A bit of a conundrum isn’t it – What do you really want from a watch. What are the features – the true features I mean, that dictate which model you buy. What is it that makes you realize for example that maybe that wonderful all singing and dancing watch you got the other day, doesn’t really do it for you after all? Maybe a disappointment in that, “Oh I wished it had this” or that and “Why doesn’t it do this” or . . . I think you get the picture.
Looking at all the daily beaters (that is those watches that you like to wear most of the time) I’ve bought over the years, you do start to see the same story.
I now realize that whatever day watch I buy today, it has to have luminous hands and markers – this is an absolute must, because I don’t know about you, but I don’t see too well in the dark!
It’s also got to be comfortable – hence my thing about straps and bracelets and contrary to popular belief I do have bracelet watches. My Breitling Aerospace for example has a titanium solid link original bracelet that is so silky smooth, it’s a delight to wear. Conversely I bought a Traser, that bracelet wise, was sharp twisted metal! And yes it now has a nice soft silicon strap and I’ve kept the watch.
The dial has to be configured in such a way that reading the time is simply a quick glance, not a case of figuring out which is the hour and minute hand, in amongst that retro calendar pointer, or GMT hand, or battery reserve indicator and so on. The dial also must NOT be reflective and there should be good contrast between hands and background – simple common sense really.
Not rocket science, but all too often we’re blinded by the wonderful features of that NEW model, because it’s got this or that and so useful? Here’s a few examples –
And the time is — quickly now!Just let me get my glasses!Now – just wait a minute . . it’s ten past two or three?Now if I could remember which dial was local time?Huh? Hang on I’ll get the instructions!
As the examples show, it’s sometimes a tricky business this telling the time and don’t get me started on the blinking light digital efforts that appear from time to time, the binaries and the hidden disks, so hidden that I am forced to approximate the time of day by checking the sky!
Anyway as I was saying, it is apparent that many of us actually and truthfully, only need a watch that is easy to read day or night, is comfortable to wear and maybe assists you in that it states the day and/or the date. And this is an odd thing – being retired, I find the DAY of the week, so much more important than the DATE, as weekends and weekdays sort of roll into one another. I know some younger folk think we older ones don’t know what day of the week it is – and they’re right! LOL . . .
Maybe what we oldies need is a nice clear dial with big time and big day – period.
Well? Maybe not, but you get the idea.
Sorry about that, got a bit off track I suppose, but you get my drift? We all too often get carried away with this new watch and that new model and yet we always end up wearing that old favorite, simply because it does just what you want it to do, no more and no less.
Dull day, indoors, poor light – but this is all I need.
Took this just a minute or so ago – it’s 2.30pm on a wet, very dull dark day in this northern hemisphere, indoors, my camera struggles in this light to even take the darned picture, but my old Breitling (my true daily beater for the last 14 years) simply says it all. Easy to read uncluttered matte dial and hour and minute hand – clear digital day and date – truly luminous hands and markers when dark. And funnily enough it does have a chronograph and a timer and a stopwatch and goodness knows what else, but just one simple crown – BUT – on my standard setting, it’s just as I like.
I really don’t know why I bother getting all these new watch models, I really don’t . . . . .
Another relatively low cost Divers model – the Citizen model BN0000-04H Date model.
Citizen BN0000-04H Diver
This is the Citizen BN0000-04H Stainless Steel Divers Date model. 300m Water resistance rated and Screw Down crown plus rubber strap.
Eco Drive solar powered Quartz movement should mean good accuracy and no battery to worry about during it’s lifetime.
This model is particularly compact with a brushed stainless steel one piece case (no case back) of 40mm diameter (44mm with crown) 45mm lug to lug and only 9mm deep, which is very neat for a Diver.
Compact Diver but big markers compensate.
Powered by the Citizen E-168 solar quartz Eco-Drive movement. It has a black textured dial with inbuilt solar sensor and a hardened slightly convex mineral glass crystal, a perimeter minute track plus large luminous hour markers with luminous silver edged hour, minute and second hands. There is also a small silver edged date window at @3.
One piece mono-bloc stainless steel case – (no removable back).
Topside it has a really positive action 60 click uni-directional bezel with a luminous dot @12. Screw down crown with a Water Resistance depth rating of 300 metres, which lifts it above the more usual 200m rating.
This model is paired with a Divers style rubber/resin band of good length, fitted to standard but heavy duty lug spring bars, which is good news if you need to change the strap for an alternative (see later images).
As usual this Citizen model comes with their 5 year Guarantee included.
A word on the bezel – On this model, it has a smooth rounded top, which slopes away from the crystal. This in my opinion gives rise to two slight concerns – 1) it makes the bezel slightly more difficult to grip despite the great click action and 2) it arguably reduces what little dial/crystal protection there is. I personally would have preferred a more defined knurled/shaped bezel to assist grip, but I’m maybe being over picky here I suppose and the actual bezel click action is very, very good.
In use – The overall impression is of a smooth edged compact watch and one of the smaller Divers around and all within a “one piece” 300m Depth rated case. I note the dial background is indeed black, but a little reflective in bright or artificial light, though conversely in low light situations it’s OK (makes sense as there’s less light to reflect). My own preference would be for this to be completely matte, but it’s not a big deal.
Now to comparison – Citizen BN0000-04H v Seiko SKZ781K3 Monster.
As I have the two Divers models above here’s my personal thoughts on my preferences and reasons.
Size – Now I said this Citizen model is a compact watch, though when compared to the Seiko Monster, at first glance there doesn’t seem much in it apart from the depth (9mm to 13mm), where the Monster is very chunky. The actual diameter of both two models is only 1 or 2 mm difference.
Comparative sizes – Citizen versus Seiko
It is however in the dial size and more specifically the dial marker diameter and separation where the real size difference can be seen. And this is very evident in the images showing the luminosity of both models and where in my opinion the Seiko scores over the Citizen. The Seiko hands are longer and broader which also helps the overall clarity.
Dial & markers size differences. The Seiko is much larger.
In the dark or in low light the visible luminous dial of the Seiko is much larger and the marker diameter obviously for me is clearer to read.
Note the size difference of the luminous dials. The larger the better.
Movement wise the Citizen is a Solar Eco-Drive quartz therefore light driven and the Seiko is a mechanical automatic which uses the wrist movement to wind. As they both work well my preference has to be a purely personal thing.
And this is a tough one for me, as here in Scotland I’ve always had a tiny concern re’ solar watches, simply as we don’t have much sun and it’s also cold. Both observations have a bearing on my conclusion. Here watches are more often covered by sleeves and they don’t get much chance of an optimum daily charge (Citizen actually warns you that not doing so may cause the watch to maintain insufficient charge). So whenever the opportunity comes along to let the watch get some light on it – you should take it.
But it’s easy to forget . . .
And as far as accuracy is concerned however, the E-168 Solar movement, being quartz of course is better than you’ll ever need.
The Seiko being a mechanical Automatic, winds itself by your wrist movement, so once it’s on your wrist, forget it (no light worries then). It will easily keep fully wound when on the wrist and when off the wrist, it’ll manage around 40 hours (assuming it’s fully wound of course) or so before it stops. So if the Seiko is your daily beater, then no problem, just wear it and forget it.
Accuracy – of course it’s not going to be as good as quartz, but in practice the Seiko is accurate to around 4 seconds a day and that’s easily good enough for me or most of us for that matter.
So which power source do I prefer? – Surprisingly I prefer the mechanical Seiko. However if I lived in the South of France or the USA where short sleeves was the order of the day – then I might prefer the Solar accuracy (maybe). There are of course, newer technology models now from Seiko, that utilise their Kinetic system and they do produce some Diver models with it, so maybe these would be the ideal for me. I may have to look into that!
And the final question – which model do I prefer – the Citizen BN or the Seiko Monster Orange? I would note that both models are good to wear and I do like them both – but . . . which?
Well for me, all things considered, I have to admit a preference for the slightly larger Seiko Orange Monster.
And the reason is basically an amalgam of parts – and just because of the overall package .
How it looks I suppose is the first thing – and the Orange Monster really does look the business and that matters (maybe it’s the latent macho in me – who knows) but it just “looks” right!
Dial wise it’s that little bit larger and with larger hands and better markers separation, it IS easier to read. It’s luminous quality is also slightly better, in that there is a small difference in brightness after being in total dark for 6 hours – the Seiko IS just that bit easier to see – and that’s a fact (not that the Citizen is poor – far from it – but it’s not quite as good).
I prefer the bezel on the Seiko too, with the slight turn up towards the edge and the better defined knurls, gives better protection and is slightly easier to grip.
Also and not speaking diver here, the Date window on the Citizen is a tad small, whereas the Seiko Day/Date is larger and again much easier to read.
Interestingly as I write these points down it’s very apparent that “clarity” is an important element in my decision. There is a difference in the perceived clarity of both models and the Seiko scores almost every time. Little wonder then, why so many have raved about the “Monster” (a cult icon for many it appears), as it has that something about it that “works”.
As a friend said to me recently – Watch? Diver? Orange Monster? – Let’s ‘ave a look then? – Oh yeah! Monster! (sorry about that, but he’s not from round here! 😉
And no it’s not perfect of course, but it has much to be liked, such as that amazingly constructed case – I urge you to take a close look at it – 3 different lug sizes, uneven case overlaps shrouding the bezel and that odd crown protection, the upwards slanting bezel and the case overlap profiles at the strap fixing points.
Amazing detailing that is so easy to miss maybe – but perhaps just part of the secret of this watch and what makes the “Orange Monster” – one of a kind.
I love it!
Additional images –
Citizen with Nato
And finally –
Seiko Orange Monster with Silicon deployment.
Update –
Well it’s in the wearing that a watch really shows it’s true colors and that is certainly true of the two models featured above. I’m finding that wrist time is pretty much equal in that I’m wearing each one more or less alternately. In short I like them both very much – take this last few days for example – Friday Monster, Saturday Citizen, Sunday Monster and today Citizen and there is no doubt in my mind that much of it is to do with the strap change, with both now on Silicon deployment straps. They’re simply far more comfortable, especially if you are using these as daily beaters – and that said – they are both difficult to beat!
Citizen Diver comfort on silicon deployment.Seiko Monster comfort on silicon deployment.
Another trawl through some of the great watches that are available today and maybe we don’t see too often. Once again this selection are what I’d call in the affordable price range and some good value items. Almost all of them are common in one respect and that is, you can be pretty certain that your friends won’t have one – but will after they see your new wrist wear! My image here is a collage as before with brief details below and in no particular order.
Variety 2 selection
Only 6 are shown here as one of them, the Junghans, has a sideways shot, showing it’s unusual crown/pusher set up and it’s 9.6mm case depth.
Junghans Megasolar Spektrum, stainless & ceramic, solar quartz, 100m WR, – 43.5mm diameter (£600)
Fortis B42 Flieger Black, Auto, Day/Date Titan Limited model at 42mm diameter (£600 – £1500)
Bruno Sohnle Glashutte Rebito, 42mm diameter (£380)
Schaumburg GT “Raceclub”, Auto – 46mm diameter (£900)
Askania Templehof in steel, Auto – 42mm diameter (£850 – £1300)
I’ve listed the case diameters this time, as there are too many models out there that are unfortunately ruined by being way oversize and just too big for comfort. So I’m doing a gentle bit of championing the smaller guys. But let’s not be silly here – most of the models shown here are all decent size, as all are over 40mm (remember many Patek Philippe models are around 36mm and don’t look silly on ANYBODY’s wrist!!).
More varieties in future posts.
Note– Prices are only a rough guide and may range from pristine pre-owned to new models.
My new Citizen Diver unfortunately has not yet arrived, I thought I’d show my other model – my Seiko diver, which may not need any introduction, but for those who don’t have one, here it is.
Seiko Orange Monster
And this is a real favorite amongst many it seems – the Seiko SKZ781K3 “Orange Monster”. It’s one of those “tactile” models, you know the thing – once you wear it and really see it close up, it is one very solid chunk of stainless steel and yet it somehow just “feels” right. Mostly and deceptively, because it is NOT large – not at all! So don’t be put off by those massive looks, because in reality it is remarkably compact, though looking like it’s title – a Monster! The case is a very clever and dare I say, almost extravagant, stainless steel that really does give a great feeling of solidity. There is absolutely no doubt it has that something about it and the specification’s pretty decent too.
As I say – this is a compact diver at 42mm x 13mm so a great size for those if us with normal size wrists 😉 and the band/lug width is a tight 20 mm, so easy to source an alternative bracelet or strap. (See my wrist shot – and I only have 170mm wrists). Unfortunately no screw in lug/strap bars, which would be my preference, though Seiko do use really heavy weight spring bars between the lugs for strap or bracelet fitting
Monster fits my 170mm wrist just fine!
My Monster here sports a non Seiko ladder flexible rubber strap though is due for a change, but that’s no reflection on the watch of course.
The large 120 click uni-directional bezel is very “in your face” with sharp black clear markings and a luminous dot @12. It also slopes down slightly towards the Hardlex Crystal, which is gently domed for optimum viewing under water, so the eye naturally is drawn to the super clear orange dial. Large luminous markers and a minute track on the perimeter, broad black edged Lumibrite hour and minutes hands complimented by a black luminous tipped arrow head seconds sweep hand. An excellent and very clear day and date window @3 with edge highlight in black plus contrasting white background discs with black letters, means it’s easily read without the need for a magnifying bubble.
Monster dial
At the 18 minutes position the well defined Screw Down Crown sits, very well protected by a crown guard above and below by the very clever extended steel case lug.
The movement is the 21 jewel mechanical automatic (self winding with movement of the your arm) Seiko 7S26, so will never need a battery and is a reasonable accuracy for a mechanical engine. It is also a very well tried Seiko Japanese movement so there should be no surprises with it. It is also a non-hacking movement, which means when the crown is pulled out to adjust the time, the second hand does not stop. (I understand newer model versions use Cal. 4R36, which is hacking). However with a mechanical watch I’ve personally never needed such split second accuracy anyway, so I’m fine with that. Accuracy-wise the 7S26 at 21,600 bph is maybe +/- 5 secs per day with a power reserve of up to 40 hours. The movement also doesn’t hand wind but simply waving it about a bit, starts it off easily, so just put it on and your away!
Steel screw back and crown protection
Overall impressions with this watch is that it’s a built like a tank and is very solid and reassuring. And as any Diver should, it has a 200m Water Resistance rating and a good sized screw down crown.
So overall in my opinion and that of many others apparently, this is an exceptional watch for the money, of that there is no doubt – and whilst it may be a bit of a statement, indeed almost a cult watch, it actually does the business, does it very well and looks stunning.
Seiko Monster – looks the part, but only 12.9mm depth
Just a word about the luminous quality of the dial. There is no question that if exposed to daylight for any length of time, the light “charge” is bright and very effective. If you then put the watch in a dark place soon after, the luminous markers and hands etc. are outstanding, very bright and clear so you could almost read a book by it! This image is taken in a darkened room (not fully dark) and shows the luminous quality – note the black outlines accentuate the hands rather well.
Luminous effect after about 10 minutes (after the initial charge dies off).
Of course this brightness does not remain as the image above and does fade, though I’m happy to say the “Monster” performs well enough to tell the time in the dark even after 6 hours or so.
5 am – luminous dial still readable (Sorry – not my best photo!)
Whilst the luminous dial does fade and dependent on the initial charge as to how long this fading takes, it could just glow a little by early morning. However your eyes will be well adjusted to the dark and should still be able to make out the time. So overall not bad and almost as good (though not quite!) as my old Breitling, which always manages to retain a luminous quality, regardless of light exposure.
So in conclusion the Seiko lives up to it’s reputation very well and especially with this model, which really represents excellent value as a Diver class model. And as soon as my Citizen turns up I hope to check it out here and perhaps do a comparison. Anyway it’s nice to have two different takes on a theme from competing brands – should be interesting.
Update – Thursday 5th December 2013
I noted that the non-Seiko ladder rubber strap on my Monster was needing replaced. I did this the other night and used a twin button over locking deployment type in Silicon rubber. It was 20mm width and apart from the fact I had to coax the heavy weight Seiko spring bars into the strap fixing holes with a touch of WD40 (they slid in easily then) it fitted just great. Gives a much lower profile on the wrist and more comfortable too.
Replacement Silicon deployment strap for under £12
As you can pretty much guess, I don’t do diving these days so my simple lume test was basically day time/bed time and see what I could see on wake up. But from that it’s pretty obvious that underwater, what with the light before the dive and the initial descent, the Lumibrite will absorb more than enough light to manage the task. As to the strap; if I was diving or scuba/snorkelling or whatever, I’d fit a full rubber strap, as it’s long length would allow me to wear it over a wet suit and so on. I’m unsure if the bracelet version of the Monster has an extension (like my Breitling) to extend the wrist length just for that purpose, but whatever, this does show that strap and bracelet wise this watch will take almost any standard item, no problem.
Update –
You may be pleased to note that the Orange Monster series is still going strong. v2 appeared in 2012 with the upgraded 4r36 hacking and hand winding movement. Series 3 appeared in 2014 with the 6r15 automatic movement with a 50 hr reserve. I note that the latest 4th version has reverted back to the 4r36 movement for reasons unknown.
Personally I love the Series 1 and wouldn’t consider parting with it – it’s iconic, great to wear, smooth as silk and never lets me down – ever. Personally I’m always on the lookout for limited edition series 1, which feature different dial colurs, but they are tricky to find. But always hopeful.
Whilst trawling around the web I found this Company, the Davis Watch Company, who have a rather neat range of mid priced Quartz models plus a few more up market mechanical watches too. Always on the lookout for a sensible priced quartz Dress watch I came across this rather nicely styled model from their “AllRound Series”, the 0582, which I think has a rather elegant classic look about it.
DaVis AllRound model 0582 Dress Watch
I like the look of this model as it harks back to just a hint of Art Deco and Classic, without being actually Retro. The overall appearance is interesting and that little bit different with the leather strap and integral tan stitch fitting into smooth hidden lugs case design – very stylish in my opinion and as a Dress watch, pretty much what I was looking for. Additionally the dial is elegantly configured with fine Guilloche background and three multifunction sub-dials. The indexes are white applied with stainless accents which aides clarity, the hour and minute hands similarly outlined.
It features Day, Date and 12/24hr time and is powered by the MIYOTA quartz movement Caliber 6P29 (SR621SW battery) and has a accuracy of around +/- 20 seconds per month. The case is brushed Stainless steel, has a Water Resistance of 100m and dimensions are 50 x 33 x 10mm, so a relatively neat watch and it comes with their International 2 year guarantee.
We tend to forget these days that Dress watches are exactly that and surprisingly rare to find, or those of decent appearance anyway. They are simply not meant to be Military, or Divers or big and flashy, but instead are sleek, smooth and elegant, meant to slip under the shirt cuff. I think this one is just that and at a very agreeable price of under €130 (Euro).
Davis also make quite a decent range of non dress models too and this one – the Davis Aviamatic 1020 features Chronograph, Day and Date, in brushed Stainless Steel, which is also available in white. A 22mm leather strap compliments this neat 42mm x 11mm case with a 50m Water Resistance and screw down crown. The solid performing MIYOTA quartz Caliber OS21 with a +/- 20sec/month movement is used here and has an approximate battery life of 3 years (SILVER OXIDE SR927W),
Davis Aviamatic 1020
This model has a larger version, the 0450 at 48mm diameter and other dial colors are available, which makes it quite versatile.
The high color yellow and black Aviamatic model I alluded to and posted an image of, in my last article, though for me a little on the large side at 48mm, will certainly appeal to many as it really has that “military” look.
Davis watch also offer a few mechanical watches , though there is a price premium to pay, they are still very reasonable and feature Miyota mechanical movements. I have a couple of other brands using these movements and I rarely, if ever, have a problem with them and they invariably represent excellent value.
Ladies are not left out and they have a few different models in their range and should you wish to see these, this is the link to them. From ring watches to designer and even ceramic, they are that bit different from the mainstream, in my opinion.
Davis Aviation 10260 Orange
Refreshing to see a not so well known watch brand (to me at any rate) with such a diverse range of pretty good looking models and at not unreasonable pricing across that range. I like the fact they major on good solid mainstream and standard quartz movements such as Miyota in that it gives confidence that the engines will work pretty well and be reasonably reliable.
In fact I’m rather taken with more than one model myself and might just be tempted to acquire one, or at the very least persuade my Wife that one of them could make an “AllRound” Christmas present.
Black and Yellow watches seem to be on the increase, maybe because Wiz Khalifa the US Rapper features it in song, or perhaps Pennsylvania’s NFL team colors, or Radiation warning – whatever it is this color combination can be pretty striking in a watch – and there are quite a few around. The models featured here have quartz movements.
One that comes to mind (excuse the pun), this is The One 01 in stainless steel with a Polyurethane rubber strap. A square disc model at 53 x 30 x 9.2mm that pretty much says it all from “The One” Fashion House.
The 01 The One – AN04G02 Yellow Spinning Wheel
Quite striking actually and pretty easy to read the time, unlike many in their range. They have a few models that do have dots, lights and odd sequences, that might be OK for the young, but not really my style – but this Yellow Spinning Wheel model is not at all bad. It reminds me of the old LIP watches, and they were good.
Followed by a Diesel Mr Daddy Radar DZ7296 – which is indeed a BIG watch (too big for me) but interesting nevertheless. This model is a whopping 64 x 57 13mm, very futuristic, but only 3atm which is a pity, but it’s a bit of fun and certainly a fashion statement if there ever was! I’d be tempted to put it on the mantlepiece above the fire as a clock!
Mr Daddy from Diesel
But my favorite is this good looking watch from Davis, the 1840 model, though perhaps still a little big for me (though they have other models not quite as bright which are more my size at 42mm), it is a very stylish military look watch. It features the MIYOTA quartz movement Caliber OS21 and dimensions are 48mm x 12mm, with 50m Water Resistance and an Italian Lorica strap and under €200 would make a nice gift for the more conventional amongst us.
The Davis 1840 Military
Chronograph, Date, 12/24 sub-dials and that fantastic bright Yellow configuration makes for a striking watch. I love the matching yellow stitching on the Lorica Strap, which sets it off nicely.
This is also the first time I’ve had a serious look at Davis models, though the Davis Watch Company has been around for a few years (1987 Cannes) and I hope to feature them soon on “Spotlight”, as I have been on the lookout for a low/medium priced dress watch and looking at their range – they might have one that suits me . . . . .
As one of my previous posts recently showed, there are many choices when it comes to “Divers” models, especially when considering major brands. There are also other models from Casio, Invicta and Momentum to name just a few. There are also others that advertise as Divers, but for me I only consider “dive rated” models at 200m or better. Plus basic features such as good dial legibility under water, large hands and numerals, good luminous qualities, a screw down crown and a uni-directional bezel.
I highlight here some that caught my attention, starting with the classic Seiko “Monster” Divers SKX781K, Automatic in Orange and black versions – one that I particularly like.
Seiko “Monster” Divers
This is an absolute classic Divers watch and very popular with good reason. Solid chunky watch in Stainless Steel watch with high visibility dial and contrasting hands and markers, rated at 200m Water Resistance and with a large uni-directional bezel that is a delight to use. The bezel markings are sharp and clear with the conventional 15, 30 and 45 minute graduations in large high contrast figuring with a luminous dot marker at Zero. The orange dial also features a Day and Date in a nicely outlined window @3 again with good contrast luminous figures and large enough not to require any magnifier bubble. The luminous system used is Seiko Lumibrite, which for me has one of the best luminous properties of any (I don’t include Tritium light source technology). The large screw down crown is very well protected by the projecting case profile on one side and the cleverly extended solid case lug on the other. The mechanical automatic movement is the dependable 7S26 which has reasonable accuracy at around +/- 25 secs/day – not quite in the quartz bracket, but good for a mechanical model. The crystal is the Seiko in-house “Hardlex” which is a good combination of scratch and shatter resistance.
Seiko “Monster” in black
These models are available from around $120 to $160 depending on discounts etc. and represent superb value when you consider these are from a major Manufacturer with good guarantees and service back up.
I have not included Citizen this time as featured some in the previous post on Divers, so this time I’m looking at other brands that offer a similar capability, such as Momentum from the St Moritz Watch Company of Canada. They have quite a neat range of 200m Water Resistance “Divers”, though I find it difficult to know what’s current and what’s discontinued. Of several Diver models I have opted for and particularly like the Shadow 11 model (IM-DV86B0), which is a good sized black IP coated stainless steel version at 41mm x 12mm case size. It has a quartz movement with Day/Date window @3, luminous hands and markers with a second hand with arrow tip. The uni-directional bezel is well defined, though as others in the Brand, they use slightly unconventional 20, 30, 40 and 50 minute markers (another model uses, 5, 15, 25, 35, 45 and 55, which I find confusing). There is also an offset semi-protected screw down crown.
Momentum Shadow 11
This model version has black IP 316L steel case and bracelet, though my next featured watch has the more usual stainless finish. The Momentum Storm 11 model, which I find more compact looking in case a dial set up, perhaps as I’m more used to the Seiko and Citizen models, but certainly worth considering.
Momentum Storm 11
The dial on both models appear quite Seiko looking with the round markers and so on which I find very pleasing. The prices of both watches seem to be in the same bracket as the more popular models and certainly shows there are no shortage of models in this Divers category.
Another brand at the low end of this price bracket is the Invicta Watch Group, a US Company trading on the original Swiss Invicta Watch Company name since 1991 and they feature a few Diver category models in their range.
Invicta Pro Diver 8926 Automatic
A more Rolex Submariner looking watch you’re unlikely to see, which can be got for around $80 or £65+ in the UK (may be subject to VAT and customs here in the UK). Good looking 200m Water Resistance model with uni-directional 120 click bezel with good markings and that luminous Dot at Zero. It uses a Miyota 21j automatic mechanical movement and has a mineral crystal. The movement from memory does not have the best power reserve, so unless you are pretty active it could be an issue. The later model 9937 the features a 23j movement, where the power reserve is improved, a sapphire crystal and better magnifier date window. Though the date is actually OK for me on this model. A screw down protected crown @3 and watch dimensions are 40 x 12mm, so is a really neat sized Divers watch which will suit the smaller wrist. Rolex style dial with luminous hands and markers, plus center sweep seconds hand, sets off a rather handsome watch.
As long as you don’t expect Rolex quality, this watch should manage quite well, but time will tell in the long run.
So a few more Divers to consider and I hope to have a more in depth look at the Seiko “Monster” and the Citizen BN models in the near future, which should be fun as I’m hoping to replace some of my older Divers and move them on.
It never ceases to amaze me the sheer variety of watches and watch designs that are out there. From the incredibly good to the mind numbingly bad and yet somebody somewhere, will love the look of whatever it is and then buy it. Whether its the color, the sheer extravagance or whatever, there truly seems to be a watch model for everyone.
Watches for everyone!
This is just a quick selection and for reference and I’ve listed the models below as one of them could just be the little gem you’ve been waiting for! – you never know!
Shhors Rubber LCD LED092 Ladies, Day/Date – £10.49 (I call this the “Lego” watch! – the bracelet can be altered to change color sequence)
Shark Day/Date,24hr, Mens Yellow SH091 – £30 approx.
Seiko 5 Sports Navy Blue Day/Date Automatic self winder SRP351 – £113.00
Harley Davidson (aka Bulova) Gents model 78C103 – £248
Invicta multifunction IP Day/Date Model 43658-004 – £113
Cavena Noni Big Da/Date, Alarm Dual Time, Quartz, CVN019 – £23
Giulio Romano GR-3000-13-001 Piemonte, Luminous, IP plated, Dual Time, Day/Date – £140
Lancaster OLAO461SLYGNR Yellow, Gold IP Day/Date – £170
All the above are Day and Date models and just a fraction of the sheer variety of models, that without the power of the internet, you would simply never get a chance to see, let alone buy. Such is the fascination of this watch business, that in the time it took to post this, there are literally hundreds and hundreds of new designs, new models already being offered and amazingly new ideas of presenting the time on your wrist! I have not included the weird form of interpretation of time, with lights and codes etc. as these are just not my thing at all! These I find far too complicated as what I prefer is to be able to read and understand the time at a glance. Not that some of this first collection can also be tricky, but there is for me a limit.
And would I buy any of the above? Well for me personally no, but I know somebody will. Yet I do find some of the ideas and presentation quite fascinating. I love, for example, the Ladies Shhors “lego” building brick bracelet watch, just for the sheer fun of it and the fact that from a fashion point of view, to be able to mix around the segments of the bracelet blocks to give a different look, is fun.
And I had forgotten that particular Seiko 5 model, the Sports Cal 4R36, 24 jewel automatic, with it’s wonderful Day/Date window @3, broad luminous hands with a great center seconds arrow hand, a Hardlex crystal and 100m Water Resistance. As one of my pals used to say – “it’s an absolute belter!” and he’d be right as it is indeed a very stylish watch. Too easy to forget that Seiko make an enormous number of mechanical automatic models, most of which we never see here in the UK, which is a great shame as they represent excellent value for money.
The Cavena Noni Big Date/day ana-digi is also quite a striking watch and one I’d personally never heard of before. A low cost model it may be, but design-wise it looks pretty good to me. And the others more or less picked at random from the almost limitless selection available, again simply show the fantastic variety and so much so that I’ll probably have another trawl around and see what turns up.
My last post featured a Casio model and I mentioned that fitting a replacement strap such as a NATO one would be tricky owing to the space between the spring bars and the case being too neat. However, this is the silicon deployment fold-over strap that I thought might do, IF I was able to fit one – I did and this is it.
5 Minutes with a craft knife and in my opinion a much better fit than standard.
The actual strap size or more accurately the spring bar gap in the lugs is 18mm, but an 18mm silicon strap does not do the watch justice. I would note that the original Casio strap was not 18mm either, but closer to 20mm and suits the overall look just fine.
SO, I took a 20mm strap and carefully (with a craft knife) reduced it at the pin ends either side to allow for the lugs and to enable fitting to the 18mm gap. The wider strap sets of the watch really well – and here is the result.
Alternative silicon deployment strap, 20mm on 18mm lugs.
The upside is a much neater wrist fit as the flexibility and flat profile of this strap holds the watch closer to the wrist and it doesn’t move. I often find that rubber or resin straps with buckles (as opposed to deployment) can annoyingly move the watch around the wrist. Sometimes you have to strap on too tightly to stop this, but if for example it’s a “diver’s” style ribbed profile strap it then digs in to your wrist and is uncomfortable. This alternative softer silicon strap with it’s simple deployment eliminates any problem.
In fact this was so successful, I may have a look in my watch boxes and see if there are others that could benefit from this treatment – also as these straps are only £7 to £9 approximately, it’s not a daft idea!
Always on the lookout for a low priced, well made, yet clever digital watch that goes that bit further.
And I’ve found the Casio AE1200WH-1AV to be such a model and one that in no way could ever be considered basic.
Brilliant Casio World Timer Alarm Watch AE-1200WH-1AVEF
As far as functions are concerned and despite it’s amazing price tag (£17) this is one serious watch. And it’s many features and functions are both practical and useful.
It has large easy to read main time digits with the Day, Date, Month, Hour, minute and seconds on a high contrast display. It’s a chronograph too with a Stop watch (1/100sec) and Countdown Timer.
Unusually and usefully it also has a virtual Analogue clock (with digital H,M and secs hands) giving your local time as a permanent view whatever mode you are in.
And this model incorporates a pretty comprehensive World Time feature, with an “at a glance” World Time zone map, 31 time zones and 48 cities, UTC and Daylight Savings settings. But in addition it also has a quick jump feature to show 4 other time zones in rotation and a selectable auto scan feature too. Another useful trick is the quick swap feature from Home time to any World Time you have selected, usually the preserve of some serious upmarket models.
If you need an alarm then your well catered for here with 5 pre-sets and repeatable Daily Alarms and a One-Time Alarm. There is also an hourly signal which beeps twice on the hour if you so select.
A selectable duration LED light with afterglow of either 1.5 seconds or 3 seconds for easy viewing at night.
Great Casio high contrast display with permanent local analogue sub-dial.
You also don’t need to bother with the annoying task of correcting the days at the end of those silly months that don’t have 31 days – the Auto Calendar takes care of all that, right up to the year 2099.
And who needs Solar, Eco-Drive, Automatic or Kinetic with it’s outstanding 10 year battery life with it’s CR2025 battery.
The light resin case and steel back plate with internal seal ensures a 100m Water Resistance, which is just great for that holiday swimming. It comes with a really quite good and unobtrusive synthetic resin flexible strap and black coated buckle. I’ve found the strap to be quite comfortable, the divers “waves” shape not really large enough to cause me discomfort. The strap is also set to 18mm spring lug bars, so an alternative strap could be used if preferred, BUT note there is little room allowed between bar and case and a NATO strap may be difficult if not impossible to fit, though a standard fitting silicon deployment style might. (I’ll update on the silicon strap at a future date).
The “glass/crystal” is a very clear resin and the dial contrast is exceptional, so this is a very easy watch to read, which is a big plus point in my opinion.
Japanese Quartz movement with +/-30secs per month accuracy.
On the wrist – pretty good even on my small wrist 170mm.
For night use it has a two setting back light which is one of the best I’ve used yet, at either 1.5 secs or 3 secs when pressing the top right pusher. The bottom right pusher selects 4 quick view World Times in rotation, which is handy as one of them is Paris, so for us Europeans from UK very useful. The day and date display window gives the City, the month then the date (not the right order for us in UK, but I’m OK with it).
Size wise it’s neat at just 39.5mm (42mm with buttons) x 13mm Squarish case profile and a clear surprisingly tough resin crystal/glass. The lug to lug is 45mm which is neater than most and it fits my 170mm wrist just fine.
I mean WOW!
Price £17.00 – even bigger WOW!
This is a serious piece of kit – and I kid you not. What you get for your money is incredible value and as a “Holiday” watch, I could not have found anything better – anywhere?
Wherever you are in the world, just set the zone – Swimming or Snorkeling? – no problem. Need an alarm to catch that flight? – easy, you have a choice of 5!
Just a word on the highly commendable 100m WR on this model. I mean that’s really quite good, not true Diver quality rated of course, but seriously good considering a simple square steel back with 4 corner screws and internal seal – it all seems so easy. (how many watches do you meet with a paltry 5bar as their best effort?). It simply confirms my opinion that there is really no excuse for poor Water Resistance in ANY watch today.
So what are the downsides?
I have heard it said the buttons are too easy to use and inadvertent operation is possible and annoying. Well I can honestly say on this model to date, this has NOT happened to me yet! and the pushers “push” with a reasonably firm consistency. That said, I don’t wear watches at the very, very end of my wrist beyond the wrist bone, like some folks, so my hand even stretched back, simply can’t operate the buttons.
I’m tempted to describe this watch as the “ultimate”, though that might be too much praise, but frankly and from a Practical and Price viewpoint, and let’s face it what else do we need, it really doesn’t get much better!
And here’s an interesting thought. Perhaps you’re unlucky enough on holiday to have your watch stolen?
As one of my friends tells me – “Not a problem, I always take 2 of these little blighters with me”. And believe it or not he has another 3 at home, which I said at the time was a bit silly! However sometimes things said come back to haunt you, as after I got one for myself, thinking of my friend and liking the watch so much, I ended up buying another one for my wife!
So for me there are no downsides at all with this Casio World Timer model. It does everything its supposed to do, clear to read day or night and manages each function very well and at an absolutely rock bottom price.
Now whilst I may very well use this model for holidays, for which it is ideal of course – the question is – is this just a holiday watch?
The answer is absolutely NOT! – not by a long chalk!
Note – Another World Timer model similar to the above is the Casio AE1000W-1B, which has a round case, though I personally prefer the dial layout and the retro style of the above. But both represent great value from Casio.
Watch space 
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