What time do you wear?


What watch, if any, graces your wrist? Does time matter? You know: time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana. Either way.
khrys
And oh Roxy, since both audio and fine watches both cost money. it seems an apt comparison to me.
I fully understand the appeal. Its a matter of beliefs and values to me.
My excuse , come Judgement Day, for my paltry audio system will be it bolstered my Christian beliefs through Bach Cantatas etc etc.
I can't think of one that would excuse me laying out the cash for the Omega I would like, instead giving to the Child Funds, Doctors without Borders etc needs.
YMMV of course.
Schubert,
The enjoyment factor for those who own one or more better watches comes from a deep appreciation of the quality, craftsmanship and science involved in the making of the movement, as well as the artistry in the design of the case, and the unity of the two as a whole. Comparing watches to audio equipment in the way that you are doing is not really valid.
I wasn't speaking of your opinions, I was speaking of your interest in audio versus the interest that some have in high grade timepieces.
06-09-14: Onemug
Does anybody know what time it is?....Chicago

Does anybody really care?...Chicago

No one should be concerned about his watch...Schubert

Maker of good points...Roxy54

Some people need to get out more...Onemug

Onemug mentioning old Chicago album, $6.95

Onemug mentioning old Chicago album twice, $13.90

Not concerned about his watch? Schubert's 2¢ cents worth

Onemug comment about Roxy 54's comments......... Priceless

For everything else there's Mastercard
Out of all the watches I've owned over the years, fancy and non-fancy, my go to is a big ol' Panerai, simple, with black face, white hands, i've replaced the tan leather strap several times from wear; I crashed on a motorcycle wearing this watch 10 years ago and thought it was destroyed; it was sent back to the factory and for what I considered a modest charge, the watch was totally rebuilt, new parts, still runs great, and best of all, I can SEE THE DAMN THING!
God bless the Italian Navy !
Does anybody know what time it is?....Chicago

Does anybody really care?...Chicago

No one should be concerned about his watch...Schubert

Maker of good points...Roxy54

Some people need to get out more...Onemug
So Schubert, I suppose that you wouldn't mind if those who are interested in better watches thought that your interest in Audio was clueless.
Blancpain Villeret Chronograph 1185-1127-55b

http://www.prestigetime.com/item/Blancpain/Villeret-Chronograph---34mm/1185-1127-55b.html
Just ordered a very nice new Alpina, which offers an exceptional value compared to similarly designed Swiss automatic divers.
My favorite is my Breguet, but I also have a Cartier tank, a Breitling, and others.
A basic Seiko dial watch I bought with my first ever bonus check in 1987. But if I could, I'd wear a Rouchefoucauld. The thinnest water-resistant watch in the world. Singularly unique, sculptured in design, hand-crafted in Switzerland, and water resistant to three atmospheres. This is *the* sports watch of the '80s. Six thousand, nine hundred and fifty five dollars retail! It tells time simultaneously in Monte Carlo, Beverly Hills, London, Paris, Rome, and Gstaad.

:)
And like my previous post, this is germane to high-end audio how? Hope none of you bought your Rolex or Patek Phillipe off a trailer at midnight straight from Albania, lmao.
Syntax, The Rolex Oyster cases are unbeatable!! The screw-down pushers were an excellent addition! (a lot of gaskets in that case :) Always great pictures from you:) I think that watch still has the Valjoux 72. I am lucky to have the model with a Valjoux 72C. "C" designating addition of triple calender feature. Early 1950's.
Seikosha, Your Diver is a "high-beat" All very cool stuff! They must be very hard to find.
Donjr, There are SO MANY vintage watches for sale at very reasonable prices. Just look at Epay. Be selective. You want a watch with the original dial finish. (not re-done) Like a Hamilton manual wind from the 1940's, as example. Excellent quality!! And It'll run forever. Enjoy
Yes, I hope to someday step up from a quartz movement. I really enjoy wearing a watch. It's not uncomfortable to me and I don't like to have to pull a cell phone out of my pocket to say "it's four fifty three". I can totally understand why people collect watches.
@Isochronism

Some of the older vintage Seiko dive watches from the 60's are worth good money today. A nice 6159 300M or a 6215 300M can fetch 5k or more. The market is very hot for them. A one button manual wind Seiko 5718 chronograph can easily fetch 8k or more today.

Here's a shot of one of my old Seiko Divers, it contains a high beat 36kbhp movement.

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z284/wpetew/t6159.jpg
The big Seiko flashy/sporty automatics and Divers, etc ALWAYS caught my eye when I was a young boy!!! They certainly had their own unique look to them. I also very well remember their magazine advertisements back then. They are slightly tricky reinstalling the main bridge until you've done a few. Also the automatic rotor bearings would wear, "if I remember right". Very strong running watches. It holds true as with other watches, as in rare dials, tho I know very little about Seiko collecting.
I've been a watch collector for most of my life. Although in the past, I collected stuff from most of the Swiss houses, today, I tend to collect some of the more obscure Japanese stuff. Believe it or not, companies like Seiko make some extremely high end watches that compete with most of what the Swiss make at almost any level and is one of the few companies in the world that makes all their own parts and movements in house.

You won't however see any of these watches here in the US at the local mall although there are a couple of dealers now beginning to dabble in High End Japanese timepieces.

It's only been in the last 10 or 15 years that the rest of the hard core collecting world has learned about some of the Seiko domestic products and today it's not uncommon for a heavy duty collector with a 6 or 7 $ figure collection to tell you that their Seikos are among their favorites.

So that kind of explains my Username.

That said, I actually have a Panerai on today. :-)
Thank you Isochronism and Brianmgrarcom, I really do love my IWC watches. The blue Portuguese is very nice. I was very close to getting that one. I would love to get an F.A. Jones to complete my collection. Man between watches, cars, and audio I have way too many ridiculously expensive hobbies!
Donjr, I fully agree with you. Someone will see that I have a watch on and ask me the time. Once in a while, depending who it is, I will say like "it's a quarter of". They will then ask " a quarter of what?" I say, (as I look back at my watch) "well.... the hour hand broke off my watch, a week ago and I had not gotten around to fixing it yet, but it's a quarter of something". Some get the joke, some just give me a strange look.
The ability to keep accurate time changed the world. Look up John Harris Marine Chronometer. Watches represent more than just telling time to me, and quartz watches are not a real watch, to me. A Frank Muller was brought to be serviced. It had a very large, Manly looking 18K case. The back said something like "The Jewelers Watchmaker" or whatever. Upon opening it, I found a little tiny quartz movement made for a small Ladies watch. HA If the guy wearing it only knew. They are making more high-end mechanical watches with complications than ever before. Someone likes them!!
Nice collection Tboooe. I also have a Port. Chrono., but mine is with the blue strap, hands and indices. I am envious you have a 5001!
"An iPhone! I wear it like a pocket watch. I have not had a time piece on my wrist for years. Wrist Watches are just BLING!"

Do you remember a time before digital time pieces? It was great. When asked the time it was always rounded. 5:08 was ten after five. 2:03 was two O'clock. People glanced at their watches and rounded the time and for some reason the world was a better place.

Bling? Not for everyone. There was and is plenty of watch wearers who wear them and depend on them to keep track of time.
An iPhone! I wear it like a pocket watch. I have not had a time piece on my wrist for years. Wrist Watches are just BLING!
Tboooe, Schaffhausen, Excellent collection!! IWC always had a much nicer finish inside than Rolex. (bite my tongue) The quality was only splitting hairs away from the few top makers. The one I always wanted was Ref 5251. Rare and expensive if found.
Cerrot, I had to look them both up. Your power reserve indicator is always a cool feature. And Chronometer Grade is the best!! The Freak...Tourbillon.. WOW. The price of a really nice audio system!! You have to be a bit of a (watch) Freak yourself to have spotted it! HA I have a Audemars Piguet 2870. First automatic tourbillon, from 1980's. I bought it from a vintage dealer years ago. WAY, WAY cheaper than all the new tourbillons!!!
Thanks, Isochronism. I like UN alot and am thrilled to finally have one of his pieces. I have the Marine Maxi 1846 in silver with titanium. I cant wait to get another one! I was online at a store a while ago and the guy infront of me was wearing The Freak by Nardin. Needless to say, I freaked when I saw it and he freaked when he saw I knew what it was.
Cerrot, UN IS a very special watch! They were known for their early Ship Chronometre work. I have a UN wrist watch from 1940's. Marked Chronometer on dial with blued (purple) Breguet styled hands, sub seconds. Rectangular case marked Staybrite with thin inner case to help prevent magnetism. Rectangular movt. marked 3 adjustments with Breguet overcoil hairspring. I grew up in the Antique business and later became a Watchmaker as I did like watches that much! Thanks for reminding me of it. I wouldn't mind hearing more about yours.. (hint) Enjoy!!!
I picked up a Ulysee Nardin a few months ago and couldn't be happier. Truly great watchmaker.
I wear a Victorinox Alliance 241474. It's a nice quartz movement with a black dial, black leather strap and shows the date. That's all I personally need so it took me awhile to find something I liked with only the features that I needed. I guess it was similar to my quest to find my next integrated amp. Why pay more for features you'll never use?

It's too bad about Kodak. I live in Rochester so the bankruptcy really hits home. When I was a kid, Kodak employed 65,000 people here. I heard on the radio this morning that when they emerge from bankruptcy in September it will be down to 2,000. It's amazing to drive by the factory these days. Closed down businesses everywhere around it. Still, our economy here has rebounded quite well as all these ex Kodak employees started up dozens of small buisinesses in imaging, medical technology, chemicals and so on. This city would be nothing had it not been for George Eastman and Kodak.
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Isochronism
Albert,
I bet just a quick glimpse at your archive of photos brings all the great memories right back!

Exactly.

I'm still stunned when I view a Velvia or Kodachrome original with a Schneider high power loupe. There is something in those emulsions there that's as real as viewing real life.
Brianmgrarcom
Do you enjoy digital photography Albert? I like to take pictures, but I am not the best at it. I recently purchased Lightroom and it is quite amazing at what can be done to a picture.

Digital is fine, it's better than film in some ways and worse in others.

It's what we have now, Kodak is bankrupt and I don't know if Fuji even makes their specialized slow speed films anymore. I never shot anything faster than 100 ASA and mostly 32 speed or slower.

I plan on purchasing Lightroom when I change computers.

I've used Apple computers since my first desktop, many years before my first digital camera. It seems they have forgotten the pro users that stuck with them when they were on the rocks and near failure.

All they seem to be able to do now is crank out iPhones and won't spare a tiny crew that could produce a refresh on the long overdue, Pro Tower.
Albert,
I bet just a quick glimpse at your archive of photos brings all the great memories right back!
Do you enjoy digital photography Albert? I like to take pictures, but I am not the best at it. I recently purchased Lightroom and it is quite amazing at what can be done to a picture.
Mitch4t,

No, there are no clients to support film photography and most (all?) the labs here have closed their doors. It's sad, I often pull out pages of 35MM Kodachrome of my family or a photo assignment and have fond memories.

I have thousands and thousands of images stored now. I did Southwest Airlines for nearly 10 years and traveled extensively. Those images are magic to revisit. Everything from Mardi Gras to ski photography in Utah.