Watch Thread

Discussion in 'Geek Cave: Computers, Tablets, HT, Phones, Games' started by Shem, Sep 28, 2015.

  1. spwath

    spwath Hijinks master cum laudle

    Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Dec 13, 2015
    Likes Received:
    7,894
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Madison, WI
    I can't say I have seen the movie, but I should. Also can't get the actual Ripley, like $1000 for that color, but other ones are only like $220.
     
  2. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    8,200
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Northwest France
    Very tempted by the ArmorLite watches on Massdrop right now. Something about that T100 brightness
     
  3. bixby

    bixby Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2015
    Likes Received:
    3,988
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Northern Colorado
    Downsized to two watches. This is my daily driver with $3 two piece nylon strap for warmer weather.

    The Amazfit Bip

    20190512_133234.jpg

    20190512_133240.jpg
     
  4. spwath

    spwath Hijinks master cum laudle

    Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Dec 13, 2015
    Likes Received:
    7,894
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Madison, WI
    Just got this nice vintage 1940's art deco Bulova dress watch for $75.
    Manual wind with nice original signed crown. Listing said it keeps perfect time, so far so good for the first 15 mins.
    Seems to feature hacking too, which is interesting.
    Band is pretty terrible, and who puts a grey band with a gold dress watch? Doesn't work at all.
    Thoughts on what kind of band would go well? Seems to be either 15 or 16mm, Ill have to take a better measurement.
    [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
  5. Thad E Ginathom

    Thad E Ginathom Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    14,134
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    India
    Now that's smart! I'd go with back for the strap, and keep it simple.
     
  6. spwath

    spwath Hijinks master cum laudle

    Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Dec 13, 2015
    Likes Received:
    7,894
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Madison, WI
    Yeah, I was thinking black would probably be best.
     
  7. spwath

    spwath Hijinks master cum laudle

    Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Dec 13, 2015
    Likes Received:
    7,894
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Madison, WI
    Any ideas on specific brands to look for?
    No idea what to look for when buying a watch strap.
    Its 16mm.
     
  8. Thad E Ginathom

    Thad E Ginathom Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    14,134
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    India
    Sorry, no clue. I like to look at them, like jewellery, but I haven't even worn a watch for a decade.
     
  9. Cryptowolf

    Cryptowolf Repping Chi Town - Friend

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    1,450
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Rural Illinois
    Classically gold watches would have a strap in either black or brown alligator. You should be able to obtain a mock-alligator leather strap for not too much money. Crown and Buckle, Hodinkee, and others probably stock what you would be looking for. That said, e-bay isn’t a bad option if you’re trying to save some cash.
     
  10. spwath

    spwath Hijinks master cum laudle

    Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Dec 13, 2015
    Likes Received:
    7,894
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Madison, WI
    There we go, much better
    IMG_20190610_165008686.jpg
     
  11. Zhanming057

    Zhanming057 Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Dec 13, 2018
    Likes Received:
    1,033
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    NYC
    For something that's a tiny bit different... :)

    [​IMG]
     
  12. Thad E Ginathom

    Thad E Ginathom Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    14,134
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    India
    There's a watchmaker in Australia (possibly only one)... who is making parts out of Timascus, a damascus titanium, pioneered and sold by a knife maker.

    Most people know the rather beautiful straw to blue colours on the surface of hardened steel when it is tempered. Some will have seen the much more extreme colours that titanium gives. It was a fashion in jewelery about forty years ago, which sadly seems to have passed. The damascus bit means that it forms different colours in patterns.

    If I was in the market for an expensive watch, I'd find this hard to resist.

    Nicholas Hacko: search for him on instagram to see about his venture into timascus.
     
  13. Kernel Kurtz

    Kernel Kurtz Friend

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    May 19, 2018
    Likes Received:
    1,680
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Winnipeg, Canada
    That is interesting. I had never seen nor heard of Devon before.

    Not in my price range anyway. If I win the lotto I might add one to a collection, though. It's quite interesting technologically.
     
  14. Zhanming057

    Zhanming057 Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Dec 13, 2018
    Likes Received:
    1,033
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    NYC
    I'm a fan. They have excellent support if you're in NA, and I appreciate these unapologetically weird movements. The Tread 1 is about as American made as a high end watch gets - not that it matters to me personally, but the story behind how they figured out the manufacturing process with basically a medical device parts bin is pretty cool.

    Definitely not for everyone, but I like to think of Devon as a "max exotic-ness per dollar" watch, the only people doing weirder stuff are the likes of MB&F and Urwerk, and at entirely atmospheric price levels.

    [​IMG]
     
  15. spwath

    spwath Hijinks master cum laudle

    Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Dec 13, 2015
    Likes Received:
    7,894
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Madison, WI
    Oh yes, its here.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    Band it came on is kinda ugly, and after I took it off to take that first pic, it fell apart, with the buckle coming off. Pretty shit band, but I was going to eventully replace it anyway. For now I put it on a random band I had.
    This thing is nice. On the smaller side for todaays standards, but that's how vintage watches are. According to serial number, this particular one is from 1968. Keeps good time, and because of the tuning fork movement, the second hand has a smooth sweep. Also, hold it up to your ear, and it doesn't tick, but hums at 360Hz.

    Thoughts on what sort of band to get for it?
     
    Last edited: Jul 1, 2019
  16. DigMe

    DigMe Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Aug 25, 2016
    Likes Received:
    8,802
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Tejas
    That’s pretty cool. I like the smaller faces. IMO the older smaller ones with a leather band are way classier than the big, chunky metal-banded chronos that seem to be popular now.
     
  17. spwath

    spwath Hijinks master cum laudle

    Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Dec 13, 2015
    Likes Received:
    7,894
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Madison, WI
    Big watches are going out of fashion again. Though they are still bigger than they used to be.
    I'm thinking about getting some sort of NATO or Zulu strap for this watch, could work well.
     
  18. Kunlun

    Kunlun cat-alyzes cat-aclysmic cat-erwauling - Friend

    Pyrate IEMW
    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2015
    Likes Received:
    5,729
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Meow Parlour
    @spwath A nato was the first thought I had, could go well with the retro futurist vibe. But looking again, I think the right light brown or tan leather strap would match well with the case and give a casual class to the look. Like a robot in a nice suit, it changes the context.

    I picked up my own vintage watch, a late 80s Breguet on its original bracelet.

    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]

    The smaller size and slight oxidation to the 18k gold keeps it from being too blingy, although I mostly keep it under a cuff because it's for me more than anyone else.
    Notice the blued hands and hobnail guilloché pattern on the dial.

    I also tried on a few watches, here are two:

    [​IMG]

    This is a funny mid-level luxury watch made by a Russian watchmaker. The mouth is a moonphase, the eyes are hours and minutes.


    [​IMG]
    This Breguet Classique in white gold with a deep blue enamel dial is hard to photograph, but it is awesome. Understated, yet super refined. It will be hard to resist.
     
  19. Velomane

    Velomane Acquaintance

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2016
    Likes Received:
    58
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    Winnipeg
    Damn how I love those Breguet arab numerals and the hands. Just exquisite!
     
  20. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    8,200
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Northwest France
    It's more glorious than I thought. There needs to be more skeletal quartz watches
     

Share This Page