Wristwatches |OT| Keeping time with class

Jason's Ultimatum · Apr 26, 2020

Ok here's my 2531! My first luxury watch! Can anyone please let me know how to get the clasp centered on my wrist? The guy I usually take my watch to said I'd need to find a half link. Here's the album: https://www.flickr.com/photos/187105325@N02/albums/72157714049433928
I have six inch flat wrists. It's a little loose, so it'd need more links removed I'd assume.

EnronERA · Apr 26, 2020

Jason's Ultimatum said:
Ok here's my 2531! My first luxury watch! Can anyone please let me know how to get the clasp centered on my wrist? The guy I usually take my watch to said I'd need to find a half link. Here's the album: https://www.flickr.com/photos/187105325@N02/albums/72157714049433928
I have six inch flat wrists. It's a little loose, so it'd need more links removed I'd assume.

If you need an Omega piece (such as springbars, links, etc) the go-to is Ofrei. Ive ordered clasp springs and such from them before.

http://www.ofrei.com/page661.html - link to the omega bracelet links section

I wouldn't attempt to adjust your bracelet yourself. Omegas have an annoying pin system. I'd take it to a shop and have it done there.

Jason's Ultimatum · Apr 26, 2020

Nice! Thanks! Yeah I have no idea which one is for the 2531.

would you know if adding a half link will center clasp? The watch guy I go to said if he moved any links to either side it'd throw off the balance by shifting to other side.

Pall Mall · May 1, 2020

Feel pretty conflicted about what my first 'nice' piece should be. Any advice? Not really looking for specific watch recommendations as I know my taste and style fairly well. Rather, I'm looking for help as to general mistakes/the feelings around making such a (frankly) extravagant purchase. I love watches but I'm just afraid of getting something I won't be happy with tbh, something where I will eventually tell myself 'I don't like this watch that much. This wasn't worth it. I should have gotten that one instead'. I guess I just need help processing through the emotions of this whole shabang.

In addition - anyone seen any noticeable dips or rises in the market/should I potentially wait for some better deals down the line given the world?

Kiria · May 1, 2020

Cleros said:
Feel pretty conflicted about what my first 'nice' piece should be. Any advice? Not really looking for specific watch recommendations as I know my taste and style fairly well. Rather, I'm looking for help as to general mistakes/the feelings around making such a (frankly) extravagant purchase. I love watches but I'm just afraid of getting something I won't be happy with tbh, something where I will eventually tell myself 'I don't like this watch that much. This wasn't worth it. I should have gotten that one instead'. I guess I just need help processing through the emotions of this whole shabang.

In addition - anyone seen any noticeable dips or rises in the market/should I potentially wait for some better deals down the line given the world?

if you want a nice piece with great value for the money. get a ming 17.06.. sadly they are out of stock atm.. but if you can get one msrp afaik they dont trade below msrp

Pall Mall · May 1, 2020

Kiria said:
if you want a nice piece with great value for the money. get a ming 17.06.. sadly they are out of stock atm.. but if you can get one msrp afaik they dont trade below msrp

Oh man that's actually a pretty good rec for me - my ideal watches are dress style cases with playful/less austere dials. Appreciate it my man!

Kiria · May 1, 2020

Cleros said:
Oh man that's actually a pretty good rec for me - my ideal watches are dress style cases with playful/less austere dials. Appreciate it my man!

No worries just sign up and hopefully they open the order books again.. they recently release a new model earlier today.. a much more expensive piece but still sold out in less than 10mins so getting these will be a pain but worth it

Tryptobphan · May 2, 2020

Cleros said:
Feel pretty conflicted about what my first 'nice' piece should be. Any advice? Not really looking for specific watch recommendations as I know my taste and style fairly well. Rather, I'm looking for help as to general mistakes/the feelings around making such a (frankly) extravagant purchase. I love watches but I'm just afraid of getting something I won't be happy with tbh, something where I will eventually tell myself 'I don't like this watch that much. This wasn't worth it. I should have gotten that one instead'. I guess I just need help processing through the emotions of this whole shabang.

In addition - anyone seen any noticeable dips or rises in the market/should I potentially wait for some better deals down the line given the world?

So I typically like dress watches more than sport watches. I started off with sport watches (Seiko, Omega, Rolex, etc.) but as I collected and wore watches more often I gravitate towards dress watches since it fits my style more.

Since you're looking into your first "nice" watch, I recommend you consider 3 things:

Budget - How much are you willing to spend on your nice watch?
Watch Brand/Company Manufacturing Process - Depending on the price, I think the heritage and how a watch is made adds to the beauty and value of the watch
Personal Style - Will it be your only watch? If not, don't spend all your money on your first nice piece

If you only care about value and investment, Rolex. End of story. But if you want a nice dress watch for an affordable price, I highly recommend either Seiko or Orient watches. These are affordable, typically their mechanical watches have entry level dress watches for less than $200 and all their parts are made in-house, which is difficult for any watch company to do. Most watch companies source their movements, cases, dials, and other parts from other companies.

However, if you want a really nice watch that balances cost, manufacturing power, and design/art then I highly recommend Nomos. Here are some videos showing you a bit of why I consider Nomos to be an amazing watch company.

Mr. Porter's Intro to Nomos Watches

Tick Talk | Episode 04: NOMOS Glashütte | MR PORTER

In this installment of our watch video series, we introduce a German brand that makes beautifully designed and engineered mechanical watches, with in-house m...

www.youtube.com

Watchfinder's Comparison of Finishing at Different Prices

£2,000 Nomos vs £8,000 Jaeger-LeCoultre vs £80,000 A. Lange & Söhne | Watchfinder & Co.

Watchfinder, the pre-owned watch specialist, is now available in France, Germany, Switzerland, USA and Hong Kong. Shop now at https://www.watchfinder.com Wat...

www.youtube.com

Nomos is totally in control of their design of their watches, the design language is just playful, yet traditional with Bauhaus minimalism with a couple playful design choices. Nomos is also one of the very few watch companies that manufacturer their own movements in-house. This is a huge source of pride for any watch company and Nomos was able to do well enough and re-invest into their own watchmakers to manufacturer their own caliber movements.

If you want some recommendations, I recommend checking out their Tangente, Orion, and Club line of watches. I personally have the Nomos Club 38 with an exhibition caseback so I can see the manual wind movement from the back. The Nomos Club line is the most affordable line of watches they offer for men.

NOMOS Glashütte—the finest mechanical watches

German engineering, Glashütte watchmaking craft, award-winning product design: timepieces made by NOMOS Glashütte.

nomos-glashuette.com

You can check out their stuff and see what they're all about here. I hope this helps you get started. There are a lot of amazing watches out there. I own dress watches from Seiko all the way up to A. Lange & Sohne, but I have huge respect for Nomos. In fact, I'm wearing the Club 38 as we speak.

They've also won a lot of awards over the years, even from GPHG, which the Ming watch recommended from a previous poster also won.

Prizes and awards | NOMOS Glashütte

NOMOS Glashütte and its prizewinning watches have won over 150 awards for design, technology, value-for-money, and sustainabilty. Discover the value now!

nomos-glashuette.com

I get nerdy about watches, so I apologize for the long post, but I just wanted to share my passion a bit with you. Keep us posted on your watch journey!

Galacticsushiman · May 3, 2020

Cleros said:
Feel pretty conflicted about what my first 'nice' piece should be. Any advice? Not really looking for specific watch recommendations as I know my taste and style fairly well. Rather, I'm looking for help as to general mistakes/the feelings around making such a (frankly) extravagant purchase. I love watches but I'm just afraid of getting something I won't be happy with tbh, something where I will eventually tell myself 'I don't like this watch that much. This wasn't worth it. I should have gotten that one instead'. I guess I just need help processing through the emotions of this whole shabang.

In addition - anyone seen any noticeable dips or rises in the market/should I potentially wait for some better deals down the line given the world?

You have nice advice from the community here. If I may give mine: the watch design, the colors on the dial, the case shape, the hands... you might like them a lot, but on 99% of the watches out there, it WILL get 'less exciting', eventually even 'old' at some point on your writs. (There are a few notable exception, and most of them are the 'classics' that you know already of :D).

What will never grow old though, is the message, the story, the anecdote that comes with the watch. The 'why'.

My $.02 :) Good luck :)

Tugatrix · May 4, 2020

Cleros said:
Feel pretty conflicted about what my first 'nice' piece should be. Any advice? Not really looking for specific watch recommendations as I know my taste and style fairly well. Rather, I'm looking for help as to general mistakes/the feelings around making such a (frankly) extravagant purchase. I love watches but I'm just afraid of getting something I won't be happy with tbh, something where I will eventually tell myself 'I don't like this watch that much. This wasn't worth it. I should have gotten that one instead'. I guess I just need help processing through the emotions of this whole shabang.

In addition - anyone seen any noticeable dips or rises in the market/should I potentially wait for some better deals down the line given the world?

you can either invest on a good watch that if you stop liking it you can sell down the road and get most of the money back or you invest on cheaper models wear them until they either die or you stop liking it, I only have an expensive watch the rest are cheap ones that I don't expect them to last more than a couple of years

Briareos · May 4, 2020

Tryptobphan said:
I own dress watches from Seiko all the way up to A. Lange & Sohne, but I have huge respect for Nomos. In fact, I'm wearing the Club 38 as we speak.

Hrm, this has me looking at a Tangente date power reserve again. Bit of a modernist compliment to my snowflake. Which A Lange & Sohne do you have? I think an 1815 annual calendar is my current grail watch.

Tryptobphan · May 4, 2020

BriareosGAF said:
Hrm, this has me looking at a Tangente date power reserve again. Bit of a modernist compliment to my snowflake. Which A Lange & Sohne do you have? I think an 1815 annual calendar is my current grail watch.

I have the Saxonia Thin. I couldn't justify spending so much money on a dress watch at the time at the level of Patek, Vacheron, Audemars, or Lange. But when they announced the Saxonia Thin and about affordable price, I decided to get a watch more on the artistic and craftsmanship side of watchmaking rather than just functional like Rolex/Omega/Seiko and all my watches at the time.

I loved it. I have the white gold Saxonia Thin. It's made me appreciate other watches if it's ilk. I now wear it daily for years and I prefer dress watches over steel sports watches. That 1815 Annual Calendar is great. I actually would like a Richard Lange next so I'm saving up.

Jason's Ultimatum · May 4, 2020

Not a fan of A Lange watches design wise. Just an opinion. In fact out of three high end brands, the PP Calatrava is the only watch I like design wise.

End of day I'd rather have a Rolex 5513.

Tryptobphan · May 5, 2020

Jason's Ultimatum said:
Not a fan of A Lange watches design wise. Just an opinion. In fact out of three high end brands, the PP Calatrava is the only watch I like design wise.

End of day I'd rather have a Rolex 5513.

Nothing wrong with that. I totally get you. I actually don't like most Patek watches, but I absolutely love their 5227 Calatrava, that eggshell dial and hunter caseback is just amazing. It bothers me that almost all of their calibers are so old they can't even hack seconds though. I understand it's not necessary, but if I'm going to pay $15-50K for a watch, I expect them to at least be able to hack seconds so I can just see how accurate it is despite the watch being an artistic piece moreso than an accurate time keeper.

Anyways, I'd love a 5227J Calatrava someday. That Rolex 5513 is also really nice, expensive now though since it's vintage. I have the more modern Submariner piece and I like it a lot. But there's something about these older watches that have seen things from before I was even born...

Jason's Ultimatum · May 5, 2020

Ha! Funny! Yeah, I have this weird issue with luxury watches. I'm one of those people who knows about watches, but feel the justification of spending all that money is insane. Even though I know the quality is there, I look at it and it's something I'm like, ok, this is it?

I just sold my 2531.It's a gorgeous watch, but thought to myself I'd rather have a 36mm Oris 65 diver or one of the new Seiko divers coming out in a couple months. I like Nomos. Maybe one day a Tangente or Orion.

This may sound crazy, but I think I look at watches online and think WOW! But then when I pull the trigger or see one in person, the wow factor is gone.

I think that's why my budget has lowered when it comes to watches these days.

APZonerunner · May 5, 2020

Jason's Ultimatum said:
Ha! Funny! Yeah, I have this weird issue with luxury watches. I'm one of those people who knows about watches, but feel the justification of spending all that money is insane. Even though I know the quality is there, I look at it and it's something I'm like, ok, this is it?

I just sold my 2531.It's a gorgeous watch, but thought to myself I'd rather have a 36mm Oris 65 diver or one of the new Seiko divers coming out in a couple months. I like Nomos. Maybe one day a Tangente or Orion.

This may sound crazy, but I think I look at watches online and think WOW! But then when I pull the trigger or see one in person, the wow factor is gone.

I think that's why my budget has lowered when it comes to watches these days.

I think a big part of it is also seeing it on your wrist though. I would never buy any piece now without actually trying it on. I've fallen in love with watches through a screen or on paper and then put it on and gone "this is totally not for me", for whatever reason. Sometimes it can help you to refine a choice, too - like when I knew I wanted a Planet Ocean, I was convinced the 39.5mm smaller size was basically going to be too small for me, but in store it became clear that the 43.5 was actually too big. I now have a 39.5mm in the collection that I consider near perfect.

Jason's Ultimatum · May 5, 2020

I've been to shops and tried them all. Maybe I haven't found that one special watch, and could be unattainable, but I look for watches that offer a lot of bang for buck, like Nomos and Seiko watches in the $1000-$1300 range.

Tryptobphan · May 5, 2020

Jason's Ultimatum said:
I've been to shops and tried them all. Maybe I haven't found that one special watch, and could be unattainable, but I look for watches that offer a lot of bang for buck, like Nomos and Seiko watches in the $1000-$1300 range.

I think there's nothing wrong with your perspective at all. I wore a Seiko solar quartz watch I got as a high school graduation gift from my mom's friend all the way until I reached my late 20's. I never cared about Omega, Rolex, Patek, Lange or anything beyond my Seiko. In fact, I didn't know anything was more expensive than an Omega or Rolex until my mid-20's. But once I started working and I had time to look into hobbies beyond gaming, I was fascinated by mechanical time pieces and began exploring.

I became amazed at the heritage and history of some of these watches (i.e. Omega Speedmaster, Rolex Explorer 1, Rolex Oyster), the cultural impact (e.g. Rolex Sumbariner, Omega Seamaster on Bond). Ultimately, I came to appreciate the art of mechanical watchmaking beyond just the utilitarian mass production of watches. I was amazed at how much time and effort it took people to create and handcraft haute hologerie watches such as Lange and the other Holy Trinity watchmakers. In the end, all this knowledge made me appreciate different brands for different reasons. Seiko and Orient, for instance, amaze me how they are able to create mechanical time pieces as affordable as they are with as many variety as they do. Nomos and Jaeger LeCoultre amaze me with how they balance engineering and handcrafting to create something affordable in comparison to Lange and the Holy Trinity.

But you know what? Even if I didn't have any of these watches, I still love my Seiko solar quartz watch. I still have it to this day alongside my Casio, which I need to replace the battery for. I don't think any of these watches are necessary. And you can get an Apple iWatch for way cheaper than any of these luxury watches and still get more attention than even a Rolex by today's younger generation. However, for anyone who appreciates mechanical engineering and history, any mechanical time piece is an amazing work of functional art. So I can get why you don't see the value in high-end luxury watches, if it doesn't make sense to buy one, regardless of finances (I know a lot of people who can easily afford expensive watches but would rather spend money on other hobbies or obligations) then don't buy them. Buy something that you'll be happy with. I've seen some people buy a Rolex only to regret the purchase later. Better not to spend any money than to regret spending any amount of money later.

hockeypuck · May 5, 2020

Tryptobphan said:
I have the Saxonia Thin. I couldn't justify spending so much money on a dress watch at the time at the level of Patek, Vacheron, Audemars, or Lange. But when they announced the Saxonia Thin and about affordable price, I decided to get a watch more on the artistic and craftsmanship side of watchmaking rather than just functional like Rolex/Omega/Seiko and all my watches at the time.

I loved it. I have the white gold Saxonia Thin. It's made me appreciate other watches if it's ilk. I now wear it daily for years and I prefer dress watches over steel sports watches. That 1815 Annual Calendar is great. I actually would like a Richard Lange next so I'm saving up.

Which Richard Lange? The jumping seconds? The central seconds Richard Lange is 10,000 Euros more than the 1815 small seconds. Why is that?

I love the look of classy dress watches. Simple and always easy to read at a glance. The Vacheron Traditionelle was one of my two grail watches and when I got it, it met all of my expectations, and then some. What most online reviews do not show about this watch is that the railroad minutes track is actually finished differently from the rest of the main dial; there is a very nice subtle contrast that you can appreciate only when looking from an angle. Pardon my crappy photography:

I also love that the small seconds has a sector subdial, as well as two beveled sets of ringed guilloche cuts inside and outside the hash marks. There are only two things I dislike about this manual watch. The first one is the crown is too small to enjoyably wind. Thank god it has a >60hr power reserve.

The MSRP is the second thing, ha. But being that this is from Vacheron and not Patek, price negotiation was also easy :)
The Lange Saxonia Thin reminds me of the Credor Eichi II, and that's a good thing. Personally, I would rank the Traditionelle and the Saxonia above the PP Calatrava. I deduct style points on the Calatrava for not having a unique 12 o'clock marker. Double bar it, or something. Even the Eichi II does that. The Calatrava does have applied minute markers, which I find rare at any price point, and I give it points for that. But paying that Patek market premium and dealing with Patek ADs and their waiting lists when I can have a far more enjoyable buying experience and get a better bang for buck from the less appreciated, yet equally talented, brands is a big deal to me. In a somewhat twisted way, I'm glad that 90% (at least to me it feels like 90%) of the luxury watch market orbits around the Rolex and Patek gas giants, leaving me to interact with the other brands in a more relaxed manner.

I'm a Lange fan and could've easily been swayed for the Saxonia dress watch instead of the Traditionelle, except that I was fortunate enough to save up and obtain my second grail watch as well, a base Lange 1. Whoo-hoo! Thus far, I have been keeping with my "only one watch per brand" rule.

Galacticsushiman said:
You have nice advice from the community here. If I may give mine: the watch design, the colors on the dial, the case shape, the hands... you might like them a lot, but on 99% of the watches out there, it WILL get 'less exciting', eventually even 'old' at some point on your writs. (There are a few notable exception, and most of them are the 'classics' that you know already of :D).

What will never grow old though, is the message, the story, the anecdote that comes with the watch. The 'why'.

My $.02 :) Good luck :)

After getting both of my grails, I can throw in my anecdotes to support this feeling. The joy is still there, but the peaks were from the chase and the first few weeks after owning them. From there the excitement dipped, to now a steady plateau. I still get a kick out of looking at my watch box and seeing a Lange rested next to a $10 Casio F91W. I parked in front of my Richemont AD in an old Toyota Corolla; I'm sure the security guard did a 'WTF'. And the itch is still there. But I do not intend to sell any of my watches to go after the next shiny object. The scratches on that Traditionelle can attest to my indifference at keeping these timepieces at resale condition. Haven't sold a watch yet. However, for a while now I've been staring at JLC Reversos... And 1815 Chronographs. And Saxonia Dual-Times. And Saxonia Annual Calendars.

Jason's Ultimatum · May 6, 2020

Actually let rephrase: only watch I've been impressed in person are grand seikos.

Tryptobphan · May 6, 2020

hockeypuck said:
Which Richard Lange? The jumping seconds? The central seconds Richard Lange is 10,000 Euros more than the 1815 small seconds. Why is that?

I love the look of classy dress watches. Simple and always easy to read at a glance. The Vacheron Traditionelle was one of my two grail watches and when I got it, it met all of my expectations, and then some. What most online reviews do not show about this watch is that the railroad minutes track is actually finished differently from the rest of the main dial; there is a very nice subtle contrast that you can appreciate only when looking from an angle. Pardon my crappy photography:

I'm a Lange fan and could've easily been swayed for the Saxonia dress watch instead of the Traditionelle, except that I was fortunate enough to save up and obtain my second grail watch as well, a base Lange 1. Whoo-hoo! Thus far, I have been keeping with my "only one watch per brand" rule.

I absolutely LOVE the Traditionelle. I came close to getting that, too. But I was able to get the Lange Saxonia Thin for far less than the VC Traditionelle. I wasn't into haute hologerie watches yet since I've never spent that much on anything for myself other than a car or necessities. But the Lange made me appreciate the types of watches VC makes even more afterwards.

I'm a big fan of VC's 4400 movement, I believe that's the one in your Traditionelle among many other in their catalog like the 1921 Historique. You have an absolutely fantastic watch. If I could have a VC, I think it'd either be the rose gold version of your Traditionelle or the Small Patrimony (4100U). I think I'm just a big fan of even more simplicity than the Traditionelle, which is why I love the Small Patrimony 4100U.

I can't afford a Lange 1 just yet, but someday. The Richard Lange with the central seconds hand costs more than the 1815 Small Seconds is the movement itself. There are more parts and the design of the movement is different. What's interesting is there is only one watch from Lange's catalog with a central seconds hand (that isn't a chronograph or jumping seconds), which is the Richard Lange. I consider that watch the Dragon Quest of watches from Lange. It's just a simple and elegant watch. I've looked at this watch so many times, but I just haven't pulled the trigger.

Jason's Ultimatum said:
Actually let rephrase: only watch I've been impressed in person are grand seikos.

I actually like Grand Seiko but I don't like their sport watches. I've seen them so many times and I just can't find myself wanting one. I think it's because of how big their watches are. My wrists are really small so the typical Grand Seiko sports watch is too large on my wrist. However, the smaller manual wind watches or spring drive watches look great. I just haven't seen those particular ones in person yet.

Jason's Ultimatum · May 7, 2020

Yeah agreed. That A Lange does look nice. And the cat lol.

theres a GS is really like. It's the 8 day power reserve, and a diamond dust dial. The finishing on the movement is bonkers.

Tryptobphan · May 7, 2020

Jason's Ultimatum said:
Yeah agreed. That A Lange does look nice. And the cat lol.

theres a GS is really like. It's the 8 day power reserve, and a diamond dust dial. The finishing on the movement is bonkers.

If it's the Grand Seiko I'm thinking you're talking about then indeed it is gorgeous, but it's over $50K.

Introducing: The Grand Seiko Spring Drive 8 Day Power Reserve

A rare example Of Japanese haute horology from the famed Micro Artist Studio.

www.hodinkee.com

I've yet to see it in person. I can only hope to someday. I've seen some of the best in person from the Lange, Patek, Vacheron, Audemars, Laurent Ferrier and more, but I've yet to see the best of Grand Seiko. I imagine it's not too far off from the Seiko's even higher brand, the Credor Eichi II:

Hands-On: A Critical Comparison Of The Seiko Eichi II, Laurent Ferrier Galet Micro-Rotor, And Philippe Dufour Simplicity

Seiko has an enthusiastic collector base and an unparalleled breadth in the lineup that stretches from mainstream quartz to haute-horlogerie, something that is unique in the watchmaking industry. Today we’re looking at the Credor Eichi II, the second generation of exclusive time-only pieces with...

www.hodinkee.com

Absolutely amazing time piece. The movement is also unique. Some people dislike the linear finish of the main plates in comparison to the Geneva stripes of the Swiss watches, but I think it adds character and the way that Philippe Dufour taught Seiko/Credor's artisans how to finish the edges of the main plates is just breathtaking (just look at those comparison shots).

Good taste, but also super expensive taste. =)

Jason's Ultimatum · May 7, 2020

Yes, that's it! Gorgeous piece. I've never seen a Lange, Patek, or Vacheron in person. But for certain GS's are better finished than watches at $10k. I want the fall/blue dial GS. Or the SBGW231. Cream colored dial with no date is also gorgeous.

Jason's Ultimatum · May 7, 2020

Here's another:

A Week On The Wrist: The Grand Seiko SBGK005

A quirky watch that oozes both style and substance.

www.hodinkee.com

Just look at the sharp angles and finishing on the side of the case.

scottbeowulf · May 7, 2020

Jason's Ultimatum said:
Here's another:

A Week On The Wrist: The Grand Seiko SBGK005

A quirky watch that oozes both style and substance.

www.hodinkee.com

Just look at the sharp angles and finishing on the side of the case.

I've drooled over this watch so many times. That blue face... God damn.

Tryptobphan · May 7, 2020

Jason's Ultimatum said:
Here's another:

A Week On The Wrist: The Grand Seiko SBGK005

A quirky watch that oozes both style and substance.

www.hodinkee.com

Just look at the sharp angles and finishing on the side of the case.

That's a fantastic watch. I actually got to see that in person at an AD. As nice as the dial is, I actually like how the hour markers are polished even more. It just shows how much attention Grand Seiko artisans pay attention to their craft.

scottbeowulf · May 8, 2020

Really liking this Undone I got today

hockeypuck · May 8, 2020

Finally a 2 subdial chronograph that properly uses a 60 minute counter, instead of a mere 30 minutes. If there's no hour counter, the remaining pertaining subdial ought to be 60 minutes.

Tryptobphan · May 8, 2020

scottbeowulf said:
Really liking this Undone I got today

Very nice. Out of curiosity, why did you get this specific model? Did you get to customize it at all? I ask because I thought about Undone a while back and I remember them pushing the ability to customize their watches, which is pretty cool.

scottbeowulf · May 9, 2020

Tryptobphan said:
Very nice. Out of curiosity, why did you get this specific model? Did you get to customize it at all? I ask because I thought about Undone a while back and I remember them pushing the ability to customize their watches, which is pretty cool.

They do customize which is really cool. But they were no longer selling this model so I got mine through another online retailer. But I wouldn't change anything really which is why I grabbed it as is. $228 new shipped and I'm very happy.

Tryptobphan · May 9, 2020

scottbeowulf said:
They do customize which is really cool. But they were no longer selling this model so I got mine through another online retailer. But I wouldn't change anything really which is why I grabbed it as is. $228 new shipped and I'm very happy.

It's a really nice piece. Has tiny parts that stand out. But probably more impressive is your photography.

scottbeowulf · May 9, 2020

Tryptobphan said:
It's a really nice piece. Has tiny parts that stand out. But probably more impressive is your photography.

Thanks but I'm just lucky my phone takes decent pics.

Radec · May 10, 2020

Jason's Ultimatum said:
Here's another:

A Week On The Wrist: The Grand Seiko SBGK005

A quirky watch that oozes both style and substance.

www.hodinkee.com

Just look at the sharp angles and finishing on the side of the case.

Forget Rolex, Get One Of These Instead | Watchfinder & Co.

Watchfinder, the pre-owned watch specialist, is now available in France, Germany, Switzerland, USA and Hong Kong. Shop now at https://www.watchfinder.com Wat...

www.youtube.com

Better on macro levels

Jason's Ultimatum · May 10, 2020

Yeah. I'm not a fan of current Rolex. The boxy case shape on all of their models are ugly as sin. The only Rolex I like are the oyster perpetual colored dials.

Galacticsushiman · May 10, 2020

scottbeowulf said:
Really liking this Undone I got today

It's fun! I like the 40s/50s inspired big crown, and the straight lugs! That said, UNDONE, would you please properly set your minute counter hand at 12? :D

Suur Tõll · May 19, 2020

Over the years, I have enjoyed regularly browsing through this thread, so I thought I'd post my own very budget-minded "collection" as well:

My plan from the start was to limit myself to three watches: a "daily driver" (which in my profession means something you can wear with a suit), a "fitness/smartwatch" (that still looks like a watch) and a "fun watch" (fun for me, at least). I also knew I did not want the watches to look massive on my wrist, preferably under 40mm. And lastly, I wanted to stay within the limits of what I consider reasonable spending on non-essential hobbies (i.e. under luxury levels). So these are what I came up with.

Baltic HMS 001 (automatic) - I backed them on Kickstarter and have been wearing this watch regularly since December 2017, as can be seen from the nicks and scratches.

Withings Steel HR - I wear it to work on gym days or when going out for a run or a hike (or when I'm feeling lazy, which happens).

Braun AW 50 (quartz, original run) - I admired this one from afar from a really long time before pulling the trigger, you can say it became an obsession of sorts. For some reason, I really wanted to go for the original model, not the reboot. I took me a while, but I have no regrets. I think it's beautiful.

All in all, my three-watch plan has worked out nicely thus far - if I feel like I need some change, I just change straps. Come to think of it, I should buy a couple of new ones to cheer me up a bit. :)

It would be nice to hear if anyone else here has similarly restricted themselves to a fixed number of watches or a certain type of watch to avoid going overboard with the collecting/spending.

Tryptobphan · May 19, 2020

Suur Tõll said:
All in all, my three-watch plan has worked out nicely thus far - if I feel like I need some change, I just change straps. Come to think of it, I should buy a couple of new ones to cheer me up a bit. :)

It would be nice to hear if anyone else here has similarly restricted themselves to a fixed number of watches or a certain type of watch to avoid going overboard with the collecting/spending.

I think you have a great strategy and collection. Before I dived too deep into the rabbit hole that is watch making, I actually wore my Seiko Quartz Solar watch for 10 years. That was the only watch I needed, I didn't even have a dress watch. You're actually really smart to limit yourself otherwise you spend too much money on watches, which I'm totally guilty of. Thinking back, I really only need two watches. If I could redo my watch collection, I'd stick with the Omega Seamaster 300 as my daily/sports watch that can basically withstand anything and also keep the A. Lange & Sohne Saxonia for the special occasions.

Also, I love the Baltic watch you have. It's one my list of things to get, the Baltic chronograph. I got to speak with the founders of the Baltic watch brand a couple of years ago at a watch convention and they were really genuine watch guys. So it's great to know it's not all just business with them, there is definitely passion behind their decisions and designs.

DigitalTravis · May 19, 2020

What are opinions on getting a Hamilton Ventura for every day wear outside a pool/water?

I have been in love with the style for years but never could justify spending the coin for a quartz. It was brought to my attention that there are now various automatic versions.

I also have a Hamilton Khaki Pilot Day-Date and a Murph 42mm Khaki Field on my short wish list.

I love sci-fi oriented watches and the 'Interstellar' duo is cool in principle but the Ventura is both sci-fi in looks and movie fame (Men in Black).

I do have some Citizen, Seiko and Casio beaters so I am not going 100% one watch but I am looking for a daily wear swiss.

watch-mechanical-man-hamilton-ventura-h24515732_382871.jpg

Suur Tõll · May 20, 2020

Tryptobphan said:
I think you have a great strategy and collection. Before I dived too deep into the rabbit hole that is watch making, I actually wore my Seiko Quartz Solar watch for 10 years. That was the only watch I needed, I didn't even have a dress watch. You're actually really smart to limit yourself otherwise you spend too much money on watches, which I'm totally guilty of. Thinking back, I really only need two watches. If I could redo my watch collection, I'd stick with the Omega Seamaster 300 as my daily/sports watch that can basically withstand anything and also keep the A. Lange & Sohne Saxonia for the special occasions.

Thank you for the kind words! I know myself and I'm the type of person who easily falls into those kinds of rabbit holes, so setting hard limits both in terms of amount and price was a survival mechanism for me. I can't lie - I still sometimes visit watch review sites (or this thread) and pine for this or that great-looking watch. But as a husband attempting to be somewhat financially responsible and a dad to two growing kids who are going to need more living space quite soon, there's no way I can justify spending more than I make in a week on a watch. Luckily there are many more affordable options available, especially for someone with my simple, vintage-leaning tastes (the Baltic is a perfect example of that). I do have a couple of "dream watches" that I would like to own, but even those fall in the sub-€2000 price bracket (the green enamel Seiko Presage, for example, or some of the dress watches from Laco and Stowa).

Tryptobphan said:
Also, I love the Baltic watch you have. It's one my list of things to get, the Baltic chronograph. I got to speak with the founders of the Baltic watch brand a couple of years ago at a watch convention and they were really genuine watch guys. So it's great to know it's not all just business with them, there is definitely passion behind their decisions and designs.

Yes, that was the impresson I got as well. I was (and still am) generally very sceptical of Kickstarter watches. More often than not they give the impression of being either well-intentioned, but kind of shoddy reproductions of past classics, or just quick cash grabs with faux-vintage/Bauhaus/steampunk/whatever-aesthetics. But the Baltic watches seemed different even at first glance, and after reading some interviews with the founders and some first impressions from fairly reputable web sites I was ready to take a chance on them. I especially liked that they were very open and specific about the design and production process, as well as the reasoning behind the choice of off-the-shelf components. There was no pretense or empty PR speak, instead they assumed that their potential customers are well-informed and intelligent, and their honest communication reflected that.

i like big butts · May 20, 2020

DigitalTravis said:
What are opinions on getting a Hamilton Ventura for every day wear outside a pool/water?

I have been in love with the style for years but never could justify spending the coin for a quartz. It was brought to my attention that there are now various automatic versions.

I also have a Hamilton Khaki Pilot Day-Date and a Murph 42mm Khaki Field on my short wish list.

I love sci-fi oriented watches and the 'Interstellar' duo is cool in principle but the Ventura is both sci-fi in looks and movie fame (Men in Black).

I do have some Citizen, Seiko and Casio beaters so I am not going 100% one watch but I am looking for a daily wear swiss.

The Hamilton Ventura is one of those watches where you have to have the right attitude to pull it off. It can absolutely work as a casual and office business watch, I know someone who wears it convincingly but he rides to work on a Honda Valkyrie.

The problem with uniquely shaped watches like the Ventura and JLC's Reverso is that there's a very specific image and era (a lot of people would actually associate the Ventura with Elvis and majority of people aren't as smooth as 90's Will Smith) associated with them. They're absolute classics but you'd look like a douchebag wearing a Reverso with Tim Mosso's sunglasses for instance.

Like a lot of more uniquely shaped and coloured watches, resell value will be awful so keep that in mind.

Kiria · May 22, 2020

KURONO Anniversary Green ‘森 mori’ (S$2,540)

The Kurono Anniversary Green ‘森:mori’ continues the iconic art-deco design introduced by Hajime Asaoka, with its single-piece dial encased beneath a high-curvature box-sapphire crystal that mimics acrylic glass of the past, and provides a unique light-play. ‘森:mori’ represents our effort to go...

kuronotokyo.com

orders will open in 30mins and you can order 1 for each customer for 10mins..

their checkout snafu'd earlier hence they producing more

Kiria · May 22, 2020

got one~

also the strap from camille fournet arrived yesterday ! it looks great

too bad I can't have it fit because of this pandemic..

also thinking of getting a strap for this too but I can't decide what color will suit it best

Kiria · May 22, 2020

photo of the said strap from camille fournet

Waffle-Stomper · May 23, 2020

always wanted a maratac mid pilot but missed out on it multiple times. not a huge purchase by any any means, but I picked up the sr-35 and I'm really content with it.

still looking to sell one of my zodiacs to pick up a tudor but I've been a little too lazy lately.

Kiria · May 27, 2020

My dealer just inform me they can get the de la lune meteorite dial for msrp and I'm conflicted on getting it even tho I want it because of the coronavirus and We don't really know what direction are we heading to

Suur Tõll · May 28, 2020

You mean price-wise or world-wise?

Kiria · May 28, 2020

World-wise.. I told my dealer Ill skip on it.. I don't think its wise to buy another watch with just a different dial on this condition

also I have a feeling some of the watches I put my name on a list will be arriving sooner than later

Suur Tõll · May 29, 2020

I agree with you on that. The most money I've spent in a single place during the last few months, apart from regular living costs, has gone to donations to keep my favourite art house cinema alive during lockdown. Especially now it seems like there are a million more worthy places to put one's money into than just another nice thing. On the positive side, there's no better time to enjoy all those nice things we already have!

scottbeowulf · May 29, 2020

My Dan Henry chrono finally came in. Hasn't left my wrist.

Wristwatches |OT| Keeping time with class

Features Editor at VG247.com