The Watch Appreciation Thread (Reviews and Photos of Men's Timepieces by Rolex, Patek Philippe, Brei

[apropos]

I think the traditional material for dials is brass, not silver. As you're probably well aware enameled dials are traditionally either gold or copper.

Silvered dials are not traditionally plated, but rather painted with silver nitrate, which is a very different process.

While I agree with the point re: batons & hands, I'm not sure I see the inherent superiority of a silver dial over a brass dial except in perceived value for money.

In most cases I would argue that manufacturers should pay attention first to other dial things like riveted v glued batons, vitreous vs cold enamel dials, and general finish of the dial as opposed to the underlying dial material, etc as opposed to dial material.

For some reason you've just reminded me of another one of my pet dislikes - power reserves on automatics... Oh, and another one - painted blue hands on many JLC Master models.

 

[Newcomer]



For some reason you've just reminded me of another one of my pet dislikes - power reserves on automatics... Oh, and another one - painted blue hands on many JLC Master models.

Really? Power reserves on automatics to me occasionally make sense. It lets me know how much time I have before I have to wear it, or how active I am being. Don't get me wrong, they are more useful on a hand wind, but I don't mind a power reserve on an automatic insofar as it makes "sense." I agree that power reserves often ruin a dial though (READ: Grand Seiko). On the IWC Portuguese 7-Day I think it is a harmonious integration.

As for painted blue hands--that is sacrilege! I do not know why they chose to do that on the new RDM. One of my biggest peeves about that model.

 

[apropos]

How much time left before you next need to wear an automatic? Sounds to me like a hint to thin the herd to get that automatic back into regular rotation! Well, that and #firstworldproblems

In older automatic watches designed around the power reserve (e.g. Future Matic) or with relatively inefficient winding mechanism (e.g. Power Matic) I sort of see a point, but I am pretty sure that on most modern automatics the mechanism is sensitive enough to wind with even minimal wrist movement - like if you were just walking, or typing, for example.

And think about it... you need a power reserve to tell you how active you are... you probably need to be a lot more active! Zumba lessons, perhaps?

Oh on 7 day power reserves I make an exception - as that is an achievement worth highlighting. On the far more humble reserves which are the norm I find the inclusion of the power reserve a little puzzling.

As always, just my 0.02.

 

[chobochobo]



The Parmigiani Tonda uses lumed hands, as do most of the brand's watches. Such watches will look pretty bad in a few years when the lume discolours. Fine on a sporty watch but not on a dress piece.

Lets them save on gold for the hands as well.

Speaking of material cost cutting, it continually surprises me how many "high-end" brands skimp on using a solid silver base for their dials, and 18k gold for their batons and hands. Only Lange among the big brands uses a sterling base, the others use "silvered" dials which in non-marketing spiel speak translates to silver-plated. Silver isn't an expensive material to begin with, even more so should plated silver never be seen on a 5 figure watch.

What next, chrome-plated cases? (come to think actually JLC was guilty of this just a few eecades ago!)

can you answer your pms please?

 

[in stitches]

newcomer - thanks for the examples, that is what i was talking about, particluarly the first pic. i see these kinds of watches on the dressier side, and prefer no lume. the lange has a white lume though, and its pretty minimal, that i dont mind.

pained blue hands is lame.

power reserve on autos dont bother me, its just a fun complication that can add harmony to a dial, imo.

 

[in stitches]

also, i dont really mind about hand and base material all that much.

also, i think silver is not super easy to deal with, and it could easily tarnish if there was any air getting in due to a bad gasket or something. its not super practical. and using gold or plat for a movement base would be quite expensive and for no real benefit imo.

just my opinion.

 

[Newcomer]



How much time left before you next need to wear an automatic? Sounds to me like a hint to thin the herd to get that automatic back into regular rotation! Well, that and #firstworldproblems

In older automatic watches designed around the power reserve (e.g. Future Matic) or with relatively inefficient winding mechanism (e.g. Power Matic) I sort of see a point, but I am pretty sure that on most modern automatics the mechanism is sensitive enough to wind with even minimal wrist movement - like if you were just walking, or typing, for example.

And think about it... you need a power reserve to tell you how active you are... you probably need to be a lot more active! Zumba lessons, perhaps?

Oh on 7 day power reserves I make an exception - as that is an achievement worth highlighting. On the far more humble reserves which are the norm I find the inclusion of the power reserve a little puzzling.

As always, just my 0.02.

I completely agree with you there. Well, with a 43 hour power reserve (RDM, MUT Moon) I find them kind of useless. You can just sort of guesstimate when your watch is going to die. But with a watch that is more than three days, I would like to be able to wear it for the day, and then know when I need to wear it again so that it won't die. For me, it definitely is not a make or break, but it is nice sometimes!

Ha and I have my 'physical activity' watches . My Orient Mako I don't think has ever died. And that is just from about an hour or so of running a day! But with my JLC, it is normally only worn when I am sitting, or walking to and from my car. And I take off my watches when I type. So sometimes it dies and I feel lazy! Most of my time is spent wearing my Speedmaster, but I try to keep my automatics wound up by wearing them at different points of the day.

And I definitely agree! The way that I look at is, is that as far as complications go, it seems to be about the most useful, other than the date and time. Even on an automatic, a power reserve is a whole lot more useful than a moonphase!

At the end of the day, this may be the definition of firstworldprobs. Always fun!

newcomer - thanks for the examples, that is what i was talking about, particluarly the first pic. i see these kinds of watches on the dressier side, and prefer no lume. the lange has a white lume though, and its pretty minimal, that i dont mind.

For some reason I kind of like the Patek. It is super quirky. That is something that really draws me to a watch. I like to sympathize with the ugly duckling.

 

[MSchott]

Really? Power reserves on automatics to me occasionally make sense. It lets me know how much time I have before I have to wear it, or how active I am being. Don't get me wrong, they are more useful on a hand wind, but I don't mind a power reserve on an automatic insofar as it makes "sense." I agree that power reserves often ruin a dial though (READ: Grand Seiko). On the IWC Portuguese 7-Day I think it is a harmonious integration.

As for painted blue hands--that is sacrilege! I do not know why they chose to do that on the new RDM. One of my biggest peeves about that model.

I agree that power reserve indicators can be more useful on an automatic watch than on a hand wound timepiece. Unless you have a HW watch with a long power reserve you will wind it daily as it is so the PR indicator is superfluous. On an automatic watch, especially one that is not worn daily, you will know when it's about to die. In reality most PR indicators are not needed. Personally I'd look at a large date complication or moonphase before a PR.

 

[in stitches]



At the end of the day, this may be the definition of firstworldprobs. Always fun!
For some reason I kind of like the Patek. It is super quirky. That is something that really draws me to a watch. I like to sympathize with the ugly duckling.

i hear ya.

also, apparently, that is why my wife married me.

 

[Flake]

I have a Blancpain with a black dial and gold hands that's actually somewhat difficult to read in low light, although quite striking in good light. It had lume sort of hidden in the tips of the hands (not really hidden but very subtle). Interestingly, it's easiest to read in the dark, thanks to the lume.

 

[Flake]

Today:

Breguet has been getting a lot of wrist time lately.

 

[no frills]

Quote:
Hehehehe. Same here!

 

[no frills]

Quote:
Good luck! Yeah, it is not very often you're at a shop and the guy can say "oh yeah, let me get that 5004 for you." Then take it out of its box, put it on your wrist, etc. Probably should have asked to see the 1518 or a 3974 too.

 

[in stitches]



Today:

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Breguet has been getting a lot of wrist time lately.

quite elegant.

 

[Flake]



quite elegant.

Thanks! The signature monogram is not nearly as obnoxious in person as it appears in the pic, BTW. I just noticed it an thought OMG that looks obnoxious in that shot!