Watches

[HemiSam]

I don’t wear my Japanese market Seiko “cocktail” watch often but every time I do I am pleasantly surprised by the craftsmanship, especially given the humble price…

The image understates the bluish hue of the face.

HS

 

[EdipisReks1]

I’m still not sure if I made the right decision. The Medium is my mother’s (I’m facilitating a repair under Cartier’s million year extended warranty). Maybe neither really fits me. Both go well with Birkenstocks, basketball shorts, and Ren and Stimpy socks, though. 
 

I would have worn either every day, so I guess it doesn’t matter. 

Edited June 26, 2021 by EdipisReks1

[EdipisReks1]

On 6/16/2021 at 9:42 AM, HemiSam said:

I don’t wear my Japanese market Seiko “cocktail” watch often but every time I do I am pleasantly surprised by the craftsmanship, especially given the humble price…

The image understates the bluish hue of the face.

HS

 

That’s a great watch. I’ve gifted a couple  (to close in-laws, at least at the time). I’m sure they get worn a lot still. If you aren’t a watch dork these are end-game watches for sure. 

[HemiSam]

3 hours ago, EdipisReks1 said:

I’m still not sure if I made the right decision. The Medium is my mother’s (I’m facilitating a repair under Cartier’s million year extended warranty). Maybe neither really fits me. Both go well with Birkenstocks, basketball shorts, and Ren and Stimpy socks, though. 
 

I would have worn either every day, so I guess it doesn’t matter. 

They are both stunners, ER!  You can't go wrong, but for what it's worth I prefer the medium on your wrist.  I'm old and likely not sufficiently modern but I prefer the scale.

 

On an unrelated note, I broke down and bought a watch this week.  I'll post some pics later.  Moving a bit slow this morning after blowing off a bit of steam last night after dinner with the family.  Neighbor called an audible and we learned he had to put down his 11 yr dachshund...we celebrated her with a few pours of good bourbon.  I need to learn to turn down a cigar...

HS

[EdipisReks1]

1 hour ago, HemiSam said:

They are both stunners, ER!  You can't go wrong, but for what it's worth I prefer the medium on your wrist.  I'm old and likely not sufficiently modern but I prefer the scale.

 

On an unrelated note, I broke down and bought a watch this week.  I'll post some pics later.  Moving a bit slow this morning after blowing off a bit of steam last night after dinner with the family.  Neighbor called an audible and we learned he had to put down his 11 yr dachshund...we celebrated her with a few pours of good bourbon.  I need to learn to turn down a cigar...

HS

Too bad the medium goes back to my mother when it’s fixed!

That sucks about the dachshund (I’m afraid of when I will have to do the same with my old cat, who is aging… quickly at this point), but I’m looking forward to what the watch is!  And I have never been able to turn down a cigar. 

[HemiSam]

I have been waiting over two years for a watch that will likely never show up at the AD….  I did not buy what I am waiting on but I did pickup something I have been wanting. 
 

HS

 

[EdipisReks1]

That is awesome, Sam! Beat that thing up on adventures: it’s what it’s made for!

Edited June 28, 2021 by EdipisReks1

[EdipisReks1]

I finally gave in and bought a Casa Fagliano strap for my Reverso. I’ll report back when I receive it. 

[EdipisReks1]

The strap has arrived in North America! Now we wait. 

[EdipisReks1]

The 16th is when my dad officially died, in 2006 (I think he “died” a few days before; my mother and I argue about it still). I don’t normally wear one of his watches at this time of the year, but 15 years on I think I can handle it. 
 

It’s an objectively great watch. I wish it were mine.

Edited July 15, 2021 by EdipisReks1

[EdipisReks1]

I was gonna stick one of the Omega NATOs on the 1861 Speedy, because…. I dunno. It’s summer? Whatever that means. But the Forstner JBC bracelet is just brilliant, so I could not be bothered. I just knew I wanted to wear a Speedy, and the pre-moon (which I have worn a NATO on) is too fragile for day-to-day. 

Edited July 22, 2021 by EdipisReks1

[HemiSam]

Very nice, ER.  I'd like to see more of the bracelet if you have another shot.

Do you happen to know when Omega went from the 861 movement and evolved it into the 1861?

HS

[EdipisReks1]

3 hours ago, HemiSam said:

Very nice, ER.  I'd like to see more of the bracelet if you have another shot.

Do you happen to know when Omega went from the 861 movement and evolved it into the 1861?

HS

Here is the rest of the bracelet! It’s a cheap piece of shit (it’s a version of a JB Champion after all), but the best version possible of a cheap piece of shit. It’s super comfortable. 
 

Anyway, I think 1995 or 96 was when Omega went from 861 to 1861. 

[HemiSam]

Nice looking!

I was planning on swapping the Speedmaster Spectre back on the bracelet, which is nicer than I expected, but the seems made for the NATO so that’s where it has stayed…

HS

[EdipisReks1]

2 hours ago, HemiSam said:

Nice looking!

I was planning on swapping the Speedmaster Spectre back on the bracelet, which is nicer than I expected, but the seems made for the NATO so that’s where it has stayed…

HS

The Forstner JBC flat link is really made for a Speedy, and for that vintage feel, but I bet it would look great on your watch!

I guess we’ll find out if this gives me a rash. 

[EdipisReks1]

So far so good! The quality of workmanship and materials is… I don’t even know how to describe it, and I typically wear custom made artisan straps to replace OEM straps from the likes of Cartier.  It’s  “Good” :).

I bought this as a demo strap from a jeweler in Australia (it was removed from a watch they sold and replaced with the OEM alligator strap, which is a strap of extremely high quality, in and of itself), so I paid a small percentage of the new strap for one worn the same amount of wear you would put on it strapping it on for the first time. Having said that, I one  hundred percent understand why these are like $1200 new. 
 

The only thing I don’t care for is that it doesn’t come with a taper to 16mm unless you custom order. I have a 16mm (two, now that I think about it) JLC buckle, so maybe I’ll look into that now that I’m reasonably sure I can wear the strap. 

Edited July 22, 2021 by EdipisReks1

[EdipisReks1]

Goes great with basketball shorts. 

[swt61]

That's a nice looking watch.

[EdipisReks1]

I like it, for sure. It’s a pain in the ass. Might be part of why I like it. 

[EdipisReks1]

I slapped the 1861 Speedy back on. I’ve always hated winding it. By far the least favorite of my hand-winders. Apparently it just needed to be broken in? Bizarre. It isn’t like the Piguet based ebauche in the Drive Extra, or the early 861 in the  pre-moon, or the JLC 822/2, all of which are absolute sensory pleasures to wind, but I don’t hate it anymore. 

[EdipisReks1]

So the Casa Fagliano Reverso strap gives me a rash. It’s slow and not that irritating (some leather gives me hives within minutes) and I don’t normally wear that watch for 24 hours, so it’s like my other dressy watches. 
 

it’s acceptable. I’m happy. If anybody cared this is the update. 

[EdipisReks1]

Edit: I had some dumb bullshit “point.” Not worth spending the time to read it that I spent typing. 

Edited August 7, 2021 by EdipisReks1

[EdipisReks1]

.

Edited August 7, 2021 by EdipisReks1

[HemiSam]

Maybe an existential issue on my part but damn I'm struggling with the whole Rolex approach to managing production, inventories and resulting sales.  So much has simply shifted to the gray market allowing profiteers to service Rolex's customers.  Even several of the Tudor models feel like unobtanium...  WTH?!?

Rant over...

HS

[EdipisReks1]

6 hours ago, HemiSam said:

Maybe an existential issue on my part but damn I'm struggling with the whole Rolex approach to managing production, inventories and resulting sales.  So much has simply shifted to the gray market allowing profiteers to service Rolex's customers.  Even several of the Tudor models feel like unobtanium...  WTH?!?

Rant over...

HS

Rolex is not a for profit company (every Swiss Franc of excess revenue goes to the Hans Wildorf Foundation, which is a charity). They make as many watches as they can at the quality level they are willing to settle for. They seriously are operating at full capacity with their infrastructure and logistics. They have no particular pressure to expand, and it’s like semi-conductors: even if they wanted to they couldn’t do it tomorrow. They are like Beck: they don’t owe the fans a new album. 
 

Does it suck? Sure. Tudor is semi-autonomous but they are on the same facilities. There is a reason why my most recent Rolex was made in 2012. I wish it were otherwise, sure. But it’s not a case of false scarcity. 

Edited August 8, 2021 by EdipisReks1