The Under £200ish Watch and occasional Opera Thread! Vol2
Discussion
blue_haddock said:
Palmela said:
I'm pretty much thinking along the same lines.
As an aside, is there a view on how reliable the depth/water resistance of these Chinese watches is? Has anyone tested it?
In my limited experience I would say take the water resistance with caution.As an aside, is there a view on how reliable the depth/water resistance of these Chinese watches is? Has anyone tested it?
A few years ago on holiday I used my heimdallr. Frogman watch in the pool, nothing crazy just a splash around really.ans when I got out there was moisture inside.
After that experience I now only desk dice withy watches and use a gshock for pool duties
craigthecoupe said:
Excellent Skunk update! thanks for that. Nice neat work, I wish my welds looked half as good.
Really? I wasn't too happy about posting that photo. One of the welds is a bit messy. I use TIG which is slower than MIG or stick, but (supposedly, a lot is down to the operator) it's a lot more precise and neater. If you're using MIG, then yes my welding should look neater.Bobberoo said:
Excellent update thanks BrokenSkunk, some great engineering and fabrication on show there!!!
Thank you Bobbers. It's a bit agricultural compared to all the clever CNC stuff that some people can do, but I am learning / making it up as I go.In good news I changed the plaster this morning and once the plaster had come off, my finger looked much better than I was expecting. It's a really clean cut. Spoilered for the squeamish.
Whilst I had my phone's potato camera out, I thought it would be rude not to...
Today I am wearing this little beauty:
It's one of my two most recent acquisitions from the land of the rising sun. It's rather charming. The bracelet is a bit rattley and the finish isn't in the same league as the Seiko Superior with which this watch shared it's transcontinental travels, but that's not to say it's a bad watch. It's really rather nice, the Superior is just exceptionally good.
The dial on this flips between a deep blue and a pale blue depending on the angle. The case doesn't look to be refinished and barely shows any marks. From memory the 'hammer' price was around £120. For that money and considering that this ol' thing is 51 years young, I'm very pleased with it.
BrokenSkunk said:
Thank you Bobbers. It's a bit agricultural compared to all the clever CNC stuff that some people can do, but I am learning / making it up as I go.
In good news I changed the plaster this morning and once the plaster had come off, my finger looked much better than I was expecting. It's a really clean cut. Spoilered for the squeamish.
Whilst I had my phone's potato camera out, I thought it would be rude not to...
Today I am wearing this little beauty:
It's one of my two most recent acquisitions from the land of the rising sun. It's rather charming. The bracelet is a bit rattley and the finish isn't in the same league as the Seiko Superior with which this watch shared it's transcontinental travels, but that's not to say it's a bad watch. It's really rather nice, the Superior is just exceptionally good.
The dial on this flips between a deep blue and a pale blue depending on the angle. The case doesn't look to be refinished and barely shows any marks. From memory the 'hammer' price was around £120. For that money and considering that this ol' thing is 51 years young, I'm very pleased with it.
Excellent update on the build work, keep at it.In good news I changed the plaster this morning and once the plaster had come off, my finger looked much better than I was expecting. It's a really clean cut. Spoilered for the squeamish.
Whilst I had my phone's potato camera out, I thought it would be rude not to...
Today I am wearing this little beauty:
It's one of my two most recent acquisitions from the land of the rising sun. It's rather charming. The bracelet is a bit rattley and the finish isn't in the same league as the Seiko Superior with which this watch shared it's transcontinental travels, but that's not to say it's a bad watch. It's really rather nice, the Superior is just exceptionally good.
The dial on this flips between a deep blue and a pale blue depending on the angle. The case doesn't look to be refinished and barely shows any marks. From memory the 'hammer' price was around £120. For that money and considering that this ol' thing is 51 years young, I'm very pleased with it.
Lovely new Seiko, i need to sort myself a blue dial too. Hopefully the Superior has met expectations.
I threw on my old Casio Illuminator i resurrected last year for this weekend and popped the Superior away safe and sound. I was about to get bashing a few things and this one had seen lots of bangs and bashes through the 90's.
This time a lawn tractor engine was the task for a look at, bit of a change from the other engines I've built. I was asked to see if i could get it up and running as it wouldn't start. Quite impressive failure really, both rods failed. Must have made a hell of a bang.
MrWideFit said:
griffin dai said:
MrWideFit said:
Is that the skx version? I m enjoying mine, the stainless kit just transforms the watch.It was from your suggestion in the AE1200 thread i made to go through with buying it in fact,
Once this strap turns up i ll post it complete but for now it s just sat in the watch box waiting its turn
Doesn’t look to shabby for a £30 watch (ignore the £100 spent on bling bits
)I will have to get a photo in the daylight with it on, the colours pop great in the sun
g4ry13 said:
I bit the bullet on a Watchdives BB54 homage tonight. I wanted to get it from Watchdives direct and now they're out of stock so I went to Aliexpress after someone on Reddit scared me that it may not come back in stock if they discontinue the colour.
I've not really messed around with watches much. I'd quite like to try a Jubilee bracelet at some point. Lug width is 20mm, are there any good bracelets around? I see there's some on ebay / Amazon although imagine quality is a bit hit and miss. The clasps also look pretty rubbish. I saw unclestraps mentioned - they're a bit pricey for the watch.
It can be difficult with aftermarket metal bracelets because the watch bodies are all different shapes so unless you get lucky then the bracelet will either stick up or be slightly recessed. The ones with hollow endlinks can sometimes be bent a bit to line up so you have a bit more flexibility. I'd be trying to get a watchdives one from the same model if you can, but no idea if their clasps are any good. Tends to be a bit easier for things like Seiko 5 or SK as there's a big aftermarket for them so you can get stuff exactly the right size. I've not really messed around with watches much. I'd quite like to try a Jubilee bracelet at some point. Lug width is 20mm, are there any good bracelets around? I see there's some on ebay / Amazon although imagine quality is a bit hit and miss. The clasps also look pretty rubbish. I saw unclestraps mentioned - they're a bit pricey for the watch.
wombleh said:
g4ry13 said:
I bit the bullet on a Watchdives BB54 homage tonight. I wanted to get it from Watchdives direct and now they're out of stock so I went to Aliexpress after someone on Reddit scared me that it may not come back in stock if they discontinue the colour.
I've not really messed around with watches much. I'd quite like to try a Jubilee bracelet at some point. Lug width is 20mm, are there any good bracelets around? I see there's some on ebay / Amazon although imagine quality is a bit hit and miss. The clasps also look pretty rubbish. I saw unclestraps mentioned - they're a bit pricey for the watch.
It can be difficult with aftermarket metal bracelets because the watch bodies are all different shapes so unless you get lucky then the bracelet will either stick up or be slightly recessed. The ones with hollow endlinks can sometimes be bent a bit to line up so you have a bit more flexibility. I'd be trying to get a watchdives one from the same model if you can, but no idea if their clasps are any good. Tends to be a bit easier for things like Seiko 5 or SK as there's a big aftermarket for them so you can get stuff exactly the right size. I've not really messed around with watches much. I'd quite like to try a Jubilee bracelet at some point. Lug width is 20mm, are there any good bracelets around? I see there's some on ebay / Amazon although imagine quality is a bit hit and miss. The clasps also look pretty rubbish. I saw unclestraps mentioned - they're a bit pricey for the watch.
I might just see how I get on with the standard strap. Can always try rubber / silicone if I want to change it up. I had sent a message to Watchdives, don't think I will be getting any reply from them!
g4ry13 said:
LI had sent a message to Watchdives, don't think I will be getting any reply from them!
You might not on Ali, but you will on Reddit. It's honestly impressive the engagement that the Chinese brands have with buyers on there, and Watchdives in particular. I saw a few people asking for a certain design, a month later it was available. The brand rep asks for feedback, takes it on board, revises, then produces.
They're committed to the sell.
MrWideFit said:
To progress this chapter, the leather strap from Vario turned up today, it s an 18mm wide spring bar that tapers to a 22 or 24mm strap, memory fails me, in their cinnamon colour
Doesn t look to shabby for a £30 watch (ignore the £100 spent on bling bits)
I will have to get a photo in the daylight with it on, the colours pop great in the sun
I do like Vario, I have one of those straps in a darker brown on my own 1200.Doesn t look to shabby for a £30 watch (ignore the £100 spent on bling bits
)I will have to get a photo in the daylight with it on, the colours pop great in the sun
Pebbles167 said:
g4ry13 said:
LI had sent a message to Watchdives, don't think I will be getting any reply from them!
You might not on Ali, but you will on Reddit. It's honestly impressive the engagement that the Chinese brands have with buyers on there, and Watchdives in particular. I saw a few people asking for a certain design, a month later it was available. The brand rep asks for feedback, takes it on board, revises, then produces.
They're committed to the sell.
Also made a thread on the Watchdives sub the other night and they didn't post.
If that was recently then it might because they're a bit down in the dumps with customer complaints, at least from what I can see.
I've spoke to them a couple of times regarding one of their ice crack models and they were able to answer my questions to the point where I did buy one. Decent watch, best I've bought from there other than San Martin.
I've spoke to them a couple of times regarding one of their ice crack models and they were able to answer my questions to the point where I did buy one. Decent watch, best I've bought from there other than San Martin.
How's the braclet quality on these £150 - £200 Chinese Explorer and other homages? Say compared to a £40-£60 Sekonda and £400 - £500 Steinhart? Braclets on the former tend to nip my arm air.
Had my eye on the Steinhart Explorer (Ocean Adventure 39) but some of the Chinese efforts on here look just as good. Not sure what the Steinhart gets me at 3-4 times the price other than. "Swiss Made" printed at the bottom. Not expecting a Chinese effort to be equally as good, but also not imagining a Steinhart/Tissot/other brand to be 3-5 times better as price would suggest?
Had my eye on the Steinhart Explorer (Ocean Adventure 39) but some of the Chinese efforts on here look just as good. Not sure what the Steinhart gets me at 3-4 times the price other than. "Swiss Made" printed at the bottom. Not expecting a Chinese effort to be equally as good, but also not imagining a Steinhart/Tissot/other brand to be 3-5 times better as price would suggest?
NaePasaran said:
How's the braclet quality on these £150 - £200 Chinese Explorer and other homages?
Miles and miles ahead of Sekonda, and a lot better than Seiko or a Citizen for comparable price. For a start they'll use solid end links and milled clasps. Think Hamilton and you won't be far off. Steinhart will be of a similarly decent quality.
Pebbles167 said:
NaePasaran said:
How's the braclet quality on these £150 - £200 Chinese Explorer and other homages?
Miles and miles ahead of Sekonda, and a lot better than Seiko or a Citizen for comparable price. For a start they'll use solid end links and milled clasps. Think Hamilton and you won't be far off. Steinhart will be of a similarly decent quality.
.
Clemence (Munro) and Traska (Commuter) perhaps a little smoother and better than San Martin et al (albeit for 3-4x the price).
I found San Martin, Cronos to be better then the Uncle Straps 'Senator' I had on my Seiko SPB317, too. Interesting as I hear a lot of Tudor owners being praiseworthy for the Uncle offerings for the brand - perhaps they are better than their Seiko straps.
The Addiesdive (far cheaper at £60, has push-pins rather then screws) is perfectly wearable - particularly now I've added a titanium San Martin clasp (for on-the-fly adjustability). Shame this model now has mineral glass rather than the previous model which was sapphire, but that aside it's ludicrous value in terms of the enjoyment of wearing it.
Just popped the San Martin SN020 on the bracelet for the first time today, for a wee change.
Personally I'd take push pins over screws in most situations.
Nearly every microbrand bracelet using screws has had some tight ones, or some with a dodgy thread. Trying to adjust can mean scratching the bracelet badly. You don't get this with pins. Even my Longines uses pins and they're over £2k.
Only exception is my Ball Fireman which uses screws but was very cleanly done and the threads were perfect.
Neither pins or screws compare to the hell that can be adjusting pin and collar though, you've not experienced frustration like it when they won't play nicely!
Nearly every microbrand bracelet using screws has had some tight ones, or some with a dodgy thread. Trying to adjust can mean scratching the bracelet badly. You don't get this with pins. Even my Longines uses pins and they're over £2k.
Only exception is my Ball Fireman which uses screws but was very cleanly done and the threads were perfect.
Neither pins or screws compare to the hell that can be adjusting pin and collar though, you've not experienced frustration like it when they won't play nicely!
g4ry13 said:
I did see people mention using a San Martin bracelet on it. Not sure I fancy punting £60 to find out whether it works and end up with the huge San Martin branding on the clasp.
I might just see how I get on with the standard strap. Can always try rubber / silicone if I want to change it up. I had sent a message to Watchdives, don't think I will be getting any reply from them!
I've had success with a San Martin SN0111 bracelet on the WD7922 before. Although (having had a couple of SN0111) I would note the end-links changed at some point (which suggests perhaps the case on the SN0111 did, too). say this as I'd previously fitted the SN0111 bracelet to a 39mm Cronos Explorer but then a new iteration of the San Martin bracelet didn't quite fit. Just FYI.I might just see how I get on with the standard strap. Can always try rubber / silicone if I want to change it up. I had sent a message to Watchdives, don't think I will be getting any reply from them!
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