My “everyday” chalk & cheese?

For the last 21 years, since 1999 my “everyday watch” has been my old Quartz Titanium Breitling Aerospace, basically as it has the features I use most. Very easy to read, owing to it’s overhung minute hand and dial layout, plus it’s remarkable luminous quality (especially with narrow hands), a very clear digital Day and Date display, extreme comfort, good water resistance and excellent time keeping with Auto calendar function. It’s neat size is another bonus (unlike current models) and just 9mm thick. So what’s not to like? Plus it has other hidden functions, which I really never use and I’m very happy with it. Battery life around 5 or 6 years.

Breitling Aerospace 1999 Great “Daily Beater”.

But I thought just for fun, I’d have a look again at what constitutes a true everyday watch , this time with a bias towards the ubiquitous “recreational” or “diver like” models, because these mostly provide features I’d consider what an everyday watch should have, often as standard.

Most are tough built, easy to read and with a decent water resistance to a bit more than a few splashes from the kitchen sink. Plus you can see the time at night – so good luminosity is a definite. A model you can confidently strap on your wrist, whatever you’re doing and don’t look out of place even at dinner and know it will be just fine, whatever is thrown at it – and still look good. A jack of all trades, if you will!

Now, from a personal viewpoint, I’m avoiding those larger and sometimes over-macho models, as I have a small to medium wrist and if it’s too big, then it can look silly, which makes me look the same. Some of the recreational styles can be over-sized in the misconception that more features is good. And for everyday wear, it really isn’t. Think more of what you actually need and be honest.

Looking through my own collection of over 140 watches now, I didn’t have to look far as my “other” everyday model is one of my favourites – the very affordable Apeks 200m Diver Pro (at UNDER £100). This was and still is offered by the Apeks Diving Company, known for their diving breathing apparatus mostly, but as a watch choice, have got it just about right.

On the wrist in standard strap – best fit I have and great “Daily” watch.

This is a Quartz model. It is also very easy to read and the dial diameter and layout is good – giving the right separation of luminous markers on a matt background, which makes night reading really good, coupled with excellent luminous features. It also has a Date AND Day, which is a useful everyday feature. The watch is a neat size too, only 10.5mm thick, smooth stainless case, 44mm diameter incl’ crown, screw down protected crown and a superb polyurethane strap – flat on the inside against the wrist, so it VERY comfortable. The watch back is also very flat. The uni-directional bezel has good knurl definition, so very easy to use.
In fact this is one of the few watches I’ve ever come across, that for me has no faults at all – nothing!

I found another “diver” style watch, an old favourite at the time – the very neat Citizen BN0000.04 Eco-Drive Promaster 300m Divers’ Watch, which I have owned for more years than I care to mention. It differs from the Apeks, as it’s Eco-Drive, 300m Water Resistance, but it’s not in the same league for clarity – in that the solar sensor face is glossy, the hands and markers slightly too close for quick glance reading, especially at night (even though luminosity is good). The Date window is a little small, the bezel ( an aluminium insert) is not as knurled as I would like and slopes away from the dial, so is not that easy to use (possibly gloves may give a better grip).

Citizen 300m Diver – decent “Daily Beater” too?

And, of course it’s Eco-Drive, so relies on solar energy (and why it resides near the window), which for me, to some extent is a drawback. After all – I live in Scotland, where sun is in short supply and it’s always cold, which means the watch is almost exclusively UNDER my sleeve. Now whilst Citizen say that once fully charged the watch should perform for 6 months, I’ve never chanced it. But and I kid you not, it’s easy to forget how long it has NOT been in good light under normal wear, bearing in mind mostly under my sleeve. But Hey! It’s still a good everyday watch, though I’m sure there are better today.

So I’ve come to the conclusion, for me, that battery Quartz (3 to 6 years), is OK as long as you accept if the battery dies, it’s bound to do it when you least expect it! But my personal preference, has to be the tried and tested mechanical Self-Winding Automatic, as it’s always ready and if worn, keeps going as long as you do! 😉

NEWS FLASH – I found in another display box, hidden under another etc. etc. a very smart blue Citizen Pro-Master NY0040-17E which does actually sport a mechanical Automatic movement and I intend to feature it very soon. I thought? I had one of these, but unable to find it before this Post, was written . . . . So, more later . . . . .

Now I know someone will mention “kinetic”, but suffice to say, these are just not for me. (another story).

But, back to my quest. Let’s look at what else is around today in that “recreational or Diver Style” that might fit as my everyday watch.

The first one I like the look of, for no other reason, that it has a very clean look, is the Szanto HLI Dive Watch. A model I confess to never having heard of before.

Szanto HLI Dive Watch. Clear easy read 43mm Diameter.

Like the Apeks, it’s Quartz, also 200m Water Resistance, Date only (personally I prefer day and date), but a nice readable size. Slightly larger case 43mm diameter (crown extra) and I believe a little thicker, so I’d really have to see one in the flesh as it were, as for me, size is very important (yes, I know, I’ve heard the jokes!!!) It also has a uni-directional bezel, with K1 hardened Mineral Crystal and a tough stainless case.

But I like the look of it’s uncluttered face, should mean it’s an easy reader with it’s large markers. I like the second hand lume DOT, which is always a nice touch. The strap looks substantial without any over macho look.

However, in comparison with the Apeks it’s over double the price at around the £195 mark.

The next I’ve seen is the Orient FAA02003B9, again described as a Diver, though to me recreational is more acceptable and it is also 200m described. This is the black version with a 22mm deployment bracelet. The stainless steel case of 43mm diameter (ex crown) by 13mm thickness, so quite chunky.

Orient FAA0200 series 5D9 black 200m Diver

This watch, however is not quartz, but a self wind mechanical Automatic Japan F699 22 jewel movement and for me this is quite a good thing and perhaps even a plus. It’s always ready for action (no battery requirement) and as long as you wear it, it runs.

I have heard reports that whilst it can be manually wound, some say it’s as good as it should be, but without first hand knowledge I can’t comment. All I can say is that I have many automatic models with manual winding if required and I’ve never had any issues, ever.

It also has Day and Date, which I like, the window big enough to make reading easy and the dial is uncluttered too, again a good feature. Big luminous hands and markers, so easy read. Whether a bracelet is your thing or not, being a standard fit, an alternative strap or a Nato job is easy to source and fit.

I also note that, as with a number of Orient watches, whilst the movement is Japan made, the case is Chinese. This seems to be an issue for some, though I’m perfectly fine with that and Orient themselves are quite open about it. But let’s not get into the Chinese made component argument – find the completed product without an Asian reference is a tall order indeed, today. (I even have an expensive vintage IWC watch and it’s case was made in Hungary!)
Anyway, the Orient is a nice watch and it can be purchased for around £180 on the Web and it just about fits the everyday watch requirement pretty well.

So, just two or three recreational Diver style models available at reasonable prices – that might meet the everyday description and there are plenty more.

The trick is to get one that’s not too big, it’s easy to read, day or night, has no gimmicky functions, can be used for the odd swim, tells you the time at a glance and for me, the date AND the Day is very useful and looks good (when you’re retired you never remember what darned day it is). 😉

Personally I like the Apeks, as it provides me personally with all I need and at a really good price. It also has original replacement straps available, should I ever need one, but it’s nice to see.

What does seem amazing to me though, is that the two watches I wear most, may indeed be “chalk & Cheese”, but both provide my everyday requirements fully and yet are poles apart, price-wise! But as always, it’s rarely price that determines your wrist companion, but whether it meets your personal requirement – and in this case, both manage exactly that function.
Differently, yes, but perfectly too.

I also reckon I’m pretty fortunate to have my old 1999 Aerospace, as today Breitling models are too big, too brash, and too expensive. And the Apeks is it’s perfect companion and that suits me. I don’t think that how much I trawl current offerings, I’ll not be changing any time soon!

The Smart age – Huawei

Once again I’ve tentatively decided to check out the Smart brigade – those ‘wearables’ (I hate that word!) that you see lots of folk sporting on their wrists today.

Looked at two, though I’ll really only talk a bit about the one I show here – The Huawei GT 2 (42mm). And surprisingly, being no lover of this so called smart revolution – I like it.

This model is from Huawei, certainly more mainstream, being the World’s 3rd largest producer of Cell Phones and at under £150. It’s actually quite a decent construction and well made and with a conventional strap (not integrated, which is a huge plus). It also comes with two straps – the one shown is a black soft silicon and very comfortable and the other a tan leather one. Both come with quick release spring bars, so changing straps for any conventional watch strap is easy.

This watch with it’s Kirin A1 Self-developed Chip, shows the time, very clearly on it’s 1.2 inch AMOLED colour screen, is coupled with a 3D glass screen. It has good resolution 454 x 454, PPI 326 – and it is VERY clear. The watch face is easy to swipe, with an accurate touch response, unlike some. As I said, it shows the time and the previous image shows my daily beater (Time, Day, Date) one I like for every day and the following images show the other main time related options –

Digital time, Pulse plus two other functions

Now I’m not a Smart Watch person – far from it. I am also NOT a fitness fanatic – certainly not at my age. Well OK, I was in a gymnastics team once upon a time and travelled the world, but we’re talking in the 1960’s!

I say this, as I cannot vouch for the usefulness or quality of any fitness functions, workouts and the like. I can however, check out the Alarm, time functions, Blood Pressure measurements, Sleep monitoring, Weather, World time etc etc. plus the build quality, the screen display, how easy it is to read and use. And that’s about it. But it should give some idea –

Oh! and I almost forgot the App, for your phone, which is essential to any of them.

And lastly, for me at any rate, it has to work with an iPhone (can’t get to grips with that Android stuff at all). This model works with either though, so covers everything.

The graphics on this watch are really quite good and easily readable.

The watch is a sensible size too at 42 mm diameter (some so called Smart watches are just too big and thick ) and will fit smaller wrists just fine and it is really thin at just about 9 mm. The case is stainless steel and it sports 2 x side buttons. Top right button is the menu function button and the scroll/swipe menu system is intuitive and as said, quite clear. Charging is via a small magnetic unit – sit the watch on it and any USB socket will do. Takes about 2 hours to fully charge and the watch can run for around 4 or 5 days, depending on activities.

There are 8 Time displays (as shown here) and these can be viewed with a turn of the wrist or displayed permanently in certain circumstances.

Chrono style plus Weather, Steps & Pulse

There is a scrolling menu (top right button) and you can select Weather, Fitness modes, Workouts (15), GPS enabled, Activity, Sleep data, Stress, Rower, Breathing exercises, Music, Air Pressure, Notifications, Stopwatch, Timer, Alarm, Flashlight, Find my Phone, and Settings.

So it has a comprehensive activities list, though most rivals do also.

When I checked this function set against some other smart watches, the clarity, set up and user intuitiveness of this stood up well and better than many.

I did look at one, which has a lot of marketing around it, from e-Watch which can be got from silly offers up to maybe £59.00 and whilst it looked OK, there were certain things straight off that didn’t do it for me. First the strap was integrated (in other words, you can’t change it, if it’s damaged for example) and it was VERY awkward to actually fit to your wrist – I mean what’s wrong with a simple buckle?
Also, it charged using a USB to mini USB cable which connected to the side of the watch with a small rubber covered mini USB socket. It’s only a matter of time when the little rubber cover breaks off and you have a socket open to the elements.

The Apps or functions on the cheaper eWatch were basically as all the others, walking steps, sleep patterns, Blood Pressure monitor, Running, calculator, even can take pictures via your phone and so on, and on. But personally I found most of these to be clunky (is that a word?) and the phone App, I found difficult to set up and/or pair with my old iPhone. Also the choice of watch faces didn’t impress.

The Huawei Heath App I found synchronised fine with my watch and whilst it may not be super, duper, seems to manage the functions pretty well. For me with the few functions I use (mostly Blood Pressure at my age) it is very good. By the way, the watch buzzes when I’ve been sitting too long doing nothing, and reminds me by way of a small graphic, to get off my butt and do some exercise! And that’s a good thing.

So, this is my one and only Smart Watch and it should be interesting to see how it gets on with me – it does what I want, I can read it and understand it. It works fine with my old iPhone 5. I understand it gets notifications from my iPhone (I’ve seen them!) and it maybe can remotely operate my iPhone if I could figure that out too. But as I’m not into messaging, or Facebook or Twitter of any of the many Social Media sites around – Hell I don’t even read texts? This little watch seems to be OK.

However, time will tell and let’s hope I’ve made a “Smart” choice and so far (early days) I’m happy.

Addendum –

I have some images of the App showing the Sleep Monitor – on my old iPhone 5.

Sleep monitor for 1 night. With comments and further analysis on scroll down.

Horizontal scroll gives Daily, weekly monthly data as required..

Awkward strap with tail UNDER and against the wrist?

I did note, however, that the latest Apple Watch series 5 had the same awkward strap arrangement as the budget eWatch. The fact that the tail of the strap has to be pushed under the existing strap, in other words, forced under the existing strap and against the wrist, is really, really awkward. And when you consider any Smart Watch with Health functions has to be really snug against the wrist for those functions to operate correctly, it certainly doesn’t seem “Smart” to me!

If someone finds it easy, then good luck to them, but life’s too short for me to fiddle around with it every time I take it off then on after charging.

Update – Well maybe I spoke too soon regarding my first Smart watch – – I noticed that the Sleep monitoring function doesn’t work now – period. And that’s really annoying, because unlike a watch and certainly a wind up or automatic conventional non-smart watch – it is just not fixable.
This is of course a common problem with many “smart” devices – they are made a long way away and have little or no infrastructure regarding aftersales or servicing. So, it might as well be chucked in the trash. Or send it back to China (probably), maybe get a new module or a new watch, or perhaps never hear about it again, whatever- – factor in the time wasted, the fact that your watch is “bust” plus the inevitable cost – and there you are – a load of angst I can do without.

So, OK, a relatively inexpensive Smart watch – but at the end of the day, it turns out to be not so Smart after all.

Citizen Calibre 9000 Eco-Drive

This watch was one of a few passed on to me as the result of a friend passing. Sad way to get something I suppose, but he knew I was into watches, so here we are. Quite obvious that he rarely if ever wore it, as I know his daily beater was a relatively rare Heuer Camaro 7743, so the settings were all over the place and being a solar EcoDrive model and stuck in a drawer for years, I wondered if it would even work.

But not being worn it’s actually in pretty fair condition and is the Citizen Eco-Drive Minute Repeater Calibre 9000 model. This model had quite a few complications, so interesting to see how I get on with it. Although not a collector, like me, he was like me, in that I do have a few complicated watches and within a very short time scale, lose interest in them – basically too old for novelties and the eyesight not as good anyway, so busy dials don’t do it for me anymore.

Citizen Minute Repeater, Eco Drive, Calibre 9000

And that’s the problem with these multi-feature watches. Unless it’s your daily beater, you soon forget how it works, the instructions are long gone and so is the inclination to wear it.

Fortunately, the instructions for most Citizen Watches are online somewhere and whilst my benefactor wasn’t into computers and no booklet was with it, I duly downloaded one, because it certainly seemed tricky.

Now, whether I wear it myself is open to question, but who knows – if I can get it up and running, I might well give it a try. However, it’s one of those busy dial watches, not my preference these days – though in saying that, I do have a lovely old Citizen Skyhawk AT EcoDrive with probably the BEST busy dial ever which is also one of the easiest watches to read.

But I see it has got nice large hour and minute hands, good lume, so maybe the basics are enough for me – I note too it has a pointer Date indication, so I’ll just have to see how I get on.

Very fortunate I did get the instructions, because I had to do a full reset on the various hands and sub-dial indications, before it even considered letting me set or adjust anything. But, after a bit of fiddling around, I got there in the end.

Citizen EcoDrive Calibre 9000 – on the wrist – looking good.

Powered it up in the light and hey presto it works pretty well I have to admit. I even got another leather strap for it as the one on it was both the wrong size and obviously from a very much older watch at some point.

A fair sized watch at 45mm including the crown, though it’s general shape allows it to sit on the wrist very neatly indeed, with nicely curving lugs and a very smooth case finish.

In it’s day this was a very complicated watch, though I’m unsure of the date as it also has a set of chimes for all sorts of things, Alarms, the Minute Repeater function and so on, though not much use for me as my Wife says I never hear them – and as I have a few Chimers around the place it annoys her no end – Ha! One of life’s little pleasures!

So a complicated Citizen Eco from a good few years ago and I have to say, I rather like it, so I will wear it now and again, but for me, a little busier than I like at the end of the day and probably wasted on me – but I was left it, so for now I keep it and remember the man who left it for me.

Sad to think it’s been nearly 25 years since we talked and over 50 years since we were together – but it brings back memories of better times and that’s a comfort.

Note – This Post revised and added to in 2021.

Is it just me?

I often trawl through the weird and wonderful watches that appear from time to time, where the old analog idea of hour and minute hand is sort of forgotten about.
And we have the sometimes preposterous methods for showing, telling or indicating the passage of time, which at first glance (and you’ll need a few glances I can tell you), it is nigh impossible to read the time.
You also get some rather ingenious ways too, but mostly the common denominator is the fact – it’s haystack time! and you’ve got to find the needle! The needle being the time!

To the young it may be fashionable and I’m sure a topic of conversation (do the young actually converse face to face any more?), a talking point, as all your friends gather round to see if they can make out what time it is. However to my old peepers, I would be better squinting at a kaleidoscope via an illegal substance overdose!

Now what time is it?

Xeric Trappist Monk Moonphase – and tells the time I think.

(1) Apparently the Trappist Monk here tells you the time with the window @6 showing the Hours and the planets or stars somehow showing the Minutes. I haven’t managed to see it myself yet, but I’m sure if I had time, I might figure it out. Love the colors and the sky design and all that – but . . . .
Seems ironic for me that the watch dial is really large and OK it looks intriguing, but the time telling bits are so small in comparison, it ends up with such a small set of indicators, you certainly can’t just glance at this to get the time. If you can get it at all!

(2) The next guy is the Last Laugh Tattoo by Mr Jones,

which though colorful and has lots of symbolism tattoo stuff, to me seems to be an exercise in how to hide, not show, the time.

Once you have your glasses on you can just make out the Hours on the top set of teeth and the Minutes on the lower set.
But again we have the repeating theme of a large dial area with only a tiny fraction used as the time indicator, so really good eyesight required for this one.

Always remember here, before designers get carried away, that the prerequisite for a watch is first and foremost – to tell the time. So to my mind these first two have not really managed to meet the brief.

Now I’m all for trying to indicate time in a different way, just for a change if nothing else, but making the time indicators either too small or hidden in some way doesn’t seem the right way to go about it.

(3) Next is the Xeric Soloscope, which is a tricky one and it also requires very good eyesight indeed to read. On this model and on the face of it, the Hours should be relatively easy to spot, being circled by that single hand BUT it’s only actually effective when directly over the Hour numeral as shown here (7). When it’s between Hours, say 15 minutes past the hour – Ah, then it’s very tricky indeed! Because the circle itself partly obscures the very thin index you’re trying to see and there’s no numeral to see. Each line of the index denotes 5 minutes by the way.

So basically this is an overly fancy single hand watch – and I’ve had them before, bought for the novelty, but which unfortunately I’ve always found in practice soon wears off – and I’ve sold every one of them on to some other novelty seeker.
I suppose if you’re OK with a vague approximation of the time, when someone asks – you’re answer is “Oh it’s after 7 sometime” – which maybe sounds OK, but if the inquirer is catching a plane – not so clever.

(4) Now this one is a little different. Not easy to see at first, but none of them are, but this one has purpose, as it caters for the visually impaired, so seeing it, is somewhat irrelevant.

This is the Eone Bradley Classic Black Mesh with it’s inside, outside “silver balls” that you can feel with your fingers. The outer one on the edge of the case, indicates the Hour and the inner one, the Minutes (assuming a 12 hour clock dial). The dial is matte black and has raised markers and an strongly embossed diamond at 12, so it has a Braille touch style, which really does assist those with impaired vision. Obviously there is no glass/crystal here as the fingers can feel the raised numeral markers and the ball on the dial.

So this is a model that has genuine purpose in reading time in a different and very useful manner.

(5) OK this is the last one is probably the best one for me, because it’s relatively readable and is an older idea seen on quite a few vintage watches.

This is the
Klokers Klok 01-D1 Yellow Matte Black Leather – which is an update of the old disc watch, where Hour, Minute and Seconds discs move round a large dial and pass underneath a vertical fixed pointer which highlights the time.

Just read down vertically from the top – this one looks to me to be about 10.20 and almost 30 seconds, so can give quite an accurate time. Mind you to pick out the seconds it really has to be read. Personally I’d prefer the numbers to be in a heavier font with more contrast – but that might just be me.

A quick glance, however, should give you the 10:20 bit, which is probably accurate enough for most of us.

Also this watch is a “mobile” – which is evident as the discs rotate, but unlike hands, these rotate anti-clockwise, which is a bit odd when first seen. Also each disc rotates at a different speed!

So, OK, I accept it can be a little tricky at first to get your head round these odd movements, but once on board you suddenly get the picture. It’s also a decent full dial size at 44 mm diameter, which helps.

Personally this one has an attraction for me. And maybe I like it because it shows time actually passing, which can be quite fascinating. And this is because, as I said, the disks constantly revolve and at different speeds – as I say – fascinating.

Disc watches truly involve you in the process of time itself, and if you like mobiles it’s very much cheaper than a Tourbillon!

The only downside I’ve found with the odd disc watch I’ve owned is their timekeeping. The discs have to revolve smoothly and without touching an adjacent disk and depending on the quality of manufacture, play is sometimes unavoidable, so accuracy can suffer a little.
But if it’s a quartz model it has at least a good basis to start with, the mechanics are minimal and should still be accurate enough for most of us – just check it every fortnight, if the mechanics are not quite to the same standard.

So there we are, just a selection of unconventional watch dials, guaranteed to confuse the elderly 😉

Of course I jest. These are unusual watches and inject a bit of interest and sometimes humor into what can be a tedious procession of clocks and watches that can be quite boring at times.

And as I haven’t had a disc watch for many years, I could be tempted by the Klok – just for fun.

And it’s also sobering that if you can see time actually moving – you’re still here!

Timex Ironman Transit

Odd name for a watch I know and not being in the know these days, unfathomable to me, but those folks at Timex marketing have come up with it and it sounds good. . . . For me it differentiates it a little from the Expedition series, one of which I already own. And as my Expedition is one of my very favorite watches, from anybody, I thought that a look at this one in this “Transit” guise would be worth a look.

Here they’ve removed the tough looking macho “shock” exterior and replaced it with the running, fitness orientated modern man look that seems to be the thing today (the only thing I run now is a bath and this website!). I have to admit I like it’s clean looks and easy to read dial with large digits on a very clear display, something that I feel Timex leads the way over all others. The contrast is good and the displayed information gives the Day, the Date and the Year, plus the time – what more do you need on a quick glance.

And that’s something you can do with this watch – a quick glance is all you need and bingo – no squinting at it, trying to make out poor digits against a poor background. This is for me the way to go in digital displays. And once the daylight fades you can use the Timex patented Indiglo dial lighting system, which I have to admit is brilliant on their digital watches (not so good on their analog ones though – see my views at the foot of this Post).

I also like the operation of this Indiglo function. If in a dark place during the day for example, a press of the center colored button and the dial lights up for 3 seconds. But later in the day you can activate the system fully by pressing the center Indiglo button for 4 seconds and what this means is that pressing any button on the watch will light the dial. So no fumbling around looking for that one button – any of ’em will do – the dial light again will illuminate for 3 seconds at a time. The Indiglo system will stay activated (as a system) for the next 8 hours or until you switch it off (4 seconds press of the center button again).

I quite like this degree of control, which my old Expedition one lacks (or I haven’t noticed it!) 😦

Functions on the watch are useful, such as a Countdown Timer and a Stopwatch (sports) with a 10 lap memory, a few Alarms and the watch also has a 100 m Water Resistance which is pretty good. Not a diving watch, but it’s OK to shower with it or swim in the local pool or even on the beach. If beach swimming just remember the salt water doesn’t do anything much good (apart from aching feet), so a rinse in fresh water is a good idea afterwards.

A little chunky perhaps (added to by the under body fast wrap strap), but at 40mm very comfortable.

The watch dimensions are just 40 mm diameter which is a little neater than some of the older models and it comes with one of those very useful “Fast Wrap” straps. When I first saw these I didn’t know whether I’d like them, but I do. They are quick and comfortable and usually better than a strap and buckle arrangement, unless they fray, which has been known.

So this is a practical watch from Timex and it’s easy to wear, very easy to see, day or night. Has enough useful features and functions on it, a decent Water Resistance and at a price of under £50 has to be a really good daily beater in any language.

Note –

I mentioned the Indiglo system of dial illumination and I said it was great on this model and most other Timex digital dial watches. But as I said I’ve always found it to be a great disappointment on any of the non-digital analog models.

The reason is that the standard analog watch tends to have hour and minute hands, either colored steel , skeletal or a combination of both PLUS a luminous looking tip or pointer. The numerals and markers are similar and if it is a Date watch with Date window – forget trying to read the Date at night.

Indiglo lights up the background dial surface in a sort of fluorescent green and shows everything on the dial as black silhouette and I have to say, not that easy to see. The hands, numerals and markers are simply not at a decent enough contrast to this greenish background (makes my eyes go funny) and forget about any so called luminous tips to the hands – these are also dark.
And the date is virtually black and unreadable.

On this watch, which is digital, it is brilliant, as is my Expedition, which is a joy to use at night. So a case of technology where it’s needed basically and my maxim is simple – for Digital display Indiglo is OK, but for analog display, good luminous coating or Tritium is the best.

Just my opinion and you take it or leave it, but one thing I can’t abide – is not being able to read the time day or night – and I’ve had a few models over the years that manage that feat. I don’t have them now!

But as to the Ironman Transit – it has to be great value and you don’t look as it you’re in the Army . . . . You’ve just joined the fitness people!

The wonder of Citizen

There’s something about the classic “slide rule” and “Hawk” style Citizen watch that brings out the pilot (hangar) in me. The Navihawk was first produced nearly 25 years ago and publicly available since 1993 and is still going today with many different variants.

The inclusion of the slide-rule element around the dial was a touch of genius, even if only used by a tiny fraction of buyers. It was rather the “look” of this model that gained such a popularity then and now, that has managed to keep it looking as good today as the day it first appeared.

This example is the red Arrows AT World Timer, where the slide-rule has been replaced with the possibly more relevant World Time indication within the dial.

This is in keeping with the new models, where the data displayed now is located IN the dial and not around the bezel, as the originals. Basically this model is a Chronograph with analog date (no digital windows here), Eco Drive Solar movement.

This model is positioned at an affordable price point (£200 ish) for most folks and is a great “wearing” watch – in other words – it looks brilliant on the wrist.

However certain versions can reach much higher prices, such as the Limited Edition Skyhawk A-T model shown here – at around £1200. Note this model includes digital displays, which here are used for the World Time feature with and the inner dial bezels for the rotating slide-rule data.

The overall Hawk series look is self evident and as such can be recognized the world over as a Citizen.

There are as I say, many variations of these (I have 2 myself) and they always impress when worn and whilst they are dial “heavy”, Citizen have somehow managed to allow maximum clarity without much clutter, which is a trick few Brands can match. It’s fair to say they’ve managed to create a “cult” following, a market if you will where there may well not have been before – indeed a marketing triumph.

And when it comes to the slide rule data. I wonder how many customers actually have a clue as to how it works, let alone use it? Maybe we’re all “hangar” pilots at heart, Biggles or Dan Dares (that’s showing my age!) – but who cares if all you manage is to tell the time.

Don’t they look just great!

It looks the part!

I said I’d Post on some new watches just the other day, but didn’t really expect to feature another one of these!

This is the Infantry Chrono-Pilot and I have to admit it looks way above it’s price point. Does that make sense?
To clarify – it looks great! It really does and on the wrist is pretty awesome, which is surprising for a watch that measures across about 46 mm (without the crown) and pretty thick at 16 mm.
But Infantry have done it again and have fitted a very soft flexible silicon band to standardish 24 mm spring bars. The result – it fits very snuggly even to my average wrist and at the same time looks rather impressive.

Infantry Chrono-Pilot with soft Silicon buckle strap

On the dial, which is nicely arranged, there is a lower digital window showing the Time, Day and Month (selectable). Using the pushers you can also dial up Stopwatch and Alarm. The Day of the week is shown all the time on the small sub dial between 10 & 11 using digital segmented markers, with Sunday in red at the top, going round to Saturday at about 11 on the small dial.
The dial also features a standard analogue Hour hand, Minute hand and a running Seconds hand (in orange) AND I’m glad to report that Infantry have at last featured some luminosity, albeit just to the main Hour and Minute hands.

There is also another digital window opposite the 2, which has a mobile segmental style counter of sorts – I say of sorts as I have to discover exactly what it represents. The square segment markers don’t seem to run in any identifiable order, though I suspect they should count 10 seconds in sequence, but they don’t – maybe a glitch just on this particular watch. However, it makes no difference to me as I never use these anyway. Note this could be an inherent weakness of the module used. After all this is a brand new watch and something I have never, ever experienced on a Casio, Timex or Citizen model – unless long past it’s prime and very vintage. This digital display also shows AM/PM and Alarm ON/OFF and it might also have a Chime indication. Unfortunately it’s hard to know as these indications are almost unreadable, as they’re too small and lack contrast or clarity to be of much use – a design error perhaps that those mainstream Brands mentioned would simply not do.

However the main bits are fine – at a glance I can see the Time, both analogue and digital, the Day of the week and without pressing any buttons or pushers – so that’s good. The watch overall is pretty easy to see and read, the dial remarkably uncluttered, the outer 60 marked bezel clicks one way and is still a handy basic time indication, say for a parking meter (sometimes simple is good).

So after all that, what does it cost? Well it’s around £20 and if it goes as well as the old square Infantry model I got as a gift a couple of years ago, it’s not at all bad. It also has a decent build quality, nice materials and excellent finish.

If you ask me if it matches up to the likes of the Casio or Timex low price point models, then my answer is – I would say not. But let’s be clear – we are looking at a watch that costs no more than your average snack for two during your lunch break. . . . .

At the end of the day it is what it is and there’s no question that it really does look the part – and would I wear it?

Re-strapped using my favourite silicon deployment type – easier on the wrist.

Well I got it just the other day and it’s still on my wrist – so Yes is the answer. And if you ask – Did I change the strap for a silicon deployment type – you know me too well!

Ps – The segment issue – Do I bother to send it back to Amazon?- it is new and it has a Guarantee. If it was DOA then I certainly would, but as the main functions are just fine, £20 is not a problem – I’ll stand it. . . . . .

Issues with cheap! –

The issues with these very cheap watches is in the quality of the parts. The ensemble can look good, but the reality can be very different. Almost always the digital displays are poor. They lack clarity and contrast and and are just too faint. The movements are invariably cheap and often far smaller than the watch, often struggling to carry the weight of the hands. Light weight mechanics, light action crowns, slack and loose tolerance mechanics, screw backs that aren’t and snap backs that are too light and not tight enough, so water resistance is often non-existent. Luminous quality is another failing – they just aren’t good enough.
The trouble is that often, as I say, the entire ensemble actually looks great! Great in photos and great in Makers blurb – but in reality – you generally get what you pay for.

A cheap watch!

Get it – forget it ?

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! 😉

Day Date survivors?

One of the most popular watch styles is the Day Date and yet it is hardly ever marketed with any great fanfare. But it’s no accident that many of the very best Makers have Day Dates in their range as they know that to so many people, it is the perfect wrist assistant.

They tell you the Time, the Date and the Day, the three most pertinent and popular functions of the wristwatch. They also are available at very affordable prices. There are Solar, Kinetic and Quartz, Manual wind mechanicals of all sorts of shapes and sizes, but for me the old classic mechanical Automatic is still around, is in good supply and still fun to own. That feeling of cogs and wheels and springs and things – ticking along on your wrist – no electronics, no touch screen, no Bluetooth, no Wi-Fi and no Internet – but self contained and still a true mechanical technical marvel.

It’s really difficult to beat – no battery, no light requirement and with mechanics that can easily with the movement of your wrist, outlast you. Mind you if you suddenly “snuff” it, your watch, after a decent interval, perhaps out of respect will also stop! But it only sleeps – waiting till the next live person comes along and suddenly it’s ticking away – recording time as it was made to do – something a bit science fiction about that and maybe even a bit surreal! In fact if you think about it – you are simply the custodian of the mechanical watch . . . .

Anyway I feature a few different models here – The first is one of my vintage ’70’ watches – the Tressa Crystal.

It never needs a battery, being a proper mechanical automatic movement and it shows the Time, the Date and the Day. Those three can be adjusted easily using the crown and a small pusher @4 – also it has a traditional geared analog hands display. Basically, strap it on and away she goes – it’s a set and forget watch and it’s very affordable.
Note – it may look as if it’s a bit like the first Citizen solar dial – but it’s not – though I wonder where Citizen got the idea from ?)

The next images, in no particular order or price range – just a few I’ve spotted here and there.- they feature Day and Date and are Automatic models and these can be from Dress styles to Divers and all have a common feature – very easy to use. And of course being automatic, they require nothing from you, except for you to wear them.

Tag Heuer Carrera Calibre 5 Auto Day date

A great feature of the Automatic (have I mentioned it?) is that it doesn’t have a battery, it doesn’t require a light source and setting Time Zones or Summer Times is not complicated (so many specialist or complication watches can make a real song and dance about it).
Here, it’s just a case of, crown out, move hands, crown in – job done. No instruction booklets or prodigious memory required for what can often be a hugely over-complicated push button sequences that do your head in!.

Maybe this is a more apt description of an ABC watch! Because it’s as simple as A, B, C!

And yes – there are complication watches as shown of course that can show the Time, Day and Date plus many other functions, but frankly I sometimes wonder if we need them complicated.

But that said there are a few today that overcome some of these annoying and silly instruction book requirements. Such as Radio Controlled and GPS models for example can, used correctly, show the correct Time and Zones and the latest models have tried really hard to reduce required command functions should changes be required.

But for me the mechanical Automatic is still on top in the practicality and no-brainer stakes, so easy to use and will last many lifetimes.

As an Undertaker, funeral guy (watch collector) acquaintance said to me once –

“Basically my friend as long as you are ticking, so will your watch and if not – call me or at least leave a note. Maybe I can do a deal!”

So the basic data provision of Time, Day and Date as an instant view really hasn’t changed much over the years. It is still one of the true prerequisites for any watch that somehow manages to sell year after year after year, with little change.

And in keeping with this theme, there are of course some modern digital watches that manage to display the same data and as a default view. These include digital and ana/digi models and some even manage an easy to remember pushbutton sequence to access more complicated functions. As long as you have a battery or access to light – if solar – which defeats things a bit I suppose.

These models appear in most price ranges, but for me I tend to look at the affordable ones first.

Two of the better affordable models are the Cssio LCW-M180D-1AER

Casio LCW-M180D-1AER Radio Control, Solar, Day and Date view model.

and the Casio Tough Solar Model WVA-470 Wave-Ceptor

Casio WVA-470 Wave Ceptor - default Day date view — Casio WVA-470 Wave Ceptor – default Day date view

Both are well specified models offering many functions such as Radio Control, Solar Power, Stopwatch, Alarms etc.

However a good feature for me is they both manage to show the Time in analog and the Day and Date in a digital display as the default view, so meeting those three “must have” indications. The former model is part of Casio’s Lineage series and as close as you’ll get to “get and forget” models today and represent great value and are relatively inexpensive.

Diver Day Date Quartz - simple and effective. — Diver Day Date Quartz – simple and effective.

There are also a few Diver’s watches around featuring the Day and Date window plus Diver capabilities that offer extreme good value for money and well worth a look.

Once again though it is no surprise that today Casio models feature quite prominently especially in the quest for watches that people “want” to wear. Models that offer the basics properly (so important) and now of course coupled with a higher technological level that hitherto was just not possible.

Take the Casio LCW Lineage series for example – these manage not only to give the wearer the essentials – of Time, Day and Date as the default view, but also “get & forget” features such as Radio Control and Solar Power. And Casio with these analog and digital hybrids offer in addition highly effective intuitive ease of use. I also like the fact they have “come of age” in comparison to the older Casio WVA-470 and don’t advertise on the dial the advanced technology within – they are nicely understated and rather refined in my view.

I have the WVA-470 myself and I like it a lot, but the newer LCW-M180 is much more elegant and in fact a real class act (I’m tempted again just writing this!).

So as to the question of Day and Date watches, I have to admit the Casio LCW (my review soon) is probably the successor to the older mechanical Day date Automatics and a worthy one at that. Though that said, don’t write off the Automatics just yet, I have a feeling they will be around for a long time yet.

Who knows they may be the true survivors – but only Time will tell . . . . . . .

Expectations?

Expectations? – odd title but prompted by a friend who asked my view on a Patek Philippe model which was on sale for around £5000+ and quartz powered! Now I don’t know about you but when I think of the Patek Philippe brand I’m thinking absolute quality.

I’m thinking beautifully sculpted and finished mechanical movements and clever fashionable designs – and like the advert – so refined and just so good that it passes down the generations, time after time. The buyer pays for the privilege of wearing such a powerful statement, often hidden by an understated refinement it simply speaks class. You’re someone who’s “made it” so to speak and with an implied old money elegance and sophistication in comparison to the ubiquitous and often ostentatious Rolex.

Now you know perfectly well that a quartz model won’t quite be the same as their classics, but that said, perhaps you’re also not quite expecting the plastic/metal module, a few gears, a couple of coils and a battery – right? And being a Patek Philppe you’d expect that battery to last a lifetime and probably your son’s too, seeing you passed it down to him when you finally quit the rat race.

But it doesn’t and the image here with the back removed shows a typical PP quartz sporting what’s probably a good old Renata SR371SW costing under £2.00.

A quartz watch Patek style — But got this! (Quartz calibre) with battery removed.

So it’s hardly surprising that when I see a not so old vintage “quartz” Patek for over £5000+ – I really struggle to see the value, especially when I open up the back and see a few soldered joints and that common old battery sitting there. Nice bit of fret work on the battery holder I agree, but for me it doesn’t feel like a whole lot of money.

It’s like retrofitting a Mini engine into a Rolls – it just doesn’t seem right.

That’s not to say it isn’t good, because Patek Philippe is good but is it really value?

And of course that’s another matter completely – value – because the very top brands simply rise above the common concept of “value” as such and enter a different world with both a monetary and status value entirely of their own making.

One of the plus points regarding quartz watches is that you can pop off the back yourself and swap out the battery – it doesn’t take a great deal of skill and it’s usually done in minutes. But how many owners of Pateks ever take the back off their prized model and to gaze on that wonderful calibre, or in this case that rather common looking quartz movement. And unless they have an exhibition back in most cases the internals will never ever be seen.

And regarding the quartz version – well you could look at it in another way – it’s just a change of power source. Everything is the same, it’s a power source thing and instead of that mainspring, hairspring, regulators and associated gears and stuff you’ve got a battery. Not an 18ct gold one but a £1.50 one and the whole shooting match is really accurate.

OK? Well no it doesn’t work for me either.

However the top brands, if quartz, are sometimes not like the plastic digital modules and basic mechanics of lesser brands and some feature pretty smart metal work inside and that’s maybe as it should be considering the brand, but it’s still a quartz job whatever you say.

Always amazed that such a simple change – battery instead of spring can make such a vast difference. Perception is everything.

But for me though as I like quartz watches (let’s face it, they keep better time than mechanical ones) it has to be a question of price, of value, which maybe shows my class or maybe lack of it, because to me price matters. Perhaps I’m not cut out to be a true Patek Philippe owner. After all as a collector I don’t even have a Rolex!

Though in saying that, if a classic mechanical automatic Patek Philippe came along, at a quiet little auction somewhere and at a good price I would probably be very tempted.

But there again I do have Breguet and Vacheron and a few others in the same league, so maybe it’s just a question of preference and I hasten to add none of them are quartz.

However there are other quality brands offering Quartz versions, allegedly to suit the Ladies market – one of the reasons apparently is that ladies don’t want the tiresome business of winding their watch every so often and automatics are just so expensive.
PP seemingly offer them partly as a recognition of the historical significance of quartz too and of course for the “ladies” and an odd few for gents. Though get one of those and it usually is not that easy to sell on, let alone leave it to your offspring!

It could be “that” heirloom that gets passed around! Friends are likely to say – “Oh I know he’s got a Patek, but it’s quartz would you believe!” Almost into the realm of fakes dare I say!

But as I said, there are others, such as Cartier, who produce quartz versions very successfully and with somewhat more conviction. The Gents Cartier Solo model is one. And yes this is one of a few “brand” quartz models I do own and personally I love it. Firstly as it is so well priced (around £1200 new) and secondly as it has a flat tank profile as opposed to the rounder tank case – and definitely I prefer the former. It’s neater and it sits better on the wrist.

And I can live with the fact that the battery only costs around £1.50 and I can change it myself in minutes when required. It’s probably got a jewel or two added in but basically it’s a quartz module like any other. It is what it is . . . .

But what it isn’t is £5000+!

And maybe that’s the point for me. The fact that if the wonderfully intricate mechanics of the mechanical movement have been replaced with a modern day quartz mass produced drop-in battery timer, then I’d want a really big price reduction to compensate for that loss.
And in that regard Cartier have got it just about right. And at the end of the day it has to be about price.

Isn’t everything!

However if I was paying that “I’ve made it status” asking price for that top brand, I’d want to see it at it’s best. The best workmanship, the best mechanics, the best style.

And for the privilege of owning such a timepiece I’m perfectly happy (if a manual model) to wind it up every day or two, just to remind me its there.

And I suppose that’s one of the reasons I got into watch collecting in the first place. The fact that once you take the back off a watch you are suddenly into another world. The reflections off the finished plates and the beating heart of the miniature mechanics, ticking away virtually silently – alive – as time measures it’s way onwards . . . . Wow!