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    Iron Heart Fall/Winter 2025 Collection Preview - Now Live

    The (Less intimidating) Watch Thread

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    • GraemeG
      Graeme
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      The Fortis Aquatis Shoreliner Vik Beach is similar to the Unimatics. Watch Partners has this version for $1090 (Australian) for internal shoppers (just over $800 US), and a couple of others for a bit more.

      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • AnesthetistA
        Anesthetist
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        Fortis makes a very solid watch. They’ve had a few boring designs but their main line is pretty good.

        I like that Tissot and I’m sure could be had for much, much cheaper. I found a lot of retailers doing discounts of 20%+ in the Caribbean. Even deeper occasionally online.

        Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

        IG: bluehandsslim

        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • JDelageJ
          JDelage
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          That Tissot seems like a very solid option. It's pretty rare to find a 300m WR diver with a display back.

          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • mclaincauseyM
            mclaincausey
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            @Graeme:

            The Unimatics look good, but they quote accuracy of -20 / +40 seconds per day, which is pretty horrible.

            The Tissot Seastar 1000 Powermatic 80 (Who comes up with these names?) strikes me as a good buy. It's $695, has an ETA movement, so easy to service, robust, accurate, and has an 80 hour power reserve, it's water resistant to 300 metres / 1000 feet, and has a lovely blue dial.

            Time and Tide have a review, along with this video.

            $522 with a metal bracelet at Joma–that's a great deal, thanks for bringing this up.

            I didn't look at the specs in detail on the Unimatics, was more interested in the looks--but eep, that level of reliability (from the Seiko movement I think that they use) is a huge problem.

            Think it, be it.

            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • AnesthetistA
              Anesthetist
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              But Seiko movements are well known to “settle down” after a few weeks of wear. I’ve had a couple of Seiko autos that were pretty spot on.

              Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

              IG: bluehandsslim

              last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • GraemeG
                Graeme
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                There's a review of the Marathon GPM at aBlogToWatch for the field watch fans.

                I'm a fan of both manual winding and dateless watches, so both of those criticisms in the review would be a plus to me. But the weird 16.5 mm lug width is really awkward. They should have gone for 18 mm to open up more options for straps.

                Oh, it's got an ETA movement, so it should run forever and be easy to repair, though the Swatch group is getting a bit awkward about supplying spares to third party companies.

                last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • neph93N
                  neph93
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                  ^ Just had a long old Google regarding that as I’m intrigued. I am field watch fan and this made me consider the date window/mechanical issues. I’d actually find a date window useful as I often need to check my phone for this but as has been mentioned numerous times ones smart phone makes all watches with the exception of smart watches anachronstic jewellery. At the end of the day I really, really like the face of this and the lack of a date window helps the aesthetic.

                  Equally, it seems to me that the fashionable preference and cultural caché of automatic watches is based on ease of use and old tech charm. There’s nothing more old tech than having to wind the twatting jewellery on your arm each day. The pointless routine of it seems quite charming in itself.

                  The odd lug dimensions rather spoil it for me, I suspect I’d enjoy chopping and changing straps, but the deal breaker is the shape of the case. From above it is attractive but I do not like the way the case curves upwards towards the bezel (?). There’s something deeply unattractive about that.

                  Thanks for posting @Graeme

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

                  • Virginia Woolf
                  last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • AnesthetistA
                    Anesthetist
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                    What were they thinking with those lug dimensions? Otherwise, it looks great and the upward curve of the case is pretty traditional for field watches. I think a quartz version would be an amazing EDC beater even though (as Graeme said), the ETA movements are plenty robust. Thanks Graeme for the write up.

                    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

                    IG: bluehandsslim

                    last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • UnTuckedU
                      UnTucked
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                      Well, here's a quartz Marathon, with tritium lum… $208

                      https://www.longislandwatch.com/Marathon_General_Purpose_Watch_p/ww194015.htm

                      34mm case, and 16mm lug width.

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

                      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • GraemeG
                        Graeme
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                        @neph93 I figured that the review would appeal to your field watch fetish. 😃

                        The Marathon's case shape is a bit odd. I'd have been tempted to slim it down slightly on the upward curve, you could shave off a millimetre or two's thickness and still retain the look. And cut the lugs for 18 mm straps, which would balance the look of the watch a bit better.

                        @UnTucked the quartz version looks good, though I'd go for the Timex x Cabourn watch instead.

                        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • neph93N
                          neph93
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                          I’ll add that it’s almost twice the price of the Hamilton Mechanical Field watch, which may now sail up as a new favourite given that I’vr decided that mechanical might be fun.

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

                          • Virginia Woolf
                          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • UnTuckedU
                            UnTucked
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                            I'm still due for a write up of my Hamilton, but I haven't started wearing it yet… The stock strap is really crappy, and I wouldn't dare wear it as is.

                            Da Luca had some straps on sale (NATO, of course), so I'm waiting on those.

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

                            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • neph93N
                              neph93
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                              @Anesthetist:

                              Otherwise, it looks great and the upward curve of the case is pretty traditional for field watches.

                              I don’t doubt it, but it seems a little too traditional for my tastes. I’d like a little less 1944 and a slightly more «modern version of a classic», but that is just me, and Hamilton do provide that, often with other slightly annoying stuff however.

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

                              • Virginia Woolf
                              last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • mclaincauseyM
                                mclaincausey
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                                I guess I'm showing my ignorance here but I thought the concave shaping of the bezel was unusual for a field watch and made that design less rather than more traditional.

                                Think it, be it.

                                last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • neph93N
                                  neph93
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                                  @mclaincausey:

                                  I guess I'm showing my ignorance here but I thought the concave shaping of the bezel was unusual for a field watch and made that design less rather than more traditional.

                                  I’m a complete noob at this, but I’ve seen period watches with that exaggerated curve and high rim. I think that generally more modern iterations tend to play it down. But don’t take my word for it. I’m sure one of our more enlightened brethren can school us.

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

                                  • Virginia Woolf
                                  last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • AnesthetistA
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                                    Neph beat me to it. It’s a very common feature of field watches from about 1980 onwards. The field watch by CWC is similar but not as dramatic.
                                    @untucked those are cool but with a plastic case. A cool option though.

                                    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

                                    IG: bluehandsslim

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                                    • louisboscoL
                                      louisbosco
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                                      while the rolex is away getting serviced…

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

                                      • Harvey Specter
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                                      • GraemeG
                                        Graeme
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                                        It's almost a Pepsi if you squint at it! 😉

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                                        • louisboscoL
                                          louisbosco
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                                          yes. and i'll continue to imagine having an imaginary crown at the top  😉

                                          "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 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • AnesthetistA
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                                            @louisbosco:

                                            yes. and i'll continue to imagine having an imaginary crown at the top  😉

                                            Did you send your Rolex back to their service center? I need to have my Explorer I cleaned but I wanted to keep my original hand set and dial.

                                            Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

                                            IG: bluehandsslim

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