@RustyNissanPrairie How about an Omega AquaTerra 15000 Gauss?

Bit over your £5k price (£5.3k) though

Omega 15000 Gauss

@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

https://www.francisandgaye.co.uk/ball-watch-engineer-master-ii-endurance-1917-ice-blue-40mm-watch-NM3000CS2CIBE-p40599/s48748?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=ball-watch-engineer-master-ii-endurance-1917-ice-blue-40mm-watch-nm3000c-s2c-ibe&utm_campaign=product%2Blisting%2Bads&cid=GBP&glCurrency=GBP&glCountry=GB&vs_vat=inc&gclid=CjwKCAjw7cGUBhA9EiwArBAvoi9TXxuIisJA2iPRzvE93_Ps0psg9kMLamiz88ESYDewVB8VWcGuRRoCk1UQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

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…

@nicko74

Thanks for the info, the Oris is still the top of my list.

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.

@Kryton57

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 10×8 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? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUdlSYC1cCE

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

Sarb065 I picked up, which is nice.

Fancy something bright and silly

Other colours are available….

Maurice Lacroix Watch Aikon Quartz TIDE FIBA Yellow Blue Special Edition
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:

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.

pk13 – you mean like this one on special offer? 😀

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