Watches

[postjack]

Fob watches are cool.  Now get a monocle.

 

and a cape! and a bag of coins you can throw at a peasant to do your criminal bidding.

[n_maher]

I love pocket watches but cannot ever imagine actually carrying one.

[Hopstretch]

Ordered my first new watch for a long time, a Nomos weltzeit. They call this particular shade "Nachtblau" and if you could bottle it, Mikey might even deign to collect it.

 

 

 

 

[Dusty Chalk]

Pretty.  Love that particular hue.

[n_maher]

Very nice!

[HeadphoneAddict]

That's a handsome looking watch, but I spent too much time trying to guess how the complications work.

[Augsburger]

Ordered my first new watch for a long time, a Nomos weltzeit. They call this particular shade "Nachtblau" and if you could bottle it, Mikey might even deign to collect it.

 

 

 

Andrew looks sweet!  Is that the ETA 7750 movement? 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Andrew looks sweet!  Is that the ETA 7750 movement? 

 

The 7750 is used in Chronographs, including the modded Omega version Cal 1164 in the Speedmaster Date model.

 

Here is what I found about this watch movement.

 

 

MOVEMENT

The NOMOS caliber 5201—with the in-house NOMOS swing system and excellent accuracy, allowing you to travel the world in the push of a button. Some of the technical specifications: bidirectional winding rotor, tempered blue balance spring, movement number visible on three-quarter plate, Glashütte ribbing and sunburst decoration, 26 jewels.

[Hopstretch]

Andrew looks sweet!  Is that the ETA 7750 movement? 

 

It's Nomos's own Xi caliber. I've read that some of their basic watches are based on Peseux movements, but the more complicated pieces are completely in-house.

[CarlSeibert]

Nice! Nomos rules! That movement is beautiful. (Which immediately distinguishes it from the 7750, which, despite its many virtues, isn't the most attractive thing.)

[HeadphoneAddict]

I have a couple of watches that I plan going to give my younger brother for his Birthday and Christmas in 2 months.  I've given him a watch every year for the past 5 years, and he loves having a variety of watches without having to pay for them on a sous chef salary. He went through hard times and previously sold his good watches and I know he misses them.

 

One is a used but cleaned up and serviced TAG Heuer Classic 2000 from the mid to late 90's based on serial number, that I bought from Marc last year.  The other is a brand new Seiko 5 automatic that I bought to replace his almost identical 1970's Seiko 5 that had the crown snap off and a bracelet link give out, as the cost to fix and service the old one was more than a new one.  I still worry about only 30M water resistance, but I already know he liked it enough to buy once before.

 

Most of the previous watches I gave him are steel dive watches that he can wear at work as a chef, because he has to wear rubber or steel on his watches while cooking (Stuhrling, Invicta, Orient Mako). The exception was a Citizen eco-drive field chronograph on a canvas strap that I gave him so he'd have something extremely lightweight and cool for the hot Phoenix summers.  

 

But today I saw another watch that I think looks fairly "unique" that maybe he would enjoy wearing away from work.  It's an Orient with in-house 21 jewel automatic movement and sapphire crystal, and genuine leather, but still only 30M WR. What do you guys think about this watch?  

 

 

 

 

 

It's in my budget at half the cost of the Seiko SARX015, but would any of you guys consider one?  I think he'd like a watch that stands out as different, as opposed to the five "submariner-style" dive-watches I already gave him.  I want this watch to be something that everyone else isn't wearing, and this one looks a little "retro-cool" to me.  But maybe the TAG and Seiko will be fine this time around, and I can save the money for his 50th birthday next year.

 

I'm thinking about giving him one of my Omega/Luminox/Victorinox for his 50th birthday next year, since that's a special milestone; or maybe picking up a Constellation Pie Pan from 1965 (birth year) and flying out there to give it to him since he has no family left in Phoenix.

 

Or, if I don't spend more money on an extra watch, maybe I'll send him one of my Travagans headphones amps and a pair of modded ATH-A900 instead of a watch.

[RudeWolf]

Caved in for a Maratac Mid Pilot Red Crown massdrop. Supposedly the movement runs on masturbation, which is why it's so widely used by the US govt. and the military. If I have to decide between a giant ball of nuclear fusion and a good fap for being an endless and clean (sort of) source of energy, my money's on the latter. Just need to put in the charging hand once in a while.

 

Edited October 26, 2014 by RudeWolf

[Cee Tee]

^Really nice!  I have a Seiko 5 Military and have wanted one of these.  But that is just purty.

[grawk]

How much was the mid pilot?  County comm has the red pilot for $299 in mid and large sizes, as well as several other models.  I'm regularly tempted.

 

http;//www.countycomm.com

[RudeWolf]

The drop dove down to 244$. Massdrop offers Maratacs like once every three months or so, but this was the first Red Crown drop. Some hate the red accent, but for me it really freshens up the stiff military styling. My other choices were Citizen EkoDrive watches, but they don't have saphire glass and Maratac seems more rare and therefore exclusive. In EU at least.

[CarlSeibert]

That Red Pilot is tempting.

[HeadphoneAddict]

I received my Hong Kong strap and lug covers, today.  The strap is very nicely made, though it wasn't quite as long as listed, so I had to stretch it under hot water.  The leather band was made from a vintage Italian handbag, apparently.  I did it very carefully, so there isn't too much taper.  I may order a custom length from him, in the future, as it's very cheap for the quality.  I think it looks good, on the wrist:

 

 

I never realized how big the lug-gap was with a standard leather strap, having only used the factory SS bracelet or a NATO strap on my Rolexes.  The NATOs are good at hiding the gap.  The end cap link is kinda clever, but not sure how I feel about the fit in the photo.

[HeadphoneAddict]

I don't know what you mean by "the fit."  The end caps fit perfectly

Well, I mean I'm not sure how I feel about the staggered center link sticking out, and how it doesn't perfectly line up with the edge of the leather strap. And in the photo it looked like there was still a gap on the sides between the end link and the lugs.

[HeadphoneAddict]

There is a gap between the end links and the lugs on the original SS bracelet, too, if I understand what you're saying. I don't know what you mean about it not perfectly lining up with the edge of the strap. It all fits together about as well as factory Rolex. Maybe the edges of the strap being shiny is throwing you off, as there are no untoward gaps.

Sorry, I'm really not trying to be argumentative. I was just trying to answer your questions. On my GMT Master II the gap between the end-links and lugs appears to be tighter, that's all I'm saying.

In my case I'll probably stick with NATO straps to hide the gap between the case and the spring bar if I'm not using the stainless bracelet. Your end links with the leather strap would not be out of the question if I wanted to go that way, as it's still likely that the leather strap looks better with the end links than without.

But, does Rolex make a fitted rubber strap that closes the gap between the strap and the case, like Omega?

[sschell]

It's been a while since I posted, so here goes. Enjoying the Laco a lot, though now I'm lusting after a Stowa Marine Original.

 

[RudeWolf]

The large Maratac Pilot Red Crown is getting dropped for 244$.

[HeadphoneAddict]

I got rid of my 20 year old Polar White 40mm Rolex Explorer II in order to get a new 42mm Polar Explorer II.

While my GMT Master II and Submariner look great to me in 40mm, I always felt the stainless bezel made my Exp II look slightly small. Like my 42mm Planet Ocean, the new Exp II feels just right. I was tempted to sell off the '83 Submariner Instead, but it's a classic with sapphire and 3035 mvmt, and to many people it looks better than the new ones.

I also wanted one with working Lume like my GMT Master II, which has superluminova instead of dead tritium. To re-lume the original dial and hands would have reduced the resale value of the watch, and I've spent several months looking for a dial or at least new hands, without having to give up the originals. After two different quotes it was going to cost almost half what the watch was worth for a new service dial and hands, because they require a complete movement service at Rolex at the same time, even if it was serviced last year by an independent.

 

(EDIT to remove the partial serial number in the photo - it was recommended to not show it)

Edited November 26, 2014 by HeadphoneAddict

[Hopstretch]

Like it! Of the current Rolex lineup, I think the Explorer has dealt with upsizing the best. 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Like it! Of the current Rolex lineup, I think the Explorer has dealt with upsizing the best. 

 

Thanks!

 

I feel the same way - my 40mm GMT Master II and Submariner look just right, but the 40mm Explorer with stainless bezel and white dial just looked smaller to me, so the upsize to a 42mm feels just right. 

 

On my teenage son the 40mm Polar Explorer II looked perfect to me, but he still preferred the GMT Master II and Submariner as well.  He told me that he thought his 36mm black Seamaster Pro mid-size looks about the same size as my old Exp II, because the silver bezel made it look smaller than his black bezel.  This coming from a kid who's everyday wear watch is a 44mm Luminox.

 

And I agree with him, that the color and materials of the watch affect how large or how small a watch looks. I don't need the other Rolexes to be bigger, especially since I grew up wearing 36mm watches in the 60's and 70's. And some 36mm watches still look right to me, while most look like my wife should wear it. 

 

But the trend towards too big is also silly.  For instance, I thought the Omega Planet Ocean in 45mm looked silly big and I got a 42mm, but with an orange bezel the 45mm looked smaller and wasn't as ridiculous.  Below is my everyday wear watch, although I just put the original bracelet back on (and cat scratch has healed)...

[ktm]

New Seiko daily driver.