Lee's Watch Thread for MM'ers of Impeccable Taste

[Ryan T]

How did you like the Nighthawk after trying it on? It's my new favorite travel watch. I feel dude's pain tho...i am no fan of mineral crystals. That's why i got mine with a sapphire crystal upgrade on it

I really liked it. It's been on my short list of watches for a while but yesterday just bumped it up near the top! I was going to order it today but my wife reminded me that I sent her a list of several watches I'd like to have for her to consider for my birthday next month, so I'll wait till after that to order anything.

[WRXtranceformed]

How did you like the Nighthawk after trying it on? It's my new favorite travel watch. I feel dude's pain tho...i am no fan of mineral crystals. That's why i got mine with a sapphire crystal upgrade on it

I really liked it. It's been on my short list of watches for a while but yesterday just bumped it up near the top! I was going to order it today but my wife reminded me that I sent her a list of several watches I'd like to have for her to consider for my birthday next month, so I'll wait till after that to order anything.

:thumbup: :thumbup:

If you do pick one up and decide that you want to swap the mineral crystal to anti reflective sapphire, Yobokies is about the only place I know where you can get one. And the good news is that his stuff is high quality.





The bad news is that he doesn't have a traditional web store...he maintains a Photobucket account ( :evil: ) with his wares and you have to email him directly for pricing, and then wait for the slow boat from Hong Kong to get it. <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://s161.photobucket.com/user/yobokies/library/?sort=3&page=1">http://s161.photobucket.com/user/yoboki ... t=3&page=1</a><!-- m -->

Once it arrives though, Duarte at North East Watch Works does excellent work for a very reasonable price, or any competent local watchmaker should be able to do the swap for you. All in with labor you're probably looking at about an additional $100 which is about an additional 50% onto the price of the watch but it's honestly worth it. I have had conversations just like you with watch enthusiasts (most recently at a watch shop in Asheville) about the watch and they instantly notice the sapphire upgrade and comment on how it makes the watch perfect.

I happened to get lucky and found a "low mileage" used example with the crystal already swapped by NEWW for less than what it would have cost me to just get the watch brand new. :thumbup:

[Apoc]

You're looking for a "Jump Hour", I've seen some vintage stuff from the 60s and 70s.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Benrus-D...Swjg1ZkPjy

https://www.retrowatchguy.com/collection...o-serviced

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Vulcain-...SwHIhZkQoX

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Caravell...SwnSxZgXNF

Thanks for the links. I'd be more interested in open dials than viewing windows. I like clutter on my watch faces. 8)

[SlimKlim]

I'll keep an eye out but I haven't really seen anything like that with a fully open dial.

[Apoc]

I now pass this every day on my commute to work. It's a sign. ::badumtiss::

[SlimKlim]

So I had the discovery/realization that you can get a vintage Navitimer for about 50% of the gray market price for a new one.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Breitling-Naviti...SwAANY8Q8A

Honestly, what's cooler than a 1960's vintage Navi?

[Steve85]

Details when I'm not on Tapatalk and shitty airport wifi.

I mentioned earlier that they only had the regular watch at the resort store and I was really interested in the chronograph version. The morning of, I was still a bit undecided, because I love the blue face F1. When I walked in though, I knew it had to be the Senna.

We set everything up and they let the other store know to take 3 links out. Next day, we got to the store at the airport, did the Tag registration but they hadn't removed the links. The guy went and got the pin pusher outer tool, removed a couple links (we decided to try two at first) and then it got interesting as he tried to put it back together. He didn't seem very experienced with it and out came a hammer to put the pin back in. It was a tiny ball-peen style hammer, but still. He did try to protect the band, but he was hitting the pin and it wasn't going in. After he managed to get the pins back in, I tried the watch on and said that was good enough and I'll have a place at home do further adjustments if needed. I was pretty tempted to take home a disassembled watch after seeing him struggle!

So yesterday my wife takes it with her to Leesburg (no local authorized Tag dealers here in The Chester) and it starts off just as bad with the guy claiming it's a fake because of the style of band! WTF! I texted her back and was like "get out of there" but she took him over to his Tag case and pointed out that it was same as another in his case. He didn't say anything and I guess proceeded to remove the link and reconnect the band with 99% less trouble.

I think I'm between links though. With two removed it was loose and would slide over the wrist bone up to the base of the palm. With three removed, it leaves a bit of an imprint. I prefer the tighter fit though, it's not a light watch and I don't want it sliding around my arm. The clasp looks like it has some micro adjustments so I think I need to find a good place and go in for a real fitment.

Really happy to have a watch that is meaningful in so many ways, so much more than the other choices would have been. (and really bummed I still can't find the honeymoon watch)

Really wanting a blue face watch now though :lol:

[SlimKlim]

I'm surprised the bracelet on a Tag doesn't have screw-in pins. The aftermarket bracelet I got for my Orient has them and it's infinitely easier to add or drop links than the press-in style.

The micro adjustment pins should just be held in with normal spring bars, have a shop add the extra link and then you can use a small eyeglass screwdriver or something (assuming you don't have a spring bar pin) to fine tune as necessary.

If you're having a hard time finding a trustworthy place, I've personally had great experience with the guy at Herndon Watch & Clock, and the the guys at John Alabaster in Vienna.

The shop in Vienna did a full rebuild of my '66 Seiko's movement at 50% of the cost and in 50% of the time two other shops quoted me, even though they thought I was crazy for even wanting to do it in the first place. They carry some really cool vintage stuff and are certified to service Rollys and Pateks and all kinds of crazy shit. I'd definitely recommend them if you don't mind making the trek.

[WRXtranceformed]

That's crazy they were giving you so much guff over the bracelet! I picked up a sizing kit and do most of my own sizing now, it's usually fairly straightforward.

You definitely have some room for movement with the micro adjustments. You can also use a toothpick to pop in the little spring bar and move it tighter or looser!

[WRXtranceformed]

So i wanted to do something cool / special for my brother for his last birthday in his 20s. I had the feeling that a "birth year" watch would do the trick. What i didn't know was my bro had really been looking at them and was gun shy because he was looking at rolexes that were $$.  

I did a lot of searching and won an auction with some last second bidding on a vintage Seiko 6309 diver from his birth year.  It had been restored with newer cosmetic parts but the movement and case / caseback were original,  and there are still some nice signs of aging on the hands and chapter ring. 




I swapped out the oem z22 rubber diver strap it came with for the OEM jubilee bracelet i replaced from my SKX007 project. The cases between this and that watch are very similar so it fit perfectly.  He's super stoked and now he has a watch that will age right along with him 

In other news my Rolex fund is just over 1/3rd funded!  Slowly but surely!

[Jake]

Wondering if some of you watch gurus can help me out. The other half got a Citizen EcoDrive a few years ago as a gift, wore it a bunch, and lost it during a move or on a night out or... somewhere. Anyway, he claims he's been unable to find another one online and I was thinking it'd be a cool birthday gift if I managed to find it somewhere.

What I know is that it was a silver case with blue face, gold crown and maybe some gold detailing on the case as well. The band was silver metal with two gold lines running through it.

Any thoughts? I'll try to nab a picture if I can, he said there are a few with him wearing it but I want to keep it all sneaky.

[WRXtranceformed]

Jake, see if you can get a pic of it that would help a lot. There's a good chance it might still be for sale.  Citizen makes a TON of two tone watches but the pic should be able to narrow it down

[Jake]

Jake, see if you can get a pic of it that would help a lot. There's a good chance it might still be for sale.  Citizen makes a TON of two tone watches but the pic should be able to narrow it down

Let me see if I can do that and be covert about it...

[SlimKlim]

This? https://www.jomashop.com/citizen-watch-bm7334-58l.html

[WRXtranceformed]

^^ That's one of the ones i saw too, just not sure if it's the same one he had!

[Jake]

Maybe, although he mentioned the word "tachymeter" which leads me to this one after some searching:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005BRY49A/_en...E0XBMH9Z23

It has a black face, though, and he said it was blue. Still need to figure out how to get at the photo.

[WRXtranceformed]

This one perhaps? Looks like it may be discontinued but we may still be able to dig one up if so:

---

Another possibility:



I actually really like how that looks, very IWC Aquatimer-ish

[Jake]

The second one looks like a good representation of what he described. Any idea of model number?

[ispoonwithmugen]

It's probably frowned upon in this thread but I'm going to ditch my Movado daily for an iWatch. Does anyone have recommendation on a leather and a SS band?

[WRXtranceformed]

The second one looks like a good representation of what he described. Any idea of model number?

ca0444-50l

Still available via normal sales outlets!  I actually really like the texturing on the dial...really nice accent that probably looks even cooler in person

https://www.amazon.com/Citizen-Eco-Drive...B00KCF7MRW

Even cheaper on Jomashop:

https://www.jomashop.com/citizen-watch-ca0444-50l.html

Even if that's not the one, IMO you can't go wrong with that.  Ecodrive so no battery changes and if you're going to go "two-tone" that's not a bad way to do it!