Watch talk

[del_ta]

Hi. Wondering if anyone here is into watches as well? I like IWC. 

[XS.Lin]

If all the pieces I have, my most favourite by far is Ulysses Nardin El Toro Blue. The mechanical tech inside is by far the most sophisticated I ever have a pleasure to own in any time pieces. And the build is just as beautiful. To me she won hands down. 

[Guest HGA]

I prefer A. Lange & Söhne. The classic big date and the elegant design makes it very good as a dress watch.

[del_ta]

ALS is out of my league.  I find UN designs a bit too avant garde for me. So, the Goldilocks choice for me is IWC.

 

 

[nothunk00]

On my green SM today 

 

 

 

Edited June 29, 2023 by nothunk00

[del_ta]

Sorry for spamming photos. I love this particular one.

[KKsquared]

Sekio

Swatch
Rolex

 

[del_ta]

That's a nice spread of brands. I am boring and concentrate on only one

[Mojohomme]

i only wear casio effice solar powered, seiko kinetic, and a seiko diver. i have maurice and corum. as i am rough with my work. i almost never wear them.

i dunnoe why, maybe the way i presents myself many thought i wear an expensive watch even if they are just seiko and casio. oops i am buying a 2nd handed smart watch later today. that's for my gym and workout. i am trying to lose at least 20-25 kg by the end of this year.

[del_ta]

nice. well, it's the man that wears the watch, not the other way around.

[D.0284]

3 minutes ago, del_ta said:

nice. well, it's the man that wears the watch, not the other way around.

if i were to buy luxury watch, it will need to be a fully automatic minute repeater. the masterpiece of mechanical engineering which will take a master watch maker at least 6 months to make.

[del_ta]

i don't even dare dream of a minute repeater although i have played with one at a watch gathering previously

[del_ta]

Looks like not popular topic. Sorry sorry. Any interest in cars here?

[D.0284]

22 hours ago, del_ta said:

i don't even dare dream of a minute repeater although i have played with one at a watch gathering previously

a minute repeater is not only expensive. maintenance also cost a lot more. all the luxury watches are only marketing. richard mille is one of the new player to the luxury market. mido was competing with rolex with their dive watches. rolex won narrowly and now mido has ended up being in the swatch group.

rolex is still the brand to get, because it holds value. depending on the rarity, it can be sold second handed for a higher price. I ask a watch maker in tanglin many years ago. he told me that most watch today are good in movement. therefore there is not need to worry if the movement is not good. the jewel in the watches are now replaced with plastic to reduce the noise it makes.

the first company which produce wrist watches is ball. in the past a lot of people lose their watches to water damages. therefore 2 companies fought real hard to achieve the ultimate water resistance. mido and rolex were in the forefront. eventually rolex deep sea holds the record. for years rolex used diving to advertise on their achievement.

not many would go the depth which test the limits of the deepsea . therefore most modern watches has good enough water resistance. of course, rolex being the watch worn by most president of USA also landed them a spot in the lime light.

[D.0284]

26 minutes ago, del_ta said:

Looks like not popular topic. Sorry sorry. Any interest in cars here?

traditional watches lose a bit of shine in the age of mobile phone and smart watches. I strongly suggest one to buy an expensive watch (only rolex) if they wants to invest and see a rise in value. never to buy any smart watch at more then 150sgd as it will devalue over time. buy a normal solar or automatic watch for daily use (non work out days).

nowadays some have totally forsake luxury watches because a simple older model smart watch is so cheap. nobody wants to take the risk of buying a luxury watch and lose money.
 

[heman]

A good watch regardless of its price is more like a piece of  art than time keeping alone. It will give you lots of pleasure in your life time. Do take care of the piece.

5 hours ago, D.0284 said:

Looks like not popular topic.

For your knowledge this topic of time keeping has been in the thread "What is the difference between automatic and kinetic watch? " 

Congratulation on your handsome big crown IWC Pilot watch

Edited June 26, 2023 by heman

[del_ta]

oh i see. that topic sort of died as well. what a pity. thought there might be some interest. maybe more interest in food topics?

 

 

Edited June 28, 2023 by del_ta

[Guest watcher]

No point equating watch hobby and value appreciation, might as well buy gold or stocks.

Very sad that your hobby or interest is pegged to "not lose money"

[radiusulnar]

Some of the whales in the forum popping up with luxury watches

[NE-STR]

I tried wearing a full gold president, man it sure is bling and very "uncle".  Just make sure you wear the watch and not the other way around.

[Steve5380]

These are the two watches I use.  Both are quartz watches.  On the right is my favorite,  an inexpensive TIMEX for all occasions, practical, lightweight.

On the left is my Tag Heuer that i use when diving to 200 m,  that is, NEVER!  Very rarely I use this heavy watch.  Their time differs by about 2 minutes, not bad since I have not set the Tag since it had its battery changed about 2 years ago. Same with the TIMEX, untouched since its battery was changed a little more recent. 

 

Edited June 29, 2023 by Steve5380

[del_ta]

trying to revive watch discussion after chatting with one of the chaps here

[Unionbic]

I like ALS watches but just can't bear to splurge, the mechanism of the micro rotor fascinates me. I'm more into the mechanics, P.P and ALS be among my favorites for that reason. But also have a GMT II cause of the sporty and simple face

[del_ta]

24 minutes ago, Unionbic said:

P.P and ALS be among my favorites for that reason. But also have a GMT II

 

All the unattainable brands!

[Unionbic]

On the secondary market I can find what I like for say 50 - 80k, perpetual calendars. I think its still within the realm of achievement considering our coe alone is already in that range and constantly depreciating. Least the watches can kinda hold their value.

 

But during recession times the value can be halved, so pending on how badly one wants it can just wait for the right time.

 

 

  

6 minutes ago, del_ta said:

 

All the unattainable brands!

 

[del_ta]

41 minutes ago, Unionbic said:

I can find what I like for say 50 - 80k

 

I applaud you. You are truly a league above.

[Unionbic]

Haha no lah, we all have our own personal aspirations.

 

Anyway I've not gotten any yet. I don't want it so much that I am willing pay that price point even 2nd hand. The market now in watches is still quite frothy in my view considering the economic environment. To add I'm a one watch type person, if I get the one I want I'll be satisfied to keep it at that one.

 

21 minutes ago, del_ta said:

 

I applaud you. You are truly a league above.

[del_ta]

8 hours ago, Unionbic said:

if I get the one I want I'll be satisfied to keep it at that one.

 

That is how the slippery slope starts. You think you will only have one.

 

8 hours ago, Unionbic said:

Anyway I've not gotten any yet

 

So, which would be your pick for that one?

[Unionbic]

 

I like either the Patek philippe 3940G, or the ALS Langematik Perpetual, both perpetual and mico-rotor, 2nd hand prices are roughly about the same online between 60 - 80k, lol but right now I will stay with my apple watch and seiko to wear around daily.

 

10 hours ago, del_ta said:

 

That is how the slippery slope starts. You think you will only have one.

 

 

So, which would be your pick for that one?

Edited March 1, 2024 by Unionbic

[del_ta]

I had to Google your choices. Very nice.

[Guest Piaget]

I have a Piaget Altiplano.  

Very classy in croco leather strap , square white gold.  Bought it at 20k,,,,, now wanna sell , lelong also cant sell 

 

Just buy Rolex... Rolex is like a USD in your pocket, anywhere in the world, there is demand 

[del_ta]

Cool watch - so thin from the pictures. My IWC is obese compared to that.

 

I think watch should buy to wear and enjoy. Not buy to sell. This way, can buy with heart and not with head.

[Steve5380]

There is some variety in watches...

 

A week ago I purchased an ALKAI N27 Smart Watch for about 60 US$.  WHY?   Why in heavens would I buy such a horrible device?   I wanted a smart watch to measure my vital values like blood pressure,  Oxygen level, beat rate and...  sleep.   These are all excellent in my body but,  I wanted to have numbers, and log the values.  What I found in this cheapy smart watch is that it is very very inaccurate.  The more expensive ones like the Apple and Samsung are also somewhat inaccurate.  So I am very happy returning this thing,  and measure my vitals with a blood pressure cuff, the rate with a timer, and the O2 level...  I can trust that this is good.  So I am returning it to Amazon.  Good riddance!    A SMART WATCH is one that is of high quality, expensive looking, and only measures time.  For my practical sense it should be quartz,  for the sophistication of others it can be an automatic.   But not 100 different functions and menus and apps, which I find all childish.  

[Unionbic]

That is a really nice watch, the amount of sophistication they can put in while keeping it so thin is amazing

 

Ya unfortunately except for Rolex and PP most dun hold their value that well, really a passion purchase

 

  

On 3/2/2024 at 3:27 PM, Guest Piaget said:

I have a Piaget Altiplano.  

Very classy in croco leather strap , square white gold.  Bought it at 20k,,,,, now wanna sell , lelong also cant sell 

 

Just buy Rolex... Rolex is like a USD in your pocket, anywhere in the world, there is demand 

 

[sianzpple]

I do own an IWC Portuguese. Green dial.  Would be nice to meet up fellow fine watch members who are into collecting watches 

[del_ta]

On 3/4/2024 at 4:33 PM, sianzpple said:

Green dial.

Nice! Which? 3712? 5001?t

[Steve5380]

After its recent advances,  I suspect that the features of watches is reaching a plateau.  In precision ( being old-fashioned I still think that this is the most important characteristic of a watch ), in added features, in ability to work unattended, in attractiveness,  what else is left to be added?

 

What is left can only be to make watches become more jewelry.  In this way, proudness can rise to the point of wearing watches worth hundreds of thousands, even millions of dollars.  Jewels don't need to have any practical use.  Look at the Royal Crown of late Queen Elizabeth...   wouldn't this give one a headache?    

[heman]

You be surprised that it will never come to a plateau . There will always new inventions, designs (not to extend adorned with  precious stones which i find extremely tacky) etc. 

i believed in understated elegance. Nothing too showy and only for those who knows. Simplicity speaks volumes to me. 

[heman]

On 6/25/2023 at 3:31 PM, del_ta said:

i have played with one at a watch gathering previously

I have heard a few of them .Apart from PP , I love the crystal sound of Cartier instead. Platinum and white gold will not give the resonance adequately. My two cents of opinion.

[Steve5380]

18 hours ago, heman said:

You be surprised that it will never come to a plateau . There will always new inventions, designs (not to extend adorned with  precious stones which i find extremely tacky) etc. 

i believed in understated elegance. Nothing too showy and only for those who knows. Simplicity speaks volumes to me. 

 

I like to be surprised,  but in the area of wristwatches (not necessarily in horology)  I think that a practical plateau has already been reached. This plateau is the ordinary quartz watch.  Its functionality is nearly perfect, with the exception being the need for battery changes every couple of years.   The tourbillions, the  Spring Drive, don't add to the practicality of giving decent time information to the user. 

 

A plateau is not the same as a maximum.  It can exist for a while before a new rise comes along.  And yes, great improvements can come, which may escape the designation of "practical".   One great improvement can always come in THE PRICE,  which now averages in the tens of thousands of dollars,  but already exceeds the million in some watches,  ha ha.  Without the need for any inventions,  if the price of the existing watches is jacked up to the millions,  this will make them much more valuable.

 

One potential great improvement is in the accuracy.  The Grand Seiko Spring Drive is specified as an accuracy of 10 seconds in a year.  But this is far from the possibilities of a quartz oscillator.  I looked up the best oscillators, and I nearly... fell from my chair!!!    Before the advent of the atomic watch about 70 years ago,  the world standard time references, their oscillators, had an accuracy of....  ONE SECOND IN 30 YEARS !!!  Imagine!    This precision is totally wasted in a watch, however,  unless another advance is made:

 

This second great improvement would be a watch with...  perpetual energy, perpetual movement.  NOT by shaking it,  this is old,  but under any conditions, like being in a box for 100 years.  How could this be achieved?  Speculations, speculations.   Here is one:  A way to thermodynamically or electronically generate electricity by temperature differences between the wrist of the user and the ambient,  or by temperature fluctuations in the static watch.  In the latter case the watch is stored in a thermally insulated box with a big mass inside, and temperature fluctuations between the inside and the changing outside is the energy source.

 

Imagine then:   At birth you are given a super-advanced watch with permanent energy and 1 second error in 30 years,  or 3 seconds in 90 years, your entire life.  You then keep it in its box or wear it at will during your whole life,  and...  you never have to touch it, set its time, wind it up,  nothing!   I... know that this would take away one's pleasure to wind it up every day, but...   for a practical guy like me this would be ideal.   As long as it fits in my pocket or wrist and weights very little.   

 

NOTE:  Even with the most precise watch in the world we can be fooled.  Today I wondered why one of my Sunday programs didn't appear.  How strange...   But later when my sister called,  I realized that the time had changed...  by an hour, earlier today!!!  It is now one hour later than I expected,  I have lost ONE HOUR.  I have to reset all my clocks and watches.  What is a couple of seconds compared to this? 

.

Edited March 11, 2024 by Steve5380

[del_ta]

On 3/10/2024 at 2:31 PM, heman said:

I have heard a few of them

 

Lucky man! I clearly don't mix with the right watch crowd.

[Steve5380]

What a catastrophe!  It seems that the rotation of the earth is slowing down,  and it is predicted that n a few years the standard time will have to be delayed by one second. 

This means that by then, all the horology fans will have to set back their precise watches by this one second, or they will be off-time!

[fenghou]

I am into watches but admittedly I do not have a budget for them.

 

I prefer sportier diver watches, but I think rolex is so overhyped.

I also like understated but very refine watches that gives the "iykyk" vibes

I like the movement of Grand Seiko Spring Drive, but their lugs and bracelets are usually disgusting

 

If I make it big in life I will have a PP 5711, but I don't have a "next generation" to look after it for.

 

oh well I am full of ironies and contradictions 

 

[benedict5856]

i love watches so much.

 

esp Alang & Sohne, Boret, etc.

 

what i hated is ROLEX, its for Uncle to wear lor. What pepsi, coke, SPrite, batman, aquaman and dunno what stupid name.

 

Personally, i wear LV watch, Lanvin, mont blanc and CJ. Recently bought a yellow G-shock for fun.

Aiming to have enough savings and then buy all these.

Presently, more important is to clear housing loans, car loans, etc

[benedict5856]

On 3/31/2024 at 10:55 PM, fenghou said:

I am into watches but admittedly I do not have a budget for them.

 

I prefer sportier diver watches, but I think rolex is so overhyped.

I also like understated but very refine watches that gives the "iykyk" vibes

I like the movement of Grand Seiko Spring Drive, but their lugs and bracelets are usually disgusting

 

If I make it big in life I will have a PP 5711, but I don't have a "next generation" to look after it for.

 

oh well I am full of ironies and contradictions 

 

Nautilus is for those with small wrist. ewwww

[Guest Guess]

Anyone bought the Swatch x Omega x Snoopy MoonSwatch ?

 

Share your thoughts pls.

[Guest guest]

13 hours ago, benedict5856 said:

Nautilus is for those with small wrist. ewwww

40mm for small wrist? do you know what u are talking about

[Guest guest]

On 3/31/2024 at 10:55 PM, fenghou said:

I am into watches but admittedly I do not have a budget for them.

 

I prefer sportier diver watches, but I think rolex is so overhyped.

I also like understated but very refine watches that gives the "iykyk" vibes

I like the movement of Grand Seiko Spring Drive, but their lugs and bracelets are usually disgusting

 

If I make it big in life I will have a PP 5711, but I don't have a "next generation" to look after it for.

 

oh well I am full of ironies and contradictions 

 

unless you only like GS sports watches, i agree that most of their bracelet design is a letdown at that price point, but their dressier watches with leather straps are very nice, esp with the newer dials, zaratsu finishing is at the top tier.

you dont have to subscribe to the PP tagline, just buy what u like, dont have to keep for anyone.

[heman]

Indeed the bracelets for most GS models are a real letdown. However my Shosho GS bracelet with a mixed of understated Zaratsu and satin finish complement the overall look ( though i wish a microadjustment feature).   I find the dial is one of the finest in my GS collection. 

Frankly for my GS Kishun dress watch ( i was lucky to meet the designer of this model when he was in Singapore mid 2023) the supersoft alligator strap is wonderful. It is far beyond even Patek in its texture. The only drawback is that it is far too long for my 6.5in wrist.

[heman]

On 4/2/2024 at 6:23 AM, benedict5856 said:

Nautilus is for those with small wrist. ewwww

Frankly the bracelet of the Nautilus is one of the most comfortable apart from Rolex oyster bracelet with its microadjustment  i ever wore. It goes well with my 6.5cm wrist. It will sit even better for those of bigger wrist for your information. 

I am more into dress watches rather than sports watches. Most of my collections are of understated dress watches.