Nice Seiko auto story here too:

I’ve just (well, have to wait til Xmas morning) joined the ranks of Moonswatch owners. Passing the Swatch store in Bordeaux yesterday, saw some in the window and decided Papa Noel would be bringing me the yellow one. Yellow is a bit out there, but it was the most “Swatch” one for me & have already got a non-plastic Speedy, didn’t see the point in getting a similar metallic colour.

And the replacement NH35 movement for my Seiko 5 arrived this morning. Once I’ve put it in, that’s N+2 for me, may have to thin the herd…

I have been eying Furlan Marri watches recently and see they are back in stock. I usually do not like cut off dial detail but this one looks right to me.

Does anyone in this parish have one and have long term feedback?

https://www.furlanmarri.com/products/1072-a-nero-sabbia?variant=40512422871172

I’ve been running a Scurfa Diver One for four years and it’s been superb. Also really comfy and great lume. Build quality is excellent. One battery change to date.

A little retro diver present to myself.

Well my Ti Vanuatu turned up and boy is it lovely.

Ti so super light (natch). Yeah it’s going to scuff and scrape but meh. The Ti engineer strap is super comfy. Sized well and no pinchy hair bits.

The lume is so good. I love the watch. Should keep me happy for a while (until I finally do my Gshock 5600 ti case/strap modification!).

Stock images as work blocks Google Photos

Both the Squale and Vanuatu look ace! Aphex, that will go well with your new job indeed 🙂

I really enjoyed the Seiko video as I do with all of Marshall’s efforts. A few words about Seiko’s tooling and quality comparing the in house-ability on par with Rolex and his enthusiasm for the watch during the process made me think very much that I’m not appreciating – with the exception of the CW Compressor – my watches for anything other than the visual appearance. So I took some time last night to read about the Nh36, Vajoux 7750, ST19, and Sellita movements in particular.

As always this thread provides an enjoyable learning experience.

Marshall does a great job of keeping his channel enjoyable – after all, you can only watch so many 50-minute videos of full watch services, they’re largely the same to the layman. You need a backstory, and he gets that balance (pun intended) right.

I’m not appreciating – with the exception of the CW Compressor – my watches for anything other than the visual appearance

I’m largely the other way, usually can’t see half the things that aesthetes talk about (hence buying a yellow moonswatch…), but can lose hours in something like the satisfying mechanical click of the chrono button on a Speedy, the way the hand resets, the rattliness of a well-worn 50 year old jubilee bracelet, or that almost musical sound a movement makes when beating in a small steel case with a plain caseback.

A little retro diver present to myself

That’s lovely

Anybody had any experience with buying direct off the Rotary website?

I decided to chance £89 on a Black Friday offer watch for beater duties but heard nothing since (and no response to my enquiry email). Only received a confirmation email (at time of ‘sale’) and website says all orders dispatched within 3-5 working days.

Thinking about cancelling via the credit card…

I’ve never bought anything from them but I did submit an enquiry about their ti field watch and it took them weeks to get back to me.

Based on that I’d be tempted to just wait, I imagine their shipping etc is better than their comms.

What have you gone for? Some of their models are actually really nice looking and decent spec for the price.

Oh yes I agree! Both the squale and the vanatu look absolutely stunning! Congratulations!

What have you gone for?

https://www.rotarywatches.com/GS00450-84?search=GS00450%2F84

Nice, I’d be tempted to put it on some sort of rally style strap I think.

Looks like the same quartz chronograph as my Timex Q on the previous page. Which is not a bad thing, but the 24 hour register can’t be set independently, so it’s a little pointless.

Well I was hoping to have the zenith this morning after driving to fetch it yesterday (100 miles away, but on the way to somewhere else I was going). However I heard nothing from the seller since a message from him about Tuesday or Wednesday when he asked if I was still good for Sunday. I replied yes, and gave an ETA asking if the time was ok, then Friday asked for address and phone number, messaged again Sunday…nada. not sure if I’m being ghosted or if the seller has had some kind of emergency but most likely the former I guess. My view, if he’s found a better deal or whatever that’s fine, it’s his watch and he chooses what to do. Mildly frustrating to take cash out of savings account and make plans, but that’s all. So most likely…. I’m still N.

@derek_starship – good to hear back from someone who’s an owner and wearer of a Scurfa. It’s a proper tool watch with no bells and whistles, and real clarity, which is what I like in a watch. It doesn’t hurt that the company is owned by a diver.

Gotta say, that Vanuatu is very impressive, and the lume is extraordinary!

Damn, two to add to the want list, not one.

Big birthday happening next year and I’m thinking I’d like a new watch. I’ve already got a nice divers so would like an explorer type to compliment. At the moment I’m really keen on the Nivada Super Antarctica. Has anyone had one or dealt with Nivada? Also thinking about a Seiko Alpinist of some sort. Anything else I should be looking at? Im probably more at ease with sub £1k watches,so an actual explorer or a ranger is out of reach.

A special explorer type….. I’d be tempted to go for a Hamilton Murph. They’ve just released a 39mm although that doesn’t have the morse code on the second hand. Looks lovely.

@yokaiser put your name on the list for the next batch of Smiths Air Ministry?

Liked the Murph, I also like the Alpinist, especially the baby version without the compass bezel (istr seeing some video reviews where that bezel wobbled a bit).
Talking of compass bezels, I’ve probably got enough “tool” watches but this caught my eye. 1600€ tho…

OW – M-110 M

@YoKaiser

My wife bought me a green Alpinist for my 50th.

It’s not the most expensive watch I own, and it’s probably the smallest.

But it’s definitely the prettiest. Like it, works, no issues (except the meh Seiko strap – but you knew that) – it’s lovely.

And we just opened three Geckotas (same watch, different colours) for me and my two sons – in France so presents tonight.

Also very nice.

Interesting watch here, that’s new to me, but has a fairly long history. Nice looking watch, but sadly outside my price range. 🙁

Watch Review: Eberhard & Co. Scafograf 200 DLC Limited Edition

Update on the Rotary situation: zero contact directly but a DHL email (no reference and no link)…

Then an email from DHL saying they try tried to deliver but I was out (yup, I was indeed, out in the front garden speaking with my neighbour!). DHL have a history of not being able to find me (not the first time they’ve had to phone and ask where I am) so its not over yet…

Short roundup of new watches from some British brands that might be of interest. One might push the limits of most people’s budgets, though.

The Renaissance Of British Watchmaking In 2022 — The Best From Bremont, Fears, Vertex, Farer, And Bamford

Just watched the Seiko restoration above, sad backstory, but lovely to see just how well the watch had survived. Amazing to see it suddenly start running while he was still assembling it!
That’s a real treasure.

What that video has reinforced for me is the feeling that opening watches up and rebuilding them is something I’m just not suited for. I don’t have the patience, and my hands and fingers are no longer steady enough, combined with my inability to remember what order everything is supposed to go back together!

Whoop whoop! I’ve not been ghosted, the zenith seller had a good reason for being out of touch and it’s still on hold for me…. He won’t be around for another fortnight though so it’ll be an agonizing wait before I can drive 100 miles across the country and collect it. In the meantime I’m looking at bracelets…forstner bullet looks nice! Annoyingly I’ll have to get that one from the US and knowing me I’ll get clobbered for import tax and the USPS handling fee, but still, from what I read it’s a good quality and vfm bracelet.

I’ve a Watch based confession to make…. I haven’t sold any of my watches. Yes I’ve been busy, and then lazy and I did successfully restrict myself to wearing the five I want to keep.

I seem to have an emotional attachment to admitting defeat somehow. Any advice would be appreciated!

Whilst clearing out my grandparents house last year I came across an old tea caddy filled with the normal assortment of fuses, old keys, marbles, rusty screws etc. Amongst all this useful stuff was a WW2 Leondias pocket watch with its chain and its key fob is a few coins from Iceland dated 1941. The watch has had a hard life and looks like it was used for many years as a plumb bob, knowing my grandad probably was. Unsurprisingly it no work, can anyone recommend some one to have a look at it to see if its repairable?

Another good Seiko story – original Willard bought by a Navy diver and used for years in the navy and then saturation diving afterwards. The bloke restoring it met the owner when they were both being treated for cancer

It was a nice story, shame the watch service didn’t go too well.

If he’d the first idea of how to use his cleaning machine it probably would’ve saved some of the issues encountered later on, but failure the address the shagged out barrel arbour bushings when they’re that far gone is always going to have it looking like crap on the timing machine.

He does admit he’s just a hobbyist so I’ll leave it at that.

Anyone interested in a modded seiko?
I got hooked on the look from pictures but now i got it dial just feel to small for my taste.
And fancy a Elliot Brown Canford instead.

Probably want to put some pics up Mikkel, or pop it on the Classifieds and leave a link. Modified Seiko could be anything!

Very true, its the one Tempusmods did for me.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CfhlNssLxpZ/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Black PVD not really my thing, but that looks nicely done.

Is this sort of plastic shite allowed here…? 🙃

A Fenix 6 XL Pro ‘free’ via the application of Avios/Nectar. Bit big but more battery so betterer.

Vomit discretely please.

It had the bezel and bezel insert changed then flat saphire crystal and crown cerakoted red.

I do quite like this new(ish) Timex Expedition North in Ti.

AMZN are doing it for £227 but are currently OoS.

Can I just ask what people’s opinion is on the following – Ordered a new watch from the US, turned up and looked okay but on inspection there is a small chip I think in the crystal, you can’t feel it with your fingernail but equally it doesn’t move with a cloth i.e. it’s not just a mark that would polish out. Other than that the watch is spot on but I can’t unsee the mark. It’s between the 11 and 12 indices. What would you do? Watch was not cheap, but not mega bucks, around £550 + taxes I think.

That would drive me nuts – I’d be looking for a replacement – or if you can put up with it, at least a partial refund. Bought a new Macbook a couple of years ago from John Lewis – arrived with a 2mm dent on the edge of the body. JL were kind enough to refund 15%.

derek_starship

Love the look of that Timex – very Hamilton-y and seems good value for Ti.