Old favourites

A selection of some old favourites – not picked in regards price or value – but rather models I just like to wear.

Breitling Aerospace 1999 quartz, with the Omega Seamaster 2577-6 Automatic

For whatever reason, they just feel right. It’s also true to say that for what they are, they are very, very good watches and seem to work and work, smooth and silent and never let you down.

The Breitling Aerospace 1999 model, which is probably my overall daily beater and worn mostly since I bought it new. Why do I like it?

Well, firstly it looks good and it’s one of the most successful ana-digi models I’ve ever come across. I say this as the digital display is electro-luminescent, which is quite rare today, which you can read in any kind of daylight circumstance.
The analogue hands though very slim, are highly luminous (as are the minute markers) and are what I call “all nighters” as they are readable for many, many hours of darkness. The minute hand overlapping the centre spindle is also very clever, in that it gives an immediate visual separation between the hands.

The watch also has a comprehensive digital set of functions, which though quite unobtrusive are available with the simple selection of the single control – the crown.

This particular case and bracelet are made from Titanium, which I’ve always liked, as it ages so smoothly it is a delight on the wrist.

And when this model appeared, they obviously had divers in mind as the bracelet features a built in extender, so can be worn over a wet suit.

Then there is the 1950 Omega Seamaster 2577-6, Cal 351 17J Automatic with it’s odd 300º bumper rotor. which is a bit of a classic if there ever was. Such an understated design and so neat to wear as it only measures maybe 36mm across. This in stainless steel with screw down crown and screw back.

Age patination on the dial now, but it seems to make it even more desirable and the smoothest movements you can imagine – moving the hands manually, it is smooth as silk. And the tiny red pointer on the sweep seconds hand – a nice touch.

As I say, a classic!

Heuer Camaro 7743 manual, Bauhaus Classic 2162-1 Automatic.

Next, is the absolute classic from 1960, the Heuer Camaro 7743 model, with it’s Camaro 30 chrono Calibre Valjoux 733 movement in that wonderfully designed 37mm stainless steel cushion case, which you really don’t see these days. A great shape for all wrists, but rare today.

This is another watch that is so good to wear – it sets so well on the wrist and it’s a very good looking design with the brushed steel topside, it looks and is very solid and substantial and is without doubt one of my very favourite watches. Again it’s one of those models that just works so well and worth a quite a bit these days, as they are quite rare to find in really good condition.

Next to it a more modern models that eschews the past – this is the German Brand, the Bauhaus Classic 2162-1 Automatic Day, Date. Called the classic – it should be a classic.

This watch shows off the intriguing Bauhaus minimalist + functionality concept perfectly. Note the asymmetric hour and minute hand hand widths, the sweep centre seconds, a Date view @3 and the full Day window @12, make this a very practical and efficient way to read the time at a glance. It has a lovely domed crystal and the case design allows a large dial surface

It uses the Automatic movement – the Citizen 21J Miyota 8285, which is a very smooth performer. It also has a high quality brown leather strap in keeping with the watch overall. Again this is a great watch to wear and invariably gets comments when I do wear it.

Last but not least of the six presented here –

Two different models now – they look different but both are practical and function so well.

Seiko Orange Monster Auto and the Laco “Squad” quartz

First is the rather amazing Seiko classic – the Orange Monster SKZ781K3 a Divers design model, which features a really solid and distinct stainless case, built like a battleship, 200m Water Resistance, a curved outwards unidirectional bezel and superlative luminous dial features and very clear to read.

This also uses the Seiko Classic, reliable and so well designed 7S26 Automatic movement (which I still prefer to later versions) with Day and Date combined window@3. This is a model that people either love (as I do) or for some unaccountable reason, don’t (your loss!). All I can say is, this particular model was very popular!

Last but not least, is the lesser (in the UK) but well respected German Brand – the Laco 1925 “Squad” watch, 40mm diameter, bull winder @12 Quartz ETA FO6.111 movement, with it’s highly unusual curved double articulated lugs design which hold it neat to the wrist. It’s another great Water Resistant model rated at 20ATM.

The wide dial has a really black matte finish background, that contrasts so well with the large and clearly defined luminous analogue hands, plus centre sweep seconds hand with dot marker. A date window @6 and a very nicely defined and operating click unidirectional rotating bezel, completes the look.

Has that distinctive look and the model from their range I prefer (quartz) as it’s just 40mm diameter (the mechanical version when I bought this was 46mm – too big for me).

So that’s just 6 of my likes from watches I have, picked just because I like ’em and they came first to hand. Value wise and in no order, from very affordable to mid range affordable. Every so often I’ll pick some more from the stuff I have, maybe affordable or maybe not, who knows what will turn up. It’s also fun to do as it brings back the memory of acquiring them and gets me fired up to maybe look at more watches that attract me.

That for me is what collecting watches is all about. It also makes me realise what an eclectic collection I have – love it!

Casio – and why I like them.

Casio as a brand seem to have been in existence for almost as long as I have – well almost! -)

And it makes you wonder why?

They started in 1946 in Japan and still producing today and providing the world with more innovative products. With many tech milestones back from the early days of Calculators, Musical Keyboards, E Dictionaries, to what I’m interested in right now – watches. From G-Shock (1983), RC controlled models, to GPS to whatever . . . . the range is amazing and ongoing.

Proof of how good they are can be seen in their present line up of mechanical and Digital watches – because, so many of them don’t seem to have changed, since they were first produced – There’s no doubt they were and are well designed and do the job they are meant to do, right from the start.

Casio at it’s best. Affordable, Quartz accuracy and lots of functions.

And their pricing for a decent watch that will last and last, is amazingly cheap in comparison to so many competitors.

This is the ubiquitous Casio AE-1000W-1A2VEF – some title I know, but this model has been around for many years and is still a remarkable best seller.

Very affordable and for reliability and features, it’s as good as they get. It’s also very clear to read and at a glance shows the time with running seconds, am or pm, the Day, Month and Year, even your time zone.

The controls are obvious on the top of the watch bezel – Adjust, Mode, Search and Light. It also has a 10 year battery life, which rather makes these so called “smart” watches a bit of a joke, in my opinion.

The functions and features list is comprehensive –

Accuracy is +/- 30 seconds a month, An Alarm Function with 5 Daily Alarms: Each will sound every day at the time you set, an Hourly time signal: The watch beeps every hour on the hour (selectable on/off).
It also has an Auto Calendar – Once set, the automatic calendar always displays the correct date. It also has a Countdown Timer, from 24 hours, measuring 1/10 second. A Stopwatch function, which can measure 24 hours with different modes – Elapsed time, 1st-2nd place times and all to 1/100th second.

Plus, if that wasn’t enough, it features a World Time – giving you 4 Time Zones (quite enough) and these Local Times can be called up quickly and easily, which is so much better than some over-complicated World Time models.

As said, the dial displays current Day, Week and Year, so a quick glance is all you need on a daily basis and this is all contained in a very tough resin case measuring just 43.7mm diameter and 13.7mm depth. The strap is resin, which has never been my favourite, as they tend to go brittle, but this can be changed quite easily.

The dial can also be illuminated with LED and an afterglow function. There is a Mute Function which switches OFF any tone sounds, whilst all pre-set Alarms or Timer functions stay active.

The glass is also break resistant and the control pushers are shrouded, just enough to prevent accidental operation – Note– the dial light button is top right and very easy to operate. The watch is also Water Resistant to 100m, so as a “daily” why take it off at all?

At around £40 in the UK and changed little since first introduced, there’s a reason – it’s simply because they got this one just right, first time. So, if in the market for an easy to use, easy to see, easy to live with digital quartz – and when you consider the two similar models noted on the links below, I’d say they pretty much got them right!

And that’s why I like Casio (and Timex digital if I’m honest)

Two other models I also own are virtually the same – check them out!
The first – is the Casio AE1200WH-1AV – which I Posted here – https://watchspace.co.uk/2013/11/18/holiday-watch/
Probably the same module, without the “Shock” name, but just as tough – again this is a favourite holiday or travel watch. Note when I bought this, it was under £20!

The Second – a different brand – this is my Timex Expedition T49976 which is very similar, even the dial layout, but without the World Time. This is another favourite travel watch. And for Time Zones – it’s no real problem, as changing time on the Timex is a case of pushing 2 buttons – and it’s done.
This was one of three Posts on this model – https://watchspace.co.uk/2014/08/27/my-camouflage-choice/

My Bruno Söhnle Pesaro IV

My usual daily watch always tends to feature a similar specification. It has to be luminous (properly so), easy to see and read, I like a Date indication, even a Day would be nice and it has to be the right size. Whilst I probably prefer an Automatic (mechanical) movement, Quartz is OK with me too.

In a dress watch, however, I’m not quite so fussy. It doesn’t have to be luminous, it has to be stylish on the wrist, an OK size and a Date is always acceptable and a Day is a bonus.

Which brings me to a watch Brand I’m very comfortable with – Bruno Söhnle. This is a German maker and I already have three models, all bought when in Europe at different times. But as I was over there earlier this year and as I felt like having a new dress watch, I looked them up.

The Pesaro IV Big Day Date dress watch was just what I was looking for. It come in two versions and this is the grey model (the other is a more standard plain) and it met my expectations perfectly. The dial incorporates two different split textures and it features a very obvious Big Date @12, plus the green centre Seconds hand and retrograde Day pointer. This is also a Quartz powered model, based on the Ronda 7003.L, but highly refined by BS in-house, to create a very stylish dress watch. The crown winder is nice and large with decent knurling, which I like.

The 316L stainless steel case is 41.5mm diameter, which is about as big as I can take and is 13.65mm thickness. It has a Water Resistance rating of 10bar (so if I fall in the swimming pool, it should be OK – not sure about me!)

The crystal is Sapphire Glass with an Anti-reflection coating inside and it has a glass back, so the movement and battery type (Renata 381) is visible. All set off by a nice quality dark green coloured fine and smooth calf leather strap, 22mm width with a folding clasp.

All in all this is a very stylish watch, which looks that little bit different and the colourway seems to work well overall. I have always liked the retrograde days of the week idea indicator and it’s not the first watch I’ve had with this feature. Though the green pointer is certainly different.

I also like the fact that the Brand name is subdued on the dial and does not interfere with the visual appeal of the dial, as it’s not obviously as clear to read as the more conventional coloured version. Black analogue hands are admittedly, for me, not my normal choice, but I’ll go with it in what I consider a dress watch.

I refer to two models I already have Posts for here –
https://watchspace.co.uk/2009/07/03/bruno-sohnle/
https://watchspace.co.uk/2015/03/12/german-schonheit/

The Terra Cotta (Swatch)

I suppose Swatch watches are known more for their very affordable, reliable and good quality Swiss Quartz models, which started off life back in 1983 as a result of the Quartz revolution, basically from Asia and the inherent danger to the Swiss mechanical models at that time. A response was required and hence the Swatch appeared – sometimes referred to, or maybe popularly called, the Second Watch or SWatch. A model that was colourful, very affordable and also very reliable and with great Swiss Quartz timekeeping too.

However, back in the early days Swiss watches really were famous for mechanical movements, not Quartz, so a few years after the Swatch revolution, for that’s what it was, they also produced Swatch watches with mechanical movements, manual and automatic and always of a dependable high quality.

The Terra Cotta (SAK402) is part of Swatch’s “Original Automatic” family, a legacy watch if you will, which appeared in 1996, and this one completely original – with a very decent 23 jewel automatic Swiss movement. This is visible through the full “exhibition” clear back. The plastic case is 36.7mm diameter which is a rarity in itself and not a case size currently available.

On the dial, there’s a neat viewable Date indicator, via a wheel and pointer arrangement, that just sets it apart from the mainstream. And yes, a simple change to the more common date window, but rather nice, as viewing it, you can sort of confirm your place in the month.

The red coloured centre seconds hand, defines it’s movement heritage, as it doesn’t tick each second as a quartz movement does, but rather has a smoother “sweeping” motion, with a smooth rapid tick.

Terra Cotta – 23 jewel Swiss Auto movement.

The original strap on this model is of red leather (not plastic), which rather compliments the dial colour and although a bit frayed now, is still OK to wear. I like that as it shows this watch was wrist worn and loved – and to me, this means it was a “daily beater” for the owner and that’s a big plus in my book.

This one may well have been a “home buddy” as it came by way of Zurich in Switzerland and now it’s on the travel trail with me. Though later this year it’ll be back in it’s old stomping ground, as I tend to visit the middle countries of Europe every year. There are no better places for good watch hunting, new or pre-owned.

These were and still are produced in amazing colours and styles and most were Water Resistant, even the Quartz models with their small “hatch” fit battery.

The cases were made of light weight plastic, so almost unnoticeable on the wrist, were it not for the bright colourways they use in an almost infinite range of patterns and dials. Today they often use “Bio materials”, allegedly more kind to the planet, but the philosophy remains the same. And movement wise, so confident are they these days, some movements are completely case sealed – no repairs possible – and in the rare event it stops, throw it away and get another one.

While I’m on about Swatch, I checked out another model that came to my notice, though tempted, have not bought (yet?)

SwatchOverTheWaves – odd title, but that’s Swatch Quartz for you.

This is the SwatchOverTheWaves, a diver style Quartz powered model – with an amazing 200m Water Resistance. I just love the colour combinations, which seem to work very well.

It will certainly be seen as a statement piece either in or out of the water!

Typical Swatch Quartz battery hatch. Note water resistance of 200M

So, whatever the reason Swatch are still managing to produce affordable models, both quartz and mechanical, in amazing colours and styles and most, believe it or not, are indeed Water Resistant, which I find surprising with that small “hatch” rear fit battery.

A success story no doubt and when you might assume a high price for a Swiss watch, these are very, very affordable. They’ve not only managed to compete but some would say surpassed that original fear in the early 1980’s that they would be over-run, by this new cheap technology.

Not so – and in my opinion, Swiss watches still reign supreme. In fact it’s a delight to browse through the current and vintage ranges available today as there’s always something new – and something you can afford!

Note – If you need to change a Swatch strap, make sure you get the correct size and remember they are not held in by “spring bars”. Swatch straps are sometimes measured (but not always) from the outside edge of the outer strap loops or between the outer edge of the case lugs.
However, it is fact that straps can also be measured simply at the widest part, where it meets the case – so be very careful which method is used by the retailer.

To remove the strap, you need a small pointer, such as the small round end of a watch strap removal tool (or Swatch’s own tool) – make sure it’s a slightly smaller diameter than the “straight pin” which will slide through the case lug, the centre case lugs and the strap’s three loops – then gently, from one end, push out the pin. Either use pliers or the Swatch tool to grab the other end and finally pull it out.
Note, I said ‘gently’ – It is important especially if a vintage Swatch watch as if it has a plastic case, it may be brittle, so could easily crack, so don’t force it, but gently does it. Once the pin is out, put the new strap in position, then ‘gently’ push in the pin again. You may have to wiggle the strap slightly as you push it into place, through the first plastic case lug, then the two guides covering the centre of the strap – all in a line, then into the last case lug. Make sure the pin is not protruding and that should be it.

You can also see how to manage this on many U tube videos – such as this one – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6wj95R9BXE

BUT – word of warning –
When it comes to an old vintage Swatch model (such as the Terra Cotta) , the original strap fitting with the trademark 3 x loops lug fitting may be similar – it could be smaller.
And the issue here is, that newer strap loops are larger and wider and may NOT line up or fit in with the original case/lug separations. They are also much thicker at the lug end, than vintage ones, so even if you managed to cut/modify the new strap to fit, so you could refit the retaining lug pin – it could look oversize and clumsy.
In the case of my Terra Cotta here – I’m fortunate the original strap has still got a bit of life in it, so I will not be trying to change it any time soon.
(another option of course is to find a true vintage Swatch for a cheap price and if it has a decent strap – consider swapping the strap)
Anyway, if it does fall apart – I’ll look at my options then and not before.