[Docrwm]

May 17, 2013

Seiko is one of the largest watch makers in the world. They entered high-stakes precision timing competitions in Switzerland in the 1960s and kept getting higher and higher in the rankings until they ended up 2nd in a controversial decision (they were marked down in a category late after it was realized that their score would have won). Suddenly the competitions were "temporarily put on hold" by the Swiss and have never restarted Anyway, they make a huge range of watches and many only see their inexpensive consumer watches that are quartz. They also make watches that cost up to $1-2 million. Their mechanical watches have VERY robust movements in them and their water resistance ratings are precise and conservative. When they say its 200m rated - it is. This one has a simple standard automatic movement in it and Diver's timing bezel (outer ring) and is rating for diving. Automatic movement makes it keep going without a battery and it will run for up to 40 hours on a good days movement. This one is called the "Pepsi" because of the colors on the bezel.

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Last edited by Docrwm; 05-23-2013 at 10:40 AM.

[crewl1]

Ooooh glowy. UV lighting?

[Docrwm]

Ooooh glowy. UV lighting?

Seiko is renowned for its incredible lume on its divers. There are some boutique brands that put more oomph in their lume but no regular manufacturer comes even close. The Monsters and this Pepsi Diver are among their best when it comes to glowing brightly.

Oh, and I used a black light

[Docrwm]

May 17, 2013



Seiko is one of the largest watch makers in the world. They entered high-stakes precision timing competitions in Switzerland in the 1960s and kept getting higher and higher in the rankings until they ended up 2nd in a controversial decision (they were marked down in a category late after it was realized that their score would have won). Suddenly the competitions were "temporarily put on hold" by the Swiss and have never restarted Anyway, they make a huge range of watches and many only see their inexpensive consumer watches that are quartz. They also make watches that cost up to $1-2 million. Their mechanical watches have VERY robust movements in them and their water resistance ratings are precise and conservative. When they say its 200m rated - it is. This one has a simple standard automatic movement in it and Diver's timing bezel (outer ring) and is rating for diving. Automatic movement makes it keep going without a battery and it will run for up to 40 hours on a good days movement. This one is called the "Pepsi" because of the colors on the bezel.

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Last edited by Docrwm; 05-23-2013 at 10:40 AM.

[Docrwm]

May 18, 2013

This is THE Seiko Monster. Most incredible lume of a standard production watch by a major maker. Dive rated to 200m, easy to use bezel for timing, a VERY solid chunk of metal.

Seiko is one of the largest watch makers in the world. They entered high-stakes precision timing competitions in Switzerland in the 1960s and kept getting higher and higher in the rankings until they ended up 2nd in a controversial decision (they were marked down in a category late after it was realized that their score would have won). Suddenly the competitions were "temporarily put on hold" by the Swiss and have never restarted Anyway, they make a huge range of watches and many only see their inexpensive consumer watches that are quartz. They also make watches that cost up to $1-2 million. Their mechanical watches have VERY robust movements in them and their water resistance ratings are precise and conservative. When they say its 200m rated - it is. This one has a simple standard automatic movement in it and Diver's timing bezel (outer ring) and is rating for diving. Automatic movement makes it keep going without a battery and it will run for up to 40 hours on a good days movement.

[Docrwm]

May 19, 2013

[Docrwm]

May 20, 2013

Sinn - pronounced Zinn - is a German watch maker that started as an Aircraft gauge and dial maker. They are known for their incredibly robust designs, ease of reading, innovation in ways that make the watch more resistant to environmental issues, and precision. Probably my favorite watch of all time is this 757UTC model. Where to start? The case is a specially treated steel that is hyper resistant to damage, they call it Tegimented. Their symbol for Tegimented is -
The watch also has a capsule, with a small porthold in the side of the case for checking its status, of cupric sulfate to absorb water that might get into the case which is rated at 20Bar (200m water resistant). This helps protect the mechanism and alert the owner by a change in the capsule color through the porthole. The bezel (timing ring) is bidirectional because it is NOT a diving watch but an aviation watch so being able to move one direction only for safety is not required and two-directions is more functional to its intended use. This model also has the distinct yellow skelton hand that is a 12 hour timing hand for UTC - Universal Time Constant (essentially a fancy new name for GMT, can't be UK centric any more can we ). It has a 25 jewel Valjoux Automatic movement in it that keeps excellent time and the standard 30 minute and 12 hour accumulators for the chronograph function. If you look closely it does NOT have a sweep second hand for constant seconds - only the chronograph sweep that is started and stopped via the buttons (pushers) above and below the crown. Sinn is one of those companies that just make things RIGHT. It's kind of like Pentax and Ergonomics, Sinn watches work, work as they should, have excellent features, and are incredibly well constructed.

For more information on Sinn features, many of which I have not listed here so as not to bore everyone any more than I already have, you can visit this site:
Sinn Watch Technologies

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Last edited by Docrwm; 05-23-2013 at 10:51 AM.

[Docrwm]

May 21, 2013

sorry for the poor photo - old P&S

One of my only 2 non-Automatic/Mechanical watches. This is an Accutron Eagle with an incredibly useful fly-back movement in it that allows you to time multiple events, restart the timing instantly with one button, and all operated via battery. This one was designed in conjunction with Buzz Aldrin of Apollo 11 fame and has a signed caseback with Buzz's signature and Apollo 11 related engravings. It's hard to see but there are two separate main sweep hands on the dial that are on top of each other - one red and the other blue - in order to make the fly-back and accumulator work for this design. An automatic with these features would run 5 figures in US $'s and is not in my budget. This was on discontinued sale when I picked it up from Overstock a couple years ago for <$200. The watch forum guys were amazed at the find and Overstock sold out in <2 hours after I posted the link.

[Docrwm]

May 22, 2013

I like Mido watches and believe that the brand is VERY under-appreciated in the watch collecting world. This one is the little brother to the first watch in this thread. I bought it used from another watch collector after I posted by review of the Big Brother Chronograph. He said that if I appreciated the big one I ought to have both, and I agreed. This one is called a "Doctor's Watch" because the scale on the dial around the outer edge outside the Big numbers allows you count heartbeats for 15 seconds and get the beats per minute rate. It has a mid-grade ETA movement in it and keeps excellent time. It also has a see-through caseback but the movement is not as engraved and elaborated as the larger Mido. It's on a Buffalo leather brown strap that is tough and soft and has outlasted ALL my other leather straps while still looking nearly new. Its on the small side for modern men's watches at 39mm but I like it, particularly under a dress shirt cuff.

[Docrwm]

May 23, 2013

[pingflood]

May 18, 2013

Nice Monster. Just traded my Orange Monster away for an Orient Star "Revolver" in bright yellow.

[Docrwm]

Nice Monster. Just traded my Orange Monster away for an Orient Star "Revolver" in bright yellow.

Got a photo of it? I don't recall what that model looks like.

[crewl1]

Hey Doc love the photos. Would you be able to add a little descriptor/story for us watch ignorant peeps?

[Docrwm]

Hey Doc love the photos. Would you be able to add a little descriptor/story for us watch ignorant peeps?

Ok, Larry. I'll go back and add a bit.

[stormtech]

Ok, Larry. I'll go back and add a bit.

This is great! Good suggestion Larry.