Who Watches the Watchmen (Our Chit Chat Thread)

I know there are few here who've bought the Sinn wall clock and are awaiting delivery, I look forward to seeing them

From every single interaction I've had with those lovely lads in Frankfurt, they really do impress.

Like many here I have their catalogue and love it.
I also have a U2 that I've done some terrible things to (all soon to be reversed)
From trying skeleton hands, meh.
To having to soldier on with a white datewheel as mine was corroded due to a serious lack of giving a shít by the previous owner and being unable to source a replacement.

I'd sent the lads in Sinn an email last November asking to buy, heard nothing back.
This morning they emailed me to apologise for missing my email and are sending me the datewheel gratis

My friends something most terrible has happened, ive begun to get annoyed having a watch on my hand over the last week

Quick, fetch Fr. Wibbs from the rectory :pac:

You know what I mean

Funnily enough I'm a hairy heure stage 4 permanently doesn't help with jubilee bracelets ouch

I'm hoping to be odd for week and order my Bambino eventually. They often drop to €94 delivered from Amazon Italy if anyone is interested, a good price

njburke wrote: »

It looks like my two elder boys having picked up the watchbug. They both have part time jobs and decided to splurge a couple of hundred on a first watch. Both have decided to go mechanical automatic. I pointed them to have a root through my watchbox to pick a style that they like, and then of course the interweb.Watches that can be modded seem to appeal to them.

Anyway, the eldest at 21 has committed first and gone for a seiko srpd53, the pepsi dialled Seiko 5. Arrives tomorrow.

Boy no 2,who is 18, initially favoured a seiko snzf17 seiko sea urchin in black so he could change to a green bezel like a kermit. He dives so I advised him to get something with 200M wr, like the Orient Mako series. He's chasing a seiko Samurai now. He really went into detail on the hands and hour markers that he likes.

I couldn't convince either to spring for the $275 eta 2824 glycine combat sub from the bargain thread, or the merits of any of the microbrands out there. I guess you need a seiko to start with and develop an appreciation from there.
Same goes for quartz or solar, not in consideration, mechanical only.

Could go for a base skx007 and mod it?

Fitz II wrote: »

Agreed, the classics are always a good place to start.

He looked at the skx007, but the handwind and hack of the 4r35 appeals.

I lent him my Tissel sub a couple of weeks ago, he came back to me days later to tell me the battery was dead or he broke it. That was his introduction to mechanicals.

Sonic the Shaghog wrote: »

My friends something most terrible has happened, ive begun to get annoyed having a watch on my hand over the last week

Quick, fetch Fr. Wibbs from the rectory :pac:

Because…you wished you could have two watches on both hands?

I actually do that :P - but one is a "wearer" and one is a product tester just to see how things perform over the long term. Easier to pull off when working from home too

njburke wrote: »

He looked at the skx007, but the handwind and hack of the 4r35 appeals.

If they need to the second accuracy hacking allows maybe Seiko movements are not the way to go

Handwinding??? Do the Seiko shuffle

njburke wrote: »

Well it's hard to get COSC accuracy on a minimum wage partime job, unless you go quartz, and quartz is out. With one watch, the rate will accumulate as it will be worn everyday. He'll get the hang of it. cheapest 007 seems to be creation watches at $290.

I think Dave has one on adverts if you are around theee parts

I had one in black. It's a superb watch for the money. Have you tried one on though? It's big and it wears big. Try get one second hand, they depreciate a good bit in the first year.

I see my local dealer has them, just not with a white face.

https://om.rivolishop.com/product/Watches/Mens-Fashion-Watches/Mens-Fashion-Watches-New/Mens-Jazzmaster/H32705581

Roughly €1050.

redlead wrote: »

I don't get the universal love for the SKX. What's so great about it? Is it just a case that it was the only cheap semi decent automatic around when they came out? Let's call a spade a spade, the movement is robust but the accuracy is crap (My experience with NH35s). The bezel is rubbish (I have experience of this as I modded one onto my vostok), hardlex is a scratch magnet and just feels and looks cheap. On paper, it's a bit of a ****ter but does it just all come together nicely on the watch and work?

Its become a cult classic. I totally agree with your critique of the watch. Not very accurate, not very well built, not great finishing or materials, crap bracelet or rubber strap....but its honest. It has no pretentions. I got my first one for around 120 euro new, and at that level its a no brainer. I know they are expensive now, but that because people are nostalgic for them and they are discontinued.

I think the reason its the one to have comes down to the fact its not pretending to be accurate (why would an entry level automatic watch do that....if thats your priority get a quartz), its not pretending to be luxury, its not pretending to be a Rolex, its not pretending to be anything except itself. Its a well designed, wearable dive style watch, not too big, not to small, not too thick. Cheap parts, accurate enough for normal people and cheap enough that when it stops in 20 years you chuck it out and start again.

The new ones with hideous movements with display cases, and irrelevant fancy features and powerrangers and street fighters on the dial are a getting away from this unpretentious roots and will never find the same love.

By my definition the SKX is certainly not a sh1tter. Its fit for purpose, built for purpose and has a classic origional design. Its the only seiko I keep in my collection and I think its the perfect starting point for anyone starting on this hobby, and one of the few places you can start where you wont regret it.

Fitz II wrote: »

By my definition the SKX is certainly not a sh1tter. Its fit for purpose, built for purpose and has a classic origional design. Its the only seiko I keep in my collection and I think its the perfect starting point for anyone starting on this hobby, and one of the few places you can start where you wont regret it.

But is it 'the perfect starting point' in 2021 with the inflated price and outdated specs? I think a Vostok Amphibia or an Orient Bambino would be a better starting point.

Cyclingtourist wrote: »

But is it 'the perfect starting point' in 2021 with the inflated price and outdated specs? I think a Vostok Amphibia or an Orient Bambino would be a better starting point.

I have had Orients and Vostocks and they are unworthy to touch the helm of the Seiko SKX's garment. The seiko offers a good package, its not trying to tick all the feature boxes and it has the very important component of desirability and respectability. Desirability is an important aspect, that you have to have for a watch to enjoy it.

Lets be real here, this is a watch collecting forum. 300 euro for a automatic watch that will work unserved for 20 years and hold 80% of its value is not a lot of money. 3 tanks of petrol in your car, 2 nights on the lash, a weekend away in a hotel. Whats expensive is settling for the inferior watch. I have been there buying all around me and developing a box of watches that I convinced myself were good buys. The only one that actually was was my SKX. Orients and Vostocks are dead ends.

Outdated specs? Automatic watches are outdated, not point trying to polish that turd. Its just a matter of how much outdatedness you accept. Telling the time is a function of a watch not the function of a watch. A watch is jewellery.

Vostocks are pure muck sorry.

Fitz II wrote: »

I have had Orients and Vostocks and they are unworthy to touch the helm of the Seiko SKX's garment. The seiko offers a good package, its not trying to tick all the feature boxes and it has the very important component of desirability and respectability. Desirability is an important aspect, that you have to have for a watch to enjoy it.

Lets be real here, this is a watch collecting forum. 300 euro for a automatic watch that will work unserved for 20 years and hold 80% of its value is not a lot of money. 3 tanks of petrol in your car, 2 nights on the lash, a weekend away in a hotel. Whats expensive is settling for the inferior watch. I have been there buying all around me and developing a box of watches that I convinced myself were good buys. The only one that actually was was my SKX. Orients and Vostocks are dead ends.

Outdated specs? Automatic watches are outdated, not point trying to polish that turd. Its just a matter of how much outdatedness you accept. Telling the time is a function of a watch not the function of a watch. A watch is jewellery.

Vostocks are pure muck sorry.

I picked up a orient kamasu at Xmas for my son for 185 euro delivered Amazon Germany. Nice watch for the money. Accuracy isn’t a big deal at this price point. Isnt orient a seiko sub brand?

Trigger Happy wrote: »

Its the jazzmaster maestro I am after, its a chrono!

I'll pop in next time I'm in the mall. They have a store next door to our "Tesco"