Anyone for fresh Tuna?

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Well, that Zenith has forced a little rationalisation of the collection, and unfortunately another victim is my beloved MM300. However, to fill the tool watch void, what better solution than a Seiko “Tuna” SBBN007? With a heritage that goes back some four decades and a shrouded case that just screams “I mean business”, this is the perfect foil to the other three watches that sit proudly in the box.

The SBBN007 is big – the case measures 48mm in diameter, not including the crown, 14mm in thickness and has a 22mm lug width. That said, the lugs sit pretty much underneath the case, and as a consequence it wears surprisingly small on the wrist considering its dimensions. Internally, it’s powered by the respected 7-jewel Seiko 7C46 quartz movement. Overall, as you can see from the photos below, he look and feel is one of quality. This is, after all, a Prospex model and it enjoys a cult following amongst those who err towards dive watches in their collection.

So, here it is then – Seiko’s much-revered shrouded diver. Gotta love some Tuna, don’t you think?

Striking 10th… the Zenith of my collection

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The Zenith El Primero Striking 10th really was one of my very few grail watches, but at £7000 I couldn’t ever imagine myself buying one. To find one brand new, and at 50% discount, is simply unheard of and there was no way I could let the opportunity slip, even though it didn’t come at the best of times if the truth be told.

Most people will know that for many years Rolex used this movement in their Daytonas, albeit in a slightly modified form. What’s less well known, though is that the Zenith El Primero was the world’s first automatic chronograph movement, and it was actually released on an unsuspecting world in 1969. Back then, it looked like this (with thanks to Panofsky on TZ-UK):

Anyway, what is effectively a reissue of this iconic watch has been made in limited edition of… yes, 1969! This one is actually number 644, and looking at the dial you can see that the original tachymeter has been replaced with a ten-second centre chrono counter. This is to reflect the 10 beats per second/36,000 beats per hour of the movement, and watching the chrono hand sweep around the dial is a joy. In fact, the watch is a joy in it’s entirety.

Union Glashütte

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I’ve realised recently that the watches that interest me – really interest me – are likely to be a little left of centre. I don’t get excited any longer by mainstream watches; in fact, walking into a shop and buying something off the shelf has lost it’s appeal for me at the moment. With that dawning realisation spurring me on I decided that I would go for something a little different, and here it is… a Union Glashütte Klassik Gangreserve.

The Union Glashütte brand is slightly more “under the radar” than Glashüttes/GO’s generally, but even though the Swatch Group have influenced production such that Union now house ETA movements, this was a relatively recent development. Fortunately, the one that I’ve bought (below) houses instead the Union Basiskaliber 26-44 engine; I need to do a little more research on it, but it’s basically an un-elaborated version of GO’s GUB 10-30/39; and far superior to any ETA alternative.

The quality of these watches seems to rival that of brands costing two or three times as much, and I can see this being an absolute keeper.

Scratching the itch with some Italian

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Well, it’s a while since I bought anything (not really – it just seems like it) and I was lucky enough to snag something that ticked quite a few boxes. Firstly, I’ve wanted to try a Tuna for some time, and this is very Tuna-esque in size and appearance; secondly, I was short of a chrono and missed the white on black subdials of my old Sinn 103 A Sa; thirdly, I fancied a quartz that wouldn’t need setting every time I picked it up; and finally, I wanted something cheap enough that I could pretend it was a beater, even if I never beat it!

The Seiko Italian Chronograph was only made for a year, between 1998 and 1999. The one I picked up was NOS with the complete package – which is quite unusual – and you can read more about it/them here (the author being Derek Bartle, from whom I bought this lovely example). A bit of a collectors piece really, but one that I’ll be wearing. In fact, I’m wearing it right now!

When the watch fund runs dry

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Sometimes – actually, quite often – there’s not enough in the watch fund to scratch that perennial itch. And it doesn’t really matter how happy we are with the watches we have, that need for something new, something different, just won’t go away.

That, my friends, is the time to reach for the ubiquitous Bergeon. Because the next best thing to a new watch is an old watch that looks… well, new.

SOTC

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I don’t mind admitting that I posted this in similar form on the TZ forum too, but it deserves a place on here if only as a marker in my hobby/journey/obsession…

There have been a couple of SOTC posts of late that I found really enjoyable to read and – because I came to an interesting conclusion this morning – I was prompted to do something similar myself. The conclusion I came to, having not really bought anything of significance for some weeks – was that I’m really happy and settled with my collection. Without thinking too much about it, I seem to have covered all the bases, and every watch has it’s own specific part to play in the whole. So here they are, then, 5 months down the TZ road…

Rolex Submariner 16610 LV

The watch that started me on this perilous journey was the one and only Submariner. I’d always considered it an icon in the true sense of the word, and the only reason my original Sub was allowed to go was in order to fund the LV that is now my absolute keeper. Currently on the green bezel insert but I may just switch it for the black one that’s sitting in the box soon; and what I consider to be the perfect marriage of traditional size case with maxi dial. A truly wonderful watch.

Seiko Marine Master SBDX001

The first time I had an SBDX001 in my grasp, I got myself in a right old state about the bracelet clasp, and because it never quite felt perfect I mistakenly let it go. The moment I posted it off, though, I knew I was going to buy another and the replacement came all the way from Jakarta, BNIB and courtesy of Kucimo. This time I planned for it’s arrival, and a quick switch of clasps (I have no need whatsoever for a ratcheted divers extension, frankly) soon proved to be the answer. And for those who’ve never owned one, there’s a reason that those of us that sell them almost always buy them again. And again…

Omega Aqua Terra 2503.33.00

I’d never particularly been into Omega, but that changed when I saw a Broadarrow, with blue hands and markers, for the first time. It was bloody gorgeous, and I immediately set my heart on something similar, nearly crying when I missed this fairly scarce and discontinued Aqua Terra first time around! I got it in the end, though, and I regard it as the perfect dress watch in today’s less than dressy age.

Grand Seiko 61GS 6146-8000

My next Seiko was bought on pure, unstoppable impulse. Dating back to 1968, it’s one of the earlier-production Grand Seikos… the GS newbies have illustrious forefathers that have only recently been properly recognised as classics (at least by most of us). This one has had the lightest of polishes and looks as if it were bought yesterday, but its simple, understated design (or should I say its “grammar”) is completely timeless. I really do love it, and having worn it with anything from a suit to a pair of disgustingly old jeans I can vouch for it’s total adaptability.

Casio 110QS-37B

Another impulse buy, but when you get an opportunity to acquire an iconic watch from the year 1980, in unworn and pristine condition, and for not very much money… well, it would be rude not to. I haven’t had it sized as yet as I’m not sure that I’m going to wear it, but I love the fact that it’s such a reminder of another period in my life, and whether I wear it or not doesn’t really matter. I probably will, though, and if I do I’ll match it up with an appropriate pair of flared Lee jeans and a nice purple tank top.

Casio G-Shock DW-5000SL-1ER

Finally, the beater. Well, it’s not really as – try as I might – I don’t seem to “do” beaters. I look after all my watches in the same way, but if I were to own a beater it would most likely look just like this one. As it is, it’s another retro digital (and another Casio) modelled on the classics from the eighties but given the bullet-proof G build quality. Strangely, I wear it a lot, even though it’s the least glamorous of my collection. There’s something reassuring about it, and it’s seen some fine matches at The Lane already this season.

That’s it then! Five months-worth of evolution in my small collection, and I’m happy. Well, I’m happy for now…

43 years old? You’re kidding, right?

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I must confess that I thought long and hard about whether I wanted a watch with someone else’s sabi on it… I mean, it’s not like I had any emotional investment in it. And having made some enquiries, I was surprised to find that Seiko wouldn’t/couldn’t help – not just here in the UK but even Seiko Japan, who will actually  send watches back unpolished if they’re returned to their birthplace for a spruce up. Something to do with the “grammar”, don’t you know.

Notwithstanding this conspiracy against me, I popped into my local watchmaker to chat about a couple of things, and he assured me that he could bring it back to near-original condition without losing any of the lovely sharp lines of the case and with complete respect for what he was dealing with; an old, somewhat rare and very beautiful watch. Still, my heart was in my mouth when I picked it up this afternoon.

It needn’t have been, as you can see… and what’s the only thing better than a vintage Grand Seiko? A vintage Grand Seiko that looks good as new, of course!

Diving into Precista

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I must admit I hadn’t heard of the Precista brand until joining TZ-UK earlier this year. However, these watches form part of the Time Factors stable owned by TZ’s host Eddie Platts and they have a fantastic reputation both for quality and for value for money.

I’m no expert on the subject, but it seems that the intention was (and is) to produce a series of military-style homages (think Omega, Blancpain, IWC, etc) wherever possible upgrading the specification such that they were an improvement on the original inspiration. Judging by the reputation Eddie’s built for himself I’d say he’s succeeded as he has a loyal fan base that seems to be growing with each new acquisition.

You can check out the full range here, but I recently dipped by toe in the water by getting my hands on a PRS17Q; my first quartz watch for some time, and really comfortable to wear. In Eddie’s own words: “This model was issued in 1988 and 1989 only with the ordnance numbers 6645-99, 75733 14 and interestingly, was fitted with a different dial for each of the two years of issue. The dial on this model is in the style of that fitted to the 1989 original.

The original had a mineral crystal and was fitted with the ETA 955.114 seven jewel quartz movement. In keeping with my policy of updating the specification, the PRS-17Q is fitted with a sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on the underside and a Ronda 715Li 5 jewel quartz movement with a 10 year battery life. This watch is made in Germany by Walter Fricker GmbH & Co KG, the company which made the Dreadnought.”

Anyway, enough of that – it looks nice, doesn’t it?

Evolution of a watch collection

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One cold morning at the turn of this year, I was looking at my two watches – a Rolex OP date and a Tag 6000 chrono – and wondering if I really needed them both. My girlfriend walked into the bedroom whilst I was musing and said that it was about time I sold the Tag, which she didn’t like at all, and just stuck to one watch. I mean, who needed two anyway?

Now, I hadn’t discovered the little corner of the Interweb that’s home to the various watch forums I now frequent, so – in my state of blissful ignorance – I decided that a change was as good as a rest. By April, I’d made up my mind that I wanted a Sub, and just a Sub and I proceeded to track one down, barely used, and to pay an inordinate sum to get it on my wrist. I was in heaven, looking at it dozens of times a day but almost always without having a clue as to what time it was. My brief flirtation with high-end watch buying had come to a swift and expensive end.

Well, that’s what I assumed. However, from the point of “forum enlightenment” onwards (say, late May/early June) I think it’s fair to say that things didn’t go quite according to plan. I’d never even dreamt of seeing so many gorgeous and diverse watches, all in one place and all available. I wanted them all, and I proceeded to act like a kid in a sweetshop with said girlfriend looking on all the while in total bemusement and wondering what the hell I was thinking of.

All in all, it’s been something of a horological journey, condensed into what seems like a nanosecond of time. And as I can be a little self-indulgent (bearing in mind that write the posts on here) I thought I may as well document that journey by way of a few photographs (oh, and I’ve ignored the dozen or so that were flipped before they had a chance to leave any kind of impression on my wrist. But the good news is that I think I’m now pretty focussed, in that I’d just like (one day) to pick up a nice new or minty Grand Seiko and to add one or two more vintage pieces (probably Omega and/or Heuer, or perhaps a nice GMT) to the collection. At the moment, though, I’m pretty happy.

And I also have my G, of course, for those occasions when only a G will do!

PS I think my photos are getting a little better too.

May

July

September

October

Errr, still October

November

The much flipped Glycine

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Glycine is one of those manufacturers that those without an interest in watches are likely never to have heard of, but the company has been producing timepieces from its factory in Bienne (yes, that Bienne), Switzerland since being founded in 1914. Very soon, they were producing extremely precise, small movements for ladies watches, clad in precious gold and platinum cases, often studded with diamonds. But more was to come.

The legendary Airman line dates from the year 1953, when the first 24-hour watch with that name was launched on the market and sold by the thousands to the American armed forces. The Lagunare diver soon followed; the Incursore, claimed by the company to be the first real oversized watch, triggering the market trend towards big time keepers; and –since the early 60s – the Combat range. Precise automatic and chronograph movements, high-grade steel construction and classic design.

The first I knew of the Combat SUB were the stunning photos reproduced below; credit for them goes not to me but to Gary (“Omegary” on TZ-UK) but I could never have taken any better. I had, and loved, this watch for a while but in the end it went to make room for something different. The fact that I bought the exact same watch three times in total testifies, I think, to how much I liked it. Here… see why for yourself.

Gotta love some retro Casio

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It was quite a surprise when I realised I wanted a G-Shock. I’d never really had much interest in them but admired their toolishness and knew there were times that I’d wear one. Then the original Agos special popped up on TZ-UK and I decided to give it a go. It wasn’t a G, but some serial flipping saw about three that were pass through my hands before I settled on the DW-5000SL-1ER. It’s a retro beauty!

It’s very similar in style to the DW5600 but this one has a full stainless steel case and screw back, reminiscent of the original 80’s models. In fact, the “SL” in the model number denotes that this is the Spike Lee limited/25th anniversary edition, with Spike’s signature on the case back… not that it appealed to me because of that, but it happened to be the one I came across when I was ready to buy.

It’s not as big as some of the more modern style G’s but it has a nice weight to it and is supremely comfortable with it’s lovely, flexible resin strap. It fits nicely under a shirt cuff and looks surprisingly good with clothing other than jeans and a t-shirt. It’s also perfect for the gym, or on the bike… a fantastic all-rounder, in fact. The upside – or the downside, depending on your point of view – is that what you get with the DW5000-SL is a good, basic module. It gives you time, day, date and month; one alarm plus the hourly chime; and a 24 hour countdown timer and stopwatch. if you need world time, 5 alarms and Waveceptor technology, this isn’t the one for you. But who does, really?

This retro baby gives me everything I need from a G. The only other one I want, perhaps more, will cost me well over £200 if I find one used, so for now I’m not looking. Then again…

Grand Seiko 61GS

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I didn’t envisage ever owning a Grand Seiko even weeks ago. However, I found myself on a quest to add something vintage to my collection; I was developing an increasing admiration for Seiko generally, but particularly their high-end watches; and having owned a number of tool/dive watches of fairly substantial size, my Aqua Terra was leading me down the more traditional, dressy route.

This beautiful watch houses the automatic 6146 25-jewelled movement. It’s regarded as one of the best high-beat movements that Seiko have ever produced, beating at 36,000 bph; only 36,000 pieces of this model were ever produced (production started in December 1967); and a modification of the movement later became the 6185A, which was used in the Grand Seiko VFA (very fine adjusted).

Aside from all of the above, though, it’s 43 years old and… well, gorgeous.



Seiko Marine Master SBDX001

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This watch has a lot to answer for. The first one I bought was flipped, but the moment I sealed the box I knew I had to have another… there’s something about it, and you need to wear it to understand what I mean. This is no ordinary Seiko.

Based on an over thirty year-old design, the Marine Master 300 is like taking a step back in Seiko history. The quality is supreme, starting with the monocoque case, heavy but comfortable.  The movement is a 26 jewelled, 28,800 bph 8L35, an undecorated and unadjusted version of the high-end Grand Seiko 9S55. The dial is a rich and gorgeous matt black, with applied silver indices and Seiko’s magnificent Lumibrite fill on markers and hands.

There are many people who believe that this ultimate dive watch rivals anything in the Rolex stable – save for the price. Personally I don’t think it matters – it is what it is. A perfect watch.

Omega Aqua Terra 2503.33.00

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Until I saw a Broadarrow with white dial and blue hands & markers, the Omega thing hadn’t really kicked in for me. Now, though, there are many I’d like to add to my collection, and top of that list is probably a nice vintage SMP.  However, the ball has well and truly started rolling with this beautiful (and hard to find) 2503.33.00.

It features Omega’s revolutionary co-axial escapement on their 2500 calibre movement, with a rhodium-plated finish. The really stunning thing about this watch, though, is the incredible blue of the  applied markers and hands… at times it can be barely noticeable, but  at others – particularly in daylight and at the right angle – the watch is just a joy to behold.

It’s such a perfect design, looking dressy with the right clothing but also purposeful and casual when required. I think Omega made a big mistake in discontinuing this one – I have a queue of people who want to take it off my hands but they’ll be waiting a long, long time…

It started with the Submariner

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Well, in truth it didn’t – I’d owned a couple of Rolex watches before, but they were Datejusts. But in my own mind, I’d always seen the Submariner is the quintessential watch, the icon of icons. It was only a matter of time, if you’ll excuse the pun.

In may of this year I bought my first Submariner from Austin Kaye, a mint 16610 dating back to October 2009. Little did I know what I was letting myself in for, or that a few months later I’d be so smitten by the maxi dial and green bezel of the 16610 LV that I’d have sold one and bought the other.

Anyway, here they are… for me, as I said, one of the most iconic watches of all time and something that I’ll always have in my collection now. First, the beautiful LV…

And second, the Sub that really started me off on this quest for the perfect collection of watches… (sorry about the poor quality of the photos – they were pretty much the first I ever took!)