[ringoism]

A couple more from the collection:

1. Victorinox, I suppose a rare early version of their Night Vision watch. A bit rough and worn but should clean up nicely: One-piece molded rubber case/strap and thus very comfortable to wear. Two batteries - a CR2032 for the lighting, and small typical button-cell in the machine.



Took me awhile to figure out (mostly) the light button's operations:

*one short press - blue backlight comes on for approx 5 sec, shuts off.
*one long press - torch comes on for approx 5 sec, then shuts off.
*two long presses - torch comes on and stays on indefinitely.
*three medium presses - blinking torch light.



A red LED at 6 o'clock also sometimes lights, but at this point mysteriously / unpredictably to me.



At any rate one of my more unique pieces, and pretty useful on those dark nights for us "gaonwalleh"...



2. With a nod to the American ghetto gangstas, perhaps: "I" by Invicta - model 89052-002. I was a little undecided on this one for awhile...



A robust genuine Seiko quartz movement, with day subdial on left, and date subdial on right. A heavy, substantial case and bracelet. At 45mm, my biggest piece - never had liked oversized watches, but they're starting to - eh - "grow" on me (no pun intended). This one's got a bit of the overdone, gaudy, glam vibe, not really "me" but in truth that's part of the fun of it. Wore it out for the first time today, and I think it'll be making up for all the trouble it caused me in trying to change the battery: The back clearly has the "cogs" for a twist-off removal tool around its circumference - a tool which I half-ruined trying with all my strength to twist off a back that it turns out is actually a snap-on (AAAAaaaaargh!!!)!



Did Invicta do that just for fun? They oughtta be spanked... The company seems to have an attitude of deliberately rocking the horological boat, thumbing their noses at higher-end (and allegedly overpriced) brands. So I'd bet they're chuckling, thinking of all the pains and perplexity they've caused snobby jeweler/watchmakers - who will doubtless curse them all the more...

-Eric

[abhi3284]

Picked up this Edifice Model from Amazon recently. Instantly liked it the moment i saw it. And looks more classy and elegant in real time.

[ringoism]

Originally Posted by ringoism

1. Victorinox, I suppose a rare early version of their Night Vision watch.

Indeed, the first model, model 24070, subsequent research has shown.

A rather entertaining review here:

https://www.watchhunter.org/2016/08/...t-watches.html

A few decades ago, these would've seemed kinda high-tech!




Regards, Eric

[krishnakarthik1]

This is the one I am using right now. Got it as a birthday gift. Its very classy and suave for its price. You can get it here- https://amzn.to/2KxC5qT

[AVR]

Found a nice Seamaster Cosmic manual-wind locally for myself. Classic old-school charm. Below pic with my personal favorite Fortis. These Fortis watches still work beautifully!

[arindambasu13]

Originally Posted by AVR

Below pic with my personal favorite Fortis. These Fortis watches still work beautifully!

The Fortis is truly beautiful. I am a big fan of the Fortis brand, and have lusted after their Cosmonaut series for ages, but its been out of my budget. I do believe though, that given their rich history and superb craftsmanship, the watches spell supreme value for money. I was recently saddened to hear that Fortis is going out of business or is on the brink of bankruptcy, much like Breitling was some years back, and will most likely shut down.

This one looks like a homage to the Rolex Datejust/ Day Date with a fluted bezel. Where do you get these kind of older pieces serviced? Does this contain the ETA 2824 movement, or is it some in house movement?

[AVR]

Originally Posted by arindambasu13

The Fortis is truly beautiful.
This one looks like a homage to the Rolex Datejust/ Day Date with a fluted bezel. Where do you get these kind of older pieces serviced? Does this contain the ETA 2824 movement, or is it some in house movement?

Yes. They're beautiful. I have never gotten them serviced myself and doubt my Dad did it in his time. They still work seamlessly though which is what makes me love them!

[Latheesh]

Need a help!

Seiko SKX009 crown-stem has some problem (dis-engaged and comes out). Where in Bangalore it can be repaired?

[sgiitk]

I am thinking about a Rolex Datejust (Day-Date). Any idea about the price and service availability?

[Aroy]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

I am thinking about a Rolex Datejust (Day-Date). Any idea about the price and service availability?

https://www.ethoswatches.com/rolex-watches.html
Rs.3,58,900/ is the list price, but you can get around 20% off at the shop.

I cannot comment on reliability as my Rolex "wore out" in 8 years. I assume that was so, as they had a long list of wheel and other parts that were to be replaced.

In my opinion the GMT is a better model as you can change time zone as well as use it for rough elapsed time estimation.

On the whole though I use only mechanical "Automatic" watches since the last 50 years, today the quality has become quite bad and servicing costs a bomb. The older watches never required any part change and with a bit of oiling last decades. Current batch require expensive service with part replacement (service starts at 50K and can go upto 2L for some high end pieces), so do give it a thought before buying Rolex or any other high end mechanical watch.

[sgiitk]

@ARoy; I also like mechanicals. I have a set of Omegas Constellation esp 43mm) and also a Speedmaster Pro (bought in 1975).

[sgiitk]

I have found a Swatch service centre in Delhi (very near to the Max Hospital). They managed my Speedmaster very nicely. Cost us a bomb though. Total cost incl spares (some parts had been replaced by locals). Mind you they insist on restoring to the original state.

I had been told by ss_traveller to contact them. On the Speedmaster they took about seven months but the watch came back in Pristine condition.

Now I know where my Omega Constellation etc are going.

[arindambasu13]

Originally Posted by Latheesh

Need a help!

Seiko SKX009 crown-stem has some problem (dis-engaged and comes out). Where in Bangalore it can be repaired?

Both Zimson and Ethos are authorised dealers of Seiko, and hence, they will be able to service a SKX. Otherwise, the Seiko boutique in UB city can also do it. You can try at any of these outlets.

[Aroy]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

I have found a Swatch service centre in Delhi (very near to the Max Hospital). They managed my Speedmaster very nicely. Cost us a bomb though. Total cost incl spares (some parts had been replaced by locals). Mind you they insist on restoring to the original state.

I had been told by ss_traveller to contact them. On the Speedmaster they took about seven months but the watch came back in Pristine condition.

Now I know where my Omega Constellation etc are going.

There are quite a few authorised repair centres for high end mechanical watches. Swatch centre is one, Kapoor Watch in South extension is another, so is Ethos. So you can get watches repaired/serviced with their warranty. Just keep in mind except Swatch Centre all others are authorised centres not company run ones. For example Rolex company repair centre is in Mumbai, though others are authorised to repair and get full support from Rolex.

As far as service costs are concerned, the current trend is to replace quite a few parts during service. Their rational is that parts that can fail, will be replaced, so that the watch is back to its original specifications. I for one do not really like that idea, as a good mechanical watch should not wear out even after a few decades of constant use, but companies have found another revenue stream and are not likely to let it go.

[ringoism]

Originally Posted by Aroy

I sold my Rolex as it stopped after 8 years of continuous service. Last year I took it for servicing and was told that apart from 45K service a whole host of parts adding up to 40K were worn out and needed replacement. That is a bill of 80K.

Originally Posted by dark.knight

Rolex is a marketing giant. They will never say that they copied from anyone... the Apple of the watch world.. expensive, overrated and thoroughly endorsed by Hollywood though the actual actors wear much better watches off-stage.

Originally Posted by dark.knight

You look at Rolex and what do you see apart from a slightly tweaked version of stainless steel? Literally nothing...no innovation, only copying every single thing from more prestigious manufacturers. It is easy to fall for the Rolex hype because so many people recognize it.. appreciate it and call it a status symbol, if only the truth agreed.

Originally Posted by arindambasu13

There are plenty of good GMT options from brands other than Rolex which offer much greater value and the same (or in a few cases, better) level of build quality.

Interesting and largely agreed upon comments here... in the watch world as elsewhere, it's so easy to be led astray by all kinds of - well - lies, basically.

Related: I curiously found myself (being of solid "commoner" status) an invitee recently at a party or two where a bit of new money and a bit of old were represented - besides varyingly successful businessfolk and semi-local socialites, I guess 3-4 of India's (non-local) royal families were represented...

Now, I know we're in the hills and the party scene may not be the same everywhere, but I have this tendency to look at what people are wearing, and here's what I caught: As far as I noticed, the sum total of premium watches on display there were two Breitlings - both worn by middle-aged local hoteliers. As for the royal bunch: the birthday girl/hostess, a twenty-something princess (technically) was wearing a white Casio Baby-G. One elderly raja was wearing a Pro-Trek by the same manufacturer, as was the more middle-aged scion of probably Delhi's richest real-estate magnate. Saw a couple of ana-digi G-Shock's out there in the crowd too, one of them bright yellow.

Now maybe this is just the trendy thing for royals and would-be socialites hanging out in the hills to do. Probably some of these folks would have watches costing tens of thousands of dollars sitting locked away someplace back in their ancestral domains... but out there in the day-to-day rough-and-tumble world of garden parties and such, they find no shame in wearing a good Thai-built Casio. Nothing to prove. Satisfyingly useful, inarguably reliable / good-quality (albeit arguably good-looking!) timepieces on the wrists of some truly down-to-earth and personable people - wealthy with long heritages themselves, yet happy enough to enjoy wearing the same pieces that dozens of local tourist taxi-wallahs, tour-operators, and photogs up here are. A quite refreshing reality-check that more of us might do well to take note of (not plugging Casio's - of my hundreds of pieces, I own exactly one - which I intend to sell!).

Needless to say, my buddy's titanium Wenger 72619 Mountaineer (which I posted earlier and recently sold him) and my own, rather badly scratched 7701x Cockpit Aerograph (Bell&Ross homage, I hear?) fit in just fine there. Not tooting the Swiss Army horn either, btw.




On the downside, I admit that the literally throw-away (welded) quartz movement in the above model, though allegedly robust and used in some more costly watches, doesn't in any way inspire, and I was never really into a pretty face with a mediocre core (which is where something like the Seiko "monster" a close friend recently passed along to me does a little better, though the 7S26 auto movement, though solidly engineered, is nothing great to look at, either):



Anyway, the prospect of a multi-generational heirloom, and the truly impressive heritage, technology, innovation, and fine-honed precision associated with many mechanical watches commands some respect and does hold a certain appeal (leaving this mechanical engineer truly in awe), but with cited servicing costs for Rolex's (and other premium brands) most often negating any increases in value from an investment standpoint, and as was said, watches a tenth (or less) of the price keeping as good/better time and exhibiting finishing indiscernible apart from a 10x loupe... though I like them and admire their creators' abilities, I don't really find myself lusting after any. They can be amazing, they can run for a lifetime, they can serve as outlets for itchy consumerism and reflectors of worldly success, but they can also be somewhat pointless money-pits. None of them gains us heaven, and it bears mentioning that there are other, more significant kinds of heritages which may be left behind when we're gone, if that's a goal. But even to stick to horology, fact is an HMT or something like my grandfather's American-made Hamilton (from long before they were Swiss!) can and do find their way down to the third generation. Not saying anybody should quit building / buying the premiums, which if nothing else do serve to inspire and spur on human endeavor. Just a little perspective. I don't think that owning one is something everyone need aspire to.

Incidentally, 60-year-old Rolex's of typical era size are looking pretty silly on anything but an adolescent wrist these days, so while it's nice that they're good enough to still run well, I'm not sure that the multi-generational marketing angle really cuts it.

-Eric