No 177 - Longines Heritage Conquest

This was a serious attempt trying to find a watch for my upcoming wedding. Considering my becoming wife and I had put a whole lot of dough into this event I was aiming to find something classic but in a lower price range and when I found this Longines Conquest Heritage in the end of May 2013 it felt like a good choice. It was far from perfect but I figured it would have to do. 

#177 - The Longines Heritage Conquest, ref. L1.611.4.75.2.

The horrible thin black leather strap it came on was immediately removed and replaced with a brown croc strap. Looked way better. Its size, 35mm excl. crown, made it a good dresswatch and the acrylic crystal gave it a nice vintage touch. It actually looked really classy and elegant.

Seriously, that's a pretty good looking dresswatch!

It was only a week before our wedding day that I realized that “shit, this feels wrong! I can’t do this!”

Oh, I was referring to the watch, not the actual marriage! No, a Longines wouldn’t do it and I had to take care of business really fast. Luck was with me and I managed to get a hold of the perfect object that felt worthy enough just a couple of days before we flew off to Rome for our big day.


To be continued.

© All pictures by a Watch Flipper's Diary unless noted.

No 176 - Seiko SARB033

Another “poor man’s Grand Seiko” from Seiko’s Mechanical line. A good looking dresswatch to a really competitive price. It’s still available to purchase new and it would suit great as an everyday wearer for anyone. I haven’t met anyone who’s bought one and felt disappointed. Just the other week a friend of mine picked up the SARB035 (white dial version) and he loved it. I still haven’t had a watch with the 6r15 movement that haven’t been running other than perfect and that is quite impressive. 

#176 - The Seiko SARB033.

I just bought this one because I had to try it. At the time I was actually on the hunt for a wedding watch but I never considered this one as a possible choice. It’s a fine watch, sure, but I was looking for something more of a timeless classic.

© All pictures by a Watch Flipper's Diary unless noted.

No 175 & 299 - Seiko SBCA001

For about $150 you could get a brand new great looking JDM quality watch from Seiko. The Seiko SBCA001 was unbeatable in many areas. Unfortunately it has now been discontinued which sucks. The last couple of months I’ve been trying to get a hold of a new one but it has almost been impossible. The few I’ve found have cost about three times the listing price. 

#175 - The Seiko SBCA001.

I bought mine from Seiya in April 2013. I was amazed by the high detail you could get for that kind of money. The bracelet was perhaps a little too light and loose for me so I wore it on a nato. That might have been the only flaw with this watch. Well, no screw down crown either but what the hell. It was still water resistant to a 100m. But except for that it was great. Beautiful military type black matte dial. Awesome lume! Perfect size. 36mm was just enough. I wouldn’t want it any bigger than that. And the best part – a quartz movement. Thank you Seiko! Please give us this one back soon. Or at least something similar.

Grainy wrist shot ot a blue and grey nato strap.

UPDATE - June 7th 2016.

So after bumping a WTB-ad for a time I finally managed to get me another SBCA001 last week. I'll try to keep this one in my closet now for a while. It really is a great watch!

#299 - My second SBCA011.

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No 170 - Rolex Explorer 114720

Here’s another watch that easily would have qualified to the list over my top 5 OWG-watches IF it would have had a date. I mean, the Explorer is basically a regular Datejust but without a date, but it has got something else to it. I guess it must be the name. Explorer. I mean, who doesn’t want to be an explorer? I immediately felt like an adventurer when I put it on my wrist for the first time; ready to climb any mountain! I suppose it’s meant to be a toolier version of the Datejust and honestly, even the differences aren’t that many, it still feels, at least to me, like another kind of watch than the Datejust.

#170 - The Rolex Explorer ref. 114720 in grayscale.

On my way to a work interview in April 2013.

I got a hold of a superb full set from a friend to a really good price during a dinner. Being a little drunk always makes it easier to pull the trigger! This was in early April 2014. It had originally been bought in Italy in 2005. It was impossible not to like it. I was even considering keeping it because I had my wedding coming up in two months and figured it could do well as my wedding watch. I finally decided to go with something a little dressier and I ended up sending it away to a buyer in Copenhagen.

At dinner with a couple of watch nerds. That's a piece of pork belly on the plate. Yummy!

Enjoying a brew from Flying Dog.

The 36mm Explorer is a classic with a lot of cool history and you can never really go wrong with it. It would work in every occasion with every outfit. I wore this watch to the interview at my current job and being superstitious I believe it brought good luck with it. Can’t say I’m a big fan of the newer 39mm version which had really weird proportions. OK, Rolex finally fixed some of the flaws on their latest version for 2016 which made it look a little better but still I think it’s too big. I would definitely recommend going for the 36mm version if you ever want to try out an Explorer.

© All pictures by a Watch Flipper's Diary unless noted.

No 169 - Omega SM300 (WatchCo)

I just knew I had to try this one when I found it for sale in the end of March 2012. This Seamaster 300 was put together from NOS original Omega service parts by WatchCo in Australia. Everything, except for the movement, was brand new. As you know I’m not a huge fan of old moldy vintage watches and it felt good to receive one of the best looking dive watches ever made in mint condition. The movement, cal. 565, was according to the seller newly serviced and supposed to be as good as new. The seller agreed on trading it for my Tudor Chronograph 79270 and we managed to schedule a quick meeting at the airport one day when he was in Stockholm for business.

#169 - The Omega SM300 built from service parts by WatchCo.

You can't complain on that lume!

Seconds after I picked it up at the airport.

This watch was great. I would even say spectacular! But I know there are haters out there who don’t appreciate those WatchCo Omega’s. And I understand your way of reasoning, I really do. Even though it’s not a fake, since everything is made from original parts, it doesn’t feel like an original watch either, because it was never made and really isn’t supposed to exist. Also, since it has a donator movement, Omega’s archive will have it registered to the original watch it was taken from. But still, I think it was pretty neat and it was great to have a “vintage” watch with badass lume that was waterproof and ready for the ocean without having to be worried about it taking in water.

Wrist shot in the bathroom at work.

Having take away-breakfast in the sun.

*A long story*

Jeez. I just erased the longest fucking story that had too many curse words in it. I’ll keep it short instead. Knock on wood but I rarely have had any trouble when selling stuff but this time I ran in to the exception that confirms the rule. I learned a valuable lesson from selling this watch. Even though you have explained something in detail over and over and been extremely clear about what terms and conditions you agree on, before making the deal, there will be people who think they can act however they want no matter what. Reading those old e-mails that went back and forth between us makes me feel sick. How could I be so goddamn polite and helpful when this guy was acting like a total asshole? I should have listened to my gut feeling which early told me that this guy was going to cause me more headache than happiness.

Chilling with a beer at the Cinema waiting for Transformers, G.I. JOE or any other superhero movie to start.

© All pictures by a Watch Flipper's Diary unless noted.

No 168 - Mühle & Glashütte Nautic Timer

I was actually on the hunt for the Mühle & Glashütte S.A.R. Rescue Timer when I stumbled upon the Nautic Timer. Hadn’t even seen it before but it looked cool and after a quick research I figured the price it was being sold for was decent so I went for it. I knew it was going to be impossible to sell within Sweden and get my money back but that didn’t stop me. I wanted it.

#168 - The Mühle & Glashütte Nautic Timer, ref. M1-41-23.

Lovely bead blasted finish all over.

Blurry lume shot but it still gives you a feeling about how intense it was.

The Nautic Timer made a good impression on me. It was my first encounter with the German manufacturer. The name Nautic Timer to me sounds like a watch made for sailing but this one was made for deep sea diving. It measured about 42mm (excl. crown) and was water resistant to 2000m. They sure didn’t try to save on the superluminova when they applied it on the dial. The layers of lume were thick and sick! It was comfortable to wear, looked good and the bezel gave of a bit of a Yacht Master-feeling. I tried it on a Bonetto 285S but it didn’t look as good as I had hoped. It was an unexpectedly cool watch and a positive experience but I let it go because I still wanted to try the S.A.R. Rescue Timer. Luckily a friend helped me out when I, just as expected, had had it out for sale for a while without any response at all and he put it up on the British forum TZUK for me and he actually managed to sell it without a loss. Thanks Hassan! 

Wrist shot on the bracelet.

On the Bonetto rubber.

I still haven’t had the S.A.R. Rescue Timer but it has remained up there at the top on my list of future watches to buy and will do so until it has been crossed off.

© All pictures by a Watch Flipper's Diary unless noted.

No 167 - Tudor Chronograph 79270

Was I going through a Tudor phase here? Well, yesterday I told you I felt a bit reluctant wearing the Tudor Submariner. This chronograph was a different story. “But that’s a Daytona rip off!” some of you might say. But is it? Really? No, I don’t think so. OK, the case design and the pushers might make you think of the Daytona but the 79270 has a 6/9/12 subdial setup (Valjoux 7750 movement) while the Daytona has the 3/6/9 setup. The 79270 also have a date and a bezel that turns. I would say it might be inspired by the Daytona but the 79270 definitely stands on its own legs and does not feel like a wannabe Rolex. On the other hand, the reference 79280, with steel tachymeter, would be a closer call. 

#167 - The Tudor Chronograph ref. 79270.

Tudor shield on the crown.

I loved this one. It was great to look at. Beautiful! It felt like a good allround beater chrono. The lug-holes for example; a great feature! Just as the turning bezel. A much more useful chronograph than the Rolex Daytona. I’m happy I got it on the oyster bracelet. I’m usually a big fan of jubilee bracelets but Tudor’s version of the jubilee just looks awful. I bought it as a full set in the end of March 2013 with box, books and certificate in great condition. The watch itself wasn’t far from being NOS. I had plans to buy a black dial with white subdials for it but it didn’t get to stick around that long. This model is another great example of a watch that has more than doubled its value in the last three years.

This watch ended up in a trade for a NOS Omega SM300 (Watchco) which I will present in the near future.

© All pictures by a Watch Flipper's Diary unless noted.

No 166 - Tudor Submariner 79090

What the hell is happening? I know that everyone has a story of how they bought a watch a couple of years ago and now it is being sold for a ridiculous amount. I got tons of stories like that. I feel like that is happening to me ALL THE TIME. Sometimes I’ve even been struggling to get things sold and have even accepted a low ball offer just to get the goods start moving. Then, a couple of years later, it’s a goddamn collector’s item and sells for $XXXX! Jeez...

Here is another perfect example for you. Got this Tudor Submariner in March 2013. Bought it head only for about $1500. Now these fuckers sell for around $3500! The reference 79090 of the Tudor Submariner were made in the early 90’s so we’re not even talking about a vintage watch here. I’m sorry but WHAT THE FUCK?! It’s a steel submariner from Tudor made in the 90’s! And people are actually paying these figures. Seriously, enough with the hype! There are plenty of funnier watches to spend that kind of money on.

#166 - The Tudor Submariner ref. 79090.

Case back.

On a blue nato (which looks more like purple).

OK, so it basically is a light version of the Rolex 1680. Matte dial with painted index and an acrylic crystal. It sure does play the part of being a vintage sub I give it that. And for $1500 I think it was a great watch. I tried it on an aftermarket oyster bracelet but quickly realized it was much funnier to have a bunch of nato straps to switch between just to get some variety. But wearing this model gave me mixed emotions. Tudor has a whole line of watches with their own design that I’d rather wear instead of this one. Don’t try to convince yourself that a Tudor 79090 will satisfy your need for a Rolex 1680 because it won’t. 

Here on a blue & grey Bond nato.

 

Sideview showing the Rolex crown.

© All pictures by a Watch Flipper's Diary unless noted.

No 165 & 254 - Bell & Ross Type Marine

Honestly, this watch qualifies as one of the best watches I’ve ever had! I’m not joking. This one was freaking amazing! A more versatile and wearable allround watch is hard to find. The expression “OWG” should be used lightly but for me this watch qualifies to be put on that list of OWG- contenders.  I just think it looks fantastic. It has a design that really speaks to me. It measured 39-40mm, excl crown, and was rather slim. Just perfect proportions! The fat oversized mercedes hands were lovely. The dial had a perfectly matte black tone and had a matching black date wheel. The design of the bracelet is one of my favorites and was super comfortable. I felt I could use this watch for every occasion. It was sporty without being too small and it worked well with dress shirts without being too big. I’m telling you, it was awesome! 

Product picture of the Type Marine (borrowed picture).

#165 - The Bell & Ross Type Marine.

  

In January 2014 after it had been bought back.

My first one came with box and papers and was bought in late February 2013. I then sold it but bought it back one year later in January 2014. I found my second one on WUS in April 2015 but it came without any accessories. I wasn’t really looking for another but when I found it for sale I just couldn’t let anyone have it. It was in great condition! I only sold it because I had got such a good deal on a Rolex Submariner 14060M (the one I still have today) and I quickly needed to come up with the cash. 

#254 - My second Type Marine out for a walk.

My favorite photo of it.

Well, so by now you’ve understood that my feelings for this watch are somewhat special. I can totally understand why others aren’t as excited about it as I am. It is special with its uncommon case design and non-oyster bracelet. And yes, I know it’s a quartz! But that’s also one of the features I love about it so much. No hassle. Just rock it forever. An instrument built to last. Bell & Ross were really on to something here.

© All pictures by a Watch Flipper's Diary unless noted.