The Watches Thread

[Jobbo]

The effect will be somewhat reduced when it's wrapped around a wrist...

Carry a piece of glass around with you so you're always looking at it through a window like in the video.

[DaveE]

I've done it again (again)!

My latest San Martin purchase is their take on the Tudor FXD (which at 42mm is way too big for me)

The SM version comes in at a more compact 39mm, and also includes their new glide lock style clasp (which works really well, and is much shorter than Tudor's own version btw)

Another cracking watch, which, because I got in quickly and got a discount, worked out at £170 delivered!

[Jobbo]

That looks more like a standard Pelagos than an FXD - which is preferable in my view. I assume it's not actually titanium like the Tudor original?

[DaveE]

That looks more like a standard Pelagos than an FXD - which is preferable in my view. I assume it's not actually titanium like the Tudor original?

You're right, the FXD has a very different bezel - I forgot that they make a "normal" Pelagos 42 in blue (I was thinking that the only blue one was the FXD)

It's steel, rather than titanium, although there's a company called Octopus/Kraken that does make a 39mm "homage" in titanium (using the PT5000 movement) for $300:

[DeskJockey]

Just watched (no pun intended) this on YouTube.

The watch is: too expensive, complicated, difficult to set (if the video is to be believed), probably not easy to use or tell time with until you've "learnt it" (what the reviewer says notwithstanding), but so, so cool.

[Jobbo]

I have worn only three watches in months:
- Seamaster most of the time
- Casio F91W for gardening and DIY
- Apple Watch when cycling to track my ride and heart rate

Probably triggered by going on holiday and not wanting to take loads of watches with me. I did try on a Yachtmaster and an Aqua Terra while we were in the US in June but neither appealed as much as my Seamaster. And since both were on bracelets, they instantly reminded me that I just prefer a leather strap because it's more comfy.

Thanks once again to @mik who facilitated my Seamaster purchase in 2017.

[DeskJockey]

I only wear the Seiko you sold me. Rest are tucked away and probably out of batteries.

Still loving it.

[Jobbo]

That's a great watch. If I hadn't got my Seamaster I'd be wearing some sort of Seiko every day. The Kinetics keep better time than the mechanical ones too. Bit of a shame that Seiko has gone much more over to solar now; Kinetic was special to Seiko, like Spring Drive is, but solar is fairly ubiquitous a power source.

[mik]

I have worn only three watches in months:
- Seamaster most of the time

Thanks once again to @mik who facilitated my Seamaster purchase in 2017.

Blimey - doesn’t feel like that long ago.

[Jobbo]

Yeah, I can remember the date because I was in the bathroom in a hotel in Oxford where I was staying with my then girlfriend, surreptitiously texting both you and my now wife. So it has a special place in my heart. Good job I was able to multi-task or she'd have been buying me a watch and you'd be betrothed to me.

[Mito Man]

[mik]

@Jobbo It's sad how opportunities can pass you by

[JonMad]

Anyone thinking of one of these? Next Swatch collaboration after the Omega one. I didn't realise the Sistem51 movement was a weak point and not fixable, according to the comments.
https://www.fratellowatches.com/and-her ... ollection/

[Jobbo]

The Sistem51 movement is very cleverly constructed to be cheap to produce, so I wouldn't have expected it to be repairable. The sad thing is that with Swatch cases being effectively sealed, you can't simply drop another one in. The glass back on these may mean there's a way to get a new movement in, but I suspect not.

I like the blue and yellow ones, don't much care for the green or the old-style dial versions, and probably won't get one. I might wear my Seiko 55 fathoms (not modded) as a homage instead.

[mik]

I hadn't realised that Singer had branched out into watches.

They are reassuringly expensive as you might expect - starting at around £24k....

[Jobbo]

With the name 'Singer Reimagined' and their retro looks, I thought perhaps they were taking 1960s/70s cases and putting new movements and dials in them. Sort of mirroring what they do with a 911. Sadly it just looks like an optimistic bit of branding.

[Mito Man]

They look shit.

[Ascender]

Those Singer watches look very, very poor. A couple of them look like the sort of ones BMW used to do based on the speedos of their M cars. I think I might even have an M Coupe one lurking in a drawer somewhere...

[GG.]

Starting to think about another watch purchase. As I have a diver in the Pan Luminor I'd like to add a Chronograph next and then in the fullness of time have a collection which covers other bases such as a more dress watch with a day date/annual calendar and moonphase.

I want something this is both iconic/has history but also not something that everyone has e.g. a Speedmaster Moonwatch is out (but I could perhaps be tempted by a 70s style Mk II,) so is a Tag Heuer Monaco as I have no love for those. Rolex Daytona Steels are stupid money and IWC pilots are again too common, though I do like them.

I'm thinking maybe one of the new re-issues from Breitling, e.g. a 1964 or 1953 AVI or maybe a form of Zenith El Primero (but I'm not a fan of the round cased version with tri colour dials). I was looking at a Longines' Avigation big eye but they were on discount for a new one for under £2k at one point - they've now reissued it in titanium with a higher price - I prefer the original but they're now £2k second hand which then puts me off (just an ETA movement, albeit with column wheel for the chronograph)...

Breguet type XX from a few years back could be a possibility (the current newly released ones are $$$ and the just superseded one is monstrously thick and somewhat ugly).

A further leftfield choice would be an early 60s original Navitimer (which are about 41mm and much removed from the recent ones). I have reservations about spending thousands on a 60 year old watch though... Breitling do do a reissue version but it is of a 1950s version and I prefer the 60s ones... (I know, I'm ridiculously picky...)

What would you guys pick?

[DaveE]

Longines has launched a new chrono lately, the Conquest 2023: