[Dave Dorson]

So I know a few of us are watch collectors/owners, and I figured it'd be an idea to get a bit of a horology appreciation thread going so we can all have a virtual pipe and polish session, perhaps get a few more folks down the rabbit hole of watch collecting.

My story started a few years ago now, and I'm around 16 watches in regular rotation with two or three that I love and keep but rarely see wrist time.

My addiction My hobby is mainly focused around affordable, mechanical watches, but I do have some quartz watches in my box, and use a wearable when I'm doing certain things as I don't want to damage my watches, but it's quite rare these days to find me with a naked wrist. The rise of the YouTube watch community and global markets and shipping have seen some interesting stuff creep into my collection over the years.

6 of my watches are "dive style", one's a proper certified "diver's" watch and two are Vostok's which are Russian jobbies.

And it all started with a Seiko 5 field watch in green.

Non hacking or hand winding, reference SNK805K2, purchased around 2018 I think.. I'd had watches before this but this was my first proper "mechanical" watch and the one that really started my love affair with Seiko as a brand. Yes, I'm that guy..

37mm case diameter, so quite small but it's really easy to wear this every day, and it works, and keeps working and keeping time, albiet a little fast, it's super legible too.

It's on a cheap green NATO strap in this shot, I tend to switch the straps on this one a fair bit but it works well on this strap, so tends to live on it in the box.

 

[Brian Burrows]

So I know a few of us are watch collectors/owners, and I figured it'd be an idea to get a bit of a horology appreciation thread going so we can all have a virtual pipe and polish session, perhaps get a few more folks down the rabbit hole of watch collecting.

My story started a few years ago now, and I'm around 16 watches in regular rotation with two or three that I love and keep but rarely see wrist time.

My addiction My hobby is mainly focused around affordable, mechanical watches, but I do have some quartz watches in my box, and use a wearable when I'm doing certain things as I don't want to damage my watches, but it's quite rare these days to find me with a naked wrist. The rise of the YouTube watch community and global markets and shipping have seen some interesting stuff creep into my collection over the years.

6 of my watches are "dive style", one's a proper certified "diver's" watch and two are Vostok's which are Russian jobbies.

And it all started with a Seiko 5 field watch in green.
View attachment 295646

Non hacking or hand winding, reference SNK805K2, purchased around 2018 I think.. I'd had watches before this but this was my first proper "mechanical" watch and the one that really started my love affair with Seiko as a brand. Yes, I'm that guy..

37mm case diameter, so quite small but it's really easy to wear this every day, and it works, and keeps working and keeping time, albiet a little fast, it's super legible too.

It's on a cheap green NATO strap in this shot, I tend to switch the straps on this one a fair bit but it works well on this strap, so tends to live on it in the box.

Very cool watch Dave.

As you know, I've got a decent watch collection, with some rare vintage stuff.

Today I'm wearing an Omega Seamaster 300 - META tested beyond any Rolex. I'm really impressed with Omega's new stuff.

 

[Dave Dorson]

Very cool watch Dave.

As you know, I've got a decent watch collection, with some rare vintage stuff.

Today I'm wearing an Omega Seamaster 300 - META tested beyond any Rolex. I'm really impressed with Omega's new stuff.

View attachment 295647

I really like that, but I'm sort of torn on the bracelets on them, they offer some very nice watches that you can actually buy though! (stares in Rolex)

Omega are really pushing the envelope with their modern offerings, which is nice to see.

 

[jonny7]

ive got afew all mostly cheap. However i do have one oddity. a watch i picked up in the nasa gift shop. apparently you can use it workout the constellations. Oh and it tells the time

 

[M.I.B]

My trusty old friend. Been in some scrapes together in some dangerous and difficult places.......its an easy life for us both now........

 

[old gh bug]

today i am mainly wearing an old TAG F1 i must have had it over thirty years and its my everyday work watch and also in the garage cant fault it , its been very reliable and as you can see its well beaten up. the only thing i dont like is the price of replacement rubber straps at £160 at time i als

o have a Cartier and one that i really like is a Raymond Weil

 

[Dave Dorson]

From the first one I bought to my latest purchase.

Now, this one is difficult for me as I'm a Seikoholic and really there are two brands in Japan, Citizen and Seiko.. there are also Orient who make some really nice watches and are of horological interest because they make their own movements, but I don't own one of them.. yet.

But yeah, you're usually either a Seiko man or a Citizen man... Citizen make some absolutely amazing watches, and their Eco-Drive technology is superb, but I like mechanical stuff (even though I own some quartz watches), however I was lacking a certified diver in my collection and this filled that gap nicely, and at the moment you can pick them up for less than £150 if you know where to find them, so it's an absolute bargain and just couldn't be ignored! Did I mention this is an addiction?

Model reference NY0085-86EE, in the "coke" colours (black and red bezel), has a left handed crown and comes on the worlds worst bracelet outside of a Russian watch, which is why it's on one of my rubber straps at the moment.

Bit of an oddity this one, it's got a left handed crown, and according to the face it has an 8203 movement from Miyota (who are owned by the same parent group), which has hand winding but doesn't "hack". (Hacking is basically when you can freeze the seconds to set accurate time). However this one does hack so I think it's actually got an 8204 movement. This one reads as accurate to +2s a day, with a sub 0.1MS beat error, so it's a "good" one according to the app on my phone, but the rotor for the automatic self winding is a lot noisier than Seiko stuff of the same ilk. As I said, I'm a Seiko fan, I just think they're a bit better, but they are getting expensive now, especially when you consider their movements get used in a lot of nicer finished higher spec Chinese watches.

The case finishing isn't as nice as my Seiko's, the bezel action is really nice though and the indices all line up with the chapter ring and bezel markers. Being a Citizen it used a blue hue lume which you can see popping on the hands, it's really good on these and I think it's a proprietary formula to Citizen themselves, it's got the same hue as the BGW9 on some of my more expensive watches and it lasts really well.

Being a "certified diver's", this one has a screw down crown, screw down case back and is properly tested to 200M, which is more than I'll ever use, I even take mine off when I'm washing my hands, but it's a nice thing to have!.

The glass is a mineral glass, it's prone to scratching, as is the aluminium bezel insert, but I think as I use this one, it'll add to the character of the watch.

 

[Dave Dorson]

today i am mainly wearing an old TAG F1 View attachment 295654

That's begging for some polywatch!, cheap and it should take a lot of the scratches out the crystal

I've never really been much of a TAG Heur fan, but I do like some of the Carrera range. I know they're a brand that it's cool to hate on in watch circles, but the styles of their watches have never grabbed me, but it's great to see you're using it still after all this time.

Would love to see more of your watches , I'd love to own a Cartier Tank myself one day.

 

[Brian Burrows]

I've never really been much of a TAG Heur fan, but I do like some of the Carrera range.

I've never been a fan of TAG either (I do own a 70s Heuer (pre TAG) Monaco 'Steve McQueen' though).

But I agree on some of the Carrera range.

My local 'Bijouterie' has a Limited Edition 'Jack Heuer' panda dial in the window - and it looks lovely. I'm tempted.

 

[Brian Burrows]

From the first one I bought to my latest purchase.

Now, this one is difficult for me as I'm a Seikoholic and really there are two brands in Japan, Citizen and Seiko.. there are also Orient who make some really nice watches and are of horological interest because they make their own movements, but I don't own one of them.. yet.

But yeah, you're usually either a Seiko man or a Citizen man... Citizen make some absolutely amazing watches, and their Eco-Drive technology is superb, but I like mechanical stuff (even though I own some quartz watches), however I was lacking a certified diver in my collection and this filled that gap nicely, and at the moment you can pick them up for less than £150 if you know where to find them, so it's an absolute bargain and just couldn't be ignored! Did I mention this is an addiction?

View attachment 295663

Model reference NY0085-86EE, in the "coke" colours (black and red bezel), has a left handed crown and comes on the worlds worst bracelet outside of a Russian watch, which is why it's on one of my rubber straps at the moment.

Bit of an oddity this one, it's got a left handed crown, and according to the face it has an 8203 movement from Miyota (who are owned by the same parent group), which has hand winding but doesn't "hack". (Hacking is basically when you can freeze the seconds to set accurate time). However this one does hack so I think it's actually got an 8204 movement. This one reads as accurate to +2s a day, with a sub 0.1MS beat error, so it's a "good" one according to the app on my phone, but the rotor for the automatic self winding is a lot noisier than Seiko stuff of the same ilk. As I said, I'm a Seiko fan, I just think they're a bit better, but they are getting expensive now, especially when you consider their movements get used in a lot of nicer finished higher spec Chinese watches.

The case finishing isn't as nice as my Seiko's, the bezel action is really nice though and the indices all line up with the chapter ring and bezel markers. Being a Citizen it used a blue hue lume which you can see popping on the hands, it's really good on these and I think it's a proprietary formula to Citizen themselves, it's got the same hue as the BGW9 on some of my more expensive watches and it lasts really well.

Being a "certified diver's", this one has a screw down crown, screw down case back and is properly tested to 200M, which is more than I'll ever use, I even take mine off when I'm washing my hands, but it's a nice thing to have!.

The glass is a mineral glass, it's prone to scratching, as is the aluminium bezel insert, but I think as I use this one, it'll add to the character of the watch.

Nice score Dave.

 

[Dave Dorson]

I've never been a fan of TAG either (I do own a 70s Heuer (pre TAG) Monaco 'Steve McQueen' though).

But I agree on some of the Carrera range.

My local 'Bijouterie' has a Limited Edition 'Jack Heuer' panda dial in the window - and it looks lovely. I'm tempted.

Get it bought!

 

[Brian Burrows]

I've never been a fan of TAG either (I do own a 70s Heuer (pre TAG) Monaco 'Steve McQueen' though).

My 1971 Monaco...

 

[Brian Burrows]

Get it bought!

😂😂

 

[jonny7]

My 1971 Monaco...

View attachment 295664

That is both achingly cool and so early 1970s it hurts. I would love to own that

 

[Dave Dorson]

That is both achingly cool and so early 1970s it hurts. I would love to own that

I only like two square/rectangular watches, this and the Cartier Tank. That said that's my mood today, tomorrow I might decide I like something else.

 

[BugBusBuggy]

I have a 36 year old (vintage? ) TagHeuer 3000 series automatic, all stainless. It's quite small/discreet by modern standards, I wouldn't swap it. Got it for my 21st Birthday off my parents with the strict instructions to 'wear it and enjoy it'. As such it has been my everyday watch, and has the 'battle scars' to prove it LOL. It's in decent condition, but covered in light surface scratches on the case and bracelet.

I also have my late dad's Longines - I'll have to check the model number. It's a quartz one, and although also stainless, it's more 'dressy' than the TAG. It only comes out for special occasions (wore it on my wedding day), but hasn't been out for ages as it needs a battery..... That said, the TAG is desperate for a service....

 

[Brian Burrows]

I have a 36 year old (vintage? ) TagHeuer 3000 series automatic, all stainless. It's quite small/discreet by modern standards, I wouldn't swap it. Got it for my 21st Birthday off my parents with the strict instructions to 'wear it and enjoy it'. As such it has been my everyday watch, and has the 'battle scars' to prove it LOL. It's in decent condition, but covered in light surface scratches on the case and bracelet.

I also have my late dad's Longines - I'll have to check the model number. It's a quartz one, and although also stainless, it's more 'dressy' than the TAG. It only comes out for special occasions (wore it on my wedding day), but hasn't been out for ages as it needs a battery..... That said, the TAG is desperate for a service....

Cool (both watches) - got a photo of the TAG Heuer dude?

 

[Duble agent V.W.Ford]

Just a Sekonda here, 'cos I'm poor! My solar powered Citizen is sitting next to my not working Pulsar fitted with a CBM Commadore (old red LED watch from the 70's) strap/bracelet 'cos the Pulsar one snapped years ago and I can't find a replacement.

 

[notails]

This is my latest buy. Treat for my 40th this weekend, Its a 1981 NOS Seiko. Was looking for something nice to mark the occasion and found this made the same year as me .

 

[Brian Burrows]

This is my latest buy. Treat for my 40th this weekend, Its a 1981 NOS Seiko. Was looking for something nice to mark the occasion and found this made the same year as me .

View attachment 295671

Very cool. I like integrated bracelet watches (the AP Royal Oaks are beautiful - and expensive.)

Health to enjoy.