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    Iron Heart Fall/Winter 2025 Collection Preview - Now Live

    The (Less intimidating) Watch Thread

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    • ChrisC
      Chris
      Raw and Unwashed
      Joined:

      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 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • louisboscoL
        louisbosco
        啓蒙家
        Joined:

        @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 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • neph93N
          neph93
          見習いボス
          Joined:

          @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 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • manufc10M
            manufc10
            Iron Heart Deity
            Joined:

            @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 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • ChrisC
              Chris
              Raw and Unwashed
              Joined:

              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 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • JDelageJ
                JDelage
                啓蒙家
                Joined:

                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 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • GilesG
                  Giles
                  IHUK Crew
                  Joined:

                  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 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • JDelageJ
                    JDelage
                    啓蒙家
                    Joined:

                    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 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • GilesG
                      Giles
                      IHUK Crew
                      Joined:

                      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 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • ChrisC
                        Chris
                        Raw and Unwashed
                        Joined:

                        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 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • GilesG
                          Giles
                          IHUK Crew
                          Joined:

                          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 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • David_pllD
                            David_pll
                            Raw and Unwashed
                            Joined:

                            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 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • JDelageJ
                              JDelage
                              啓蒙家
                              Joined:

                              @Chris - Yes, what you say makes sense.

                              last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • DougNgD
                                DougNg
                                Joined:

                                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 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • GraemeG
                                  Graeme
                                  啓蒙家
                                  Joined:

                                  @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 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • GraemeG
                                    Graeme
                                    啓蒙家
                                    Joined:

                                    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 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • JDelageJ
                                      JDelage
                                      啓蒙家
                                      Joined:

                                      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 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • GraemeG
                                        Graeme
                                        啓蒙家
                                        Joined:

                                        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 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • neph93N
                                          neph93
                                          見習いボス
                                          Joined:

                                          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 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • UnTuckedU
                                            UnTucked
                                            Joined:

                                            @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)

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