Timepieces

[dgaddis]

Still love this piece.

[einreb]

I've been looking for a relatively cheap but interesting chronograph. The Seiko 7a28 quartz movement from the early 80's has a good following and I picked up this 7a28-701a.


IMG_6922.jpg

[Mabouya]

Still love this piece.

Nice, Dustin. What model # is that?

[dgaddis]

Nice, Dustin. What model # is that?

PMD56-2952

It's one of four color variations. JDM so you gotta buy it from Japan. Two of the newer variations have a model number that starts with AT_____ for some reason.

39mm case, 45mm lug to lug, 12mm thick, great quick adjust clasp on the bracelet. Only downside is the radio control only works with the Japanese signal.

Sakura has all four in stock :: https://www.sakurawatches.com/search...omaster%20Land

[NYCfixie]

Selling a few of my brand-new and never-worn watches. All still have the majority of the factory warranty and come with boxes, papers, etc.

I would rather these go to people here and give the buyer a discount as well as a donation to VSalon, than have them go to strangers on eBay.
(they are all listed on eBay at below current market prices - full details in the eBay listings: https://www.ebay.com/usr/open-4-sale)

DM me here if interested.

These are listed now but I will be adding more during the next few weeks.

[Mabouya]

Only downside is the radio control only works with the Japanese signal.

Thanks for the info. IMO that makes it not quite as desirable.

[dgaddis]

Thanks for the info. IMO that makes it not quite as desirable.

Yeah, but it's quartz, so it's pretty accurate without syncing every night. I use the ClockWave app on my phone to sync it a few times a year.

[72gmc]

OT? No! Note picture 7 … the dash is a Sinn.

https://www.bikeexif.com/custom-bimota-motorcycle

[MisterDangerPants]

I had never heard of Stocker & Yale until CountyComm (maker of my favorite Maratac watch) posted some NOS SandY 590 cases a couple of years ago (fun fact: SandY = Stocker and Yale). I have an interest in military issues watches and had a Marathon General PurposeMechanical Limited Edition watch a few years back (w/NOS Benrus movement).

Stocker & Yale was a local company, Beverly, MA and Salem, NH, so that piqued my interest. Stocker & Yale was a major innovator and supplied some of the most rugged and collectable examples of the MIL-W-46374 specification in its two-decade history (early 1980s – early 2000s). They made both manual wind (184, 490, 650) and quartz versions (590, 660), though I had my heart set on a quartz model. As luck would have it, I recently found an NOS example in Japan!  Possibly it belonged to someone who was stationed there?!

I’m a bit perplexed as the box states “SANDY 595 MIL-W-46374-TYPE 3” and the back of the watch states “MIL-M-1951946 SANDY 184”. I’ve seen other SandY watches with 55595 (stamped) markings where they were referred to as prototypes.  Mine is stamped 184 so don't think that's the case. I have found a few exact same watches on Instagram (even with the round lume markers, which seem to be less common than the triangle version) so might reach out to them for some information. This post has the same watch and box, though the company location is printed. The box on mine has a sticker with the Salem, NH address but the Beverly, MA address can be seen underneath the decal. If any of you watch afficionados have any info, let me know! Either way, I really dig it! Like my Maratac, it features a sterile clean dial with no branding or date. Score!

[SeanEasley]

I had never heard of Stocker & Yale until CountyComm (maker of my favorite Maratac watch) posted some NOS SandY 590 cases a couple of years ago (fun fact: SandY = Stocker and Yale). I have an interest in military issues watches and had a Marathon General PurposeMechanical Limited Edition watch a few years back (w/NOS Benrus movement).

Stocker & Yale was a local company, Beverly, MA and Salem, NH, so that piqued my interest. Stocker & Yale was a major innovator and supplied some of the most rugged and collectable examples of the MIL-W-46374 specification in its two-decade history (early 1980s – early 2000s). They made both manual wind (184, 490, 650) and quartz versions (590, 660), though I had my heart set on a quartz model. As luck would have it, I recently found an NOS example in Japan!  Possibly it belonged to someone who was stationed there?!

I’m a bit perplexed as the box states “SANDY 595 MIL-W-46374-TYPE 3” and the back of the watch states “MIL-M-1951946 SANDY 184”. I’ve seen other SandY watches with 55595 (stamped) markings where they were referred to as prototypes.  Mine is stamped 184 so don't think that's the case. I have found a few exact same watches on Instagram (even with the round lume markers, which seem to be less common than the triangle version) so might reach out to them for some information. This post has the same watch and box, though the company location is printed. The box on mine has a sticker with the Salem, NH address but the Beverly, MA address can be seen underneath the decal. If any of you watch afficionados have any info, let me know! Either way, I really dig it! Like my Maratac, it features a sterile clean dial with no branding or date. Score!

Very cool find. I wonder how high this sits on the wrist since there is a prominent bulge on the caseback plus the strap running on top of that?

[froze]

Yeah, but it's quartz, so it's pretty accurate without syncing every night. I use the ClockWave app on my phone to sync it a few times a year.

Do we need a clock wave app if our cell phones and computers with time clocks are already sync'd with sats?

[dgaddis]

Do we need a clock wave app if our cell phones and computers with time clocks are already sync'd with sats?

The app just creates a radio signal that the watch can 'listen' to and set itself. But yeah, you could certainly set it manually like any other quartz watch. But it's kinda nice to just press a button and let it do it itself.

[MisterDangerPants]

Very cool find. I wonder how high this sits on the wrist since there is a prominent bulge on the caseback plus the strap running on top of that?

It's not noticably high. I haven't yet worn this watch, but my Maratac watches have had the Mil Series in the past and I don't feel it's
any different than a conventional strap. Probably putting this on a Silverfoot strap.

I set this watch to the NIST site a few days ago and it's spot on accurate (to the naked eye anyway).

[froze]

The app just creates a radio signal that the watch can 'listen' to and set itself. But yeah, you could certainly set it manually like any other quartz watch. But it's kinda nice to just press a button and let it do it itself.

I'm confused, because I have never in 25 years of owning a cellphone have I ever needed to set the time, nor set the time on a computer. So this all got me curious, having used to goof around listening to shortwave radio I remembered an atomic time beat put out in Colorado from the Atomic Clock there that I use to listen to so I could set my watches and household clocks, so I found this on the internet:

https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/usa/boulder

Comparing that clock to my laptop I'm on right now, and my cell phone, they were both accurate right to the second. Thus there is no need for an app on a cell phone to get the correct time.

[Mabouya]

Comparing that clock to my laptop I'm on right now, and my cell phone, they were both accurate right to the second. Thus there is no need for an app on a cell phone to get the correct time.

Modern cell phones can synchronize themselves, as can some "smart" watches.

Most quartz watches can't, but those with a receiver (e.g. some of the G-Shocks) can pick up the Fort Collins radio signal and synch to that. (those are typically know as "atomic" time watches, because the Ft Collins time signal is based on an atomic clock. Other watches can do it with GPS signals.

Dustin was talking about an app that allows a cell phone to synch a JDM watch that can pick up the Japanese radio signal, but not the US signal.

[dashDustin]

realized that i hadn't kept you guys in the loop:

BIG DAY. After 12yrs of her experiencing my nerding out over watches, wifey's finally been bitten.

For some history of where she's been - our first Christmas together, she used a coupon from Macy's and got me a red G-Shock. Basically draining her bank account in the process (we're talking less than a $100...). For our 10th anniversary, I got us the Tudors (BB32 for her, BB58 for me) and had them engraved. Like me, she's been a part of the bike industry for a while, and I was hoping that the mechanical nature of watches would strike her as somewhat fascinating.

Well, it's finally taken hold. So a couple Saturdays ago we went over to a local Rolex/ Omega/ Tudor dealer (where I got our 32 and 58) and she tried on lots of pieces. I made it clear to the sales associate that we were there to just look, and let wifey get a feel for what different pieces felt like on the wrist. I think she tried on 6 or 7 different watches. SA was cool with that. At some point, the SA handed her a 22ct diamond ring to try on..."here, check this out. It's crazy."

Eventually, wifey's top 3 ended up being the white/ white 39.5 Planet Ocean, Speedmaster 38 in blue, and the 36mm Exp I. She wasn't a fan of the cyclops, but really liked the white dial of the 36mm DJ she tried on.

As some of y'all know - 2022 was an exceptionally bad year for us. Like...bad. And ended with us going through something I'd never in a million years expect. She's lost pretty much everything that she had devoted her life to for the past 7yrs. Job, team, friends, youngest child (I just don't even know how to fully explain this situation). So, I feel like this experience really represents a turning point for her. After lots of therapy and counseling and hospital stays, it's no longer about her giving every possible thing she can in order to make other people happy. She's finally ready to do things for herself, and find that balance. She's got a new job that she's loving, has reconciled relationships with friends, has put the team behind her, and is ready to do something to celebrate the fact that she's still here. And I fully support that decision.

The blue Speedmaster, though...? Not sure I fully support that, but hey...it's her call.

From this past weekend:

So this weekend we hit up a couple other stores...IWC dealer, and a Cartier/ Grand Seiko/ Breitling dealer.

IWC dealer was great (also my first visit to an actual IWC dealer). Smaller, good stock, pleasant saleslady. It was a last minute decision to visit, but I wanted wifey to check out the Mark XX. Well she absolutely loved it. The simplicity, the sun-ray blue dial, the ease of swapping straps. Perfect for a multi-use, go anywhere piece. They had a single Big Pilot on display...a Le Petit Prince version. Wifey insisted that I try that one on, because it was "like the guy version of this one". I refused, but she insisted. She didn't realize that the BP is what got me into watches back in 2009ish. I tried it on, and it was everything I had ever hoped it would be. I guess I lit up, because she was like "yep, this is it. I'll get this one, you'll get that one. It's perfect." While I was totally down for that, I wanted her to check out Cartier.

So we left and headed to Ben Bridge at The Domain.

Wife was a very social person. Had friends everywhere she went. That changed over the summer. Part of recovery has been easing herself back into social situations. Meeting up with friends is still a chore, so going some place like The Domain on a Saturday could very easily end in an anxiety attack.

Back in September, I got us tickets to see the Smashing Pumpkins. Her lifetime favorite band. When we got married, I told her that if SP ever went to Austin, I'd make sure we got tickets. They came, I got tickets. We got to the parking garage, and had to turn around. At that time, she couldn't handle being around people in that sorta capacity. Extremely triggering situation. So we had to miss that concert. She felt pretty bad about it and apologized. I told her it was no big deal...it wouldn't be fun if she wasn't enjoying it. I knew a shopping area like The Domain was a risk.

Well, on Saturday I could really see how far she has come. She handled it very well. Despite a million people and the remnants of a car show.

So we get to Ben Bridge, and I show her the Cartier booth. Immediately goes for the Santos...her and I are on the same wavelength. Pasha, Ballon Bleus - nope. Santos - yes, please. She tried on a medium two-tone and loved it. She didn't like the square dial in pictures, but when she put it on, she said it felt at home. Big fan of the case shape and profile, and how it fit her wrist. Our saleslady there was intrigued by wifey's BB32 silver dial, saying she hadn't been able to get one of those for months. I told her the story about it being for our 10yr anniversary yadda yadda. She acted entertained. Anyway, loved the Santos. Didn't really have any interest in Grand Seiko or the Breitlings that were on display.

After that we headed out. Getting out of The Domain was a bit of task, and I could tell wifey was reaching her limit, but we got out and all was well. On the way home I asked if she was going to need to take anything for the anxiety and she said she didn't think so. Instead we discussed all of the watches she has tried on, the pros and cons. That actually managed to bring her down. We get home and she's still beaming about the XX. I tell her that soon she's going to have the impossible task of deciding which she really wanted. Pretty sure I know which way she'll go, but we've got two more manufacturers I'd like her to check out...JLC and Zenith.

After finishing up our taxes last night, I saw just how...devastating...2022 was for us financially. With the team almost completely behind us, it's nice to have our sights set on new goals.

[dgaddis]

Damn Other Dustin, while I don’t know what all happened to you guys last year it sounds rough. Glad she’s getting better and y’all are moving forward with life. Keep us up to date on the watch!

(Big fan of the Type A flieger myself, hope to get myself one one day, tho almost certainly a cheaper option than the IWC)

[bigbill]

Dustin, your wife is lucky to have you, and you're fortunate to have each other. My wife puts up with my occasional PTSD fueled eccentricities and gives me the space I need. I retired last summer so I have more time on my hands; retirement is as busy and you make it.

Watches, my son has a Garmin 945 that he bought during his freshman year of college. It survived four years at the Naval Academy and six months at Quantico. I'm also pretty sure that it broke his arm when he crashed in a collegiate cycling race. Since the crash and the resulting surgery that installed a plate and pins, he has to wear his watch on the other arm. He now wants something other than a black watch with a big dial when he dresses nice. I'm sending him a gold tone Seiko with a white face that I bought about 30 years ago. I am also sending him a black chronograph Luminox that we can more easily wear in the field and cockpit. It is a sniper watch with non-reflective glass. He has to disable GPS during field exercises, and will have to do the same when he starts his pilot training, so a "dumb" watch is ideal.

[ides1056]

Thanks Dustin.

[NYCfixie]

I have gone a bit mad during the past 2 years (time off the bike due to a medical) and exponentially increased my watch collection. Most are brand new but have not been worn so it is time to move them on to people who will actually wear and enjoy them. They are listed on my eBay account but they charge a hefty 15% for Jewelry/Watch sales so...

If you are interested in any of these watches, please DM me here at VSalon. I will offer (at least) 10% off the eBay listed price to VSalon buyers (for a non-eBay private sale) and then will give 5% off the final sale price as a donation to Vsalon. I'll cover PayPal. Buyer covers actual shipping cost.


Top (L to R):
Seiko SKX007J (new, JDM model, modded)
Seiko SKX009J (new, JDM model, modded)
Seiko SARB035 (new, JDM model, modded)

Middle (L to R):
Pagani PD-1645 DateJust style (bracelet sized)
Pagani PD-1682 Explorer II style (bracelet sized)
Alpina AL-240S4S6B Startimer Pilot Quartz (new)

Bottom (L to R):
Frederique Constant Highlife FC-303S4NH6 (new)
Citizen BJ7110-89E Promaster EcoDrive GMT (new, JDM model)
Citizen NB6021-17E Promaster Dive Automatic Super Titanium (new)

Full details and more pictures in eBay listings.