Hmm, what are you wearing? (watch related topic)

I have a question for you guys, but I decided to post it here instead:

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/off-topic-discussion/watch-value-question-from-a-guy-who-hasnt-worn-a-watch-in-30-years/196726/page1/

So I went through my backlog of watches the other day to upgrade batteries and discovered this gem. I bought it about 15 years ago because it looked like a mega-bucks Richard Mille I liked. I wore it to Bill's tonight.

Last year I put a $100 Seiko 5 movement into a custom case from Namoki mods to make a cheap version of the Seiko 62MAS, still need the hands to complete the look.

I've been wearing it the last 2 weeks, it was losing time but not out of the normal range, on these cheap movements Seiko says +/- 20s a day is normal.
For the hell of it I opened it and adjusted the balance with the ClockTuner app to regulate it.
Now for the last few days it's been losing 1 second during the day while I'm wearing it and gaining a couple of seconds laying on the table overnight. Amazing.

It'd be hilarious to send it for COSC certification.

For those of you who have multiple watches in your rotation, what's your preferred method of storage when they're not on your wrist?

Woody (Forum Supportum) said:

For those of you who have multiple watches in your rotation, what's your preferred method of storage when they're not on your wrist?

I use this simple watch storage box that Annie picked up for me. The negative aspect is that if the house is burglarized and the perps find the box, they take all of them in a nice container.

(The four watches on the right side of the box need batteries. Hence, the times don't match the others.)

I keep swearing I'm done with timepieces...

Picked this Soviet up on eBay because I thought it was interesting with that linen face. I figured it was a plastic case, but it turns out to be metal. It came on a black strap, but when I tried on this green suede one it just looked so good. Unlike a lot of watches of that era, it's just big enough not to look funny today.  It's become a favorite.

I don't think I've shared this one, but it's my craziest Swatch. A "Fluo". The big hand is the hour hand, the small hand is the minute hand, the blue shading moves around with the hour hand, the markings are basically random and it's a 24h movement. It requires real mental rewiring to read and is basically useless in the afternoon. Time when I took this picture was, umm, 9:17 AM or so.

For interesting car use, this is a Soviet AVRM "tank clock". You wind it via the bezel and set it by pulling the bezel out.

But here's the interesting thing. It's the same size as a standard 2 1/16" automotive gauge. I'm totally going to start using these in builds.

For my first dinner with my friends, I purchased a pricey pair of watches featuring Wilbur Soot brand.

In reply to Keith Tanner :

Oh no, that dangerous!!

In reply to Keith Tanner :

I like analog clocks in vehicles and I love that tank clock! 
 

Is that notch in the dial from the factory? If so, what purpose does it serve?

In reply to Woody (Forum Supportum) :

I use a Trusco metal box with a caddy I 3D printed for watches by themselves, NATO straps are in another box.

Keith Tanner said:

But here's the interesting thing. It's the same size as a standard 2 1/16" automotive gauge. I'm totally going to start using these in builds.

 

That is siiiicckkk.   Maybe once or twice a year I'll wear my wife's baby-G-shock because I have tiny wrists and it's the only watch that doesn't look ridiculous.

Woody (Forum Supportum) said:

In reply to Keith Tanner :

I like analog clocks in vehicles and I love that tank clock! 
 

Is that notch in the dial from the factory? If so, what purpose does it serve?

It is factory, and I don't specifically know. Since the bezel can be rotated, it could be used as an indicator for elapsed time or something similar.

A lot of AVRMs were used as desk display clocks and come in fairly ugly housings. I think mine came from one of those as it doesn't have lume but has gold(ish) numerals instead. Next step is to come up with a mounting scheme as they're just a bare cylinder.

In reply to Keith Tanner :

Where'd you get that tank clock?

In reply to yupididit :

eBay. They're quite common out of Ukraine. 

I really like watches but I'm far from a watch "collector."  

I wear a Citizen Ecodrive for more formal settings, which was a gift from my grandparents ~15 years ago.  My grandparents also gave me a swatch when I was ~10, which I lost when I was a teenager.  I bought the watch I'm wearing right now around 2005 because it reminded me of the swatch I lost.  I recently replaced the battery and fixed the strap, so it feels somewhat "New."  I like the way it looks and the way it fits.

The other watch I wear regularly is a cheap 100M waterproof Casio.  Several years ago SWMBO gave me a nice (+$200) Vestal watch for when I'm surfing & need to be home at a certain (prescribed) time.  It had the tides programmed, it was neat.  It only lasted a year or so.  The warranty replacement watch lasted maybe a year or two.  When I went to send that one back I realized the company had gone out-of-business.  Apparently, surf watches that leak + lifetime warranty isn't a good business model.   The cheap digital watch I have been using when I go surfing died recently (I cracked the face somehow).  The casio pictured is the $25 watch I replaced it with.  I think it's much better looking than the digital watch I was wearing.   I never used the tide functions anyway.  While shopping around for a replacement I realized how much I'd like to find something waterproof, but a bit more interesting for daily use.  This is a good option for a surfing timepiece, you don't want shiny metals or bright colors splashing through the water when  you paddle.  

In reply to Keith Tanner :

Thank you!

Minor Confession:

I'm having fun wearing watches again. 

Javelin said:

I celebrated getting promoted to Supervisor with yet another new watch, an Earnshaw automatic mechanical:

It's completely see-through.

I'm in trouble with the wife though! 

This watch broke in less than 2 weeks. The power reserve clock spring snapped in the middle somewhere. They are going to take it back and replace it, but I don't think I want to keep the replacement. It was kind of a let down in person. 

yupididit said:

In reply to Javelin :

Nice! I was looking at the Faraday and Berts models but the reviews made me hesitant. 

How is the craftsmanship and the feel of the hardware/material?

I'd shy away from them now. They are pretty in the box but don't last too well. 

In reply to Javelin :

Can you at least see the broken part through the window?

In reply to Woody (Forum Supportum) :

Sure can. Made the warranty claim easy I guess. 

Javelin said:

yupididit said:

In reply to Javelin :

Nice! I was looking at the Faraday and Berts models but the reviews made me hesitant. 

How is the craftsmanship and the feel of the hardware/material?

I'd shy away from them now. They are pretty in the box but don't last too well. 

I appreciate the update. The reviews seem to match your experience. Luckily, I didn't buy one. Instead I got one of my non-working watches fixed by a pro. 

A few weeks ago, I bought a Hamilton Khaki Field Automatic 38.

I really like it, but the black leather band that it came with was a little too short for me, so I ordered a slightly longer oiled leather one from Hadley Roma.

When I took the new band out of the package (face up), I immediately notice that it came with new spring bars installed already, which I thought was a nice touch. But when I flipped it over, I noticed that the bars have little quick release buttons on there. I don't know if that's common or not, but I wasn't expecting it. Swapping it on was super easy. The band is beautifully made and feels great.

I am a Hamilton fan boi and have been for a while.  I like that field watch Woody!  
 

I love quick change bands/spring bars.  I got a Timex earlier this year that had them as my first.  Really like the ease of band change.