The Russian Diver

Since the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989 and the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 we capitalists have been able to purchase surplus Soviet government and surplus military items at bargain basement prices. I remember seeing for sale such items as used East German uniforms, Russian uniforms, communist bloc rifles, pistols, binoculars, night vision goggles, flags, ammunition, etc. And thanks to the latest Soviet technology you could get an i.u.d. the size of a tractor, pencils that run on car batteries, diesel hair dryers and a diver watch that is so big that no normal human would ever be able to wear it in public.

I speak of the Russian Diver Watch (Type 3) made by the good people at the Zlatoust Watch Factory.
This is one heavy canteen watch weighing in at 260 grams. The case is approx. 75mm with the crown and about 60mm without. Case thickness is about 23mm. Lug to lug distance is 75mm and lug width is 24.5mm. The case material is almost certainly nickel or chrome plated brass. And the claimed water resistance of 700 meters is doubtful. I suppose that at one time the watch was all steel and the depth rating was as claimed but I suspect that was back in the 70s. To tell you the truth, I'm actually a little skeptical about getting it wet but since I'll never actually wear it that won't be a problem. I admittedly don't know anything about the movement but it supposedly utilizes 15 jewels.
The watch comes in a small blue box with instructions, a screwdriver for strap pin removal and an additional gasket to be used when the protective grill is not installed. I don't speak or read Russian so the instructions are superfluous exept for the stamp that says in English "NO RADIATION". Why is that the only thing in English? Why make a claim of no radiation? Do watches usually have radiation? Does my Timex have radiation? Note to self: Keep Russian Diver watch away from front of pants just in case.

Yay, no radiation!

?

I am sooooo cool.

A thick piece of glass at 4mm.

This is the only watch I own that doesn't have a second hand.

One last look at the Russian Diver because my arm hurts.

Sadly, this watch will only exist as a conversation piece. It's really neat and I wish I could wear it but that's not going to happen in this lifetime.

"Remember, is making for nice gift at glorious people's party worker union function"

Благодарю вас и прощальное

Goldball and Thunderfinger

A look that never quite caught on. A shame, really.

Is there any excuse for this? I mean, "Q" has outfitted 007 with watches that have geiger counters, ticker tape machines, mini buzz saws, lasers, explosive compartments, etc. not to mention gadgets of every sort that were "state of the art" at the time. So how did this happen? How did the pride of MI6, the most successful spy ever wind up with this watch strap on a Rolex Submariner?

The strap isn't too small, the watch is too big.

Maybe nobody thought it was important or thought it mattered. Maybe there was only enough money in the budget for mini submarines and frisbee hats. Or maybe all the cool kids were wearing their watches that way, not like those uptight establishment squares who wear the correct sized straps with their watches. After all, it was the mid 60s, man.

Mr. Underwater Watch

Raise your hand with the SCUBA watch on it if you remember a television show named "Get A Life". It was cancelled, I think, a little prematurely by the Fox network about twenty years ago after only two seasons. One of the episodes titled "The Counterfeit Watch Story" was one of my favorites.

In this episode Chris Peterson, played by Chris Elliott, is inspired by the television show, "Sea Hunt". This inspiration leads him to seek a "Mr. Underwater Watch", the fictional SCUBA watch worn by one of the "Sea Hunt" characters. At the local watch store he's told by the salesman that the Mr. Underwater Watch is a piece of junk and he won't sell it to him. What he will sell to him is the Chronosync. But not just a Chronosync, the Chronosync 2000. Elliot is told that it's the Cadillac of watches. When the watch stops dead in the store the salesman informs Elliott that it's a tap watch which means that it stops itself to keep from overheating and must be tapped to be re-started. Of course he buys the watch for $100 and even pays 18% sales tax.

After some fanfare Chris Elliott finally takes a shower with his new state-of-the-art, water resistant to 1000 ft. diver's watch. After two seconds in the shower he screams like a little girl and comes running out of the bathroom holding his arm out with the watch still on his wrist. The watch had practically dissolved, the colors ran and the bezel fell off. This was one of the funniest things I've ever seen.
Not so hilarious was when I bought a new O & W Ranger from Gnomon Watches two years ago. After waiting nearly six weeks for the watch to arrive from Hong Kong, I, like Chris Elliott's character, couldn't wait to get the watch wet and prove it's superior water resistant qualities. And just like Chris Elliott's watch, it failed immediately. No, it didn't melt but the crystal did fog up. It turned out that the case back had never been tightened fully at the factory. I had to open it and allow it to dry for 24 hours before I could replace the case back and tighten the hell out of it. Now it was water resistant and has remained so for two years. I learned two things from this experience. The first is to expect a long wait from Gnomon Watches. The second is to always check the case back that it's been properly tightened. Fortunately my O & W Ranger is no worse for wear but it could have been much worse. Remember, all warranties exclude any damage as may be caused by water entering the case.

Aside from these not so small complaints the Ollech & Wajs Ranger is one of my favorite watches. I would recommend it for anyone who wanted a tough, military styled automatic watch. So far it has put up with showers, swimming, diving and hunting in near zero degree conditions. In fact, I bagged my first buck while wearing the Ranger. And since buying it, it's ETA 2824-2 automatic movement has maintained an accuracy of +5 secs/day. I can live with that.

Specifications:

Movement: Swiss Automatic, ETA 2824-2, 25 jewels.
Case Material: Polished stainless steel.
Case Size: 42mm without crown.
Lug-to-Lug Size: 47mm.
Bracelet: Oyster, Stainless Steel, 20mm wide, brushed with polished center link.
Bezel: Uni-directional.
Crystal: Mineral crystal.
Luminance: SuperLuminova.
Water Resistance: 200 meters.

The watch came with a stainless steel bracelet and a black Nato band. The Nato was kind of cheap so I replaced it with an olive drab Maratac band of much better quality. To me this watch looks a lot like the British MoD issued SBS watch.



It's almost too good to be a "beater" watch but it's a tough watch and looks good with a little wear and tear on it.


















The Ranger with the original stainless steel bracelet as shown on the right. The watch comes from the factory with the black face as shown or with either an orange or yellow face.

All in all, the O & W Ranger is nothing like the Chronosync or even the Chronosync 2000. I give it two thumbs up. I consider it to be on a par with the Seiko SKX007. I have to give Gnomon watches one thumb up. Even though there was a six week wait they replied immediately to all of my e-mails. I probably became a bit of a pest after awhile but Anders, the Gnomon Watches rep., didn't lose patience with me. Thanks.

Fontain Mystery Watch

This past Summer my sister handed me a shoebox of old knick-knacks that had belonged to my father. He had passed away about twenty years ago and I guess, at the time, I wasn't interested in the items that were inside of the box. Now, some twenty years later, I found myself going through the box again. This time I would take the Seiko Quartz (I dated it to 1985) and a watch with the name Fontain on it.


My problem is that I don't know anything about the watch or the company. I found only two images on the internet of Fontain watches. One was dated from the 1950s and the other from the 1930s. This Fontain looks older.






The case hinges open and the movement can be removed easily. The inside of the case Indicates "14K" and has a proof mark that looks like a squirrel. That strap is probably from the 1980s.





The squirrel proof mark is just above the "14K" stamp. The hand wind movement is engraved with WELSAMWATCH, SWISS (in two places), FOUR 4 ADJTS and FIFTEEN 15 JEWELS.






There is a serial number stamped 195831 on the inside of the case back. There are also several other numbers that are scratched into the inside of the case possibly by whoever serviced the watch. I don't know if it's important but the domed crystal is acrylic or some other clear plastic.




The watch has been running for over two hours and, so far, it's dead on. Of course two hours isn't enough time to truly test the accuracy of a watch but if there was a real deviation I would have noticed it by now.

I invite you to look at the images in this post and let me know if you have any info regarding the history, date of manufacture or value of this timepiece. Thanks.

The 10

Behold "The 10". The ten watches that I don't have but wish I did. Some are expensive and some are not. Some are steel and some are plastic. Some you will agree with and some you won't. This is simply a wish list of watches that for various reasons I've decided I can't live without, but I will try.

Casio G-Shock Riseman, Model #G9200 in Rescue Orange. Among this watch's features are an altimeter, barometer, thermometer, world time for 33 cities, stop watch, countdown timer, alarms, 200m water resistance and a solar powered battery. The time is radio set so it's accuracy is always adjusted.

I can see taking this watch on hunting trips and when hiking the Appalachian Trail. When you're in mother nature's house it's nice to know that you can check on her mood regarding the temperature and barometer. And knowing your altitude would help confirm that you are where your map says you are.

"Excuse me sir, have you the correct altitude?"

And it's orange.


CWC G10 Non-Dated Service Watch. Available only from Silvermans Ltd. in the UK, this watch is Swiss made with a quartz movement. It has a battery hatch in the back of the case for easy replacement of the battery. Illumination is tritium though not in tubes. The crystal is domed acrylic.

To me this is what a military watch should look like. It's not pretty nor should it be. The dial is no nonsense, is very legible and the case is matte finished to eliminate reflection of light. There is another company which sells very similar pieces through the internet. It's my opinion that they are not on a par with these CWC watches.


Traser Type 3, P5900, Model #P5900-506-33-11. Again, a watch that is military in design and meets military specifications. The case is made of fiberglass reinforced polyamide with tritium filled tubes on the hands and tritium hour markers. Water resistance is 30m. The strap is leather and nylon. The face is uncluttered and easy to read.

To me this is another example of the perfect military, or military inspired, watch. It has a more modern look where the above mentioned CWC is more "old school". One of the big selling points of this watch is the tritium which has a ten year claimed life span. My only gripe with this watch is the water resistance of 30m. I'm not sure I'd even take a chance showering with it on.


Luminox Navy Seal Dive Watch, Model #3901. This watch features a Swiss quartz movement, unidirectional bezel, velcro strap and tritium hands and hour markers. A tritium dot is provided at the zero of the bezel. Water resistance is rated at 200m. The case is carbon reinforced polymer and the crystal is mineral glass.

If the U.S. Navy approves of this watch then I do too. I had the opportunity to try this watch on at a dealer and was immediately smitten by it. I liked the look and feel of it even on my 6.5" wrist. The Navy is not the only branch of the armed services that uses this watch either. I know of at least one Army Ranger who was issued one and has a very high opinion of it.



Seiko "5" Diver, Model #SKZ211. Sometimes called the Atlas or Gadget Watch. A stainless steel watch with the 7S36, 23 jewel movement. Hardlex crystal, rotating unidirectional bezel and compass ring and 200m water resistance.

This watch seems like the next natural step in the evolution of the Seiko 007 diver's watch. The 7S36 movement is an upgrade over the tried and true 7S26 movement. This diver sports a rotating compass ring and a blacked out date window with a silver frame. I could never understand why manufacturers would put a white date window on a black faced watch. Truth be told, I want those yellow hands.


Marathon GSAR Dive Watch. Issued to qualified government divers this is a Swiss made watch with an ETA 2824-A2 movement with 25 jewels. Tritium tubes illuminate the hands and hour markers. Case diameter is 46mm. The crystal is sapphire. Water resistance is 300m.

Now this is a serious dive watch. It has a no-nonsense look with a large "grippy" bezel. I imagine that the deeply cut bezel is more ideally suited to manipulation with diver's gloves than the usual consumer bezels. After all, search and rescue doesn't just happen in warm tropical waters. With a 300m WR I'd have the utmost confidence in it. I'd also get the stainless steel bracelet to compliment the rubber strap. My only gripe, if you could call it that, is, why the date window is located between the 4 and 5 hour markers.


Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Mid Size, Model #2504.30.00. Chronometer. Omega Caliber 2500 Co-Axial Escapement automatic movement. 48 hour power reserve. Stainless steel case with exhibition window in the back and anti-reflective treatment inside the sapphire crystal. Date window at 3 o'clock. 150m water resistance.

Sporty good looks and classic styling. There are a couple of things I do question about this watch, though. The first is why they felt the need to provide an exhibition case back. I don't know why anybody does that at all. The second is the water resistance rating of 150m. It just seems like an odd number when the watch is a member of the Seamaster line. Shouldn't a Seamaster be a "Master of the Sea?" I'm nitpicking. This is, after all, on my top 10 wish list. I would consider myself very fortunate to have one of these.


Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean, Model #2209.50.00. Chronometer. Omega Caliber 2500 Co-Axial Escapement automatic movement. 48 hour power reserve. Stainless steel, 42mm diameter case. Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on the inside. 600m water resistance. Helium escape valve.

By now you can see my bias toward diver's watches. This is no exception. A 600m WR means that nothing I do to it will ever cause water to enter the case unless I open it up and pour water in it. The helium escape valve located at 10 o'clock is meant for divers who operate in a helium environment at great depths. It must be manually opened to allow the escape of helium molecules and closed after. I will probably never need this feature but it's one of the things that makes this watch special. The copper colored bezel is a design touch that has grown on me over time that I find irresistible.


Panerai Luminor Marina, Model #PAM00050. Automatic chronometer Panerai OP III Caliber movement. 40mm stainles steel or titanium case with a 3.5mm thick sapphire crystal. 300m water resistance.

I don't care if this watch is too big for me. I can't let my scrawny wrists dictate whether or not I should choose a watch to wear. If big is in fashion then it should be perfect. I like the look of this watch so much that I'd probably need therapy after I manage to scratch it the first time. I don't say IF I scratch it, I say WHEN. We all know getting a scratch or dent or nick is only a matter of time. Maybe I'd just keep it in a safe and visit it once in awhile.




Rolex Submariner, Model #16610. Cal. 3135 automatic chronometer movement. 40mm, 904L stainless steel case. Stainless steel bracelet with deployment buckle. Sapphire crystal. 300m water resistance.

The most recognizable watch in the world. The most copied watch in the world. The ultimate Diver's watch. The Rolex flagship. Can be worn equally well with a wet suit or a tuxedo. James Bond's watch. An icon.

If this were the only watch I could ever wear again I'd be satisfied.

Or would I?





There you have it, my Top 10 Wish List. What does your wish list look like?

By the way, manufacturer's and dealer's, most of the images were copied from your websites so I'd be very grateful if you guys didn't sue me. Thanks.

AK vs GS

An idiot I once put up with blithered to me some time ago that he believed "The watch one wears says a lot about the man wearing it". This was said while he was waving around the "Rolex" he inherited from a relative. I agreed with a simple "Uh-huh" in the hopes that he would go away and that would be the end of it. I've since thought about it and realized that a more accurate comment from him would have been "The watch I wear says a lot about what I wish I was", or even "The watch I wear says a lot about what I hope others will think of me". It's dumb, I know.

If you're a watch guy (or gal) then you probably have a collection of watches. You wear the one you're in the mood for. Or you wear the one most suited to the day ahead of you. Sometimes you just want to wear the shiny one or the heavy one or the neat SCUBA diver one. And we buy watches because they have tritium tubes or go 1,000 feet under water or can be adjusted by a satellite or just because they look cool. No great philosophy or politics here. To make any judgement at all about someone based on a watch is absurd.

That being said, I recently received two watches as gifts from my lovely wife, Sue. One was for Father's Day and the other for our anniversary. These watches could not be more different. The first is the Rolex Air-King. The second is the Casio G-Shock. Call me crazy but I really dig both of these watches. Now what does that say about me? I'm not schizophrenic no matter what the little voice in my head tells me. But imagine if you had to pick one or the other and it would be the last watch you ever wore. Is it a no-brainer? Which one would you choose? Hmmmmmmmm.

I know what you're probably thinking. You're thinking, "Why don't you do an Air-King vs. G-Shock comparison/challenge"? "That way I can compare the two and choose the one and only watch that suits me best regardless of the cost or state of the economy". Well, okay, if you insist.

Some facts and observations:

Rolex Air-King:

Model #: 114200
Material/Case: 904L Stainless Steel
Bezel: 904L Stainless Steel
Bracelet: Oyster, Stainless Steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Movement: Automatic, Analog. Cal. 3130, 31 Jewels, Official Chronometer, (Same movement as used in the Rolex Submariner and Explorer)
Accuracy: +/-0 secs. after 7 days.
Water Resistance: 100 meters
Illumination: None
Case Width: 34mm
Case Thickness: 13mm
Lug-to-Lug Width: 42mm
Features: A tiny, laser engraved crown logo in the crystal above the 6 o'clock hour marker that can only be seen with a magnifying glass.
Looks Like: Rolex Explorer
Most Likely To Survive Nuclear War: Yes
Most Likely To Survive Angry Wife: No
Gripe: Hard to read face in low light.
Price As Tested: About $3,500.00

Casio G-Shock:

Model #: G9000-1V (Mudman)
Material/Case: Rubber
Bezel: Rubber
Bracelet: Rubber
Crystal: Mineral Crystal
Movement: Quartz Digital, Module # 3031
Accuracy: +/-0 secs. after 7 days
Water Resistance: 200 meters. The Casio User's Guide claims that the Mudman may be used for Scuba diving except at depths that require helium-oxygen gas.
Illumination: Two Electro-Luminescent Panels
Case Width: 47mm
Case Thickness: 15mm
Lug-to-Lug Width: 51mm
Features: Day, Date and Year, Five Alarms, Countdown Timer, World Time for 48 Cities, Two Stopwatches, 12 Hour or 24 Hour Timekeeping.
Looks Like: Spare tire from a toy truck
Most Likely To Survive Nuclear War: No, EMP will cause malfunction.
Most Likely To Survive Angry Wife: Yes, rubber case will absorb the shock of rolling pin.
Gripe: Alarm is not loud enough.
Price As Tested: About $68.00


Packaging. There is a compartment in the back of the G-Shock Mudman display used for hiding the User's Guide. Do not lose the User's Guide.


The Rolex Air-King and the Casio G-Shock Mudman side-by-side. They refused to touch each other.


The moleman engraved on the back of the Mudman. The watch is made in Thailand.

No engraving or embellishment at all on the back of the Air-King.

The Mudman as it looks on my bony wrist. I know, I know, it's too tight, but it's still pretty comfortable.

The Air-King actually looks at home on my wrist.

A final picture of these two fine watches.

Conclusion: It's a tie. Of course, comparing these two watches is like comparing apples and oranges. They come from two different worlds with two entirely different ideologies regarding how a watch should look and the features it should have. The G-Shock is an instrument and is based on the "Form Follows Function" school of thought while the Air-King is more like a piece of art that must be appreciated for it's timeless, classic design. Maybe someday there will be an Air-Shock or a G-King. Anyway, I think I've had it with these two. I'm puttin' on the Seiko.

Special thanks to Alan Furman & Co. through which Sue purchased the Air-King. They treated us like we were their most important customers.

Flea Market Economy

Several weeks ago I had met up with a fellow watch enthusiast and noticed that he was sporting a new (for him) vintage looking watch. It was a Croton watch reminiscent of the Omega styles of the 1950s and 1960s. He paid $20.00 for it. Sweet, where do I get one? He explained that he had stumbled across a vendor of used watches at a local flea market who had a box of timepieces. This box contained 75-100 watches of every stripe. Somehow this vendor was able to replenish his supply whenever the stock ran low. According to my pal the customers who were digging around in this candyshop of watches were primarily interested only in battery powered quartz watches. My personal theory is that the average customer assumed that a watch which was not running was probably broken or the battery was dead. Do they not know of other movements? In any case, this was too much to bear, I had to check it out for myself.

By the time I got to the flea market there were fewer than 50 watches still available. Nonetheless I was still able to come up with a couple of neat watches that are now part of my watch wearing rotation. The watches shown below were purchased at that local flea market for a grand total of $20.00. They both have hand wound movements, stainless steel cases, acrylic crystals and cheap aftermarket straps. Both claim to be dustproof, waterproof and shock absorbing. Both have the word “SWISS” at the bottom of their dials. The Benrus caseback indicates that it is a Series 3051. The Belforte reads Series 9061. Clearly these are vintage timepieces but I haven’t been able to date them accurately. Maybe I’m just not looking in the right places. Are they considered collector’s items? I don’t know. Does it matter? Not really.

Surprisingly, they both still work and the Benrus actually keeps nearly perfect time, (+/-) 10 secs. /day. The Belforte, which is a subsidiary of Benrus, loses approximately 5 mins./day. Fortunately I’ve solved that problem by setting the watch 5 minutes fast each morning thereby making the watch more accurate as the day goes by. Maybe not the best solution but for now it’s better than dealing with a $100.00 repair bill. The irony is that I like the look of the Belforte more than the Benrus so it would probably get more wrist time. There’s just something about those Art Deco numbers . And, believe it or not, the lume in the hour markers and in the hands of the Belforte still has a little life left to it. It’s faint but it’s there.

Small by today’s standards and fashion trends, the Benrus measures 37mm lug to lug. The Belforte is a bit bigger at 41mm lug to lug. The cases are 8mm and 9mm respectively and that includes their very domed crystals. Speaking of the crystals, both watches are engraved on the case backs: “OPEN THRU CRYSTAL”. I don’t know how to do that.

I promise to take better pictures in the future.

The Benrus Series #3051. The case size is approximately 31.5mm not including the crown. Lug width is 16mm.

The Belforte Series #9061. The case size is approximately 33.5mm not including the crown. Lug width is 17.5mm.

Needless to say, I’m not going to test their claim to be waterproof. My guess is that the Benrus was produced in the late 1960s and the Belforte in the early 1960s. Those dates are just a guesstimate but I’m pretty sure that the manufacturers of these watches would not recommend immersion in water ever again.

Benrus caseback. No serial number on case back to help trace the history of this watch.

Belforte caseback. Again, no serial number to trace the date of manufacture with.

Did I mention the domed crystals?

If anyone knows about the history and dates of manufacture of the watches I’d be interested in hearing from you. I'll be the first to admit that I'm no watch expert and even though there's a great deal of information available on the internet I'm not inclined to reproduce it here unless I can cite it's origin. Anything else written here is purely my opinion. Thanks.