Changing straps and request for input on new watch

Riviera Paradise · Aug 2, 2015

Just thought I would share some strap changes that I think have worked out OK in my small collection.

Breitling Superocean Heritage 42: after one year I changed the original mesh bracelet to a Breitling blue ocean racer rubber strap. This has become my informal summer, walk-along-the-beach, play-with-kids in pool watch, so the change from the steel mesh bracelet was fundamental...the mesh was nice but way too blingy!

Omega Seamaster 300 Master Co-Axial: I hardly used this watch on the steel bracelet. I thought the bracelet was well constructed and probably Omega´s best effort to date, but it left me cold. However, after the change to the Omega Bond Nato, wow, what a difference! The SM 300 has now become one of my daily beaters, together with my Rolex Explorer II, both are great for casual wear.

Omega AT 15000 Gauss: I really did not warm to the steel bracelet (seems tacky compared to the SM 300 and Rolex bracelets), and I was really not using this watch very much in my rotation any more. I then saw the AT Golf and realized that the leather/honey strap from the AT Golf, could blend well with the AT 15000 Gauss. I ordered the new strap from Omega and I now use this watch quite often with more casual business attire (blue jeans, blazer etc.) in the summer.

Omega Speedy Apollo 11 45th: I purchased this watch after seeing the Ti X-33 bracelet combination and ordered the watch together with the new bracelet, so the Omega boutique had already swapped the brown NATO strap when I picked up the watch at my local Omega boutique. I love the combination of the Ti bracelet & case, sedna gold accents, grey/brown laser etched dial: it really communicates high-tech and NASA DNA.

Hope the pics and above info can be of service to the community.

PS. I am now looking for watch no. 08. Probably will be a gold watch with a nice brown strap to balance out the collection...had thought of purchasing the Omega DeVille Tresor which is very nice with the clous the paris dial etc., but perhaps that will leave me with too many Omegas in my collection? Any suggestions would be appreciated.👍

Cheers!

Riviera Paradise · Aug 3, 2015

Posted some additional pictures of the AT 15000 Gauss strap change (sorry about the poor quality of the cell phone pics). Thumbs up or thumbs down, what do the forum members think?

Regarding my next watch I am considering either the Omega Deville Tresor or perhaps the Omega Globemaster Gold with leather strap. Not sure which one to pick, would be very much interested in any comments from the community. Cheers.

Df13 · Aug 3, 2015

Riviera Paradise
Just thought I would share some strap changes that I think have worked out OK in my small collection.

Breitling Superocean Heritage 42: after one year I changed the original mesh bracelet to a Breitling blue ocean racer rubber strap. This has become my informal summer, walk-along-the-beach, play-with-kids in pool watch, so the change from the steel mesh bracelet was fundamental...the mesh was nice but way too blingy!

Omega Seamaster 300 Master Co-Axial: I hardly used this watch on the steel bracelet. I thought the bracelet was well constructed and probably Omega´s best effort to date, but it left me cold. However, after the change to the Omega Bond Nato, wow, what a difference! The SM 300 has now become one of my daily beaters, together with my Rolex Explorer II, both are great for casual wear.

Omega AT 15000 Gauss: I really did not warm to the steel bracelet (seems tacky compared to the SM 300 and Rolex bracelets), and I was really not using this watch very much in my rotation any more. I then saw the AT Golf and realized that the leather/honey strap from the AT Golf, could blend well with the AT 15000 Gauss. I ordered the new strap from Omega and I now use this watch quite often with more casual business attire (blue jeans, blazer etc.) in the summer.

Omega Speedy Apollo 11 45th: I purchased this watch after seeing the Ti X-33 bracelet combination and ordered the watch together with the new bracelet, so the Omega boutique had already swapped the brown NATO strap when I picked up the watch at my local Omega boutique. I love the combination of the Ti bracelet & case, sedna gold accents, grey/brown laser etched dial: it really communicates high-tech and NASA DNA.

Hope the pics and above info can be of service to the community.

PS. I am now looking for watch no. 08. Probably will be a gold watch with a nice brown strap to balance out the collection...had thought of purchasing the Omega DeVille Tresor which is very nice with the clous the paris dial etc., but perhaps that will leave me with too many Omegas in my collection? Any suggestions would be appreciated.👍

Cheers!

I don't know what your budget is, but you have enough invested in watches that it may be time to go to the next level. A 5227 is just about a perfect gold watch on a strap, IMO.

italy1861 · Aug 3, 2015

Bumblebee looks fabulous.. PP is a great recommendation, watch is so easy on the eyes! If it must be an Omega, Globemaster in gold does it for me.

rwilner · Aug 3, 2015

Iwc ingeniur. Classic dress watch that is a bit less common. Available in steel, and then sky is the limit for precious metals and cost.

Riviera Paradise · Aug 4, 2015

@Df13, @italy1861, @rwilner: thanks for all the comments and suggestions.😀

@Df13 & @italy1861 : the 5227 is certainly THE benchmark, could be in my budget, but I am looking for a daily business wearer and PP might not be under the radar in enough for me. PP and Rolex are two brands that everyone is aware of and one of the reasons I chose the EXP II as my Rolex was because 1. I love eco-adventure/explorer type trips and think it is an excellent tool watch 2. the EXP II does not shout out Rolex like the Sub, GMT and Daytona.

@rwilner : the IWC Vintage Ingenieur is a nice and perhaps overlooked watch, but I am not sure it is still available new, and I think it would be too close in my rotation with the AT 15000 Gauss and Speedy Apollo 11 45th (see attached photo), offering a similar "Engineering" pedigree/DNA.

Perhaps a nice discreet JLC Master Ultra Thin Ref. 1272510 (38.5mm diameter, 7.6mm thick) with small seconds in gold (see attached pic) with a nice brown alligator strap might be a better option than the Omega Tresor or the Globemaster. Thoughts?

http://www.jaeger-lecoultre.com/US/en/watches/master-grande-ultra-thin/1272510#/t2

Df13 · Aug 4, 2015

Riviera Paradise
@Df13, @italy1861, @rwilner: thanks for all the comments and suggestions.😀

@Df13 & @italy1861 : the 5227 is certainly THE benchmark, could be in my budget, but I am looking for a daily business wearer and PP might not be under the radar in enough for me. PP and Rolex are two brands that everyone is aware of and one of the reasons I chose the EXP II as my Rolex was because 1. I love eco-adventure/explorer type trips and think it is an excellent tool watch 2. the EXP II does not shout out Rolex like the Sub, GMT and Daytona.

@rwilner : the IWC Vintage Ingenieur is a nice and perhaps overlooked watch, but I am not sure it is still available new, and I think it would be too close in my rotation with the AT 15000 Gauss and Speedy Apollo 11 45th (see attached photo), offering a similar "Engineering" pedigree/DNA.

Perhaps a nice discreet JLC Master Ultra Thin Ref. 1272510 (38.5mm diameter, 7.6mm thick) with small seconds in gold (see attached pic) with a nice brown alligator strap might be a better option than the Omega Tresor or the Globemaster. Thoughts?

http://www.jaeger-lecoultre.com/US/en/watches/master-grande-ultra-thin/1272510#/t2

I'm obviously not familiar with your office, and that JLC is fantastic, but, if it were me, and I was in the position to buy THE benchmark, I'd go 5227. I can't imagine that your co-workers would be more aware of it than an EXP II that you already comfortably wear, and the Calatrava is a great chance to buy something from the "Big Three."

That being said, while I own a business and make a good living, I likely wouldn't drop $40K on a watch, unless I was pulling in seven figures a year, so I'd personally go with that JLC, if I wanted a new gold dress watch.

italy1861 · Aug 4, 2015

PP 5227 in rose gold can be had for around $30,000... Globemaster in Sedona gold should run you around $19,000.... JLC looks like around $15,000... Each choice seems like you'll be making a statement. I'd say depending on how much you feel comfortable spending should point you in the right direction.. All three are beautiful!

Riviera Paradise · Aug 5, 2015

Thanks once again @Df13 and @italy1861 for some excellent comments.

Regarding my office I own it😀...the issue is more with clients. My current work location in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where the country is going through recession (although thankfully my niche tech business is thriving).

In Rio you have very few WIS compared to US, Canada & Europe. JLC is not at all well known, even senior executives are generally only aware of Breitling, Cartier, Rolex, IWC and Patek. For example, the local Omega Boutique has tried hard to re-position the brand up to Rolex level, but most people here still place Omega at Breitling level at best and are not aware of the recent efforts in co-axial and anti-magnetic tech. My Omegas draw no attention at all. In terms of risk from theft/assault, my morning walk along the beach both with my SM 300 and Exp II are done at low level of risk as some silly people here walk around with gold plated Orients that draw much more attention.

Going to a business meeting with a Patek here is something reserved to very much high level multi-multi-millionaire / billionaire or typically high-level finance/legal. I actually only started collecting watches recently in October 2013 and have since spent around US$55K on watches and bracelets/straps, so dropping US$30-40K on a Patek would be within my budget, but believe me it would send too strong a statement in the current climate.

The Omega GlobeMaster has not yet arrived here in Brazil, I have tried on the Tresor but I thought the case was a little too large and round for a business/dress watch. I am increasingly falling in love with the JLC. Found the Youtube link below with a nice review:

BTW the Youtube title is wrong: the review is not about the JLC Reserve de Marche!

I will take a look at the Globemaster once it arrives, but I think I am going down the JLC path. I sincerely hope Omega launch a new version of the Railmaster next year at Basel 2016, if they do and manage to do a good job as they did on the SM 300 Master Co-Axial, it will certainly be my next Omega option. Cheers and thanks once again for all the great input.😀

Changing straps and request for input on new watch

Riviera Paradise

Riviera Paradise

Df13

italy1861

rwilner

Riviera Paradise

Df13

italy1861

Riviera Paradise

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