watches...

manta173 wrote:

Totally buying one of these if I hit the mega millions this week.

Very handsome concept. It will be interesting to see how close to the concept they can come. Above and beyond the NASA moonglow material, the watch case is made with a proprietary material called Morta. Essentially it's carbon fiber billet. Very cool.

My problem with the watch is that it's feeding off it's own hype and perhaps is being artificially limited to generate exclusiveness. Neither carbon fiber nor moonglow material are especially rare materials. Knife makers have been using moonglow material in their handles for years. In addition, the watch is using a Unitas 6498 hand-wound movement; a rock solid movement in it's own right but one which can be purchased for around $300 (I have a watch I made for myself which uses a Unitas 6497 movement which is virtually identical to the 6498). Watches in the $16,000 price bracket (Rolex, JWC, Panerai, Audemars Piguet, etc.) feature in-house movements, something I would absolutely demand in a $16,000 watch. For $16,000 I also want an automatic movement.

Agree with ringsnort on the tritium. It's a cool concept but with a relatively short half life can leave you wanting in a few years time. Give me SuperLuminova any day of the week.

Tritium, sure, if you don't mind anti-neutrinos shooting out of your wrist!!

Ariiiiiiise!

I love watches! If I had more money, I would certain be a "collector".

For the last six or seven years I've been wearing a two-tone Movado watch. Definitely an "entry-level" Movado but it was a really versatile watch (great for every day, looks good with dress clothes, etc).

IMAGE(http://www.ashford.com/images/catalog/movado/museum/0606371_FSA.jpg)

For my birthday this year, I asked for a Shinola. It's a Detroit watch maker who ships in Swiss movement but assembles the watches in Detroit. There's a lot of emphasis made on the fact that they're assembled in Detroit - many of the employees are factory workers who have some sense of working with machinery but have to be trained to work on a much smaller scale. It's a fantastic watch.

IMAGE(http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/a5/c9/1c/a5c91ca3f540d2c1c6c2a16289d5f36d.jpg)

My biggest problem is that I need to figure out the best way to take care of the leather. I haven't had a watch with a leather band in a long time (ever?) and while the watch came with some mink oil, I'm not sure how often to put it on or, in general, how to keep it clean - leather on my wrist 16 hours a day gets a little stinky!

Here's my story of how I bought my first "real" watch.

So last week Apple announced their new Apple Watch, and while I thought it was kinda neat, the price tag of $349 kind of put it in the "Nope not getting one" category.

I did appreciate the design that went into it, and thought nothing more of it.

Until I read this.

A Watch Guy's Thoughts On The Apple Watch After Seeing It In The Metal

It opened my eyes to how many parts of the watch Apple got right, from a purely physical design standpoint. How they nailed the different straps and bracelet designs, for example.

So I started reading more about watches. And then I started looking at watches. I discovered that $349 is actually not a lot to pay for a nice watch. Even so, I googled things like "Best watches under $200" and stuff like that.

My watch-desire ignited, I set myself some parameters. I wanted a mechanical movement, automatic/self-winding, metal bracelet, and under $200, closer to $100. A few makes came to my attention: Orient, Nixon, Seiko.

In the end I decided my first foray into watches would have to be the most economical, so I decided on this Seiko 5 Automatic, for under $90 on amazon. Pretty good bang for the buck. Definitely a good "starter" watch.

IMAGE(http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/da/e4/30/dae430093a99c03a49cf5c42c88af681.jpg)

I've got to say that Seiko looks pretty tasty at a really good price. I mostly just wear a watch at work to time orders from the kitchen so I need something fairly robust but not too expensive to I have a Tomato I bought for $60 about 8 years ago. I did get a newer one that froze up on me after about 18 months, but the old one is running like a champ.

Am I the only guy whose arm hair gets pinched by metal watch bands?

Quintin_Stone wrote:

Am I the only guy whose arm hair gets pinched by metal watch bands?

Nope, you're not the only one. And I have short hairs too, being an Asian guy. I'm hoping that this new watch band doesn't pinch.

I think it really comes down to design. Remember those elastic expanding metal bracelet watches? Ouch! Pinchy!

Warlock wrote:

For my birthday this year, I asked for a Shinola. It's a Detroit watch maker who ships in Swiss movement but assembles the watches in Detroit. There's a lot of emphasis made on the fact that they're assembled in Detroit - many of the employees are factory workers who have some sense of working with machinery but have to be trained to work on a much smaller scale. It's a fantastic watch.

IMAGE(http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/a5/c9/1c/a5c91ca3f540d2c1c6c2a16289d5f36d.jpg)

My biggest problem is that I need to figure out the best way to take care of the leather. I haven't had a watch with a leather band in a long time (ever?) and while the watch came with some mink oil, I'm not sure how often to put it on or, in general, how to keep it clean - leather on my wrist 16 hours a day gets a little stinky!

That shinola looks awesome.

Good point, what IS the recommended way to clean a leather watch strap? Or are you just meant to replace them after a while?

Quintin_Stone wrote:

Am I the only guy whose arm hair gets pinched by metal watch bands?

Depends on the type of band for me. The chunky bands with big links are fine, smaller parts in the band can be worse.

gamerparent wrote:
Quintin_Stone wrote:

Am I the only guy whose arm hair gets pinched by metal watch bands?

Nope, you're not the only one. And I have short hairs too, being an Asian guy. I'm hoping that this new watch band doesn't pinch.

I think it really comes down to design. Remember those elastic expanding metal bracelet watches? Ouch! Pinchy!

Oddly enough I'm a hairy dude and my watch has one of those bracelets and it doesn't pinch.

gamerparent wrote:

Good point, what IS the recommended way to clean a leather watch strap? Or are you just meant to replace them after a while?

I believe replacement is the end answer. I have a Seiko 5 like yours but with a cloth band (hairy wrist here...) and after two years I have cleaned it a few times which is a nice refresh of the band but it is getting due to be replaced as the holes are getting torn up with taking it on an off. To clean it I have used a little bit of the powder laundry detergent we use for our sensitive skin kids and a toothbrush to get all of my "gook" out of the nooks and crannies of the band. It has worked well for me to take away the stink and freshen up the black cloth. Leather I imagine would be similar but with saddle soap.

gamerparent wrote:
Quintin_Stone wrote:

Am I the only guy whose arm hair gets pinched by metal watch bands?

Nope, you're not the only one. And I have short hairs too, being an Asian guy. I'm hoping that this new watch band doesn't pinch.

I think it really comes down to design. Remember those elastic expanding metal bracelet watches? Ouch! Pinchy!

Those were definitely the worst culprits.

Mink oil is a great product, but watch out it will make you hands really soft and smooth. (read as weak and feeble against the harsh outside world... seriously makes a difference if you work with your hands)

I would say only add it when the band starts getting dirty more quickly. If you realize that the band which was clean and nice is now gunky and smelly, clean it and reapply. Mink oil is used on a lot of different high end leathers... searching for that as opposed to watch bands might get you more info.

manta173 wrote:

Mink oil is a great product, but watch out it will make you hands really soft and smooth. (read as weak and feeble against the harsh outside world... seriously makes a difference if you work with your hands)

I would say only add it when the band starts getting dirty more quickly. If you realize that the band which was clean and nice is now gunky and smelly, clean it and reapply. Mink oil is used on a lot of different high end leathers... searching for that as opposed to watch bands might get you more info.

Well, I'm a PhD student, so I don't have to worry about working with my hands.

Clean the band first, THEN apply mink oil? How do I clean it?

http://www.overstock.com/guides/how-to-clean-a-leather-watch-strap

I found this, but I would say use saddle soap if you have it, instead of hand soap.

MonoCheli wrote:

Leather I imagine would be similar but with saddle soap.

The oil goes on after it's cleaned and dry.

Any recommendations on an outdoor watch? I want something I can wear while hiking, kayaking, surfing ect.

My first though was the Casio G-shock line. Particularly the Rangeman.

IMAGE(http://forums.watchuseek.com/attachments/f17/1245037d1381251277-rangeman-gw-9400-official-count-w44ne-g.jpg)

I was wondering if there were any other options. I would need it to be waterproof. The altimeter, barometer, and compass are nice but not really necessary. I'm not exactly sure I want to spend $220 on a watch for this purpose yet, but I figure this is one of those purchases that will last a long time.

I have an Iron Man I bought more than a decade ago. Wore it a lot over a couple summers.

Looked at it a couple days ago and it was still working, showing the proper time and date.

Warlock wrote:

I have an Iron Man I bought more than a decade ago. Wore it a lot over a couple summers.

Looked at it a couple days ago and it was still working, showing the proper time and date.

I used them for years... haven't had one in awhile and the old ones only stopped working due to dead batteries after years of life. Easily a good reliable option for a decent price.

Secret Asian Man wrote:

Any recommendations on an outdoor watch? I want something I can wear while hiking, kayaking, surfing ect.

My first though was the Casio G-shock line. Particularly the Rangeman.

I was wondering if there were any other options. I would need it to be waterproof. The altimeter, barometer, and compass are nice but not really necessary. I'm not exactly sure I want to spend $220 on a watch for this purpose yet, but I figure this is one of those purchases that will last a long time.

If you don't need all those other features, just get one of the lower priced Gshocks. I've got one for that kind of stuff, and I like it a lot.

Another take on the Apple Watch by daring fireball / John Gruber.

His thoughts on the pricing are pretty interesting, as in they're probably not far off the mark, and the tech writers are going to go nuts.

The most fun I’ve had over the past week is speculating with friends about how much the different tiers of Apple Watch are going to cost. One thing that is absolutely clear, to me at least: when Tim Cook said the starting price is $349, that’s for the aluminum and glass Sport edition. My guesses for starting prices:

Apple Watch Sport (aluminum/glass): $349 (not a guess)
Apple Watch (stainless steel/sapphire): $999
Apple Watch Edition (18-karat gold/sapphire): $4999
In short: hundreds for Sport, a thousand for stainless steel, thousands for gold.

Most people think I’m joking when I say the gold ones are going to start at $5,000. I couldn’t be more serious. I made a friendly bet last week with friends on the starting price for the Edition models, and I bet on $9,999.

The lowest conceivable price I could see for the Edition models is $1,999 — but the gold alone, just as scrap metal, might in fact be worth more than that. Here’s a link to a forum discussion pegging the value of the gold alone, as scrap metal, of a Rolex GMT (including bracelet) at $5–6000. Just the gold alone.

Interesting. I think the Apple Watch is going to introduce a lot of people to a whole new type of ultra enthusiast hobby. While we may think our tech gew gaws are expensive luxuries watches are a whole other level that I don't think most tech fans can even conceive of.

MannishBoy wrote:
Secret Asian Man wrote:

Any recommendations on an outdoor watch? I want something I can wear while hiking, kayaking, surfing ect.

My first though was the Casio G-shock line. Particularly the Rangeman.

I was wondering if there were any other options. I would need it to be waterproof. The altimeter, barometer, and compass are nice but not really necessary. I'm not exactly sure I want to spend $220 on a watch for this purpose yet, but I figure this is one of those purchases that will last a long time.

If you don't need all those other features, just get one of the lower priced Gshocks. I've got one for that kind of stuff, and I like it a lot.

I'm wondering how much those sensors would be worth to me once I get used to having them. In the same vein of I didn't think I needed all the smartphone features before I had one. Now I could never go back to a non smart phone.

Secret Asian Man wrote:
MannishBoy wrote:
Secret Asian Man wrote:

Any recommendations on an outdoor watch? I want something I can wear while hiking, kayaking, surfing ect.

My first though was the Casio G-shock line. Particularly the Rangeman.

I was wondering if there were any other options. I would need it to be waterproof. The altimeter, barometer, and compass are nice but not really necessary. I'm not exactly sure I want to spend $220 on a watch for this purpose yet, but I figure this is one of those purchases that will last a long time.

If you don't need all those other features, just get one of the lower priced Gshocks. I've got one for that kind of stuff, and I like it a lot.

I'm wondering how much those sensors would be worth to me once I get used to having them. In the same vein of I didn't think I needed all the smartphone features before I had one. Now I could never go back to a non smart phone.

Many phones have those things in their sensor suites if you just need them. Of course, the clock is there too, so maybe my point is pointless

My watch arrived today! I was worried that I wouldn't be able to adjust the bracelet myself, but a quick lesson from youtube, and I took off three links and put it back together! I feel very proud of myself.

Here's what it looks like on my wrist:
IMAGE(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3875/15084271527_63b39b547a.jpg)wristwatch by ENJT, on Flickr

IMAGE(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5565/15270931635_b94d30b4d4.jpg)seiko 5 automatic by ENJT, on Flickr

So my uncle died a while back and my aunt mailed this to me completely out of the blue. Apparently he wanted me to have it.

I don't know if it's really my type of watch but I suppose it proves that me and my uncle shared the same wrist size.

IMAGE(http://i.imgur.com/gZSiODj.jpg)

Huh, wow. First, sorry for your loss.

To the watch:
Interesting look, I'm not sure if I like the flip up cover grille thingy. I'm having trouble reading the make, is it Breitling? Do you know the model?
Does it have a compass function?

It's certainly a unique looking watch, for sure.

gamerparent wrote:

is it Breitling? Do you know the model?
Does it have a compass function?

It's certainly a unique looking watch, for sure.

It does appear to be a Breitling watch. I had never heard of that brand before personally.

Some research tonight and it looks like it us this.

I don't think it has a compass function that I'm aware of. The grill does flip up and the outer ring does spin around however.

Norfair wrote:
gamerparent wrote:

is it Breitling? Do you know the model?
Does it have a compass function?

It's certainly a unique looking watch, for sure.

It does appear to be a Breitling watch. I had never heard of that brand before personally.

Some research tonight and it looks like it us this.

I don't think it has a compass function that I'm aware of. The grill does flip up and the outer ring does spin around however.

If the ring with the cardinal directions on it spins, you can use it as a basic compass for land nav and orienteering; just orient it north, and pace out from there.

And I think if the grid flips up, you could "frame" a landmark in it, mark the direction, and use that to check bearings as you travel...

Edit - But it looks like that's not the intent.

Thread arise!

I was just reading Hodinkee today and there was a link to an interesting Kickstarter by a watchmaker.

On Kickstarter: http://kck.st/1WzMpM2

"That sort of brainstem-level excitement is what is behind a Kickstarter project launched by a guy named Guillaume Laidet, who’s got a little project he calls William L. 1985 going on. 1985 is the year he was born (in Cognac, France) and since getting out of school in 2009, he’s worked for Zenith, Girard-Perregaux, and, most recently, Jaeger-LeCoultre. We met him last month when he spun by our office to show us his watches."

"To make the fun of having a cool looking vintage style watch available at a painless price to all and sundry, he’s developed a line of sharp-looking two-register chronographs that look like they came straight out of a jeweler’s case, ca. 1955. In order to keep things affordable (and I mean, really affordable) he’s opted to use quartz movements (Miyota, for the chronos, and a Swiss Ronda quartz caliber for his diver’s watch). The inspiration for the chrono design is a watch Laidet received as a gift from his grandfather; it’s an un-branded two-register chrono that he had restored at some considerable expense, and which got him thinking how great it would be to have something with that much charm at a trouble-free price and with trouble-free modern tech."

"This is about the most uncomplicated horological fun I can remember seeing outside a Seiko 5 in a long time. God knows, we forget – and for sure, most brands have forgotten – that there are a ton of people out there who would love a great looking, classically styled watch that doesn’t cost what for most normal folks is an arm and a leg. If the first stage of the Kickstarter works out, Laidet is also going to launch an equally attractive, equally cheap and cheerful but still shockingly high quality vintage style dive watch, in a titanium case, and if he really kicks ass (in a modest, Kickstarter-esque fashion) he’ll ship a titanium two-register chrono as well. And yes, he’s got, if this thing flies, an automatic watch in the pipeline, set to be available for €300 or less."

Check it out if you're interested. Personally the Gold colour is not my style, but if the kickstarter takes off he's offering multiple styles in future.