What will your criteria be for deciding that?
I’m not sure. I need to feel it in my hand. Does that make any sense?
Yep, sure does.
I tried on a £1900 watch a couple of weeks ago with the intention of blowing a work bonus on it. If it had felt right I would probably have gone for it but in the hand it was cheap and nasty. Apparently it's one of the best sub £2k divers on the market and if you didn't know better you'd think it was a cheap fake of one of my £200 Orients.
I couldn't necessarily tell you what I expected it to feel like but I can definitely describe what it did feel like - lightly compressed tin-foil would pretty much sum it up!
Which has definitely made me doubt watch reviews and media etc even more because they all love the damn thing so I trust their reviews even less now than I did previously.
It's even more annoying because it's not a brand I'd considered previously and it was definitely more bling than I'd ever usually wear so I was quite looking forward to it!
Interesting, do tell us what that was.
I've only handled a couple of rolex. A maxi case sub and a GMTc. Both felt very well made. Solid, smooth, not over bling or overly substantial but most definitely solid. I suspect you'll think the same of the op, and if the size feels right you'll like it.
You’ll be pleased to know it’s another boring symmetrical dial too! A 114300 Oyster Perpetual 39mm
Definitely one of the nicer looking Rolex imo.
I would love to be a fly on the wall in Rolex design hq…
"Have you seen how much writing Casio have crammed onto the face of their new G-Shock?"
"Hold my beer"
Interesting, do tell us what that was.
Also intrigued, but given the range of watches we seen on this thread, maybe it's best he doesn't for fear of upsetting someone!
I also like the sports Rolex. I love the look of the colourful dial ones from the last year or so, but that's a fashion choice and liable to change, so black is probably a safe bet.
The first place I look to is the clasp when judging a watch. I’ve had expensive watches with awful clasps. My Seamaster is on a rubber strap because the clasp inexplicably has a raised lump inside in for the divers extension which makes no sense. Also have a Tudor GMT that’s has the ceramic bearings in the clasp. That’s nice so wondering how good a Rolex clasp is.
Tudor will be leaving if I keep the OP though. Need to balance the books hahaha
Unexpected development - the mrs treated me to a Certina DS Action Ti for Valentines Day - it was one of two watches I'd asked her opinion about a few weeks ago when I started looking at that and the disappointing one above. Thankfully she bought this instead of the other option because I'd be gutted and needless to say I'm very pleased with it!
I'd rather not name and shame the other watch because I think at least one person on here has one and I don't want to annoy anyone.
So given I've now been gifted a nice diver I can't really see when I'd wear my other auto Orient divers so I'm going to sell them. Which then means I'd only have 2 Orients left so I'm going to sell them as well and really trim down the collection.
So, the following Orients will be up for grabs at some point soon.
Bambino Mk1 - black and silver
Ray Mk1 - blue dial, blue bezel
Kanno - red bezel, black dial
M-Force diver - black
Flight - black case, dark grey textured dial
I'll stick prices and photos up on the classifieds tomorrow but if anyone is interested let me know.
Ohhhh you... You ... Diplomat! Can't we have different views on watches and still be friends? Unless it's one of mine.....hmmm...Ti feels light. . You are WRONG about the pelagos! 🤣. No .. Not that.... It's not actually that light....hmmm... What was the clue? ' apparently one of the best sub 2k divers on the market'. Right that's a decent clue.... Seiko maybe..or. .hmm I'm off to YouTube to get ideas 😂
Congrats on the certina! I got a cup cake.
I'm a bugger for a big un.
Couldn't resist the Timex Command Encounter. Got 20% off so £108...
I’m a bugger for a big un.
Couldn’t resist the Timex Command Encounter
As chunky watches in a similar style to a 'G' go, that looks ok. Not a fan of the 'SHOCK' at the bottom of the bezel though, looks like it's trying to be a copy
Timex Command Encounter
Can't help feeling Timex should be above such a blatant rip-off of G-Shock, at same time, it is kind of cool, but seems a bit pricey for what it is
N=N
Out was the Christopher ward C60 pro bronze
In.... A Rado captain Cook bronze. Very pleased with it.
N-3!
Out has gone the G Steel, the Tissot Supersport and the Alpha Paul Newman Daytona. Nothing incoming.
I do like the Captain Cooke. There's something about that concave bezel.
Yes that and the domed crystal give it a good look.
Happy birthday! That Tissot looks smashing. What is the movement in those?
Powermatic 80 - 80hrs power reserve. Its based upon the ETA 2824-2
AHH yes, and I think the same or very similar to the movement in my captain Cook. I think they call the base calibre the C.07 or something like that. Based on the venerable 2824 but new materials and manufacturing techniques, resulting in tighter tolerances and a more efficient drive train, plus a better spring barrel. So less wasted energy and more stored in the spring plus higher accuracy which is then traded back to previous accuracy by slowing the beat to 3 Hz.... Resulting in 80 hours run time and I presume less wear/longer service intervals. I like the theory of a slower beat and have thought hi-beat movements a step the wrong way since watching a YouTube of a Roger Smith lecture a couple of years ago. The more noticeable ticking seems odd though!
New Vanguard strap for the BB58. Loved it on the bracelet but this makes it feel like a new watch. Really good quality strap.
I wish I could wear a rubber strap, they look great, but even ones with lots of ventilation channels soon feel sweaty for me. Looks good on the bb58 👍
Had a Vanguard on my GMT. They are excellent
I've been watching this thread since the beginning.
Here's my first contribution to it. 🙂
Mine and my son's Scurfa. The one with red hands below is one of an edition made for staff on the Seven Kestrel diving vessel.
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@johnhe good choice, they are lovely watches. My wife bought me a Seastar 2000 (with the green face) in January for my birthday. It's a beast of a thing! Would post a picture of it if I could work out how to do it 😉
I have the Diver One in blue.
I've had it since December 2018 and it's been accurate and reliable. One battery change.
They look and feel great.
Good choice for dad 'n' lad.
Oooh, Sinn mixing it up with new variations on the U50 - which I believe is already their best-selling watch ever.
T50 comes in Titanium, with the classic sword hands and variegated lume; and also in a gold-bronze variant. If I had the cash, I'd be sorely tempted...
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When I tried it on I had to have it but now it’s here I don’t feel the same. I’d have to l really love it for the money, but in the flesh it just doesn’t excite me the way that it should and I’m a bit ‘meh’ about it. Going to move it on I think, certainly won’t lose on what I paid for it. Maybe I’ll get that Speedy I’ve always wanted instead…..
OPs are lovely. I sort of think I might feel it's 'not quite an explorer' but it's a lovely watch
Chaps, need to get the first ever watch I bought myself serviced and “I think” a new battery, it’s a seiko auto kinetic relay, which I was going to move on, but when I wore it for a week the second hand jumped regularly - indicating a new battery was required.
Anyone know of anywhere reputable that I could send it off to ?
My normal go to for all things watch related, a very old school watch shop, has gone as the main guy retired.
That would indicate battery yes. For a simple battery change even timpsons should be fine.
it’s a seiko auto kinetic relay, which I was going to move on, but when I wore it for a week the second hand jumped regularly – indicating a new battery was required.
I'd be inclined to give it at least a couple of days on a well lit windowsill to give it a chance to recover.
That would indicate battery yes. For a simple battery change even timpsons should be fine
I think if it's a kinetic it'll be a rechargeable which may well be soldered in and so a bit beyond Timpson's.
I’ll dig out a pic later, but this is the kinetic auto relay, which has a power reserve and some funky gubbins which magically allows the watch with just a few shakes to wake up to swing round to the correct current time, after being in a drawer for a long time.
My father and I were blown away when we saw it in action. So I bought one (low first job wage, so had to pay for it over 3 months), that was um er a very very very long time ago.
No way am I taking this to timpsons.
I've got a Seiko Kinetic diver (SUN019) and had the capacitor replaced by the Seiko service centre. Queried why at still didn't seem to hold a decent charge when you shake it. They advised that it needs to be worn several hours a day regularly to build up a decent reserve if charge, just shaking it isn't enough. Since doing that it is easily up to a month's worth as indicated by the second hand.
Nice. There's a few Kinetic restores on youtube, not sure if any of those would lead to someone reputable?
Reminds me of my Kinetic Arctura (5M42-0E39). I found it lying ay the bottom of a box in the garage during a lockdown clearout. A bit of a wipe and some shaking later and it works perfectly, its about 30 years old!
I’d be inclined to give it at least a couple of days on a well lit windowsill to give it a chance to recover.
Ahem. Kinetic. Sorry, I was clearly having a brain fart, a kinetic won't be recharging from light! Wear it for a few days at least to see if it picks up a bit is definitely worth a try, I'm not sure what a new battery/capacitor gubbins will cost you but they're not hugely expensive.
Think my Seiko service was £115...
Dear Horophiles,
I have a Steinhart watch ( yeah, I know, homage). It is a RacerTimer - their copy of a Tudor.
It has a chronograph bevel ( that doesn't move) - it's aluminium - and very , very battle scared.
It measures 37-43 approx in diameter.
I can have it replaced by Steinhart fro 60 Quid - but I have to send it to them§.
In the great scheme of watch fettling - is it likely to be a standard size , that I could replace with a. ceramic bezel of much better quality?
@walowiz
I swapped the capacitor on my Seiko kinetic watch. After 10 years it gave up after being off my wrist for a month.
It was a bit fiddly. I went very slowly.
There was a video on YouTube of someone swapping the capacitor on my watch. It wasn't much more involved than changing a battery, I just had to remove the rotor- tiny specific screws.
Got this suggestion from a Watchfinder sales emailshot.
I quite like this. Comments please!!
walowiz, check out rexworthywatches on Instagram. He did a brilliant refurb on a Seiko pogue for me, was really well priced and is a complete Seiko expert.
@richpips - those Scurfa’s make a nice pairing! I’ve been toying with getting one, after they popped up in an online article about British watch brands, and they really caught my eye, being a proper tool watch designed for actual saturation diving employees of the creator’s company. They’re also ridiculously cheap for what you get, and as I’m expecting some redundancy money, along with a surprisingly large lump sum from the Department of Work and Pensions having just put in for my state pension after deferring it since 2018, I’m going to spoil myself. I really can’t justify something like a Pelageos, but I might also go for a Yema NavyGraf as well, to go with my half-century old RallyGraf.
@memfoo - very difficult to say; I bought a DLW (IIRC), fully lumed ceramic bezel insert for my Heimdallr SKX007 ‘MM300’ homage, but it was fractionally narrower than the original, and left a tiny gap on the inside. However, I’ve also got a Heimdallr brushed steel ‘Tuna’ homage, and the insert fitted the bezel on that absolutely perfectly. Which worked really well with a replacement limited edition MM300 dial and hands I bought for an aborted project.
There's a chap who advertises on Ebay who specialises in Kinetic capacitor replacement and seems to get decent reviews. It not hard to diy if you've changed a battery before, but if it your first time tinkering and you also have to buy screwdrivers, a case back opener and springbar tool to get the bracelet out of the way then you're probably better off giving it to someone who's done it many times before.
ETA: When the capacitor goes really flat they can take a long time of shaking in your hand to get some charge back in, so try that first.