Spooky Watch Photos to make your Pulsar run cold!

Do you hear it?  Do you hear the galloping hooves?  Perhaps it is the autumnal winds and the blowing leaves?  But, may be it is headless horseman pursuing us with a warning that Halloween is approaching fast!

Headless Horseman pursuing Ichabod Crane - John Quidor [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Every tick and every tock, brings us closer to that time on the clock with the barrier between the living and the dead is very thin indeed!  We've recently had a few spooky encounters of the horological kind.  For example, here is an evil jack-o-lantern that asked me for the time.  While my own pulse nearly stopped, I was wearing my Pulsar dive-style watch.

I found that all of the undead were most excited about this dive-style timepiece.  It had plenty of bracelet for the local skeletons.  If you hear a clink-clink-clink in the evening, it may be a skeleton wearing my watch!

Wristwatch Review: Casio Forester Men's Analog Watch

An Affordable Watch for Adventurers 

The G-shock and Pathfinder are not the only Casio watches for adventurers, this review covers the humble Casio Forester. This earth-tone watch provides an affordable analog alternative to digital watches. While Casio is best known for digital watches, they also make a wide variety of analog watches. One of my favorites has long been the Casio Forester Model FT500WV-1BV. It's an inexpensive analog watch with an attractive velcro, nylon, and synthetic leather strap that fits anyone. The watch has a Japanese movement, stainless steel back, and plastic case. This Chinese-assembled case measures 42mm x 40mm x 11.5 mm. If you get rained on, it's reassuring to know that the Casio Forester is water resistant to 100 meters.

Casio calls this watch an "illuminator" as the face can be lit by pushing a button at the 3 o'clock position where the crown would normally. The crown has been moved to the 4 o'clock position where it is less likely to dig into the back of your wrist. The case has been bumped out on the sides to protect the illumination button. While I often accidently light up my entry-level Timex Expedition Camper-style watch, the Casio's case effectively precludes accidental activation.

Like the Timex Expedition, the Casio Forester provides 24-hour or "military" time in small numerals set inside of the primary 1 through 12 numerals. The Forester also provides the date in the familiar 3 o'clock position. The case and bezel for this watch are a little larger than the slim round Timex. The bulged out case and bezel evoke the more popular G-shock look and provide a modicum of protection for the watch face and crystal. The dark green and black of this Casio's case and band give this watch a distinctly masculine look. It looks like it is ready for a hike or military exercise.

Of course, no watch is perfect and there are definitely flaws in any $20 to $30 watch. First, the battery in this Casio is difficult for most people to change. Indeed, this is my second Casio Forester. My first gave me great service for about two years, but when I tried to replace the watch battery it proved to be an impossible task. Second, the nylon band fits everyone, but has a velcro strip all the way around the watch. It can certainly attract dust and lint. Finally, the toughness of this watch is undermined a bit by a plastic case. After several days of wearing metal dress watches like my Pulsar to work, I felt a little under-dressed wearing the Forester to work.

A Casio Forester at Walmart for $21.92 in 2024

Overall, the Casio Forester is still a cool looking little bang around watch for weekend wear and a good value for $30 or less. When I put on my adventurer's hat, I choose the Casio Forester for my expeditions.

[This review was originally published on Yahoo Contributors Network.  Since initial publication, it's become even easier to find good prices on the Casio Forester.]

[As of August 2025, the Casio Forester is still available on Amazon.com for less than $30. If you are ready to set out into the deep woods, you can find the Casio Forester here on Amazon.] 

Casio Marlin Dive Watch (MDV106-1AV): A Stainless Steel Bargain for Divers and Fisherman!

If you are the nautical-type--a diver, a fisherman, a surfer, or someone who likes the beach--you appreciate the look of a dive watch on your wrist.  From Jacques Cousteau to the local fisherman, nearly everyone associated with the sea has a dive watch or two.

Atlantic Blue Marlin

Unfortunately, the high dollar dive watches from Rolex tend to send messages to the populace like - I have money, overcharge me, rip me off, or mug me.  If you want an alternative that fits in everywhere you go, check out this quartz analog dive watch from Casio.  It's technically called the MDV106-1AV.  It's a catchy little moniker someone in marketing must have dreamed up.  Since it has a picture of a Marlin on it, I'll just call it the Casio Marlin Dive Watch.

Casio Marlin Dive Watch (MDV106-1AV)

The Casio Marlin Dive Watch isn't  a big clunker.  It has a 44 millimeter diameter case that is 12 millimeters thick.  The slim watch will fit under a shirt sleeve in the hot sun and it will be less likely to snag on a cleat, railing, or fishing pole.  It has 200 meters of water resistance and a rotating bezel that only rotates in one direction.  The case is stainless steel and the strap is resin.  In short, it looks like a dive watch should and it functions like a dive watch should.  Plus, it's priced right.  You can see the Walmart price in the picture below.  But, Amazon can have it shipped right to your house for the price below:
 
If you are looking for an affordable, durable, timepiece to accompany you on your aquatic adventures, this Casio Marlin is the one to get.  Catch this low key Casio Marlin and get back to fishing.

Striped Blue Marlin - photo by Kate Crandell (originally posted to Flickr as IMG_1958) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Watch Review: Men's Eclipse Dress Watch from Walmart

I recently had a chance to closely examine a men's Eclipse dress watch at Walmart.  Made by Armitron, the Eclipse brand competes with Timex, Carriage, Casio, and a variety of non-branded quartz watches.  The aggressive price tag of only $22.87 allows this watch to significantly undercut competing Timex and Casio models.

Eclipse Watch Style.  This Eclipse by Armitron watch appears to be inspired by vintage watches from companies like Citizen.  The double baton at 12 o'clock evokes that look.  With a brown leather strap and a faint gold tone to the case, the watch has the perfect colors to match khakis in a business casual environment.  It would also go well with a brown tweed sport coat for the professorial set.

Eclipse Watch Features.  Even though this Eclipse is a rather generic quartz timepiece, it still has some very nice features like 165-feet of water resistance.  That's enough to handle most splashes and swimming that happen in daily life.

Eclipse Watch Construction.  As an Armitron product, the Eclipse line of watches is constructed to a fairly high standard.  This dress watch has a stainless steel caseback, a base metal case, and a genuine leather strap.  The solid construction yields a surprising 165 feet of water resistance.  That's great for such an inexpensive watch.

Wearability.  This watch fits my fairly large wrists with a little room to spare on the strap.  It was a very comfortable fit--not too tight--and not prone to rotating around on my wrist.  The leather strap was a little stiff.  But, it wasn't like cardboard.  I liked the feel of this Eclipse model on my wrist.

Eclipse Watch Size.  I didn't have a chance to measure the diameter of this watch case.  However, you can see that it is similar in size to my Pulsar dive style watch.  That puts the dial in a nice contemporary size range without being overly huge. 

This watch is also not too thick. I'd estimate the case to be around 10 millimeters thick.  That's a nice proportion for a dress watch as it will allow the watch to slide effortlessly under the cuffs of a shirt.  This Eclipse is perfectly proportioned for a dress watch.

Overall, if you are on a budget and need a dress watch, this Eclipse by Armitron watch should fit the bill.  It is simple, straight forward, and perfect for the business casual office.  It's also a great Walmart watch.  For less than $25, this watch is a steal!
I really think the dress watch I found at Walmart is the best of the Eclipse models, but if you'd like to see some of the other watches in the Eclipse line,  check out my first look article to see other models at Eclipse by Armitron.

A Geoffrey Beene Watch for Men - A Style Bargain

There is one little problem with trying to wear classy looking watches:  they cost money.  If you want to achieve a certain fashionable preppy look, but you have limited funds, you might want to check out the watches of Geoffrey Beene.

Goeffrey Beene Watch for Men

I recently spotted this Goeffrey Beene watch in a Marshall's, Ross, or T.J. Maxx.  Yes, I can't remember which store it was.  All I knew was that I wasn't at a BassPro Shop.  But, this watch did catch my eye.  It looks sharp.  It has a slightly nautical flair and it was affordable.  But, frankly, I think Amazon has the best prices for these watches.

[In 2024, out on Amazon, I found this interesting looking green Geoffrey Beene watch with a cool pattern on the dial. It also came in blue.]

Geoffrey Beene watch for men

Of course, there are some drawbacks to cheap watches.  In exchange for a low price, you don't get rated water resistance, you don't get functional subdials, and the watch case itself might be a base metal.  However, you do get a sharp looking timepiece with a reliable quartz movement for $20 to $30.  That's not necessarily a bad thing if you are trying to look sharp on a budget. 

What kind of watch is in the GMC commercial?

"Wow!  That's a cool watch!"  It's a statement I've said aloud nearly every time I've seen the watch in the "sharp" commercial for the GMC Denali series of full-sized SUV.  

What's that watch in the GMC commercial?

Our hints are revealed in a quick turn of the wrist.  The dial is labeled "Lancaster, Pennsylvania USA" at 3 o'clock and "RGM" on the left.  The watch itself is the RGM 400 Chronograph and it retails for about $3,500.  But, before you click on, there is something very special you should know about an RGM watch.  It's made in America.  

RGM 400 Chronograph from GMC Denali Commercial

RGM Watch Company is America's premiere watch maker.  Founded by Roland G. Murphy, the company has been making watches in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, for 20 years.  Murphy started out as an assistant at a clock repair shop, and then pursued a passion for fine timepieces at trade school and through advanced training in Switzerland.  Today, RGM is one of the only American watch companies making precision movements "in house" right here in America.  They use a mix of traditional and automated processes to efficiently make high quality timepieces.  If you visit the RGM site, you'll see mechanical watches that are within the range of middle class aspirations to the prestigious Pennsylvania Tourbillon for the most wealthy of watch collectors.  These watches incorporate mechanical genius and exquisite craftsmanship that rivals anything produced in Europe.

If you appreciate the precision of a GMC Denali, you'll love the precision of an RGM watch.  RGM is a watch company that makes all Americans proud!

The Timex Expedition Camper - A Simple Watch for Telling Time

There are a lot of new watch brands offering watches with basic readable dials.  It's a move towards simplicity in a complex world.  But, if you want simplicity, you don't have to gravitate towards an new and expensive watch brand, traditional brands like Timex have plenty to offer.  Simple field watches are not about cache, they are about telling time.

Timex Expedition Camper Watch in Walmart (around September 2016)

I recently spotted this Men's Timex Expedition Camper watch (above) at a local Walmart store.  It has 24-hour and traditional 12-hour markings for time.  It also has a comfortable nylon fabric strap with hook and loop closure. The white dial and black case evoke the traditional school room clock.  For less than $32, this Timex Expedition easily fits most budgets.

The Timex Expedition Camper in Black (Amazon.com Photo)

However, low cost isn't the only reason to choose a Timex Camper watch.  The watch has Indiglo dial backlight for night use.  With a 100-meter water resistance, this Timex should also hold up to trips to the local swimming hole.  However, if you aspire to ninja-hood, you'll also find the all black version ready for action!

[As of August 2025, this Timex is still available on Amazon.com and is regularly available at sale prices. If you need a bang around field watch, you can find the Timex Camper here on Amazon.]