Longines Skindiver or in the patio, in a warm Maryland evening.
Watch Out or Watch on? Pt 2.
- Thread starter didimauw
- Start date
SmokingPipes.com Updates
Watch for Updates Twice a Week
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
Site Sponsors
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
Number of seconds in one year
31557600 seconds
That’s thirty one million five hundred thousand, rounded off.
Every ten years, my LeGant watch I bought in 1979 and have religiously replaced the battery when the second hand jumps two seconds has a movement that has suddenly jerked the second hand forward three hundred fifteen million seconds.
In 45 years it’s ticked nearly a billion and half times.
Get this:
My quartz watch beats the hand forward one time a second, and Seiko beats 6 times a second and a standard Swiss watch beats 8 times a second. That’s why the second hand on a mechanical watch has a smother sweep.
There are Seikos still in daily service for 45 years that have beat about 9 billion times and Swiss watches that have beat 12 billion.
The quartz watches have far less strain because of no mainspring, and they do it without oil changes.
31557600 seconds
That’s thirty one million five hundred thousand, rounded off.
Every ten years, my LeGant watch I bought in 1979 and have religiously replaced the battery when the second hand jumps two seconds has a movement that has suddenly jerked the second hand forward three hundred fifteen million seconds.
In 45 years it’s ticked nearly a billion and half times.
Get this:
My quartz watch beats the hand forward one time a second, and Seiko beats 6 times a second and a standard Swiss watch beats 8 times a second. That’s why the second hand on a mechanical watch has a smother sweep.
There are Seikos still in daily service for 45 years that have beat about 9 billion times and Swiss watches that have beat 12 billion.
The quartz watches have far less strain because of no mainspring, and they do it without oil changes.
I like watches but I have this wacky thing in my head that my wrists are knobby and they look funny on me. In reality they probably look just like everyone elses. Im retired. I dont care what time it is and it saves me money because Id probably collect them like pipes.
Today a $2 20 power monocle style loupe came in the mail.
I’ve owned a 10 power loupe in a little leather case for maybe thirty years, a handy little gadget to have.
But once you peep through the kind watchmakers use you are done, with pocket loupes.
I’m not good at playing Colonel Clink and keeping in a monocle using no hands, yet. I supppse after sons practice it gets easier.
But I ordered this $6 pair of double 20 power jeweler’s eyeglasses that have little lights.
Why people pay extra for higher finish on watches, is all for show.
If you get a real jeweler’s loupe, even a two dollar grade, it’s amazing how much better tiny details are done the more money you’ve paid to have a prettier watch.
I’ve owned a 10 power loupe in a little leather case for maybe thirty years, a handy little gadget to have.
But once you peep through the kind watchmakers use you are done, with pocket loupes.
I’m not good at playing Colonel Clink and keeping in a monocle using no hands, yet. I supppse after sons practice it gets easier.
But I ordered this $6 pair of double 20 power jeweler’s eyeglasses that have little lights.
Why people pay extra for higher finish on watches, is all for show.
If you get a real jeweler’s loupe, even a two dollar grade, it’s amazing how much better tiny details are done the more money you’ve paid to have a prettier watch.
My AD has already received one of the New 2024 Tudor Black Bay 41mm Monochrome watches.
I had an opportunity to experience it on wrist. She said she expects to receive only two.
Making a comparison to my 14060 below, it’s a watch that can give the Submariner a run.
I had an opportunity to experience it on wrist. She said she expects to receive only two.
Making a comparison to my 14060 below, it’s a watch that can give the Submariner a run.
That Tudor looks awesome. I prefer the indices amd hand set. I have never been a big fan kf the Mercedes handset on a sub. I also feel the sub hands look a bit undersized. Would be interesting to see what a ceramic bezel insert would look like.
the lack of glossy ceramic makes the watch for me.
Why I love watches:
Rolex stats
Subsidiary Tudor stats
My watchmaker friend John Martin just hated Rolex.
Not because they were bad watches, because they wouldn’t sell him parts. Martin would have a customer with a Rolex that needed a service, and the innards of a Rolex are all doing exactly the same thing as any other automatic watch. Martin knew how to service any watch, even high end minute repeaters.
(When Lake of the Ozarks country legend Lee Mace died in a tragic airplane accident when an experimental aircraft he was riding in struck a boat dock, it was John Martin who rescued Mace’s $30,000 minute repeater. He was a master watchmaker.)
Until the Black Bay, all modern Tudor watches used a modified ETA 2824 movement, the same as my Tissots. Until recent times Martin could buy parts for an ETA movement.
Today not only is a Black Bay made by the same manufacturer as Rolex it has an in house Tudor caliber.
When Martin was old enough for full Social Security and Medicare he retired to his farm. His watch shop is now a barber shop.
If you spend $9,000 or $4,000 on a Rolex product when it needs service you’ll have to have a Rolex technician service it. There’s nothing inside a Rolex or Tudor magical but each has more than a hundred parts and each tiny little part will have a part number.
The exact, same thing occurs between an Orient and Orient Star.
My $120 Bambio Orient and $340 Orient Star Classic were both made by Epson, part of the Seiko group.
If you own an Orient product then to keep it original it must be serviced by Orient.
But if you just want a good watch, the Seiko NH35 series can be inserted by anybody in a simple Orient on their back deck. If it has complications, then it needs sent to Orient.
And if you buy a two dollar grade watchmaker’s loupe, the differences between an Orient and Orient Star are real, apparent, and obvious.
Spend mo’ money, get mo’ better!.
Rolex stats
| Production output | 1.05 million pieces (2021)[1] |
|---|---|
| Revenue | $13 billion (2021)[2] |
| Owner | Hans Wilsdorf Foundation |
| Number of employees | 30,000 |
Subsidiary Tudor stats
| Headquarters | Geneva , Switzerland |
|---|---|
| Production output | c. 200,000 (2015)[1] |
| Number of employees | 194 (2016) |
My watchmaker friend John Martin just hated Rolex.
Not because they were bad watches, because they wouldn’t sell him parts. Martin would have a customer with a Rolex that needed a service, and the innards of a Rolex are all doing exactly the same thing as any other automatic watch. Martin knew how to service any watch, even high end minute repeaters.
(When Lake of the Ozarks country legend Lee Mace died in a tragic airplane accident when an experimental aircraft he was riding in struck a boat dock, it was John Martin who rescued Mace’s $30,000 minute repeater. He was a master watchmaker.)
Until the Black Bay, all modern Tudor watches used a modified ETA 2824 movement, the same as my Tissots. Until recent times Martin could buy parts for an ETA movement.
Today not only is a Black Bay made by the same manufacturer as Rolex it has an in house Tudor caliber.
When Martin was old enough for full Social Security and Medicare he retired to his farm. His watch shop is now a barber shop.
If you spend $9,000 or $4,000 on a Rolex product when it needs service you’ll have to have a Rolex technician service it. There’s nothing inside a Rolex or Tudor magical but each has more than a hundred parts and each tiny little part will have a part number.
The exact, same thing occurs between an Orient and Orient Star.
My $120 Bambio Orient and $340 Orient Star Classic were both made by Epson, part of the Seiko group.
If you own an Orient product then to keep it original it must be serviced by Orient.
But if you just want a good watch, the Seiko NH35 series can be inserted by anybody in a simple Orient on their back deck. If it has complications, then it needs sent to Orient.
And if you buy a two dollar grade watchmaker’s loupe, the differences between an Orient and Orient Star are real, apparent, and obvious.
Spend mo’ money, get mo’ better!.
Last edited:
The most popular watch in the history of the world costs about $20 retail.
There is only one way to make a digital quartz liquid crystal display watch work, using a module. The quality of the module can vary, and the case, display, and the band.
Would you like one a lot fancier, than $20?
Casio now makes luxury LCD watches priced like a Tudor.
My top Casio watch is the $170 grade M-TG
There is only one way to make a digital quartz liquid crystal display watch work, using a module. The quality of the module can vary, and the case, display, and the band.
Would you like one a lot fancier, than $20?
Casio now makes luxury LCD watches priced like a Tudor.
My top Casio watch is the $170 grade M-TG
Last edited:
Happy Birthday to Me!!!.
The total tab delivered for this watch was $45.
I couldn’t make the fancy boxes and package it, and deliver them UPS for $45, forget about the watch.
How does Invicta do this?
This looks like a $500 watch.
It is a modern day version of a classic 1930’s gold men’s watch, not a copy of anything.
The total tab delivered for this watch was $45.
I couldn’t make the fancy boxes and package it, and deliver them UPS for $45, forget about the watch.
How does Invicta do this?
This looks like a $500 watch.
It is a modern day version of a classic 1930’s gold men’s watch, not a copy of anything.
Going t be a learning curve on this one 
city and dst set, so good for now
city and dst set, so good for now
Still going strong at less than plus 1 second per day - TUDOR RANGER.
I bought it on a brushed steel bracelet but have been wearing this on various straps.
It’s a amazing that such a simple design is getting most of my wrist time.
I’m considering buying a second hand IWC Mark XVIII. This model was made between 2016 - 2022.
In 2022 IWC replaced the Mark 18 with the Mark XX. - Aesthetically, I prefer the Mark 18 as the longer lug to lug suits my wrist and I like that the date wheel matches the dial. I’d rather it had no date complication.
The newest iteration has a 120 hour power reserve and an in-house movement. Any thoughts?
In 2022 IWC replaced the Mark 18 with the Mark XX. - Aesthetically, I prefer the Mark 18 as the longer lug to lug suits my wrist and I like that the date wheel matches the dial. I’d rather it had no date complication.
The newest iteration has a 120 hour power reserve and an in-house movement. Any thoughts?
I had a rummage around in my watch box and dug out an old favourite. It's a Fortis day/date chronograph on a stainless bracelet.
Featuring a much modified version of the bombproof Valjoux 7750 movement, it is/was the watch of the Russian space program whereas Nasa opted for the Omega Speedmaster which I also have.
This is an ~80's model that I bought secondhand in 2021 and looking at the going rate on Ebay, this watch is now worth twice what I paid for it
It has tritium as the lume (this helps to date it) and a limited edition exhibition caseback (it came with the original solid caseback also) and is a great watch though somewhat on the thick side at ~14mm.
Jay.
Featuring a much modified version of the bombproof Valjoux 7750 movement, it is/was the watch of the Russian space program whereas Nasa opted for the Omega Speedmaster which I also have.
This is an ~80's model that I bought secondhand in 2021 and looking at the going rate on Ebay, this watch is now worth twice what I paid for it
It has tritium as the lume (this helps to date it) and a limited edition exhibition caseback (it came with the original solid caseback also) and is a great watch though somewhat on the thick side at ~14mm.
Jay.
I totally agree. My Seamaster 300 kind of looks cheap and tacky with its shiny blue ceramic bezel whereas my Pelagos looks more classy with its matt black ceramic bezel.
Horses for courses I guess.
Jay.