Nice choice Flying Potatoes. I do like that series of watches, love the colours.
What are people's opinions on Baltany? My son wants a watch for his 16th birthday, he likes the look of some Seiko 5s and also some Baltanys, Seestern also do some nice homages, it's more the case size that concerns me, the Seiko are 40mm and Baltany tend to be more like 36mm, which would suit his wrists a bit better.
Any feedback or other suggestions for brands to look at around the £200 mark that are solid and not too enormous would be most welcome.
the Seiko are 40mm and Baltany tend to be more like 36mm, which would suit his wrists a bit better.
Really depends on the wrist diameter. 36mm will look a bit small on anything bigger than average, about 7.5 inch dia. 40mm most people can get away with especially Seikos as they tend to have short lug to lug measurements.
There is a lot more said about watch size than it matters really. Ime you get used to a big or small watch very quickly and then forget the size.
I've a very average or smallish wrist at 6.75" and wear 42mm a lot, 45mm happily and 36mm is fine too.
Baltany are a good VFM brand. I have two and they have been very reliable. Build quality and specifications belie their pricing.
I changed the supplied straps for Hirsch.
The military field watch is manually wound.
Ime you get used to a big or small watch very quickly and then forget the size.
This. It just comes down to personal preference, I favour sub 39mm watches these days but I've still got a few around 42mm (including a couple of real chunkers like a Monster and a Khuraburi) which i'm perfectly happy to wear.
Baltany are a solid value brand, a Seiko around the same price still be a lower spec and no better made. It'd still have the Seiko name though, which may count for something.
′
Picked this up yesterday - Black Bay 41 Monocrome
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Thought I was sold on the five link jubilee style bracelet but after trying it on I just wasn’t convinced. Much preferred the three link. The new clasp is a marked improvement on the previous version.
I was indifferent about it when it was launched but after seeing it in the flesh I just really liked it.
I really like that Timex!
Very nice Robz. Whats different about the clasp? I have a BB58 from about 5 years ago, didn’t notice anything wrong with it….
(I do prefer the monochrome over mine)
Just that it’s got on the fly micro adjust that my Black Bay GMT doesn’t have, and that there’s a nice Tudor logo machined into it. Very much like a Rolex Sub clasp.
It’s also just a bit more dainty as the bracelet has more of taper than my GMT too so the whole clasp assembly is slimmer and more lightweight.
Lovely BB58! A classic.
w00dster
Full Member
It’s quiet in this topic lately….so some pics….Today is Panerai day, GMT, about 20 years old so almost a vintage watch….
That's lovely W00dster. And I believe the term you're looking for is "neo-vintage" (as used by the more w*nky watch websites... ;))
Anyone got a link / suggestion for a reputable person to mod my 5kx and Arnie with sapphire crystal please?
On a cruise at the moment. There’s a watch shop onboard. At one end of the spectrum they’re asking 13500 for a no date Sub which is ridiculous, but at the other end they are asking 157 for a Promaster Fugu which is less than half retail price.
was tempted to buy them all……
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@kato, that sounds like a bit of a steal to me. Quite a nice looking watch for the money
Anyone want my Baltany for £103? Comes with box and papers:
Request to make please, I remember they’re are a few folk on here with Seamaster Pro’s. Could I also for some pics with them being worn? I’m in the market for one, trying to decide on Green on Green Rubber, White face on Black Rubber, Black Dial with Sedna gold and Black Rubber (I’m leaning very heavily towards this, but it’s a fair bit more expensive)
https://www.goldsmiths.co.uk/Omega-Seamaster-300m-42mm-Mens-Watch-O21032422004001/p/17331585
https://www.goldsmiths.co.uk/Omega-Seamaster-Diver-300-Mens-Watch-O21022422001002/p/17331482
I'm obviously a bit biased, but I think the white is ace. On steel mind so not quite what youre after.
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Thanks @boblo. That is nice. I already have an old Seamaster Pro on steel (blue on steel) from about 2000 so fancy the rubber strap.
Aye, I have the old coax Jimmy Bond jobbie as well:
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White face on black rubber you say?
I’ll get a better photo in the morning if you want but I think the rubber strap is the winner, I really didn’t care for the bracelet at all, so didn’t buy it.
I love my white but the seaweed green on green looks killer to me as well.
Shit a brick! £260 for a rubber strap. I do like it but not that bloody much...
No the winner is a black sailcloth with white stitching.
Not mine as I can't be bothered to try and post my own photo but this does as good a job
https://images.app.goo.gl/fLX4eoypW7dNYcDd6
Aye Boblo, They’re obscene priced for sure. Doubt mine will be getting replaced with a genuine when it wears out! I’m not keen on sailcloth’s for some reason, maybe I’ve just had cheap ones, but I’d look for other high quality rubber straps when the time comes, this one is incredibly comfy though, much softer than other rubber bands I’ve got on other stuff.
Shit a brick! £260 for a rubber strap.
It's because of the genuine craftsmanship that went into it 😉
As if you needed another…. I’d comply with the white dial / black rubber:
And despite the lack of focus I’ll add a bit of lume too, becuase for some reason I really love the depth and colour of it and it make a difference for me:
As you can see, it also goes well with Birkenstocks 😉
Thanks Kryton. And yeah that Lume looks really nice. The choice of footwear less so!
Nice contribution @IH
I think I'm making a reasonable, if sarcastic, point. £260 for a rubber strap is, undeniably , taking the piss.
I love watches, always have, but what the high-end brands are really good at is marketing. They've built an image of craftsmanship and exclusivity for their products that is largely undeserved. They make tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of watches a year. That's mass production, pure and simple. They charge what they do for their watches because, simply, they can, as they've built a market that will sustain it.
Look, people have every right to spend their money on whatever they wish. If you want on Omega, buy an Omega and enjoy it (and I would love an old Speedmaster). But when they tell you you have to pay over two hundred quid for a rubber strap, admit to yourself that you have been suckered.
I dunno, decent rubber straps cost. I look at Zealande straps regularly, particularly their straps made for particular models - but even they're £180ish, more if you want a deployant with it. I'd say they're worth it though
Sorry, dint mean to set it off. I was looking at buying rubber as an occasional alternative to the steel one. I don't want an aftermarket one and I don't want to spend £260 on a 'real' one. I'll stick with steel then 🙃
If you think Omega rubber straps are taking the piss, check out their NATO’s!
Sometimes I think it depends on the use case but you can find plenty of good quality straps online aftermarket made for the Watch, just take care as the Seamaster is the last watch I’d want falling off my wrist due to cheap spring bars - although you can buy a pack of good quality bars for pennies. I found Omega fitting bracelets here for £165 although didn’t buy:
https://www.forstnerbands.co.uk/products/forstner-model-o-for-omega-seamaster
i have a £5 Aliexpress QR Tropic coming for a holiday beater, and a £58 Uncle Seiko BOR for the 5kx incoming. The Clockwork integrated strap for the Samurai was £50, an elastic strap for the 5kx was £7.50. You pays your money… etc.
Edit, and it’s new old watch day tomorrow, watch this space maybe for a re-purchase of a regretful sale.
My view of thinking is that 5% of the watch value isn't too bad for a second strap. I know it will be secure and will last a very long time. I'm wearing my Panarai at the moment on its original rubber strap (22 years old). It looks brand new. That isn't to say a £50 strap won't last as long or do as good a job, but if I'm going to spend £5300 on a watch, its not too far fetched to spend £260 a year or two later for a second strap. But equally, I have bought two straps that lasted only a few years. Not as expensive as Panerai or Omega, but still well north of a £100 - looking at you Bell & Ross and Brietling. My Bell & Ross used such a cheap pin that it would come completely underdone just by it knocking on my shirt cuff. The Brietling leather went hard and out of shape.
And to re-iterate, I do completely understand that we are paying the luxury tax. But that is the same for so many other parts of our life. I'm not convinced so much on the marketing though, I have two Panerai watches. My first one was purchased in 2002 and I had to save up for years to get it. I bought it second hand. Outside of watch collectors most people wouldn't have a clue that it was a "luxury watch". My second Panerai was purchased new. Even now the vast majority of people wouldn't know its a luxury watch - its very rarely advertised (at least in the media I consume). Panarai were a bit of a boutique brand back in the day, the watches were very well made. They did go through a few years of mass made watches were the quality and the workmandship definately dropped of from their usual high standards. Apartently they have moved back to the better made movements.
I guess I liken it to cars, some people can look at a Porsche 911 and think its a wonderfully looking, well made thing of beauty. To other people its just a means of getting from A to B. Or a high end mountain bike, if we were all the same we would all be riding mail order bikes from Canyon. (I ride a Planet X Tempest that I bought very cheap in the sale - too old and too far away from trails these days)
I could also bring up handbags.....now in my opinion that is nonsense prices. I have a friend in work who has bags way more expensive than my watches (including my Rolex). Each to their own. I wouldn't spend what they spend on a bag, it is purely luxury tax - but who am I to ridicule what they spend their money on.
Any/all discretionary spend can be reduced to the 'why on earth would he/she spend that on that?'...
If you don't need to sell a kidney or the significant other into ahem 'night work', who gives a shiny shit what other people think about what you spend your spare cash on? Presumably you work/worked hard to amass it, do as you like. I might not understand it but you definitely don't need to justify it to me or anybody else 🙃
Quite fancy an orange one of these for a fun summer watch. Normally don't look at San Martin as not that fussed about a homage watch but am quite liking their original design stuff at the moment
https://sanmartinwatches.com/shop/new-arrivals/sn0118-g/
Nice and colourful those San Martin. But everything is a homage to something else and those remind me of the Doxa Sub 200. They’re definitely different but with a similar feel. Might just be the fact that they’re colourful and the Doxa also stands out for being colourful.
But I’d have both the San Martin and the Doxa, my collection is very drab so a bit of colour would be nice!
My daughter has an orange Breitling and I’ve been tempted to “borrow” it a few times myself….the downside is that she might see it as being ok to borrow mine!
I get what you're saying, I guess I always used to associate San Martin with Sub or Black Bay homages which were slightly more obvious and not my thing
NWD (kinda) today a I embark upon a different and informed journey. I made some strict decisions re “keepers” and decided from 1st June I’ve to make more use of my nicer watches and only ever need two more watches to buy in my life*, a spring drive GS (or Patek Phillipe 5396G-017 should I ever win big on Premium Bonds) and a Grail Navitimer. I’ve lots of saving to do, and when I get to achieving a budget for the GS they’ll be a fire sale of Seikos and Citizens with the exception of the Arnie as a beater.
Ive compartmentalised my watch box accordingly and complete a range of straps for “options” for the low end stock should I use them for holidays/ on a whim in the interim.
Maybe sounds odd to some, but I need fewer watches to choose from and I’m fed up of agonising over value vs location with my watches with the exception of gardening / diy type stuff of which a 5610 remains on the “right” side of the box. Also through this thread and my personal journey I’ve achieved then lost the desire for lower end watches and realise any spend on those is less save for the grails. My desired exit collection will then be:
A Navitimer
A 3 hand spring drive GS
The CW c65 compressor
The SMP
The Arnie
The 5610
There i said it……
*definately maybe 😉😇
Bargain Apple watch strap. finance available
I’m about to buy a Suunto Core as I’ve fancied one for donkey’s years.
Before I do it are there any other “chunky” outdoors type watches that I should be looking at in the region of £130? I already have 4 G Shocks, so I don’t really need another one of them… unless it is a yellow digital one.
An orange Garmin Instinct 2 Solar IMO.
