The wrist watch.

[HanauMan]

I never thought of Seiko watches exactly as 'crap' but rather as a cheaper mainstream watch maker. I recall that they always had ads in our family National Geographic Magazine that we got in the 1970s and 80s.

In fact, my first 'adult' watch was this Seiko Sport 150 which I bought in the late 80s, just before I went to college. It remained my main everyday wear for nearly a decade after that. I seem to remember that it cost me around the $100 mark, which wasn't cheap for me at that stage of my life.

 

[Fading Fast]

I am a old/"vintage" watch guy and know next to nothing about modern brands, but growing up in the '70s, Seiko was - at least I thought it was - a solid mid-market brand like Panasonic or Buick. It was, as I remember it, not considered a junk brand which was (despite all the retro hoopla today by the Hipsters) how Timex was thought of back then (cheap watches that held up okay, but nothing more). Just my two cents as I am very far from an expert.

 

[Trenchfriend]

Ok, watched "Basic Instinct 1" now in original tone and Gus said: "... and the reeeaaal gold-plated Seiko watch."

 

[Seb Lucas]

I love Seiko (the old ones, not the new ones where quality control has taken a dive) but in the context of the movie you would expect more than a $100 plated Japanese watch for your years of police service.

 

[Seb Lucas]

Ok, watched "Basic Instinct 1" now in original tone and Gus said: "... and the reeeaaal gold-plated Seiko watch."

'real' or 'authentic' - same meaning and same idea.

 

[Trenchfriend]

Today, it's "retro".

 

[Jimi3legs]

I never thought of Seiko watches exactly as 'crap' but rather as a cheaper mainstream watch maker. I recall that they always had ads in our family National Geographic Magazine that we got in the 1970s and 80s.

In fact, my first 'adult' watch was this Seiko Sport 150 which I bought in the late 80s, just before I went to college. It remained my main everyday wear for nearly a decade after that. I seem to remember that it cost me around the $100 mark, which wasn't cheap for me at that stage of my life.

View attachment 139521

Seiko make some very nice watches. And forged the way in technology back in the day. Just as much as the Swiss but never given the credit. I also think they have some on point designers. I may be wrong but I think they invented the quartz mechanism.

 

[Jimi3legs]

This is my dream watch. The omega ww2 pilots issue with the second hand complication at the 6 o’clock position. Absolutely magic. Class and historical. Issued to both sides ! A leather band would be needed of course.

 

[Trenchfriend]

Very nice G10-type watch!

 

[Jimi3legs]

Very nice G10-type watch!

The irony is I have a new automatic omega. But I yearn for an old manual wind non water resistant one. The omega moon watch is also something I crave.

 

[Seb Lucas]

Seiko make some very nice watches. And forged the way in technology back in the day. Just as much as the Swiss but never given the credit. I also think they have some on point designers. I may be wrong but I think they invented the quartz mechanism.

Seiko made cheap, artless but robust and effective movements that are no where near as beautiful or accomplished as the Swiss made ones, but nonetheless efficient. But then, even the old, ugly, cheap Timex movements were tough and reliable. Seiko perfected the quartz movement and nearly killed the Swiss watch industry.

In the end, the average punter is happier and probably better served with a decent quartz watch that needs almost no maintenance, is accurate beyond the dreams of Rolex and costs bugger all. No romance in those watches however.

As someone with an interest in watches I am hearing more and more from diverse sources that Seiko movements are failing - with low amplitude and a range of other problems. This has been an issue for several years. It may well be a problem with their lubrication process - clogging the components. Sekio thse days have too many models to choose from and some significant QC issues. But many of the models look good and are well finished.

 

[HanauMan]

Too true....

My late 1980s Seiko still works fine and has never given me any trouble whatsoever. On the other hand, my Omega needed to be fixed after the winding mechanism failed (though only after ten whole years of wearing it). It cost me over £300 to get it fixed by Omega (sent back to Switzerland) and meant a three month waiting time to get it back. To give Omega credit though, they completely refurnished the watch and put in a new face crystal and changed several internal pieces (they sent back a bag with all the old pieces), plus they returned the watch in a swanky new red Omega case. Still, I think if it happens again I may opt for a local watch repairer next time.

 

[Trenchfriend]

Casio F91 black, today.

Say, what you want. Leightweight, fits still comfortable (on me), slim and practical, longlife-lithium battery, easy to handle the settings.

Still watch of the century. Life's good... .

 

[Seb Lucas]

Although it is kind of cool the F91 is a cheap disposable plastic watch designed to be thrown away so it doesn't really belong to the period aesthetic of the Fedora Lounge at all. It is also the watch most notoriously used by extremists to make timers for bombs.

Watch of the century? Not even slightly unless you count its use as a bomb timer this century.

But what is the watch of the century? If we are celebrating the golden age period (pre 1960) as this site does than I guess the watch of the century must be a Rolex or an Omega. I'd be interested in what people think about this.

What are the contenders for the greatest wristwatch of the golden era?

 

[HanauMan]

Have to agree, I laughed out load at the idea of a Casio F91 being the watch of the century. It looks much like the Seiko LCD I had in the very early 1980s and, sure, they're cool......in a school playground!


But it also made me think about what would be the contender for that title, and I don't know. Both Omega and Rolex have classic models going back to the 1940s / 50s. The Rolex Submariner, for example, came out in the early 1950s and is such a cultural icon and aspirational watch for so much of the late 20th / early 21st centuries. But I don't think that I'd chose it as the Watch Of The Century.

My choice would probably be for one of the early Omega automatic watches produced in the 1940s. Or a vintage Mickey Mouse Timex. Now, that was cool......!!

 

[Trenchfriend]

I believe, I mentioned already in this thread, that my next step on watches would be finally switching from the mainly bigger an bigger becoming men's wristwatches to the nice compact ladies watches, which are so much better for my small arms and today, I did it.

Another modell, but similar to my two last men's watches, I've shown before, but now perfect for me with diameter 28 mm. Again clean, solid stainless steel build quality and screw-in bottom/10 ATM. Again really really nice solid storebrand middle-class watch for 40 bucks. Just so much better than all the 20 bucks low-end stuff!
And I always liked the wristwatches without day-indicator much more and I furthermore never needed it.

So, this will be my favorite analog-watch for the next years.

Sorry, Festina, you didn't make the deal.

 

[Seb Lucas]

Have to agree, I laughed out load at the idea of a Casio F91 being the watch of the century. It looks much like the Seiko LCD I had in the very early 1980s and, sure, they're cool......in a school playground!


But it also made me think about what would be the contender for that title, and I don't know. Both Omega and Rolex have classic models going back to the 1940s / 50s. The Rolex Submariner, for example, came out in the early 1950s and is such a cultural icon and aspirational watch for so much of the late 20th / early 21st centuries. But I don't think that I'd chose it as the Watch Of The Century.

My choice would probably be for one of the early Omega automatic watches produced in the 1940s. Or a vintage Mickey Mouse Timex. Now, that was cool......!!

I think you're probably right about the Omegas - they were really something and still hold up today with their extraordinary intricate and robust movements.

 

[HanauMan]

I think that a 28mm diameter watch would be too small for me, personally.

However, I agree that the trend for large watches is becoming a joke. Now even cheap watches are being produced in oversized cases and this trend / fad seems to be, in part, to the watches worn by these so called 'celebrities', whether reality TV, movies or musical.

Back in the day watches built for a certain environment, like the Rolex Submariner, were built large in order to house a complicated movement within a secure case that would withstand atmospheric pressure and such like. They were designed for the real hero types of men and women, not to adorn the limp wrists of some rap star or TV reality 'star' as part of the 'bling bling' culture which is all about money and status.

Only my 2 cents worth (and not worth a bean, really)!

 

[Trenchfriend]

Just for fun. The 40 and 28 mm.

 

[HanauMan]

Looks good. I have seen several (smaller) men wearing reduced sized female watches, so if you're happy with that, and they fit better, than why not.