Watch Recommendation #42 : Seiko Chronograph

I have decided to rename my column to just Watch Recom as I have tried to make publishings every week but got inundated with the realities of the real world. Rest asssured that I will continue to publish watch recommendations that will realistically meet the demands and respect of true watch followers.

My 42nd Watch Recommendation yet again comes from my favorite watch brand.  In the advent of all the Baselworld hoola around the net, I have a found a classy looking timepiece that bears some resemblance to one of the best known chronograph watches in the world, the Rolex Daytona.  And t hough Rolex didn't release a 50th anniversary edition watch of the Daytona as so many wished, they did not disappoint as always.  But the watch that I am recommending you today isn't from Rolex.

It's a Seiko!

The quartz chronograph reference SSB047 has absolutely classic looks.  What attracted me most was the "X" sword hands that is definitely a Japanes watch design incorporated on mostly newer Seiko quartz chronographs.  I aslo love the clean white dial which has different finish for the inner and outer part.  The indices complement the sword hands perfectly.  The the 3 register, 24 hour, minute chrono register and the subdial second hand complement the classic look of a homage to the Daytona.  The tachymeter is on the chapter ring and a fixed 60 minute bezel to complete the look.

Another thing I noticed about this model is the bracelet.  Though its not solid, links and end-links, has a middle link polished finish similar to you guessed it, a Daytona.

The chrono pushers are the standard non-screw type so as the crown as well without any crown guards.  The watch is rated 100m water resistant, 42mm wide case and with the ever reliable Seiko Calibre 6T63.



Here are more great pics I found from an ebay seller.

Now so many times the term homage and watches like these are snobbed by many, well we can't blame them at all.  But I always consider the fact that there is still huge value in high quality watches like these that will serve us for many long years.  This Seiko isn't a complete homage, it gets some design cues from the iconic daytona, but its main character is dictated by the quality and reliability of the watch and the Japanese modern design that can all be had for a price $150 or less.

WWR #14: Mondaine Sports Gents Chronograph Watch

It's quite a trend now that the market is into more simple and minimalistic design in watches.  And so I started last week with one of these type of watches with the Nomos Tangomat, for this week, I'd love to share with you another simplistic round shaped case watch that's nothing too fancy or overstated, but a simple white faced dial adorned by the rectangular hands and the signature red seconds hand from Mondaine

The WWR# 13 is the Sports Gents Chronograph with model number A690.30308.11SBB.  It is powered by a the dependable Swiss Ronda Quartz movement and housed in a stainless steel 41mm case.  Aside from the dial design that is similar to the Swiss Railway Clocks, is the large date display over at the 12 o'clock position at the dial.  And what I like most about this date function is its two window digit display style.  Surely not what you usually nowadays with date windows and while trying it on and operating the date function, it's interesting to see how it flips to the next day without the need for the first window to change for days within the 10 digit period.  The Chronograph function is also very smooth, the buttons work fine and the shiny case reflects also what is on the chapter ring on the dial thus mirroring the minute indices in a swindling image on the sides.  You'll notice it once you try to handle one in person.  The leather strap is on the medium scale of design, simple white stitches on the side.  The watch wears a little smaller in person vs its spec of 41mm so it should fit any shirt or cuff comfortably.  The price for this Modaine is around $600 as i've seen on retail store tags.  If you want just a simple daily watch for your everyday job and weekend getaways, perhaps this is the watch for you.  Dependable, Swiss, Simple, Elegant and Fashionable...Set it and enjoy it.

WWR# 11 - Casio Edifice Red Bull Limited Edition Watch

F1 fan you are?  Well look no further.  F1 has it's youngest champion yet, and the most advanced F1 watch yet.  The Casio Edifice Red Bull Racing Limited Edition watch EQS-A1000RB is the Weekly Watch Recom for this week. 



This watch is really the cream of the crop for quartz lovers.  Seeing the specs below, I bet you won't even use 50% for regular folks like us but the marvel of engineering to fit all those in analog watch  is pure advanced and innovative electronics and mechanisms.  I mean I seldom see these features on a high-end Master of G, G-shock watches, but no, its on a Casio Edifice with only hour, minute and second hands.  The mystery of how it works and how it all fits in this simple watch is what makes this very interesting.  Plus, this has the tough solar technology, similar to Seiko Solar and of course the popular Eco-Drive from Citizen.  This is probably the priciest Casio yet at around $700, but I bet all my collection that this is the most high-tech, full featured, most accurate watch of all F1 branded watches.  Especially that majority of which are mechanicals, really, though I am in love with mechanical watches, do you really think that F1 teams use a mechanical watch to capture lap times up to the most milliseconds? Not a chance.  If the price is too steep for you, there are a lot of Edifice models to choose from sans the Red Bull Logo. 


Specs from Casio:

• Case / bezel material: Stainless steel / Aluminum
• Stainless Steel Band
• One-touch 3-fold Buckle
• Solid Band
• 100-meter water resistance
• Mineral Glass
• Neobrite
• Screw Lock Crown
• Partial ion plated
• Solar powered
  
• World time
  29 time zones (29 cities + coordinated universal time), daylight saving on/off
  
• 1/20-second stopwatch
  Measuring capacity: 59'59.95''
  Measuring modes: Elapsed time, split time, 1st-2nd place times
  
• 1/20-second stopwatch
  Measuring capacity: 59'59.95''
  Measuring modes: Elapsed time, lap time
  Memory capacity: Up to 5 records
  Other: Fastest lap
  
• Countdown timer
  Measuring unit: 1 second
  Input range: 1 minute to 60 minutes (1-minute increments)
  Other: Auto switching to elapsed time measurement (1-second units) when the end of a countdown timer operation is reached
  
• Daily alarm
  
• Low battery alert
  
• Power Saving (hands stop to save power when the watch is left in the dark)
  
• Full auto-calendar (to year 2099)
  
• Date display
  
• Regular timekeeping
  Analog: 3 hands (hour, minute (hand moves every 10 seconds), second), 1 dial (TM (mode))
  
• Accuracy: ±15 seconds per month
  
• Approx. battery operating time:
  6 months on rechargeable battery (operation period with normal use without exposure to light after full charge)
  31 months on rechargeable battery (operation period when stored in total darkness with the power save function on after full charge)
• Size of case/total weight: 51.6 X 46.2 X 14.3 mm/193 g

Here is a quote from the Champion himself:

"Let me share a secret with you: to win in Formula One, you need to be ready for new challenges all the time. Whether you’re a driver, designer or engineer, the commitment is the same. You only need to look at casio edifice watches to understand that they have a similar philosophy"

WWR #6: J. Crew X Timex Andros Watch

The Timex and J. Crew collab has been very successful with the military watch model that you can see it in most fashion magazines or websites or simply people buying it aside that it has quite a hefty price for a Timex.

And with its new piece from their partnership, the Timex Andros Watch is our 6th Weekly Watch Recom. When I first saw this watch, I didn't expect it to be a Timex, well to think that Timex really doesn't have a consistent design, they adapt to the market, and upon seeing the Timex Logo upfront, guessed it right, it was another J. Crew. And boy does it look good. It has an matching ocean blue color for the dial, rotating bezel and the neat nato strap. With matching explorer style markings and a pilot inspired hands, this is a sure winner.

Now the price of this piece is a bit high for a Timex ($175) at this level, but I do believe that brand and exclusivity add another value that is hard to find these days. Fully justified you think? If you have the funds, I think it is. Timex is known for providing dependable, robust and quality watches that will take a licking, add that with a classic uniqueness and simple class from the J. Crew group, I think that is a good back-up for your fashion getaway.

There aren't too much info on the J. Crew site except for the obvious 100meter WR rating from the 330ft indication on the dial. A quartz movement and a functional rotating bezel. I would assume it has luminous hands, but for indiglo, I doubt. But none the less, I'm pretty sure this watch will serve a proud owner for many many years and will become a collector's classic in the future on.

And from this on, we'd only hope that Timex and J. Crew to continue what they are doing.

Pictures from the J. Crew Website.

WWR# 4: Seiko Automatic Watch SARB071

Seiko is well known over the world for their cheap auto dive watches, and their kinetics too. But little do only know that Seiko was truly the first to bring to the market the quartz wristwatch way back in December 25, 1969. And aside from that, Seiko also does manufacture middle to high end mechanical timepieces which are of majority offered only to JDM (Japan Domestic Market). And so my WWR for this week is from the latter. It's a mid-range JDM Seiko, which is the SARB071 Automatic Dress Watch. Why this watch? well from browsing along Seiko's offerings, this one's look sung out to me. For me it's got that vintage japanese design similar to the world's first quartz watch and commemorative edition...

Seiko Astron 1969


Seiko Astron 40th year Commemorative Edition 2009


...powered by the mid-range 6R15 movement which can also be found in the popular Seiko Sumo diver's watch. That sleek and lean design of the hands and hour indices enclosed on the semi cushioned case is something truly Seiko design. The crown has that "S" logo and the exhibition case back marvels you with the robust and dependable automatic movement. And yes, apart from the low-end Seiko movements, this one hacks and winds.

Here are some pics of the SARB071 (courtesty of www.seiyajapan.com)









Here are the specs:

Made in Japan
Case: SS
Dial: Black
Crystal: Sapphire
See-through back: Hardlex
Diameter: 38 mm (without the crown)
Thickness: 11.2 mm
Weight: 77g
Movement: 6R15 23J Automatic (with Hand winding and Hack function)
Accuracy: +25/-15 sec/day
Power reserve: 50 Hour
10 ATM water resistance

Need I post more details? Oh yeah I almost forgot, it's tagged at $454 in SeiyaJapan.com website. A definite win from powerhouse watchbrand Seiko!

WWR #3: Orient Diver Watch UN9P009D

My Weekly Watch Recom for the week is the an affordable quartz diver watch from Orient. Yes it's quartz, and with the price, it's an obvious choice for a good beater.



Men / Women:Men
Crystal:Mineral
Movement:Orient Quartz Movement
Crown:Screwed-down
Water Resistance:200m
Case Material:Stainless Steel
Dial Color:Blue
Calendar:Date
Band Material:Vent Rubber Strap











3 things I like about the watch. First is it's vintage cushion case popular on Japanese watches way back in the 60's and 70's. The blue dial and bezel with the yellow accent, not you see everyday on Japanese watches. And lastly, that magnified crystal on the date window. They just fit everything. But I do advise to replace the vent strap with that dolphin logo on the sides, replace it with clean rubber straps or better some nato or zulus that have that blue/yellow colors. If only this had an automatic movement in it, it will be a true classic. With the quartz movement, it allows for the thinner case so it won't go in the way with normal wrist movemenbts. Having a quartz one isn't that bad at all. A beater whose price won't run deep in your pockets, set it and forget it, and a unique design with the usual simple hues of Orient Watches, it's a sure recommendation from me.

Images found on Orient Watch USA website:
http://orientwatchusa.com/un9p009d

Casio G-Shock GD-100-1ADR

It's been 28 years that the world has experienced the ruggedness and durability of G-Shocks. Attributed to the need of a shockproof watch after his watch got damaged upon falling to the floor, Kikuo Ibe, an engineer in Casio went to his lab started experimenting on a shockproof watch. Testing it by dropping the prototypes out the window of the 3rd floor until one survived. By it's humble beginnings, the G-Shock line has garnered huge success and has now hundreds of styles to choose from.

For this post, I can present to you one of the latest models in the market. Officially released in Japan last September 2010, this watch is part of the Classics line and is more of a spin-off of the X-Large Combi Series of GA-100.

My review of the all digital Casio G-Shock GD-100-1ADR.

Case:

Dimensions of the case is 50mm in width, 52mm from lug to lug and 17mm in thickness. The durable plastic resin casing protects the watch from shock and water resistance up to 200 meters. The stainless steel case back is screwed to the case with markings of where it was made, model no., module no. and G-Shock trademark logos. What I love about the case, quite possibly one of the selling points of the watch is the large size for that modern hey my watch is bigger that my wrist look but hey not that ben10 comic look. The crystal is nicely guarded by four indices in the case that serve as bumpers. The buttons are safely secured under the case guards to prevent the plastic buttons from damage or being pushed accidently. Buttons are also big, that allows for easier operation, not convenient but effective. The case also has that large markings of G-SHOCK PROTECTION which I love. It's like a constant reminder of it's main feature or a tattoo of Superman on Shaq.

Movement:

Module no. 3263 Casio Quartz movement. Battery lifespan is estimated to last for 7 years considering normal watch operation.

Strap:

The rubber strap is attached through screws and a spring bar. Width of the strap is 28mm from the case, then tapers to 21mm at the ends. The thickness of the straps thins out from 2mm to about 1.5 mm at the tip which then allows it to be flexible and comfortable. It also uses the two hole buckle design for added lock and fit.

Dial:

The dial is an all LCD display that has two eyes on the 3 o'clock side and connects to 3 indicators all the way to the 9 o'clock position. The indicators divides the LCD into two. Upper portion displays the day, date, milliseconds, modes and settings. While the lower portion gives you mostly time keeping information. Another selling point of the watch are the 2 powerful LED lights that makes the watch face glow in the illumination feature. The neutral face with the LEDs make this a watch easier to read than other Gs.

Features:

For the timekeeping mode, it's pretty standard. What you see is what you get. The numbers are medium size, not an easy grandpa read but will do. And it comes a setting of four multi-timezones for timekeeping that's a basis from the world time function.

You have the World time, which covers 48 cities in 31 countries which includes UTC and the very useful daily savings time.

The timer, which is capable of counting down from 24 hours. Pretty neat.

The Stopwatch function is still the same as with other G-shocks. Elapsed timing, split time, and the 1st and 2nd place times. Still lacking is the Lap Timing and Memory recall for those runners and anybody timing laps or cycles. That's one wish I'd definitely like Casio Genie to have bestow on this watch.

The Alarm has 5 independent alarms that can be set to daily or one time only. That's it, no setting of weekends or weekdays only or anniversaries and others. The volume of the beep of the alarm is medium, not loud enough to wake me up, just able to let me know that it's time for kitkat.

Then there are the Flash alerts which you could set for you alarm or hourly chimes and all.

The watch also has that Auto Light Switch where the Super LEDs light up every time the face of the watch is tilted to more than 40 degrees or the viewing angle. It's a cool feature but I tried using it while driving or just doing the normal things, the watch lights up everytime of course and I could only guess when the battery will run out. Pretty useless I think, same with Timex's Flix system. Only useful if you're like paralyzed from the neck down and the only thing you can move is your wrist.

Price:

Stated 89$ on the gshock.com

In summary, the watch has its strengths and weaknesses. Bad news first, no lap time memory recall (Timex IM +1), useless Auto Light Switch, and Alarm feature has no weekend/day setting. Good points or I'd rather say great points goes to of course, the tried and tested gravity shock protection, extra large case that enables larger buttons for easier operation without sacrificing durablity, built like a tank, strong materials, super LED illumination, world time, 200m WR, affordable and of course you'll get a lot of respect from the fashion, music, sports, celebrity, military and WIS following all over the world.

This G-Shock GD-100 is not the jack of all traits, but what ever it provides, it's the best at it.