# Looking for a cheaper alternative to the Rolex datejust.



## steelydap (Jan 18, 2016)

Love the oldschool look of these but don't want to drop five grand right now.

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## ilitig8 (Oct 11, 2013)

Giving an actual budget will help. BTW welcome!


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## bubba455 (Mar 20, 2015)

Check out the Bulova Super Seville


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## scosmoss (Sep 15, 2015)

Fluted bezel?


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## wuyeah (Apr 24, 2007)




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## mpalmer (Dec 30, 2011)

Welcome to the forums! The Ball Marvelight is a great watch. I actually prefer the lume treatment of the Ball to that of the Datejust...


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## watch_hor (Nov 11, 2011)

wuyeah said:


> View attachment 6748498
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> View attachment 6748506


Good suggestion. Really wish Seiko would get over their day date fetish on their affordables.

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## talljosh (May 22, 2015)

Tudor Oysterdate:


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## Joshivan26 (May 20, 2015)

From affordable price-point, there are many lineups in Hamilton Jazzmaster including this Viewmatic (of course no cyclops)


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## Shutterbug57 (Nov 15, 2013)

Go used market.


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## ancreanchor (Aug 4, 2012)

Seiko also makes a quartz "datejust"


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## ronin_ph (May 10, 2014)

Maybe an IWC mark xvi 


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## johnj (Apr 13, 2006)

Seiko SARB033 or SARB035

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## johnj (Apr 13, 2006)

watch_hor said:


> Good suggestion. Really wish Seiko would get over their day date fetish on their affordables.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


They can't since one of the five in Seiko 5 is a day complication.


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## Alden (Jul 24, 2015)

wuyeah said:


> View attachment 6748498
> 
> View attachment 6748506


This is the SNXJ89. Getting hard to find, but there are a few on Ebay, and I found one overpriced one on Amazon. I'm looking to get the same one. I posted a thread almost exactly like this a few days ago.

Also look at the Seiko SARB035. It's twice as expensive, but the quality is supposed to be amazing, almost the same quality as a Rolex.


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## brrrdn (Jun 16, 2008)

Not exactly look-alike, but RW Parsifal reminds me of the DJ with the cyclops and roman numerals.


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## Sick Benny (Oct 8, 2015)




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## maxixix (Dec 31, 2015)

I wonder whether a BLNR has a look alike (other than invictas)


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## brrrdn (Jun 16, 2008)

maxixix said:


> I wonder whether a BLNR has a look alike (other than invictas)


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## Maiden (Sep 19, 2014)

I'm not sure if of your budget but if you can swing it I would highly recommend a used DJ. Mine below 16014 is from 1980. Runs +/1 second a day and the date snaps over right at midnight. Picked mine up for less than 3k CAN$. Incredible value and a true classic.
-


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## dr3ws (Jun 9, 2015)

Check one of those ball engineer that looks like a dj ii, at work right now cant google the pic for u


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## Rallyfan13 (Feb 23, 2013)

If you don't like the Rolex Air King or need a date window etc. try a Seiko as mentioned, or a Bulova, or a Sandoz, or a turn-of-the-century Favre-Leuba if you can find one, or many others. It's a very widespread look.


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## AzHadEnuf (Dec 8, 2014)

Go vintage. $2,500 will get you one in great condition.


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## obomomomo (Nov 4, 2014)

johnj said:


> Seiko SARB033 or SARB035


+1. Seems the obvious answer. Moderately priced yet quality leaps and bounds above Seiko 5.


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## maxixix (Dec 31, 2015)

brrrdn said:


> maxixix said:
> 
> 
> > I wonder whether a BLNR has a look alike (other than invictas)
> ...


Wow thx, I dont think it can get any closer than this.


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## sillo38 (Nov 10, 2014)

It's been mentioned a few times already, but you can get a great vintage DJ for a lot less than 5k. Plus vintage means plexi and plexi is good.


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## shemp55 (Oct 15, 2011)

SARB033/035. Awesome watches in their own right, reasonably priced, you will be happy to wear it until you get $$ saved up for the DJ. If it's just the look you're after, then there are some pretty good Seiko 5s, as well as alpha watches.


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## ari.seoul (Jan 27, 2011)

for me, the closest thing I've ever seen to the Datejust by a well known brand is the Bulova Super Seville,
the closest thing to the Datejust by a copycat brand is El Canto ... because they basically ripped off the Datejust design

and not only does Bulova did the Datejust, they also have the Day Date (President) as well


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## ari.seoul (Jan 27, 2011)

and here's the Datejust look,


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## Dejan Spasojevic (Nov 6, 2014)

I've been looking into something similar to a DJII and this Ball definitely comes very close and has better lume.


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## Robmks (Mar 17, 2006)

Hamilton and Oris have nice ones with the day of the week fully spelled out.

Bob


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## WindUpMerchant (Aug 15, 2015)

Yes Hamilton as mentioned above is especially nice..


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## jf718 (Jul 7, 2008)

brrrdn said:


> View attachment 6757322


I absolutely loathe the Tag Heuer brand more and more every day. I wish they were still Heuer and would stick to more original ideas like the Monaco rather than try and keep up with the Jones's.

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## Rakumi (Nov 11, 2015)

Alden said:


> This is the SNXJ89. Getting hard to find, but there are a few on Ebay, and I found one overpriced one on Amazon. I'm looking to get the same one. I posted a thread almost exactly like this a few days ago.
> 
> Also look at the Seiko SARB035. It's twice as expensive, but the quality is supposed to be amazing, almost the same quality as a Rolex.


The first Seiko I ever bought, and was this past November was the Snxj89 (the silver one). It was not an easy find but I bought from ebay for $170. Not bad for a watch nolonger being made. 
I later picked up the Sarb035 as my second Seiko. It is better quality but I feel is nothing like the styling of a datejust. It is not trying to be anything else but its own watch, amazing value and quality for the price. I am now searching for a Alpha datejust and a Bulova super seville..


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## dr3ws (Jun 9, 2015)

There you go, cheaper alternative to DJ II


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## JoeyBossi (Dec 23, 2014)

Yes, the Ball engineer II does look pretty similar to the datejust. But so does the longined conquest, they pretty much have the same style and the same grade movement (2824-2). How ever the conquest is cheaper and has 300m WR. But really if you want a rolex then save for one. What is your budget, if I have missed that?


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## IGotId (Feb 14, 2012)

dr3ws said:


> There you go, cheaper alternative to DJ II
> View attachment 6772426


Wow! I used to think highly of that brand...


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## dr3ws (Jun 9, 2015)

IGotId said:


> Wow! I used to think highly of that brand...


A year ago when I was looking for my first mechanical, I was seriously considering that one because it's such a good looking watch, didn't know any better that it's a homage to a Rolex lol


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## drunken monkey (Jun 22, 2011)

maxixix said:


> Wow thx, I dont think it can get any closer than this.


The only thing those two share is the colour scheme of the bezel.
In reality, they are vastly different watches, except the bezel colours.


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## Rakumi (Nov 11, 2015)

I have an addiction for this style of watch (datejust) and though I have already purchased the Seiko SNXJ89 as my first Seiko and first automatic, I still have the bug for this style of watch. I recently came across a used Alpha datejust homage with roman numerals and a white/semi rainbow color dial. I am excited about getting that in the mail because the Alpha line has that vintage datejust style and should be really interesting. I also came across a Bulova Super Seville, black dial stick indices. Now I have not purchased the Bulova yet but I am really feeling I am going to pull the trigger because it is a known name in the form of a datejust. It has nice quality as well, a bit higher than the Alpha. I cannot shake this desire to own a datejust.


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## Alden (Jul 24, 2015)




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## Jessem1133 (Feb 17, 2016)

Orient Oyster. Picked mine up a few weeks ago, really enjoying it.

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## lorsban (Nov 20, 2009)

Not exactly a homage but it serves the same purpose:










Also had this:










With some more cash, I'd probably go for the Longines.

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## beeman101 (Nov 16, 2013)

If you are into a bit of vintage...heres a Tittoni Cosmo King: cross between rolex dj and president...

picture courtesy google


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## James Haury (Apr 10, 2008)

IF you want day and date the seiko 5 posted is a great choice if you just need date A VOSTOK Amphibia might work too or a Komandirskie. Shown are a Vostok amphibia classic and Special edition. Most amphibs have a date.


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