What is on your wrist?

Debo · 08-26-2010, 18:27

Look down at your wrist. What are you guys wearing for a timepiece? While this might be a good thread for the gear/kit forum, there are other occasions besides war in which proper time must be kept. Business meetings, kids football games, weekend dive trips, EMS calls, Dropkick Murphys concerts and yard mowing to name a few. After a year hem-hawing around and looking/wearing, I picked out this watch for my Father's Day present from the twins and wife. Omega Planet Ocean co-axial 45.5mm. Having worn it for a few months now, I still am more and more pleased with it. It is everyday wear for me and went on a couple of water jumps this month and some trips to the range. It gets most of the wrist time with the occasional wearing of my G-shock and Luminox to break things up. About the only thing I absolutely take it off for is running. I wear my Garmin 405cx HRM/GPS for that. What are you guys wearing and why? Any watch fanatics out there?

D.

Richard · 08-26-2010, 18:51

I used to wear one like this (pic 1) which also had a small compass (pic 2) on the band so that the compass was facing up on my right wrist when I was gripping my weapon. I am right handed and wore it on my right wrist so I could glance down at the compass without moving my hand from the pistol-grip and taking my finger off of the trigger. I also had a piece of black electrical tape covering the dial of the watch so it couldn't be seen at night - I would lift the tape by its corner if I needed to check the time.

I still wear my watch on my right wrist. This confuses people until I tell them how it all came about - and then they really give me strange looks.

I still wear a plain faced, self-winding, dial-face watch - I will not wear a watch which is digital or makes any sort of beeping noise. Old habits die hard.

And so it goes...

Richard

lksteve · 08-26-2010, 19:23

Same watch for 30 years...no beeping, no lights, no batteries...as long as I move, it works...

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Saoirse · 08-26-2010, 19:34

Sir Richard, that is the same type I wore for years when I was in the army, went to college and became a cop....then it just disappeared. I loved that watch.
Big H just bought me a new one...similar but with a bevel ring and two time zone settings, alarm, date and day, alarm and nite light. Only thing it won't do is make a martini for me.....

bost1751 · 08-26-2010, 19:36

IKsteve:

Excellent choice. Mine is 21 years and still great. No gadgets, no noise.

mark46th · 08-26-2010, 19:51

My Submariner is in 12.000 feet of water between San Pedro and Catalina Island. We were on our way to Catalina to go marlin fishing. A Broadbill Swordfish jumped, I yelled," Sword!" and pointed. As I pointed, the wrist band of my watch caught on the corner of the windshield of the boat, snapping one of the pins holding the band and Bye! Bye! Rolex. I had paid $172.00 for it at the PX in Bangkok in 1972. I went to get a new one and was a little shocked that they had gone up in cost a shade. About $3000.00 worth. I now have an Omega Sea Master. I think it is equal to or superior to the Submariner.

Tatonka316 · 08-26-2010, 19:56

I wear a Suunto Observer. I got it years ago, gave it to Chris when he graduated the Q course and it was returned to me after he crossed over. I put a new battery in it in 2003 just before I gave it to him, and it had the SAME battery until about 3 months ago - just about 7 years!!!

With my lousy eyesight, it is hard to see the numbers at times, but I will NEVER not have that watch on!!!

... and this time, I truly mean this --- MOLON LABE!

ZonieDiver · 08-26-2010, 20:01

Seiko "Automatic" Dive Watch - arm movement keeps it working. I've had it since '71. (I was told SF no longer bought Rolex because a senior SGM had bought stock in Seiko.)

I lost it for 6 months in '89 (same type of incident as Mark46th), but someone found it at the bottom of the "Blue Hole" in Santa Rosa, NM and returned it to me.

Nightfall · 08-26-2010, 20:01

Sweet, already love where this thread is going. I'm a total watch junkie. Unfortunately I can't afford the ones I really want, but such is life. I wear several (I have 15 watches thanks to my old man who has the same addiction). My Dad is worse that I am, somewhere in the neighborhood of 30, but he keeps giving me his old ones as he gets new ones. If it were to be said I collect anything it would have to be watches.

I'm really fond of the Wenger watches (5 of the 15), they make a good, practical, and dependable product - and they're within my price range. I wear three of those fairly regularly, but I replaced the bands on all of them with those NATO style bands (not due to military anything, they're just the bands I like). I have another I wear when fishing, then a couple I alternate for dressy occasions/wearing a suit. For those occasions, I have a titanium Citizen, an Invicta Skull, a Tag with a Batman symbol, and a limited edition numbered Joker watch (can you tell I'm a fan of Batman?). then I have a couple aquired over the years "just because" but they don't see much wear.

The ones I wear most often are those pictured. And if you haven't tried the NATO style bands, I recommend them. They're inexpensive and hold up well to wear and tear, dry quick and no velcro - not to mention look nice too. Found a good site for knock-offs too, will be getting a knock-off Patek when the check comes in (I don't have $15K to drop on a watch, not that I would even if I did).

Funny, as I'm typing this my dad calls and tells me to relay he wears a Hamilton Kahki most often. Says it's this one. Started talking about military suppliers of watches then on to Valjoux movements - the man really knows his watches.

lksteve · 08-26-2010, 20:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZonieDiver

(I was told SF no longer bought Rolex because a senior SGM had bought stock in Seiko.)

That word never made it to 10th Group...I had a couple of Seikos, an Automatic, which I wore in OCS, and one of the chronometers...couldn't keep the chronometer running...

And if the SGM's last name started with "P"...well, there ya go...

Debo · 08-27-2010, 07:58

Nice watches guys. Mark's submarined Submariner story hurts my heart. +1 to all the bell and whistle free automatics. There is something about a small mechanical masterpiece that holds 1 or 2 seconds/day when there are 86,400 seconds in that day and it beats 7 or 8 times/second.

D.

**Pete** · 08-27-2010, 08:14

When I do wear a wrist watch it's my tried and true Casio G-Shock.

Like the duel time & 24 Hour features.

lindy · 08-27-2010, 08:24

Casio Pathfinder (solar powered) but have a G-shock as a backup.

A few years ago, my wife & I bought matching Movado watches as anniversary gifts so I wear that when we go out (she's not a fan of the big watch in nice clothes).

craigepo · 08-27-2010, 08:26

Started off with a Seiko auto-winder dive watch that I picked up in the Benning PX for $75. Wore it to some hooah school, it wound up so tight it ker-sploded.

Next 2 watches were Timex Ironman. One got yanked off my wrist by risers(bad exit---don't ask), the other got smashed quite a few times doing various stuff, and the face finally fell off.

Have had my present Suunto Metron for 8 years. Have changed the band 3 times, the bezel is gone. Pretty good watch, but it doesn't like diving so much(at about 60 feet it reads "-27,000").

busa · 08-27-2010, 08:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark46th

My Submariner is in 12.000 feet of water between San Pedro and Catalina Island. We were on our way to Catalina to go marlin fishing. A Broadbill Swordfish jumped, I yelled," Sword!" and pointed. As I pointed, the wrist band of my watch caught on the corner of the windshield of the boat, snapping one of the pins holding the band and Bye! Bye! Rolex. I had paid $172.00 for it at the PX in Bangkok in 1972. I went to get a new one and was a little shocked that they had gone up in cost a shade. About $3000.00 worth. I now have an Omega Sea Master. I think it is equal to or superior to the Submariner.

Did you land the Bill?