Film Noir Buff Style Forum / Watches

woofboxer · 2010-12-04 14:54:17

If you are in the market for a quality wristwatch but you don,t want to break the bank you could do worse than to click over to:

http://www.christopherward.co.uk/men.html

Let me say at once that I have no connection with Christopher Ward I’m just doing the word of mouth bit for an excellent product.

The story is that Ward spent time working in the Swiss watch industry, he realised that watches like Tag Heure retail at about 20 times what they cost at the factory gate. This is because of middle man costs and the huge amounts that premium watch companies spend on glossy magazine ads and sponsorship. The watch mechanisms that are used by most quality Swiss brands are made by 2 or 3 manufacturers. He realised that if he sold direct and relied on word of mouth he could produce quality watches at a fraction of the cost. So you won't see them advertised anywhere and the only place you can buy them is from his website. The outcome is that from around £200 you can buy a watch from Christopher Ward that has the same internals and quality of finish as a Tag Heure costing £1000+. The other great thing is that his watches are guaranteed for 5 years and come with a 60 day no questions return policy. I have 3 of his watches and they are excellent. My favourite is this one which has a nice Ivy period look:

http://www.christopherward.co.uk/men/view-all-1/c2swt.html

4F Hepcat · 2010-12-05 02:24:55

A couple of times I've been tempted to purchase the Christopher Ward's Sector watch, but the last thing I need is another watch. Christopher Ward has a decent range and has a good reputation on the watch forums. He's actuallly from Liverpool originally. There's a number of independent watch makers out there who provide quality and value for money.

Another excellent one is the UK based Timefactors/Precista range of dive watches including the PRS-50-B which is a Blancpain Fifty Fathoms copy and includes a vintage refurbished Fifty Fathoms calibration from the late 1950's. A lot of bang for the money, considering an original Fifty Fathoms will cost 6 grand plus and Blancpain's modern range of Fifty Fathoms watches retail at over 10 grand GBP.

There's also the American based MKII watch company that does draws inspiration from classic dive watches and Rolex's. Then in Germany, there's the tremendous Stowa and for original aviation watches, Laco.

Once you get locked into a serious watch fetish, its hard to stop.

A lot of Ivy heads swear by simple military watches, like the G10 with a Nato strap, I have a good example from Chris_H of one of these. And there's a certain relaxed vibe that comes from wearing a watch with Nato strap. Off duty, in fact.

I think that a military or dive watch goes particularly well with a white OCBD. So to the Speedmaster, which has been around since 1958 and gives the wearer Ivy with a touch of Buzz Aldrin.

macabee · 2010-12-05 06:54:19

woofboxer · 2010-12-05 10:38:47

Interesting posts fellas, there is a lot of knowledge amongst the forum members.

Noier · 2010-12-05 22:37:43

Hey Mate,
It is really a cool link and i am looking for a new watch. I really liked the C8 Pilot Mk II - Black and C5 Malvern Aviator Mk II - Steel watches.But i want to know is there any discount offers on buying any of those watches??

woofboxer · 2010-12-06 03:19:00

Walker · 2011-10-22 12:34:53

Walker · 2011-10-22 12:37:59

noblesurfer · 2011-10-22 13:03:18

I had one of those MWC's and wasn't too impressed. The design looks very clean in the photos but it seemed really cheap when actually handling it.

Walker · 2011-10-22 13:06:40

Thanks for the nod, noblesurfer

4F Hepcat · 2011-10-23 00:51:39

The WWII and Vietnam era style military watches from MWC are not at all bad, I've a couple of them. Of course, they're not in the same league as CWC and one can do no wrong with one of these, the 1970 reedition General Service Watch:

http://www.cwcwatch.com/general-service-mechanical.htm

^I wear one of these for knocking around the house and at weekends. The tritium dials are appealingly retro and more stylish than the uniquitous superluminova.

Of course, you can't beat the real McCoy, there's a couple of USA based webshops that specialise in vintage military watches, some of them NOS and reconditioned and well worth it, as they are not at all expensive. I will try and dig on the websites later and post. I would recommend exploring this option.

Sinn is my modern watch make of choice these days, superb German build quality and style. But doesn't quite satisfy my desire for retro and vintage.

Walker · 2011-10-23 04:48:36

Thanks, hepcat. I've always liked that CWC too, but was drawn to the MWC because of the lack of logo.

Will have a search for the real deal later.

4F Hepcat · 2011-10-23 05:14:33

This is the one:

http://www.timelyclassics.com/portal/index.php?route=product/category&path=66

4F Hepcat · 2016-07-24 10:30:27

Bump! I'm actually quite impressed with the way Christopher Ward watches have developed, with some in-house movements and wide range.

Some other interesting English watchmakers out there now too, some seriously expensive and others quite reasonable, these three are my favourite of the bunch, excluding Bremont:

http://www.jandtwindmills.com/the-watch-collection/bartholomew/wgs50001-01.aspx

http://www.haroldpinchbeck.co.uk/buy-an-edward/4557279628/the-lambeth-reach-(deposit-only)/10113658

http://www.dentlondon.com/dent-watches/

Last edited by 4F Hepcat (2016-07-24 10:32:03)

Chief Brody · 2016-07-26 22:15:25

Currently OBSESSED with vintage Seikos. Reckon I will buy a Pogue next. Some affordable NASA Ivy? I have been really that thread.

http://blog.dreamchrono.com/2013/11/seiko-6139-pogue/

http://wornandwound.com/gallery-seiko-6139-6002-pogue/

Last edited by Chief Brody (2016-07-26 22:23:50)

4F Hepcat · 2016-07-26 22:50:05

Chief Brody · 2016-07-27 11:00:11

I don't know about NOS. The results here on this restoration look good enough to me-

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/the-restoration-of-a-seiko-6139-6005

Tommy · 2016-09-11 02:41:11

4F Hepcat · 2016-09-11 08:55:08

^^That restoration looks good!

The Pogue for space must have been a special edition, or maybe not, as automatics don't work in space. But likely you could just wind them as a normal watch.

What about Soviet space watches? This appeals to me, the Strela 1965 extra-space-vehicle-activity chronograph:

https://www.russian-watches.info/shop/strela-watches/russian-mechanical-chronograph-watch-poljot-strela-3133-white/

Actually, I'm all watched-up at present and I've a Longines and vintage Oris Commander which I purchased brand new twenty-odd years ago that need services, so I will do this first.

I purchased one watch this year, the Seiko Marinemaster 300, one of the four or so allotted to the Dutch market each year. Magnificent watch, all the presence of a top rated professional dive watch with non of the bling and negative connotations of a current Rolex Submariner. I can see people look at it and they see it's a mega watch and then they do a double take when they see the Seiko brand name. Of course, that Seiko's own fault for keeping all the good stuff to the Japanese market for too long.

Kingston1an · 2016-09-11 11:00:07

I have my fathers old Certina manual watch with a date hand sweeping the dial and a separate second hand. Sentimental value. Manual and automatic watches require a regular service which can cost quite a lot these days. You also have to find a watchmaker and said watchmaker needs access to parts which some brands now deny to create an artificial monopoly and an additional income for themselves.

I also have an old Seiko from the early 1970s which has never required a service just a cheap battery replacement. My Citizen ecodrive dive watch requires no battery. I have used it for diving and it works fine, though keen divers use wrist computers these days.

I have considered another Citizen ecodrive with radio line to a time signal and a perpetual calendar. Setting it up in the first place may be tiresome. A smaller version with a clean dial would be better. The cleanest still has an indicator to show whether the radio signal has been received and a summer time on off indicator.

If I wanted an automatic Tissot Visodate looks quite nice for £395.

4F Hepcat · 2016-09-14 02:43:24

The Tissot Visodate gets good write-ups on the watch forums, no doubt a classic in the price range.

Seiko's are notorious for running forever without the need for regular servicing and if you do, everything that is needed is readily available for a reasonable price. I've seen one complaint by someone who bought a 1964 Grand Seiko and they sent it to Seiko for repair and they said one of the springs was no longer available. But I think that got resolved somehow.

Quite fancy a Citizen Satellite Wave myself, never seen one in the flesh though. But I always considered Citizen the watch choice of the second and developing world. Probably a mean and disingenuous appraisal.

The cost and need of services for luxury watches should not be underestimated. One of the watch sellers I go to in The Hague had lots of serious watches in at the height of the banking crisis here back in the late 2000's. He will only sell if the watch is functioning within the original time accuracy range, so often they need services and some of the costs of services are €1,500 and upwards, some over €2,000. Some of these chaps couldn't afford to get the watches serviced before selling them.

Kingston1an · 2016-09-14 02:59:16

Chief Brody · 2016-09-14 04:19:55

Anyone on here own the Orient Bambino?

http://wornandwound.com/review/review-orient-bambino-er24004b/

Creation Watches are selling a few versions and generations right now for about £100. I bought my SKX009 from them so keep an eye on their stock.

4F Hepcat · 2016-09-14 04:33:18

Jeff Reed had one, with the cream face as I remember....

Chief Brody · 2016-09-14 04:39:40

They do look and review very well online. I'm a considering a purchase...

#1 2010-12-04 14:54:17

Watches

#2 2010-12-05 02:24:55

Re: Watches

#3 2010-12-05 06:54:19

Re: Watches

#4 2010-12-05 10:38:47

Re: Watches

#5 2010-12-05 22:37:43

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#6 2010-12-06 03:19:00

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#7 2011-10-22 12:34:53

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#8 2011-10-22 12:37:59

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#9 2011-10-22 13:03:18

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#10 2011-10-22 13:06:40

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#11 2011-10-23 00:51:39

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#12 2011-10-23 04:48:36

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#13 2011-10-23 05:14:33

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#14 2016-07-24 10:30:27

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#15 2016-07-26 22:15:25

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#16 2016-07-26 22:50:05

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#17 2016-07-27 11:00:11

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#18 2016-09-11 02:41:11

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#19 2016-09-11 08:55:08

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#20 2016-09-11 11:00:07

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#21 2016-09-14 02:43:24

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#22 2016-09-14 02:59:16

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#23 2016-09-14 04:19:55

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#24 2016-09-14 04:33:18

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#25 2016-09-14 04:39:40

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