My new watch!

[Surf Monkey]

As many of you know, I have a sickness. I collect mechanical watches. My main collection is vintage railroad grade pocket watches from the first half of the 20th century (and some from the very end of the 19th.) But I also have a fairly extensive collection of wrist watches. Until now I haven't had a truly luxury watch. I struggled with the decision about what one to buy. I was on the cusp of buying a Rolex Submariner, like the one Sean Connery wears in the Bond flicks, but I ended up buying the Omega Planet Ocean 45.5mm that Daniel Craig wears in Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace. The fact that Bond wears both these watches really had nothing to do with the decision, I just happen to like both watches a lot based on their own merits. I chose the Omega mainly because of two factors. First is the fact that some real douches wear Rolex and like to lord it over people. I'm not that kind of guy. Second is that the Omega is easily as good of a watch as the Rolex but has more personality. Everyone copies the Submariner but very few companies copy (yet) the Planet Ocean.

Here it is!

 

[starrynight]

Wow, that's some great lookin' time ya got there!! Enjoy it!

 

[son et lumiere]

I used to have a submarner. Nice watches indeed.

 

[whiskey]

Very handsome watch Indeed Surf! Love that it lights in the dark!

 

[PlanetScribbles]

I'm a Seiko man myself, I have a titanium kinetic but I do also like mechanical watches. I love that 'tick'.
The Omega is a lovely timepiece SM. An awful lot more shekels than I can afford though.

 

[Surf Monkey]

I have a couple of Seikos that I love too The very first watch I owned was a Seiko automatic. My current favorite is the Japan market only SARB065 "Cocktail Time" pictured below. The photo doesn't do it justice. It's a real stunner in "real life."

 

[son et lumiere]

I have a gold Seiko. Love it.

 

[Surf Monkey]

I have a gold Seiko. Love it.

Seiko gets a bad rap in America. They only market the kinetic, quartz and "spring drive" lines here, but they make high end watches that rival anything that Rolex and Omega make. They market them in Asia and Europe only. The Grand Seikos are amazing watches and they're a lot cheaper than Rolex. I guess Seiko thinks they can't convince Americans that their watches are on par with what the Swiss make.

 

[son et lumiere]

I don;t know a bunch about watches but my grandfather was a clock maker and he had a grand collection of watches rolex's very expensive 30,000 dollar watches and just about everything you can think of. He wore a seiko for his daily watch I have it now. I don't wear it much it's more of a keepsake.

 

[PlanetScribbles]

Seiko make a beautiful timepiece, understated but classy. Rolex is vulgar IMO, too bling. I wouldn't buy one even if I could, but I do have a Thai 'Rolax special' $15 oyster mechanical model Who doesn't? lol

 

[Surf Monkey]

Orient Watch Company makes a Submariner homage that's just about as close to the Rolex original that you'll ever see. It costs under $200.

 

[Scottbee]

Nice looking watch SM. Personally, I don't like and can't wear the "large" watches. I rewarded myself for a "job well done" about 20 years ago and picked up an all-black Movado Museum... titanium band, sapphire crystal, gold hands and "dot" . I'm really, really, really tough on jewelry (my hands are mostly scar tissue)... but I've never regretted that purchase. It's still a fine looking piece and I've worn it every single day.

 

[Surf Monkey]

Nice looking watch SM. Personally, I don't like and can't wear the "large" watches. I rewarded myself for a "job well done" about 20 years ago and picked up an all-black Movado Museum... titanium band, sapphire crystal, gold hands and "dot" . I'm really, really, really tough on jewelry (my hands are mostly scar tissue)... but I've never regretted that purchase. It's still a fine looking piece and I've worn it every single day.

That picture makes it look WAY bigger on my wrist than it actually is. It's a fluke of the camera lens. In reality, it wears small enough that it doesn't stand out as being extremely over sized.

But I know what you mean. Most of my other watches are around 42mm, which is a more "normal" size for my wrist.

 

[Lehd]

Love watches also...that is a nice piece!
It wasn't until 1880 that true wristwatches were produced in any quantity, notably for the German navy by the Swiss firm Girard-Perregaux. Watches gradually caught on with military types during the Boer War (1899-1902) and with pioneering pilots soon after that. Still, if not for their popularity as jewelry for women, wristwatches might never have survived the turn of the 20th century. As noted in Wristwatches, a collectors' guide by Gisbert Brunner and Christian Pfeiffer-Belli:

 

[Rosco]

I used to have a submarner. Nice watches indeed.

I used to be on a submarine....with my Seiko.....does that count?

 

[NCC]

I appreciate your passion for fine watches Surf, and that one is sure a beauty. Although, it would never do for me to wear one ... like Scottbee, I'm too hard on watches. I buy el-cheapo Casios & such. The battery lasts a couple years and by then the poor thing has had the heck beat out of it and it's ready to be replaced. I love rare coins though. They stay protected, not worn. heh