My humble collection - Short review + photos

[buddy13]

I wanted to do this for a long time. Here I present you with the pick of watches that have made it through years of flipping watches.

I have been a watch lover from when I was a small kid. I would longingly stare at watches through windows for a long time when my mum would take me shopping for clothes. I always had a fascination for these things that 'work' and you can wear on your wrists. I was particularly impressed by the water resistant ones. I must have ruined at least 20 cheap kids watches my mother bought for me as I would do my bet to get them wet, swim in them etc..

I started 'collecting', buying/selling on forums at least 7 years ago.I am now 29 years old, a graduate mechanical engineer, diver, boxer and a very active person. I have still not lost any interest in watches...particularly dive watches. I must have had at least 150-200 dive watches. I started with sub 200 Euros Automatic Seikos then gradually built my way up to the swiss brands Tag, IWC, Rolex, Omega etc...I consider myself lucky to have owned many nice watches even if for a short period of time. A few years ago I decided that I will only have 5-6 watches I REALLY like and wear in my collection. This required careful consideration...as being limited to that small a number is no mean feat.

My tastes have 'matured' over time and I am now fairly convinced that I like smaller (40-42mm) sub 180 grams watches that are fairly simple in design and function. I was the kind that would never go for a 42mm PO when I knew that they made one in 45.5mm...well we all change I guess.

These are watches I have now had and kept onto for years and I seriously doubt that any one of these will be going anywhere. I am more impressed by the technical capabilities and engineering design rather than huge depth ratings and huge marketing. They are all special to me for various reasons. I will try and summarize the story of each one in a few words.




1- Seiko SBBN015

This is the watch I consider as the most professional out of my collection and the best dive watch (that I know of) on the planet. The 7C46 movement is specially made and reserved for the professional shrouded Seiko divers. Jeweled, metal gear train, high torque motor and no exposed circuitry means that this watch is particularly resistant to shock & temperature variations. I like that it is steel finish and has one of the most comfortable bracelets around. I had 3 SBBN007s but always thought it can be made better. When the 015 was announced I instantly felt that it was almost as if the Seiko engineers read my mind. All the changes I wanted to see on the watch where there! In fact I sold this watch a 3-4 years ago to buy the TiN/DLC Reissue Golden Tuna but I never felt that it was superior in any way and I am a bracelet guy. I felt I made a mistake and asked the buyer to let me know first if he ever decides to let it go. A few months later he e-mailed me that he was considering selling the 015 and If I was still interested. I bought it back instantly! I had a few Tunas from Autos to Quartz...but for me the 015 remains the most wearable and versatile.




2- Omega SMP-c

This was a graduation gift from my family. I always liked the Seamaster and have had a few different versions. I never liked the wave dial much though and was very looking forward to get this version when it was announced. I must have been one of the very first to get my hands on one. I was in Amsterdam on holiday and bought it new from a store and WUS watch sponsor for a small discount. It has seen plenty of action (diving, climbing, biking etc...) and it remains the most accurate mechanical watch I have ever had. On the wrist it runs at around +3 seconds every 10 days. I remain impressed whenever I sync it and give it a check. I like its size and comfortable fit.



3- Orient 300m He-Gas diver

This is the most serious auto dive watch I have ever handled/owned. It has many features that put it head and shoulder above the competition for me. Its only downside is that it is a heavy watch. I weighed it at 224 grams sized for my 6.75 inch wrist so its the watch I wear the least. I had 4 other Orient Stars 300m and always moved them on because of their weight. However its screwed down crystal, special Seiko L shaped crystal gasket, 5mm A/R sapphire crystal, robust in house movement, shock proof movement holder and a few other fatures means that I trust it more than most on my underwater adventures.



4- Casio G-Shock Frogman

This is my go to watch when there I feel like I wanna play, give my wrist a break from my other watches or when I need the functionality of a digital watch. At 88 grams on this Nato it is my most comfortable watch. I have had plenty G-Shocks and many Frogmans but this series Frogman remains my favourite due to its light Ti case construction, simplicity and easy to use functions. I like the dive timer and surface interval function above all else. A G-shock was my first serious watch I bought from my own money when I must have been 12 years old or so. I foolishly sold that watch many years ago. I will always have a G-Shock in my collection.



5- Sinn 203

This is my latest acquistion. I bought it last month while on work in Frankfurt. I have been looking for a nice dive chrono long and far. I always seemed to search for 'special' functions like central minute hands, 60 minute totalizers etc. I liked my Tag Aquagraph but I never liked the idea of it having a piggy back mounted chrono module and the useless 24hr dial. I really liked the UTS 600m I had but it was way too tall and heavy to ever be comfortable for me. This is the very last 203 to roll out of the Sinn factory. My example has a decorated 7750 Top grade ETA. Ar filling & Copper Sulphate capsules that should keep the watch dry in our 90%+ humidity and during the hopefully numerous dives I will expose it to. Apart from its excellent enginnering I like its matte dial, size & weight, its simple hands, finish & industrial look. I also happen to think that a 30 min totalizer is better for my uses of timing short intervals (5-15 minutes) as the minute markers are more 'open'. I also really like its different German day wheel.



Hope you liked the summary of my journey. I wear ALL of these watches anywhere 24/7 & every watch in my collection shall have the ability to dive (I dont own a computer).

I honestly dont feel like I'm not missing on anything just because I dont have seadwellers or several multi thousand watches in my collection anymore. I feel like any new watch will simply be an addition to all the bases that I have covered with these.

Of all the watches I had I hope I had held onto these...but well you grown and learn:

- IWC AT Stainless Steel Tritium 3536
- Rolex 14060M
- My first G-shock

If I would add 1 more watch it would have to be the extra special, baby of the collection. There are a few interesting watches out there but the ones I'd like to own. I have liked the Blancpain Fifty Ftahoms for many years but I see it as a few classes well above my pay grade...same with a JLC MAster Compressor Dive chrono. I REALLY like the new Rolex SD 4000 but am not sure I'll ever spend that amount of money on a Rolex ever again. I guess that for the moment I'll be perfectly happy with what I have. We'll see what the future brings.

Thanks for watching.

PS: Sorry if the misaligned bezels annoy you. I have luckily grown past that stage and dont give a rats ass where the bezel pip is.

[Psmith]

Nice collection and review, thanks

[77T]

Good selection of divers. Hope they get wet on a regular basis

[cruvon]

Nice collection, congrats!

[dodge2002]

sweet

[vman]

I dig the Seiko!

[Blue and White]

Cool collection - thanks, Etienne for the review

[Hairdude1]

Nice collection

[GradyPhilpott]

[robisan]

Its a simple nice collection you have.

[Urosfan]

Nice assortment

[Rags]

Very nice collection of divers.

[Tudor66]

Very nice set of watches. I especially appreciate the Sinn - I've owned a panda version of that watch. It's such a well made watch...

Al

[h999r]

nice .. Orient look the best IMO

[sroh]

Very nice collection and great story.

[The_Walrus]

Great collection

[BlackBay1]

Great collection and review. Think Omega made a fine job of the latest Seamaster.

[inzunzar]

I like the orient, nice review!

[ssultan]

An excellent mix of divers! I'm liking that Orient ...will have to look that one up.

[sea-dweller]

Nice collection!

[PeteFunk]

Thanks for sharing, I dig the variety.

[southcarolina1801]

Nice collection! I recently parted ways with a Tuna and have been questioning that decision ever since. They are amazing watches!

[SG56]

Very nice story and collection!!

Originally Posted by buddy13

I was particularly impressed by the water resistant ones. I must have ruined at least 20 cheap kids watches my mother bought for me as I would do my bet to get them wet, swim in them etc..

Me too!!! Same story.
I'm burned for life. I wouldn't take any of my watches into the water. I take them off to shower. I do wash them after making sure 10 times that the crown is tight. burned for life for destroying those as a kid.
Even if they said water resistant, i'd jump in the water and bam, brand new watch gone.

This did stop when i got my first Swatch. That one could swim!!! :)

[benlee]

Nice collection and excellent write up! Thanks for sharing.

[Andad]

OP hasn't posted since Nov '15 Ben so he may not get your message