# 1st wedding anniversary watch for my wife. Where to buy/what to get?



## eamomac

Hello!

I am heading towards my first wedding anniversary and have been planning/hoping to buy my wife a Must de Tank by Cartier. She isn't a watch person necessarily but loves the look of the Tank. I bought her an affordable Tissot Everytime on a leather strap and she wears it most days. She says she loves the classic looks. She is quite into fashion and prefers a minimalist but feminine look. Think J.Crew meets Muji.....if that makes any sense at all.

As I said, my plan was to pick up a used Must de Tank. The reason being that I'm working with a budget of about $1000. I'm finding it hard to source one though so I thought I'd ask on here if:

1. Anyone knew of any alternatives? She has said that she loves the style of the Tank but would be absolutely fine with something in that style at a more affordable price. She vaguely knows how much the Tank costs.

2. Does anyone have any advice on where to purchase a Tank? I'd rather not go too far about budget but it's not out of the question. She won't have as much to spend so I don't want to put too much pressure on the whole thing. Any reputable ebay sellers/grey market sources etc? I'm newish to the watch game.

Any help would be much appreciated!

Thanks


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## katfromTN

Not sure where to find the Cartier any cheaper but for some more affordable alternative I'll list one of my favorite brands. Hamilton: 







The Bagley








The Ardmore

And a Longines Dolce Vita









Good luck!

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## KCZ

Kat supplied some excellent choices. Personally, I'd go with the Dolce Vita.

There's also the Oris Rectangular Date.
https://www.jomashop.com/oris-watch-01-561-7656-4071-07-8-17-82.html

Maurice LaCroix had older models, the Miros and Fiaba, that came with rectangular cases. There's probably NOS around.

Ebel Brasilia
https://www.jomashop.com/ebel-watch-1216033.html

Raymond Weil Parsifal
https://www.chrono24.com/raymondweil/parsifal-9631--id7670097.htm


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## BillSWPA

I have not personally dealt with any of these sellers, but DavidSW and Jomashop seem to be generally well regarded here. Authentic Watches may also be worth a look.



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## eamomac

Thank you for the responses! There are some great options above but I'm really drawn towards the Longines Dolcevita. Now, without wanting to assume that my wife will have the same taste as me, I've always thought the Cartier face to be classic but a little....too classic? I love the face on the Dolcevita and the small seconds addition adds something too.

Does anybody have any wrist shots of the watch by chance?

Thanks again!


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## katfromTN

eamomac said:


> Thank you for the responses! There are some great options above but I'm really drawn towards the Longines Dolcevita. Now, without wanting to assume that my wife will have the same taste as me, I've always thought the Cartier face to be classic but a little....too classic? I love the face on the Dolcevita and the small seconds addition adds something too.
> 
> Does anybody have any wrist shots of the watch by chance?
> 
> Thanks again!


Agreed, I love the small seconds on a watch. I actually just bought myself a Hamilton Lloyd that has this feature and I can't stop staring at it.









I don't have any wrist shots of the Longines personally but here are a few from Instagram. Lovely watch, and if I had to pick between the Longines and the Cartier, based on looks the Longines wins for me. 









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## eamomac

Kat, first of all thank you so much for doing my work for me! Why I didn't think to do a search for wrist shots I do not know. I'm supposed to be at work so that's my excuse for now! 

Secondly, that Hamilton is fantastic! If my wife was more of watch enthusiast I might lean towards something like that as it is different and has that very interesting Hamilton history. I'm thinking the Dolcevita may be her one and only watch eventually (with the Tissot Everytime as her "beater") and maybe it is a bit more classic in looks? Not sure though, that Hamilton is so cool.


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## BillSWPA

Before actually spending money, a few things to consider:

Does she have a preference between quartz and self-winding mechanical?

Is water resistance important?

How do her priorities balance legibility verses appearance? 

Does she want Arabic or Roman numerals, or are other types of markers acceptable (or preferred)?

Is lume important to her?

Is having a date display important to her?

Does she prefer a bracelet or a strap? If the latter, which materials does she prefer?

You are already ahead by having a good feel for her personal style, but some of these considerations could potentially impact her enjoyment of the watch.




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## eamomac

Thanks Bill, all great questions. I know you weren't looking for the answers but in case anyone has other options I should consider and is willing to read through and also to test myself...I'll give them a shot!

Does she have a preference between quartz and self-winding mechanical?
>Quartz though I think she could be talked into the attraction of having a hand me down piece. Though we don't yet have children, it's a possibility.

Is water resistance important?
>No

How do her priorities balance legibility verses appearance? 
>The latter but closely followed by the former, though some of the legibility comes as part of her preference for minimalist designs. So they sort of go hand in hand for her.

Does she want Arabic or Roman numerals, or are other types of markers acceptable (or preferred)?
>No preference that I know of though we haven't chatted about this in detail. She likes the Cartier's Roman numerals but her Tissot has Arabic numerals.

Is lume important to her?
>Pretty low on the list I think.

Is having a date display important to her?
>Not especially.

Does she prefer a bracelet or a strap? If the latter, which materials does she prefer?
>I think she would wear both, though she wears a strap currently. She has very slender wrists so it is difficult to find straps that work.....which I find odd to be honest. The smallest straps I've bought for her Tissot still needed to be punched! 

Again, thank you all for your help!


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## katfromTN

eamomac said:


> Kat, first of all thank you so much for doing my work for me! Why I didn't think to do a search for wrist shots I do not know. I'm supposed to be at work so that's my excuse for now!
> 
> Secondly, that Hamilton is fantastic! If my wife was more of watch enthusiast I might lean towards something like that as it is different and has that very interesting Hamilton history. I'm thinking the Dolcevita may be her one and only watch eventually (with the Tissot Everytime as her "beater") and maybe it is a bit more classic in looks? Not sure though, that Hamilton is so cool.


Haha, no problem! I was home bored today so you gave me some homework. Lol. Are you wanting to surprise her? Don't if it's a possibility to ask about her opinion on some options and she which she prefers. It's so hard buying for your spouse. I went through the same thing buying for my husband, all turned out well and it's his one and only watch (he's not a watch guy). Got him something pretty versatile that he could change straps as his style changed from day to day. Congrats on the upcoming anniversary!

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## eamomac

Well the idea is to surprise here but I think that given she knows I am now into watches she will expect the "clock" option over the "paper" option. I'm going to try to tick both boxes but the watch will be the main gift.

What did you get your husband if you don't mind me asking?


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## eamomac

It's sort of a surprise but given that she knows I love watches.....and it's Clock or Paper.....I think she expects a watch! I guess I could ask her what she wants but she has also said she trusts me to get her something classic and interesting.....pressure!

What did you get your husband if you don't mind me asking? 

Thanks again!


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## zwjk

If she wants the Cartier, you should not compromise!


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## katfromTN

eamomac said:


> Well the idea is to surprise here but I think that given she knows I am now into watches she will expect the "clock" option over the "paper" option. I'm going to try to tick both boxes but the watch will be the main gift.
> 
> What did you get your husband if you don't mind me asking?


He was digging my field watches at the time so I bought him a Seiko SNZG13 and bought a really nice cordovan leather strap that cost nearly as much as the watch to go with it. Bought him a few natos as well, which he likes. He doesn't like divers or dress watches and this was good option as it dresses up nice on leather. This was also his first automatic watch so I didn't want to go crazy with how much I spent. He'll definitely get an upgrade this Christmas 

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## eamomac

zwjk said:


> If she wants the Cartier, you should not compromise!


Can I borrow about $1000?


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## eamomac

katfromTN said:


> He was digging my field watches at the time so I bought him a Seiko SNZG13 and bought a really nice cordovan leather strap that cost nearly as much as the watch to go with it. Bought him a few natos as well, which he likes. He doesn't like divers or dress watches and this was good option as it dresses up nice on leather. This was also his first automatic watch so I didn't want to go crazy with how much I spent. He'll definitely get an upgrade this Christmas
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Such a cool watch! Definitely one that's on my radar. Can't beat Seiko 5s.


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## KCZ

Speaking of Seiko, both Seiko and Citizen have made models in the past with rectangular faces that mimic the Cartier somewhat. I don't think their current lineups include anything like that, but if you look online you may find some NOS.


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## BillSWPA

katfromTN said:


> Haha, no problem! I was home bored today so you gave me some homework. Lol. Are you wanting to surprise her? Don't if it's a possibility to ask about her opinion on some options and she which she prefers. It's so hard buying for your spouse. I went through the same thing buying for my husband, all turned out well and it's his one and only watch (he's not a watch guy). Got him something pretty versatile that he could change straps as his style changed from day to day. Congrats on the upcoming anniversary!
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


A few years ago one of my friends posted the following on Facebook as an example of how gift giving changes in longer term marriages.

Wife: "Would you like to see what you are getting me for Christmas?"

Husband: "No, I like surprises."

I am approaching my 15th anniversary, and there is some truth to that.

I have bought three watches for my wife, and really only got one of them right. I started coming here to research options for upgrading her watch, and realized there are so many options with so many variables that surprising her and getting it right at the same time are highly improbable.


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## katfromTN

BillSWPA said:


> A few years ago one of my friends posted the following on Facebook as an example of how gift giving changes in longer term marriages.
> 
> Wife: "Would you like to see what you are getting me for Christmas?"
> 
> Husband: "No, I like surprises."
> 
> I am approaching my 15th anniversary, and there is some truth to that.
> 
> I have bought three watches for my wife, and really only got one of them right. I started coming here to research options for upgrading her watch, and realized there are so many options with so many variables that surprising her and getting it right at the same time are highly improbable.


I can definitely see that and if my husband were a watch guy I probably wouldn't have bought him a watch as a gift. But he literally knew nothing about watches except for admiring the ones I had so I felt it was pretty safe to get him one based on his style. It took me 2 months of researching before I decided on the right one and luckily got it right. But flipping things around, he would never buy me a watch knowing that I know more than him and have particular taste. I think buying for someone that is totally a non watch person is a lot easier but you still want to get it just right otherwise it'll just sit in a drawer. I think it would be smart for the OP to run a gift like this by his wife and get her opinion. To me, it doesn't take too much away from the specialness (?) of it.

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## eamomac

Follow up question here if you're still around Kat....or indeed any ladies or gents who have an opinion here:

I think the Longines Dolce Vita is the one I will get. I could get a used Tank for around the same price ($800-1000) but I prefer the idea of her having a new watch that is hers alone. I'm hoping it's something she keeps and hands down. I think she will prefer that as well.

That said, the Longines is a stainless steel watch.....my wife wears a mix of jewelry but gold is her most common choice. Is that going to be an issue? I think it actually looks quite good when people mix the tones of gold and silver but who cares what I think? What do the ladies on here do when it comes to watch metals v bracelets, rings and other pieces?

Overthinking it perhaps?


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## katfromTN

eamomac said:


> Follow up question here if you're still around Kat....or indeed any ladies or gents who have an opinion here:
> 
> I think the Longines Dolce Vita is the one I will get. I could get a used Tank for around the same price ($800-1000) but I prefer the idea of her having a new watch that is hers alone. I'm hoping it's something she keeps and hands down. I think she will prefer that as well.
> 
> That said, the Longines is a stainless steel watch.....my wife wears a mix of jewelry but gold is her most common choice. Is that going to be an issue? I think it actually looks quite good when people mix the tones of gold and silver but who cares what I think? What do the ladies on here do when it comes to watch metals v bracelets, rings and other pieces?
> 
> Overthinking it perhaps?


That's a great question, and honestly not one I think about a lot. Even at 27 years old, I wouldn't consider myself super "fashiony" by any means, although I do prefer to keep up with some current styles. My wedding ring is rose gold and thinking about it, I don't own any other piece of jewelry or watch that is rose gold. All of my watches are SS and I've got a vintage gold Hamilton on the way but I never think about matching my ring to what watch or brackets I wear. (I do tend to match my watch to my outfits, I think we all do ) To be fair though, I work in physical therapy so I dress very causally on a day to day basis, although I like to dress it up on weekend nights out. Not sure what line of work your wife is in but if she dresses up daily then coordinating may be of more importance. I've seen lots of women mix up gold and SS with bracelets and watches and it looks great. Have you noticed that she matches her bracelets/necklaces with her Tissot? (Not sure if it's gold or SS?) She may like having a watch she can wear with her silver jewelry and vise versa. I personally think stainless steel is timeless and goes with everything. I found some pics on Pinterest of some pretty women mixing up the gold/silver. 








Maybe get her a nice silver bracelet if you're unsure she has anything to go with? Although I think she'll find ways to match up the watch.

**Random**while searching on Pinterest I saw a pic of Kate Winslet wearing a Longines Dolce Vita. Didn't know she was an Ambassador. Coolness factor just went way up! 









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## eamomac

You're a legend Kat! Thanks.

I think she mixes up the Tissot, which is SS on a black leather strap with gold here and there but she mostly wears it to work. She's a project manager on an interior design team at a large coffee company.. So she is business casual most days but does have to think about what she wears as it's a creative team...

I did see that Kate was an Ambassador which is a win! I'm a fan after her work with Ricky Gervais in Extras. And obviously the world's greatest ever movie, Titanic.

I think it's going to be the SS Dolce Vita, though Jomashop has the rose gold and SS version at a good price. I'm just not crazy about the blue numerals for some reason. Seems like there's too much going on versus the classic looking SS with black numerals.


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## katfromTN

eamomac said:


> You're a legend Kat! Thanks.
> 
> I think she mixes up the Tissot, which is SS on a black leather strap with gold here and there but she mostly wears it to work. She's a project manager on an interior design team at a large coffee company.. So she is business casual most days but does have to think about what she wears as it's a creative team...
> 
> I did see that Kate was an Ambassador which is a win! I'm a fan after her work with Ricky Gervais in Extras. And obviously the world's greatest ever movie, Titanic.
> 
> I think it's going to be the SS Dolce Vita, though Jomashop has the rose gold and SS version at a good price. I'm just not crazy about the blue numerals for some reason. Seems like there's too much going on versus the classic looking SS with black numerals.


Yeah, I think the SS and Black is a better and classic look. All the best!!

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## eamomac

katfromTN said:


> Yeah, I think the SS and Black is a better and classic look. All the best!!
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I just bought it!

Thank you Kat and everyone else for the help. The forum has proven to be full of great people.....ok one or two clowns as well but the Kat's of the world more than make up for that.

Cheers!


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## katfromTN

eamomac said:


> I just bought it!
> 
> Thank you Kat and everyone else for the help. The forum has proven to be full of great people.....ok one or two clowns as well but the Kat's of the world more than make up for that.
> 
> Cheers!


Haha, no problem!! Wish y'all all the best!! Post a wrist shot when she gets it!!!

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