Ball Hydrocarbon Diver a bargain!

[bbqbrew]

I have owned my Ball Hydrocarbon Diver for a few months now and just love it. I paid $1350 for it shipped nib and think it offers more bang for the buck than just about any watch I have owned. I was certain I was going to get a 42mm Planet Ocean and would still love to have a good used one one of these days. However, This one nib for that price was just talking to me. The look is very legible day and night. The extra wide tritium tubes just make for a great look in any light. I love that they put the date between the markers so that the symmetry of the dial is not compromised. It is also great for dress or sport due to a little more polish and the guilloche dial. It also keeps better time than any other mechanical I have owned(three rolexes on that list).
I now own three Ball watches along with a couple of Rolex and think they offer a lot of watch for the money or just period. I know the pics are not great but I just wanted to share as another great alternative.
Thanks for looking
Chris

[frostie]

It looks interesting as a watch

[BigHat]

Once you see a tritium tube watch at night or in the dark you quickly realize that the other lum. techniques basically suck.

[kingblackbolt]

Those really do blaze from what i hear... but isn't the life of the lume around 10 years?

[Incurable]

How 'bout a lume shot...

Half life on tritium is 12.3 years. Should glow beyond that but hard to know when it becomes so dim as to be non-useful.

[dr_rolex]

Nice looking watch!

[bbqbrew]

My camera basically stinks so Night pics would not be that great. I suggest going to WUS Ball official forum. Lots of great pics of this and others. I now have three Ball watches and love each for different reasons. They are addictive and many are reasonably priced, although the weak dollar is hurting the bargain they were a year ago.
Thanks
Chris

[FlyingMoose]

Actually I think the phosphors give out before the tritium.

Does Ball replace the dial and hands if they stop glowing?

[bbqbrew]

I am sure it would be an easy thing to replace if a problem occurred. They claim 20-25 years life for these tubes. If true,that is better than my 17 and 23 year old rolexes glow. They basically put out nothing anymore.
Chris

[jaston]

Chirs...I love this watch....where did you get NIB for less that $1400?

[bbqbrew]

Originally Posted by jaston

Chirs...I love this watch....where did you get NIB for less that $1400?

Hi,
I was not sure of the rules about watch sellers so I sent a PM.
Chris

[BigHat]

Originally Posted by Incurable

How 'bout a lume shot...

Half life on tritium is 12.3 years. Should glow beyond that but hard to know when it becomes so dim as to be non-useful.

When I saw the lume combo I had to get it. Keep's good time too, but this model isn't cert'd.

Not my pics:

[bbqbrew]

I too have a Night Train and love it as well. I first thought the Balls looked a little "gadgety" and it was hard for me to take them seriously. It was because I focused so much on the night shots I saw. They are really split personality and the three I have are very attractive watches in the day and at night the watch itself almost disappears and all that is left is just the time display. Very Cool! The night train has a hard to ignore resemblance to the top gun IWC's in the day and is not like anything else on the market at night.They are also very hard to scratch due to the DLC coating. I must add that all of my Ball watches are regulated very well and usually have chronometer grade movements.
Thanks
Chris

[BigHat]

Originally Posted by bbqbrew

I must add that all of my Ball watches are regulated very well and usually have chronometer grade movements.
Thanks
Chris

Hi Chris,
But this model doesn't have a chron grade status does it? Agree it's well reg's though.
True that the face is very nice during the day and is super easy to read precisely.

Also were you at least annoyed that what was sold as a UTC feature is really just a 24:00 dipiction of local time. I don't think the pics I found can actually be duplicated for real. 24 showing in the window at 4:20. Agree?

[bbqbrew]

Originally Posted by BigHat

Hi Chris,
But this model doesn't have a chron grade status does it? Agree it's well reg's though.
True that the face is very nice during the day and is super easy to read precisely.

Also were you at least annoyed that what was sold as a UTC feature is really just a 24:00 dipiction of local time. I don't think the pics I found can actually be duplicated for real. 24 showing in the window at 4:20. Agree?

Hi,
I was aware before I purchased mine that it was not a gmt/udt. I was quite annoyed that they were deceptive in the initial pics and so were a lot of the Ball forum members. I feel that Ball should have pulled the watches on the market and refunded the $ to those who had a problem with it. It could have been a classy PR move on the part of Ball.
As far as the Chronometer reference, It was the movements of most Balls that I understand are the highest quality Chronometer grade. They do not have to have the certificate to have the highest grade ETA movements. I feel like the UTC error was a big learning experience for Ball and I hope they learn quickly in this era of well informed consumers. I am still happy with all of my watches. I do, however, understand your problems with this watch.
Chris
Thanks for the info