Smart Watches

[Rogue Trader]

Most of us will not be able to afford the $40K AP Royal Oak, but we can come close with this G-Shock and a little bracelet mod.

I only learnt recently there's a small and loyal community of g shock modders.

 

[glockman]

What makes the Springdrive better is that the spring is the battery, so less likely to wear out etc. Eco drive (I have one) uses a rechargeable lithium cell to store power. Thought they used a super capacitor, but apparently not.

Yes, eco drive has a battery which might need to be replaced in the years ahead. I just read up more on the Seiko Spring drive and watched a few youtube videos. I was wrong to even compare it with Citizen Eco Drive, argh! The Spring Drive is a whole new level! Grand Seiko level (@Froggy's territory). The best of quartz and automatic. Damn near movement perfection and superb accuracy. And prices start from S$4K up. This is quite something! Do you have a spring drive watch?

 

[tobelightlight]

I use silicon straps, I have a tendency to refer to them as rubber.

I can't accept the fact that my rubber strap is of low quality and not comfortable but nice looking. So i just ordered a Hirsch rubber strap for my watch. LOL!!
I expect it to be comfortable with super quality. Let see how this goes.

 

[glockman]

Great technology but still way too expensive. The next best thing is their Kinetic watches which I own a few. They can be charged with an induction charger like the one use to charge Braun electric toothbrush.

View attachment 89605

Are those your watches? Good choices. From left to right : Rugged, sporty and dress.

Managed to find my Bulova Accutron, bought the correct Renata batt for it. But the watch is dead! I remember it was running fine a few years back, before I removed the batt and putting it away. I am devastated. Can't hear the sound of the tuning fork anymore. Do you know anyone here who can take a look at it?

 

[blackmondy]

Are those your watches? Good choices. From left to right : Rugged, sporty and dress.

Managed to found my Bulova Accutron, bought the correct Renata batt for it. But the watch is dead! I remember it was running fine a few years back, before I removed the batt and putting it away. I am devastated. Can't hear the sound of the tuning fork anymore. Do you know anyone here who can take a look at it?

Yep. All my collection for almost 20 years, and the capacitors still can hold full charge, thankfully.
I have a fetish for GMT watches as I travel regularly for work in the past.
Sorry, can't help on the Bulova, bro.

 

[blackmondy]

Yes, eco drive has a battery which might need to be replaced in the years ahead. I just read up more on the Seiko Spring drive and watched a few youtube videos. I was wrong to even compare it with Citizen Eco Drive, argh! The Spring Drive is a whole new level! Grand Seiko level (@Froggy's territory). The best of quartz and automatic. Damn near movement perfection and superb accuracy. And prices start from S$3K up. This is quite something! Do you have a spring drive watch?

All Springdrive watches are thick and hefty. Something along the line of Brietling Chronomats with thick steel bracelet.
Just lifting up your arm to look at the time is a form of exercise in itself !

 

[glockman]

I can't accept the fact that my rubber strap is of low quality and not comfortable but nice looking. So i just ordered a Hirsch rubber strap for my watch. LOL!! i expect it to be comfortable with super quality. Let see how this goes.

Hirsch makes quality straps, so it should be ok. Yeah, I also need the rubber to be soft and comfortable. I have purchased silicone straps from https://www.bartonwatchbands.com. Good stuff! Others are https://www.watchgecko.com, https://strapsco.com

 

[glockman]

Yep. All my collection for almost 20 years, and the capacitors still can hold full charge, thankfully.
I have a fetish for GMT watches as I travel regularly for work in the past.
Sorry, can't help on the Bulova, bro.

I like GMT watches too, although I don't really need that function.

The Bulova Accutron is 100% electronics. Little circuit boards and other stuff everywhere. Might need to find a youtube tutorial.

 

[glockman]

All Springdrive watches are thick and hefty. Something along the line of Brietling Chronomats with thick steel bracelet.
Just lifting up your arm to look at the time is a form of exercise in itself !

As thick as the Tudor pelagos with the MT movement you think? 14.3mm I believe. I am done with steel bracelets on 22mm lugged watches, yes too heavy. Steel bracelets for 20mm tapering to 18mm at the clasp is still not so bad. The pelagos is titanium (but with a steel clasp) so not so heavy even at 22mm.

 

[tobelightlight]

Hirsch makes quality straps, so it should be ok. Yeah, I also need the rubber to be soft and comfortable. I have purchased silicone straps from https://www.bartonwatchbands.com. Good stuff! Others are https://www.watchgecko.com, https://strapsco.com

Yes, i even bought a brushed buckle from Strapsco but their prices are quite steep for a buckle. i have barton straps too. I am quite new to watch collection and still learning. now i am paying to learn about straps first.

 

[tobelightlight]

As thick as the Tudor pelagos with the MT movement you think? 14.3mm I believe. I am done with steel bracelets on 22mm lugged watches, yes too heavy. Steel bracelets for 20mm tapering to 18mm at the clasp is still not so bad. The pelagos is titanium (but with a steel clasp) so not so heavy even at 22mm.

i don't like metal bracelets too. I love light watch and light feel on my wrist. heavy watches are not my thing. That is why i prefer titanium.

 

[glockman]

Yes, i even bought a brushed buckle from Strapsco but their prices are quite steep for a buckle. i have barton straps too. I am quite new to watch collection and still learning. now i am paying to learn about straps first.

Yeah, those ang moh strap brands and accessories can be costly. But at least we know the colour, material and quality are good. I have started buying straps from aliexpress. Shark mesh and silicone rubber. Cheap but heng suay once the product arrives. Spent quite a bit of money on quality Natos too, www.blusharkstraps.com and www.haveston.com.

 

[CharKuayTeow]

I just read up more on the Seiko Spring drive and watched a few youtube videos. I was wrong to even compare it with Citizen Eco Drive, argh! The Spring Drive is a whole new level! Grand Seiko level (@Froggy's territory). The best of quartz and automatic. Damn near movement perfection and superb accuracy. And prices start from S$4K up. This is quite something! Do you have a spring drive watch?

Yes, I have a spring drive watch, the SBGE011. It's a GMT watch. You can see a review of it here:



If you appreciate real hardcore, Bauhaus-style engineering design (where form follows function and things aren't done for the sake of looks or impressions), you'll really like the spring drive watches. A plus, (or minus if you're into to baubles) is that nobody will ever rob you of one since they aren't flashy. But the engineering prowess is stunning.

Don't forget that Seiko was the first to successfully commercialize the quartz watch in 1969,; they nearly wiped out the Swiss watch industry, so they have that legacy to live up to!

 

[glockman]

i don't like metal bracelets too. I love light watch and light feel on my wrist. heavy watches are not my thing. That is why i prefer titanium.

I agree. As I get older, the preference is for lighter watches. Once in a while, I will swap out bracelets for silicone straps. Different feel, have a bit of variation.

 

[tobelightlight]

Yeah, those ang moh strap brands and accessories can be costly. But at least we know the colour, material and quality are good. I have started buying straps from aliexpress. Shark mesh and silicone rubber. Cheap but heng suay once the product arrives. Spent quite a bit of money on quality Natos too, www.blusharkstraps.com and www.haveston.com.

strapco is not ang moh, they are from Hong Kong. i am wondering why product made from asia can cost so much like even more than those from ang moh countries.

 

[glockman]

Yes, I have a spring drive watch, the SBGE011. It's a GMT watch. You can see a review of it here:



If you appreciate real hardcore, Bauhaus-style engineering design (where form follows function and things aren't done for the sake of looks or impressions), you'll really like the spring drive watches. A plus, (or minus if you're into to baubles) is that nobody will every rob you of one since they aren't flashy. But the engineering prowess is stunning.

Don't forget that Seiko was the first to successfully commercialize the quartz watch in 1969 that nearly wiped out the Swiss watch industry, so they have that legacy to live up to!

That's a $5k-6K watch. Congrats! It's a nice watch with an understated design. I like non-flashy watches too. Explorer and Explorer II, Tudor Ranger, etc. The first brand that comes to my mind when you mentioned Bauhaus is Nomos. But I don't own any. I like sports watches with no chronograph, and strictly no gold or bling. Matte or brushed steel are my favourites.

The Seiko spring drive is quite something. I have to learn to appreciate the fact that a Japanese made watch can cost as much as a good swiss time piece.

 

[blackmondy]

The best value watch IMO is Orient. Fully made in Japan with in-house movement. This is a diver model I lusted after but sadly no logger in production.

 

[glockman]

strapco is not ang moh, they are from Hong Kong. i am wondering why product made from asia can cost so much like even more than those from ang moh countries.

I believe most if not all the ang moh strap companies have their items made in China. Just that they have higher specifications for the factories to follow. They have to ensure their brand name is protected.

 

[glockman]

The best value watch IMO is Orient. Fully made in Japan with in-house movement. This is a diver model I lusted after but sadly no logger in production.

Yes, this Orient diver is not bad, has an in-house movement too. The Japs know how to make good watches.

 

[CharKuayTeow]

The Seiko spring drive is quite something. I have to learn to appreciate the fact that a Japanese made watch can cost as much as a good swiss time piece.

I actually wanted to get an Omega, but then I care about accuracy, so I started looking at quartz watches. I travel a lot, so the trouble with quartz watches is that unless you get a solar powered one, you might need to change the battery at an inconvenient time. I eventually stumbled across the spring drive watches. Seiko does a shit job of marketing.

The spring drive is remarkably accurate. No need for fancy, easy-to-damage, overly complicated tourbillon movements, which still can't achieve the accuracy of a $5 quartz watch!