As a new seamaster pro owner I'll jump in here. I also have a seiko 200 diver. I found mine on the web for $175, that might be the way to go for your first automatic watch, try it and see if you like it. The seiko is a sturdy work watch, I don't worry about scrathing it up. Its as accurate as I need and the face is very visible in the dark.
So why buy an omega? I wanted something a little dressier, my seiko has a black rubber strap. The Omega is a much better looking watch. The Omega is rated to 300 meters, the seiko to 200. The omega has a saphire crystal, the seiko a mineral glass. The omega has a hack set, the seiko doesn't and most surprisingly the seiko can't be hand wound, which is a pain when I don't wear it for a few days.
May I also take this opportunity to compare the omega to a rolex? First, the omega costs about 1/2 the price of a comparable rolex. The omega has a much higher quality braclet and is more comfortable to wear. My old rolex had the plastic crystal which was always scratched and didn't keep very good time, it could lose up to 2 minutes a day. It was very difficult to hand wind, I don't know why but the stem was very tight. Despite all that I wore it for 15 years. I think the submariner is a very nice beater watch, but a tad overpriced.
I can't reconcile to wearing a quartz watch. What's the point of making a work of art and then slapping a circuit board inside. I like to here the escapement ticking 26,000 time a minute.
: I appreciate all the fine answers I'm getting
: to my elementary questions in efforts to buy
: a new watch. I currently own a 1990, Tag
: Heuer 1000 series diver, which besides the
: $4 cost of a battery every few years, has
: been a dependable watch. I really want to
: get another mechanical watch, but besides
: the initial cost, the periodic services are
: a consideration, and that's why I'm doing
: alot of research, as I don't want to be
: disappointed after my purchase. I'm even
: considering the Seiko 200 diver auto, which
: is supposed to be a fairly decent mechanical
: watch All said, I might just end up with
: another quartz, which from what I'm reading
: is the most dependable.
