Watches N+1…

My first NATO:

I like those, bit too big for my childs wrists when I looked.

Have the Kickstarter Hamtun H2’s stated turning up yet? (and if so, anyone not as keen on white face version as they thought they might be?)

SKX lug to lug is 51mm

SKX lug to lug is 51mm

Are you sure? That sounds awfully big, I thought it was somewhere around the 47mm mark.

Yeah I can’t read my verniers properly. 46mm is the answer

Thanks Phil

So over the past week I’ve bought 4 watches, the big beast further up and 3 Seiko 5s.

And I’ve settled on this one, an SNK357K1. It doesn’t show up that well in the photos but it’s dark blue and has “ghost” 5 logos over the face which I like.

On my weedy wrists (I had to take 5 links out and considering trying one more) it’s the right size and reckon it’s ideal for me to wear most of the time.

I think I’m going to get a brown leather strap for it, where should I look for something that’s a step up from the eBay £5 ones?

Does it follow the circle of the bezel or does it go straight in line with the strap?

Follows the circumference of the dial – it’s very subtle, but close inspection shows it’s radial.

where should I look for something that’s a step up from the eBay £5 ones?

Watch Gecko is worth a look, but there’s loads on online marketplaces like Amazon and Etsy, a bewildering amount to be honest.

a bewildering amount to be honest.

🤣 yeah that was the problem, too much choice.

I think I’m going to get a brown leather strap for it, where should I look for something that’s a step up from the eBay £5 ones?

I’ve always used Hirsch leather straps on my brietling, as good as OE straps

I always use steveostraps. Sometimes has some nice ones in his sale. Although quite often some truly hopping ones too.

I always use steveostraps.

Me too, well the one time I’ve wanted a quality leather strap.
Assuming he still does custom stuff, you can basically request whatever you want. The one I got was a bit bulky in the end but the quality is phenomenal for the price.

@kato, @jonners, @countzero, cheers for the answers, guys.

Related to the above, I have a lovely Tag Calibre 7 GMT, big heavy thing. Lovely face but the bracelet is a bit cheap and nasty, the difference in quality between that and my aged Tag Link is startling. So any good suppliers of metal bracelets? 20mm if that makes any difference.

3rd Stevostraps recommender

I have a lovely Tag Calibre 7 GMT

Me too 😁 Can’t help with the bracelet thing sorry, I wasn’t over keen on the Link watches because the bloke in the jewelers I first saw them said the watch case wouldn’t take any other design, making me nervous if the clasp ever broke and spares out of production, the whole watch is scrap. Was I right?

making me nervous if the clasp ever broke and spares out of production, the whole watch is scrap. Was I right?

I don’t know about Link specifically but the clasps on bracelets I’ve seen are normally attached by push pins so they’re an easy swap. Doesn’t rule out something proprietary or just riveted but even then a decent jeweller would be able to sort something out, for a price, obviously. Of course the watch end of the strap/bracelet is much more problematic.

I order a couple of £3.99 NATOs from eBay which arrived today. A royal blue one for a future watch purchase and…

Love how it looks on the Steinhart, even my wife commented it really changes the look (compared to an Olive green NATO I’ve had it on of late). buckle and keepers are good, strap comfy. I see little benefit in paying more for a NATO, such good value.

I see little benefit in paying more for a NATO, such good value

I like a cheap NATO myself but sometimes it’s worth paying more than rock bottom to get a particular colour or hardware. Talking of which, does anyone know of a 22mm NATO or Zulu with bronze hardware? I’d settle for brass at a pinch. I’ve done a fair bit of googling but they keep coming up OOS or not available.

I wasn’t over keen on the Link watches because the bloke in the jewelers I first saw them said the watch case wouldn’t take any other design, making me nervous if the clasp ever broke and spares out of production, the whole watch is scrap. Was I right?

Never really thought, but yes, it does look like that might be the case.

Hey Derek, have you worn that blue and white NATO much yet? It looks great and is been considering a similar design strap, it looks great on with dials like that but I wonder if the white portion is filthy in no time. I know you can slip it off the watch and put it through the wash but if it’s filthy quickly it would probably annoy me. Do like it a lot though!

nn – thanks for the compliments!

It does look good on the Diver One.

Well I’ve worn it for a week now and it’s remained clean all round.
Still bright white on the desk contact bits so I’d say go for it.

Cheers. I’m saving up for the watch still at the moment but getting nearer…. I’ve fallen for the blue Tudor pelagos and a blue and white stripe NATO would really set it off I’m sure.

It’s from Sniperbay.

Thanks I’ll take a look.

Walked into a shop yesterday and having a glance at the Rolex stand they had a gold / black Sub.   Of course my viewing attracted the sales lady, and she gladly explained it was $11000US and required a British or US passport to purchase it!

i don’t like gold watches but I have to admit the Sub has a huge allure to it…

Well mine is definitely borked. Refuses to start from a manual wind, so going back under warranty. Optimistically hoping they give it a polish too 🙂

your aqua terra? oh. thats rare to have trouble but it’ll be off to southampton swatch grup for a good service and back in no time.

Kryton, two tones are about £8500 iirc, or maybe £8800. most collectors stay away and they are very out of fashion, seen as very 80s, Arfur Daley. That said th Steel and Gold Tudor is doing well and possibly making two tone acceptable again. But, be aware, the more preciousl metal in a rolex \9r virtually any other brand) the more the cost new but the bigger the % lost/saved if sold/bought pre owned. A two tone used pre owned sub is probably cheaper or the sme as a steel one. Personally…. far too much on the bracelet but stick it on a good rubber or a nato and the two tone head looks nice….and a two tone smurf..oooooo….an affordable smurf…..oooo tempting

Well, FIL is after a cheaper than UK Breitling so i scoped a dealer for him.

Well, while i was there he tried to sell me an Avenger for £3950:

https://www.breitling.com/bb-en/watches/avenger/bandit/E13383101M2W1/

Lovely watch, but it feels a bit “tool watch” but whod wear a watch that price in the shed…

Two recent acquisitions

Wedding ring? Congratulations!

Platinum?

I don’t know the watch brand but it looks a nice vintage style. Can you tell us more?

For those looking for a well designed, quality watch, that’s a bit out of the ordinary, there’s a new German maker, basing their design philosophy on The Bauhaus school, with very compact movements, and very high water resistance, 1000ft, not metres, oddly…
https://nomos-glashuette.com/en/?utm_source=highsnobiety_editorial&utm_medium=advertising&utm_campaign=highsnobiety&utm_content=text

Yep, platinum wedding ring. I’m a lucky man as she got me the watch – it’s a Junghans Max Bill, similarly Bauhaus to the above (but with a bit more heritage ;))

Well, there has been been this change of plan. While making a list of the various parts I needed to order, the sites and costs, I happened to take a look at some watches one particular parts site had put together, which I hadn’t noticed before, and one caught my eye; it was, apart from the bezel insert, pretty much the watch I was planning on putting together, and the cost of the complete watch was less than the Seiko I’ve just bought! It has a Seiko hackable and hand-winding movement as well, but not as fancy as the one I was thinking of getting, the cost of all the bits would be more that this mod one, so what to do?
I pushed the button on this:
https://www.heimdallr.watch/dive-watches/29-skx007-marine-master.html
Which means I’ve now got two SKX007’s, so I may keep the first one, or, if anyone’s interested, I might sell it on. I’m not keen on the stainless bracelet, so I’d include that with the watch along with the original rubber one.
If anyone is interested I’ll sell it for what I paid for it, along with the steel bracelet.
I’m in no rush, I may decide to keep it in the end.

Love that Max Bill Automatic! I have thr steel version on my fantasy wishlist. Looks great

Just picked up a Tudor gmt. Called at Trafford centre to have a look. Nothing in windows and was told at beaverbrooks in Manchester a couple of weeks ago waiting list till about Christmas. Went for lunch then called into jewellers to put my name down. Girl said they’d put one in window 30 mins ago. Sold. This was my 50th birthday gift from wife and mum. Took me 12 months to make my mind up.

Pics of the Tudor of you can please, it’s a lovely watch. Enjoy it!

I’m on the list for a Tudor GMT and as luck would have it they phoned yesterday saying they have one for me. The day after I spent all my watch money and more on a motorbike…..

Count are you offering up an skx007 for £148??