# Rolex vs Zenith vs Breitling vs Ball



## Memphis1

hi guys, i know it might be biased... but with facts and figures could anyone tell me which watch is better in terms of movement, fit and finish, bracelet, and quality materials? i realize the prices are not the same but that's exactly why I'm curious to know more. Just basing my decision on pure looks, I would run to the rolex AD and pick one up.

Ball Spacemaster X-Lume
Breitling Aeromarine Chrono Superocean Heritage
Rolex DeepSea
Zenith Defy Classic Open El Primero


----------



## 92gli

I can't even get to fit and finish with the breitling and zenith because I find them very unattractive. The breitling is _OK_ on a strap (its a pretty standard design), but I despise the mesh bracelet that most people purchase them on. I just don't get the breitling thing.

I haven't seen the zenith in person but the stars on the bezel and the knurling on the bracelet tell me I don't need to.

The deep sea is the only rolex I desire. But if you can live with "just" an eta movement the Ball deep quest makes a very compelling argument for keeping half your money in your pocket. Or maybe the ceramic XV. I don't think the spacemaster has great eye appeal.

Then again - if you look this good in heels, deep sea it is ;-)


----------



## Fatz028

If it was me my choices would be between a Zenith and The Ball. Zenith makes a great watch and there movements are fantastic. Zenith used to make movements for the Rolex Daytona and Paneri as well. I used to own a Zenith Chronomaster T moon phase. Call me crazy but I traded it in for the Ball Trainmaster Moonlight Special. I am not a huge Rolex fan only because they make between 800,000 to 1,000,000 watches a year. If you wanna save some coin go with the Ball they are fantastic and rugged and can take a beating.


----------



## timefleas

Nix on the Breitling, some of the gaudiest watches I have ever seen, leaving the other three. Know nothing about current Zenith, though they used to make some great watches. Thus, for me, it would be between the big R and little B, and if you want the best bang for the buck, Ball still leads the way in that category. If you have money to burn, Rolex it is--not quite sure why being the top selling high mid to high end watch is a bad thing, unless it bothers you that every other Tom, Dick and Harry has one--and if that is the case, then Ball wins out there too.


----------



## ~tc~

Wow, quite a list ... A Rolex that isn't, the latest incarnation of one of the most historic movements in "recent" history, the rapper "bling du jour", and a "mass market movement" watch.

The Deepsea counters hundreds of years of timeless Rolex design, and I don't think it will stand the test of time as well. It is, certainly, a mechanically fine timepiece. Service is going to be insanely expensive. As with all Rolex, you are paying a lot for the name. Why not a Submariner or Seadweller instead?

The Zenith has, IMHO, the finest movement of the bunch. The "first" automatic non-modular high beat chronograph, and the movement is gorgeous too. This particular watch is a little bling for my taste, but Zenith is perhaps one of the most underappreciated marques in horologie.

Breitling is almost a fashion watch these days, which is a shame as they really pioneered aviation timekeeping.

Ball uses a "common" ETA movement however, you probably will not see another one "in the wild". Lume far better than any of your other choices. Service can be done anywhere, and will be reasonably priced. The watch is a much better value than any of the others.


----------



## Fatz028

Amen, well put


----------



## Memphis1

Thanks guys! i do like the Ball Spacemaster X-Lume but divided between deepsea also.... 6k difference might sway my decision though, haha. if they're all upthere in terms of quality, then spacemaster it is.


----------



## bg002h

I own a spacemaster xlume and it's built like a tank. They don't skimp on many of the fine details, but there's no guilloché or other fine touches on the dial. The caseback engraving rocks and the dial lume is very cool looking. It does have an ETA movement, so getting it serviced post warranty shouldn't be that tough/expensive.


----------



## slikmetalfab

Ball.
Nothing else to say.

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk


----------



## samanator

I'm a little curious by how the OP arrived at this list? There really is nothing to link these together when you look at it as a group. You have a two year discontinued model with a legendary hi-beat chronograph movement (If you truly want a chronograph a Zenith would be my recommendation only I suggest something in the Stratos line), a nearly obsolete ETA based 7750 chronograph (soon to be replaced with a model with a B01 movement) with a flashy case that is being highly discounted, then the total left field uber diver with the uber price at least twice of the others and not a chronograph, followed by a non chronograph high lume mid level in the EHC line watch at about a third of the Rolex price and half of the others (the XV or DQ would be closer at least to the Rolex feature wise). None of these seem to be competitors of each other by any conventional measure. So why this group?:think:


----------



## darren2how

Who is this Tom,Dick and Harry?


----------

