So today has been an interesting day watch-wise for me.

A few days back as mentioned in another thread, my local OB called me a few weeks back and asked if I was still interested in the Marstimer... This was a little weird as I do not remember putting my name in for one, but it would have been something I might have done at some point. I did head down to the Costa Mesa OB where the ever-pleasant and knowledgeable Hiroo let me take a normal x-33 for a little spin. I was surprised how nice and small the 45mm actually wore compared to my 45.5 3133 POC. I guess it didn't hurt I was wearning a Majetek which ended up being a little fortuitous as apparently Hiroo had been eyeing the newer Longines re-release of the piece.

On Friday much to my surprise I got the call that it was in and only the third one to come to that boutique. I was on the fence on it, and had almost made up my mind this morning to get it.



The problem was, do I like it 7,000 USD? esp as I might potentially have another large automotive purchase in a few months (Ineos) and end up selling one of the preorders I have been waiting on for years (Rivian and Ineos, and yes I have the R1S now). And therein lied the rub... I kinda realized the x-33 is the Reverso of the Omega world, it's a watch that everyone claims to want and then they never buy. Reluctantly I messaged Hiroo and said that I would be passing on it and please let it go to the next person on the list. Even now I look at it and love that gorgeous oxidized bezel.

Early this week, this little piece randomly showed up in my feed and I kinda feel in love. A tribute but not a copy of the Rolex 1655. A nice 40mm seiko powered GMT, that oddly for a small boutique brand was oddly wwell thought out to every detail, normally these smaller seiko powered brands are just copies, or have some little detail that is just off and unbalances the entire watch, but this one was different and just works. You know those little details that ruin otherwise great watches like the crown on Tudors... (que Chekov's gun firing.)



Tell me this little 10-year-old Swedish brand didn't just knock it out of the park for about 400 USD? Did I mention it's a true GMT with an independently set 24-hour hand? Tribute but not a copy modern but not avant guard or retroish. This guy scratches a lot of itches.

So to console myself I was looking at ordering one of these beauties, and putting this in the rotation, order a black distressed leather single pass-through with matching stitching and zulu hardware.

I decided to do a little research and read Thor's great little article on Fratelllo on it. He compared it to Tudors Black Bay Pro, which I was not very versed on as only 2 modern Tudors have ever appealed to me, as I think they all have small details on them to make them not as desirable as the Subs.

So a highlight "Black Bay Pro", right-click, search google for... and I hit googles search page for the Black Bay Pro. and click through to the Tudor website... (que Chekov's bullet hitting the wall behind my computer)

wait...
did it just say Harrods Black Bay $3,769? on the preceding page...
That cannot be because those are highly constrained and sell for like 6k on the secondary market...
Clicking on the Harrods page and add it to my cart, check the website to make sure it is legit... This all seems real.

OK now I need to call an enabler...

(calls @Bill Sohne )

He confirms it all seems to check out and they are oddly cheaper than the regular version of the watch on the Tudor website with the red and or black bezels. He then complains as only Bill can that he would buy one but he already has 3 Tudors

I then run across this article from 3 days ago on Hoodinkee.

For some reason one of the most rare and interesting watches from Rolex is apparently available and any punter can buy one, and no longer has to fly to London to buy it.



Sure it's the poor man's Kermit, and it is not the earlier Tudor Rose Black Bay with the ETA movement (the other tudor I would own), but things just kinda work on this watch. I think I need a black leather pass-through zulu with green stitching now.

Oh FYI you can still get these here while they last...https://www.harrods.com/en-gb/shopp...stainless-steel-automatic-watch-41mm-16318774

Oh and lets be honest I will most likely be buying that GMT as well in a few weeks, and yes I still hate Tudor Black Bay crowns, I'm making an exception for that green with the pseudo gilt dial, with those gold hands and furniture....

 

What a story, @Foo2rama, what a day! Great job keeping options open, and having the wherewithal to recognize a good deal on a super cool watch! Love the twists and turns this endeavor takes us on; congratulations on your new watch!

 

For the record, I fully get the #humblebrag and #firstworldproblems.

hopefully a few people found a pretty affordable GMT and some people found they could buy a very cool Tudor.

 

Page won't load for me. Maybe that's for the better lol.
I'm wearing my BB GMT today. A watch that I liked, but ended up loving once I had it.
Hopefully you too will fall in love with your Tudor!

 

I'm definitely tempted. I wonder why they chose now to do this - maybe they're sitting on a lot of inventory?

FWIW, the X-33 line is really cool. I've tried on the Solar Impulse model a few times and I think it is a great combination of utility, size, and comfort. The Marstimer looks great, but it is just a bit too expensive for me to justify personally.

 

They have pushing it hard on Facebook. Not a surprise.

 

Just goes to show. It is a buyers market.

 

Nice story.
I did the same but it's fun to read how a thoroughly, rational and thoughtful research for the good watch ends up in an impulse fomo purchase.

 

>>Did I mention it's a true GMT with an independently set 24-hour hand?

Are you sure it is a True GMT? It looks like it is based on the NH34 based on that Fratello article, which is a caller GMT movement. Also, independently set 24 hr hand is typical of a caller GMT? Or did they modify the NH34 to get BOTH hour hands independently set?

 

The picture show’s independent. How else do you get a 24 hour at 9 and the hour hand at 3?

 

From my understanding, the difference between a 'traveller'/'true' GMT and a 'caller' GMT is which hour hand moves independently.

In a 'caller' GMT it is the GMT hand that moves independently, so you can still move them separately.

Because you'd have the 'local' time set to where you are, and when you want to call someone else, you'd move the GMT hand to their time zone and observe them.

In a 'traveller'/'true' GMT, you are the one changing time zones. So you leave the GMT hand alone, and move the 'local hour' hand to reflect the time zone you are moving to.

So in both cases the hands can be moved independently, but it differs in which hand is moved without hacking/moving the minutes hand.

You can't just 'swap' the hands when assembling either, as that results in the date changing with the wrong hand (it should always change with the 'local' hand).

 

I see you point now.

my understanding is you can set the GMT independently but if you adjust the 12 hour it will adjust the gmt.

 

Independent setting of a 24 hr hand vs 12 hr hand is what makes it a 'GMT'. "True GMT" is a subset of that, where the 12 hr 'local' hour hand is set independently and doesn't change anything else. See:

https://www.fratellowatches.com/gmt-watches-101-caller-versus-flyer-or-true-gmt-explained/

Quotes:
GMT Watches 101: Caller Versus Flyer (Or “True”) GMT Explained

A caller GMT, specifically, features a GMT hand that can be independently set. If you change the main time, the GMT hand rotates as well, albeit at half pace.

Functionally, a “flyer”[AKA True GMT] or “traveler” GMT is the exact opposite. One crown position sets the local time and the GMT hand simultaneously, the latter at half pace. The other crown position, however, sets the local hour hand separately.

Many in the watch community refer to the latter approach as a “true” GMT.


End Quotes.

FWIW, Fratello seems to have a lesser opinion of the 'True GMT' moniker than others, but I used it because you used their article above.

Anyway, sorry for the digression, I saw Seiko and "True GMT" and thought there might have been a modification of the NH34 that did that, which would be quite novel!

 

Take your time to think it over and make sure it's the right choice for you. If you do end up getting it, I hope it brings you joy and becomes a great addition to your collection.

 

I see nothing wrong here. Enjoy!