Depends on your price range and what kind of watch you want. My parents got me a bulova for graduation that I love.

Under $500 for sure. Hopefully closer to $200.

Bulova automatics can be had for $300 or so. I have two in my collection. A dress one and a sport one. For a bit more (ok a lot more) Omega makes simply the best watch under 5 grand. I have a quartz mid-size seamaster and an automatic speedmaster and love both.

My sport bulova
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0088BMX5S/ref=mp_s_a_1_10?qid=1369718840&sr=8-10&pi=SL75

my dress one
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001HBUQ14/ref=mp_s_a_1_18?qid=1369718953&sr=8-18&pi=SL75

I actually have 3 other bulovas but they are quartz. Plus 2 citizens, 3 seikos, and a number of other watches (I collect watches, pipes, and diecast cars.

This is my current Citizen:
http://www.lestelondon.co.uk/ebayw/citizen/BL3C12-2.jpg

Overall, it's good, although quite beat up at this point. I'd much rather not have the chronograph and would greatly prefer a mechanical watch.

I love my Bulova automatics. Except for very special occasions where I pull out an Omega, they seem to be what I usually wear.

I took a look through Bulova's site. Their watches looked very nice, but not quite what I was looking for.

Are you wanting something similar in looks to your citizen ecodrive? My sports watch has a version with less flash and a leather band that has a very similar look.

My requirements, mostly in order of importance are:
-Mechanical (Auto or hand)
-Leather Strap
-Large second hand (unlike my current watch)
-Date

Here's one I'm currently looking at, to give you some idea:

http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-HML-H70455553-Khaki-Field-Silver/dp/B004RP27UA/ref=sr_1_150?s=watches&ie=UTF8&qid=1369720886&sr=1-150

Oh and absolutely sapphire for the dial. I feel like I found that only mineral Citizen watch and it is not a mistake I will make again.

Why do you people still wear watches? My phone tells me the time.

Because they look nice. And mine was a present i value very, very highly just as the person who gave it to me.

Partysane is quite right. A watch, far more than a phone, can be a piece of art. They also are delightfully tactile objects and considerably more reliable than phones for telling the time. They also have a sense of permanence (if you get a good one) that phones simply don't. A watch is for life, a phone is for 12 months.

Mine also is a gift that brings happy thoughts and memories whenever I look at it :).

Abge - Sapphire crystal will cost big bucks. I can't think of one that costs less than $1000.

Jamie - Why do people by Mercedes or BMW or Corvette or Cadillac? A bicycle works just fine. Why do men by quality men's wear and shoes and belts? Jeans and teeshirts and.gym shoes and a rope work.just fine.

It's about style and comfort (and not wanting to be tied to your cellphone too). I jist came back from a weekend full of wedding events where the watch I wore to each was selected to be appropriate to the event: the Omega Speedmaster to the wedding, the Bulova dress watch to the rehearsal dinner, and the Bulova sport model to the bar crawl.

In my opinion, the active man needs only one watch - the Timex Ironman Triathalon. Water and shock resistant, 50 lap memory, nice big buttons for your think manly fingers, and at $35-$40 it's very reasonably priced for a tool that will take a good five years of abuse. The one weakness of the Triathalon is that it does not survive a full cycle in the dryer.

I wear a Victorinox Convoy. I like the large, easily visible numbers. It doesn't come with a leather band (the non-metal option is rubber), but you could get a replacement band if it's that important. No thappireth either.

One advantage of a watch over a phone is that you can subtly check the time with a rotation of the wrist and peripheral vision. If you're supposed to be listening to someone else, checking the time on your phone can be too obvious.

Oh, forgot the pic. http://www.2000watches.com/shop/image.php?image=victorinox_swiss_army/251163.jpg

Draug

I really don't think that's true. Mist of the watches I've seen for $200-$400 have sapphire crystals. Perhaps the price has recently gone down?

Well abe, i think it depends on which kind you want. The real deal or industrial sapphires, those can be made moderatly cheap.

Oh, I don't care about that. I just want to stop scratching my watches. I'm sure the industrial sapphires are just as hard, so that's fine with me.

That's a beautiful watch but I am more a fan of the Omega Seamaster Broad Arrow which has the leather band and the sapphire crystal, automatic movement, sweep second hand, and very easy to read. Mine is two tone rose gold and platinum with a red croc band, but here is a good picture of a similar one.

http://www.egou.co.uk/images/201005/goods_img/961_P_1273699170264.jpg

My daily watch is the Omega Seamaster 300m mid-size quartz. Not as expensive as the Speedmaster but still has the sapphire crystal and is extremely durable and will run circles around the Timex Ironman.

http://www.omegawatches.com/gents/seamaster/300-m-diver-chronometer/21230362001002

@Draug

That's actually very nice looking, but I'm really trying to stay away from the chronograph. It prevents me from having a large second hand and all I do is play with the buttons non-stop.

They don't make my old speedmaster any more. It didn't have the chronograph, instead having simple day and date subdials only.

Here is one to consider... The Seamaster Planet Ocean 600m with leather strap. The extra crown is a helium release, not a button at all. Simple date function large hands, Sapphire crystal.

http://www.omegawatches.com/gents/seamaster/planet-ocean/23263422101001

You could always go for one of the all time classics. A true masterpiece of timeless design and breathtaking quality.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000J34HN4/?tag=hydra0b-21&hvadid=9550933749&ref=asc_df_B000J34HN4

Draug - the Seamaster300 looks very nice, but not exactly the sort of thing a fellow would wear in the woodshop or to the track...but you're a woodworker, maybe you do wear it in the shop? Still, looks a bit heavy for running, and digital is so much nicer for checking your splits when you're doing laps.
I suppose it all depends on one's lifestyle, eh?

I get the "style" part, but I'm not sure what you mean by "comfort". I find wearing a watch quite uncomfortable, and I'm glad I can now easily tell the time without one.

@Draug

Yes, that last one is quite nice. Haven't heard of a He release. Will need to look into it.

@Oct

lol That's pretty much the first watch I had.

@Flem

When I'm working in the yard, I wear a Casio. When I'm working with power tools, I take off my watch and ring anyway for safety, so that isn't much of a concern.

@ Abge

Mine too. Funnily enough my current watch is also a Citizen Eco-drive, although a slightly different version.

http://www.watchshop.com/mens-citizen-calibre-8700-alarm-eco-drive-watch-bl8000-54l-p436.html

As you are clearly a man of exceptional taste I'm looking forward to seeing what you opt for next :p