Who Watches the Watchmen (Our Chit Chat Thread)

Thirdfox · 22-11-2020 11:02pm

It’ll be right twice a day - which is actually more accurate more often than a watch that loses 4 seconds a day.... so a stopped watch is more accurate than cosc?

banie01 · 23-11-2020 11:12am

If you were to buy this or similar?https://www.chrono24.co.uk/iwc/pilot-spitfire-chronograph--id17112749.htm

Would you sell this?

GQSC3438_1200x1200.jpg?v=1573180356

Or would try and argue the point with your wife that despite both being 2 register chronos?
That they are both totally different watches deserving of a place in the box?

Cyrus · 23-11-2020 11:17am

banie01 wrote: »

If you were to buy this or similar?

Would you sell this?

Or would try and argue the point with your wife that despite both being 2 register chronos?
That they are both totally different watches deserving of a place in the box?

i had the 3878 on bracelet once upon a time lovely watch,

so id say yay

banie01 · 23-11-2020 11:20am

Cyrus wrote: »

i had the 3878 on bracelet once upon a time lovely watch,

so id say yay

The bracelet or something like IWC's topgun composite stap would be lovely, but waaaaay outside current budget.
I'm shopping at the very bottom of the 3878 barrel at the mo

Cyrus · 23-11-2020 11:39am

banie01 wrote: »

The bracelet or something like IWC's topgun composite stap would be lovely, but waaaaay outside current budget.
I'm shopping at the very bottom of the 3878 barrel at the mo

the brown croc looks great too to be fair, its a nice barrel no matter what end you are in :cool:

unkel · 24-11-2020 12:38am

I stuck my polar explorer on a tan Martu leather strap I've had for a few years but barely used. It looks great. Will post up picture tomorrow.

Then I went surfing and came across this strap which just looks stunning on the hulk

Linky

Thinking of getting one made just like that, perhaps with white stitching? Thoughts? I've contacted the seller.

banie01 · 24-11-2020 12:44am

unkel wrote: »

I stuck my polar explorer on a tan Martu leather strap I've had for a few years but barely used. It looks great. Will post up picture tomorrow.

Then I went surfing and came across this strap which just looks stunning on the hulk

Thinking of getting one made just like that, perhaps with white stitching? Thoughts? I've contacted the seller.

That style strap is lovely on the Rollie!
I really like the look of Subs on vintage and rally straps, set the watch off really nicely IMO.

On my own new acquisition front, xrp wash trading has been good to me today

May yet manage to keep my bund as well as buy an IWC

46 Long · 24-11-2020 6:18am

Gloss ceramic bezels with leather straps always strike me as a fundamental mismatch. Almost like buying a modern carbon fibre road bike and festooning it with Brooks leather accessories. Both lovely things in and of themselves but not a great pairing.

I would however, be curious to see how a hulk looked on a chocolate brown suede. Better yet - a black sailcloth with contrasting dark green stitching.

Cyrus · 24-11-2020 8:10am

unkel wrote: »

I stuck my polar explorer on a tan Martu leather strap I've had for a few years but barely used. It looks great. Will post up picture tomorrow.

Then I went surfing and came across this strap which just looks stunning on the hulk

Thinking of getting one made just like that, perhaps with white stitching? Thoughts? I've contacted the seller.

That’s an abomination

Rolex look best on their bracelet, rubber b are ok anything else is gash .

Save your money

david · 24-11-2020 8:40am

unkel wrote: »

I stuck my polar explorer on a tan Martu leather strap I've had for a few years but barely used. It looks great. Will post up picture tomorrow.

Then I went surfing and came across this strap which just looks stunning on the hulk

Linky

Thinking of getting one made just like that, perhaps with white stitching? Thoughts? I've contacted the seller.

Not too keen on that look - I'm not against leather/rubber in principle provided it's kept at 20mm width. The apparent 24-26mm width of that strap really messes with the classic proportions of the Rollie in my opinion. Reminds me of a Casio strap.

banie01 · 24-11-2020 8:54am

Well if nothing else Unkel...
That Swiss ammo strap certainly has sparked a bit of controversy :pac:
I am a fan tho, particularly as I said of rally style straps.

unkel · 24-11-2020 10:16am

Some interesting points, particularly the vintage strap clashing with the modern ceramic bezel. Now of course that picture was for reference, my own Rolex is vintage in its own right

Here on the Martu taken just now:

banie01 · 24-11-2020 10:19am

unkel wrote: »

Some interesting points, particularly the vintage strap clashing with the modern ceramic bezel. Now of course that picture was for reference, my own Rolex is vintage in its own right

Here on the Martu taken just now:

See I like that!

Cyrus · 24-11-2020 10:56am

banie01 wrote: »

See I like that!

i dont take it off

unkel · 24-11-2020 11:04am

Yeah I like it too, but maybe the strap on that Hulk going the full width of the outside of the lugs is a bit OTT alright and gets the proportions wrong. And it's not like these are big watches or heavy for that matter

It's all a very interesting journey anyway. This is by far the Rolex that's most "me". The Explorer 214270 is a classy understated watch, bit dull though after a while. The Milgauss 116400GV is pure class and a beautiful watch but simply too dressy for me, 95% of the time I'm jeans + t-shirt. And I'm fairly big at 1.86m (6'1), 100kg and 7.5cm wrists

Maybe the size of the polar Explorer II 16570 looks alright in those pictures, but I still feel it wears small at the usual 40mm of the Rolex sports watches (sub / GMT). Perhaps I should think about trading it in for the considerably larger current model 216570 (42mm). Unfortunately this probably also means that my grail watch, the blue Yachtmaster 40, which (like a submariner) has relatively more (prominent) bezel than the Explorer II, is simply too small. They have a blue YM40 in Pride & pinion in Belfast, although overpriced. Might go and try it on...

Thirdfox · 24-11-2020 12:00pm

unkel wrote: »

...And I'm fairly big at 1.86m (6'1), 100kg and 7.5cm wrists....

I wouldn't be boasting about your puny 7.5cm wrists :pac:

Though if you meant 17.5cm wrists - that should fall well within the general category of "normal"/average sized at around 6.9".

For Starlight we've covered the "average" range from 6.25-8.125" - but there are always outliers too - for the salmon straps people have asked for 5.5" to 9" wrist size accommodations.

unkel · 24-11-2020 12:30pm

Well spotted, I'm a bit over 7.5". Inches, not cm

Even a newborn baby probably has a bigger wrist than 7.5cm

893bet · 24-11-2020 1:41pm

unkel wrote: »

I stuck my polar explorer on a tan Martu leather strap I've had for a few years but barely used. It looks great. Will post up picture tomorrow.

Then I went surfing and came across this strap which just looks stunning on the hulk

Linky

Thinking of getting one made just like that, perhaps with white stitching? Thoughts? I've contacted the seller.

That offends my eyes! I don’t think I have ever seen a worse combination.

unkel wrote: »

Some interesting points, particularly the vintage strap clashing with the modern ceramic bezel. Now of course that picture was for reference, my own Rolex is vintage in its own right

Here on the Martu taken just now:

Not as bad as the hulk but still looks wrong.

Cyrus wrote: »

That’s an abomination

Rolex look best on their bracelet, rubber b are ok anything else is gash .

Save your money

Yup. Bracelet or fitted rubber. Some worn on nato ok if that’s your thing.

banie01 · 24-11-2020 1:48pm

893bet wrote: »

That offends my eyes! I don’t think I have ever seen a worse combination.

Not as bad as the hulk but still looks wrong.

Yup. Bracelet or fitted rubber. Some worn on nato ok if that’s your thing.

Guess I won't ever be asked for decor advice round your way

The Hulk, I'd much prefer if it was a 20mm tapered strap with a matte finish, but I do like the quirkiness of it.

The Explorer 2, I'm taken with buy the strap needs speedholes!

hitemfrank · 24-11-2020 1:53pm

unkel wrote: »

Even a newborn baby probably has a bigger wrist than 7.5cm

I feel personally attacked

unkel · 24-11-2020 2:40pm

Some conservative, nearly reactionary opinions here

I've tried liking rubber, got an Isofrane for my Seamaster, wore it all last summer. Can't warm to it. I like leather (for winter) and nato / sail cloth for summer as I swim in the sea regularly and the leather would be a gonner in one summer. I guess that's not the end of the world either. Just never been much of a bracelet man. I can tolerate the Rolex Oyster bracelet, even slept with it on a few nights, I just don't prefer it.

redlead · 24-11-2020 2:50pm

The Hulk on that strap is an abomination. I think your Polar on it just about works to be fair. The beauty of the polar dial is that you could put nearly anything with it and it would look good. Have you ever tried those hybrid straps that look like leather but must be a rubbery material. I saw Barton have them. Maybe that might be good option for you if you like the feel of leather but want to swim?

Thirdfox · 24-11-2020 3:56pm

I wonder would ray look good with the Hulk?

https://dangerous9straps.com/blog/category/stingray-watch-strap

Glossy ceramic balls (from the natural skin of the stingray) matching the glossy ceramic bezel?

I looked long and hard at using stingray for Sólás but ultimately decided against it for personal reasons - but on an individual basis it looks to be a very unique and eye-catching material - something the Hulk is anyway.

Cyrus · 24-11-2020 4:19pm

Thirdfox wrote: »

I wonder would ray look good with the Hulk?

https://dangerous9straps.com/blog/category/stingray-watch-strap

no

Fitz II · 24-11-2020 4:31pm

Oh Jesus Thirdfox, that is fecking manky

Wibbs · 24-11-2020 4:38pm

unkel wrote: »

I stuck my polar explorer on a tan Martu leather strap I've had for a few years but barely used. It looks great. Will post up picture tomorrow.

Then I went surfing and came across this strap which just looks stunning on the hulk

Linky

Thinking of getting one made just like that, perhaps with white stitching? Thoughts? I've contacted the seller.

I like it tbh.

To be fair ye know my taste. *Unkel deletes history, buries laptop in back garden, has a stiff drink and buys a bracelet*

david · 24-11-2020 4:54pm

Sail cloth could work in the right circumstances if rubber or metal isn't doing it. Should be fine for swimming. Not as nice as rubber/metal in my opinion but not awful either. This Olive green colour would look decent with the red seconds and white dial IMO.

Rolex-GMT-Master-II-116710LN-Watchbandit-Cordura-Strap-Military-Green-Gmtfanatic-min-min-1400x1700.jpg

Rolex-GMT-Master-II-116710LN-Watchbandit-Cordura-Strap-Military-Green-Gmtfanatic-min-min-1400x1700.jpg

unkel · 24-11-2020 7:59pm

Wibbs wrote: »

I like it tbh.

To be fair ye know my taste. *Unkel deletes history, buries laptop in back garden, has a stiff drink and buys a bracelet*

Nope, I think one of the benefits of being our age and knowing you have more days behind you than ahead of you, makes you not give two fukcs about what people think about you. Not that I ever did much of that anyway

Interesting all the same to see these sharply contrasting opinions!

Fitz II · 24-11-2020 8:36pm

For me a Rolex watch is half the watch and half the bracelet. Take the bracelet away and its half the watch. I have tried Rubber B, and they look good and integrate well, but they make the watch feel insubstantial and none have stuck with me. Oyster flex is different, its a bracelet inside and has a good weight to it, it also comes on some seriously nice Rolex watches which helps too.

The sub/explorer bracelet is famous as one of the best in the business, nothing aftermarket can touch it.

njburke · 25-11-2020 12:56am

Same here, I'm a fan of the stock bracelet on something like a submariner. I bought a citizen BN0191, that came on a PU strap. I chased down and bought the oyster style citizen bracelet for it, transformed the watch as far as I am concerned. The weight of the bracelet, seems to balance the watch.

unkel · 25-11-2020 11:11am

I'm just not much of a bracelet man. Never was. Had my Omega Seamaster 300, my daily wearer for 3 years, on a nato or rubber most of that time and my previous swiss diver on a Hirsch leather for many years

Agree that the Rolex oyster bracelet is a class up from most others, but the one on my polar explorer is the older type that doesn't have the easylink system with an on the fly adjustment that the newer gen oyster bracelets on my explorer and Milgauss had. Which makes it almost unwearable to me (as a 24/7 watch, with my wrists swelling from time to time). I have yet to own or even try on a Rolex with the glidelock system, which sounds ideal and could even turn me into a bracelet man like the rest of you

njburke · 25-11-2020 11:37am

Photo of the citizen with bracelet and stock pu strap. Wearing this today, gotta rotate, quartz are great for that.

micks_address · 25-11-2020 11:46am

Looks a lot more substantial on the bracelet

Thirdfox · 25-11-2020 12:54pm

The rubber strap is absolutely the best for diving purposes... I imagine the Citizen was designed for when people actually dived with their dive watches (the ridges allow for over stretching of the strap over the expanded wetsuit which naturally contracts as you dive deeper and water pressure compresses your wetsuit) - this way the watch stays tightly strapped to your wrist as opposed to fixed dive extensions which may fit at the surface but become loose at depth.

Tudor solved this issue in bracelets with their spring loaded Pelogos clasp which contracts automatically too - but simple rubber ridges is the much cheaper/easier fix for a tool watch

It's actually the biggest headache for me right now - wanting to design a dive watch but knowing that almost no-one will be diving with them sadly - so I have to decide where can I compromise "diveability" for office desk-diving ability... the Equinox will definitely tilt towards being a fully practical dive watch though. I grimace when I hear people speaking about 200-300-500-1000m water resistance when they don't even dive :pac: (and extra WR isn't "free" - you get thicker watches which won't ever be tested to rated limits).

A devil's advocate would say any mechanical watch may be illogical in and of itself so I can't go off about people's illogical choices about super deep dive watches ha

But suffice it to say - if you do deep saturation/bell diving and need a helium escape valve - the Equinox won't be for you :P

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturation_diving - saturation diving sounds very impressive, dangerous and you'll see that we're talking about working at -70m (which already sounds dangerous to me after training down to -30m for a short time, albeit with a normal oxygen mixture) - which any of 100m WR watches (and to be honest 50m WR watches *probably*) can operate at happily.

IrishPlayer · 25-11-2020 1:55pm

Always preferred a bracelet myself, having said that after wearing a leather strap the past week, really liking it so far, something different.

njburke · 25-11-2020 10:33pm

Thirdfox.
Best overall for me would be a bungee strap, only thing that really works with a drysuit.
I tried to get maratec nitrox nato straps, 330 mm nato's, sold out no longer available.
My orange monster or citizen are fine in warm water on the bracelet/put strap. I usually roll back the wetsuit sleeve.
The spring bars are the single failure point. For my suunto computer, I use a bungee fed through both sides of the strap, if the strap goes, the bungee keeps both together and you've a chance to recover.

I also thought that stainless end links should be available with just say 3 off 4 mm holes in them. Run three bungee chords through the endlinks, works for wet and dry suits, forearm.

I also thought of epoxying a PU strap to make a divers extension, works best with two of the same strap, one normal, the other glued to act as an extender, bungee through the lot.

The pelagos solution is nice, but maybe over engineered. Ideal for desk diving when the air con shrinks your wrist.

Now the bad news, after 50 or 60 dives, I lost my citizen jv0000, on a dive in Kerry at the maharees. I got sloppy and left it my drysuit pocket, It must have dropped out when I removed a spare weight I was carrying. There's a loop in the pocket I should have strapped it to, there even an inner zipped pocket. I was just wearing it to keep it's dive log going.

It's cell needed replacing anyway, I have others, I got it cheap....
I'm long enough floating around in a three dimensional world to know how to keep kit from falling out, floating away.life lessons.

Thirdfox · 26-11-2020 2:00am

Sorry to hear about the Citizen - my first dive watch was a Citizen NY2300 - lovely little thing and passed it on to someone who would wear it more often than I did.

I'll probably take the Starlight off the leather strap and go diving with one just for the photo op (tying back to my rant about the meaning of WR) - most people on this forum probably know by now I swim/shower when I need to with the 30m wr speedmaster (why? because sometimes it's safer on the wrist then in a gym/hotel locker).

That bungie cord idea is marvellous - I'm just AOW which means very little to proper divers I know

- so I hadn't heard of this trick yet but I see plenty of people use it - very interesting - I'll probably include a bungie "strap" for the actual divers using the Equinox then - great point about drysuits vs wet suits (haven't tried drysuits yet - I've found my natural blubber to be sufficient with the wetsuits I wear even in Irish waters

)

edit: Here's someone who took their 30m WR casio to -30m without issue:
https://www.watchuseek.com/threads/can-i-dive-with-a-30m-wr-watch-an-empirical-experience.1847322/

I think unless you don't want to ever consider servicing your watch (i.e. checking/replacing gaskets as needed etc.) then yeah - taking your Rolex Deep Sea Dweller into the kitchen sink isn't a good idea - but for well maintained watches swimming/showering shouldn't be an issue for 30m WR whatsoever. I'd probably take at least a 50m WR watch as a back up timer for dives though.

46 Long · 26-11-2020 8:24am

:pac:

CarProblem · 26-11-2020 1:29pm

Load of watch boxes reduced on Amazon

I'd not have a large enough collection to warrant one but might be of use to some others

blue5000 · 27-11-2020 10:27am

Just looking for views on this, would you wear an automatic watch while using a chainsaw? I've worn a Seiko auto before while using one for half an hour or so, doesn't seem to have any harm done, but I'll be doing a lot more chainsaw work in the next few weeks.

Lorddrakul · 27-11-2020 10:49am

blue5000 wrote: »

Just looking for views on this, would you wear an automatic watch while using a chainsaw? I've worn a Seiko auto before while using one for half an hour or so, doesn't seem to have any harm done, but I'll be doing a lot more chainsaw work in the next few weeks.

I've also used an auto, Vostok, Seiko etc, while using power tools, like sanders, saws, drills. Not had a problem.

Even wore an auto while doing a bit of motocross. No issue.

unkel · 27-11-2020 10:58am

If the human survives the action, then the decent automatic tool watch should be fine too

Thirdfox · 27-11-2020 11:46am

blue5000 wrote: »

Just looking for views on this, would you wear an automatic watch while using a chainsaw? I've worn a Seiko auto before while using one for half an hour or so, doesn't seem to have any harm done, but I'll be doing a lot more chainsaw work in the next few weeks.

Modern shock protection *should* protect from most gardening activities chainsaws probably aren't the best or at least pretty stressful for the pinions (not expert or personal knowledge) - I recall golf being one that is regarded as particularly "shocking" for watches (probably tennis too...)

And while I agree with Unkel that generally gardening activities should be okay (the Starlight survived hedge trimmers at least) - I do have modern Swiss watches that specifically warn against wearing it during sporting activities (though in its case it has pretty special reasons).

I wouldn't be wearing a flying tourbillon while out taking off branches that's for sure

Wibbs · 27-11-2020 12:06pm

Sudden shocks are one thing but I'd reckon the strong vibrations will highlight any weakness in the mechanism. I'd personally not risk it myself.

893bet · 27-11-2020 12:18pm

blue5000 wrote: »

Just looking for views on this, would you wear an automatic watch while using a chainsaw? I've worn a Seiko auto before while using one for half an hour or so, doesn't seem to have any harm done, but I'll be doing a lot more chainsaw work in the next few weeks.

I wouldn’t wear anything I “valued” and I do a lot of chainsaw work as I feed three different stoves.

I recall you talking about doing some thinnings of 5 acres in the forestry forum so potentially 100s of hours. Even aside from the risk to the watch you need full flexibility in your wrist for using a chain saw, especially if thinning and you are lifting the saw in a variety of positions above your head rather than just in a saw log infront of you. From a safety point of view I would leave the watch off.

Enjoy the hardship!!!!!

blue5000 · 27-11-2020 4:02pm

Looks like the Seiko Kinetic might be getting a few vibrations so, might help it charge up a bit.

I'm still using a handsaw for the pruning 893bet, I like a bit of peace and quiet, it's where I go to get away from it all with the dogs for an hour or two.

OldBean · 27-11-2020 4:18pm

The problem with continuous harsh vibrations like a chainsaw is it might just start a screw off on it's journey to being loosened, you mightn't notice anything different that day, or a a week later. But then there's a screw after popping out and rolling around inside your watch, and you're wondering if it's from closing a car door, or that bit of gardening a few months ago.

I use some pretty expensive and well made specialist equipment in work and I've seen it happen first hand. I wouldn't risk it - If you really need to wear a watch while you're at it, grab a Casio for 30 quid.

Cienciano · 27-11-2020 8:30pm

There's a reason why g-shocks are popular with builders. Handy to have for certain activities

893bet · 28-11-2020 11:10am

blue5000 wrote: »

Looks like the Seiko Kinetic might be getting a few vibrations so, might help it charge up a bit.

I'm still using a handsaw for the pruning 893bet, I like a bit of peace and quiet, it's where I go to get away from it all with the dogs for an hour or two.

A handsaw? Oh you love the hardship!

When you say pruning, what do you mean in relation to the forestry thinning? I would have assumed you would be just taking out every 7th row of trees or so and then the odd random tree here or there. What “pruning” are you doing? Removing some lower level branches to try and encourage upward growth?

I was discussing with a forester last year and he said when thinning tree selection is the key. People are reluctant to take out a big trees as they want them to be come massive trees. But that massive tree may be to the detriment of all the surrounding ones. Taking out the currently big tree now may result in all the surrounding trees growing to become large trees due to less competition for light etc. You can’t assess a single tree but need to look at each 25m2 area to assess what should be done. Think long term. It’s all about the log size at clear fell not at thinning phase.

29-11-2020 10:42am

https://old.reddit.com/r/WatchesCirclejerk/comments/bksnxc/what_your_watch_brand_says_about_you/

Absolutely brilliant post on Reddit's WatchesCircleJerk about what your watch says about you.

Some examples:

Audemars Piguet: You are a rapper, and you think the brand name is “Royal Oak”.

Breguet: You properly pronounce “Tourbillon”. You cringe when others refer to dial markings as mere “Arabic numerals”. You wish more people understood the history of horology. Your dream is to visit Paris.

Carl F. Bucherer: You are a Chinese national who has never visited the United States. Your uncle’s textile factory has vaunted your family into the upper-middle classes, and it is expected that you project a certain image to distinguish yourself from the commoners. The saleswoman assured you that your Manero is for “a man of distinction” and will fit perfectly with your other internationally recognized luxury item, your cherry-red Buick GL8 Sedan.

Parnis: You desire a replica Daytona, but your country’s customs force is extremely efficient at confiscating goods that violate trademarks.

Poljot: In the old days, you were a MiG-23 fighter pilot for the Motherland. Your Poljot, along with your state-issued Volga GAZ-24 sedan, marked you as a man of importance among the proletariat. Sadly, in your current job as grocery store guard, only the old babushkas recognize your former glory. It would kill you to know that 30-year old gamers bought your watch online because they thought the Cyrillic on the dial looked cool.

Well worth the long read if it's your type of humour.

Who Watches the Watchmen (Our Chit Chat Thread)

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