Watches! What do y'all have on your wrists?

[Keith_W]

I wonder if other ASR users are like me. I rarely wear my automatic watch because I am mostly at home these days, but I can not go out without putting it on. It is some kind of compulsion, I don't feel properly dressed without it. Of course, there is no power in the spring because I don't wear it, so I end up wearing a timekeeping device which does not tell the correct time. When my wife asked me what time it was, I pulled out my phone to look at the time. She told me I should sell the watch.

 

[Frank Dernie]

After ten years of thinking about it (and first trying one on), I was hit by a wave of antifrugality and bought my grail watch:

View attachment 367606

Love these, I have a stopwatch version. Beautiful movement and sensible size.

 

[astcal]

I don't wear any watch, iPhone is it for me.

But If I were to wear one, this will be it:

 

[CPTX]

I have a watch “problem”….wearing this one currently.

 

[Frank Dernie]

I don't wear any watch, iPhone is it for me.

But If I were to wear one, this will be it:

That is a bit like saying I don't have a car but if I did it would be a Rolls-Royce Phantom!

I also would wear one of these if I could afford to buy it...

 

[Keith_W]

That is a bit like saying I don't have a car but if I did it would be a Rolls-Royce Phantom!

I also would wear one of these if I could afford to buy it...

You are a legend of F1. These guys would be tickled pink that the engineer they worship is over here on ASR telling people off about watches!

 

[CPTX]

Watch change

 

[Frank Dernie]

You are a legend of F1. These guys would be tickled pink that the engineer they worship is over here on ASR telling people off about watches!

I avoid motor racing forums

 

[pseudoid]

I avoid motor racing forums

OT: Sir Dernie, do you watch what is going on w/Newey?

 

[im_gumby]

Which Watch? Depends on the day or activity.

My Breitling Colt (quartz) for most daily stuff.
My 1960 Omega Seamaster DeVile if I want to head out.
My Omega Speedmaster NATO Strap usually in the summer.
My AP Royal Oak (stainless) if its a formal function.

But while working... I don't wear anything. I take them off.

What I won't wear... Apple Watch. The phone is enough of a chain for me.

 

[rdenney]

I don't wear any watch, iPhone is it for me.

But If I were to wear one, this will be it:

Bring your checkbook.

Rick "would look nice with a million-dollar audio system" Denney

 

[rdenney]

My wife gave me this for my birthday:

It’s an Omega! It’s a Swatch! It’s a Moonswatch!

She had to recruit her Godson in Miami to procure it—they can only be bought in person, one watch per body per day.

The Speedmaster to me is like the Camaro-Transam of my youth—every teen male I knew wanted one. But this Speedmaster is like a Hotwheels version of a Camaro/Transam.

The case is made of “bio-ceramic”, which I think means plastic mixed with grinding dust. But it’s light as a feather and fairly cheap, and I don’t know one watch collector who doesn’t want one.

Rick “passed up one in New York a couple of weeks ago—this just has to be a gift” Denney

 

[im_gumby]

My wife gave me this for my birthday:



It’s an Omega! It’s a Swatch! It’s a Moonswatch!

She had to recruit her Godson in Miami to procure it—they can only be bought in person, one watch per body per day.

The Speedmaster to me is like the Camaro-Transam of my youth—every teen male I knew wanted one. But this Speedmaster is like a Hotwheels version of a Camaro/Transam.

The case is made of “bio-ceramic”, which I think means plastic mixed with grinding dust. But it’s light as a feather and fairly cheap, and I don’t know one watch collector who doesn’t want one.

Rick “passed up one in New York a couple of weeks ago—this just has to be a gift” Denney

So Omega is a funny company.
Yes they are owned by the same company as Swatch and that they've gone and made a lot of limited edition runs. I thought about the ceramics and they are nice because they are light.

But Omega has been around for a very long time.
I wouldn't recommend collecting anything from the 70's-90's. but stuff from the '60s are decent.
I have my father's Seamaster DeVille that was before they split into Seamaster and then DeVille lines.
(Just spent a bit to sent it off to Switzerland to get repaired along w my Speedmaster (done in the US) )

Its a manual vs the automatics.

I bought my AP back in the mid 90's for ~5K that same watch used... ~15 - 20K depending on market.

 

[Doodski]

My wife gave me this for my birthday:

View attachment 367801

It’s an Omega! It’s a Swatch! It’s a Moonswatch!

She had to recruit her Godson in Miami to procure it—they can only be bought in person, one watch per body per day.

The Speedmaster to me is like the Camaro-Transam of my youth—every teen male I knew wanted one. But this Speedmaster is like a Hotwheels version of a Camaro/Transam.

The case is made of “bio-ceramic”, which I think means plastic mixed with grinding dust. But it’s light as a feather and fairly cheap, and I don’t know one watch collector who doesn’t want one.

Rick “passed up one in New York a couple of weeks ago—this just has to be a gift” Denney

Very nice but as soon as I see OMEGA I want this baby.

 

[im_gumby]

Pics? Sorry just quick snaps. The AP looks better in person.

 

[rdenney]

So Omega is a funny company.
Yes they are owned by the same company as Swatch and that they've gone and made a lot of limited edition runs. I thought about the ceramics and they are nice because they are light.

But Omega has been around for a very long time.
I wouldn't recommend collecting anything from the 70's-90's. but stuff from the '60s are decent.
I have my father's Seamaster DeVille that was before they split into Seamaster and then DeVille lines.
(Just spent a bit to sent it off to Switzerland to get repaired along w my Speedmaster (done in the US) )

Its a manual vs the automatics.

I bought my AP back in the mid 90's for ~5K that same watch used... ~15 - 20K depending on market.

I'd have no trouble with a 90's Seamaster that used the caliber 1120, a (useful) variation on the ETA 2892, which by any standard is an excellent movement made no less excellent for being widely used. They are only about 11mm thick--almost as thin as my early 2000's Concord Mariner dive watch, which is one of the few 200m divers that is only 10mm thick or less.

The Speedmaster Professional used (uses?--I don't keep up with Omega) a caliber 1040, which Lemania (who makes it, though now as Manufacture Breguet--also part of Swatch) called the 1340. That's probably the best cam-switched chronograph movement ever made. It became (with useful improvements) the Ebel 137, (with added flyback) the Breguet 582 as used in the Type XX, and (with a full balance bridge) the Ulysse Nardin 152.

The ancient Omega 321 as used in the hand-wind Speedmaster is a variation of the Lemania 27-CHRO, which is closely associated with the Lemania 1872, aka the Omega 861/1861. It's essentially a 321 with cam switching using basically the same switching parts as the 1340/1350 mentioned above. I have a 90's-era Heuer with that movement, and it's an excellent movement. Yes, the 1861 was cheaper to make than the 321, but not because they sacrificed quality.

My only beef with 80's-era Omega is that they are butt-ugly. But then for me the Must-Have chronograph watch of the 80's is the Ebel Chronograph, with the Zenith El Primero movement. No Omega was ever that pretty. I think only Frank and I on this forum own one of those, but how he got his is waaaaay cooler than how I got mine.

(But I'd love to have a pie-pan Constellation in my collection.)

Rick "likes chronographs until they need service" Denney

 

[DMill]

I wear a Hamilton Field automatic everyday. Pretty decent watch. Maybe soon would look into an Omega Seamaster auto as my end game. I love watches but not enough to jump to a level beyond that with a $10k+ cost associated.

 

[astcal]

That is a bit like saying I don't have a car but if I did it would be a Rolls-Royce Phantom!

I also would wear one of these if I could afford to buy it...

nah, you are just being modest -- you can afford it for sure

 

[rdenney]

...

I bought my AP back in the mid 90's for ~5K that same watch used... ~15 - 20K depending on market.

For the record, I'd love to own a Royal Oak, but I'd even more love to own an Overseas. I mean, as long as I'm dreaming.

Rick "for whom the Breguet Type XX will be the next expensive watch if there is a next expensive watch" Denney

 

[BlackTalon]

Which Watch? Depends on the day or activity.

My Breitling Colt (quartz) for most daily stuff.
My 1960 Omega Seamaster DeVile if I want to head out.
My Omega Speedmaster NATO Strap usually in the summer.
My AP Royal Oak (stainless) if its a formal function.

But while working... I don't wear anything. I take them off.

What I won't wear... Apple Watch. The phone is enough of a chain for me.

Wow, you really don't like that Seamaster, do you?

Love the Speedmaster. I coveted that one when I first started getting into Omegas. But at the time I could never see myself spending that much on a watch -- it was almost as much as a DAC from one of the 'reputable' hi-end manufacturers blessed by the audiophile magazines.