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My GMT and BB41 both were 50mm lug to lug with a 41mm. Female endlinks though so didn’t wear too big. What’s the lug to lug on the bronze one?
Don't find the bracelets bad at all, but the finishing of the bracelet and case is far below my new Seamaster. I’m fact when my wife saw my GMT for the first time she said it looked just like my old SKX009, which didn’t go down well hahaha
What’s the lug to lug on the bronze one?
52mm 🙁
There is a considerable down turn and actually my phone camera make it look worse than it is, but with a near 15mm depth due to the back of the watch being quite proud the lugs look like they are "over" my wrist
No, I ran out of time to catch a train, but thats my next step. I also saw the new Seiko Padi compact, and just wasn't impressed as it doesn't look as good as the internet pics - unusually for a watch IMO.
When wearing my BB58 the strap isn’t ideal as it’s not as easy to get to the correct fit as my Rolex.
But I’ve put a few lbs on and it’s now a good fit!
When I first got mine I posted on here saying I didn’t like the bracelet but feels fine now.
In terms of not feeling like a £3k watch. All subjective as it doesn’t feel like a £5k cheaper watch than my Rolex.
It’s a fair point, and of course the bracelet wasn’t fitted to me and I was in a rush. I should go back and play with it over a bit of time - drinking the coffee I was offered.
He did want to show me a very nice bronze on black leather IWC but I couldn’t stay.
Kryton what size is your wrist? I'm not surprised the bronze bay wears big, it does look nuts in your photo, both good and bad nuts. I am firmly if you love a watch you learn to cope no matter the size.... But that does look huge.
The blue bb58 doesn't do it for me, the original black seems better imv. I agree that the case and dial and bracelets may not feel £3.3k but it's a tool watch and has a great movement. An excellent pre owned current SMP seems a different League though, for the same money (eg, march 22 watch, silver dial on rubber strap £3400 on tz-uk currently, listed since 21st).
Shane about the seastar, it looks great in the photos but I did think it might have a long lug to lug.
Certina use the powermatic 80 movement.
Oris worth a good look, tend to be thick though I think.
Where are you btw, if you want to see a SMP, po, pelagos, 62mas and CW C60 Pro bronze then I would be happy to oblige.
I have a 6.5 inch wrist, a bit like woodster I lost weight so 5 years ago I was 7 inch.
It’s bizarre because my arnie at 51.3 lug to lug looks and fits great, but I guess that’s a unique shape. The blue bb58 was just for sizing, I wouldn’t buy the blue one either. I’m sitting here looking at Planet Oceans and Superoceans on their (watches of Switzerland) pre owned page.
Thanks for that amazing offer, I’m in north London but do travel around, it’d be amazing to see those. After leaving WoS it occurred to me I need to spend some time in there trying on different pieces and seeing what suits / where my heart goes - things look very different IRL than on the web pages, and this isn’t an everyday purchase for me. I couldn’t buy/wear that Bronze BB though without the niggle that it’s not quite right in my mind, and that doesn’t sit well with me.
Edit: And actually that last para is a testament to this thread for me. Since the first post there so much to learn and enjoy from everyone’s contributions it’s a real pleasure to write about what perhaps feels like a confusion or indecision but is actually a finer consideration based on an understanding and respect of the many facets of watch design and manufacture. What a great place to be.
If looking at preowned, i like browsing the Blowers Jewellers page FWIW. I find the site easy to use, not cluttered or muddled or busy and gives a good indication of prices.
I havent bought or sold any from them though, just like browsing
I'm picking this up this afternoon, all going well. It's for my mum's 70th, going half with my bro. She has a graveyard of semi-nice watches (Omega Constellation 2-tone, Ebel 2-tone etc, she was a right yuppie) but they're all too small for her to read now. The Tissot is only 30mm but she refuses to go any larger. I even offered an 18k Tissot at 32mm but she didn't want it as too big (Tissot has about the cheapest solid gold watches you can find new, but she'd rather have PVD at 30mm, so good for me I guess).
Anyway, while at the AD I'll be pestering for a Milgauss, and pervin' on some BB FFs.
I sold my BB41 to Blowers and it was a painless experience. I’d certainly buy from them
That said I found they're a bit slow with emails so best to ring them
After reading this thread over the years and listening to my son go on about his Rolex, I saw this watch, liked it and bought it.
Can't see you photo, what is it?
Interesting visit to the AD yesterday. Mum's watch ordered and paid for, then time to play! Speedie Pro first, sapphire sandwich. Much better fitting than my FOIS, since sold. I like it a lot, probably more than any other reaqonably attainable chrono but it's very sterile.
Then I tried on a Blancpain FF in gold, which is all they had in store apart from a green Bathyscaphe, which I found very austere. The 45mm is simply voluptuous, and beautifully fitting for such a large case. I did try some others but can't even remember, so probably not on the 'possible' list! On the Rolex front, my salesman, who I have known since 2013, did tell me clearly that there is no list now. Access depends on previous and accompanying purchases. I'm after a Milgauss Z-blue, before they're discontinued, and I'm getting my wife a Cartier Tank Americaine for her next birthday anyway.
I did pop into the Blancpain boutique on Place Vendôme, which had titanium and steel FF models. The X71 bracelet is beautiful but my favourite comes on sailcloth only. Like a very upmarket Pelagos, the blue dial in titanium. Glorious!
That is some shizzle! Looks great. I love the sapphire bezels. Sail cloths are comfy and I like the look. B I've put my seamster on one, black with white striving l stitching to match the dial and I think it's awesome. If knew where i could get sail cloths made to order/selected colours I'd love a blue with light brown stitching for my bronze CW, and a blue with white stitching for my pelagos.
@gaidong So what is the story with the Milgauss-Z? If you have a rapport with the salesman, you get access and a chance to acquire one?
The FF is nice, but i personally have to admit i like the Aqua Lung - Leman Grande Date - better if i was going to have a Blancpain (yes i know Putin wears one but thats irrelevant)
Well my Stw elliot brown arrived today, will get some pics up.
Very solid watch, feels weird on the wrist as my main watch is a bracelet Seiko Diver
Very happy with it
Bloody hell that Blancpain is a stunner!
Last night ~ I went from a Bronze CW up to a Blue IWC Pilot Chrono 41. I'm never looking at that Blowers site again.
@SSS, in late 2013 I got my Tudor BB from Louis Pion, as they were the only place to offer me a (tiny) discount for cash. July 2020 and I'm looking for an OP... Nothing nothing nothing all over Paris, until I stroll into my now current AD. The salesman said, 'it's your lucky day', or words to that effect, and sold me the penultimate 116200 in Paris (I'd called everywhere). I had a funny feeling I recognised the guy... Only when I got my Tudor BB serviced at my new AD last year did I realise that the salesman was same one who originally sold it to me.
Back to 2020, what I really wanted was the Explorer 1, 214270, which I told the guy after he sold me the OP. In December 2020 the Explorer1 came through. I've also bought a SBGN005 and my Pelagos at the same AD. I was after a Deepsea but then the price rocketed and now they've degraded the 3rd series model, IMO. I had already discussed getting a Cartier for my wife, so asked my chances for a Milgauss. If they get one in I think he'll probably give it to me.
I've already been told, no more than one Rolex pro per year (which I couldn't afford more than the base models anyway) but this time he said directly, there is no waitlist, it's all on relationship. I know he's a salesman but I don't think he's bullsh1tting me. His manager makes the ultimate choice for Rolex attribution.
@kryton57. Buy it. You won’t be judged here. We will still respect you in the morning…
@gaidong Hope you get it. Sounds like you have good rapport. My Rolex AD I used got the cull a few years ago when they shrunk the AD network. Walked into Laing’s in Glasgow looking for a Lady DateJust (279174) a few months back and didn’t get time of day from them. Zero interest from them. I can wait….
I'm the big five-oh later this year and toying with a watch to replace my abused Seiko5.
I like plain cases with brushed or vapour blasted surfaces rather than polished, must have a date and has to have Arabic numbers. Metal bracelet only.
Aka field/tool or Flieger watches. Do not want a divers.
I'm an engineer so my watches get a hard life. I'm wanting something that can be rebuilt/repaired as required and kept going for the rest of my life.
A watch that is closest is an Oris Propilot date (the turbine effect is the only negative) - but I'm not sure how long term 'repairable' they are as I'm not knowledgeable enough about watches.
Can anyone suggest anything similar? Or comment on Oris.
Budget is possibly upto £5k
[url= https://i.ibb.co/C0rcLL3/C37294-C8-068-E-4-A55-9-AEC-109-F1-C6882-D3.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.ibb.co/C0rcLL3/C37294-C8-068-E-4-A55-9-AEC-109-F1-C6882-D3.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
let's see if I can do this....seamaster on sailcloth...
and snide deployant
I'll probably cut the fixed keep off
Sellita in the propilot I think. Any watchmaker can service that. I like them, nearly bought one in fact, but bought the black bay instead
Sellita in the propilot I think. Any watchmaker can service that. I like them, nearly bought one in fact, but bought the black bay instead
Yes - Sellita movement, it was more would bracelets parts/crowns etc - IE Oris specific parts be available long term?
My procession's increase in 'value' the longer they perform a role as I own them - I would hate to get 20 years into a watch and then have it unrepairable for some reason.
Ideally I would like a Rolex AirKing but I'm not prepared to pay inflated prices or befriend a salesman to buy a watch!
RNP, Oris should be serviceable without trouble. they used to use the ubiquitous ETA movements, not sure what it is they use currently but they will be easy to get repaired.
how about an Explorer? prices have peaked and are coming down so that might actually be in budget shortly.
RNP have you considered Damasko? A few of their models tick all your boxes and are considerably cheaper than £5k, e.g.
@rustynissanprairie, you said your new watch must have a date, and then said an.Airking would be ideal. If you really want an Airking, hold out for that. Not all ADs are a-holes and you're not asking for hen's teeth Daytona or ubiquitous Sub date. As Neil said, demand is easing.
Ball Engineer? COSC and way under budget.
Just been looking at Damaskos, seems the DA38 pic above is no longer available as a new watch. Might get lucky on Chrono24 but if you don't mind a couple of complications you can find their chronographs around the £2k mark:
and then another ~£700 for a steel bracelet.
Alternatively you have the Sinn 856:
Oh yes, and the 856 can be had tegimented!
@rustynissanprairie, you said your new watch must have a date, and then said an.Airking would be ideal. If you really want an Airking, hold out for that. Not all ADs are a-holes and you’re not asking for hen’s teeth Daytona or ubiquitous Sub date. As Neil said, demand is easing
yeah my bad about the lack of date - the AirKing made the list due to the increased repairability over Oris.
I've looked at Sinn - they tick all my requirements but they look a bit 'cold' possibly featureless? I need to see one in the flesh.
Wanders off to Google the Ball engineer....
Thanks for the suggestions so far 👍
I had a Sinn UX, the quartz ultra-diver. How to put it, their coldness is their charm. Fit and finish is excellent and the tegiment really is hard to scratch.
Buy it. You won’t be judged here. We will still respect you in the morning…
I think if I bought a £5.5k watch with “our” savings there wouldn’t be a morning. This could however be a stealth purchase overseas as I’m shortly to go to a city with a large watch focused mall.
That's the Damasko I like but it looks like the one with arabics has been discontinued
If I was looking now for a pilot style watch it would be one on the Type A Stowa fliegers
I could (and do) spend all day looking for watches for other people. Somehow it's less selfish and unproductive than me looking at watches all day for myself. I used to do this with bike parts to (and know all the specs) but they don't do it for me any more. I do have enough bike parts to last until the next glaciation though...
*sorry for mentioning bikes on this thread 😀
I do have quite a soft spot for Ball watches (cannot abbreviate to 'Balls' obvs). I've been eyeing this very nice complete calendar moonphase chronometer, for less than €3k!
And for Rusty, how about this work by day....
party hard by night!
What about a birth year Air King? Misses a couple of your requirements (this is stw after all) but there are options with a date .
I’ve had the GMT version of that Oris ProPilot for about 6 years.
It does the “it’s a watch, it tells the time” thing really well.
Understated, very legible, stable on the wrist.
I had an issue with it not being properly regulated when it arrived, but that was quickly and easily sorted with no quibbling.
I think there was 10% off for a credit card, not the 0% finance deal.
The tritium Ball's piqued my interest but a Google shows not a particularly long life for the tube's. Replacement is by exchange of the entire face subject to Ball still making them.
I'm probably over analysing things.
I've thought about a year specific Rolex/Omega etc but I don't know enough about watches to know a 'genuine' watch, and it's also someone else's patina.
@RustyNissanPrairie How about an Omega AquaTerra 15000 Gauss?
Bit over your £5k price (£5.3k) though
@YoKaiser & Rusty, 'birth year' AirKing is a nice idea but vintage of that date (sorry...) is unlikely to be a hassle free experience. This is a nice one, with papers, from 1986, but probably a tinny bracelet
And 1966 but she'll be a bit fragile.
As for the tritium, it's kinda Ball's USP now. They've been around since 1891, so they're a pretty solid bet - https://shop.ballwatch.ch/en/heritage. I don't know if you've heard of Tim Mosso; he's not one of the run-of-the-mill WatchTubers, as he is openly a salesman for WatchBox (rather thank hawking straps and leather rolls), but he deals daily with the very finest watches, and is still enamoured with Ball. There is a Tim Mosso Facebook group I was a member of (I quit FB, not just the group) and there were plans for a special edition Ball for the group.
Sorry, this image got deleted somehow, the 1966 Airking
STW ElliotBrown looks very nice. Mine arrived this morning. Would post a picture but too awkward.
The BALL range dauntingly huge and a bit Invicta...
The pale blue Ball Endurance is a lovely thing. Nice price too
My stock answer for someone thinking of a pilots or fleiger watch is take a look at Stowa and also Laco. Both made them for the Luftwaffe so have the history, both make a range of quality watches, both are under the radar compared to iwc and other big brands which you may dislike, or like. It does mean you're buying a watch more than a brand and I think there is a value proposition there.
The Stowas are nice indeed. I was looking at them for a Marine Original, but in the end built my own. The Verus line looks quite good with their modern take on the fleiger 1, as I too cannot quite overlook the WW2 heritage, and they have extra big blocky lumed arabics. If you can manage the 43mm it has 20atm resistance.
Trying to post a photo of my new watch but cannot!
Welcome to STW 😉
Some lovely watches up there!
I think my 2 biggest problems are that a) I'm indecisive and b) I like to look after things. This brings me to a perpetual quandary about my collection at weekends; what "tool" watch to wear?
Other than a (blue) Garmin Instinct I don't have a digital watch so I keep thinking a 5610 would solve all my problems, by not even being in the Watch Box, just kicking about waiting to be worn er, whenever.
This isn't just me... is it? Is there an answer?
Every time I buy a “beater” I end up babying it and thus look for another beater and cycle continues
over and over
Kryton57
Full Member
I am so gutted! Had some time to kill so tried on the Tudors. My star quality watch – the BB bronze is 43mm, wears high and has long lug to lug. what’s more its very heavy and on the parachute strap even done up tight is a very top heavy piece.
It seems fairly common to many Tudor models. I have a Heritage Chrono in blue on the Tudor blue NATO(ish) strap, and it's proper chunky - not lug to lug, but 15mm or so high and really top-heavy with it. It means it doesn't really work on a NATO and I've never really gelled with it unfortunately.
A watch that is closest is an Oris Propilot date (the turbine effect is the only negative) – but I’m not sure how long term ‘repairable’ they are as I’m not knowledgeable enough about watches.
Can anyone suggest anything similar? Or comment on Oris.
I'm a really big fan of the ProPilot range. It's very uncomplicated, looks tidy, works well, and the big crown really is helpfully large. 100m WR too, very legible etc. And there are a range of special or different editions if your preferences go that way, with different colours etc.
I can recommend the Oris deployant strap, too; really makes it more informal but still smart, and does a great job holding it in place on the wrist (unlike the Tudor NATO above).
Particular versions that stand out for me: the date version obviously, also the WorldTimer (turn the bezel to adjust the time), and the calibre 110/ 114 10-day manual wind.
The non-110/114 versions are eminently serviceable, they're just ETA movements as I understand(?)
Sellita in mine (which is kind of ETA)
Going back to Kryton's point about a true 'beater', I guess my G-Shock is the closest thing to not worrying if it got bashed (I wear it fishing which is hardly a dramatic affair) and I'd still be pee'd off if it got scratched)
All my other watches are cared for obsessively.
On another tack, how do people feel about wearing an expensive watch in certain locations...?
On another tack, how do people feel about wearing an expensive watch in certain locations…?
This never bothered me until a bloke at work showed me some pics of his bruises after he got a severe kicking in South Africa for his Datejust. Although wearing a two tone Datejust with a t shirt in the evening there was probably pretty stupid.
I’m off to Barcelona for a lads weekend soon - I say lads but we’re all 50 - and I’d like to wear nice watch but will likely take my Arnie.
If I know I'm doing a job at work or doing some other activity where there's a chance of a nice watch getting bashed, I wear my beater, but if something develops and I've already got a decent one on them so be it.
I wouldn't not wear one for fear of getting robbed either, but then I neither own a Rolex or go anywhere particularly dangerous.
We had my mother-in-laws funeral several weeks ago and I was going to wear my Speedmaster but a little voice told me to wear something different. Nothing too physical happened but the was an 'issue' at a pub later in the evening that kind of made me glad I had listened to my inner voice...
There are a few I take care of more than others. And it’s not just the expensive ones either, as some have been bought as leaving gifts from teams I have worked with and bought for me as they knew I liked watches.
My Mickey Mouse Ingersoll and Vostok Amphibia, I’ve shown pictures of here (I worked in Russia for a number of years), are 2 such watch gifts and mean something enough to take a bit more care.
My beater watch - on all the time - is my SMP300 Quartz. And considering I wear it all the time it’s quite unscathed.
It’s as if the closer to danger the further away from harm it is.
I’ve never had any adverse incidents wearing my watches worldwide while out and about.
Some lovely watches up there!
I think my 2 biggest problems are that a) I’m indecisive and b) I like to look after things. This brings me to a perpetual quandary about my collection at weekends; what “tool” watch to wear
My only true beater watch was a black g shock (can’t recall the model), wore it during extensive renovations, incl bricklaying, removing 10x8 yard skips of concrete and paving out old house’s garden. Plus a load more. Always amazed me that I could run it under the tap and it would pretty much look like new. Amazing and it always just worked, solar and IIRC it synced to the atomic clock.
Fast forward and I bought my Orange monster, which I love and wore that all the time, somehow it hasn’t survived quite as well.
My daily driver now is a garmin. Great for stats etc, but it’s no g shock. Not even close to the indestructible build quality.
That blue Blancpain fifty fathoms mentioned on the previous pages is bloody gorgeous.
Barcelona has a reputation. Don't wear an expensive watch there. If you do, make sure it's insured well.
@RustyNissanPrairie if you’re in Yorkshire and want to see what the Oris looks like after 6 years, drop me a note.
Picked up another 70s Seiko quartz. Doesn't look bad for nearly 50 years old
STW horological/LEGO crossover, anyone seen this?
I like the jumping minutes and it could be more fun to watch than an Atmos but I can't imagine it'd run for long with all that friction!
Edit: just watched again on my laptop rather than 'phone. The clock is actually about the size of a Grand Seiko diver (Japanese Lego builder)!
Having sold most of my Seiko's and now using a Samsung smarts as a work watch and g shock for waterproof stuff I never use the "posh" watch now.
Has anyone got grubby mitts on the new swatch moon watches yet?
Fancy something bright and silly
[img] 
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Sarb065 I picked up, which is nice.
https://www.jurawatches.co.uk/collections/maurice-lacroix-watches/products/maurice-lacroix-watch-aikon-quartz-tide-fiba-yellow-blue-special-edition-ai2008-68yz8-800-0
Ummm I do like that but it's a bit Clem fandango
So in my perennial search for something with Seiko like indices <£200 that I'm happy to bash around, I found it:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/kryton1957/52113033738/in/dateposted-public/
Ok so I cheated, I already had it but its always the go-to when I can decide which watch to wear. It is what it is, comfy, fits, has all I need, and I've only met one other person that wears one regularly, and he's a you-tuber I'm unlikely to bump into. I can't bash it up so I'll stick the GSteel on for DIY, but thats it for me. by the way, en route I found two PSA's this week;
a) Jura have 15% off this Certina Heritage PH200M 2-strap with code DW15, lovely watch.
b) Heimdallr have a sale on, pick up this Marine Master Ti for £171 delivered pre-any tax it attracts.
Now looking at the street fighter Seiko's that I swore I would not get. Seiko's are like crack cocaine for me hence the want to try and find a new drug of choice.
Must not replace the Pepsi.
Saccades, that Sarb is lovely, where did you find it?
Who is the Heimdallr fan? I suddenly have a strong desire for an orange monster and the gen 2 Sharkey Ocean monsters (which have the Seiko gen 1 dial) seem a much better watch and cheaper than an to actual Seiko.... Am I going to be disappointed? Orange, can't be anything else been it?
@kryton that Arnie looks better on the wrist. Hmmm. I’m looking for a new daily beater and that looks better than I thought it would.
It does, and the strap is remarkably comfortable and they do wear smaller than you think but have a presence. Jura have the Safari version with 20% off, or if you hang around / go back off the page you’re on there’s a pop up for a 10% off any watch and they have the Arnie in stock.
It’s is most definitely my zombie apocalypse watch. The solar seems to be good too, Ive had it for two years and the battery never went below 9 (out of 10) after being in a cupboard for three months - back to 10 after 2 hrs of daylight. I can’t fault it tbh. Actually I can - it’s not sapphire, but that can be rectified aftermarket.
Any Sinn owners on here? I’m tempted by a 556 but 38mm will be a small watch for me as all my others at 40-42
I had a Yobokies Sin 556 copy- which I sold in here. Great design, but now quite expensive.
My Yobokkies Sinn 556 copy was too small for me - lovely watch but having tried to get used to it for a few weeks I decided to sell it on - I'm pretty sure Yobokies does larger one - I think it was too much for me at the time