Looking forward to getting this next week. Was sent to a professional after I mangled two second hands and also to be pressure tested once complete.
Custom or franken dependent on your point of view. Only the movement is Seiko (NH36), all other parts are aftermarket, mainly One Second Closer and Namoki. Ceramic bezel insert, coin edge bezel, red AR domed crystal, engraved crown, SKX style case with drilled lugs. It isn’t the dial I initially planned as that’s still in Hong Kong, but I quite like this one too.

Bit chintzy and zero brand/history behind them, but I guiltily quite like the design. A lot of watch for the money. Sapphire crystal, Seagull movement, original design…

Ciga Design Z series link

Very Richard Mille

Definite whiff isn’t there.

Fortunately not reflected in the price. £175 at the moment.

Following on from my bargain £100 white Alkin. I liked it so much I’ve bought another. SS case, limited edition green dial with an orange second hand. Which is the one I was going to get before my whim eBay purchase. Will report when it arrives

Question is do I keep both?

Question is do I keep both?

Why not? Though if there can only be one – green dial all day every day. But then I’m a sucker for a green dial.

This looks like a bargain . NH35 movement, stainless steel case. £70 on
Amazon. Though the fact the brand – Lyle and Scott – is better known for golfwear puts me off for some reason.

Anyway I’ve ordered a Vostok K43 from Russia so I can’t justify another watch buy right now.

G-SHOCK Sport GBD-H1000 with Heart Rate Monitor and GPS. Can’t wait to see one of these in the flesh. Could be a good rival to the Garmin Instinct.

Green Alkin Model One has arrived. Darker face wears smaller than the white one which is nice. Will probably keep both!

Might swap straps though. Think maybe the black would be better on the white face and the brown on the green face. What do you think?

I’d swap those straps, seems an obvious thing to do to me. Maybe  someone will come along if you’re lucky and photoshop it just to show you.

I’m selling my Alkin.

Lovely thing but not wearing it.

PVD black case and dark brown leather strap.

£200

I like the look of the Model 2.

https://en-gb.facebook.com/alkinwatches/photos/a.1768093120168383/2333325453645144/?type=3&eid=ARDuk-IpF4lbA2HYFHMaO9ZU2MamjObLc17Wtpy3HeYs_Rd41GuXMViqxnyZONmGEAQZ2P5wlNaN_pHz&__tn__=EHH-R

@lotto
That g shock looks quite good actually, and reasonably priced too.

@inbred853 (I’ve got one of those, btw), that Seiko pretty much has the most common mods, particularly the Pepsi bezel insert – the only mod I’d make would be the hands, just ‘cos I’m not so keen on arrowhead hands, I much prefer MarineMaster 300 style. Nice looking watch, that. 😁

Kato, you should buy Merak’s black Alkin to complete the set. 😁

@tthew I think I probably would have if it was stainless. I’m not a fan of PVD cases you see. I like the look but I fear the longevity of the finish

A flieger will be next. I was about to buy a Stowa before Christmas but I like that the Laco is closer in resemblance to what the case would have been originally

Laco Paderborn

Started ordering other bits for another build. Lockdown/furlough boredom!

Can you recommended me a place to buy a ceramic but standard pattern SKX 007 please @Futureboy77. Either full lume or normal pip. Thanks.

Can you recommended me a place to buy a ceramic but standard pattern SKX 007 please @Futureboy77. Either full lume or normal pip. Thanks.

If you are using the standards hardlex flat crystal, you will be a bit more limited as most are for domed crystals. However have a look at:
Namoki Mods
DLW
Lumed Ceramic Bezel Inserts (LCBI)
Crystaltimes (shut just now due to Covid).

I have a spare you could have as a freebie if you have a domed crystal.

@tthew your best bet if flat…

BEZEL INSERTS

Thanks for that! It’s a flat one I’m after, I want to keep it looking standard but have scratched the aluminum one so may as well do a sympathetic upgrade while I’m replacing it. 👍

No probs @tthew. Original inserts are made of cheese and the bezel and insert should be fired in to the sun. Ceramic looks better, but get used to your own fingerprints!

Just been looking at a piece on a watch from a Swiss maker, it’s being produced on a sort of crowd-funded system, in that each watch made is custom made to order, there won’t be any available to buy outside of the order system. Not cheap at 6,990chf, £5854, but what really sets it apart is the fact it’s a chronometer-grade tourbillon movement!
https://monochrome-watches.com/horage-tourbillon-1-the-most-accessible-swiss-made-tourbillon-introducing-price/
A tourbillon separates the main movement from the rest of the watch workings, more or less making it immune to the effects of the watch being moved around, and they’re usually incredibly expensive, the TAG tourbillon is £15,000.
I’m not usually a fan of skeletonised movements, but if I had the means to buy one of those, I’d grab the chance.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourbillon
There are really cheap ‘tourbillon’ watches on Amazon, I have doubts as to how genuine their movements are, a genuine tourbillon is basically a showcase of watchmaking skill, hence the prices.

Dunno if anyone caught it last night, worth looking at on-demand, the ITV4 series Made In Britain. They were looking at the processes behind Wagon Wheels biscuits, Dr Martens boots, and, of interest to this thread, making Bremont watches. The whole programme was interesting, but being able to see behind the making of a hand-made British watch was fascinating.

Hamtun watches are running another kickstarter campaign for their ti diver, the Kraken H3

I was tempted with the H2 but got cold feet but commited to this one. £294 ti diver with some kind of scratch proof coating. Due in November. Think I’m going fir the orange version.

Hamtun Kraken H3. A titanium watch for everyone, every day., via @Kickstarter https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rossdavis/hamtun-kraken-h3-the-best-titanium-watch-replaces-the-h2?ref=android_project_share

all gone already hah

I put a search on eBay for a H2 thinking I quite fancied one. When they were first delivered there were LOADS being flipped at reasonable prices and I still get a reasonably regular message about a new listing. You’ll probably get one that way if you have missed out.

Tempted by one of these for sub £300 shipped from the states incl fees etc. Especially a Swiss Made wactch,if its the older one with basically an ETA 2824 movement, and at 36mm (meaures up slightly bigger) its not a massive dinnerplate size.

A flieger will be next. I was about to buy a Stowa before Christmas but I like that the Laco is closer in resemblance to what the case would have been originally

My Stowa flieger is a thing of beauty. The thing with trying to get things close to ‘originality’ ona flieger was that they were 50mm+ monsters for wearing over your leather jacket sleeve so even a Laco is tiny/compromised in that respect.

Oh yeah I couldn’t wear a full sized one! I meant more the case design is more as the original was. Straight lugs and bead blasted with a solid caseback.

Count I’m not sure if the spinnaker has ceramic bezel but it is lumed. Sadly it looks to be sold out and the bronze version is $800

Long Island has both the blue and black in though at $299 and a fiver off voucher when you go on their website.

It’s the weekend!

Ooooh Smiths Everest! Lovely

I’ve never seen a Smith’s Everest before, then saw this here and another one for sale on another forum 5 minutes later. Very tempting, it’s a lovely watch, but I resisted…phew!

The later ones like that are much nicer. The indices on the early ones were far too big IMO

Have thought about it, but I really want an Explorer 1 at some point so will hold on

My latest cheap automatic watch. Vostok K43. Ordered from Russia 9th April and arrived 24th. £65

Giving my Sinn 240 ST a run out.

Now that’s a handsome watch. Love the case

I’m wondering when I’ll ever see mine again as it’s hostage in the jewellers for the foreseeable.

Breaking in and nicking your own property is allowed, right?