A modern but vintage looking skin diver - WMT Blackfin

rcs914 · Feb 5, 2021

I happened upon this yesterday when I was looking at a different watch they produce:

And I've immediately been smitten. A modern skin diver, with vintage looking lume, hands, a bakelite looking coin edge bezel, 38mm, etc. A total wow in my book. It's currently just under $500 on sale, which unfortunately is still outside a range I can just throw down for it at this time, but damn do I want to.

https://www.wmtwatches.com/product/...rap-early-bird-shipping-date-end-of-nov-2020/

As an aside one of my pet peeves is that while there is no shortage of reasonably well made cheap stainless steel dive watches out there available, the vast majority of them are Rolex or Omega "homage" watches. Endless piles of them all over ebay and elsewhere, and I've wondered why some of these producers don't come up with something that isn't a direct knock off - hell, even just a change away from the Mercedes hands would help. There are so many of these Skin Diver watches from the 60s that are all essentially the same looking with names long dead - I'm totally ok with the idea of a company producing a whole line of them for the prices that the "Homage" watches sell for (IE less than the $500 that this is).

This one though is really a knockout to me.

rcs914 · Feb 5, 2021

@JwRosenthal I know you are a skin diver fan - what are your thoughts on this one? Part of me is salivating at getting it, and the other part of me is like "well I could probably get 2 decent vintage ones for that price".

JwRosenthal · Feb 5, 2021

rcs914
@JwRosenthal I know you are a skin diver fan - what are your thoughts on this one? Part of me is salivating at getting it, and the other part of me is like "well I could probably get 2 decent vintage ones for that price".

It’s good looking and they got the size about right- albeit it’s a touch thicker than something like the Helbros which would be the closest to this at 13mm thick and 37mn case size. I think they went a little too far with the fauxtina on the indices, looks like they dipped them in Carmel. That said, at arms length it probably would look about right. The seiko is a workhorse and on par with anything mid-line Swiss of the 60’s- in fact I would dare to say probably better than an FHF or UTC like those used in many of the old divers.
I think $500 is about what you would pay for a Helbros, Tradition, Bel-Air Seapearl with a fresh service, so it would be modern and reliable versus vintage and...well, vintage.
I would put this in the same camp with the Baltic Aquascaphe, but $300 less (with the BOR)- but they are just different enough to be different.

It’s a nice watch, if I didn’t want to dick around looking for a vintage piece (and buying 5 until you get the one you actually like- ask me how I know), then this would scratch an itch.

JwRosenthal · Feb 5, 2021

Oh, and the days of an all stainless, good looking 60’s diver for under $350 left the building about 6 months ago- thank you Covid.

amcclell · Feb 5, 2021

Looks terrific on the BOR - vintage look without the service hassles.

rcs914 · Feb 5, 2021

JwRosenthal
It’s good looking and they got the size about right- albeit it’s a touch thicker than something like the Helbros which would be the closest to this at 13mm thick and 37mn case size. I think they went a little too far with the fauxtina on the indices, looks like they dipped them in Carmel. That said, at arms length it probably would look about right. The seiko is a workhorse and on par with anything mid-line Swiss of the 60’s- in fact I would dare to say probably better than an FHF or UTC like those used in many of the old divers.
I think $500 is about what you would pay for a Helbros, Tradition, Bel-Air Seapearl with a fresh service, so it would be modern and reliable versus vintage and...well, vintage.
I would put this in the same camp with the Baltic Aquascaphe, but $300 less (with the BOR)- but they are just different enough to be different.

It’s a nice watch, if I didn’t want to dick around looking for a vintage piece (and buying 5 until you get the one you actually like- ask me how I know), then this would scratch an itch.

The blue gilt Baltic has been on my list for a LONG time, but yeah, $750 is really outside my current price range. And I actually like the look of the WMT more strangely.

JwRosenthal · Feb 5, 2021

rcs914
The blue gilt Baltic has been on my list for a LONG time, but yeah, $750 is really outside my current price range. And I actually like the look of the WMT more strangely.

I agree, the WMT does look like something that would have been made in the 60’s whereas the Baltic looks like something that could have. For $500 it’s a nice watch- if you don’t have a craving for a real vintage piece. If you are trying to satiate a vintage craving, then hold out- otherwise you will still be hunting and eventually this will get sold.

Scarecrow Boat · Feb 5, 2021

JwRosenthal
I think they went a little too far with the fauxtina

I think they went too far as well. On their website they dusted the dial with a texture to make it look aged and from this picture, you can see they faux corroded the metal on the three hands in addition to the caramel on the indices. I will tip my hat to them as they made consistency a priority with the "aging." I like their effort and a part of me does like it but I also feel it's over the top for a brand new watch.

Screen Shot 2021-02-05 at 1.07.16 PM.png

rcs914 · Feb 5, 2021

When I factor in the cost of any service on these old watches, the value of buying a modern "vintage" one definitely goes up. Like I said in the thread for a few years now I've wanted the Baltic - really wanted it. Not enough to bother trying to liquidate anything to get it though 😉

JwRosenthal · Feb 5, 2021

Scarecrow Boat
I think they went too far as well. On their website they dusted the dial with a texture to make it look aged and from this picture, you can see they faux corroded the metal on the three hands in addition to the caramel on the indices. I will tip my hat to them as they made consistency a priority with the "aging." I like their effort and a part of me does like it but I also feel it's over the top for a brand new watch.

I didn’t notice the faux hand corrosion- now that- I will give them mad props for. I haven’t seen anyone do that with a fauxtina. As much as I tend to not like the faux stuff- that’s attention to serious detail

rcs914 · Feb 5, 2021

JwRosenthal
I didn’t notice the faux hand corrosion- now that- I will give them mad props for. I haven’t seen anyone do that with a fauxtina. As much as I tend to not like the faux stuff- that’s attention to serious detail

Take a look at some of their other watches. Most of what they offer is faux vintage Subs - but they look great. I'm just not into that type of homage.

rcs914 · Feb 5, 2021

Or this one that is based on the "Live or Let Die" Sub, including the circular saw bezel:

"
The classic divers watch appeared in the movie that has been modified by “Q” to include a buzz-saw bezel, which 007(Roger Moore) uses to free himself and Solitaire (Jane Seymour) before they could be fed to the sharks. We redesigned a quartz watch to function like the one in the movie, the buzz-saw shape bezel and a 360 degree spinning case. There was a small hole in the end links from the original watch prop, which allowed wire to be attached for some scenes. And we made it for you too, giving you a funny experience and, bringing up memories.

WMT- MI6-010A"

rcs914 · Feb 5, 2021

Just to make it clear, I have ZERO association with the seller - I really did just happen upon them yesterday. I'm all too familiar with the the "Hey what do you guys think of this" BS sales tactic that goes on in forums, so I wanted to make it crystal that I'm not associated to the seller in any way.

(If WMT wants to send me one to test out I'd be more than happy to though 😁 )

Walrus · Feb 5, 2021

I think it’s very nice. Size wise and looks. Didn’t notice that faux “patina” on the hands to the later shots but it’s actually kinda cool. I certainly appreciate vintage and history but if you can find something new you really like even better. I was not aware of these watches until today I do plan on reading up on them more.

WYO_Watch · Feb 5, 2021

I like the look of them, but I think I’d rather spend the money on a vintage piece. Although they aren’t “cheap” you can still pick up an all stainless for less than $400.

@rcs914 the Baltic is a winner btw

cvalue13 · Feb 5, 2021

rcs914
As an aside one of my pet peeves is that while there is no shortage of reasonably well made cheap stainless steel dive watches out there available, the vast majority of them are Rolex or Omega "homage" watches. Endless piles of them all over ebay and elsewhere, and I've wondered why some of these producers don't come up with something that isn't a direct knock off

Having now looked through the site and seen the rest of their offerings of (all?) imitation watches: I'm left feeling there's a good chance this watch is an imitation of something, not yet ID'd here?

I will say, though, I'm intrigued at the idea of their "aged" vs "non-aged" editions; if only all brands would offer a 'toggle' to de-fauxpatina

JwRosenthal · Feb 5, 2021

cvalue13
Having now looked through the site and seen the rest of their offerings of (all?) imitation watches: I'm left feeling there's a good chance this watch is an imitation of something, not yet ID'd here?

I will say, though, I'm intrigued at the idea of their "aged" vs "non-aged" editions; if only all brands would offer a 'toggle' to de-fauxpatina

This particular watch I can’t identify either, but it’s got cues from countless other divers from the period. It’s actually nice to see one that you can’t point at it and immediate call out what it’s imitating.

cvalue13 · Feb 5, 2021

JwRosenthal
This particular watch I can’t identify either, but it’s got cues from countless other divers from the period. It’s actually nice to see one that you can’t point at it and immediate call out what it’s imitating.

Ironically, maybe it’s why this model is on deep discount, rather than sold out (the case with their most imitation imitations).

JwRosenthal · Feb 5, 2021

cvalue13
Ironically, maybe it’s why this model is on deep discount, rather than sold out (the case with their most imitation imitations).

Ironic indeed- the most original (and apparently to some of us vintage guys- the most attractive) doesn’t sell as well.

Scarecrow Boat · Feb 5, 2021

JwRosenthal
It’s actually nice to see one that you can’t point at it and immediate call out what it’s imitating.

Now, I’m not at all saying that it’s copying this specific model, but this was the first watch I thought of when I first opened this thread. This watch graced our sales thread late last year (not my wrist shot)

A modern but vintage looking skin diver - WMT Blackfin

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rcs914

JwRosenthal

JwRosenthal

amcclell

rcs914

JwRosenthal

Scarecrow Boat

rcs914

JwRosenthal

rcs914

rcs914

rcs914

Walrus

WYO_Watch

cvalue13

JwRosenthal

cvalue13

JwRosenthal

Scarecrow Boat

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