Poor man's watch thread

[Kaplan]

The texture of the Perlon straps really elevate them over the Nato straps (especially for this watch).

 

[venessian]

I'm trying to break free from the constraints you want to put on the MO because they're the reason I've not worn it in 5 years. I used to wear it on the croc strap exclusively because I felt like it needed to be dressy and sober, especially with the polished case. The size, though. A white 41 mm dial and case that is 12-13 mm tall is a big watch more typical of a casual/sporty watch. It's the same reason I always like the big IWC automatics in pictures until I see them on my wrist and struggle with when and how I would wear them. My gut is that I want to go with a navy Erika's strap with either a white, grey or light blue stripe to make this watch something I would enjoy wearing again. I just wish it had 20 mm lugs because that's where all my strap options fall currently.

I don't think of these things as "constraints" as much as personal taste and expression, and I fully understand and respect your position. I do agree that the size of the MO, even with the polished case, will support an MN strap with white or light stripe, no problem, and will not suffer from some drastic "mis-matching".

The first thing we should all throw out are very subjective "rules" which hinder our own personal enjoyment of these things. So, fully endorsing in fact, I say try the Erika's MN you want...if you like it you will wear the combination with confidence, entirely appropriate to you, your style, your personality, and it will be great for that alone. ?

EDIT: Does Erika's make a MN strap with the white, grey, or light blue stripe you want but maybe on a slightly lighter grey color strap, like the "Medium Grey" color in the 2nd (middle) of the 3 images you posted above? That grey looks very good, to me.

This grey:

EDIT #2: Sorry, I see now that you wrote "My gut is that I want to go with a navy Erika's strap with either a white, grey or light blue stripe..." in this post (it looks like the photo you attached in the first post is a Dark or Olive Green color maybe?). I certainly think Navy with a White or Grey stripe could work well.

 

[venessian]

Of everything posted on the MO today, I think this is my favorite @venessian :

View attachment 1601296

Thank you, that is very kind of you.

 

[venessian]

The texture of the Perlon straps really elevate them over the Nato straps (especially for this watch).

I agree with that. Even the various Perlon weaves make a difference. The Eulit "Palma" is the most open and breathable strap Eulit make, but also of course has the most "coarse/heavy" weave and texture. A fair amount of skin shows through, also, which is a consideration.

Apologies, because I have posted this Nomos watch before and recently, but as an example for this discussion I do feel, even after years of use, that the Eulit "Kristall" strap, which has a much finer/tighter/flatter weave than the "Palma", looks very good on this Blaugold 822, definitely a "dressier" watch in all aspects than the Stowa MO.

(This is the Eulit "Kristall" color "Blue", I think the same color @Kaplan posted above on a Stowa, on the Nomos. This strap is ~4 years old and still looks excellent imo. I only hand-wash in mild soap once in a rare while, air dry. These are very durable straps. In the USA Holben's is the best source I have found for Eulit; very nice people too.)

 

[New Shoes1]

I agree with that. Even the various Perlon weaves make a difference. The Eulit "Palma" is the most open and breathable strap Eulit make, but also of course has the most "coarse/heavy" weave and texture. A fair amount of skin shows through, also, which is a consideration.

Apologies, because I have posted this Nomos watch before and recently, but as an example for this discussion I do feel, even after years of use, that the Eulit "Kristall" strap, which has a much finer/tighter/flatter weave than the "Palma", looks very good on this Blaugold 822, definitely a "dressier" watch in all aspects than the Stowa MO.

(This is the Eulit "Kristall" color "Blue", I think the same color @Kaplan posted above on a Stowa, on the Nomos. This strap is ~4 years old and still looks excellent imo. I only hand-wash in mild soap once in a rare while, air dry. These are very durable straps. In the USA Holben's is the best source I have found for Eulit; very nice people too.)

View attachment 1601354

I like that strap very much. Unfortunately, it's sold out at Holben's currently in 22mm. Will have to keep my eyes open for a restock.

 

[Michigan Planner]

Some great options shown with that Stowa here and I agree that perlon might be the winner. I’m not usually a fan of perlon straps in general but they do look good on that MO.

 

[venessian]

I like that strap very much. Unfortunately, it's sold out at Holben's currently in 22mm. Will have to keep my eyes open for a restock.

I just checked and sadly it looks like Eulit do not make the "Kristall" in 22mm, so Holben's et al will never have it in stock.

20mm looks like the widest Eulit make in "Kristall".

Eulit do make other perlon strap models in 22mm width.
The "Atlantic" in color 51 Navy Blue might work for you, but it is much closer (it looks in fact like the same weave, with a different buckle) to the "Palma" in terms of weave/texture:

Eulit "Atlantic" in color 51 Navy Blue. 22mm.

Eulit "Palma" in color 51 Navy Blue. 22mm.



> Come to think of it, I think that exact issue is why the Navy Blue Perlon strap I have on my Stowa MO (22mm like yours) is the Clockwork Synergy, iirc from their eBay store. The weave is tighter than the Eulit "Palma" but not as tight/flat as the Eulit "Kristall". The Navy Blue color is darker than Eulit's, so I preferred the Clockwork also for that reason. A good strap, perhaps not quite Eulit quality, but close enough: it lasts very well, was extremely affordable, the color is good, the buckle is polished matching the Stowa case. However, the width tends to look just a little bit "sloppier" by default because of the looser weave.

I think the Eulit "Atlantic" perhaps was not available when I wanted a 22mm Navy Blue Perlon strap not as loose as the Eulit "Palma", which I bought, viewed, returned immediately...but then even the "Atlantic" or "Palma" might have looser edges in actual use. The weave is simply not nearly as tight as the "Kristall" on any of these alternatives.

 

[venessian]

I also bought one of these from SemperStraps, via eBay: Perlon, 22mm, Blue.

Pros: fairly tight weave; decent quality; good color (Navy Blue flecked with Black), price, and communication; fast shipping (pre-Covid) from Czech Republic. Or, just search eBay for "22mm Perlon strap".

Cons: the buckle looks/feels like crap, is roughly finished, and is not polished. But it would be very simple to switch in a nicer, polished, 22mm buckle if you have or find one.

 

[monkey66]

New from CW, I quite like the white face/black leather auto.

For me the date and GMT are just superfluous on this design.

C63 Sealander Automatic | Christopher Ward

Buy C63 Sealander Automatic at Christopher Ward.

www.christopherward.com

Sport Watches | Christopher Ward

The C63 Sealander collection: designed in England and made in Switzerland. Featuring three go-anywhere, do-everything sports watches that take in everything from an ingenious pop-out crown to one of the world’s best ‘GMT’ movements. Affordable and innovative.

www.christopherward.com

Admittedly I am a bit of a CW fan. They often look/feel better in real-life than pictures.

 

[New Shoes1]

New from CW, I quite like the white face/black leather auto.

For me the date and GMT are just superfluous on this design.

C63 Sealander Automatic | Christopher Ward

Buy C63 Sealander Automatic at Christopher Ward.

www.christopherward.com

Sport Watches | Christopher Ward

The C63 Sealander collection: designed in England and made in Switzerland. Featuring three go-anywhere, do-everything sports watches that take in everything from an ingenious pop-out crown to one of the world’s best ‘GMT’ movements. Affordable and innovative.

www.christopherward.com

Admittedly I am a bit of a CW fan. They often look/feel better in real-life than pictures.

I agree, I like them. If they come out with a version with the right blue dial, I might pick one up.

 

[officine]

I like Erika's MN too, but not so much on that watch. I like it the least, just my reaction. I find the stripe distracting and incongruent given the sobriety and elegance of the MO dial. I do like the middle silver-grey strap there. It looks lively and interesting, not bland but neither over the top.
.....

Hey @venessian, I noticed your affinity for German brands. Perhaps you can opine on the following?....

Pilot Officer - Guinand Pilot Watches

The golden age of flight Semi-gloss black Tri-Compax dial, easy to read chronograph counters and the design of our 60s pilot-classic Flying Officer.

www.guinand-uhren.de

I'm looking to replace my departed Speedy (sold due to size) with something a bit smaller in the same genre, with more water resistance. I like what I've read about Guinand, and specs on this model in particular (other than the thickness), but have never seen one in the flesh.

Any experience with Guinand?

 

[New Shoes1]

Not really a PMW, but I’d like to share here.

 

[gdl203]

Fun one. Dope bracelet

 

[venessian]

Hey @venessian, I noticed your affinity for German brands. Perhaps you can opine on the following?....

Pilot Officer - Guinand Pilot Watches

The golden age of flight Semi-gloss black Tri-Compax dial, easy to read chronograph counters and the design of our 60s pilot-classic Flying Officer.

www.guinand-uhren.de

I'm looking to replace my departed Speedy (sold due to size) with something a bit smaller in the same genre, with more water resistance. I like what I've read about Guinand, and specs on this model in particular (other than the thickness), but have never seen one in the flesh.

Any experience with Guinand?

I am no expert by any means, have limited means, and so after years of research I "fell into" German watches rather than chasing them. I do very much like the design aesthetic of most German watches, but not necessarily more so than many of the Swiss, etc. To me the German brands do offer a superior cost/value watch in many cases, for my budget, and with designs that really fulfill my own aesthetic. I also like that many of the German manufactures are smaller than their Swiss counterparts.

If I had the funds I might certainly buy older IWC Mark XV or Portofino, or Rolex Explorer or Daytona, or some Omega (would love an older Speedmaster Pro), maybe a few other Swiss (Tank, Reverso), but those are always more passing fancies than serious thoughts. I find I am very happy with the Stowa, Damasko, Nomos, old Omega, and G-Shock I have...but do look very often at Dornblüth; dream of Hentschel, dream of Lange, maybe Schauer and a few others, all German. I very rarely sell / never flip, am not a collector, spend money on other priorities, and am always content with the 4-5 maximum watches I have.

All that said, Guinand has long been and still is a very solid and interesting brand to me. I think their 31E.12.2 Pilot gives the IWC Mark XV a very serious run for "perfect" design in a time-only Pilot; I love the no-date and simplicity/elegance of the dial. The Tri-Compax Pilot Officer you posted has always intrigued me, and I think it is beautiful. Guinand have a very solid reputation from what I have read (years on WUS, TZ, etc), and I think are generally well-considered.

Honestly, the one element of Guinand that would (and has) cause(d) me to look elsewhere is the logo with that "Amazon-like" arch from "G" to "D". I am sure that sounds very picky, but I find that arch bothersome, a bit too "loud." That's it, nothing to do with the rest of the designs or mechanicals of the brand.

The chronograph market is chock-full of German brands, many truly excellent, which surely you have researched. Unfortunately I have never bought a chrono or Guinand in my life, so I cannot offer first-hand experience. If you have not already done so, I would recommend asking questions on WUS, especially in the "German Watches" and "Pilots' & Military Watches" sub forums (both, because often on WUS there is not so much crossover between forums).

Sorry for the long answer, but I hope some of it helps. Replacing a Speedmaster must be a challenging, fun, and interesting task...Good luck! ?

 

[officine]

I am no expert by any means, have limited means, and so after years of research I "fell into" German watches rather than chasing them. I do very much like the design aesthetic of most German watches, but not necessarily more so than many of the Swiss, etc. To me the German brands do offer a superior cost/value watch in many cases, for my budget, and with designs that really fulfill my own aesthetic. I also like that many of the German manufactures are smaller than their Swiss counterparts.

If I had the funds I might certainly buy older IWC Mark XV or Portofino, or Rolex Explorer or Daytona, or some Omega (would love an older Speedmaster Pro), maybe a few other Swiss (Tank, Reverso), but those are always more passing fancies than serious thoughts. I find I am very happy with the Stowa, Damasko, Nomos, old Omega, and G-Shock I have...but do look very often at Dornblüth; dream of Hentschel, dream of Lange, maybe Schauer and a few others, all German. I very rarely sell / never flip, am not a collector, spend money on other priorities, and am always content with the 4-5 maximum watches I have.

All that said, Guinand has long been and still is a very solid and interesting brand to me. I think their 31E.12.2 Pilot gives the IWC Mark XV a very serious run for "perfect" design in a time-only Pilot; I love the no-date and simplicity/elegance of the dial. The Tri-Compax Pilot Officer you posted has always intrigued me, and I think it is beautiful. Guinand have a very solid reputation from what I have read (years on WUS, TZ, etc), and I think are generally well-considered.

Honestly, the one element of Guinand that would (and has) cause(d) me to look elsewhere is the logo with that "Amazon-like" arch from "G" to "D". I am sure that sounds very picky, but I find that arch bothersome, a bit too "loud." That's it, nothing to do with the rest of the designs or mechanicals of the brand.

The chronograph market is chock-full of German brands, many truly excellent, which surely you have researched. Unfortunately I have never bought a chrono or Guinand in my life, so I cannot offer first-hand experience. If you have not already done so, I would recommend asking questions on WUS, especially in the "German Watches" and "Pilots' & Military Watches" sub forums (both, because often on WUS there is not so much crossover between forums).

Sorry for the long answer, but I hope some of it helps. Replacing a Speedmaster must be a challenging, fun, and interesting task...Good luck! ?

Thank you for that. Did start immersing myself on WUS. Am deciding between the Guinand and a Nivada Grenchen Chronomaster. I like the sizing on both, and the quirkiness on the Nivada.