The Man Cave™

[Zyo]

On 5/29/2020 at 12:27 AM, mr quick said:

Watch enthusiasts, I'm inches away from pulling the trigger on a Seiko diver. Any variant of SKX or turtle, whichever comes up first. I swim in the sea every day from may til september and need an automatic watch that can withstand that kind of use. 

I only recently started considering quartz movement, but I'm not sure what the advantages to either movements would be in a watch for this specific use. 
SKX a good way to go? Anything else I should consider? 

...apropos SKX, I've heard that they've just quietly phased out SKX in favor of the new 5 sports - is this right? Surely not? 

 

I like to wear smaller watches. This is the cheap old Fortis windup I wear daily. With its +/- 1 minute per 24 hours, it really is unacceptably inaccurate, but I love the way it wears, so it's staying on there  

 

 

 

I have an SKX007 that I used as a water watch, free diving and scuba. Its a good choice. Chunky bezel, very readable, and was good in heavy salt. I used a Seiko Submariner, the SNZF17 (the Seiko 5) and I found the bezel got a bit "gritty" after a bit of use in salt water, didnt turn so well after time. The submariner is prettier though. Both fine choices.

 

Edited May 30, 2020 by Zyo
add quote

[mr quick]

Cheers, man. I was actually originally looking into getting one of the new 5 Sports, but I think I need a screw-down crown to be on the safe side. I'll be on the lookout for a good SKX from the local watch market. I was also thinking of MAYBE getting a turtle because of the manual wind, but they don't pop up as often and for as little money as an SKX - plus, they're not as handsome  

 

I have to admit to also considering the Casio Duro for my purpose. I'm not sure whether I want quartz or automatic, as I am sure there are distinct pros and cons to both. The Duro typically pops up for around 1000 NOK, though, and I've seen turtles for as little as 2000, at which point I "might as well", you know? 

Edited June 2, 2020 by mr quick

[Outcast]

Have you considered a Baby Tuna? 

[mr quick]

On 6/5/2020 at 10:07 AM, Outcast said:

Have you considered a Baby Tuna? 

Yes! One has popped up locally for 200 eur and no one is buying it, a good price for a superior movement, but it wears a bit big and brutish for me, I think. Like any other guy, I'm big on the classic submariner look. 

[sivispacem]

I've got two, an SKX007 and an eighties 6309 diver.

The 6309 needs a good service but I was thinking of selling it; it's a custom mod though (both of mine are modified).

I only bought it because it was from my birth-year and I was between other watches (well, my Tag was in for a service and I felt naked without a watch)#

 

One of these: https://iknowwatches.com/seiko-6309-7290-review/

 

 

Except mine has a yellow face and a Pepsi bezel.

[mr quick]

I stopped by the local Seiko authorized saloon to have a look at a few, and I have to say that the baby turtle was absolutely mesmerizing in person. The new king turtle was wonderful too, although the baby turtle was a pepsi whereas the king was an olive colour, so the former won it. I'm torn. The prospex solar was DEFINITELY the best choice for my use, low-maintenance beater, but it looked so... cheap, compared to the turtles. Might have just been the bracelet, but I'm still having to think about it.

 

edit: 

Been thinking about it a lot, I really /want/ the mini turtle padi. Reminds me of old rally cars, somehow. Niles gotta have it!

edit 2: 

Lads, I've been thinking about the Alpinist as well. I saw that there's a non-compass version in the works too, which really is the "perfect" watch for myself - a dress watch with 200 meters of water resistence. However, I find myself more enamoured with the mini turtle. What would you do? The Alpinist is much prettier and the movement is much more precise (and with a 70-hour power reserve), but the mini turtle really appeals to me. Is the 4r35/46 movt noticably imprecise? 

Edited August 6, 2020 by mr quick

[Outcast]

 

 

Bought the new Breitling Chronomat 42 B01 in Green from the AD today. Never really was a fan of the Chronomat before but this new one just really does it for me. 

Edited August 19, 2020 by Outcast

[Nooshi]

On 6/14/2013 at 5:07 PM, Outcast said:

I'm just gonna post them here again

 

Breitling Superocean

 

Corum Tourbillon

 

I'd like to get an Omega Speedmaster or a Breitling Transocean. When I was younger I used to wear a Tissot PRC200 which was pretty cheap but it worked well for me.

 

Always wanted to start a watch collection, would get a new model superocean if i did, there so slick

[mr quick]

On 6/5/2020 at 10:07 AM, Outcast said:

Have you considered a Baby Tuna? 

...

 

...well, boys, I did something stupid! 

I went downtown to pick up a sandwich and a coffee for lunch, and had only just heard about a watchmaker that had been in the shopping street for some 60 years, so I decided to check it out. The guy that I talked to was wearing a GS Quartz, and after some fantastic help and a lot of back and forth, I pulled the trigger on perhaps the ugliest Seiko diver I have ever seen. 

 

 

 

(Bonus: dog interruption) 

 

Have I lost my mind? It's so "out there" and stupid. What even is this? A solar tuna (still "diver's 200") with rectangular hands and hour markers..? A white shroud?? Red accents? Coin edge bezel?? It's quirky as f*ck, and that's why I also bought that bright orange Nato with it. 

Everything is wrong with this watch. Perhaps that's why I love it. 

 

edit: I just had to see what it looked like without the shroud. 

 

 

... Strange indeed. I definitely want to try this with a metal shroud! 

Edited September 28, 2020 by mr quick

[sivispacem]

That's fabulously niche. Love it!

[Outcast]

The orange and the red and white all meshes together nicely. Really really digging this one!

[mr quick]

Thanks fellas. I have to confess that I have been wearing it without the shroud for the most part, and that I got a striped and dark Nato strap. Am I vain? 

 

 

and wow, the rumors I've been told about Seiko's lume are true! 

 

 

... This is from putting the watch on right out of bed, and walking about five meters out to the garage on an overcast day. Even my shoddy old phone picks it up! 

 

Without the shroud, it really is the perfect sports watch I wanted - small at just around 40mm, simple, and perhaps a little 1970s-retro with all the lines and rectangles. However, I do feel a little vain about having immediately altered its appearance less than a week in... Any thoughts? 
At the very least, I'm very happy with an oddball watch that looks right with my style, and which will get a lot of hard use next spring and summer when I can swim in the sea again. I'm hoping that I can get another canoe trip in before autumn really kicks in! 

[Outcast]

How much size and heft does the shroud add to the watch?

[mr quick]

On 10/6/2020 at 6:10 PM, Outcast said:

How much size and heft does the shroud add to the watch?

Just under 47. 

 

E:

I put the shroud back on this morning because I was going to be doing a lot of manual labour, driving a truck and loading/unloading furniture and garbage, plus unloading a ton of sh*t at the waste facility in heavy rain. Doing what it was meant to do..! 

As smart as it looks, perhaps I should let a tuna be a tuna. It's a good excuse to get something else entirely  

 

 

Not-so-glamorous wrist shot. Feels good to have a "tool" watch I can trust-- I've used a Timex Weekender for the last four years or so. It has miraculously survived mountain hiking, river canoeing, and a serious amount of toll which no such watch should have to endure. 

 

Looks fine from a distance, but: 

 

... It's good to have something that I know is made to take a beating. It was either this or a Promaster Montbell.

Edited October 8, 2020 by mr quick

[Audi]

On 6/12/2020 at 2:46 AM, sivispacem said:

I've got two, an SKX007 and an eighties 6309 diver.

The 6309 needs a good service but I was thinking of selling it; it's a custom mod though (both of mine are modified).

I only bought it because it was from my birth-year and I was between other watches (well, my Tag was in for a service and I felt naked without a watch)#

 

One of these: https://iknowwatches.com/seiko-6309-7290-review/

 

 

Except mine has a yellow face and a Pepsi bezel.

Man I love that SKX007. Good color choice on the NATO strap too

[mr quick]

Ok boys... I promise I'll stop going on about it soon... 

I woke up shivering this morning, to frost. Autumn is really here, which means BROWN. I'm happy with how my watch looks as a "sports watch", not just diver. 

 

 

 

 

 

... I tried doing one of those classic (corny?) steering wheel wrist shots, but I clearly didn't know where to put my hands, and my crusty 1998 Corolla doesn't exactly scream "sports" 

 

 

At least it's a good crotch shot. 

 

e: more picture spam from me. 

 

I went into the usual place to see if they had any rectangle dress watches or could get one from Seiko that I wanted to order, and the guy said they couldn't get it, but he'd give me half off of the only Seiko rectangle they had, so I did it. 

 

 

 

It's got a sapphire crystal and came with a fantastic bracelet, multi-piece links and solid endlinks + milled clasp, but I like dressier watches more on leather. 

Weirdly, I think I've become a full-on quartz guy now. He offered me good deals on a couple of autos too, but I'm really feeling quartz. 

 

Edited November 26, 2020 by mr quick

[Audi]

The Omega needs restoration but i kind of like the patina a bit too so meh..

[sivispacem]

Omega DeVille? Late 60s vintage?

[Audi]

Not 100% sure on year but its a late 50's (1957 is what my friend at Seiko told me) that has seen better days.. 

Edited December 8, 2020 by Audi

[itsallup]

I have a 1985 Citizen Promaster I Aqualand 200m silver on silver edition. Original from 1985, not a reissue.

 

 

[mr quick]

Steel shroud arrived from Yobokies, but I'm not entirely sold on the "bond" strap. Any suggestions? I might pick up a tropic if it pops up 

[sivispacem]

1 hour ago, mr quick said:

Any suggestions? I might pick up a tropic if it pops up 

https://erikasoriginals.com/

 

Custom Marine Nationale straps made from vintage 1970s parachute fabric, by hand, in a wide range of styles and colours. I've got a "Mirage" grey and red one I wear my Omega on in the summer months. Just ordered one for my Aquaracer too.

[mr quick]

10 hours ago, sivispacem said:

https://erikasoriginals.com/

 

Custom Marine Nationale straps made from vintage 1970s parachute fabric, by hand, in a wide range of styles and colours. I've got a "Mirage" grey and red one I wear my Omega on in the summer months. Just ordered one for my Aquaracer too.

 

Cheers, those look fantastic. I've been averse to stretchy straps as I'm worried that they might loosen when wet. Any experience? 

[sivispacem]

17 minutes ago, mr quick said:

Cheers, those look fantastic. I've been averse to stretchy straps as I'm worried that they might loosen when wet. Any experience? 

I've worn mine for about 9 months daily including swimming and diving and seen no stretching, but due to the huge range of adjustability of the straps it probably wouldn't matter that much even if you did have a little stretch.

[mr quick]

Well boys, I couldn't get the dial off my mind. 

 

 

I don't know how Seiko does these so cheap. Fantastic little piece, as are the other colours. 

[Zyo]

So on the subject of Seiko, I just grabbed one of these

 

 

I was looking through amazon (for a gift for someone else) and saw one of these up for £90 new, so I googled it for a better look and it popped on another watch page for £81, classy Seiko Chrono for a good price. I always find things I want for myself when im shopping for others. Too good to pass up though.

[sivispacem]

1 hour ago, Zyo said:

So on the subject of Seiko, I just grabbed one of these

 

 

I was looking through amazon (for a gift for someone else) and saw one of these up for £90 new, so I googled it for a better look and it popped on another watch page for £81, classy Seiko Chrono for a good price. I always find things I want for myself when im shopping for others. Too good to pass up though.

That's really nice. Would look great on a MN style fabric strap, they really suit the Speedmaster-esque watches. 

 

Having promised my wife I was done buying watched and kept to it for about a year I just missed out on a late 70s Seiko Bullhead chronograph, one of these jobbies:

 

 

I've got my eye on an SBGE257 as a possible promotion present

 

[Zyo]

That Seiko Bullhead is sweet. Shoulda grabbed that. You always rue the oldies that get away, you can buy a new watch anyday. I was keen on a Rado Manhattan a few years ago, they were going for under £200, now theyre starting at 4 or 500 and most of them are in Japan, £500 is a bit much for an oddity watch with a long postal trip from an unkown sender plus questionable Brexitax.

[mr quick]

 

 

 

Just got this yesterday, and I have another question about strap recommendations. Where might I find interesting or colourful two-piece cloth and nylon straps with quick-release spring bars? The basics are easy enough to get, but I'd love something different and colourful. 

Any suggestions?  

[sivispacem]

I'd look at Erika's Originals:

 

https://erikasoriginals.com/

 

Wide variety of different designs and styles there, they're all elastic parachute nylon with Marine Nationale style clasps which are great for daily wear and infinitely adjustable.

I've got two, a grey/red Mirage I wear with my Omega Seamaster in the summer, and a lumed Trident that's replaced the cheap NATO on my Aquaracer.