No 138 - Casio G-Shock GW-9300K-3JR

Whoah! So many twists and turns with this watch. To start off I bought it new (from Seiya if I recall it right) in July 2012. For being a Mudman it was really expensive ($440). But hey! This was no ordinary Mudman. It was a Love the Sea and the Earth limited edition and a share of the MSRP was donated to support foundations who are working with protecting the oceans! How can you not fall in love with a slogan and a concept like that? But what really got me going were all the colors. So bright and vibrant!  Its intended purpose was to serve as my running watch. I even bought a matching pair of customized Nike Free running shoes to motivate me even more. 

Product picture borrowed from Watch Tanaka. I think it gives a good sensation of how the colors were perceived.

#138 - The Limited Edition Mudman GW-9300K-3JR. My Mudman resting on a Frogman (not mine).

My customized Nike's. Designed to match the Mudman.

It worked perfect. Great features and the solar function really is a convenient invention. I just felt that perhaps it was a little too much money to have locked up in a G-Shock. But selling it and trying to get back somewhat near what I paid for it was impossible. Finally my friend Björn took it in a trade. I missed it the second it was gone and I knew I was an idiot.


Two years later, in the spring of 2014, I had a Tag Heuer Aquaracer 500 quartz out for sale (more about that one later). It had been serving as the traditional vacation watch during a trip to the Greek island Crete and was now looking for a new home. I received a lot of interest but only from talkers who couldn’t come up with cash. Finally I received an offer involving a part trade. The watch turned out to be my old Mudman so how I could I refuse to take it back if it also meant getting rid of the Aquaracer? It was a deal!  Sadly it had lost its glow and the colors weren’t as bright as before. It was still colorful but especially the orange had started to fade to a more grayish tone of orange.  It didn’t matter. It was my original watch and it went back to serve as my workout watch. 

Breakfast after a morning run in August 2014, Stockholm, Sweden.

Wrist shot after another morning run. This time in July 2014, Nice, France.

By the end of summer the following year I had a whole bunch of G-Shocks. It finally reached a point when I just felt they were everywhere. So I decided that all but one had to go. The Mudman was once again left to see what faith had in store for him. But just like last time no one showed a bit of interest. It was just too expensive for a G-Shock. But then one day my sister asked me if I knew a place where she could find any cool colorful G-Shocks. I just told her to stop looking and happily gave her my Mudman. I was just glad to see it stayed in the family. 

Lunch with my sister in early September 2015.

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

No 137 - Glycine Airman 2000

How can you not love the Airman-series? At least the classic ones. I’m not taking Glycine’s latest abomination, The Airfighter, into account. Yuck! The Airman 2000 on the other hands is a perfect example of a classic looking Airman and I bought mine back in July 2012. I went hardcore and started off directly with the three hands 24-hour purist version which means the hour hand only moves one lap per day. I think this feature is insanely cool and really is how you should read all watches. To me it feels natural. Only problem is that if you keep switching back and forth with an analog watch with regular time display you easily become confused. The Airman’s are also available with four hands where the three main hands operate as usual and the fourth as a GMT-hand. I would say a purist Airman is the perfect watch for the so called OWG’s, One-Watch-Guy’s, that buy one watch and then are settled for life. Oh how I sometimes wish I could be like one of them…

#137 - The Glycine Airman 2000 ref. 3764.

Aside from being a little too wide (42mm excl. crown) I liked my Airman 2000. As long as I wore it and no other watch all was good. It was plain and simple, just black and white and no colored details. It really is a great every day watch and with features like the screw down crown I would consider wearing it on more places than just behind my desk. 

The Airman is a watch with a lot of history that dates all the way back to the 50’s. I think they’re awfully cool and I would recommend going for the purist version if you decide to try one. I’ve wondered many times if I would be able to settle down with a purist Airman. There is only one problem. It should be easy to find one you like since they come in many different styles but they keep insisting on their odd sizes. 36, 39, 42, 44 and 46mm. What the hell! Why nothing in between 39 and 42mm? To me the 39mm feels too small and thick and the 42mm is too wide and flat. A 40/41mm version with 20mm bracelet would be perfect! Why has it not been made yet Glycine? Why?

Out for a walk in the sun.

Breakfast at work.

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

No 136 - Squale 1545-058

I bought this medium sized quartz diver new back in July 2012 directly from the Squale official webstore. I just had a look in the webstore and was amazed to see that Squale still have all those NOS-watches in stock for sale. They either have a shitload of old parts or they don’t sell these watches at all. The 38mm case is similar (if not the same) as the old Heuer and Tag Heuer 1000-series which today are popular collector’s items. I'm surprised not more people pick this model up instead.

#136 - The Squale 1545-058 from the Leisure-series.

The watch arrived in the classic blue Squale box. I didn’t even have to put it on the wrist before I realized it wasn’t for me. It was simply too small. Don’t get me wrong, I can wear 36mm watches without a problem, it was its proportions that was off which made it feel small. Its edges also felt sharp, unfinished somehow, and the bezel action was the worst I’ve ever felt I think. To complete my dissatisfaction the color of the lume on the hands and the indexes of the dial didn’t have the same tone. 

Check out the color difference of the hands and the indexes. Can't stand details like that.

I think it might be a good idea to pick up a few of the old NOS Squale’s while they’re still available. Some of them are quite cool and I especially like their 35mm two toned Corallo 200m which might work as a good vacation dresswatch that still could function for water sport activities. I love it that they also have the “his and hers”-versions available. They don’t cost very much so adding one or two to your vintage collection could very likely pay off in the future. 

Squale has a new line of 1545’s (the Submariner copies) which are a joke and I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing one. I can’t understand why they would want to associate their classic brand with that kind of watches. Of course they want to make money but I would say Squale is on the verge of selling out too much and will risk becoming an embarrassment instead of a well-regarded watch manufacturer. I really think they’re heading in the wrong direction with those watches and it’s truly sad to see.

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

No 135 - Rolex GMT-Master 16700

It was in the middle of June 2012 and I was still having recurring dreams about the 16713 Rootbeer I passed on earlier when I instead went for the 16233. It was haunting me. It was clear I needed a GMT. I’d been so obsessed with the GMT-Master II that I’d completely overlooked its predecessor; the GMT-Master 16700. Perhaps one of those could still the hunger for the moment? I managed to track down an old forgotten ad of a specimen from 1989/1990 that was far from new but besides the reasonable price it came with two extra bezel inserts (black and coke) and a nice jubilee bracelet. I assumed it was already long gone but I couldn’t find any info about whether it was sold or not so I decided to try my luck and contacted the seller and to my big surprise it wasn’t sold. BAHM!

#135 - The Rolex GMT-Master 16700.

The GMT 16700 was great. I think it was the jubilee that did it. It looked awesome! So much more interesting and alive than the oyster bracelet. The already worn condition made it so easy to wear it without being afraid it would get scratched. It was a great substitute while I was saving up enough dough for the Rootbeer. I kept the pepsi-insert the entire time I had it. It was just perfectly faded and I wasn’t even curious to try the other ones. 

Out pike fishing in June 2012.

Beer boys.

It turned out I only had it for about three weeks. Crazy! I remember having it for much longer than I apparently did. Bought and sold it for $3000 which even back then must be considered a really good price.

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

No 133 - Grand Seiko SBGR023

In February 2012 I contacted Stefan, more known as Molle Watch, for the first time regarding some advice concerning my first purchase of a Grand Seiko. I had narrowed my search down to two models; the SBGR023 and the SBGR053 – basically two identical watches when it comes to appearance but the SBGR053, being the newer of them, had an upgraded movement (9S65 compared to the 9S55 in the SBGR023) and a sapphire case back. Molle let me pick his brain about all the pros and cons about each model. He spoke highly of the Spring Drives but I finally decided I was going to go for the SBGR023; mainly because it was more affordable but also because I preferred the engraved lion instead of the see through case back. Unfortunately the only one available that I could find at the time was too expensive for me and the project was put on hold.

Later the same year in mid-May Molle picked up our old conversation and offered me to buy his SBGR023. He gave me two offers I simply couldn’t refuse. First he gave me an extremely good price but he also invited me to his house to have a look at his watch collection. How could one turn that down? So one warm spring evening I paid Molle a visit. We sat outside in his garden and he showed me so much cool stuff. I went home with a beautiful full set Grand Seiko SBGR023 and couldn’t be happier. It sure was a milestone in my watch flipping history. 

#133 - The Grand Seiko SBGR023 photographed on top of my modified SBBN007.

I just loved that lion!

This watch made me feel complete for almost the entire summer. I even think it made me feel better than the Sea-Dweller did. This felt so much more like a conscious and thought through choice of watch. It felt like a watch for genuine nerds. To the non-enlightened ones it was just another Seiko but among the true enthusiasts it was a Grand Seiko and a completely different story. I don’t think I have spent as much time staring on my wrist as I did with this one.

Even though the SBGR023 was great I still couldn’t get over the fact that it didn’t have a screw down crown. I know, it’s not a dive watch in any way but I just couldn’t let that tiny detail escape my mind. What the hell! Even my Datejust had a screw down crown. A watch that I would be using every day needs to work in every single occasion. My desk in my office is overlooking the ocean and what if I one day felt like taking a break and go for a swim? I wouldn’t want to leave my watch lying on the dock just because I’d be afraid it might take in water. I find push-pull crowns to be treacherous.  A screw down crown really is an important feature for me.  

A wrist shot in the sun taken on the 6th of June 2012 - The National Day of Sweden.

There are so many beautiful Grand Seiko’s to choose from and it’s extremely easy to become seduced by their looks and forget about what it is that I don’t like about them. They’re simply too dressy. What I need are tool watches that just look better after receiving some battle scars. I was given new hope when Grand Seiko announced they were going to release a quartz diver (the SBGX115 & 117) but unfortunately it was so ugly I almost couldn’t stand looking at it. I promise to pick up another Grand Seiko as soon as they come up with something that can take a beating without looking like shit.

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

No 130 - Citizen Aqualand AL0004-03E

So this is the Aqualand I got together with the Tissot Seastar in that package deal. Instead of a digital display for the depth meter, like on the classic Aqualand, this one has an analog hand showing the depth. Bought it just for fun, two tones are always nice, but I never had any intentions to use it. I just wanted to check it out. I’ve seen the same model in PVD with gold details and also one with a full lume dial. It still seems to be a pretty popular model among all the different Aqualand’s. It definitely is a beater and most of the used ones you see for sale are usually pretty banged up. If I had to choose between this one and the classic Aqualand I’d go for the two toned JP2004-07E which in my opinion is a cooler watch.

#130 - The Citizen Aqualand AL0004-03E.

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

No 129 - Tissot Seastar 660

I remember the first time I saw a Tissot Seastar diver. It was the last of April, quite a special day when you come from the university town of Uppsala, and I have no idea of what year it was. I just remember I saw this guy hanging around with our crowd among thousands of drunk students and he was wearing a big dive watch on a black rubber strap that I didn't recognized. It turned out to be a Tissot. I thought it looked quite cool and I didn’t even know back then that Tissot made that kind of watches. I mostly associated them with dress watches. Several years later back in 2012 I came across a for sale ad from a person selling a whole bunch of dive watches. Among them were a Citizen Aqualand with an analog depth meter and this Tissot Seastar. The dial of the Tissot was a little worn around the edges but the watch was in an overall decent condition so the guy gave me a good price if I agreed to buy both of them which I did. I later did some research about the Seastar's and discovered that the one I had seen earlier on that guy’s wrist had been a 300m automatic version (The Seastar 1000) while the one I’d just bought was the 200m quartz version (The Seastar 660). 

Back at work a colleague of mine, who also had an interest in watches (just not as severe as my obsession), really liked the Tissot and I let him have it for the same price I'd paid for it. He still wears it today and have had it serviced with a new dial. I had it for such a short time that I never took a picture of it but I asked him the other day if I could take a photo of it for my blog which he was totally fine with. Thank you Pontus!

#129 - The Tissot Seastar 660.

I used to keep an eye open for a used Seastar 300m. I think they’re quite cool but the greenish lume makes me a little sick. It’s not likely I would pick one up today unless it’s a true catch. I recently saw one with a blue dial which was quite cheap but it was too much of a wreck for me wanting to fix it.

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

No 128 & 148 - Limes Endurance 1tausend

So where do I begin? The 1tausend seriously was a superb watch. I almost want to use the word masterpiece. Especially in comparison to what you pay for a used one. The quality is outstanding and my best memory is how the end links fit against the watch case with such precision. I haven’t seen anything like it from any other watch maker before. True engineering art by the German case manufacturer Ickler! The bracelet was also fantastic and super comfortable with a slim butterfly clasp. The whole deal with the 1tausend is that it was supposed to be the slimmest 1000m diver there was when it was created. I don’t know if they succeeded but they sure managed to create a fantastic watch. I loved wearing it and I’m seriously considering if this perhaps wasn’t THE perfect beater. At least it's a top contender for sure! Super well built, great size (41,5mm excl. crown, 12,5mm thick), great lume and a classic look that draws inspiration from a Submariner but that has its own elements that creates a unique appearance.

I bought my first one in late April 2012. It was out for $820but I got it for $700. It was a full set in super condition and had the Sellita SW200 movement inside. It’s always easy being afterwise but I can do nothing but to regret this sale.

#128 - The Limes Endurance 1tausend. Made in Germany.

Due to the thin case it was even possible to wear it on a zulu strap.

Then in October the same year I stumbled upon another one. This one was without any box or papers and therefore a bit cheaper. I paid about $590 for it. The watch was still in great condition which really made this deal a true bang for the buck. There was probably no other reason for selling it except that I got bored of having a second one and that I needed cash for my next object.

#148 - My second 1tausend photographed with a shitty cellphone at work.

Limes still makes dive watches and they recently launched their new Endurance II which is an upgraded version of the old 1tausend. From just a quick glance at it it seems like the bracelet, hand set and bezel inserted have received a new look. I haven’t tried anything else from Limes but I wouldn’t mind doing so. From what I can tell it seems like they are doing their own thing.

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

No 127 & 234 - Doxa SUB 1200T Professional

OK, so it’s in the middle of April 2012 and I’m on my way home from Chicago. Someone might remember the story from the post about the Doxa 750T; when I was waiting every day for a week for a Doxa 600T to arrive, which turned out to be lost at the Fedex hub in Memphis and instead of being delivered to my hotel it showed up at the seller’s house who’d by mistake got it in return. I was furious when I understood what had happened and when I realized I was going to fly home empty handed. Back at the O’Hare airport, waiting for our delayed flight, I spent what felt like hours walking back and forth in that endless boring white corridor (I think it was terminal 5). I’m usually in a bad mood when travelling and adding the fact that I’d missed out on a watch I really wanted and a delayed flight, to my already bad mood, must have turned me into an awful travel companion. My wife must have hated me. But somewhere in that depressing hallway I finally managed to get a hold of a decent Wi-Fi connection and when I found this 1200T Professional for sale I didn’t care about the off proportions (or any other reasons why I actually didn't like the 1200T). I just wanted an orange faced Doxa. To my great luck it was located in Stockholm and I even managed to arrange that I could buy it just a couple of hours after we'd landed. The fact that I had a watch waiting for me at home made the return flight bearable. If that’s not a sign of a serious addiction I don’t know what is.

#127 - The Doxa SUB 1200T Professional.

Wore way too high on a heavy duty zulu.

But worked just fine on a blue regular nato.

Having a beer in the sun.

The 1200T is a great looking watch but as I’ve mentioned before in my other Doxa posts, the thickness of the 1200T makes it a little too high and it doesn’t sit as good on the wrist as the 600T or the 1000T. Another detail I’ve discovered I don’t like is the design of the crown (a flaw it shares with the 1000T). The crown on the 600T though is perfect. Just how it’s supposed to look. I kept my first 1200T for about two months before I sold it. It was a full set in great condition.

#234 - The second 1200T Pro.

A yellowish tone in sun.

Chorizo moules with the 1200T on the wrist at Piren, Stockholm, in early September 2014.

On the Doxa hershey rubber.

Beautiful off the wrist.

But terrible on the wrist. Look at the crazy fit! What were they thinking?

I bought my second one just because I’d gotten an idea about how good a Doxa would look on their hershey rubber. This was back in September 2014. I found a 1200T for sale in Sweden and ordered the strap from United States. Talk about a downer when it was mounted and done. It looked so good on the pictures I’d seen but on the wrist it was horrible. A totally worthless fit. At least on my wrist, which isn’t that skinny, but for this rubber to look alright you should have quite a wide wrist to get rid of the otherwise large gap that appears between the wrist and the rubber. My second 1200T was also a full set (it even had the CD) but this time it took just one month before I gave it up. The 1200T’s and I were officially done after this.


UPDATE - April 1st 2016.

Came across these photos today of the Doxa NUMA 1200T Professional which I wore for a week in November 2012 in a so called "Passaround" where a couple of forum members chip in an equal share to finance a watch that everyone get's to try for a limited time which then is given to one of the participants in a raffle. Loved the all white hands. Cool watch.

NUMA - National Underwater Marine Agency.

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