Watches N+1...

Got a seamaster, lost the love for it and it needs an expensive service so it lives in the sock drawer. Can recommend a Marathon TSAR quartz and always spot on for accuracy and bullet proof, taken quite a hike in price over the last 2 years though.

Orient Ray

Orient Bambino Mk1

Yobokies Orient Flight 656

Elliot Brown Canford

G-Shock

Timex Mk1 Alloy

Garmin Vivoactive HR

When I see them listed like that it does seem a bit excessive...

That Hamilton is lovely

Agreed.   It reminds me of a 60s/70s watch my father gave me,  his orange-faced Timex with luminous markers and a striped fabric strap.  As a kid I thought it was cool af even if too big to wear  As I got older it disappeared somewhere along the way, and I wish I could find a replacement but I don't even know the model.  After a fruitless image search nearest it looked was somewhat like a Doxa sub face

It was issued to the RAF in 1967, it's had a life. I wanted to get a new glass but reckon the original patina makes it a little bit special.

I love it.

@Merak - nice retro but it's not ME Ultrafleece

Another fan of the Hamilton. I have a Tudor Heritage Ranger which looks broadly similar, albeit a modern interpretation of that type of watch.

Also: Seamaster Bond chronograph

Tudor North Flag

Steinhart Ocean 500 Titanium

Seiko diver that refuses to die.

I really ought to downsize or at least stop increasing the collection...

👎 for the fake/homage rolexes.

Infinitely more respect for an honest Seiko 007 if that’s the desired look.

With their hardlex crystal....

I'd like a rolex but I don't have ten grand for a watch. I can spare 150 for so thing that looks similar and that makes me happy. Miyota movement, ceramic bezel  better lume, domed crystal with ar coating. I'm fine with homages.

I'm not so bad with watches.

Nice Seiko, gift from the wife on our first Christmas as a married couple.

A Skagen a smart everyday watch.

Limited edition Orient from work.

Casio F91 as a beater watch.

Santa is bringing me a Garmin Instinct, looking forward to it.

hmm, i can relate….

Rolex:

Explorer 1016

Explorer 6610

Sub 5513

Sub 16613

GMT 1675

GMT 1675/3

GMT 1675/8

Bunch of rolex bracelets etc

Grand Seiko SBGW005 and SBGW001

Patek 5711 Nautilus

Universal Geneve Polerouter

Lange unt Sohne Chrono flyback

FP Journe Chronometre Bleu

That, that is just phenomenal, a serious collection.

👎 for the fake/homage rolexes.

Infinitely more respect for an honest Seiko 007 if that’s the desired look.

With their hardlex crystal….

I’d like a rolex but I don’t have ten grand for a watch. I can spare 150 for so thing that looks similar and that makes me happy. Miyota movement, ceramic bezel  better lume, domed crystal with ar coating. I’m fine with homages.

I totally agree, seiko needs to wake up to the amount of micro's pumping out stuff with their movements inside. Offering far more bang for the buck. Chapter ring misalignment, hardlex and the supplied bracelets. If they improved all these and kept the price point there would be less need to buy from a micro.

Watches are one of the few things I’m happy to buy currently have

Rolex thunderbird

30 year old lad TAG 1000

brietling Automatic

Magrette mona Pacific

some g shock and a Casio dw290.

i use the Rolex most of the time, on the road bike, at work just not mountain biking, stw heresy but not a fan of the g shock the dw290 is a much better bit of kit

I've been obsessed with watches from a very young age.

Currently have,

Seiko SKX007 slightly modified

Seiko SNK809

Orient Defender

Vostok Amphibia

Tissot Quadrato chronograph

Tissot T-Touch, 1st generation.

Wouldn't buy another Tissot after experiencing very bad customer service from them.

I also have about 30 Swatches as I used to collect them! Most of them are limited editions, boxed and a few of them are going up in value.

LETITSALE for 50% off all wolf products. picked myself up a 10 piece box. was nearly swayed for a winder. free p+p

https://www.wolf1834.co.uk/

its about the only materialistic object I’ll be buying myself while I’m saving for Mrs K’s 40th next year, and getting the mortgage down!

So back to materialism then?

Finally got around to taking a photo of my little collection, from left, a G-Shock WR200M, with adaptors to take a ZULU strap, 1985 TAG Heuer Series 1000 ‘Night diver’, with Watchgecko ‘Real 007’ NATO strap, Timothy Dalton wore one in ‘The Living Daylights’, next top Yokobies mod Seiko Series 5, below Seiko SPORK, next 1970 Yema Rallygraf, next MWC Tritium military-style and last cheap Casio modded to take a ZULU strap, involved drilling through the pillars and pushing stainless wires through and cutting the strap to make the outside edges flush with the outside edge of the pillars.

Big of a hijack but any recommendations for a Tag Monaco service provider, the stopwatch has stopped working so full service required, quote from Tag was £525. GULP.

My Yema above was serviced and repaired by Deacons in Marlborough, it needed a new mainspring. It cost me £50 when I bought it in 1970, the repair and service cost £450. I considered it worthwhile because it was the first watch I bought with my own money. One sold at auction in London last March for £3800, so it was worth it.

https://www.deacons-jewellers.com

Quartz as I seem to have OCD about watches running fast/slow and I can’t afford expensive automatics

See that Casio above? Bloody thing gains a couple of minutes a month, and you can’t wind the hands back, only forward, and you have to hold a stupid little button in while the hands wind forwards v e r y  v e r y  s  l  o  w  l  y.

Quartz is not the wonder mechanism you might like to think it is.

Might be a good thread to ask, I have a Sunnto Core onto it's second strap and that's just about to give out, what straps for a Suunto core?

I also have an Elliot Brown, I've done 2 leather and now 2 rubber straps in the last few years, so punt for the metal strap, or just deal with a nato getting stinky? I am not delicate with watches so need to be reasonably resilient!

For all those who like the Hamilton you might want to check out Newmark. Their Kickstarter campaign just finished so it will be a while before they start selling the watch on general release but they have made a re-issue of the RAF chronograph issued in the 1980s...

https://www.newmarkwatchcompany.com/

Jeffc - Pictures of the 6610 or it did not happen..!

I have;

- Rolex 1016

- Rolex 5513

- Rolex Precision

- JLC Master Geographic

- Omega Speedmaster

- IWC Mark XVI

I got into the vintage Rolex world just as the prices were on the rise, I'm effectively priced out of it now.

FWIW, my collection:

- Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra (mk 1), with blue hands/ markers

- Tudor Heritage Chrono (blue) on a blue quasi-NATO strap

- Casio ProTrek PRW3100 on a green fabric strap

- G-Shock GW5600 on a bracelet.

What I really want is something that looks like this

but I can't bring myself to spend nearly 4 grand on it. Any of you watchists got a suggestion?

Lots of fliegers cheaper than the IWC. Laco, stowa , archimede, geckota,  all spring to mind

Mine are a bit cheap compared...

Caterpillar chronograph wedding present that I love (n1123)

Storm camera lens

Birth month Seiko Bellmatic

Seiko Stargate (white)

Seiko Stargate based PMMM (poor man's marine master)

Seiko/Yobokies fifty five fathoms (blancpain homage)

Seiko Skx009 about to be upgraded to prospex level

My dad's SKX031 (Seikos homage to the Rolex)

Seiko/Dagaz white enamel dial/red bezel

Seiko Tuna

I have an Explorer 2,  a Zenith El Primero Grande Class, El Primero Rainbow, El Primero spada, Elite GMT. I have around half saved for my dream watch which is a Royal Oak.

Ooh nice. I love an El-P. I think we need pics. Please?

I'd very much like a EP chrono for smarter occasions when the pelagos LHD is a little too much.

I do have a rather special Pelagos on the way which should be arriving in a few months.

Any of you watchists got a suggestion?

I had one, and they are jolly nice.

@onewheelgood

Some of the older Christopher Ward C8 Pilots are dead ringers for the IWC.  Might find some on eBay...

My daily wearer is like this one:

Have a Seiko Auto Relay which has been my good watch for about 10 years now. Even bought a second one on eBay as a work watch.

Finally succumbed to the Smart Watch thing and bought a Samsung Gear S3 Classic a few months ago. Use it for all purposes now. Have a basic cloth strap and a silicon protector for the case for work. For every day have a choice of a the original leather strap or a stainless steel one for a posher look. Mix up the watch faces depending on what I fancy, either

Military type analogue which automatically switches to luminous in the dark

Tag Aquaracer

Tag F1

Omega Seamaster Blue

Hamilton type one

Rolex Submariner

Gshock Mudman

Tag Monaco Gulf

Loads of other faces so endless choice.

Smart bits a good too, email, text, navigation, to do lists, Uber, Music, step counter, sleep tracker etc. Been surprised how much I use it as I kind of thought they were a bit gimmicky. Has sporty stuff on it too but don't really use that since I have Garmin for the bike.

Could never really justify a really expensive watch but if I had the free cash would probably have collection.

Regards

IWC utc spitfire Pilots on a Eulit perlon/Santoi /Hirsch strap depending on what I fancy

a 4205 Seiko midsize diver from the 80’s on JPW leatherworks strap for riding or going to warzones (hackney)

a tissot seastar dress watch from the 70’s

and Seiko yobokies ‘sinn’ that I hardly wore which I keep forgetting to put in the classifieds.

i often shoot wris****ches for a living and have been out to Patek, Audemars, Jaeger etc to shoot stuff that is too expensive to get security to transit or it’s under embargo about to be released at baselword or SIHH so I have handled a lot of bling (literally millions of pounds worth) a lot of it leaves me cold aesthetically but I do appreciate the art of horology having seen what goes into their manufacture.

a lot of the iced up bling does nothing for me, big fan of unique independents like Habring and Czapek. I guess my grail watch would have to be a Langhe & Söhne chronograph.

that needs a lottery win though.

G shock

Citizen Promaster OYE 004 1995 issue

Solar Promaster Aqualand

Seiko prospex solar chrono Diver

Gruppo Gamma Divemaster

Dan Henry 1970

Borealis Sea Dragon

One battery, two solar and four auto's, the Dan Henry is on a sailcloth strap and is also my dress watch. As you see from the theme I like Dive watches!

Wow some serious watch collections on here. Hard to beat Jeffc though - impressive. My collection is a lot smaller:

Fitbit Blaze for cycling

Tissot Pr200 hardly worn anymore

Tag Heuer Monaco - occasionally worn

Schofield BBB2 - this is my favourite watch by far. A stunner.

i would love more Schofield’s but funds are limited sadly.

I also have an Elliot Brown, I’ve done 2 leather and now 2 rubber straps in the last few years, so punt for the metal strap, or just deal with a nato getting stinky? I am not delicate with watches so need to be reasonably resilient!

I met Ian Elliot - the Elliot half of the company - a few years back. He's ex-Animal and is working with the ex-horologist from there. I've never been particularly into watches tbh, but his point was that for many men, a watch is the only form of jewellery / personal adornment they wear, so maybe making your watch a nice one, isn't such an unreasonable thing.

I now mostly wear an Elliot Brown Canford with a Nato strap - the rubber ones look nice, but die after six months of regular use ime. Otherwise the watch has been great despite regular abuse, though the glass has seen better days.

for many men, a watch is the only form of jewellery / personal adornment they wear, so maybe making your watch a nice one, isn’t such an unreasonable thing.

Absolutely this. I wear a wedding ring and a watch, given my wedding ring is a plain thing I have no issues spending a couple of quid on a watch.

@MTT

I dunno how to link a pic from Instawotsit.  My 6610 and most of the others are on IG under jeffcowie2   - enjoy!

https://www.instagram.com/jeffcowie2/

I got into vintage Rolex when they were merely just expensive rather than the current crazy prices.  As lovely as the 6610 is, I'd say it's one of the few truly undervalued vintage Rolex pieces left.

For some reason this popped up in my youtube feed last night, and reminded me of this thread.  I have no idea what it is but find it curiously fascinating in an off-World tech kind of way:

And some other  brain-boggling horologicality:

https://youtu.be/perlnZNHw-Q

There's a few of those Hamilton military watches on the Bay of e. Not even THAT expensive. Hmm. 🤔

Have a few, including a tag heuer 4000 and a yobokies modded seiko

still wear my traser chrono for bikepacking, but for everything else I wear an original Apple Watch. It's great, so handy and use the smart watch functionality many times a day... it has stopped me from wearing my other watches now

Having dug all my watches out for the photo I posted up, I’m now wearing the G-Shock, for the first time in ages. Still a real phaff to set the time, but it’s more comfortable to wear than I remember, although that’s a lot to do with the NATO conversion, instead of the nasty plastic strap that made my arm sweat and go red and itchy, and the strap to get really smelly as a result. It could also do with decent lume, too, but it was pretty cheap.

it has stopped me from wearing my other watches now

I couldn’t stand a Hauwai Smart watch I had, yet I’ve had the Garmin Instinct on now since Monday and missed it when I changed it for my Tag when I was wearing a suit one day in the week.  For me its hell of a watch, essentially a Smart G shock with awesome battery life - its showing 60% charge after 6 days.  Personally my use of a Smart watch is that the notifications help me not get my phone out my pocket, so its perfect for that.

A fried of mine has one of those Hamilton’s, its even nicer in the flesh.

Ikepod Megapode is my daily watch. Never seen another one being worn - I used to work with a chap who had the Hemipode but they're pretty marmite so not entirely surprising.

Then it's an Oris automatic that my wife bought me for our first Christmas together, and a Garmin for running etc.

My watches are just cheap crap with a reason why I don’t throw them out. The TAG on the left is a favourite. 32 years old this Christmas. (The watch that is).

https://flic.kr/p/2deiynA

I only have a couple of cheapies I've picked up, ones a Mondaine (which could really do with a new strap)

and this which I really like, and had from Gumtree for £35.

I quite fancy a Seiko Kinetic Titanium for my birthday next year, apart from Creation, where's good to pick up Seiko's? Some of the ones on Creation seem pretty dated.

I've used Long Island Watches before with no issues.

https://www.seiyajapan.com were good for me.

2nd Seiyajapan  - been fine twice for me.

Eddiebaby, I remember those TAG Heuer Formula 1 watches, they came out around the same time as my Series 1000, maybe a year later, and they were very popular, because apart from Swatch, which was the influence, there were no sports watches that were that brightly coloured. I think they were about half the price of the Series 1000. Can’t find any for sale online, to see what they’re going for now.

Any of you watchists got a suggestion?

Obviously the everyday watch is that Seiko on a variety of NATO straps, but of all my watches, this is my favourite +1.

The original owner was a polymath, a French reistance hero and a true gentleman. After the war, he'd never sleep in a bed again, and all i know is that it was because of something the Nazis had done to him (He always made the distinction between the Nazis and Germans)

From the research I've done, it's from '36. When I inherited it, I took it to my jeweller, Tribbecks in Salisbury, for a service. They did a sterling job. They asked if I wanted the glass repaired, butI declined. Every scratch could be a part of a story...

Makes me so proud to be able to wear it, and I'll pass it on to my son, who has the original owner's name as one of his names.

The original owner was a polymath, a French reistance hero and a true gentleman. After the war, he’d never sleep in a bed again, and all i know is that it was because of something the Nazis had done to him (He always made the distinction between the Nazis and Germans)

That story requires it's own thread.

Matt, I'm gradually piecing together his life, and that of his wife (Mrs CFH's great aunt!) who was an equally fascinating person.

He was half Guadeloupean, half French, an enthusiast for puzzles, chess and the like, worked for Reuters (among others) spoke myriad languages, and had the most elegant hands of any man who ever lived. Always perfectly turned out, always perfectly polite. A product of a bygone age.

...more please

As someone with an appreciation of the events around that time, a personal timepiece like that one and the wearer needs more coverage.