All About Watches

IMG_20190124_112221.jpg
 
Well at least you will not have to spend much on servicing. My Seiko from 40 years ago has only ever needed batteries replaced.

The seller I was at yesterday, told me he decided to keep away from mechanical watches because of the hassle. Sell one, next day, the buyer is complaining that it doesn't keep manufacturer +/- accuracy from 20-30-40 years ago. Even early Quartz and electric watches are a doddle by comparison keeping excellent time and are much easier to service and keep going with parts not difficult to source or cost effective work arounds.

Which saddened me a little, as I've missed out on some mega-mint Omega electric watches recently on the basis I considered them likely too problematic to service.
 
Last edited:
The seller I was at yesterday, told me he decided to keep away from mechanical watches because of the hassle. Sell one, next day, the buyer is complaining that it doesn't keep manufacturer +/- accuracy from 20-30-40 years ago. Even early Quartz and electric watches are a doddle by comparison keeping excellent time and are much easier to service and keep going with parts not difficult to source or cost effective work arounds.

Which saddened me a little, as I've missed out on some mega-mint Omega electric watches recently on the basis I considered them likely too problematic to service.
It looks as though you can replace the battery yourself using a coin to remove the battery compartment lid. You don’t even have to take the back off the watch.
 
you'll forgive me because im not a diving watch expert but how exactly are $1000 and $1350 considered affordable?

also what's so great about these? they look rather plain.
‘Affordable’ is just a word journalists use. If you have a status symbol Swiss watch that costs five or six times the price then these watches are regarded as affordable in comparison. You could get plenty of inexpensive watches that are more affordable, of course. Many will be a fraction of the price of these. Meanwhile, the status symbol watch might claim to be affordable in comparison to ‘haute horology’ pieces which are watches knocked up in much smaller numbers.

The Seikos have nice plain hands but a bit too much script at the bottom of the dial and that unnecessary logo. A solar dive watch would do the job better and more cheaply and without need for maintenance or removing the back, damaging any gaskets or seals.
 
you'll forgive me because im not a diving watch expert but how exactly are $1000 and $1350 considered affordable?

also what's so great about these? they look rather plain.

Relatively affordable, and in comparison to the last 62MAS re-interpration which was something like $6,500. I like the clean look of them and the price is right. Definitely on my list of definite maybe's.


Smiths are still going, they're still in military stuff, but not watches. The brand name for watches was bought by Eddie Platts of Timefactors which have several watches under the brand name.

Farer and Pinion watches I've considered, but not pulled the trigger, Christopher Ward is from Liverpool.

They missed CWC, all Swiss made, but UK owned and brand. Prices have shot up ridiculously for G10 style watches. They were also the choice for BBC productions were the technical staff would get them paid for by the license payer.

The Seikos have nice plain hands but a bit too much script at the bottom of the dial and that unnecessary logo. A solar dive watch would do the job better and more cheaply and without need for maintenance or removing the back, damaging any gaskets or seals.

These are of course, desk divers. For the office, not the dive mission.
 
you'll forgive me because im not a diving watch expert but how exactly are $1000 and $1350 considered affordable?

also what's so great about these? they look rather plain.

have to agree on both points.
 
have to agree on both points.

Then these expensive - Euro 4,500 - 6,500 - beauts won't entice you either:
seiko-prospex-sla041j1-de-1975-professional-divers.jpg


seiko-prospex-seiko-sla039j1-de-1968-professional.jpg

seiko-prospex-sla037j1-de-1965-divers-her-creatie.jpg

Compared to the above, those more cost effective 62MAS reinterpretations offer excellent value, if you're looking for a certain aesthetic in a desk diver.
 
Then these expensive - Euro 4,500 - 6,500 - beauts won't entice you either:
View attachment 33714

View attachment 33715
View attachment 33716
Compared to the above, those more cost effective 62MAS reinterpretations offer excellent value, if you're looking for a certain aesthetic in a desk diver.

I'm not a big Seiko fan. That blue face reminds me off my old man who bought a blue-faced square-cased Seiko day-date on clear out in the 70's from Hudson Bay. We were poor.
 
I'm not a big Seiko fan. That blue face reminds me off my old man who bought a blue-faced square-cased Seiko day-date on clear out in the 70's from Hudson Bay. We were poor.

I've warmed to Seiko over the last 10 years and I am more interested in their ranges than most other brands. The status of the brand has been enhanced in the UK and elsewhere in Europe with the higher quality watches being available. The good stuff was Japanese market for far too long. I remember my father had the Pepsi Pogue, he also had the first chronograph quartz which was Seiko.
 
I've warmed to Seiko over the last 10 years and I am more interested in their ranges than most other brands. The status of the brand has been enhanced in the UK and elsewhere in Europe with the higher quality watches being available. The good stuff was Japanese market for far too long. I remember my father had the Pepsi Pogue, he also had the first chronograph quartz which was Seiko.

Grand Seiko watches are in many cases beautiful (pun intended) and a connoisseur's choice, but the rest of the range are just not distinctive enough from each other...
 
Grand Seiko watches are in many cases beautiful (pun intended) and a connoisseur's choice, but the rest of the range are just not distinctive enough from each other...

There's an element of being too broad a church, especially when it comes to price ranges and quality. They've got cheap crap and everything up to the new Omega and Rolex standard of watches. It's a problem I agree. But the Cocktail line is pretty distinctive, as too are the Prospex divers and the Astrons. I've only ever seen Alaskan oil workers at the airport wear Astrons. Never seen anyone else and by the marketing and availability in the high street they must be pretty popular over here.
 
Seiko as much as you may want it, falls into the high-range, but mid quality. A canny buy. And I know Hong Kong diplomats who sport Seiko before other ranges. It says you cannot be bought. So away with your pretence and BS.
 
I've warmed to Seiko over the last 10 years and I am more interested in their ranges than most other brands. The status of the brand has been enhanced in the UK and elsewhere in Europe with the higher quality watches being available. The good stuff was Japanese market for far too long. I remember my father had the Pepsi Pogue, he also had the first chronograph quartz which was Seiko.
In other words, you are still poor.
 
There's an element of being too broad a church, especially when it comes to price ranges and quality. They've got cheap crap and everything up to the new Omega and Rolex standard of watches. It's a problem I agree. But the Cocktail line is pretty distinctive, as too are the Prospex divers and the Astrons. I've only ever seen Alaskan oil workers at the airport wear Astrons. Never seen anyone else and by the marketing and availability in the high street they must be pretty popular over here.

They remind me of British Leyland in the 70s badge engineering the same car...or the perfume industry with its flankers...

Cheap Seiko's fine. Grand Seiko's fine....the others...pass.
 
I've warmed to Seiko over the last 10 years and I am more interested in their ranges than most other brands. The status of the brand has been enhanced in the UK and elsewhere in Europe with the higher quality watches being available. The good stuff was Japanese market for far too long. I remember my father had the Pepsi Pogue, he also had the first chronograph quartz which was Seiko.

Another thing that bugs me is the degenerates who mod the shit out of the Seiko 5 and that irritating cunt from Long Island Watch who pops up everywhere to sell modded shit to these clowns. It's like putting a spoiler on an Austin (Morris) Marina to purloin formby001 formby001 's line of thinking above.

The GS is a killer watch but I still don't want one. I find Astrons hideous BTW. Yeah, Jacques Cousteau wore a Tuna once. He wore a lot of non-Seikos more often and longer. Fabian Cousteau is now shilling Prospex.

Falco never wore a Seiko. He was the guy that Cousteau sent down for the worst shit every time.

As I stand on the deck of Calypso, I am in awe of the sea and its splendour. As Falco descends to probe these unknown depths of the new abyss we discovered, I am humbled by his dedication to undersea exploration and often think I would switch places with him, and though the thought passes quickly, like gas, I did think it. That is why I am the Captain of Calypso. I wait with anticipation for Falco to surface from the Abyss of Sharks with his report. We chose the name because Falco said he saw beaucoup de requins on his first five descents into the Abyss. No pussy wearing a Seiko would do what he does. Jean Michele and I wear Seiko to pick up skank in Monaco discos. Alors, Falco returns from the Abyss of Sharks. Most of him anyway but it is a small price to pay for undersea exploration and Monégasque pussy. The bounty of the sea is immense. And so is my penis.
 
some of these new presage models are sexy but the prices are ridiculous. who's paying almost $1600 for this?


the stepped down model is almost $800

 
The GS is a killer watch but I still don't want one. I find Astrons hideous BTW. Yeah, Jacques Cousteau wore a Tuna once. He wore a lot of non-Seikos more often and longer. Fabian Cousteau is now shilling Prospex.

I really like some of the Seiko diving models, particularly those that hark back to past decades. Some of the others are very unappealing, though. I suppose that the Tuna has a certain "F&%* you" style, but it's just too big for me.

some of these new presage models are sexy but the prices are ridiculous. who's paying almost $1600 for this?

I really like the idea behind some of the Presage watches, such as those, but I really don't like the Roman numerals and the handsets. If they had stick markers, or even Arabic numerals, and different hands, I'd find them much more appealing.
 
Seiko as much as you may want it, falls into the high-range, but mid quality. A canny buy. And I know Hong Kong diplomats who sport Seiko before other ranges. It says you cannot be bought. So away with your pretence and BS.

The actual quote relates to Mido and Thai civil servants who sport them in lieu of the Rolex they've been given as a bung back at home.

The Kazak version is Longines.

The Norwegian version was to turn up in your new Porsche and a month later your Patek Philippe to the weekly meeting.

The Mersey tunnel toll collectors version was to keep all of the good stuff in Marbella including the yachts. Probably, one of the best scams of all time in terms of longevity, profit and getting away with it.

It's about different cultural values to scamming and how to flaunt it, or not.

They remind me of British Leyland in the 70s badge engineering the same car...or the perfume industry with its flankers...

Cheap Seiko's fine. Grand Seiko's fine....the others...pass.

That's a bit of an unfortunate analogy considering the state of British Leyland compared to Seiko then and now. Seiko remains in the top half-dozen watch makers in the world in terms of market share and revenue. Vast difference in quality between Leyland's dog turd green and Seiko watches from the 1970s which several remain desirable with collectors and fully working order.

Another thing that bugs me is the degenerates who mod the shit out of the Seiko 5 and that irritating cunt from Long Island Watch who pops up everywhere to sell modded shit to these clowns. It's like putting a spoiler on an Austin (Morris) Marina to purloin formby001 formby001 's line of thinking above.

The GS is a killer watch but I still don't want one. I find Astrons hideous BTW. Yeah, Jacques Cousteau wore a Tuna once. He wore a lot of non-Seikos more often and longer. Fabian Cousteau is now shilling Prospex.

Falco never wore a Seiko. He was the guy that Cousteau sent down for the worst shit every time.

As I stand on the deck of Calypso, I am in awe of the sea and its splendour. As Falco descends to probe these unknown depths of the new abyss we discovered, I am humbled by his dedication to undersea exploration and often think I would switch places with him, and though the thought passes quickly, like gas, I did think it. That is why I am the Captain of Calypso. I wait with anticipation for Falco to surface from the Abyss of Sharks with his report. We chose the name because Falco said he saw beaucoup de requins on his first five descents into the Abyss. No pussy wearing a Seiko would do what he does. Jean Michele and I wear Seiko to pick up skank in Monaco discos. Alors, Falco returns from the Abyss of Sharks. Most of him anyway but it is a small price to pay for undersea exploration and Monégasque pussy. The bounty of the sea is immense. And so is my penis.

The Turtle case is pretty unique.

The newer Astrons are much more appealing aesthetically and in size compared to the first monstrosities.

You quote ''Jean Michele and I wear Seiko to pick up skank in Monaco discos.'' Like it's a bad thing.

some of these new presage models are sexy but the prices are ridiculous. who's paying almost $1600 for this?


the stepped down model is almost $800


The SARX Japanese market (now available in Europe as well) are a big step up compared to the normal SARB's in terms of case finish and bracelets.
 
Last edited:
That's a bit of an unfortunate analogy considering the state of British Leyland compared to Seiko then and now. Seiko remains in the top half-dozen watch makers in the world in terms of market share and revenue. Vast difference in quality between Leyland's dog turd green and Seiko watches from the 1970s which several remain desirable with collectors and fully working order.

The quality wasn't my point.
 
The actual quote relates to Mido and Thai civil servants who sport them in lieu of the Rolex they've been given as a bung back at home.

The Kazak version is Longines.

The Norwegian version was to turn up in your new Porsche and a month later your Patek Philippe to the weekly meeting.

The Mersey tunnel toll collectors version was to keep all of the good stuff in Marbella including the yachts. Probably, one of the best scams of all time in terms of longevity, profit and getting away with it.

It's about different cultural values to scamming and how to flaunt it, or not.



That's a bit of an unfortunate analogy considering the state of British Leyland compared to Seiko then and now. Seiko remains in the top half-dozen watch makers in the world in terms of market share and revenue. Vast difference in quality between Leyland's dog turd green and Seiko watches from the 1970s which several remain desirable with collectors and fully working order.



The Turtle case is pretty unique.

The newer Astrons are much more appealing aesthetically and in size compared to the first monstrosities.

You quote ''Jean Michele and I wear Seiko to pick up skank in Monaco discos.'' Like it's a bad thing.



The SARX Japanese market (now available in Europe as well) are a big step up compared to the normal SARB's in terms of case finish and bracelets.

I reviewed the current Astron lineup. Fucking ugly watches.

pussy that likes Seiko is pussy not worth having at all.
 
I reviewed the current Astron lineup. Fucking ugly watches.

pussy that likes Seiko is pussy not worth having at all.

If I was Pimpy I would adopt that line sirloin quoted as my signature....own it with pride...

...it'll take a lotta the sting out of it...
 
Astron lineup isn't my thing but the enamel/porcelain/urushi dial Presages are impressive, as are some of the Grand Seiko and Credor offerings.
 
In other words, you are still poor.
In my case, not only am I still poor I am also cheap.

I balk at the idea of paying £500 for a service every few years and maybe sending a watch off to Switzerland for weeks or months. £500 is more than I want to pay for the watch in the first place. If I wanted to wear something expensive a rapper-style gold chain would make more sense as there is no maintenance and only the theft risk remains.

The whole point of Seiko is the quartz. I remember when there were only mechanical watches and they stopped and required fixing or servicing. Although there were a lot of inexpensive options in the High Street in those days it was still a nuisance( most people only had one watch). So Grand Seiko is very clever but not for me. The quartz ones lose value and are best purchased used. Anyway, for accuracy radio controlled is as good as anything. I don’t regard that as cheating either.

I suppose I could pretend to be a technical nerd who loves G shock, or an eccentric type who is emulating Bill Gates, Steve Jobs or some other plutocrat’s inexpensive watch choice but I can’t be bothered.

I do like some mechanical watches - Jaeger le Coultre Reverso - is prime example, but mostly I look at them in the same way as vintage cars. They are nice to see out and about at the weekend but I would rather somebody else had the expense and bother of maintaining them.
 
The quality wasn't my point.

But with the Japanese that's what's it's all about. With exception of some Seiko diver bezels that don't sit correctly at the 12 clock position.

pussy that likes Seiko is pussy not worth having at all.

Pussy is pussy and one thing it hates is expensive outlays on stuff it cannot control.

In several cases of multi-millionaire divorce cases, along with the cheating and hookers, is the expensive bespoke shoes. Watches fall into the same category it will piss them off.

If I was Pimpy I would adopt that line sirloin quoted as my signature....own it with pride...

...it'll take a lotta the sting out of it...

Don't know what you're talking about?

Astron lineup isn't my thing but the enamel/porcelain/urushi dial Presages are impressive, as are some of the Grand Seiko and Credor offerings.

There's ranges for everyone which makes Seiko unique and appealing. And hence the snobbish hostility.

I am an elitist snob by the way, but it's like Aaron Copland's Fanfare to the Common Man.
 
Point 1: But with the Japanese that's what's it's all about. With exception of some Seiko diver bezels that don't sit correctly at the 12 clock position.

There's ranges for everyone which makes Seiko unique and appealing. And hence the snobbish hostility.

Point 2: Don't know what you're talking about?

Point 3: I am an elitist snob by the way, but it's like Aaron Copland's Fanfare to the Common Man.

Ans Point 1: They are basically creating the same watch at multiple price points but with a few bells and whistles added. Japanese consumer electronics companies did similar with their Hi-Fi offerings. However, if you like them you like them.

Ans Point 2: Your now classic comment about the incorruptibility of Longines wearing South-East Asians is often used to rib you. Personally, I would would use it as my sig. as it will take the sting out of it. I would also end a post where you were refuting anothers post with the flourish: '...away with your pretence and BS.' That would be a nice touch too. You're rolling with it baby!!

Ans Point 3: I think it best to be a connoisseur rather than a snob. Connoisseurship is about cultivating discernment, Snobbism seems to me, to be simply looking down on others...Relatives, NOT absolutes.

The best example of my idea of connoisseurship I can think of is by the late, great American film critic Roger Ebert:

'When you ask a friend if Hellboy is any good, you're not asking if it's any good compared to Mystic River, you're asking if it's any good compared to The Punisher. And my answer would be, on a scale of one to four, if Superman is four, then Hellboy is three and The Punisher is two. In the same way, if American Beauty gets four stars, then The United States of Leland clocks in at about two.'

Phew....That was long winded...
 
In my case, not only am I still poor I am also cheap.
Nothing wrong with being poor, but you shouldn't be cheap. Myself I'm neither poor nor cheap, I'm just not overly interested in watches. I have a literal wad of cash in my desk to buy a bi-color Royal Oak as soon as I bring up the interest to look for one, because I think it's an excellent fuck-you-tool that would come in handy every once in a while. Apart from that, I'm not interested in any watch be it cheap or not.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom