Monthly Archives: July 2017

Swatches

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Every so often I like to trawl the swatch world, just to see what low price models take my fancy.  I like Swatch as the quality is invariably at a decent level as to ensure a good and reliable timepiece. Their quartz models in my opinion are almost always good value and more often that not, great fun to wear.  Slightly funky colour-ways mean that if you are even a tiny bit dress conscious , then these can make a rather neat and subtle statement that you ain’t finished yet!

Unisex Colour the Sky Swatch model Quartz.

This is the GS124 or the Swatch Unisex “Colour my Sky” quartz model – available for anywhere between £30 and £40 and OK is a basic 3 hand model without Day or Date, but has got lots of colour, both dial and strap. Dimensions just 34 mm x 8.75 mm depth, this is a very neat watch and will fit anyone. (and don’t be thinking this is too small – some of the best Patek’s are 34 mm!).

It is what it is and that of course defines the ever so quirky Swatch range.  The back has the usual coin screw battery access and the case is sort of see-through plastic and the dial layout works pretty well with the slight odd hands set up. In fact this one has a touch of the old “railway” clock look about it and is pretty easy to read.

I like it.

My next Swatch pick is the oddly named “Lonely Desert” (Day & Date) model (SUOB721) which is I suppose more gents that Unisex, though that said, is not a large watch either at 41 mm diameter by 9.85 mm depth, so still a neat wearing model.  Price wise not a lot more than the first watch featured, but has the advantage of the Day and Date window.

Swatch Gents “Lonely Desert” Quartz.

I like this one as it features a leather strap in a really neat shade of “leather brown” that works well with the dark case. The dial is silvered and the Day and Date window stands out really well with white letters against a black background.  This is a slightly more serious watch model than the colour sky idea and looks really good either in casual or in a formal setting.

The usual coin battery access at the back –

Typical Swatch coin battery access.

Here’s a pic of the typical Swatch battery hatch system.

So just a couple of models from the huge Swatch range that caught my eye, both very affordable, Quartz powered and yet quite different.

I have to admit to a liking for quite a few of the Swatch Day and Date watches as they really do represent great value for money, especially when coupled to a quality standard that seems to stand up proudly on it’s own merit.

I have a few friends who collect Swatches (sad I know . . .) and I reckon most of us know someone who probably has more than one and I suppose it must be gratifying to Swatch themselves as the “S” or second “Watch” idea (Swatch) has turned out to be such a success story.

I’ll probably feature a few more of the ones that I like – and you never know, you might like the odd one too.

 

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Get it – forget it ?

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When buying and ultimately collecting watches over the years, sometimes you get yourself a model that you think will be the one.  You know a “perhaps this is it” moment when the watch you’ve just strapped on your wrist is, for you, as good as it gets.  That’s it, settle back and in the realization that you’ve just got your personal modern holy grail, start the process of slowly selling off the lesser models and call it a day.

Maybe just keep those very few, “landmark” models, that have particular significance for you.

Well that moment may just have been reached, at least for modern watches.  And here I have to quantify what is modern to me, which I suppose it’s from the day I bought my Breitling Aerospace, which was 1999 and funnily enough that was my grail watch back then.

But as I collect both modern and vintage model, this may not really be the end of the day, but it could be the last “modern” watch purchase I make.

If I consider todays technology with new and amazing complications as “modern”, then it’s probably true that this Citizen cc etc etc will be the last one.  Maybe as I can’t see anything really being much better, certainly from my personal requirements.  And let’s be clear, this watch gives the correct and always accurate Time, Day and Date, anywhere, anytime – period!  It’s easy to read day or night and is super simple to use.  As the definition of what a watch does – it’s about as good as it gets.
You simply get it and forget it. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Citizen cc3005-85E on silicon deployment strap – the ultimate? (more info see HERE)

I have to admit that Citizen have done an amazing job with this model – it’s not cluttered to look at, and thats’s a feat in itself (check out other satellite models around), it’s easy to tell the time (anywhere), it’s not too big and what more do you need or want for that matter.

But that might just be the point and certainly as a silly old eclectic (and perhaps eccentric) collector and it makes me start to question why I collect watches in the first place.

For once you’ve got the watch that does it all – what’s next?

Well for me it’s maybe time to slowly sell off some of my older “modern” models – this will clear some of the clutter, both collection wise and in my mind plus (and this is a very big plus) AND help me finance any new purchases too, which has to be helpful!

So many watch models were a product of their time and the limits of technical possibility I suppose and that’s one of the attractions.  They have limitations which can be quirky and interesting and maybe that’s the beauty of collecting.

Yes maybe that is just the point – it’s all a question of TIME.

OK, so here’s the deal – My true vintage watch collecting will carry on absulutely, especially in regard to watches from the early 1900’s to perhaps the early 1950’s.
And I’m still very interested in those zany Digital watches from the Golden period 1970’s to mid 1990’s, as it was such an interesting period in watch experimentation.
And as for modern, whilst I will cut back a bit, I’ll always check out any classic models that come along that simply take my fancy, but mostly can show some elegance and style as my guide.

Buy Hey! I’ve said all this BS before and who am I kidding – it’ll never happen! because if I see it and like it, I might just go and buy it!   😉