Well it’s here (almost) at last – the Apple Smart Watch, so why am I not jumping for joy. Probably as for me, not having an iPhone 5 or later, the Smart Phone won’t work. And if I had and it did, I still can’t access the Apple Pay idea and use touch-less payment, not here in the UK anyway – and don’t hold your breath.
And that’s not all, I also can’t have the touted GPS function, receive phone calls or transmit messages, though sticking my hand (on the end of my wrist – so pretty close) in my pocket, I can do all of these with my present non iPhone, phone.
Apple Smart Watch – in 38 versions!
So not being too impressed with one Apple Smart, how do I feel with, wait for it – 38 versions! Yes there are . . . .
And as with all so called “Smart” watches, not just Apple, the battery life is still a big disappointment. They quote supposedly 18 hours with a 2.5 hr charge time, so at best it might manage a day, but utterly depending on how many Apps (there’s going to be dozens of these!) and messages you fritter away your time with – assuming you’re an iPhone 5 or better user.
Apps for everyone – but only if you’ve also got an iPhone 5 or later!
It’s said that if you switch OFF all other functions then the watch will still display the Time for up to 72 hours. Well Hello! My old Casio can do that for 10 years without a battery change and my oldest mechanical Automatic can manage it for – ever? Well as near as damn it. So the Apple Watch Time for 72 hours seems irrelevant to me.
Also the prices in my opinion are just too high – I mean just think what I can buy, watch wise, with the starting price of the Apple – £479 in the UK or next model at £949 – Wow I can think of a few!
The trouble with this Smart stuff is that whatever the App on your wrist, just a foot away in your pocket is your phone, which does the same, does it better AND the battery lasts longer.
What’s the difference that I can call up a Uber Taxi from my wrist or from my Phone? I can’t see any time benefit, physical benefit or cost benefit – and in the case of the latter, quite the reverse!
So Smart watches, Apple or not are gong to have to be an awful lot better than this to attract an old geezer like me. And when I visited a nearby college just the other day, most of the young pupils there don’t and have little intention of wearing even a basic watch – it’s not cool! – so they tell me! 😉
Over the years I’ve been collecting watches, how I display and store them has always been a sort of mix and match conglomeration of mismatching boxes, cabinets and goodness knows what else. Some are lovely wooden glass topped boxes for 12 or more, others are 2 tier leatherette boxes with acrylic tops, some small wooden cabinets with drawers and no display, except the top drawer and so on.
Neat storage cases for watch collection. Great space savers and can easily be moved around.
In short my stuff is all over the place and getting more disorganized every day – a bit like my life at the moment! Perhaps it’s a reflection of my state of mind and a danger sign that I need to cool it, sort things out and get organized in every way. I would ask my Doctor for his advice, but being a watch collector himself and I’ve been in his house – well it’s like the pot calling the kettle black! (and for those of you puzzling over that old expression – it means – The notion of a criticism a person is making of another could equally well apply to themselves or vice versa).
So what to do?
Well I’ve decided on a strategy – wow, this is new! I have decided to replace all my boxes, cabinets, wood, leatherette, cardboard, drawers and assorted enclosures, with cases. Yes cases and with handles – no grabbing boxes by the sides and hugging them to your chest whilst moving them around, but neat sized aluminum cases with handles and clear display tops. I opted for one standard size – that’s one level of 12 watches capacity with cushions in compartments.
Bookcase style storage is a useful alternative.
I bought one to check it out and satisfied I bought a pile of them. Whilst waiting for them to arrive gave me time to assess and sort out my collection, see what I’ve actually got, decide if to keep any particular model or to move it on, tidy things up, segregate styles or types and so on. In other words take some control of my watches and by association – my life!
These are the cases I’ve decided on. Neat, clean and compact, with handles and locks and easily carried, clear topped for both display and any Solar models and so on. Even the look of them calms me down – this is like therapy! Wow I’m feeling calmer already and I might even go on a diet – boy this is good!
I’ve got myself some small stick-on silicon buffer feet which attach to the bottom corner of each case, so I can stack them without them falling off or scratching each other.
I also have foam cut outs for the interior and place these on top of the watches if moving them around (we’ve got handles remember) which prevents the watches banging against the clear top.
Most of my watch collection are normal sized and the cases compartments for the bulk of them are just fine. In fact most of my larger diameter watches are still OK and only two or three out of the hundreds that require more space, so I simply leave a space. However if I was besotted with collecting the modern and larger Casio G-Shocks (which I’m not) then I’d probably think again and ensure storage wider individual compartments.
And as to the old storage ideas, well some are really nice pieces of furniture and they’ll still be there for those special display occasions, when a few of my collection buddies are over.
Note – I do have a colleague in London who also uses cases, though his are larger than mine. He stacks them vertically like books in a library (as my little image above) and he has over 60 of them! However as his cases are “leather”, they almost look like rare limited edition books and yes they are in his library (he has one of those) – well where else is he going to keep his collection of at the last count some 6 x Pateks, numerous Vacherons and IWC’s and whatever else he’s got these days.
Ah well I can only aspire . . . . (lovely word – aspire . . . .) 😉
UPDATE – Decided now to stack my cases as I don’t need to use the clear tops for display, unless I need to, though I have the top one at the moment stocked with my Solar models. In the end a very neat solution to my storage problem and well pleased.
The image shows a section of my watch collection – well you didn’t think that was it did you? Silly boy!
Vertical stacking – I think I prefer as it takes up little space.
A friend asked me on Friday (I’m asked this every year) seeing I’d just returned from Europe, what was my recommendation as a traveling watch. One that you’d take with you on a trip to another country and why. In the event not a hard question for me to answer.
My first word of advice is to leave the World Time Patek at home. Cheaper is good and you don’t want a watch that’s too complicated – you don’t want to refer to instructions all the time.
Do you want/need extra functions, Chrono, Stopwatch or Alarm? What about changing times? because let’s be honest, a plain Day /Date analog watch is difficult to beat in practice, as you simply pull out the Crown, move the hands – job done. If it’s digital, can you remember how to set it and if it has a Word Time function, is that easy to remember and set? If it is – great, but if not, leave it at home.
Crossing rivers? beach combing or swimming? – remember if you’re on your own taking the watch OFF at poolside, could be an easy way to lose it. So good Water Resistance is a must.
So for me –Ease of use, readability in the dark and good Water Resistance (swimming, bathing, showers, heavy rains, whatever).
Best travel watch – does everything required – easily and well
First choice is the Citizen Eco-Drive A-T CB0020-09E, which is quartz analog, with Date window, a built in World Time Perpetual Calendar module and step motor hands hidden away inside the watch workings. I love this watch as it’s understated and unobtrusive, yet packs serious functionality. For time changing it’s the best there is – To change to a Destination Time Zone, simply pull out the Crown, turn to another City Time Zone. The seconds hand instantly indicates that City on the dial index, push in the Crown and the analogue hands move around to the new time. It could not be easier.
It’s also Water Resistant to 200m, has great luminous qualities, very accurate as its Radio Controlled and being Eco-Drive you can forget about batteries.
This has to be my favorite and 1st choice for travel.
My second choice is my “active” travel, third world, other places in the world watch. In this case I always take the Timex Expedition T49976.
Best “active” travel watch – also for me it’s the best “Military” model
This is a Digital only model with Shock protection, Water Resistant to 100m. It has the best night/dark viewing of any digital watch I know (see image), shows at a glance the Day, Date, Month, Hour, Minute, Second and AM/PM indication. It has added functions such as Alarms (5), Stopwatch and Timer. It’s also not too big.
And for travel destination times – it has Dual Time or one extra Time Zone which you can set either when on the way or pre-set before you go. And it’s super simple to set. Press and hold the Set button (upper left – says Set on it) the Time flashes, press the opposite button and it gives you the option to set the dual time. Follow the on screen stuff and before you know it, it’s done. This is one of the few models I know that actually shows what to do within the digital screen. No instruction book required!
The watch is also as tough as old boots and the battery life is around 5 years – so no worries. And by the way you can have almost any strap you like on this watch, from NATO, to Textile, to Leather, to Velcro fast wrap – take your pick.
The other important benefit, is the fact it only cost me around £40 new and I’ve got two, so depending where I’m going I sometimes take them both.
Probably the best all round practical travel watch I know.
However if you can’t be bothered with all this travel functionality stuff – I find that Divers models are a great travel watch, especially analog. They’re inherently tough, have great Water Resistance and being heavily luminous are very easy to read day or night. Rush job overseas? – chuck on my favorite Diver and off to the airport and for time changes, just move the hands . . . no brainer – it’s that easy. (I take my Apecks 200m).
But for bespoke “travel” models I pick out the Citizen and Timex above, as I’ve traveled with both of them for many years and being an inveterate traveler, from jungles to deserts, Arctic to Antarctic, hot to cold, and with the odd war zone chucked in, they certainly work for me and have never let me down.
So you’ve got yourself that great looking watch with an equally great and complicated looking bezel – you know the one with all those tiny text figures on it, that 9 out or 10 folks have not a clue as to what they mean, let alone use them! And having quite a few of those models myself, I thought I’d shed some light (or not) on some of the things you can calculate with them and basically because my Skyhawk provides this data in the instructions.
However not all bezel markings are the same. There is the simple Divers Count Up bezel marked 0 to 60, then the Count Down bezel marked 60 to 0 (useful for that parking meter), or the Speedmaster style Tachymeter scale for measuring units per time increments such as your speed in miles per hour etc, then there is the Pulsometer, used to check your heart rate and maybe incorporated with an Asthmometer to calculate your respiratory rate. Not so often you also find the Telemeter bezel where you can determine the distance you are from a sound, such as thunder in a storm for example and of course there’s the GMT bezel with its 24 hr graduations and useful as a Dual Time indicator, then there’s the Compass bezel which is not a compass, but makes rough bearings possible – and lastly there’s the Slide Rule bezel, such as the one on my Skyhawk, which typical for Citizen, seems to have every one of ’em!
But before it gets too complicated here’s a “Hint” – I love this, that one of the watch brands gives as a helpful piece of information to the potential watch Slide Rule user –
This is a hint? Well thanks for that! (Courtesy of Seiko)
So there, that explains everything doesn’t it? Or like me you got lost when the n-th bit and the 10 to the little y came along! But no worries if you’ve got your iPhone with you then forget the watch! Ha Ha!
And I’m being serious here as unless your eyesight is A+++ then trying to work out anything on these watch bezels is nigh impossible. I tried it on my Skyhawk and with a magnifying glass, a bright light plus the instructions booklet to hand and accompanied by an inordinate amount of cursing, all I got was a serious migraine!
Bezel Slide Rule with movable, Outer Rule, fixed Inner rule and in-dial fixed Index – allows many calculations.
Now OK the lesser bezels such as the 0-60 and 60-0, compass, GMT and so on, these are useful and no problem (they’re also bigger textually), but the old Slide Rule is a killer, basically for me because the text is too darned small. In fact I pulled out my old Slide Rule (yes I do have one from the dark ages when engineer and eyesight were not diametrically opposed) and would you believe it the text was almost the same darned size!
Suffice to say I struggled to even read it – so for me I’m happy to have my pilot/engineer/macho bezel watch, but I’ll use it, thank you very much, to tell the time!
However for those of you with decent eyesight and perhaps owning a pre-owned Slide Rule bezel watch with no instructions – then this next bit is for you – maybe!
That covers some of the calculations possible with the circular Slide Rule, certainly on the Citizen Skyhawk and I suppose (eyesight permitting) if you use some of these calculations (especially the Navigation ones) then in the absence of other electronic aids, it could well be a useful item on your wrist. However many folks like myself now will but this type of watch for the looks and the aesthetics rather than any technical calculation functionality, though it’s nice to know that there are some calculations that are not too difficult to manage should the need arise.
Other bezel styles such as the Telemeter basically indicates the distance from your location to an object that emits both light and sound, such as when thunder and lightening occurs. basically the difference between the Speed of Light (almost immediately) and the Speed of Sound (0.33km/second).
I’ve more or less just scratched the surface here on circular Slide Rule and bezel indexes as the calculations possible are many. Multiplication, Division, Ratios, Volume unit conversion, Weight unit conversion, Distance conversion, Fuel conversion, Distance conversion, Time to Distance, Calculation of Speed, Driving distance, Fuel consumption (rate & amount), Driving times, Wind direction for yachting for example and similar calculations for flying etc. the list is pretty long.
In fact the E6B flight computer or the “whiz wheel” as sometimes called, is a form of circular slide rule used in aviation, though maybe now mostly used in training, as today electronic Flight Computers have taken over. But these slide rule computers (for that’s essentially what they are) may be used in flight planning prior to take off for calculating fuel use, wind direction, flight times, ground speed, estimated arrival times and so on and I well remember seeing Pilots with the slide rule sticking up out of their Flight bag walking to the aircraft.
So on the main Brands of pilot watch and other models featuring Slide Rules, the function is not just a gimmick as you might think, because in essence they do work – IF you know how . . .
However for me, what with the eyesight and brain limitation today, I’ll just have to wear my Slide Rule bezel models with all the confidence I can muster.
And as for using the calculation bit, well I don’t really think I have the patience these days nor indeed the Time to learn!
But my Skyhawk is a great watch – so there!
However – I hope some of you out there found the above useful and all I can say is – have fun!
Another elegant watch, this time from Czechoslovakia – the PRIM Elegant 39C – Silver dial Date Watch.
The Prim Elegant 39C – Silver Dial Date Watch
This has the Automatic Prim Calibre 98.01 22 jewel movement with a 46 hrs Power Reserve with Stainless Steel polished case, Date window @4 and a Sapphire Crystal. It also features a 50m Water Resistance. The name is apparently is an acronym derived from Precision, Reliability, Individuality – all Matchless according to their web site which seems a little simplistic, however the models do seem to be pretty decent nevertheless.
PRIM have their headquarters in the Czech Republic and manufacturing since 1949 and have created unique, custom-made watches ever since. They have a range of models and are also interested in customization for customers to create a unique model personal to the customer. The 98-01 movement has a stated accuracy of -6 to +24 s/day.
PRIM 22 jewel 98.01 self winding movement
For me this model which has been around since 2009 has the classic retro look of the 1960’s and 1970’s and OK perhaps nothing out of the ordinary, but I think I can call this one, especially as it’s name suggests it – an “elegant” watch and it does seem well constructed. And there’s something about those classic shaped models that just does it for me – maybe I’m old fashioned at heart, who knows, but I like this one.
This model is quoted at around $4500 price so they have plenty of competition at this price point.
Had posted this in my “Commentary” section but got so hooked into it, I just had to Post it here as a leader and prompted by the silly hype being generated by that latest smartwatch from Apple.
14th October 2014 (reprinted from Commentary)
Just saw an article, one of many actually, that boasts that the introduction of the Apple Smart Watch will threaten the Swiss watch industry. It seems to base this premise on what exactly? that in comparison to the new Tissot T-Touch Solar Expert model which as they say, has a Compass, Altimeter, Barometric Pressure, Timers, Chronograph and tells you the time – the Apple does all sorts of super things like “open your hotel room door” and pay for goods and services. The inference being that the Apple watch is better?
Well for me that just about says it all. The Apple Watch and all the other smart watches appear do all sorts of “stupid” things and just a few OK ones besides – I mean I tend to use a key or key card issued by the hotel to open the door . . . . though I can see why this fact might be important as you will certainly have to get to a power point in less than a day to charge your so called “Smart” Watch.
And this is the HUGE problem with these things.Power or the lack of it and especially with all the wonderful “things” you can do with it. And as to payment for everything with a watch? If I remember correctly some time ago Apple came out with this Passbook system, which was an e-ticketing/coupon sort of payment idea, which here in the UK was a total disaster. In fact the poor take up figures already show we don’t even like using that horrible “Proximity Card” idea for paying for your shopping in the supermarket, as they are both insecure and unreliable as many cases prove and the new Apple smart payment idea appears to be very similar.
However when you get down to it, the “smart” watch actually does very little, if anything, on it’s own. It has to connect to a compatible phone or perhaps “smart” phone, which also incidentally needs to be charged virtually every day as well, so you can check messages or Emails or whatever else the modern guy seems to imagine he has to have. I personally call it all a bit of a con! Is it to much trouble just to check your phone in your pocket? and then you can properly answer without severe eye strain.
Perpetuated by Apple and the rest of the “smart hand communicator” makers, each bombarding you with an deluge of sales litter, just to get you to buy their products but also to then rely on them. Plus trying very hard to make sure their devices only talk to their own brand and then have to charge them with their bespoke charger connector (each new model = different connector) just to make you buy a new one every darned time.
As I say a very big con! And cynic that I am it appears the cost of all this a pretty blatant and deliberate ploy to get you to pay their development costs for what are let’s face it, less than complete products. In fact until they can provide Solar “smart” watches in my view they are wasting your and their money.
Meanwhile with my Tissot Solar Swiss Watch I’m still able to tell the time and the date and use my compass the next day or next week or next month and for many, many years! As the title piece said in this article and I repeated here, my wrist watch is “solar” – no battery worries and even if left in a dark drawer, it will still be working a year later and never miss a beat. Now I don’t know about you, but I call that SMART . . .! Very smart.
Tissot T-Touch Solar Expert Swiss Watch. Also a “Smart” watch!
Interestingly as I look at the back of my own Tissot Solar Expert Swiss watch it actually states “Smart Watch” (see image – click to enlarge) which says to me – the Swiss know a thing or two about wrist watches. I have a feeling that a good watch, mechanical hand wind, automatic, spring drive, Quartz Eco-drive or plain Solar will still be around long after the so called “smart” watch has corroded away to Lithium dust, which won’t do you much good either!
As an eclectic collector of watches the subject of favorites is always somewhat fluid, simply because my collection changes. Some models are sold on, others bought and so my “favorites” might change over the years, though I confess that over the last few years my two favorite Quartz models have remained unchanged. However with my latest addition of the Tissot Expert T-Touch Solar, I might have to make it three favorites, though it will still be on probation as it were. It takes time for any watch model to gain this exalted position and I’ll see how it fares in 6 months time. I know my two firm favorites will still be there, but will the Tissot?
Anyway here are my two established favorites and with the reasons (to me) of why they are my favorites.
My Quartz favorites – The Breitling Aerospace and the Citizen AT World Time
The first, on the left, is my Breitling Aerospace model that I bought about 15 years ago and effectively my daily beater ever since. It’s well traveled, having been around the world a few times and often in places that you wouldn’t send your dog. A fitting testament to the longevity of a Titanium case and solid bracelet is that it still looks great! It has one bezel screw missing I note and I’m pretty sure that was when I had it in for a service some years ago, though I never noticed until about 6 months ago. The sapphire crystal is unmarked with not even the tiniest scratch on it and the casing and bracelet seem almost as new. I do note the bezel has a smoothness to it which has to be cuff wear (if you could call that wear) and that’s about the only thing that says it’s not showroom.
Why I bought it in the first place was that this was a multi-function model with only a single crown (I don’t like much the conventional chronograph pushers) and the dial clarity stood out even in the shop window. The fact that the deceptively exterior hides a really good digital function set and a high quality movement was of course the true bonus. In fact I’d set this against any of today’s quartz models.
It’s over a year since I last adjusted this which was during the Winter to Summer Time change and instead of just moving the Hour, I corrected the time as well and checking it today, it’s running just 32 seconds fast – and that’s impressive.
Breitling Aerospace Quartz – one of the clearest dials you’ll ever see.
However back to the watch – First the standard dial view shows the Time in analog and I have it set to show the Day and Date on the highly visible Fluorescent digital display. Using the center crown you can show the Seconds plus Date, the Time in Hours, Minutes and Seconds, Alarm Time, Chronograph, Dual Time or T2 in Hrs/Mins/Secs, and Timer. When setting the Time, this is done via the crown which has both turn and push functions and the analog hands follow as required. Each function is accompanied by an icon/text on the upper digital display to confirm your selection and all functions are selected and controlled by that single Crown.
For night use the hands, indices and numerals are coated in excellent and effective luminous material, though there is no back light so there is no digital vision in the dark. However I only ever want to see the time at night so no worries for me.
The Breitling is also a very neat size at 40mm diameter and with only 9mm depth is sleek to say the least in comparison with more modern watches, even Breitling. The Sapphire crystal with anti-reflect coatings plus the dial layout with no inner reflections make this one of the clearest watches you will ever see and the minute hand with it’s pivot overhang gives a subtle clarity when reading the time.
Probably if honest this is my absolute favorite and it certainly gets the most wrist time of all my watches.
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Favorites in Quartz
My second “favorite” is this quartz Citizen Eco-Drive World Calendar A-T CB0020-09E and in my opinion one of the best models ever produced (and still produced) by Citizen. It is 45mm diameter including the crown but only 11mm in depth and at 49mm lug to lug and whilst it appears larger is actually an easy fit even on small wrists. Stainless Steel case and 200m Water Resistance with screw down crown, Radio Controlled (5 receivers) and Solar Powered (Eco-Drive) it’s a true wear and forget watch. No battery worries, always accurate to the second and has a superb World Time analog function that’s simply unbeatable in operation.
Good luminous hands and indices, a Date aperture @3, which features a Perpetual Calendar plus a quick indicator of the Radio Control state. It will receive a signal starting at 2am and with this particular watch even worn continuously it manages to pick up the signal every time (no need for standing on a window ledge overnight), despite a considerable distance from the nearest transmitter in Germany ( I live in Scotland). This is a point I have noticed before when checking Casio and Citizen – the Citizens appear to have greater sensitivity. The signal can be verified using the pusher @4, one push and the Second hand acts as a pointer and indicates on the option window @9 (yes or no) and of course there is a manual option which is – push and hold. Summer and Winter Time adjustments are Automatic, but have an ON/Off option and if you pull the crown to position 2 it will indicate if this is selected on the small window between 4 and 5.
The Citizen AT World Time – the very best for traveling.
For travel it’s simplicity itself. Simply pull out the center crown to position 1. The Second hand will instantly point to your Home Time Zone (in the UK it’s London) which is noted around the fixed bezel. The Time Zones are also marked on the outer ring within the dial. To change the Time Zone, simply turn the crown and the seconds hand will point to the City Time Code you wish, then push in the Crown. The analog hands will immediately move to the correct time for that Zone – and that’s it – done! Possibly the easiest travel time setting you’ll ever meet – I love it.
Now – does the Tissot T-touch warrant a “favorite” title – well maybe time will tell . . .
My model has a very flexible Citizen rubber/silicon deployment band with a twin button release and is very comfortable and I almost forgot, IF you need to change the Date (though you should never have to as it’s Automatic and Perpetual anyway) it can be adjusted with a small pin push just above the crown.
I’ve had this watch now for 5 years and it’s never missed a beat and is as good as new – what can I say? In fact if honest I rarely use the many functions that are available on watches these days and the Citizen does what I want. And as I do travel a bit to various Countries even today, the Time Zone change function is perfect for me.
So for a good few years now those two have been my wearable “favorite” quartz models and I’m toying with the idea of adding the Tissot Solar T-Touch Expert – though that’s a still a “maybe” for at least the next 6 months. But one thing I do know – the two models featured above will still be there as my quartz favorites whatever the outcome of any new acquisition and that’s a fact . . . .
As the title says – it’s a Sinn to have a Divers watch this good. This description applies of course to the Sinn SU1 and one from my “private” selection.
Sinn U1 Divers watch
This is from a selected range of models I have being held in a solid rosewood display box, and where basically my “never to be sold on” watches reside. It’s all too easy to sell on something you’ve maybe had for years for that new special model that you’ve just seen recently and have to have. Such as the Autodromo Stradale I’ve just featured in the last Post.
But my “private” box is sacrosanct! Indeed I have exactly 20 watches in this category, from dress, vintage, divers, military and antique – the true collectors bit shall we say and whilst not often too expensive, there is the odd exception and these ones could be viewed as investments too.
But the Sinn U1 is just one of those watches that’s ” just right” and whether it’s the form of the whole, or the balance of the hands to dial markers, that wonderful seconds hand or the general “look” of the watch – it is a superb piece of design work.
High quality goes without saying, what with “submarine” bead blasted non magnetic steel case, double anti-reflection coated sapphire crystal and fabulous luminous dial indices and hands in low light/darkness. It is powered by the Sellita SW200-1 automatic 26 jewel hacking movement which is shock and magnetic resistant and with a 100bar (1000m) Water Resistance rating. 44mm x 14.3mm depth makes for a neat Divers watch compared to many. The waterproofed leather strap on this model has double thick lug protector ends and a very high quality deployment buckle system with divers extension.
Not much in the way of negatives with the U1 – with the exception perhaps of the Date window @3 is a little small even with decent contrast, but everything else for me is just right and I’ve said it before, it’s often about “balance” and this watch has it in spades.
Funnily enough another model I like and for basically the same reasons is the Momentum Format 4 and although perhaps not in the same league, it also has that balance between appearance and fitness for purpose that I find so attractive. But it’s the Sinn U1 that lives in my “selection” box.
At just over £1000 not a cheap model by any means, but it’s definitely one of those watches that once you own it – you keep it.
I often go through phases where I wear, in rotation, maybe three different watches over a one month period and on the 1st of the next month I select another three models and wear them, again in rotation. Perhaps in daytime or night or perhaps depending on what I’m doing at any particular time.
This month (September 14) I have this trio and basically as of now and the next few weeks I’m doing all sorts of outdoor things, so this selection reflects this. It’s also an excuse to Post some pictures of some of my watches, which otherwise will just be between me and – well me . . . .
An outdoor selection from Casio and Timex.
These three are coincidentally all digital, which is just the way it turned out and from left to right they are –
The Casio SE-1200WH is a neat, flat (just over 12mm) model with enough features on it to suit me. For once the buckle resin strap is flexible and comfortable and the model functions are pretty standard Casio fare. In saying that, this model has a 10 year battery life and World Time, plus a small digital dial at top left mimicking an analogue clock face with hours, minutes and seconds. Back lit with a VERY simple and effective light it is ideal for night use. I like the fact that the dial in normal view gives a lot of information – Time including seconds, the Day, the Month and the Date and it shows the world time/normal time selected on the little world map, just as a reminder of where you are! It’s neat, it’s light weight and it has never put a foot or wrong in the years I’ve owned it and if I remember it was very inexpensive too. Note – the strap shown has 2 x keepers not one as standard which I added some time ago as a personal preference.
The Casio PRW-3000T is next up and one of my very favorite models from this maker. This one came direct from Japan as soon as it appeared, so impressed I was with it. For me it is a true improvement of many of the ones preceding it as it has taken advantage of the smaller v3 Sensor set and actually reduced the watch size as a result. So a full ABC watch at sensible dimensions and a joy to wear, plus being all Titanium (case and bracelet) is amazingly light weight and as many of you know Ti is also incredibly comfortable to wear as it very quickly adapts to your temperature. The bracelet is VERY high quality Ti and really well finished and the digital display could not be bettered in my opinion. Terrific function set as you would expect from this model and the normal dial view is as shown. The Day and Date (press top left pusher and it alternates to Month and Date) the time in h/m and seconds, am and pm indicator, the battery state at the foot, confirmation of the Radio signal (yes this is Radio Controlled AND Solar powered) . A 2nd push of the top left pusher shows the Barometric trend. So the top display area can show three different situations by selection – I like it as shown as at my age it’s nice to know what day it is! The back light illuminates the entire face and one of the best I’ve seen, so absolutely ideal for night use again.
Barometric Pressure, a full 3d Digital Compass (using Barometric pressure) and Altimeter, plus the usual chronograph, Timer and Alarms etc make this a very comprehensive model indeed, great for outdoors and very unobtrusive too.
The Timex Expedition T49976 Shock is a real all rounder with an ideal display showing the Day of the week, Date and Month and Time in h/m and seconds, am/pm indicator plus a seconds running dial. Excellent Indiglo back light means it’s great at night and it’s easy to find, being the only pusher on the front of the case. Incidentally the pushers are large and textured and perhaps the best I’ve used, bar none, even shrouded as they effectively are. Super simple Mode and Adjust function changes as usual with Timex (superior in my opinion to Casio). The Chronograph features over large digits which are a delight to read and there is Timer plus a good few Alarms and all in this is a MOST practical watch. Water Resistant to 100m and battery powered. Fitted here is a Zuludiver black IP stainless steel fittings Camouflage Nato strap, which suits it perfectly (no complaints re. the Timex standard strap though, this is just my preference here). This Timex and the Casio SE-1200 are very similar in overall function and in practicality, which is why I like them I guess – not overdone and very affordable.
So this is my September trio and actually if I didn’t have collectors mania, I could manage fine with these and no others. But a pretty neat bunch for starters as I hope to feature my “rotation Trio” each month as a new Post topic. and OK these guys were featured not that long ago, but these are really what was to hand, so there we are.
It never fails to amaze me, the wonderfully inventive, military and sports style watches that appear each year from the Far East and mostly at incredibly cheap prices.
The Infantry Chrono @ £14.99
The fact that digital module prices are so low today means that with some plastics molding equipment, a bit of imagination and flair in design, almost anything is possible. Whether they’ll last of course is another matter entirely, though that said, the basic digital movement could well outlast you! Though any complications outwith the basics could well be another matter entirely.
But one thing is certain – they look amazing! and if you don’t take the hype to heart and don’t take them too seriously, probably a bit of fun too.
Take the INFANTRY Mens LCD Date Day Black Dial Combo Digital Quartz Watch for example. I mean it looks pretty good and has a fair bit of functionality with Day and Date, Alarm and Stopwatch displays. It cites multi-time zone, though doesn’t specify details). I do like the fact it doesn’t depend entirely on display,s as it features conventional analogue Hour, Minute and Seconds hands too. Another plus is that it takes a conventional fitting rubber strap (nothing molded here) and has a Japanese quartz movement. Mineral anti-scratch glass is quoted and there is also a dial light. Case dimensions are about normal for this type of watch at 47mm x 16mm, at 115gms weight, so quite large but without being totally silly.
Then there’s the price – here in the UK via Amazon it’s quoted currently at £14.99. Amazing!
Here’s another interesting non mainstream watch, this time from LAD WEATHER, the GPS Navigator model.
LAD WEATHER GPS Navigator
Seems to to pack a lot into a wrist worn piece and according to the advertising, this is just what it does. I have copied the data – as there’s too much for me to just note –
■Functions
・USB charge (With dedicated cable)
・100 meters waterproof
・GPS(Auto acquisition date and time/ Acquisition and recording of the root and the current position)
・PC connection
・Root confirmation in Google earth
・Measurement(Distance/ Lap time/ Average pace/ Movement time/ Heart rate/ Calories)
・Alarm
・Countdown timer
・Pacemaker
・Digital compass
・Continuous use time:about 12hours (GPS on)/ about 1year (GPS off)
・Charge:about 500 times
・Charge time:about 3hours
This model comes in 6 different colors, some looking quite smart I have to say, though this is a big watch at 47mm x 47mm and a depth of 20mm and it’s at a higher cost too at some £92.00 UK priced. The advertising alludes to a retail of much higher at £350 and certainly for what this model apparently offers, that could well be right.
A little expensive for me just to try it for fun, unlike the first watch shown here, but I have heard variable comments about LAD watches, some good some not so. This model may have sensors from Germany, maybe assembled there too, though presumably the highest percentage of parts will be Asian I would guess – the origins and details are sketchy to say the least. They also have ABC models without GPS mode, which seem to fare pretty well against Suunto watches (and somewhat cheaper!) to such an extent I would not be surprised if the movement modules were from the same source. There is a comparison on You Tube which is quite interesting.
However the features appear pretty comprehensive and the addition of a GPS with track functions, brings it into the same ball park as the Garmin Forerunner, or perhaps even the Fenix. Then the price doesn’t look too bad after all – it all depends on how the watch performs and there’s only one way to find that out. Buy one!
LAD WEATHER GPS watch
But with anything out of the mainstream Brands it’s always worth taking each model as it comes, make decisions on the good and bad of each, consider the manufacturing quality and possible after sales/Warranties etc. should they go wrong. Do your homework, check You Tube, check comments, reviews and user experiences and make you own judgements. If really cheap like the first model shown here, then it’s often worth having a punt at it – you never know – and if a dud, then bin it and move one . . . . no worries.
At nearly £100 for this GPS model – I’d have to give it some serious thought – but for new ideas and some great and designs, there are lots of these guys around and they can be fun.
I’ve also seen if I’m not mistaken some Pyle models which are possibly the same generic watch, so it’s quite possible it could appear in another cosmetic guise and the price could well fluctuate considerably up or down – mostly down I would imagine.
I have to admit here I’m tempted, though it would have to easily readable – and you know what some digital displays can be like – but it might be worth taking the chance.
Watch space 
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