Thursday, October 31, 2013

Bringing Dead Watches Back to Life!

Greetings!  If one thing should scare a watch collector this Halloween, it's dead watches!  I have lots of them lying quietly in their crypts.  They wait.  They wait for me to raise them from the dead and let them tick again.  Here are some of my favorite watches that lie dead:  stilled by the lack of a battery!

By Anders Lagerås (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons


This diver-style watch has long been one of my favorites.  But, for now, it lies still in the darkness of my watch box.  One day, I will get a battery and my Caravelle by Bulova will tick again!  At $59, Caravelle by Bulova Men's 45B35 Rubber Strap Black Dial Watchis a great deal!

Caravelle by Bulova
Another favorite watch that currently lies quiet is my Structure Military-Style Watch.  I thought it would soldier on for a long time, but instead it haunts my watch box!

Structure Military-style Watch
Finally, this Halloween, one of my favorite silver-on-silver watches lies shining in the night like a psycho's butcher knife.  Once it has a battery, it will try to possess my soul.

Rumours Quartz Watch
All these dead watches are pretty creepy.  But, soon they will be alive!  I'll have to get batteries soon so that they can surround me with their a quiet tick-tock, tick-tock, for ever more in the silent middle of the night. 

Happy Halloween!

Sunday, October 27, 2013

A Reactor Watch

About a week ago, I had a chance to get a quick look at a Reactor watch.  It was an extraordinarily tough watch and very heavy.  The owner said it was the kind of watch that was made to go to war! 

The Reactor team had the mission of making the most durable watch ever conceived.  They did this by using marine grade stainless steel or titanium, solid threaded screwbars to attach watch bands, screw down crowns on every watch, and extra thick watch crystals.  Reactor watches feel tough and are tough!

For more information, click on the following slides:


Sunday, October 20, 2013

New Watch Companies: Minuteman Watches & Mvmt Watches

I've never really understood the purpose of Twitter, but now that I've been on the site for awhile, I've found that it is a great place to learn about interesting new watch companies.  Two of the most intriguing new watch companies that I've found start with M.  

The first new watch company that I discovered is Minuteman Watches.  The founder, Thomas Carey, wanted to start a watch company with a focus on helping American veterans.  While they are currently working on prototypes, the watches will be assembled in the United States and a portion of the proceeds will go to charities dedicated to helping veterans.  You can read more and see pictures at their website:  Minuteman Watches.  I think the designs have a very tough looking military-inspired look.

The second new watch company that I found is called MVMT watches.  They have created a line of watches that is perfect for business or casual settings.  MVMT watches have simple, clean, lines and start at only $59.  You can see the designs and buy an MVMT watch at mvmtwatches.com.



 

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Coming Attractions: Watches for Christmas

Halloween isn't even here yet, but Christmas is just around the corner.  Starting in November, I'm going through all the watch brands in my collection and presenting them from A to Z (Armitron to Zoo York) so that everyone has plenty of great gift ideas for Christmas.  Look for lots of links to in-depth watch reviews and plenty of great deals on watches via Amazon.com and the other affiliate programs.  Stay tuned for watches A to Z starting in November!

Monday, October 14, 2013

Watch Deals: Get $10 Off of a Modify Watch

Are you looking for something that is a radical departure from your typical military or diver-style watch?  Are you looking for something fresh and peppy?  Want to change the look of your watch whenever the mood strikes you?  Then you might check out Modify Watches.

Modify Watches have colorful rubber bands and interchangeable watch mechanism units.  To get a new look, just pop the old watch unit and pop in another watch unit.  Watch mechanism units are interchangeable and have different designs on the face.

Preppy vs. Peppy:  A Traditional Timex beside a Modify Watch

It's a creative concept and one that promises to keep your watch perpetually fresh.  I remember the Swatch collecting craze of the 1980s and I think that Modify watches update this concept.  Instead of buying dozens of colorful watches, you can buy a band or two and two or three faces.  Then, you can interchange them whenever creative lightning strikes you!

Modify Watches aren't expensive.  Anyone can start a collection.  If you'd like to save money starting your collection, I can refer you.  Simply click on this link and you'll get $10 off of your purchase:  http://curebit.com/x/5vXTNV



Saturday, October 12, 2013

Which Watch Do You Choose to Wear?

For men, watches are one of our only "fashion accessories."  If you think about it, during the week, we all generally conform to the dress codes of our work places.  If you work in a place that requires business attire, you'll wear a typical suit.  Even in a business casual workplace, men are pretty much expected to wear khaki pants and some sort of collared polo-style shirt.  Tradesmen and blue collar workers also have dress standards.  In a position requiring real physical work, you may have to wear a uniform or conform to safety regulations.  Unless you are a work-at-home internet guru, there are expectations to meet.

This Pulsar dress watch is often my office job interview watch

If you wear an early 90s vintage Arsenio Hall suit, people will give you strange looks.  If you wear a "Fly Guy" suit as seen in the movie "I'm Gonna Git You Sucka!" you will get very strange looks and probably a pink slip.  The watch is your only way to express your individual identity.  However, even then, the watch you choose for work may be very different that your weekend watch.

This Timex is often my Weekend Watch
How do you choose which watch you'll wear on any given day?

Sunday, October 6, 2013

Still Ticking - My Casio HD

A recent churn of my watch collection turned up my CASIO Men's MW600F-9AV 10-Year Battery Sport Watch. The Casio HD is an inexpensive and unremarkable watch that is great for just banging around. It was only $15 or so. It doesn't clamor for attention and it isn't oversized.  It has a very simple style and a rubber band.  It looks high tech and it is supremely functional.  But, it is made for the long haul.  It has an amazing 10 year battery!  So, when I recently found it again, it was still ticking, still doing it's job, and still ready to wear.


[Update - click here for my complete review of the Casio HD!]

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Coming Attractions: Manly New Blogs and Sites to Check Out

If you enjoy the technology and history of watches, you might enjoy a couple of my other websites and blogs.  If you like all the dials and readouts of a watch, you'll probably enjoy all the dials and readouts of a decent stereo.  Check out my newest site:  Dirt Cheap Audio Blog.


If you like mechanical sophistication of watches, you might also enjoy reading about firearms on my website:  The Gun Dude.  There are lots of solid articles there for beginning shooters, safety-minded shooters, and folks who are interested in learning about firearms for normal folks.

My Timex Expedition Military-Style Watch with an Antique Enfield No 2. Mk1* .38 S&W Revolver