Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Watch Reading: Another Great Watch Blog Discovered

There aren't too many blogs that are dedicated to affordable--even inexpensive--watches.  However, I recently discovered this blog dedicated to inexpensive watches:  watchitallabout.com .  It's a great place to check out watches that cost a hundred to a couple of hundred bucks. 

Now, if you are looking to take your watch reading into the bathroom, then you really can't beat an actual paper magazine.  One of the best is WatchTime! They tend to cover watches that most of us can only dream about. but, they do a great job.

Sunday, January 18, 2015

Top 10 Inexpensive Watches - Part 2

This week, let's continue our Top 10 Inexpensive watches list with some relatively inexpensive watches that bring unique capabilities to our wrists.

6. Casio G Shock.  Lots of premium watch companies advertise military-style watches.  But, when you actually see pictures of American military personnel in the field, they are actually wearing Casio G-Shock watches.  They are rugged, waterproof, and constructed to take a beating. The G Shock is mostly thought of as a digital watch, but Casio now offers some very attractive ana-digital versions.



7 & 8. ADNA and Modify.  There are a couple of companies that use interchangeable silicone watch straps:  ADNA and Modify Watches.  Both companies provided me with example watches.  ADNA watches appeal to the traditionalist with masculine diver-style dials, while Modify watches are focused more on artistic expression with square dials.  It is amazingly easy to change straps on either kind of watch.  If you hate dealing with watch strap pins, you'll value these watches much more than their low price points.


9. Citizen Eco Drive.  When it comes to harnessing the sun with attractive watches, Citizen is the leader.  Eco Drive watches allow wearers to completely leave the world of watch batteries behind.


10. Bulova Precisionist.  Finally, I have one expensive quartz watch on my list: the Bulova Precisionist.  It's reputed to be the most accurate quartz watch in the world.  It's hard not to be mesmerized by the graceful movement of the big yellow second hand across the dial.  At prices generally ranging from $400 to $700, the Precisionist is not cheap.  But, a watch with this level of accuracy also doesn't break the bank! You can also find some great deals from time to time!


With price points from $50 to $500, these inexpensive watches don't sell for chump change.  Instead, they confirm that the life of a watch collector can start well below $1000.

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Horological Reading: A Book on Timex

If you collect Timex watches, you might want to buy this book:  Timex: A Company and its Community 1854-1998 It's one of the few books available on Timex watches and the history of the Timex company.


For road trippers, there is also a museum dedicated to Timex up in Waterbury, Connecticut: Timexpo Museum.

Timexpo Museum in Waterbury, CT, photo by Dtgriffith (Own work) [CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Sunday, January 11, 2015

Top 10 Inexpensive Watches - Part 1

I recently read an interesting post on the WatchTime blog.  Watch industry insider, Alexander Linz listed the Watch Insider’s Top 10 Best-Value Chronographs of 2014.  These were all fine mechanical watches that he considered excellent affordable chronographs.  Unfortunately, with the exception of one Swatch, all of the watches listed were premium watches that cost thousands of dollars.

Like many mortal men, I am cursed with having taste without wealth.  I can admire the chosen watches for their style, engineering, craftsmanship, and brand history.  However, as a middle-aged, middle class, American man, I can only pray that I accumulate the wealth needed to comfortably acquire such a timepiece. If I ever earn the requisite fortune to acquire such a watch, I hope that I have the class to wear it without it being perceived as doing an end zone dance to show status over others.

For those of us in the 99-percent, I would propose an alternate top 10 list of best inexpensive watches.  I can't claim the level of horological expertise that belong to Alexander Linz and the staff at WatchTime Magazine. But, I believe their are many worthwhile timepieces at low price points. Some of these watches bring new and unique capabilities to watch collectors while others allow common people to emulate the looks of classic watches.  While high end watch aficionados embrace the tradition of mechanical watch making, the rest of us enjoy the accuracy of  quartz watch movements.

First, in this post, let's look at 5 inexpensive watches that give us classic looks or unique styles!  Companies like Invicta and Stuhrling Original have brought timeless styles to common folks.  While these companies also have innovative designs, we have to thank them for putting classic looks on our wrists.

1.  Invicta Pro Diver.  The Invicta Pro Diver is a classic dive watch inspired by the Rolex Sub.  There are many colors and all do a good job of channeling the classic Rolex Submariner.


2.  Stuhrling Original Concorse Raceway.  If you like the Rolex Speedmaster, the Concorso Raceway will give you the look at a fraction of the price.  It has chronograph features and looks great.


Beyond the classics, come the watches that bring unique style to our wrists.

3.  Skagen.  If any brand has a unique and immediately recognizable style, it is Skagen.  The Skagen brand brings Danish design to the wrist.   Skagen watches have a minimalist modern Scandinavian look.  They also have thin streamlined cases.  The Skagen Ancher watch in the advertisement below really typifies the Skagen look.


4.  AVI-8.  The AVI-8 brand of watches bring claasic aviation icons to the wrist.  The AVI-8 Hawker Hurricane practically beckons you to spin the prop and take to the skies.  AVI-8 provided me with a sample watch and it is one of my favorites.


5.  Izod.  The Izod line of watches brings a preppy look to the wrist with class and panache.  For those of us old enough to remember the Izod craze of the early eighties.  If you want a real Izod on your wrist, it's the one to buy.



These watches show that you don't have to spend a lot of money to wear seriously stylish watches.  Next week, we'll look at 5 more watches that bring unique capabilities to our wrists!

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Kickstarter Watch Projects: Swaeon Swiss Made Chronographs

Kickstarter is becoming an incubator for interesting watch projects.  Small companies get off the ground by coming up with neat watch designs and getting the funding for a limited production run.

I recently learned about a new project from a new brand called Swaeon.  They hope to bring two Swiss-made watches to market with Ronda Startech 5040.D movements.

The first watch is called the Aeon 1 Chronograph:


The second watch is called the Aeon 2 Chronograph:


You can read all about these watches at the project page on Kickstarter:


Whether you decide to back the project in hopes of getting a bargain priced Swiss watch, or you just read about it, you might find it interesting to see what prospective watch brands think is important and what they would like to bring to market.  It's always good reading.

Sunday, January 4, 2015

How to Spend a $100 Amazon Gift Certificate on a Watch

What would you do if you had a $100 Amazon gift certificate?  If you are visiting my blog, you'd probably buy a nice watch.  One brand that I've recently learned about is Swiss Precimax. The brand is a revival of a watch maker from 50 years ago. It revives the traditional Swiss designs of the original maker with a more modern 21st century practicality.


While Swiss Precimax makes watches for men and for women, I'm most drawn to the manly styling of their men's models. They run the gamut from dressy to diver-style to tactical. They all look good and you'll find many Swiss Precimax watches for men right in the sweet spot of what a $100 gift certificate will buy.

I would recommend the Swiss Precimax Quantum Pro because it is strongly built for snorkeling and has an interesting two tone take on a diver-style chronograph.  The watch is water resistant to 100 meters.  It's also highly rated on Amazon.

As a currently small brand, it's a safe bet that you'll be the only one in your office with a Swiss Precimax watch.

Friday, January 2, 2015

How to Spend a $50 Amazon Gift Certificate on a Watch

This year thousands of American men received Amazon gift certificates for Christmas.  These men are left with one burning question to begin 2015:

How Should I Spend My $50 Amazon Gift Certificate?

Fortunately, the answer is pretty easy.  You don't have to spend your gift certificate on books and reading.  You can buy a pretty nice watch for $50.  If you'd like to buy an interesting watch for $50, I'd suggest checking out Haurex men's watches.  While most models run $100, many are on sale for about $50.


Haurex is an Italian company so you automatically get a taste of European sophistication with your timepiece.