Adding a Quartz to the mix

padders · Sep 25, 2016

Pakiwi
Quirky as in unreliable or something else?

I did use 'quirky' twice did I not, lazy use of English that. I didn't mean unreliable. None of the 5 I show have suffered any issues but then I look after my stuff and when maintenance is needed, it is given. The cap on the Omegamatic was failing when I bought the watch (which is why I got it cheap) so I had it replaced with the recommended MT920 rechargeable cell so now the power reserve is more like 6 months than the week when it was new. I meant quirky as in not exactly mainstream, and not something you are likely to see on someone elses wrist on your journey to work.

Pakiwi · Sep 25, 2016

I appreciate the non mainstream stuff. Sometimes it's nice to be a little different.
Though where I work Apple and fitbit are generally the watch of choice so just wearing my speedmaster I stand out.

ahartfie · Sep 25, 2016

Pakiwi
Though where I work Apple and fitbit are generally the watch of choice so just wearing my speedmaster I stand out.

Boy, I hear that. At my office of about 25, for men who wear watches, there's myself, my buddy with the Invicta fetish, my boss who wears a G-shock, and one Apple and Fitbit wearer respectively. For women there's the contract administrator who wears a dress gold Citizen or Seiko on a leather strap (but to her they're her brown and black watches) depending on her outfit, the QA tester who just got a Fitbit, and the trainer who wears some modern hybrid steel-exotic wood watch.

Not that I notice or anything.

Pakiwi · Sep 25, 2016

ahartfie
Boy, I hear that. At my office of about 25, for men who wear watches, there's myself, my buddy with the Invicta fetish, my boss who wears a G-shock, and one Apple and Fitbit wearer respectively. For women there's the contract administrator who wears a dress gold Citizen or Seiko on a leather strap (but to her they're her brown and black watches) depending on her outfit, the QA tester who just got a Fitbit, and the trainer who wears some modern hybrid steel-exotic wood watch.

Not that I notice or anything.

Then the sales people that I see mostly wear black Rolexs. One guy knew how expensive it was and bought it strictly for status. He certainly didn't appreciate the holological significance of what he was wearing.

FrPaul69 · Sep 27, 2016

The only quartz i have is my first Seiko solar prospex, comes with me on all my dives. But it's too bulky as a dress watch imho..

Rman · Sep 27, 2016

If I'm wearing quartz its cause I'm getting rugged with it.

Screen Shot 2016-09-27 at 8.31.23 AM.png

The best lume I've ever seen. All for a whopping $150 😁

rcs914 · Sep 27, 2016

So a couple years ago I decided that I wanted a three-hand solar atomic-sync watch that didn't have multiple timezones around the bezel or rehaut. They really aren't very common, especially not under $500. I also wanted LED lighting which reduced it even more. What I found was a discontinued Casio Oceanus, which then became my most commonly worn watch, since with a newborn I just didn't have time to think about winding a watch, or making sure that it was actually the correct time.

It's rather well made - titanium case and bracelet, sapphire crystal, solar powered, radio sync, dual white led lighting, three hand with date. I paid $200 second hand for it, and it's been worth every cent.

larryganz · Sep 27, 2016

My Omega Speedster X-33 Solar Impulse LE is my favorite quartz covering the chronograph department, and it's only gaining about +2.87 sec/year (without the need for radio control). I bought mine when I bought my son an X-33 Skywalker for his high school graduation gift, and we like to wear them together.

But it's only 30M WR, so it needed an equal partner in crime for doing all of the things that get me wet, the Grand Seiko SBGX115 diver. The Grand Seiko rivals any of my Rolex in quality, and it's still only gaining +5.88 sec/year right now. It shows I'm not a lemming, and think out of the box.

If not for the GS, then it would be my 1998 Omega Bond Quartz, which is gaining just about +66 sec/year. I bought two of them as my son's birth year watch for each of us. If I had to sell all my other quartz, these three would be the ones I keep.

soybeanwatch · Sep 28, 2016

Definitely has to be a Bond Seamaster and Swatch I had from 8th grade =)

soybeanwatch · Sep 28, 2016

Also the ugliest watch I've ever had that has the most sentimental value loll

rcs914 · Sep 28, 2016

larryganz
My Omega Speedster X-33 Solar Impulse LE is my favorite quartz covering the chronograph department, and it's only gaining about +2.87 sec/year (without the need for radio control). I bought mine when I bought my son an X-33 Skywalker for his high school graduation gift, and we like to wear them together.

But it's only 30M WR...

So I realize that the X-33 isn't designed to be a dive watch, but when pretty much every cheap watch on the market has 100m-200m resistance, it seems somewhat poor of Omega to design this without at least 100M resistance. Is this due to the case design for making the alarm loud? I can't come up with any other idea why.

padders · Sep 28, 2016

rcs914
So I realize that the X-33 isn't designed to be a dive watch, but when pretty much every cheap watch on the market has 100m-200m resistance, it seems somewhat poor of Omega to design this without at least 100M resistance. Is this due to the case design for making the alarm loud? I can't come up with any other idea why.

It may have to do with its space credentials. One of the ways for a a watch to tolerate extreme negative pressure is to allow the case to breath i.e. have low hermiticity. This is I guess part of the reason why the Speedmaster Pro has never had a deeper rating than 50m since if the case were too airtight you would risk popping the crystal or losing seal integrity in an uncontrolled manner when the pressure outside the watch decreases dramatically (like in deep space). Note that there are Speemasters (Non Pro) with deeper depth ratings using very similar cases. Now the X-33 isn't rated for EVA and in any case I would imagine there would be some negative effects like the LCD display boiling off if it did so, so maybe I am talking nonsense. As you say, the loud alarm needs a resonance chamber on the back and I have heard it said that this can deform if subjected to extreme pressure (such as diving to 100m) so in fact it may not be the seals which are the weak spot but the caseback and in fact it may be fine to swim near the surface with one. I personally avoid water in all its forms with any of my Speedmasters and subscribe to the principle that Omega gave us a clue on which watch to wear when going anywhere near water, especially the sea...

Pakiwi · Sep 28, 2016

padders
It may have to do with its space credentials. One of the ways for a a watch to tolerate extreme negative pressure is to allow the case to breath i.e. have low hermiticity. This is I guess part of the reason why the Speedmaster Pro has never had a deeper rating than 50m since if the case were too airtight you would risk popping the crystal or losing seal integrity in an uncontrolled manner when the pressure outside the watch decreases dramatically (like in deep space). Note that there are Speemasters (Non Pro) with deeper depth ratings using very similar cases. Now the X-33 isn't rated for EVA and in any case I would imagine there would be some negative effects like the LCD display boiling off if it did so, so maybe I am talking nonsense. As you say, the loud alarm needs a resonance chamber on the back and I have heard it said that this can deform if subjected to extreme pressure (such as diving to 100m) so in fact it may not be the seals which are the weak spot but the caseback and in fact it may be fine to swim near the surface with one. I personally avoid water in all its forms with any of my Speedmasters and subscribe to the principle that Omega gave us a clue on which watch to wear when going anywhere near water, especially the sea...

As an Engineer, I have a saying that I commonly respond to people. Right tool for the job. I think if the X-33 and Speedmaster Pro were designed for 100m water resistance, it would pay for this additional duty by sacrificing in other areas. I am guessing the reasons you give are the most likely reasons also.
I do like a Water Resistant watch, simply because I like to wear my watch most of the time, and I have a number of times ended up in the shower with my dad's Geneve.

Pakiwi · Sep 28, 2016

larryganz
My Omega Speedster X-33 Solar Impulse LE is my favorite quartz covering the chronograph department, and it's only gaining about +2.87 sec/year (without the need for radio control). I bought mine when I bought my son an X-33 Skywalker for his high school graduation gift, and we like to wear them together.

But it's only 30M WR, so it needed an equal partner in crime for doing all of the things that get me wet, the Grand Seiko SBGX115 diver. The Grand Seiko rivals any of my Rolex in quality, and it's still only gaining +5.88 sec/year right now. It shows I'm not a lemming, and think out of the box.

If not for the GS, then it would be my 1998 Omega Bond Quartz, which is gaining just about +66 sec/year. I bought two of them as my son's birth year watch for each of us. If I had to sell all my other quartz, these three would be the ones I keep.

X-33 / Solar Impulse LE and Bond Seamaster, very different watches, but both one I would pick as watches I would wear. My concern about the X-33 would be its screen and it if would withstand the day to day knocks that the Seamaster could live up to.

Pakiwi · Sep 28, 2016

I am glad for the feedback from everybody. I know there is a certain stigma for some people with a quartz but I think they do offer a certain place. I haven't gone as far as getting watch winders yet (which I can see coming) so the convenience of the quartz will be noticed. I am leaning towards either the 2541.80 / 2221.80 or the X33 in some form. I appreciate the Seiko GS, but I see that more of a dressier watch. So now some further research and hunt continues.
Cheers

padders · Sep 28, 2016

D

Pakiwi
X-33 / Solar Impulse LE and Bond Seamaster, very different watches, but both one I would pick as watches I would wear. My concern about the X-33 would be its screen and it if would withstand the day to day knocks that the Seamaster could live up to.

Don't see why not. The x-33 crystal is sapphire is it not? It certainly is on my gen 2. Here is what I use for where water is to be encountered:

speedbird · Sep 28, 2016

Nothing wrong with Quartz at all.

And that Omegamatic is a looker. I've always liked those a lot

Drawarms · Sep 28, 2016

bond quartz!

noelekal · Sep 28, 2016

I keep this single quartz Seiko for sentimental reasons. My wife rescued me with it when the watch I was wearing cratered while we were visiting friends in England in the late 90s. Otherwise, I don't care for quartz much at all.

Mouse_at_Large · Sep 28, 2016

Pakiwi
I am glad for the feedback from everybody. I know there is a certain stigma for some people with a quartz but I think they do offer a certain place. I haven't gone as far as getting watch winders yet (which I can see coming) so the convenience of the quartz will be noticed. I am leaning towards either the 2541.80 / 2221.80 or the X33 in some form. I appreciate the Seiko GS, but I see that more of a dressier watch. So now some further research and hunt continues.
Cheers

From what you are saying, you seem to be on the path of a "prestige" quartz - nothing wrong with that. I have absolutely no prejudice against quartz. If it was me, I'd wander into the nearest mall and have a look at what's on offer from Casio, Seiko, Swatch and the like.

You might even be (pleasantly) surprised 😉

Adding a Quartz to the mix

padders

Pakiwi

ahartfie

Pakiwi

FrPaul69

Rman

rcs914

larryganz

soybeanwatch

soybeanwatch

rcs914

padders

Pakiwi

Pakiwi

Pakiwi

padders

speedbird

Drawarms

noelekal

Mouse_at_Large

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