Poor man's watch thread

[SJR3]

I admit I'm a quartz snob these days, and for a reactionary old git like me, there is just so much wrong with that watch. And yet. I find it massively pleasing! I take a guilty pleasure in multiple coloured hands, I too have been looking for a GMT, and although the PVD crown is a bit cheesy, I love the shape and how it balances out the bright coloured elements in the dial.

That is a totally anti-watch-nerd watch. But there is something brilliant in the way the design all pulls together. Tell us more please?

Ha, those sentiments are totally understandable, and I don't disagree with you.

Farer is a relatively new British brand (founded in 2015, I think) using decent Swiss movements. From the reviews I've read, seems like people who know much more about watches than myself say that Farer makes a quality product, though a bit overpriced, but if you like the unique designs, why not?

What sold me on this watch was that it's GMT/dual time. I'm an aviation enthusiast and private pilot, and Zulu time is used extensively in that world. Sure, the conversion is easy to do in your head, but I've always thought it'd be cool to have a GMT watch. And since I plan for this watch to actually be useful to me, rather than purely wearing for pleasure or show, I wanted the accuracy and reliability of a quartz movement. Farer offers a few similar designs that are automatics and have a GMT complication, but they are around 1500 USD, and that's way more than I was looking to spend on a watch like this. I do prefer the look of this particular GMT auto over the quartz, though:



As for Farer's design aesthetic, I like the size (39.5mm) and the relative simplicity as well as legibility. And the pop of color on the hands, while not something I would want on every watch, seems tastefully done. I do not, however, like the bronze crown.

So all in all, this watch fits the bill of what I was looking for. It's definitely not a watch snob's watch, but I think I'll like it. The market for GMT watches is surprisingly sparse, at least for a design I find appealing and in my budget range.

This watch will bring my collection of PMWs to 4: two mechanicals (Hamilton Khaki Field Officer, Tissel flieger) and two quartz (Timex Weekender is my other). I'm not ready to make the jump out of PMW territory, but if I ever do, I'd probably go for the Sinn 856 UTC.

 

[Kaplan]

I believe the crown is bronze and not PVD'ed. They also make mechanical watches, AFAIK.

EDIT: hadn't seen the reply above before answering - sorry.

I agree that the overall design is rather fun and pleasing. I'm not considering getting one, but it does kinda remind me of a colourful Swatch I wore in the mid 80s.

 

[Jazzmenco]

My Charmex arrived..couldn't believe the size of the box..wasn't expecting this...at $389, free shipping - no tax - what a deal!

 

[flvinny521]

My Charmex arrived..couldn't believe the size of the box..wasn't expecting this...at $389, free shipping - no tax - what a deal!

Never heard of them, looks nice. That would probably look great on a brown strap.

 

[Medwed]

Honestly , this threak should be renamed into "Poor taste man's watch thread". There are so many vomit worthy examples that it deserves a new name. Being budget watch buyer is in no way an excuse to buy all sort of ugly junk made yesterday just to add to the World's landfill.

 

[Jazzmenco]

Also apparently a vomit worthy troll

 

[goodnuff]

Honestly , this thread should be renamed into "Poor taste man's watch thread". There are so many vomit worthy examples that it deserves a new name. Being budget watch buyer is in no way an excuse to buy all sort of ugly junk made yesterday just to add to the World's landfill.

Don't hold back - say it like you mean it. </sarcasm>

"Taste" is completely subjective. I've seen big-dollar watches that I'd be absolutely embarrassed to wear. Money doesn't equal taste - it never has and it never will. This thread may stray a bit out of the "poor man" range at times, but I've seen watches here that I'd love to own and wear. "Vomit worthy examples" could just as easily be found in the big dollar watch threads, too.

 

[am55]

If someone digs for a reaction via an unqualified strong opinion, don't bite. If the opinion is qualified, you can address the arguments without responding to the tone.

Pray do tell us more, товарищ - which watches specifically strike you as некультурный and why? Let us have a civil discussion on merit, and remember to keep your examples under an MSRP of USD 1,000.

 

[Jazzmenco]

You are absolutely correct @crdb, I over reacted but "jerks like that just piss me off"

 

[am55]

In these moments I always think back of Pierre's entrance in Tolstoy's War and Peace:

The young man had not yet entered either the military or civil service, as he had only just returned from abroad where he had been educated, and this was his first appearance in society. Anna Pávlovna greeted him with the nod she accorded to the lowest hierarchy in her drawing room. But in spite of this lowest-grade greeting, a look of anxiety and fear, as at the sight of something too large and unsuited to the place, came over her face when she saw Pierre enter. Though he was certainly rather bigger than the other men in the room, her anxiety could only have reference to the clever though shy, but observant and natural, expression which distinguished him from everyone else in that drawing room.

“It is very good of you, Monsieur Pierre, to come and visit a poor invalid,” said Anna Pávlovna, exchanging an alarmed glance with her aunt as she conducted him to her.

Pierre murmured something unintelligible, and continued to look round as if in search of something. On his way to the aunt he bowed to the little princess with a pleased smile, as to an intimate acquaintance.

Anna Pávlovna’s alarm was justified, for Pierre turned away from the aunt without waiting to hear her speech about Her Majesty’s health. Anna Pávlovna in dismay detained him with the words: “Do you know the Abbé Morio? He is a most interesting man.”

“Yes, I have heard of his scheme for perpetual peace, and it is very interesting but hardly feasible.”

“You think so?” rejoined Anna Pávlovna in order to say something and get away to attend to her duties as hostess. But Pierre now committed a reverse act of impoliteness. First he had left a lady before she had finished speaking to him, and now he continued to speak to another who wished to get away. With his head bent, and his big feet spread apart, he began explaining his reasons for thinking the abbé’s plan chimerical.

“We will talk of it later,” said Anna Pávlovna with a smile.

A thread is a bit like Anna Pavlovna's salon, with unspoken rules and manners and a tone that a keen and inexperienced entrant may miss. I have been Pierre many times, still am to some extent (have to try hard not to be, in any case) and so feel a bit of empathy to Pierres all over. He's not a bad chap by the end of the story, just needs some patience and kindness.

I for one welcome any discussion no matter how heated, so long as its information content is not null.

 

[am55]

The other thing to keep in mind is that Russians (and citizen of the PRC to a lesser extent) have strong opinions and emotions and a very direct style which is understandable given the country's history. But I've always found their world view worth trying to understand.

The internet and globalisation are leading to an unfortunate homogenisation of thought, and to hear from a different way of thinking whilst initially grating can be refreshing and enlightening. The only other source of "new" thought is the past, which after all "is another country" (dixit Hartley). I am of course speaking purely from my own experience and preference; this forum is culturally strongly American, with a majority American (and indeed, coastal American) membership and it is up to the majority to decide whether they want to welcome, or exclude, a divergence of opinion.

 

[mimo]

A globalised insult is rarely a worthwhile basis for discussion, even if it qualifies as an opinion. Let's get back to watches, shall we?

At the risk of opening the old debate as to whether vintage watches from more expensive brands are "real" PMWs, I'd like to ask about "GUB" (Glashuette Uhrenbetrieber) watches. For those unfamiliar, GUB was the nationalised single watch brand in East Germany after WWII, combining the resources of Glashuettes traditional makers into a single state enterprise. After the Wall came down and it was privatised again, many of the old family businesses were re-born: Lange, Muehle, Tutima etc. The rump of the old GUB became what is now the Glashuette Original and Union brands, owned by the Swatch Group.

The GUB-era watches are quite interesting. They have a huge range of case shapes and styles. My wife's is a thick gold-plated thing with shrouded lugs and a bright red dial; mine is a blue-dialed worldtimer in a tonneau. Apparently, Glashuette Original will still service them back at HQ, though the cost (hundreds) seems disproportionate to their value. Has anyone else owned any? Suggestions for parts and service would be welcome.

 

[Medwed]

These are watches folks.
1. Gala with thick applied lettering rose gold plated with heavily patinated silvered dial. 37mm Cost approx. 55USD from Ebay.
2. Citizen Bullhead with original gray dial and orange hands. Unfrankenstined and still looks sporty and fun. Cost as far as I rembr. 140USD from Ebay
3. Waltham Day-Date Automatic. Used to be gold plated now (designed by time) only sunburst has remnants of gold. Cost something around 200USD from Ebay

 

[ShawnBC]

That Waltham and Citizen bullhead are very nice! Price has started to go up recently, as the vintage watch craze has spread to the more accessible watch brands...

 

[goodnuff]

I just picked this up for $35 + shipping - Seiko SSB051.