Friday, October 31, 2014

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!  If you are looking for the perfect watch for escorting trick-or-treaters, you might want to choose a Timex with Indiglo dial lighting.

 

I find that the Timex Weekender is the kind of watch value that you can really sink your fangs into!

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

What is your dream watch?

Every year, the HGTV television network generates a lot of excitement by holding a drawing to give away what they call the HGTV Dream House. This year they are giving away a condominium in Atlanta that they are calling the HGTV Urban Oasis.  It's an exciting contest even though I could not even afford the tax bill if I were to win.  That condo is the kind of home most people dream about for a lifetime.



It makes me wonder: what kind of watch would I wear if money were no object?  A year or two ago, I would have gone for something by Bell & Ross.  But now, I'd probably up my game and go for something by Ulysse-Nardin or Breitling.  But, for running around in a crowded city, I'd still have a Timex for daily wear.

The Bentley I Should Be Driving!  Photo By Norbert Aepli, Switzerland (User:Noebu) (Own work) [CC-BY-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

If money were no object, which watch brand would you wear?

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Wristwatch Review: Marvel Comics Hero Watch - Ghost Rider

Are you into comic books? Do you want a bad looking watch at a low price?  If you like a watch with a slightly sinister dial, you might check out the Marvel Comics SuperHero watches at Kohls.


My watch.  I got this watch with a flaming skull motif on the dial.  It celebrates the Marvel Comic series:  Ghost Rider.

AccuTime Ghost Rider Watch from Kohls

Price.  All of the Marvel Comics watches cost less than $34.99 at Kohls.  The Ghost Rider watch that I bought cost around $22 when all of the sales and discounts were applied.  The Kohls that we visited also had Batman and Superman wristwatches in the Marvel series.

Style.  The watch itself has very normal-size proportions with a non-rotating diver style bezel.  The silicone strap is soft and comfortable and sports three shiny ribs on each side of the watch for a little extral pizzazz.  Adults will be relieved to know that the silicone strap is long enough to accommodate full-sized wristscwith ease.  The skull motif on the dial is subtle so you can probably wear this watch to work without executive notice.

Construction.  The Marvel Comic book watches at Kohls are made by Accutime, a large importer of Chinese-made quartz watches.  It has a base metal case and a stainless steel case back.

Overall. I really like this watch.  It adds a bit of whimsy to my watch collection and makes a for a interesting conversation piece.  As a comfortable and inexpensive bang around watch, The Ghost Rider watch is just about perfect.

If I ever want Ghost Rider cuff links to go with it, I can find them here:

Monday, October 20, 2014

Kansas City Royals Wristwatch

The Kansas City Royals have made it to the 2014 Major League Baseball World Series!  They are hosting the first game of the series on Tuesday, October 21st!  The Royals last won the World Series in 1985.

Kansas City Royals 1985 World Series Trophy - Photo by Conman33 (Own work) [CC-BY-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

If you are a fan, you've been waiting for another trophy for quite awhile.  This could be the year!  If you'd like to show your support, a Kansas City Royals Watch might be just the ticket!


The Kansas Royals have a really cool logo that looks great on a wristwatch! Of the available, KC Royals watches, I'd say that the square retro style watch from Game Time looks like your best choice.

Sunday, October 19, 2014

San Francisco Giants Wristwatch

The Major League Baseball World Series kicks off in just two days.  This year it's the San Francisco Giants against the Kansas City Royals.  Game 1 will be held in Kansas City.

Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City by ianmunroe on Flickr (Originally posted to Flickr as "Night view.") [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons


If you are a San Francisco Giants fan, you may want to show your team some love by wearing a San Francisco Giants watch. Gametime offers many sports team watches. While they are relatively inexpensive, I've found that they hold up fairly well. To me, the Game Time MLB Vintage Series Team watch looks the best. The dial simply looks like it does a good job of upholding the traditions of baseball.

 

 The Giants won the 2010 World Series.  Can they do it again?  Next, we'll find out how Kansas City fans can add a Royals touch to their wrists.

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Watch Sighting: Michael Kors Mk8303 Dylan Watch

This week I saw a spectacular watch at work. It was a Michael Kors Dylan Mk8303 watch. It sports an oversized dark blue dial protected by a very solid looking stainless steel case. As a chronograph, it has a three sub-dials to display 60 seconds, 30 minutes, and 24 hours of elapsed time. The band is made of rubber or silicone and is also a dark blue.


While it's difficult to review any watch from afar, my co-worker was quite pleased with his new watch. He particularly liked they way that the dark blue dial and band match any pair of blue jeans he cared to wear. It's a watch that definitely gets noticed. Very cool. The Michael Kors Dylan watch comes in multiple colors on Amazon so you'll likely find a style in your favorite color.

Sunday, October 12, 2014

One Hand Watches: Unusual Watches For Collectors

Are you looking for an unusual watch to add to your collection?  You might try adding a one-handed 24-hour watch. Watches like the UNO 24, One-Hand Men's Watch by Botta-Design encourage a different sense of time. Instead of measuring time down to the very minute, a 24-hour watch tangibly shows the progress of your day. You see your entire day in a single glance. You know how many hours are left in your day. Watches like this encourage the wearer to make the most of his day.


The UNO 24 has a 40 millimeter case that is a slim 7.5 millimeters thick. It comes in a decidedly masculine black and grey color scheme. It is powered by a Swiss Quartz movement and has a 20-millimeter wide leather strap.
For a brighter design scheme, the UNO 24 NEO by Botta Design has similar dimensions and features with a brighter wide dial. You can read more about these watches on Amazon.


These one-handed watch designs are also great for retirees. They provide minutes in broad 10 minute increments.  Relax!  Who has to be somewhere at 12:37 p.m. on the dot anyway?

Sunday, October 5, 2014

Tudor Watches: A More Affordable Entry To the World of Rolex

Rolex is one of the best known and most respected luxury watch companies in the world.  But, few Americans know that Rolex has a complementary sister brand called Tudor.  That's unfortunate.  Tudor brand watches offer a different value proposition than Rolex and it's a value proposition that many Americans might find attractive.

In 1926, the founder of Rolex, Hans Wilsdorf, founded a company based on the idea that Rolex-style and reliability could be brought to customers at a more modest price.  Instead of using in-house Rolex-made movements, Tudor watches utilize other high quality Swiss-made movements.  While some Tudor watches are similar to Rolex models, others are designed expressly for more youthful buyers who are just entering the prestigious and exclusive world of Rolex.


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

Tudor also offers some style options that are a little different than Rolex.  For example, the Tudor Heritage Black Bay brings a slightly sinister commando look to the Rolex-style diver.  It has an aged black leather strap and a black dial.

Tudor Heritage Black Bay



If you'd like to read more about the business background of Tudor and the re-introduction of Tudor to the American market, here is a good article on Forbes:

Watch Out America, Tudor Has Arrived (Again) to Invade Your Wrists

If you are looking for a slightly different entry into the rich heritage of Rolex watches, Tudor-brand watches might be a more nuanced choice.