Recommended: My Favorite Armitron Stainless Steel Watch

Sometimes a watch just looks perfect.  It's the right size.  It's the right shape.  It's the right color.  It has a design that perfectly balances machismo with enough refinement to look nice in an office.  For me, my stainless steel Armitron (Model 20/4859GNSVBN) looks just right.  It has a classic contrasting silver on silver design that is an interesting take in military-inspired watches.  It's a classic!

My Favorite Armitron in the Garden of Good Watches

 The only issue I had with this Armitron was that the original leather band was just a tad short.  So, I replaced it with an inexpensive rubber diver-style band that makes the watch look even better!

Armitron (Model 20/4859GNSVBN)

Here is my stainless steel Armitron watch in original form at Kohl's with the original leather band.  For only $67.49, this watch is a definite steal!

Watches at the Runway T.J. Maxx in Atlanta

To celebrate my birthday, my wife and I visited one of five "runway" T.J. Maxx stores in the Atlanta area.  Runway at T.J. Maxx stores have an expanded selection of high end merchandise including watches at typically amazing low prices.  The runway store I visited was located in Dunwoody, Georgia.

While most T.J. Maxx stores have a selection of nice watches with names like Bulova, Invicta, and Stuhrling Original,  this runway store also had some fine traditional Swiss brands like Tissot.  We also saw some nice watches by Croton, Wenger, ESQ by Movado, Seiko, and Renato.

A Croton Skeleton Watch at T.J. Maxx

 This Croton design (above) does a good job a providing a glimpse at the underlying movement while keeping a readable dial.  While this Tissot (below) takes us to the Swiss Alps and the home of traditional craftsmanship.

Tissot at T.J. Maxx

To give you an idea of pricing, this Tissot watch (above) has a suggested retail price of $500, but sells for $329.99.

Diesel at T.J. Maxx

This Diesel brand watch (above) sells for $69.  While this isn't my favorite Diesel design, it is a great bargain for a Diesel watch collector.

Watch Repair Kit

My First Watch Repair Kit

Back in early July of 2013, I was the fortunate winner of a drawing for an Android Watch Repair Kit from the now defunct MyWristwatch Forums.  It was a cool prize to win because I've long had a stash of cool watches that were just to big for me.  So, I've started removing links from all of those watches that just didn't fit.  Now, I can wear them and properly introduce them.  You can get a similar watch repair kit here on Amazon.

A Basic Watch Repair Kit

Resizing Watch Bands

Here is one of the first watches that I resized.  It's a Gruen II that I bought at Sears two years ago.  When I pulled them out of my secret stash, I was surprised to find that it was still running.  I liked this watch because it has a clear and readable dial and has a background that looks like high tech carbon fiber.  At somewhere around $30, the price was attractive, too.  When you set a watch bracelet in the blue contraption in the watch kit, you can twist the handle to push the pins in the bracelet right out.  You push out the pins so you can remove the links as needed.  Then you use the little hammer in the kit to tab the pins back in place at the smaller size.

Gruen II from Sears

There are some other watches made under the Gruen name today.  While the legendary Gruen watch company is gone, the name lives on. You'll find the Precision by Gruen watches on some basic watches at Kohl's.

[As of 2024, it seems like Precision by Gruen watches are most often found on Etsy or eBay.]

Courtside with my Walmart Watch

You know you are a watch nerd when you think the tennis court is a great place to shoot some watch pictures. 

This basic black Walmart watch doesn't get enough respect.  But, sometimes it's nice to go to the back of the watch box and pull something out that is just a little different.  This watch is all business in basic black.  But, there is nothing wrong with a basic watch with a readable dial.  It has a shiny polished (enamel?) black band and case.  It cost less than $15. 

If you'd like to learn more about how to find a great watch like this at Walmart, read my article:

How to Find Great Watches at Walmart

 

Of course, if you play tennis on a more high falutin' court, you may want to get your basic black wristwatch from Gucci!

Recommended: The Casio Forester - A Great Bang Around Watch

The Casio Forester is one of my favorite watches.  It's the perfect watch for banging around in.  It's inexpensive, tough, and lightweight.  It also has a long battery life.  I first reviewed mine back in August 2011 and it is still running strong two years later.   If you aren't hung up on prestige and appearances, you might like this watch.

My Casio Forester

The Forester would be a great companion on a hike.  Perhaps you could hit the Appalachian Trail or the Pacific Crest trail?  You could do something glamorous like an archaeological expedition.  But, you could also leave that sort of thing to the super macho commando watches that cost 100 times more.  The Forester is a great watch for mowing the lawn, helping a friend move, or walking the dog.  With 100 meters of water resistance, the Forester is built for adventure.  But, if you are an armchair commando, you'll find the velcro band super comfortable for long stints of typing at a desk.

Here is my complete review on this blog:

Wristwatch Review:  Casio Forester Men's Analog Watch


[As of August 2025, you can still find the Casio Forester here on Amazon.]

Watch Photos - Marc Ecko Rhino Watch

I like to take pictures of my watches in unusual settings.  "Spookie Tooth" by Andrew Crawford is a statue of a giant adjustable wrench located in Sandy Springs, Georgia.  It makes a perfect backdrop for my Marc Ecko Rhino watch.

If you haven't read my watch review yet check out -

Wristwatch Review:   Marc Ecko Rhino Men's Analog Wrist Watch

If you'd like to take a closer look at some other Ecko designs, here are a few more of the Marc Ecko watches now being sold at Kohl's!

Have You Tried the Boccia Watch Configurator?

With all the new computerized methods of taking orders and manufacturing things in an automated fashion, the whole "mass customization" idea makes perfect sense. I especially like the concept when it applies to a personal item like a wristwatch. The Boccia brand has a configuration tool on their website that lets you control the design of your watch. You get to pick the following:

•  color of the case, 
• the bezel, the dial, 
• the hands, and 
• the strap or bracelet. 

It's a very cool web page. You end up with a Boccia watch that runs between $225 and $275 or so. I could play with it for hours! Just check out the Boccia Design Your Own Watch advertisement whenever you see it to get in on the fun!