OV9

I know, but this is the model I used to have, and I like that it's plain, makes it seem even more utilitarian.

I've just ordered new watches for the boys as the eldest got his stolen in school, and the younger ones strap broke. Bought a replacement strap (half the cost of the watch), but it didn't hold properly.

@duncs500 you can now join the modding club, there's a lot than can be done to the venerable F91-W to make it even cooler.

DeskJockey wrote: Mon Oct 27, 2025 1:32 pm there's a lot than can be done to the venerable F91-W to make it even cooler.

Nooooo! It's great in its simple standard form. Why mess with it? Buy something else if you want something different to it.

Funnily enough, I was reading about the Ollee watch mod recently

You can also easily mod the internal to take a way longer lasting CR2032 battery too

Some of the mods are fairly basic. I liked the one that improved the light distribution so that the whole display was lit up rather than just one end.

I can see the appeal as you can create a fully customised watch for relatively little money.

DaveE wrote: Mon Oct 27, 2025 1:41 pm Funnily enough, I was reading about the Ollee watch mod recently

You can also easily mod the internal to take a way longer lasting CR2032 battery too

I stumbled across that one too.

Didn't realise there was a modding scene! I think I'll probably keep mine standard though. I've been enjoying wearing it today, I forgot how bloody handy a digital stopwatch is.

duncs500 wrote: Mon Oct 27, 2025 3:09 pm Didn't realise there was a modding scene!

You need to inform your insurance though

duncs500 wrote: Mon Oct 27, 2025 3:09 pm Didn't realise there was a modding scene!

On the topic of watch mods - this is an interesting one...

It's funny, my Uncle (who used to work on a metal-working machine) always wore his watch with the face on the underside of his wrist

I'd totally forgotten that was a thing until I saw that video preview image above

I can still remember the way he'd roll his hand out (rather than in) to check the time...

Yeah my dad was the same, never did ask but presumably hot swarf, grinds or welding spatter (not that anyone would ever weld without gloves on!) getting caught under the watch was no fun.

That Ollee watch gutswap is interesting - if they can get notification handling sorted, that might genuinely be all i need from a smartwatch.

I was just thinking the battery life seems to be almost infinite already on the F91W. I’ve had mine for so long I’ve forgotten but it must be the best part of 15 years. The battery hasn’t been replaced yet.

So fitting a longer life battery is not a priority for me

duncs500 wrote: Mon Oct 27, 2025 1:20 pm I know, but this is the model I used to have, and I like that it's plain, makes it seem even more utilitarian.

I have a model which is ultimately plain as it lacks the blue lines and is just black and white. It never comes off, including when shoving an arm elbow deep under the floor like trying to retrieve a penny from a Yorkshireman’s wallet- unless I’m going somewhere posh, and even then I forget to change it half the time The display is more scratches than anything but is still readable and it soldiers on regardless. True workhorses of the watch world, and as for battery life half the time it’s just as cheap to just replace the watch and the cycle repeats

Bought one recently for my dad as he's in and out of hospital and wanted something non nickable with a light. The dickhead said after 2 months that he's never used it as it's to small and dim!

Too late to return it to Argos so stuck it on eBay rather than throw it in the bin and then the buyer complained it was a fake FFS

Why would anyone make a fake version of a £15 watch???

Jobbo wrote: Mon Oct 27, 2025 6:45 pm I was just thinking the battery life seems to be almost infinite already on the F91W. I’ve had mine for so long I’ve forgotten but it must be the best part of 15 years. The battery hasn’t been replaced yet.

So fitting a longer life battery is not a priority for me

The strap perished on mine before the battery conked out (I think this was at 9 years or so). I tried a replacement (£3) but it wasn't up to scratch and I wound up replacing it. I'm pleased to own a £10 watch, a £100 watch and a £1000 watch, although I'm not sure this is a sustainable pattern...

mik wrote: Wed Sep 10, 2025 12:53 pm My Alpina stopped running a couple of weeks back. I could tell it was fully wound - something was preventing the mech from working.

<Blah blah blah>

Immediate need gone, but I guess I should probably get it serviced anyway in the near future. Hopefully that should be an easier ask for a 'shop (?)

Following the above post in September : I managed to get in touch with my favourite watch repair dude Mr Simon Milek, and fired the watch down to him for a proper service. He also replaced the mainspring as whilst I’d done a decent job of setting the timing, he could see on his kit that the amplitude wasn’t the best.

I’m pretty clumsy / careless / not overly precious with my watches, so the Alpina had a fair amount of visible case scratches and marks. Simon offered to give it a “valet” for another couple of quid, where he’s re-done the polished and brushed surfaces. It’s not perfect (as some of the marks were too deep) but it’s a massive improvement. Very happy customer - and far less £ than anywhere else was quoting me. It’s immediately back on my wrist.

Couple of terrible images.

I do like an Alpina and have come close to buying one a couple of times. I've probably mentioned this before but weirdly they occasionally pop up at TK Maxx.

A couple of my watches are well overdue a service but they get worn so infrequently I'm not bothering.

Watches have arrived, both are nothing-special Casios, but it still boggles my mind how little more you have to pay for decent quality. Looking at kids' watches there are a bewildering array of options on sale. Once you take all the dodgy smart/tracker watches out of the equation you can spend £10-50 on various unknown brands or a few pounds more across the ranges for a Lorus or Casio which will be better made and more robust.

Eldest went full analogue with a silver/green combo. Youngest wanted an anadigi combi.

Only issue was resizing the metal bracelet. I couldn't get the links removed, so ended up going to our local Timpsons where we got sterling service as always.

DeskJockey wrote: Sat Nov 01, 2025 10:43 am
Eldest went full analogue with a silver/green combo. Youngest wanted an anadigi combi.

Same as this one by any chance?

jamcg wrote: Sun Sep 22, 2024 4:51 pm I bought myself a new watch, I’m very good at loosing stuff and being a tradesman not very good at being aware of a watch and not scratching it. It’s a really expensive £30 odd quid Casio- It tells the time and that’ll do me it’s also not massive as my wrists are tiny, so big watches look ridiculous on me