Watches

[Dreadhead]

That is a smart looking watch Jacob

[Salt Peanuts]

That is a smart looking watch Jacob

x2. But I'm confused - I don't think that'll cut anything will it?

[luvdunhill]

[HeadphoneAddict]

Another Hamilton - got a great deal with 30% off, and then 100% trade-in on my Citizen Proximity that I bought from them, to bring it to just below 50% of retail.

 

Been wearing it 23 hours a day since Monday and it's only gained 5 seconds.

[HeadphoneAddict]

Citizen Signature self-winder with black leather band.

 

Nice.  I read somewhere that the 9010 movement can compete quite well with some of the ETA movements.  I have 5 Citizen eco-drive watches, and was considering a Citizen automatic before I bought my first Hamilton.

 

I was considering this one http://www.amazon.com/Citizen-NB0040-58E-Signature-Collection-Automatic/dp/B0091N5H6Y/ref=sr_1_26?s=watches&ie=UTF8&qid=1381561330&sr=1-26&keywords=Citizen+automatic+watch but it's not different enough from many of the watches I already own with black dial and SS bracelet.  You may have made a better choice here.

[postjack]

After months of research, I finally settled on my first automatic, really my first watch I've worn since I was in high school.

 

Christopher Ward C5 Malvern Automatic MKII

 

 

 

 

I went with CW because I like the internet only business model, have read great things about their customer service, great value, and of course I love the way the watch looks. Wanted my first watch to be a dress watch, and apparently black and silver has kind of become my thing.

 

It measures 39mm across. CW straps are apparently made for people with humongous wrists. I have a smaller wrist, but even on the lowest setting its still a little loose, but I kind of like it that way. Might get another hole punched in it, but for the time being I'm happy.

 

Next watch will probably be something more casual, possibly another CW (trident maybe), Hamilton Khaki Field, or Seiko SARB.

Edited November 9, 2013 by postjack

[n_maher]

Classy.

[raffy]

Nice watch Jack!

[Hopstretch]

Good choice Posty!

 

Not a fan of round date windows, but they've chamfered it so nicely it turns out to be a plus in the end, I think.

 

The batons are also very well done.

 

Only practical concern would be the long lugs, which are probably soldered to the case. If you whack it on a door jamb -- those may break free. So, you know, don't etc. 

Edited November 9, 2013 by Hopstretch

[postjack]

Good choice Posty!

 

Not a fan of round date windows, but they've chamfered it so nicely it turns out to be a plus in the end, I think.

 

The batons are also very well done.

 

Only practical concern would be the long lugs, which are probably soldered to the case. If you whack it on a door jamb -- those may break free. So, you know, don't etc. 

 

i'll be careful.

 

I do need to get a "beater" automatic, something I'm comfortable wearing at concerts, festivals, etc. Maybe a Seiko 5, Orient Mako, or even Seiko Monster.

[grawk]

seiko monster is a cool watch

[n_maher]

I want a Seiko Orange Night Monster.

[postjack]

I want a Seiko Orange Night Monster.

 

is that the one with the black bracelet? that is a badass looking watch.

[n_maher]

Sadly it's not distributed in the US and consequently costs about 2x a normal monster which kind of kills its appeal.

[HeadphoneAddict]

i'll be careful.

 

I do need to get a "beater" automatic, something I'm comfortable wearing at concerts, festivals, etc. Maybe a Seiko 5, Orient Mako, or even Seiko Monster.

Those are good watch choices. I liked the Seiko 5 but was concerned about the shallow water resistance. Swimming and jumping off diving boards can put a lot of pressure on the seals, and they often recommend 100M for anything more aggressive than rain showers and hand washing.

I do like the watch you just bought - it looks like a watch that you could wear almost all the time except at the gym and pool, and it might make the Seiko 5 seem redundant. Having different watches for different occasions is fun, but not so fun if many are too similar. Back in medical school I had to wear a tie each day, and at one point I must have owned about 50 different ties. Now I hate ties but love watches. Here are my thoughts on the watches you're considering - for the tl:dr peeps, they can stop now.

I went into the watch shop to buy an orange monster, and left with a Seiko SKX173 (dive watch style). It's a great watch with good looks and good time keeping (on winder or wrist), plus it has incredibly bright and long lasting lume. I wasn't too keen about the rubber strap that came with it, so I bought a really nice stainless bracelet on Amazon for $50, but a simple NATO strap would have worked too. This is my favorite beater watch, and seeing it side by side with the orange monster helped me choose it.

My Orient Mako also keeps very good time and looks great as well, and for some people the slightly smaller size would be more appealing than the Seiko (about the same size as my Submariner). But the lume isn't quite as bright as the Seiko and it doesn't last quite as long (although still very adequate in both areas, and better than many of my Citizen watches). It was a steal for $119 with SS bracelet, at a fraction of the cost of the seiko with SS bracelet. But since I have the choice between this or the Seiko, I always pick the Seiko. Something made me want to buy this, but I've only worn it once for some reason, even though it's a great watch. Too many to choose from I guess, and I had the Seiko first and put light scratches on it, so I didn't want to scratch the Orient just yet (type A). If I didn't already own either, I'd probably still pick the Seiko for it's superior lume, but would be happy with the Orient if money was a big issue.

My Hamilton Khaki field automatic (see pics a couple of pages back) keeps time very well on my wrist, but can lose up to 10 seconds a day when kept on the winder for a long time. The lume comes in a little behind the Seiko or Orient, which only need sunlight during the day to glow all night long. With this watch I sometimes need to shine a flashlight on it for several seconds if I want to be able to read it later at 3-5AM. I'm one of those weird people that sleep while wearing my watch, and I like to be able to read the time in the dark.

The Hamilton SS bracelet is not as adjustable as the others, and I had to have a set of extra holes drilled into the short clasp, since it was either too tight or too lose when adding or removing links. It only had two sets of holes to choose from, while other watches may have 4-5 sets of holes in the clasp. That shop that sold it to me did that for free, but I'd already spent over $400 on it. I like it as a dressier watch than my divers, and it's one that reminds me of my 1970’s Rolex Oyster Perpetual that was stolen. It was getting equal time with the Seiko diver until I bought the Hamilton Harrison Ford Conservation Auto Chrono a few weeks ago. It's probably still the cheapest Swiss Automatic that's worth owning, and a solid watch.

So the 4 watches that I wear the most lately are my Submariner, Hamilton Harrison Ford Conservation, Hamilton Khaki Field Watch, and the a Seiko SKX173. Lately I've fallen in love with mechanical watches and I don't feel as excited about wearing my Swiss or Japanese Quartz watches. Of my Quartz watches my favorite 4 are my Luminox 1842 Field alarm chrono, Victorinox Dive Master 500, Citizen titanium perpetual calendar, and a used TAG classic that I bought on this forum.

[fordgtlover]

After months of research, I finally settled on my first automatic, really my first watch I've worn since I was in high school.

 

Christopher Ward C5 Malvern Automatic MKII

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I went with CW because I like the internet only business model, have read great things about their customer service, great value, and of course I love the way the watch looks. Wanted my first watch to be a dress watch, and apparently black and silver has kind of become my thing.

 

It measures 39mm across. CW straps are apparently made for people with humongous wrists. I have a smaller wrist, but even on the lowest setting its still a little loose, but I kind of like it that way. Might get another hole punched in it, but for the time being I'm happy.

 

Next watch will probably be something more casual, possibly another CW (trident maybe), Hamilton Khaki Field, or Seiko SARB.

 

I have the same model original C5 as the one in this picture. I've worn it every day to work for the past 5 years; no regrets.

 

Edited November 15, 2013 by fordgtlover

[postjack]

Very nice, I love the original version of the C5!

[Emooze]

You guys have turned me on to Christopher Ward. Pondering an aviation style one as a Christmas gift to me. I noticed they got rid of the C11 MSL Auto that was all black with a black band...

[Hopstretch]

If you don't mind ze Chermans, would also look at Stowa, Junghans and Sinn in that price range.

[grawk]

http://www.tokyoflash.com/en/watches/kisai/rorschach/

 

Wow I want that watch.

[agile_one]

^^^ Really?  It would drive me crazy.

[grawk]

yah, I have a few watches that are effectively useless.  It's not an every day watch

[Dusty Chalk]

^^^ Really?  It would drive me crazy.

Well, just like those binary clocks and watches, it would be targeted at people who like a challenge.  EVERY TIME.

[HeadphoneAddict]

Watch rental subscriptions, will they become mainstream? Article from TechCrunch

http://techcrunch.com/2013/12/02/eleven-james-is-a-new-startup-that-lets-you-rent-your-wrist-wear/

Why should the ladies have all the fun? Like Le Tote and Rent The Runway, a new start-up, Eleven James, is offering something men may find alluring: the opportunity to wear a cool new watch every few months for a monthly fee.

Founded by Randy Brandoff, former CMO of NetJets and Marquis Jet, the company isn't positioning itself as a rental service per se. The concierge service costs $249 a month to wear three “cheaper” watches worth around $10,000 per year ($449 for six) and $459 a month for a Connoisseur Collection selection of higher end brands. The “Virtuoso” tier gets you three crazy expensive pieces for $899 or six for $1,599 a month. You wear them around, flashing your bling hither and yon, and then return the watches for cleaning and they're sent to another member. To be clear, if $10,000 for a “low-end” watch sounds ludicrous, you're probably not the target audience.

Instead the company is aiming at folks who may not want want to dump a few months' salary on a watch and instead want something fancy to wear to work and about town. Because, for some watch snobs, being strapped to one watch can be as terrible as being strapped to none at all, Eleven James offers a bit of choice and a personal concierge will walk you through potential selections and styles. Their collection includes items from IWC, Panerai, Patek Phillipe, and the like. They have just completed a beta group of testers and now have 100 or so members who will receive a new watch every few months, depending on demand, and get invites to parties and other watch-centric events in their home cities.

Eleven James also hopes to become a watch trade-in service, allowing its customers to drop their old watches off on consignment or even to enter them into rotation. There is some talk internally with brands who are interested in using this as a marketing exercise and the company has created a special algorithm to match members with watches depending on their preferences.

Brandoff didn't want to make this just another rental service. “The luxury market has evolved to a world prioritizing access and experiences,” he said. “Private jets, vacation homes, classic cars, and many other historically prized possessions have all become accessible via various club and shared ownership models that have multiplied in offerings and popularity.” He's simply following that trend, he said.

The company received $1.4 million in seed funding backed by numerous strategic investors, including Box Group, WGI Group, Kenny Dichter, Ken Austin, Brian Distelberger, Ed Moran, and Jason Saltzman. While it may not make sense for many non-watch nerds, it seems like a great way to get new brands into the hands of fans and, more important, bring back the age-old, timeless habit of strapping on a bit of Swiss frippery and strolling down the boulevard, a jaunty tune on your lips and a merry “Good day” offered to all and sundry. A guy can dream.

[mikeymad]

It's always 10:10 in watch world