[sridhu]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

A seemingly dumb question to those owning an array of watches - do you guys keep swapping watches (to wear) on every other day (or longer cycles)? Or do a majority of the watches remain inside, only taken out for extremely rare occasions.

I used to change the watch I wear every Monday and wear a different watch if there is a dress a occasion during the week.


With Covid, I barely wear pants any more; forget about watches!

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

A seemingly dumb question to those owning an array of watches - do you guys keep swapping watches (to wear) on every other day (or longer cycles)? Or do a majority of the watches remain inside, only taken out for extremely rare occasions.

I don’t have many watches, but was someone who used to swap around the 3 main ones I own – mostly dependent on the attire for that day/time – the brown leather strap Tissot if I am wearing, say brown shoes and belt, a metal strap Longines or black strap Titan for other days etc. But I must admit that after getting the Apple Watch (resisted to jump in for many years), all the other watches are grossly under-used.

So to your question, yes swapping watches on every other day was a norm. Now I do that with the Apple Watch straps

[arindambasu13]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

A seemingly dumb question to those owning an array of watches - do you guys keep swapping watches (to wear) on every other day (or longer cycles)? Or do a majority of the watches remain inside, only taken out for extremely rare occasions.

Also with respect to looking at new watches what's the view on Baume & Mercier?

Baume and Mercier Clifton is a stunningly gorgeous dress/everyday watch. Easily negotiable for a good price at Ethos. It is also a well respected brand with very solid build quality and attention to detail. The blue dial is particularly beautiful - would have had my sights on one if not for certain other watch goals in the future.

As to how I wear my relatively small 6 watch collection : my Orient Bambino is worn 5 days a week throughout the 10-12 hour workday, since this is my office dress watch. Probably my most worn watch in terms of sheer wrist time.

G Shock is worn to the gym/swimming and at all other times when I know that the watch might get knocked around.

The Tuna is a quartz, so it is a pick-up-and-go kind of watch, reliably ticking over at all times of the week. Pin sharp accurate and with no need for adjustments. The 7C46 movement is a relatively high end quartz.

My other three automatic watches - the Orient Mako, the Seiko SARB033 and Seiko Alpinist SARB017 are worn in rotation, usually a week at a time. Even if certain watches are not worn for long periods, I ensure that once a week I give them a full wind so that the mechanicals are well lubricated and running properly. Also depends on what I am wearing at the time. Certain watches pair well with certain types of outfits.

[Jeroen]

As some of you might recall, I had some problems with my Breitling Navitimer 50 Year special edition quite some time ago.

It went back to Breitling here in the Netherlands for a full service. That did not work out well, as it stopped working all together shortly after It had been returned to me.

Breitling did sort it, they invited us over to visit their atelier, I believe there must be some photographs and story in this very thread.

A few weeks ago my Breitling starting running slow, about a minute a day. And then three consecutive days almost an hour.

Long story short; it’s back at Breitling again. Initially, I took it to a jeweller who is also an authorised Breitling service centre. They phoned this morning. They can’t do anything themselves. Apparently this particular Special Edition has some mechanics they can’t repair, only Breitling themselves.

So I authorised them to send it to Breitling for a full service. Fingers crossed it goes a bit smoother than last time.

I love my Breitling to bits. But from all the various watches I own it has always been the one with the least accuracy. Currently, I am wearing my Buren, super Slender Automatic, I inherited from my dad. Well over 50 years old. Runs very precisely day in, day out. Only been serviced once (a few years ago after it had been sitting idle in one of my drawers for two decades)

Jeroen

[dark.knight]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

Also with respect to looking at new watches what's the view on Baume & Mercier?

Their Baumatic COSC is highly rated, at that budget, no brand offers a 5 day power reserve, in-house movement, silicon anchor and escape-wheel for anti-magnetism, open case-back with sapphire crystal glass and a Camille-Fournet strap. COSC is almost at the apex of ratings for an automatic watch. I bought one at the launch itself and zero regrets, matches my lifestyle perfectly as I'm almost always in formals, and it pairs perfectly even with a normal fitting polo-tee or in a light sweater. I pick this over the Cartier Tank Solo almost always. I get almost 20+ days of use at times without a wind when regularly worn.

Swiss watches are the best VFM at that budget, luckily both have ticked along fine and their prices have gone up almost 20% since. Simple joys.

[Sheel]

Which material of watch strap does not irritate your skin?

Silicone, Nylon? Leather should be good, but may wear out fast on a Garmin.

Will stick with leather if both silicone and nylon are irritants.

[amvj]

Originally Posted by Sheel

Which material of watch strap does not irritate your skin?

Silicone, Nylon? Leather should be good, but may wear out fast on a Garmin.

Will stick with leather if both silicone and nylon are irritants.

I think it is the metal part of the strap that is causing skin allergy. I am also facing the same with Apple watch. Nickel seems to be the culprit. Now I am only wearing my Apple watch during workouts, cycling and not all the time. BTW, many suggest to go for leather straps.

[adi.mariner]

Casio India have a 60% discount going on for the Protrek Smart Watch.
https://www.casioindiashop.com/Watch...oor-Watch.html
Disclaimer - I am not associated with the brand. Just got an SMS regarding the same and shared the link here.

[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

A seemingly dumb question to those owning an array of watches - do you guys keep swapping watches (to wear) on every other day (or longer cycles)? Or do a majority of the watches remain inside, only taken out for extremely rare occasions.

I usually keep a watch on my wrist for a month or so and then swap. However, I also have watches that I wear for special occasions.

My Frederique Constant dress watch I keep for special occasions where we dress up smartly.

MY Timex is on my wrist when I go out on my bicycle, because it is all steel and properly waterproof.

My Oris and MeisterSinger have a leather strap so I tend not to wear it in hot weather.

My Omega speedmaster sport I put on if we go on holiday as it is the most versatile watch and I can even swim and snorkel with it. It is also the watch I put on when I go out in my cars for a couple of days touring. Driving my Alfa Spider top down in the rain, requires a sturdy watch!

The watches that spend most time on my wrist probably are my Breitling Navitimer SE, (currently being serviced), My Omega Speedmaster (Dark side of the moon) and my Oris.

Currently I have been wearing my Buren Super Slender Automatic I inherited from my dad. I don’t wear it that often,

I have all of my watches on display in my office, so I get to see all of them every day. So I still get to enjoy them, even if they are not on my wrist. I must admit I get a lot of enjoyment from them all, looking at them, fiddling with them and of course, wearing them.

Jeroen

[Sheel]

Originally Posted by amvj

I think it is the metal part of the strap that is causing skin allergy. I am also facing the same with Apple watch. Nickel seems to be the culprit. BTW, many suggest to go for leather straps.

It is not the metal part entirely. In fact, where metal touches skin is less affected.

Read D BHPian Jeroen’s post and I am in two minds to get a leather strap as from April to September, it gets hot with extreme humidity in July & August.

I am currently wearing the watch few cms below. I prefer a snug, but not a tight fit. I am attaching a picture for better understanding.

[roadie_swift]

Originally Posted by Jeroen

Frederique Constant
Timex
Oris
MeisterSinger
Omega speedmaster sport
Breitling Navitimer SE
Omega Speedmaster (Dark side of the moon)
Buren Super Slender Automatic

Ooffffff... I want a garage like that, and I haven't even mentioned the Alpha! Do you have that rotating thingie too, the one which keeps the watch moving and the movement oiled?


Cheers,
R_S

[Sebring]

Mine is a problem of a different material; leather. I get tiny pimples in the strap areas. Metal is quite heavy, so the Apple watch it is!

Originally Posted by amvj

I think it is the metal part of the strap that is causing skin allergy. I am also facing the same with Apple watch. Nickel seems to be the culprit. Now I am only wearing my Apple watch during workouts, cycling and not all the time. BTW, many suggest to go for leather straps.

[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by roadie_swift

Do you have that rotating thingie too, the one which keeps the watch moving and the movement oiled?

Better yet! I have got two rotating thingies!

Even so, they don’t rotate these days. Over the years I did a lot of research on whether these rotating thingies are actually any good or not.

It depends on who you ask, most jewellers will tell you, yes, it keeps the watch moving and the movement oiled. However, I have had the pleasure of talking to and visiting some real watch makers and specialist watch repair shops. They all tell me the same thing; These days there is no need to keep your automatic watches on these rotating thingies. The oils are so good, there is no need for the parts to move. In fact, if you don’t keep the watch rotating, there is no wear and tear at all. Whereas if you keep them on these rotator thingies they actually wear as if you were wearing them 24/7.

If you have a highly complex watch it might be useful too.Mine only have a day/date combination. So I tend to swap watches depending on the date/day shown on the watch I want to wear. Quick and easy.

The other thing about these winder; you need to check how your thingy rotates, which direction, some need both clockwise and antilock wise and how many rotations per hour. Most of these thingies have adjustable settings. But would you believe it, none of my watches have the same settings! So each watch has a unique settings. Everybody always tells me, you cant overwind a mechanical automatic watch, but I was never sure.

So bottom line, I have the rotation thingies, but purely to display.

This one is a gorgeous looking case. I bought it when we lived in Kansas City. It is an American brand called Rotator! They went bust some years ago I think, I don’t think you can get these anymore. There is also another problem. In order to set the rotation, RPM and direction you need to hook it up to a Windows based Computer. Current Window version are unsupported!



It has got a little drawing underneath for some more watches. The one on the right is a quartz Seiko I bought in 1981 whilst visiting Barbados with my wife. Still going strong, needs a new battery. Still solid waterproof as well, I used to snorkel with it too!



I keep a few other watches in front of it. From left to right (My original India Royal Enfield watch, a Rodemont titanium also from the early 80s and an Apple watch (which I don’t really use at all)

Here is my second winder thingy



Very nicely made too, has just a few switches to set the rotational direction and the RPMs. The Singermeister currently just squeezed in on the side



I have at least another 5-8 watches in a shoe box. None of them particular fancy, but I have kept all my watches since I was about 16-18.

Jeroen

[Jeroen]

For those of us who still like a watch winder and would like to have a really good one, search no more:

https://www.orbita.com/collection/winders/

Orbita is considered the RollsRoyce amongst the winder thingies.

Most of my watches tend to be cheaper than most of their winders, but still, nothing but the best for our watches.

Enjoy

Jeroen

[ringoism]

Originally Posted by pedrolourenco

Is the Seiko 5 a proper mechanical automatic? Asking because on Amazon, the specs say that it has a battery.


How did you manage to get one? Do they ship to India?

I've never seen a Seiko 5 that wasn't a proper mechanical automatic. Lots of Amazon sellers have no clue what they're listing.

The Vostok was found in a bag of old parts/salvage watches in the Delhi watch market, the plastic crystal so scratched up I could hardly see the dial (which turned out to be in excellent shape). I've seen a few others in India over the years, I think they became known here in the heyday of Indo-Russian relations, but not sure they were ever regularly imported.

-Eric