Watches - another OCD problem
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Took me almost three years to identify and then procure my “grail” timepiece…but it was totally worth it.
It’s weird because watches used to occupy a significant portion of real estate in my brain (thinking about them, researching, looking at pictures, videos, etc), but now I dont even look anymore because I’m so satisfied with what’s currently on my wrist.
...we will see how long that last though
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i'd say it's definitely the aesthetics of a watch movement. ever since i knew about mechanical watches, it has to be that. even with the amount of love i have for apple, i've so far refused to get it because of the lack of a mechanical movement. (although, that might not be long now) i've been eyeing the cellular version, because of bragging rights when i go to SG where they have not released the cellular version.
but i've got a regular kenneth cole automatic watched that kicked start the addiction. then i bought a few others, namely, Steinhart, vostok, seiko and panerai before i was given a GMT 2 for my 21st which i'll adore forever because of it's special meaning. @Graeme might argue that i'm an exclusively rolex person but i've fancied all other brands as well. the aesthetics of the movement is just simply beautiful. whether a gmt to tell 2 time zones or a perpetual calendar to tell the date/ time year/ leap year or the stopwatch function on a chronograph.
i'd doubt there will be a 'grail' watch because there's always a different function for each. GMT for time zone, Submariner for diving, daytona for a chronograph function.
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@louisbosco I know that you've got serious love for Patek too.
Since @UnTucked hasn't started his "I want a watch, but am intimidated" thread, here's my response to his questions, and he can move it to the appropriate place when he gets his act together.
I don't think that bragging rights would come into my buying decision, but I prefer more obscure pieces.
If I get myself back into paid employment, I'm likely to get a limited edition Omega Railmaster, though that's part of a fairly large limited edition of 3,557.
The other piece that I really like, but the RRP is about three times as much as the Railmaster, is the LUC Chopard 8HF Power Control. That's part of a limited edition of 250, and is a mechanically very interesting watch.
I think that aesthetics is a big part of it, but what I like is rather divergent from what the tastemakers at Hodinkee will tell you is cool. (I found that most of their most worn watches of 2017 were rather boring.)
For example, a few watches that I really loved when I tried them on are the Omega Ploprof (which @Tempvs also adores), the Panerai Mare Nostrum Titanio, and the IWC Big Pilot's Heritage 48, the Bulgari Octo Finissimo, and the Hermes In The Pocket. Some of these are quite large, and some are unconventional.
I do appreciate hand finishing, but most high-end timepieces have precious metal cases, which bump the price up. Some of the LUC watches come in steel, such as the XP (which is gorgeous), Patek do a few entry level pieces in steel (I like the 5522A Pilot's Calatrava), Audemars Piguet and Vacheron Constantin also have a few.
Practicality is an issue, particularly accuracy. As a consequence, I've got a soft spot for high end quartz watches, such as the Breitling Colt Skyracer, or the Grand Seiko 9F quartz models.
The other thing is that I'd like an antimagnetic watch. The Omegas, IWC Big Pilot, and Rolex Air King appeal from this end.
I also prefer titanium or steel cases, because watches get knocked around, and I'm after something that is suitable for everyday wear.
Appreciation of the engineering is a big thing for me. A lot of watches are mechanically conservative, but unfortunately MB&F and Urwerk are out of my price bracket!
The LUC 8HF appeals because its movement runs at 8 Hz, whereas a typical watch will be between 3 and 4 Hz. This should give it greater accuracy and rate stability. The Defy El Primero 21 is another, because it's got a 50 Hz chronograph.
If I could have any watch released this year, it'd be the Zenith Defy Lab, because it hits most of the points I made above: It's mechanically interesting (15 Hz movement), practical (accuracy that's close to a cheap quartz, antimagnetic movement), and looks pretty radical. Unfortunately they made ten, and all sold before it was announced.
Overall, I'd like to own one watch rather than a collection. Something like the Railmaster could be worn casually or with a suit, and possibly even scrape by in a formal setting on a decent, leather strap. I couldn't see a Ploprof working with a tuxedo!
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@Giles has been looking at getting a Grand Seiko SBGA231 Spring Drive Diver's Watch, which is a pretty cool piece.
However, they also make a mechanical diver's watch, the SBGH255. Time and Tide say it's intimidating!
It's also available in a limited edition with a blue dial.
It's a big beast, with a 47 mm diameter case, the Spring Drive Diver's is 44 mm. The movement is a high-beat (5 Hz) model, which should be pretty accurate. It's also water resistant to 600 m, and anti-magnetic.
I haven't seen one in the flesh, but I like it for it's over the top nature. Then again, I like the Ploprof, so my tastes are distinctly suspect! The Spring Drive model will be more wearable, though.
There are more details at aBlogToWatch and Monochrome Watches.
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I've seen this before, too intimidating for me…..
Your 21 zuan is great. That’s in my list for my next watch purchase.
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I fell into the "I gotta have one of each type" mindset. Started with divers, then into chronos, then into diving chronos…then appreciated the simplicity of a field watch...and the durability of a G-Shock...wound up selling off a bunch of stuff because I always wind up wearing either my Omega SMPc (I have both the black and the blue) or G-Shock GW-6900.
I've noticed this a lot with the various things I'm into. With IH, I always go back to the 634S, with knives it's always back to the Victorinox Tinker, with pistols it's always back to Glock.
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I've seen this before, too intimidating for me…..
Your 21 zuan is great. That’s in my list for my next watch purchase.
It was/is not mine….I stole it for a few minutes from one of our Chinese customers.....I would like one though. But I will likely only buy one if I can go to the factory and be a bzillion percent sure it's the real deal....
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I've seen this before, too intimidating for me…..
Would posting it in the other watch thread be a banning offence?
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I posed a couple of skull watches in the other watch thread, and thought that I'd put these up as the Ying to their Yang.
They're designed by a Scottish artist, Fiona Kruger, and made in limited editions.
This is the Celebration Skull.
And this is the Petit Skull.
There's also the oh-so-cool Vanitas Wall Clock, which opens its mouth as the power reserve runs down!
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and back to regular program…
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@JDelage is after a bronze watch, and Oris have just announced the Carl Brashear Chronograph.
It's a limited edition of 2000, and Hodinkee are reporting that it'll cost $4,950.
The downside that I can see is that the Tudor Black Bay Chronograph is the same price, has a similar look, and has a modified version of Breitling's chronograph movement. It's steel, not bronze, though I wouldn't be surprised if a version in that metal comes along. Hodinkee have a review, if you want more information.
(I'm hoping they drop that movement into the Heritage Chrono soon.)
Lastly there's the (deep breath) Zenith Heritage Pilot Extra Special Chronograph, which has the El Primero 5 Hz movement.
It's around $7K, which is a bit more than the Oris and Tudor, but cheaper than the other El Primero watches in Zenith's collection. There's a review on aBlogToWatch.
Zenith also offer the Pilot Type 20 Extra Special, which is a non-chronograph piece, but I think that it's a similar price to the chronograph.
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I have my bronze watch - I bought a 2nd hand Evant Tropic Diver. (The Oris is nice but I like their non chrono bronze Carl Brashear better.)
I'm now toying with the idea of (1) a 116610LV sub' (which would be a stretch for me but it's been a grail for 20+ years) and (2) a dedicated sub-$1,500 diver (which I should take to the "other" thread.)
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I note that the screws are not timed. Big no-no.
[/quote]Actually getting screws to line up is really, really difficult. There's a piece at Salon QP that explains it, but basically it'd be a really difficult engineering task to achieve.
Hodinkee have a piece introducing the Ressence Type 2 e-Crown Concept today. The big news here is that the watch's time can be set from an app.
This is only a concept, but a production version is coming. Let's hope that they don't only support the app on the iPhone when it arrives.
