Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast
Results 21 to 40 of 60

Thread: Watches

  1. #21
    Quote Originally Posted by -jk View Post
    You're dating yourself. Young'uns (under 30) mostly don't wear watches. Damned ubiquitous phones with their almost perfectly network-synced clocks. (Get off my lawn! Where's Bill with the beer?) Anyway...

    I have simple requirements: Water resistant to 50 meters. (Not that I ever go that deep, but depth ratings are based on still water. Waves and rivers can really force their way in.) High contrast glow-in-the-dark. (I'm nearsighted and can't see a clock at night. And something to orient me to either 12 or 3, too.) Reasonably decent looking so I don't have to change watches for the occasion. (I'm lazy.) Long life battery or auto charging. (See last rationale. My battery watch needed one new battery in 15 years. My first auto-charging watch lost the ability to hold a charge after 12 years or I'd still be wearing it.)

    So: I've had - quite contentedly - three watches over the last 35 years. Two Seikos and (currently) a Citizen. The first had the battery; the last two being auto charging. On the other side, my wife wears a particular, and fairly inexpensive, battery model of Timex. She buys a new one every two or three years. (Alas, it's almost, but not quite, entirely water resistant.) We're both happy.

    I have no desire to collect "special" watches. They're tools. Expendable tools, too - but those kids...

    -jk
    Yeah - I have permission to call myself a young'un! The watch band on my very inexpensive watch broke on a two week trip to Italy in 2005. Carried with me as my phone* wouldn't sync to local time and didn't want to do the math in my head every time I wanted to check the vaporetto schedule. Never replaced it when I got back to the States as there always seems to be a clock around - computer, phone, microwave, cable box, etc. I do have my grandmother's watch if I feel like I need a nice dress watch for something but, honestly, don't even know if it works.

    * Yes, it was an old phone but it did the important thing - allowed contact with the States in case there was an issue with our Dad while we were gone for 2 weeks.

  2. #22
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    St. Louis
    Quote Originally Posted by -jk View Post
    You're dating yourself. Young'uns (under 30) mostly don't wear watches. Damned ubiquitous phones with their almost perfectly network-synced clocks. (Get off my lawn! Where's Bill with the beer?) Anyway...

    I have simple requirements: Water resistant to 50 meters. (Not that I ever go that deep, but depth ratings are based on still water. Waves and rivers can really force their way in.) High contrast glow-in-the-dark. (I'm nearsighted and can't see a clock at night. And something to orient me to either 12 or 3, too.) Reasonably decent looking so I don't have to change watches for the occasion. (I'm lazy.) Long life battery or auto charging. (See last rationale. My battery watch needed one new battery in 15 years. My first auto-charging watch lost the ability to hold a charge after 12 years or I'd still be wearing it.)

    So: I've had - quite contentedly - three watches over the last 35 years. Two Seikos and (currently) a Citizen. The first had the battery; the last two being auto charging. On the other side, my wife wears a particular, and fairly inexpensive, battery model of Timex. She buys a new one every two or three years. (Alas, it's almost, but not quite, entirely water resistant.) We're both happy.

    I have no desire to collect "special" watches. They're tools. Expendable tools, too - but those kids...

    -jk
    I use a digital watch, and have only 2 requirements: an alarm feature, and NUMBERS THAT ARE REALLY BIG SO I CAN SEE THEM (sorry about yelling, and get off my lawn).

  3. #23
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Washington, DC
    Quote Originally Posted by fuse View Post
    It's a bit out of the $500 price range, but I've had my eye on Shinola watches (made in Detroit).
    They run $550-$800, look stylish, made in the US.
    As a Detroit native, Shinola watches have been on my radar for a while...hopefully I can add a gold one to the rotation this year!
    Check out the Duke Basketball Roundup!

    2003-2004 HLM
    Duke | Mirecourt | Detroit| The U | USA

  4. #24
    I bought a Baume & Mercier (Hampton) about 7 years ago and love it. I get a ton of compliments about it. Best of all, it has approximately doubled in price since I bought it.

  5. #25
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    New Jersey
    Quote Originally Posted by fuse View Post
    That's a tough question- I'm pretty sure there are dozens of websites/bulletin boards devoted to that debate.

    It's a bit out of the $500 price range, but I've had my eye on Shinola watches (made in Detroit).
    They run $550-$800, look stylish, made in the US.

    Under 500? There are a lot of "fashion" watches (like the Michael Kors you mentioned) in that price range.
    All depends on what you want- you can get a nice Casio G-Shock, decent Seikos, Nixon, etc.
    Check the Hodinkee website for more info than you want :-)
    Websites like Cool Material have some pretty drool worthy watches they review.

    Like cars, watches are a lot about personal style.
    My father is a huge watch enthusiast and used to collect. He turned me on to a small company called Lum-Tec that has quality watches, made in the US, that are fairly reasonably priced. I ended buying one and their customer support is excellent. I scratched mine and they buffed it out free of charge. They'll also replace the battery for free for the life of the watch. They can be found at http://www.lum-tec.com/. That being said, each year I promise to myself that I will buy a Baume & Mercier Capeland, which I think are beautiful timepieces, but I never do. It's tough to justify spending several thousand dollars on a watch, but you have to look at it like a fine piece of jewelry and not just something that functions to keep time.
    Rich
    "Failure is Not a Destination"
    Coach K on the Dan Patrick Show, December 22, 2016

  6. #26
    Quote Originally Posted by Rich View Post
    My father is a huge watch enthusiast and used to collect. He turned me on to a small company called Lum-Tec that has quality watches, made in the US, that are fairly reasonably priced. I ended buying one and their customer support is excellent. I scratched mine and they buffed it out free of charge. They'll also replace the battery for free for the life of the watch. They can be found at http://www.lum-tec.com/. That being said, each year I promise to myself that I will buy a Baume & Mercier Capeland, which I think are beautiful timepieces, but I never do. It's tough to justify spending several thousand dollars on a watch, but you have to look at it like a fine piece of jewelry and not just something that functions to keep time.
    Rich, as I stated above, I love my Baume & Mercier. I've been told by a few people that follow watch trends that they fully expect the value Baume & Mercier to continue to go up. My only experience is being offered a little more than twice what I paid for it by a jeweler a few years back, when I had him polish the crystal.

  7. #27
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    10 minutes from Duke
    As far as modern watches go, I currently have a Citizen. It keeps excellent time and is very reliable. As an every day watch it does the job, although I do wish it weighed less. But what I really like is the old pocket watches. The railroad grade ones are mechanical marvels and are beautiful to look at and can keep excellent time when properly adjusted and maintained. Anyone else into the old pocket watches? AW.

  8. #28
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    New Jersey
    Quote Originally Posted by nmduke2001 View Post
    Rich, as I stated above, I love my Baume & Mercier. I've been told by a few people that follow watch trends that they fully expect the value Baume & Mercier to continue to go up. My only experience is being offered a little more than twice what I paid for it by a jeweler a few years back, when I had him polish the crystal.
    I can't say I disagree. I bought my wife a Baume & Mercier a number of years ago and she still enjoys it. They make exquisite timepieces.
    Rich
    "Failure is Not a Destination"
    Coach K on the Dan Patrick Show, December 22, 2016

  9. #29
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    New Bern, NC unless it's a home football game then I'm grilling on Devil's Alley
    After graduating from art school, I quickly figured out I better get a trade if I wanted to make any money, so I took on a carpentry apprenticeship. Everday, all day, I would get asked by other guys on the job site what the time was.
    "What time is?"
    "8:30"
    "What time is?"
    "9:15"
    "What time is?"
    "1:40"
    "What time is?"
    "3:45"
    Everyday was the longest day imaginable, because I was stuck knowing exactly how much time I had left before I went home. That lasted about 2 months, when one day I left my watch at home. I haven't worn one since, and the days have never been quite so long. (But my internal clock has been incredibly good since then.)
    Q "Why do you like Duke, you didn't even go there." A "Because my art school didn't have a basketball team."

  10. #30
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Quote Originally Posted by blazindw View Post
    As a Detroit native, Shinola watches have been on my radar for a while...hopefully I can add a gold one to the rotation this year!
    Let me know if you get one. Some of them sure look pretty sharp!

  11. #31
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Quote Originally Posted by Rich View Post
    My father is a huge watch enthusiast and used to collect. He turned me on to a small company called Lum-Tec that has quality watches, made in the US, that are fairly reasonably priced. I ended buying one and their customer support is excellent. I scratched mine and they buffed it out free of charge. They'll also replace the battery for free for the life of the watch. They can be found at http://www.lum-tec.com/. That being said, each year I promise to myself that I will buy a Baume & Mercier Capeland, which I think are beautiful timepieces, but I never do. It's tough to justify spending several thousand dollars on a watch, but you have to look at it like a fine piece of jewelry and not just something that functions to keep time.
    I just googled this watch and the Capeland Blue is gorgeous.

  12. #32
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Quote Originally Posted by August West View Post
    As far as modern watches go, I currently have a Citizen. It keeps excellent time and is very reliable. As an every day watch it does the job, although I do wish it weighed less. But what I really like is the old pocket watches. The railroad grade ones are mechanical marvels and are beautiful to look at and can keep excellent time when properly adjusted and maintained. Anyone else into the old pocket watches? AW.
    I've never owned a pocket watch but as you note, there sure are some neat ones.
    I've seen a few with some pretty neat complications.

  13. #33
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    New Jersey
    Quote Originally Posted by fuse View Post
    I've never owned a pocket watch but as you note, there sure are some neat ones.
    I've seen a few with some pretty neat complications.
    My grandfather left my father his pocket watch when he died and had both their names inscribed in it. My father subsequently inscribed my older brother's name and gave it to him a few years ago. I have to say, I always wanted that watch, but my Dad was steadfast that it was going to my brother as his first born and I never put up much of a fight. Material things like that just aren't worth family feuds. It meant a lot to my Dad to give it to my brother, and although I wish I had it, I admit that there's not much anyone can do with an antique pocket watch these days except put them in a drawer. As a consolation he said he'll leave me his Omega, which he now wears, when he passes. I'm willing to wait a LONG time for that watch, but I will happily wear it in his memory, which is something that my brother can't do with a pocket watch.
    Rich
    "Failure is Not a Destination"
    Coach K on the Dan Patrick Show, December 22, 2016

  14. #34
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Quote Originally Posted by nmduke2001 View Post
    I bought a Baume & Mercier (Hampton) about 7 years ago and love it. I get a ton of compliments about it. Best of all, it has approximately doubled in price since I bought it.
    I don't think I've ever owned a rectangular watch.
    I agree the Hampton is a fine looking timepiece.

  15. #35
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Quote Originally Posted by Rich View Post
    My grandfather left my father his pocket watch when he died and had both their names inscribed in it. My father subsequently inscribed my older brother's name and gave it to him a few years ago. I have to say, I always wanted that watch, but my Dad was steadfast that it was going to my brother as his first born and I never put up much of a fight. Material things like that just aren't worth family feuds. It meant a lot to my Dad to give it to my brother, and although I wish I had it, I admit that there's not much anyone can do with an antique pocket watch these days except put them in a drawer. As a consolation he said he'll leave me his Omega, which he now wears, when he passes. I'm willing to wait a LONG time for that watch, but I will happily wear it in his memory, which is something that my brother can't do with a pocket watch.
    That's a tough conundrum, and I agree with your perspective from a couple different lenses- that of a brother, and that of a father of two boys.
    I don't want a feud with my brother when the time comes, nor do I want to create friction with my boys when my time comes.

    Wow, pretty deep topic to spawn out of a style/character/affectation dialog on watches :-)

  16. #36
    Join Date
    Feb 2007

    Tourbillon

    Anyone own a watch with a tourbillon complication?
    I think that along with moon phase are some of the more interesting complications.
    Skeleton watches can be cool, too, but some are hard to read for sure.

    There are some pretty out there watch designs, a lot of them from Japan.
    Ziiro makes some interesting designs, as does Urwerk. The Ressence Type 3 looks awesome.
    There are even design your own watch websites that look interesting.

  17. #37

    My aunt gave me a nice, expensive watch for my h.s. graduation.

    At some point late in my first semester at Duke, the leather band broke. I carried my watch (just the face/mechanical part, no band) to my last first semester exam in the Allen Building. I don't think there was a clock in that room, so I needed the watch. I ended up forgetting to grab it off the desk or something at the end of the exam, and lost it. I felt horrible facing my aunt at Christmas. Anyway, if anybody here found it in the Allen Building, I'd like it back.

    In the many decades since, I think I've had a total oof two $20 Timex watches, and I can't lose them. I like round watches, with numbers (not Roman numerals, not digital), stainless steel in color for the edge/back. I usually wear nylon straps with the watch (remember somebody giving G.H.W. Bush hell for that preppiness).

  18. #38
    The current trend in watches is the huge-oversized face. I hate that trend. I was at the store and just decided to take a look at a Tag. I put it on and it looked like I was wearing a wall clock on my wrist.

  19. #39
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Annandale, VA
    Quote Originally Posted by cspan37421 View Post
    No love for the Timex Ironman? That's been my only watch of the last 20 years or so. Durable, inexpensive, utilitarian. Couple downsides:

    - When I didn't own a watch, I had a remarkable sense of time - I could often guess the time of day within 5 minutes. With a watch as a crutch (and also from using a computer with the time continuously displayed), I lost that sense.

    - I have never successfully replaced an Ironman battery. I have all the mini-screwdrivers and so forth, but things never go back right. Most recently, after the band broke, and the alarm chirp had gotten quite weak, I took out the battery to see if I could put it back OK. I did, and got the back on, but for some reason, the buttons on the side of the watch would no longer press in. It was as if they were already pressed in and were stuck that way. It's always something. I guess there are places that will change it out for you, but it annoys me greatly that this one task has always eluded me (even before I started losing my near-range vision and required reading glasses/bifocals).
    I love my Ironman for the gym and jogging or biking with the kids, etc. but my work day watch is a Raymond Weil Tango with the blue face. Simple and clean, but the thing I love is that it's super thin. Watches that stick out too much tend to get banged on things when you are as careless as I am. Plus the crystal is guanteed to never scratch for life. Before my wife got me the RW for our 5th anniversary I had to get new Citizen watches every few years because the face was too scratched up. 11.5 years later it still looks new.
    The Gordog

  20. #40
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Quote Originally Posted by nmduke2001 View Post
    The current trend in watches is the huge-oversized face. I hate that trend. I was at the store and just decided to take a look at a Tag. I put it on and it looked like I was wearing a wall clock on my wrist.
    Funny you bring that up- I agree there is such a thing as too big a watch.
    At the time, I thought my Seiko dive watch was huge. My Raymond Weil is thin and light- these days it might be mistaken as a ladies' watch. My Fitzroy is pretty big and chunky. I think mens watches that are in the 39-44mm range are reasonable- I guess it all depends on your arm/wrist size to a degree.

Similar Threads

  1. Patrick Patterson, Huntington Win - K watches
    By watzone in forum Elizabeth King Forum
    Replies: 34
    Last Post: 03-20-2007, 04:41 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •