Watches to wear with your flight jackets...

[B-Man2]

Yep … much nicer size and not as gaudy and tank like. However that’s just my opinion. I’m sure there’s plenty of guys who really like that look. Probably the biggest watches I’ve ever seen are made by Invicta . Not a high end company for sure, but they do have a following and they make some real heavy weights .

 

[Kermit3D]

Maybe …for me…View attachment 103343I still have to find it /them View attachment 103341View attachment 103345

Very nice.
I really love your ZRC ! It's one of my favorite divers.
Is this the heritage version ?

 

[ZuZu]

Rolex uses 904L stainless (oystersteel) rather than the industry standard of 316L. It is both more expensive (2-3x the cost of 316L), but it is also more difficult to process which equates to added cost in production. Titanium is harder, lighter, and hypoallergenic to those with nickel allergies, but I wouldn't recommend it for a luxury watch that will be treated as an heirloom or meaningful investment. Repair service centers won't refinish titanium during normal service, and there are few independent options for having that done. Stainless is much more easily maintained, which allows you to have a better condition watch in the long run.

That all being said, you're ignoring the most important materials in the watch, the movement. An $80 USD Seiko 4R36 movement with an accuracy rating of -35 to +45 seconds per day cannot be remotely compared to an anti-magnetic Swiss grade chronometer.

A Seiko Darth Tuna quartz watch is far more accurate than any Rolex chronometer, is far more functional as a technical diving watch and costs $1500. The battery lasts 7 years so the same as the recommended cleaning time for Rolex and costs much less to change. The design allows for no valve for helium build up. It is a superior and modern design compared to the tired Rolex which is cool IMO only when old.

"Repair service centers won't refinish titanium during normal service, and there are few independent options for having that done."

I don't know where you got that but it's just not true. Seiko has a place in the US where you send your watch when needed. The watch is a work of Japanese genius and not just Emperor's New Clothes making value out of a name!

The Seiko 7c46 quartz movement is the most accurate quartz movement there is- no mechanical watch comes close.

Tunas aren't for everyone but they are IMO much more interesting and cool than the Rolex.

Oh- and it weighs a lot less.

 

[Southoftheborder]

I had a few Rolex’s in my day . But after traveling to Europe a few times and talking to some there about watches, I came home convinced that Omegas were the better and more accurate watches and the preferred watch brand of Europeans . So you guys across the pond please let me know if that’s accurate info .

I have a Rolex and I have a current Omega and the Omega is the more accurate watch. In fact it's probably the most accurate mechanical watch I have ever owned and hardly gains or loses at all when worn for at least twelve hours a day. But I prefer my nearly twenty years old Air King. It may gain three seconds or so in twenty four hours now but it's a lovely little thing and the Omega is a bit of a lump in comparison.

The other thing I like about the Rolexes I've owned is the lack of rotor noise. Every other automatic watch I have ever had including the Omegas I've owned you can hear the rotor flap around as you move your wrist if you listen out for it. But the construction of the Rolex rotor movement is different to other watches and is completely silent.

 

[coolhandluke]

I have a Rolex and I have a current Omega and the Omega is the more accurate watch. In fact it's probably the most accurate mechanical watch I have ever owned and hardly gains or loses at all when worn for at least twelve hours a day. But I prefer my nearly twenty years old Air King. It may gain three seconds or so in twenty four hours now but it's a lovely little thing and the Omega is a bit of a lump in comparison.

The other thing I like about the Rolexes I've owned is the lack of rotor noise. Every other automatic watch I have ever had including the Omegas I've owned you can hear the rotor flap around as you move your wrist if you listen out for it. But the construction of the Rolex rotor movement is different to other watches and is completely silent.

How many times has the Air King been serviced during the 20 years that you've owned it?

 

[coolhandluke]

A Seiko Darth Tuna quartz watch is far more accurate than any Rolex chronometer, is far more functional as a technical diving watch and costs $1500. The battery lasts 7 years so the same as the recommended cleaning time for Rolex and costs much less to change. The design allows for no valve for helium build up. It is a superior and modern design compared to the tired Rolex which is cool IMO only when old.

"Repair service centers won't refinish titanium during normal service, and there are few independent options for having that done."

I don't know where you got that but it's just not true. Seiko has a place in the US where you send your watch when needed. The watch is a work of Japanese genius and not just Emperor's New Clothes making value out of a name!

The Seiko 7c46 quartz movement is the most accurate quartz movement there is- no mechanical watch comes close.

Tunas aren't for everyone but they are IMO much more interesting and cool than the Rolex.

Oh- and it weighs a lot less.
View attachment 103449

I did not state that RSC's don't service titanium watches. I said that they don't provide refinishing during normal service as they do with stainless watches (i.e. refurbishing the case and/ or bracelet finish). If there are any factory authorized RSC's that offer this service for a specific brand, neither I or a majority of titanium watch owners are aware.

For the record how many Rolex watches have you owned or have first hand experience with?

BTW, the Citizen 0100 quartz movement is the most precise quartz movement ever produced, not the quartz movement in your Tuna. The stated specs of the Seiko 7C46 is +/- 15 seconds per MONTH. To qualify as a HAQ (high accuracy quartz) movement, the accuracy of a movement must fall within +/- 10 seconds per YEAR. The specs on the Citizen 0100 is +/- 1 second per YEAR.

 

[ZuZu]

I did not state that RSC's don't service titanium watches. I said that they don't provide refinishing during normal service as they do with stainless watches (i.e. refurbishing the case and/ or bracelet finish). If there are any factory authorized RSC's that offer this service for a specific brand, neither I or a majority of titanium watch owners are aware.

For the record how many Rolex watches have you owned or have first hand experience with?

BTW, the Citizen 0100 quartz movement is the most precise quartz movement ever produced. The stated specs of the Seiko 7C46 is +/- 15 seconds per MONTH, which is not impressive whatsoever. The specs on the Citizen 0100 is +/- 1 second per YEAR.

I have my mom's 1950s Rolex. What would first hand experience do? I've handled plenty but I've never been rich enough to throw away thousands of dollars for nothing but a name. I know about the Citizen quartz thing- the 7c46 however can withstand real world conditions. I'm sure most Rolexes don't get 15 seconds a month- many 7c46 get down to 5 secs.

I'd love to have an old Bond Rolex. A new one I'd just keep as investment or sell. To each his own se la vie etc

 

[coolhandluke]

[

I have my mom's 1950s Rolex. What would first hand experience do? I've handled plenty but I've never been rich enough to throw away thousands of dollars for nothing but a name. I know about the Citizen quartz thing- the 7c46 however can withstand real world conditions. I'm sure most Rolexes don't get 15 seconds a month- many 7c46 get down to 5 secs.

I'd love to have an old Bond Rolex. A new one I'd just keep as investment or sell. To each his own se la vie etc

You knew about the Citizen 0100, but claimed your non-HAQ Seiko movement was the most accurate quartz in the world? You're a trip my man...

With all due respect, it seems to me that you need a dose of your own medicine. Always calling out others for conjecture and here you are making completely baseless, inaccurate claims as if they're fact.

 

[ZuZu]

[

You knew about the Citizen 0100, but claimed your non-HAQ Seiko movement was the most accurate quartz in the world? You're a trip my man...

With all due respect, it seems to me that you need a dose of your own medicine. Always calling out others for conjecture and here you are making completely baseless, inaccurate claims as if they're fact.

I guess I meant it was the most robust quartz movement- a thing of beauty specifically made for these watches. You're right- I was wrong about it being the most accurate. I guess I meant it was the best. For a dive watch. And then a Citizen guy will say "but wait!..."

What i did however wasn't conjecture- it was a straight up wrong fact!

 

[Pilot]

Very nice.
I really love your ZRC ! It's one of my favorite divers.
Is this the heritage version ?

Thanks, Its a Grands Fonds MN.

 

[Spitfireace]

K

ing Seiko Hi-beat. Famous 5626 movement. Capable of less than 3 seconds a day.

 

[s4rmark]

Laco Mojave.

 

[Spitfireace]

No idea I'm more into vintage watches myself. Looks good to go though!

 

[Southoftheborder]

How many times has the Air King been serviced during the 20 years that you've owned it?

Twice in almost nineteen years. It will need to be serviced again in a year or two. I don't wear my decent watches everyday though, I'm retired and I have a beater I wear to knock around the local countryside.

 

[Spitfireace]

Ah the mechanicals. It's a hobby. The quartzs not so much.

 

[Spitfireace]

I have a solar quartz Seiko traditional 36mm to match the old Seiko only it's powered by light. Also very accurate. No maintenance. Kind of trumps a Rolex doesn't it?

 

[Spitfireace]

Every ten years then?

Twice in almost nineteen years. It will need to be serviced again in a year or two. I don't wear my decent watches everyday though, I'm retired and I have a beater I wear to knock around the local countryside.

 

[Southoftheborder]

Ah the mechanicals. It's a hobby. The quartzs not so much.

I don't think anyone buys a good mechanical watch purely for its accuracy. You don't want a watch to gain, or worse still, lose too much though because the main beauty of them apart from finish and looks is the fine engineering and accuracy of their movements - even though a cheap quartz keeps time better.

But of course if you wear it a lot and it's well regulated to your lifestyle a good mechanical watch can be more accurate that a quartz watch over longish period of time even though its rate is nowhere near as good. It will gain and lose and hopefully balance out while the quartz will probably just keep slowly gaining.

 

[Southoftheborder]

Every ten years then?

Every seven to eight years. And it will need another in a year or so. As I said I don't wear it all the time so it isn't running all the time and that makes a difference. My first Rolex was a GMT Master I bought in the mid eighties when you could just walk in off the street and buy one. I had that watch for ten years before it had to be serviced and I wore it daily. After ten years it really needed it when worn like that.

 

[Spitfireace]

I don't think anyone buys a good mechanical watch purely for its accuracy. You don't want a watch to gain, or worse still, lose too much though because the main beauty of them apart from finish and looks is the fine engineering and accuracy of their movements - even though a cheap quartz keeps time better.

But of course if you wear it a lot and it's well regulated to your lifestyle a good mechanical watch can be more accurate that a quartz watch over longish period of time even though its rate is nowhere near as good. It will gain and lose and hopefully balance out while the quartz will probably just keep slowly gaining.

I only collect and prefer to wear mechanical. Costs a lot of money to keep those running. I keep trying to tell myself the quartz Seiko is a better option because of no maintenance, but the mechanical has that certain romance that quartz just doesn't have.