Watches

Nikon_Nick

Nikon_Nick

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Nick
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Not sure if it’s a sign of old age or a mental health issue, but recently, I’ve had a bit of an obsession with watches. I’m not talking really expensive ones either, just run of the mill low priced Casios(some retro looking and some classic styled chronographs).

When the Apple Watch 3 was released, I treated myself and wore it daily for quite some time. About 18 months ago, the daily charging of the watch was getting annoying, especially when I forgot to do it. I know I can just look at my phone for the time, but I’ve always liked ‘a watch’. So I purchased a Casio G Shock and have enjoyed having something so simple.

However, since then I have added a further 4 watches, and I really do think I’m obsessed with them. The idea of having a collection, no matter how unnecessary does appeal.

I’m pretty sure there will be others on here with far larger collections, so I wondered what moves you to be attracted to such things.

By the way, my Wife believes it must be a mental issue :D
 
I use and wear most days an Apple Watch series 5 that was a handmedown from my wife when she got a series 7. I do like it, but prefer "proper" watches, and if I'm going away from home more than a day, I'll wear my Seiko with a metal strap that is analogue, yes battery-driven but it lasts years. I have a Garmin D2 pilot watch which I like, and have used in the air but it's a gimmick really - I'd struggle to navigate to a location using it whilst operating the aircraft etc. It's also a bit of a lump to wear ordinarily. My favourite, strangely enough is an old Rotary classic analogue watch, a simple wind up one with a leather strap.
 
I don't think that it is a general age thing.
I am 74 and stopped wearing a watch when I retired 20 years ago, and yes, I did get a watch for my retirement gift :)
 
I hate the thought of technology for a watch. And yes I love an analogue watch. Not expensive ones , just bought myself a citizen for couple hundred but that’s the most expensive. Bought my favourites one as it was same colour as my cardigan. Lol. But had it 7 yrs and still wear it very day. Have around 6 watches. Just like to change them over now and again. . I’m a bit obsessed with pens in same way, so could be classed as obsession… if I had the funds ….
 
Got more than I really need but can justify several of them. Definitely wants rather than needs!
 
Mrs Nod only wears a smart watch - very handy for her since she can see texts while she's teaching. Latecomers to her Yoga classes can let her know they're running late and when they arrive, they can text her rather than ringing the buzzer to be let in; far less distracting for the other students! I like watches that tell the time - much easier than digging my phone out.
 
I’m 52 and haven’t worn a watch daily for 20 odd years. The thought of having an iDevice strapped to my arm :headbang: if I need the time I can just look at my computer, phone, car dashboard, the microwave etc.

I do have a couple of fairly nice watches although nothing crazy expensive and will wear one if we go out for a meal or something.

The only other time I wear a watch is when I’m out hiking or out with the camera as it’s easier than pulling out my phone. For that I have a cheap G-Shock
 
At 61 I hate not having a watch. I've been using fitness monitoring watches for several years, but when I got a 'proper' smartwatch with GPS all the annoying messaging and music control stuff was turned off. At least it would do 2 weeks between charges or 1 week if using GPS a few times per week. Last year I went back to analogue with my 20+ year old Animal - waterproof and shock resistant, it's been with me on almost every holiday, even when I had fancier watches. I'd quite like another automatic mechanical, but they seem a bit fragile for me and I'm not willing to spend money on such a needless luxury.
 
Oddly enough my wife said last night she is minded to buy me a watch for my upcoming 70th. "It will be a good investment".
She seems fixed on a Rolex - not sure she knows how much they cost.
If it is to be a Rolex - which one (I have no idea)?

My everyday watch is a Casio I bought 7/8 years ago for £80 at Argos. It is self-charging (uses daylight) and is lightweight and easy to wear.
 
If I were to go for a high-end watch, I would definitely not go for Rolex - that's so... my hearts desire when young was an Omega; but now I'd go for Christopher Ward, for understated elegance rather than brashness.

Like @Smiffster I have slightly developed a thing about fountain pens - currently 4 in my collection, different nibs and different inks.
 
lindsay said:
If I were to go for a high-end watch, I would definitely not go for Rolex - that's so... my hearts desire when young was an Omega; but now I'd go for Christopher Ward, for understated elegance rather than brashness.

Like @Smiffster I have slightly developed a thing about fountain pens - currently 4 in my collection, different nibs and different inks.
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Thanks.
I already have an Omega (60th present) so I think she is set on Rolex.
I will check out Christopher Ward.
 
I still have my first Casio from c.1990. It’s needed a new strap and batteries otherwise good. At the moment I have a brandless self winding one for daily wear. I really don’t like the idea of a smart watch.
 
Peter123 said:
Thanks.
I already have an Omega (60th present) so I think she is set on Rolex.
I will check out Christopher Ward.
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Rolex are a good bet for investment looking at the trends. There are loads of other brands, depends what you want.
 
I got into watches in my 40's and have a shedload of vintage and modern ones, along with watch tools etc., as I did build several, prior to a car accident which left me with a shakey hand. Note to self:-
Get selling! :rolleyes:
 
I like mechanical ones and I have a couple of nice Swiss ones I've had for decades and then I started buying cheap Chinese automatics and I have a few now. I've had one DOA but got my money back no problem and all keep good time, some were under £20 and some slightly over. This is probably my favourite...

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I wear an old iWatch most days, I've got a couple of nice Seikos I don't wear much and I bought a Rolex Submariner a couple of years ago with some money came into, I also had bought for me a relatively expensive replica of the Submariner I have, which is an almost identical copy to my real one which I wear more for if I'm anywhere that feels a bit dodgy!

I must admit I have a bit of 'GAS' for a Tudor Black Bay at the moment, so may pick one of those up sometime, funds permitting
 
I've never had an Apple type watch but do have a couple of analogue watches I wear most days (I seem to wear the Tissot more often going by the date on the Citizen :) )

I also have three Seiko 5's sitting in a drawer waiting for me to polish the glass and sell them on.

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ancient_mariner said:
At 61 I hate not having a watch. I've been using fitness monitoring watches for several years, but when I got a 'proper' smartwatch with GPS all the annoying messaging and music control stuff was turned off. At least it would do 2 weeks between charges or 1 week if using GPS a few times per week. Last year I went back to analogue with my 20+ year old Animal - waterproof and shock resistant, it's been with me on almost every holiday, even when I had fancier watches. I'd quite like another automatic mechanical, but they seem a bit fragile for me and I'm not willing to spend money on such a needless luxury.
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i found an old animal watch i had probably nearly 30 years ago in the back of a drawer the other week, i always thought it was quite a big watch at the time but compared to now its tiny, i said to myself at the time il have to get a battery for it and start wearing it again as a bit of a retro thing
 
Unfortunately quartz watches that are left with a flat battery for some years generally don't resurrect. I've had a couple now where replacing the battery after a couple of years non-use makes no difference, presumably due to failure of key components like capacitors that have a finite life when discharged
 
ancient_mariner said:
Unfortunately quartz watches that are left with a flat battery for some years generally don't resurrect. I've had a couple now where replacing the battery after a couple of years non-use makes no difference, presumably due to failure of key components like capacitors that have a finite life when discharged
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For the price of a battery its worth a try
 
So long as the battery hasn't "leaked", they will often bounce back. The crown acts as a switch, so pulling in and out a few times and moving the hands may help.
 
Here's one that I bought for its reputation as one of the most accurate ( 1/10th of a second ) chronographs available. Unfortunately, my old eyes now have trouble reading the dials!!!
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I have a 'thing' about watches - mostly cheap ones. I wear a watch 24/7 and the most important feature has to be readability in darkness. I had one of thos Nite watches with tritium tubes (cost me £400 ......... not worth it. Accurate timekeeper, but does not stay bright all that long).
Currently wearing a SKMEI (never heard of it ? - same here). I bought two from Amazon (about £15 ea). Large digital display with large h & m digits, (hours, mins, secs, day, date, month). Today is Sat, 8th Jan ........ ALL months have 31 days on this watch.
I got this watch because I wanted to be able to read the time in the dark. Press button illumination. Not only is this watch easy to read in the dark, it lights up the entire bloody room !
Time keeping is not perfect, but reasonably so and the watch is robust.
At £15 it is very good value.
 
Re: SKMEI nope never heard of them but Googling tells me they make 1million per month and are in Guangzhou in China with a 16000m2 factory. So no lightweight in terms of size and production figures!

On a side note this thread prompted me to check my hardly worn watch. It was a birthday gift some years back from the OH, a Tissot Ballade 3 automatic ........a few shakes and it started running AOK. I really must wear it more often but need to take a link out of the strap as it was & is a little too loose.
 
arclight said:
I have a 'thing' about watches - mostly cheap ones. I wear a watch 24/7 and the most important feature has to be readability in darkness. I had one of thos Nite watches with tritium tubes (cost me £400 ......... not worth it. Accurate timekeeper, but does not stay bright all that long).
Currently wearing a SKMEI (never heard of it ? - same here). I bought two from Amazon (about £15 ea). Large digital display with large h & m digits, (hours, mins, secs, day, date, month). Today is Sat, 8th Jan ........ ALL months have 31 days on this watch.
I got this watch because I wanted to be able to read the time in the dark. Press button illumination. Not only is this watch easy to read in the dark, it lights up the entire bloody room !
Time keeping is not perfect, but reasonably so and the watch is robust.
At £15 it is very good value.
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I have found that the lume on Citizen watches is "brilliant"! I have a Citizen Eco Drive on my bedside cabinet that is my "night watchman"! (also my "holiday watch"!) It stays charged and the lume shines on the bit of light that it gets through the bedroom window.
 
I found this watch lying on the pavement outside Old Trafford many years ago. I don't wear it much, but last night I wore it for a party and noticed one of the links seemed a bit on the loose side. I stripped it down today and found this rusty pin, by the looks of it it wouldn't have been long before I lost it as well.
 

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beyond the blue said:
I found this watch lying on the pavement outside Old Trafford many years ago. I don't wear it much, but last night I wore it for a party and noticed one of the links seemed a bit on the loose side. I stripped it down today and found this rusty pin, by the looks of it it wouldn't have been long before I lost it as well.
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OMG you found my watch ;) I always meant to replace that pin.
 
:D

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I have three of these, this blue one, a red one and a two tone one.

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I also have an old mechanical Sekonda I've had for decades. It still works and keeps good time.
 
I fancied an automatic watch a couple of years ago, and ended my search with this Seiko....nice watch. First thing I did was change the matal strap for a leather one ( not mad about metal straps).
I've decided to move it on though, and get myself a g-shock solar powered job, so this'll be on ebay as soon as I get a decent selling offer, preferably £1 an item.

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ancient_mariner said:
At 61 I hate not having a watch. I've been using fitness monitoring watches for several years, but when I got a 'proper' smartwatch with GPS all the annoying messaging and music control stuff was turned off. At least it would do 2 weeks between charges or 1 week if using GPS a few times per week. Last year I went back to analogue with my 20+ year old Animal - waterproof and shock resistant, it's been with me on almost every holiday, even when I had fancier watches. I'd quite like another automatic mechanical, but they seem a bit fragile for me and I'm not willing to spend money on such a needless luxury.
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Ive dug it out, next time i get a chance il go up to the jewelers at the top of the street and see if tbey can fit a battery..
 

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Another one from the collection!!! UPDATE - Now sold thanks to this thread!!!
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Is there a certain irony when I 'un-watch' this thread? :ROFLMAO:
 
My Garmin Fenix is permanently on my wrist. It's overtook my mobile as number one can't leave the house without item.
 
Although I'm retired so time is relatively unimportant, I keep a spare watch in my car since I feel naked without one on. I'm more likely to leave home without contact lenses on than with a bare left wrist! (I keep a pair of up-to-date specs in each car too!)
 
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