Forums Latest Members
  1. JwRosenthal Sep 6, 2019

    Posts
    14,860
    Likes
    40,073
    Hey guys,

    So despite being on the fence about the size (and against the advise from @ConElPueblo), I ordered a Ph200 during a holiday sale and coupon deal at Jomashop- it was too good to pass up. I absolutely love the design so I need to see it in the flesh- if I hate it I can return it. It should arrive in 2-3 weeks unless they are blowing smoke.
    I am eager to try this thing on- I have several divers in the 41mm range and a few chrono’s at 42mm and they all wear differently depending on bezel to dial ratio. My hope is that the 200 wears like my Helson or Marathon (large bezel small dial- perfect proportions).
    I read on the TZ-UK forum that there were many that went out with misaligned bezels and even misaligned dials-has anyone else seen this and do you have pics so I know what to look for?
    It should come with the factory mesh bracelet but it has strait ends and I prefer fitted endlinks. I have seen one Instagram picture showing it on a Gecko BOR with fitted endlinks and it looks spectacular- anyone else try this combo and which Gecko bracelet specifically is it (they have a couple)? Any other aftermarket bracelets with fitted endlinks work well on these!

    Please share pics of your 200 and any thoughts on the watch negative or positive? If mine ever arrives I will post pics and my thoughts.
     
    MoclovFlop and KingCrouchy like this.
  2. wagudc Oct 22, 2019

    Posts
    4,366
    Likes
    11,026
    Nobody else had pictures, do you have some to share now? Would love to see it.
     
  3. JwRosenthal Oct 22, 2019

    Posts
    14,860
    Likes
    40,073
    ....still waiting. Jomashop said 3-5 weeks,we are now at 6. Perhaps I should call.
     
  4. wagudc Oct 22, 2019

    Posts
    4,366
    Likes
    11,026
    Maybe so. I look forward to hearing your thoughts. The quality to price ratio is better than just anything else. If it were 40mm I would have ordered one weeks ago.
     
  5. JwRosenthal Dec 5, 2019

    Posts
    14,860
    Likes
    40,073
    So finally Jomashop delivered, they said they would, and they did. I was tempted to cancel the order as I am flush in vintage divers but I figured for $475, why not just let it ride.

    First off- this is a great looking watch. It’s well built, the bracelet is first class (although I would have preferred fitted endlinks and I can’t resize it at the moment as I need the screw type pin tool), and it comes with nice accessories (although I think the factory blue Nato is fugly, that won’t ever leave the box). Apparently the Gecko BOR with fitted endlinks is a dead match to this watch (from one online pic I found), so I plan to try that at some point since this on a BOR would be to die for and the fitted endlinks would reduce the apparent size and make it look more polished. The turtleback is just plain awesome, crosshairs dial, sword hands, high dome acrylic crystal - retro awesomeness-period. I love that they kept this watch so true to the original in design and didn’t try to “jazz” it up as so many companies (Omega included) try to do and just screw the pooch so horribly.
    As @ConElPueblo had said previously- it’s big, but is it too big? If you normally max out at 36-40mm divers then yes, it’s probably too big. If your wrists are under 7”, then yes, this will look huge. My favorite size for this form factor is about 37-40mm so this tips the scales for me normally- but I tend to wear larger watches in the summer months when I have my sleeves rolled up as my 33-38’s tend to look a bit dinky- so this may be an ideal summer watch on my 7” wrist.
    For the size it’s surprisingly slim- startlingly so- just like a Speedmaster, but this is an automatic so kudos to Swatchgroup for finally getting an auto under 3” tall. My Helson and Marathon are far taller and are sleeve catchers- I think this on leather or any bracelet will slide under a cuff well. Even on a nato it isn’t that high off the wrist surprisingly.
    All the specs are online so no use mentioning them here other than it is spec’d at 43mm- 2mm of that is bezel overhang- and it does indeed overhang- easy to grab, or catch on the edge of a table...hmmmm. It’s a well done watch with a workhorse movement and great pedigree- well worth the money if the size doesn’t scare you. If I needed a great cheap vacation diver that has retro looks and can actually dive without fear of leakage- or being devastated if it got stolen, this would be the one.
    Enough talk 8EC75447-3020-4179-8B1B-39577FA10E98.jpeg 1ED0AFE6-FEAB-40D1-8050-0C95DD487054.jpeg
    FA8FF271-0CD0-4049-97C1-D22C30E56DC7.jpeg

    Surprisingly slim 46EBFC5E-5BF5-4B7C-A22D-79037E1C42E8.jpeg 83284F93-4132-48F4-9694-8A954C528273.jpeg

    Packaging is gratuitous -I would have been fine with a regular box and save the plastic landfill material and shave $5 off the price. 246732AF-D370-4131-9DC8-57DBC07C3CC4.jpeg

    Bracelet is nice and a good choice as mesh is the hot retro diver jam these days but without the fitted endlinks it just looks tacked on like an aftermarket bracelet...but I like the signed clasp 1CC7F368-69E0-4678-83E0-446A91D60F9E.jpeg Now for comparison scale:

    The Helbros is 38mm, obviously we know the Speedy. Although roughly the same size but because the Speedy has more dial and less bezel it actually appears larger. 72201EBB-6EA9-4CEC-AEB6-1ED5A23DB6C0.jpeg
    80E34112-2CB5-41C0-81E3-A5235CA357F1.jpeg


    Compared against the current Bulova 666 reissue which is 44mm- a big boy, but despite only being 1mm smaller the Certina appears far smaller again due to the large bezel and smaller dial. E8482BA6-C7E3-412D-98FF-B1A208889A07.jpeg

    The Marathon is 41mm, roughly the same size and proportions as an Sm300...and I wanted to include it just because it’s Bad-Ass
    and of course a lume shot- love the blue
    AC759592-451E-4AEA-A7FC-5AA359790063.jpeg
     
    0A97E284-A762-40A8-B08A-A6632A42D543.jpeg
    Edited Dec 5, 2019
  6. Tristanp Dec 5, 2019

    Posts
    238
    Likes
    2,000
    and a little side by side with an SM300 from 67 IMG_8524.jpg IMG_8541.jpg IMG_8569.jpg
     
    IMG_8541.jpg
  7. Walrus Dec 5, 2019

    Posts
    8,916
    Likes
    41,908
    Very nice looking. 475 seems quite fair it’s a nice set. Good pick up enjoy.
     
    JwRosenthal likes this.
  8. JwRosenthal Dec 5, 2019

    Posts
    14,860
    Likes
    40,073
    Tristanp and MoclovFlop like this.
  9. Shabbaz Dec 5, 2019

    Posts
    4,880
    Likes
    17,830
    Never knew you have a 300. Anyway, I like the certina. Sizewise it looks good. Does'nt bother me. Enjoy!
     
    Tristanp likes this.
  10. JwRosenthal Dec 5, 2019

    Posts
    14,860
    Likes
    40,073
    Tristanp and Shabbaz like this.
  11. JwRosenthal Dec 5, 2019

    Posts
    14,860
    Likes
    40,073
    Playing with straps now as I can’t play with bracelets at the moment- much nicer on this piece of leather and sits nicely low on the wrist. Typically a shorter lug-to-lug distance works better for my wrist shape but there is a slight downward curve which helps.
    EE6CB618-7387-40BA-AE25-58522C805088.jpeg 9214607A-AA1C-4B6B-996D-8EB968C23807.jpeg
    And most importantly, the length and curve of the lugs clear the knobby bone on the back of my wrist which is always a problem for me with certain watches
     
    GandOsDad likes this.
  12. wagudc Dec 5, 2019

    Posts
    4,366
    Likes
    11,026
    Thanks for the thoughtful review, looks good on the maroon NATO.
     
  13. JwRosenthal Jan 5, 2020

    Posts
    14,860
    Likes
    40,073
    An update- borrowed a couple Gecko bracelets from a buddy- their standard BOR and the mechanics- both with the optional fitted endlinks
    He has tweaked the endlinks a touch on the BOR to fit another watch- I’m sure in the stock position they may fit better- but again, may need a bit of tweaking to fit perfectly. I think it looks more refined compared to the strait endlinks on the factory mesh. Don’t know how I feel about the polished center since the entire watch is brushed
    366D1A02-3F74-4AC2-8C03-2F211FB59CA1.jpeg 09266E57-2656-4111-946B-598FDE874686.jpeg The mechanic I think would be a better match esthetically being that it’s all brushed- and not entirely period incorrect as this style of bracelet was used on other watches at the time of the original 200. But the endlinks seemed too long for the lugs when lined up against the holes for the spring bars. They were riding up against the case and kept popping out. I’m wondering if opening up the guides inside the endlinks would change this, but seeing it’s not my bracelet I can’t play with that at the moment- we will see if my friend is feeling crafty and wants to give it a try.
    D782C917-08AB-4F56-B445-5BEF92A9DD43.jpeg 6755C805-9526-41CC-9F8D-0F2EFFA14F1E.jpeg
     
    Scarecrow Boat and jmazpiazu like this.