Today's (fairly geeky) post is on another obscure passion of mine; watches. I have loved them ever since I can remember - and probably even before that! I'm not sure where this love came from; the idea of telling the time itself doesn't particularly excite me (although tardiness does get on my nerves). Latterly, I have come to believe that they are a reflection of someone's personality. Possibly because watches are so intricate and variable, I do genuinely think that one's watch choice sends out a lot of signals; conscious and otherwise. However this doesn't explain how I felt when I was a kid. Realistically, it was probably the feeling of being "grown up" whatever that means. I just know that from the moment I strapped on my first watch, I have pretty much always worn one. Now I feel distinctly naked if I go out the house without wearing one and have been known to travel considerable distances to return to the house to pick it up. Sad I know but as foibles go, it could be worse.
My pride and joy is my Omega Seamaser. It was a 21st birthday present from my parents and I will treasure it always. Getting it came as a bit of a surprise. When they asked what I would like, I said the Omega with a view to being bartered down, probably to a Tag or a high-end Seiko or Tissort. When they said yes immediately, I almost fell off my chair. I have been in love this watch for nearly twelve years. To this day, I can't remember where I first saw it (ironically it wasn't until a few years later that it appeared in Goldeneye but it being a Bond watch certainly did nothing to put me off) but I liked it instantly. The model I have is the co-axial movement; in simple terms, this is an upgraded automatic movement which needs servicing less frequently and is more reliable. This means that the hand "sweeps" round rather than "ticks" (which is how a quartz watch moves). Generally speaking, the automatic is regarded as superior, not only for it's time-keeping ability but also because of the intricacy and skill required to make it.
I have always been a fun of chunky diving watches and this, to me, is the epitome. Firstly, it looks fabulous. It goes perfectly with everything from my usual uniform of jeans and a shirt to my kilt and black tie (probably why Bond wears one!). It also feels rugged and well-made which is good since I wear it on a daily basis and I have all the grace of a drunken elephant. It also has some fun "toys" which adapt it for professional diving and will certainly never be used in 95% of cases. The strap has an extendible section to allow it to fit over diving suits and a valve on the face to allow it to vent helium when coming up from a long dive. See what I mean? Totally useless but cool none the less.
However it's not just high-end watches I love. The other watch I have with me is an Oakley D1. This was a present for passing my standard grates and coincided with a time where I was doing a lot of sport so a digital watch was an advantage. These days I wear it on the rare occasions that I do sport but also in situations where there is a risk that my good watch could get damaged - dog walking is a good example. It is also excellent on duty with St. John Ambulance because the paperwork dictates precise timings are recorded for all patients. A quick glance takes the guesswork out of reading the time and speeds things up a bit. The back-light is handy for night and theatre duties too. In addition to this, the timing functions are useful for timing fits, rest breaks and length of time we have been treating (generally on a mobile hospital, if a patient is with us for more than half an hour, they go to hospital). One feature I really like is that, unlike most digital watches, where the numbers are black and the background is white, the numbers are white and the background is black. This has absolutely no practical value but looks seriously cool (in my opinion).
In between having the Oakley and the Omega I bought a beautiful DKNY stainless steel watch. I have no idea what the model is and, to be honest, there's nothing particularly outstanding about the features but it is extremely elegant. It was bought about 18 months before I went to Uni. when I was making a conscious effort to 'smarten up' a bit for potential summer jobs and Uni. interviews (a consequence of the school I went to having a dress code rather than a uniform meant that scruffy was the norm so long as it was black and scruffy). I haven't worn this watch for about five years (the last time was the day before my 21st birthday surprisingly) but my Omega is due for a service soon so I think I will dig it out again to wear while the Omega is in.
A common theme amongst these watches is the integrity of the straps. Before them, I used to go through a watch strap every 6 months or so because they just kept breaking. All of the above are on their original straps and show no sign of changing that. It just goes to show, spending a wee bit of money on quality (well for the latter two and a lot of money on the first) really does pay off. The Oakley was a hundred quid on the nose and the DKNY was about 70 so a bit of cash but not cripplingly expensive yet the build quality was superb.
At the same time I got the DKNY I bought a fantastic Lorus for rough and tumble stuff (I was going through selection for a charity expedition to Africa at the time so lots of out-door team building stuff). I bought it mainly because it was cheap (about 25 quid if I recall) and waterproof but it turned out to be fantastic. It certainly withstood all the knocks it got during selection, the subsequent trip to Africa and numerous other adventures. Two things stand out in particular; first the new luminescence function on the face was spectacular. It glowed really brightly (unlike some - even the Omega can be a bit dull) and for a long time so telling the time at night was easy. It was also possible to see the second hand without too much effort. The luminous paint was so good that even once it had faded, a burst of light of only a few seconds from a torch was enough to make the watch glow for quite a while afterwards. The second excellent feature was the strap; a canvass pseudo-military strap which not only looked good and was extremely durable but was extremely comfortable to wear for long periods and in hot conditions. Bluntly, the fabric conducted sweat away from my wrist so that, by the end of the day, it wasn't a soggy, smelly mess.
Before the Oakley were a couple of semi-smart lorus watches. Nothing special but did the job perfectly for what they were. The straps just had a tendency to break at awkward moments meaning the watch had a habit of dropping off my wrist and smashing on the pavement. Before those were a succession of "surfer" type watches with lurid colours and edgy designs. These were bought principally because they were waterproof (I've always loved anything that could end up in getting wet) and had rotating bezels (the in thing at the time). A common failing was that the glue in the straps often melted in temperatures that went anything above tepid. A bit awkward if you're in a swimming pool. Before those were a few digital watches (hey it was the 90s, they were cool). Vital criteria for these were that they had more functions than the watch of the person sitting next to you, a selection of different beeps that could be timed to go off at regular intervals (staggered with the rest of the class) to annoy the teacher and were waterproof.
My first ever watch was a wind-up timex, a present from my father when we were learning to tell the time aged around 6. It had a red strap and an easy to read face. I still have it and it still works perfectly although the strap doesn't quite fit around my wrist any more.
There we go, a history of my left wrist in a few short paragraphs. But what of the future. As I say the Omega will stay with me for life. It's everything I could want and more. However if I won the lottery, I think a Rolex Seadweller would be added to the collection. I did look at Rolexes for my 21st but the subjective and objective part of me both went for the Omega. That isn't to say I don't think Rolex make amazing watches. Even the name has a slight frission to it (in the same way as Ferrari). They were the original and still big hitters in the watch world. Let's face it, you see someone wearing a Rolex and you think "Yeah, they've made it".
Again in the 'money no object' category, I would amass all the Bond collectors edition Omegas. Ever since a Seamaster first appeared in Goldeneye, Omega have released a commemorative Seamaster with some discreet Bond markings on it (although sadly no lasers or remote mines). My parent's did offer to get me one of these for my 21st but a) I wanted the watch because it was a brilliant watch not a Bond reference and b) it is a wee bit tacky for everyday wear. However, as a collector's item... bring it on. I would also like to pick up an Omega Speedmaster since, to this day, it remains the only watch tested and permitted for use in spacewalks by NASA (not that I'm going on a space walk any time soon, but hey...).
Since advising a friend of buying a pre-owned high-end watch (usually good for getting something excellent at a bit of a discount) I have become aware of the availability and beauty of antique wristwatches and again, if my numbers came up, they would be something I would think about investing in. If nothing else, unlike new watches, a well chosen antique watch will increase in value over the years.
Back in the real world, the only watch I am ever likely to buy again would be another rough and tumble watch. For that I either have my eye on a Casio G-Shock which seems to be universally endorsed by anybody who has ever owned one as rugged, reliable and not too expensive or a CWC watch. These are the watches that are issued to the army for operations and from what I've heard, they're fantastic. I know a few people who will testify to their durability, reliability and comfort. Again, like the G-Shock it's priced between about £70 and £100 so not cheap but not eye-watering especially when you think it will have a life-span of tens of years with any luck
Anyway, I think I've droned on more than enough about the world of watches. Sorry if I've bored you.
JR
My pride and joy is my Omega Seamaser. It was a 21st birthday present from my parents and I will treasure it always. Getting it came as a bit of a surprise. When they asked what I would like, I said the Omega with a view to being bartered down, probably to a Tag or a high-end Seiko or Tissort. When they said yes immediately, I almost fell off my chair. I have been in love this watch for nearly twelve years. To this day, I can't remember where I first saw it (ironically it wasn't until a few years later that it appeared in Goldeneye but it being a Bond watch certainly did nothing to put me off) but I liked it instantly. The model I have is the co-axial movement; in simple terms, this is an upgraded automatic movement which needs servicing less frequently and is more reliable. This means that the hand "sweeps" round rather than "ticks" (which is how a quartz watch moves). Generally speaking, the automatic is regarded as superior, not only for it's time-keeping ability but also because of the intricacy and skill required to make it.
I have always been a fun of chunky diving watches and this, to me, is the epitome. Firstly, it looks fabulous. It goes perfectly with everything from my usual uniform of jeans and a shirt to my kilt and black tie (probably why Bond wears one!). It also feels rugged and well-made which is good since I wear it on a daily basis and I have all the grace of a drunken elephant. It also has some fun "toys" which adapt it for professional diving and will certainly never be used in 95% of cases. The strap has an extendible section to allow it to fit over diving suits and a valve on the face to allow it to vent helium when coming up from a long dive. See what I mean? Totally useless but cool none the less.
However it's not just high-end watches I love. The other watch I have with me is an Oakley D1. This was a present for passing my standard grates and coincided with a time where I was doing a lot of sport so a digital watch was an advantage. These days I wear it on the rare occasions that I do sport but also in situations where there is a risk that my good watch could get damaged - dog walking is a good example. It is also excellent on duty with St. John Ambulance because the paperwork dictates precise timings are recorded for all patients. A quick glance takes the guesswork out of reading the time and speeds things up a bit. The back-light is handy for night and theatre duties too. In addition to this, the timing functions are useful for timing fits, rest breaks and length of time we have been treating (generally on a mobile hospital, if a patient is with us for more than half an hour, they go to hospital). One feature I really like is that, unlike most digital watches, where the numbers are black and the background is white, the numbers are white and the background is black. This has absolutely no practical value but looks seriously cool (in my opinion).
In between having the Oakley and the Omega I bought a beautiful DKNY stainless steel watch. I have no idea what the model is and, to be honest, there's nothing particularly outstanding about the features but it is extremely elegant. It was bought about 18 months before I went to Uni. when I was making a conscious effort to 'smarten up' a bit for potential summer jobs and Uni. interviews (a consequence of the school I went to having a dress code rather than a uniform meant that scruffy was the norm so long as it was black and scruffy). I haven't worn this watch for about five years (the last time was the day before my 21st birthday surprisingly) but my Omega is due for a service soon so I think I will dig it out again to wear while the Omega is in.
A common theme amongst these watches is the integrity of the straps. Before them, I used to go through a watch strap every 6 months or so because they just kept breaking. All of the above are on their original straps and show no sign of changing that. It just goes to show, spending a wee bit of money on quality (well for the latter two and a lot of money on the first) really does pay off. The Oakley was a hundred quid on the nose and the DKNY was about 70 so a bit of cash but not cripplingly expensive yet the build quality was superb.
At the same time I got the DKNY I bought a fantastic Lorus for rough and tumble stuff (I was going through selection for a charity expedition to Africa at the time so lots of out-door team building stuff). I bought it mainly because it was cheap (about 25 quid if I recall) and waterproof but it turned out to be fantastic. It certainly withstood all the knocks it got during selection, the subsequent trip to Africa and numerous other adventures. Two things stand out in particular; first the new luminescence function on the face was spectacular. It glowed really brightly (unlike some - even the Omega can be a bit dull) and for a long time so telling the time at night was easy. It was also possible to see the second hand without too much effort. The luminous paint was so good that even once it had faded, a burst of light of only a few seconds from a torch was enough to make the watch glow for quite a while afterwards. The second excellent feature was the strap; a canvass pseudo-military strap which not only looked good and was extremely durable but was extremely comfortable to wear for long periods and in hot conditions. Bluntly, the fabric conducted sweat away from my wrist so that, by the end of the day, it wasn't a soggy, smelly mess.
Before the Oakley were a couple of semi-smart lorus watches. Nothing special but did the job perfectly for what they were. The straps just had a tendency to break at awkward moments meaning the watch had a habit of dropping off my wrist and smashing on the pavement. Before those were a succession of "surfer" type watches with lurid colours and edgy designs. These were bought principally because they were waterproof (I've always loved anything that could end up in getting wet) and had rotating bezels (the in thing at the time). A common failing was that the glue in the straps often melted in temperatures that went anything above tepid. A bit awkward if you're in a swimming pool. Before those were a few digital watches (hey it was the 90s, they were cool). Vital criteria for these were that they had more functions than the watch of the person sitting next to you, a selection of different beeps that could be timed to go off at regular intervals (staggered with the rest of the class) to annoy the teacher and were waterproof.
My first ever watch was a wind-up timex, a present from my father when we were learning to tell the time aged around 6. It had a red strap and an easy to read face. I still have it and it still works perfectly although the strap doesn't quite fit around my wrist any more.
There we go, a history of my left wrist in a few short paragraphs. But what of the future. As I say the Omega will stay with me for life. It's everything I could want and more. However if I won the lottery, I think a Rolex Seadweller would be added to the collection. I did look at Rolexes for my 21st but the subjective and objective part of me both went for the Omega. That isn't to say I don't think Rolex make amazing watches. Even the name has a slight frission to it (in the same way as Ferrari). They were the original and still big hitters in the watch world. Let's face it, you see someone wearing a Rolex and you think "Yeah, they've made it".
Again in the 'money no object' category, I would amass all the Bond collectors edition Omegas. Ever since a Seamaster first appeared in Goldeneye, Omega have released a commemorative Seamaster with some discreet Bond markings on it (although sadly no lasers or remote mines). My parent's did offer to get me one of these for my 21st but a) I wanted the watch because it was a brilliant watch not a Bond reference and b) it is a wee bit tacky for everyday wear. However, as a collector's item... bring it on. I would also like to pick up an Omega Speedmaster since, to this day, it remains the only watch tested and permitted for use in spacewalks by NASA (not that I'm going on a space walk any time soon, but hey...).
Since advising a friend of buying a pre-owned high-end watch (usually good for getting something excellent at a bit of a discount) I have become aware of the availability and beauty of antique wristwatches and again, if my numbers came up, they would be something I would think about investing in. If nothing else, unlike new watches, a well chosen antique watch will increase in value over the years.
Back in the real world, the only watch I am ever likely to buy again would be another rough and tumble watch. For that I either have my eye on a Casio G-Shock which seems to be universally endorsed by anybody who has ever owned one as rugged, reliable and not too expensive or a CWC watch. These are the watches that are issued to the army for operations and from what I've heard, they're fantastic. I know a few people who will testify to their durability, reliability and comfort. Again, like the G-Shock it's priced between about £70 and £100 so not cheap but not eye-watering especially when you think it will have a life-span of tens of years with any luck
Anyway, I think I've droned on more than enough about the world of watches. Sorry if I've bored you.
JR
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