wristwatches

[parlophone1]

That is a nice looking Seiko. And classic 5. 

I was looking to get something like that.

My eyes are not that good any more, so I like the clean display, only numbers.

Used to like chronos, but now I have a hard time seeing what the time is with all that mess on a watch.

[dirtmudd]

Talked with my father yesterday....the battery went dead in his watch..

 

And then told me a $35 timex is to much......and went on too

Say a sundial is cheaper.....

[HDBRbuilder]

I collect old quality dive watches...mostly automatics...when you are wearing an early 1960's Alsta (Alstater) Nautoscaph (999ft) automatic, dive watch collectors take notice....but only for the past dozen or so years...because they didn't realize that it was the dive watch worn in the original Jaws movie until the advent of DVD's when they could pause and zoom to a wrist in the movies.  It is very hard for people who don't understand to realize that the vast majority of today's HIGH-DOLLAR automatics are powered by movements which the company whose logo is on the watch never invented, but bought "out-of-house", then took everything apart, "jeweled it up"(the swirls put onto the faces of the parts, not the bearings!), and then charged an arm and a leg for what they were/are selling. 

 

There was a time when Swiss automatic movements did NOT have an "ETA" designation.  That happened after the traditional Swiss automatic watch industry was almost killed-off by the advent of cheap quartz watches.  Breitling ORIGINALLY got famous using primarily Venus-designed movements...and in the pre-WWII "wind-it-yerself" days they were very popular with AVIATORS, because they were tough, reliable, accurate and useful for aerial navigation.  Brietling went out of business and was bought up by the same man who was already making very inexpensive Swiss watches, with middle-of-the-road-quality movements. He finally got Brietling out of the doldrums it (as well as the entire automatic Swiss watch industry) had fallen into after the inexpensive Casio quartz watches almost destroyed the traditional watch market.

 

Rolex has NEVER made its own movements, they just "jewel-up" out of house movements.  What you look for is the MOVEMENT, not the brand.  The more complicated the movement the more jewels (rubis) it should have, and 17 jewels (rubis) is more than enough for a non-chronometer movement.

 

The most commonly-used QUALITY complicated movements for chronographs today are the ones which were adapted to "cassette" installations in the 1950's and 1960's and were capable of becoming automatics, without the case they resided in NEEDING to become overly THICK.  Nowadays people want this giant lump of metal on their wrist, but the goal of the classic watchmakers was THIN CASES that were LIGHT IN WEIGHT, but tough and waterproof. 

 

My daily watch-for-wear is a Seiko diver watch with the high-beat automatic movement that made Seiko famous...early on during the Viet Nam conflict...7S26 movement.  It was the special ops military side of the house (green beanies and SEALS) that came back from "the Nam" and touted the Seiko automatics as being "combat-zone-proof', reliable and accurate....and at that time, INEXPENSIVE.

[rplace]

@HDBRbuilder I'm a fan of vintage watches especially divers. I've had 2 Alsta Natoscaphs. That whole Jaws thing really blew up in the early 2000s. Great fun...but not if you wanted to buy the watch. One of the few times I actually made money selling a watch. What about Zodiac? I love all the different variations of the Seawolf. Some are so 60s looking. I'd have 20 different styles if $$/Space/Number of wrists were not an issue. One I've never had that I'd like is an Eterna KonTiki Super. The IDF version just adds to the cool factor. The reissues of the KonTiki is pretty nice as well.

 

I don't see much difference between a man's watch, cheap or high dollar, and a woman's bracelet cheap or high dollar. If you like it and want it then make it happen for yourself. If it is not your thing great. If you are buying it for reasons beyond yourself there are other issues to deal with. A single pair of decent bookshelf speakers would be all most of us here need. Yet lots of us have speakers the size of a dorm fridge or bigger. I find the small penis comments about watches, sports cars, fine clothes, etc. typically comes from the guy with the diesel Ram pickup. Complete with modded jet black soot spewing exhaust routed vertically through the bed, truck nutz and a rebel flag the size of a bed spread flapping in the breeze. Yes that is very subtle...and I'm trying to show off with my high zoot watch under my pressed shirt cuff, right. 

[T2K]

6 minutes ago, rplace said:

I find the small penis comments about watches, sports cars, fine clothes, etc. typically comes from the guy with the diesel Ram pickup. Complete with modded jet black soot spewing exhaust routed vertically through the bed, truck nutz and a rebel flag the size of a bed spread flapping in the breeze. Yes that is very subtle...and I'm trying to show off with my high zoot watch under my pressed shirt cuff, right. 

 

 No need to beat around the bush, tell us how you really feel.

 

Keith

 

[rplace]

Just now, T2K said:

 

 No need to beat around the bush, tell us how you really feel.

 

Keith

 

 

I think I did

[HDBRbuilder]

5 minutes ago, rplace said:

@HDBRbuilder I'm a fan of vintage watches especially divers. I've had 2 Alsta Natoscaphs. That whole Jaws thing really blew up in the early 2000s. Great fun...but not if you wanted to buy the watch. One of the few times I actually made money selling a watch. What about Zodiac? I love all the different variations of the Seawolf. Some are so 60s looking. I'd have 20 different styles if $$/Space/Number of wrists were not an issue. One I've never had that I'd like is an Eterna KonTiki Super. The IDF version just adds to the cool factor. The reissues of the KonTiki is pretty nice as well. 

I have most of my interest in the so-called "compressor" style classic dive watches with the rotating bezel UNDER the glass.  You'd be very surprised at just HOW MANY makers had them in their line-up for a time.  The original Bulova accutron compressor style watch has grown so popular over the years that they even added to their current line a quartz version "look-alike" a couple of years ago.  What comes around goes around.  It is very interesting to see how the attempts to keep an outside rotating bezel from moving while being worn during the times BEFORE dive computers came along evolved into different "solutions" to the problem.

[rplace]

12 minutes ago, HDBRbuilder said:

I have most of my interest in the so-called "compressor" style classic dive watches with the rotating bezel UNDER the glass.  You'd be very surprised at just HOW MANY makers had them in their line-up for a time.  The original Bulova accutron compressor style watch has grown so popular over the years that they even added to their current line a quartz version "look-alike" a couple of years ago.  What comes around goes around.  It is very interesting to see how the attempts to keep an outside rotating bezel from moving while being worn during the times BEFORE dive computers came along evolved into different "solutions" to the problem.

 

Not a dive watch but I seem to remember a Glycine (Airman model maybe) that always got my attention due to the bezel under the crystal. Viet Nam era watch. Once I was aware of that more and more models with bezels "inside" got my attention. Is that what defines a compressor? I'm aware of the term but did not know that is what it meant. Learn something new every day, right? I guess I'm done for the day.

[Shiva]

some nice timepieces here.

 

[HDBRbuilder]

3 hours ago, rplace said:

 

Not a dive watch but I seem to remember a Glycine (Airman model maybe) that always got my attention due to the bezel under the crystal. Viet Nam era watch. Once I was aware of that more and more models with bezels "inside" got my attention. Is that what defines a compressor? I'm aware of the term but did not know that is what it meant. Learn something new every day, right? I guess I'm done for the day.

Actually, the TERM "compressor" is all about the watch case manufacturer and was originally a trademark.  Glycine ended up using that trademark for their dive watches, then they came out with the two-crown style watches with one crown for setting the watch and another for rotating the "under glass" bezel.  They were not the first to do this, but the term "compressor-style" was coined due to it.  Aquastar made a variety of dive watches, many of which had the rotating bezel "under glass" but only ONE CROWN to do it all.  They were VERY popular back in the day....and they made them in three different sizes....with three different style-names.  See a gold-plated Aquastar Seatime 20 ATM dive watch with inner rotating bezel.  BY FAR, the most sought-after Aquastar watches are their Benthos 500 line, which are pretty pricey for originals in great condition nowadays.  BTW, Aquastar were considered some of the reasonably-priced dive watches in their day, quite reliable automatics.  But, nowadays, you will find that one of the Seatimes (below pic) in good condition will run you almost a grand on eBay, if not more...and the Benthos 500 (original editions) In good shape will run you from TWO grand on up.  And they are not even complicated movements...generally one of three movements used, almost al of them being 17-jeweled.

[Schu]

these are the only watches I still have, but I dont use them. I bought a bunch of different models when they first came out. now they are very popular

 

 

[oldtimer]

3 hours ago, rplace said:

I find the small penis comments about watches, sports cars, fine clothes, etc. typically comes from the guy with the diesel Ram pickup.

I have found they typically come from women, but we live in different parts of the country.

[rplace]

Just now, oldtimer said:

I have found they typically come from women, but we live in different parts of the country.

Those are the ones driving the Ram Pickups where I live...I am waaaaaay out in the country. I can't see a single neighbor left/center/right from my back yard. 10 people at the gas station on a Saturday morning, none buying gas all just hanging out, not a full set of teeth combined.

[T2K]

On ‎3‎/‎22‎/‎2018 at 10:10 PM, JL Sargent said:

Solar, Atomic, and Analog by Citizen is the one I'm wearing.

 

 

I must have missed the picture the first time around @JL Sargent. That's the same watch I ordered a few days ago, in Rose gold. Couldn't find it locally to eyeball so I ordered it online.

 

I just remembered that I was going to check the boxes of the Citizen watches I've bought in the past that I still use. The first Citizen quartz (battery) that I bought was recommended by the owner of the local store. The receipt is dated 03-01-1991. It still keeps good time. I alternate this first watch with an identical Citizen quartz that I later bought October 28, 2005. I still use both and they keep ~ perfect time. I check them occasionally with an atomic clock. I noticed a Seiko Eco-Drive box on the shelf. It was my wife's bracelet watch I bought for her March 23, 2004. She couldn't believe she has owned it that long. Time flies. She said it has never stopped running.

 

I hope this latest Citizen will last as long as these earlier watches have lasted. How long have you had your watch JL and how do you like it?

 

Keith

 

 

[JL Sargent]

5 hours ago, T2K said:

How long have you had your watch JL and how do you like it?

I've owned the watch a couple of years now. I really do like it. You never have to adjust it. I also like the fact that the hands actually stay luminous all night. I wear it to bed and can wake up and read the time at any hour. The only negative is it's heavy if you go with the stainless version. Of course the titanium version is much lighter. Great watch overall though.

 

[Tony Whitlow]

Anybody know anything about Invicta wristwatches? The good, the bad, the ugly? Thanks.
 
Keith

No need for a watch since I have a cell phone. A good digital watch that keeps perfect time can be had for about ten dollars. Use it till it stops, throw it away and get another one.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[T2K]

8 minutes ago, Tony Whitlow said:

No need for a watch since I have a cell phone. A good digital watch that keeps perfect time can be had for about ten dollars. Use it till it stops, throw it away and get another one.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

 I should have checked on those at Walmart the other day while I was there buying a new pair of speakers.

 

Keith

 

[T2K]

6 hours ago, JL Sargent said:

I've owned the watch a couple of years now. I really do like it. You never have to adjust it. I also like the fact that the hands actually stay luminous all night. I wear it to bed and can wake up and read the time at any hour. The only negative is it's heavy if you go with the stainless version. Of course the titanium version is much lighter. Great watch overall though.

 

 

Thanks for that. There's a watch retailer at the Galleria that I've bought watches from for years. I use to get batteries replaced by him when he was at Century Plaza years ago. His batteries would last around 5 years. I've been having batteries replaced by a jeweler closer to home and they last maybe a year. So I decided to buy a Eco-Drive to hopefully avoid the battery issue. The set-and-forget features of this watch is what landed me there.

 

Keith

 

[CECAA850]

  I have 2 Tags and love them.  One is black and silver that I use if I go out and one is silver and gold for formal occasions.  They're nothing exotic.  I always have a watch on but never wear either of those to work as I'd scratch them up.  I have a few Seikos and Citizens that I use just for work.  If I tear them up I'll just throw them away.  I've been wearing watches so long I feel weird without one on.  Another thing I like about them is the fact that I don't need my glasses to read them as the hands make telling time much easier than looking at digital numbers.  As far as batteries go, there's a jeweler here in town that replaces them for free but I always pull the stem out on mine to keep from wearing the batteries down so quickly.

[JL Sargent]

14 minutes ago, T2K said:

His batteries would last around 5 years.

For reference I've been getting just over 10 years out of the rechargeable/solar watch type battery. I've replaced two batteries in Casio G-Shock solar powered watches and both were just over 10 years old. I expect the Citizen will perform similarly.