Post pics of your watches ***Please NO QUOTING PHOTOS***

Northern Monkey

^^^ great taste in watches

Joe Doe

This is a slightly customised (compass added and new diver strap) Lorus with full 'lumibrite' face. For it's price it stays readable all night. And thankfully the lum is non-radactive unlike some more expensive models, and will survive a day's swimming/windsurfing as is 100m proof.

click to view larger image:


Flogging shortly, as have an eye on a rus/ger 'quick set alarm' auto, lum.

TomCo

Glycine arrived in the post today from ebay, not particularly well packaged.
Takes about 9 winds to start up and the spring in the keyless works is either broken or about to break (no definite click when setting time, crown has to be held out to prevent it clicking in).

Also:



Time to mail the seller.

Wibbs

Bloody hell TC. That's well out of order. Dead right get back to the seller.

Some people don't have a clue packaging watches. I had one sent from France in an ordinary envelope. Yep, you read that right. There was a couple of squares of bogroll loose inside said envelope and the watch itself. The watch actually survived the trip intact.:eek: IIRC it was a Russian Vostok so that's all that needs to be said really... Loose inside a padded envelope is common enough. Like that will protect a watch. :rolleyes:

I have heard that ebay's global shipping program can be a right pain on this score. Apparently they regularly open the sellers packaging and transfer the item to a smaller box so it's cheaper to ship. Of course they charge the cost of the full box... US sellers and buyers are up in arms over it and other issues with said programme(the customs charges are a rip off for a start). I avoid any seller using it like the very plague*. I'd advise other folks the same, buying or selling.




*That said I snagged a longterm personal grail watch for me last week at very little money for such a grail(dire pics, wrong description and even the wrong description was misspelled) and didn't spot the seller is in this programme. Now he's in the UK, so hopefully it'll be different but I am worried TBH as the watch in question would be more delicate than some. If it's not packed well it may very well turn up buggered.

rwbug

Really happy with the Boccia Bund I bought from a seller on boards, especially now it is on a black Hirsch strap. It is now my daily watch.

rwbug

ty Wibbs (again) will get to 50 posts eventually - just need to buy more watches, post the pics and get my post count up

Mredsnapper

rwbug wrote: »

Really happy with the Boccia Bund I bought from a seller on boards, especially now it is on a black Hirsch strap. It is now my daily watch.

I'm really glad that it's found a good home and it looks great on the Black Hirsh.

CarltonBrowne

Well, it's back.


And in the meantime I've managed to pick up another lost cause - more of that once it's been to the doctor (and winged its' way over the pond).

Wibbs

Bloody lovely watch CB.

Wibbs

Ok crappy late nite pic. With CB's UG mocking me in the background with it and his class and refinement...



I have previously mentioned my early quartz and leccy watch madness and I also mentioned that if you get into these it's a damned good plan to have a spare movement/watch stuck somewhere safe in a static bag with moisture gel stuff and a large hound to guard them(check to all). Well here's a public demonstration of my madness. I have posted and bored ye to tears with pics of my 1975 LIP Roger Tallon designed R33 quartz. Rare as hen's teeth in unicorn gravy(and my particular example only exists as a singular so far), but obsessive bloody nutter(true hearted WIS)* that I am, I also have another as a "backup". And here it is. A German Market LIP rebranded as a Dugena mit Deutsch day wheel and local dial printing.Funny enough, as things turn out the "spare" is far less flakey than the "original". Very solid and very accurate(3 seconds per month). Though like all of these movements the hacking feature is a hack. Pull the crown and the second hand get's all disco and jumps all over the place.

For future Google ref. Crown first position on these babies changes the day/date, clockwise to advance the date, anticlockwise to advance the day. T'is fiddly.







*I'd go with feckin certifiable TBH. Oh you think that's excessive? In movements/watches, I have two Omega 1310's, four Girard Perregaux 300 series, two Accuquartz, two Mosaba tuning forks. That's before we get to my mechanicals...

Menas

This bad boy arrived from China today.

Smart watch for $33.

Cant really go wrong with that price. Limited that it does not have Andriod on it (so must use the stock apps), does not have wifi or 3g capabilities.
It connects to my phone via bluetooth and imports address book and any notification from your phone appears on the watch.
The watch can also receive and make phone calls via blue tooth or when micro sim is inserted.

Its a bit of a gimmick really, but something to show the lads down the pub over the christmas.





Looks much bigger than I am used to on the arm.


For comparison, beside a 2 euro coin.

the goon

Wow that looks lovely. I myself am waiting on one so would be interested to get your opinion on it when you have a chance to play around with it. To be fair though, I can't really expect to much from a smartwatch that costs less than 40 quid!

Menas

the goon wrote: »

Wow that looks lovely. I myself am waiting on one so would be interested to get your opinion on it when you have a chance to play around with it. To be fair though, I can't really expect to much from a smartwatch that costs less than 40 quid!

There is a fairly good review of it in Bargain alerts.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=92943598&postcount=1

Menas

the goon wrote: »

Wow that looks lovely. I myself am waiting on one so would be interested to get your opinion on it when you have a chance to play around with it. To be fair though, I can't really expect to much from a smartwatch that costs less than 40 quid!

I posted this review over on BA.

Having had this watch for a few days now I have to admit to being underwhelmed by it.
Its horses for courses of course, but my main gripes are:
1) The watch is physically too big for my liking. Not possible for me to wear it under a shirt cuff as not enough room there to slide the cuff back if I want to see the watch!
2) When connected via bluetooth the watch gives you any notification that your phone has. This is ok but can be anoying when your watch buzzes to give you a notification that your phone is aligning GPS, or has just updated some app.
3) For emails you just get a notification via bluetooth on the watch that an email has been received and who sent it. You cannot read the email.
4) The blue tooth connection is a bit flakey for me. Seems to randomly disconnect sometimes, and buzzes to tell me that. Then reconnects and buzzes to tell me that too. There is probably a setting that you can use to stop this.
5) The quality of phone calls over bluetooth is poor unless you use the headset. Even then it is just about acceptable.
6) The pedometer seems to reset itself every now and again which defeats the purpose. Also, it is just that, a pedometer. No way to link it to an app or GPS for more detailed analysis.

I dont really see this as a 'smart' watch. More like a phone watch with some features that are not very useful in my opinion.
I have not yet used the watch with a sim card inserted, I may try that later in the week.
But it is looking like, in my case at least, that the watch will be in the bin by the weekend!

the goon

Trigger Happy wrote: »

I posted this review over on BA.

Oh well. I might just keep it in the packaging and gift it to someone as a gadgety Xmas present. Having read that thread over on Bargain Alerts I think I will have a look at the Pebble.

Eoin

New arrival - bit of an impulse purchase, but under 100 quid. It's unbranded, but I think it's pretty similar to a Parnis. I sort of regretted selling my Russian flieger a year or two ago, but at 47mm with a massive crown, it was too big. This is a more manageable 45mm and I think it wears a little smaller. No idea what the lume or timekeeping is like yet. Still not sure the flieger look is for me though.

the goon wrote:

Having read that thread over on Bargain Alerts I think I will have a look at the Pebble.

That's actually my other recent arrival (Pebble Steel) - I'm looking into apps for smartwatches at work, so finally had a sort of valid reason to get one to play around with. I'll report back.

893bet

Just lightened my wallet today also! Looks my my skyfall is gonna have to wait till next year now.

Deep Thought

Nice Railmaster

Like wibbs, am also wondering about the Stowa Flieger I just bought and it is big enough for me at 40mm

Eoin

Here's the Pebble Steel. It looks bigger than it is from that angle, it's actually quite subtle.

The first pic is a list of notifications; the others are different watch faces that are available. If I had it connected to my work phone, I'd probably use a more detailed face that shows meetings etc, but I like the simplicity of the first watch face.



I posted a few initial thoughts about it here in case you're interested.

On another note, I'm not really bonding with the flieger I posted earlier; think it'll be flipped soon enough.

Menas

Eoin wrote: »

On another note, I'm not really bonding with the flieger I posted earlier; think it'll be flipped soon enough.

Form an orderly queue behind me folks.

Bateman

Railmasters seem hard enough to come by these days, that's a beauty

Wibbs

*following post only for your geeky early quartz types*

Following on from a previous post where our own CarltonBrowne had discovered another maker (Revue) to add to the list of manufacturers who used the Girard Perregaux 300 series quartz calibre. The reference books list GP, JLC, Favre Leuba and Breitling, to which we can also add C-B's Revue to the list. For future reference and google and since pics of these seem hard to find, here's a movement photo of the Breitling 352 movement:





Well to quote Yoda "there is another"…



The case is your standard enough early 70's GP type, the movement is marked as a GP 352. So far so typical.

Turn it over and we have something not so typical and unknown until now.



Produced/marketed by Consul. Consul and GP entered into a mutual business arrangement in the late 60's(up to mid 70's IIRC), so I had kept an bay search going just on the off chance… And this turns up in the Swiss ebay. Consul seem to have been more a "jewelry" watch producer at this time. Lots of gold pendant watches and ladies watches with the odd chronograph thrown in. This watch very much continues in the "bling" vein. Though it doesn't come across at all well in my amateur photos, to the Mark 1 Human Eyeball it's very gold. The dial and dial markings are a different shade of gold and the hands are gold. Upon a quick glance the time is "half past gold o'clock".

While GP produced a rare dial variant with a printing of the chip design, Consul went more old school "computer" with the dial being an IBM punchcards motif, that would have been still in use and in the public consciousness at the time.



Here's the inner caseback also signed Consul.

Comparing the watch to contemporary GP's, it's good quality, but the case finishing isn't quite as high. You may be able to make this out in the movement pic. The "unseen" parts of the case are left pretty much as they came out of the mould and are a little rough, whereas with a GP they would get a further lapping treatment(CarltonBrowne's Revue had this further finishing). The dial quality is the same as a GP and the hands are GP hands.

It would just be my opinion and conjecture, but because of their close business arrangement I suspect it was made "in house" by GP themselves and this is why they didn't stamp Consul on the movement subplate. I further conjecture for the same reason that there weren't that many produced. The other option is that the original Consul stamped movement was swapped out at some time in the watches past, but having taken it down to it's various parts, they all look contemporary.

The problems with my example are the movement isn't working, the quartz crystal/can is dead(a working "new" one I ripped out of a cheap casio makes it "tick" if I touch it to the circuit), the battery clamp is missing and it's missing the crown. I have a working movement in one of my GP's and it even has the exact same date stamp on the chip, but I've held off cannibalizing it so far. I don't have a crown that fits, so was keeping my eye on the bay for a similar working GP to break for parts. Condition wise it's pretty good. Doesn't seem to have had much wear. The gold plating and the underlying brushing is very good and the dial is tip top. The date advances(a weak point on these IME) and the keyless works seem fine too.

So there you have it folks, another small addition to our understanding of the early days of quartz and its place in horology. And it goes to show that oddball and rare stuff that can "rewrite the books" still show up on the Bay if you keep an eye out/are a nutcase

CarltonBrowne

I've been waiting for this one to surface. As you say, the really nice thing about this is the computer ticker-tape motif on the dial - it makes it very much of its' time.

I wouldn't over-hype the finishing on the Revue, btw, Keitht's comments that it was also rough but he might have been comparing it to a JLC rather than GP (though I'd hope they were comparable). I'll be putting up my info request on the G-P customer forum and it'll be interesting if they're willing to venture any information. One of the problems with this geeky, early quartz era is that most of the manufacturers would probably like to bury the whole period discreetly.

Wibbs

CarltonBrowne wrote: »

I've been waiting for this one to surface. As you say, the really nice thing about this is the computer ticker-tape motif on the dial - it makes it very much of its' time.

It sure does and if any wealthy rap artist type with a geeky side is reading this...

I wouldn't over-hype the finishing on the Revue, btw, Keitht's comments that it was also rough but he might have been comparing it to a JLC rather than GP (though I'd hope they were comparable).

Just going on my experience with them in the hand the GP's themselves vary a little in finish and weight/quality of steel. EG my Oval shaped ones aren't quite as well finished as my chunky tonneau example. The latter is as well finished as the JLC ones I've handled. Your revue looks like GP quality finish to me.

One of the problems with this geeky, early quartz era is that most of the manufacturers would probably like to bury the whole period discreetly.

Agreed, though I have found in the past Longines are unusual in not being like that. They were even quite interested in my tuning fork Ultronic when I asked for info on it. It seems as long as it has the winged eggtimer on the dial they don't give a feck and are happy to acknowledge and celebrate it.

GP of all people should be shouting their involvement from the rooftops. Given that a) they still make a high quality quartz movement and b) they set the definitive standard for pretty much every single analogue quartz watch that followed, from the cheapest Hello Kitty watch from argos, through the high end Seiko of today to the blingiest ladies Patek. Never mind that so many of those 40 year old watches are still running today and 90% of the ones that aren't can be made work by swapping in a brand new quartz crystal, because everyone still uses the frequency they set back then. Oh and the fact that the GP movement replaced jewels with teflon bearings means maintenance and oiling was a thing of the past.

On the other hand I can see why they and others are a little squeamish about the whole period. Since the reinvention and marketing of the mechanical movement as "luxury" and the higher profits made from that, bringing up a past where their watches were just as well made, far more accurate and needed far less maintenance and were more expensive at the time(for less profit) kinda butts up against their marketing and accounting depts. It's one reason I always had a soft spot for Seiko, they don't think like this. They're happy to run the gamut from cheap quartz and mechanicals all the way up to expensive quartz and mechanicals, while adding in real innovations like Springdrive while they're at it.

Still, it does mean that collectors can buy into these early quartz for a lot less outlay than what their contemporary mechanicals fetch. Even at the high end. I mean you can source a quartz Omega Marine chronometer, still one of the most accurate timepieces ever made(and with the Cousteau connection to boot), for around 2000 quid and sometimes less, yet a Ploprof of the same vintage could be three times that.

Nature of the market though. Look at the prices the "Steve McQueen" Heuers make, for a watch he only wore for publicity shots, shots that were directly orchestrated by Heuer. Whereas the watch he actually wore, a 1940's Hanhart chronograph with more actual history and watchmaking skill than Heuer could have dreamed of, you can get for at least a third less. /rant :)

893bet

Bateman wrote: »

Railmasters seem hard enough to come by these days, that's a beauty

Not as rare as hens teeth but tough enough to come by. Bit of an acquired taste. I bought off adverts and was the only interested party on the site. At the price I paid I will easily recoup of I flip in a few years time. I suspect I may keep for a long time as it has that timeless look.

Just need to sell my tissot now and recoup a little!

unkel

Parnis Automatic Power Reserve 47mm - Are these waterproof? As in swimming, shower, etc.

On a thick leather strap (24mm)

Looks big on my little wrist

Watch and strap as new, picked up on adverts for €25. Apologies for bad picture quality...

Kintarō Hattori

unkel wrote: »

Parnis Automatic Power Reserve 47mm - Are these waterproof? As in swimming, shower, etc.

On a thick leather strap (24mm)

Looks big on my little wrist

Watch and strap as new, picked up on adverts for €25. Apologies for bad picture quality...

I wouldn't chance it to be honest. They are good watches but they don't have the build quality and reliability of the bigger brands. I have a Parnis myself and always take it off before getting into the shower.

Deep Thought

Just arrived this evening, well chuffed

893bet

Sneaky late pic of my PO after a night on the beer......yes that is a Munster sleeve you see also!

Deep Thought

just bagged this.. Pulsar PJN273 - Mil Chrono

Mredsnapper

Nice. Love those pulsar & seiko chrono's. That the one that was on tz-uk? Great catch.

Deep Thought

Mredsnapper wrote: »

That the one that was on tz-uk? Great catch.

Yep,Delighted, only £80, you can't beat that

Also, this arrived far quicker than I expected and was a nice surprise

My Stowa Fleiger..

Am having a great week....

IRE505

Nice watches! They all looks great, that crown and the plain dial give a very vintage military look.

On a side note; I can't wait for my Seiko 5, it's due to come on Wednesday!

Andrew76

That Pulsar is very nice DT, looks really well on the nato strap!.

TedR

Deepthought, That Stowa delivery time turnaround was very quick was it? thought they had a rep for taking ages.
Really nice looking watch, congrats

CarltonBrowne

This has just spent the weekend in a Wiltshire intensive care unit. Not bad for $36 though I also copped customs charges on top of that.


The dial is an absolute pearl which is not represented in this picture (though has a bit of an obvious flaw at 6) and I'll do some better photos when I get it back.

Wibbs

Very nice CB and rare with it. Result!

Andrew76

So a couple of new additions to my meagre G-Shock collection.

First up is the GW-M5610-1ER I bought off Mredsnapper (thanks again dude) a week or so ago, really love the square face on it. Nice and clean display, everything just works. Feels very light on the wrist (I had gotten used to the heavier Rangeman), really happy with it. The wrists shots below might make them look bigger than they are, perfect size for me anyway.



It then got me looking at other square designs and I wanted to try out a negative display so went and got the chap below; DW-D5500MR-4JF, just arrived today. The first picture makes the display look very hard to read but that's just the camera, it's clear as crystal when looking at it proper. The orange colour is probably a love/hate thing for most and I only realised after buying it that it matches the colour of my Lumia 630, happy coincidence. I'm really happy with it so far and will switch between the two for the next while. Hopefully I can go a few months without getting another.

Cyrus

soooooooooooo

whilst sitting at my desk, taking 5 yesterday afternoon, i stumbled across the WF cyber monday sale,

then i bought this

due thursday

Deep Thought

TedR wrote: »

Deepthought, That Stowa delivery time turnaround was very quick was it? thought they had a rep for taking ages.
Really nice looking watch, congrats

Yep, paid for 13 Nov and it Arrived 28th november

Am still getting used to the "small" size of it..

vektarman

My Great, Great-Grandfathers watch from c.1870. passed on through the generations down to me.Edit: still working well, that's the brass winding key at the top of the pic.

Eoin

What a very nice heirloom to have.

sparrowcar

Excuse me father, for I have Sinn'd...

Sinn 657s, picked up from kramwx last week. Not 100% sold on the size yet but first Sinn and in fact my first watch purchase in over a year due to a recent wedding.

Hopefully pick up a black leather strap with white stitching for it next week.

unkel

Nice watch! Classy, clean & simple, understated.

sparrowcar wrote: »

Hopefully pick up a black leather strap with white stitching

I like your style :cool:

Deep Thought

Well, I finally traded the Stowa (and some cash my way)

I was looking for a PRS-20 Italian.

I got a mail from a chap who had an PRS-20 LE (only 100 made)

He then took the LE and added a bit more to it, changed the hands to gold ( were blue) and changed the crown to be a push / pull one.

I thinks its lovely and its 44mm but only 11mm high and not to everyones liking...

What ya all think

Mredsnapper

Looks like a nice upgrade to a lovely watch DT.

rwbug

Looks really nice and the person you traded with got a beauty too, happy days all round hopefully.

Deep Thought

Yea..really happy, building up the fund to buy a Stowa Flyer T01 Testaf next year

Eoin

Really like that, well done. Sterile dial looks good. Gimme a shout if you're thinking of flipping!

Deep Thought

Eoin wrote: »

Really like that, well done. Sterile dial looks good. Gimme a shout if you're thinking of flipping!

will do...May happen once I get near to the Testaf price or ProjectColossus decides to sell his GMT one

DT