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The (Less intimidating) Watch Thread

Accessories
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  • G
    Graeme
    啓蒙家
    Joined: 30 Mar 2012

    I find that a lot of cheap watches are knock-offs hommages of the sorts of timepieces that don't belong in this thread.

    However, I saw these in a piece at aBlogToWatch, and they look fun.

    The watches are The Last Laugh XL and The Last Laugh Tattoo XL by Mr Jones Watches, and I like them.

    The time is read off numbers, in the mouths of the skulls. The hours jump, whilst the minutes rotate.

    last edited by 8 Jan 2018, 09:50 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
    • G
      Graeme
      啓蒙家
      Joined: 30 Mar 2012

      The Farer Aqua Compressor is a nice looking diving watch with a compressor case. These have the rotating bezel ring fitted internally, and it's rotated by one of the crowns.

      The watch uses an ETA movement that's been decorated. It looks rather nice in the display back.

      Time and Tide watches have a favourable review, if you want to read more.

      The UK list price is £1095, or $1295 in the US. That's a little above the price limit mentioned earlier. Sorry. 🙂

      last edited by 8 Jan 2018, 10:01 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • G
        Graeme
        啓蒙家
        Joined: 30 Mar 2012

        The Emile Chouriet Challenger Deep is a similar price to the Farer, above. I don't think that it's as successful a design, but it is dressier.

        There's a review at aBlogToWatch, which is hilarious in its pickiness. (Why doesn't it have a natural rubber strap instead of silicone? How dare they call it the Challenger Deep when the brand has no heritage!)

        The trouble is that Jomashop are offering the Oris Divers Sixty Five for about $1100 to $1200, and I'd get one of them instead.

        last edited by 8 Jan 2018, 10:12 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • C
          Chris
          Raw and Unwashed
          Joined: 28 Jun 2010

          I think the Challenger Deep is a pretty nice looking watch, and the specs are respectable as well.  I'd be curious to see how it depreciates- it might be a very reasonable used market purchase.

          And I'm with you, @Graeme, this one is just cool.

          last edited by 8 Jan 2018, 14:04 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • L
            louisbosco
            啓蒙家
            Joined: 21 Feb 2013

            @DougNg:

            I don't even know the location of most of my jeans…they're somewhere in the house, here and there...

            i don't even know the location of most of my jeans. they're somewhere in the house, some in another country…

            "Loyalty is a two way street. If i'm asking for it from you, then you're getting it from me."

            • Harvey Specter
            last edited by 8 Jan 2018, 14:16 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • N
              neph93
              見習いボス
              Joined: 18 Aug 2014

              @Graeme:

              I don't think that it's as successful a design…

              How do you mean? Aesthetically I find this rather attractive.

              “Some of those that work forces
              Are the same that burn crosses”

              • Virginia Woolf
              last edited by 8 Jan 2018, 17:30 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • M
                manufc10
                Iron Heart Deity
                Joined: 14 Mar 2015

                @neph93:

                @Graeme:

                I don't think that it's as successful a design…

                How do you mean? Aesthetically I find this rather attractive.

                I was thinking the same thing!  Most of the diving watches posted so far have not been appealing to me except for that one.

                last edited by 8 Jan 2018, 18:17 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • C
                  Chris
                  Raw and Unwashed
                  Joined: 28 Jun 2010

                  I like it, but there's not much about it that's distinctive.  Dive watches are a competitive category, and a company with little to no name recognition is going to have a hard time breaking out of the pack with a watch that's simply "nice".

                  last edited by 8 Jan 2018, 19:03 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • J
                    JDelage
                    啓蒙家
                    Joined: 13 Jan 2012

                    If I learned one thing from my exploration of the bronze diver rabbit hole, it's that's there are a lot more makers than I thought.

                    I have to say I wonder what is going to happen to those micro-brands over time, and to the people who buy from them.

                    last edited by 8 Jan 2018, 20:15 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • G
                      Giles
                      IHUK Crew
                      Joined: 22 Sept 2009

                      A lot will go bust and the people who bought their watches will have a problem….

                      "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

                      last edited by 8 Jan 2018, 20:16 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • J
                        JDelage
                        啓蒙家
                        Joined: 13 Jan 2012

                        Yes, I agree. It's probably much safer to have a single Rolex collection than 20 micro-brands, as boring as that sounds.

                        last edited by 8 Jan 2018, 20:26 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • G
                          Giles
                          IHUK Crew
                          Joined: 22 Sept 2009

                          Who the feck wants to live life safe?

                          "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

                          last edited by 8 Jan 2018, 20:38 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • C
                            Chris
                            Raw and Unwashed
                            Joined: 28 Jun 2010

                            Actually, I think the micro brands aren't really risky.  They almost without exception use massively produced movements from major manufacturers.  Long after some company that sold a handful of watches before closing its doors is gone, ETA 2824 and Miyota 9015 movements and parts will be getting cranked out by the thousands.  And repair shops with the expertise to fix them will still be easy to find.

                            I think the more dangerous proposition is a smaller brand that has a more "prestigious" in house engine under the hood.  If they go under, good luck finding parts or a qualified repairman.

                            But yeah, a Rolex is always a safe choice…

                            last edited by 8 Jan 2018, 20:54 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • G
                              Giles
                              IHUK Crew
                              Joined: 22 Sept 2009

                              Good point…...

                              "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

                              last edited by 8 Jan 2018, 20:58 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • D
                                David_pll
                                Raw and Unwashed
                                Joined: 19 Aug 2014

                                Just came across this on eBay, aesthetically it’s what I enjoy so going to watch and see how it goes. A submariner is my end goal, but not quite just yet.

                                Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

                                last edited by 8 Jan 2018, 21:41 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • J
                                  JDelage
                                  啓蒙家
                                  Joined: 13 Jan 2012

                                  @Chris - Yes, what you say makes sense.

                                  last edited by 8 Jan 2018, 23:51 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • D
                                    DougNg
                                    Joined: 24 Sept 2009

                                    I like that the Challenger Deep uses a ceramic bezel. I much prefer the ceramic bezel to aluminum, and most divers I see still use aluminum (looking at you Tudor).

                                    With that being said, I'm kind of surprised they went with a 60 click bezel.

                                    I know violence is not the answer, I got it wrong on purpose

                                    last edited by 1 Sept 2018, 00:47 9 Jan 2018, 00:42 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • G
                                      Graeme
                                      啓蒙家
                                      Joined: 30 Mar 2012

                                      @neph93:

                                      @Graeme:

                                      I don't think that it's as successful a design…

                                      How do you mean? Aesthetically I find this rather attractive.

                                      I meant to say that I didn't find it as successful a design as the Faver or the Oris. It's a nice watch, but it doesn't immediately jump out at me. It's a pleasant enough watch, but it's just a little bit conventional.

                                      That said, it looks well executed (except on the bracelet), and it's not a hugely clunky diver's watch.

                                      last edited by 9 Jan 2018, 03:30 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • G
                                        Graeme
                                        啓蒙家
                                        Joined: 30 Mar 2012

                                        I agree with what @Chris said, though I'd argue that there might be a problem getting things like replacement hands, dials, or case parts.

                                        The biggest issue with in-house movements in future is likely to be silicon components. For a conventional movement, if a part isn't available, it'd be possible for watchmaker to machine a new one. But if you need a lithography process to get a new balance spring, then there might be a problem down the line.

                                        Then again, you could buy something like the Mr Jones skull watch, and replace it every four or five years with a new one for what it'd cost to service a Rolex.

                                        last edited by 9 Jan 2018, 04:23 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • J
                                          JDelage
                                          啓蒙家
                                          Joined: 13 Jan 2012

                                          I'm going to buy a dedicated diving watch. I've been wearing a Seamaster for the last 10 yrs, and it's a great watch but a shitty dedicated diver (the bezel is not made to be easily rotated).

                                          My criteria are:

                                          1. Max price $1,250 (some wiggle room for the right piece)
                                          2. Water resistance >= 20 ATM
                                          3. Well established, easily serviceable automatic movement
                                          4. Quality materials in terms of solidity & resistance (within realistic limits of course) to dings, scratches, UV, sea water, sand, etc (high grade stainless or titanium, sapphire, ceramic, etc)
                                          5. Unidirectional bezel with grippy profile that can be manipulated with fairly thick gloves
                                          6. Bracelet or strap useable on land and under water, with or without a dive suit (or easily swappable for aftermarket ones)
                                          7. High visibility dial & hands
                                          8. Must be wearable out of the water in a 'casual smart' setting (long pants, BD shirt)
                                          9. Near mint to new
                                          10. <=43mm (will make exception for the right piece)

                                          Not required but nice to have:

                                          • Second time zone
                                          • Date

                                          Not trying to optimize for:

                                          • Minimal price
                                          • Brand prestige

                                          I'm just starting my search (and a new Excel sheet - I know, I know…) Preliminary list includes the following watches, some of which fall outside those parameters:

                                          Seiko SBDC051 (the clear winner from a purely rational standpoint)
                                          Halios Seaforth (lovely design, maybe too pretty to be a tool)
                                          H2O Marlin 40 (infinite customization, a lot of watch for the money)
                                          Magrette Moana Pacific Professional Kara (lovely Ti piece, but not available for several months)
                                          Steinhart Ocean Titanium 500 Premium
                                          Damasko DSub2

                                          last edited by 1 Oct 2018, 04:43 10 Jan 2018, 04:41 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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