Classic Metal Watches for Christmas

Classic metal. The phrase evokes images of Led Zeppelin and hard rock from the 1960s and 70s.  However, Amazon recently highlighted what it calls  Classic Metal Watches.  It's a great category of substantial watches from respectable manufactures that offer traditional masculine styles and metal bracelets.  The category made me reflect on some of the great watches that I have in my collection and some of the even greater watches that I'd love to own.  Here are a couple of  classic metal watches from my own collection.

1. Wenger Swiss Military Grenadier Watch.  I like the simplicity of my Wenger Swiss Military Grenadier watch.  It's a rugged timeless design that always looks good.  You can read my review here on this blog:

Wenger Swiss Military Grenadier Watch Review

2.  Relic Moonphase Multifunction Watch. When you think of Multi Function Moon Phase watches, you think that you might have to go to France or Switzerland and drop a cool $100,000+ on a piece of art.  But, you can just go down to the Fossil outlet or search amazon and find this practical, masculine, quartz watch.  It's pretty awesome.  You can read my review here:

Relic Moon Phase Multifunction Watch Review

If you are looking for a great gift for a man this Christmas, you can't go wrong with an all metal watch.  These watches offer rugged good looks that will stand the test of time.

New Casio Watch Model: MRW-210H Men's 'Diver Style' Quartz Resin Casual Watch

On a recent trip to Walmart, I spotted a brand new model of Casio watch.  At least, I hadn't seen this model before so it was new to me.  This new Casio offers a fixed, non-rotating, bezel diver-style watch.  I'm not a big fan of non-rotating bezels.  However, the dial of this sport watch is considerably larger and easier to read than the dial of the popular classic Casio MRW-200H dive watch.  The fixed bezel watch has a 53 mm diameter case while the rotating bezel has a 43mm diameter case.  Consequently, this new watch (Model MRW-210H) should definitely give Timex Easy Reader and Timex Expedition models a run for the money during this holiday season.

One nice thing about this new, larger, Casio model is that it still has a robust 100 meters of water resistance.  This should allow you to shower, wash dishes, and do a little swimming.  At this price point, you don't get a stainless steel case.  Instead this model features an attractively molded black resin case and bezel.  This material is pretty rugged and should stand up to years of use.  The watch comes with a three year battery.

If you are interested in going commando--at least in the horological sense--the new fixed bezel Casio watches also come in all black.  In this case, the numbers receive a silver, chrome, treatment.

This watch should be compared with the Timex Core Resin Expedition watch with has a very similar look.  You'll note that both watches have a similar look and provide an inner ring of numbers for the 24-hour time.  I'll post a review of the Timex Core Resin Expedition watch in a few days in order to provide a comparison.

If you are looking for practical and pseudo-tactical, these new Casio diver-style watches are definitely worth a look!

Watch Sighting: Invicta Classic Dress Watch

On a recent visit to Ross, I spotted this classic dress watch from Invicta.  It is a rich looking watch with gold tones, a leather strap, and a Roman numerals.  This model has two subdials:  one to provide a 24-hour clock and another to keep track of seconds.

While I didn't buy this watch, it just goes to show that it always pays to keep your eyes open for watches at Ross or TJ Maxx.  Both chains get interesting watches and price them affordably.  Often the watches on display have been discontinued.  For example, I haven't been able to find this Invicta model in any other outlet.  Other times, these stores feature close out merchandise that haven't sold at other merchants.

If you are holiday shopping at Ross this Christmas, it's always worth checking the jewelry counter to see what kinds of treasures they have.  You are unlikely to find interesting watches like this in conventional department stores.  If you are looking high and low for a specific Invicta, Amazon is a great place to look for Invicta Dress Watches.

New Watch Brand Sighting: Skechers Watches

On a recent visit to Kohl's, I was surprised to see a new "to me" brand of watches:  Skechers.  The same company that makes casual shoes and sneakers has extended their brand into affordable casual timepieces for men and women.

I took a brief glance at the watches and they appear to be typical department store quartz watches.  According to the box, they use Japanese movements and sport straps made in China.  The come in cardboard boxs with white pillows emblazoned with the Skechers logo.

Skechers Women's Watch

 The watches in the Skechers display appeared to be a mix of men and women's styles.  As a traditionalist, I would characterize the colorful watch above as a woman's watch.  While the watch below seems to be more of a man's watch.

The final Skechers watch that I looked at has more of an Imperial Storm Trooper motif.
 

Finally, it looks like these generally retail for around $50 at Kohls before any discounts or sales. These watches may be a good stocking stuffers for Christmas.  You can also find a wide variety of Skechers watches on Amazon.

Gift Ideas for the Watch Collector

Do you have someone on your list who is a watch collector?  Is it tough to find a great gift for him?  Are the watches he likes hard to find?  Is it tough to guess his style?  Are the watches he collects out of your price range?  Does he scoff at consumer grade watches sold in stores?  Does he turn his nose up at the quartz watches that mere mortals wear?  Does he have so many watches that you are afraid of duplicating something he already has?  Well, worry no more!  I have three great gift ideas for the hard to shop for watch collector on your list.

Diplomat Watch Winder

1. A Watch Winder.  Automatic mechanical watches are generally wound while being worn by the wearer.  However, if you have a collection or you don't wear your automatic watch every day or every other day, they will eventually stop and need to be wound again.  However, you can get a watch winder that rotates the watches many times every hour or so.  This winds the watch so that it will keep the time accurately and be ready to wear.  Watch winders can vary widely in price.  I found mine used in a second hand shop for about $20.  But, new a Diplomat watch winder can vary widely in price.  Upscale purchasers can even buy find watch winders in mahogany or other fine woods.


2. A Watch Box.  If your favorite watch collector has more quartz watches that automatics or conventionally wound manual watches in his collection, a nice watch box is a great gift and good way to protect a watch collection from scratches.  A watch box organizer answers the age old question:  How do you store your watches?

A watch box for storage & display

3. A Watch Repair Kit.   Finally a watch repair kit comes in handy for resizing watch bracelets, replacing watch straps, or changing batteries.  There are many varieties, but if you aren't going to a watchmaking school in Switzerland, almost any choice will do.

A Watch Repair Kit

Holiday Gift Ideas: Citizen Eco-Drive Watches

When you give a watch as a gift, you like for it to have some special characteristics that make it unique.  But, when you can't fly to some exclusive watch maker in Geneva for a timepiece, you can find yourself in a pickle.  On our more affordable middle class plane of existence, many people turn to respected watchmakers like Citizen.  The Citizen Eco-Drive watch is a special watch.  It's a watch that can liberate its wearer from the tedious chore of changing batteries.  The Citizen Eco-Drive line of watches has one of the most sophisticated solar power plants in the world of horology.  Once charged, a Citizen Eco-Drive watch can run for six months in the dark.

My first Citizen Eco-Drive was called "Drive by Citizen" or some such marketing thing.  I'm wearing it as I type.  I've had it for just over a year now and it is still going strong.  The leather band remains soft and supple and the styling is masculine and appropriate for any situation.  You can read my full review of the Drive by Citizen watch here.


My second Citizen Eco-Drive watch is this classic design that obviously draws inspiration from the vintage Citizen watches of the past.  It's a great watch to wear to the office and looks great with khakis.  There is nothing to indicate that this is a solar watch, but it can run for six months in a dark sock drawer.  You can read my complete review of this stainless steel Citizen Eco-Drive watch here.

Armitron Watches - Great Gifts for the Holidays

In the world of middle class timepieces, the Armitron watch brand isn't as popular as Timex or as prestigious as Seiko.  It doesn't have the air of exclusivity that surrounds new brands and internet micro brands.  But, Armitron consistently brings two things to the table:  nice watches and excellent prices.  Some Armitron timepieces simply look like a million bucks!  If you are looking for a gift for a man this Christmas, many Armitron watches are worth a close look!

Here are three affordable Armitron timepieces that I spotted at Walmart at clearance prices.  This first one is a great gold tone watch with a sophisticated striped dial design.  It's the kind of watch that would look at home on the wrist of any executive.  It's the kind of watch that people might strain their eyes to figure out what brand it is. 

 

This watch has a 44 millimeter case and a 165-feet of water resistance.  It looks like the bracelet and case have an alternating gold tone and stainless motif. 

This next model is a basic dress watch for the office with an expansion band.  My pictures don't do it justice, but it covers the basics and it's much less expensive than similar watches from competing brands.  For a young man on his way up, this watch would definitely suffice.

While this watch is priced low as a Walmart clearance item, it's not tremendously expensive on Amazon.com.

Finally, we come to the common digital watch from Armitron.  While many consumers are looking for a Casio G-Shock or Timex Ironman watch, this Armitron is a great alternative.  It has large readable numbers for the time and the date front and center.  It also has 330 feet of water resistance.

You can find Armitron watches for a good price at stores like Walmart or online here at Amazon.com via my affiliate link.  These watches represent a good value.  Plus, they are perfectly priced to be great gifts or stocking stuffers over the holiday.