Herculodge

Conversations with a Watch Dealer Make Me Shy Away from Swiss Movements

  

My watch dealer Raffi (who took a link out of my Seiko SUN019 today) explained that he sends automatic watches to an authorized tech who charges about $200 for a basic service on a Swiss ETA. Chronos can cost a lot more, around $350 or so. The waiting time is 3 weeks. These ETA movements sometimes need a service only 3 years but he's seen 8-year periods. In contrast, he says in his experience Japanese movements last longer. He has customers with Seiko 5s, for example, who have never done anything to their watches in over 15 years. 

While the cost and incovenience of servicing a automatic watch puts me off somewhat, I own and love my four automatic watches, a Seiko SRP307, Orient Saturation Diver, Benarus Moray Dart, and Seiko Sumo. I feel confident that the movements will last me a long time before I need to service them. 

I've been thinking about service costs lately because I love the style of the Zixen Nitrox LS with the stainless steel bezel, the same Zixen Jonny owns. But I'm afraid of that Swiss ETA movement. It's failry ubiquitous. You'll find it on Hamilton, Oris, and many others. 

For my next watch fix, I may be looking at a Citizen Attesa or Citizen Promaster Fly. We shall see. And lest I forget, I will be getting a Benarus (with Miyota movement) Megalodon with carbon dial and stainless steel bezel sometime in 2015. 

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Why the Quest for the Holy Grail Is Ongoing

Addressing the anxiety factor as a motive for buying watches, Jonny writes:

I don't think I buy watches out of anxiety, or at least if I do then it isn't so directly linked. It might be deep existential anxiety that filters through as a need/want to acquire more things, but I don't feel anxious and then flip open the computer to browse for watches and then buy the first thing that catches my eye to ease my anxiety.

But I would say that the need/want to buy a watch partially, even largely, stems from a kind of deep-rooted existential emptiness and accompanying desire to "fill the void" with surrogate grails. Even the glimmer and aesthetic of a watch has a grail-like quality, as does the form of a beautiful woman. It is something of a specific flavor of beauty and aesthetic pleasure, and I would argue that we have a legitimate need to experience beauty as a kind of "lesser grail," an echo of the True Grail. That's why the watch quest is endless: any watch can only ever be a surrogate for the real thing (which is not a "thing").

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Slate chose Marc Maron's WTF podcast with Louis C.K. the best podcast ever. On it, Louis says a therapist told him that next time he's about to do something compulsive that he fears he'll regret, say "in the moment" that you're reacting to anxiety. It might help.

I just tried the technique. I'm not sure it helped or not. I'll get back to you later. 

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Manly Pilot Watch Sighting for $200: Citizen BJ7010-17W 46MM Eco Drive

 

 

With a 46mm bezel and Eco Drive technology, the Citizen BJ7010-17W Field Watch seems like a great recommendation for someone looking for a comfortable everyday watch at this price point or for someone who is looking for a more affordable alternative to the Hamilton pilot line. Correction: The above link should read "Pilot," not "Field."

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Seiko Sumo Looks Great on the Strapcode Endmill Bracelet

 

I'm happy with my stock bracelet, but it's good to know if I ever need to replace the stock one, the Strapcode 20mm Endmill bracelet looks fantastic on it. 

Saying Goodbye to an Era for the Last Time?

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More Watches into the Herculodge Photo Bank

It was a week ago today that my 2008 Apple crashed. With a sparse bank of watch photos, I got some shots today of my Orient Saturation Diver, my Seiko SUn019, my Citizen Promaster BN2029, my Deep Blue Depthmaster II, and my Invicta Force 4831. 

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Vintage Watch Sighting: Birks Eterna-Matic Centenaire

 

Fred has apprised us of his Birks Cenenaire, a real vintage. To quote Fred:

Once upon a time, 50 years ago this year, my father received a token of appreciation from his employer for 25 years' loyal service.  That token was a Birks Eterna-Matic Chronometer, a Swiss-made masterpiece of watch engineering.  

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Manly Watch Quest for 2015: Keep the Collection Under a Dozen For Your Sanity's Sake

 

Early 2015 the collection should be thus in order of preference with some comments. 

1. Orient Saturation Diver, the king of my collection, bold, classic, luxury build quality shows compared to my others. I wish I could post a photo of it here but since my Apple crashed, I realized I don't have any photos currently. 

2. Seiko Sumo, classic, simple, it points to a refined aesthetic, a very mysterious watch: just when you think it's too plain, it seems stunning in its original design.

3. Seiko Kinetic Diver SUN019: I'm beholden to the huge lume markers; it's my surrogate Breitling; however, I resent its kinetic power, a real pain and a source of anxiety. If I didn't love the huge lume markers so much, I'd sell it.

4. Seiko Tuna on Super Engineer Bracelet, a breathtaking watch with original design, I only wish it were an automatic, not quartz.

 

5. Benarus Moray 44mm Dart, unique, classic, plays bigger than a 44mm. I wish I wore it more. 

6. Citizen Promaster BN2029, so different in looks to any watch I own. It doesn't get enough wrist time but I like having this 53mm beast around as "Invicta insurance" so that if the oversized impulse hits me, I'll be "protected" by the Promaster. Lume could be better for a diver watch. Doesn't get much wrist time. 

7. Seiko SBDL021 FlightMaster or FieldMaster on shark mesh, my only chrono, I love its original design, shame it doesn't get much wrist time.

8. Seiko SRP307 Black Monster II on Super Engineer, don't ask me why this is ranked at 8. It's so comfortable and appealing, it gets a lot of wrist time but mostly around the house. 

9. Citizen EcoZilla on rubber, this is my first "real watch," the one that started the disease. I wear it as a beater and a swimmer now. 

For Possible Sale in 2015:

Deep Blue Depthmaster black with blue dial, love the dial and lume markers, less enthusiastic about the case and bracelet; also I worry the black will scratch. It's flawless right now. Perhaps I should sell it in mint condition.

Invicta Force 4831. I wore this once since I bought it, or I should say re-bought it, two months ago. As I was wearing it, I was thinking it was like getting back with an ex-girlfriend and realizing we had grown apart.

Possible Acquisitions for 2015

I pre-ordered the carbon dial Benarus Megalodon with stainless steel bezel. I assume I'll be getting it, but I'll believe it when I see it.  

I've been swooned by the Zixen Nitro LS in black. Jonny owns it. For some reason its charms have hit me lately. 

On the Outer Stratosphere

I'm drawn to the black Citizen Promaster Sky BY0084-56E.

I miss my Orient M-Force Beast with black dial, model number EL06001B

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Wanting daily comfort on my Seiko SUN019 Kinetic Tuna Diver, I've been thinking about taking off the bracelet and putting on a soft silicon 24mm strap. 

From a British seller on eBay, the Hirsch Extreme 24mm watch band, costs about $99. It's been recommended on watchuseek, but is it worth it? I've seen silicon bands for about $20 and I don't know if there's a significant difference. 

In the middle of those two prices is the DaLuca for $70 on Amazon. 

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