Confessions of a watch snob

[Petrol & Powder]

Allow me to begin by saying that I’m not even remotely rich so my snobbery has nothing to do with Rolex’s and Tag Heuer’s. No, my snobbery is confined to my irrational attraction to a type of watch, specifically – mechanical self-winding watches.
Generally speaking, I feel that I make logical decisions (doesn’t everyone?) but several years ago I slipped into a trend that is anything but logical.
About 12 years ago I suffered a watch failure. I use the term “watch failure” because that makes it sound cool, like I lost the engine on my bush plane while flying over some desolate wilderness and lived to tell the tale. In reality, the battery in my quartz watch just died. (It just sounds so lame when you say it that way) I was annoyed that my inexpensive and extremely functional device had a minor issue that could be repaired by replacing a readily available $3.00 battery. So I did what every American male does when he sees an opportunity to replace a tool; I justified spending even more money than I needed to.
I researched watches and convinced myself that I needed a watch powered by a spring, maybe even a self-winding spring. The type of watch that professionals and grown-ups wear! The type of watch that would never just fail when I was out on the open sea, on the battlefield, the Serengeti or the McDonalds drive thru. Thus began my quest for a real watch.
I learned about the history of watches, the leaps in mechanical engineering, the evolution of timepieces and the fact that quartz watches did the same damn thing as mechanical watches at a fraction of the price. Well OK, I sort of ignored the fact that even really cheap quartz watches keep better time than most mechanical watches. I also ignored that the movement of a quartz watch is very cheap to produce and most of the cost of a “good” quartz watch is the case. I wanted a “cool” watch, powered by a spring and I wasn’t about to let any fiscally responsible logic get in my way.
I had just completed a long project at work and decided I should reward myself by purchasing a Swiss watch. I found an Ollech & Wajs copy of the Vietnam era M-65. It was perfect! It had that military style that just screamed “Can Do!” I owned it less than a year before I completely destroyed it. I wasn’t about to return to the soul-less world of inexpensive practical quartz watches so I set out to correct my misstep. My second real watch was a 30+ year old stainless steel Omega Seamaster. It quit running. I took it to a watch maker to have it repaired. That repair cost almost as much as the watch did but it continues to run perfectly to this day. It’s a classy watch and I felt that I at least played a role in saving that example of fine craftsmanship.
I then obtained an Ollech & Wajs dive watch that looks suspiciously like a Rolex Submariner but didn’t require a second mortgage to purchase. That watch lasted a little longer than my first O&W before I somehow managed to strip the crown. It went back to the dealer and he repaired it at no cost. That did it, I was hooked for good. I found out that watch people are like gun people. They love their pursuits and if you show some modicum of interest and respect they will share their knowledge freely.
I started to learn watch lingo. I started to notice other people’s watches from across the room. I began to lust after watches I didn’t need and couldn’t afford. I researched watches and talked about the finer points of one type vs. another. It was like being a gun nut……er, sorry….gun enthusiast. To most people it’s just a device to keep time but to me it became an interest that was always lurking just below the surface. Not unlike seeking the best load for your favorite firearm or debating the strengths and weaknesses between revolvers and pistols.
I added a few more watches to my collection and learned that certain professions tended to gravitate towards certain models. Quartz watches are far more common and certainly less expensive than most self-winding mechanical watches. They just don’t have any soul. As time ticked by (I had to throw in at least one time piece pun) I researched watches and soaked up information. My last addition was a Seiko SKX007 dive watch. What a great watch! The Seiko’s are probably the best examples of the automatic movement, waterproof, solidly built no-frills working man’s watch. Sort of like the S&W model 64 or maybe the Glock model………….
:drinks:

[EMC45]

I have that same Seiko SKX007. On a Zulu. Really like it.

[missionary5155]

Greetings
When I was a little feller about 5 my "gramps" took me fishing. That was a rare moment as he did not want me around much. But we were there along some backwater of the St Joseph River waiting for something to eat his bait. Somewhere along the way I asked "gramps" what time it was. Out he pulls this thing on a chain. I no longer was concerned about the hour but the big round ticking thing. From there on I was hooked.
Pocket watches still hold that magical facination in my mind. Each is a individual mechanism that has it's own quirks and motion. Parts do interchange but change requires attention to retrieve the precision of a quality time movement.
When the batteries are all gone there will still be accurate time measurement devices.
Mike in Peru

[skeettx]

When I was working in the munitions field, no rings, wrist watches or chains

http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j452/skeettx/MVC-051S.jpg (http://s1086.photobucket.com/user/skeettx/media/MVC-051S.jpg.html)

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/MVC-052S1.JPG


http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/MVC-053S2.JPG

Mike

[brtelec]

I have been involved in mechanical watches for many years and I can say that being a gun enthusiast is far less expensive than being a watch enthusiast. Notice how I avoided the word "nut". I have had quite a few Swiss watches go through my hands in the last 25 years and I was a moderator on a watch forum for a number of years. I will tell you this from experience, and it is the contention of most watch guys that are honest about it. You can buy a more expensive watch than a Seiko, but you can not buy a better watch than a Seiko.

Now if spending a lot of money on a watch is more important than just it's functionality, Seiko makes the Grand Seikos and the Spring Drives and they are thousands of dollars. The spring drives are amazing. They are mechanical watches that use a quartz crystal for regulation, if you need the accuracy of quartz without the hassle of a battery replacement. The Seiko Kinetics and the Citizen Eco-Drives and really fine watches. The Seiko uses a counter weight like an automatic to generate a tiny micropulse of electricity that keeps a long term cell charged. The Citizen uses the same type of cell and is Solar.

[Petrol & Powder]

I think Seikos are extremely good watches and an outstanding value. Whenever I'm around a waterfront I look at the watches worn by people that make their living by the sea. Tug boat captains, harbor pilots, fishermen, ferry captains, etc. These guys can afford to buy just about any watch and they almost always have some model of a Seiko dive watch, sometimes very old ones. Swiss watches are neat but there's no doubt in my mind that Asian watches are a better value. The Seiko's are great examples of tough working class watches. My SKX007 is my favorite all around watch. Some people criticize the lack of a manual winding capability but the decrease in complexity makes the Seiko's more reliable in my opinion. Besides, if you wear it every day it stays wound!
I may buy a kinetic some day but for now I'm satisfied with my current automatics.

[Petrol & Powder]

I have that same Seiko SKX007. On a Zulu. Really like it.

It's a great piece of "kit".

[Petrol & Powder]

That's a beautiful hunter's cased watch.

[Hardcast416taylor]

"manual wind and battery watches" are being made in Detroit as we speak. The watch brand name is the same as the handmade bicycles being made in the same building. The owner bought the trade name when the previous company went bankrupt. The trade name is "Shinola". The watches are in several styles and run in cost under $1K as do the handmade bikes.Robert

[lancem]

I love watches, the old ones... but now that I've retired, not only don't I usually know or care what time it is, usually I don't even know what day of the week it is, not to mention what day of the month!

[brtelec]

The Shinola Argonite movement is a standard battery type quartz movement. They are not producing any part of the watch in house. They are sourcing their cases from China and getting their movements from Rondo in Switzerland. If you want an American made mechanical watch check out RGM in lancaster Pa. These are truly US produced mechanical watches and of course they are priced accordingly.

http://rgmwatches.com

[Hickory]

I don't own a watch.
I eat when I'm hungry,
and sleep when I'm tired.

[Petrol & Powder]

I've noticed that the younger generations don't even wear watches anymore. They rely on their cell phones for the time & date. I'd be lost without a watch, they'd be lost without their phones.

[grumman581]

I bought a Seiko dive watch back around 1976. It was *only* rated to 150m (492 ft), but that's more than enough -- I've only had it down to around 190 ft. I lost count of how many replacement straps that I bought for it over the years. I never replaced the O-rings and didn't have any work done on it until probably the early 2000s, so probably around 25 years. When I finally had it overhauled at that point, it cost me nearly as much as a brand new one in that model would have cost. When I bought the watch, it was over $200, but when I had it overhauled, the current new models were around $150. These days, they are around the same price and once you factor in inflation, it means that the real cost of the watch has really gone down. This watch survived a few motorcycle accidents -- ones that resulted in a few broken bones on my part. It was my daily wear watch and received quite a bit of abuse over the years. Eventually, I thought that as a professional engineer who worked for NASA, I should have a watch that showed "more status", so I bought a Rolex GMT Master II (stainless). The problem with it was that since I had spent so much money on it, I ended up not wanting to wear it except for situations I was not going to be doing any "real work" (i.e. just days when I was in meetings). It's probably been 10+ years since I've worn it. I just keep it locked up in my gun safe. At one point, I stumbled across a Wenger AquaGraph Deep Diver model (1000m depth rating) and bought it.

http://www.leisurepro.com/Image/Product/Full/WNG72236.jpg

Whereas the plastic Seiko bands would only last a couple of years at most and the metal Seiko bands were made with bent stainless steel links which get loose with age (and abuse), the Wenger had links that I would easily put on the par with the links on my Rolex (well engineered) and it's not so expensive that I have a problem with wearing it when I'm working in my garage or whatever. It's a quartz (i.e. battery powdered) watch, but the battery lasts a LONG time and I've been satisfied with it.

[David2011]

Petrol & Powder,

Agreed. I've had the itch for a Vietnam era M-65. Sounds like a repro is not the way to go. My most accurate watch is the first LCD digtal that I purchased in the late '70s. It is always dead on except for that battery issue. The GPS on a boat always has the correct time but when it quits working you better have a backup plan and know how to navigate. I would not want to go to sea with all of my navigation tools dependant on batteries. The first accurate timepieces were first developed for navigation. If you don't know the time accurately you can't figure out where you are. I love my old self-winding watch. Just wish I would remember to take it off before going out to the workshop because I bang it into everything.

David

[Petrol & Powder]

David2011 - The O&W M-65 I had was a decent watch (ETA movement and stainless screw back case) I'm just hard on watches. I'm with you on time & navigation. Every now and then I see someone of the appropriate age with an old U.S. Army Air corps issue Hamilton. When I ask them if they had been a navigator on bombers. They sometime reply that they had been navigators and are shocked that anyone would know that.

[MtGun44]

Big fan of Seiko mechanical dive watches, although I am temporarily out of them.. . . I had a couple
that lasted more than 20 yrs each. Keeping my eye out for another one. I almost sent my old dead one
to a watchmaker in the Phillipines for restoration, but chickened out at the last minute, wondering if
I would ever see it again. I may yet do it.

Quality mechanical things are a wonder. This is part of the reason I have been a mechanical engineer for
my whole life

Bill

[Petrol & Powder]

Bill - If you decide to buy a new one I can recommend this company, http://www.chronograph.com/store/productlist.asp?listno=
I purchased two watches from them and they were straight shooters. They're based in Singapore and had some of the better prices. Unless the watches have sentimental value, I'd risk getting them fixed. Chances are good they can be repaired cheaper than new ones, even with the shipping & insurance.

[grumman581]

Remember when the LED watches first came out? They really ate the batteries. A business acquaintance had given my father a Wittnauer Polara around 1975 and he gave it to me. If I remember correctly, it used two batteries, but even so, you were lucky to get a year out of them. It seemed like it was *always* needing new batteries. The band was not bad, but not as well engineered as the Wenger that I have now as a day-to-day watch.

http://www.timetrafficker.com/watches/led/wittnauer-polara-stainless/photos/DSC_2539%20%28900x600%29.jpg

This was back in the day when a simple 4-function "pocket" calculator was over $100 and you always carried another full set of AA-size batteries with you for when they went dead (almost always happened during a test).

[Blammer]

Ok, whats the different between automatic, quartz, quartz-kinetic, quartz-solar,spring drive?

What type of watch is best?

I am looking for a basic watch that will last 20 yrs. I go through about 1 a year, even the "good" $50 watches are horrible.

One that doesn't need batteries would be great!

[Petrol & Powder]

Ok, whats the different between automatic, quartz, quartz-kinetic, quartz-solar,spring drive?

What type of watch is best?

I am looking for a basic watch that will last 20 yrs. I go through about 1 a year, even the "good" $50 watches are horrible.

One that doesn't need batteries would be great!

Automatic refers to a self-winding watch. There's a rotor inside the watch that is free to turn as your wrist moves around. That movement is used to wind the mainspring of the watch. The mainspring has a clutch to allow the spring to slip when it is almost completely wound, therefore preventing the spring from becoming over-wound. Some automatic watches cannot be manually wound with the crown and some can be manually wound in addition to the automatic action.
Quartz watches use a small battery to drive the movement and a quartz crystal to regulate the movement. The quartz movements are very accurate and inexpensive but when the battery dies, the watch stops and cannot be re-started until the battery is replaced.
Quartz kinetic watches combine the accuracy of a quartz movement with the self powering feature of a rotor that produces the electricity needed to power the watch. Most of those watches have a power reserve that allows the watch to maintain time even if it's not worn for a few days. (like the automatic watch it depends on the movement of the wearer to produce the needed energy.
Quartz solar does the same thing as the quartz kinetic but uses a small solar cell embedded in the watch face to produce the needed power instead of the kinetic energy from the movement of the wearer.
All of those watches have pros and cons. The quartz watch will likely be the cheapest and they keep good time but they rely on a battery. The kinetic and solar powered ones are just as accurate as the battery powered quartz watches and are free from the restraints of a battery.
I like the automatic ones the best, as they are purely mechanical devices but they tend to be expensive when compared to a simple quartz watch and generally have to be reset occasionally. They have the most "soul" to me but they're not for everyone.
As said before, the Seiko dive watches (like the SKX007) are very dependable automatic watches and generally a good value.

[Petrol & Powder]

Opps, left out Spring drive-
Spring drive uses a mechanical spring to drive the watch but an electronic, quartz controlled escapement that regulates how fast/slow the watch runs. They can be very accurate but not much more than a standard quartz in the real world. It's sorta of a hybrid between pure mechanical and quartz. They're also generally way expensive. I think it's neat from an engineering point of view but overly complicated. In my opinion it doesn't offer much, if any, advantage over an automatic or kinetic/quartz set up.

[pipehand]

I really liked the Seiko automatics, and for the price, they were a good value. But I can't seem to keep a watch on my wrist in my current occupation. It also seems that the length of time a watch lasts on my wrist is inversely proportional to the price of the watch. A ruggedized cell phone in my pocket has been doing watch duties for years now.

[brtelec]

The kinetics and the eco-drives will maintain a charge for appx. 9 months with out additional charging. When an eco-drive is in darkness for a period of time or a kinetic does not move, the second hand will stop moving and it it will internally keep time. When you take it out and start to charge it. It will return to the correct time and the second hand will start up again. They are real marvels the way they work. The second hand is the battery killer. That is why quartz watches move a second at a time on the second hand instead of sweep smoothly. That is how the watch conserves energy.

[Petrol & Powder]

pipehand - I know what you mean. When I worked as a mechanic my watch lived in my tool box or car till the end of the day. I learned that after drowning one in automatic transmission fluid :shock:
Cell phones have replaced watches for a lot of people but I just don't feel right without a watch. Kind of like having a pocket knife all of the time, it just seems like it should be there.

[Blammer]

so for an automatic like the seiko (skx0072K2) it says "screw-down crown" is that the option I'm looking for to be able to wind it "by the crown"?

I'm also wondering if it loses time because say it's not worn for a long period, just wearing it again will wind it? or do I need to do something else?

[Petrol & Powder]

no, screw down crown means the crown has internal threads that allow the crown to be tightened onto the case. There's usually a small o-ring or seal that helps make it even more waterproof when screwed down. Most dive watches will have that feature to help protect the movement. The Seiko SKX007K2 uses the 7S26 movement and has NO provision to manually wind the watch. You set it for the correct time & date, move the watch back and forth a little bit to start the watch and put it on your wrist. As you go about your life the watch will "Automatically" wind itself.

[Blammer]

Sweet! so is that a good one to get?

[Blammer]

plus I'll need a good lady's watch that does the same thing. :) shhh don't tell the wife, it'll be a surprise!

[Petrol & Powder]

My Seiko is actually more accurate than most of my other mechanical watches and if I wear it all day and then put it on my dresser, it will run for at least another two days on it's own. If you only have one automatic watch and wear it everyday or almost everyday, it will stay wound.

[Petrol & Powder]

plus I'll need a good lady's watch that does the same thing. :) shhh don't tell the wife, it'll be a surprise!

You're on your own there. Most lady's watches are small and generally battery powder quartz watches. Good luck.

[Petrol & Powder]

Sweet! so is that a good one to get?

I have that exact watch SKX007K2 and love it. Your taste may vary but as far as functioning is concerned - it's an outstanding watch. There are different style bands/bracelets, so be sure to get what you want. I have a nylon NATO style strap on mine because I didn't like the hollow links on the stainless steel bracelet that it came with. You can get a stainless steel bracelet with solid links but they cost more.

[Blammer]

got a pick of your strap or a link to where to buy it?

[Petrol & Powder]

got a pick of your strap or a link to where to buy it?

NATO strap source :

http://www.broadarrow.net/maratac.htm

The watch on the far left of the picture in the first post on this thread is the Seiko with the NATO band.

[EMC45]

I bought my wife a Seiko 5 watch. It is a small face watch. SS case and band with a soft silver face. it has the day/date feature on it. It does not have the screw down crown, just a push/pull. She must have smacked it on something or dropped it because it started running fast. Real fast. I sent it to Seiko in NJ and they fixed it. For free. Something about my wife and battery op watches that she kills them when she wears them. This the reason I got the Automatic. The case is smaller in diameter than a quarter. I also like the Citizen Eco drive watches. They run on light and they are known for longevity.

[beemer]

I am reminded of a story told by my Mother about an Elgin pocket watch my Grandfather owned. He stuttered when excited, he came to the house stuttering. It seems that on a trip to the little brown shack his watch slipped out of the bib of his overalls, you can probably guess where it landed. Papa wasn't about to let his gold plated Elgin that his father had given him get away. It was about 1933-34, there wasn't money to buy a cheep one much less replace it.

He got a bucket, pushed the shack over and went in, the garden got fertilized as well. When he went to the house with his prize Grandma told him what he smelled like and made him sleep on the back porch for a week.

I have a few tools and things that he owned but that Elgin watch is my favorite. I need to get it fixed, I don't remember it ever running.

A little off topic but I couldn't help it.
Dave

[grumman581]

You're on your own there. Most lady's watches are small and generally battery powder quartz watches.

I've noticed that there is a trend amongst some women to be wearing some of the smaller men's watches. Or maybe it's just the older women whose eyesight is going and they can't read their small watches anymore? Not the size of the Seiko dive watch, but closer to what we used to call "dress watch" size.

[NoZombies]

I've been a watch nut nearly as long as I've been a gun nut.

I've been wearing automatic watches for the last 20+ years.

When I changed careers a few years ago, I realized I wasn't as hard on watches as I used to be and I could wear a nicer watch without destroying it in short order.

Now I spend as much time in meetings and talking with people as I do performing actual work, and the nature of the work has changed significantly. I still have several of my less expensive automatic watches, but because some of the people I meet with care a lot about appearances, I wear a Rolex most days. It's a 1971 vintage perpetual date with a leather band. I had the watch serviced earlier this year, and it keeps good time, but still isn't as accurate as the old Seiko automatics I used to wear, not to mention needing service more often, and being more expensive to service when I do.

Around the time I bought and started wearing the Rolex, I also bought a vintage Breitling automatic and sometimes wear it to meetings instead. The Breitling is a better watch, but because most of those people I meet with who care about appearances don't know anything about watches, I always get more compliments on the Rolex than I do on the Breitling. I recently sent the Breitling out for a service as well and expect it back soon. The cost for service was about the same as the Rolex.

[RedneckRob]

I bought a Sport 5 around 15 years ago and I'm wearing it now as we speak. I had a Rolex for years before I got the Seiko. Sold it not long ago. To me the Seiko is just a better watch. YMMV.

[Garyshome]

I quit using a watch when i got my cell phone!

[grumman581]

I quit using a watch when i got my cell phone!

Yeah, let's see how well that works while you are underwater. :)

With a watch, I just glance at my wrist to see the time. Nice and quick, single handed, no finger manipulation required. To get the time on my cell phone, I have to take it out of my pocket (hopefully without dropping it again), press the button to turn the display on, swipe my finger across the screen to unlock the display, and then I will have the time shown (unless I am outside in bright sunlight where the display can't be read anyway). And if it is pouring down raining, I risk damaging my cell phone from the water. With my watch, I don't need to worry about water until I get to the point where I'm probably already dead and the time is the least of my worries (i.e. 1000m).

I read an article recently where it stated that the young kids (i.e. less than 30 years old) these days are less inclined to wear a watch and are more inclined to use a cell phone for time.

[Frank46]

I have 4 watches, rolex, armitron, one I don't remember the brand and my dad's railroad watch. Since retiring 17 years ago I haven't worn one since. Computer has a clock as well as the cable box. Frank

[TreeKiller]

Bought a Rolex GMT Master in 1968 for $156.00 at the Canadian APEX in Germany. The last time I had it serviced it cost $300.00 20 years ago. The stem is stripped at the case and it needs cleaned. I am afraid to find out what it would cost.

[gmsharps]

I was at Sears browsing the watches one day several years ago and they were pulling out watches that had been in for servicing or repair that folks had not picked up and they were selling them for the repair cost. I saw a Elgin gold pocket watch come out and asked what it cost and she looked at the tag and said it was in for service and it would cost $40 to get it and of course I jumped on it. I still have it today and it still works fine. The most accurate watch I have is a TAG. The batterys last about 5 to 6 years or so and the accuracy is fantastic. The biggest problem is setting the proper time for daylight savings time but that usually not an issue. I have had to replace the band once on it in the 15years I've had it. I'd love to have an RGM but can't justify the cost yet.

gmsharps

[Petrol & Powder]

I bought a Sport 5 around 15 years ago and I'm wearing it now as we speak. I had a Rolex for years before I got the Seiko. Sold it not long ago. To me the Seiko is just a better watch. YMMV.
The "5" series watches made by Seiko are some of the best values around!

[10x]

A friend of mine collects vintage chinese watches - made for the chinese domestic market
http://www.amchpr.com/index.html

[KCSO]

You do know that no MAN wil wear a wrist watch, that being the sign of a girly man? I have carried a pocket watch most of my life following the predujice of my grandfather. I have a few elgins a Liberty Ben Wind and a couple Waltham's. I too prefer a mechanical watch but have to carry a pager on duty and it has a watch built in. I learned to wind my pocket watch once a day with the same number of turns and at the same time of day if possible.

[JakeBlanton]

You do know that no MAN wil wear a wrist watch, that being the sign of a girly man? I have carried a pocket watch most of my life following the predujice of my grandfather. I have a few elgins a Liberty Ben Wind and a couple Waltham's. I too prefer a mechanical watch but have to carry a pager on duty and it has a watch built in. I learned to wind my pocket watch once a day with the same number of turns and at the same time of day if possible.

Well, back in my day, we said the same thing about guys who would carry a pocket watch instead of using a sun dial.

[Petrol & Powder]

I'd use a sundial but they're just so hard to read at night.......

[grumman581]

I'd use a sundial but they're just so hard to read at night.......

That's why we have streetlights, isn't it? :)

[JakeBlanton]

That's why we have streetlights, isn't it? :)

Well, I suspect that it was one of the contributing factors in the invention of the candle.

[MtGun44]

just pop on your LED flashlight to read that sundial. . . .

Bill

[KCSO]

Fact of the matter is that wrist watches wern't accepted until after WWI. They found in the war a man couldn't hold his pocket watch and a rifle at the same time and so they started issuing pocket watches to the troops and when those guys came home they brought the wrist watch habit back with them. I do have a sundial cannon but I keep it set for midnight so I don't bother the neighbors.

[gnoahhh]

I'll chime in as a watch junkie too. I wear a 40 year old Breitling Navitimer. I had it cleaned once and rubber seal under the bezel replaced, and probably should have it done again just for peace of mind. For dress occasions I wear my dad's old Hamilton Curvex, vintage 1940. I will admit to wearing a 10 year old Citizen battery job when engaged in sloppy work. It would break my heart to bust the Breitling under such circumstances. I put a watch on before I get dressed in the morning. I have forgotten my cell phone at home, but never have forgotten my watch.

I had an ancient Rolex Oyster that I swapped even up for a minty 2nd Model Brown Bess musket and a Colt 1851 once. I still think the other guy might have made out better.

Three Elgin gold pocket watches live in bell jars on my dresser: one each from dad, grand dad, great-grand dad. My great grandfather was a combination watchmaker and gunsmith. I know exactly where my most prominent genes came from!

[EMC45]

I have a couple battery ops too. I have a Microtec LL Bean on a Maratac band and an H3 Traser Smith and Wesson on a Maratac 5 ring ZULU. These are the work watches. They both take the 371 button battery with 45 month life span. Both have screw down backs as well.

[Petrol & Powder]

I had a Longines white gold pocket watch that I got in a trade for a 1903 Colt pistol. It was a great watch but I just never found much desire to carry it. It was eventually sold. I've seen some very high quality military style quartz watches that have the 40+ month battery life that EMC45 speaks of. They have excellent cases and will keep time even when stored but they just don't have the same appeal to me as an automatic. I can certainly see the attraction to a good quartz watch and I've been tempted by some of the Marathon SAR types but the old mainspring pulls me back into the mechanical fold.

[alamogunr]

I've been meaning to post to this thread for the last couple of weeks but got busy and had other things on my mind. I have needed a watch for some time now and couldn't bring myself to pull the trigger.

I've been looking at Seiko watches online. I found several I liked but only a few had only a date function. I will never have another watch with a day function. If the watch lasts more than 6 months, I will have forgotten how to get the correct day of the week.

One question: If I order a Seiko w/metal bracelet online, what do I do if the bracelet needs adjusting? The Citizen I've had for almost 20 years is now too big for my wrist and when it slips up and down, it pulls the hair on my arm. I refuse to shave my wrist. Do watches come with adjustable bracelets?

Sorry to resurrect if everyone has moved on.

[jcwit]

If you need the band adjusted and are unable to do it yourself, take it to Wal-Mart or your nearest jeweler, they will be happy to do it. At least mine have always been.

As far as the date. That also is a VERY SIMPLE procedure.

[alamogunr]

Date has never been a problem for me. Synchronizing the day of the week with the date has always been a nightmare. Maybe watches today are different.

[Marvin S]

I wear a watch 24-7 even shower in it. So it has to be tough. I used a quartz pulsar for 20 years with good service but grew tired of battery's and picked up a mexican rolex yaght master but the cover on the counter weight broke off after a year. I then ordered an Orient automatic it is pretty good so far but it gains a minite or so every week or two. Is that an acceptable amount for an automatic?

[JakeBlanton]

Date has never been a problem for me. Synchronizing the day of the week with the date has always been a nightmare. Maybe watches today are different.

For some watches, you turn the stem in one direction to change the date and another direction to change the day of the week. For others, there is a halfway position when you are pulling the stem out that changes things differently than when it is pulled all the way out.

[alamogunr]

Whatever watch I buy will only have a date function. When I get to the point that I don't know what day of the week it is, someone else will be determining what I need to do and when I need to do it.

[JakeBlanton]

Whatever watch I buy will only have a date function. When I get to the point that I don't know what day of the week it is, someone else will be determining what I need to do and when I need to do it.

Once you've been retired for a bit, you might find out how easy it is to forget what day of the week it is. As far as the actual *date*, I feel good if I just get the *year* right.

[alamogunr]

I've been retired 7 years and can still keep my days straight. It is easy when you have one of those pill minders with a compartment for each day of the week.:-P

[jcwit]

LOL, I've been retired for almost 14 years now, and have 3 of those pill minders. One for morning, one for evening, and one for bed time.

[jcwit]

Once you've been retired for a bit, you might find out how easy it is to forget what day of the week it is. As far as the actual *date*, I feel good if I just get the *year* right.

That's what that little thing at bottom right of my computer screen is for, click on it I even get a monthly calender.

[JakeBlanton]

I've been retired 7 years and can still keep my days straight. It is easy when you have one of those pill minders with a compartment for each day of the week.:-P

So you have to rely on external support also. My external support (for date and day-of-week) is my not-so-smart-phone.

[alamogunr]

LOL, I've been retired for almost 14 years now, and have 3 of those pill minders. One for morning, one for evening, and one for bed time.

Actually, I have 3 also. Morning, evening, and supplements.

[xs11jack]

I found on nomorerack.com a Seiko men's classic automatic stainless steel watch. They claim it sells for $225, they price it a $75. Model no. SNK809K. Is this a good buy?
Ole Jack

[JakeBlanton]

I found on nomorerack.com a Seiko men's classic automatic stainless steel watch. They claim it sells for $225, they price it a $75. Model no. SNK809K. Is this a good buy?


MSRP is usually rather inflated on a lot of items like watches.

It's only water resistant to 100 ft (supposedly), so I would pass on that. I always figured that the 100 ft watches really only meant that it (probably) wouldn't leak if you took a shower or got caught out in the rain. If you are lucky, *maybe* it will even survive swimming, although a water skiing or jet ski wipeout might be too much for it.

I prefer my watches to have a screw type crown and be rated for 100m at the VERY LEAST. Then again, I grew up in Florida and having a watch that was always ready to go diving seemed to be a good idea.

[alamogunr]

I feel more comfortable asking opinions here than anywhere else, so here goes: I found this on Amazon:

http://tinyurl.com/o6ffbzb

Would anyone venture a comment or three? I do need a watch.

[M99SavNut]

I have a Seiko Kinetic (model unknown at present) that's some 12 years old. Keeps EXCELLENT time (only off a few seconds a month per the NOAA atomic clock), but the capacitor died a couple of years ago. Had it replaced for a nominal amount, and the replacement capacitor is apparently the updated one, as it will run far longer than the previous capacitor would do. I've had it off my wrist (while wearing my other Seiko Quartz watch) for a month and the time is still accurate as before. The quartz watch is the Titanium model, and the Kinetic is stainless steel with a heavy band - my jeweler told me that I have Seiko's lightest watch, and also their heaviest one........

Got this watch from my father-in-law, who received it as a gift. It has a black face, and he couldn't see the time clearly when he rode his bicycle in the evening, so he passed it on to me. Hope I never get into an accident without my ID, as the bracelet has his name engraved on it and I'd hate to have his wife notified of that if he wasn't around at the time. (I won't go into her probable reaction once she found out it was me and not him, but that's another story, don't ya know.)

As far as I am concerned, you can't go wrong with the newer Seiko Kinetics. Actually, I did really well with my older one, and am mightily pleased to have it.

Jess

[grumman581]

I have a Seiko Kinetic (model unknown at present) that's some 12 years old. Keeps EXCELLENT time (only off a few seconds a month per the NOAA atomic clock), but the capacitor died a couple of years ago. Had it replaced for a nominal amount, and the replacement capacitor is apparently the updated one, as it will run far longer than the previous capacitor would do.

So, you got 10 years out of the capacitor. How much did it cost to replace? I'm thinking it might have been more than the batteries you would have used during that period of time with a normal battery powered watch.

[Petrol & Powder]

I know this thread has been dormant for a while but I want open it up so I can brag a little :D.

I recently acquired a stainless steel "Oyster" type bracelet for my Seiko SXK007 to replace the olive drab nylon strap. Now the faux "NATO" style strap (it was a two piece strap not a true G10 one peice) was perfectly functional and there was nothing wrong with it but I wanted to upgrade the watch. I found a stainless steel "Oyster" style bracelet made specifically for the Seiko cases and ordered it.
The company is Strapcode and the model is the Super Oyster Type II. If you have a SeikoSKX007 or SKX009 and are looking for a stainless steel bracket made with all solid links and screw pins, this is it ! $56.00 from Amazon and I was impressed with the quality and the fit.

Speaking of Amazon, you can now get the Seiko SKX007 with the rubber strap from Amazon for less than $150.00. That watch plus the Super Oyster Type II bracelet comes to less than $210.00 with free shipping. That's a steal for a Seiko automatic dive watch and a high quality Oyster style bracelet. That watch is one of the toughest, mechanical "working man's watches" available AND it's a good value.

I'm seriously thinking about buying another SKX007 and squirreling it away as a spare.

[EMC45]

I wear an SKX007 too. Wear it on a variety of NATO straps. Really like it.

[Petrol & Powder]

142427Seiko SXK007 with Super Oyster Type II bracelet.

[Petrol & Powder]

I wear an SKX007 too. Wear it on a variety of NATO straps. Really like it.

One of the greatest under-rated mechanical watches of all time.

[Outpost75]

Mine is a Bulova. Strap is PX replacement because the original leather one rotted.

The chute knife I gifted to a nephew after he completed jump training.

142431

[Petrol & Powder]

Outpost75 - can't go wrong with that gear! Like that Bulova.
Have you checked out Maratac Bands? http://www.broadarrow.net/maratac.htm

[farmerjim]

I too am a watch nut. It must above everything be accurate. Had a seco that would keep time to 10 seconds a month. I became a diver, so I needed waterproof. Got a Casio G-shock. The instructions said the battery would last 5 years. It lasted 15, but the watch would not work with the new battery. I then got the Casio G-shock solar, atomic. $ 100.00. Now Ten years old and has been worn 24-7. Dive to 200 ft. Accurate to the second all the time. I kid by brother with his $3,000.00 rolex that will not keep as accurate time as my watch, but it is waterproof to much deeper than the human body can dive.

[Blammer]

I saw several SKX007 seiko's on amazon and several had reviews that said it was a 'knock off', not the real deal for a seiko.

any links to the real deal?

I also looked on Seiko's site and found the 'recraft series' automatics some for about $200, anyone know about them?

[dragon813gt]

I saw several SKX007 seiko's on amazon and several had reviews that said it was a 'knock off', not the real deal for a seiko.


Unfortunately you really have to watch, no pun intended, for knock offs on Amazon now. It's almost as bad as eBay and started when they allowed third party sellers. Don't get caught by a deal to good to be true.

[Petrol & Powder]

You have to know what you're buying and pay attention. In other words- READ THE DESCRIPTION AND SPEND WISELY !

There are Seiko's made in Japan and Seiko's made in other places (Singapore, I believe ). They are all.... SEIKO's but some people claim the Japanese made ones are better. I don't buy into that. The Japanese ones cost more but they are basically the same watch. I think a lot of the criticism comes from the sellers of the Japanese made Seiko's that can demand higher prices for the same watch and don't want customers to buy the less expensive models of the exact same watch. Another source of criticism comes from people that pay way too much and then disparage others that got a better deal on a REAL Seiko. It's embarrassing to pay too much and the easy out is to claim you purchased the real deal and the others purchased a knock-off. Saving face doesn't necessarily mean you got a good deal.
NOW, that being said; buyer beware. There are knock-offs on the market and if you are not careful, you could buy one. THE BURDEN IS ON THE BUYER ! Caveat Emptor. Take your time and buy carefully.

The Japanese made Seiko SXK007's have a "J" on the end of the model number "SKX007J" and the face of the watch will have the inscription "21 Jewels". Now, all SKX007's have 21 jewels (bearings) but only the Japanese made ones have the "21 Jewels" inscription on the watch face. Just because it costs $100 more doesn't mean it's better.

[RKJ]

I'm glad you guys resurrected this thread, I was reading along and them realized the dates were from 2013. Doh! I'm on my 4th Seiko in 30 years, my 1st a divers lasted me from 1984 until 2000, Since then I've gone through 2 and am on my current one (Divers 150 Automatic, I didn't find any other model #) but I am not happy with it, my others were quartz and kept very accurate time. Not this one, it will gain 10 minutes in 2 days. It stays there (I'd say indefinitely, but it ticks me off so much I always change it to the right time). I've been thinking of a new one. Perhaps around Christmas I will treat myself to a new watch, hopefully one that will be as good as my other Seiko's. It will most likely be another Seiko Divers (even though I haven't done any diving in 30 years) :) and I prefer the red/blue bezel over the black. Any suggestions?

[skeettx]

Y'all ALL know that Seikos are made in Oklahoma, Right?

Spell seiko backwards Okies, yup, now you know

:)

Mike

[Petrol & Powder]

For a "Pepsi" dial (red & black) you want the Seiko SXK009.

All mechanical watches are a bit peculiar in terms of accuracy. I have some that are better than others but they all need to be re-set occasionally. You can get a mechanical watch adjusted by a watch maker / repairman and often improve them. My Seiko actually keeps time better than one of my more expensive Swiss watches. I have an acquaintance that has a newer Rolex Submariner that doesn't stay within a minute a day and I know another guy that has a 30 year old Rolex that is spot on. With proper service, a high quality mechanical watch will last decades. You have to take the good with the bad.
Some people want the ease of a quartz watch and some people want the durability of a mechanical watch. There are always compromises and I've made mine.

[Artful]

http://nicoleonthenet.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/dayclock.jpg

[archmaker]

I am addicted to my pocket watches, I have one I carry all the time that has the 25yr warranty gold plating on it, and was made in 1917. Have two more that need to be fixed, with a date of 1879 and the other early 1900's (That one belonged to my Great Grandfather, which I knew until I was in my early 30's).

I love my pocket watches

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I'm right there with you Artful, and when I'm off work (as I am right now, probably for a good long time), I don't even need to know what day it is :veryconfu



http://nicoleonthenet.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/dayclock.jpg

More power to you watch geeks ! Someone needs to keep that industry alive :bigsmyl2:

[Petrol & Powder]

Mechanical watches, pocket watches or wrist watches; are functional tools and works of art.

[Dframe]

I'm a timepiece junkie. I somewhere around 50 watches of various manufacture and love them. the Majority of mine are Seiko, Citizen, or Pulsar. The last 3-4 I bought were Solar models that need only light. I also have several self-winding, and numerous clocks around my house, but I'm too lazy to go count them.

[Petrol & Powder]

Dframe, I'm guessing you have a weakness for Detectives, Cobras & Agents as well........

[Outpost75]

Outpost75 - can't go wrong with that gear! Like that Bulova.
Have you checked out Maratac Bands? http://www.broadarrow.net/maratac.htm

Yes, that's what I bought for a replacement band. CountyComm has them for $10 http://www.countycomm.com/zulufourringindex.html