Sunday, July 31, 2016

Summer Watches

I was fortunate to get two new watches for my birthday and reviews will be coming soon.  Now that I have a substantial collection of watches, it's interesting to see which ones see the most wear.  This summer, I have been wearing my Sperry Topsider watch and my Pulsar Diver-style watch constantly.  They've both been good looking watches that have stood the test of time.

Sperry Topsider Skipper Watch


The Sperry watch has been supremely comfortable and has been great for casual wear.  If you'd like to read a full review on this blog, you can find it here:  Sperry Topsider Skipper Watch Review.


The Sperry Topsider Skipper Watch


Pulsar PS9319 Diver-Style Watch


The Pulsar Diver-style Watch has a beautiful dial.  The other day I noticed the clouds reflected on the crystal with a deep blue back ground.  It was a moment of Zen.

Pulsar PS9319 Diver-style Dress Watch

It's the Pulsar PS9319 and you can read a full review of it here on this blog.  

Sunday, July 3, 2016

Wristwatch Review - Men's Sperry Top-Sider Skipper Analog Watch

It's time to review the watch I've been wearing the most this year.  It's my Sperry Top-sider Skipper watch.  I like this watch because it has an interesting dial design and a wonderfully comfortable strap.  This men's watch is a great casual accessory for a night out on the town or just down to the local pizza joint.

Sperry Top-Sider Wristwatch

Sperry Skipper Watch Design


This watch made is in accordance with nautical visions of the same folks who make Sperry Top-Sider shoes.  The dial evokes the compass rose and perhaps--looking at the hour batons--the wheel of a tall ship.  The dial is especially interesting because it has a traditional date window--or porthole in this case--at 3 o'clock and a panoramic view of the exposed date card in the 7 to 10 o'clock positions.  You'll also notice the 24-hour time is shown on the inner circle of the dial.  It's a very cool look.  Unfortunately, those of us who are middle aged and above may find it difficult to read the date and other small markings on this somewhat busy dial.


Sperry Top-Sider Skipper Watch



While some of the descriptions on Amazon claim that the strap is calfskin, this watch most definitely has a silicone strap.  However, it is comfortable and well-made.  I really like the white stitching on the outer edges of the strap.  It adds to the watches nautical motif.  There is a small silhouette of a sail boat on the buckle for the strap.  It's a nice detail for a watch at this price point.

The Sperry Top-Sider has a Small Sperry Sail Boat Logo on the Buckle


Sperry Skipper Watch Proportions

The Sperry Skipper is a well-proportioned watch.  The case is 42 millimeters in diameter and a solid 12 millimeters thick.  It's quite simply not too big or too small.  I find that it stays easily centered on my wrist without trying to escape to one side or the other.  The watch strap is 22 millimeters wide and as you can see just fits my wrist.  I measured the strap as being 13/16 of an inch wide.  The strap length including the watch and excluding the buckle was 9 1/4 inches long.


Sperry Skipper Watch Construction

The Sperry Skipper watch is a well built watch.  It has a stainless steel case and caseback which provides 50 meters (165 feet) of water resistance.  The pliable silicone strap is waterproof and comfortable.  The dial is protected by a scratch resistant mineral crystals.  While this watch may not make it 20,000 leagues under the sea, it will certainly be fine for a typical boater.

Sperry Skipper Watch Recommendation

 Overall, I highly recommend the Sperry Topsider Skipper watch.  I wish that the markings and date portal were a tad larger, but the watch has a distinctive design that really sets it apart from many competitors in it's price range.