Time Signal

Saving up for next watch purchase?

2007-12-18T01:22:00.000+08:00

Here's how to speed things up a little. I have been searching for ways to earn some extra bucks online recently. Other than the trustworthy good old adsense, I have recently tried cashcrate.com. Of course we all know there is no free lunch in this world. They actually require you to complete some surveys, or sign up for some memberships. But at least, they do not require you to spend a dime to get started. You also get money by getting referrals. Honestly speaking, by clicking on the link above, you will get referred by me. When you sign up, you can start to refer your friends. Anyway, just another simple way to earn some extra bucks for that next purchase.

Citizen Skyhawk A-T

2007-11-20T21:32:00.001+08:00

Looks like Citizen is upgrading its Skyhawk. The new watch features atomic clock accuracy and has a slide rule bezel plus a host of standard features from the previous versions. It sure looks like a sophisticated piece of equipment. Besides, it is accented with my favorite color - orange. I'm sure it will catch a lot of attention if you are wearing one.

Omega Speedmaster Professional

2007-07-23T23:15:00.000+08:00

My most expensive purchase to date. I was having a hard time deciding between the Seamaster (Bond watch) and Aqua Terra. Both of these watches have mechanical and quartz versions. I was more inclined towards the quartz version because of the low maintenance and convenience. After much consideration, I decided to get the mechanical version because I wanted something I can pass down to somebody. A mechanical watch will be more suitable in that sense.

Between the Seamaster and Aqua Terra, I eventually made up my mind that the Seamaster is too high profile. It is too pretty and will caught people's attention. I prefer to maintain a lower profile. The simplicity and sublime character of the Aqua Terra is more suitable for me in that sense. I also like the sea serpent tail like hand a great deal. I was going to get the black dial version but the local dealers are running out of stock.

While I search high and low for the black dial Aqua Terra, I start to read more about the Speedmaster. I wasn't very interested in the look of this watch so I did not pay much attention to it at first. Besides, I am not too keen on a chronograph. I have played with a Swatch chronograph before and I find the chronograph is more for aesthetic rather than function. It is hard to read the chronograph.

However, as I start to read more about the Speedmaster, I get more interested. It has a hand-wind movement, much to my surprise. I always thought it is an automatic (there are automatic Speedmasters but I am talking about the moon watch) but it is not. This kind of fit my wish because I am not always wearing the same watch. Having a hand wind movement allows me to wind it when I am not wearing it. I also start to develop liking for the dial. This is perhaps one of the most easy to read chronograph. The long hands and the stark contrast between the white hands and black dial makes reading the time a breeze.

I finally made the plunge and purchase this watch. I bought it new. It is very expensive to me but I guess if I wear it long enough then it will be worth it. The Speedmaster has been known to be rugged. After owning it for a few months I think the movement is very accurate by my standard. I can only compare it to other cheaper automatics that I own. So, maybe this is the norm for a watch of its class. True enough, there are already some small scratches on the hesalite crystal. That is to be expected. The bracelet is very comfortable to wear. It does not pull hairs like my Citizen. The chronograph is also very clear and functional as compared to the quartz Swatch that I tried. The start/stop, and reset pusher have a very firm and confident click.

All in all, I think the Speedmaster deliver on what it promises.

Fossil bluetooh watch

2007-04-20T01:55:00.000+08:00

In my previous post, I mentioned about the bluetooh watch that Sony Ericsson and Fossil colloborated on. It is available for sale now on the Fossil Web site.

At the time of writing, it is going for US$250. Judging from reading the specification on its Web site, the functions are the same as what I read before. Except that, there is no mention of MP3 playback control. The usual functions are caller ID display, vibration alert, mute the phone, reject a call, and sms alert.

The battery life is only 5-7 days. It comes with a USB and AC adapter to charge the watch. I'm not used to the idea of charging my watch yet.

What a nice twist!

2007-04-11T20:57:00.001+08:00

What a nice twist! It was an idea that I thought about but never imaging I can see the real thing being made. How many times I have pondered how nice it would be if I can have a watch that looks mechanical, with the sweeping hand and mechanical parts and all, but powered by a battery. That way, I can leave it on the shelf for a couple of days when I wear my other watches, and come back to the same watch again when I feel like it without having to set the time and winding it.

Fossil has a new series called the 'twist'. These watches have the look of mechanical watches but are powered by batteries. Finally we can have the sophisticated look of mechanical watch and the accuracy and convenience of quartz. I don't like to wear the same watch the entire month and I don't wear watches when I am at home. I also do not own a watch winder. So, there is the trouble of setting and winding my mechanical watches whenever I want to wear them. I know some of us consider this part of the fun of owning mechanical watches. As for me, most of the time I just want to get up and go.

It is time to look at them more closely at the local shopping mall!

Emporio Armani (PRODUCT) RED capsule collection

2007-03-27T02:29:00.000+08:00

Image above is of a different watch in their Red collection. It is not what I wrote about below.

My one year old mobile phone has lost its back. I think I lost it in the cinema while watching a movie. It was without a back for months until I finally got a new phone today.

It is the Motorola V3 Red. A very basic phone with a striking color - red. It was made in support of the (PRODUCT) red movement. Motorola will donate a certain amount for the fight against Aids with purchase of each phone. There are more brands and products joining the bandwagon. To learn more please go to www.joinred.com.

I have also seen a watch there. It is designed by Giorgio Armani in collaboration with an African artist. The pricing on their Website for this watch is USD225 at the moment. The striking red did attract me when I first look at it. It is a digital watch with basic functions like chronograph. The leather seems nice. However, I do think that the design has too much of that Fossil, Diesel feel.

What a French Rabbit Got To Do With Telling Time?

2007-02-14T20:35:00.001+08:00

This is no ordinary toy rabbit. It’s a super-geek, high-tech, toy. It not only tells time, it can also read the latest news, stock quotes, blogs, and your email. Other people can also send your rabbit messages. When turned on, it communicates with your home wi-fi router. From there, it connects to the Internet. To set it up, simply go to nabaztag.com and sign up for an account.

The ears are very animated. There are also colored lights embedded in its body. People are dressing their rabbits up in various outfits.

Ultimate toy for a geek like me. :-x

Elgin National Watch Company Poster

2007-02-08T00:06:00.001+08:00

Fans of antique wrist watches should have heard of Elgin. While searching for poster for my new home I stumbled upon this poster of Elgin National Watch Company, Elgin, Illinois.

This poster is available for purchase at all-posters.com. You can find it by searching for ‘elgin’.

I’m not sure whether I’ll get this poster though. There are simply too many choices there! Besides, it looks like the kind of picture you see in a law firm. LOL.

I am tired of moving...

2007-02-07T01:16:00.001+08:00

I am getting tired of moving around every one to two years. So much so that I had decided to buy my own apartment. I will get my keys next Tuesday. Finally, a place to call my own.

I have been spending the past weekend finalising my apartment renovation and furnishing budget. I would say 80% of things I need to buy were bought. Come next Tuesday, I will start to clean and paint the apartment. I have decided to do it on my own because it is much much cheaper than hiring people to do it. Besides, I’m sure to enjoy it more if I did it on my own.

There were a couple of watches that I saw recently that interest me. One of them being the Tissot T-Touch series. I really like the function of the T-Touch. In particular the one with thermo, compass, barometer, etc. I would say it has all the functions that I look for in a watch. Compass is really useful when navigating cities.

Anyway. It is late. I hope I can write more when I settle into my new place.

A GPS watch that looks natural...

2007-01-09T00:38:00.000+08:00

This has got to be the most natural looking GPS watch. In fact, I think it can be worn everyday without attracting too much attention to itself. It is a new model from Casio that is targetting more to runners than trekkers.

It is able to calculate speed continuously. It can also set current position and target position. The watch will then calculate the direction and distance to the target position. I am not sure about how useful or applicable this watch is for trekking. I'll surely be very interested if it can serve this purpose well.

Among other functions, it can also display GMT time and times in different cities. The charging takes about 2 to 3 hours. That is about the same as the time it takes to charge a mobile phone.

I'm really looking forward to a discreet looking, useful, and power efficient GPS watch.

Do point to the following Website for more detail:

http://www.casio-intl.com/news/2006/gpr_100.html

Bluetooh watch? It's the beginning to more interesting things to come...

2007-01-06T23:57:00.000+08:00

While browsing through the magazine section in a local shopping mall, I stumble upon an article about Sony Ericsson's collaboration with Fossil in developing a bluetooth watch. The watch communicates with Sony Ericsson phones and has features such as caller ID display, turning off the ringer, reject a call, and control the MP3 player on the phone.

I wonder how nice it would be if there are hidden OLE in the dial that would display SMSes the phone received. Nevertheless, the watch sure is a sweet beginning for more interesting things to come.

Mercedes watches? Am I mad?

2006-11-25T22:02:00.000+08:00

I chanced upon a Mercedes boutique at the airport while on the way back from a business trip. There were a little time to spare so I took a look at the watches. Some of them were actually quite attractive.

The above is an example. I have not found out who designed and manufactured these watches. Anyway, just want to share them with you all.

First mini-trip with my new Citizen.

2006-11-09T10:36:00.000+08:00

I have just came back from a mini-trip with my new Citizen. During the trip I have re-visited a waterfall near where my parents live. Here are some pictures I took.

The Citizen half submerged in the clear water of the waterfall.

Citizen on the rock.

Citizen riding on my friend's slipper.

Hope you all enjoy the pictures. Anyway, there are good news about the promotion thingy I have been talking about in my previous entries. I have got it! There are more new tricks to learn in the near future.

Also, the hunt of the studio apartment is already in progress. I have done several viewings and will most likely decide within these few weeks. Sad to say that I may not have enough spare cash to buy new watches in the near future. :( In fact, I need to squeeze to find money to buy furniture for the new home.

Anyway. I wish everyone happiness and see you all again in my next post. :)

A clock for my new place?

2006-10-24T01:21:00.000+08:00

I've been back from my business trip more than a week ago. Finally, I'm sitting down and writing an entry. Many things happened lately. One of which is I have to move out of my current rented place by the end of next month. No. I'm not being evicted. It's just that the landlord decided to take back the place for his own use. I'm sick of this cycle of changing a place every year or two.

But hey. It's a new experience for me. I'll most likely be moving into a studio. I'm no longer sharing an apartment with other people. I'll be staying on my own during this transitional period. In the next few months, I will be going apartment hunting. Yes. I will be having my own place in this city that I've been staying for the past six years. I can decorate, design it whichever I like. Yes!

I'm going to have a really nice clock in the living room. I know good ones does not come cheap but hey, if it lasts forever then it's worth it.

Geeky or not, this one here is interesting. A wooden LED clock. The LED light emits from within the wood block. Take a look:

http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/lights/835b/

http://www.thinkgeek.com/images/products/additional/large/solid_wood_clock_animated.gif

Hunting for the white dial Citizen Navihawk.

2006-10-07T16:12:00.000+08:00

I have seen the white dial Citizen Navihawk in a store before. However, I have no luck finding it on ebay. Tomorrow I'll be on a week-long business trip. So, I really hope I'll return to good news about the promotion thingy I was talking about in my previous post. I'll definitely buy a Navihawk if things work out for me.

Over the past weekend, I have bought a macro filter for my digital camera. From now on I will be spending more effort to capture better photographs for the blog. In fact, I have just used my Citizen Promaster to test drive the filter.

Have a nice weekend!

Tomorrow may be one of the most important days of my life...

2006-09-29T01:14:00.000+08:00

Tomorrow. Er... Actually it should be this morning because it's past midnight as I'm writing this. When the sun rises, I will go to work as usual. You know, as they say, same shit, different day. But this day is different. I'm going to talk to my manager about my intention to apply for a job change within the department. If he gives me his blessing, I will be promoted.

A promotion. It was, to me, so distant for the past few years. I guess it was a combination of many factors. Now, there is finally a ray of hope for me to move ahead. To climb up the corporate ladder as they say. I must grab the opportunity because opportunities are few and far in between.

Come tomorrow, I'm going to wear my new acquisition, a Citizen Promaster to work. Hopefully it will bring me luck in my negotiation. If everything goes well, I will definitely get a Citizen Navihawk. Till then, only time will tell. :)

A watch forum is as political as an office.

2006-09-25T01:13:00.000+08:00

I certainly think so. That a watch forum is as political as an office. It's a gathering of people with different background, culture, habits, and pet peeves. All supposedly have the same interest and hobby but sometimes quarrel errupts. There will be opposers, supporters, haters, and people who stand on the fence. It's both funny and sad to watch. It's reminiscent of office politics that we have to endure day in a day out. The higher you climb, or the longer you stay, the more vivid it is felt.

It's time to get a GPS watch and go out to the world and wander. I've been thinking of getting one for a while. The Casio GPS is priced quite reasonably on the second hand market. The functions are easy to understand and use. It's really handy to have in a foreign city or back country. However, reviews say the battery only last about 2 hours per charge. That means, in order to conserve battery, one has turn it on sparingly only to confirm the position.

http://www.megatime.de/uhren/protrek/gps2.jpg

I do hope they keep on refining it. Up to a point when it became smaller, and the battery lasts longer. I've been a sucker for multi-function, digital watches recently. And that's okay, at least it keeps my mind off the office for a while.

Found a potential cherry...

2006-09-23T02:24:00.000+08:00

In my previous post, I was mentioning about finding a bracelet with integrated magnetic compass. I was saying that the compass completes the watch. It will be my everyday, and traveling watch.

Well. I think I may have to scrap the idea. It turns out that the bracelet (metal) may affect the reading of the compass. It's true. At least it's true for the bracelet of my Citizen Promaster. When testing using a handheld compass, the needle moves when the bracelet is close to the compass.

Later on, a kind fellow forumer suggested this:

http://www.suuntowatches.com/assets/product_images/200/101941000000000.jpg

It is a small compass (about 30mm wide) that clips onto a watch strap. Some stores sell it together with its own velcro. Based on the description of this compass, it is no toy. It is 'jeweled'. I expect it to be useful at least for navigating in a city. I travel quite often and having a compass is handy in a foreign city.

Clipping it onto the bracelet will not be an option. The bracelet is too thick and the metal of the bracelet will affect reading. I would think that I will need to replace the bracelet with plastic, velcro, or other non-metal strap for this solution to work. I think this is viable. Too bad I would have to put aside the beautiful bracelet though.

Looking for a cherry to put on my icing cake.

2006-09-22T00:15:00.000+08:00

It may sound absurd but after my recent trip, I really appreciate the usefulness of the compass. I purchased a $2 compass and it had to be the best $2 I have ever spent. I should have brought it along for my Bangkok trip last year. It would have saved me so much walking and agony while trying in vain to find a certain historical building.

Recently I won a Citizen Promaster watch from the bay. You can see the pictures in my previous posts. This Citizen has everything that I needed and more. I love to have a calendar with day, date, and month. It has it. I love to have two timezones. It has it too if I set the analog and digital time to different time zones. The only thing I hope it has is the compass. Yes it has a bezel compass. It works by setting the watch to a certain angle to the sun. It is not always possible to see the sky. Especially so if you are in a concrete jungle. Therefore, I really hope to have an integrated magnetic compass on the watch.

One option I can take is to replace the bracelet with an after-market one that has integrated compass. I do love the original bracelet. They look nice enough to me and rather comfortable to wear. But, if I can find a suitable bracelet with a functional compass that would be the cherry on my icing cake.

Am I the only one having this kind of weird reservation?

2006-09-21T00:08:00.000+08:00

Am I the only one having this kind of weird reservation? Do you have the feeling that if you appear as doing well financially, your boss is less likely to give you a raise? Therefore, in order not to appear financially well-to-do, you try not to wear expensive clothing and accessories (watch!).

I'm definitely a victim of this thought. Maybe it's a reflection of how political our modern day office has become. Along with time, there goes my innocence, my ideals. It's a sad feeling how much time has eroded away from me.

Well. Enough whining. Here's a shot of my new acquisition on my wrist. I have only wore it once on a Saturday so far. Looking forward to wearing it next Saturday when I visit my family. :)

My new found passion in complicated quartz watches.

2006-09-20T01:53:00.000+08:00

It used to be all about mechanical watches. Automatics, manual winds. Now, I'm totally in love with the Citizen series of complicated quartz watches. Some say real watch aficionados don't do quartz watches. Well, maybe I'm a fake but who cares! Whatever floats my boat, right?

I'm sure many of us are attracted by the sophistication in terms of look and function of the Citizen Navihawk. It has some cool functions we may never find in a mechanical watch. For example, the ability to keep time in 30 cities; the ability to switch the timezone between the digital display and the analog display instantly; three alarms that were tied to the timezone they were set for; and so on.

And the look... It is simply captivating. The dial is inspired by flight cockpit design. I have nothing to complain about the look of this watch. My only regret is that the watch has no electronic illumination. Based on what I read, the lume is really of not much help in dark situation.

This is definitely one to consider when I receive my bonus. :p

My first Citizen finally arrived!

2006-09-18T02:42:00.000+08:00

My first Citizen finally arrived! It is time to share the joy! The model is JS1045-58E. It is a digital and analog combo watch with thermo function.

The new baby arrives in a package.

Time to open it.

The entire package.

The face of my new baby.

Close-up shot of the face.

The thermo sensor.

Lume shot.

Impulsive shopping on a sleepless night...

2006-09-04T07:40:00.001+08:00

I had problem sleeping tonight. I think I slept for a grand total of two hours. Thanks and no thanks to the large latte I had after dinner. There were some itchiness on my thigh and I felt hungry when I woke up. I thought I might as well check on the ebay for my watchlist items that were about to end.

There were this Poljot manual wind that is ending in about less than one hour. So, I waited and when the time is almost up (about 2 minutes) I bidded on it. I was constantly outbidded by others. The time ended while I was stepping up my bid. I lost!

I still felt sleepless. I started searching for Citizen watches on ebay and found quite a number of interesting models. The JS1045-58E being one of them. I added it to my watch list. I happened to be still on the computer when it was about to end.

On an impulse, I bidded on it. Needless to say I was outbidded. So, I tried to increase my bid for two more times and finally I got it. I won the item!

I bidded on this watch without finding out the specifications and read any reviews. I have never seen this watch prior to tonight. All I knew was I wanted a nice, bigger sized watch for travelling, outdoor, or weeekends.

I hope this watch meets my expectation. I will post more info about this watch when I find out more about it. And yes, I will take some nice pictures. :)

Manual wind ETA, which watch?

2006-09-01T03:06:00.000+08:00

After owning quartz analog, quartz digital, and automatic watch, I'm really yearning for a manual wind. I used to have a manual wind. It is an old Seiko. I sold it because it is too small and the condition is not so good.

After reading about a few manual wind movements, I came across the ETA 2804 and ETA 2801. The latter is the same as the former except for it has no date. They have a higher beat rate of 28,800. This is the same as the automatic ETA 2824/2.

I'm drawn to this movement because of its higher beat and also the easy serviceability of ETA. There are quite a number of watches using this movement.

Of these, I found the single hand MeisterSinger particularly interesting. There is only one hour hand with no minute and second hand. It is made in Germany. I like the clean, effective design.

I'm going on a trip! Which watch?

2006-09-01T02:50:00.000+08:00

I'm so excited these days. My once in a year vacation is starting in a few days time. The vacation is really a blessing because of what happened in the past few weeks. I hope to really unwind (myself, not the watch, haha...) and forget everything about work.

I've been thinking recently, about which watch to bring. Is it my Swatch automatic? Is it my USD9 Casio digital? I have two more quartz watches and another automatic. I'm not going to consider these because I seldom wear them. The automatic is a gift and I have only worn it once or twice.

The Swatch has a leather strap. The Casio has a plastic strap. I figure the leather will stain after I ran around in tropical weather. The Casio is cheap, good, and I can afford to be very careless with it. I have travelled to many countries with this watch. So far, it held up well.

If I choose the Swatch automatic, it marked my first time travelling with an automatic. I have just worn the watch for a month. So far I have no doubt about its reliability. I'll have to catch flights, catch buses, and other mode of transport during the trip. I'm pretty confident that the Swatch will be able to help me tell the time reliably. Ironically, the clock on my cell phone (a Panasonic) is blatantly inaccurate compared to my Swatch.

It is also time to test whether a leather strap is really suitable for travelling. I guess I'll be washing the watch after I return. Till then, it is time to wind and unwind! :)

Citizen Military Automatics - big, solid, and colorful!

2006-08-27T02:13:00.000+08:00

These military automatic watches use the Miyota 8200 mentioned in my previous blog entry. The case has a nice 40mm diameter. It looks much more prominent and cheerful when compared to similar military design from Seiko. The crown is not of screw-down type and it is unsigned. The rated water resistance is 100 meter. The feel of the casing is heavy and solid. The crystal is slightly domed. It is mineral. All hands and the numeral on the dial have blue lume. Yes, that includes the second hand. The lume is on the small rectangular shape on the second hand. This reminds me of certain Ball model.

As you can see from the picture, there are many colors to choose from. I’m particularly fond of the camouflage one (NH7350-03YT). In real life, the strap appears a little bit silky and shiny (as oppose from matt that is typically expected of canvas). The shine is quite subtle.

There is also a bracelet version. I personally think the colored straps are more cheerful and fun. It is perfect as a traveling or outdoor watch.

Note: For more information about the Miyota 8200 movement. Please read my previous entry.

Specification
Diameter: 40mm (excluding crown)
Thickness: 11mm
Case: Stainless steel (brushed finish)
Crystal: Domed mineral
Crown: Not screw down. Crown unsigned.
Water resistance: 100m
Price: Approx USD100

Miyota – Real hybrid (manual wind and auto)?

2006-08-26T10:05:00.000+08:00

I have known about the presence of Citizen automatic watches for a long time – ever since I started to get interested in watches. However, I have never get down to finding more about them. My first automatic watch was a Seiko diver.

My latest purchase was a Swatch automatic with ETA 2842. I’m in the market for a sporty or action watch. Citizen does have some models that appeal to me. That is when I started to find out more about this brand.

The newer Citizen automatics are using the Miyota 8200 or 8203 movement. Miyota is a subsidiary of Citizen. They are one of the largest movement makers of the world. They supply movements to many other brands.

The Miyota automatic movements, like many ETA automatic movements, support manual winding in addition to rotor winding. However, with the ETA movements, it is not recommended to use the manual winding frequently. It is only recommended to use the manual winding to start the second hand when there is no power reserve and the watch has stopped. This is to avoid causing tension and wear to the movement.

There is no such restriction for the Miyota movement it seems. Some sources suggest winding it between 20 to 30 turns everyday. The rest of the winding will be taken cared of by the rotor when the wearer wears the watch. Apparently, there is a clutch to prevent over-wound. Citizen claims that winding 40 turns will get it fully wound. The rotors in these Miyota movements are uni-directional but there is no complain of winding efficiency.

So it seems the Miyota 8200 has the best of both worlds. It is perfect for people who keep several mechanical watches. One just needs to wind it every morning and it will keep on running without having to wear it.

8200
Jewel count: 21
Diameter : 25.6mm
Height: 5.32mm
VPH: 21600
Quick-set day and dateNon hacking

Citizen and Ball - Deja Vu???

2006-08-25T16:08:00.000+08:00

When I saw the Citizen JT3000-59E I can't help but noticing the similiarity to some models from Ball watch. The Citizen JT3000-59E is a model under the Promaster Land series. It is a quartz watch (non Eco-drive) with analog and digital display.

As you can see from the picture the numerals on the watch look almost identical to certain Ball models at first glance. Of course, the Ball uses microgas for illumination whereas the Citizen uses lume.

There is huge difference in prices too. The entry model of Ball watch costs about twice the Citizen JT3000-59E. The one pictured above is a chronometer and should cost even more.

There is no basis for comparison between these two watches. Just can't help but notice the stricking similarities (at first glance) in dial design.

Citizen Millitary watch - another good value watch

2006-08-21T01:35:00.000+08:00

While browsing the Citizen USA Web site, I can't help but am attracted by this charming millitary watch. It met my criteria for simplicity, legible dial, and practicality.

Model Number: BM8180-03E
Power reserve: 180 days
Water resistance: 100 meter
Diameter: 37mm (excluding crown) 40.2mm (including crown)
height: 9mm
Case: Screw-back
Crystal: Mineral
Crown: Non screw-down.
Price: USD70 approximately

I will update this entry when I find out more about this watch.

Nighthawk - what a beauty!

2006-08-18T00:49:00.000+08:00

I saw this Citizen Nighthawk for the first time a few nights ago. I was so captivated by it's beauty. Usually I don't like complex dials but this one totally got to me. I later found out there are actually quite a number of variants. There is the black dial (like pictured below), black dial with white rim, and brown dial. Here is the spec of this watch:

Movement: B877
Power reserve: 180 Days on full charge
Case: PVD coated stainless steel
Case Back: Screw-down type.
Diameter: 42.5mm / 12.5mm
Crown: Screw-down (signed)
Crystal: anti-glare mineral crystal
Water Resistance: 200meter/660feet

The B877 is an in-house movement. It is powered by solar energy (Citizen Eco-drive technology). On a full charge, it can run for 180 days. The watch can be charge under most lighting - office light, outdoor natural light, desk lamp, etc.

It also supports a second timezone. The second timezone (24hour hand) can be adjusted independently. The hour hand (12hour hand) can be adjusted independently - adjust directly the hour hand and NOT the minute hand. This is useful when crossing timezone. One needs to adjust only the 12hour hand to the local time. This is much better than the Ronda 515.24H quartz movement used in the Victorinox Infantry 2nd Time Zone watch where the 12hour hand cannot be adjusted on its own (must adjust the minute hand to adjust the hour hand).

The PVD coated version of Nighthawk with bracelet (also PVD) costs about USD100 more than the Victorinox Infantry 2nd Time Zone (leather strap). The built of the Nighthawk surpasses that of the Victorinox. It is also PVD coated (there is also a stainless steel version, and titanium version). Its built feels on par with watches costing much more than its price.

It even comes with an inner rotating bezel with the E6B pilots scale. This scale allows calculations like the time to cover a certain distance if the plane is travelling at a certain speed (knot). The fuel consumption given the amount it takes to cover a certain distance and total distance. It can also be used for fraction multiply and division. For all the possible calculations, please read the 'Setting Manual' for this watch on the www.citizenwatch.com.

I noticed this difference between the actual watch that I saw and handled as compared to the one on the official Website (and also on ebay). The difference is the 'NIGHTHAWK' word on the dial and the lack of it on the watch that I saw (also some on ebay). I wonder if this is because there is restriction for using the name 'NIGHTHAWK' in certain countries. I will update this entry when I know more.

Update: The version with 'NIGHTHAWK' on dial is for United States and European countries. The version without is for the rest of the world. Other than this, there should be no difference between the two.

Links
Nice article about the Citizen Eco-drive movement [http://www.geocities.com/watch_crazy/ecodrive/ecodrive.htm]

Poljot Aviator, Aviator, what is the difference?

2006-08-13T14:31:00.000+08:00

While I was in the process of finding out more about Poljot pilot watches, I found two similar models but with different branding. They are pictured below:

One is branded a 'Poljot - Aviator', while the other is branded 'Aviator'. The logo is different too. The first one is rated at 100 meter water resistance, while the second one 50 meter. This seems to suggest that the Poljot branded one has screw-down crown, while the other one does not have.

Actually, based on other people's experience, it is better to not have screw-down crown for a manual wind watch. It is a nuissance. Imagine having to unscrew the crown for winding everyday. This can also contribute to wear and tear of the thread.

I read somewhere that after Volmax bought the First Moscow Watch Factory, they created different brands. The brand Poljot is sold exclusively in Russia, while the brand Aviator, Buran, and Sturmanskie is sold outside of Russia. So I think maybe the first watch pictured above is the Russian version while the second one is for market outside Russia.

There is however, another theory. The Poljot branded one may be an old stock. It is made before the demise of the First Moscow Watch Factory. The second one is made after the factory is bought over by Volmax in around 2004. Both watches are made in Moscow by the same factory and possibly same bunch of employees. It is said that the Volmax has increased the QC somewhat. I got this knowledge from a fellow forummer in watchuseek.com. The prices of these watches are identical.

Unitas 6497 movement = humongous watch?

2006-08-09T19:22:00.000+08:00

The Unitas 6497 is a reliable, reasonably priced, manual wind movement that is still in production. It is bought over by ETA and is still produced. The Unitas 6497 was designed to be used in a pocket watch. Hence, it's size is bigger than movements designed for wrist watches. This movement is reliable and since hardly anyone uses pocket watches nowadays, it is used in wrist watches. Wrist watches using this movement however, is usually humongous - 45mm and beyond are common. This makes these watches out of bound to people with smaller wrists, or prefer to wear smaller watches.

One watch using this movement, however, is at a resonable diameter of 40mm. It is a model from Trias.

The model name is Trias Apollo. There are two dial colors to choose from (white or black).

Movement: Unitas 6497
Case: Stainless Steel (polished), 40mm diameter (w/o crown), 12mm thick, see-through back
Crystal: Hardened mineral
Water Resistance: 50meter

The Unitas 6497 movement is selling for USD75 on ofrei.com.

Jewel: 17
Power Reserve: 46 hour
Movement size: 36.6mm diameter, 4.5mm height
Beat: 18,000 per hour

The official Trias Web site [link]

This entry will be updated as new information is available.

Update: I have been trying to find other watches using this movement but with a diameter at 40mm or smaller. So far, no luck. Many brands use this movement. For example, Davosa, Steinhart, and so on. However, their diameter usually starts at 42mm and onwards.

Affordable mechanical pilot watches.

2006-08-06T22:44:00.000+08:00

While I was surfing, I came across the Poljot Aviator series. Poljot is a Russian brand. Their Aviator series is quite cool. Yes, they have some resemblance to the Fortis. The price however, is almost day and night. I wonder if the Poljot is worth buying and keeping.

This is selling online for USD150 plus shipping and handling.

Poljot Aviator
Model: #2614-1225481
Movement: Poljot 2614
Case: Solid stainless steel, 40 mm diameter (w/o crown) x 12 mm thick, screw down back.
Crystal: Mineral
Water Resistance: 50m

The Poljot 2614 has 17 jewels. It is hand-wound with date function. It is a 21,600 vph movement. Some people claimed it is possible to adjust the movement to about +2 or +3 sec a day. New, un-adjusted movement is between -20 to +40 sec a day. Power reserve is 38 hours after a full wind (sometimes quoted as 42 hours). The movement can be wound clockwise or counter-clockwise. There is no quick set date. To adjust the date, pull the crown to second position, then turn clockwise to adjust the time. The change in date happens in an instant between +-5 mins midnight.

Update: I went to see this watch at a local watch gallery. The salesgirl told me that there is no screw-down crown. So this watch is splash proof only. Do not use this watch during shower and swimming. I also found out from forum that in order to speed up the process of repeatedly advancing the date, it is possible to set the time back and forth between 20.00 and 24.00. I'm trying to understand, at this moment, from other forummers how they deal with the date setting issue. Also, I want to know whether it is safe to set the time back and forth for this particular movement.

Manual for watch equiped with Poljot 2614 [link]

The Poljot Brand
The Poljot brand belongs to the First Moscow Watch Factory. It has a colorful history dating back to the USSR era. That is more than 70 years of history. The watch factory was started by the acquisition of two watch manufacturers in the United States. The tools and equipments of these two manufacturers were shipped to Moscow. Some of the staff were relocated to Moscow too. There, they transferred their skill to the staffs of First Moscow Watch Factory.

In 2004, the First Moscow Watch Factory dissolved. It was sold to Volmax. Volmax is actually started by some previous First Moscow Watch Factory executives. Today, certain Poljot models are also manufactured in Kiev, Ukraine by Kiev Watch Factory and in Hong Kong by Winsky International, Inc.

The Poljot brand is only sold in Russia. Internationally, they were marketed as Aviator (like the one pictured above), Buran, and Shturmanskie. However, the eStore on the official Poljot Web site will be operational soon. Some watches are already available in the catalogue, eventhough purchase is not possible until they get the payment gateway thingy settled. The Poljot branded watches are available for purchase via the eStore. For example, the following humongous (45mm diameter) manual wind:

For detailed information, please read the Poljot entry in Wikipedia [link]
For milestones and timeline, please read the Poljot official Web site [link]

FORTIS Flieger Automatic selling for approximate USD440.

Fortis Flieger
Model: 595.10.41L
Movement: ETA 2824-2
Case: 40mm stainless steel
Water Resistance: 200m

The ETA 2824-2 movement is a proven workhorse. It is a 28K high beat movement with date function.

Bauhaus design... Totally in love with it!

2006-08-05T12:35:00.000+08:00

I'm totally in love with the Bauhaus design. The first moment I saw the picture of Stowa Antea, I'm in love with it.

My next watch is likely to be a Bauhaus design. There are more than one brand implementing this design.

I have come across a watch parts seller selling the stick hands (like above) for USD2!

Maybe I can consider getting an old Longines or Omega manual wind watch from ebay, take out the old dial, and replace it with a spanking new Bauhaus design dial and hands. I'll update this post as I find out more about the viability of this option. :)

What watch do you wear when you are feeling down?

2006-08-05T11:13:00.000+08:00

What watch do you wear when you are feeling down? I have had a hard fall these few days. The department is experiencing a cost freeze. Another department is being allocated a lot of cash. Our department is discontinuing the contracts of contracted staffs. Lots of these contracted staff are being absorbed by the other department. Not only these people are being given permanent position. They are also promoted several levels ahead of me. People who have been working on the same project as me is now several steps ahead of me in the corporate ladder. What luck. Sigh...

Do they make a watch with a frown face on the dial? I bet they do. Feel free to comment and maybe post a picture of watches you are wearing when you are feeling down. Maybe I can take cover under my hobby for a while.

Replies that I got:

Yes Cozmo

Swatch automatic, what movement?

2006-08-03T21:55:00.000+08:00

What is the movement used in a Swatch automatic? Here is a picture of the movement.

Movement: ETA 2842
Beat: 21,600
Jewels: 21
Hacking: No
Marking on the movement: 2842 V8AH2
Marking on the rotor: Swatch Irony automatic TWENTY-ONE 21 JEWELS SWISS
Marking on the case: V8 612 STAINLESS STEEL

The movement is the cheapest in the ETA automatic movement line-up. It is unfinished. Some people say it is built exclusively for Swatch. As far as I know, both ETA and Swatch belongs to the Swatch Group.

The ETA 2842 movement can be adjusted for accuracy through the regulator. However, it is not of the fine Etachron regulator found on more expensive movement. Nevertheless, people have reported being able to adjust the movement to within +/-10 seconds per day. The standard for chronometer is +/-6 seconds per day.

Service is recommended every 3-5 years. The service will involve cleaning and oiling. Estimation of the cost will be about half the price of the watch. The movement is expected to last if serviced.

Here is a detailed article about the finishing and performance of ETA 2842 in a Swatch skeleton watch. This is a 23 jewels version though.
[link]

How to take care of leather strap

2006-08-02T00:35:00.000+08:00

I like leather strap. I think, on a dress watch, nothing beats leather strap. It has that soft, warm, personal, hugging feel to it. This is in stark contrast to the cold hardness of bracelet.

Brown embossed leather strap

Excessive humid may cause mildewing on leather. Excessive dryness, on the other hand, may cause cracking. This happens when the leather lost its natural lubricant. There is no use buying water-resistant leather because these most likely will not work. It is impossible to cover all the pores on the leather. Leather, like your skin, needs to breath. Follow these instructions to clean your leather strap.

Cleaning with Water
Wipe gently with damp cloth. Followed by drying with clean cloth. After that, air dry the leather overnight. Do not at any time expose leather to heat. Don't use hair dyer or put it under the sun.

Cleaning with Soap
Soap the leather strap with soft soap. Wash off with clean water. Wipe dry with a piece of clean cloth. Leave the leather strap to air dry overnight. Do not use heat to dry leather.

My quest for a dress watch

2006-08-01T00:59:00.000+08:00

I have been wearing my faithfull USD9, regular, super low-end Casio watch for the past three years. It's entirely black and made of almost entirely plastic. The illumination is the old fashioned green light, activated by pressing a button on the side of the rubber casing. During these three years, I've been wearing this watch to most of western europe and China. It has been working remarkably well for a watch of such a low price. Earlier this year, I had to replace the strap because it is tearing. Other than this, there wasn't any servicing. The battery is getting low now. I can tell because the digits are slightly faint.

For the past month, I have been itching to get a dress watch. The vanity in me decided that I have been looking too frugal wearing the Casio to everywhere, even my office. There starts my exciting quest for a new dress watch...

At first, I my attention was drawn to the automatic models from Swatch. All of them uses the ETA 2842 movement. This is movement keeps time and performed good considering the price. Quite a number of models are skeleton watches. In my opinion, if 90 percent of the dial is skeleton, it is distracting and does not fulfil my expectation of being able to tell the time by a glance. There is however, a quite dressy and low profile model. It is the Noir De Noir in the Irony range. The model is YAS402. It is released in 1999, Swatch Spring Summer Collection. The dial is black. The original strap is black leather too. The watch looks a bit monotonous. The crystal is made of Hesalite (acrylic) like material. It has the same properties as a Hesalite in the sense that scratches can be polished out. The dial is black and the hour marks are straight bars. The hands are similar to the Omega Seamasters (sharp pointy). I like this hand design. The casing is made of steel and the diameter is 37mm. The price of this watch is about USD120. This watch does not attract me fatally but it does has certain qualities that I like. The see-through back with the "Swatch Irony" logo on the rotor is kind of cute too. However, the other watches that I look at later on pushed this watch to the fringe.

Swatch Irony Automatic

ETA 2842 movement

The crown is unsigned

Swatch signed buckle

The next dress watch that caught my eye was the Longines Conquest (model L1.611.4.75.2) [link]. It is a replica of an old model. The traditional, simple, nostalgic and effective design appeals to me. I know there are tons of watches like this on auction sites. I'm not going to consider those because I want something that works straight away. I don't have time to send a watch in for servicing and wait. I managed to talk to the sales person and actually held the watch in my hands. The built was pretty good. I asked the sales person what is the material of the crystal. He didn't know exactly what the material it is but he said it is not scratch resistant. Any scratches can be polished away, "just don't expect it to look like new afterwards", is what he said. Being a curious person, I went on to the Net and forums, and found out that the material is actually Hesalite. This material was popular in the 60s because it doesn't break into hundreds of pieces when after a heavy blow. Similar material was used in the first moon watch because it's very dangerous to have glass breaking into hundreds of tiny pieces in space. However, in normal day to day use, Hesalite is considered not ideal, especially on a watch with a recommended price of almost USD1000. Any scratches on a USD1000 watch will definitely upset the owner, no matter how historically correct the replica is.

I also did some researching on the movement of this watch. Longines call it "Longines L633". In actual fact, it is base on ETA 2824/2. A reliable but common movement used by many luxury brands, including Ball, Oris, Tag Heuer, Hamilton, Zeno, and so on. The ETA 2824/2 can be made into different finishes. The finishing will dictact the final price. I read that it can be sourced for as low as USD29 a piece in wholesale. So, what Longines did to this common base movement to warrant such a high premium in the price they charge? The most obvious is probably the Longines logo on the rotor. I was told that brand names that source movement from ETA may refinish, lube, or modify certain parts. This kind of extra work, if any, is not documented. What goes on in the transformation from ETA 2824/2 to Longines L633 to warrant such a price tag? It may very well be that the only work is to put a logo on the rotor and fit the movement into the watch. Who knows? It is therefore, base on blind faith that Longines, or any luxury brand that uses ETA and charge a high price, did something valuable to the base movement to warrant the premium.

The next watch to caught my eye is the Ball Fireman [link]. This watch is of military design. The dial is simple and effective. One selling point for a Ball watch is that it uses a special illumination material on the dial. It is called microgas and it is much brighter than the typical lume. Ball claims it to last for 25 years. The design of this watch is simple. The case is made of stainless steel. Available in 32mm, 40mm, 43mm diameter. It has an embossed train on the back. The crystal is sapphire (anti-reflective convex), scratch resistant, and almost as hard as diamond. It is water resistant to 100m. The specification also says it is shock resistant to 5000G and anti-magnetic to 4800A/m. I later found out that 4800A/m is actually a very low figure for anti-magnetism. I really have no complain at all about the built of this watch.

The movement is, again, the ETA 2824/2. Ball didn't assign its own number to this movement. Well, at least Ball is straight forward in this regard. The price is close to USD700. If you look at the built of the watch you will see that it is more heavily built than the Longines. At a lower price than Longines, it represents a better value. Of course, Logines is more dressy and the Ball is leaning slightly towards sport or active. This is a watch to be shortlisted.

I continued looking and the next watch to caught my attention was the Tag Heuer Carrera Automatic (model WV211A.FC6203) [link]. This watch, again, has clean and effective design. It has this simplicity elegance. With a leather strap it looks very pleasant indeed. As oppose to the previous two watches, this watch has a see-through Sapphire crystal back. This is very cute indeed. The crystal is made of Sapphire. The diameter is 39mm. The casing is polished steel and it is water resistant to 50 meter.

The movement is "TagHeuer Calibre 5". Upon further digging, the base movement is again ETA 2824/2. The price of this watch is almost USD1450. Again, I'm puzzled why this watch, which I think cost roughly the same to make as the Longines, is much more expensive. Upon further digging, I think it boils down to the brand name and the buyer is paying for celebrity endorsement and glossy magazine advertisements. I decided not to short list this watch. The only rational and logical reason for buying this is to satisfy one's ego.

And my quest continues...

I later on learned that Sandoz is a very value buy [link]. It uses, yes, you guess it, the ETA movement. A model with the ETA 2824/2 movement, Sapphire crystal, water resistant to 30 meter and steel bracelet costs about USD229. The only problem being I think the design is a bit old fashioned for me. This is very good value but I decided not to short list this watch because of asthetic reason.

The next watch that caugt my attention is very special indeed. It has a special place in my heart. It is the Stowa Antea [link]. Stowa is a German brand. It is only sold on the Internet. The design of this watch is very clean, simple, and effective. It is plain yet special. It has a see through back with elaborate carving on the rim. The casing is stainless steel 316L, polished, and the diameter is 39mm. There are various add on options too. For example, you can change the hands to blue, you can change some screws in the movement to blue, and you can even purchase a chronometer certified movement. Of course, these options will add on to the base price.

The movement of this watch, again, is the ETA 2824/2. Stowa has been forthright about this. There is no shame about this. ETA 2824/2 is a reliable movement. It's a more honorable thing to do than to pass the movement off as something else. It is also a more honorable thing to do than to build in-house but shoddy movements. The price of this watch is EUR299 (about USD380). This watch is added to my short list.

The search continues and the next watch to caught my attention is the Victorinox Airboss Mach 5 GMT watch [link]. This watch has an additional hand. This additional hand is a 24 hour hand. It points to the hour in the another time zone. The inner bezel has city names. To know the time in a city, just align the city name to the arrow at 12 o'clock and read where the 24 hour hand is pointing. Very interesting and potentially useful. Especially for timing when an important announcement is going to be made in another financial centre.

The build quality of Victorinox feels good. I especially like their leather strap. It looks lush. It has a see-through back. Water resist to 100 meter and has Sapphire crystal. The diameter of this watch is approximately 39mm-40mm.

Victorinox however, put little information on their official Web site. Basic information like the diameter is omitted. Movement model number is also not specified. I did some digging and found out that the movement is again an ETA. In this case, it is ETA 2893/2. The movement alone is said to cost about USD150++. The price of the watch is about USD900. The price is a bit steep. I was told that I could get Hamilton Khaki GMT for less. However, I don't like the look of the Hamilton. I decided not to add this Victorinox automatic GMT to my list partly because the look is more complex and the watch draws attention to itself. The other reason is the higher price.

I found out that Victorinox actually has quite a number of beautifully and effectively designed watches. For example the "Infantry 2nd Time Zone" in the "Classic" range is a beauty [link]. This is a quartz watch that supports a 2nd time zone. The 24 hour hand can be adjusted independently of the 12 hour hand. However, the 12 hour hand can not be independently adjusted. This means it is less convenient to adjust the time when crossing time zones as you can only move the minute hand to adjust the hour. The build feels solid and the leather is thick and lush. The crystal is "hardened mineral". This material is not as hard as Sapphire. Water resistant is up to 100 meter. The price is also quite reasonable at around USD260.

Again, not much detail is given on the official Web site. I had to write in to them to enquire about the movement model. It turned out to be a Ronda 515.24H. Ronda is another Swiss movement manufacturer. From what I gathered, the cost of Ronda quartz movements range from USD10 to USD15. This watch is in my short list. If you noticed, I have been looking at mechanical watches before this. This is the first quartz watch in my list. Even if I don't get a Victorinox this time around, I will most likely get one in the future.

At this point, I'm starting to feel that I spent too much time and energy on watch hunting. It is time to make a decision. Which watch represents good value for money and looks less frugal than my USD9 Casio? Which watch is effective, reliable, and durable? In the end I chose Swatch. I changed the strap from black to embossed dark brown to get rid of the monotonous look. Besides, I really like brown leather. Also, for an ETA movement, the parts are readily available should replacement be required. It should last me for a long time if it is serviced on-time. I think this represents excellent value at the price point.

The entire Swatch package. No fancy watch box. It is the usual translucent plastic Swatch box.