WRUW - Monday 10 December - favourite watch of the year

[tritto]

Per camrok's nomination, today's theme is your favourite watch purchase this year, or favourite watch to wear this year if you haven't made any purchases.
I looked over my list and a few watches have come and gone this year. Apart from ongoing projects perhaps 6 have stayed. Of them, the Seikos are a couple of 7548s and a PM62MAS. A Citizen powered Caravelle deserves an honourable mention because it was my first ever service of a mechanical watch (this year has been more about tinkering than acquiring), but the stand out would be this Omega Speedmaster, which is a custom build to replicate the "Japan Racing" limited edition from 2004, which in turn paid homage to some very small runs of racing dialled Speedmasters from about 1968/69 (excluding the MKII racing model).
A while ago I started to admire the Speedmaster Tintin, but about that time the unsold new ones in shops dried up and the price skyrocketed. I knew of the Racing Japan and asked an eBay seller that sold omega parts if he had the dial and hand set for sale. Unfortunately he no longer had an Omega parts account (must have been his habit of selling parts on eBay) but he did still have this watch that he had built for himself. I had the rest of the day to think about it, because he was taking it to sell at a trade show the next day. Out came my spreadsheet to add up what I had to sell (nothing I miss) and the deal was done.

[doomguy10011]

No theme for me today since I already had this on out the door. Switched over to a DAL1BP again.

I’ll participate in the theme tomorrow, though my number 1 purchase of the year is with Tom since I’m still out of the country.

[pip]

Good theme Cam. I have a few favourites that have come my way this year but one stands out at the moment. Bought as a non working wreck this one has taught me why the Arnie is still popular and has been one of my most satisfying projects so far.

[vynster]

My favourite watch of the year thus far is not Japanese, in fact I have 2 favourites, but I decided it's my Hamilton Scuba Auto, owing to the fact that it came with all of the boxes and manuals, just how I like them, it was originally purchased in 2010.  I have always had a soft spot for Hamilton watches, I saw it advertised for not a lot of cash tbh, on a 'Buy it Now' or 'Make an Offer, so I made my offer, which was accepted surprisingly. Attached are a couple of vendors pictures, as it is still too dark here to take current pics.

[SeikoSoMatic]

Still goin' strong after 51 years.....
(Not acquired this year nor favorite, just slapped it on this morning).

[Mr.Jones]

I guess this is it:


My "Happy 40th Birthday" watch.

[peenemunde]

Deluxe

[Zippo2000]

This one.Attachment Deleted

[Henry]

Picked up a couple of beauties this year including an original Sept 71 true pogue.. But one of my favourite watches my white speedy was upgraded also this year to this near mint specimen on my wrist.. The one it replaced was my first vintage Japanese watch I bought and it remains one of the watches I enjoy the most in my collection..

[rossr]

I think I could do a separate thread about my favourites for 2018. Overall I think it goes to the CQ 8811, a great-looking, early quartz piece from 1973. It ticked a lot of boxes for me. Old pic, but the right watch. I’ll do second-favourite (or maybe equal-favourite) tomorrow.

[camrok]

Great read so far. Thanks all for contributing.


I left work late so not much of a wrist shot.
I purchased this from Jon a month or so ago.
I really envied all the Samurai threads and while on a conference this year I tested this against a traditional 60’s inspired diver by tissot.
The samurai had a lower profile than the seastar and still had the aggressive styling.

I decided to sell my monster that was getting seldom wrist time for this beauty.

I am considering a new strap but the PVD stainless by strapcode at $175 aud is a bit steep in my opinion.

[seacreechur]

6105 Proof Proof...and by far my most expensive acquisition
Michael

[leffemonster]

I’ve picked up a lot of watches this year from eBay, retailers and private sales. Far and away the biggest purchase I made was from a contractor I worked with until a few months ago. He was a collector who decided he’d had enough of watches and wanted to off-load his collection to fund some crypto-mining activities. For sale were a number of the more collectible variants along with some odds and sods. Now, I’m known for being somewhat frugal when it comes to buying watches but with a bit of haggling we agreed on a price per piece, and it gave me the opportunity to own some stuff that I didn’t think I’d ever add to my collection. So I finally got my hands on a number of Pogues, Bullheads, Bellmatics and other niceties along with an assortment of Mumbai specials for parts. None of them were in pristine condition and a number still need to be worked on, including the one I’ve chosen for today - my black Bullhead. It needs a service and relume, but it manages to keep pretty decent time and sports an East Tech fishbone bracelet along with new gaskets and crystal from Tom SeikoPsycho. It’s just a completely bonkers watch, but an iconic one. 

[knuckles]

Dec 9, 2018 23:59:01 GMT -8 vynster said:

My favourite watch of the year thus far is not Japanese, in fact I have 2 favourites, but I decided it's my Hamilton Scuba Auto, owing to the fact that it came with all of the boxes and manuals, just how I like them.  I have always had a soft spot for Hamilton watches, I saw it advertised for not a lot of cash tbh, on a 'Buy it Now' or 'Make an Offer, so I made my offer, which was accepted surprisingly. Attached are a couple of vendors pictures, as it is still too dark here to take current pics.

Bloody hell Vyn I like that it's a wow from me 👍

[knuckles]

My favourite buy is this Trelawn hand winding, still need to fix the moon phase part 😁

[SeikoSoMatic]

Dec 10, 2018 3:46:09 GMT -8 knuckles said:

My favourite buy is this Trelawn hand winding, still need to fix the moon phase part 😁

Nicer than the Seiko versions! What year?

[knuckles]

Dec 10, 2018 3:55:54 GMT -8 SeikoSoMatic said:

Dec 10, 2018 3:46:09 GMT -8 knuckles said:

My favourite buy is this Trelawn hand winding, still need to fix the moon phase part 😁

Nicer than the Seiko versions! What year?

Not sure I was hoping someone on here might have an idea about the brand and age i was thinking 70/80s😀

[vynster]

'PMSL at frugal ! Squeak Squeak   Loving that one Nick, you kept it quiet

Dec 10, 2018 3:23:29 GMT -8 leffemonster said:

I’ve picked up a lot of watches this year from eBay, retailers and private sales. Far and away the biggest purchase I made was from a contractor I worked with until a few months ago. He was a collector who decided he’d had enough of watches and wanted to off-load his collection to fund some crypto-mining activities. For sale were a number of the more collectible variants along with some odds and sods. Now, I’m known for being somewhat frugal when it comes to buying watches but with a bit of haggling we agreed on a price per piece, and it gave me the opportunity to own some stuff that I didn’t think I’d ever add to my collection. So I finally got my hands on a number of Pogues, Bullheads, Bellmatics and other niceties along with an assortment of Mumbai specials for parts. None of them were in pristine condition and a number still need to be worked on, including the one I’ve chosen for today - my black Bullhead. It needs a service and relume, but it manages to keep pretty decent time and sports an East Tech fishbone bracelet along with new gaskets and crystal from Tom SeikoPsycho . It’s just a completely bonkers watch, but an iconic one. 

[vynster]

Thank you very much John, yours isn't so either shabby mate, Very nice indeed that one. I do have a few others too tbh.

Dec 10, 2018 3:42:19 GMT -8 knuckles said:

Dec 9, 2018 23:59:01 GMT -8 vynster said:

My favourite watch of the year thus far is not Japanese, in fact I have 2 favourites, but I decided it's my Hamilton Scuba Auto, owing to the fact that it came with all of the boxes and manuals, just how I like them.  I have always had a soft spot for Hamilton watches, I saw it advertised for not a lot of cash tbh, on a 'Buy it Now' or 'Make an Offer, so I made my offer, which was accepted surprisingly. Attached are a couple of vendors pictures, as it is still too dark here to take current pics.

Bloody hell Vyn I like that it's a wow from me 👍

[SeikoSoMatic]

Dec 10, 2018 4:07:26 GMT -8 knuckles said:

Dec 10, 2018 3:55:54 GMT -8 SeikoSoMatic said:

Nicer than the Seiko versions! What year?

Not sure I was hoping someone on here might have an idea about the brand and age i was thinking 70/80s😀

Doesn't sound too new if it's handwinding, I don't think.