There are quite a few Alixpress shops that sells odd sized straps. Maikes and Hemsut both makes high quality leather, nylon, sail clothe, etc. for cheap. I have many of them and they are on par, if not better, than some big brand names costing three or four times more.
About two months ago, I reviewed this watch with white color. Although the watch has six obvious reasons for being cheap, it is certain that it is a killer under $1000 👍
I've been intrigued by this brand for years, but it's true that there's always some styling element that feels a bit much (for my tastes). I generally think the necessary block-y design is fine - I'm more of a field watch type, anyway - but then there will be something super ornate/old-fashioned that clashes. That said, a lot of that evaluation is influenced by the price. Those quirks look a lot better at ~$600 than at $1K+.
That's a matter of taste and there's no right or wrong here. But I generally describe Ball watches with an old Brazilian saying: their watches are uglier than beating up your own mother. Or another one: One do not discusses taste, one just laments.
i almost bought this same model on ebay last month. my ball marvelight is one of my favorite watchs in my collection. Ended up buying a oris big crown pro pilot GMT. i couldn't pass the deal up on that one.
Hey you reviewed a watch that I own! I purchased the blue dial reference from Shop Worn when it was $650 USD. They then lowered it to $599 later on and they price matched it for me in five minutes with no questions asked. I always fine myself gravitating towards my Balls...compared to my other watches. The only thing that bothered me at first with this watch was the WR, but then I remembered that trains don't go under water.
One man's bug is another man's feature. I think the seconds hand counterweight is delightful. I've owned a Ball Trainmaster for about two years now, which is one of their dressier models that still manages to sneak in the tritium tubes. Hope you have a chance to review one of those someday!
Maybe there's a chance they didn't bother water resistance testing it so it would keep the cost down? Maybe we should test the WR (but remove the insides first!)! But let's also not forget that GMTs are mainly meant for people traveling, like pilots, so WR isn't up there on the priorities?
Thanks for the video. I had not heard of shopworn - I checked them out. They sell "shop worn" watches, jewelry, and handbags. Shop worn is a term for unsold items held in inventory by authorized dealers or by the manufacturer. Shopworn works with the brands themselves to sell this surplus inventory so they are NOT a gray market reseller.
bought a Ball watch through Shopworn and yes got a great price and the purchase process was a breeze. thanks for the review. Ball designs span a wide range: some are just perfect while others are way over designed. but find the right one that suits you and good chance you got a lot for your money.
I have a Ball Fireman Victory in my collection. It's one classic piece that I'll treasure for a long long time to come. Not sure why this reviewed model doesn't appeal to my taste. Maybe could be the overly busy dial. Nonetheless, Ball watches are always underrated. Hope to see another Ball GMT that "tickles" my heart ❤ and make me pull the trigger.
I just got an Alpina Alpiner Quartz GMT from Shop Worn for 70% off ($330 for an $1100 USD) on a Flash sale. Normally it is about $450. Service was very quick (3 days). No complaints here.
It looks great in person. It still had the original wrapping. 38 mm is a great size. Lug with isn’t an issue for me. The titanium bracelet is nice. It’s very light. $575 US is an absolute steal. Only negative is that the screw in the band came loose the first week. I tightened all of them and will continue to monitor. My first watch with tritium. Great addition to a collection.
I tend to agree with you Jody. 30m WR is disappointing but nothing else there IMO to put me off buying that particular model Ball. 19mm straps if desired, are actually getting much easier to source.....super high quality ones though ... not so much. Great content as always! Thank you for your time & effort.
That WR is bizarre, but as the proud owner of a Seiko5 that went Scuba diving I wonder if, (as is rumoured of the Speedmaster) that is a actual 100ft WR and its tested to that. It's certainly a value monster.
in china a 30m watch is splash proof. it's one of the common labels used for essentially cosmetic reasons. i suspect this is a genuine 30m watch acknowledging that virtually nobody is using those modern show-off depths for anything other than feeling very very secure that their watch is perfectly sealed from the environment in any realistic scenario they will find their body
Great video Jody. I also got a shop worn Tissot PRC 200 Powermatic 80 black dial (leather strap) from a bricks and mortar store at a great discount. It has slight Explorer fibes except the numbers are at 6 9 12 instead of 3 6 9. It was running 20 seconds slow at first so I brought it back to the shop and got it back from Tissot a few weeks later and is running within single digits a day. It has great features - 200m with screw down crown and a colour matched day date wheel. 39mm is perfect for my wrist. 19mm lug width and leather strap are the only minor niggles. It's a pity Tissot discontinued this model as the only other automatic Tissot I can think of with 200m water resist is the Seastar line and I'm not mad about the looks and it's too big for my wrist.
Great review as usual! Aren't all vostok komandirskies low WR and screw down crown as well? I can't remember, only had one long time ago. Thanks for sharing!
Bought two Benrus watches from shopworn. Both were in mint condition and have worked fine since purchase, so I've never had to do a return through them.
Great video about a great find! Titanium, Tritium, and such a beautiful movement at a great price! To me, the 30 meter water resistance is a disappointment, not a deal breaker. ShopWorn, here I come!
Always liked Ball watches. Never bought one but been tempted a few times. 38mm is ok but the style/looks of this one just not for me. My quartz H3 GWS G10 Tritium from MWC is a great basic tritium watch for pickup and go. As usual great video.
The watch checked my four criteria's, so I went for it (Shop worn). It's my first Ball watch, only thing that I'm not happy with is the stem, it's very finicky.
I think as far as ball goes I’ll stick with the non Arabic Engineer III. I have the Marvelight and at 40mm it’s perfect. The 43mm is clunky in my opinion, and with the 20mm strap makes it super flexible. I wouldn’t buy one full retail as they do have a tendency to depreciate substantially. I think they’re awesome, mine is the chronometer and of course, like so many other ball watches, a limited edition. I really can’t stand the look of the Arabic numerals, great review again, and I think if you’re okay with the 40mm 38 isn’t really a stretch at all. There are so many great options in that range.
I bought this watch from Shopworn and I simply love it. My collection ranges from Pagani to Oris to DeWitt, and I can honestly say this watch has become my daily wrist companion. I find the styling beautiful and unique and the titanium case is gorgeous. Thanks for your reviews and your channel-I’m a huge fan!
@@uhmerrykan The titanium seems to be holding up well. I’ve worn this watch a lot over the past several months and no major scratches have appeared. I wouldn’t worry!
Like you Jody, had one eye on Ball Watches for a long time. Finally picked one up when I bought a Ball Fireman Storm Chaser Pro chrono from Shop Worn earlier this month. Paid $987 US. It is a very good watch if you like them chunky and funky! And, a ridiculous bargain for a swiss made chrono.
Well I'm not defending the 19 mm lug width or the pool WR rating, but neither the vendor, the compact dimensions, the styling nor the fact that it's discontinued would keep be from buying it. Interesting watch, great find!
You walked right up to one of the reasons why it was cheap, but did not take a swing. The model being discontinued means it's a few years old--cutting into the total 12ish year half life of the Tritium. I think that would be the tipping point for me with the other negatives. Of course it didn't stop me from getting a Ball from jomashop previously. That one had better WR and 20mm lugs, so the tradeoff was worth it for these quirky steampunk pieces.
I've got an engineer 3 caring edition I've used for work almost every day. The polish doesn't last, mines full of micro scratches from work. The rainbow tritium is pretty nice. If you'd like to review let me know 😂
I have a Ball for a little year now. It was the first watch I dint flipper/sell. It’s great. It’s normal sized, has normal indices. Take a look: Ball Engineer III Endurance 1917. A great (milgauss?) watch. Tritium, 40mm, 100m WR.
That watch line "trainmaster" is the dress watch line that is why it is smaller than usual and has low water resistance. However, for a more under the radar kind of design you shoud check the ball engineer iii marvelight or the legend ii. For the dress category the trainmaster 135th anniversary is amazing. Great review
The size is perfect for me. I would never want to change the bracelet. It's still not an insignificant amount of money for me, but I think Jason got a bargain. I could wear that one every day.
Loved this one on ball Watches. They don't have to be such a garish styling some are very minimalist in looks a bit like German brand Nomos. I have that model. Well done Jodi
You speak the truth. I have an Engineer Marvelite 3 Caring Edition, thanks to Watch Andrew’s review. I had to swallow around $3200aud for one in hope that I’d come to terms with it. I have. I actually really love it. The lume is like nothing else I own, even Grand Seiko Diver.
I love Ball watches. I own a number of antique Railroad Pocket watches by Ball. Absolutely beautiful movements and dials. That's a deal I'd almost have to buy at that price. Except for one issue. Its size, 38mm would be so small on me. If nothing else, I couldn't admire it on my wife's wrist. She'd be honored to wear it. Side note, I have bought from Shop Worn. They're all new, its exactly what you said they're basically close out buys. Only one critique, its hard to hear the term "Cheap" when referring to a outstanding Manufacturer like Ball. How about inexpensive. Just a thought. It didn't seem to fit the description. Beautiful watch, nice review 👌 👍
I love GMTs that have the 24hr markers on the dial or chapter ring and I don’t care or it’s not a “true” or “flyer” GMT, I’ll take lower price and a thinner case anyday
5:55 Yeah, no, you have, Jody. Vostok Komandirskie's (at least the classic designs) have a theoretical 2 atm WR (if I recall correctly) yet they have screw-down crowns as well. It should work fine, I've swam with mine in the sea, the only damage from it was the use of the case plating because of the sea water.
Speaking of Swiss made GMT automatics under a grand . Have you seen the new Glycine combat sub gmt? I'm waiting to see a few reviews before buying one ; but it looks very good for the price .
I like the Glycine you mention as well as this Ball. Neither are "true gmt" but I guess that's gonna be the case for around $600. I like the Mido Oceanstar, true gmt for around $1200, but at 44mm its just way too big for me. I'm leaning towards the Glycine on a rubber strap. It's 42mm but only 11mm thick so I think it would work. Did you end up getting one?
I purchased from them once and it was a great experience. They took care of my needs of getting me extra brand new links for my Carl Bucherer. The watch I got was almost brand new. They followed up on my purchase with great communication. I will buy from them again if I do come across a good bargain.
I have owned a Ball watch for some years and always wondered why they are not as popular as I think they should be, great build quality & specs + great history? Have one of their new moon calender watches on order, you should have a look at them as they are more classic looking. Great channel by the way! 👍🏻
I have a Ball Roadmaster Skipper with their “in-house” COSC movement. A little bit of a Yacht-Master vibe going on. Definitely not as busy as many Ball offerings and that tritium, well, outstanding.
Great price for a feature-filled watch that NO ONE ELSE will have. I like that it fits in all that quirk in just 38mm instead of shouting it in a blingy 45mm.
There is something else to consider if you are looking at a discontinued Ball watch. How old is it. I bought one on Ebay and it was so old that the tritium was fading and not very bright. I have 2 other tritium watches (a T-100 and a T-25). The ball was much darker than my Marathon Navigator. I could barely see it in the dark. I tried to reach out to Marathon about the cost of new tritium tubes. The employee that emailed me back claimed to be looking into the price for a couple weeks, but never actually told me the price. I returned it to the seller and got my money back.
This is like a hybrid of an Explorer 1 and 2 from another dimension, I absolutely love it even with its shortcomings. If I can ever find it on the same kind of sale as your mate did, it's a definite buy for me.
I love it as well, size is perfect. I wouldn't go diving with it, are people swimming at 30 meters? I don't get the complaint there. I have a tritium Luminox but it's too chunky and not GMT.
Great looking watch. No issue in my opinion with the dimensions. A collector needs variety in their collection and this Ball is a great option for a tremendous price.
Awkward lug width? Seriously? Not not most common for sure but I have several watches - most of them actually, Omega, Rolex, Yema, 6 in total - with 19mm lug width... and I'm quite happy with the decent choice of straps I can find. 😀
I didn’t think I would like Ball. But I was looking for something that “Actually” fitted my wrist. I found the Ball Engineer Marvelight ii. And it’s never been of my wrist since I bought it. Did a review myself on it. It’s very bland in styling to most of Ball’s offerings. Mine too was an ex display And I paid about half price for it and was even able to get the full 5 year on it too. When Jodie had them in lume wars I always liked the night time glow. And if it wasn’t for him I probably would not of even looked into putting this one on my wrist. So thank you Jodie. I’m no Mr X or Mr P. Just a guy that loves watches. And like watching other channels of people that also like watches.
The sort of watch id grab for business travel. I don't really see an over done dial. I like that there is enough there to look interesting. Most chronographs are even more busy than this. And lots of people seem to like them.
I also have a Trainmaster GMT, IDK how its got so much watch in such an affordable price. Titanium, Tritium, Swiss movement, Automatic, GMT, Beautiful Dial. Its just nuts.
I think the pros outweigh the cons for me, and if I want to get a watch wet, let's say I plenty of choice 🤫 I can see why some might describe as a bit of a Frankenwatch, cobbled together from 2 other watches
I had a Ball Engineer Master II Diver Worldtime (what a mouthful) and I really liked it, but it was too big for me. I ended up with an SBGE001 which is not really much smaller, but it wears a lot smaller and is just generally a much nicer watch. I do miss the tritium though.
Jody! Do you realize that you are wearing a NJ Mëtal Band Shirt! 12 Days Straight from Little Egg Harbor. Beautiful area. As South as you can get in New Jersey. I love your fresh New T-Shirt everyday look but I have a feeling this one snuck up on you 😘
You should see if you can get your hands on a Ball Fireman Enterprise. It's their cheapest MSRP model at about $1100 USD, beautiful dauphine hands (including tritium tubes), and long, slender indices composed of just the tritium tubes.
Bought a Nite.. Wasn't impressed with how bright the tritium was in low light and returned it the next day. Bought an Orient in titanium n it didn't feel right n lume was poor. Great bargain i recall less than $130 from Jomashop but flipped it when i probably should have kept it but the more i buy the more critical i get n discard my mistakes. Bought a Zelos in titanium with full lume dial as soon as it went on sale and guess what didn't feel right n didn't like the angle of the endlink on my wrist so flipped straight away. One day I'll find the titanium watch for me.
Jealous as hell, a great watch and a perfect size. I have a ball Fireman Night breaker, and the watches are fantastic. Unfortunately that watch is now sold out
thats a nice looking watch, wanted a GMT but seriously was thinking about the new timex quartz GMT...automatics scare me a bit, I don't mind quartz, fewer worries. But, at this price, wow!
Take a look at the Fireman Enterprise, one of Ball's entry watches. A simple attractive dial, thin baton tritium indices. I have one and love it. Got it at a good price, a couple of hundred quid under RRP. It proves that not all Ball Watches are quirky
Could you compare the Seiko Sharp Edge to lower priced 'Do it all' Seikos please? I really like it's dial and movement, but not sure about the details if that worth the extra price. Thanks
Hi jody nice review what a great little watch it's a great buy.... Iam considering buying a mathey tissot automatic GMT on a jubilee bracelet with the Pepsi bezel off jomashop for $799, I think this is a good buy... Mathey Tissot a bonafide Swiss company with good history and heritage..... Bargain Rolex Pepsi... Mark UK 👍
I wonder how old the tritium is. It decays… probably not too bad yet. To an American, Ball means canning jars first and satellites second and watches a distant third. At least to me. The canning jars and satellites were originally the same company; I don’t think that the watches were.
The only thing I don't like is the date window....I'm going to have to do research, can tritium tubes be shaped similarly to neon, thus rendering the odd Arabics mute....🏴⌚🏴⌚
I own several tritium lume watches. I hesitate to buy premium brand tritium watches or used tritium watches because the tubes really do dim after a few years and are significantly faded at 12 years. A Ball watch with exhausted tritium tubes is pretty much "done"...
Interesting watch, 38mm with a slimmer bezel (not a diver) works great for me. Loads of 19mm straps available from Barton and Archer.
Lol as soon as he said 19mm lug width, I immediately thought of Bartom
There are quite a few Alixpress shops that sells odd sized straps. Maikes and Hemsut both makes high quality leather, nylon, sail clothe, etc. for cheap. I have many of them and they are on par, if not better, than some big brand names costing three or four times more.
I throw "cheapestnatostraps" into the ring. Seriously great (handmade) stuff at a veeeery reasonable price. And unusual sizes as well.
About two months ago, I reviewed this watch with white color. Although the watch has six obvious reasons for being cheap, it is certain that it is a killer under $1000 👍
I've been intrigued by this brand for years, but it's true that there's always some styling element that feels a bit much (for my tastes). I generally think the necessary block-y design is fine - I'm more of a field watch type, anyway - but then there will be something super ornate/old-fashioned that clashes. That said, a lot of that evaluation is influenced by the price. Those quirks look a lot better at ~$600 than at $1K+.
That's a matter of taste and there's no right or wrong here. But I generally describe Ball watches with an old Brazilian saying: their watches are uglier than beating up your own mother.
Or another one: One do not discusses taste, one just laments.
The Ball Engineer II Marvelight looks very versatile yet keeps a uniqueness to it that isn't on the eccentric side.
i almost bought this same model on ebay last month. my ball marvelight is one of my favorite watchs in my collection. Ended up buying a oris big crown pro pilot GMT. i couldn't pass the deal up on that one.
Hey you reviewed a watch that I own! I purchased the blue dial reference from Shop Worn when it was $650 USD. They then lowered it to $599 later on and they price matched it for me in five minutes with no questions asked.
I always fine myself gravitating towards my Balls...compared to my other watches. The only thing that bothered me at first with this watch was the WR, but then I remembered that trains don't go under water.
Most men gravitate towards their Balls 😂
And now they're out of stock, lol. Doh!
One man's bug is another man's feature. I think the seconds hand counterweight is delightful. I've owned a Ball Trainmaster for about two years now, which is one of their dressier models that still manages to sneak in the tritium tubes. Hope you have a chance to review one of those someday!
Something might be wrong with me, but I like the dial design very much.
Nothing wrong with you mate, you have just acquired the taste.
Maybe there's a chance they didn't bother water resistance testing it so it would keep the cost down? Maybe we should test the WR (but remove the insides first!)! But let's also not forget that GMTs are mainly meant for people traveling, like pilots, so WR isn't up there on the priorities?
Thanks for the video. I had not heard of shopworn - I checked them out. They sell "shop worn" watches, jewelry, and handbags. Shop worn is a term for unsold items held in inventory by authorized dealers or by the manufacturer. Shopworn works with the brands themselves to sell this surplus inventory so they are NOT a gray market reseller.
bought a Ball watch through Shopworn and yes got a great price and the purchase process was a breeze. thanks for the review. Ball designs span a wide range: some are just perfect while others are way over designed. but find the right one that suits you and good chance you got a lot for your money.
I have a Ball Fireman Victory in my collection. It's one classic piece that I'll treasure for a long long time to come. Not sure why this reviewed model doesn't appeal to my taste. Maybe could be the overly busy dial. Nonetheless, Ball watches are always underrated. Hope to see another Ball GMT that "tickles" my heart ❤ and make me pull the trigger.
I just got an Alpina Alpiner Quartz GMT from Shop Worn for 70% off ($330 for an $1100 USD) on a Flash sale. Normally it is about $450. Service was very quick (3 days). No complaints here.
It looks great in person. It still had the original wrapping. 38 mm is a great size. Lug with isn’t an issue for me. The titanium bracelet is nice. It’s very light. $575 US is an absolute steal. Only negative is that the screw in the band came loose the first week. I tightened all of them and will continue to monitor. My first watch with tritium. Great addition to a collection.
I tend to agree with you Jody. 30m WR is disappointing but nothing else there IMO to put me off buying that particular model Ball. 19mm straps if desired, are actually getting much easier to source.....super high quality ones though ... not so much. Great content as always! Thank you for your time & effort.
That WR is bizarre, but as the proud owner of a Seiko5 that went Scuba diving I wonder if, (as is rumoured of the Speedmaster) that is a actual 100ft WR and its tested to that. It's certainly a value monster.
Ummm 100ft is 33m .... LoL
@@edwardfletcher7790 Thanks for that...
@@edwardfletcher7790 Yeah, but 30m WR watch doesn't mean it's 30m water resistant but only splash proof.
@@Visitor555 Unless it's a Vostok, then it could mean 200m ! LoL
in china a 30m watch is splash proof. it's one of the common labels used for essentially cosmetic reasons. i suspect this is a genuine 30m watch acknowledging that virtually nobody is using those modern show-off depths for anything other than feeling very very secure that their watch is perfectly sealed from the environment in any realistic scenario they will find their body
Great video Jody. I also got a shop worn Tissot PRC 200 Powermatic 80 black dial (leather strap) from a bricks and mortar store at a great discount. It has slight Explorer fibes except the numbers are at 6 9 12 instead of 3 6 9. It was running 20 seconds slow at first so I brought it back to the shop and got it back from Tissot a few weeks later and is running within single digits a day. It has great features - 200m with screw down crown and a colour matched day date wheel. 39mm is perfect for my wrist. 19mm lug width and leather strap are the only minor niggles. It's a pity Tissot discontinued this model as the only other automatic Tissot I can think of with 200m water resist is the Seastar line and I'm not mad about the looks and it's too big for my wrist.
Great review as usual! Aren't all vostok komandirskies low WR and screw down crown as well? I can't remember, only had one long time ago. Thanks for sharing!
Bought two Benrus watches from shopworn. Both were in mint condition and have worked fine since purchase, so I've never had to do a return through them.
Great video about a great find! Titanium, Tritium, and such a beautiful movement at a great price! To me, the 30 meter water resistance is a disappointment, not a deal breaker. ShopWorn, here I come!
did you get one? They seem to be out of stock now.
@@toddsmith8608 I did not get one. I hesitated & missed the train, so to speak.
Always liked Ball watches. Never bought one but been tempted a few times. 38mm is ok but the style/looks of this one just not for me. My quartz H3 GWS G10 Tritium from MWC is a great basic tritium watch for pickup and go. As usual great video.
I must be a rare breed but only use quartz and have done literally for decades for good reason.I love all things mechanical but not watches.
The watch checked my four criteria's, so I went for it (Shop worn). It's my first Ball watch, only thing that I'm not happy with is the stem, it's very finicky.
I think as far as ball goes I’ll stick with the non Arabic Engineer III. I have the Marvelight and at 40mm it’s perfect. The 43mm is clunky in my opinion, and with the 20mm strap makes it super flexible. I wouldn’t buy one full retail as they do have a tendency to depreciate substantially. I think they’re awesome, mine is the chronometer and of course, like so many other ball watches, a limited edition. I really can’t stand the look of the Arabic numerals, great review again, and I think if you’re okay with the 40mm 38 isn’t really a stretch at all. There are so many great options in that range.
Morning jody, still in the flipping hospital, been looking forward to this Saturdays video
Bob! Hang tough. Hopefully you'll be watching next weekend's vids from home.
@@JustOneMoreWatch that's the plan!
Get better bro
@@mariog7213 cheers Mario!
I bought this watch from Shopworn and I simply love it. My collection ranges from Pagani to Oris to DeWitt, and I can honestly say this watch has become my daily wrist companion. I find the styling beautiful and unique and the titanium case is gorgeous. Thanks for your reviews and your channel-I’m a huge fan!
Mate, how's it doing with scratches, my understanding is that a titanium watch would be a magnet for that.
@@uhmerrykan The titanium seems to be holding up well. I’ve worn this watch a lot over the past several months and no major scratches have appeared. I wouldn’t worry!
Like you Jody, had one eye on Ball Watches for a long time. Finally picked one up when I bought a Ball Fireman Storm Chaser Pro chrono from Shop Worn earlier this month. Paid $987 US. It is a very good watch if you like them chunky and funky! And, a ridiculous bargain for a swiss made chrono.
I actually like it, enough "quirk" to set itself apart from the endless list of homages of high end watches out of Switzerland. Great review. Cheers
Well I'm not defending the 19 mm lug width or the pool WR rating, but neither the vendor, the compact dimensions, the styling nor the fact that it's discontinued would keep be from buying it. Interesting watch, great find!
You walked right up to one of the reasons why it was cheap, but did not take a swing. The model being discontinued means it's a few years old--cutting into the total 12ish year half life of the Tritium. I think that would be the tipping point for me with the other negatives.
Of course it didn't stop me from getting a Ball from jomashop previously. That one had better WR and 20mm lugs, so the tradeoff was worth it for these quirky steampunk pieces.
Take a look at the Luminox watches...bought one specifically for a night time job...works great and the price was right!
I've got an engineer 3 caring edition I've used for work almost every day. The polish doesn't last, mines full of micro scratches from work. The rainbow tritium is pretty nice. If you'd like to review let me know 😂
I have a Ball for a little year now. It was the first watch I dint flipper/sell. It’s great. It’s normal sized, has normal indices. Take a look: Ball Engineer III Endurance 1917. A great (milgauss?) watch. Tritium, 40mm, 100m WR.
That watch line "trainmaster" is the dress watch line that is why it is smaller than usual and has low water resistance. However, for a more under the radar kind of design you shoud check the ball engineer iii marvelight or the legend ii. For the dress category the trainmaster 135th anniversary is amazing. Great review
The size is perfect for me. I would never want to change the bracelet. It's still not an insignificant amount of money for me, but I think Jason got a bargain. I could wear that one every day.
Loved this one on ball Watches. They don't have to be such a garish styling some are very minimalist in looks a bit like German brand Nomos. I have that model. Well done Jodi
You speak the truth.
I have an Engineer Marvelite 3 Caring Edition, thanks to Watch Andrew’s review.
I had to swallow around $3200aud for one in hope that I’d come to terms with it.
I have.
I actually really love it.
The lume is like nothing else I own, even Grand Seiko Diver.
I love Ball watches. I own a number of antique Railroad Pocket watches by Ball. Absolutely beautiful movements and dials.
That's a deal I'd almost have to buy at that price. Except for one issue. Its size, 38mm would be so small on me. If nothing else, I couldn't admire it on my wife's wrist. She'd be honored to wear it.
Side note, I have bought from Shop Worn. They're all new, its exactly what you said they're basically close out buys.
Only one critique, its hard to hear the term "Cheap" when referring to a outstanding Manufacturer like Ball. How about inexpensive. Just a thought. It didn't seem to fit the description.
Beautiful watch, nice review 👌 👍
I love GMTs that have the 24hr markers on the dial or chapter ring and I don’t care or it’s not a “true” or “flyer” GMT, I’ll take lower price and a thinner case anyday
5:55
Yeah, no, you have, Jody. Vostok Komandirskie's (at least the classic designs) have a theoretical 2 atm WR (if I recall correctly) yet they have screw-down crowns as well. It should work fine, I've swam with mine in the sea, the only damage from it was the use of the case plating because of the sea water.
Speaking of Swiss made GMT automatics under a grand . Have you seen the new Glycine combat sub gmt? I'm waiting to see a few reviews before buying one ; but it looks very good for the price .
I like the Glycine you mention as well as this Ball. Neither are "true gmt" but I guess that's gonna be the case for around $600. I like the Mido Oceanstar, true gmt for around $1200, but at 44mm its just way too big for me. I'm leaning towards the Glycine on a rubber strap. It's 42mm but only 11mm thick so I think it would work. Did you end up getting one?
Like you say, definitely an acquired taste. For a tritium-tubed watch I'd prefer one of a variety of Marathons available. But to each his own. Cheers!
I purchased from them once and it was a great experience. They took care of my needs of getting me extra brand new links for my Carl Bucherer. The watch I got was almost brand new. They followed up on my purchase with great communication. I will buy from them again if I do come across a good bargain.
I've owned two ball watches over the years and think they are really underated and overlooked in the watch world.
I own two balls as well...
@@Lanciarules that's one more than Hitler...achievement unlocked.
@@Lanciarules and are yours underated and overlooked? 🤔
@@murphski8136 if they glow in the dark...seek medical attention.
I have owned a Ball watch for some years and always wondered why they are not as popular as I think they should be, great build quality & specs + great history? Have one of their new moon calender watches on order, you should have a look at them as they are more classic looking. Great channel by the way! 👍🏻
Thanks mate! Enjoy your Ball. I'll definitely pick one up one day myself.
38mm is actually a shade too big for my taste, although I do have watches bigger than that. If this one was 36mm it would be very desirable indeed.
I have a Ball Roadmaster Skipper with their “in-house” COSC movement. A little bit of a Yacht-Master vibe going on. Definitely not as busy as many Ball offerings and that tritium, well, outstanding.
Great price for a feature-filled watch that NO ONE ELSE will have. I like that it fits in all that quirk in just 38mm instead of shouting it in a blingy 45mm.
There is something else to consider if you are looking at a discontinued Ball watch. How old is it. I bought one on Ebay and it was so old that the tritium was fading and not very bright. I have 2 other tritium watches (a T-100 and a T-25). The ball was much darker than my Marathon Navigator. I could barely see it in the dark. I tried to reach out to Marathon about the cost of new tritium tubes. The employee that emailed me back claimed to be looking into the price for a couple weeks, but never actually told me the price. I returned it to the seller and got my money back.
This is like a hybrid of an Explorer 1 and 2 from another dimension, I absolutely love it even with its shortcomings. If I can ever find it on the same kind of sale as your mate did, it's a definite buy for me.
I love it as well, size is perfect. I wouldn't go diving with it, are people swimming at 30 meters? I don't get the complaint there. I have a tritium Luminox but it's too chunky and not GMT.
"Let's pee on the Snickers" 🤣🤣🤣
Best translation yet.
Great looking watch. No issue in my opinion with the dimensions. A collector needs variety in their collection and this Ball is a great option for a tremendous price.
Awkward lug width? Seriously? Not not most common for sure but I have several watches - most of them actually, Omega, Rolex, Yema, 6 in total - with 19mm lug width... and I'm quite happy with the decent choice of straps I can find. 😀
I didn’t think I would like Ball. But I was looking for something that “Actually” fitted my wrist. I found the Ball Engineer Marvelight ii. And it’s never been of my wrist since I bought it. Did a review myself on it. It’s very bland in styling to most of Ball’s offerings.
Mine too was an ex display And I paid about half price for it and was even able to get the full 5 year on it too.
When Jodie had them in lume wars I always liked the night time glow. And if it wasn’t for him I probably would not of even looked into putting this one on my wrist. So thank you Jodie. I’m no Mr X or Mr P. Just a guy that loves watches. And like watching other channels of people that also like watches.
Please review more Ball watches. The way you say “tritium tubes” is wonderful.
The sort of watch id grab for business travel. I don't really see an over done dial. I like that there is enough there to look interesting. Most chronographs are even more busy than this. And lots of people seem to like them.
I also have a Trainmaster GMT, IDK how its got so much watch in such an affordable price.
Titanium, Tritium, Swiss movement, Automatic, GMT, Beautiful Dial. Its just nuts.
38mm, titanium, GMT, all things that I like. I think its an amazing deal.
I think the pros outweigh the cons for me, and if I want to get a watch wet, let's say I plenty of choice 🤫 I can see why some might describe as a bit of a Frankenwatch, cobbled together from 2 other watches
Check out the fireman nightbreaker, no weird counterbalance, no arabics, 100m water resistant and a 2824, love mine
I had a Ball Engineer Master II Diver Worldtime (what a mouthful) and I really liked it, but it was too big for me. I ended up with an SBGE001 which is not really much smaller, but it wears a lot smaller and is just generally a much nicer watch. I do miss the tritium though.
Jody! Do you realize that you are wearing a NJ Mëtal Band Shirt! 12 Days Straight from Little Egg Harbor. Beautiful area. As South as you can get in New Jersey.
I love your fresh New T-Shirt everyday look but I have a feeling this one snuck up on you 😘
You should see if you can get your hands on a Ball Fireman Enterprise. It's their cheapest MSRP model at about $1100 USD, beautiful dauphine hands (including tritium tubes), and long, slender indices composed of just the tritium tubes.
I quite like the big numbers, they give a bit of 1930s aesthetic to the watch.
That water resistance is really odd. The styling isn't for me, but at that price though it's a bargain.
I would test that case screw down crown is usually minimum 75-100mm on pressure tests
It's strange that I like it, but I do. Great video Jody. Great buy Jason.
I love ball watches, but you are right- they are not for everyone. I like the tritium which doesn’t compromise at night.
Bought a Nite.. Wasn't impressed with how bright the tritium was in low light and returned it the next day.
Bought an Orient in titanium n it didn't feel right n lume was poor. Great bargain i recall less than $130 from Jomashop but flipped it when i probably should have kept it but the more i buy the more critical i get n discard my mistakes.
Bought a Zelos in titanium with full lume dial as soon as it went on sale and guess what didn't feel right n didn't like the angle of the endlink on my wrist so flipped straight away.
One day I'll find the titanium watch for me.
I paid about the same for my Citizen Ecodrive stainless steel quartz. Damn you, gray market.
Also, that lume shot is dope.
Also, wrist check=G Shock?
Wow for $599? That’s amazing, GMT movement with tritium. Well done
I'll definitely have to consider Shop Worn and looking out for the "Oddity Discount" 👍🏽
Jealous as hell, a great watch and a perfect size. I have a ball Fireman Night breaker, and the watches are fantastic. Unfortunately that watch is now sold out
thats a nice looking watch, wanted a GMT but seriously was thinking about the new timex quartz GMT...automatics scare me a bit, I don't mind quartz, fewer worries. But, at this price, wow!
Take a look at the Fireman Enterprise, one of Ball's entry watches. A simple attractive dial, thin baton tritium indices. I have one and love it. Got it at a good price, a couple of hundred quid under RRP. It proves that not all Ball Watches are quirky
Yeah I like that one a lot, but not the polished mid links. Maybe titanium is the way to go for me?
@@JustOneMoreWatch I've replaced the bracelet with a mesh strap, raises the quality feel of the watch
I bought a gray market trainmaster power reserve for $900. Some good deals out there on gray market balls
I've got the fireman Victory from ball. I love that watch.
Could you compare the Seiko Sharp Edge to lower priced 'Do it all' Seikos please?
I really like it's dial and movement, but not sure about the details if that worth the extra price.
Thanks
How you were able to get through that without a single comical reference is truly amazing . Very close tho . 🙏🍻
Jody, thats not a 2893. It's a Soprod Movement (a Swiss improved Seiko 4L25)
my favorite graymarket dealer have simular ball, except its not gmt, and proudly say od dial that's 30m water resistant, that i couldn't stomach.
screw down crown is just a standard feature with the brand (I think). My trainmaster eternity has a screwdown and I'm pretty sure it's only 5 bar.
I quite like Ball pieces but i wish they'd dial back some of the styling. Keep the counter balance though.
Hi. $1,200 is the most I could ever afford to spend on a watch. Is the MM200 the best AUTO dive watch for the that price?
If you want a Seiko, buy it in person and make sure you don;t pay retail! But if you love it, then it is the 'best' for you.
I have a Ball Engineer 2, 100m we. It's 40 mm...love it.
Great to see a Ball on the channel.
It's actually very impressive to see a 38mm slim GMT! I llove the dimensions, but I don't like the dial design. The 6, 9 and 12 look awkward.
Hi jody nice review what a great little watch it's a great buy.... Iam considering buying a mathey tissot automatic GMT on a jubilee bracelet with the Pepsi bezel off jomashop for $799, I think this is a good buy... Mathey Tissot a bonafide Swiss company with good history and heritage..... Bargain Rolex Pepsi... Mark UK 👍
I'm a watch newbie. Been following reviews, restorations all over RUclips. Ball has to be one of the most under-represented brands out there.
They offer something unique, but too unique for many it seems!
This is a great find. I find this is one of Ball's more conservative designs.
OMFG you broke my heart when you said 38mm! *LOL* Anyway, cool watch and fun review.
I have yet to find a Ball Watch I love enough to buy. I will keep looking, they offer a lot of value, but nothing I want to plop down my visa for yet.
I wonder how old the tritium is. It decays… probably not too bad yet.
To an American, Ball means canning jars first and satellites second and watches a distant third. At least to me. The canning jars and satellites were originally the same company; I don’t think that the watches were.
What did I do the first minute of watching? Spit my brightness control like crazy!
I have a Ball GMT Hydrocarbon. It is built like Thor's hammer and keeps excellent time. Highly recommended.
Looks a bit like my old Vostok. At £60, I was happy with those super angular digits. For £600, I’m not so sure.
Looks great. I love the dimensions.
The only thing I don't like is the date window....I'm going to have to do research, can tritium tubes be shaped similarly to neon, thus rendering the odd Arabics mute....🏴⌚🏴⌚
I own several tritium lume watches. I hesitate to buy premium brand tritium watches or used tritium watches because the tubes really do dim after a few years and are significantly faded at 12 years. A Ball watch with exhausted tritium tubes is pretty much "done"...
I would like a better water resistance! But its a very nice watch!
Not bad. I'd go with the ball engineer ii magneto s though
Ball was such an important part of RR that the term"ON the Ball",referenced of being on time and being precise!
The expression existed long before Ball watches relating to ball sports. But it was indeed from early days applied to Ball Watches as well.