The watch thread: pocket, wrist, sporty, showy? You name it!

[paulfromcamden]

My everyday watch, a Lorus chrono (yeah, I know)

I had a Lorus Kinetic handed down from my other half when she decided it was too big and heavy - it was a great watch! Made in Nagano, Japan - basically a cheapo Seiko.

I somehow managed to lose it... Eventually found an identical replacement on Ebay which lasted a week before I smashed it against a flight case

I'd quite like another.

 

[paulfromcamden]

Rocking this bad boy today - bought in a 100 Yen shop in Tokyo. It may not keep perfect time but it is very yellow!

Will consider trades for Rolex/Breitling/Patek etc.

 

[bor]

I've been reading about Aquastar yacht timers and the Lemania 1345 movement. I've never set foot on a yacht but I want one!

http://www.regatta-yachttimers.com/brands/aquastar-1970s/

I love Regatta timers. It's quite a funny, otherwise pointless complication.

I have been following old Memosail watches over the last few years. They look like pretty cheap, battered pieces, but are, like everything else, going up in price.

The case looks like the inspiration for my Ikepod Hemipode

 

[Tony Lockhart]

One of the many positives of a week off, I can wear my speshull watch all day, every day. And I tell you what, it stays comfortable all day too. Even more so with a beer

 

[Nero]

I love Regatta timers. It's quite a funny, otherwise pointless complication.

I have been following old Memosail watches over the last few years. They look like pretty cheap, battered pieces, but are, like everything else, going up in price.

The case looks like the inspiration for my Ikepod Hemipode

Oh wow, I’d forgotten about the Memosail! I used to lust after that as a teenager sailing junky
Now to get a bit more serious….

 

[Tony Lockhart]

I love Regatta timers. It's quite a funny, otherwise pointless complication.

I have been following old Memosail watches over the last few years. They look like pretty cheap, battered pieces, but are, like everything else, going up in price.

The case looks like the inspiration for my Ikepod Hemipode

I’ve just emerged from the rabbit hole. Wow, they are some incredible looking watches. If I had £500-800 to burn…

 

[Seeker_UK]

Just bought one of these (Bulova 96A173) today at the local jewellers, knocked down from £199 to £69. Seemed rude not to.

Ticks all the boxes for me: leather strap, chrono, smallish case (40mm)

 

[BTC3]

After 3 years of saving and lusting after a Tudor Black Bay 58 79030N it arrived last Sunday. I am very, very pleased with it and the service from Watches of Switzerland, especially their Mappin and Webb shop in York:-
https://www.mappinandwebb.com/store/422

Congratulations! I’m a bit of a Tudor fan, but I find the 58 too small. I have the other black bay black, and a couple of others. Great watches. I hope you get a lot of enjoyment from it.

 

[Marchbanks]

Just bought one of these (Bulova 96A173) today at the local jewellers, knocked down from £199 to £69. Seemed rude not to.

Ticks all the boxes for me: leather strap, chrono, smallish case (40mm)

I know sod all about wristwatches (says a user of a 10-year-old Casio Wave Ceptor - perfect time, no winding, no batteries, where’s the problem, he trolled) but to my eyes that looks much nicer than 90% of the other watch pics posted here (and at least 90% cheaper too.)

Does anyone actually use that dial around the outside of most of these watches? And if so, what for? It’s always been a mystery to me.

 

[bazza.]

I know sod all about wristwatches (says a user of a 10-year-old Casio Wave Ceptor - perfect time, no winding, no batteries, where’s the problem, he trolled) but to my eyes that looks much nicer than 90% of the other watch pics posted here (and at least 90% cheaper too.)

Does anyone actually use that dial around the outside of most of these watches? And if so, what for? It’s always been a mystery to me.

Do you mean the bezel ? if so there are different types

Here is a divers one so you rotate the triangle at the 12 o'clock position to min hand to time your dive


Or here is a GMT one for working out different time zones


Here is a count down bezel as it starts with 55 and not 5 like a divers one


Or even a tachymeter bezel which is used to calculate speed over a set distance


Mostly I used dive and count down bezels for things like parking meters

 

[Jezzer]

Does anyone actually use that dial around the outside of most of these watches? And if so, what for? It’s always been a mystery to me.

If you’re asking about the rotating bezel around dive watches, it’s to let the diver know how long they’ve been underwater… (by aligning the hour marker with the minute hand before they dive)

 

[Marchbanks]

Mostly I used dive and count down bezels for things like parking meters

If you’re asking about the rotating bezel around dive watches, it’s to let the diver know how long they’ve been underwater… (by aligning the hour marker with the minute hand before they dive)

Ah, OK. We don’t do parking meters in the PRW and I’ve never dived in my life (for more than five seconds anyway - by the time I’d rotated the dial I’d be on the surface again.) Please excuse my ignorance. People really wear these megabuck watches underwater? Wow.

 

[Nero]

I’ve never dived beyond snorkeling but it’s nice to have a watch that you don’t have to think about in such circumstances. Part of the pleasure of ownership. Yes I use a watch for timing the parking meter too, but a good watch surpasses its mere functionality. It’s just a nice thing to have. Let’s be honest, it’s not just about timekeeping.

 

[Marchbanks]

I’ve never dived beyond snorkeling but it’s nice to have a watch that you don’t have to think about in such circumstances. Part of the pleasure of ownership. Yes I use a watch for timing the parking meter too, but a good watch surpasses its mere functionality. It’s just a nice thing to have. Let’s be honest, it’s not just about timekeeping.

I’m still quite surprised that people take expensive watches underwater. I must admit I would take mine off and use something more disposable. If you bought a £5k (guessing here) Rolex, then immediately strapped it on your wrist and dived into the swimming pool I’d say you were nuts. And if I wanted to set an alarm for a parking meter I’d use my phone rather than rotate a dial that isn’t going to remind me unless I look at it. I don’t quite get wristwatches-as-jewellery because, well, aren’t they hidden behind sleeves? I only wear my pocket watch as invisible jewellery most of the time, but at least it stops the visible chain from falling out of my waistcoat pocket. And as for watches-as-investment-items, isn’t wearing them at all risking damage and thus loss of investment?

 

[Nero]

I’m still quite surprised that people take expensive watches underwater. I must admit I would take mine off and use something more disposable. If you bought a £5k (guessing here) Rolex, then immediately strapped it on your wrist and dived into the swimming pool I’d say you were nuts. And if I wanted to set an alarm for a parking meter I’d use my phone. I don’t quite get wristwatches-as-jewellery because, well, aren’t they hidden behind sleeves? I only wear my pocket watch as invisible jewellery most of the time, but at least it stops the visible chain from falling out of my waistcoat pocket. And as for watches-as-investment-items, isn’t wearing them at all risking damage and thus loss of investment?

Let’s be honest here. I don’t question why Signora wears her bracelets or whatever. She does it for her, no-one else. Same with me. I like automatic watches as they have a kind of ‘life’ and as for investment, I don’t understand why people keep watches in a safe. What’s the point? Wear them. Use them to tell the time. Use them to watch a parking meter. Wear them to feel good. Use them to go swimming. Life’s short enough as it is.
Oh, there’s a return on the purchase price? I’ll take that too.

 

[MikeMA]

I know sod all about wristwatches (says a user of a 10-year-old Casio Wave Ceptor - perfect time, no winding, no batteries, where’s the problem, he trolled) but to my eyes that looks much nicer than 90% of the other watch pics posted here (and at least 90% cheaper too.)

Does anyone actually use that dial around the outside of most of these watches? And if so, what for? It’s always been a mystery to me.

The one on my Seiko Alpinist - which is nice but isn't exactly expensive - is a sort of solar compass. You point something at the sun, twiddle it round, and something else points North, at least I think that's what you do, though the instructions are in Japanese and I can never quite fathom it out, especially underwater.

 

[hockman]

No one really dives or does anything rough with these watches any more; a dive computer or watch or a G Shock is likely to work better. There's absolutely no need for 1000m rated watches with helium release valves, not even for divers for which 100m is more than sufficient for most purposes. They are all just jewelry. I have them because I enjoy wearing and looking at them.

 

[paulfromcamden]

aren’t they hidden behind sleeves?

Gianni Agnelli would disagree ;-)

https://www.forbes.com/sites/lukero...ogical-style-watch-over-cuff/?sh=7a00eef07323

 

[Funk]

Gianni Agnelli would disagree ;-)

https://www.forbes.com/sites/lukero...ogical-style-watch-over-cuff/?sh=7a00eef07323

But there's no two ways about it, that looks pretty awful.

 

[paulfromcamden]

Wear them. Use them to tell the time. Use them to watch a parking meter. Wear them to feel good. Use them to go swimming. Life’s short enough as it is.

I think that's absolutely the correct attitude. And if it gets a few scuffs over the years, well don't we all.

I'm not sure I'd wear a large Rolex around my part of town though. I'm not very hard and a guy was knifed to death for his down the road in Greenwich a couple of years ago.