If you’re one of those guys into fashion, you’ll always be on the lookout for a watch that you can mix and match colors and so on, just so you’re in the groove so to speak. And the Italian Brand Hip Hop is probably a good choice.
Hip Hop HWU0177 – BLACK TIE from the Sportsman collection
The model I prefer out of the whole range is this one – the Hip Hop HWU0177 Black Tie model. It’s larger than most of their range at 42mm with the usual plastic/rubbery case with attitude and this has the Calendar analog module Miyota Quartz movement, so is pretty good in operation. It shows Time, Seconds, Date and Day of the week with it’s sub-counter dials. Color scheme is interesting and the hour and minute hands are bright white infilled with touches of blue reflected in the Crown and the 12 numeral. Water resistance is 5 atm.
Where it scores fashion wise is that the complete movement is held within a secondary strap/case which can be popped out of the surrounding rubbery one, allowing it to be fitted into another outer case. The case/straps are interchangeable so this is really a fashion accessory as much as a watch. Been around in Italy since 1984 and still here so they’re obviously doing something right.
Now OK this is perhaps not what serious watch collecting is all about, but it’s a bit of fun and with the Miyota movements inside are as solid and reliable as you’ll get – so why not?
There are a few mix and match fashion watches around, but this one for me is one of the better efforts – I like it especially as it is a decent size.
A single watch like this costs around £30-£40 ish and you can add to this of course, so watch how far you go before it becomes unfashionable wallet wise!
Every so often I check out what the latest is at Timex and have they brought out actual new models or rehashes of older ones. The ones I’ve spotted so far are not really what I wanted to see, because they are basically rehashes of older models and not only that, in my opinion they are not real improvements.
The first one I noticed is a “shock” model and is the Vibration Alarm T49984SU.
Timex T49950XL Vibration Alarm with bespoke strap.
This is basically an update my older Expedition Vibration Alarm Chronograph – Model T49854J but with added “shock” protection.
However that added shock protection doesn’t do a great deal for me as the old model was already tough as old boots and function wise they’re very similar with 3 alarms, 3 time zones, chronograph, timer etc etc. and of course the vibration feature, which I have to say is excellent and surprisingly useful on my older model.
Older model T49854J Vibration Alarm – Note standard strap & lugs.
The downside for me however, stops me even considering purchasing the new model, because even though it increases the Water Resistance from 100m to 200m, it is not as good when it comes to the strap/bracelet arrangement. Once again and disappointingly, Timex have now built-in a bespoke strap arrangement. They’ve narrowed the lugs from the older model, which prevents the use of any standard watch strap and yes you guessed it, you’ll have to buy another one from Timex when it breaks. It might be possible to add a normal strap, but it would be a narrow one to fit the lugs and wouldn’t look so good.
So disappointing for me but very glad I got my older model when I did, because it has been excellent in every way.
As regards straps, I note their standard Expedition Base Shock models still have standard strap/lug arrangements, Dual time zones (two is ideal), 100m WR (no vibration) but much better value price wise. Indeed I have one myself (Timex Expedition T49976) in camo and found nothing to better it from any Brand – see my review – HERE
Timex also have a shock World Timer model, the T49971SU which seems impressive with some 62 cities and 30 Time Zones represented and 100m Water resistance.
Timex T49971SU World Time with 62 cities
I Like the fact it has 3 quick set Time Zones so you can prepare the watch before travel as it were, which is useful in addition to the full World Time function.
The downside for me again is this business of the non standard strap/lug arrangement, narrowed lugs and a bespoke resin strap affair. And whilst a nice watch and a good standard module function set which I expect from Timex, I sometimes have to question and this is not just about Timex, but with any World Time watch, if it’s really necessary. In practical terms Dual or maybe 3 Time Zones to me makes far more sense and rather pointless carrying all the Time Zones of the world around with me.
When I went to Brazil via Madrid from the UK, the 3 Time Zones on my old model was perfect. Before I left the UK, I simply keyed in the different times for London, Madrid and Brazil as T1, T2 and T3 – job done.
I do like the fact that Timex introduced the concept of 3 settable Time Zones, as this seems to me to be a very practical World Time arrangement, though I wouldn’t be surprised if many Timex owners didn’t realize they had it.
Sorry if I’ve rambled a bit and perhaps got off the plot here, but that’s the thing with Timex. They have so many models which appear so similar, confusion rules and you have really got to look very carefully at each model to be able to fit a particular model to your particular likes – and it’s tricky!
Indeed I thought – Ha! new models from Timex! – but after checking carefully, I have decided to stick with the ones I have – for now . . . .
Had this guy for a few months now and decided to update the experience so far. A BIG watch for me this Casio “G” Shock GA-1000-1AER from their G-Aviation series, but nevertheless a serious piece of kit with very little in the way of gimmickry I have to say.
Might look cluttered – but not so! A quick glance and you know the time – whatever the light conditions.
Not least because unusually it is NOT an ABC watch, though it looks like it – and it’s not Radio Controlled nor Solar powered model, though again it looks like it should be. This is a battery powered model, pure and simple. I understand this is the first watch in this series to have twin sensors. It also looks as if this big and bold dial should be cluttered – but it’s not and in fact is one of the easiest and clearest Casio “ana/digi combo” models I’ve seen that manages great analogue clarity and I mean “quick glance” stuff. A quick glance in any light conditions and you can instantly read the time without fail.
The secret is in the detail of the dial construction, multi-layered with great white, almost 3D like indices and markers, in bright white plus great big hands for the analogue function, with plenty of luminous qualities to boot. The watch is also amazingly light weight, so big as it is, with the ultra thin silicon/resin strap and flat buckle arrangement it manages to fit even my average wrist at 170mm. Not a dress watch of course and not intended to be but it manages better than many surprisingly.
Multi-layered dial construction is the key to clarity. Big markers, big hands!
And for night use, it’s pretty good and maybe one of Casio’s better efforts, which is also a real plus, as NOT being a dress watch, it could well be worn in situations where reading the time in the dark is exactly what you want. A slight issue perhaps is the fact the digital displays are not illuminated and whilst a negative point about which others have commented, it appears in their respective reviews no-one’s marked the watch down because of it. So I assume like me, they find as long as you can tell the time at night or in the dark, then that’s good enough.
The interestingly figured Seconds hand doubles as the compass. That is the Digital Compass pointer – and in this respect it is excellent. The bright white arrow head pointer is cleverly counterbalanced by the long double split pivot overhang, so making this a very clear and easily read pointer for compass North. Nothing in the background distracts seeing the pointer at North, the digital upper window shows the general E,W S and North heading and the lower one the degrees of the watch head @12. Super simple and very clear to read (however if you need to use a compass at night, then this is not the best watch for you).
For me it hardly matters as I rarely use compass much today anyway, but the other watch features – Alarm, Timer, chronograph and the really excellent World Timer all work fine and are easily used – and this is where the large dial seems justified somehow.
It’s probably the biggest watch I have and I doubt I’ll ever get another this size, but it’s amazingly light, it works really well and I can easily read the time anytime, anywhere and once on the wrist it’s forgotten – until you need to know the time. So it’s a bit different, but the best part is simple – and I mean “simple” – it’s simple to read and amongst all that “apparent” dial clutter, it’s simple to tell the time – and that’s got to be good!
So basically I’m pretty satisfied with this model, though in all honesty today I suppose there is one function that maybe I’d like to see added. Namely the watch needs to be Radio Controlled. I say this as to change the analogue hands to the correct time, if inaccuracy creeps in as it will, requires you to go through a push button sequence. You have to press button A (top left) until ADJ comes up, then use button D (lower left) to cycle through the options. You then get to the time options which will flash in turn and adjust accordingly, which of course is no great hardship, but is time consuming and you have to remember which buttons to use etc. IF it was simply a case of pulling out a center crown and adjusting the hands it wouldn’t be an issue at all, as there would be no trying to remember what to do.
As I say a minor matter perhaps, but it should borne in mind when considering a model without the center crown controlling analogue indications. There will always be a digital sequence to go through to manage what should be a quick and simple operation.
But I still like this big watch and I wear it quite often – and that’s usually proof of a good buy.
My original feature is HERE for further information.
The German made Limes Endurance series of watches has been a favorite Divers/Sports watch for some time and here I feature the Neptune 1 model U8777-LA2.2. One of it’s main features of course is the fact that it is a 100atm Water Resistant stainless steel cased model – and that’s 1000m for those into figures.
Limes Neptune 1 – a 1000m Water Resistant Sports/Diver
The second feature I like is the fact that it manages this incredible Water resistance with a case measuring only around 41mm diameter and just 12.6mm thick, so is also very wearable without being a large chunk of metal and on almost any sized wrist.
A deceptively simple dial arrangement in black/white with orange luminous indices and white/orange luminous hour and minute hands plus a conservatively sized Date window between 4 and 5. Note there are quite a few scales within this dial, not obvious at first but useful. There are in this range other configurations of hand/indices colors and so on but basically they are quite similar.
The well defined bezel is uni-directional and I particularly like the separate definition metal finish on the 10, 20, 30 ,40 50 and 60 bezel marks making for really good visibility. The large protected and easily gripped crown is of course a full a screw down type. Powered by the Sellita SW200 standard Automatic movement it is also therefore a very reliable and solid performer. This version comes with a good quality leather strap with contrasting stitching and stainless steel bracelets are also available.
Compact Limes Neptune Diver – solid construction
It’s another one of those rare watch models that looks so much larger than it actually is – not an easy feat in itself, which I personally think a subtle but no less valid sales point.
The other good aspect of this range is the pricing, which for the Neptune 1 here is around €740 and you certainly get a great water resistance pretty unmatched by others at this size either and for me could easily end up as a “daily beater” with no worries about where it ends up.
So yet another one of those German made watch models that you don’t see so often outside of Germany and perhaps the USA.
Their web site is HERE. and well worth a look as they also produce the Pharo and Chyros series models which are quite different in looks and function. My favorite of the others is the Chyros 3 Hands/Date – Silvered / black leather strap – Ref. number: U6017-LA1.5 but that’s another story.
Another German Watch Company I’ve always had a soft spot for is NIVREL which is a registered trademark of Gerd Hofer GmbH, located in Saarbrucken, in Germany’s federal state Saarland. They have a neat range of watches that I personally like as they are out of the mainstream and have an individuality that personally appeals. Out of quite a few I like I’ve chosen this model – the Chrono Heritage Grand Date N 580.001 which is a little unusual in layout.
ETA 2892-A2 belies a secret – an added Chronograph module with Month indicator.
The movement is interesting as it appears through the exhibition back to be a non Chrono Automatic. The movement is recognized as the Swiss ETA 2892-A2, but interestingly here it is used purely as the base movement. Then Nivrel with their design individuality showing strongly, decided to add their own complicated chronograph module, the effects of which can be seen in the dial configuration.
As well as the obvious twin disc Big Date aperture @12 if you look closely there is another smaller window between 4 and 5 for a Month indication. The watch model is what is called a One-Year-or “Annual” Calendar and is adjusted just once per year on the 28th or 29th February. I personally find the dial layout intriguing and yet satisfying at the same time – and I rather like it as it’s just so unusual.
The dial is silver-coated with Clous de Paris guilloche in German silver, rhodinated applied indexes and the 6 flame-blued steel hands set gives excellent readability under a Sapphire Crystal.
Nivrel’s Big Date plus Month complication ETA. Note the discrete Month between 4 and 5 o’clock.
The case is in 316 Stainless Steel with a nicely molded case crown protection swell (the crown is very well defined with a strong milled edge). Water Resistance is 5 bar and the case diameter is just 38.2mm and at only 12.8mm depth is quite neat for an automatic Chronograph. A high quality leather strap with signed Nivrel buckle completes the ensemble.
Overall this is a very neat and compact model and with it’s satin finish certainly does look the part. Additionally the short lugs arrangement allows this model to to fit almost any size wrist and is one of my favorites from the range. However it has to be said that there are other models in this NIVREL range that I also like very much, so rather spoilt for choice . .
I have a small collection of Junkers watches and as with other brands I like, every so often I check out their newest offerings, basically to see what improvements or otherwise have been added.
The Junkers Tante JU52Automatic is one such model that has interested me since it first appeared and today’s version is no exception with that wonderfully figured “ribbed” dial so reminiscent of the Junkers aircraft.
Junkers Tante JU52 Automatic
The quality is really outstanding with its superb satin finish solid stainless steel case and Sapphire crystal, through which can be seen the clear, high contrast dial layout. The corrugated dial background with a decent sized date aperture @3, beautifully shaped Dauphinois hour and minute hands complete with Superluminova luminous in-fills are impressively clear to read (the hands are made in France). A long beautifully tapered black centre seconds hand travels majestically around the clearly defined perimeter index. Strongly defined black numerals complete the dial layout, which is signed, Made in Germany at the foot.
Junkers JU52 Automatic 24 jewel movement
Note the crown is well protected and additionally has two what appear blanking plates either side, perhaps a dual purpose case arrangement, and Water Resistance is rated as 100m – the overall look to the case however is one of solidity. The back is an exhibition windowed stainless steel screwed back plate, through which you can see the excellent 24 jewel automatic signed Pointec movement. Dimensions are a neat 40mm diameter x 12 mm and the lug to lug is short enough that this model fits the smaller wrist very well. The strap is a really high quality calf leather with two thicknesses, allowing it to be supportive near the case and yet allow flexibility at the buckle – something others should take note of, as all too often thick leather straps can be overly clumsy at the buckle fixing.
Junkers Tante Automatic leather strap with bespoke buckle.
The high quality leather strap, which is quite soft, has an unusual flat twin pin buckle and is one of the most comfortable straps I’ve ever owned.
Another feature is in the wearing. It is one of those watches that for whatever reason, just feels right on the wrist, it is extremely comfortable and a delight to wear and certainly makes me interested in enlarging my Junkers collection. It has also rekindled my love of German brand watches, which seem to have undergone a bit of a revival over the last few years – and I confess to perhaps overlooking them. But no longer, as I will feature a few more in future Posts I’m sure in the not too distant future.
Addendum – 21st July 2021
Well here we are some 6 years on and the Junkers Tante is as good as it was when I bought it. It runs as smooth as silk and as I said in the original Post, it is such a nice watch to wear. Presently, my preferred watch on the wrist for the foreseeable few weeks at least.
Interesting is the inspiration for this watch, which was from the Junkers Ju52/3m aircraft, first produced back in 1930. The designer, Ernst Zindal, used a highly controversial corrugated duralumin metal skin, as a strengthening measure and it was very striking indeed. This is shown in nice detail on the dial. This model was known both as Iron Annie and Aunt Ju, hence the name of this watch model “Tante” (Aunt in German).
From one of the oldest and most important Swiss Watch makers comes this 300m rated Diver – the Diver 300 AL-525LB4V36 Automatic in Stainless Steel with a rubber strap.
Alpina Swiss Diver 300 with rubber strap
From an Association founded by Gottlieb Hauser called the Alpina Swiss Watchmakers Association or the “Alpinists” their aim being to develop and optimize the manufacture of movements and timepieces and the control of suppliers, Alpina came fully into being in 1901 with the trademark Alpina. High end calibres and watches really came out of Switzerland from then on as a force to be reckoned with.
In modern times Alpina made a comeback in around 2002 and have since produced some wonderful in-house complication models, such as the AL-980 Tourbillon, the AL-718 World Timer with all 24 time zones displayed in dial, the AL-950 Automatic Regulator and so forth, brought Alpina back to prominence. Now located in Geneva once again in 2013 they celebrated their 130th Anniversary.
I particularly like the Diver models, though in fairness there are a lot of their models I like, such is the quality of manufacture and design from this old Brand.
The first image shows the Diver 300 Automatic AL-525LB4V36 from the Seastrong collection, with the L-525 26 jewel movement cased in Stainless Steel, screw down crown and 22mm rubber strap. The Date window @ 3 is the moving date wheel style which I’ve always liked, as even if a hand covers the Date at least part of the wheel is still showing and certainly enough to tell the actual day’s date. Dimensions are 44mm diameter and 13mm depth, unidirectional bezel with clear markings and all numerals, markers and indexes are luminous coated.
Alpina AL-525LB04V26B with bracelet and colored index.
The same watch with alternative strap/bracelet is the AL-525LBV26B with similar specifications of course and both for me are exemplary in the clarity stakes with the matte dial background and large clear indicators – such a pleasure to see.
Of course they make quite a large range of models and a visit to their site is well worth the effort and I’m sure there will be the odd model to tempt you, certainly if you want quality and excellent design. After all Alpina have been doing this for a long, long time.
Check out their web site for the full range of very excellent models and if you don’t know the name – well you should. I know they’re always on my watch list and whilst at present I have a couple of vintage Alpina models, 2015 might be the year to get a modern one too . . . .
Friend of mine asked if I knew of any watch models that had color – bright color, but he was on a budget (getting a small gift for his boy at Christmas) and his lad just loves color.
AstroAvia V9S Alarm Chronograph
I think it runs in the family and being kind I always thought that the entire family had a color sense issues, especially as the last time I met Charles (no not the Prince!) he was wearing a rather grand red velvet jacket and a green, yes green bow tie. Elegant was probably not the word that sprung to my mind especially when I noted (as if one could not) he was also wearing tan trousers and brown shoes!
But we all have our little foibles and why should I criticize – I once had a multicolor Citroen CV that my girl friend at the time thought hideous and I thought really cool! It was so serious that it was her ultimatum – the car or it’s over! Well there was of course no question about it – I kept the car . . . 😉 😉
Anyway I digress – his son obviously takes after his Dad and I thought this watch might do the trick – and it’s rather military-ish style might appeal.
This is the AstroAvia V9S Alarm Chronograph and I’ve just thought it would be an excellent match to my friends attire! But mum’s the word! Anyway it’s a pretty stylish military style model with a YN 64 Quartz Japan movement, so will keep pretty decent time. Matte stainless steel case with Black PVD plating and screw back rated 3 ATM, is 43mm diameter by just 11mm depth, so OK for the boy – he’s 14 years old and already going on 6 feet and gangly. An Alarm function and Chronograph (60 minute timer, 1/5th secs and split times) plus a second Time Zone feature, 24 hour dial, Mineral crystal, black background dial with red sub dials, very green numerals and a white center sweep seconds had – plus a Date window between 4 & 5.
It also features a killer red ringed top push button to start the chronograph which seems just right to me and a Tachymeter scale round the perimeter – in fact the more I look at this the more I like it myself!
Great stainless Steel band is 22mm so looks in proportion has butterfly buckle and twin pushers. I forgot to mention the hands and dial numerals by the way are coated in Luminova – not Superluminova which is a pity as SuperL is definitely better – and I’ve always been slightly disappointed in Astro’s night look, but hey! maybe they’ve improved. The image supplied by AstroAvia is brilliant – as they tend to be, but how it performs after an hour in the dark – your guess is as good as mine.
I’ve seen it for around £140-£170 here in the UK which is within his budget it comes with a 2 year Guarantee and I have a feeling his boy will love this – I know I’m quite taken by it . . . .
I did consider another colorful model this time from Swatch and whilst I have a lot of time for this Brand, it was back to the plastic cased fashion style watch, though in fairness close up it’s quite a substantial piece of kit, especially the substantial hour and minute hands and the dial markers. But on balance I didn’t think it would really appeal to this adult yearning lad – the military style steel cased model being more up his street.
Swatch SUUB401 “Chromatic Water” model
But it’s certainly colorful – this is the Swatch “Chromatic Water” series Multi-color Black Dial unisex model SUUB401 at 42mm diameter x 15mm depth and 20m Water Resistance with Silicon Rubber strap and buckle. Cheaper at around $66 in USA, so perhaps near the £100 once in the UK – and there probably wasn’t time to get it anyway for Christmas.
However in the event whilst it’s certainly a “color” contender, in this instance it’s no contest as the AstroAvia definitely has the “look” and is a very adult watch. It manages to get away with the color scheme too, as it just seems to work!
I’m hoping my suggestion of the AstroAvia will be just fine. On the other hand if the boy hates it – I’m just a call away! 😉
Designer stuff has never been a top priority with me and especially in the world of watches, yet today there are more fashion Brands around than ever. Once their timepiece offerings were poor quality cheap Asian imports, but today you can find pretty decent watch models that can compete with some of the more traditional Brands.
Day & Date window CK from the 2014 range
CK or Calvin Klein, the Fashion House which started way back in 1968, launched their Watches line in 1997 and each year bring out a new range to tempt the fashion conscious amongst us.
I’ve picked three that look good to me, though apologies in advance as I’ve seen these only from a distance, so little or no details and it really surprised me to find that many of the latest CK models are in fact very difficult to find, certainly in retail outlets.
CK design at it’s best – love the date wheel aperture.
Movement wise they all feature Quartz, but no detail as most of the customer base are more interested, I’m guessing, in the “look” rather than technicalities. And these particular models certainly “look” good to me and show off the “designer” aspects of the Company.
The only model I have price details on and model number is the last one – the Green “Visible” watch which has a retail of around £250, though I have seen it for less.
CK Green “Visible” Watch K2V214DX Date watch
What each of these models has however is “style” apparently 2014 designs and certainly shows that design is definitely not dead.
Unfortunately the prevalence of “G” this and “Tough” that has sort of blindsided us away from the fact that we don’t all want outdoor, military, rugged watches when we’re out to dinner, or taking in a show. Sometimes we want a bit of “bling” – without being too ostentatious of course – and perhaps a more subtle and elegant hint of design to go with that new suit and one that actually manages to fit under a shirt cuff.
However as I said, these are not that easy to find, especially the first two featured and to me this is extraordinary, especially on the run up to Christmas – which is THE time for giving gifts and if you can’t show off at least a bit of “flash” at the party, when can you!
Anyway for what it’s worth, I feature them here as some more ideas for you at this festive time – if you can find ’em!
I’ve always like the look of the entire Dievas range of watches, but this model – the Dievas Reaper – well it says it all for me!
The Dievas Reaper – nothing else like it.
For looks it is outstanding and definitely will appeal to the macho in all of us and OK it’s black case, black dial, black numerals – in fact pretty much black everything and yet – Wow! look at the important part – the hour, minute, seconds hand and markers – no question of lack of clarity here and as I say – outstanding.
Great components too with Sapphire Crystal, a Swiss Automatic ETA 2824-2 housed in a premium 316L CNC watch case, which has 30µm layered hardening of the case to 1300 Hv on the Vickers scale(6 times the original hardness of normal stainless steel) – so it don’t scratch too easy!
The bezel is uni-directional, the case is 50m Water Resistant and just 43mm diameter. Let’s face it – it makes most Shocks look prissy!
In daytime great – at night even better!
Striking Superluminova hands are something special in that incredible bright yellow – the contrast is amazing day and night. A good leather strap and steel buckle complete the picture if you can drag your eyes away from those hands!
IF you can get one, then this is a great gift and will undoubtedly elicit a Wow! from the receiver. Now OK it’s been around for a while and was a limited edition, but IF you see one and it’s in good condition I would not hesitate. I actually did see one recently but too late – it was gone!
Dievas Reaper with Swiss ETA 2824-2 Automatic movement
And whilst it may seem a”mysterious” model it is actually open at the back – well via an exhibition window that is – there you can see the ETA movement ticking away – it’s alive!
Seems to me that once you have one of these models you might just see one in an Estate auction, if the relatives missed it that is – because it is a rare specimen these days and if I could get my hands on one – then it’s Christmas for me whatever the time of year!
Watch space 
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