Fifty 4 Fathoms

Most of us are just tired of Rolex homages/replicas..

Most watch brands we can think of in one point in time copied Rolex in one way or another.

The amount of Mercedes-hands is too DAMN HIGH!!!

And I don't even like it on any other watch except one that is a Rolex.

Irony tho, I found this picture online:

funny that mercs own branded watch doesn't sport a merc style hand. If you understand german or use chrome, go check out mercedes web for their watches, some neat pieces that don't cost alot.

Earth to post, come back to topic. In the past, I'd like to think that there is only 4 original divers watch design and up till panerai's cushion case or uboat (clock-with-a-bottle-cap case) came into popularity, almost all all watches were inspired by 2 dive watches that started it all, it is what divine comedy is to modern Italian language.

Everyone is familiar with this:

The coveted Rolex submariner, older versions of this watch actually do not have crown guards and sport a bigger crown or so I'm told. Reasons this watch path the way for many divers watches to come.

- its Rolex

- its got bright lume

- good weight

- simple clean look

- its Rolex

And there is some watches today that do not have the Rolex look, original? Guess again.

In 1953, someone in the french army told his logistics guy: fuck it with the g-shocks and mickey mouse watch, I want a fancy one. So they gave a dude in Blancpain a call.

Blancpain delivered not a watch but a legacy...

If you have never heard or seen this watch before, I don't blame you, almost no one in Singapore gives a hoot about this watch. I was into watches for about...18-23 years old...5 years before I first heard about this watch. Maybe its me I don't know but I blame myself for it.

This watch is the Blancpain fifty fathoms, which is about 94m. Today, fifty fathom is a name for this watch model as modern specs puts it streets ahead of mere 94 meters. Ref to my previous post about dive watches ISO standards. Back in the days, no such thing, the standard is anything that worked, period.

They didn't go to Blancpain (small company at that time) and ask for a ISO standard divers watch, they wanted a watch that is seen on most of today's watches. They wanted the following:
Black dial
Anti-clockwise rotating bezel with markings same as the dials
Big numbers
Antimagnetic movement, maybe so that will not be affected by bombs and all I guess

The reason why bezels rotate in anti clockwise directions is because that way, no divers will accidentally push it and lengthen the dive times. If anything, it should be shortened.

Ain't that just cool that we do not need IQ 180 scientists to come up with something so simple and brilliant.

There you have it, its that simple, people just wanted something and someone made it to be used forever.

One reason why you will want a Rolex not a Fifty Fathom: USD 4000 vs USD 14000. The smallest number adds the biggest difference.

The watch also has a lumed bezel. Not just a dot pip, the whole bezel is lumed.

FF history is a interesting article fully documenting the birth of this legacy.

And since in sunny island Singapore, we cannot even afford car, how can anyone bomb $14000 on a watch right? Not scared arm kena chop?

Finally the main point of my post, Seiko has a homage for almost every famous watch design. We have seen clearly on the Rolex influence and the Sinn dials watches too. Now Seiko had Seiko 5 to produce the Fifty Fathoms homage. The biggest giveaway is the hands and the bezel.

Itself being a handsome watch, still looks too vintage for me, this watch actually has alot of plus points that people look for in watches today. It has a high domed hardlex crystal, it runs on the workhorse movements seiko does, the bezel is also one of the watches most unique feature.

Because of that, alot of people getting this watch ends up modding it to look like the Blancpain FF. Changing mostly just the dial. Some fanatics, do change the hands, bezel and also include a proper caseback. The watch is no-longer a Seiko, it is just a watch with  a Seiko movement, case and glass. The fact that the crown itself also has no markings as with other Seiko models, is another, non tell tale sign that it is Seiko.

One thing I must emphasize to potential buyers of this watch though, THIS IS NOT A DIVERS WATCH. It may be a tribute to the earliest one made, it may have a water resistance of 100m, but it is not a divers watch. A uncle in lucky plaza tried to hustle me, saying it is a divers watch. What irks me is not his sales pitch , using phrases like: You're the last customer, I'm not following retail price (showing a $500 price tag for this watch), I only make $20-$25 from this watch only, I'm not following agent's price. Well apparently, the agent wants your business to fail by setting such a high base price.

It goes a 100m no doubt, but it is no where near a divers watch (no lume tip on bezel). Beware of what you buy, don't be brought in by petty persuasions. If Seiko is selling you a divers watch, it will be shown on the dial.

luminated path

Was a little bored at night, so I did a little lume test on my watches with the help of my phone flash light. This one is not contest, because it is clear that Seiko wins hands down with Lumibrite.

Watches tested:
*Seiko Black Monster
Getat 45mm sterile radiomir homage
Fortis Spacematic
Nautica chronograph watch
*Casio MDV-106 200m Duro

*are diving watches, so according to some ISO 6425 (buy 4d!) standard specs, it is supposed to have the following:
Uni-rotating bezel with marking every 5 mins
Distinguishable minute markings
Adequate visibility in complete darkness at 25cm from eyes (LUME)
Indication that watch is running in darkness (using lume in second hands)
Magnetic/Shock/Chemical resistance to a certain degree
Strap/Bracelet durability must be able to tahan pulling to a certain level without spoiling.

Blah blah..digress and digress.

Anyway back to the lume, these are photos immediately after luminated and around 3 mins later.
Monster first:

Seiko's lumibrite is really bright and torch like after charging, even normally, it gets lumed for the rest of the night and remains very very visible.
Many people say that lumibrite is Seiko's name for C3.

Next up is radihomage:

The radiomir homage is not half bad as well, this watch actually is very readable in the dark, uses superluminova.

Now Spacematic is the only Swiss powerhouse here:

I think this watch is not build for its lume, the lume was ok for a 5 year old watch and the lume just fades very quickly. Despite so, it still sports a very very very faint glow in the dark for a long while, probably due to the age.

Now for Nautica:

Its not going to be spectacular and for a watch its age and this is the only non-watch brand watch brand against Seiko, Casio, Fortis and Getat.

Lastly the Casio duro 200m, its predecessor uses a electro-backlit dial.

It seems bright but I would put it at the same level as the Getat. But the lume lasts longer but fades quickly to a dim and stays that way. Actually the longest lasting would be the lume dot on the bezel.

There you go, Seiko is the lume champion of cheap over the counter watches and stays true to the ISO rating of being called a divers watch.

Wearing today

Email servers is down so managed a few shots of what I'm wearing. The strap is just addictive.

seiko modster the looks

Why wear the same watch as everyone else?

Yes, we may have the same case, but what about dials and hands?
I intend to mod my seiko black monster:

I like the watch n its lume. But it is just very cluttered together. If I had to choose, the chapter ring is the one that irks me the most.

So starts the journey to clean up my dial. The parts don't come cheap, hands are going for USD26-28 a set. dials go up to USD30 a piece.

My criterias are: simple and lume monster.
Browsing through most of what is out there this seems to be the most common modded, people mod the finishes too, bead blasting it, but it costs the price of another watch, so I'd rather not. I digress, other people's monsters:

This seems to be the most commonly modded end-result, Sinn or B&R? Pictures pulled of Yobokies or backwards of Seikoboy. From HK, he is one of the most popular go to guy for modding of seiko watches.
I don't dig this look, as it defeats my purpose of modding if everyone has it too.

Another popular mod is this snow monster mod. I think this should be a standard production model. It's just nice and simple. This guy painted the bezel and titanium blasted his casing as well, the cost I assume is the price of 3 monsters.

Check out the sick lume on this guy's bezel

I may be a fan of clean look but this look is just too clean and stealthy and I've seen a vid of a similar one running against a dull gray dial and its just empty looking. But I might end up doing this and just change hands to tribute to various watches.

a nice looking version of the Sinn dial with another set of hands.

I saw that yobokies has a sandwich dial hands that gives the Panerai base look.

This is just clean and simple. Abit in the direction of a submerisble with its bezel and thicker casing.

I would very much like to have  a watch of similar cleanliness and simplicity. Rugged yet minimalist.

MORE TO COME.

Fortisimo

There will be a time when you suddenly feel like regular watches, fakes just don't cut it anymore. Even more so when you do not know a think about micro-brands or possess the ability to appreciate Asian watch brands. Of course, what kind of 18 yrs old that kind of money to get himself a Swiss made watch?

One day in the past, Citibank decide to reward its customers with discounts off this watch shop that specializes in high end time pieces. My dad got himself a fine dress watch from Longines (special because of its in-house movement), Mother was given a Longines flat and tiny quartz (which I still don't get, spending more than $400 on a quartz). I was allowed to choose between an iPod touch or a watch for my upcoming birthday.

Even with an unhinged mind, anyone would definitely choose Swiss cheese. 

Looking around the shop and the brands offered, which I have completely no idea what the hell am I doing. Perhaps if given a choice to choose now, I would end up with a completely different brand. But anyway I didn't regret it one bit. Enter Fortis Spacematic.

This watch strikes me for its clean, simple look. Many people just don't get that. Simple and straight forward, it tells time, day and date. The 'lint' like things is actually inside the watch, seems to be its lume is falling off or what.

There isn't much to say about this watch except that fortis has some expensive and ugly accessories. Hence an aftermarket strap from Paros, circulated from the Monster who now uses a caramel coloured strap. 

The only weird thing about this watch is the screw down crown design. The crown is so long, its weird and jutting out. The above picture you see is actually its screwed in position. And when it is screwed in, the logo is is pictured as below which is just quirky bad. But I don't mind it at all. Comparing with most other brands. 

comparing crown logo's orientation in screw down position

Maybe for marketing sake, it is depicted as that 'orientation' however its actual watch is up-side down for shit's sake. 

Another thing that made me love this watch alot is the thickness of the watch is just my kind of thing.

For a 40mm diameter case without crown, it is pretty thick and gives the watch the beefiness that is very attractive. Ruler measures it to be at 9mm thick. ME LIKEY!!

From the casing and all, it seems to be made of titanium. The watch also sports a sapphire crystal which is working great and very good at being scratch-proof. Hope this post doesn't jinx it.

This watch's movement is some ETA automatic, don't know and still don't care which. Since I don't sell them, why bother going into such details? Would anyone go in to a watch shop and, hey, just hook me up with any ETA 6487 or Miyota watch movement? But as far as this one beating in my watch, the movement is just durable and good and smooth after 4-5 years? (no jinx-ing please). Now that I'm working near Chinatown, I can easily go to places to get my watch serviced. 

Good clean watch, timeless design. Such watches are always in fashion. But some people don't really get the price tag of S$1300, but at a discount, it went for $800 instead. 

Modern version of this watch.

The modern version is same sized, has numbered markers instead of lume strips. Seemed a little clustered on the modern one don't you think?

suit up!

Changing a strap is all it takes to give the watch a new refreshed look.

Was very inspired by jules verne strap in itself is already more expensive than my watch, but then a homage watch should go with a homage strap too.

This Paros strap is listed at K2 as $15. I got a discount off it. So happily wearing it now.
Officially this is my first alligator strap, I'm really getting old.

Anyhow, thought a nice nice way to end this weekend is to have a babe picture.

Watch much?

Just dropped some to get another homage. Trying out Jackson's military time.

One difference compared to Getat is that Jackson replies almost immediately. In my line, I treasure people who uphold this kind of effort to communicate, especially on the weekends.

Will get to see the watch in the flesh soon.

In other news, I'm an avid watcher of sitcoms. Local TV just doesn't have the depth of content sitcoms provides. And after 8 seasons (8 years or so), finally the man (woman) in the iron mask is revealed.

Cristin Milioti. not the prettiest face or figure. But I'm sure her bug eyed stares will be melting Theodore Mosby.

Mantra

Fun of a Grail quest is more of the quest than the Grail.

Wouldn't believe the day that comes when Grail is found and what's next?

What happens if coyote catches the road runner?

And that too.

How much is much?

No watch to review here, just ranting.

My life is looking good right now, not the nothing-needs-to-change good but the we have to keep-moving-forward good.

Got a good job, fun and laughter everyday. Not many people get that but I have worked at this place for over a year now, I never had lunch alone (special occasions where I stay in office or run errands)

Anyhow, like i said, I currently have 10 watches to wear. here is a list of them and year owned:

- Fortis Spacematic, 2007, 18th year old gift

- Nautica N-MX chronograph, 2007, from internship salary, first watch

- Time Engine quartz, no idea, belonged to my dad and seized ownership from him after he got a Junkers

- Swiss Army watch from SAF with my dad's name behind, no idea when got it too long time though

- Casio MDV-106, 2013, acts as my 'bond' watch

- Seiko Black Monster, 2013, supposedly a 779K1 model

- Getat 45mm Radiomir-styled, 2013, for my intense love of panerai

- Casio G-Shock Gulfman, 2008, when I had a sudden craze for digital over analogs, g shocks is tough as a tank

- Casio G-Shock G7900, 2008/2009-ish, another of my G-shock collection

- Casio G-Shock G6900 solar, 2010, bought as a gift for dad, but seized over

So far, I have never sold my watches but one, G-Shock Mudman to my colleague. I find the mudman to uncomfortable to wear with the rocks on the caseback.

Future planning to purchase:

- Getat 44mm luminor-styled, hoping to see if Pams are my kind of high-end watch

- Seiko SNZH or stylised as Seiko Fifty Five Fathoms, inspired by Blancpain's legendary Fifty Fathoms

- Orient Mako, people praise it, its cheap, its orginal, it salutes dive watches

- Rolex Submariner, no two ways about it, this maybe the oldest watch in the book, but there is a reason it is still there

- Panerai Luminor 44mm, 'nuff said

- Bell and Ross WW2 Regulator, its design is very unique in today's world splattered with 'vintage' watch designs

- Panerai Submersible, Pams are made as dive watches, but I feel dive watches should have a rotating bezel, adds to the gusto of the watch, and naturally the thickness too.

Homaged

Added a new watch to my stable today. Waited quite abit for it but not as long as people in US of A.

I know some people have some different moral standings on homages and fakes. I think so long its dial doesn't have the brand printed on it. But if the dial has another brand its okay I guess. I have seen and owned a fair share(2 only) of replicas in Bangkok especially.

Anyhow, I am 24 this year(2013), no way can I afford a Panerai especially when 2 months of my pay is still possibly short of a few hundreds to buy the entry level pam.

So digging around forums after bonus comes in and decide to get the Getat, who in WUS forums is quite highly regarded. There are plenty of models and variants to choose from as far as Panerai homages goes, it has marina militare watches which I don't know is just not printing Panerai on its dial or what, the look wasn't working for me. I had to have something more minimalist, yet big on my wrists. So I decided to get this instead.

Product picture from the website

This watch is made to look exactly like a 1940s Panerai, except for the size being 45mm, 47mm is too big for my tiny wrists.

1940s Panerai, no logo

Interesting thing to find out is that Panerai in all its obscurity was actually manufactured by rolex. That is where the radiomir cushion case comes from.

The watch has finally arrived!!!

When I opened an unbranded watch box, the watch was inside bubble-wrapped and the watch itself was wrapped by a plastic wrap too. The front and back glass also had a protective plastic film on it. Actual pictures of the watch.

Don't suppose black hands is used in the olden days for legibility purposes

The watch as described by my girl(who have zero interest in watch) simple and nice clean look. This goes to show that Panerai designs are just timeless.

The case is thinner than I expected and it is not helping that the strap it came with was 4.5mm thick. So essentially I have a watch that looks funny when the straps are thicker than the watch. The watch also sports a sandwich dial, meaning to say the dial has 2 layers, bottom layer is just lume paint, top later is the dial face with cut-outs of the numbers and markings.

wrists so tiny, I wear to this size

keepers eating the lugs in, sign that the strap is too big

The watch is quite comfortable and it gives the barely there feel, though on peripheral vision, the watch is just eye catching.

see through back of first hand-wound movement watch I owned

Powered by a hand-wound asian seagull movement, it seems to keep time with my phone and has a nice ticking sound. The hands somehow don't align as when the minute hand reaches 12, the hour hand has moved abit ahead pass the hour marker already.

there is a part of the casing that is not sculpted properly at the 'chapter ring' area between 6 and 7 o'clock

As far as aesthetic values goes, the watch is very nice apart from that thing in the picture above, dressy looking and the lume is just great, I didn't get a chance to check did it last through the night. But it costs me USD 103 which is approx SGD 127 give or take including shipping so what am I to complain?

from the getat's web, how the below of the sandwich dial looks

As this watch is built only after I ordered, hence custom built, I was able to select stuff like case shine level, dial colours, hand colours, hand lume colours, lume material to be used, strap colour and the strap stitching colour too. There was also option for sapphire crystal but its kinda pointless right? The build quality thus far is not bad, it has a screw down crown so that works too, I'm just afraid of destroying the threads.

buckle is in pre-V (for vendom) style

The comfort of the strap is remarkable though, have worn plenty of straps and for a thick and wide (26mm) leather strap, the only complain that it is just too bloody thick. I have to get a thinner strap to suit me later in the evening. I'm keeping this strap in-case in future I get to own a Luminor.

unbranded screw down crown

This watch is cheap and worth its money, so if the movement goes out, I'll source for another watch instead, why buy ink when the printer is cheaper?

All in all, this watch is very well made. I like the Pam style very much, homages is good for people who cannot just buy a S$5k Panerai and take train with it. It is also for working class people like me to wear the watch a while see if the style clicks before buying a Panerai from the shops.