The (Less intimidating) Watch Thread

[DougNg]

That metal G-Shock keeps grabbing my attention too.

The more time I spend with the square G-Shocks the more I like them. I literally find all the functions useful.

Time and date (obviously)
World Time-my business partner travels to India a lot for work, and they have a weird time zone that has half an hour built into it, so a GMT wouldn't work for me.
Alarms-I use this as a three minute warning for my next meeting, audibly lets people know I'm about to jump out of the current meeting so finish up
Stopwatch-for running (and I find the digital display much easier to read than a chronograph on a watch)
Timer-I do the bulk of the cooking in the house so it keeps me on point when I'm on multiple burners

It really has become by do all watch. Which I hate because I have thousands of dollars locked up in mechanicals. But I'm a function over form kind of guy.

With that being said, I think I'm going to finally break down and buy an Apple watch. I hate carrying my cell phone on my back in this weird reverse brassiere looking thing. I need music, the ability to call in case I get hurt (like I sprain my ankle or I get hit by a car), and to be able to turn off my alarm system to the house.

[Graeme]

I like the metal G-Shock too.

It's got Bluetooth connectivity and an app, which allows time to be set and updated. I don't know what else it can do, and whether it'll give notifications from your phone, but it sounds like an interesting development.

I haven't looked at the Apple Watch. I've not bought into their ecosystem because I write apps for Android devices for a living, and I don't think that my phone would be compatible as a result.

Google are rumoured to be offering a Pixel watch, which will be unveiled in October. It's likely to use the new generation Qualcomm chipset that's just been announced. It might be hanging on to see what that offers if you can wait.

[DougNg]

We're pretty heavily invested in the Apple ecosystem, and I had a less than stellar introduction to the Android universe close to a decade ago. Thanks for the heads up though.

[Graeme]

I'm tied into Android because I've been developing for that platform for the last few years.

However, I think that Google is going to run into the same problems that Facebook is currently having, maybe significantly more so. They hold roughly ten times the data on you as Zuckerberg's mob. That alone is making me think that going Apple might make sense.

Still, I'm curious to see what Google come up with for their new line of Pixel devices in October.

[louisbosco]

i think ben clymer gave the cellular version of the apple watch a thumbs up. so i guess you're safe..

[Stuart.T]

At £155 most would consider this a cheap watch. It is battery ok not mechanical, but for bumming about without caring about damage it's served me well in the 3 years I've owned it.

[Chris]

Kinda liking this Todd Snyder x Timex

[DougNg]

Looks like a nice summer watch.

[neph93]

I like the look of many Timex designs, and being a noob could probably get past the quartz movements but when you have them in hand they feel like something you’d win at the fun fair or get free with your fifth coffee of the week from Shitbucks.

[Bill C]

@Maynard:

Can anyone recommend a good quality leather watch strap maker in the UK? I’ve found the Toshi website and the offerings there look pretty good? Does anyone have experience of these?

I bought a Toshi strap (cordovan I think?) about a year ago and it's served me really well. As with most things you get what you pay for and the strap wasn't cheap by any means but is in 9.5 condition a year later. I wear it every day, with the exception that if the strap becomes uncomfortably hot, I take the watch off, wipe the strap and put the watch somewhere safe where the strap can air and dry as needed. It could be described as over-engineered, in an understated way, so imo works well with IH stuff. NIce options for stitching, buckles etc - ymmv …

[Maynard Friedman]

Thanks @Bill C , that’s the type of review I like to hear.

[Graeme]

Hodinkee have published a week on the wrist review of the fullmetal G-Shock.

One of the comments to the article mentions the GMW-B5000TFC-1, which is a black, limited edition model, supplied with a Porter watch case.

[UnTucked]

Maranez are running a sale right now, clearing out some stock.

http://www.maranez.com/watches.php#!/SPECIAL-OFFER/c/27429032/offset=0&sort=normal

I've had the Brass Talay (Seiko NH35 automatic movement) for about 2.5yrs now, and I have no REAL complaints about it, though I'm not a "watch guy" so I wouldn't know what to complain about either way, lol! But right now, they're a steal, at $279

[UnTucked]

Also, I just grabbed one of these rubber NATO straps with brass hardware for my Talay.

http://www.yellowdogwatchstraps.com/shop/4577904755/rubber-nato/11154869

Only came out to $30

[UnTucked]

After digging around and doing some more research, from what I can see, Seiko will be discontinuing a few of the more popular models (SARB017, SARB031, SARB033 to name a few), all of which were in the running to go in my "noob watch collection". This info has been floating around for months, but I guess I just hadn't noticed or paid attention. I cam across it last Friday as I was browsing the webs for an Alpinist, and started to notice that there aren't many places to have them in stock.

Deliberating if I should get a new one now, before the chance is gone forever…..

[Max Power]

I really like the look of the last one - if you can, go for it.

[Giles]

I need one

[UnTucked]

Matches your boots….

[Giles]

Where's best you have found for one (inc Japan), I can get H to buy it for me/us and bring it over with him….

[UnTucked]

I found them for $600 on Rakuten…

https://global.rakuten.com/en/store/phaze-one/item/sarb017/

$497 on Amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/Seiko-Japanese-Automatic-Stainless-Leather/dp/B000KG93BQ/ref=sr_1_3?m=A3D3VH2RNBJ30R&s=merchant-items&ie=UTF8&qid=1529920384&sr=1-3&dpID=51wZ8RuGP6L&preST=SY300_QL70&dpSrc=srch

And 399GBP on Amazon.co.uk

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000KG93BQ/ref=s9u_simh_gw_i1?ie=UTF8&fpl=fresh&pd_rd_i=B000KG93BQ&pd_rd_r=a3dcfa87-785d-11e8-8019-5bcbb218b215&pd_rd_w=2Awf0&pd_rd_wg=z3nih&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=&pf_rd_r=Z86NB4F6Q887VW5W98RC&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=187bec3b-0822-4044-bbe9-441718232b3f&pf_rd_i=desktop

**I'll have Maddy jump some Google searches in Japanese to see what she can drum up.

All of the typically reputable online watch shops seem to be sold out, and there are no projected restocks, as production halted months ago.