The Endangered Wrist Watch

I own five of them.. two nice ones.. (one for dress up and one for dress blues) and three plastic sport watches. Two of the plastic ones are identical: one for working/school and one for when I'm in ABUs. The other is for when I'm running or lifting etc.

Actually.. right now I'm wearing one watch and there is another on the computer desk ready to be called upon. I need watches... I feel naked without one.

Sir, I wore a Seiko dive watch constantly when I was in the Marine Corps, but quit as soon as I got out (still have the watch, though). Now'days, the only time I wear a watch is while I'm grilling or out in the woods.

Between the clocks, computers, cell phone, regular phone, TV, VCR, radio, stove, microwave, coffeepot, and car, I'm never more than a few steps from some sort of time-telling device. And if I am away from those things and need to know what time it is, someone will tell me--usually because it's important to them, not me.

Hope this helps, and Semper Fi.

Ron H.

dmar said:

I still like having a wrist watch, and I a quality piece. To me, Rolex is too much of a 'status shout.' So, I wear an Omega Speedmaster, Long Arrow. Very nice watch, without the puff of wearing a Rolex. As for 'status,' people that know watches, know how good Omegas are, and it slides under the radar of those that don't. That's the way I roll...

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My thinking exactly. For this same reason I am currently sporting a IWC Fliegerchrongraph with SS bracelet.

Tim

When you go out to the store unshowered in old sweats, a good watch tells people, "i'm eccentric, not homeless"...

I am addicted to wearing a wristwatch. When I don't have it on, I feel something is missing and I realize how often I glance at my left wrist to determine the time or date.

I have long lusted after Omega's or Breitlings (or a Grand Seiko), but I am far too cheap to buy something that expensive. I was a child and teen when quartz watches were cool. My first wristwatch was a cheap three-function digital in the early 80's. My second was a Casio quartz digital -- the famous "four button" watch -- around 1985. I loved, loved, LOVED that watch and was unhappy when it no longer would hold a wristband.

A few years ago I broke with my natural tendency for inexpensive watches and purchased a used Citizen Skyhawk, titanium. Amazon.com: Citizen Men's JR3060-59F Eco-Drive Titanium Skyhawk Chronograph Watch: Citizen: Watches I know that watch snobs won't be caught dead wearing a quartz watch, but I really like this watch. It's solar powered, contains 23 times zones, provides full date, chronograph, and countdown timer functions, and has an analog flight computer on the bezel. It is so accurate that in the nearly four years I have owned it, I have altered the time on it perhaps twice. The only thing I don't like about it is the impotence of the lighted hands. I can read them at night for a few hours and then not at all. Citizen remedied this by putting a backlight on the digital window in later models, and perhaps someday I'll own one.

Right now, the Skyhawk is the only working watch I own. A friend gave me an Ohio State Fossil watch but it has developed a problem, and I won't pay to have it fixed. 'Tis a shame, for I liked wearing my Ohio State watch with my jersey to Ohio Stadium. But the Fossil is nearly impossible to read in bright light, and I am always happy to shed it for my trusty Skyhawk. I suppose my Skyhawk is a lot like a favorite gun. Sure, you have or shoot others that are more accurate, more expensive, and more beautiful but when pressed, you always reach for Ole Trusty.

There will always be a segment of the population who own and wear watches. I expect that segment will shrink, until watches are developed that provide smart phone functionality. Don't think it will happen? Oh yes, it will.

They are going the way of the windup alarm clock.

This thread inspired me; just like I have pictures of my "range queen" guns, but not my faithful everyday beater 642, I didn't have a picture of the watch I take for granted:



I do have an ESQ watch for the rare occasions I have to dress like a grownup.

I haven't worn one in ten years, and probably will never wear one again, but this article says wristwatch sales are climbing:

It's Time: The Wristwatch Makes A Comeback : NPR

Ever since my Navy days , I feel naked without a wrist watch. Got a cell phone with time on it , which I often forget. Got a clock in the dash of each vehicle , and in every room of the house. I'll be talking on the phone about what time to meet with others , yet I'll still look at my watch.

And I don't like a digital watch either. Been wearing a Wenger for 10yrs. it's held up thru some very hard (work & play) service.

I'm one of those old dinosaurs that wear a watch every day. I like the intricacies of the mechanical timepieces and don't much care for those new fangled cellular pocket watches everyone is carrying now a days. I have a few quartzies but for the most part I wear military styled 3 hand automatics or hand crankers.

Rolex Seadweller here. I like my bling
Why a Rolex over a Seiko??? Why an M&P over a Hi Point???
Defense Rests your honor!

I always wear a watch, I hate cell phones so I never carry one.

I currently use an automatic most of the time. I am amazed at how well it keeps time. It is only off about 5 seconds from the last time I let it run down, about 2 months ago. Pretty good for purely mechanical device.

I wear a Croton self winder. I really don't know if Croton is cosidered a 'good' watch or not. (it was a gift)

I do think it's cool cause it ticks, and has a glass back so if boored you can watch all the little gears spin around.

Accurate ? Sorta, it gains about 2 minutes a week. Close enough for me.

Rolex? I'd like to be able to afford one, but would spend the cash on guns. If I was to wear a real Rolex everyone would think it was fake.

I have had watches made by Timex, Seiko, Benrus, Bulova, Casio, Armitron, and almost any other maker you can name. They had one thing in common. NONE of them lasted a full year. If I changed the battery, it'd die in a few weeks. If a jeweler changed the battery, it'd die in a few weeks. I sent one back to the factory and got another month or so out of it....

Back in 85 or 86, I had three watches die on me in quick succession. In a fit of disgust, I asked Grady (a close friend of the family that I regarded as a wise uncle) if anybody made a decent watch that would hold up. He told me to get a Rolex. I was about 18 and broke and thought Rolex watches were $10K+ and all looked like the one Crockett wore on Miami Vice. He straigtened me out on Rolex. He taught me about the stainless steel models, and he taught me about all the firsts and innovations in Rolex's history. (First self winding watch, first with the date, first with the day of the week, first waterproof, etc.) I was hooked. I wanted one.

It took me until Feb 1990 to find a like new pre-owned Rolex Air King at a price I could just barely swing...($500). I bought it with high hopes. Now, it's 2011. That watch still runs like it did the day I got it. It still looks exactly the same. I could sell it for about 4-5 times what I gave for it, AND I haven't wasted $200-$300/year on disposable watches over the last 21 years.

I am not a snob, I'm a very practical minded engineer, and I think that a Rolex is the greatest thing since sliced bread! If you take all the factors into consideration, I think it's the cheapest (long term) watch you can own! Collectors can spot differences in models over time, but to the untrained eye, a 1950's Submariner looks the same as a brand new one, so it's not likely to look "dated" anytime soon.

In 1996, I bought a Tudor Chronograph (lower priced brand of Rolex) and enjoyed the same service and the same appreciation in value. (Google Tudor Big Block Chronograph) In 2007, I bought a steel and gold blue faced Rolex Submariner, and it has been great as well.

I can't say enough good things about Rolex. To me, they're the S&W of watches! They are durable, long lasting, good looking, and just like S&W, they were always the best innovators!

Rawhyde

Oh, and lest we forget, they now make "Tactical" wristwatches. At least that's what they advertise in most of the gun magazines. Gotta have one of those if you're gonna go huntin' terrorists.

Rolexes are great. After my GMT got swiped, I replaced it with a high-quality knock-off I picked up on the street in China. Looks great, self-winding, markings identical, and if this one goes missing I'm out like $15 US. It's not quite the same (quartz movement), but no one has caught the difference yet.


Bullseye

I need a good watch. Pocket watches are a PITA on the highway.
Bought a Zodiac on my way to 'Nam. Self-winder. Ran great for a couple of years 'til I cracked the crystal. 30 years later, cleaned it, got a new crystal and gasket, good to go. Flat as can be, hugs my wrist.
Spidel(sp?) 'Twist-o-Flex" band for a wrist that changes diameter with
temperature changes. Works for me! TACC1

I've worn a watch since I was a schoolboy, and I will continue to wear one until I die, or can no longer read one due to dementia or blindness. All things considered, it appears to me to be the speediest, most unobtrusive, convenient, practical, etc. manner of keeping track of the time.

I grew up on a farm, doing things like feeding sheep, building fence, repairing machinery, baling hay, and so on. Much of the time I was filthy from head to toe, with grease and oil, and/or sweat on my hands and the rest of me as well. Much of the work required both hands to be occupied at the same time. How would a cell phone do under such conditions? But a watch? -just turn the wrist a bit and glance downward, and you know how much longer before you have to quit. It strikes me that there are still a number of jobs which are performed under similar conditions. Nothing like having the time strapped to one's wrist for instant retrieval without the use of the hands.

Of course under conditions such as those I've just described one doesn't wear a premium brand. I've always used an inexpensive one, and they've lasted as long or longer than other more expensive ones described in this thread. My current watch is a Sharp, and it's served me so long I don't even remember exactly when I bought it -thinking it was the early 90's.

Andy

My Daytona with another Classic

ArcticFox said:

A watch may offer convenience but is often not needed. There are few times during the day when the exact time is needed from a watch due to the presence of clocks nearly everywhere and other time markers like bells, the coming and going of things or other people, the sun, etc. And, many people have a sense of time that has developed into an inner clock. One of my daughters and myself are usually within 15 minutes of the correct time when asked even though we do not wear watches. We often try to stump each other on this by surprise but each of us has a pretty good sense of time.

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That statement reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where Kramer stops using watches, clocks, etc to tell the time. I hope these "Many People" have better results than he did.