The Watch Discussion Thread

[Joey D]

What are people's thoughts on Hamilton? What's the quality like and what are they comparable to?

They aren't really popular over here because Europe is packed with it's own Swiss made brands but I'm looking into their range and wanted to know if anyone had any comments about them.

Thanks.

I have the Hamilton Ventura Quartz (H24411732) and it's easily my favorite watch in my collection. It's one that I had wanted for a long time and finally rewarded myself with one after I got my latest job. Mine came from a seller on eBay who had worked on the Men In Black movie and got it at a premiere event for the film, which makes it kind of cool. Also Elvis was known for wearing one.

There's two different styles, I have the one on the right:

I think the quality is very good, however unless you can find a deal on one, the MSRP is rather inflated for what you get but you are still going to end up with a solid timepiece. I guess it is fair to point out most watches are going to have an inflated price on them, but it's all in the name of looking good right? I find my Ventura to be roughly the same quality as higher end Seiko quartz watches, you are going to end up with something with good battery life, durable crystal, and accurate time keeping.

Which Hamilton were you looking at? I'm rather fond of the Khaki Field and the Jazzmaster.

 

[Mike Rotch]

What are people's thoughts on Hamilton? What's the quality like and what are they comparable to?

They aren't really popular over here because Europe is packed with it's own Swiss made brands but I'm looking into their range and wanted to know if anyone had any comments about them.

Thanks.

I have the Khaki X-Wind and its in-hand quality is the match of any Tag or Omega you can think of.

I think they are the best pound-for-pound watch you can get. Great styling options, swiss internals and manufacturing, all matched to a 'reasonable' price when considering the alternatives. 👍

As Joey said, don't pay MSRP though.

 

[EvanJamesLee]

My watch is only correct twice a day.

 

[Robin]

Which Hamilton were you looking at? I'm rather fond of the Khaki Field and the Jazzmaster.

I'm looking at the Khaki Field range. Because there is a marked difference in quality from one Swiss watch brand to the next I wanted to know which pile Hamilton falls into. For example fashion brand watches although Swiss made are notorious for poor quality. I would hope they are equivalent to something like Tissot but less techy. @Mike Rotch if it was up in Omega territory that would be great!

Out of interest how much should one be paying under MSRP for these in percent roughly?

 

[High-Test]

What are people's thoughts on Hamilton? What's the quality like and what are they comparable to?

They aren't really popular over here because Europe is packed with it's own Swiss made brands but I'm looking into their range and wanted to know if anyone had any comments about them.

Thanks.

They will all have ETA movements. Take it or leave it. But they have nailed retro.

 

[Mike Rotch]

@Mike Rotch if it was up in Omega territory that would be great!

It's a matter of a) opinion and b) which one in the range you are looking at. Hamilton have premium models and less-premium, the premium ones are in my view right up there. Premium I'd classify as models with some iteration of the auto chrono (Valjoux) or any of the autos with an ETA 2892 movement.

The Field Khaki's to my knowledge use a more run of the mill 2824 - which IMO puts it in Tissot territory.

 

[Robin]

They will all have ETA movements. Take it or leave it. But they have nailed retro.

Oh I see, how do you find out which type of ETA movement in each model? I presume all fashion watches are also made by ETA probably using their 'budget range' of innards!

 

[Mike Rotch]

Oh I see, how do you find out which type of ETA movement in each model? I presume all fashion watches are also made by ETA probably using their 'budget range' of innards!

Hamilton re-brand ETA movements as "C.xxxxxx / calibre x movement". A simple google search of whatever model you are looking for + "ETA" will turn up an answer, probably on watchuseek.com.

Fashion watches are best avoided.

 

[Robin]

It's got a 2824. Slightly disappointed they don't make their own movements, you can get Seiko's half the price made in Japan and Titanium with their own stuff inside. I thought all 'proper' Swiss made brands made their own movements, I had no idea most were outsourced.

 

[Mike Rotch]

It's got a 2824. Slightly disappointed they don't make their own movements, you can get Seiko's half the price made in Japan and Titanium with their own stuff inside. I thought all 'proper' Swiss made brands made their own movements, I had no idea most were outsourced.

True, most Swiss marques don't. Most take third party ETA movements and add elaborations/ tighten tolerances or higher quality components. Those that do make inhouse movements = big $$$.

Seiko do make their own you are correct, but good luck finding a watchmaker who will service one (should it ever need it).

 

[Joey D]

I'm looking at the Khaki Field range. Because there is a marked difference in quality from one Swiss watch brand to the next I wanted to know which pile Hamilton falls into. For example fashion brand watches although Swiss made are notorious for poor quality. I would hope they are equivalent to something like Tissot but less techy. @Mike Rotch if it was up in Omega territory that would be great!

Out of interest how much should one be paying under MSRP for these in percent roughly?

Looks like @Mike Rotch and @High-Test have you covered with the automatics, unfortunately I don't really know a ton about auto movements since a vast majority of my collection are quartz.

As for MSRP, I think on your basic Khaki the MSRP is $575, I don't think I'd pay much more than $400 for it and with a quick Google search it looks like that's pretty easy to find.

 

[Robin]

Looks like @Mike Rotch and @High-Test have you covered with the automatics, unfortunately I don't really know a ton about auto movements since a vast majority of my collection are quartz.

As for MSRP, I think on your basic Khaki the MSRP is $575, I don't think I'd pay much more than $400 for it and with a quick Google search it looks like that's pretty easy to find.

OK thanks 👍

 

[Brett]

A few more NATO straps arrived in the post earlier this week:

Unlike the last two I ordered, these are considered 'Premium' from the place I ordered them.

 

[High-Test]

On this discussion of watches. I was a clockmaker's apprentice for half a year. A few thoughts.

Avoid fashion watches like the plague. Guaranteed quartz.

ETA isn't always a bad thing. Hamilton knows what they're doing and has every right to be in business, ETA or not. Quartz almost killed off the trade. Oddly enough, Hamilton had been using swiss autos since the 50s. Bulova had the first American auto in 1954, the bombproof 10BPAC. Can be had for 170 dollars, 23 jewels, runs like a top.

@Robin. The price range you're at puts you into vintage Omega Seamaster territory. The possibilities get even more endless.

But I implore you not to go quartz.

EDIT @Brett The blue and white band. Do they make other non-NATO styles? It is beautiful. 👍

 

[Brett]

EDIT @Brett The blue and white band. Do they make other non-NATO styles? It is beautiful. 👍

The blue and white band is pretty awesome. I think I am going to have to pick up another watch to use it, as I do not think it will look good on the watch in the picture (guess I will have to switch the straps out and see). The above order and my previous order were made on: Cheapest NATO Straps.

 

[High-Test]

The blue and white band is pretty awesome. I think I am going to have to pick up another watch to use it, as I do not think it will look good on the watch in the picture (guess I will have to switch the straps out and see). The above order and my previous order were made on: Cheapest NATO Straps.

I've got a 1957 Bulova 10BPAC automatic with a cherry sunburst dial. Is it the nicest? Absolutely not. But I've rebuilt, or partially rebuilt, four of the things. When they run right, they're bomb proof. I'm bored to tears with with the black leather band it has. I'm looking for something cool to go with it in terms of bands. It was my present to myself for staying level for a year. Suggestions, fellas? I dig cloth, and blue and white are my colors.

 

[Walrus76]

Quartz? Yes, but I like the classic look. This affordable German Junkers G38 is at the moment my favourite watch!

 

[Joey D]

Nice! I really like Junkers watches.

 

[photonrider]

Quartz? Yes, but I like the classic look. This affordable German Junkers G38 is at the moment my favourite watch!View attachment 390217

Guess you would be wearing that as you get your hands dirty servicing the engines on this thing - while it is in flight :

You say 'affordable.' ? Are they inexpensive?
I always wanted one myself - though picking one would be plainly difficult.

Edit: Had a look around and, yes, I see what you mean by affordable - some go from very affordable to quite expensive - such a great selection.
I love the 'altimeter' look - feels like you got a cockpit on your wrist.

 

[Walrus76]

Now that's an awesome plane ! The Germans really knew how to make them. Junkers watches are indeed quite affordable, especially those with quartz movements. My watch (6970-5) was 279€ brand new which is nowadays fairly good price for a quartz chrono, I think. Of course Seiko, for example, has some really good aviation chronos with even lower prices. I personally like very much their 'poor man's flightmaster' (SNA411) and also the Seiko Solar series has some interesting timepieces, like SSC009. I have both these in my modest collection. What comes to this new G38 model, the strap could be better, but it is easy to exchange. I find also the 42mm case size perfect for my small wrist.

These watches are assembled in old Garde factory in city of Ruhla, located in former DDR. I read somewhere that same factory made speed and other gauges for East German cars and Czech Jawa motorcycles back in cold war era. I think they also made some aviation instruments for Soviet Ilyushin, but I'm not sure.

 

[High-Test]

^ It's hard finding good looking men's watches with small cases. I was glad to see Junkers' lineup hovering around 42mm.

 

[Com Fox]

I wear a Black G-Shock

 

[High-Test]

I wear a Black G-Shock

Man, Get something with a soul. Just playing, though I strongly suggest it.

Here's the Bulova I mentioned earlier:

Here's my 1957 Bulova 10BPAC 23 Jewel automatic. I've had four with this movement and three with this case. Only this one had a halfway decent dial. Plus, sunburst. And sweep second. It has some discoloration at the numbers, which is normal. It cost ten bucks new in 1957, or about 93 bucks now. It was a gift to myself Nov 3, 2014 for staying out of a psych ward for a year. Here's the business end:

This was the first American made automatic. At the time the movement came out in 1953, American stalwarts such as Hamilton and Elgin had moved wristwatch production to Switzerland. Bulova decided they wanted to remain American made. As far as true American Automatics, this was about it. The thing's truly shockproof, admirably water resistant, and runs for a good two days without any input. Cool thing is that it can be wound by the rotor or by the stem - it has a double wind system. If you've seen L.A. Confidential, Kevin Spacey wears an earlier model with a sunburst dial and a red second hand. I wouldn't mind a red second hand, the one in this has a gnarred tip when viewed from the side. Sadly it would be replaced by the Accutron and later quartz nonsense. It's much more hardy than the watch below:

Here's a Nixon Conquer I've had for 14 years. The dial lights up, but other than that, it's a lousy watch with little to recommend itself other than it being a relic of my past.

Quartz just.. bugs me. How is the stupid quartz watch from 2001 an order of magnitude louder than the automatic from 1957? The fact that a company like Junkers can demand four hundred dollars for a watch with a movement that will get fried by its own battery juice within two decades at the most boggles my mind. I don't get it.

 

[Com Fox]

Man, Get something with a soul. Just playing, though I strongly suggest it.

Here's the Bulova I mentioned earlier:

View attachment 393788
Here's my 1957 Bulova 10BPAC 23 Jewel automatic. I've had four with this movement and three with this case. Only this one had a halfway decent dial. Plus, sunburst. And sweep second. It has some discoloration at the numbers, which is normal. It cost ten bucks new in 1957, or about 93 bucks now. It was a gift to myself Nov 3, 2014 for staying out of a psych ward for a year. Here's the business end:
View attachment 393790
This was the first American made automatic. At the time the movement came out in 1953, American stalwarts such as Hamilton and Elgin had moved wristwatch production to Switzerland. Bulova decided they wanted to remain American made. As far as true American Automatics, this was about it. The thing's truly shockproof, admirably water resistant, and runs for a good two days without any input. Cool thing is that it can be wound by the rotor or by the stem - it has a double wind system. If you've seen L.A. Confidential, Kevin Spacey wears an earlier model with a sunburst dial and a red second hand. I wouldn't mind a red second hand, the one in this has a gnarred tip when viewed from the side. Sadly it would be replaced by the Accutron and later quartz nonsense. It's much more hardy than the watch below:

View attachment 393797
Here's a Nixon Conquer I've had for 14 years. The dial lights up, but other than that, it's a lousy watch with little to recommend itself other than it being a relic of my past.

Quartz just.. bugs me. How is the stupid quartz watch from 2001 an order of magnitude louder than the automatic from 1957? The fact that a company like Junkers can demand four hundred dollars for a watch with a movement that will get fried by its own battery juice within two decades at the most boggles my mind. I don't get it.

Soul?

 

[photonrider]

Now that's an awesome plane ! The Germans really knew how to make them. Junkers watches are indeed quite affordable, especially those with quartz movements. My watch (6970-5) was 279€ brand new which is nowadays fairly good price for a quartz chrono, I think. Of course Seiko, for example, has some really good aviation chronos with even lower prices. I personally like very much their 'poor man's flightmaster' (SNA411) and also the Seiko Solar series has some interesting timepieces, like SSC009. I have both these in my modest collection. What comes to this new G38 model, the strap could be better, but it is easy to exchange. I find also the 42mm case size perfect for my small wrist.

These watches are assembled in old Garde factory in city of Ruhla, located in former DDR. I read somewhere that same factory made speed and other gauges for East German cars and Czech Jawa motorcycles back in cold war era. I think they also made some aviation instruments for Soviet Ilyushin, but I'm not sure.

I had an uncle (now passed) who had a blood-red Jawa - holy mackerel, the sound of it! Maybe it sounded so monstrous because I used to ride pillion as an adolescent. I was terrified of it; but loved hanging on to it all the same as he swung it through the streets like riding a runaway wild buffalo.

That plane is directly connected to your watch, AFAIK.

Man, Get something with a soul. Just playing, though I strongly suggest it.

Here's the Bulova I mentioned earlier:

View attachment 393788
Here's my 1957 Bulova 10BPAC 23 Jewel automatic. I've had four with this movement and three with this case. Only this one had a halfway decent dial. Plus, sunburst. And sweep second. It has some discoloration at the numbers, which is normal. It cost ten bucks new in 1957, or about 93 bucks now. It was a gift to myself Nov 3, 2014 for staying out of a psych ward for a year. Here's the business end:
View attachment 393790
This was the first American made automatic. At the time the movement came out in 1953, American stalwarts such as Hamilton and Elgin had moved wristwatch production to Switzerland. Bulova decided they wanted to remain American made. As far as true American Automatics, this was about it. The thing's truly shockproof, admirably water resistant, and runs for a good two days without any input. Cool thing is that it can be wound by the rotor or by the stem - it has a double wind system. If you've seen L.A. Confidential, Kevin Spacey wears an earlier model with a sunburst dial and a red second hand. I wouldn't mind a red second hand, the one in this has a gnarred tip when viewed from the side. Sadly it would be replaced by the Accutron and later quartz nonsense. It's much more hardy than the watch below:

View attachment 393797
Here's a Nixon Conquer I've had for 14 years. The dial lights up, but other than that, it's a lousy watch with little to recommend itself other than it being a relic of my past.

Quartz just.. bugs me. How is the stupid quartz watch from 2001 an order of magnitude louder than the automatic from 1957? The fact that a company like Junkers can demand four hundred dollars for a watch with a movement that will get fried by its own battery juice within two decades at the most boggles my mind. I don't get it.

Bulova FTW. 👍 It is all I wear these days, though other faces have tempted me often, and will probably continue to do so. Doesn't Junkers make autos, too?

Soul?

Kyriolexy.

With the attendant lack of affective prosody, an unfortunate malady that afflicts textual communication.

 

[Com Fox]

I don't really want anything "fancy" with my watch. Just wanted a cheap one that can tell me the time, with decent colouring

 

[photonrider]

That sounds like a Bulova all right. 👍 Get one.

If $150.00 is cheap for a watch that would last 10 years - that would be $15.00 a year - then you could treat yourself to a decent one for that price.

There are many nice Seikos available, too around that price.
If you're looking for something cheaper that works well and still looks good, then Timex or Casio also have a great range under $50.00.
I'm talking CDN, maybe a little less in US.

 

[Com Fox]

That sounds like a Bulova all right. 👍 Get one.

If $150.00 is cheap for a watch that would last 10 years - that would be $15.00 a year - then you could treat yourself to a decent one for that price.

There are many nice Seikos available, too around that price.
If you're looking for something cheaper that works well and still looks good, then Timex or Casio also have a great range under $50.00.
I'm talking CDN, maybe a little less in US.

I find 150 way too expensive for something that I only use just to know the time. With that Money I brought 3 Games an Amiibo (which would last the same buy how much I keep them from being ruined) with 50 Dollars left over for a Cheaper watch.

With looks, I'm just fine with the Simplicity of my watch's because I think that works best.

 

[photonrider]

Whoosier Rule. 👍

Actually, I meet more and more people everyday who don't wear watches, don't have calendars, alarm clocks, diaries . . . I put a calendar up in the workshop and one of the workers asked me:
"What's that for?"
"Well, duh, " I says, "to see what day it is?"
He waves his giant phone in my face. "I don't need that. I have this."

Yup. Watches are outdated. Who needs them when you have the TV in your pocket?

 

[Com Fox]

I find Phones just a way to drain unnecessary money away, I can't stand wasting Money to buy one then need to waste more for Credit, Data or Plans