Which Watch Would We Wear Part 2
In this blog we will give you an insight into which watches our staff would pick. Since we handle the watches on a daily basis, we hope you will appreciate our experiences! This time we're taking a look at our spring choices.
Eddie – has been working for us for over a year and in charge of our packaging department and video’s.
We handle a lot of watches every day and there are a lot of models to choose from to write about. You can argue that we are biased, not without reason because certain watches don't look as good in a photo as they do in-hand. For instance, weight is also a factor you can overlook easily when choosing your new watch.
The watch that I'm currently most tempted about is the Orient Star RE-AU0004B00B. First of all, this is an Orient Star which means that the quality is up there. You will get the sapphire crystal, solid endlinks and the nice clasp. The nice big crown does feel solid when operated, it feels like it is happily married to the case. When you have set the bracelet to your measure, you can just pick this watch up and basically wear it to most informal occasions. It handles very well as a one-watch, just don't take it for a swim, even although it should handle it well.
What sets this piece apart from most other models is that is has a power reserve indicator on the dial with an estimated reserve of 50 hours, where the more common watches have a 40 hour power reserve. My preference would be the deep black dialed version, but white version is very tempting as well. While you can wear this watch as your everyday piece, scratches are hard to avoid while desk diving for instance. The brushed sides of the case will definitely help because they are less prone to scratches. With the polished bezel and the applied markers it will give enough shine for my taste to not become boring.
Mary – has been working for us for over 3 years and is our in-house watchmaker.
With the previous ‘What Would We Wear?’ I opted for a my Zelos A-4. As a watchmaker, I really enjoy skeleton movements and everything else mechanical, but as a lady I also like more feminine watches. Such as the Junghans Max Bill Lady. Personally I own the 027/3601.00 which features a mechanical movement. It’s called Handaufzug, which means hand-wound in German, which means there is a Junghans J805.1, which is the ETA 2801-2, movement in there. It’s not an automatic, so it does mean winding the watch every day or so but that only gives you a more… intimate relationship with your watch, for lack of a better expression.
The watch is really comfortable to wear during my work, as it’s light, elegant and not too thick. The domed glass does stand out a little bit, which concerned me a little at first because of potential scratches. I have to say that after owning the watch for a few months I have yet to make any, plus the glass is relatively inexpensive so if it does get damaged, I can simply replace it.
The more ladies I talk to about Junghans, the more I find out it’s not really a typical guys brand, but also appreciated by many ladies. It’s gentle, stylish and striking where it matters!
Wies – Joined our team last year and oversees our social media and creative projects.
BOLDR Expedition Rushmore
The thing that attracted me most to the BOLDR Expedition watches is the rugged look. I enjoy not having to worry about a watch and this draws me to very sturdy and functional pieces. You can definitely say I gravitate to tool and field watches in general, and the BOLDR Expedition stands out to me with its vintage inspired looks.
The Rushmore has a matte black dial with an internal bezel which gives it a nice sense of depth while simultaneously making it feel much slimmer than the 41mm it really is. The dual colored lume is gorgeous and I can’t help looking at it every time it shows up. The bead blasted steel of the Rushmore gives it an understated look which combines well with the green canvas strap.
I picked a watch with Sapphire crystal because when I’m busy doing something like painting or taking pictures all my focus goes into that, and not into thinking about bumps and scratches. I love the vintage look of a domed crystal and because it’s sapphire, this one might survive me.
Because of it’s 20 ATM water resistance I won’t have to hesitate about wearing this watch when taking the boat out this summer. I could even wear it when going for a swim though I’d put it on a different strap to keep the leather backed canvas strap the watch comes on, looking it’s best.
All in all the BOLDR Expedition Rushmore is a versatile watch I can wear in almost any situation, what more can I ask for?
Mark – Customer service, has been working with us for 8 years.
I’ll make an honest confession – I’m a sucker for the Rolex Pepsi GMTs. Whether it’s the 1675, 16700, 126710BLRO; I love them all. Now my wallet doesn’t allow for any of those, but I could definitely do with some red and blue in my life.
There are a number of watches on the market that really emulate the renown Rolex look, which isn’t necessarily what I am after. The Globetrotter has a unique design, with the BOLDR DNA and I would say it’s closer to the Odyssey than any Oyster-style design. So what are you getting with this watch? 300m water resistance for those coffee accidents while desk diving. Sapphire glass with an AR coating. A Swiss Made ETA 2893-2 GMT movement under the hood. A comfy, custom rubber strap with divers’ extension. And of course the pièce de résistance: the blue and red bi-directional ceramic bezel. The bezel is really something else, as it’s still not a very common sight (Rolex introduced the Batman in 2013 and the white gold Pepsi in 2014 I believe) and looks very refreshing and bright.
It’s not small by any means with its 44mm diameter and 14.5mm thickness, but that does go with the serious tool-aspect of the watch. For me personally, it could have been a bit thinner and elegant, which is the biggest reason why I haven’t purchased it yet.
If you, like me, really dig the Pepsi bezel and want a unique watch that’s the finished to a very high standard, then this Globetrotter should be very high on your list. If you’re more of a Batman guy, then BOLDR also has a version with a black/blue bezel. But for me… Waiter, 1 ice cold Pepsi please!
Steven – Finance and sales, has been working with us for 1 year
With so many brands in our collection it was quite difficult to choose a watch for this blog. My favorite one at the moment is the OceanX Sharkmaster 600 SMS642.
What attracted me to this model is the so-called California Dial which has the unique combination of classic roman numerals and Arabic numbers. This dial dates back to the 30s when Rolex and Panerai were using them but who really coined the term ‘California dial’ is subject to a lot of guesswork. It’s not related to the Golden State, but it has stood throughout several decades now. Perhaps people will wonder about terms like Pepsi, Hulk and Batman in 50 years? Who knows!
Speaking of the Dial that brings me to the beautiful blue color of both the dial and the bezel. I love the ocean and even worked on Saint Martin for a while where I spent more time in the ocean than anything else. This marine blue color goes remarkably well with the vintage style style lume and just gives a very nice warm combination. Of course all the index markers have lume (convenient when you are 400meters deep!).
Another great feature of the watch that triggered me is the impressive 600 meter water resistance, in part due to helium escape valve. And if you’re going diving you don’t need to worry about the glass or bezel, as they’re both scratch resistant (sapphire glass and ceramic).
It has a solid steel band which gives the watch some body which I like when wearing it. With my 170 mm wrist circumference at first I had my doubts about the size (43 mm width and 16mm thickness). But when I tried it on it fits perfectly, the watch wasn’t too massive for my wrist and was gentle on the eye. The thickness isn’t just the watch case, like with some thick chronographs, but also in the domed glass. Technically it’s not as fat as it may appear on paper!
In short: a beautiful watch that is more than just a diver!
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