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 #35: Seiko Bullhead Chronograph ref no. SCEB009

Way back in 1969, in the world of horology, a break through emerged that changed the industry forever.  That breakthrough was quartz technology. And in the background, there was also a first for the pure mechanical aficionados, it was the first automatic chronograph, the 6139 calibre.  And believe it or not, these two"Firsts" came from Seiko.  Although Seiko was not alone on their feat on the first Automatic Chronograph, it just went to show how Seiko is serious in watchmaking, as if you still didn't know that, and that not everything non swiss made is not worth the look.

And following closely to those historical feats is Seiko's release of another automatic chronograph the 6138-0040/0039 that made an impact to the watch aficianado's world back then and today.  And, to marry those two significant stories, Seiko released a faithful tribute to the iconic Bullhead chronograph.  So for our 35th Weekly Watch Recom here at SOT, we recommend the latest Quartz Chronograph from the Seiko Spirit line, the new SCEB009 or the Modern Bullhead.

Well if we compare it millimeter by millimeter, the Modern Bullhead isn't a faithful homage to the iconic 6138 Bullhead, but rather a remake that will adapt to the signs of the times as what the older brother was back then.  The biggest difference is of course the movement.  The new one is powered by the reliable 7T92 quartz chronograph movement which also powers other Seikos in different line-ups.  Why not mechanical?  Well only Seiko could tell but if it were, imagine how much the asking price would be.

Another difference is the chrono registers on the dial.  The new one has the running seconds counter at the bottom replacing the vertical day-date of the old one.  The new date aperture resides near the 5 o'clock marker.

The case difference is still to be investigated.  I haven't seen one in person yet so probably a later update of this article will surely come once its release.

I also like the oyster style bracelet on the new one, though the fish bone bracelet of the old was comfortable and classically stylish, it was a bit flimsy.

There are also four variants to choose from.  Still, I'm a bit conservative myself in terms of color that is why I recommend the 009 version, fits in all dress styles.

                           

 


And lastly, the price tag on the Seiko Japan site is around 26k Yen which converts to around $315, which makes it another bang for the buck chronograph watch.

If you've never had a Seiko chronograph before, this watch will be a good start, along side to accurately guide you good old mechanical Seiko Divers too.

WWR# 18: Orient Classic Chronograph TT0V004W

Orient, one of the least popular watch brands globally and one of the brands that I only knew of when I started collecting is also one of the brands that surprises me more often and has somewhat read my mind on what kind of watches I like and would love to see available in the market.  And the best part of all, majority of their watches are pretty affordable.

My Weekly Watch Recom for this week is a new model from their Classic Quartz Line.  It seems that Orient is churning out lots of Quartz models recently which equals more or less the number of new mechanicals they introduce.  Well this watch truly has some classic lines.  It has hints and cues chronographs decades ago, so its not hard to like.  I also like how the sub dials are not contemporary to chronograph watches today.  For example, the continuous seconds hand is at the 9 o'clock position, the 6 o'clock area seems to have a mini clock dial which I assume tells the minute and second chronograph counter, and at the 12 o'clock is for the 1/10th of a second counter.  If I'm wrong, please do comment and correct me.

I've handle this piece in person and it's very light, very practical for an everyday beater at the office or trips to the coffee shop or having some drinks with friends later.  The case has an all polished finish.  Leather strap is mediocre but you can always change it with croc design to give it a more classier look.

Pictures below are the 3 different tones of dial, case, hands and straps that I like the most.  Looking for a classy daily beater? You can get this for less than $150 at your retail stores and get an upgrade for your wrist that's more that what you paid for.

Here are some more details from Orient's website.

Analogue Quartz Movement : caliber KFB00
Chronograph in 1/20 second
Chronograph hands (second & 1/20 second), Small second hand
Date indicator

Stainless steel case
Domed crystal glass
Screw caseback
Genuine leather strap
Water resistant to 50m
Diameter 42.60mm
Thickness 10.79mm

 

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.

Nautica Chronograph Watch N17541G

Okay okay so I was never a fan of designer watches...watches from designer brands that would be known for selling other items such as clothes, apparel, or cars or food or anything for that matter aside from watches. And these brands don't even produce any timepieces, just designs em on the outside and probably puts a label on the face and lets the watch experts do the building. So you can't actually expect new watch innovations from these guys, except that they partner with a big watch brand.



Nautica watches have been around but still considered quite new. I was aware of the brand Nautica when I had some shorts with its logo on it a few years back. I saw some watches on the malls for a year or so and find them interesting, as they portray a yachting sport kind of a watch. The model I will be talking about is the Nautica Men's Chronograph under model N17541G. Well here are the horological details:

Movement: As said on the caseback, its equipped with a japanese movement. Yes that is correct, we can be assured the powerhorse is something as reliable as a honda or a toyota.



Chronograph Function: It only reads minutes and seconds sans the milliseconds that we usually find on most chronograph quartz watches. The usual dial for such is occupied by a 24 hour dial seated at the right upper corner of the watch. The chrono pushers are big and very fitting for the watch size. The start/stop function has that clicking feel to alert you the start of the function. It does not have a lap time function though for continuous timing.



Dial: This is one of the design features of the watch that caught my attention. The layout is simple with the 3 rings sitting nicely on the black dial. The date window is also something original and unique as it sweeply opens up on the 4'o clock position with a crescent style opening showing other 2 days of the current date.



Hands: I especially love the hands on this one. It sports a skeleton style hands in white for the minute and hour hand. The second hand is a full white pin shaped hand that complements the whole face. The 3 rings for the chrono, second and 24 hour dials are read through a gauge meter style hands that are thick and short.

Case: It's in all stainless steel with a screw down caseback with a nice big Nautica logo. The case is a combination of polished and brushed finish that distinguished the smooth edges and accents of the whole design. Lug width though is only 20mm which is an understatement considering the 46mm diameter of the case.

Bezel: It rotates in 120 clicks with a formal black bezel insert with 5 min interval markers. The edge of the bezel though needs a little improvement as it somewhat queer to the rest of the case

Strap: This model comes with a leather strap. Quality of strap is average. The buckle though comes nicely with Nautica name on it and has that edgy design that fits nicely with the concept of the watch. Its belt-buckle style and would be perfect if it would have been in a deployment clasp style.







What got me to get this watch was aside from bargain price for the value of the watch, was it's looks. The only cons on this is the thin leather straps and the large grip holders on the bezel. Aside from that, everything looks, feels and works great. It has that classic look that you won't grow tired off after a few years down the road when big faced watches will go out of style. It can be easily be mistaken from another watch brand. You can wear it on the office, casual or parties. Its a keeper.

Off to the waves i guess.