The Under £200ish Watch and occasional Opera Thread! Vol2

[summit7]

So a couple of thoughts.....

Barchettaman, is Tony the Tiger in the UK visiting or in Continental Europe?

I have been to Covent Garden a couple of times to learn Italian whilst engorging myself (or maybe not) on "Tosca" and other Italian Operas.

I failed my Italian O Level, I didn't like Opera then but if Tony the Tiger is here I would buy a seat with other PHers and go and watch.

Talking of watches I have my new Casio bike watch arrive two days ago. It is really good for the job I bought it for, handlebar shot against perfect countryside soon.

[Barchettaman]

Morning Summit,

Tony the Tiger is a colleague here in Austria, lovely lad, he’s half New Zealander, half Austrian. If you saw him you’d understand why he got his nickname: obviously he doesn’t have striped fur and eat Bengali villagers for fun, but he’s got a booming speaking voice that brings the old advertising slogan ‘They’re Grrrrrreat!’ to mind.

I don’t think Tiger is performing in the UK anytime soon. He’s got a job coming up in Amsterdam in the autumn, Lohengrin, IIRC.

I’m in London at ENO from the end of August, performing Peter Grimes from the end of September. Bobbers and Mike (BrokenSkunk) came to see a show I was in last year in Southampton, and very nice it was too. The support was much appreciated.

Tony also has a flame thrower, but I won’t spoil the surprise, that’s for the update in a few days.

It’s been a busy couple of weeks for me, just had a rehearsal and recording session in Dresden. Holy Christ, what an utterly beautiful city! Highly recommended. I mean, these places are at their absolute best in the early summer with the sun out but nonetheless it was gorgeous.

I travel around with a folding bike so get to see quite a lot if I’m in the mood. The schedule was stupidly tight this time so only got a couple of hours in.

On the way back along the Elbe river on the Radroute:



Orchestral rehearsals in Dresden Kulturpalast:




Recording in the Lukaskirche. This is (apparently) where all the East German opera and orchestral recordings took place:





My colleague Kirstin being interviewed for the local TV. Unsurprisingly they didn’t want to interview me, but I helped out by standing behind the camera and putting Kirstin off:



CdeG has an entirely healthy interest in my female colleagues so I like to include the odd photo.

The Freia was Nadja Mchantaf, delightful in every way:



Anyway, after a day today singing Walküre in Erfurt, it’s back to Austria for the day job:

Edited by Barchettaman on Tuesday 20th June 08:36

Edited by Barchettaman on Tuesday 20th June 08:37

[Mammasaid]

Chapeau Sir, chapeau!

[RSTurboPaul]

I don't think one could ever say an opera singer's life is boring! lol

[Bobberoo]

Excellent update as always Barchettaman!!!

[CharlesdeGaulle]

Appreciate the update on the female co-stars most of all, so a big thanks from me.

[blue_haddock]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

Appreciate the update on the female co-stars most of all, so a big thanks from me.

I most definitely would! ;-)

[BrokenSkunk]

blue_haddock said:

I most definitely would! ;-)

You're not the only one. The problems for me are (in no particular order):

• She almost certainly wouldn't.
• Mrs Broken would divorce me and take every penny watch I own.
• Mrs Broken would use something rusty to prune my gentleman.

On balance it may not be an entirely wise move on my part.

[The_Nugget]

This finally arrived and it is a beauty!



Really like to clean look to the dial and the Matt bezel.
The strap is nice too and has an excellent tool free micro adjustment. Definitely nicer than the Steeldive and Pagani metal ones.

I treated myself to a blue and a white rubber strap for it from the San Martin Website that are a ‘form fit’ but they’ve yet to arrive.

[RSTurboPaul]

The_Nugget said:

This finally arrived and it is a beauty!



Really like to clean look to the dial and the Matt bezel.
The strap is nice too and has an excellent tool free micro adjustment. Definitely nicer than the Steeldive and Pagani metal ones.

I treated myself to a blue and a white rubber strap for it from the San Martin Website that are a ‘form fit’ but they’ve yet to arrive.

No no no

The correct response is 'it is terrible, do not order one', as that way my credit card balance will actually get lower (eventually)...


What's the AR like? Does it have an obvious blue tinge to it?

Is the lume decent? (And is it all the same colour in daylight (as I hate mismatched hands/dial markers) and at night (as I prefer one colour of lume on everything)?)


EDIT: Both the San Martin website and the Watchdives website appear to be sold out and restocking on 1st of July... not that I'm going to buy anything, of course...

https://watchdives.com/collections/watchdives/prod...

https://www.sanmartin.watch/products/watchdives-x-...

Edited by RSTurboPaul on Wednesday 21st June 16:00

[RSTurboPaul]

On a totally unrelated note... is anyone good with Photoshop?

Who might be able/willing to 'swap' the orange strap in the first picture onto the blue-dial watch in the second picture for 'research' purposes?

https://watchdives.com/products/san-martin-curved-...






(Photos taken from the website linked to, please do feel free to remove them if they should not be here, mods.)

[CharlesdeGaulle]

My 'terrible mistake/make sure you don't repeat it' arrived today too.


I ordered the blue silicone strap at the same time, but the blue NATO was a freebie as the watch was delayed. I found swapping the straps a little fiddly but it's an excellent fit.



There are much cheaper homages out there but this feels like really decent quality.

[The_Nugget]

RSTurboPaul said:

No no no

The correct response is 'it is terrible, do not order one', as that way my credit card balance will actually get lower (eventually)...


What's the AR like? Does it have an obvious blue tinge to it?

Is the lume decent? (And is it all the same colour in daylight (as I hate mismatched hands/dial markers) and at night (as I prefer one colour of lume on everything)?)


EDIT: Both the San Martin website and the Watchdives website appear to be sold out and restocking on 1st of July... not that I'm going to buy anything, of course...

https://watchdives.com/collections/watchdives/prod...

https://www.sanmartin.watch/products/watchdives-x-...

Edited by RSTurboPaul on Wednesday 21st June 16:00

Lume seems decent and uniform in colour


In daylight, I’d say the Dial markers and hands are a creamy white and the bezel just white so slightly different colour but not troublesome (to me at least).

Not sure what you mean by AR?

[unrepentant]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

My 'terrible mistake/make sure you don't repeat it' arrived today too.


I ordered the blue silicone strap at the same time, but the blue NATO was a freebie as the watch was delayed. I found swapping the straps a little fiddly but it's an excellent fit.



There are much cheaper homages out there but this feels like really decent quality.

That looks identical to the Steeldive. What movement is in it?

[CharlesdeGaulle]

Pretty sure it's the NH35.

[unrepentant]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

Pretty sure it's the NH35.

Ok, thanks. Same as the Steeldive except the Steeldive has the NH35S with date.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

unrepentant said:

Ok, thanks. Same as the Steeldive except the Steeldive has the NH35S with date.

I rotate my watches so prefer automatics without dates in general. I'm also a big fan of Steeldive and Spinnaker, but this is as least as good as them I think in terms of general quality, probably better.

There aren't many duffers at the top thread level, but this is certainly worth considering.

[The_Nugget]

unrepentant said:

Ok, thanks. Same as the Steeldive except the Steeldive has the NH35S with date.

You can get this with date too.
Which Steeldive are you referring to? Not sure I’ve seen one the same as this?

[unrepentant]

The_Nugget said:

unrepentant said:

Ok, thanks. Same as the Steeldive except the Steeldive has the NH35S with date.

You can get this with date too.
Which Steeldive are you referring to? Not sure I’ve seen one the same as this?

This one.

[The_Nugget]

unrepentant said:

This one.

The base case might be the same but the bezel, dial, hands, glass, strap and colour are different.
I’m pretty sure these are all coming out of the same factory though.
I have a Steeldive Army Engineer which is similar in look to the one in your picture but in a different case.

Both this and the San Martin come in exactly the same style box with different stuck on branding.
Whilst both are good for the money, you can see where the extra cost of the San Martin is. The case finishing is better and the metal strap is miles better. The Steeldive ones feel quite cheap and jangly imo but the San Martin ones feel quality and solid especially in the clasp area.