What watch do you wear?

Soldato
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still wearing a seiko sarb033
One of the favourites in my collection.

Can anyone advise about speedmasters? I'm looking to pick one up but they seem to vary massively in price but look fairly indistinguishable.

Edit: Just done some of my own homework. Chronograph vs. Chronometer, Sapphire glass. Got it.
 
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mrk

mrk

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The Christopher Ward above is a dive watch not a field watch, the only similarity is the barrel shaped case design really.

As for Hamilton and CWC, those two brands along with a small handful of others were employed back in the day by both American and British military forces to manufacture field watches to W10 and G10 specifications, so they all looked similar. These days CWC still continue making the same watches but with a more modern Japanese movement inside. Hamilton have gone the modernisation route and decided to fully re-issue models like in the Pilot Pioneer Mechanical with higher specs all round and spring bars instead of fixed bar lugs which CWC still use and of course higher grade movements.

I have a Classic Bond NATO coming from Barton Bands for the Hamilton, feel that this will be a nice strap rotation for it between the Zuludiver rubber and Bond which with the vision in my mind's eye should suit the watch really well. Was initially going to get the genuine Geckota Vintage Bond from Watchgecko but the Barton version has wider holes and bigger milled buckle which means I can use the modern Hamilton milled buckle that came with the watch whereas with all the other Bond NATO straps the holes are small so I'd risk fraying the holes over time using a thicker buckle tongue.

I'm still feeling the same about the Khaki Pilot though, if it was my only watch, I'd be perfectly happy with it.

CWC Mellor 72 arrived yesterday. Enjoying it so far.

A worthy nod to the late Mellor himself :cool: The only thing I found curious about it is they use 18.5mm lug widths, so the 18mm NATO has a tiny gap either side, and 19mm straps aren't all too common although Watchgecko and a few others have been steadily increasing range.
 
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Soldato
Joined
21 Jan 2010
Posts
21,947
The Christopher Ward above is a dive watch not a field watch, the only similarity is the barrel shaped case design really.

As for Hamilton and CWC, those two brands along with a small handful of others were employed back in the day by both American and British military forces to manufacture field watches to W10 and G10 specifications, so they all looked similar. These days CWC still continue making the same watches but with a more modern Japanese movement inside. Hamilton have gone the modernisation route and decided to fully re-issue models like in the Pilot Pioneer Mechanical with higher specs all round and spring bars instead of fixed bar lugs which CWC still use and of course higher grade movements.

<snip>
Very help thank you.
 
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Money cannot buy taste clearly :p

I got a vintage milled buckle today with brushed finish. Wanted to see what a brushed buckle looks like on the tropic as the Aquscaphe has no polished parts on the watch so the polished buckle just doesn't seem right to my eyes.

I think the brushed looks more fitting but I do miss the signed logo on the Baltic buckle. Brushing finish matches the case though so there is that. GIFs below because they show the way the light plays on brushed better than a still :p

Original:
buckle_OEM.gif


Brushed:
buckle_AM.gif
What is the strap you have there?
 
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Associate
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meticulously designed by our London based team of designers

Love the way companies do this. Designed in London, .... but made in China. If it says London under the makers mark I would expect it to be made in London. I wonder why they named it after a department store?
 
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Soldato
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Soldato
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Does anyone know anything about these, they just popped up on Facebook.

Luxury British Watches | Handmade Timepieces | Swan & Edgar (swanandedgar.london)

Cheap but I like some of the designs.

I was literally going to say the below (albeit seen on freeview)... they're in the 'high msrp once in a lifetime low price but still far too expensive for what you get' group I'm afraid, at least for the ones I've seen on tv while laughing my head off at the sheer rubbish they're spewing out...

Most of the designs seem to be a 'homage' to some other watch so you'll likely be able to find another watch like it for even less from someone like pagani, parnis or some other super cheap Chinese brand (not all Chinese brands are bad, seagull 1963 is pretty well regarded, although no first hand experience), if you're getting a Chinese made watch might as well go direct for the full savings lol.

They show up on the SKY shopping channels sometimes (I think it's Ideal World), normally with that dippy old bloke telling you how everything is fantastically made as it falls to bits in his hands. Never mind though you do get a free pen or a set of cufflinks....

I can remember that dippy old bloke (assuming it's the same one I'm thinking of) from his earlier career as a childrens tv presenter...
 
Soldato
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I was literally going to say the below (albeit seen on freeview)... they're in the 'high msrp once in a lifetime low price but still far too expensive for what you get' group I'm afraid, at least for the ones I've seen on tv while laughing my head off at the sheer rubbish they're spewing out...

Most of the designs seem to be a 'homage' to some other watch so you'll likely be able to find another watch like it for even less from someone like pagani, parnis or some other super cheap Chinese brand (not all Chinese brands are bad, seagull 1963 is pretty well regarded, although no first hand experience), if you're getting a Chinese made watch might as well go direct for the full savings lol.



I can remember that dippy old bloke (assuming it's the same one I'm thinking of) from his earlier career as a childrens tv presenter...
Peter I think his name is, yes he presents the shows like a kids presenter.
 
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