# What Chinese watch are you wearing today? April 2013



## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Good morning Chinese watch freaks, and I wish you all a great start to the first proper month of Spring. A snowy start notwithstanding.

Today I went for the Alpha Paul Newman, aka The Panda.

Until a few months ago I had only one chronograph; my oldish Seiko RAF Generation 2 quartz. I well remember playing with that watch's chrono functions during a cricket match (on the telly, click... click... reset, click... click... reset, ad nauseum) until a few hours later the novelty had worn off. And never to return. So you can see why I'd never been drawn to pepper my collection with the usual representative chronos, and mostly kept to simply three hand watches.

And then this arrived, and even though I'm not someone who's gonna reach over the iPhone to time eggs or whatever with the buttons on me watch, the aesthetics of the thing really appealed to me. This watch was followed a couple of weeks later with the gorgeous, pouting Sea-Gull 1963 Reissue, so now I have three of the chrono buggahs.

I've read here and there how the Alpha's screw down crown (and also screw down chrono buttons) are a pain for a handwind, but somehow that doesn't bother me at all. Just adds another two small steps to the morning ritual. But the fact that the screw downs for the chrono buttons don't properly meet the side of the watch case (they meet at an angle) means that their function is purely "aesthetic"; meaning that a $200 watch has to display some compromises *somewhere*.

So would I have this over the original Rolex "Paul Newman" chronograph? Yep, every time because the $50,000 price needed to get yer hands on the vintage beauty means I'd never wear it without hyperventilating. Even if I was a millionaire, I'd stick with the $200 watch. Seriously.

Ok, so what about a panda'ed Omega Speedy Pro? Well, one of those would cost out at about $3,000 plus or minus, so that's much more within reach. But isn't the black-dialled Moon Watch a beauty in its own right? Wouldn't a panda conversion be a bit of a desecration? Well, that logic leads me towards the "need" for two Speedies... so the replacement for this $200 sweetie would be two Omegas and ca. $5-6,000.

And that sort of dosh will keep me in forthcoming Beijing or Sea-Gull special editions and other sundry must-haves for the rest of the war.

Ergo, I think I might as well stick with the Alpha Panda.

Ric


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Good morning all!

Yes that's it, it's my "big red Parnis" I'm wearing today. Some of you may giggle, or even laugh out loud, but that does not change anything ... To me it's just a large, and red watch, which I really like very much!


















































*And this one has the famous, Tommy's seal of approval!*
Have a great week, everyone!
Luís M


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## AlbertaTime (Dec 27, 2008)

On the bus from today Peace River to Edmonton...and tomorrow Edmonton to Vancouver _to Shanghai_!  I'll be in China for a month this time. This (very accurate, as it happens) Maanshan world-timer will be my usual daily wearer while I'm there.


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## TimmyB (Jan 27, 2013)

I like it..one of the things with a watch is its supposed to be fun...Nice looking watch, I am just starting to look at Chinese automatics, who did you buy from and how do you like it?


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## Pawl_Buster (Mar 12, 2007)

AlbertaTime said:


> On the bus from today Peace River to Edmonton...and tomorrow Edmonton to Vancouver _to Shanghai_!  I'll be in China for a month this time. This (very accurate, as it happens) Maanshan world-timer will be my usual daily wearer while I'm there.


Have a safe and wonderful journey Ron.

We will all be looking forward to your posts and pictures


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## snaky59 (Mar 11, 2012)

Luisão said:


> *And this one has the famous, Tommy's seal of approval!*
> Have a great week, everyone!
> Luís M


Tommy seems to be having a jolly old time there. Cute little fellow.


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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

Just got back from my weekend trip to Edmonton. For the past few days I've been wearing this Zhufeng:





















AlbertaTime said:


> On the bus from today Peace River to Edmonton...and tomorrow Edmonton to Vancouver _to Shanghai_!  I'll be in China for a month this time. This (very accurate, as it happens) Maanshan world-timer will be my usual daily wearer while I'm there.


You mean we were in the same city on the same day??? o|o|o| If I had known I would have stayed longer. Have a great trip!


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## AlbertaTime (Dec 27, 2008)

saskwatch said:


> You mean we were in the same city on the same day??? o|o|o| If I had known I would have stayed longer. Have a great trip!


Please, allow me...

o|:-(o|:-(o|:-(o|:-(o|:-(o|:-(...

...we'll get it together sooner or later. And you're always welcome in Peace River when I get back. :-d


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## Torsten (Dec 26, 2009)

A Seagull ST5-D today.

Save travels Ron. I hope we can catch up somewhere in while you are in China.


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## AlbertaTime (Dec 27, 2008)

Torsten said:


> Save travels Ron. I hope we can catch up somewhere in while you are in China.


Thank you and I hope so too. Would be a highlight. You have my schedule


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## docbp87 (Dec 12, 2012)




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## jopex (Jul 27, 2012)




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## soviet (Feb 8, 2006)

A 1980's Guangzhou made vintage MINGZHU (luminous pearl?). With a 17 jewels in-house tongji movement.


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## shnjb (May 12, 2009)

wow.
lol...


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Good afternoon friends!

Continuing with the Parnis rotation, today is the turn of MM homage, to take a walk.


















































Have a very nice day, everyone!
Luís M


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## Will3020 (Aug 28, 2012)

Decided on Jaragar today which I've had for about three months and its working beautifully


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## Martin_B (Apr 11, 2008)

Regards,

Martin


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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

AlbertaTime said:


> Please, allow me...
> 
> o|:-(o|:-(o|:-(o|:-(o|:-(o|:-(...
> 
> ...we'll get it together sooner or later. And you're always welcome in Peace River when I get back. :-d


Thanks! I'll get there someday.


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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

Sea-Gull


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

snaky59 said:


> Tommy seems to be having a jolly old time there. Cute little fellow.


Thanks Snaky!

Yes, at that moment he was having a good time. He likes to get out of the cage, and to explore everything around (we need to be careful, he likes to chew on whatever it meets). He just don't like being stuck for too long, in anyone's hands... He is indeed a cute little fellow.:-d

With Regards,
Luís M


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## T. Wong (Apr 5, 2006)

Not just a great looking watch, this one wears quite nicely !


large dial by thianwong1, on Flickr


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## russr1123 (Mar 30, 2012)

My 1801 Millionsmart Tourbillion.


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## Chascomm (Feb 13, 2006)

Shuangling 'Zidong' for me today:


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Good morning to you all!

Today I went for the extremely affordable Jaragar, on a comfortable mesh bracelet much more expensive than the watch itself. For me, this is always a nice watch to wear.










































































As you can see, the back cover did contain the indication of, "stainless steel", but they refer of course, to the bracelet!:-d

Have a great Wednesday, everyone!
Luís M


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## gobbi (Apr 25, 2009)

Fresh snow brought a lot of question marks about late spring arrival and a solid Tao Yacht Club to ease the long cold suffering! Very heavy piece but i must mention it sits just comfortably on the rubber strap!


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## Will3020 (Aug 28, 2012)

The quite reliable Parnis Pilot


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## snaky59 (Mar 11, 2012)

The sterile submariner while I wait for the postman for something else chinese made....


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## Thrax (Oct 6, 2012)




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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

Sea-Gull


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## snaky59 (Mar 11, 2012)

The post gods are against me. I was quietly doing homework in my kitchen when my tracking widget told me of an attempted delivery. The post man never rang the doorbell and didn't even leave a notice card!

This is the first time this has happened and I'm quite pissed.


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## arktika1148 (Nov 21, 2010)




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## ntchen2 (Apr 7, 2012)




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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Hello All.

It's unfortunately yet another dreary day up here in t'Alps, so what better way to add a bit of shine and sparkle than to wear the Shuangling 20 Zuan.

As you can imagine the first task when selecting this Chinese day-date watch is to... actually, it's to hand wind it to the stop to make sure the movement carries a full charge of energy. All the better to get the oils in the internal gubbins properly distributed as it tick tick ticks through the next forty hours or so. And with a twenty-odd watch rotation, there's plenty of chance that a watch movement's going to be under-utilised; which won't matter over a few years, but ain't the best as decades pass.

And this is already a watch that's more than thirty years old.

So, setting the day and date must be the *second* task.

Now I have problems working out whether the date setting short cut on *any* watch expects it to be morning or afternoon. A bit annoying to correctly set the date to (say) the 4th and glance at my watch to see it's rolled over to the 5th at midday. And that's happened to me a hundred times over the years. My previously daily wearer Baume et Mercier was especially naughty because the power reserve on its automatic movement is about forty hours, so fine to cover the bridge between the ritual of taking it off after getting in from the office, and shoving it back on the following morning; but not enough to bridge the *other* ritual of leaving it off for a weekend of debauched rough and tumble.

And unlike many autos, the crown isn't setup for a hand wind override, so no quick wind up boost during the weekend. So date resetting became a Monday morning task. Along with Pete Townsend wind-milling to get the rotor twirling.

Anyways, I found that the date shortcut on the B&M left the time on AM or PM according to the time it happened to have run out of juice. See? Very very naughty. Tsk tsk.

So I did what *any* sane person would do, which is to set the date to the day before (in this case the 3rd) and then wind forward the time until midnight for sure passes and then I can be confident I'm in AM territory. Of course not being totally sane, it took me years to adopt this obvious habit.

Twas easier to b1tch and moan on Mondays just that little bit more.

So I've just had a moment's satisfaction with this 'ere Shaungling setting the day (crown anti-clockwise) to Wednesday and then setting the date (crown clockwise) to the 3rd. And then winding the time forward until... hang on, the bloody day and date clicked over to the Thursday and 4th as it passed the *first* twelve, so it must have been in PM mode. Hah! I've narrowly escaped the horror of a watch showing Friday the 5th later this afternoon.

In Hanzi script, too, so even more shocking. Anyways, disaster averted by the practice of good habits.

I really need a long holiday.

Ric


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## Martin_B (Apr 11, 2008)

For me, the M177s today (which actually shows 31 in the date window, as I stopped bothering about setting the date a few years ago ):









Regards,

Martin


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## soviet (Feb 8, 2006)

It is still winter in many parts of north China, especially those moutain areas. So a XUEHUA (snow flake) for tomorrow.


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## Will3020 (Aug 28, 2012)

Added another Parnis on the wrist today . Just couldn't leave home without it.


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## Will3020 (Aug 28, 2012)

snaky59 said:


> The post gods are against me. I was quietly doing homework in my kitchen when my tracking widget told me of an attempted delivery. The post man never rang the doorbell and didn't even leave a notice card!
> 
> This is the first time this has happened and I'm quite pissed.


Don't blame you for being pissed. UPS did that to me a couple of times as they are, in my opinion, one of the worst culprits. o|


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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

Jie Fang


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## snaky59 (Mar 11, 2012)

Triconstore PAM on triconstore bracelet, big thanks to the owner who sourced one out for me for cheap!


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## snaky59 (Mar 11, 2012)

Switched to my brand new Alpha GMT which I will be reviewing soon!


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## arktika1148 (Nov 21, 2010)




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## soviet (Feb 8, 2006)

A DPRK's Army commemorative. Nice for a spring outing.b-)


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## benbjo (Mar 7, 2013)

My new Perpetual Regulator:


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Hi All, and, yes indeed, Thank God It's Friday.

Today I've chosen the Sea-Gull Dragon King to celebrate the end of a dreary week's weather.

The background tells the tale better than words can convey; grey skies, brown fields 'cos the grass hasn't had time to recover from the load of snow that they've carried on and off since October. Bloody cold as well, bang on 0c this morning outside of the house. This time last year the fields were awash with yellow dandelions, and the cows were busy munching through tonnes of bright new grass.

Ah well, I'm sure spring will arrive in due course.

Happier things: I'm finally satisfied with the match of watch and strap. Had a bit of a heart flutter that yet again I'd have to change straps, but actually we're there now. I think it's the white stitching that does the trick, although plain black straps with white stitching are surprisingly tough to find. Dunno why, but my "usual" strap sources (Watchworx and some bloke on the German Amazon that sells Rios1931 straps) have limited choices. Am I out on my own limb here? Do other people prefer plain straps, or have we simply got used to what's available? Times like this I feel like sayin' "move over, I'll drive" which translates into "I wonder what it would take to start up a small strap company sellin' straps wot I like." If I did, I'd trawl through the many many glorious strap choices made by Mr Martin Sir and Dave and the rest of you, and stock only those.

You'll be unsurprised to learn that I've been buyin' again; four more watches're on their way at varying rates of speed. One new, two vintage, one *so* vintage that the second hand's fallen off. My Swiss watchmender's gonna have another heart attack. And all ordered without the permission of Frau Capucho, who has recently become very strict on such matters.

Naughty, naughty Ric.

Tsk tsk tsk.

Naughty.

I'm never one to post grainy seller pictures of my incoming watches, so I won't start here or elsewhere. Don't want to spoil the anticipation and surprise which I think is what this watch buying buzz is all about... the watch wearing buzz comes later, such as the one I had this morning choosing the Dragon King. Nor do I want to amplify the wrong sort of surprise if a watch is turns out to be less than I'd hoped. In that I've been fairly lucky, and only a few've turned out to be disappointments, at least during first impressions. Usually I love 'em to bits, then realise weeks or months later that they've sat there in the watch box all fallow and unused. I don't like that 'cos I tend to anthropomorphise mechanical things, so I feel a bit sorry for 'em. Better if they go to a new owner that'll love and appreciate 'em.

I have a few watches like that right now, so inevitably I'll have to mobilise an Ebay spring cleaning session. Which'll make gaps in my watch boxes and recharge my Paypal account; and round and round we go on the WIS merry-go-round.

Have a great day.

Ric


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## gobbi (Apr 25, 2009)

Tao Jumping Hour for the first time. Very unflexible leather, if it's leather of the 24h boiled dog skin kinda, strap. This watch is bulky, almost quadrat like piece of steel brick.


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Hiya Watch Fans.

Today I will be mostly wearin' this 'ere Beijing Liaoning.

It's a shiny thing, this watch. Have a look at the arse end where they've etched a line drawing of the Liaoning into the otherwise highly polished case back. Makes it a devil of a job to photo, I can tell yer. Keep seeing reflections of my iPhone and thumbs. The rest of the case is likewise fully polished, but the replacement of the original bracelet (likewise a most shiny thing) with a plain black leather strap's taken some of the shine and sparkle out of it.

I still see my face in the thing, here and there, but my wife's stopped asking for it when she wants to do her makeup.

Or check out the room for vampires.

Oh, and the watch distinguishes itself with having the first cyclops over the date that (a) works as intended and (b) doesn't get on my aesthetic nerves. Never was a fan of cyclops, and to be honest I'd planned to get the bloody thing chipped off, but having lived with it for a few months I'm even *admiring* the thing.

Weather's still crap, Drew.

Years ago I did a PADI Open Water crash course in Fiji, of all places. Took a few days, and then I was a "qualified diver" with zero hours in my log book. Basically a death trap with fins and the haziest idea of what I was doing. I remember being advised by the instructor, a very cool Aussie bloke, that I'd need a dive watch of some sort. I was clueless about watches in those days, so imagined something like a G-Shock (cough, spit). But reverse engineering of memory makes me like to think I'd had something like this beautiful Liaoning in mind. But of course the chances of me putting this thing anyway near sea-water are remote at best.

The need would anyway be best served by a Vostok Scuba Dude of some sort. In a ministry case with a blue dial, oh and on a floppy leather Nato to replace that 'orrible looking bracelet they come on. Hmm, and an upgraded bezel, because it'd be a shame to get the rest of the watch right and then miss out on the final touch 'cos of a measly $10.

In fact I'd have such a nice Scuba Dude that I couldn't imagine putting it anywhere near sea water, so... I'd also need a bog standard Dude, although that bracelet would have to go. And an improved bezel's only $10.

(sigh)

Haven't worn scuba gear since that trip fifteen years ago. Writing out this post makes me wonder if I should give it another go sometime in the near future.

Ric


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## wessa (Feb 10, 2012)




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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Good afternoon friends!

Today, I will be using a true champion of affordable. The Jaragar homage, to the Montblanc Timewalker.










































Enjoy the weekend!
Luís M


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## Martin_B (Apr 11, 2008)

Alpha MilSub today:









Regards,

Martin


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## wessa (Feb 10, 2012)




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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Good morning all, and I hope you're already having a calm and restful Sunday.

So today I went for the exquisite Beijing ZhuFeng.

To be honest, the ZhuFeng's a bit too dressy for an easy Sunday, but when I opened the watch box to see what caught my fancy, it was this that called out to me. Of course it's one of the dressiest dress watches in creation, so slipping it onto my wrist whilst I'm otherwise attired in jeans and t-shirt and sat on a sofa sipping coffee is a bit like a woman wearing high-heels and pearls when cleaning the house.

Lemme picture that for a moment. Oh my, those heels are so *very* high...

Anyway, it's asymmetrical, innit.

The Beatles picture you can see was sat on top of the piano (it's a cover to a music book) when I went to take this morning's snaps, so that's why you have Lennon and McCartney as a backdrop. Cannot think of a logical link, so it just is, so there. I've noticed how many of us picture their watches with highly relevant books opened "just so", and even thought to do the same. I have zillions of books, amassed over the years by one of the biggest book worms my family has ever produced, and that's saying something. But most of them are stacked in boxes down in the Keller, lost to any easy access. I used to have book shelves everywhere, but Frau Capucho's now vetoed that.

The piano? Ahhh... well Frau Capucho bangs out a pretty tune on the thing, and our eldest son is making some good progress towards learning to play. I, of course, am clueless when it comes to musical instruments, so for me the piano serves as a convenient white surface on which to take static photos of watches.

I did "play" the trombone when I was a wee snapper at school. Easily the worst instrument (short of a tuba) for a weedy, spotty teenager to choose. The bloody thing near pulled my arms out of their sockets, and that's just from carrying it around in its case. After twenty minutes playing in a "concert" I'd be breathless from "playing" the thing, and exhausted from supporting the thing.

Note the words I've placed in quotes, and read between the lines.

Needless to say, a trombone ain't exactly the sort of musical instrument that attracts a cluster of awe-inspired (and awe-inspiring) girls. After a year or two, I went to someone's birthday party and one of the biggest horse's arses in the entire skool sat upstairs on a bed surrounded by cooing (and gorgeous) girls as he ineptly strummed his way through a limited range of songs recognisable *only* because he's shouted out the name before he started. But the girls continued to coo. And a day or so later the saxophone player in the school band held an impromptu jamming session that literally amazed a crowd of otherwise aloof schoolgirls.

Twas the last straw, so trombone and Capucho parted ways forever.

Never did buy myself a guitar or saxophone. Might rethink that, although some may misinterpret it as a sign of a mid-life crisis. Anyone who knows me can tell yer that my entire life's been one crisis after another, so dunno what would mark any particular crisis as a mid-life one.

Ric


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## MHe225 (Jan 24, 2010)

Ric Capucho said:


> Good morning all, and I hope you're already having a calm and restful Sunday.
> 
> So today I went for the exquisite Beijing ZhuFeng .... Of course it's one of the dressiest dress watches in creation, so slipping it onto my wrist whilst I'm otherwise attired in jeans and t-shirt and sat on a sofa sipping coffee is a bit like a woman wearing high-heels and pearls when cleaning the house ....


Nice little story and background info, Ric. Thank you. The woman with the high heels and pearls - I bet you, there are plenty of pics to be found of women dressed just like that, no more, no less, cleaning the house, but let's not go there ..... All I'm saying, why not? I did more than once upset my mom by wearing my gold pocket-watch on it's long gold chain with jeans.

I agree that the ZhuFeng is one of the dressiest watches and I'm still wearing its even dressier brother / sister for two weeks in a row:









That 2-week period will come to an end later this morning as my weekend will be cut short as I'm leaving on a work related outing that has me wondering "the plains and fields" in South Texas near the Mexican border. There are limits to mixing styles and activities ....
See you all again near the end of the week.

RonB


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## ilDottore (May 21, 2006)

My "orphan" Schafer Regulator!


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Good morning Fellow Travellers, and here's wishing you a great start to the week.

This morning the black-dialled version of the Beijing ZunDa called out to me as soon as I opened the watch box. So what could I do? Ignore it? No.

Now I've been pondering what it is exactly that makes the ZunDa pair come across as sporty. At first I thought the impression was defined by the bracelet, but after a few months of wearing these ZunDa rascals, I've come to the conclusion that it's a number of design elements coming together.

(ahem)

Firstly, the size and style of case. This is a proper 40mm watch, but just 11mm thick. That thickness is a bit of a surprise in this world of 12-14mm automatics, but I think the flatness of the sapphire crystal helps, and also the movement rotor is visible just a hair's width below the glass of the case back (incidentally, that's also sapphire). So in the scheme of things, this is a medium sized, yet flat watch. Gives it a proportion that reminds me of a sixties chronograph. And those lugs have that extended look about them that you often see in watches designed specifically to mate properly with a bracelet.

Next, the bracelet is indeed a well-known feature of activity watches, with a tradition that (as far as I can tell) goes back to the Rolexes of the early 1960s. Better people than me will quote this or that design classic from the 1950s, and laugh at me, but I think the popular association between bracelet and sporty starts with the early Explorers and solidified with the later Rolexes and Omegas that followed.

Then we have those quasi-chronometer sub-dials. Here's where the controversy starts, I think. I happen to know that Beijing has a number of modern movements with sub-seconds, so I for one haven't fallen off my chair that the ZunDa continues with this. But even I can see that a single sub-seconds is more of a dress watch thing than any sports watch I've ever seen (noticed). So the Beijing designer was left in a bit of a quandry; if a sports watch needs at least two sub-dials by convention, then what possible function should the second dial perform in a non-chrono? So, they put in a power reserve indicator, and I for one am grateful that they have; it's useful in an auto, truly it is. Quandry solved, and we have that owl-like dial as a reward. Too-wit, too-woo. Incidentally (as my mate Dave spotted months ago) the Owl is a bit more prominent in the black-dialled ZunDa than in the white-dial version.

More on that anon.

The other sporty clues are a myriad of little details wot add up: the no-nonsense crown that looks like it'd be at home on a chrono; the slight pagoda flaring of the hands, all the better to smear superlume on; the mixture of numbers and indices, albeit polished because this *is* a Beijing, don'tcha know; the second outer markers (ok ok, all modern watches have second markers, so what); and the small, superlumed dots arranged around the outer dial that look dynamite when lit up at night.

So what's not to like? Well, Drew's style guide has it (correctly) that a black-dialled watch should have a matching black-background date window. I can be generous and say Beijing wanted to give the owl a more prominent beak (which it sort of does) but the reality is that this is a cost-cutting measure that crops up all over the watch industry. Allows the underlying movements (with a standardised *white* date wheel) to be stamped out by their thousands, and few punters notice anyway.

Anything else?

Erm...

Nope, can't think of anything else that I can see wrong on what's after all a sub-$300 watch. Increase that price to $500, and I'd still be scratching my head. Ok, increase that price again to $1,000 and I'd be wondering where the two chronograph buttons had got to. And that's my suspicion of where the "ZunDa look" is heading; Beijing's first proper sports chronograph. I look to the heavens and hope it'll be a handwind, but of course that would be commercial suicide. But if (when!) that chronograph appears I'll be visiting TaoBao again, even if it *does* come with an automatic rotor to spoil the arse-end view.

Oh, and the *more anon" on the white-dial / black-dial thing? I'll try to remember when I next wear a ZunDa.

Ric


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## Blunderact (Aug 7, 2012)

Blunderact


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Good morning fellow colleagues!

Today I'm back to Parnis, with this big homage to the U-Boat, Thousands of Feet.










































Have a great week, everyone!
Luís M


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## Will3020 (Aug 28, 2012)




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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

Shuangling


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## Thrax (Oct 6, 2012)




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## Blunderact (Aug 7, 2012)

Thrax said:


>


Nice one!

Blunderact


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## arktika1148 (Nov 21, 2010)




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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Good Morning World!

And for once it *is* a good morning here in sunny (SUNNY!) Switzerland. Woke up to a crisp blue sky, and Number Two Son calling everyone to his bedroom to look at a couple of fallow deer that'd wandered up our hill to chomp on some of the best new grass available anywhere in these parts. Been a miserable Spring, but then you've heard all about that ad nauseum. Perhaps we've turned a corner.

So, I went for summat shiny wot would reflect the sunlight (SUNLIGHT!) so my finger hovered over the polished cases of the three Sea-Gull ST5s I currently have, in a variety of tasteful colours and flavours. Well, black's the new black, so black it is.

On the way to work I realised I'd forgotten to take a quick wrist shot on my parking area, so I stopped the car somewhere green, pretty and rural, and took... this. Hmm. Well, a few minutes with poor man's Polywatch (Colgate) will clean up the crystal, must remember to sort that out when I get home. Then just moments ago at my desk, I thought to show yer all what the arse end of a fairly typical vintage Chinese watch looks like. That's a seagull gliding over crashing waves of Tianjin, that is. And not just a line drawing either, it's been stamped deeply into the metal of the case back.

And almost all of these old Chinese watch brands have a stamped case back logo. Some cool, some cartoonish, some so cute that they'll melt yer heart. Some bafflingly Chinese, of course, with references to cultural places or events that few westerners have ever heard of.

Keep in mind that your standard Swiss watch of the time had little more than a stamped model number at most at the rear. Dunno why exactly the Chinese watch industry went for such case back decoration on a part of the watch that's not on public view, but it may be a similar philisophy to the highly decorated movements that you find *inside* watches the world over that can only ever been admired by the watch mender that gives it a service every few years.

But then there's a particularly Chinese spin to all this that comes to mind. Take a deep breath for Capucho's about to wax lyrical.

(ahem)

Until *very* recently, China was very poor indeed. Let's forget about the pros and cons of a Communist system, and stick to the daily realities of a billion people. That equates to a couple of hundred million "nuclear" families of father, mother, and the Child Emperor screaming blue murder in the corner. And grandmother, grandfather, and sundry aunts, but you catch my drift. That was as nuclear a family got in China, but then there're some things in the West that we've allowed to go very very wrong.

And these families wanted to get through a tough life with a healthy child, a TV blaring some form of entertainment in the corner of the living area, a bicycle to get to work, a refrigerator to keep food fresh, and a *watch* to show some form of success and status. It's been years since I've been in China (1995, I think) and even that was a China in rapid transition towards a more market-oriented economy. But it was no more than a few steps from this or that hotel or restaurant to an unpaved back street composed of rows of tiny houses; most of which had a bamboo-caged small bird tweeting its little heart out at the front door, a bicycle leaning against the front wall, and the unmistakeable flickering of a TV through the window. Oh, and kids with the whitest teeth you've ever seen laughing and waving at the two westerners who might just as well have climbed out of a space ship.

And that prized status symbol (the watch, please pay attention at the back) was something that took at least a couple of month's wages to pay for. And I don't mean disposable income, I mean the full contents of the pay packets. So no wonder these watches picked up some extra embellishments to maximise the wow factor. Folks, thirty or forty years ago a hard working father came home from a shopping trip to the nearest city triumphantly wearing a watch very much like this one. The whole family clustered around the kitchen table to admire it from every angle, with light catching on the many polished surfaces. Ooooooh. The lovely dial, the little red blob on the second hand, the strange non-Chinese text (everyone looks at grandpa who'd actually been to Beijing, but he just shrugs). And just when it couldn't get any better, the father took off the watch and proudly showed off the seagull gliding over the crashing waves of an ocean that few if any of that family will ever see. Do any of you remember how strongly *visual* your imagination was as a child? I do. I'll bet that kid could hear the seagull, feel the wind and violence of the waves, and taste the salt in the air.

I'll bet he still can.

I very much recommend a visit to the website of "saskwatch" (http://www.myvcms.com/) to get a taste of the bewildering variety of vintage Chinese watches that've been manufactured over the years. They may not be for you, but no none can deny how interesting they are. And everyone has a *real* story behind them that's like as not too far away from my own imaginings above. And yeah, if a Sea-Gull or whatever catches yer fancy then why not for less than $100?

Ric

p.s. Shiny, innit.


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## scottjc (May 14, 2010)

Parnis Power Reserve for me today:


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Good morning mates!

While waiting eagerly for the arrival of the postman (today arrives "something" from China, to me!), will be using this homage to the Sub, by Parnis.










































Don't miss tomorrow's post!;-)

Have a great Tuesday, everyone!
Luís M


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## Reno (Sep 23, 2008)

_Zhufeng_


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## soviet (Feb 8, 2006)

A red logo Red Flag (HONGQI) with a SL2 in-house movement.


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## wessa (Feb 10, 2012)




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## abangr (Jan 23, 2012)

Parnis for me.


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## snaky59 (Mar 11, 2012)

Luisão said:


> Good morning mates!
> 
> While waiting eagerly for the arrival of the postman (today arrives "something" from China, to me!), will be using this homage to the Sub, by Parnis.
> 
> ...


Reminds me of a post of mine in this very thread...


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## abangr (Jan 23, 2012)

scottjc said:


> Parnis Power Reserve for me today:


I got one in the mail for me. Can't wait.


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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

Great post, Ric, and thanks for the mention of myvcms.com.

Today, a Zhongshan (the "poor man's watch") with eight peacocks on the dial:


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## Pawl_Buster (Mar 12, 2007)

Time to put on the Dragon King for a few days. I have been neglecting it while doing some work on a Seiko that required me wearing it for a week while regulating it after a full service.
I always love how good this watch feels when I slip it on my wrist and close the clasp...it just feels right 









I wonder how many of the King's royal brothers have found their way onto WIS wrists?
This is truly one of the finest purchases I have made in the watch world!


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Inevitably, I have one. Ric


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## OhDark30 (Oct 2, 2012)




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## Will3020 (Aug 28, 2012)

Tao on the wrist today


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## wessa (Feb 10, 2012)




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## gobbi (Apr 25, 2009)

Will3020, i have the same. you can try scrub the blue tint off the chrono pushers, though i still have mine!


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Good afternoon good people (sorry if I offended anyone ...)!

This arrived just yesterday, and it's my latest Parnis, the Radiomir homage. This watch exceeded my expectations, both for elegance, and by the beauty of lines. Now all I need to is change the bracelet, which in this case is a crap artificial skin, has a beautiful buckle, which I would like to keep, though.










































































































Sorry if I posted too many photos!:-s

Have a great day, everyone!
Luís M


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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

MuDan


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## wessa (Feb 10, 2012)




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## arktika1148 (Nov 21, 2010)




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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Luisão said:


> Good afternoon good people (sorry if I offended anyone ...)!
> 
> This arrived just yesterday, and it's my latest Parnis, the Radiomir homage. This watch exceeded my expectations, both for elegance, and by the beauty of lines. Now all I need to is change the bracelet, which in this case is a crap artificial skin, has a beautiful buckle, which I would like to keep, though.
> 
> ...


Yep, that's one of the nicer Parnis watches. I wore mine very often until Father Number Two spotted it at Christmas. He asked me how much and from where... so I gave it to him, which was a *lot* easier than explaining.

That's the reason why I had to place a Getat order for the replacement. 

Be careful with those little screws that hold the lugs in. It's trickier than it looks. I've just killed my california-dial Getat because the screws are now threaded. Haven't figured out how to fix it yet.

Ric


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## Martin_B (Apr 11, 2008)

Ric Capucho said:


> Yep, that's one of the nicer Parnis watches. I wore mine very often until Father Number Two spotted it at Christmas. He asked me how much and from where... so I gave it to him, which was a *lot* easier than explaining.
> 
> That's the reason why I had to place a Getat order for the replacement.
> 
> ...


Did you kill the screws themselves or the thread in the case? In the first case (;-)) you can always go to an optician and ask for their collection of little screws they use in glasses. They usually have some that fit.

And as for the topic of this thread:










regards Martin


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## shnjb (May 12, 2009)

Parnis. Kind of reminds me of this another brand I know...


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Good morning all.

Today I decided to wear the perkiest watch in the collection, the Sea-Gull D100 Sun Yat-sen.

Perky because I had the devil of a time trying to photograph the thing on what's a surprisingly bright day (considering it's also raining a bit). I'm guessing that the clouds above me are wafer thin, so I have my hopes up we'll be seeing the sun sometime later today. Who knows. The silver dial flashes brightly at every other angle, and even lit up from the light reflected from the windows of our house.

So the pickies you see are of the uncharacteristically dull, non-flashing variety. Reckoned you'd wanna see what the watch looks like, but the truth is that every other attempt was totally over-exposed.

Oh, and I decided to take a snap of the watch lying on a rock. That'll be the photographic influence of the wonderful Kath who invariably photos her watches on some rock or pebble of tree stump. One has decided to grow artistically. Expect more ham-fisted attempts going forward.

I also think of this Sea-Gull as being the most non-Swiss watch in the box. It goes further than the calligraphy and the red "100" on the seconds hand. This is a watch designed by the Chinese for the Chinese market, celebrating the one hundred year anniversary of a Chinese Great that almost no one outside of China has ever heard of. I doubt if more than a handful have found their way outside of Chinese territory, which tells yer how weird my tastes are these days.

Regardless of costs and value, this watch is a loooooooooooong way away from the Rolex, Panerai and Omega staples of the West.

I kind of like that. Ploughing me own furrow, and all that. Although when my lottery ticket comes up, I'll be snapping up the Rolex Explorer I and a must-have Omega Moon Watch like everyone else. But I can't imagine a time when I'll turn my back on this bunch of Chinese watches that have become such an important part of my WIS life.

Ric


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Good morning guys!

Today the "f*#&*@*" rain is back again (it's raining cats and dogs out there!), so to cheer me up I'll be wearing my blue bezel, PO homage.


















































Have a great day, everyone!
Luís M


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Ric Capucho said:


> Yep, that's one of the nicer Parnis watches. I wore mine very often until Father Number Two spotted it at Christmas. He asked me how much and from where... so I gave it to him, which was a *lot* easier than explaining.
> 
> That's the reason why I had to place a Getat order for the replacement.
> 
> ...


Hi Ric!

Many thanks for the warning, I will take extreme care when replacing the strap, for not ruining anything. As for the watch, I think it is really an awesome timepiece, far more beautiful and captivating live, than on any picture that you can see. I am extremely pleased with mine.

And I think you did very well, by offering your's to your Father, in your place I would have done the same.

Good luck recovering your california-dial Getat!

Cheers,
Luís M


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Martin_B said:


> Did you kill the screws themselves or the thread in the case? In the first case (;-)) you can always go to an optician and ask for their collection of little screws they use in glasses. They usually have some that fit.


I suspect it could be the case. Three out of the four screws turn for ever. And one of them falls out if I so much as smile at it. Part of the problem is that there's two type of lugs. The short, cheap ones. And the more "squared" longer, better ones. I think I'm gonna need good replacement lugs first, then I'll see what I can do to re tap the screw holes.

Or is it easier to buy a better standard Rad case from Getat and swap the California dial into it? Or throw the whole f**king thing away and move on. 

Choices, choices.

Ric


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## arktika1148 (Nov 21, 2010)

Could this site help

https://www.cousinsuk.com/department/watch-straps-bracelets-fittings


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Ric Capucho said:


> I suspect it could be the case. Three out of the four screws turn for ever. And one of them falls out if I so much as smile at it. Part of the problem is that there's two type of lugs. The short, cheap ones. And the more "squared" longer, better ones. I think I'm gonna need good replacement lugs first, then I'll see what I can do to re tap the screw holes.
> 
> Or is it easier to buy a better standard Rad case from Getat and swap the California dial into it? Or throw the whole f**king thing away and move on.
> 
> ...


Hi Ric!

If the screws are not entangled directly to the lugs, and if they only hold and tightening in place the lugs, and since the thread is on the watch case, then the obvious solution is to replace it with a new case, and keep everything else (spare parts, may always come in handy). I'm sorry to say the obvious but, all that line of reasoning has to do with the fact, that I've never changed a strap, on a watch like these.

Also I have a doubt, these screws need to be completely removed, or just unscrew them the necessary to the lugs come out out? I appreciate the enlightenment!

Cheers,
Luís M


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## Triton9 (Sep 30, 2011)




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## Willy320 (Apr 7, 2013)

Hello,today

Jaragar "timewalker"


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## CMcG (Aug 20, 2012)

I've been on the hunt for a skeleton for a while, but my budget is more mushroom than Sea-Gull. Unfortunately, most of the fungi on eBay were not simple and clean enough for my taste. Back in January, Thrax posted a pic of his Fineat skeleton and it was exactly what I had been looking for. Unfortunately, I was having a hard time finding an eBay seller that would ship to Canada and, furthermore, nobody seemed to have the blue hand variant that I was looking for. In desperation, I was almost ready to buy one of the plain hand ones from some website that no-one around here has ever heard of...

Finally, the exact model I had been looking for turned up used from a seller in US. One of my friends was kind enough to buy it for me for my birthday, although I had to broker the transaction, which came to $15 (including shipping). It is the same as Thrax's, except with a black ring under the numbers, instead of white.

The good: accurate timing, 38 hour power reserve, classic overall design/size (37mm), easy to grip crown, blued hands.

The bad: chintzy feeling bracelet (still looks nice), chrome plated case, bit of dust on the 6 marker, weak lume.

Overall, I'm very pleased with it |>


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Luisão said:


> Hi Ric!
> 
> If the screws are not entangled directly to the lugs, and if they only hold and tightening in place the lugs, and since the thread is on the watch case, then the obvious solution is to replace it with a new case, and keep everything else (spare parts, may always come in handy). I'm sorry to say the obvious but, all that line of reasoning has to do with the fact, that I've never changed a strap, on a watch like these.
> 
> ...


Hi Luis,

They have to be loosened enough for *both* lugs to slip out. The problem with leaving one in place is when you try to slip the other one back it it's at the wrong angle. Drove me nuts!

Ric


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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

Baoshihua


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

saskwatch said:


> Baoshihua


When I saw those pictures I said "oooooooh" out loud. My kids asked me what was wrong. And my answer? "Absolutely nothing."

Ric


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Ric Capucho said:


> Hi Luis,
> 
> They have to be loosened enough for *both* lugs to slip out. The problem with leaving one in place is when you try to slip the other one back it it's at the wrong angle. Drove me nuts!
> 
> Ric


Thanks Ric,

Now I see the picture. I'll take the maximum of caution!!

And just about this issue, I find out a video on You Tube that may help a lot:

How To Cgnage Strap On Rad - YouTube

Cheers,
Luís M


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Willy320 said:


> Hello,today
> 
> Jaragar "timewalker"


Hi Willy!

Nice strap that on your Jaragar, do you have more pictures of this watch, and bracelet? I noticed now, for the picture seems to me that, the crown of yours, is not the same as mine!?

By the way, mine says Hi!




With Regards,
Luís M


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## Triton9 (Sep 30, 2011)




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## arktika1148 (Nov 21, 2010)




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## wessa (Feb 10, 2012)

TGIF!!!


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Good morning all!

Big Pilot homage, for my Friday.









Have a very nice weekend, everyone!
Luís M


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## gobbi (Apr 25, 2009)

Let the Seagull Spring begin!


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## Jay23 (Feb 22, 2013)

Jaragar with NATO today.


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## Recoil (Sep 15, 2011)




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## Willy320 (Apr 7, 2013)

Luisão said:


> Hi Willy!
> 
> Nice strap that on your Jaragar, do you have more pictures of this watch, and bracelet? I noticed now, for the picture seems to me that, the crown of yours, is not the same as mine!?
> 
> ...


Hello Luis' ,i ordered this model in black, maintaining one month of waiting already&#8230;i have not a logo "montblanc" but i think than on the black,it will be it 

picture not clean (smartphone)


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Willy320 said:


> Hello Luis' ,i ordered this model in black, maintaining one month of waiting already&#8230;i have not a logo "montblanc" but i think than on the black,it will be it
> 
> picture not clean (smartphone)


Hi Willy!

Don't be very disappointed my friend, you're just waiting for your Jaragar, for about a month ago, I waited three months, for mine! You know, is that I just received the third watch the seller sent me, the first two were "lost", in the Chinese post office!

Oh and thanks for the photo of the watch with the bracelet, it's indeed a very nice strap, I really like that style, and I think it fits wonderfully in this watch. Congrats!|>

And if it's not asking too much, could you please pass me the contact of the site where bought it? Thanks in advance!

Regards,
Luís M


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## Rdenney (Dec 24, 2012)

1963 Reussue on new DiModell strap.

Rick "trying out the new strap" Denney


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## hosemg12 (Nov 28, 2012)

Received in the mail yesterday from Jun Liao at Times International..


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## James Haury (Apr 10, 2008)

Today I am wearing a VaLia fleiger style watch from Deal Extreme shipped to me in 16 days from Hong Kong. It was 650 pennies so of course the pushers are fake but the date function works as do the three hands. The dial is grey and the movement is quartz. There is some lume on the hour and minute hands. The strap is junk and has already been replaced. The lugs are 24 mm between.


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## ShutterSpeed (Aug 29, 2012)




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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Good morning world, and what better way to celebrate the *second* sunny day in a row than by wearing the Getat Luminor Homage.

Shiny, innit.

More sunny rock photos for your perusal, of course. But what caught my eye *this* time is the way the nicely decorated Sea-Gull 6497 movement lights up in the sun. Of course the screws are painted blue, but the pinkish jewels are for real at least. And the other widgets therein are of course silver and gold coloured metal that glitters and shines as it should.

Nice that.

And we already know that few straps are available at the price that are quite as puppy dog's floppy ears as a lovely Getat strap. And that's the truth of what yer buying when you choose yerself a Getat Luminor or Radiomir: a strap that oozes an atmosphere of lazy days spent sitting on a sunshine drenched patio doing nothing in particular.

The *other* thing that's finally caught my eye is an absence of something: My previous Parnis Radiomir homage (wot I gave away to one of my fathers) had a warm summer glow to it that I *think* came from a combination of a yellowish (and ineffective) lume against an ever so slightly brown dial. And this Luminor homage doesn't quite have that glow, nor does my other Getat, the Radiomir homage. And as one of the reasons for me acquiring these Getats was as a cheap dry-run for what'll be an inevitable Panerai acquisition sometime in the (far distant) future, then this gives me yet another must-have criteria to add to the pile.

Radiomir case, uncluttered dial, handwind of course, no larger than 45mm, floppy strap. And a warm summer glow too. Right, got all that.

So I've just spent an hour or so scratching and sniffing at the various Panerai models available on their website. And... that leads me to the newish "Historic" Radiomir 1940s which I'd never even glanced at before 'cos of their size (42mm) and the decidedly non-Panerai crown. Hmm, so I think I've just changed one of my many lust watches from the Radiomir Black Seal to the smaller Radiomir 1940.

Still about $5,000, so it doesn't make any difference. I can't have one within the next decade or so. But still, it's nice to dream.

So where does all this leave my Getat Luminor homage?

Well, as a *large* and impressive watch to wear outside of the office when the fancy takes me. Same goes for the Radiomir homage which gives me another option. And there it would all rest, if I hadn't just bought myself the Maranez Layan.

(sigh)

And the Layan out-sunshines the both of 'em.

So I'll be enjoying my Getats just a little bit more until they inevitably find their way onto Ebay. Them's the breaks.

Ric


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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

Chunlei (spring bud) today -- still waiting impatiently for spring to arrive.


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## arktika1148 (Nov 21, 2010)




----------



## arktika1148 (Nov 21, 2010)




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## Willy320 (Apr 7, 2013)

Luisão said:


> Hi Willy!
> 
> Don't be very disappointed my friend, you're just waiting for your Jaragar, for about a month ago, I waited three months, for mine! You know, is that I just received the third watch the seller sent me, the first two were "lost", in the Chinese post office!
> 
> ...


seller ebay : niulukes 
but nothing actually in this shop 

strap buy 9e (because 50% reduction)

see on watchgecko, strap carbon +/- 15e shipped

I would like to see what that would give with this strap on the black


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Willy320 said:


> seller ebay : niulukes
> but nothing actually in this shop
> 
> strap buy 9e (because 50% reduction)
> ...


Hi Willy!

Thanks for the info!

This also seems to me a good strap, I'm not fond of rubber bracelets, though. And I also would like to see what goes with that bracelet, but I think a large variety of watches, goes well with it.

Cheers,
Luís M


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## T. Wong (Apr 5, 2006)

The 55th anniversary model with ST16 is really a great wearing watch! surprisingly the white dial and rose gold hands combo make for a fast reading of the time!


large dial by thianwong1, on Flickr


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## 8point166 (May 28, 2010)

FINEAT 18.75 on the bay


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## James Haury (Apr 10, 2008)

A hand wind GOER Sub Homage.


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## Chascomm (Feb 13, 2006)

The movement looks for all the world like a Hangzhou 2-series, but the finish is definitely unique to Beijing. It seems like there are several bought-in ebauches being used by BWaF, besides their own remarkable in-house designs. I'll have to do a search to see if seconds and 9 and power-reserve at 3 is available from any other maker. I hope you're right about them heading towards making a chrono. That would really be something.

I like the way all the features of the dial are balanced. Sub-dials and date window as large as possible but all in correct proportion with hands and hour markers. Everything about this dial is just right somehow.


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## Triton9 (Sep 30, 2011)




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## arktika1148 (Nov 21, 2010)




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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

arktika1148 said:


> View attachment 1048374
> View attachment 1048376


Ahhh, it's a ZunDa Mun-day.  Looking good on the mesh, Dave.

Ric


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## arktika1148 (Nov 21, 2010)

Cheers Ric. and the sun's out too


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## Will3020 (Aug 28, 2012)




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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Good afternoon fellas!

Today I'm back to Parnis. My 50mm U-Boat homage, small thing...








Have a great week, everyone!
Luís M


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## Berkut (Sep 11, 2009)

Today...


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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

Jinji 7220J


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## James Haury (Apr 10, 2008)

My handwind GOER Sub Homage.


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## T. Wong (Apr 5, 2006)

Montage Artron sean connery by thianwong1, on Flickr


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Good morning world.

Today I've decided on the Shuangling 20 Zuan, one of the pride and joys of my collection. And I went for it for two reasons. Firstly, I'm off on a business trip to London, and secondly, erm, secondly... 'cos it's shiny, innit.

Oh, and thirdly I'll be wearing this watch for (gasp) two consecutive days, so it'd best be one of the favorites. Which it most certainly is.

The photo's about all the light in the airport departure lounge is offering today, but at least you're spared yet more rock and grass backdrops. Not easy keeping iPhone and watch wrist still without hyperventilating, which explains the slight blur.

And London?

Well, having been an expat Brit for getting on for fifteen years, a British city looks a bit alien to my Zürich acclimatised eyes. The car registration numbers look strange, the electric sockets in the hotel rooms look like the overenginnered relics that they truly are, and the people look... not Swiss.

But what *really* gets me is the way I can effortlessly eavesdrop on other people's conversations. I'm not a sneak listener-iner, but after years of tuning out barely comprehensible chatter in Swiss-German, it's hard not to. It's like *not* replaying that terrible catchy tune in yer head, or *not* pressing that big red button on the President's desk.

The Chinese day on the watch says "Tuesday", by the way. At least I hope so. I'm on firmer ground with the "16" although I can go days without knowing or caring about the date, me being a "is it weekend yet?" kind of chap.

Gotta fly...

Ric


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## Chascomm (Feb 13, 2006)

today's very shiny watch:


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## abo_hosni (Mar 4, 2012)

open-heart Parnis power reserve


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Good morning to you all!

Today this one is rocking!








Have a very nice day, everyone!
Luís M


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## Willy320 (Apr 7, 2013)

sino-russe for me today


----------



## Will3020 (Aug 28, 2012)




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## jakonovski (Sep 2, 2012)

These pictures came out so well that I can't resist posting them in multiple threads.


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## Willy320 (Apr 7, 2013)

i like tao 150wd,but you are a how of size wrist ?

i have a tao 290wd is correct for my little wrist


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## Willy320 (Apr 7, 2013)

Will3020 said:


> View attachment 1049723


Hello
size wrist ?
because i like tao 150wd but littlle wrist
i have a tao 290wd,it's correct for me


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## Will3020 (Aug 28, 2012)

Willy320 said:


> Hello
> size wrist ?
> because i like tao 150wd but littlle wrist
> i have a tao 290wd,it's correct for me


sure, my wrist size is 7.5"


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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

Baoshihua 7720


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## Willy320 (Apr 7, 2013)

Will3020 said:


> sure, my wrist size is 7.5"


ok mine is 6.69 (17 cms)


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## dasmi (Feb 3, 2012)

My trusty and pretty beat up sterile pilot. 6497 movement, from the Man Bush guy. On SecTime leather.


----------



## arktika1148 (Nov 21, 2010)




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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Hi All,

So this is Day Two with the lovely Shuangling 20 Zuan.

Photo was taken in my hotel room using the little light that the grey skies of London had to offer. Never mind, the Shuangling's a bright little thing anyway. Light finds surfaces that I didn't even know were there until I've taken a snap, and had chance to look at the picture in detail. I'd call the iPhone the poor man's loupe, if it didn't cost so bloody much.

Anyways, that's the thing innit. Here on WRUW threads and the like we've become to seeing endless photos of watches with macro levels of detail that simply don't reflect what the naked eye will see when watch is on wrist in real life. Some of my watches photograph... erm, differently. I don't mean they photo badly or even nicer than they really are; I think good looks are good looks, and a detailed view seldom makes anything or anyone look prettier. So by "differently" I actually do mean "different". The Shuangling, on the other hand, looks exactly the same whether on a photo or to the naked eye. It really *is* as perky as that.

Examples of watches that photograph "differently" include: all my Raketas (which are jewel-like in real life, but look a bit "novelty" in photos); the various Getat Panerai homages, that look amazing in photos because the eye focuses on those delicious straps, but in real life the eye can't quite get past the big lump of metal on yer wrist; oh, the Vostok Amfibia 1967 where photos fail to capture the scale of the beast, and, to quote Chris Vail "it looks like it was turned out of a single lump of metal", and very likely it was. Oh, and the naked eye view of *all* movements through the glass case backs we all love so much are *very* different to their photos. My eyes, anyway, see a few cogs and jewels, but the details get lost in the complexity of the things. A photo of a chronograph movement, for example, is a splendid thing; although I've wasted plenty of times clicking chrono buttons to see how this or that internal widget rotates/moves/jumps... I'm clueless, of course, but it keeps me off the streets.

So I would offer us all a bit of a warning about choosing this or that watch from a WRUW thread: in real life, many watches look differently to the naked eye. But in the majority of cases, they look better, so little downside to the final surprise when it turns up in the post. But if this or that watch has a detail that catches yer fancy, then that detail might not be so obvious to the eye; and that's where a disappointment may be coming.

How do I know?

'Cos one or two of my watches have disappointed me in just that way. I won't name names 'cos it's not the watches' fault if I do 99% of my watch shopping over the internet, instead of going to a dealer and looking at the watches properly, like most rational people would do. But as my tastes seem to be a bit... obscure, it's not likely that I'm gonna find a dealer within thousands of miles of my home. Where, for example, would I find a Shuangling in Switzerland?

So, in summary: it's a risk, but well worth it. There's a universe of watches out there, at affordable prices, that you'd never find in yer local shopping mall. No pain, no gain.

Ric


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Good morning mates!

Today one of favorites, the orange bezel PO homage.








Have a very nice day!
Luís M


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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

Shanghai 7221


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## wysanz (Dec 11, 2009)




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## zamazama (Feb 7, 2013)

I received this Shanghai Day-Date-Month-Moonphase today. This is an absolute stunner. One of the most beautiful watches in my collection. A big watch by my standards, but tiny by the standards of those who like aviator or Panerai-styled dinnerplates...erm I mean watches.


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## abangr (Jan 23, 2012)

Parnis (open heart)


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## gobbi (Apr 25, 2009)

zamazama, i see that you quite liked this moonphase watch. are there any techincal flaws? any pieses of dust here and there, or misalignment of the markings on the dial of the watch. tell us about the accuracy when you can test it. it's a model i'm thinking of... thanks! i got the impression, not personal, but from the forum, that Shanghai are somehow behind Bejing and Seagull, was wondering if it is the case or not.


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## zamazama (Feb 7, 2013)

gobbi, this watch definitely feels solid and winds smoothly. It's one of those watches which definitely looks better in real life than in the photos, as it's difficult to photograph: the dial is more recessed than most watches due to the fact that there are four hands on the central axis. The hands and the dots on the dial have lume, which seems OK. The movement looks cleans, but is less decorated than the standard Seagull - only the rotor has 'Geneva' stripes. The spacers around the movement seem to be metallic, rather than plastic.

As shocking as this may seem to some on a watch forum, I didn't intend to check the accuracy in any great detail. As my watch collection has grown, it's rare that any given watch gets more than 3 consecutive days of wrist time, so any time I pick one up, the first thing i do after winding is to set the time!


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

zamazama said:


> I received this Shanghai Day-Date-Month-Moonphase today. This is an absolute stunner. One of the most beautiful watches in my collection. A big watch by my standards, but tiny by the standards of those who like aviator or Panerai-styled dinnerplates...erm I mean watches.
> View attachment 1051274


Very disappointing that it doesn't tell yer the year.

(joke)

Seriously, it's a good looking watch.

Ric


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## snaky59 (Mar 11, 2012)




----------



## arktika1148 (Nov 21, 2010)




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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Hi All,

So I'm safely back in Switzerland after a tough but fruitful business trip to Blighty. My time in London coincided with the St.Pauls funeral of Margaret Thatcher, and the media made a big thing about London being grid-locked, but I didn't see much in the way of a disruption. But then the Docklands area's a city to itself, so maybe things were very different in the more central areas.

Anyways, I decided to wear the Sea-Gull 1963 Reissue today as a celebration of being back home. I totally forgot to take my usual rushed photos before I jumped into my car, but remembered during my commute into Zürich. So I stopped off near the Zürich lake and took these snaps, which broke up the routine nicely.

I quite often vary my route into work after a mate of mine (drunkenly) philosophised that the things that makes modern life so bloody tedious to humans who've spent many millennia of evolution *not* living a modern life are (a) the lack of angry mammoths or wooly rhinos chasing after us and (b) the certainty that home probably hasn't been occupied by a couple of large cave-bears while you've been out and (c) the modern habit of following fixed paths to and from the workplace, school, shops or casino. Fixed habits and fixed paths would have been a bad idea a few thousand years ago, yer sabre-toothed tiger being a natural ambush hunter.

Now most people are quite relaxed about the removal of the mammoth, wooly-rhino and cave-bear threats, other than feeling a vague curiosity that they must have been quite a sight to behold (from a safe distance). So even if we tried to address some of those sources of tedium, there's not much to be done without importing non-wooly equivalents from Africa and letting 'em loose in (say) London or New York. But compelling as that train of thought is, there're enough nay-sayers to make that an unlikely scenario.

But we *can* do something about following all these fixed paths. So Mike (for it was he) proposed that yer should always vary yer way to and from work, even if that variation costs you an extra five minutes of travel time. And if it does, so what if it enriches yer life just a little bit? And these last ten years I've done just that. And discovered all manner of strange neighbourhoods; roads that no one but a local would ever know exist; curious shops hidden down back lanes that survive despite the obvious lack of passing trade. In fact you'd be right in thinking that my path variations are a sort of personal hobby of mine. I've done this in Moscow (for God's sake), Warsaw, Zürich (obviously), London, Manchester, Frankfurt (nothing to see here) and Luxembourg (more to see than you might imagine).

Has this helped relieve the commuting tedium? Yep, it has. Did I avoid being pounced on by a sabre-toothed tiger? Yep,so that's a bonus.

Oh the watch? Ah yes... (ahem): Shiny, innit?

Ric


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Good afternoon fellas!

Parnis Big Pilot, for my Thursday.









*Hey Ric...Nice watch and nice pictures!
*
Have a great day, everyone!
Luís M


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## Willy320 (Apr 7, 2013)

Bagel' milgauss


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## aron (Feb 26, 2009)

CMW moonphase on Tuesday.


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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

Shanghai 7221


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## UhrUmbel (Dec 20, 2012)

Liv Morris 1966 Cologne


----------



## revad (Aug 8, 2010)




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## James Haury (Apr 10, 2008)

My quartz VaLia brand Fleiger style.


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Hello everyone, and I hope you're already having a nice and calm Sunday.

So today I am mostly wearin' this Alpha Paul Newman, aka The Panda. A great looking chronograph for only $150, beat that for value. If someone's starting out on a collection and wants their first chrono at an affordable price, then I'd steer them straight to this watch. And I'll bet you it'll stay in the collection for years, even as tastes (and price point) naturally evolves with growing age.

Still too snowy out there to venture out on my mountain bike, so I'll continue to sit here on the sofa surfing the Internet. And writing this 'ere post. Takes less energy, anyway.

We have *two* birthday celebrations ahead of us today. One's the fiftieth birthday afternoon bash for a close friend, followed by a quick trip to the Old People (grandparents) to drop off the three wise monkeys (the kids) so we can meet up with Frau Capucho's sister (and boyfriend) at a restaurant so we can celebrate *her* birthday. It's going to be a bit right, schedule wise, but after a few beers I won't give too much of a damn for that.

On another tack, I'm expecting a wee flurry of watches to arrive over the next week or so. I've been comparatively "good" recently, so not too much has been delivered recently other than various straps and meshes. Actually, there *is* something that arrived last week, but I'm awaiting a suitable strap before it gets it's world premier. And then there's the downhill too, as I've just started my latest purge on all watches unworn for too long. There's always a *reason* why they remain in the box, so it's a form of Darwinian natural selection, innit.

Right, gotta go as I have a few hours of lazing around to complete.

Ric


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## Will3020 (Aug 28, 2012)




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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

Lushan


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## James Haury (Apr 10, 2008)

This.


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## Martin_B (Apr 11, 2008)

I have been wearing both 'brothers from other mothers' this weekend ;-)










For those who do not like homages, I would have never bought the real thing, if I had not fallen in love with the SeaGull :-!


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## arktika1148 (Nov 21, 2010)




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## Martin_B (Apr 11, 2008)

Still have the DJ vibe going, so today the Beijing:


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Hello everybody!

Today I'm wearing my latest addition, now with a brand new strap Galaxy, from Sectime.








Have a great week, everyone!
Luís M


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## Martin_B (Apr 11, 2008)

Luisão said:


> Hello everybody!
> 
> Today I'm wearing my latest addition, now with a brand new strap Galaxy, from Sectime.
> 
> ...


Once again, great choice of strap :-!


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## Will3020 (Aug 28, 2012)

Gone EAST to the land of Jaragar


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Martin_B said:


> Once again, great choice of strap :-!


Thanks Martin, I appreciate! I am quite satisfied with this choice.

Regards,
Luís M


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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

Shancheng


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Good morning mates!

Today with Jaragar M24, on a mesh Milanese bracelet.








Have a very nice day!
Luís M


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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

Zhufeng


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## Will3020 (Aug 28, 2012)

Parnis Pilot on a deployment clasp


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## pashax (Nov 11, 2012)

Will3020 said:


> Gone EAST to the land of Jaragar
> 
> View attachment 1057013
> View attachment 1057014
> View attachment 1057017


Where can I buy it? :think:


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## Will3020 (Aug 28, 2012)

pashax said:


> Where can I buy it? :think:


Search on eBay - I forget the name of the seller but search under Jaragar. Good luck 

However, it doesn't come with that GW strap. You may want to purchase one later.


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## T-Wan (Jan 2, 2013)

Hi guys ! Since I'm in Shanghai for a couple of weeks so guess what ?... Of course I'm wearing one of my favourite ones (brought some and found more... )


















T.


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## watchcrank_tx (Sep 1, 2012)

This Eyki W8456G perches on my wrist today.









I wish it weren't such a slavish Hamilton copycat (and I liked it better before I realized just how much was copied), because it's really a very nicely built watch, by far the nicest mechanical I've bought new for less than $50 (it was around $25 if I remember correctly). Hacks and hand-winds too. If Eyki made this with an original design, they could conquer the world.

(No wrist shot. Photographer hates and fears the lens of a camera.)


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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

Danyang


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## T-Wan (Jan 2, 2013)

In Shanghai it's now already the 25th, and it's my birthday !... So today I'm wearing this special Shanghai I found around here yesterday (consider it as my own b-day present to myself... )









T.


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## NightOwl (Jan 1, 2012)

Wearing the only Chinese watch in the collection currently.

The PerpetuaL big date is becoming harder to find these days so I'm glad I hung on to mine.


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## watchcrank_tx (Sep 1, 2012)

Happy birthday!


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## hked (Oct 5, 2009)

Happy Birthday and that Shanghai looks pretty cool!



T-Wan said:


> In Shanghai it's now already the 25th, and it's my birthday !... So today I'm wearing this special Shanghai I found around here yesterday (consider it as my own b-day present to myself... )
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## Ruslex (Mar 8, 2013)

watchcrank said:


> This Eyki W8456G perches on my wrist today.
> 
> View attachment 1059852
> 
> ...


That's a beautiful watch!

I can't seem to find that model on ebay, do you happen to have a link?


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## watchcrank_tx (Sep 1, 2012)

Ruslex said:


> That's a beautiful watch!
> 
> I can't seem to find that model on ebay, do you happen to have a link?


I bought it last year from a seller called chenxisen1982 on Ebay for what my records tell me was $23 shipped to the US. Unfortunately, that seller has sold out, but I did find a listing for $29 shipped, in white, black, or brown dials: black fashion date waterproof Auto mechanical leather wrist watch wristwatch

By the way, the indices which look goldish in the photograph are really not yellow in person, they just pick up different tones depending on the light. In normal light, they're the same polished white metal color as the case. So too, the dial is a lighter, greyer cream color in person, but my camera plays some tricks with that color too.


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## zamazama (Feb 7, 2013)

So...my new black dial ZunJue today.

Better photos of it here.


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## Ruslex (Mar 8, 2013)

watchcrank said:


> I bought it last year from a seller called chenxisen1982 on Ebay for what my records tell me was $23 shipped to the US. Unfortunately, that seller has sold out, but I did find a listing for $29 shipped, in white, black, or brown dials: black fashion date waterproof Auto mechanical leather wrist watch wristwatch
> 
> By the way, the indices which look goldish in the photograph are really not yellow in person, they just pick up different tones depending on the light. In normal light, they're the same polished white metal color as the case. So too, the dial is a lighter, greyer cream color in person, but my camera plays some tricks with that color too.


Thanks for the link and info, I'll be buying one soon!

I noticed they said that the case is "imports of durable rhodium plated watch Case", I was wondering if that's actually rhodium plated steel, or stainless steel?


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## watchcrank_tx (Sep 1, 2012)

Ruslex said:


> Thanks for the link and info, I'll be buying one soon!
> 
> I noticed they said that the case is "imports of durable rhodium plated watch Case", I was wondering if that's actually rhodium plated steel, or stainless steel?


The case back looks like stainless steel and says "stainless steel caseback". The rest is probably plated base metal, but the plating is better than I've seen on other cheap watches.

As far as the advertising goes, I don't really pay much attention to claims made by sellers of watches like these, since they will use any phrase in the lexicon in order to get a sale.


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## mleok (Feb 16, 2010)

I'm planning on wearing my Beijing Beihai (1357/2008).


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## Martin_B (Apr 11, 2008)

For me, the Panda today:



regards,

Martin


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Good afternoon fellas!

Today is a holiday here in Portugal, so I'll be wearing my MM homage, by Parnis.








Have a great day everyone!
Luís M


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## watchcrank_tx (Sep 1, 2012)

Parnis marine-style today:









The misaligned numerals and the black date wheel turned me off of this watch for a while, but I'm giving it a second chance. Mayhap I'm starting to like it again. 

(No wrist shot. The lens of a camera is an evil eye which burns with its malevolent glare.)


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## dasmi (Feb 3, 2012)

Looks great on that strap.


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## watchcrank_tx (Sep 1, 2012)

dasmi said:


> Looks great on that strap.


Thank you!  Now if only I could remember where I found that strap. I have NATOs in various shades of beige, tan, light brown, medium brown, etc., but that's the darkest brown NATO I have, and I'd like to find it in other sizes.


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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

Taishan


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## snaky59 (Mar 11, 2012)




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## snaky59 (Mar 11, 2012)

Double post, my apologies


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## T-Wan (Jan 2, 2013)

Hey guys, thanks for the greetings ! (and sorry if I'm unable to give any "like" from my dumb phone...)

Well yesterday if my birthday gently started at 6.am with this special self-gift I bought for myself the day before (that "Wei renmin fuwu/Serve the people" Shanghai watch), I then had a very nice surprise from my fellow taichi students from which I got a another Shanghai watch, w/ black dial, and also unexpectedly from my taichi master who offered me a gorgeous JieFang, for someone had told him I was found of chinese mechanical watches...

The black Shanghai









The Jiefang









and here with an expandable strap (which i like most wearing)









Have a great friday everyone !
T.


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## lam3r (Nov 15, 2012)

watchcrank said:


> I bought it last year from a seller called chenxisen1982 on Ebay for what my records tell me was $23 shipped to the US. Unfortunately, that seller has sold out, but I did find a listing for $29 shipped, in white, black, or brown dials: black fashion date waterproof Auto mechanical leather wrist watch wristwatch
> 
> By the way, the indices which look goldish in the photograph are really not yellow in person, they just pick up different tones depending on the light. In normal light, they're the same polished white metal color as the case. So too, the dial is a lighter, greyer cream color in person, but my camera plays some tricks with that color too.


Oh shoot, they're out of stock on the white one


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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

YanShan


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## watchcrank_tx (Sep 1, 2012)

The full moon crept up on me, so my neighbors are missing a few sheep and house cats, but at least I'm wearing this today to be sure I remember tonight:


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## Skitalets (Oct 22, 2008)

My newly arrived BeiHai:










I know this will be a minority view, but I wish I'd gone straight to this instead of buying a ZhuFeng. The finishing is incredible, and the overall look is very classy.

I also like the flat case back better:










Wish the strap came with a deployment however, instead of Tang buckle.

I also picked up a Beijing pocket watch in the bargain:




























Thanks, Eddie, both watches are fantastic!


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## Pawl_Buster (Mar 12, 2007)

These watches have a special place in my VCM collection. This one was a gift from my friend Thian Wong...:-!


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## snaky59 (Mar 11, 2012)

The PAM homage for my very last day at university, will be starting my career as an engineer soon!


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## dasmi (Feb 3, 2012)

snaky59 said:


> The PAM homage for my very last day at university, will be starting my career as an engineer soon!
> 
> View attachment 1063036


Is that the bracelet that came with it? Where'd you get this watch? I'm...gonna need to get one immediately


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## watchcrank_tx (Sep 1, 2012)

snaky59 said:


> The PAM homage for my very last day at university, will be starting my career as an engineer soon!


Congratulations!


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Good evening guys!

Well, today I come a little late but, as they say, better late than never. So today this one is rocking...










































Have a very nice day (or what is left of it)!
Luís M


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## pashax (Nov 11, 2012)

dasmi said:


> Is that the bracelet that came with it? Where'd you get this watch? I'm...gonna need to get one immediately


j a c k s o n t s e .com/new/product-page.php?product_id=255:-!


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## snaky59 (Mar 11, 2012)

dasmi said:


> Is that the bracelet that came with it? Where'd you get this watch? I'm...gonna need to get one immediately


No, it came on a thick brown leather strap, you can find out all about it here: https://www.watchuseek.com/f72/review-my-new-triconstore-net-luminor-homage-797545.html

As far as the bracelet, I contacted the seller mentioned in the thread above and asked him if he could source one for me with a picture. He told me he could, it cost me 50 or 55 dollars shipped to my house, and the watch itself cost 72 shipped.


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## snaky59 (Mar 11, 2012)

watchcrank said:


> Congratulations!


Thank you, much appreciated!


----------



## MauriceT (Feb 20, 2013)

This was my first mechanical watch after I caught the watch bug. And while we are at it, a shot of the back as well simply because I never get tired looking at a ST19.









Have a great weekend everybody.


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## exitium (Aug 10, 2012)

My Parnis Deepsea on black leather, white stiching today (usually on brown leather)


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## mrw (Oct 12, 2012)

A favorite of mine, one of my early watches. An Alpha Radiomir with a lovely ST19.


----------



## Triton9 (Sep 30, 2011)




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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Good morning all, and I hope you're having a nice start to the weekend.

So today I started pining for a Chinese watch, having worn a stream of Russians for the last few days. I thought about something dressy, after yesterdays's Maranez Layan, but the rainfilled skies of the morning convinced me to reach for a diver of some sort. The nice thing about a diver is that they're fun to photograph wet, and we have plenty of wet to play with today.

So I went for the Beijing Laioning. It's good for 200 metres, has a nice sapphire crystal, and a beautifully shiny case. Should look good with drops of rainwater on it. And indeed it does.

So, I've just spent five minutes outside with my iPhone running the Camera+ app and a quick drip, drip, drop, and then a click, click, click and we're done for the day. Cannot recommend Camera+ enough (by a company called "tap tap tap") as not only is it a far better camera app than the standard "Camera" wot comes with yer iPhone, but it also has amazing post-editing functions. I added the SFX option wot cost me a bit extra, so now have a bunch of special effects that I play with from time to time.

Sorry for the commercial break, folks, but I passionately love the Camera+ app.

The eagle eyed amongst you might have spotted yet another strap change. The plain black strap (that I replaced the standard steel bracelet with) seemed a bit... dull for such a sexy watch. I had this other strap with the white stitching lying about, so tried a quick swap to see how it looks. And I like it. Might not be the last strap change, though, 'cos I'm getting a bit fickle about these things.

These days I buy most of my straps from the German language Amazon (no quibble delivery into Switzerland) that has a resident supplier stocking a huge variety of Rios1931s (o-oh, another commercial break) that I've become quite partial to in me old age. It's the combination of nice leather, proper wrist lining, and perfect, detailed finishing wot does it for me.

(sigh)

Yet again them pesky Germans show the world how to do things right.

Right, I'm off out to dodge the raindrops.

Ric


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## Willy320 (Apr 7, 2013)

Hi,Jaragar "montblanc" ,in test because the rotor type on the screw inside...:roll:


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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

Huichun (Return of Spring )


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## T-Wan (Jan 2, 2013)

Today off training. Leaving Shanghai for a short trip back and forth to Suzhou... and of course wearing this vintage Suzhou as well.



















T.


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## arktika1148 (Nov 21, 2010)




----------



## CCCP (Jul 1, 2006)




----------



## jald (Jul 20, 2011)

AlbertaTime said:


> On the bus from today Peace River to Edmonton...and tomorrow Edmonton to Vancouver _to Shanghai_!  I'll be in China for a month this time. This (very accurate, as it happens) Maanshan world-timer will be my usual daily wearer while I'm there.


Like the watch & the straop with the spanish flag ;O)


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Hello World.

No improvement in the weather, so I'm sticking with dive watches until further notice. This time the Sea-Gull Sea Dragon, which is from a special edition series of watches commissioned by Sea-Gull USA.

Mine's number 131 of 800 (I cunningly read this on the case back where it sez "131/800") which makes me wonder if Sea-Gull USA's only sold 131 or so of the buggahs so far? Could It be that they've had so few sales of this *handsome* watch, even at the bargain price of $260 a pop? (And $260 *is* a bargain for this beauty) Or is there some sort of random process for allocating a number to a new buyer? Which ever one comes out of the crate first?

Anyways...

Sea-Gull USA also commissioned the $200 Wuyi special edition more or less at the same time. I didn't go for that watch, lovely as it is, for reasons that'll become clearer in the next couple of weeks. But my usual "will I, or won't I?" assessment of the Wuyi did make me wonder at the costs that this watch-making business involves. The Sea-Gull USA website says that the Wuyi's similarly limited, in this case to 500 watches. So that's 1,300 special edition watches in total, and, assuming the manufacturing costs are about 50% (some sort of industry rule, one hears) that makes, erm erm... (hastily counting on fingers) that makes $50,000 cost for the Wuyi series and an eye-popping $104,000 cost for the 800 Sea Dragons. Now I don't know how much money Sea-Gull makes in the USA, but I can well imagine that there isn't a Porsche or Bentley parked outside of their offices. A hundred and fifty grand is A LOT OF MONEY, and that's with proper industry levels of Minimum Order Quantities.

Yes, the gross profit margin is likely the same, but there wasn't a queue of 1,300 people outside the shop waiting to snap up each and every watch when they first arrived. Most remain in their boxes for many months, and, in some cases, many years.

It's a scary proposition. To me.

Yes, watches don't rot (like food) or quickly fall out of fashion (like clothes) so they can happily sit on that shelf for a decade before the oils in their innards start to dry out. But nevertheless, someone as brainwashed as I am to the virtues of minimal inventory find the notion terrifying. I once had an in depth chat with a restaurateur (my half-brother, actually) about why bottles of wine in restaurants typically cost 2-3 times as much as the same bloody bottle bought from the local supermarket. He made the valid point that any restaurant with a decently sized wine list has around €10,000 tied up in wine (Whassat? $15,000? Eek!) but only sells (if they're lucky) fifty bottles per week. Ergo, most of that €10,000 is sat around doing nothing. And that sounds to me like the watch business. And then I think back to those tens of thousands of watch dealers and jewellers, each with their hundreds of watches on display, and wonder how many get sold per week, and how many just sit there in the window for months or years.

All in all, this mental exercise makes me respect the boutique watch-makers even more. Not only do they make wonderful watches for a variety of tastes and price points, but they do so in an industry where the only thing that hurts more than meeting the upfront costs needed to meet the large MOQs is the pile of dead money lying around in the form of unsold stock.

How do they do it? Likely by not buying a Porsche or Bentley either. Why do they do it? Because they love it. Would I recommend anyone to join 'em? Hell, no. Madness. Barking at the moon levels of irresponsibility to even think about it.

Now I just need that hundred and fifty grand...

Ric


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## T. Wong (Apr 5, 2006)

the 55th anniversary model still gets wrist time...what a great designed watch...ST6 in it, I think..


large dial by thianwong1, on Flickr


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## chris.ph (Nov 20, 2012)

im wearing this today and i really like the look of it


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## supersong115 (Jun 15, 2011)

My late grandfather's Shanghai 7120 201 today


----------



## Pawl_Buster (Mar 12, 2007)

GMT...


----------



## T-Wan (Jan 2, 2013)

Today wearing this very nice vintage Dongfeng 'Tianjin'.


















T.


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## James Haury (Apr 10, 2008)

My Alpha Mil Sub on a silicone rubber strap. Not Gangham but bracelet style.


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Good morning all.

So today I've gone for the Beijing ZunJue, this one being the black dial version.

Yet again I've tried to capture the magic of the black textured dial, and yet again I've failed dismally. I can only recommend you somehow get your hands on one and see for yourself. Sadly, one's heard that they're no longer being produced and that very very few have found their way to the West. So that leaves a few residual watches hanging about on TaoBao (http://shop36355170.taobao.com and about $290, if you *really* must know) or pure, blind serendipity. A 40mm case combined with a mere 9mm thickness, and *that's* with a nicely domed sapphire; nothing demonstrates the packaging virtues of a handwind movement than a watch of these proportions.

Me likee.

So now I have a bit of a nail-biting week or three ahead of me. I have an incoming package courtesy of TaoBaoNow which I can't wait to get my hands on. Then there's a certain watch that I bought "in need of attention" that's with my tame and unflappable watchmender; he's backed up at the moment, but there's no reason to switch to another mender because *flexible* watchmenders are like hen's teeth here in Switzerland. Oh, and I have five (five!) watches for sale on Ebay right now which hopefully should readdress the watch balance of payments. A bit. Lastly (and most galling) I have another "certain watch" still marooned at my Dear Old Mum's place in the UK. Been there for a couple of months, and likely to remain there for another two months at least. For some reason there's no traffic coming between Manchester and Zürich at the moment, so there it must remain if I'm to avoid being nailed for an extra 20% for Swiss import tax; and this one wasn't cheap.

(sigh)

Right, that's me for now. Have a great day.

Ric


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## Martin_B (Apr 11, 2008)

Steel Bagel for me today 


Regards,

Martin


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## Willy320 (Apr 7, 2013)

Hello
Soki homage ?
great watch (best finition than sub'like)
nice reflet blue/violet,cadran nacre...|>

sorry for the reflet light (12/2)


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## gobbi (Apr 25, 2009)

Monday is an important working day in the office, where you need to stay organized and focused. Seagull does help with that


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## Will3020 (Aug 28, 2012)

Winner automatic to brighten the day


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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

T-Wan said:


> Today off training. Leaving Shanghai for a short trip back and forth to Suzhou... and of course wearing this vintage Suzhou as well.
> 
> T.


Great pattern on the dial. :-! Can you tell me which garden is in your picture?


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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

Sea-Gull ST5


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## snaky59 (Mar 11, 2012)

Enjoying a good book, and the view!


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Good evening guys!

I went to my family doctor today, for my annual chek-up, and I took my Sub homage.







Have a nice day everyone!
Luís M


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## Skitalets (Oct 22, 2008)

BeiHai again today.


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## T-Wan (Jan 2, 2013)

Hi, wake up guys, here in Shanghai we're already Tuesday !
Today'll be wearing my recent b-day gifted Jiefang (which means "set free")



















T.


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Good morning fellow watch fans.

So here we have the luscious Beijing BeiHai wot was winking prettily at me when I opened up the watch box this morning. Actually, there were a bunch of winsome watches in there, but this is the one that flirted with me the most. Where do I start with the BeiHai? Is it the crisply folded restaurant napkin look of the dial? Is it the contrast between the silver sword hands and the black sub-second hand? Is it the single arabic twelve or the shark's maw of the applied markers? The hints of "pagoda" to the design of the lugs? Or am I really so very shallow that it's the view of the gloriously lovely SB18 movement through the peek-a-boo window at the back?

All of 'em, and more, so I'm only partly shallow.

I won't press yer to buy one as anyone who reads this post already *has* a BeiHai, or has considered one then discounted the notion for some good reason, I'm sure. But if you *are* that one in a thousand that hasn't heard of the BeiHai until now, and you're feeling as captivated as I was when I first saw it, then you'd better put your skates on. This is a limited edition celebrating the Beijing Watch Factory's first half-century since they opened their doors in 1958-2008 (hence a production run of 2008 watches, geddit?). I'm hearing that supplies are now very very low... and in fact Beijing is so confident that their inventory are low enough that they've recently launched a series production "BeiHai" with an automatic movement (no SB18 inside!) and of course the thicker case necessary to accommodate the rotor.

Meanwhile the bunch of Beijing beauties I already have leaves me with a bit of a problem as to what I should lust after next? Do Beijing have something coming out that I should know about, and if so, what on earth could it be that's not already been perfectly covered by the BeiHai, the even more beautiful ZhuFeng, the ZunDa sports watches, the also lovely ZunJue or the Liaoning diver? A chronograph, perhaps? An alarm? Let 'em try it, and I'll... take a good look, and if I like 'em I'll snap 'em up.

Meanwhile I'll continue to explore what Beijing's been up to during that first fifty years. You already know about the Shuangling 20 Zuan that bewitched me a couple of months ago, and WUS has *plenty* of posts showing more breathtaking wonderful examples of Shuanglings and Double Rhombs (both Beijing brands from the past). Oh and of course I have incoming a...

Hush, Ric, hush.

Today's about the BeiHai; the third most beautiful object in the Solar System.

Ric


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## zamazama (Feb 7, 2013)

Shanghai day-date-month-moonphase.

Pity it's missing a Mayan calendar. Apart from that it'll do...nicely!


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## Will3020 (Aug 28, 2012)

Taking out the Parnis for some sun


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## Luisão (Feb 11, 2012)

Good afternoon to you all!

Today I'm wearing this, but as my wife today had a sudden, "cleaning attack", just because tomorrow, come to our house for the first time, my son's girlfriend. So my wife asked for my "precious" help, in cleaning the house, because women's on these occasions, always think that the house is never clean as well. It have to be "immaculate", so I had to give my contribution in these so-called, cleanings (I was coerced and blackmailed, of course!), and obviously, on occasions had to take off the watch to be able to clean better. Dear me, I prefer to clean the cars, or my beloved watches!







Have a great day everyone!
Luís M


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## saskwatch (Sep 17, 2010)

DongFeng


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## goTomek (Feb 19, 2013)




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## arktika1148 (Nov 21, 2010)




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## zamazama (Feb 7, 2013)

Rodina black dial. Sorry the photo's pretty crappy when compared to the actual watch. The lines are a lot cleaner and the contrasts stronger in reality.


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## Ric Capucho (Oct 5, 2012)

Hello World.

So this is what was waiting for me yesterday evening when I returned home from the office. Tis a Shuangling 40 Zuan (obviously) with a red dial.

Now I have to make a few points about this watch before I go rambling off into one of my digressions.

I've decided to call it a Shuangling 'cos of the two interlocked diamonds on the dial. They're technically wot the Chinese watch freaks call a "double rhomb", which in Mandarin comes out as Shuangling. The watch was produced by my beloved Beijing Watch Factory back in the 1980s when they used "Shuangling" as their branding for the Chinese home market. And for export they used (you guessed it) "Double Rhomb". But as this watch has no brand name printed, I could just as easily call it a "Beijing" and still be correct. Anyways, I decided on "Shuangling" and a Shuangling it'll be until someone better qualified than me wags their finger.

It's also got that red dial, of course. Now here I'm on shaky ground as I believe red dials were more of a fashion during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976, according to Wikipedia) which was well and truly over (thank god) by the 1980s. For understandable reasons (they look dynamite) red dial vintage watches in good condition from the Cultural Revolution era are like hen's teeth. I scoured TaoBao high and low but couldn't bring myself to buy the few ragged examples I could find. But there *are* some later era red dials about, so I faced facts and went for one of those. And I chose *this* particular watch because the combination of red dial and gold markers and hands took my breath away.

But that's only half the story: this is the *only* watch I've ever bought *specifically* because it's an automatic (I prefer handwinds, as a rule). I have no idea why the watch movement needs to have 40 jewels in there, but the automatic movements produced by Beijing have more rocks inside than the Crown Jewels. But the fact that China could design and create their own indigenous automatic movement (this is no ETA clone) is something for Beijing to be rightly proud of. So of course I decided that I'd have to acquire a "40 Zuan" *sometime*, so when I realised the red dial beauty I'd found on TaoBao had this movement... well, Capucho's don't do delayed gratification.

So (wincing at the price) I snapped the buggah up.

Well, after a lot less than twenty four hours I found that so far that the condition is far better than I expected from the soft-focus TaoBao photos, and it's reasonably accurate. The red dial changes tone with changing light, but then I've come to expect that of Chinese vintage watches; it's wot they do. And after whipping various straps off almost every watch I own, I've found that it looks *amazing* on a reddish strap (the poor Sea-Gull 1963 Reissue will have to live on a brown strap for now). Oh, and there's a bit of crystal glue smeared on the acrylic that no amount of rubbing with Colgate is shifting. Shall get around to taking it to my trusty watchmender and he'll sort it out.

Am I pleased with myself? Yup. Did I pay too much? Yup. Should this watch be in a museum? Erm, probably. But I'll look after it, wear it carefully, and make sure it's preserved for the future.

Me very very very happee.

Ric


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## Rdenney (Dec 24, 2012)

Rick "taking a break" Denney


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## OhDark30 (Oct 2, 2012)

Afternoon change for May Day


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