The Vostock has been mothballed for over a year of course, what’s the view on wearing them now?
I wouldn't. I've a Komandirskie with a tank logo which I used to think was amusingly retro. Not so much now.
Mind you, I'm pretty sure I bought it post the Crimea annexation so to my shame the old Chamberlain line "a quarrel in a far away country, between people of whom we know nothing" was obviously in full effect at the time.
am I okay to just take the back off, sort the timing, and stick the back back on?
I would for a Seiko with a 7s26 movement. I'd reassemble with a wee smear of silicon grease in the gasket, or if it's more than a few years old, a replacement. I still definitely wouldn't trust it for diving though!
It was Zenit wasn’t it?
It was! Just demonstrates the depth of my ill informed prejudice. Nowt as queer as folk etc.
Saner, peacocking exactly! But you can keep those 2 photo'd to yourself thanks 😉
Boblo yes, when rolex wanted an auto movement for the daytona they turned to the el primero. It was used for quite some time I think. The el primero in the chronomaster sport is high beat, 10hz, which gives the ability to read precisely to¹/10 of a second.
Danj, I've always admired oris, underrated in my view. Never had one though.
I've the vat/ fees to pay notification from the courier for my zenith, brings the total price to £6730. I was expecting it but seeing the figure made me wince.
Will do when it arrives. Its winging its way here from Japan, scheduled for delivery next week.
Oh, for a lottery win right about now… This is just beautiful!
Thing is, I’m more concerned about the waterproofing. I’m never actually going to dive with it, at most it’ll get a swim in the sea, so am I okay to just take the back off, sort the timing, and stick the back back on?
Shouldn’t be a problem, a smear of silicon on the O-ring to make sure it gets a good seal, and sits into the channel once the caseback goes on, there shouldn’t be any problem; if the O-ring is a bit dry, it can catch and ruck-up and pinch, which would definitely compromise the seal. I did it on my SPORK around ten years ago, and while I don’t swim with it on, I’d have no hesitation going into the water, it’s just I don’t swim! I think what I did was put a small amount on my fingertips, rub my fingertips together, then pinch the O-ring and gently pull it between my fingertips several times, just to make sure it’s coated, but with no excess. It’s currently between thirty-five and forty seconds fast since setting it on the 1st of May, it seems to have settled there, waiting to see what it is on the 1st of July. At that rate I may just set it when the clocks change and leave it!
Johannes / CountZero - ta. A job for this weekend then
That Roger Smith pocket watch exceeded expectations at auction, it went for $4.9 million! 😳
Saw that, I love how Smith spent years making pocket watch #2 to impress Daniels after pocket watch#1 was kinda met with, 'mleh'.
I'm liking the smaller steinhart as a beater. I liked the 42 but it did hurt occasionally as the crown dug the back of my hand. The 39 doesn't do that. I've noticed a few minor tweaks compared to my old 42, no lume pip on the bezel, just a triangle, the engraving on the case back is sensible, as opposed to do deep it had sharp edges, and the bracelet is seiko like oyster where inner and outer 'link' are one solid piece, fairly sure my old 42 had proper fully articulated oyster bracelet. None of these detract from the watch though which seems eccentric m excellent, if small.
<p style="text-align: left;">So, pulled the pin on the CW C60 Trident Pro 300 in white with stainless strap. Can't wait although the Mrs has decided she's buying as an anniversary present so looks like I won't be wearing it until August!</p>
Just put the bracelet back on the Smiths Everest and remembered how fab it looks. Randomly met a friend for dinner last night and he was wearing a new Rolex Explorer (which has been one of the watches on my 'one day' list. We put the two side by side and the Smiths did pretty well, I think. It just bugs me that there's a really rattly Miyota movement in it. Perhaps I could get the £450 Steinhart homage to the Explorer for 10% of the cost and put the rest towards a Tudor... 🙂
The steinhart homage would be a good call chipps. Sellita movement and excellent quality. I was just surprised to see their watches are £450 to£800 now when a decade ago they were just over£300. However its no more of a rise than rolex, omega etc etc so its probably fair.
Yeah, I've had a couple/few Steinharts the Ocean Diver Sub one and the MilSub one too. Can't remember either of them costing more than £250 secondhand... At a tenth of an Explorer, it'll probably calm that desire for a while/ever. Then I can put the Smiths back on its Hirsch leather strap and be happy with both.
@Kryton57 - they’re lovely watches for the money (£350 when I bought, fair bit more now)
I bought three - one for me and one for each of my sons, different colours of the same watch. They rarely have them off.
Where are you chaps buying your replacement straps from? I’d like something nice for my Garmin Fenix which is 26mm between the lugs. A nato strap won’t work as it’s got sensors on the back. I’d like something in a nice leather or perhaps even a coloured leather?
I’ve been disappointed by a crappy ‘leather” one from eBay previously. Don’t mind spending proper money for something nice
where should I be looking?
The Steinhart is a bit too homagey for me….too close to the Explorer.
How about a Sinn? I like the 556a, not an Explorer homage, but to me has a similar feel.
For good quality leather raps I always use https://www.hirschstraps.com (as mentioned by chipps up above).
My brietling is on one of their rally straps and it is very nice and good quality.
Has anyone got one of the new Garmin Epix 2 Pro watches yet?
I’m tempted to upgrade my Fenix 7 for the Epix.
@petrieboy I can heartily recommend Steve-O Straps - https://www.steveostraps.com/
He does a huge range of hand-made straps in all sorts of leather (and other stuff) and he'll listen to what you want and give you recommendations. I've had several straps from him and he's a really nice guy to deal with.
We put the two side by side and the Smiths did pretty well, I think. It just bugs me that there’s a really rattly Miyota movement in it
It's not bothered me yet with my Commando but I'm probably older and deafer than you. I also prefer the female end links and Arabics moved out a bit into the minute track.
I'll second SteveoStraps . Got a beautiful replacement for my Khaki Field from him at a fraction of the cost of a genuine Hamilton. Great guy to deal with. 
While we're on the subject of Hamiltons....
I've a bit of a tussle going on in my head. I've got a hankering for a chrono. I'm a big fan of Omega and have a 1967 Constellation (inherited), an Aqua Terra (retirement pressy to self) and a Planet Ocean 600 (cat's birthday or some other such excuse) Both modern Omegas are black dials on steel so I kinda fancied something with a bit of colour.
I had a browse of the new Hamilton Jazzmaster Chrono and was impressed by the pictures. The specs read well and the blue dial on blue leather is a stunner. However, at the back of my mind is the thought that at the RRP of £2200 I could either get a pre-owned Speedmaster or sell the other kidney and get a new one. So, anyone got any thoughts that would sway me in either direction?
I could either continue my indulgent Omega fetish, but end up with yet another black dial watch or have a rather lovely blue chrono?
May just be me but I can’t imagine ever looking down at my wrist and thinking “wow a Hamilton” whereas with a speedy I could see that happening.
Watch this first:
they’re lovely watches for the money (£350 when I bought, fair bit more now)
Yeah, I love mine and paid roughly the same price. I was supposed to move on the quartz GMT (on page 168) which I paid £199 for, but when I realised it was a Swiss movement that and the crystal and insane lume all the way out to onto the bezel keeps it in the collection. The build quality is very good.
@Bullet please don't make it too late in August, I have a buying decision re the Sealander GMT vs something discounted in the Caribbean to make!
@Kryton57 I'm sure I will need to check it over when it arrives (hopefully end of this week) so will let you know my thoughts before it gets whisked away 😀
A combination of the Commando dial and the Everest hands would be great
"May just be me but I can’t imagine ever looking down at my wrist and thinking “wow a Hamilton” whereas with a speedy I could see that happening."
Personally I'd be more likely to think "wow, I've no independent thought" if I looked down and saw a Speedmaster but everyone's different!
(**** knows what's happening with the quote function on mobile)
kiloFull Member
I’m waiting for an Air King, which seem to have become more popular recently. However, I was massively underwhelmed by the OP39 I bought recently and sold it on within a couple of weeks.
The OP and the Air King do look like the sort of Rolex’s where a Grand Seiko would be a good (and cheaper) alternative, they both look a little bland, imho
This caught my eye as I was thinking similarly last week. Popped into the local AD, and while they had basically no Rolexes on display, they had a reasonable selection of Grand Seikos, so I took the opportunity to try a few on. It was great, and I got a better idea of what I think of them.
I much prefer the SLG (Evolution 9) case to the 44GS, which is quite slab-sided for me; but they all sit really well on the wrist and feel great in steel (just a bit light in Ti). I love the glass caseback; and in black/ blue (black birch/ Lake Suwa) it just looks fantastic - the perfect dressy 'sportswatch' middle ground. The white/ silver birch is far too flashy (literally - it catches the light a lot) for me though; but otherwise I'd happily take Hi-Beat or Spring Drive (SLGH017, SLGA007 etc).
Three things hold me back: residuals (you can buy as new unworn from Chrono24 etc for about 2/3 the RRP), the complete lack of lume, and my suspicion that even though they're better in most technical aspects than a Rolex, if I buy one I'd always be thinking "yeah but it's not a Rolex though, is it".
Personally I’d be more likely to think “wow, I’ve no independent thought” if I looked down and saw a Speedmaster but everyone’s different!
🙂
Speedy’s are fairly on trend atm for sure!!!(fortunately my credibility is intact as I don’t own one). I suspect that will die down eventually and the next trend will emerge. I read somewhere that Seiko GS are on a bit of an upward curve so maybe they’ll be the next big thing, either that or people being crippled by their mortgage repayments and unable to buy trinkets.
I quite like a Hamilton. Wear my Khaki Field pretty much every day. Doesn't make my heart skip a beat for sure, but wore it in some recent holiday snaps and couldn't help thinking it was a fine looking little watch 😂
I was tempted by the new chrono which I personally prefer to the jazz master.
https://www.chisholmhunter.co.uk/hamilton-khaki-aviation-mens-watch-h76409530-black-dial-leather-strap.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=16839313899&utm_content=135782866455&utm_term=&gclid=CjwKCAjw-b-kBhB-EiwA4fvKrK9HHilo1sdVZJPcKn0LDgRfHB_1BxORczJh7IkL2BP-wTF9nWHaGBoCMwcQAvD_BwE
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kilo
Full Member
May just be me but I can’t imagine ever looking down at my wrist and thinking “wow a Hamilton” whereas with a speedy I could see that happening
I still get an extraordinary amount of pleasure from my tatty old Khaki Field auto. It ain't about the prestige/luxury, it's about the joy of owning a handsome watch of pretty decent quality.
Kryton57
Full Member
Watch this first
Havi g watched that I realise that I need to go and try it on. My PO is as wide and thicker than the Performer but wears surprisingly smaller than the dimensions suggest. I have a 7" wrist so it only just isn't too big, I suspect the dimensions will mean it stays in the shop.
The best sport chrono is a zenith... and mine has arrived!
I need to buy a screwdriver set to adjust the bracelet. And I need to get photos. It's niiiiicceee! 😆
I gave my son my Omega Speedmaster last week for his 30th birthday. He was last seen wearing it at a friends wedding, where someone noticed it on his wrist and they started talking about Omega watches! He was dead chuffed
@neilnevill get those photos uploaded
I gave my son my Omega Speedmaster last week for his 30th birthday
Nice! That'll (should) be a lifetime keeper!
Checks back in 4 hours after this threads big announcement of the day and still no pics 🙁 @neilnevill
And I need to get photos. It’s niiiiicceee! 😆
Come on already then. We’re waiting!
Pictures or it didn’t happen
