All About Watches

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shame floris is gone
 
Strangely, on my recent trips back to Blighty, I noticed quite a few watch repairers popped up in Chester. Two in the Grosvenor Precinct no less.
There is a shiny new watch repairer in Kingston in the Bentall centre. They are different to the types from back in the day though. I imagine the profit margins are good.

If you wander through watch repair district in Clerkenwell it is closer to the old fashioned approach but these places are overwhelmed with demand. A lot have already gone as the area changes and people retire.
 
There is a shiny new watch repairer in Kingston in the Bentall centre. They are different to the types from back in the day though. I imagine the profit margins are good.

If you wander through watch repair district in Clerkenwell it is closer to the old fashioned approach but these places are overwhelmed with demand. A lot have already gone as the area changes and people retire.
There was one on the market near us, he also sold porn videos back in the 80s early 90s. I think it's a lot more lucractive and with status now.
 
I’ve just about given up on finding a single pass strap that I like, so I’m zeroing in on these sailcloth straps from Adelaide that come in 19mm.

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Some of those “vintage” Seiko solar divers are lookers - and reasonably sized.
Despite the overall increases in Seikos they're still decently priced. Seiko moved in the right direction with the previous arrow handed SPB077J1 and SBDC051.

Very tempted by the Willard, the more expensive SLA051J1 version with the 8L35 caliber. But it's more than double the price of the standard version.
I’ve just about given up on finding a single pass strap that I like, so I’m zeroing in on these sailcloth straps from Adelaide that come in 19mm.

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The Seiko looks good, but the others are probably better on the standard issue straps.
 
Very tempted by the Willard, the more expensive SLA051J1 version with the 8L35 caliber. But it's more than double the price of the standard version.
Not worth it IMO. The proportions are weird as is the 4:30 date. It’s priced like an SLA but sits somewhere between SPB and SLA lines in terms of quality. If you’re going for an expensive Willard get the SLA033.
 
Not worth it IMO. The proportions are weird as is the 4:30 date. It’s priced like an SLA but sits somewhere between SPB and SLA lines in terms of quality. If you’re going for an expensive Willard get the SLA033.
Wish you never said that, I was ready to pull the trigger. The SLA033 is too expensive, still well over 5 grand. For a difference only the afficionados would notice.

Maybe, the King Seiko reedition is calling me...

The Ltd Edition ''140th'' Astron looks very good in the flesh. Could be tempted to have one as a Friday/weekend beater and to add to the Seiko collection. The Astron sizes are now in a more acceptable size range and not just an oversized toy watch which you have to point up to some satellite.
 
Wish you never said that, I was ready to pull the trigger. The SLA033 is too expensive, still well over 5 grand. For a difference only the afficionados would notice.

Maybe, the King Seiko reedition is calling me...

The Ltd Edition ''140th'' Astron looks very good in the flesh. Could be tempted to have one as a Friday/weekend beater and to add to the Seiko collection. The Astron sizes are now in a more acceptable size range and not just an oversized toy watch which you have to point up to some satellite.
King Seiko is a handsome watch, but I don't see the value at $5k personally (not sure what they are in Euro). SLA033 can be had lightly used for $5k AUD, so much less than 5 grand in Eurocoin.
 
King Seiko is a handsome watch, but I don't see the value at $5k personally (not sure what they are in Euro). SLA033 can be had lightly used for $5k AUD, so much less than 5 grand in Eurocoin.
You can pick them up between €2500-3000. You're paying for the exclusivity of it being a Ltd Edition. The issue of course, is that it doesn't have a Grand Seiko movement. It has Diashield on the case though, which you don't get with the Grand Seiko.
 
You can pick them up between €2500-3000. You're paying for the exclusivity of it being a Ltd Edition. The issue of course, is that it doesn't have a Grand Seiko movement. It has Diashield on the case though, which you don't get with the Grand Seiko.
It has the de-tuned GS movement* - the 8L35 - assembled in the GS studio. Also "limited" is a loose term in this case. There's still new ones about seeing as they made 2,500 of them. Limited by how many they can sell...

*Talking about the SLA033... indeed the KS has a regular Seiko “hi-beat” 28k movt. Not great, not terrible.
 
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It has the de-tuned GS movement* - the 8L35 - assembled in the GS studio. Also "limited" is a loose term in this case. There's still new ones about seeing as they made 2,500 of them. Limited by how many they can sell...

*Talking about the SLA033... indeed the KS has a regular Seiko “hi-beat” 28k movt. Not great, not terrible.
Indeed not terrible, but you would expect more considering the RRP.

This looks very interesting in the flesh, the face has a lot of depth, it's more silvery than white:


But I think this is the best Astron model the SSH003J, been around for about 3 years now and was the first model where they got the sizing acceptable:

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You could get a solar G shock with multiband 6 for a tenth of the price of the Astron.
Only squaddies sport G-Shocks and too youthful for me. Not to mention the plastic.

Since they came out in 2012, I've followed the latest Astron range with some interest. The first generation were gigantic pieces of space junk that haven't dated well. And that puts me off them too. But I think the two I've posted are in the right zone for me, weighted to the SSH003J.

I've only ever seen an Alaskan in an airport with an Astron on. Never seen anyone else. Somebody must be buying them.

Anyway, I'm in the market for a new watch and I'm going to pull the trigger in the next day or two. Nothing too fancy, in the €1500-3000 zone, with the Seiko King and the Willard being the two at the higher end.
 
Boring watches without any personality for boring people without any personality
Think you've confused them with Rado...

Talking of which the Captain Cook's must be selling well, they come in 57 varieties now. But hard to understand what the difference is between the 2 and 4 grand versions.
 
That Rados are pretty handsome. Nothing over the top, but nice enough
If you remember back in the late 90s and very early 2000's they were very much the watch brand to be had, but they seem to lose that cache and the prices have stagnated compared to other brands. Which is no bad thing if you want to buy one.

To me, they're a bit of an also ran now. Interesting range, but nothing that entices me to pull the trigger. Haven't seen anyone wearing one for ages.
There are plenty of metal G shocks.

Otherwise just buy a regular Seiko. Mine has been trouble free over 40 years. Just cheap and quick battery changes.
I'm looking for something to add to the Seiko collection, and something a bit different. The King Seiko will likely be able to be picked-up cheaper if I wait. It's a risk, but worth taking. Don't really a need another diver. The Astron 140th Ltd Edition is probably the one, very different, a bit whimsical, a bit relaxed and then I've got one and will know if Astron are any good or not.
 

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