Timepieces

[NYCfixie]

Recently sold my 35th Anniversary Square. Now I feel like I need a new one thanks to you two.

I was thinking about starting a thread for G Shocks. I’ve got 6 now. One that was delivered yesterday came straight from Japan.

Go for it. I dig my metal (on resin strap) square.


They just came out with two all-titanium squares, and they're sweet, but outrageously expensive (relative to other Casio products) and a total cash grab from Casio. Can't blame 'em, folks are buying them.

[dgaddis]

Been wearing this on the bracelet for a while now, decided to switch it up and put it back on a NATO for a change. I also ordered a silicone strap to try out.

I do like the engraved caseback. Not all that many 200m rated watches with a snap-on caseback.

[Blue Jays]

/\/\/\

Silicone straps are convenient for daily wear watches.
A little warm soapy water and they are good as new.

The metal bracelet on that Citizen Eco-Drive looks terrific.

That is also the big reason croc/lizard/calf straps need plenty of downtime.
If they cannot get a few days good rest and drying they will begin to STINK.

[dgaddis]

/\/\/\

Silicone straps are convenient for daily wear watches.
A little warm soapy water and they are good as new.

The metal bracelet on that Citizen Eco-Drive looks terrific.

That is also the big reason croc/lizard/calf straps need plenty of downtime.
If they cannot get a few days good rest and drying they will begin to STINK.

I do like the bracelet, especially the clasp. Tool free mico-adjust is super nice.

The Barton 'elite' silicone strap has a nifty solution to excess strap flapping around - the last keeper has a 'tooth' on the inside that fits into a hole on the end of the strap, so it stays in place right on the end of the strap.

I love the look of a nice watch on leather, but don't really want it myself 'cause of the moisture issues.

[NYCfixie]

...The Barton 'elite' silicone strap has a nifty solution to excess strap flapping around - the last keeper has a 'tooth' on the inside that fits into a hole on the end of the strap, so it stays in place right on the end of the strap...

The BluShark Rally (silicone) straps have been making me very happy lately.
Very soft. Quick release pins for easy/fast strap changes. A few colors.

I am not a fan of NATO straps but the two-piece BluShark Kwik-Change nylon straps have also worked out really well for me. The L/XL is actually long enough for my 7.25 wrists.

[dgaddis]

The BluShark Rally (silicone) straps have been making me very happy lately.
Very soft. Quick release pins for easy/fast strap changes. A few colors.

I am not a fan of NATO straps but the two-piece BluShark Kwik-Change nylon straps have also worked out really well for me. The L/XL is actually long enough for my 7.25 wrists.

I looked at the BluShark silicone, but my wrists are dainty (~6.75") so I like being able to trim straps shorter so there's no excess flapping about (which drives me nuts). I can cut the Barton down if needed, but I hope the keeper that snaps into the hole in the end of the strap will make that unnecessary. But, I can trim it if needed/wanted. I have a handful of the BluShark NATOs, the one in the pic above is a BluShark. I cut the keeper off all of them to make them single pass, and some I've trimmed down so I don't have to fold them over at all. Some I left at full length 'cause they're just long enough to fold under both keepers.

[NYCfixie]

I looked at the BluShark silicone, but my wrists are dainty (~6.75") so I like being able to trim straps shorter so there's no excess flapping about (which drives me nuts). I can cut the Barton down if needed, but I hope the keeper that snaps into the hole in the end of the strap will make that unnecessary. But, I can trim it if needed/wanted. I have a handful of the BluShark NATOs, the one in the pic above is a BluShark. I cut the keeper off all of them to make them single pass, and some I've trimmed down so I don't have to fold them over at all. Some I left at full length 'cause they're just long enough to fold under both keepers.

Get the S/M size of the BlueShark.

Also this...

[NYCfixie]

Thoughts on Quartz...specifically this one...I have been considering a quartz for no-hassle-watch-for-travel. Offered to me new from authorized dealer at 30% off (with the possibility of more discount). Would not buy just because of discount but it does not hurt the decision either.

Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra 150m Quartz 38.5mm silver dial 231.10.39.60.02.001

Pros:
- Quartz no hassle movement
- All brushed case
- Great bracelet
- Silver dial (even though the previous version had applied instead of painted markers)

Cons:
- 19mm strap size so leather and other straps not as readily available as 20mm
- Anti reflective coating on both sides of crystal so when the top side scratches it will look terrible and the dial will not be clearly visible any longer
- Battery only lasts 2-3 years so you need to replace it and also have the watch water tested ~ $150
- Buying a quartz watch today is like buying a rim brake bike = no (or very limited) resale value
- Do I really need another high end watch (also, do I really need more watches at any price point)


WatchBox review of slate gray dial but same exact watch

[theflashunc]

The Boss wears that exact watch every day. She loves it. Not sure where the battery swap and pressure test will set you back $150. My Grand Seiko for the same service was $50.

Aqua Terra is a killer set it and forget it watch though.

[NYCfixie]

The Boss wears that exact watch every day. She loves it. Not sure where the battery swap and pressure test will set you back $150. My Grand Seiko for the same service was $50.

Aqua Terra is a killer set it and forget it watch though.

Thanks and...

Omega (Swatch Group) pricing guide for official service centers
Attachment 114032


* My wife's Cartier stainless quartz was over $200 for battery and pressure test (at Cartier).

[GonaSovereign]

Thoughts on Quartz...specifically this one...

I’m a fan of quartz and really like the Aqua Terra. I’d happily wear that one...but one of your requirements or pros is “no hassle.” Wouldn’t the auto version be equally no hassle?

[NYCfixie]

I’m a fan of quartz and really like the Aqua Terra. I’d happily wear that one...but one of your requirements or pros is “no hassle.” Wouldn’t the auto version be equally no hassle?

If you consider the laziness factor, "winding and setting the date" can be a hassle especially when you have more than 1 automatic watch. Quartz is always ready to go except a few times a year when you need to set the date 30-->1 (or 28/29-->1).

[theflashunc]

Thanks and...

Omega (Swatch Group) pricing guide for official service centers
Attachment 114032


* My wife's Cartier stainless quartz was over $200 for battery and pressure test (at Cartier).

My authorized AD for my Grand Seiko didn't send it back to GS, but to the local watchmaker he worked with.

Unless it needed something serious, not sure that's entirely necessary to send it back to Omega just for a battery swap and seals check, at least for the first couple changes. And still a helluva lot cheaper in the long run than an automatic service.

[dgaddis]

Thoughts on Quartz...specifically this one...I have been considering a quartz for no-hassle-watch-for-travel. Offered to me new from authorized dealer at 30% off (with the possibility of more discount). Would not buy just because of discount but it does not hurt the decision either.

Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra 150m Quartz 38.5mm silver dial 231.10.39.60.02.001

Pros:
- Quartz no hassle movement
- All brushed case
- Great bracelet
- Silver dial (even though the previous version had applied instead of painted markers)

Cons:
- 19mm strap size so leather and other straps not as readily available as 20mm
- Anti reflective coating on both sides of crystal so when the top side scratches it will look terrible and the dial will not be clearly visible any longer
- Battery only lasts 2-3 years so you need to replace it and also have the watch water tested ~ $150
- Buying a quartz watch today is like buying a rim brake bike = no (or very limited) resale value
- Do I really need another high end watch (also, do I really need more watches at any price point)

If you really want a no hassle 'travel' watch, this aint it IMO. No perpetual calendar (meaning the date is going to be wrong every other month or so), you have to change the battery every couple years, and it's not going to stay perfectly on time.

If you want NO hassle, at all, get something solar powered with radio control. Always on the right time, always on the right date, and zero maintenance. For extra 'travel-watchness' get something with a world time feature for stupid easy time zone changing. Browse Sakura watches, you can filter to show radio control and sapphire glass and there's some really cool options, Citizen, Seiko, and Casio all offer some good stuff. All for a small fraction of the price of the Omega, even with the discount. Not as prestigious as Omega, but technically better.

[AngryScientist]

what on earth would make a quartz analog watch any better of a travel watch than any other watch?

my g-square has become my go-to travel watch, and i'm on the road typically 3 out of 4 weeks of the month, sometimes more, sometimes less.

for me, a good travel watch flicks between time zones with a button press, can go to the gym, hiking, cycling and running without being out of place in any setting.

i'd never buy a high end quartz watch like that omega, it holds zero appeal to me, but that's a preference thing.

[NYCfixie]

If you really want a no hassle 'travel' watch, this aint it IMO. No perpetual calendar (meaning the date is going to be wrong every other month or so), you have to change the battery every couple years, and it's not going to stay perfectly on time.

If you want NO hassle, at all, get something solar powered with radio control. Always on the right time, always on the right date, and zero maintenance. For extra 'travel-watchness' get something with a world time feature for stupid easy time zone changing. Browse Sakura watches, you can filter to show radio control and sapphire glass and there's some really cool options, Citizen, Seiko, and Casio all offer some good stuff. All for a small fraction of the price of the Omega, even with the discount. Not as prestigious as Omega, but technically better.

Thanks for the advice. I went back and looked at the Citizen you purchased but realized I do not want to deal with an iPhone app acting as a radio tower to set the perpetual calendar and update the time every so often. While a good option on several levels, the iPhone connection does not make it a no hassle watch.

I am also getting watch burnout but that is entirely my own fault. For 15 years I had 1 watch (Rolex Explorer II 16570 Polar), for the next 10 I had two watches (Rolex Explorer II 16570 Polar 40mm, Rolex DateJust steel/gold 36mm), and then during the past 18 months I have expanded greatly including a Submariner 116610LN (now sold), Explorer II 216570 (replaced the 16570 which I sold), several Seikos (a few sold), several microbrands (a few sold), Casio G-shock square 35th anniversary (sold), and a few other cheap Chinese watches.

I am very tempted to sell my remaining modded Seikos, sell the microbrands, sell the Chinese crap, and sell my recently acquired Rolex Explorer II 42mm 216570 Polar to overall downsize my watch "collection" which currently is at 8 pieces. I would keep my 36mm steel/gold Rolex datejust (major birthday gift from my wife) and purchase the Omega Aqua Terra Quartz as an everyday wear.

Some might think it would be stupid to sell the Explorer II and replace it with an Omega Quartz but I am not comfortable wearing expensive watches any longer in urban areas where we live (except for 2 years, I have always commuted to work by public transportation during my entire career) and especially when we travel abroad as watch theft is on the rise. I liked that for 25 years nobody knew what the heck my original Explorer II 16570 Polar was so I could wear it all the time but with the rise of social media and the Rolex shortage, even that watch has become popular. For better or worse, most people would not recognize an Omega Aqua Terra so I would most probably not be a target.

So, this is as much about shrinking my watch collection as it is lowering my anxiety about watch theft. It's not about the money, its about not wanting to be hit over the head, shot, stabbed, or some other violence committed against me for a stupid watch. And in the professional office environment, I do not need my boss or colleagues judging me based on what I have on my wrist which I noticed started to happen as soon as I got my Submariner.

what on earth would make a quartz analog watch any better of a travel watch than any other watch?

my g-square has become my go-to travel watch, and i'm on the road typically 3 out of 4 weeks of the month, sometimes more, sometimes less.

for me, a good travel watch flicks between time zones with a button press, can go to the gym, hiking, cycling and running without being out of place in any setting.

i'd never buy a high end quartz watch like that omega, it holds zero appeal to me, but that's a preference thing.

My wife thinks a g-shock looks stupid especially on a grown man reaching the mid-century mark.

[dgaddis]

Thanks for the advice. I went back and looked at the Citizen you purchased but realized I do not want to deal with an iPhone app acting as a radio tower to set the perpetual calendar and update the time every so often. While a good option on several levels, the iPhone connection does not make it a no hassle watch.

Agree 100%. But, you actually don't have to set the perpetual calendar but once then it's always correct, and there's lots of other options that work with any radio signal all over the world, like this Oceanus T200 (sapphire, solar, radio control, bluetooth, 100m water resistance, shock resistant movement), which I also like but wasn't out yet when I bought mine, had it been, I may have picked it instead. I just really like the look of mine, and the all titanium construction and tool-less micro adjust clasp, so I'm okay with syncing via the app every so often.


CASIO OCEANUS OCW-T200S-1AJF Made in Japan – seiyajapan.com

You can change time zones on ^^that guy with a button push and turn of the crown, or with the Bluetooth connected App. My G-Shock works with an app too, but like the Oceanus, doesn't require the app. I used the app to set up the various world time settings on the G the day I got it, but then turned off the bluetooth so it's not trying to sync four times a day, which is dumb IMO.

[cp43]

Thanks for the advice. I went back and looked at the Citizen you purchased but realized I do not want to deal with an iPhone app acting as a radio tower to set the perpetual calendar and update the time every so often. While a good option on several levels, the iPhone connection does not make it a no hassle watch.

I am also getting watch burnout but that is entirely my own fault. For 15 years I had 1 watch (Rolex Explorer II 16570 Polar), for the next 10 I had two watches (Rolex Explorer II 16570 Polar 40mm, Rolex DateJust steel/gold 36mm), and then during the past 18 months I have expanded greatly including a Submariner 116610LN (now sold), Explorer II 216570 (replaced the 16570 which I sold), several Seikos (a few sold), several microbrands (a few sold), Casio G-shock square 35th anniversary (sold), and a few other cheap Chinese watches.

I am very tempted to sell my remaining modded Seikos, sell the microbrands, sell the Chinese crap, and sell my recently acquired Rolex Explorer II 42mm 216570 Polar to overall downsize my watch "collection" which currently is at 8 pieces. I would keep my 36mm steel/gold Rolex datejust (major birthday gift from my wife) and purchase the Omega Aqua Terra Quartz as an everyday wear.

Some might think it would be stupid to sell the Explorer II and replace it with an Omega Quartz but I am not comfortable wearing expensive watches any longer in urban areas where we live (except for 2 years, I have always commuted to work by public transportation during my entire career) and especially when we travel abroad as watch theft is on the rise. I liked that for 25 years nobody knew what the heck my original Explorer II 16570 Polar was so I could wear it all the time but with the rise of social media and the Rolex shortage, even that watch has become popular. For better or worse, most people would not recognize an Omega Aqua Terra so I would most probably not be a target.

So, this is as much about shrinking my watch collection as it is lowering my anxiety about watch theft. It's not about the money, its about not wanting to be hit over the head, shot, stabbed, or some other violence committed against me for a stupid watch. And in the professional office environment, I do not need my boss or colleagues judging me based on what I have on my wrist which I noticed started to happen as soon as I got my Submariner.





My wife thinks a g-shock looks stupid especially on a grown man reaching the mid-century mark.

I have two radio controlled watches (a G-shock, and a Citizen), I have never needed an app to set them. I just put them on the window sill before bed, and they are sync'd in the morning. Works internationally too. I've had them sync in Germany, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.

You may need the app if you're some where that you can't get a signal, but I haven't had that issue.

Chris

[Blue Jays]

"...So, this is as much about shrinking my watch collection as it is lowering my anxiety about watch theft.
It's not about the money, its about not wanting to be hit over the head, shot, stabbed, or some other violence committed against me for a stupid watch..."

A drug addict looking for a fix is seriously not differentiating between a Rolex, an Omega, a Sinn, an IWC, or a Patek Philippe.

[dgaddis]

I have two radio controlled watches (a G-shock, and a Citizen), I have never needed an app to set them. I just put them on the window sill before bed, and they are sync'd in the morning. Works internationally too. I've had them sync in Germany, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.

You may need the app if you're some where that you can't get a signal, but I haven't had that issue.

Chris

The watch he's talking about (mine) is a model that is only sold in Japan (and online from Japanese retailers) and it only picks up the Japanese radio signal. Hence the need for the app if you're outside Japan.