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Iron Heart Fall/Winter 2025 Collection Preview - Now Live

The (Less intimidating) Watch Thread

Accessories
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  • 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
          • G
            Graeme
            啓蒙家
            Joined: 30 Mar 2012

            The Rado Captain Cook has an RRP of $1900, so a bit above your cutoff, but it's a lovely looking watch. Jason Heaton wrote a favourable review on Hodinkee. In fact, it was the watch he wore the most in 2017.

            last edited by 10 Jan 2018, 07:21 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • N
              neph93
              見習いボス
              Joined: 18 Aug 2014

              That's nice ^

              I feel like I want to comment a lot but my paucity of knowledge is preventing me. I just don't know what the different parts of a watch are called. I'm stuck on face, strap and hands. I know what a movement is now too and I think I have "crown" covered, but "bezel", I'm hazy on… It's a sad state of affairs I know. @Graeme do you know of a convenient resource/guide?

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

              • Virginia Woolf
              last edited by 10 Jan 2018, 09:00 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • U
                UnTucked
                Joined: 16 Nov 2014

                @neph93 I'm in the same boat, but I'm forcing myself to talk about watches more to build my knowledge and comfort. I'm even forcing myself to wear my Maranez every day so I can quantify what I do and don't like about it, note how well it's keeping time, and plan for my first "well thought out" watch purchase later this year.

                *So far I already know I want something that is more thin, that wears easily under a sleeve cuff… This beast I have now DOES NOT, so I find myself flipping up my left sleeve, or just taking my watch off after about half a day at work... I guess in the future, it will be a summertime/warm weather watch (Short sleeves)

                In search of:
                IHV-04, med.
                IHSH-185, large
                IHSH-186, large (khaki, and green)

                last edited by 10 Jan 2018, 09:38 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • G
                  Graeme
                  啓蒙家
                  Joined: 30 Mar 2012

                  No worries @neph93:

                  • The bezel is the ring around the crystal on the front of the watch. On the Rado, above, it's the bit with the triangle, 15, 30, and 45 on it. It can be rotating (as above) or fixed.

                  • The crown is the winder, which is typically on the right hand side of the watch.

                  • The movement is the mechanical gubbins that you find inside the case.

                  Hodinkee have a Watch 101, which lists all the important terms.

                  last edited by 10 Jan 2018, 09:42 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • N
                    neph93
                    見習いボス
                    Joined: 18 Aug 2014

                    Thanks Graeme. I’ll study that link some.

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

                    • Virginia Woolf
                    last edited by 10 Jan 2018, 09:43 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • G
                      Graeme
                      啓蒙家
                      Joined: 30 Mar 2012

                      @UnTucked there are ultra-thin watches, which will slip under your cuff. This is the profile of the very expensive Bulgari Octo Finissimo, which is 5.15 mm (about 1/5") thick.

                      More sensibly, a dress watch will be slimmer than a diver. The Hamilton Intra-Matic and Tissot Ballade Powermatic are around 10 mm (2/5") thick.

                      A manual watch, where you need to wind the crown to power it, will often be slimmer than automatic, which is wound by your motion. These use a rotor, which is the semicircular piece of metal you can see on top of the movement, and this adds a millimetre or two to the thickness.

                      last edited by 10 Jan 2018, 10:15 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • U
                        UnTucked
                        Joined: 16 Nov 2014

                        I'll have to spend some time trying watches on…

                        My Maranez measures in at 13.7mm thick, and though I love the look of this watch, it's not "practical" with my long sleeves shirts. But, 5.15mm sounds like the exact opposite end of the spectrum, lol! The Hamilton that I'm leaning towards measures in a 11mm thick... I'll be sure to wear a long sleeve shirt when I'm finally ready to try it on one day.

                        In search of:
                        IHV-04, med.
                        IHSH-185, large
                        IHSH-186, large (khaki, and green)

                        last edited by 10 Jan 2018, 10:53 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • G
                          Graeme
                          啓蒙家
                          Joined: 30 Mar 2012

                          Trying things is good. If you read Hodinkee or other blogs and forums, you'll see a lot of comments along the lines of, "If only it was 38 mm, not 40 mm", or "I can't wear bigger than a 39 mm watch".

                          In my experience, you get used to different sizes pretty quickly, but it might look odd when you put something on for the first time. Provided the lugs don't extend past the edges of your wrist, you'll be fine, and the Hodinkee fans of small watches are wrong.

                          For example, I normally wear a Tender watch, which has a 36 mm diameter case.

                          But I could rock an Omega Ploprof, which is 48 mm, and definitely won't fit under shirt cuffs!

                          Weirdly, I never seem to get on with 39 mm pieces. No idea why!

                          The Bulgari is actually really comfortable, so going that thin isn't a problem.

                          last edited by 10 Jan 2018, 11:40 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • U
                            UnTucked
                            Joined: 16 Nov 2014

                            @Graeme:

                            Provided the lugs don't extend past the edges of your wrist

                            You've just defined another "issue" I'm having with this watch… At 57.5mm lug to lug, it is the same size as my wrist width.

                            In search of:
                            IHV-04, med.
                            IHSH-185, large
                            IHSH-186, large (khaki, and green)

                            last edited by 10 Jan 2018, 11:58 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • G
                              Graeme
                              啓蒙家
                              Joined: 30 Mar 2012

                              You need to hit the gym hard, and build forearms like Popeye. Then the watch will fit. 😛

                              last edited by 10 Jan 2018, 12:06 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • U
                                UnTucked
                                Joined: 16 Nov 2014

                                Damn this looks good…..

                                4R36 movement
                                Case approximately 45 millimeters in diameter
                                Case thickness about 12, 5 millimeters
                                22 millimeters of band width

                                In search of:
                                IHV-04, med.
                                IHSH-185, large
                                IHSH-186, large (khaki, and green)

                                last edited by 10 Jan 2018, 12:45 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • G
                                  Graeme
                                  啓蒙家
                                  Joined: 30 Mar 2012

                                  It looks good, but bear in mind that 45 mm makes for quite a big watch.

                                  last edited by 10 Jan 2018, 13:00 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • U
                                    UnTucked
                                    Joined: 16 Nov 2014

                                    Yeah, I'm just lusting…

                                    NO PURCHASES WILL BE MADE, lol

                                    *Rakuten has soooooooooooo much to look at.....

                                    In search of:
                                    IHV-04, med.
                                    IHSH-185, large
                                    IHSH-186, large (khaki, and green)

                                    last edited by 10 Jan 2018, 13:08 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • L
                                      louisbosco
                                      啓蒙家
                                      Joined: 21 Feb 2013

                                      @UnTucked

                                      well so does the forum…

                                      "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 10 Jan 2018, 13:28 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • D
                                        DougNg
                                        Joined: 24 Sept 2009

                                        @JDelage

                                        I don't believe the Seiko has a ceramic bezel

                                        I'd throw a Marathon TSAR in the mix too.

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

                                        last edited by 10 Jan 2018, 13:38 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • J
                                          JDelage
                                          啓蒙家
                                          Joined: 13 Jan 2012

                                          The TSAR is quartz, but they have a 'GSAR' that's auto. I need to look into it. Thanks!

                                          last edited by 10 Jan 2018, 14:00 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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