The (Less intimidating) Watch Thread
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I have both the red/blue and black of the SKX007 Japan made. They're really meh.
It's cool because they're so accessible and durable, but the accuracy is not great. Also the rehaut is oftentimes not aligned with the face right.
I'd agree. I had one and eventually sold it. I honestly think that half the watch nerds that own one bought it only to customize. The modification options are seemingly endless.
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That Grand Seiko has an aluminum bezel, doesn't it?
I've been Googling, and found this post on Watchuseek by someone from a Seiko boutique in Miami:
_I've mentioned before that ceramic bezel inserts are considered to be a risk in divers watches as a thin insert can break. A full ceramic bezel seems like it could be an option, but GS wants these to have the best functionality possible. Ceramic bezels are great for desk diving, but in the water will pose a risk. If it breaks from shock, you will no longer have your elapsed time bezel.
I understand you may prefer the ceramic, but it does make perfect sense why the stainless steel black hard coated bezel is chosen for all GS._
The product spec page doesn't actually say!
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That argument makes sense, however
- how many people still use mechanical watches for real scuba diving?
- don't you think if you whacked your arm against something that your bezel broke, it's time to get the fuck out of the water?
I think this plays off suckers who think that they can buy something super tough and it makes them a badass.
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Entry level Seikos look best on NATO straps IMO
I forgot to add: the hands on my SKX007J were not aligned right and I had to send it off to service. It was really evident at the top of the hour when the minute hand was at the 12 and the hour hand was not at the hour marker properly. Really irritating for a watch that has the hype surrounding it.
For a little more money, you can get a lot of bang for your buck from Seiko, but the SKX is not one of them. I swear up and down that the SARG011 is a great deal, and I got that for $250.
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That argument makes sense, however
- how many people still use mechanical watches for real scuba diving?
- don't you think if you whacked your arm against something that your bezel broke, it's time to get the fuck out of the water?
I think this plays off suckers who think that they can buy something super tough and it makes them a badass.
Your inferences are comparable to denim snobs who only buy selvedge denim… Even though the 2 experts I've personally met (Giles and Haraki) agree that:
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There are some phenomenal non-selvedge denims out there, and there are some very shit selvedge denims as well
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You can make a far better cut from non-selvedge denim. (Not limited by the selvedge line)
In spite of those 2 pieces of information, the "marketing" in the denim world for the past however many years will ensure that selvedge reigns supreme, because it's a "premium feature that all quality jeans should have".
Based on the (alleged) comment from the boutique salesman, I think it's MORE than plausible, and in my mind makes Seiko seems "better" in a sense if they are indeed making a "beautiful tool", rather than "something more beautiful, that's kinda tool-ish".
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Ceramic bezels are great for desk diving, but in the water will pose a risk. If it breaks from shock, you will no longer have your elapsed time bezel.
And yet the crystal is sapphire. If impact resistance was the primary concern, it should be Hardlex, or even acrylic.
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How useful a good watch is for diving is questionable at best. The dive computer is infinitely more useful and accurate, and in case of failure, you need to ascend anyways, preferably with a buddy. In fact, having a cheap dive computer as a back up is probably not a bad option.
I've seen plenty of aluminum bezels dinged up, but I have never seen a broken ceramic bezel. I'm sure it happens but can't be that often.
That SKX007 cannot be hand wound. To me this is an insta-killer on a watch that isn't worn every day.
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I vaguely remember that there have been one or two posted in Rolexforums.
I don't know if they were broken out of negligence or someone was out to prove something.
If you can afford a Sub, you can afford a clue. It's a mechanical device with close to 200 parts…
My Glock has less than 40...
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I thought the lack of hand winding would bother me, but it's actually not that bad. If you wear it daily, it's never an issue. If you don't, then you just have to swirl it around (a bit like a glass of wine) for a minute or so to get it up and running. Not appreciably different than the effort of hand winding. I was more put off by the fact that it didn't hack (for the less nerdy readers, hacking just means the second hand stops while you're setting the time).
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The nice thing about aluminum bezel inserts compared to ceramic is that they're cheap and easy to replace. So go ahead and scratch it to hell and back, then pop it out with a knife tip and stick a new one in. Five minutes and twenty bucks later, it looks brand new. Ok, maybe a little longer, if you have to do some adhesive replacement, but still…
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Does anyone have any strong opinion about (1) Christopher Ward or (2) Dievas? The Dievas would only be a consideration 2nd hand, but they have impressive specs, especially the Maya Mk2:
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The CW C65 Trident Vintage is nice!
https://www.christopherward.com/watches/dress/c65-trident-vintage
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I have a Dievas Vortex and Vortex Professional and like them a lot. I had some modifications done, and the guy who did the work, Jay of MotorCity WatchWorks, said he considered them well made.
No experience with the Maya, though.
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The CW C65 Trident Vintage is nice!
https://www.christopherward.com/watches/dress/c65-trident-vintage
Oh helllllloooooo [emoji7]
About the same price as the Pinion Atom which is different but also nice.
