r0gue put the bug in my head, putting a Nato strap on my Arnie. I went with a Blu Shark again, black grey and orange.

Love it! That strap works brilliantly on the new Arnie.

quote:

Originally posted by BigSwede:
r0gue put the bug in my head, putting a Nato strap on my Arnie. I went with a Blu Shark again, black grey and orange.

Superb choice. Looks great!

Well, golly. Too much surfing always gets me in trouble.

I'm staring now at a solar Seiko -- SBDJ017 -- like this.



Hella tempting, though I still want an SKX007J.

quote:

Originally posted by vthoky:
Thank you, wildhearted, it looks like you've done about the same research I've done. You've got a good point on the J model being available in a market where the K model is "native."

I've seen the J available on Amazon, but... well... it's Amazon. I just can't convince myself to grab it.

There are some used/rebuilt ones out there, too, but I'm a little chicken about going that route.

I was going to suggest buying a used model, and having it rebuilt/serviced, but you still run the risk of spending money on a counterfeit.

BigSwede, that Arnie is nice! Great strap color choice. I always default to singular colors, but I'm re thinking that.

vthoky, another nice route to pursue, if your quest for a 007J doesn't work out!

Before I nuked all of my social media one of the watch groups I was in was discussing the SKX007 and how it’s price on the used market is climbing (especially minty examples with a full kit) Unfortunately with Seiko there is an abundance of VERY good fakes out there. The market is just flooded with counterfeit and real parts so I suppose the one downside to being the most modified watch in existence is that it opens the door to fakes.

Buying used is a bit risky but if you find the right seller and don’t mind waiting a bit deals are out there. I have noticed very little difference between the “J” model and “K” model in regards to overall quality. On the used market “J” models tend to command a higher price tag but that is the only real difference I have been able to notice.

quote:

Originally posted by Leeann:
Well, that sounds much better than the initial news.

Much better.

quote:

Originally posted by Oz_Shadow:
I really need to stop looking at all these watches. I thought guitar collecting was expensive. I really love my Oris but it's been kind of like a gateway drug.

So much truth to this. Oz, since you'll appreciate the significance: I'm looking at turning a Hughes & Kettner Duotone head, a Soldano 4x12 cab, an '05 Gibson Les Paul Doublecut Plus that I gutted all the electronics out of and put my stuff in, and a '95 Japanese Ibanez S540FM I did the same thing with into a Seamaster or two, give or take some other toys. May let everything but my Taylor and my Les Paul walk, honestly. A year ago, if future me had told old me those words, a physical fight would have broken out. It can happen to you, too!

quote:

Originally posted by stickman428:
P220 Smudge the older Seamaster variants with the wavy dial are my favorite. If you like how thin a Glycine Combat Sub feels on the wrist you will LOVE how thin and comfortable the Seamaster also feels. The newer versions have gotten a bit thicker but the improved movement and display caseback makes up for that. The way the light catches the waves on the dial is also pretty damn cool.

I appreciate this input. The thinness of my Glycine is one of the things I love about it, and I had actually been considering that very thing, so that's good to hear.

Last week didn't work out, but yesterday, I managed to drive up to the Omega Boutique in Bellevue. First time experience of this sort. After the security guy had a salesperson agree to see me even though I didn't have an appointment, I waited in a little waiting area for a guy to come back from lunch. Colton was his name and he was super helpful, knowledgeable, and simply put: good at his job. I told him my situation and what I had in mind and he agreed that a Diver 300m would be a solid choice. I looked at the new blue on blue, of course. He also pulled out the black and silver dial versions. That silver dial really surprised me how much I was drawn to it in person. I actually really like it, maybe better than the blue. Maybe better than any of them. They didn't have a white dial variant in stock, and he commented that it's the most popular and they have a hard time keeping them stocked. We talked new vs. used and he advised out of the blue to consider that Omega can always service any automatic movement they've ever made. That will eventually some day not be the case with a quartz watch, and it will eventually just be an expensive bracelet. That was all I needed to hear to push me all the way over to just looking at automatics.



Seeing them in person is a whole other ballgame. Side by side with my Glycine, they made it feel cheap in comparison. Just so much depth, and such detail. The size was just right (it's noticeably thicker than my Glycine, but nowhere near as tanky as my Phoibos). I really like it.



So here I am having watched Youtube videos comparing the ones I looked at yesterday to the mid/late 90's "Bond" version, and damned if I don't want both. I want one of the old style ones just because to me, they're already a modern classic, and I do like that old wave dial in blue. The newer ones are just an amazing and beautiful piece of machinery and I could not take my eyes off them in person. I think for practicality, it would be hard to beat the white or black dial versions, but I all but ignored the ones they had to drool over the silver dial. I do plan to wear it daily, too. To work, and all of that. Any marks or rashes or whatever, I'll leave and my son can decide whether he wants to have Omega make it look brand new or keep Dad's wear and tear on it when it's his. Whatever I end up doing, I will probably do what I already do with my Glycine, which is keep it on a NATO for daily wear to keep the bracelet nice for dressy occasions and just swap it out. Oh, and I'll spring for the bracelet version because that clasp was impressive.

Yes, that clasp is DAMN IMPRESSIVE. It’s so easy to adjust on the fly, has a good range of adjustment and doesn’t require tools to adjust.

I managed to scoop up a super clone Omega unofficial bond watch. No it isn’t illegal to own but I cannot legally sell it. The quality and time keeping is good enough to be infuriating. The bracelet is also shocking in its fit and finish. It keeps better time than my real 1999 Seamaster which was recently serviced. Now how long it’ll keep on keeping decent time is a totally different question.

I plan to acquire a real deal ref: 210.30.42.20.06.001 this year and do a detailed analysis of the two watches over the course of a year or two. A silver dial Seamaster and Sinn Arktis II are the only two watches I really feel the urge to buy currently.

The fakes are getting pretty damn surprising, in my experience some of them are beginning to rival some of my Tissot and Hamilton watches when it comes to fit, finish, polishing and overall quality. Don’t shoot the messenger these are just my observations as a watch nerd.

A little inspiration for you, maybe push you closer to the edge...

Took this on trade (plus cash) for my Breitling. I'm really digging how versatile it is. Grand Feu enamel dial. Fire blued hands. Modernish design, in a prefect (for me) 38mm size.

quote:

Originally posted by wildheartedson0105:
vthoky, another nice route to pursue, if your quest for a 007J doesn't work out!

Well, I think this quest just got easier.
The SBDJ071 (below, left) is virtually the same thing as my SNE435P1 PADI (below, right, and thank you, craigcpa!) but with a black face.



Back to my SKX007J search!

I love all the Omegas. At the moment, I think my second nice watch will be an older Agua Terra 2500 with the plain blue dial and brushed bracelet. But the others are still quite tempting!

Happy Sunday my fellow watch friends!

My perpetual problem has come home from the watchmaker. Three trips around the world will hopefully do the trick. This Le Jour has racked up some some frequent flier miles to Singapore. Fingers crossed it’s fixed this time.

In hindsight I probably should have just spent the $$$ and bought the Sinn that this watch very closely resembles. I like that it’s an obscure brand but it seems I’m paying the price for that.

Hopefully the third time’s the charm for you on that LeJour, Stickman. I can’t imagine your frustration with that whole situation.

That blue Omega is just about the most beautiful watch I've ever seen.

Anyone familiar with Chrono24?

quote:

Originally posted by vthoky:
Anyone familiar with Chrono24?

Yeah. I suppose I am, to a degree.

quote:

Originally posted by stickman428:
Yes, that clasp is DAMN IMPRESSIVE. It’s so easy to adjust on the fly, has a good range of adjustment and doesn’t require tools to adjust.

I managed to scoop up a super clone Omega unofficial bond watch. No it isn’t illegal to own but I cannot legally sell it. The quality and time keeping is good enough to be infuriating. The bracelet is also shocking in its fit and finish. It keeps better time than my real 1999 Seamaster which was recently serviced. Now how long it’ll keep on keeping decent time is a totally different question.

I plan to acquire a real deal ref: 210.30.42.20.06.001 this year and do a detailed analysis of the two watches over the course of a year or two. A silver dial Seamaster and Sinn Arktis II are the only two watches I really feel the urge to buy currently.

The fakes are getting pretty damn surprising, in my experience some of them are beginning to rival some of my Tissot and Hamilton watches when it comes to fit, finish, polishing and overall quality. Don’t shoot the messenger these are just my observations as a watch nerd.

Show the balance...

The watch websites are giving me a complex.

What are some good budget options (new or vintage) for a small, simple automatic/manual dress watch on a leather strap?

I love Snapping Twig's vintage Omega and many of Rogue's beautiful dress watches of course, but for a dress watch, I think I would want something a bit cheaper for now. I will eventually get an Omega AT that I can interchange a bracelet for a leather band.

I'm still puzzled by what makes a watch too sporty for a suit (in the views of more fashion conscious people) when a Submariner on a bracelet would be just fine.