Watch Review: Armitron (Model 20/5403TT) Men's Two-Tone and Silver Day Date Dress Watch

I recently bought this Armitron Two-Tone Day Date Dress Watch (Model 20/5403TT) at Burlington. It looked great and was only $19.99 at the discount and closeout chain.

Armitron Model 20/5403TT Two-Tone Dress Watch

Watch Style and Features

This all stainless steel watch has a quartz movement, 50 meter (165 feet) of water resistance, and a fold-over clasp with double button safety closure. As a dress watch, this Armitron makes effective use of gold and silver tones and shiny and matte surfaces. The inner links of the bracelet are a bronze-like gold-tone with a flat finish. The outer links are a shiny silver-tone. The dial is what Armitron calls a gray sun-ray dial with gold tones for odd-hour marker batons and even-hour numerals. The dial is ringed by a sloping gray minute track that slopes up to an inner bezel with a shiny gold-tone. The crown is gold toned in keeping with the two-tone design of the watch while the case is a shiny silver-tone.

Armitron Model 20/5403TT Two-Tone Dress Watch

Watch Dimensions

This Armitron has a 41mm round case that is 10mm thick. The bracelet is 20mm wide and generously sized. It fits my wrist perfectly with no additional room for expansion.

Overall

Armitron has created a very nice looking watch for a remarkably low price. Like many low price quartz watches, the minute hand can sometimes jump a little when you push it in to set the watch. However, with a little fiddling, I was able to set mine to within 5 seconds of the atomic clocks of the U.S. Naval Observatory as shown on Time.gov. I like the simplicity and rich looks of this watch. However, it's almost too pretty and might tempt a woman in your life might abscond with it and make it a "boyfriend watch." Overall, this is a great dress watch at a great price. I like it.

Armitron Model 20/5403TT Two-Tone Dress Watch

Availability

Fashion watches come and go. This exact watch doesn't seem to be available on Amazon.  However, it's currently available here at Walmart for $32.99 (regularly $39.99). You might also be able to luck into this watch at a Burlington store. A similar watch with a different bracelet and Roman numeral markers can be found here on Amazon. 

Watch Wearing Wednesday: Walmart Automatic

My Walmart Automatic is still going strong since I first posted about it way back in 2011. It was only $50 when I first bought it. At the time, I was new to watch collecting and it was a cool way to get a glimpse at the inner workings of an automatic watch.

Walmart Automatic Watch

The watch has a Chinese movement with a few internal wheels highlighted in a golden bronze. As a Walmart exclusive, it was probably built to a strict price specification. I can only imagine the arm twisting that Walmart buyers applied to bring this watch to market with a $50 price tag. Needless to say, the attractive diver-style bezel does not rotate. However, the watch has a stainless steel case and caseback.

I've been informally testing this watch for accuracy and so far--in 12 hours--it has gained about 25 seconds versus time.gov. That's not bad for the casual uses I have for this watch. You just may have to adjust the time once a week or so.

An Iconic Watch: The Seiko Prospex "Alpinist" Watch

Every once in awhile, it's fun to search for iconic watches that you read about in watch articles and see posted about in watch communities. I like to see if they are watches that I can aspire to own or that would be appealing to me. One such watch is the Seiko Prospex "Alpinist." I've seen it mentioned as a more affordable alternative to watches like the Rolex Explorer. While it shares tool watch or field watch mission of great watches like the Explorer, the Seiko Alpinist does it in its own style and with its own heritage. This is the first Alpinist that I found on Amazon. It is the SPB121J1 and it has the green dial, sapphire crystal, date cyclops, and a very cool internal rotating compass bezel that can be used in combination with the hour hand for navigation. You can find this great watch here on Amazon. As of this writing, it comes in around $600. For me, it's certainly a high price, but not unattainable.

Seiko Alpinist SBJ121J1 (Amazon Photo)

There is a second Seiko Alpinist list on  Amazon.  It comes with a stainless steel band and a deep blue dial. The look is a bit more contemporary that the classic green and gold combo of our first example. The model for this one is SPB117J1. It's a tough choice between the two, but the SPB117J1 is about $100 to $150 more than the leather strap model. This watch also has an exhibition caseback.

Seiko SPB117J1 (Amazon photo)

It's hard to believe that the Seiko Prospex Alpinist has evolved from the 1959 Laurel Alpinist--a watch that was aimed at Japan's own mountain men. Like the Explorer, this watch line has evolved with the times. If you'd like to take a look at this version of the Alpinist, bang it here to visit the Amazon listing. 

The eXtract: COSC Standards for Watch Accuracy

[This article is based on my X posts exploring COSC-certified watches.]

There are standards bodies for timepiece accuracy and I've been looking into them. The Swiss watch certification body, Contrôle officiel suisse des Chronomètres (COSC) certifies the accuracy of mechanical and quartz chronometers by testing each individual watch that is submitted to them by manufacturers.

COSC Mechanical Chronometer Standards

For example, to earn the Swiss COSC Chronometer certification, a mechanical (usually automatic) watch must have precision of -4/+6 seconds per day.  Rolex, Omega, Mido,Tudor, and Tissot submit the most watches for COSC certification. 

Here is a COSC-certified Mido Commander Chronometer on Amazon. At around $1300, the Mido Commander isn't cheap.  But, it's also not out of the realm of a possibility for someone determined to save and get a really accurate watch.

A Mido Commander COSC-certified chronometer (Amazon photo)

COSC Quartz Chronometer Standards

To earn a COSC certification, a quartz watch has to be accurate to + or - 0.07 seconds per day. It also has to meet standards for accuracy under various temperature and humidity conditions as outlined here on the COSC website. 

A good example of a COSC certified quartz watch is the Certina DS Podium. It's an attractive, accurate watch and it's available for less than $500! If you'd like to check this one out, here it is on Amazon.

Certina DS Podium Quartz COSC-certified Chronometer (Amazon Photo)

Finally, men aren't the only ones with watch bragging rights. This Certina DS Action Lady Diamonds women's watch has the COSC-certified performance brawn of a Precidrive quartz movement to back up its beauty. You can find it here on Amazon.

Certina DS Lady Diamonds

Other watch certifying bodies include the Geneva Seal, the Besançon Observatory, METAS, and the Fleurier Quality Foundation. Chopard and Vacheron Constantin certify watches via the Geneva Seal. For affordable COSC-certified chronometers, check out my post--

TGIF: Three Attainable COSC-certified chronometers.

Watch Wearing Wednesday: Nautica N/83 Signal Flag Watch with Yellow Strap

Spring is almost sprung here in the Southeastern United States. The cherry trees and dogwoods are beginning to bloom and maple trees are beginning to bud. It might be too early to wear a watch with a bright yellow silicone strap, but I'm going for it.

Nautica N/83 Strap Watch with Silicone strap

This is usually my summer and beach watch as you can see from my last posting on it back in July of 24. Since fashion watches change quickly, this one is long gone from Amazon warehouses. However, if it inspires a quest, the model number is NAPGCS004. I like the Nautica brand because it creates consistently styled watches that are fun and go well with casual attire. You can see Nautica watches for men here on Amazon.

TGIF: Three Attainable COSC Certified Chronometers

What is COSC?

Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres(COSC) is one of the main bodies that certifies the accuracy of Swiss watches. For an automatic watch to be certified as a chronometer, it has to be accurate to losing up to 4 seconds or gaining up to 6 seconds per day (-4 to +6 seconds). That's just a 10 second spread for a mechanical device. Watches are individually tested and certified on behalf of the manufacturers. You can find some of these COSC certified watches on Amazon at somewhat attainable price points. Here are some of the COSC certified watches that I found on Amazon at prices between $600 and $1700.

Certina Action DS

Certina has been making watches since 1888. In 1959, they came up with the DS concept for extreme shock resistance. That tradition continues with the current DS line.

The Certina Action DS Chronometer (Amazon photo)

The Certina Action DS is a diver-style watch with 300 meters of water resistance. However, the manufacturer cautions that while it is  suitable for swimming, but not diving or snorkeling. The watch has a 43mm diameter case that is 13.67mm thick. As of this writing, it is regularly priced at just less than $650. You can find it here on Amazon. 

Tissot Heritage Automatic 1938 COSC

If you are looking for a classic vintage watch style with a very price automatic movement, the Tissot Heritage Automatic 1938 COSC might be the choice for you. It has all the style of an old school field watch and comes in several dial colors. This one is pink, but I prefer the black or white dial options.

Tissot Heritage Automatic 1938 COSC

This Tissot has a 39mm case that is 11.1mm thick. This watch retails for less than $850.  You can find it here on Amazon.

Mido Ocean Star Diver 600

If you want a real dive watch with 600 meters of water resistance and an 80 hour power reserve, the Mido Ocean Star Diver might be a good choice. 

This watch has a 43.5mm diameter case that is 14.55mm thick. As of this writing, it's 30% off bringing it down to below $1300. You can find it here on Amazon.

None of these watches are cheap, but they are all tested to the highest standards of mechanical accuracy. While you do pay a premium for these watches, they are all considerably more affordable than a Rolex. To read more about the certification process, here is the COSC website.

Watch Wearing Wednesday: A Geoffrey Beene Quartz Watch with Decorative Subdials.

Here's a Geoffrey Beene Quartz watch that I've been wearing lately. We recently found it in some stuff we had packed away. It was just $22 at Burlington. The subdials are non-functional decorations, but it does have a working date and a stainless steel caseback.

Geoffrey Beene Quartz Watch

The thing about a watch like this is that it shows that you don't need to spend a whole bunch of money on a watch for daily wear. There are plenty of bang around watches for $50 or even less.

The eXtract: Affordable Modern Watches with Small Seconds

[This article is based on my X posts exploring affordable Small Seconds watches. I found a new watch and added to the three I posted on X.]

Today, we're all used to a long second hand but, back in the days of yore, watches often had a small subdial with a second hand. The Elgin pocket watches that helped keep the trains running on time are a great example of watches with small seconds.

A Mounted Elgin Pocket Watch

You can still find the small seconds subdial on a variety of fine watches.  For example, the Rolex 1908 has a small seconds dial. But, let's take a look at some current small hands seconds watches that we can actually afford.

Tactical Frog Militado D12 36mm

Tactical Frog Miltado D12 (Amazon Photo)

The Tactical Frog Militado D12 (left) has the vintage military look with a 36mm case diameter. The watch offers 100 meters of water resistance and is powered by a Japanese VD78 quartz movement. Priced at well under $100, it's a great deal.

Some reviewers have said that this watch is for smaller wrists so don't be surprised if you need to get a longer watch strap.

You can find the Tactical Frog Militado D12 watch here on Amazon.

Baltany WW2 Field Watch

Baltany WW2 Field Watch

If you are looking for a larger case size, the Baltany S2081 WW2 Men's Field watch with small seconds and a date function features a 39mm diameter stainless steel case, an automatic movement, and a cleverly disguised date window at the 6 o'clock position within the small seconds subdial.

Baltany is well known for high quality Rolex Explorer-inspired homage watches that the watch community raves about and this field watch should be of a similarly high standard. For less than $200, it seems like a great deal for an attractive watch. You can find the Baltany WW2 Field Watch here on Amazon.

Timex 40mm Standard Sub Second Watch

Timex 40mm Standard Sub Second Watch
( Amazon photo)

For another more contemporary small hands watch look, the Timex 40mm Standard Sub Second watch blends new and old for a bold look. Powered by a quartz movement, this Timex is also surprisingly affordable at less than $100! You can find a limited supply of this Timex here on Amazon.

This watch is quite appealing because it renders old new again. I think the smooth case shapes and silver-toned subdial look both to the past and the future.

Orient Bambino, Version 7, Small Hands Watch

Orient Bambino, Version 7,
Small Hands Watch, (Amazon Photo)

Finally, for many, this small hands look cries out for an automatic movement and a truly vintage look. The 38.4mm Orient Bambino, Version 7, delivers both in a beautiful watch from a brand with a long heritage. It also comes in at an affordable price. 

The watch has an in-house Orient F6222 automatic movement that can hack and be hand-wound. It has a stainless steel case and a domed mineral crystal. The watch comes in a few combinations with the white dial shown being the most affordable and the slightly more expensive black dial being a little more dramatic. 

You can find this Orient Bambino, Version 7, Small Hands watch here on Amazon.

Sharp Watch Shout Out: The Venezianico Redentore Bronzo

I found another amazing watch on the Venezianico watches website. This one is the Venezianico Redentore Bronzo or Venetian Redeemer Bronze. Isn't it beautiful?

Venezianico Redentore Bronzo (Venezianico website image)

It's just an amazing looking 40mm watch with a hand-aged antique bronze finish.  It's powered by a Miyota 9039 Automatic movement and it has sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating. The front of this watch is enough to earn it an instant sharp watch shout out! But, wait until you see the etched caseback!

The Horses of St. Mark captured on a
Venezianico Redentore Bronzo Caseback
(Venezianico website image)

Venezianico is taking pre-orders for this watch now.  The price is set at about $750. That's a very attainable price point for a dream watch like this. Unfortunately, I may have to do some plotting, planning, and scheming to get this one. But, if you can afford it, this looks like a very special timepiece. You can visit it here on the Venezianico website.

Watch Wearing Wednesday: The LaCoste 12:12

For this watch wearing Wednesday, my LaCoste 12:12 Silicone Strap watch is still going strong. That's probably a good thing because basic black LaCoste watches are hard to find on Amazon right now. They've got LaCoste watches in every other shape and color right here on Amazon.

LaCoste 12:12 watch

This watch is a wonderful representative of minimalist watch style from a fashion brand. You can read my full review here on this blog! I continue to like this watch due to its grab and go simplicity and ease of wear.

TGIF: The Drawbacks of Cheap Watches

 Most of the time, this watch blog revels in the glories of all kinds of cheap watches.  Ahem...inexpensive watches. Cheap watches fit into any budget. They strip away snobbery and distill the hobby down to "cool watch, bro" vibes that are healthy for everyone. They don't attract muggers or burglars or signal wealth levels that would make you a target. Most of the time, I enjoy the variety of cool looks that come with inexpensive watches. But, I really need to note that cheap watches have their downsides, too! Here are some of the problems that may arise with cheap watches.

1. Lack of Time Setting Precision. Sometimes with a cheap watch you'll go to set it and, when you push in the crown, the minute hand will jump 2 to 3 minutes in some random direction. I used to have that problem with Target, Walmart, and Caribbean Joe watches from time to time. However, eventually, you'll develop a steady hand and guide the crown down without changing the time.

An Inexpensive Caribbean Joe Watch

2. Short Straps. One of the easiest things manufacturers can do to save a little money is to shorten the watch straps by just a little bit. By the time the watch makes it to consumers home, the maker can be enjoying a beach in sunny Mexico. 

A short watch strap on a Caribbean Joe watch

The watches will fit the wrists of most younger purchasers and older purchasers can simply replace the strap. Few people will actually go through the hassle of replacing or returning the watch. It's not usually too hard to replace tight bracelets with a roomier strap, I really liked the look of this Armitron Quartz Date Function Watch, but the bracelet was too tight. Fortunately, it was easy to swap out for a Bisonstrap as covered in my initial watch review.

3. Small Diameter Cases and Dials. Some inexpensive watches have smaller diameter cases and dials. While a 40mm case might look a little better, a 38mm case will be just a little cheaper to manufacture.

4. Non-Replaceable Bracelets. Sometimes cheap watches have strange, non-standard, connections between the watch bracelet and the watch case.  It can make replacing the watch bracelet with a longer replacement, very difficult. Look for unusual strap/case connections before making a purchase.

5. Quality Issues. Finally, cheap watches sometimes have quality control issues.  For example, the watch hands, the dial markings, and the bezel markings (particularly of a diver-style dial) may not align properly. It's frustrating to see that your minute markers don't line up with where the minute hand falls at the top of a minute. It's aggravating to see that you rotating bezel lines up half a degree off from 12 o'clock noon. You may not start out with an Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) when you begin your watch collecting journey, but you may end up there.

Watch Wearing Wednesday: Caribbean Joe Silver-Tone Blue Dial Watch (CJ7127SL)

Are you tired of my Caribbean Joe watches yet? I'm not. They are like horological potato chips to me.  They are inexpensive. They have great looks and colors.  And, dang it, I can't stop at just one! I recently had a chance to attend a small private gaming convention and it turned out to be the perfect opportunity to get my Horatio Hornblower on with a game called Black Sails. The game used miniatures rules and my Caribbean Joe watch was just perfect for ruling the waves of our table top.

If this watch looks familiar to you, it's probably because I have the same watch with a green dial and gold-toned case. Kohl's called it the Caribbean Joe Men's Degrade Green Sunburst Dial Strap Watch.  That's a mouthful.  Fortunately, Boscov's just calls it the Men's Caribbean Joe Silver-Tone Blue Dial Watch (CJ7127SL). I'm not an affiliate, but you can still find this cool watch on their website here. If you'd like to read a review of this watch, read my original review of the green one here.

If you are still here and just want to learn more about Black Sails, you can find the Master and Commander starter version of the game with all you need here on Amazon.

Watch Deal Alert: Fossil Nate Chronograph Deeply Discounted on Amazon

 Today, I came across a great deal from Fossil on Amazon.  Their impressive 50mm Fossil Nate Chronograph is on sale for 47% off. That brings this watch to a nice price well under $100. It's a very solid-looking stainless steel, quartz watch that with a matte black dial looks very good on the wrist.

Fossil Nate (Amazon photo)

This watch reminds me of my similarly sized Fossil Brox multifunction watch, but Nate brings a larger size and chronometer functions to the party. I have a slightly smaller Fossil Nate from a decade ago packed away from a move, it's a good watch. Amazon has quite an array of Fossil Nate variants for sale. There are different dial textures and colors and different hand colors. Nowadays, these Fossil watches have a full retail in the $160 to $180 range.  That's what makes this deal so special.  If you're interested, take a look at this Fossil Nate on Amazon. It's solid!

Watch Deal Alert: Frederique Constant Persuasion 38mm Automatic

Lately, I've been quietly noticing many Swiss Made watches at price points within the range of our dreams. Brands like Certina, Frederique Constant, Hamilton, Nivada Grenchen, Tissot, and Victorinox; all have watches at prices less than $750 and many less that $500. Many of the models are quartz, but some are mechanical or automatic. Today, I've found Frederique Constant watch for less than $500.  It's a 38mm Persuasion Automatic with classic, old world, styling that is perfect for any classy occasion. It has a sapphire crystal and an exhibition caseback to show off its movement.

To find an automatic watch with a real Swiss Made pedigree for less than $500 is no easy feat! If you'd like to take a look at it, check it out here on Amazon!

Watch Deal Alert: Victorinox Swiss Military Attitude Quartz Watch

If you are looking for a great deal on a Swiss Made watch, you might like this Military Attitude quartz watch from Victorinox. It's a great Swiss quartz tool with a no-nonsense look.  You can find the watch for sale here on Amazon.  On Amazon, the product listing isn't very complete, but according to a recent ebay listing, the watch itself has a 42mm diameter case and a 19mm wide bracelet.

Swiss Military Attitude Watch

This watch design and model has been sold under the Wenger and Swiss Military brands over many years. But, is now being listed by Victorinox. You can read this next section for a bit of history to understand the evolution of all things Swiss Army

A History of Victorinox, Wenger, Swiss Army, and Swiss Military

Victorinox was founded in 1884 in the German-speaking Swiss Canton of Schwyz in the municipality of Ibach-Schwyz. Wenger was founded in 1893 in the French-speaking Swiss Canton Jura in the municipality of Courtételle. Both companies got contracts from the Swiss government to produce knives for the Swiss Army.  The companies had a strong rivalry for many years with Victorinox claiming to the the Original Swiss Army knife and Wenger claiming to be the Genuine Swiss Army knife. All of that rivalry came to an end when Victorinox bought Wenger in 2005. 

While Wenger products continued to be sold for a time, the merged companies have consolidated all their production and marketing under the Victorinox product lines. Victorinox still uses Swiss Army branding on knives, but they seem to have dropped it on watches as they move more upscale. The Swiss Military brand has appeared in a variety of places throughout time including on some watches made by Wenger. You can read my review of a similar watch called the Wenger Swiss Military Grenadier. I think this Attitude timepiece may be a fading holdover from those days.

While most Victorinox watches are now moving upscale, this Swiss Military-branded watch is a holdover from when anything in the Swiss Army arena was expected to be tough, simple, utilitarian, and Made in Switzerland. If you're looking for a watch built with these philosophies, this Swiss Military Attitude Quartz Watch on Amazon may be the watch for you! It's a deal at around $100.

Watch Wearing Wednesday: A Rumours Watch That Persists

Once upon a time, many, many, years ago in a living room far, far, away, my brother-in-law was incessantly bragging about a brand new Tag Heuer watch that he had just bought. Even worse he was obnoxiously sneering at everyone who was wearing a quartz watch that was common among mere mortals.  It got old fast and everyone present was sick of it.  Finally, I had enough.

A close up of the dial on my old Rumours watch

"Hey, what time is it over there on your fancy Tag Heuer watch?"

"1:15."

I glanced at this Rumours watch and replied, "Same here."

The room burst into laughter and my brother-in-law ceased his bragging.  It was an unforgettable moment and a victory for the common watch.

A Rumours Watch with a Silver-on-Silver design

This Rumours watch has been in my collection for 26 or 27 years.  I hope it persists for a very long time.  You can read about my Rumours watch here on this blog.

Sharp Watch Shout Out: BERNY Automatic Diving Watch

Sometimes beauty and value come together in a sharp looking watch.  This BERNY Automatic Diving watch recently caught my eye and looks like the perfect combination. The watch has a Miyota 8215 movement, an internal rotating inner bezel for timing, and 200 meters of water resistance. The bright, modern, and innovative look of this watch earn it a sharp watch shout out! The watch comes in black, blue, or green and has a silicone strap.

BERNY Automatic Diving Watch

The specifications on this watch are worth looking at and you can find this BERNY watch here on Amazon.

BERNY is a Chinese company established in 1995 and is a respected brand in China. The watch gets 4.3 out of 5 stars on Amazon reviews with some buyers being concerned about durability. The Miyota 8215 movement is sometimes criticized for being noisy when winding at speed. Still, this is a great looking watch and might be worth taking a chance on.

Wristwatch Review: Timex Expedition Metal Brown Leather Strap Watch

My wife recently picked up a new Timex Expedition Metal for me at Walmart. Here it looks nice during an evening out on the town.

Timex Expedition Metal

Timex Expedition Features

It's a nice solid watch with a brass case, simple field watch looks, and 50-meters of water resistance. The watch doesn't have a date feature so you never have to worry about setting the date. The watch has some lume on the hands and numbers which looks really great when exposed to the light for a short time and fully charged up. One thing that should be noted about this particular Timex watch is that it DOES NOT have indiglo lighting in this metal case version. I think Amazon has several similar watch versions under the same listing. The result is some mixed up or co-mingled reviews.

Timex Expedition Metal w/Fully Charged Lume

Watch Dimensions

With a 40mm diameter case that is 9.5mm thick, this Timex fits well and is unobtrusive. 

Watch Wearing Experience

I recently took this Timex watch on an actual Expedition--a business trip anyway--and it was a great choice. One great thing about a watch at this price point (just over $40) is that you can travel without worry. You don't have to feel bad about this watch much when you go through airport security or navigate your way through a busy airport. 

My Timex before Take Off

Nothing panics me more than the potentially losing a watch on a business trip. I was in a full panic when I thought I lost my Perry Ellis watch last time I went somewhere. That's why I recommend traveling with a cheap watch. Here I've just left this Timex out on a hotel room desk with no worries.

Timex Expedition on a Hotel Room Desk

If you'd like to get this Timex, you can often find it at Walmart or you can just snag the Expedition Metal here off of Amazon. It's amazing how this watch can take on so many colors depending on the lighting conditions.

A Timex at sunset in the Airport

Overall Review

I like this Timex Expedition very much. While the lume can be a little weak at times, you don't have to fuss with the indiglo lighting coming on an off as you flex your wrist.  I also like the vintage feel of this classic watch style. It reminds me of my Timex Expedition Vintage Metal which also continues to soldier on. If you'd like to check out some of the other Timex Expedition watches in my collection, hit this site search result. Overall, this Timex is a winner. It's a versatile and affordable watch that looks good and is a great choice for most settings.

Watch Wearing Wednesday: Ed Hardy Stylized Mechanism Dial Design Quartz Watch

In the world of watches, skeleton watches are held in high regard because they expose the inner workings of a mechanical watch so that the wearer can enjoy watching the watch work. But, what if you wanted to see the gleam and shine of the machine with a quartz watch package?  This Ed Hardy watch is a traditional quartz watch with a dial that renders watch-like mechanisms in relief on the surface of the dial.  It's art instead of engineering.

An Ed Hardy Artistic Mechanism Design Watch

This watch really brings the bling to the wrist. It may not be a rugged, outdoorsmans, watch, but you can certainly signal a rescue helicopter to come your way.

This Ed Hardy Watch can reflect some light!

When you look more closely at the dial, you can see features like subdials and a date ring rendered in chrome relief. The photo below shows more of the details.  It's fanciful and fun.

The Ed Hardy Chrome Art Mechanism

Artistic designs in the form of Ed Hardy tattoo art and interesting dials like this are what make the Ed Hardy brand unique. I could see a watch like this appealing to artists, tattoo collectors, and motorcycle enthusiasts. I really hope to see more interesting art like this on Ed Hardy dials in the future.

Sharp Watch Shout Out: Victorinox Dive Pro Quartz Watch

 If you want to see how sharp a Swiss Quartz watch can look, check out the Victorinox Dive Pro Quartz Watch. It's a bona fide dive watch that offers 300 meters of water resistance. It has a sleek 43mm diameter case that is 13.5mm thick.  Aimed at professional divers, it is a well-engineered no-nonsense dive watch.  The sleek looks of the bezel and purposeful design earn this watch a well-deserved sharp watch shout out!

Victorinox Dive Pro 43mm Quartz Watch

The watch is antimagnetic and will not deviate in timekeeping capability even in the presence of strong magnetic fields.  It has a uni-directional rotating bezel with 20 minutes marked.  It also has a date window.  If you like the looks of this dive watch, you can find it on Amazon here:  Victorinox Dive Pro Quartz Watch.

Four Watches for the Super Rich

Watches for Lottery Winners 

[This article is adapted and updated from an article I published on the now defunct Yahoo Contributors Network and on this blog many years ago. However, it is still fun to dream. I've updated some of the watch picks so that they are still out there to add to your collection.  They are all just a lottery ticket away.]

Watch making is an art. It reaches it's pinnacle in watches for the world's wealthiest people. If I were one of those people, here are five watches that would definitely be on my shopping list.

Every week the Megamillions and Powerball lotteries get bigger and bigger. When they do, they give everyone something to dream about. If I were to win a big lottery or become super wealthy, here are five watches for the super rich that would join my watch collection:

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver. As a man of wealth and means, I would enjoy yachting again. Of course, I'd have to step up from the 19-foot Flying Scot sail boat of my youth. I'd have to buy a much larger yacht with steeped in teak and tradition. I'd also need a watch to go with it. For yachting, I'd have to go with the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Diver. According to Audemars Piguet, the Offshore Diver is made of exotic materials including "black ceramic case, glareproofed sapphire crystal, glareproofed sapphire crystal caseback, black ceramic bezel and crowns."I like the octagonal bezel that evokes the looks of a nautical portal.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Diver

Breitling Bentley Super Sports Watch. Of course, if I were super rich, I wouldn't spend every waking moment on the yacht. I'd have to drive around some too. Thus, I'd need a watch to go with my car. That would leave me with no choice but to buy a Breitling Bentley Super Sports watch. A certified chronometer, the Bentley Super Sports watch features a Breitling automatic movement, a date window, and three subdials. You can see one here on Amazon.com. It is price at just over $10 grand. For now, I'll just keep looking for a Toyota Highlander watch.

Breitling Super Sports Watch (Amazon Photo)

Constantin Vacheron. One can't join the ranks of the super-rich and not wear a suit from time to time. I'd at least have to don a sport jacket to sit with my skybox friends for big sporting events. For those formal occasions, the perfect dress watch would be the Constantin Vacheron Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar Chronograph. According to Constantin Vacheron, this 43mm diameter watch has a manually wound 1142QP movement with a 48 hour power reserve. But, the workmanship and materials make this watch amazing. There is something special about the platinum case, white gold hands and indices, the fine alligator strap, and a happy or sad moon gracing the dial depending on the moon phase. Plus, at only $117,671.40 on watchxnyc.com, it's a bargain. When a company has been making fine watches since 1755, they must be doing something right.

Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar Chronograph (VC Photo)

Wait, isn't salmon the same thing as pink? I might have to choose another watch. 

RGM Pennsylvania Tourbillon. Of course, being super-rich doesn't mean you stop being patriotic. I like watches that are made in America and one of the finest is the RGM Watch Companies Pennsylvania Tourbillon. It has a movement that is made in the United States of America. That's a tremendous accomplishment for a small watch company. Plus, the watch is simply a stunning handmade work of art. Pictures on the RGM website reveal an exhibition side window on the case as well as an exhibition case back. Starting at $125,000 at RGMwatches.com, it is a truly awesome watch that should make the watchmakers of Europe a little nervous.

An RGM Pennsylvania Tourbillon (RGM Photo)

When I look at these watches only one question remains: Is it too late to buy a lottery ticket today? If I were a rich man, I know exactly which watches I would buy!

Watch Deal Alert: Citizen Eco-Drive Men's Marvel Hulk Watch

If you search for Citizen Marvel on Amazon, you'll be amazed at how many watches come up. It seems like every Avenger movie hero is well represented. But, on Friday night, I found a great deal. On Amazon, as of February 1, 2025, the Citizen Eco-Drive Men's Marvel Hulk Stainless Steel watch is on sale for 49% off! That brings this amazing solar-powered watch to just less than $200. You can see this watch for yourself and get this Citizen Hulk Watch deal here on Amazon.

Citizen Eco-Drive Men's Marvel Hulk Stainless Steel Watch

With a 43mm case that is 11.7mm thick, this watch has bulk befitting the Hulk, but still fits in perfectly under long sleeved shirt cuffs. It's a well built watch that adult fans of the comic book hero will find perfectly appropriate in most situations.  A novel watch like this is also a great conversation starter.