.