# Stingray II is live!



## clouser (Apr 22, 2008)

I just got an email saying that ordering of the Stingray II started at 10am EST today. There are aluminum and acrylic inlay options, but it looks like a date dial is the only option. I didn't see an option for no date.

It looks like delivery will be next month.


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## Semper Jeep (Jan 11, 2013)

It's nice to see an MKII watch get launched without a 10+ month lead time!


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## Knoc (Feb 10, 2012)

Would have jumped on this if I didnt have the Tornek.


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## reluctantsnowman (Jan 5, 2017)

Placed an order at 9.59

Hope I get that Erika 

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## TheMeasure (Jul 8, 2013)

Whoa that was a little unexpected. Didn’t think it would be so close to the last TR release. That’s cool as I’m sure some who missed the last TR release might opt for these. Was hoping the Stingray might have a polished case and a fully indexed bezel. Always liked the 12-3-6-9 dials in the BP FF too. But given how similar it is to the TR probably makes production a little easier. Different dial and hands. It will look killer on that Erika’s.


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## TheMeasure (Jul 8, 2013)

Double post…


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## Ryeguy (Jun 24, 2009)

I just grabbed one. This will be my first MKii, so I am eager to see how it stacks up.


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## reluctantsnowman (Jan 5, 2017)

Ryeguy said:


> I just grabbed one. This will be my first MKii, so I am eager to see how it stacks up.


You wont be disappointed

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## *2112 (Feb 11, 2006)

I'm sort of glad there's only a date option as now I'm not tempted lol


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## ScottH (Feb 18, 2007)

I’ve been away from the watch world for a while but I jumped on this when I got the email this morning. I had an original Stingray that I never should have sold and was also one of the original eight(?) buyers for the TR but had to back out of to fund my brother’s wedding. Still wound up with a Sea Fighter that I sold last year. Anyway, I’m psyched for this version and hope I get on the list for the strap. Funny thing is that I was just about to order a Captain Willard and an Erica’s strap some time this week when I had a minute. Probably still get it too!


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## Ryeguy (Jun 24, 2009)

reluctantsnowman said:


> Placed an order at 9.59
> 
> Hope I get that Erika
> 
> Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk


Please let us know if you get the EO strap! 

I’m hopeful as well, but only cautiously optimistic as my order went in about 40 minutes after yours. Given the last TR pre order sold out in 2 minutes, it is equally likely I missed the cut.


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## boatswain (Sep 4, 2014)

Looks fantastic!

Dragged my heels too long. Nuts.


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## reluctantsnowman (Jan 5, 2017)

Is it sold out already? the Al ones shows sold out.. The ac ones are still available, but it shows ordering reopen in june


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## reluctantsnowman (Jan 5, 2017)

Ryeguy said:


> Please let us know if you get the EO strap!
> 
> I’m hopeful as well, but only cautiously optimistic as my order went in about 40 minutes after yours. Given the last TR pre order sold out in 2 minutes, it is equally likely I missed the cut.


I am 25545.. What is yours? (Assuming there are some accessory orders in between as well)


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## Ryeguy (Jun 24, 2009)

reluctantsnowman said:


> I am 25545.. What is yours? (Assuming there are some accessory orders in between as well)


I am 25569, so only 24 orders in between ours. Looks like I may have shot! My fingers are crossed. 

I do really like Erika's straps. I have a few from her and admittedly tried a couple knock-offs to try to save a few dollars, but Erika's are truly the best.


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## reluctantsnowman (Jan 5, 2017)

Ryeguy said:


> I am 25569, so only 24 orders in between ours. Looks like I may have shot! My fingers are crossed.
> 
> I do really like Erika's straps. I have a few from her and admittedly tried a couple knock-offs to try to save a few dollars, but Erika's are truly the best.


They sure are.. I should know, I own like 6 of them lol


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## boatswain (Sep 4, 2014)

Seems they are back in stock but longer lead time of ten weeks. So maybe small batch sales and releases right now.


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## YODAHAWK (May 20, 2006)

Ryeguy said:


> I just grabbed one. This will be my first MKii, so I am eager to see how it stacks up.


This will be my first also. Always wanted a Yao but they were always sold out. My build is 10 weeks out. I was going to order yesterday when they were only put 2-3 weeks. Very stoked to finally lay my hands on a MKII. I remember when Bill started out modding Seikos. He’s come a long way since then.


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## YODAHAWK (May 20, 2006)

BYW - my order # was 25626


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## Mhutch (Apr 6, 2014)

Jumped on this as soon as I noticed the email (order #25593). Very excited to add this one to the rotation.


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## MrDagon007 (Sep 24, 2012)

I ordered it on the excellent Biwi rubber strap. Would be fun to have an Erika strap as well, though frankly the watch would then tower pretty high above the wrist.


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## Ryeguy (Jun 24, 2009)

MrDagon007 said:


> I ordered it on the excellent Biwi rubber strap. Would be fun to have an Erika strap as well, though frankly the watch would then tower pretty high above the wrist.


While I typically like rubber straps (and I have an ISO ready to try on mine when it arrives), I'm thinking I might sacrifice the height caused by a NATO / MN in order to eliminate the "strap gap" made more noticeable by these longer lugs.

Short lugged cushion case divers (Doxa, Eterna, Seiko, etc.) work great with rubber. 

This watch may make me finally try one of those Benetto Cinturini rubber NATO's as they seemingly offer the best of both worlds - the security of a NATO with the quick drying comfort of natural rubber. I have shoulder-less spring bars waiting for this purpose.


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## YODAHAWK (May 20, 2006)

Did you guys read that the case back is curved to sit better on the wrist? Very interested in seeing what that looks like.


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## TheMeasure (Jul 8, 2013)

YODAHAWK said:


> Did you guys read that the case back is curved to sit better on the wrist? Very interested in seeing what that looks like.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


It will look like this. Pics are of the TR but the Stingray shares the same case, bezel and crown.


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## Ryeguy (Jun 24, 2009)

reluctantsnowman said:


> They sure are.. I should know, I own like 6 of them lol


My order made the cut, so it looks like you’ll be rocking EO #7! 

I’m looking forward to seeing the photos of these when they begin to be delivered.


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## reluctantsnowman (Jan 5, 2017)

Ryeguy said:


> My order made the cut, so it looks like you’ll be rocking EO #7!
> 
> I’m looking forward to seeing the photos of these when they begin to be delivered.


Hurray.. 3 weeks, i got my order in too


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## YODAHAWK (May 20, 2006)

TheMeasure said:


> It will look like this. Pics are of the TR but the Stingray shares the same case, bezel and crown.


Thanks!


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## Hogan (Dec 19, 2006)

So it's basically a TR-660 without a ghost date position and different hands?


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## Randy9999 (Sep 6, 2010)

TheMeasure said:


>



*Actually, the stock crown for the original Tornek-Rayville TR-900 looks like this instead:*


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## TheMeasure (Jul 8, 2013)

Randy9999 said:


> *Actually, the stock crown for the original Tornek-Rayville TR-900 looks like this instead:*
> View attachment 16399037


You are correct however I couldn’t find any crown profile shots with that crown. I actually wish the 660 had that style crown but at the size it is on the 660. The original crown looks dainty to me. The pic I found also made it easier for me to blend the two images. 










Cheers!


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## TheMeasure (Jul 8, 2013)

Hogan said:


> So it's basically a TR-660 without a ghost date position and different hands?


More or less. Different dial and handset with a date.


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## YODAHAWK (May 20, 2006)

Anybody get theirs yet?


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## Ryeguy (Jun 24, 2009)

YODAHAWK said:


> Anybody get theirs yet?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


Nothing yet for me. The last note I received from MK II suggested March 4th as the shipping date. 

This date seems legit as I haven’t traveled in 2 years and of course my first trip since the pandemic has me out of town that week.


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## TheMeasure (Jul 8, 2013)

Quick update on MKII’s IG.


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## reluctantsnowman (Jan 5, 2017)

My status shows preparing for shipment. I am a literal stones throw away. Hoping to getting it early next week


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## YODAHAWK (May 20, 2006)

reluctantsnowman said:


> My status shows preparing for shipment. I am a literal stones throw away. Hoping to getting it early next week


Yehas! Pics when you get it please.


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## Ryeguy (Jun 24, 2009)

I’m not even looking at my status as I am 2,000 miles away from my home right now. I can’t believe I haven’t traveled in two years and my first trip coincides with my watch delivery. 

At least my ship-to is my business address where I have people who will sign for the package. 

It‘s kind of ironic - after all that I’ve heard about delays with MKII orders, my delay is completely self inflicted!


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## clarencek (Mar 25, 2008)

Got mine today. Comes with a cool buckle. 
Very similar to the TR-660. Just different dial and handset. 
I got the acrylic bezel version.


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## YODAHAWK (May 20, 2006)

Looks good my friend!


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## boatswain (Sep 4, 2014)

Nice! Congrats!

Sweet buckle but also interesting too they are mixing the MKII and Tornek branding. I understand why of course with these models.


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## redhed18 (Mar 23, 2013)

Anyone tried ordering an EO strap with the MKII logo buckle for their current MKII watch? (whichever model you have)

All Erika should require is Bill's blessing, so it'd be nice if he gives her that go ahead. 
No harm to him, and more 🔥 for the gram.


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## Ryeguy (Jun 24, 2009)

Just arrived. 

It wears very well on the Erika’s strap. For those who missed out on the early buyers’ special offer, I would definitely recommend it as a future purchase. It really fits this case design well. 

This is my first MKii watch and my initial impressions are very positive. 

I’m especially liking the acrylic bezel insert. It looks great and the bezel action is nice and firm with deliberate clicks and no slop. 

The crown is easy to manipulate due to its size, but it sits high enough off the wrist to be comfortable. 

I’ll wear it a bit to get past the honeymoon period, but so far I’m really liking this one!


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## boatswain (Sep 4, 2014)

Ryeguy said:


> View attachment 16483403
> 
> 
> Just arrived.
> ...


Awesome!!

Looks great Ryeguy! 

That’s great to hear about the bezel action. If I recall right I think I read some reviews on the Tornek Rayville cousin that said the bezel
Action was a bit soft and vague. I could be wrong on that and owners here can certainly correct me. Or perhaps MKII changed something up in the bezel action for the Stingray. 

Keep the pics and thoughts coming

What size is your wrist? The fit looks very good.


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## Ryeguy (Jun 24, 2009)

boatswain said:


> Awesome!!
> 
> Looks great Ryeguy!
> 
> ...


Interesting on the T-R bezel action report. I think a lot of it comes down to personal perspectives, really. 

My biggest concern was slop. Its a pet peeve of mine when a bezel can wiggle between click positions and there is none of that with the Stingray. It clicks and falls cleanly into place with no wiggle at all.

When I spin the bezel extremely slowly, I can hear a very slight tone difference between the clicks, so I am wondering if this bezel is using the Seiko style flat spring with two tabs. The bezel isn't difficult to turn (as I worried about given the minimalist teeth design), but it's deliberate enough to not likely be accidentally spun from brushing up against something. Maybe the tabs were angled up a bit more on the Stingray than on the T-R? That would allow for a common design yet a different bezel feel? 

I guess we'll have to wait until someone with both watches offers a comparison.

My wrist is a pretty average 7 inches, but more rectangular in shape than round. I think this watch should fit most folks pretty well (especially those who are used to wearing dive watches).


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## boatswain (Sep 4, 2014)

Thanks!

Great description of the action. 

Enjoy!


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## Ryeguy (Jun 24, 2009)

I’m gonna keep posting my awful cell phone shots until someone with real photography skills gets theirs and takes over!

I think it is safe to say that I’m enjoying this watch.


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## boatswain (Sep 4, 2014)

Ryeguy said:


> View attachment 16484979
> 
> 
> I’m gonna keep posting my awful cell phone shots until someone with real photography skills gets theirs and takes over!
> ...


They are Good enough for me


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## Deacfan (Jul 2, 2018)

Got an email this afternoon saying mine should be shipped 3/12. Just in time for March Madness!


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## Ryeguy (Jun 24, 2009)

Making good on my threat to continue posting my crappy cell phone pics! Still really enjoying this watch. 

As a side note, I’m liking the acrylic bezel insert more and more, even over my other watches with sapphire bezel inserts. 

The numbers under a sapphire bezel insert appear almost flat, like a photograph behind a glass frame. The numbers under the acrylic almost appear a bit raised (like a 3-D effect).

Some might argue a sapphire insert would be more robust, but I’ve also seen them crack and shatter with even a slight impact. 

Given this, I’m wondering if acrylic might actually be the better bezel insert material as it will scratch, but not likely to shatter.


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## boatswain (Sep 4, 2014)

I think the 3D numerals on the acrylic insert are one of the coolest things about these watches. 

Hopefully it stands up well and doesn’t suffer major scratches that can’t be polished out. 

And I’ll be that guy……how the lume ?


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## Ryeguy (Jun 24, 2009)

boatswain said:


> I think the 3D numerals on the acrylic insert are one of the coolest things about these watches.
> 
> Hopefully it stands up well and doesn’t suffer major scratches that can’t be polished out.
> 
> And I’ll be that guy……how the lume ?


LOL - "That guy"! I have a patch for my son's hat that says "that guy". It's very appropriate for him.

OK- honest answer is good, not great. To me, "great" are my Seiko divers and a few micros I've owned in the past (Helson, Tactico, etc.). This is a few steps behind those torches, but still adequate.

If you think of a Seiko diver (Shogun, MM 300, etc.) as a "10", this is an "8". I think a lot of this is due to the comparatively smaller lume plots on the dial and the relatively thinner hands (with correspondingly less room to hold lume paint).

For another comparison example, using the same scale as above, my Synchron Military is probably only a "6". This was kind of surprising and a bit disappointing as one would assume the much broader hand design would hold more lume material, but I still really enjoy that watch as well.


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## boatswain (Sep 4, 2014)

Thanks!

8/10 makes sense as you described. 

I’m also curious what exactly “arclite” lume is?

I suspect it’s top grade X1 C1(day white/ night green) SLN. Perhaps MKII is just rebranding it to sound more exciting, or maybe it is a new and different type of lume. 

C1 generally has a bad rap but since going to the x1 grade of it it seems to have improved markedly. CW watches probably most notably now use X1 C1 on their divers. And those have improved a lot since they used lower grades of C1.


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## Ryeguy (Jun 24, 2009)

Back to the sapphire versus acrylic bezel insert thing, Demo (Image credit to Demo who is a much better photographer than I'll every be) just posted a really good photo of his Synchron Military that helps illustrates the difference between a well done sapphire insert and a well done acrylic insert.









You can see how the bezel numbers and indices appear almost "flat" and all on one plane versus in my photo above the bezel markings appear raised off the black surface of the bezel. Definitely a cool effect with the acrylic bezel insert.

Again, I own and enjoy my Synchron Military, so I'm not knocking it at all. I was just surprised about how noticeable the visual difference was.


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## Ryeguy (Jun 24, 2009)

I promise you guys are going to get tired of my crappy photos! 

Since “That Guy” asked about lume, I snapped a quick photo as I walked inside the office this morning.









Sorry for the blurry image - I was juggling a computer bag, coffee, and cell phone. 

While not crazy bright, it certainly passes the “walk into a dim room” test.


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## Ryeguy (Jun 24, 2009)

Might as well finish the week strong with another poor quality cell phone pic.









I think the collective forum is united in looking forward to some of you much better photographers out there receiving your watches!


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## boatswain (Sep 4, 2014)

Nah! Yours are great! 

And beggars can’t be choosers!

Seems these are trickling out very slowly.


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## Ryeguy (Jun 24, 2009)

I knew ya’ll would miss me if I didn’t post a crappy cell phone pic today. 

Here is an example of Ryeguy being uncharacteristically sophisticated.


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## boatswain (Sep 4, 2014)

Ryeguy said:


> View attachment 16496374
> 
> View attachment 16496375
> 
> ...


Still looking good. Even when sophisticated 

Seems you’ve settled in with the Erikas, what other strap did you get with it? Considering a strap change or running with the Erika’s for the long haul?

No doubt the Stingray will be the proverbial strap monster.


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## Ryeguy (Jun 24, 2009)

boatswain said:


> Still looking good. Even when sophisticated
> 
> Seems you’ve settled in with the Erikas, what other strap did you get with it? Considering a strap change or running with the Erika’s for the long haul?
> 
> No doubt the Stingray will be the proverbial strap monster.


I ordered mine with the tan NATO option, but yes, I have settled in with the Erika’s. They are just very comfortable from day one. No break in required. 

This watch has such an austere /military aesthetic to it, I think you kind of need the similar themed strap to pair with it. If I were to put a different strap on it, it would probably be another Erika’s, just in a different color. She does offer bead blasted hardware, so you can match the case. 

I have a black Isofrane I might try with it, but it may not work well given the longer lugs of this case design (maybe too much “strap gap”).


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## TheMeasure (Jul 8, 2013)

Ryeguy said:


> ….
> This watch has such an austere /military aesthetic to it, I think you kind of need the similar themed strap to pair with it...


I feel the same way about the TR. It looks good on a lot of straps but my favorite combos are the ones that compliment the military vibe.


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## Deacfan (Jul 2, 2018)

Although it was delayed a bit by bad weather, my Stingray arrived today in good order and neatly packed. In these days of sloppy packaging, it is a treat to get something that was carefully packaged. Outstanding! (I like the watch,too!) Best, Johnny


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## Ryeguy (Jun 24, 2009)

^^^^ Nice! You know what they say, “pics or it didn’t happen!”

I hope you can live up to the high standards I set for photographic excellence 😁


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## Bob1087 (Mar 29, 2012)

Here’s my Stingray


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## Ryeguy (Jun 24, 2009)

Bob1087 said:


> Here’s my Stingray
> View attachment 16502712
> View attachment 16502714


Nice, but I don’t have the wrists for a 45Kmm Stingray.


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## MrDagon007 (Sep 24, 2012)

Mine arrived today. Handsome and perfectionist as usual though as I mentioned elsewhere, I find it wearing quite thick, and that’s without a dual layer nato below it.


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## Ryeguy (Jun 24, 2009)

MrDagon007 said:


> Mine arrived today. Handsome and perfectionist as usual though as I mentioned elsewhere, I find it wearing quite thick, and that’s without a dual layer nato below it.


Interesting you feel it wears somewhat thick for its diameter.

I had not made this observation, but then again, I tend to wear dive watches which are thick simply by their nature. As I swap between this and my MM300, for example, the Stingray II feels slim by comparison.

My yardstick for the "overly thick for the diameter" perception is my old Hamilton Khaki Chrono. It is only 38mm in diameter, yet runs the Val 7750 movement which is pretty thick.

It is a pretty thick watch.


















I still really like the fat little guy!


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