Watch Review: Joseph Abboud Quartz Watch with Green Sunburst Dial

One of my recent watch pickups is this Joseph Abboud Quartz Watch with a green sunburst dial.  It's a rather large watch that wears well and is easy to read at a glance.  The watch is a practical reminder that quartz watches with designer labels made by common manufacturers can perform the same mission as more expensive timepieces from iconic watch makers.   

A Joseph Abboud Quartz Watch

Like the Tudor Ranger and Rolex Explorer, this Joseph Abboud Quartz Watch can be used to tell the time. Unlike those far more esteemed brands, this watch can tell time accurately without winding for years. In fairness, this watch probably isn't as rugged as one of the legendary watches.  But, as a self-aware consumer, I'm also not as rugged as the adventurers who tout the iconic watches from the back covers of old National Geographic magazines.

 

Joseph Abboud Watch Construction

This particular watch was manufactured by E. Gluck Corporation.  They are the parent company of Armitron and make many designer and store-brand watches.  The watch has a stainless steel caseback and a reliable Japanese quartz movement.  The case and bezel are made of a base metal. The crystal is made of some sort of glass and is slightly domed.  It feels nice to the touch.  The numbers and lettering on the dial are raised and not simply painted on the dial.  It's a touch that gives the watch a rich look.

A Joseph Abboud Watch with a green sunburst dial

Joseph Abboud Watch Dimensions

This watch is big and bold with a 44mm diameter case.  Fortunately, it doesn't sit high on the wrist, the case is a slim 9mm thick.  The strap is a robust at 22mm wide at the lugs. The dimensions give this watch presence on the wrist. This watch is just a little bigger than the green sunburst watch that I reviewed here from Caribbean Joe.

The case of this Joseph Abboud watch is slim at 9mm thick

Joseph Abboud Overall Impression

I really like this watch. It's attractive, readable, and eminently practical. It's also nicely built in a way that looks high quality. According to the box, the full price of this watch was $150, but I was able to get it at the close-out discount store Ross Dress for Less for $20. It was a lucky find. On my social media [@the_watch_dude on X], I often retweet watch enthusiasts around the world who take photos of the big, bold, watches that they are wearing on their daily adventures.  This Joseph Abboud watch fits right in. I love the way it looks.

I think she's impressed by my Joseph Abboud watch

Watch Wearing Wednesday: Perry Ellis Solar Watch

As Halloween approaches, it's time to show more watches in spooky situation.  But, with the bright blue of my Perry Ellis Solar, it's hard to be spooky. Plus, this wood carving relief of a skull isn't exactly scary. Nevertheless, I love to show this watch off because it has been a great addition to my collection and its a very comfortable watch to wear.

A Perry Ellis Solar Watch

One cool thing is that I've finally found this exact Perry Ellis Solar watch on Amazon and you can get it for a nice price.  If you want to read my complete review of this great watch, you can find it here on this blog.

Perry Ellis Solar Watch (Amazon photo)

Watch Sighting: Ed Hardy Watches at Walmart

Guess what I just saw at Walmart? Ed Hardy wristwatches. You probably knew that from the title of this post. But, I was shocked and surprised to see sizeable watch aisle end cap full of watches from the famed tattoo artist's brand. Two varieties on display caught my eye. The first (below) has the famed Ed Hardy "Love Kills Slowly" design.

Ed Hardy "Love Kills Slowly" Watch

The second design (below) was a variation on the skull watch.  It's cool to see a skull sculped into the watch dial itself.  This one also incorporates a rose design into the strap and what appears to be a serpent weaving its way through the strap and the skull. It's nice to see the tattoo art that Ed Hardy is renowned for incorporated into the watch designs.

An Ed Hardy Skull Watch incorporating a rose and chain motif on the strap

At Walmart, both of these watches are only $20.98. 

Once made synonymous with Jersey Shore and various reality TV and celebrity jackasses, the Ed Hardy brand has seen its ups and downs and has been in the hands of various branding companies for many years. Since 2021, the Ed Hardy brand has been licensed exclusively in North America by the American Exchange Group as part of a three year deal with the brand company Iconix Brand Group Inc. 

I never watched Jersey Shore and I don't keep too close of a track on fashion, so for me the Ed Hardy story boils down to a couple of key points:

1. You'll find Ed Hardy brand watches in Burlington, Ross, and just recently, Walmart stores for very affordable prices.

2. Ed Hardy's tattoo art is cool looking and has a lot of visual appeal.

It's kind of cool that the Ed Hardy brand and the artistry of these watches are now available to so many people through affordable outlets. I find that these watches definitely add variety to a watch collection. I'll probably add more myself as time and finances permit. 

 

Watch Wearing Wednesday: The Ed Hardy Skull Watch

Since the Halloween month is upon us, it's time to break out a spooky watch or two. If you are looking for a little watch wickedness, check out this inexpensive watch from Ed Hardy. It's got the whole sinister skull thing going on.

Ed Hardy Skull Watch

While the black & white photo really makes the skull in relief on the dial pop, the watch is a bit more subtle in day-to-day wear.  Since the color scheme is black on black, you don't necessarily notice the skull from all angles and in all lighting.

Ed Hardy Skull Watch

Keep an eye on this blog for an upcoming post on where I've found Ed Hardy watches lately!

Wristwatch Review: Perry Ellis Solar Watch with Tachymeter Markings

Over the summer, I found a great deal on this Perry Ellis Solar Collection watch at Ross. It has a brilliantly blue dial with classic markings and a very dark (almost black) blue strap.

A Perry Ellis Solar Watch in its box

Watch Features and Construction

The best feature of this solar watch is, of course, the solar power.  Once it is charged up, it can go for four months of darkness. There is nothing other than a "Solar Power" label across the dial between 8 and 4 o'clock to reveal that it is a solar watch.  The technology has clearly come along way since visible solar cells on the dial.

As a watch, the Perry Ellis solar watch has a stainless steel caseback, a Chinese movement, and a synthetic leather strap. The Perry Ellis name appears in the upper third of the dial between 10 and 2 o'clock. It can also be found on the back of the strap and on the buckle as shown below.

The Perry Ellis Logo on the Watch Buckle

Watch Dimensions

One of the things, I like about this watch is that it is perfectly proportioned for business or casual wear.  According to the ruler on my phone, the case is about 40mm in diameter and about 8 or 9mm thick.  Someday, I'll by myself a proper caliper to measure such things.  The main thing is that this watch is well proportioned with a nice readable dial size, a generous strap, and a case that doesn't stand too tall on the wrist.

The Perry Ellis Watch profile on my wrist.

Overall Impression

This watch has been a great addition to my collection.  It was amazing to find a 4-month-charge-life, solar watch for under $50 at Ross.  It would be worth buying for twice the price.  This Perry Ellis Solar Watch is a nice balance of sporty styling, easy-to-read functionality, and hassle-free ownership. 

Watch Sighting: Caribbean Joe Analog Quartz Watch

Every once in awhile, I'll encounter a watch from Caribbean Joe Island Supply Company in stores like Ross, T.J. Maxx, or Marshalls.  They are always attractively packaged and evoke an island lifestyle.  On days, when I wish I lived on a little island hut, this brand looks like one that could take me there.

I recently saw this Caribbean Joe watch at a discount retailer in North Georgia.  It must have been a Ross or a Marshalls store.  While the store is a blur, this watch looked nice and almost enticed me to break my rule against non-functional sub-dials.  

When I looked further into Caribbean Joe watches on Amazon, I found that there are a wide variety and that they are very inexpensive.  The Caribbean Joe brand brings a casual island look that evokes the Hemingway era in a wristwatch.  With a low price point around $20, these watches are a real bargain.  It's kind of cool to find an interesting brand with a nice looking quartz watch and an attractive price.

[Editor's Note:  I finally bought a Caribbean Joe watch at a Kohl's store in late August of 2023.  If you'd like to read a Caribbean Joe watch review, bang the link.

Unlisted Watch by Kenneth Cole

I found a great looking quartz watch at Ross last week.  It has a black plastic bezel, classic diver's watch style, and protection for it's crown.  The brand is called "Unlisted by Kenneth Cole."  Regularly priced around $30, the watch I found was only $15. 

Unlisted by Kenneth Cole