Watch-A-Day

Casio G-Shock GW-9200RJ-4JF Men in Rescue Orange

2011-06-08T13:38:00.011-04:00

Yesterday I wore and took pictures of (but didn't have time to post about) a Casio G-Shock I bought just over two years ago. It's a GW-9200RJ-4JF Riseman (not to be confused with the original Riseman) and is part of the Men in Rescue Orange series. Not to bore you with minutiae, but the watches pictured in that link are actually the "export" versions. The U.S. got the export version, but I bought this from a person who imported it from Japan. In the case of the Riseman, the main differences are the lack of radio controlled atomic timekeeping (Multiband 6) on the U.S. version, and a different caseback. The caseback on the U.S. version has an engraving of a dragon while the Japanese version has a flying squirrel. Both versions have the orange-tinted display and very cool backlight graphic, described by Casio as "a special multi-purpose rescue tool". The watch is great for a number of reasons: It's bright orange, and I love bright orange, so I love wearing it (especially if I'm wearing some coordinating orange clothes or shoes.) It's big and chunky, similar to a Frogman, but somehow looks more futuristic. It has great functionality, including a thermometer, barometer, altimeter, world time, 5 alarms, etc. Second only to my Pathfinder PAW-1300 in functionality, which adds a compass but gives up some water resistance. This is one of my watches that gets worn very regularly, especially in the summer, and I don't believe I'll tire of it anytime soon.

Casio G-Shock DW-6900CS-1DR

2011-06-01T12:12:00.009-04:00

Do you like 6900s? Of course you do! It's one of the most iconic G-Shock designs, often imitated but never duplicated. Even when Casio wanted to update the classic with Tough Solar and Multi Band 6 technologies, they didn't mess with the design. This 6900 I'm wearing today is from the "Crazy Colors" series. I believe it part of the first series, but Casio have done many more since then. It seems they were pretty popular. As you can see in the photos, this watch doesn't deviate from the classic three-eye 6900 design. The bright green face, markings and even LCD panel and backlight are all pretty unique. Adding to the flashiness is the case and band which are finished in high-gloss black instead of the more traditional matte finish. The whole package really pops and gets plenty of attention year-round.

Japanese-style Multicolor LED Binary Watch

2011-05-27T10:06:00.002-04:00

The watch I'm wearing today I just got this week, direct from China, from Meritline. It's truly amazing how much cheap stuff I've bought from them, although DealExtreme is still my favorite for flashlights. Even more amazing is both merchants can ship their items from China to the U.S.A. for free. This watch is inspired by the modern, quirky watches from places like Tokyoflash and ThinkGeek. One thing that makes this watch unique, even among the wild watches at the preceding links, is that it is a true "binary" watch. The lights on the left and bottom correspond to binary digits, with four bits on the left and six bits on the bottom. They can respectively display a maximum of 15 and 63 in decimal numbers, but they only ever need to go as high as 12 and 59 in this application. It's difficult to read the time at a glance (without doing some math in your head) but I'm sure if I wore the watch regularly for a month is would become easier. The bright LEDs display the time when the upper button is pressed, and the watch can be set to automatically light ever quarter-hour. The date is displayed the same way (month on the left, day on the bottom) when the upper button is pressed a second time. It's a neat watch, admittedly very cheap, but for a novelty watch it certainly serves its purpose. I actually think it looks more expensive than it is, possibly because the design is so simple.

Casio G-Shock G-304EH-7 Eric Haze

2011-05-18T12:49:00.006-04:00

I'm wearing today one of my few G-Shocks that haven't yet made it to my blog. Coincidentally, I bought this one two years ago this week. The G-304EH-7 originally came out in 2006, and I tried to buy one new in 2009, but found everybody sold out. Mine was purchased secondhand, so I didn't get the cool packaging. This was the second of three Eric Haze/G-Shock collaborations. The first was this 6900 and the third was this 5600. As I mentioned before, he also designed the G-Shock 25th Anniversary graphics and logos. The most unique part of this watch is certainly the band, which has a black and white striped pattern (one of Haze's trademarks) along with an embossed Haze "tag" on the end of the strap. The caseback also has the same tag. Other than the color, strap and details, the watch is a normal "Street Rider" G-Shock. It's a big watch, 45mm across, but still reasonably low-profile. The velcro strap is very comfortable, and while the reverse display is not incredibly legible, there is an EL backlight, and the analog hands are easy to read. This is one that I don't wear often because it is fairly rare and the cloth strap is less dirt resistant than the resin straps on most G-Shocks. When I do wear it I'm impressed with the comfort and uniqueness of the design. I'm very happy to have it in my collection.

Casio G-Shock GX56-4CR

2011-05-11T12:03:00.004-04:00

Today, a little bit of pseudo déjà vu again. It's my third and final (for now) GX56, the orange GX56-4CR. Like my other two GX56s this is big, chunky and awesome. I didn't notice until today that all three of mine have reverse displays. Not great from a legibility standpoint, but they do look cool. And I did take the photos today, but didn't realize I had the date set incorrectly until I was editing them.

Bulova Accutron 63F77 Automatic

2011-05-02T15:24:00.008-04:00

I actually wore this watch (and took the photos) earlier this week but didn't get around to writing about it until today. I picked this up from BlingDaily.com a couple years ago. $150 for a "Swiss Made" automatic is really hard to beat these days. These appeared to be closeouts as original MSRP was $670. I did see them later drop to $100, but I'm sure they disappeared quickly at that price. But looking beyond the price, this is a really nice watch. I'd say the overall quality is on par with most Hamiltons. The design falls between a dress watch and a more rugged "tool" watch, and because of this it makes a really great all-around watch. The case is 40mm with 22mm lugs, so it's pretty substantial. The case has a nice combination of brushed and polished surfaces, once again walking the line between dress and casual. The leather strap is nicely finished and not at all flimsy, and is fastened with a stainless deployant. My favorite part of this watch is the dial (protected by a sapphire crystal.) The white dial has a number of fine details that work really well together. The fine diamond pattern in the center is surrounded by a ridged ring which is then duplicated just inside the seconds track. In between the two rings are the bright silver-tone applied roman numerals, and the open hands share this finish. The second hand also has a Bulova logo on its "tail" which mirrors the applied logo at 12 o'clock. On the other side, the exhibition caseback shows off the engraved rotor and somewhat plain ETA 2892.A2. This is actually a really nice movement and much more modern than the ETA 2824, which I have a number of in my collection. As you can tell, I'm quite fond of this watch, and the more closely I examine it the more things I find to like.

Seiko SNDA67 Chronograph

2011-04-25T11:06:00.004-04:00

As you may have noticed, I don't have many analog quartz watches. (I'll admit, after looking through my previous blog posts, I do have more than I realized.) They simply don't hold the same appeal for me as mechanical watches. Occasionally, I do find one that is hard to resist. Today I'm wearing one such watch, a Seiko SNDA67 chronograph. I was mainly drawn to this by its functional looks, very reminiscent of some Sinn/Bell & Ross dials as well as other military-style watches. It's highly legible with thick hands and big hour and minute markers. The chronograph function measures to 1/20 of a second which is a nice feature (and watching the 1/20 sec. hand spin through its 20 clicks once a second is temporarily entertaining.) The case is a good size, about 44mm diameter, but lower profile than most of my automatic chronographs. Overall finish is excellent, typical of Seiko, and while the bracelet isn't up to that of a Seiko Monster, it's still nicer than many. The crystal is Hardlex, Seiko's proprietary hardened mineral crystal, so it should be pretty resistant to scratches. The crystal doesn't have any anti-reflective coating, so glare could be a factor depending on the scenario. This watch has an MSRP of $295, but is readily available for less than half that. It's definitely a solid package at a nice price.

Casio G-Shock GLS-5600V-1

2011-04-18T11:42:00.004-04:00

Today I'm wearing my GLS-5600V-1, which is part of the G-Shock G-LIDE line. This one is relatively subdued, but does have the bright pink dial and text which makes it a nice accessory if you're already wearing some bright pink (and a totally pink watch would just be too much.) You can see it is very similar to a regular 5600, but it has a totally different module. This one also has the glossy black case, and unique to the G-LIDE line, a wide fabric strap with a combination of velcro and a plastic latch to keep it on your wrist. The G-LIDE line is said to be surf-inspired, but it seems like it would be suitable for any sort of action sports. Sjors has a good article about this watch on his site. I really like this watch and wearing it today makes me want to pick up the green version.

BMW M Power Watch

2011-04-12T15:24:00.005-04:00

Looking back through my recent posts, it strikes me that I do have a rather eclectic collection of watches. The watch I'm wearing today fits right in. It's a BMW M Power watch which was made by Tourneau and sold through BMW dealers. I would not normally go for such a "boutique" type watch (even the Pirelli watches aren't such blatant promotional items) but I had a few good reasons to buy this one. First, in January of 2010 I bought this 2003 BMW M3 convertible. I decided I wanted a fun weekend car, and after narrowing my choices to this or a slightly older Porsche Carrera cabriolet, I decided on the BMW. This is also one of the reasons I stopped buying so many watches and didn't make any new Watch-A-Day posts last year. Second, I had a chance to see this watch in person and found it to be much more substantial and higher quality than I expected. And finally, I found this one brand new and cheap on eBay, so I couldn't pass it up. It's a really nice watch, very solid, and substantial at 45mm wide with a bracelet that tapers from 27mm at the lugs to 21mm at the clasp. The polished bezel and center links add some flash, but overall it still looks very functional. It has a Swiss movement (Ronda, I believe) that includes an alarm. The button at 4 o'clock is to turn the alarm on or off and change the alarm time (by holding the button down.) The dial is legible with some nice details, like the subtle grooved pattern in the subdials and center circle and big date at 6 o'clock. The 9 o'clock subdial is for the alarm, while the 3 o'clock is seconds. Since this is not a chronograph, there is no tachymeter, however the bezel is one-way with 60 clicks. There is an M Power Chronograph but it's more expensive than this one, and I don't think it's that much nicer. If you're a BMW owner, or even a fan, and you can find this watch for $100 or less, I'd say it's an excellent buy.

Zodiac Oceanaire ZO8000 Swiss Automatic Diver

2011-04-08T14:03:00.003-04:00

It's been so long since I've worn this watch that I forgot it had a bracelet. I think I came very close to buying the rubber strap version a while ago, but bought this brand new one secondhand from a WUS forumer who thought it was too big for him. It certainly is big: 45mm across with 24mm lugs, and the weight to match. At the time of release (about 5 years ago) these were pretty popular among watch geeks. I believe the main reason was that while it was a diver's watch, it had a unique design (while plenty of other watches in this price range were copy of something else.) Also, they seemed to be a little difficult to find since Zodiac didn't have many retailers (probably still doesn't) and initially nobody had these online. It's a great looking watch, as you can see in my pics, as well as here and here. The overall package feels very high quality, as it should in a "Swiss Made" watch, and I've found the timekeeping to be excellent as well. Unlike many Swiss automatic watches, this does not use an ETA movement, but a Claro-Semag CL-888. There has been some minor controversy over this movement and the "Swiss Made" label, but it sounds like it follows a manufacturing process similar to other more well known Swiss movements. They're still making some versions of this watch and the price hasn't really gone down, although occasionally you will see them on sale via eBay or Zodiac's own store. I've been to a few Fossil (owners of Zodiac) outlets and while they've had other Zodiacs, I've never seen this or any other automatic Zodiac there. If I saw another version for the right price I wouldn't hesitate to buy it.

Casio G-Shock GX56-1A

2011-03-28T13:46:00.003-04:00

Today I'm wearing one of the watches I mentioned in my post about the DGK GX56. It's the GX56-1A and aside from having a more subdued appearance, it's exactly the same watch. The GX56 is defintely one of my favorite newer G-Shock designs.

Magico 20001-11 Carbon Fiber Automatic Diver

2011-03-22T14:24:00.004-04:00

This is a cheap watch. It cost me under $50 brand new, including shipping, and even came with a watch winder. It's made from Chinese parts, almost certainly assembled in China, and is from a manufacturer I had never heard of before.

And it's fantastic.

The first thing you notice about this watch when you pick it up is the weight. I wish I had a scale handy, but I'd say it's something like seven or eight ounces. And solid. The chunky links of the 24mm bracelet are tight and the double-butterfly clasp locks securely, even without a push button mechanism. The case is 46mm wide with broad sides and fancy lugs that integrate well with the bracelet (but would make fitting a strap a bit difficult.) It has a water resistance rating of 200m and a unidirectional bezel, so it would be suitable for diving. The bezel is reasonably tight, although I know some people want them to be downright difficult to turn. This one is tight enough that it won't be accidentally turned by something and there's very little slop in the mechanism. The oversized crown has grooves in it that remind me of gun barrel rifling, with just a slight twist to assist in gripping it. The whole face is kind of similar to a Seiko Monster, although the hour markers are much smaller and lume not as great. The real carbon fiber dial is very attractive and adds some depth to what would otherwise be rather plain. The movement is a 25 jewel Miyota 8215 workhorse and keeps excellent time, as good as many Swiss watches costing ten or twenty times as much. Magico is one of the many brands of The SWI Group, and while I can't go so far as to recommend all their watches, or even all their Magico-branded watches, this particular model is a great buy, even at twice what I paid.

Citizen BL9000-59F Minute Repeater

2011-03-16T13:53:00.004-04:00

Once again, my old pictures look better than my new ones, so I'm using those. I am wearing my Citizen BL9000-59F today, although it took a few hours on the windowsill to bring it back to life this morning, as well as tracking down the manual online and figuring out how to set the time and date. My watch storage cabinet doesn't get any direct sunlight, and this being an Eco-Drive (Citizen's fancy name for their solar-charged battery-powered quartz watches) it needs at least a little sun to keep running. This is possibly the only watch I own that has such a complicated setting routine, involving setting the hands to their default positions, then setting the main dial time, subdial time (making sure the AM/PM indicator is closest to the bottom,) then the year (represented as number of years since the last leap year, in this case, 3,) month and day. That all being said, it would be a non-issue if I wore the watch daily, or even monthly, but I probably haven't worn it in close to a year. I have a friend who rotates one of these along with a few other watches and he seems to never have an issue with needing to charge his watch and reset everything. Really, it's a great watch. The Citizen Calibre 9000 is an amazing piece of technology. First off, it's probably the only way a non-millionaire can possess a minute repeater. A quick glance at Google Shopping shows prices of non-Citizen minute repeaters range from $20,000 to $750,000. Even some more expensive Citizen minute repeaters run into the thousands of dollars. For those unfamiliar (as I was before I had this watch) a minute repeater tells the time through a series of tones. In the case of the Calibre 9000, it works as follows: "Press and hold the button at the 2 o'clock position until it starts to chime. First you will hear one long tone for each hour, then each quarter hour have a quick double chime, then each minute will have single short tones. For example, if the time is 2:48, you will hear two long chimes for the hour, then 3 quick double chimes to indicate 45 minutes (three 15 minute periods), bringing the time to 2:45, then 3 quick chimes for 3 minutes past the last quarter hour, indicating 48 minutes after 2." It also has a perpetual calendar that should keep the proper date through the year 2100, two daily alarms (one for the main time and one for the inset or "local" time) and an AM/PM indicator. Build quality is excellent, as is expected from Citizen. The front of the case and bracelet is highly polished with the exception of the bracelet center links which are brushed. The mineral glass crystal is slightly domed which does a good job of cutting down on reflections even without an anti-reflective coating. I find the dial quite attractive, although I could understand if some find it to busy. I think the color scheme of black, white and chrome with the orange accents works well, although I've seen other Calibre 9000 watches with more subdued dials that are also very nice. The case is 42mm in diameter ad 14mm thick and feels quite substantial but not overly large. The bracelet also feels very well built and is comfortable. Like many of my watches, I regret not giving this one more wrist time. It would make a great travel watch since it has the two time zones, alarm and would easily coordinate with dress clothes or casual clothes and everything in between.

Pirelli P-Zero Tempo Automatic Chronograph

2011-03-08T14:19:00.005-05:00

I'm wearing this Pirelli P-Zero chronograph today. I haven't worn it in a while and just realized I never posted about it. I got it a couple years ago and it is very similar to my non-chronograph Pirelli automatic. The main difference (other than it being a chronograph with a Valjoux 7750 movement) is the genuine alligator strap, which I think really dresses it up and complements the Euro look. I took some new pictures today, but then I found these older photos (which are actually better) so I decided to post them. The photos of the packaging and tags are because I was selling an identical watch at the time. I believe these were being discontinued when I bought them because I paid a small portion of the MSRP shown. It's a high quality, solid watch with a unique design and I'm extremely pleased with it.

Casio G-Shock GW6900B-1

2011-03-01T12:43:00.004-05:00

DW6900 + solar + atomic = pretty awesome. This one is shiny black with orange accents and a mirror/orange LCD that lights up amber. Also comes in other colors. Superb.

Bulova Accutron Farnsworth Automatic Chronograph 63B019

2011-02-24T12:02:00.003-05:00

Today I'm wearing my new Bulova chronograph for the first time. I actually just discovered that Citizen now owns Bulova and all their brands, including Accutron of course. I'm not sure if this watch was designed and created before or after the Citizen acquisition, nor am I sure if it matters. It's a nice watch, comparable to my Accutron VX-200 in many ways. Build quality seems as good or better overall, but the bracelet on the Farnswoth is not as complex and possibly not as heavy. Although the chronograph is all highly polished stainless steel and very fancy, it's still built like a tank. The crowns and chronograph pushers have knurling on them, but it's just for looks as none of them screw down. Water resistance is rated at fifty meters. The movement is probably the most unique feature to me. Unlike many chronographs that use the Valjoux 7750 or slightly rarer 7753, this one uses a Valgranges A07.211 which appears to have been designed with larger watches specifically in mind. In this case (no pun intended) the watch is a substantial 44mm wide and 14mm thick with lugs that appear to be 24mm wide. It has a similar self-winding mechanism to the 7750 so it also has the characteristic "wobble" if you get the rotor freewheeling with the movement of your wrist. The dial is very attractive, with a subtle raised pattern, black chrome hands and markers and red accents. So far I really have no complaints. I suppose it would be nice if it had a non-reflective coating on the flat sapphire crystal, but sometimes those are more trouble than they're worth (especially if done with poor quality control.)

A Bathing Ape Type 1 Clear Shark Bapex

2011-02-15T12:18:00.004-05:00

Today I'm wearing one of my most unique watches, but I'm sure some people won't like it at all. It's out of the ordinary for me to pick a watch purely for its style and ignore its function (or lack thereof.) I suppose as I've expanded my collection I realize that all watches are some combination of art and engineering, so just because this watch falls heavily on the "pop art" end of the scale, it doesn't make it any less interesting. This is a watch from A Bathing Ape (often just shortened to BAPE) and was purchased via eBay from a seller in Japan. BAPE merchandise is notoriously expensive, and because of this counterfeits are common (especially on eBay, and especially of BAPE G-Shocks.) This one is authentic, although it was still less expensive than many of the BAPE G-Shocks that I've seen. The watches in this collection were released last August and included gray, navy and red varieties. I've always been a fan of camouflage when paired with bright colors, so the red watch was an easy choice. BAPE has had a number of watches in the past labeled "BAPEX" as a play on "Rolex", and they tend to be inspired by the shape of the Rolex Submariner, Explorer, Daytona or other models. They're certainly never up to Rolex quality, but in the case of this watch it would never been mistaken for a fake Rolex as its constructed entirely of clear plastic. I believe this style was initially popularized by ToyWatch, a brand who have seemed to move on to ceramic-look watches recently. The design on the dial of my Bapex is inspired by the BAPE Shark Hoodies from a few years ago. The design of those hoodies seems to be inspired by WWII fighter planes. The "WGM" on the dial stands for "World Gone Mad" which I suppose is one of their many slogans, like "Made by Human" and "Ape Shall Never Kill Ape" (which is actually stamped on the inside links of the bracelet clasp.) The watch isn't a bad size, about 40mm across with 18mm lugs, but any smaller and I would be disappointed. Also, because this was designed for the Japanese market, it just barely fits around my 6.5" wrist, so no sizing or adjusting was necessary. I think it's a unique and great-looking watch and I'm very happy to have it in my collection.

Casio G-Shock X DGK GX56DGK-1

2011-02-10T11:05:00.003-05:00

Today I have my first purple watch. I considered getting a purple G-Shock for a while, but when I saw this 6900 in person I thought it was a little girly. Then I saw this 6900 BAPE collaboration online and thought it might be better, but I was not willing to pay BAPE prices (retail or secondary market) just to have a purple watch. When I first heard about the DGK collaboration I wasn't really excited as I wasn't happy with the previous purple model I saw in person, and with it being limited I envisioned another Dee & Ricky situation, where the $130 watch quickly became a $400 watch. I missed that model at retail and have been kind of kicking my myself about it, so when I saw the GX56DGK-1 in person and actually really liked the purple and rest of the design, I had to buy it (well, 3, actually.) One of them I put on eBay, one I'll keep and one I ended up trading for another limited edition (which I will post after I receive it.) This is actually my third GX56, although I haven't gotten around to posting about the other ones. I think the GX56 is an inspired design. It has a shape that seems to be inspired by the original G-Shock, but increased to giant size (as is the current style.) It's like a classic G-Shock on steroids. It even has a similar display to the 5000/5600, but now instead of being surrounded by printing on the crystal, you can see through to a new shock absorbing structure which looks as tough as I'm sure it is. It supposedly has the same shock-resistance as other G-Shocks (no wild claims have been made, as far as I know) but now that shock absorber is part of the design and on display for the world to see. I wasn't really familiar with DGK and Stevie Williams before, but they seem like a pretty cool company and I do like a number of their designs. The color scheme and DGK branding on the GX56 works well and I think compliments the sort of industrial, gritty design of the watch. Now I see there are a number of new purple-accented G-Shocks being released, including a Frogman, so I have to think DGK was slightly ahead of their time with their color scheme. I think DGK did a great job and I would like to see another collaboration with them in the future.

Pirelli P-Zero Tempo Automatic

2011-02-02T12:51:00.005-05:00

I actually got this watch close to two years ago, just never blogged about it. I've always been into cars, even before I was into watches, and a while ago I had a couple MOMO Design watches, but I found them to be too small so I sold them. Since then I'd always been on the lookout for a watch with ties to the car or motorsports world, so even though I lusted after a TAG Heuer Monaco and had an interest in some of the racier Orient watches I hadn't decided on anything. When I saw the Pirelli automatic on sale I couldn't resist. (I actually bought a Pirelli chronograph just before this watch and will post about it in the future.) It appeared that the current Pirelli watch collection was being closed out around that time, so there were some sales around, including this one and the automatic chronograph. This automatic is very nice: Swiss made, ETA 2836-2 movement, anti-reflective coatings on both sides of the crystal and, of course, the signature Pirelli tire tread strap. All of that generation of Pirelli watches were manufactured by Philip Watch which is a brand owned by Morellato & Sector S.p.a, who also make Sector watches. Quality is as expected in a Swiss made watch, and the various materials and surfaces mate almost seamlessly. The look is certainly sleek and European, but also industrial, and reminiscent of the machined and polished surfaces found inside a car engine. The case is not quite 40mm wide, but it wears a little larger because it is long. The caseback says "titanium and stainless steel", but I'm not sure which parts are which. I suspect most of the case is titanium as the watch is relatively light. The dial is simple and legible and also seems to mimic the dials on auto gauges. There is no shortage of Pirelli branding on the watch. I counted eight logos or text on the watch, including the rather clever touch of engraving "Pirelli" around the crown which allows the crown to be a straight cylinder but still have a surface you can grasp for winding and setting. I'm very happy with my Pirelli watch and I would consider getting another one in the future.

Casio G-Shock X Adult Swim X Aqua Teen Hunger Force DW6900AS-8

2011-01-28T13:45:00.005-05:00

This is my first watch purchase of the new year. I only found out it existed a couple weeks ago, and I'm a big fan of ATHF, so I had to seek it out. Fortunately I found it for a great deal less than the $200 list price, so if you're interested in one I suggest you shop around, be patient and watch eBay. The Casio press release has some good info about the watch, and it looks like the designers were able to produce exactly the watch they imagined. Functionally, it's the same as the rest of the 6900-style G-Shocks (all mine are linked from this post) but it's the design and little details that set this one apart. The pink face (with ATHF logo and understated "NUMBER ONE IN THE HOOD" text at the bottom) stands out against the light grey case and band. Everybody, including Casio, call it "white" or "matte white" but it really is a very light grey. I suppose I should have taken some photos of it against a white background to prove it. My pics seem to make it look white as well. The band is printed with light blue geometric icons representing Master Shake, Meatwad and Frylock and the caseback carries the ATHF logo. The mooninite Ignignokt's face is replicated in the Indiglo backlight. Ignignokt's face is also on the box along with the design from the band, as you can see below. Overall, a really good looking watch with a number of unique details. I'm very happy with it.

WeWOOD DATE beige/brown

2011-01-19T09:49:00.003-05:00

Today I'm wearing my WeWOOD DATE watch for the first time. Not since the Tissot Rockwatch has a watch's material been such a focal point. (Surprisingly, it appears Tissot is manufacturing new Rockwatches although they have no mention of them on the Tissot site.) Unlike the Rockwatch, however, the WeWOOD DATE has an underlying message of conservation and environmental responsibility. Not only is WeWOOD using natural materials in their watches, in some cases wood scraps that would otherwise be industrial waste, but for each watch sold they plant a tree through American Forests. The watch itself has some unique qualities. Because it's made from wood, it's very light and it's actually easy to forget you're wearing it. You would want to remember before swimming or otherwise exposing it to water though. WeWOOD claims its watches are "splash-proof", but they carry no official water resistance rating, and they also caution that the wood can swell when exposed to water (although it should return to normal size when dried.) I would err on the side of caution and just not get it wet. The various woodgrains give it a unique look and feel, and no two watches are exactly alike. It also has a nice warmth that you don't find in watches made from more traditional materials. While the watch is made in China, it does contain a Miyota quartz movement that seems to be very accurate. I have no doubt that it should provide many years of worry-free timekeeping. The bracelet has six links that are removable and is easily resizeable using a small screwdriver. It should fit all but the very largest of wrists. The case is close to 40mm wide and the bracelet is about 25mm wide and untapered with a stainless steel clasp. While it's smaller than many of my watches it's a good size and should get noticed. I find this particular color combination to be very attractive, with the various wood grains providing a nice contrast. I'm also interested in the CRONO model, especially in ebony wood, although it probably has the least obvious grain pattern of the woods they use. My only complaints about the watch are the lack of a rotating bezel and the flat, uncoated crystal. The bezel looks like it should move, with a serrated pattern around the edge and minute markings, but it is definitely fixed. I suppose I wouldn't mind if it was smooth or otherwise didn't look like it should work. A domed or coated crystal would not only cut down on reflections and make the dial more legible, but would also give the watch a little more upscale look. I also find it a bit puzzling or amusing that this model is called DATE yet doesn't have one. These are minor quibbles, however, and I'm very happy with the watch overall. WeWOOD's message is certainly one everybody can get behind, and I think they have a style and color combination of watch suitable for everybody as well.

Casio G-Shock GA-100-1A1DR "Velocity Indicator"

2011-01-11T14:12:00.006-05:00

Here is one of a handful of new G-Shocks I got for Christmas. It's a fairly new model which debuted about a year ago. Casio says the design was inspired by the DW-5900 and GW-500, but I can also see a lot of recent Frogman in it. The size is very close to a Frogman, in both width and thickness. It also seems to share the case and external dimensions with the GA-110 series and the forthcoming GD-100 series. It seems that these watches should appeal to the same buyer as the Frogmen, but at a much lower price point than the new Frogmen. I've also found in the last year or so that G-Shock popularity has grown, G-Shock retailers have become more exclusive (no more G-Shocks at JCPenney as far as I know, now they're at Macy's) and many of the steep discounts that used to be available have all but disappeared. But I digress. Back to this watch, the design is a bit of a contradiction: the "stealthed" bezel and matte black dial tend to disguise the fact that it is quite busy, and are also offset by the bright white hands. I didn't even know until reading the manual yesterday (while trying to set it for the first time) that this watch has a 1/1000 second stopwatch as well as a speed measurement from 0 to 1998 kph. The speed measurement is rather clever, you set a distance that you wish to measure, and then, using the stopwatch, start and stop the timing. Speed is displayed using the three upper dials as well as the lower left display if the speed exceeds 1226 kph, which is Mach 1. As you can also see in the last picture below, the dial illumination is provided by a single yellow LED. That, combined with the inverted LCDs makes the digital displays a bit difficult to read in low light, but the analog hands are always quite legible. Overall, I really like the watch for its combination of size and functionality as well as originality.

Hamilton Mechanical Officer

2011-01-04T11:39:00.004-05:00

Let's start the year off BIG. 44mm to be exact, but it seems even bigger thanks to the dial that stretches to the edges of the case, big numbers and oversized crown. It's my Hamilton Mechanical Officer H69619533, part of the Khaki Field collection. This one is not self-winding, and uses the ETA (née Unitas) 6497 with an approximately 40-hour power reserve. A unique twist is instead of a full display back, this has only a small porthole over the balance which adds to the industrial look of the caseback. The dial is dominated by the oversized 12 and 6 and small seconds at 9. The little dash of red on the seconds dial does keep the dial from looking a bit drab. The strap is heavy with two rows of holes for the double buckle, a functional touch on such a wide strap. Most of these I've seen have been sold with a large "Bund"-style pad behind the watch, but when I found this one on sale (and most I've seen for sale lately) they omit the pad. Looks like it's probably just a change in the model since it's shown sans pad on Hamilton's site as well. On such a large watch it seems like overkill anyway, I prefer Bund straps on smaller watches that need some bulking up. Shortly after I bought this I also found the matching bracelet on eBay, so after a bit of hemming and hawing, I picked it up (seen here on the Officer Auto Chrono.)

My watch buying has slowed down considerably in the last couple of years, but I still have a number of new ones that I will feature here. As I'm sure many of you have noticed, prices for even lower-end Swiss timepieces (not cheap per se, but the more reasonable offerings from Hamilton, Victorinox and various others) have in many cases doubled in the past few years. I still keep an eye out for good deals when I can, but I find it hard to spend $500-600 on a watch that three years ago could be bought easily for $250. The thought crosses my mind occasionally to thin out my collection, especially since I could sell most of my watches for more than I paid for them, but if I wanted to replace them with something equivalent it will cost more as well. For now I think I'll hold onto them.

I hope everybody had enjoyable holidays and I look forward to bringing more watches to the blog on a regular (if not daily) basis. Happy New Year!

New Posts, New Watches, Coming Soon....

2010-11-20T21:04:00.002-05:00

I won't promise anything before the end of the year, but I definitely have lots of watches that I haven't featured here (although not as many as in years past.) Keep visiting and you'll be sure to see them. Thanks.

Casio G-Shock G-5500R-1DR Rastafarian

2009-01-02T14:23:00.005-05:00

Remember last year (Wednesday) when I said "I have two other 5500s"? Yeah, that was sort of a lie. Well, not a lie so much as an error of omission. I guess for the purposes of blog continuity I only had two other 5500s at that point, but I actually already had today's 5500 as well. I got it for Christmas like the last two, but this one I bought myself. When my wife told me she wanted to get me the other two (yes, she told me in advance to make sure I liked them and hadn't already ordered them myself) I decided to order a couple other G-Shocks I had been wanting from the same overseas merchant. This 5500 is part of the latest Rastafarian series, just like my DW-6900R-7. I think the 5500 is the least unique of the three as from the front it looks virtually identical to the Dawn Black 5500 (the Dawn Black even has gold-tone screws which this one does not.) The few nice touches on this one do make it worth having, especially if you really like the other two watches in this Rastafarian series, which I do. The tri-color nylon keepers are shared by all three models, as is the Lion of Judah in the backlight (although it's not as bright as on the non-solar versions.) This one also has gold printing on the bezel and band unlike the mix of white and gold on the Dawn Black. Overall, it's a subtle but nice special edition of the increasingly popular 5500. Happy New Year!

Casio G-Shock G-5500C-3

2008-12-30T14:00:00.007-05:00

Like yesterday's watch, my wife bought me this G-Shock for Christmas, but the similarities don't stop there. It's another one that I'd been considering for a while but didn't pull the trigger. It's not a limited edition, but it's not very common either, although this one can be found at substantial discounts over its $120 MSRP. Most unique about this model is the green display to match the green case, band and band printing. There's also an all red version with a red LCD. The full Vivid Colors Series also includes a white model but it has what appears to be a pretty standard LCD so it's the odd man out. I'm a fan of the 5500 design (I have two other 5500s) and I would definitely like to add the red and white models to my collection.

Casio G-Shock DW-5600LC-4

2008-12-29T11:18:00.007-05:00

I hope you had a Merry Christmas or other winter holiday of your choosing. Today I'm wearing one of my Christmas presents from my wife, a Casio G-Shock DW-5600LC-4. This is a model that I've admired for quite some time. It was released in the spring of 2007 and was one of three colors in the "Summer Gradation" series. I was drawn to the orange color, but the standard module and lack of any other special features made me hold off buying it. It also had a relatively high price compared to other similar models. I was very happy to receive it as a gift as it was definitely something I wanted but was hesitant to purchase myself. It's my only orange G-Shock currently, but I hope to get some of the Men in Rescue Orange models (or the equivalent U.S. versions) in the future.

Just A Quick Update...

2008-12-19T14:54:00.003-05:00

I didn't realize it until I read the date on the post below, but I've been wearing my Speedmaster for a solid month. It is keeping incredible time, gaining less than a second a day on average. The size and legibility make it very easy to wear on a regular basis, and the style has been appropriate for everything from my casual daily attire to semi-formal Christmas parties. I have a feeling I'll be getting a few watches as Christmas gifts (and even if I don't I have my eye on a few anyway) so I'll have some new stuff to post in the near future. Have a Merry Christmas!

Omega Speedmaster Professional Chronograph 3573.50.00

2008-11-20T09:25:00.004-05:00

Well, I finally broke down and got another Omega. It's been a little over two years since I got my first one, a Seamaster Planet Ocean. I've always been a fan of the Speedmaster, not only for its connection to the NASA space program, but also its connection to motorsports. I've been seriously looking at Speedmaster Professionals for a number of months, trying to decide whether to get vintage or new, and if new, then which one? The 3570.50.00 is the model most like the vintage ones and those worn on the moon, with a Hesalite (acrylic) crystal and solid steel caseback. The 3573.50.00 is virtually identical to the other one but features a sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating, a sapphire exhibition caseback to view the movement, and a movement that is very slightly modified to look better (a small plastic piece is replaced with a metal one.) Ideally, I would have bought a vintage piece, probably from the late 1960s. Unfortunately, prices for excellent vintage pieces are high, and while eBay has lots of vintage Speedmasters, it's difficult to find one that is authentic, original and in good working condition without spending more than a new one. I was actually leaning towards the more "authentic" Hesalite-equipped model (what Omega refers to as the Original Moon Watch), probably because I saw it as being something closer to the vintage models I wanted, but then I realized I really wanted to see the movement and that I would probably also get a vintage one someday, and none of those have exhibition casebacks. Like my Planet Ocean, it took an excellent deal from a reputable online retailer (the same one I got my Planet Ocean from, in fact) to push me over the edge. It also happened that they had the sapphire-equipped model for less than I had planned on paying for the Hesalite-equipped model. So, I got the watch and it's fantastic. For some reason I expected the sapphire crystal to be shaped differently than the Hesalite one, but it's virtually identical. I'm also very happy with the exhibition caseback since unlike my other automatic chronographs there is no winding rotor to block the view, and I could probably spend hours just watching everything move, engage and disengage as the chronograph is started, stopped and reset. I was a little afraid that I would be disappointed with the size. If you've looked at my other watches you've seen I'm a fan of large watches, but while my Speedy Pro is smaller than my Planet Ocean (42mm vs 44.5mm diameters) it certainly does not feel small. "Sleek" might be a better word. Once again, the lack of automatic winding works well here as it is much thinner than any of my automatic chronographs. It lives up to all my expectations and I don't have any complaints.

Casio G-Shock DW-5000SL Spike Lee

2008-11-06T10:41:00.003-05:00

I wore this one Monday but didn't get around to posting it until today. This is my newest watch, a Casio G-Shock DW-5000SL. The "SL" is for Spike Lee and this is his "signature" watch. It is the latest watch to commemorate G-Shock's 25th anniversary. You can see it is very similar to the 20th Anniversary DW-5000SP and the 25th Anniversary DW-5025SP-1JF. This Spike Lee differs from those as it has "Water Resist 20 Bar" on the dial instead of "Project Team Tough", has the "40 Acres and a Mule" logo in the backlight (Spike Lee's production company) and has Spike Lee's signature engraved on the screw-down caseback. It also came in a unique package, with a red, black and green tin with the logo and a box with maps of Brooklyn. I'm a fan of Spike Lee's films for the most part (and a huge fan of Do The Right Thing) and I'm glad to have this watch. I'm not sure how limited it will be (if at all) but considering the very similar DW-5025SP-1JF is very limited and very expensive (easily $400 or more) I'd encourange anybody who likes this classic G-Shock model to pick one up, even if they're not big fans of Spike Lee.

Seiko SKX779 "Black Monster" on Di-Modell Chronissimo Strap

2008-10-29T15:23:00.006-04:00

You might recall a fairly recent post where I showed off my new Black Monster. I finally broke down and got one because it was pretty cheap, but was only available on the rubber strap. The strap is ok, but I started thinking it would be nice to get the factory bracelet for it (which I have on my Orange Monster.) Well, if you glanced at the photos here, I obviously didn't. I decided something a little more original was in order. This is a Di-Modell Chronissimo strap, 20mm at the lugs, and it is the "short" version. All I can say is if this is the short one, you' have to have wrists bigger that my ankles to need the "long" version. My wrist is about 6 3/4" and I have this strap on the second-to-smallest hole. The nice thing about this strap is while it's 20mm where it attaches to the lugs the total width of the strap is closer to 24mm. It does taper from the lugs to the ends, but has a wide buckle and an extra leather "flap" behind the buckle that keeps everything looking suitably bulky. This strap is a good match for the Monsters because it is a very chunky watch with lugs that are perhaps a bit too narrow. If you've ever seen a Monster on a NATO or regular leather strap (where the lug width is the widest portion of the strap) you know what I mean. Even the standard bracelet and rubber strap are wider than the lugs on the Monster. I can imagine this strap being too much on many 20mm-lugged watches, but on the Black Monster I think it looks fantastic.

Casio G-Shock DW-5600EH-7 Eric Haze

2008-10-24T12:54:00.004-04:00

Today I'm wearing a new watch, a Casio G-Shock DW-5600EH-7. This is a brand new model designed by artist Eric Haze. He has had two G-Shock collaborations in the past and also designed the "G-Shock 25th Anniversary" logo. As you can see this watch is relatively simple and very clean. It's a classic 5600 in all white with a red and silver "racing stripe" on the face. It also has red and black "HAZE" tags on the strap and the same tag in the EL backlight. I think it's a very unique, sporty design and I enjoyed wearing it today. I don't know how limited these will be, but they seem to be available on eBay right now at a good discount off their $130 list price. $130 is a bit steep if you ask me, but for less than $100 I think it's a decent deal for fans of G-Shocks, graffiti or streetwear.

Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Automatic Diver 2200.50.00

2008-10-21T18:56:00.006-04:00

I won't bore you by repeating info that can be found elsewhere. I don't know why I was drawn to this watch exactly. It was certainly my first watch that I consider to be very expensive. It was in fall of 2004 that my girlfriend (now my wife) bought me my first new Hamilton that I mark as the beginning of my serious interest in watches. In the following year I amassed a handful of watches: more Hamiltons, Seikos, Orients, etc. But I recall seeing photos of the new-for-2005 Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean and I immediately wanted one. I had liked the previous Seamasters, and I've always been a James Bond fan so I was definitely aware of them. I think the Planet Ocean represented a fresh, modern design but still incorporated classic elements from Omega's history, like from the Seamaster 300 and Broad Arrow Speedmaster. So, I realized I wanted one but the price - oh, the price! - every car I had owned before 2004 had cost less than the list price of the Planet Ocean. Of course, those nine cars combined also cost less than the car I bought in 2004, but I digress. Fortunately, discounts can be found on Omega watches, especially if you're willing to travel to the Caribbean or order over the internet. By the time I went on my second trip to the Caribbean in September 2005 I was prepared to purchase a Planet Ocean if the price was right. Unfortunately, even with a good deal of haggling, the best price I could find was several hundred more than I wanted to pay. It was close, but I certainly did not have to purchase the watch right away, so I came home from vacation with no new Omega, nor any other watches. (I also recall on that trip seeing a Seamaster Railmaster XXL Chronometer on display and being very drawn to that as well. It's very attractive and I think I would very much like to have one someday.) Fortunately, my waiting paid off as a major internet retailer had a sale a few weeks later that took a large percentage off their already discounted prices and I jumped on the offer without hesitation. I wore my new Planet Ocean for a couple months after I received before I felt like I was really tempting fate wearing such an expensive watch on a daily basis. I put it in my watch case and wore it from time to time, especially on special occasions, if suitable. Now, with this blog project, I haven't worn my Omega since before I began, which was March 3rd of this year. Putting it on today it was no less impressive than the first time I wore it. It's a fantastic watch and while I think I might find similar (either in price, style or "prestige") watches in my collection someday, I don't know that my fondness for my Planet Ocean will ever diminish.

On that note, I must say my little "project" or "experiment" here is due to change. I have run out of watches (although I do have one incoming, which I'm sure you don't find surprising.) So, moving forward, I'm not sure if I will be posting daily, nor do I think I will always be posting pictures and articles of my own watches. I think you'll probably see any of my new watches photographed and profiled here, and I will also take photos and do some quick write-ups of watches I have worn before but have either been modified or fitted with different straps for different looks. To everybody who has read my blog I thank you, whether you started at the beginning or jumped in mid-stream. If you haven't read everything, please feel free to go back and read the old posts to see what you missed. Thanks again.

Timex Helix T_S

2008-10-20T11:58:00.004-04:00

Today I'm wearing my most "beaterific" watch, my Timex Helix T_S. While yesterday's main feature was the analog/digital display, today's is the thermometer. I suppose the "T" in the name stands for "thermometer" and perhaps the "S" stands for sport. The temperature is constantly displayed by a bar at the top and can also be selected to display numerically instead of the date. It's similar in design to yesterday's Helix, with this one always reminding me of a space alien in a futuristic gas mask. This is the other watch I wear when I probably shouldn't be wearing a watch at all. Most of the signs of abuse you see on this one came from landscaping, carpentry and deck staining. Takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'. Not bad for a truly cheap watch.

Timex Helix A/D Anadigi

2008-10-17T13:16:00.004-04:00

Today I'm wearing one of my remaining Timex Helix watches. I originally bought four of these (two styles and two colors of each style) but I think I gave one away and one other has a broken strap. A replacement strap might be impossible to find, and if I do it will probably cost as much as I paid for the watch originally. So I'm left with this watch and another Helix that you'll see next week. I was definitely drawn to the outer-space looks of this one, as well as the closeout price (something like $10.) Upon further inspection it has some pretty neat features, like rotating pushbutton crowns for selecting functions ans setting the time. Even the digital time is set in a conventional manner: you pull out the crown and rotate to change the date or time depending on what mode you are in. These see quite a bit of use doing things I wouldn't even subject a G-Shock to, like painting or staining or very muddy or dirty home and garden tasks. It's probably why one of the straps broke so quickly and definitely why this one has scuffs, scratches and paint all over it. Fortunately it take a common watch cell which it has embossed on the outside of the caseback. If only some of the manufacturers of my other quartz watches were so considerate, I'd probably have another dozen running watches right now.

Vostok Amphibia

2008-10-16T21:51:00.003-04:00

I just got this Vostok Amphibia yesterday. It's my second Vostok in my current collection, although I did have another non military-style watch that I sold because I couldn't warm up to it. This one is interesting to me for a number of reasons. First, unlike a majority of Vostoks, it's an automatic. Second, it's a different model than my other Vostok, but still made originally for the military (in this case, for divers) and shares the same DNA as the Komandirskie. Finally, I bought this particular version of the Amphibia because it is the same watch worn by Bill Murray in the film The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. It's a very solidly built watch and feels very similar to the Komandirskie, although thicker and heavier, partially due to the increased size of the automatic movement. It came with the bracelet you see in the photographs, and it is the worst bracelet ever. Feel free to look through my blog at every other watch on a bracelet and know that this is by far the worst. It is almost impossible to remove the so-called "removable" link pins without mangling the link or pin or both. Fortunately the bracelet is made of such terrible quality metal that straightening the link or "sort of" straightening a pin is pretty easy with only pressure from some fingers or pliers. To make a long story short, I managed to remove a link from each side and get it back together, and a couple hours after I took the photos you see here I swapped the bracelet for a leather strap. It is infinitely better (I don't need to tell you about the strap, any strap would be infinitely better) and I will never use that bracelet again. I was very tempted to throw it away, but the collector in me stopped that idea in its tracks. I also have on order an 18mm rubber diver's strap (similar to what Steve Zissou wore) and will switch it to that when it arrives.

Fossil Quartz

2008-10-15T10:22:00.004-04:00

Today I'm wearing this Fossil. My only Fossil, now that I think about it. I've certainly seen others that I've liked over the years, but not enough to buy one. I got this as a Christmas gift from my parents in either 1991 or 1992. If I recall correctly, it came on a combination leather and fabric strap similar to these. The original strap deteriorated after wearing it for many years and I recently replaced it with this crocodile grain leather strap that matches the dial very well. The case originally had a antiqued finish but it too deteriorated over time (the finish, not the case.) I cleaned it up a few years back and got a nice shine out of the brass, but since then it has picked up a bit of a patina. It's still quite attractive, in my opinion. I probably don't need to explain why it's not running, right? It will, and I will find the right cell for it, but who knows when. Regardless, enjoy the pics, including those of the unique original packaging at the bottom of the page.

Bulova Quartz

2008-10-14T14:29:00.004-04:00

Today I'm wearing this Bulova quartz from 1980. It's another of my quartz watches that I don't currently have a power cell for. Wouldn't it be nice if there were, say, 5 sizes of watch power cells? In reality, there are probably 50 or more sizes. So while I have a large selection, and I try to buy extras whenever I replace any, there are some sizes that I simply don't have. I did manage to find a cell that almost fit, and the watch started and ran, but it was too tall to get the back on. Knowing that the watch works, I'm inclined to find the right cell size since I think it's pretty good looking. For some reason I don't see too many watches with gold (-plated) cases and gold (-tone) faces, but it's a nice look. It's on a genuine water buffalo strap which is also nice, but maybe a little too rustic for a dressier watch like this.

Guess Dual Time Quartz

2008-10-10T15:51:00.004-04:00

Today I'm wearing another Guess, this time with dual dials and movements. They can be set independently so it would be a good watch for traveling across time zones. I believe I've seen some vintage watches like this, and you can still buy the Hamilton American Traveler which is a similar design. I didn't take a good photo of the band, but it's a vintage-style mesh band with an adjustable foldover clasp. Not bad looking for a cheap quartz watch. I should probably get some batteries for it.

Casio G-Shock DW-6925E-7 Glorious Gold

2008-10-09T15:17:00.005-04:00

Today I'm wearing my other new watch, the 6900 from the Glorious Gold collection. It's very similar to all my other 6900 G-Shock models, but has the 25th Anniversary caseback and the Glorious Gold color scheme. It's very nice and I'm becoming a really big fan of the 6900. Casio puts out some really nice versions of the 6900, and teh base watch itself has a lot going for it: it's big and chunky without being "oversized", it has a large, legible dial, and it has easy-to-use EL button and bright backlight (because it's battery-powered, not solar.) I suppose Casio could come out with an atomic solar version of the 6900, but I still think these stylish, practical originals would have a place in the collections and on the wrists of most G-Shock fans.

Casio G-Shock DW-5725B-7JF Rising White

2008-10-08T15:18:00.006-04:00

As you might have already guessed, I got a new watch (a couple, actually) and couldn't wait to wear it. It's yet another 25th Anniversary G-Shock, this time part of the Rising White series. I have two versions of the DW-5025B from this collection. Today's watch is also very similar to my yellow 5700 as well as my old 5400. Not much else to say, it's good looking, nice and heavy due to the steel case and screwback, but legibility suffers for the sake of style with the dark reverse LCD.

Guess Quartz

2008-10-07T14:03:00.003-04:00

Today I'm wearing another Guess watch (I promise to wear something other than a Guess watch tomorrow) this time in a very conventional, even classic, style. It's a "6-eater", meaning the seconds dial covers where the 6 would normally be. I had every intention of putting a new power cell in this one, but after opening it up this morning I realized I didn't have the proper size, only larger or smaller. Did I mention before that my biggest complaint about non-solar electric-powered watches is their batteries die when you keep them in storage too long? That's almost enough reason for me to swear off those watches entirely, although I do have some that I like very much, not to mention a number of non-solar G-Shocks. This one is simple and good looking and the more I look at it the more I'd like to get something similar with a mechanical (handwind or automatic) movement. The leather strap on this one also looks good, but isn't the greatest quality; the leather on the fixed keeper started peeling off of its paper substrate so I amputated the whole thing. The remaining keeper works fine.

Guess Quartz Chronograph

2008-10-06T12:00:00.004-04:00

Today I'm wearing another Guess watch. I probably should have taken the time to fit a new power cell to it, but I'm confident it would work if I did. I've never worn this before, but I can't really say why. It could be the mix of stainless steel and gold, a combination that I've only recently warmed up to. I think it's reasonably attractive and more than a little Breitling-ish. It has a Japanese quartz movement so it is probably pretty reliable. The bezel does turn (one-way, no less) but there's no indication of water resistance anywhere on the watch, so it's far from being diver-spec.

Guess Athletic Quartz

2008-10-03T20:33:00.004-04:00

Today I'm wearing my Guess Athletic quartz watch. I picked up a number of these close to ten years ago at a discount store. These were the same watches that would have been $60 or so in a department store at the time, but I got them for much less. Obviously, this was before I was serious about watch collecting, but I still enjoyed wearing this quite a bit. It's very similar to a G-Shock in it's construction. It has a metal case with a protective resin covering and a screw-in caseback. It also has an Indiglo EL backlight which illuminates when the button at 8 o'clock is pushed. The crystal is domed which makes the dial look distorted from some angles but reduces reflections when you view it directly. I think the case, dial and hands are all pretty good looking, and the whole thing is comfortable to wear. As far as cheap "fashion watches" go this one could be a lot worse.

Gruen Quartz Chronograph

2008-10-02T22:11:00.004-04:00

Can you tell I'm getting to the bottom of the barrel? (No pun intended for the true watch geeks out there.) Today I'm wearing this Gruen chronograph that I picked up sometime in the past ten years but I've never worn. Not a bad looking watch, and it has a Japanese movement, so when I popped a new power cell in it started working perfectly and has been keeping excellent time. It's also unlike most of my chronographs as the big red seconds hand is not the chronograph hand, it's the regular seconds hand. It also has a 1/10 second hand which is fun to watch since it makes one revolution every second when the chronograph is running. But there ends the good stuff. It feels much cheaper than it looks in the photographs. Cheap all around, from the folded-link hair-pulling bracelet to the fixed bezel and snap-on caseback. I was thinking I should get rid of this one soon, but I wondered "Who would want it?" Then I remembered eBay.

Vintage Mallard Quartz

2008-10-01T22:13:00.003-04:00

Would you look at that? Another Mallard. Of course this one is quartz and probably from the early 1980s. It's actually not that bad looking, and I'm not usually a big fan of two-tone watches, but the stainless case here along with the gold accents and subtly linen-textured dial works pretty well. Not to say it literally works as I haven't gotten around to putting a battery in it. Not sure if I expect it to work or not, probably leaning towards not. I'm sure when it was new it kept better time than most of my mechanical watches, but my dislike of quartz watches is anything but a rational one.

Vintage Caravelle Electric

2008-09-30T21:32:00.005-04:00

Today was another in a long series of long days, so I'll make this brief. Today I'm wearing my vintage Caravelle electric. Caravelle was a budget Bulova brand and used the same caseback markings to indicate year, so this "N5" watch is from 1975. It's also definitely not running at the moment. It probably doesn't have a battery, and I haven't had a chance to try, but I'd wager even with a battery it won't run. These non-quartz "transistorized" electric watches seem to be victims of their own complexity and I've seen many that don't work. I believe also that many traditional watchmakers are not adept at repairing electric watches, although a few do specialize in them. It's not bad looking, kind of chunky with internal facets around the edge of the crystal to add some visual interest to the dial. Unfortunately, even in mint condition and working properly this simply wouldn't be worth much so I doubt I will go to much trouble getting this cleaned up running again.

Waltham Model 1894 Pocket Watch

2008-09-29T20:05:00.004-04:00

Today I have my other pocket watch, a Waltham Model 1894. Based on the serial number this one was made in 1932 or 1933. This was originally owned by my great-uncle and was another watch given to me by my grandfather. Unfortunately, like Friday's watch, this one has stopped working sometime in the last 15-20 years. The gold-filled case is still attractive, as is the dial (which could use a cleaning) but it will need servicing before it keeps time again. This watch has a 12s movement which is considerably smaller than Friday's 18s. It's another nice pocket watch with some family history, and it probably deserves to be made functional again.

Waltham Model 1892 Pocket Watch

2008-09-26T09:18:00.007-04:00

Today I have my Waltham Model 1892 pocket watch. This came from my grandfather who I think got it from his father, although it may have originally been owned by an uncle. I believe the original owner worked on a railroad, hence the very basic appearance of this watch. I believe the case material is called Silveroid, which is a mix "of 45% nickel, 54% copper and 1% manganese." I'm also under the assumption the dial is porcelain over metal. There's a small chip at the edge that reveals the layers, but otherwise the dial is in very good condition. The serial number dates this to 1907 or 1908, and as far as I know the leather lanyard is just as old. I actually carried this around and used it for a while when I was in high school (around 17 years ago) but I realized recently that it is no longer working. I will probably take it to my watchmaker to service soon. I've always been amazed at the decoration on the movement in this watch compared to the very plain exterior. I don't know much about pocket watches, far less than I know about wristwatches, so this site was very helpful. The movement on this is marked "Appleton, Tracy & Co." but I'm still unsure what that means, or who Appleton, Tracy & Co. were. This watch is very interesting to me as a piece of American history as well as a family heirloom.

Raketa Calendar

2008-09-25T18:27:00.003-04:00

Today I'm wearing my only other Russian watch, a Raketa calendar watch. Raketa is the accepted western-style spelling of "Paketa" as seen on the dial. I've actually seen it on dials spelled either way, with Raketa being used for export models. I bought this in the late 80s or very early 90s at my local Macy's. I remember being drawn to its complicated dial and large size (40mm) and also that it was from the USSR (as this was made prior to its dissolution.) I believe their initial price was $100, but they apparently didn't sell very well and I got it for much less. It came in a nice bright red cardboard box with "Paketa" embossed in gold, very Soviet-looking to a westerner, but I've never seen a Raketa in similar packaging since, so I'm almost positive it was just for the export market. I wore this watch for many years in conditions that I probably should not have, like high humidity. It has no seals to speak of and while the movement still operates well, I can see some corrosion on the crowns and case, and I'm sure it's prematurely in need of a good cleaning and lubrication. I don't wear this much anymore, and I apologize for the rather unbecoming strap it's attached to right now. I haven't had a strap on it in a while and that is the least offensive 18mm strap I own right now. I believe it was on a heavy black leather strap initially, but that wore out long ago. I might try notching a 20mm or 22mm strap to fit the covered lugs as I think 18mm is too narrow for this large a watch. Here's a review or a similar model to explain how the calendar works (mine only goes up to 2000.) I think the dial on mine is much more attractive, and I think the color scheme makes it look like a medical instrument of some sort. Here are some interesting Raketa links including some older speculation about the legitimacy of recent new-looking Raketas bearing the "CCCP" markings. I actually bought a more recent Raketa a couple years back (it was one of their 24-hour models, apparently quite popular in Russia) but it didn't interest me like this one did so I sold it. I don't think I'll ever sell this one as it's a reminder of my earlier days of watch interest before I knew I'd ever become a collector.

Hamilton "Men In Black II" Digital

2008-09-24T13:59:00.004-04:00

Today I'm wearing my Hamilton Men in Black II watch. Like my recent Hamilton Chronograph this one is brand new and I'm only wearing it for the photos, although I'm not looking to sell this one anytime soon. While it was a limited edition released in 2002 along with the movie, I didn't buy mine until 2006. I bought it for a few reasons. First, as I have mentioned before, I've always been a fan of Hamilton watches. And this watch is very similar to Hamilton's second digital watch, the Pulsar P2 (the P1 was the world's first digital watch, but didn't work as well nor look as good as the P2.) Second, I'm a fan of movies, and I like both "Men in Black" movies. While I probably like the first one more than the second, I don't believe Hamilton had special watches available for the original even though the Ventura models were featured in the film. And finally, I bought this because four years after its release, those that were left languishing on dealer's shelves were being sold for a fraction of what they cost originally, so it was too good of a deal to pass up. I'm very glad I did buy one, because until I held it in my hands I didn't realize how solid it was. The case and band quality are as good as any Hamilton watch, and looking at it from the back you'd never guess that it houses only a simple digital module. This watch is certainly all about the style and reproducing the futuristic look of the vintage Pulsar. It pulls this off with ease and really shows what a timeless design this is. While I have had a couple occasions where I would have liked to wear this, I think I prefer to keep it new with the band unsized on the off chance it has some collector value someday.

Vintage Elgin 21 Jewels

2008-09-23T17:48:00.003-04:00

Today I'm wearing this vintage Elgin 21 jewel handwind watch. I couldn't find a reference for the serial number on the movement, but I would estimate this to be from the 1940s or 1950s. The movement looks good, but it's not running well right now. Also the crystal tend to pop out so I've been very careful with it. This is my first Elgin on the blog but I believe I have some more, possibly just pocket watches. Elgin was an immensely popular watch brand so their vintage watches are still very plentiful today. For some reason I can't find as much information on the Elgin 599 movement as for some others I own, but I did notice it shows up in quite a few Lord Elgin models (a more upmarket line) so it is possible it's one of Elgin's better movements. It's a little plain and has a fairly common design for the time, but the dial is actually quite nice with its fancy applied numerals, and the hands, while plain, are in good condition. A nice watch that is probably deserving of a good servicing and a nice leather strap.

Mondaine Classic Swiss Railway Eco Quartz

2008-09-22T19:27:00.003-04:00

Today I'm wearing my Mondaine Swiss Railway watch model 94122. The design is the same as the railway clocks found throughout Switzerland which were designed by Hans Hilfiker in the 1940s. The design is trademarked, and in 1986 Mondaine got (or bought, I suppose) the rights to use the design on wristwatches. It lends itself very well to a watch dial as it is extremely legible. I also find it very attractive, and it's interesting to note that while I've seen many clocks with a very similar design to this one, none but the Swiss railway clocks (or licensed versions) have this exact design. The watch is mid-sized at 33mm with a chrome-plated case made from recycled brass. The "recycle" logo is displayed on the crown. It uses a ETA quartz movement which would keep very good time if the battery wasn't dead. The strap is leather and very comfortable, with a nice design that is neither too dressy nor overly bulky. Overall a very nice watch that sees very little wrist time. Being quartz is part of the problem, the smallish size is another. Mondaine does make a newer automatic version of this watch in a 40mm size which I will have to keep an eye out for.

Hamilton Lloyd Automatic

2008-09-19T18:11:00.002-04:00

Today I'm wearing my Hamilton Lloyd automatic. This is another of my seldom-worn dress watches, mainly because I get dressed up only rarely. It actually works as a casual watch as well since it has a funky look to it and is a decent size. Because it's square and has relatively long lugs, it wears bigger than the 36mm width would imply. The dial and crystal are really stunning. The engraved pattern of repeating vertical lines on the dial make it change color (depending on the light and viewing angle) from black to silver and various levels of gray in between. The applied silver-tone numerals are very attractive, as are the heavily domed sapphire crystal and heavy stainless case. I've heard some people describe this watch as having "screws" on the bezel, but the details on the corners are actually just machined indentations, perhaps to mimic the look of screws or diamonds/gemstones. I find the whole package very attractive and I will make an effort to wear it more often (either on non-workdays or once I run out of watches for this blog, of course.) I believe this watch is no longer in production, as Hamilton currently only lists the quartz Lloyd chronograph on their site. The Lloyd automatic is still available from many retailers, so if you like it and see one available you might want to buy it while you have the chance.

Hamilton Viewmatic

2008-09-18T19:54:00.004-04:00

Today I'm wearing one of my older "modern" Hamiltons, a Viewmatic most likely from the late 1990s. I'm not sure of the specific name nor model number of this watch, but it looks very similar to a Linwood. The Viewmatic name comes from the "view" (or exhibition) caseback and the fact that it's automatic. One of the reasons I picked this one up (other than it being relatively cheap, a Hamilton, and me being in need of a dress watch) was that it came on a very nice maroon crocodile strap with a gold-tone Hamilton deployant. Of course, that was before I realized that any time I'm dressed up enough to wear this watch I'm typically wearing black, gray or blue, I don't even own a pair of brown or maroon dress shoes. So the very nice crocodile strap stays in storage with my other extra straps, and I wear this one (very infrequently I might add) on a rather plain black leather strap. The basic black actually works well on this watch as it matches the black hands, which I actually find a bit heavy most of the time and would probably prefer gold-tone hands. The black strap tends to make the hands look a bit less out of place. It is Swiss made and houses an ETA cal. 2824-2 in its 37mm case. It's an attractive watch but doesn't draw attention to itself. An excellent alternative to quartz dress watches for low-key dressy occasions, but I'm sure for many it would also make an excellent everyday watch.

Vostok Komandirskie Paratrooper

2008-09-17T12:33:00.008-04:00

Today I'm wearing my Vostok Komandirskie (Commander's) watch. These were designed originally for the Soviet military. This is the paratrooper version, hence the planes and parachute on the dial. If you're not familiar with Vostok, here's some good information. I've found that many watch collectors, even if they're not "into" Russian watches, have had one or more Vostoks (or Raketas, the other popular Russian brand.) I bought this one close to 20 years ago, when the USSR still existed. Even so, it's obvious this watch was made for export from its "Made in USSR" engraving on the back. This was definitely my first watch to have a screw-down crown. I don't recall what color strap this originally came on, but I believe it was brown leather. It's long gone so I fitted a red leather strap which coordinates well with the red dial and bezel details. This used to have a more green or teal dial, but it has faded over the years to this brown, olive drab-ish color. It's a neat watch and has held up over time pretty well. The stainless case is much more durable than the chrome plated brass cases of some other Russian watches. Similar watches are still available and can be found with many different dial designs. It's nice to see an item that has been in production since 1965, through the Cold War, Glasnost and the fall of the Soviet Union, and is still being made today.

Luminox 3005 Diver

2008-09-16T15:37:00.002-04:00

Today I wore my Luminox 3005. Specifically, I put it on to take the wrist shot below then put it back in its case. But it was the only watch I had on my wrist today. It's the stock version of my "Super Stealth" Luminox. I specifically bought more than one of these so I could modify some and keep some stock, but since I have enough other yellow watches I've never worn this one. Everything about this one is the same as the one linked above, except the dial. It's Swiss made, has a Ronda quartz movement, 43mm carbon reinforced resin case, one-way rotating bezel, resin strap, stainless back, 200m water resistance and tritium illumination. I actually just noticed that the current 3005 has a yellow chapter ring instead of the black, so this would be a much better model to start with if you wanted to add a MKII dial. I guess some people like the "Navy Seals" text on the dial and some don't, it never bothered me. The "night" photo below was taken with my usual point-and-shoot camera at my office today. Not bad for having very poor light control and no tripod. The resin strap on this is actually pretty nice; decent width and thickness with a nice brushed stainless Luminox buckle. I'll probably put the standard strap back on my other one soon. Since it's still brand new, I'm going to sell it soon before I get the itch to actually wear it. I have my eye on a few other (much pricier) watches, so I think I'll try to clear out the watches that I have never worn before I decide to get rid of anything from my "active" collection.

Vintage Timex

2008-09-15T15:43:00.001-04:00

(No, I didn't forget, there was no post on Friday as I was out of the office all day.) Today I'm wearing this Timex from the early 1980s. It was my grandfather's, and I'm almost positive I was with him when he bought it at a local discount store (I'm also almost positive the store was called "Nickel's" but I'm not sure how it was spelled. It was in Mt. Penn, near Reading, PA.) I know I've mentioned my grandfather a lot and I recall looking through his dresser drawer full of watches that either stopped working, had broken bracelets or straps, or were possibly too nice for everyday wear. I'm not sure what prompted the purchase of this one, but I'm almost positive it was cheap, something like $15. Probably because the strap or bracelet on one of his other watches got broken and it was cheaper to just replace the watch with this. I don't know when Timex stopped making watches with mechanical movements, but I doubt they made them much later than this (more recent watches notwithstanding.) Amazingly, it's still running fine and kept excellent time the last 24 hours. The last couple times I've wound it and picked it up it always seemed to run in fits and starts. I really didn't expect it to keep running all day, but I guess the movement of wearing it freed up some sticking gears or something. It's a pretty good looking watch, it looks like the watch you'd get if you handed a kid a box of crayons and said "Draw a gold watch" (and the kid was born in the 1970s, I suppose. These days you'd get a drawing of a digital, or a cell phone.) I'm sure it has no collector value, which is good for me because I would never want to consider selling it.

Hamilton Khaki Action Chronograph

2008-09-11T11:39:00.006-04:00

Today my watch is a Hamilton Khaki Action chronograph, Hamilton model number H63412133. It uses an accurate and reliable Swiss quartz movement, probably an ETA although I didn't make a note of it when I replaced the power cell last year. I don't believe this model is in production currently. It's not listed on the Hamilton website although a couple other Khaki Action models are. This one is very similar to my Khaki Action automatic. Both watches have the same case design and size (40mm) as well as flip-up crown guard and textured bracelet center links. The dial on this chronograph is very attractive and purposeful. The date window at 4 o'clock is a nice touch, as are the red details and gray minute and tenths subdials. The center links on this bracelet are Delrin which give it a unique look and feel but should still hold up very well. This watch I bought brand new a few years back but even then I had too many watches so I never got around to sizing the bracelet or wearing it (except for the pictures you see here.) As you can see the plastic on the caseback and bracelet has never been removed, and the plastic on the crystal was only removed for the photographs. The bracelet hasn't had any links removed, but the micro-adjust holes on the clasp have a wide range of adjustment. Even without removing links I adjusted it to fit my 7.5" wrist. I'm guessing it would fit up to an 8-8.5" wrist. It's a really good looking watch, and the chronograph works perfectly with all hands resetting quickly to zero (which is always fun to watch.) It's currently for sale on the Watchuseek forum and I hope it finds its way to somebody who will wear it, use it, and keep it for a long time.

Vintage Gruen Precision

2008-09-10T15:03:00.004-04:00

Today I'm wearing another vintage watch similar to many of my other vintage watches: It's from the 1950s or early 1960s, hand-wound, gold plated, has a non-original but probably also vintage expanding bracelet, and is from a well-known American watch company. This one has a Swiss Gruen 510 movement, but is inscribed inside the caseback with "Cased and Timed in U.S.A. by Gruen Watch Co." I suppose it has a pretty typical design for the time, although it does have a unique "bark" finish to the dial which does add some visual interest. The crystal has some crazing, possibly from some pressure placed on it, but overall it's an attractive watch that has held up pretty well over time.

Casio G-Shock GW-225C-1 Master Blue Frogman

2008-09-09T14:50:00.006-04:00

Yes, another new watch, and a Frogman no less. But really, I had no choice. I've been watching these on eBay for six months or more, and while I didn't want one as badly as I did a Dawn Black Frogman or Glorious Gold Frogman, I did think it was very good looking. Additionally, only three G-Shock 25th Anniversary Frogmen models have been released, so this completes my set. Prices of these watches just seemed to be going up and up, so when I saw an online retailer got a few in stock, I jumped on the opportunity. It's getting to be difficult to decide whether to pre-order special G-Shocks and pay full retail or a little more even, or wait until after they are released and hope for a decent (20-30%) discount. If they never make it to retailers that discount, then you're stuck buying from the secondary market or speculators and will pay a lot more. It used to be you could count on waiting, finding what you want (provided it was released in the U.S.A. in my case) and get a good discount, but that seems to be increasingly risky. So, I consider myself lucky that I got one of these. Honestly, it's much nicer than I expected with some subtle details that I hadn't noticed in photographs. When I initially heard of the Master Blue Frogman and saw a few pictures I thought the case was a dark blue. It is actually black, and the only blue on the watch is the "G-SHOCK" text above the display and the blue tint of the LCD. The most unique feature is the black PVD case and buttons instead of the typical titanium-colored case and polished buttons. The decorative "screws" at 1 and 5 o'clock are also given a black finish, although not as dark as the buttons and case. The caseback is polished gold-tone, the same as the other 25th Anniversary Frogmen. A different finish would have been nice there as well, but I don't mind it. There are two other Master Blue models, an atomic Mudman and atomic Gulfman, but those seem to be just as scarce and more expensive than the Master Blue Frogman, so I don't see myself adding them to my collection anytime soon. (I did purchase two of these and am selling the brand new one on the Watchuseek sales forum. If you're interested, let me know.)

Vintage Bulova Automatic

2008-09-08T20:06:00.005-04:00

I'm wearing another vintage piece today, a Bulova from 1953. One of the reasons I'm doing this blog is to catalog my watches, including a number that my father collected over the years. Many of the watches that used to be my father's I haven't even taken a good look at yet. I was very surprised when I pulled this one out as it's a little different than many of the other vintage watches you see here. First off, it's automatic. It's something that we kind of take for granted today, but I believe this would have been a more expensive watch than many of my similar handwind models from this era. Second, the case seems to be all stainless (including the screw-in caseback) with gold plating. This means the case has stood up very well over time. Where a regular gold filled case would probably have pitting or heavy wear on the elaborate lugs this has little to none. The ends the lugs are still pointy, and the lines down the sides are still well defined. Since it's from 1953, I believe it's my earliest watch with these relatively advanced features. Not to mention it's still a very nice looking watch. I might have to think about getting a nice leather strap for this one as I think it's a keeper and the expanding bracelet is a bit unattractive and mundane.

Vintage Bulova

2008-09-05T13:39:00.005-04:00

Today I'm wearing this vintage Bulova. It's from 1960 and the case and screw-in caseback are stainless steel. It's pretty nice with an interesting pattern on the dial. It looks like the dial has been defaced by some felt pen or the like, as it has black marks on the hour markers and some other places, but I don't know what happened to it.

Vintage Wyler Incaflex

2008-09-04T14:38:00.003-04:00

Today I'm wearing this vintage Wyler from the 1950s or early 1960s. The "Incaflex" on the dial might or might not be the model name, but it definitely refers to the balance wheel anti-shock system used within. From an interview with Jean-Claude Biver: (a 30+ year watch industry executive who's primarily responsible for the exciting rebirth of the brand as "Wyler Geneve")

"Wyler became well-known in the past because of their invention of the Incaflex balance wheel with flexible arms that could help absorb horizontal shocks. This they used in conjunction with the more commonly used Incabloc shock that absorbed shock on a vertical axis. Now, when you have something that can deform on both the vertical and horizontal axis in the car industry, they call this variable geometry. Only Wyler had this because they had the patent on the Incaflex balance wheel. In 1956, to demonstrate the effectiveness of this system, Wyler took the watch to the top of the Eiffel Tower, placed it in a special container, and threw it off. When they opened the container, the watch was still working…"

More recently, Wyler drove a car over one watch and dropped another one from a height of 10 meters for the brand's launch in Taiwan. Wyler Geneve is definitely a brand to watch with exciting designs and impressive innovations. Unfortunately, they have equally impressive prices, so this might be the only Wyler I ever own. This watch seems to be typical of vintage Wylers with the Incaflex system, a mid-size case (about 30mm) and a stainless steel "waterproof" case. The design is quite understated, appealing more as a practical "tool watch" than a decorative accessory. This one has a unique stainless steel mesh band with stainless steel links that slide over it, and the two ends of the band overlap as you can see in the pictures below. This is most likely an aftermarket band. I wasn't really familiar with the Wyler watch brand before I saw this one (which my dad bought sometime in the last few years) but I'm glad to have it. The company has some interesting history and some exciting models now and coming in the future.

Hamilton Dodson Automatic

2008-09-03T20:12:00.003-04:00

Today I'm wearing my Hamilton Dodson automatic (model number H27415733.) It's dressier than the watches I normally wear, and I feel a little weird wearing it in the daytime during the Summer, but I'm getting down to a handful of watches and had to pick something. It's actually pretty big for a dress watch at 36mm wide and 41mm long, and the height of the case with the oversized, rounded "steps" gives it real wrist presence. The dial is also very attractive, certainly not too busy, with "exploding" numerals and an inset small seconds dial. It's also very nice to see a date wheel with a black background, as a white background would be out of place here. The movement is a very reliable and smooth ETA 2895-2 which is used in numerous watches including Breitling, TAG Heuer, Glycine and other Hamilton models.

Seiko SKX779 "Black Monster" Automatic Diver

2008-09-02T13:35:00.006-04:00

As I mentioned when I wore my Seiko Orange Monster, it was strange that I didn't have a Black Monster, but I hadn't gotten around to it yet. Well, last week I saw a deal on the SKX779 on the rubber strap that was too good to pass up. I'm not sure if I would have preferred the bracelet, but I already have the bracelet on my Orange Monster so I could always switch them. I do think if I had to have either one on the black rubber, I would prefer the Black Monster since it matches better. I might even get a black leather strap for it, like the Di-Modell Chronissimo which looks really great on it. Amazingly, after seeing hundreds, if not thousands of pictures of Black Monsters on both PMWF and other forums, I never realized that the hands were light tan in color. I guess they are pretty close to the color of the luminous material, close enough to appear the same in photographs. For some reason I just always assumed they were white like the printing on the dial. Like the Orange Monster, it's a great looking watch. The brushed and polished finishes work great together, and the black dial gives it a more subdued look, but it's still not a watch that will be inconspicuous.

Gruen Curvex Quartz

2008-08-29T23:12:00.003-04:00

No, you're not having deja vu nor seeing double. Today's watch is also a Gruen Curvex like yesterday's. This one, however, is a pale imitation of the original. It was made sometime in the mid 1990s, I believe after the Gruen name was sold to this company. To quote this FAQ, "The Gruen Watch Company no longer exists." One need only look at this watch to know that is true. First off, while it retains the Curvex name and dial printing of the original, notice how flat this dial appears, lacking the visual depth of the original, as well as the actual sculpting of the seconds track. Also, the case is not as curved as the original, nor as long. It really ruins the design, not to mention the lack of beveling on the case, replaced by nondescript rounded edges. The movement is just as nondescript, some Japanese quartz movement, at least it claims to be Japanese. I'm not a big fan of this watch and it is not a proper homage to the original. I should probably get rid of it.

Vintage Gruen Curvex

2008-08-28T14:50:00.005-04:00

Today I'm wearing a vintage Gruen Curvex that I got from my father. I'm certainly no expert on these but I'll pass along what knowledge I have. The Curvex was so named because the movement was specially designed to fit inside a case curved to fit the wearer's wrist. The problem with making a long, narrow, curving watch case is that a normal full-sized movement will be too large. This watch is 48mm long but less than 21mm wide. One way to fix this is to fit a smaller movement in the case which was done by Gruen (before the Curvex) as well as some other manufacturers. Gruen developed a series of movements that were full-sized but had the necessary curvature on the dial side and clearance on the back for a heavily curved case. Here's a comparison diagram from a vintage Gruen advertisement. This watch contains the original Curvex movement, the calibre 311, which was released in 1935. I don't know for how long the 311 was produced, but in 1937 the calibre 330 was released which was thinner and more curved. I haven't found a source for Gruen serial numbers that makes sense to me so I can't put an exact date on this watch, but based on the movement it's probably from between 1935 and 1940. It's an exceedingly attractive design, slender but masculine, simple but with very nice details on the dial and bevels on the case, and with a slightly domed crystal that serves to accentuate the curve of the dial and case. It is truly an iconic art deco design. Some great information about Gruen can be found here. This particular watch has been serviced throughout its lifetime, but not recently. As a result, it only runs sporadically and is definitely in need of a good cleaning. This will go on my list of watches that will be taken to my watchmaker the next time I go.

Casio G-Shock G-9000TLC-4 Team Land Cruiser Mudman

2008-08-27T14:44:00.006-04:00

No, I'm not buying watches just to post them on my blog. In fact, I'm probably buying fewer now than six months or a year ago. This Mudman I'm wearing today is the last G-9000 I needed to complete my set of Mudmen. A quick rundown of all my "New Mudmen":

The original three:
G-9000-1V (black)
G-9000-3V (green)
G-9000-8V (tan)
The two multi-color camouflage:
G-9000MC-3V (green camouflage)
G-9000MC-8V (grey camouflage)
The Dawn Black:
G-9025-1 (black and gold)

And last but not least is today's watch, the G-9000TLC-4. This was a fairly limited edition (although not numbered) and I typically see them on eBay in the $150-200 range, which I've always felt was too much. I finally found a brand new one for considerably less than the eBay prices and quickly snatched it up. I was very surprised to receive the watch in the trunk packaging pictured below. I expected the more typical packaging seen here. I'm not sure if there were two different versions or if this is just the Japanese market version, but regardless, it's a very nice set. This watch was issued in 2007 to commemorate Team Toyota Land Cruiser's 3rd consecutive category win in the Paris-Dakar Rally. The rally doesn't go to Paris anymore, not since 2001 in fact. Its actual name now is The Dakar, although this year it didn't go to Dakar either, nor will it go to there in 2009. Here's a G-Shock promo video featuring Team TLC at The Dakar. For the curious, Team TLC is sponsored by Toyota Auto Body which is the company that sells Land Cruisers and other Toyota SUVs and minivans in Japan. I don't know why there isn't just one Toyota selling both like we have in the U.S.A, but there you have it. As for the watch, the bright red bezel and strap looks great and really stands out. The "TLC" logo on the strap is the only outward indication it's a special Mudman, unless you take it off and see the same logo on the caseback. I would have liked some additional printing on the strap (more like what is found on the packaging or inside the trunk) but I'm sure others like the more subtle logo. The module seems to be identical to the G-9000-1V which isn't a bad thing as it's very legible and the colors work nicely. Once again, I would have loved to see the TLC logo in the backlight, but lack of it obviously wasn't a deal-breaker. It's a great watch and I'm glad to have it. It's apparent that I'm a fan so I'll be keeping an eye out for any new G-9000 releases from Casio, but for the time being, this is my last one.

Casio G-Shock G-9025A-1DR Dawn Black Gulfman

2008-08-26T14:28:00.006-04:00

Today I'm wearing my newest Dawn Black series watch, the Gulfman. I also have the Frogman, Mudman and 5500. There's a good chance this will be my last Dawn Black since the ones I am missing (GW-5625A, AWG-525 and GW-9025A) are all pretty difficult to find. As for this watch, it identical in functionality to my Triple Crown of Surfing Gulfman but with a different color scheme and caseback. It's very good looking in the black and gold, with the large gold surround around the "eye" helping to give the whole thing a futuristic mechanical look. No complaints on this one, I'm very pleased with it. Enjoy the pictures!

Wenger Extreme Sport 70972

2008-08-25T15:07:00.003-04:00

The watch I'm wearing today is a Wenger. This model came out in 2000 and has had various names on the dial including "Wenger", "Wenger Swiss Military", "Swiss Military - S.A.K" (S.A.K. for Swiss Army Knife, some Wenger watches also say "S.A.K. Design") and "Swiss Sport" seen here. I bought mine 4 years ago and they continue to make a very similar model today. At the same time I got this one I also bought my girlfriend (now my wife) the smaller version in blue. They're both Swiss made with ETA Swiss quartz movements. They're pretty nice watches with a unique design, and while they are 50m water resistant, they aren't nearly as "sporty" as a typical G-Shock. The lume is good, with the big numbers glowing slightly less than the hands. The 38mm case is attractive, but the bezel is molded into the case so it only looks like it might be able to move, while the case seems to have beefy integrated lugs but the strap attaches with regular springbars. The caseback, although stainless steel, merely snaps in place. I'm a little disappointed that the titanium-colored finish on the case seems to be discoloring in places. I don't think I've ever exposed it to anything stronger than some seawater and have always rinsed it off afterwards. It's also another one of my watches that have developed a haze inside the crystal that will have to be cleaned at some point. Overall, a nice watch for the price that looks suitably sporty for most outdoor activities and has just enough ruggedness and water resistance to go with its good looks.

Vintage Ernest Borel Mallard

2008-08-22T15:16:00.005-04:00

Today I'm wearing another vintage piece that I got from my father which he probably got from eBay. It's Swiss made and the dial says "Mallard". That seems to be a model or sub-brand of the Ernest Borel watch company. Borel is a brand I've heard of before, but I didn't realize they're still around today. The watch is pretty nice, very simple and in good condition. The case and dial designs are reminiscent of other watches from the 1960s so I assume that's when this is from. The red arrowhead on the end of the sweep second hand is probably the most distinctive feature and adds a bit of interest to an otherwise conservative dial.

Vintage Bulova Fancy Square

2008-08-21T20:44:00.004-04:00

No, "Fancy Square" is not this watch's actual name. I don't know if it has a name, but it is fancy and square, so I'll go with that, if only to differentiate it from my other Bulovas. I thought this watch was from the 30s due to the design, but the "M3" marking on the back means it's from 1963 (as I learned when I was researching my Bulova Oceanographer.) I guess it was just a fancy men's dress watch because most of the other 1960s watches I've seen are much sleeker and simpler. It's a very nice design with an embossed checked texture on the white gold plated case around a cushion-shaped dial. The dial has some discoloration to it and I'm not sure what caused it, but it does add some visual interest to the plain-colored dial. It also has a previous owner's name and phone number engraved in the caseback, but it's not very deep so I'm sure it could be removed with some buffing. I just put it on a new lizard strap which fits well enough (maybe a mm or less too narrow at the lugs)
and it looks good if a bit fancy for casual daytime wear.

LumiSport Quartz Diver

2008-08-20T15:03:00.005-04:00

My watch today is a LumiSport quartz diver's watch. I've only ever seen a few watches branded LumiSport and I've heard they were once sold by Sears. As you might guess from its looks and the tritium vial night illumination, this was made by mb-microtec who also makes Luminox and Traser watches. Here's a very similar LumiSport that was for sale on the WUS forum (I paid much less for mine and it was brand new.) This watch is in some ways nicer than my Luminox 3005, namely, its stainless steel case, screw-down back and screw-down crown. It has the same Ronda Swiss quartz movement (which means I could also swap this dial for a MKII dial, which was my intention when I bought it,) same hands and illumination system, but the bezel is more low-profile on the LumiSport. I guess if you're actually using the bezel the chunkier one on the Luminox would be better, especially underwater or when wearing gloves. They both have a 200m water resistance rating, and I'm sure both are very durable, but the stainless case and back on the LumiSport just seems like it will last forever while the plastic case on the Luminox seems lighter and more fragile. Really, I like them both, and they're different enough that I don't feel the need to get rid of one. While I still my swap out the dial on this watch (I could even use my old yellow Luminox dial if I wanted to) the blue dial is kind of growing on me, so maybe I'll keep it like this for a while longer. (The photo below that seems at first to be all black is actually a photo of the illumination of the watch is near darkness. It was the best I could do at work with poor light control and my point-and-shoot camera. In complete darkness, when your eyes are adjusted it really does look very bright, like this. Image from here.)

Vintage Hamilton Thin-O-Matic Automatic

2008-08-19T14:17:00.005-04:00

Today I'm wearing a vintage Hamilton Thin-O-Matic on a Speidel expandable bracelet which seems to be about as old as the watch (1960s.) This one was purchased by my dad and I don't believe he had it serviced. It's similar to my other Thin-O-Matic that was my grandfather's, but this one doesn't have a solid gold case and some of the details are different. If you look at the position of the hands you can see they don't line up correctly. This is easily fixed by removing the hands and resetting them, but while considering that I realized the case has no removable back, everything goes in from the front. Then I found this link that shows the tool and procedure for removing a crystal like this. I suppose if I want to have it fixed I'll probably take it to my watchmaker since I don't have the right tool and have little use for it, so I probably won't buy one. This watch is good looking and seems to keep good time, but if I keep it in my collection I will probably have it serviced and cleaned as well as fit a leather strap. I'd also be curious what movement is inside (whether it's a micro-rotor or regular automatic) and what year this one is from; I'm sure my watchmaker could tell me.

Victorinox Swiss Army Cavalry

2008-08-18T11:43:00.003-04:00

This is my only watch from the "other" Swiss Army watch manufacturer, Victorinox. Although I could be wrong, I believe Wenger was making Swiss Army watches before Victorinox, and for some reason I've just always been more of a Wenger fan. It's somewhat elementary now, since Victorinox bought Wenger, although I do take it a bit personally that Wenger is now the Swiss Army "value brand". This watch was my dad's and he wore it quite a bit, as evidenced by the heavily worn leather strap, as well as the scratches and scuffs on it (although the big scratch on the back I made the first time I tried to open it. I've since acquired better tools and more patience.) I just put a battery in it yesterday and the Swiss ETA quartz movement is keeping great time. The watch has a classic look and while it's only 36mm wide, it's just about the perfect size for everyday wear (square and rectangular watches always seem to wear bigger than similarly sized round watches, probably due to the increased dial area.) While the watch appears to have wire lugs, it actually has springbars hidden within. Completing the illusion is an open-ended strap which actually can be fitted to watches with wire lugs or fixed bars. Overall, a good looking and versatile watch.

Vintage Hamilton

2008-08-15T21:21:00.002-04:00

Today I'm wearing another vintage piece, a Hamilton handwind from 1948 according to the engraving on the back. Actually the style and movement serial number are also correct for a 1948 watch, so I have no reason to doubt it. Another one from eBay (most likely) via my dad, this is a nice looking watch with art deco flared lugs and a simple but attractive dial design. It has a 14k gold filled case with the original crown signed with the Hamilton "H". I'm not sure what model it is as I don't have any kind of Hamilton reference book, and Hamilton made a number of watches very similar to this at the time but I haven't been able to track down the exact one. Runs strong and keeps perfect time which is pretty impressive for a 60-year old antique watch.

Vintage Bulova 23 Jewels

2008-08-14T11:11:00.003-04:00

Today I'm wearing this vintage Bulova. It's yet another of my vast accumulation of fairly common vintage watches, and like many of them I got this one from my father. It keeps good time, although it will occasionally stop, but not often. Probably just needs a cleaning. It's from 1963 (the "M3" on the caseback indicates M for 1960s plus 3 for 1963. N is 1970s, L 1950s, etc.) and has a pretty typical look for that era. It's all stainless with bright hour markers and a ring around the hour track, with a very faint linen pattern on the dial. The acrylic crystal is in decent shape, as is the expanding bracelet. I don't normally like this kind of bracelet, but this on is only half expanding, and half fixed, so I think I like it a little better. I haven't opened this one, but I believe the 23 jewel movement is Bulova's in-house one, which means it was made in the U.S.A. The rest of the watch would have been made here too, and assembled here. I think by the early 1960s even Hamiltons were mostly Swiss, so it's kind of nice to have a later all-American watch.

Swatch Mackintosh GB116

2008-08-13T11:27:00.004-04:00

My watch today is my final Swatch. Like all my Swatches, I bought this one new when Swatches were near their peak of popularity. This model, called the Mackintosh, was released in 1987 and originally had a black and white checkerboard band. My band was damaged (the checkerboard was a coating and not as durable as regular Swatch bands) so I replaced it with a black band. I believe the watch was named after Scottish architect and designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh as the graphic on the dial seems to be inspired by his designs.

Casio G-Shock DW-5700Y-9JF

2008-08-12T22:02:00.006-04:00

Today I'm wearing this yellow 5700 I bought from a Watchuseek member. This was released in 2001 and was a reissue of the original 5700, which was released in 1987. Casio still makes 5700s, and the latest one is the DW-5725B-7JF. All of the 5700s have stainless steel cases and screwbacks, just like the original. While I'm not sure if I needed yet another yellow G-Shock, this is a reissue of a classic model and the price was too good to pass up.

Casio Pathfinder PAW-1300T-7V

2008-08-11T13:30:00.003-04:00

Today I'm wearing my newest Pathfinder, a PAW-1300T-7V. PAW for Pathfinder (in the world outside the U.S.A. these are called "Protrek" and the model numbers start with PR,) 1300 for the series (newer than my 1100,) T for Titanium, 7 for silver accents, and V for international (non-Japanese) version. This has all the functions of my PAW-1100T but weighs less and is much slimmer (only 11.5mm thick, while the 1100 is over 14mm thick.) This was the ultimate Pathfinder, all the functions available in a Pathfinder in a package that made it very wearable under most conditions. Of course, Casio couldn't rest on their laurels, so the PAW-1500 series is the newest King of the Hill, which adds tide graph, moon phase and 200m water resistance to the long list of features. I'm not sure if I'll get a 1500 or just wait for whatever comes next. It's almost certain that Casio will keep improving their technology and packing more features into smaller, more durable packages.

Military-Style Quartz Diver

2008-08-08T14:23:00.004-04:00

So here you go, something non-vintage to wrap-up the week, a military-inspired diver from Hong Kong's Ray Wong. Mr. Wong refers to this as an SBS or SAS diver, but despite the familiar MOD dial, plongeur hands, and broad arrow and circle-T logos there's no actual connection to the British military. The circle-T logo was traditionally used to indicate the presence of tritium in the glowing paint on the dial, but this watch doesn't actually contain any tritium. The caseback also bears some fake numbers and another broad arrow, along with a 30 bar water resistance rating. I suppose it's probably good to 200m, and maybe even 300m, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't tested to 300m and the construction seems similar to watches with a 200m rating (screw-down crown, flat mineral crystal, single O-ring on the screw-in caseback, etc.) This watch says "Swiss Movt" on the dial which is misleading, at best. The movement is an ETA battery-powered quartz movement. It has no jewels and says on it "Swiss Parts" and "Made in China". To me, that's a Chinese movement. Ok, enough complaining. This is actually a pretty nice watch. It has a solid case and bezel, and looks really good, from the dial and hands to the black PVD finish. It's very similar in size and style to some Seiko divers. It has fixed bars in the place of the usual spring bars, so only straps with open ends or military style straps can be used. This is kind of nice as the fixed bars will never break like spring bars sometimes do, and it's another authentic military touch. You might also notice the caseback says Orsa, which is a bit confusing if you're familiar with the Orsa Watch Company as this watch doesn't resemble any of their current watches. Apparently Ray Wong used to produce watches or at least provide parts for Orsa that were very similar to this one. This one isn't an Orsa, but for some reason has Orsa on the back along with the pseudo-military markings.

Vintage Birks Ellis Longines

2008-08-07T15:04:00.005-04:00

Sorry if I'm boring anybody with all the vintage watches, but I have a number of them that I virtually never wear so I figured it's about time. I'll try to wear something non-vintage tomorrow, but today, I'm wearing this vintage Birks Ellis Longines from about 1933 (according to the dates here and the serial number of 5241951 on the movement.) I think the case looks like a newer case, possibly from the 1940s, and the case is marked "Wittnauer" on the inside, but the movement fits so perfectly that it's possible it is original. Surprisingly enough, and I really did choose this watch at random today, this is another watch that originally came from Canada. Birks Ellis was the name of a large jewelry chain (now just Birks) who sold watches made by major manufacturers under their own name, much like yesterday's Solar watch from Eaton's. Birks (who bought PW Ellis & Co in the 1930s) seemed to sell a number of watches from both Longines and Eterna that also featured "Birks" or "Birks Ellis" on their dials. This is yet another watch that came from my father's collection, so I don't know a lot about it. It has some serious wear on the case, especially on the caseback where the gold plate is worn through and the base metal is pitted. Likewise on the corners on the front of the case (another reason to suspect that this is not the original case as I would think a Longines would be more likely to have a 14k solid case than a plated case.) The watch does seem to run pretty well, although the power reserve is low, less than 12 hours, so it probably needs to be serviced. I actually like the looks quite a bit, so perhaps I can find an original case for it, and maybe my local watchmaker knows something about it as well.

Vintage Solar

2008-08-06T12:55:00.005-04:00

No, it's not solar-powered, Solar is the brand. After doing a little checking I discovered that Solar was the "house brand" for watches sold by Eaton's, a Canadian department store chain that is apparently very well known there (although now out of business.) Eaton's contracted with a number of well-known watch manufacturers to provide Solar-branded watches, including Tudor and Gallet. The engraving on the back mentions Hewetson Shoes which is another Canadian company that I've never heard of but were pretty big. Since Gallet was providing watches for Eaton's from at least the 1940s well into the 1960s, and this watch is most likely from 1952, I suspect this one is also a Gallet. I couldn't get the caseback off to satisfy my curiosity, but I did manage to cut myself in the process. I stopped trying at that point. I do know the movement is Swiss and has 21 jewels, as indicated on the dial. It's a pretty typical size for a vintage watch of this era, about an inch across, with a good condition gold-filled case and curved crystal. The dial has some age to it, but the applied gold numerals still look pretty nice. I don't know if it's been serviced as it's another watch my dad got from eBay or the like, but it's been keeping excellent time all day.

Casio G-Shock DW-9800J-1B Wademan

2008-08-05T15:13:00.003-04:00

Somehow I forgot about this watch when I was doing the "Non-Stop G-Shocks". It's not like it was hidden or anything, it was just sitting there with the rest. And it's not as if I don't like it, I do, I like both of my Wademen very much and wouldn't mind having more. I think it's a combination of having a whole bunch of yellow watches, and also trying to get the EL backlight working on my Eric Haze 6900 when I got down to only a few Gs. Anyway, I'm wearing it today. It has a compass and thermometer just like my Men in Khaki Wademan and is pretty much identical except for the colors, strap keeper (MIK has a nylon keeper, this has a regular resin one) and no picture in the backlight. This was just a basic version, and it was also available in black with red details. I can't say enough good things about the Wademan (still the only G-Shock with rotating bezel) and I like it a lot. I suppose I should keep an eye out for the other Wademan models, but there are so few that even the "basic" ones are pretty rare.

Marathon MIL-W-46374E Type 2

2008-08-04T15:04:00.005-04:00

My watch today is a Marathon handwind mechanical military-spec watch. It was made according to the MIL-W-46374E specs and uses a 17 jewel Swiss mechanical movement. These were part of the first generation of military wristwatches to use glass vials filled with tritium gas (also seen on Luminox watches) instead of tritium paint. Construction is very similar to that of a Swatch as the case doesn't open from the back; the movement is loaded from the front and the acrylic crystal glued in place. It's a fairly small watch, only 34mm across, but the wide velcro cuff I have it on helps to make it feel more substantial. It is water resistant, but no rating is given, so I'd assume swimming with it is not recommended. I suppose there was a time when only a watch meeting military specs could be worn by our armed forces, but I've heard that Casio G-Shock and Timex Ironman watches are very common in combat situations lately. I wouldn't be surprised if in the future mechanical military-spec watches cease to be produced and get replaced by something cheaper and more durable, which will only make the old mechanical versions more prized by collectors. Of course, if the collectors will still pay for them companies like Marathon and Stocker & Yale would be smart to continue production for the private sector.

Vintage Sheffield All Sport

2008-08-01T14:40:00.003-04:00

Today I'm wearing another vintage watch, a Sheffield All Sport model. This watch was originally my grandfather's and was probably purchased sometime in the 1960s. It's styled like a diver and says "Waterproof" and "Shock Resistant". I wouldn't consider it a proper diver because it lacks a specific depth rating and the bezel is bidirectional. It probably was more of an all-purpose outdoors watch, suitable for swimming, boating, camping, etc. It is fitted with a Tropic brand strap, but I don't know if it was original or fitted after the watch was purchased. I know that NOS Tropics are relatively expensive these days, so it's nice to already have one on a period watch. It is Swiss Made, but I haven't had it open so I don't know what movement it has. I should probably have it serviced as it does start and stop randomly, especially if it's not being worn. I doubt my grandfather ever had it serviced so it's probably about time.

Vintage Croton Equator

2008-07-31T14:57:00.004-04:00

Now that I've exhausted my current supply of G-Shocks, I'm moving on to every other kind of watch I have, including vintage, like today's. I'm wearing a Croton "Equator" Swiss manual wind probably from the '50s or early '60s. It's actually quite attractive, with a linen-textured dial and stylized applied numerals. I think it's interesting that the numbers all taper toward the inside of the dial, so the numebrs at the top of the dial are all narrower at the bottom, while the 4, 5, 7 and 8 all are narrower at the top. I suppose it's a small thing, but it makes for a pleasing look. The stainless steel case and back are plain but in good condition. I've fitted a new period-looking lizard skin strap that seems to coordinate well. My major complaint with this watch is the size. It's less than 29mm across (about 1 1/8 inches) which I find quite small even for a vintage watch. It's quite possible this was a "boy's size" or midsize watch. I assume the Equator name was chosen because the watch is "waterproof" (although no mention of any rating) and would be suitable to wear in wet and humid equatorial weather. I was surprised to find that Croton still makes a line of watches under the Equator name, although they're definitely fancier than this one. This is another watch that my dad bought at some point either on eBay or at an antique store. I have no idea if it's been serviced, but I've been wearing it all day and it's keeping very good time.

Non-Stop G-Shocks: DW-6900M-8T Eric Haze

2008-07-30T13:47:00.004-04:00

Welcome to the end of the line. Not the complete end, mind you, but the end of the Non-Stop G-Shocks. Today I'm wearing my last G, a DW-6900M-8T from 1999. It was designed in collaboration with Eric Haze and bears his "tag" on the face and strap. You might not be familiar with his name, but you've probably seen album covers, posters, sneakers or other items designed by him, many of which are shown on his website. He also designed another G-Shock model released in 2006, the G-Shock 25th Anniversary logo and packaging and a not-yet-released Eric Haze Signature Model G-Shock. Today's watch does have some similarities to Haze's other G-Shocks, but it has a unique metallic silver finish. The finish looks good, but can wear off over time, although with the pampered life most of my watches lead, I'm not concerned. The watch also has a mirror-backed LCD (like the Ocean Grey 5600) which is a little difficult to take good photos of. Sjors did a good job here. I bought my DW-6900M-8T brand new pretty recently, but the EL backlight wasn't working. This is the watch for which this watch gave up it's functioning backlight. It seems lately that I've really grown fond of the 6900 design watches, so I can definitely see more of them in my future. If I get any more you'll be sure to see them here.

Non-Stop G-Shocks: DWX-101P-1T

2008-07-29T22:23:00.004-04:00

I think I chose a pretty unusual watch to wear today, although it looks like these are reasonably popular among collectors, possibly because they can usually be found pretty cheap. It's a DWX-101P-1T. Similar models are marked "X-treme" and/or "G-Lide", but this one wears neither title although it shares most elements with the other DWX models. This one is marked "Special Edition" on the box, but I can't tell you what features earned it that moniker. Keep in mind this watch is from 1999, so it's not some new deign you've never seen before, it's an old design that you've probably never seen before. It's late so I'll make this quick: I like it. It looks like a futuristic Frogman, and for all I know, it could have been a design for a Frogman that was adopted for a different line. The resin feels a little slicker and less soft than some of my other G-Shocks, but this doesn't seem like a G-Shock for extreme duty anyway; it seems like a G-Shock for use on a space station or moon base. I like the wide webbed nylon band (and the extra red and black band that I forgot to take photographs of) and the enormous deployant clasp on the end. The whole watch is pretty light, low-profile and comfortable. A nice watch and an easy purchase given the relatively low prices I've seen on eBay, especially if you like the way it looks.

Non-Stop G-Shocks: DW-6900-1V

2008-07-28T15:11:00.004-04:00

Today I'm wearing a watch with a story more interesting than the watch itself. It's a slightly beat up DW-6900-1V, the basic version of one of the most popular G-Shock designs (even if you don't count all the terrible fake BAPE 6900s.) I've fitted a pair of aftermarket strap adapters and a 22mm military-style strap with a black buckle that seems to match nicely. I did this because in addition to being well-used and "stealthed" (it has had the colored paint removed from the bezel lettering so it's now all black,) this watch came to me missing the strap and the bezel screws. So, here's the story: A little while ago I bought a limited edition 6900 that had a non-functional backlight. I really wanted to remedy this (and my initial thought was there was just a dirty contact or a spring missing) but the EL light was really and truly dead. So, before I spent the money on a brand new 6900 only to tear it apart, I posted to the Watchuseek G-Shock forum to see if anybody had a 6900 "beater" with working backlight that they'd like to sell. I was very surprised to be offered this 6900 with a perfectly good module for free, including free shipping, by a fellow forum member. Because the model I was fixing had a special LCD as well as a special bezel and strap, I had to switch the LCD display between the two modules (just a matter of 4 screws and pretty easy if you're careful) then switch the modules between the watches. The swap went very smoothly, and rather than keep this watch for pats, I thought I'd put a band on it (I was eager to try out the adapters anyway) and wear it a little bit. It works great, except for the backlight, of course. I think I forgot about this watch and my other 6900 a few days ago when I mentioned I was on my "third-to-last" G-Shock, so I think I actually have two more (the other 6900 I mentioned here and another one I received today) then I'm done with Gs until I get something new.

Non-Stop G-Shocks: DW-8600YJ-9 Men In Yellow Fisherman

2008-07-25T13:36:00.003-04:00

Today I'm wearing my last Men In Yellow G-Shock, my DW-8600YJ-9 Fisherman. I always thought the Fisherman models were pretty much the same as the DW-9700 Gulfman models, but it appears that the Fishermen use a different module (a 1629 vs. the Gulfman's 2080) which includes a temperature sensor in addition to the tide graph and moon phase which both models have. The Fisherman model seems to be the rarest of the Men in Yellow series, but I don't know if they just weren't popular or if they were produced in limited numbers. I bought this brand new one on eBay recently, and hadn't seen any for a while before that, but have seen at least one since. As you can see from the Men in Yellow group shots below, it's similar in size to other G-Shocks, although it seems to wear a little smaller, like the modern Gulfman. The Fisherman has a unique nautical look to it, maybe because of the shrouded stainless steel ring around the bezel and grey accents; it just looks like it would be at home on a boat. It has an interesting buckle on the strap, sort of a double buckle, which keeps the loose end of the strap tucked under and out of the way. It also seems like it would be well protected from impacts and would be low profile enough to keep from snagging on things in a fishing environment. I'm not a fisherman so I'll probably never try it under those conditions, but I like it and it's a fine addition (and conclusion) to my Men in Yellow G-Shock collection.

Non-Stop G-Shocks: G-9000MC-8V Mudman

2008-07-24T12:49:00.005-04:00

Today I'm wearing my last Mudman, the grey camouflage G-9000MC-8V. It's also my third-to-last G-Shock (not counting the one I bought through eBay last night and any others that might follow) so "Non-Stop G-Shocks" will be drawing to a close after tomorrow. Like the green camo G-9000MC-3V Mudman, this one has a multicolor band made by mixing different color plastics during the molding process, like the Jam'in Color series. All the G-Shocks I've seen with the "MC" suffix on the model number have bands, bezels or both, so I suppose it stands for "Multi Color" or something similar. This particular model also has a cool "Dual Illuminator" backlight, with white EL panels behind both the LCD and the panel around the display, which gives it a somewhat ghostly nighttime appearance. It's pretty impressive to me that with all the various Mudman models Casio took the time to fit each one with a different combination of display and backlight colors. It makes each one unique and not just a matter of changing the bezel and band.

I'd also like to mention that today's watch marks my 100th watch worn and posted to my blog. If you've missed any, you can find all the posts under "Blog Archive" on the right side of the page, starting back in March. If nothing else, my photos have gotten much better since then. Thanks to everybody who has been reading, and, as always, feel free to post comments.

Non-Stop G-Shocks: GW-205K-2DR I.C.E.R.C. Frogman

2008-07-23T14:50:00.003-04:00

Today's watch is the last Frogman I currently own, a GW-205K-2DR. It's another I.C.E.R.C. model and was released in June of 2005. Like most of my Frogmen it's titanium, Tough Solar and has Multi Site Memory. This one sets itself apart from the rest with its unique color scheme; a dark blue, slightly translucent bezel with a very light grey-blue band, both in a matte finish. It also has what looks like a sperm whale in the EL backlight and the I.C.E.R.C. logo on the polished titanium caseback. It's a very cool and unique Frogman and I'm happy to have it in my collection.