Your First Automatic Watch: A 25-Year Veteran's Guide to Starting Your Collection

If you're considering your first automatic watch in 2026, you're probably overwhelmed by options, opinions, and price points. After 25 years selling watches online and speaking with over 100,000 customers, I've learned what actually matters when starting your collection—and what doesn't.

Whether you're brand new to mechanical watches or a seasoned collector curious about my take, I bring a different perspective than most blogs and reviews. I've seen what makes customers happy, what they regret, and where they actually get value for their money. From $100 starter pieces to $5,000 grails, I've watched people build their collections from the ground up.

So let's cut through the noise and talk about what really matters for your first automatic.

Start Affordable—Seriously

Here's my first piece of advice: don't spend thousands on your first automatic watch.

I could easily sell you a $3,000-$4,000 piece right now, and you might love it. But there's absolutely no reason to start there. You can get an exceptional automatic watch for $200-$400—about 10% of what you'd spend on a legacy Swiss brand like Omega or Longines.

Why does this matter? Because of something engineers call diminishing returns. This is the real lesson in watch collecting: as you climb the price ladder, you're not getting proportionally better value. The jump from $300 to $3,000 is not a 10x improvement in quality or enjoyment.

When you start affordable, you establish a baseline. You'll truly appreciate what an extra thousand or two brings to the table later—because you'll have context. Without that foundation, you're missing half the education.

Movements: They Matter Less Than You Think

My first automatic was a Swatch Irony Body and Soul. Nothing fancy, but it sparked a lifelong passion. Here's what I've learned about movements in the affordable segment:

Seiko NH Movements (NH35, NH36, NH34, NH38)

The NH3X architecture is considered the workhorse of affordable automatics. Whether you're getting an NH35 (date-only), NH36 (day-date), NH34 (GMT), or NH38 (open heart), they're all built on the same solid foundation—just with different complications.

The catch? Prices have gone up significantly in recent years. Even modders are complaining about the cost. There's a shortage, and you're paying for it.

Miyota Movements (8000 & 9000 Series)

You'll also see Miyota movements frequently: the 8000 series (like the 8215 and 821A) and the 9000 series. Many enthusiasts dismiss the 8000 series, but there's no good reason to. They're affordable, reliable, automatic, they hack (meaning the second hand stops when you pull the crown), and they're decently accurate.

Want to level up? The Miyota 9000 series is thinner, has a higher beat rate, and can be regulated for better accuracy. But we're still talking about affordable movements here.

My Advice? Buy the watch based on looks and fit. Whatever movement it has will be fine. As you build your collection, you can start seeking out specific movements. Think of it as leveling up gradually.

Accuracy: Set Your Expectations Right

This is where those diminishing returns really show up.

Seiko publishes accuracy specs around ±40-45 seconds per day for their movements. Miyota 8000 series might be +40/-20 seconds. A Miyota 9015? Tighter still, around ±10-15 seconds per day.

Here's the reality: most brands aren't regulating movements before assembly—it's an added cost. And even if you spend $3,000-$4,000, accuracy doesn't increase 10x. At best, you'll get a COSC-certified movement rated at +6/-4 seconds per day.

The practical takeaway? Expect to reset your watch once or twice a week. That's it.

And let me be honest—I wear two automatic watches most days because I love them, but when I need to know the exact time? I look at my phone. Most automatic watch enthusiasts do the same. Don't let accuracy anxiety stop you from enjoying mechanical watches.

Sizing: This Actually Matters

Watches are sized in millimeters, and getting the right fit is crucial for enjoyment.

Find Your Wrist Size

Take a piece of string, wrap it loosely around your wrist where you'll wear the watch (below or above the wrist bone—your preference), then measure it. The typical male wrist in the US is around 7 to 7.25 inches. I'm a 6.5 to 6.75-inch guy myself.

Case Size Isn't Everything

Here's where it gets tricky: 40mm in a dive watch wears completely different than 40mm in a pilot's watch. Why? Bezels. A dive watch bezel reduces the visible dial area, making the watch wear smaller. That's why a 39mm Flieger might wear as large as a 42mm diver.

Look for wrist shots online. On our Islander watches, our photography model has a 7 to 7.25-inch wrist and typically removes about two links. Use references like this to gauge fit.

The Most Important Rule: Wear What You Like

This might be my biggest piece of advice: buy what YOU want to wear.

Don't buy what I tell you to. Don't buy what influencers recommend. If you see a watch online or in a store and it makes you smile—research it for quality issues, sure—but don't let the court of online opinion talk you out of something you genuinely love.

I can't tell you how many Islander watches I personally dislike that sell incredibly well. Different strokes for different folks. There's no one-size-fits-all in watch collecting. You're the one who has to look at it on your wrist every day.

Where Should You Shop?

Here's the part where you expect the sales pitch, right? Shop at LongIslandWatch.com and nowhere else?

Wrong. I don't care where you buy.

I've talked customers into buying from other vendors. I've talked people down in price from what they planned to spend. Shop wherever you want—authorized retailers, gray market dealers, wherever.

Just do this: research the seller.

Do a Google search. Read a few reviews—not just one. Check Reddit (don't post asking about every store; just search for existing threads). From two or three popular posts, you'll get a genuine feel for who you're dealing with.

Buy the seller, and everything else falls into place.

A Note on Gray Market

For a $300 Seiko? Buy from whoever has the best combination of price and reputation. For a $5,000-$10,000 piece? Stick with authorized dealers. If something goes wrong with a gray market purchase at that price point, you're stuck with their warranty terms, and that can be problematic.

Am I always the cheapest? No, because we're authorized dealers. But when you buy from a reputable seller—whether that's us or someone else—you're buying peace of mind.

So What Should Your First Automatic Be?

Based on everything I've shared, your first automatic should be:

• Affordable: $200-$400 is the sweet spot
• Something you genuinely like: If it makes you smile when you look at it, that's your watch
• Properly sized: Make sure it fits your wrist comfortably
• From a reputable seller: Do your homework

Good starter brands? Citizen, Seiko, Orient, Bulova, and yes, Islander watches. I designed Islander from the ground up to be affordable and well-specced as an entry point into automatic watches.

And here's one last thing: don't get wrapped around the axle on specs. Not everything needs sapphire crystal, ceramic bezels, and premium finishing on your first watch. Save those upgrades for later pieces. Give yourself room to appreciate improvements as you grow your collection.

Starting your automatic watch journey is exciting, and it should be fun—not stressful. Keep it affordable, buy what you love, and don't overthink it. The mechanical watch world is vast and welcoming, and there's no wrong way to start your collection.

Marc Frankel is the founder of Long Island Watch and the Islander watch brand, with over 25 years of experience in the watch industry.