The Watch Appreciation Thread (Reviews and Photos of Men's Timepieces by Rolex, Patek Philippe, Brei

[in stitches]

well said as usual, dino.

 

[Hayward]

Her Majesty's grimace reminds me that I wish Rolex would bring back the with dial Explorer I.

So here is a question for any and all watchnuts:

I'm looking to fill a spec for a center minute chronograph. In other words, something that works like a Lemania 5100. Problem is that this is going to be sort of a consumable watch, so I was wondering if anyone knew of a quartz movement center minute chronograph. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[orsonmak]

Just sharing with stylers here. Anybody heard of Mathey-Tissot. Below is a 1971 Gold tonneau-shaped Mathey-Tissot with day and date on a gold bracelet. Harry Levitch jewelers customized bezel, which is embossed with stars and Elvis Presley’s name. He gifted this particular watch to the distributor during a cocktail party at Graceland after he couldn’t attend a pre-awards dinner for being honored as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men under 35 by the U.S. Junior Chamber (Jaycees), a group of people from 18-40 who solve problems locally and around the world. The other candidates also received one of the watches.



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I bought a Mathey-Tissot two years ago during my ski holiday in switzerland. pretty amazing watch. never fails to show me the correct time and i must say its very very reliable. a true Swiss made imported directly from switzerland. I am very obsesses with fine watches. I own 2 tag heuers, 1 rolex and oris. i can say this oris matches their standards, only that its way cheaper! Just bought myself a second MT watch last month here in Malaysia. Guess someone brought in MT to sell in Malaysia. I got mine from this a distributor in FB, https://www.facebook.com/Time4Life.My

Below are the 2 watches I bought. The first is Anniversary which I bought in switzerland. the second is monster series which I bought recently.














Love the strap really..

 

[Belligero]



Mimo, I have no issue with someone choosing a Milgauss over a Datejust, just based on looks as they are rather similar.  I've always preferred sports watches such as Daytona, Subs, GMTs, etc. over Datejusts and Day-Dates.  As a Milgauss doesn't really offer much more than a DJ, its never really held any interest for me.  Its a nice watch, just not for me.

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

I think you have maybe taken my use of the word functional a bit too seriously in an effort to justify the Milgauss, which is basically a time only watch.  I was really saying (although maybe not clearly enough) that the GMT does more than the Milgauss.   If we go with your exercise of functionality, any of us with a smart phone could throw out our watches.  But that's not the point of this discussion or this thread.   

As for comparing the damage you suggest of magnetization of a watch when compared to compromised water resistance, its just not on par.  Demagnetizing a watch is a relatively quick/easy process.  A watch that suffers compromised water resistance can result in actual damage to a movement and dial.  Modern watches really have to be subjected to very strong magnetic fields to become magnetized.  The only individual I know personally with a watch that repeatedly had an issue with a watch being magnetized is my wife.  Her department at the hospital was right next to the MRI department and her automatic Cartier TF became magnetized 3 times.  Once they moved her department away from the MRI area, she never had another issue with her watch becoming magnetized, and trust me, my wife has left her watch on speakers, on her cell phone, and all sorts of other items that have modest magnetic fields.   Most modern watches can handle being in close proximity to computers and cell phones etc, without any problems.  Yes, most people will never be 300m under water, however I've known several guys that have taken Subs to more reasonable but substantial depths while scuba diving.

More importantly, as I previously suggested, the OP should go with whatever makes him smile.  

There's some appeal in the Milgauss' funky looks, and I like the watch — but not enough to get one instead of the sports models, either. I have a colleague who sometimes wears one, and it's cool to see on the wrist. But it's also quite thick and is one of the heaviest steel watches they make due to its double case. That might be another factor in why they tend not to stick around.

However, its raison d'être of magnetic-field resistance has been made obsolete by Rolex's new hairspring, so the functional justification is gone. Have a look at this watchmaker's comparison to see just how immune it is to even a magnet being held directly against the coils:


[VIDEO][/VIDEO]


It's obvious why modern watches don't have many problems with getting magnetized compared to older ones with steel hairsprings, as you can see how much less susceptible even a Nivarox spring is. It takes a quite a bit to magnetize one. But Parachrom is completely non-ferrous and just doesn't move at all; any newer Rolex with one inside should be fine even for someone working near MRI equipment. The Faraday cage in the Milgauss seems like just a bit of overkill, so the decision really just comes down to whether someone prefers its looks over the other models.

While the GMT would be my first recommendation from the current range for a person who just wants one quality watch for any situation, if the black Submariner is too plain but the Milgauss GV appeals, then the Sub LV would be worth considering as well. I've spent some more time it recently and there's nothing to fault; it's essentially a perfect watch. The timing bezel provides a useful function, and its feel of operation is like nothing else. The brushed finish is much more practical than the polished surfaces on the GMT and especially the Milgauss, and the clasp is just unbeatable. Definitely worth checking out given what JB said he's after...

 

[Belligero]



Her Majesty's grimace reminds me that I wish Rolex would bring back the with dial Explorer I.

So here is a question for any and all watchnuts:

I'm looking to fill a spec for a center minute chronograph. In other words, something that works like a Lemania 5100. Problem is that this is going to be sort of a consumable watch, so I was wondering if anyone knew of a quartz movement center minute chronograph. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

One of these, maybe? A generic military-style quartz chrono with the aircraft-silhouette central timer minutes hand that was commonly fitted to 5100-based watches, called the PRS-17-C. It was originally £195, but it's no longer being produced, so finding one might be tricky. The same ETA calibre 251.262 is also found in some older Victorinox, TAG Heuer and Revue-Thommen watches.

 

[ChicagoRon]

Wow - that's a cool movement and not easy to find - but here is one in case the OP is feeling the urge:

http://www.authenticwatches.com/tag-heuer-6000-mens-ch1111-ba0675.html#.UZDSjLWYHBI

seems a little pricey for quartz to me...

 

[DerekS]



My submission to the discussion. Having had a sub ceramic on my wrist for several months I missed the simplicity, and size of the Explorer. Thanks to DerekS who took good care of her.

looks good man. Im sure i'll have it back in the stable when you decide to get the GMT.

 

[Laurens]

What are you wearing today on the water?

A very specific watch:

 

[mimo]

Belli - I like that too, and the blue/WG version. But the plain black Sub is already perfect in my book.

 

[RogerP]

Dino, you do make sense. But given there isn't much difference in price between, say, a Datejust and a Milgauss, getting the latter just because you like the look of it doesn't seem at all silly to me. And after all, the function of a watch at all is questionable these days, when my thirty dollar quartz Sekonda keeps better time than a Patek Philippe, and my ubiquitous Blackberry sets itself to the right time repeatedly and regardless of time zone, without my intervention making even that relatively redundant. Yet for some reason I am spending money and headaches on repairing a scruffy old mechanical Omega, and even got my Saddam Hussain Rodania cleaned up recently. Maybe saying "if I were to leave my watch by some magnetic device by accident, it would be protected from harm" is just as relevant as saying "my Submariner is water resistance to 300 metres", and probably more so! I'm all for brilliantly-engineered theoretical uselessness in the name of art.

I agree with you Mimo. I happen to think water resitance is one of the most over-blown, over-hyped and over-rated aspects of contemporary watches. Only the most accomplished of divers will ever descend past 50m, but the hype machine has many believing that they need at least 300m of water resistance to safely wash their hands. And that 600m of water resistance is twice as good! Given that the hulll crush depth of a nucelar submarine is around 300m, I have a hard time imagining the circusmstance that would expose a watch to pressure at twice that depth.

** Rant off **

That said, anti-magnetic properties are valuable and practical. I have never had a watch implode due to water pressure, but I have had several pieces get magnetized over the years. There are something like 20 magnets in an i-Pad case alone. You might not want to have a beloved vintage piece on your wrist while i-Goofing around for too long with one of those. Yes, the fix is quick and not very costly, but it is a pain ********** - and the watch is rendered completely useless until it is de-magnetized.

As for the GV - I think it's totally cool. One of the few contemporary Rolex pieces that just hollers "buy me!" quite loudly whenever I see one.

 

[Dino944]

well said as usual, dino.

Thanks Stitchy.

There's some appeal in the Milgauss' funky looks, and I like the watch — but not enough to get one instead of the sports models, either. I have a colleague who sometimes wears one, and it's cool to see on the wrist. But it's also quite thick and is one of the heaviest steel watches they make due to its double case. That might be another factor in why they tend not to stick around.

However, its raison d'être of magnetic-field resistance has been made obsolete by Rolex's new hairspring, so the functional justification is gone. Have a look at this watchmaker's comparison to see just how immune it is to even a magnet being held directly against the coils:



It's obvious why modern watches don't have many problems with getting magnetized compared to older ones with steel hairsprings, as you can see how much less susceptible even a Nivarox spring is. It takes a quite a bit to magnetize one. But Parachrom is completely non-ferrous and just doesn't move at all; any newer Rolex with one inside should be fine even for someone working near MRI equipment. The Faraday cage in the Milgauss seems like just a bit of overkill, so the decision really just comes down to whether someone prefers its looks over the other models.

While the GMT would be my first recommendation from the current range for a person who just wants one quality watch for any situation, if the black Submariner is too plain but the Milgauss GV appeals, then the Sub LV would be worth considering as well. I've spent some more time it recently and there's nothing to fault; it's essentially a perfect watch. The timing bezel provides a useful function, and its feel of operation is like nothing else. The brushed finish is much more practical than the polished surfaces on the GMT and especially the Milgauss, and the clasp is just unbeatable. Definitely worth checking out given what JB said he's after...

Hi Belligero. I can certainly understand if someone is drawn to the looks of the Milgauss over another watch, as we all have different opinions regarding design and appearance. If the Migauss is what really makes the OP smile, then that is the watch he should get.

Although, I haven't seen it in person, the new Blue/Black GMT is currently one my favorite modern Rolex watches. When I travel, I really like having a watch that can be quickly adjusted to tell time in more than one timezone. I do wish the lugs and center links were a brushed finish, as on the Sub. I find brushed finishes give a watch less of a jewelry look and it is better for masking finger prints and small scratches (still that blue/black could eventually be a next Rolex purchase for me).

Great video, showing the effects a magnet does or does not have on an old, recent, and modern Rolex movement. Its nice to know that one can choose any modern Rolex and have no worries about the watch being magnetized.

In the end, Rolex builds a very solid, rugged watches (or in Stitchy's words, its Rolexness) so whatever the OP choose he will have many years of great use and enjoyment from any model he chooses.

 

[in stitches]



so the decision really just comes down to whether someone prefers its looks over the other models.

that sums it up for me. that is why i am lusting for the milgauss and Blue/Black GMT.

 

[mimo]

Exactly so. So I'll just lust for the black Sub, you get the Milgauss, then we fight over the GMT (unless Dino, inevitably, gets there first!).*



*and in the mean time, the OP wonders what the hell he started!

 

[in stitches]

 

[Dino944]

I agree with you Mimo. I happen to think water resitance is one of the most over-blown, over-hyped and over-rated aspects of contemporary watches. Only the most accomplished of divers will ever descend past 50m, but the hype machine has many believing that they need at least 300m of water resistance to safely wash their hands. And that 600m of water resistance is twice as good! Given that the hulll crush depth of a nucelar submarine is around 300m, I have a hard time imagining the circusmstance that would expose a watch to pressure at twice that depth.

** Rant off **

That said, anti-magnetic properties are valuable and practical. I have never had a watch implode due to water pressure, but I have had several pieces get magnetized over the years. There are something like 20 magnets in an i-Pad case alone. You might not want to have a beloved vintage piece on your wrist while i-Goofing around for too long with one of those. Yes, the fix is quick and not very costly, but it is a pain ********** - and the watch is rendered completely useless until it is de-magnetized.

As for the GV - I think it's totally cool. One of the few contemporary Rolex pieces that just hollers "buy me!" quite loudly whenever I see one.

Sure 100 m is more than enough water resistance for most people. Was there a huge need for Rolex to go from 200 m to 300 m with a Sub, probably not. However, Subs have been water resistant to 300 m for more than 2 decades. If someone is using a watch for diving, I don't think it is wrong for them to necessarily want the watch to be water resistant to a depth substantially greater than they will be diving to. In most parts of the US the speed limit is only 65 mph. If you were buying tires for a BMW, Porsche, or Lotus, even if the car has a top speed of say 150 mph but you don't plan to ever go above 85 mph, when replacing tires would you only choose tires speed rated for 93 mph? I don't think anyone in this forum believes they need 300 m WR to wash their hands.

As for your need to wear a modern anti-magnetic watch to use your iPad, the video Belligero posted shows that a person can buy any modern Rolex without fear of it becoming magnetized. My point was never that the GV was a bad watch, just that it doesn't do more than a DJ does. If it floats your boat, go for it.