Watches N+1…

I’ll pass. Doesn’t do anything for me.

Re the tucked in NATO strap from a few pages back. I ordered one for the 007 and found this video which shows how to fit the strap using the normal method and also an alternative method that is a lot neater. I’ve tried both and the alternative looks better and is also more comfortable.

I have one of these ,(as well as the usual GShock)
https://www.bestqualitywatches.co.uk/seiko-mens-titanium-chronograph-snd419p1/?gclid=CjwKCAiAv9riBRANEiwA9Dqv1duXzX9zCT_3LaMb7Ficg16wL-rmWWXhsZeI7vIM2IgPDPM50hFmzxoC8EwQAvD_BwE
It’s a few years old now, needs a good clean and a battery so taking it to a local watch repairer. It’s a lovely watch to wear, lightweight and robust.

This video shows an interesting alternative way to wear a 5 ring nato. I’ve ot tried it as i don’t have one, and to me it looks a bit bulky but, well, it might suit some. 8 minutes in

BTW, does anyone here use jumbo spring bars on their nato strapped watches? I don’t but maybe i should, any recommended sources? Oh and on spring bars, who often do people change them? Think i ought to get some new ones for a couple of my watches.

That alternative NATO strap method is brill. I have one, and was thinking about swapping it as I have thin wrists leaving a massive flappy end which I don’t like, but that’s ace.

I’m going to alter how I wear the NATO strap on my TAG Heuer having watched the video shinton posted. That’s the exact Bond strap I have on the TAG, as Timothy Dalton wore one in his first film as 007.
Looks good on a black cased watch.

He makes a point about it balancing the watch better and I have to agree.

If anyone wants the correct nylon strap as used on the Rolex Connery wore, this is the one:

It has none of the hassle involved with tucking a load of excess away like the NATO strap has.
Cheaper, too.
https://www.esprit-nato.com/en/nylon-watch-straps/153-the-real-james-bond-sean-connery-in-goldfinger-black-military-green-red.html

ElShalimo

Member
Is anyone going to buy a Hamtun H2 next month?

Tempted. Early pricing is 199 quid and the white-dialled version looks purdy. I’m not sure you could get another diver so well spec’d for the money. Compare it to a Ti Seiko – probably double the priced.

New nato wearing option 🙂

I’m going to alter how I wear the NATO strap on my TAG Heuer having watched the video shinton posted.

I did it last night.  My strap is still a bit new & stiff so maybe impacts the result but at least the bulk was under my wrist and hidden away which I liked.  I’ll leave it like that I think.

two 2nd hand subs at chromomaster.co.uk :

http://www.chronomaster.co.uk/rolex/watches/

I’m tempted by the black face. Great spec for the money. I’ve never had a titanium watch either. Anything to be wary of?

Anything to be wary of?

I don’t really know. Their H1 had a ti bracelet which had screws either side of the link which was an apparent ball ache to size. New strap is redesigned. At that price I’m prepared to take a chance!

Have you signed up to the email alerts for the launch?

Just spotted this thread and appears to be some expertise on here ( well more knowledgeable than me). I am looking for a new watch up to 3.3k and wondered what people recommend. I like the rugged divers style. I had a superocean a few years ago and liked that and have considered another or an avenger. Any others to consider avoid etc

Yep

@sprocker: something like this?

Tudor

Up to £3.3k then the obvious hard to beats are Tudor black bay or omega sea master professional. Maybe some Seiko stuff but I’m clueless there so will wait for others to chip in.

Tudor looks decent case maybe a little smaller than I was after, never that keen on omega but will have a look at them, are they a division of swatch ?

3.3 k <gulp>
I’ve got a long service award due (yay me!), with around £350 to spend on something. Quite fancy a nice watch (umm comparatively…) as something to keep rather than spend it on something that will be replaced sooner e.g. a TV.
Been looking at the Elliot Brown Canford watches and really like the styling, going to look at them and see how they look on my slim wrists before deciding. Is there anything else in that price range to consider? Also – am I foolish thinking that a quartz watch will last a while i.e. decades rather than years? Can’t stretch to the Tyneham which is their automatic.

Been to the Rolex boutique in town and been told two years for a submariner date, still to talk about Explorer two yet.

But coming in much cheaper and caught my eye, have a look at Tudor Black Bay heritage – lovely.

Been looking at the Elliot Brown Canford watches and really like the styling, going to look at them and see how they look on my slim wrists before deciding. Is there anything else in that price range to consider?

I have the same watch (gunmetal grey case), given to me as a gift. It’s a nice looking watch, just as well you have slim wrists though as the straps (leather and rubber ones anyway) are very short and didn’t fit my wrist. I’ve got it on a Nato strap now. I probably wouldn’t have bought one myself with it being a quartz and by a brand I have no history with, not really my thing, but can’t complain about it. It seems a decent watch.

Omega are part of Swatch group, yes. Beyond the current ownership they are a brand with heritage. They are also a secure brand, and a brand on the up. They said, if your don’t get excited by them then move on, a watch like that should be exciting!!

Tudor black bay come in numerous case size, 39mm and 42…. And some larger I think..43? Not sure. I’d say the recent trend for every larger peeked a couple of years ago….42 is big and bigger is uncomfortable for many wrists! It’s personal though so if you like bigger well… Seamaster comes in 46mm

A good quartz will last many decades. It’s perhaps not as long lived as a good mechanical…. But it’ll last a lifetime.

At £350 there are lovely watches about from many places… Seiko for one but my usual answer is Steinhart. ETA movement in a quality German case… At £350 you must be close to peek vfm for a watch. (Cat shown the pigeons with that statement!)

At £350 there are lovely watches about from many places… Seiko for one

Yeah, for £350 I’d be searching “Seiko vintage” on eBay, setting the price band to £300 – £400, and seeing what beauties came up (in fact I just have, and I’m jealous I’ve not currently got £350 to spend on a watch, grr 🙂 )

I always wear my nato straps looked underneath, which I always think look neater.

Yeah, for £350 I’d be searching “Seiko vintage” on eBay, setting the price band to £300 – £400, and seeing what beauties came up

Would do this but I’ve got to purchase it from an actual shop off a list 🙁

Anyone have any experience of the Longines Legend Diver? I saw one today and like the look of it, if not the strap.

are they a division of swatch ?

Who isn’t, these days?
Sorry, slightly cynical, but Swatch do have a lot of brands under their banner.

Also – am I foolish thinking that a quartz watch will last a while i.e. decades rather than years?

I bought my TAG Series 1000 around 1985 – 34 years ago, give or take, it’s taken quite a beating over the years, had a new dial fitted roughly twenty – twenty-five years ago, after the locating pins detached. I can’t remember when the current battery was fitted, but it’s keeping excellent time, and I can see no reason why it shouldn’t keep going like it is for another 34 years.
Of course, as there are electronics involved, there’s always the possibility that components can break down, and manufacturers don’t keep spares forever.
A mechanical movement can be fixed by a good watchmaker, however, things like a mainspring can be replaced – my Yema, which is a fairy rare mechanical movement, and which is now around half a century old, has been repaired after its mainspring broke, and it had a service as well.
Cost a fair bit, but the watch is worth a lot more, so worth it.
Personally, if I was looking at buying a good watch that I wanted to keep for a good period of time, I’d be looking at an automatic mechanical, and Seiko are among the best for reasonably priced auto watches.

@stevet1 – £250-350 could get you a nice auto diver like this Seiko ‘Turtle’
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Seiko-Prospex-Turtle-Divers-Watch-SRP775K1/173726494010?hash=item2872e7ed3a:g:hSQAAOSwfTlcRIva
My Seiko SP045RK cost me £350, NOS; good examples are now fetching around £/$1000!

Ive fallen for my prospex much more than I expected:

View this post on Instagram

Love the details #seikoprospex #seikosamurai

A post shared by Steve Hanks (@velo_stan) on Feb 4, 2019 at 1:45pm PST

Fark now got suckered in to looking at those and fancy the “Save the Ocean” one-
https://www.seikowatches.com/global-en/products/prospex/srpc93k1
I prefer the Samurai case but like a rubber strap rather than a bracelet – what are my options? Will the retailer likely swap it FOC?

Just buy a rubber strap and fit it yourself – you can alternate straps that way.

Omega are a ‘division’ of Swatch in the same way Porchse are a division of Volkswagen.

That said, if you want a huge watch around £3k i’d be looking at Tudors. Lots of heritage in that brand and in the metal they are quite large.

Or some Bell&Ross models are also very large (up to 46mm!!). They offer divers around £3k as well as their ‘BR’ range which due to their square size wear very large. A friend has the 42mm BR-03 and it’s massive.

https://www.bellross.com/our-collections#BR_03_42_MM

Here is a photo vs my 42mm speedy and his 42mm B&R

Also, how practical is a watch like the Seiko prospex for everyday use – in the office etc?

Not after anything really big but around 41, 42 as I have big wrists. Not really looked at bell and Ross , tried on a Tudor black bay today which I liked and an omega planet ocean which was really nice but a bit pricey.

Practical?  It tells the time and date. 😀  I’m not sure what you mean, mine looks great with a suit and under a French cuff and IMO looks far more expensive in the flesh than it really is.  Those Save the Ocean ones are likely destined to increase in value one day also.

I had a seiko save the ocean in a basket online. I was so close to pushing the button. I may regret it but I just didn’t have the spare dosh 🙁

Fell in love with one of these a mere £87 from creation and it’s a beautiful watch to me anyway !! 42mm it’s perfect size

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Got one of these last week. A Raketa Big Zero. Iconic piece of vintage soviet design, and cheap too. I put a nato strap on it and really like it.

Took delivery of a Pobeda like this today. I am liking Russian watches.

sprocker I have a PO (41.5mm) on my wrist now and 95% of the time. It wears big as its thick and its heavy, noticeably. I was looking at a standard steel black bay very recently(mentioned above in this thread) its noticeably lighter and although its a 41mm case I was confused…I compared to my PO and it seemed considerably smaller back to back…weird. The point is I guess, the measurements can be misleading as some are over the crown as well (tudor?) some aren’t and cases are not all the same shape…then visually watches with bezels look smaller than those with big dials, and also thickness affects the stand off and hence how big it wears. So, glad you tried them, a watch of that value is not a triffling matter, try, take photos, walk out, consider, try again. If you want slightly bigger the black bay bronze is 43mm, I suspect that will look ever so slightly larger than the PO. The unknown with that for me, is how the bronze will patina with time, I assume it will lose its initial bling and slowly dull quite nicely brown, not sure though what that Aluminium bronze will do.
The seamaster professional/diver 300 is much closer to the budget and does come in 42mm, I just checked.

The PO is considerably more costly….but its a different league of watch …but I’m bias maybe. Tudor watches are a lot of watch for the money.

Also, how practical is a watch like the Seiko prospex for everyday use – in the office etc?

Depends what you mean by practical. I’ve worn a version of the samurai and an orange monster (v similar size) as part of my regukar rotation for years for all sorts. I did keep knocking the samurai on one particular doorframe for the first couple of days but otherwise I barely notice them. There is a reason they are sold second had with “desk diver scratches”
Have you looked at the Seiko Turtles? I’m currently lusting after the “Save the Ocean” version.