Post pics of your watches Part II

I put my U2 back on to it's bracelet yesterday. This and the red silicon are my favourite 2 straps on this. With a black/green/red NATO running those a close 2nd.

It appears to be a gold variant of the Seiko Ref V739-0830 quartz dress watch.

Can't find a specific reference, but appears to be 90s vintage, as you correctly surmise.

The steel versions go for about $150 online.

Sla037 on Erika's NATO I picked up in the black Friday sale

they are stretchy elastic.. ive had to many of them at this stage... very comfortable - they are not the same as the marine nationale straps (which i think are made from parachute straps).. ive had one of them from ndc straps in the uk.. they are a heavier material than the erika orginals

Nobody wants a Real Rolex until they get one!

And then they never want another one... OR... it starts to fuel the need for more and different models......

But it all starts with Homage....... enjoy!

King Samurai with a red/orange strap, not fully sure what colour it is!!

Love the watch and the strap is comfortable.

I've a dark blue/navy strap that I need to take for a spin soon

(Those with an OCD mindset please avert your gaze away from the date!!)

You see, this is the issue.

IMHO, some watches have become icons in themselves, transcending the brand from which they grew.

The Submariner, the Cosmograph, the Speedmaster, the Pogue, the Astronaut, the Monaco - all, it could be argued, have gone beyond their makers to become design icons.

As such, all of these watches, to a greater or lesser extent, have become the subject of homage treatments, some successfully, some not.

If you think about the Submariner, when it came out, it was not a luxury item. Indeed, some of the best and most highly prized examples are the military or industrial ones, such as the Comex branded tool watches issued to actual divers. Or, the fact that Omegas and Rolex were made available to service people via surplus or base stores at heavily discounted prices, usually because they were robust and reliable.

While today's Subs are vastly superior to their forebears, they are not 10, 20 or 30k watches in their utility sense.

There are probably homages, such as the Steinharts, that are closer to the spirit of the original than a rose gold, or diamond encrusted version put out by the original maker.

I am not singling out Rolex here, all watch makers seem to have gone down this route, and I'm not condemning anyone for it.

My point is that to get the experience of a design icon, one doesn't necessarily need to have an original. When originals are far beyond the reach of most enthusiasts, a good homage can still deliver a large part of the experience at a fraction of the price.

However, the power of the brand cannot be underestimated.

For me, I have a TAG Heuer because as a child I was captivated by Formula 1, and that brand is irrevocably intertwined with it. TAG Heuer developed the basis for what is the modern timing system for all high performance motorsport.

The Speedmaster heritage needs no run out here, but the Mark II, for me is the best one because it was designed with the astronauts feedback and aim of going beyond the moon to living and working in space. The tragedy of never being flight qualified by NASA just adds to the mystique. The Accutron Astronaut being the only watch that would work in the A-12/SR-71 cockpit assures it a place in the horological firmament,

So then to Rolex, and brand is double edged sword.

Despite its current F1 sponsorship, Rolex, as a brand, for me perosnally, holds no value at all. By the time I was exposed to it, it had already become the watch of ****. And I mean that in the Harry Enfield, 'Loadsa Money' sense, not that any one who aspires to owning one is, well, one.

Despite early forays into aviation, exploration and certain types of motorsport, Rolex, for me, has never achieved what Heuer did in motorsport, Omega in space, or Breitling in aviation.

For me, personally, I have no desire to own a Rolex.

I fully acknowledge that this is my subjective, interpretive, experiential impression, and as such is one opinion among the multitude, but it is mine and has not changed after viewing and wearing Rolex watches. (A mate has a Hulk and another a gold Datejust).

I'm always delighted to read and engage with people who derive great pleasure from a brand, a marque or a specific example of any watch, of whatever brand. I have a modern Sekonda my wife gave me, with a Seiko movement that is of tremendous sentimental value, though I am fully aware that value doubles every time I change the battery.

I like the Elgin, because it looks and wears like a vintage Submariner. It also looks like a Rolex.

Long-winded and verbose, this is my thinking and my reasoning, if that isn't too strong a term, for why I wanted a Sub homage, but still don't want, nor have ever contemplated, having a Rolex.

Its OK, your secret relationship with Rolex will be safe with us..... as a closet admirer.

I saw Rolex as a brand to aspire to in my innocence and naviety. I first got a Datejust and sold it on Donedeal in the early 90's. It was eventually replaced with a new Submariner Blusey in the mid 90's. It has been in my possession ever since, worn many times but never loved like I expected it to be. Recently tried to use it again by changing the bracelet to a RubberB strap.... no, still didnt work for me, consigned to the drawer again.... and now to be sold.

My everyday watch was a Citizen promaster dive watch as I was scuba diving weekly at the time. (Dived with the Rolex a couple of times but could never justify the chance of losing it to the big blue.) Recently the Citizen died and has been replaced with a Sinn U1 black Teg which is my new daily and very happy I am.

Watches are a strange relationship........ enjoy whatever makes you happy!

I apologise for insulting you. I should have been clearer, I would deem myself stupid if I paid what rolex are asking for a rolex these days as I consider them overinflated price wise. Much like tulipmania imo.

Interesting comments, I had a couple of Steinhart to see how I like the look ( compared to Rolex). I just didn’t like it.

Likewise Seamaster.. just don’t like skeleton hands with a dot on top.

I have a cracking Seiko SZSC004 and a Steinhart GP LE, both of which I have had for a while and won’t get rid of.

I sold my IWC to meet other needs and now regret that.

A good Flieger is next and that’s me done. ( well that’s the intention)