Those Bernhardt's are sweet. Aesthetics on the diver have near perfect balance imo.

Its the end of the year so I want to wish you guys the best in 2011. I also want to thank Amoeba, PVN, Solsek and the others whose great posts have made this my fav guilty pleasure thread on 2p2. (Amoeba I've caught a couple of your posts in other threads of late and I have to say you are one damn precise and unbiased poster. thx for that)

Favorite Watch of the Year:

What is IWC Model is this? Can someone Link someplace you can buy this? Wasn't able to find it myself

IWC Pilot, heres a link http://www.gemnation.com/watches/IWC...1803-8338.html

Also i'm thinking about buying the aquatimer from the grey market, how can i make sure the watch is authentic? Its listed at 4.4k for the black-yellow model with a rubber strap (8.5k in the official store fwiw). Also where can i buy the rubber strap for it separately if i decide to go with the bracelet? Do i have to look for the specific model?

Most of the grey market shops are reputable enough. I would google around for the one you pick. See if there are any warnings or praises on Watchuseek or TZ.

I bought my aquatimer from prestige time. They were able to get the rubber or bracelet separately. Just email CS at whatever shop you're looking at.

Chillum, you should check out the JLC Master Compressor...it looks similar to that IWC.

Master Compressors look like pilot chronos?


Unless you really dislike bracelets in general probably go for the bracelet when you pick it up, and have them get you the rubber, as others have stated it'll be way cheaper if you ever want steel down the road.

I've looked around but can't find a JLC Master Compressor I like with a white face that looks even remotely similar to that IWC. Any recommendations? Man, its a pitty that IWC is 10k though, don't think I can ever fathom spending that on a watch

I believe I need this watch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecxXkbr9SBM

I dunno. Ive been looking at a lot of JLCs recently and I thought it had some characteristics of a compressor. Maybe I'm just going crazy now.

Yeah, the IWC has a lot of traditional pilot features. I don't see much similarity.

Closest thing that comes to mind are IWC Spitfires, much dressier than their pilot chronos but look fantastic in person.



During image search I did find this, IWC doesn't actually make it though afaik There's a lot of guys on here that love pilot stuff though so somebody might chime in with a good bargain piece that fits the general look.

That replica would be something i'd be looking for, shame they don't really make it

Your best bet for a pilot chronograph is the Steinhart nav B chrono at around 800 Euros or about $1100 new



However, they don't make a white dial version.

If you are willing to spend more, your best bet for a white dial pilot style chrono that costs less than the IWC will be either a Fortis or a Tutima

The Tutima FX chronograph UTC (chrono + independent GMT hand, the Germans call GMT UTC). Will run about $2k.



Tutima F2 chronograph power reserve. 3.5k. There is a white dial version but I happen to think the blue looks better


Fortis b-42 flieger chronograph alarm. ~$8k



Fortis stratoliner chrono. $2.5K



Fortis b42 chronograph GMT $3.5k

These aren't classic flieger style chronos but are somewhat similar in style to the IWC above

This one will be hard to find but the Sinn 103 limited edition white dial



Sinn 6062



Sinn 903, might get confused for a Navitimer though


The Hamilton X-wind



Hamilton khaki chrono, I've actually seen this one come up used for around $400

Also, don't set the day/date when the watch is between 8pm and 2am on the 7750. Not sure if this is true for all manufacturers, but definitely double check your manual as it is true for many of the 7750s.

Yeah this is true for many mechanical watches. Just to be safe, put the time to 6, adjust the date/day, then adjust the time again.

The reason for this issue is due to the date wheel and day wheel being engaged for a period around midnight and the mechanism which automatically flips the day/date conflicts with the day/date adjustment.

Yeah, slow change vs quick, I just always set a watch to below 9 or 3 to make sure.

While you're at it, don't reset your chrono unless it's between 10 and 2, ever seen a chrono that wouldn't reset to 0, but rather 1 second to the right? This is why.

Also, there's absolutely no reason to not keep a chrono running nonstop, you aren't hurting anything at all by doing so.

The fact that workhorse Swiss movements still have these problems in the 21st century is embarrassing.

Hi I'm pretty clueless about watches, but I'm interested in buying one. I was looking for some recommendations.
I want to spend no more than 2.5k. I'd like if the watch had a metal band and black face (open to suggestions of other watches). One watch that I really liked was the Tag Heuer link calibre s.

Just got my grandfathers old watch when I went home for christmas. It was a wedding gift, which would put it around 1940 +- 4 years. Anyone know what type this is, if it's worth getting fixed?

Telling us what it says on the watch and/or a picture that wasn't taken with a cell phone would be a start.

fair points, the writing on the dial is super faded and I can't make it out. I'll break out the macro/digital cam later today. (I'm also not expecting OMGROLEX answers, I'm laying odds of about 90% that it's nothing special )

Generally, Tags are pretty nice. I like their chronos. Not too fussy, nice size, classic -- but not too classic. If you're willing to do the leg work, I'd go with a used one in perfect condition with all the boxes and whatnot. You save a real hunk of money. Just sold my Carrera chrono for a bit more than I paid for it. The newer grand carreras are really nice.

I'm a real fan of the Hamilton range of watches. They're way below your budget, but they're a fantastic place to start. Swiss movements, great quality for the money. You could get a small collection of nice used ones off watchuseek and ebay for 1.5k and get a feel for the kind of watch you really want to wear, whether it's chronos, gmt's, dress, military, and whatnot.

Anonimo is a brand I don't see much mentioned in this thread. There are some very cool ones I like, but they are pricey. I think an Anonimo Militare is my next watch.

I just pulled out a watch I have not worn in a long time, my Baume & Mercier Classima Executive 8732... noticed when trying to get it up and running that the date is changing at 4am rather than 12am, I am assuming because at some point I must have changed the date between the dubious 9pm-3am no change zone (how annoying is this that this is an issue in high end movements still??).

In any event, is this fixable by tinkering around with changing the date between some time gap or anything, or am I now facing a multi hundred dollar repair at the AD to have this nuisance fixed?

Thanks in advance for the replies...

-trp