@@seattlegrrlie Same here. A great example is the Longines Hydroconquest. The 39mm case doesn't mean a whole lot when the lug-to-lug is 48mm. Meanwhile the Tag Heuer Aquaracer 200 is 10x more wearable for me despite having a 40mm case, because the lug-to-lug is only 46mm.
Lug-to-Lug? THANK YOU, Teddy!!!!! Brands absolutely DO overlook this and it's such an important feature for those with smaller wrists. I really hate having to do a deep dive into research for this when brands could easily include it in their specs.
Yep it turns into a huge chore to find lug-to-lug measurements for certain watches, and then the worst is when you watch multiple reviews of the watch and each person says slightly different measurements. Like the difference between a 48mm and 49mm lug-to-lug might not mean a lot, but it affects the wearability a ton for someone with a slimmer wrist like me.
Try this hidden feature: Use your watch as a compass! Point your hour hand in the direction of the sun. South is half way between the hour hand and the 12.
especially with all the many electronics we use today. Most dont know they are subjecting their watches to. I work with electronics all day and just realized for my daily wear of my mechanical automatics, I need to start looking for the best anti-magnetic watch.
@@tyranelewis7763 mate that’s why I settle with Digitals and/or Quartz. It’ll give you a peace of mind. And that statment is coming from someone from the electronics industry too mate. Find out for yourself.
for me, the date window is the most important thing in a watch. next to telling the time of course. but especially when signing a contract, i dont want to have to put down the pen and pull out my phone just to check the date.
Well said. Many people complain against date windows and i can understand that from a design point of view, but for an everyday piece that's hardly leaves the wrist it's very important and useful.
If it is that important, don't you also find that having a perpetual calendar is a very important feature? Else you have to remember to update the date once every 2 months, which is easy to forget sometimes (if it happens in the weekend especially)
Quick set date and hacking seconds. I don't wear the same watch every day, so when I go to wear a watch it has stopped. Being able to quickly set it is a must have
The Omega constellation that Teddy owns has the ability to independently adjust the hour hand. I consider that a killer feature as you don’t stop the watch (seconds) to change time zones. That’s the one feature I really wish my watches had and it’s a big reason why I’m interested in acquiring one that has it.
@@TeddyBaldassarre thanks for the response. As a businessman I rely surprisingly heavily on a date complication - I must check it 4 or five times a day. My snowflake has easily the most readable one I’ve ever encountered - certainly easier than a cyclops. Coupled with the above complication it would be a killer business watch. I admire your work Teddy - I’ve learned lots from you and the guests and tours you take. You inspire my purchases and aspirations more than anyone else.
One measurement I have never seen, but I think is pretty important, is the combined thickness of the case and clasp. The case on the latest generation Sub may be only 12ish mm thick but the clasp is considerably thicker than older models. I've seen several reviewers aver that it will slide easily under a dress cuff, but that is not necessarily true. As the owner of a 126610 and a 6.3in wrist, the cuffs of many of my long-sleeve shirts are too small to accommodate the watch, thus relegating it to summer wear. My polar 16570 does work in the colder months. When discussing wearability, case thickness is only half of the story. Teddy, you're doing a great job. Love the content, especially with Mr. Wonderful.
Main things I look about watch are 1. Water resistant, I have a fond memory of a cheap watch while in swimming class when I was in elementary but it was total water resistant, so WR is gonna be my main point 2. Lume, nah just my mum loves luminescent stuff, I still placed glow in the dark sticker on my speaker to remind me of my mum 3. Bracelet, I've used every single strap type (OK I never try mesh) already and metal is the thing I can live with most, I have small wrist so if I use rubber or leather I might need another hole, thus makes me love bracelet since it is the only thing can make to fit me without damaging it 4. Hacking, I'm fine without hacking but with hacking is always easier to set time
@@lebowskiunderachiever3591 I know, I have fun with trolling spammer since I have to deal with these kinda people that Thai govt sent to halt freedom of speech in here
Agree.Bracelets that are problematic to get fitted well are the ones with a butterfly clasp. Every time I get one sized, it's great until my wrist swells and then often gets uncomfortable. Then you're stuck until the wrist returns to normal. I have a Tissot PRX with bracelet that I love but which has this problem. This is why I generally go for watches with straps, but there are certain watches for which the bracelet elevates the look of the watch over a strap.
I wish there was a button for zeroing the second (something like hacking, but don’t have to wait), especially if you want to synchronise with a specific event.
The Glashütte Original Senator Chronometer has this feature. From a review: “The first feature that you’ll only understand by operating the movement is the “seconds reset” feature. Many watches have a “hacking seconds hand” which stops moving when you pull the crown out. This is designed to enable the user to set the time more precisely. With the Senator Chronometer, Glashütte Original steps it up a bit with a system that not only stops the seconds hand when the crown is pulled out, but also jumps the seconds hand to “0” - or the 12 o’clock position. The idea, again, is to make setting the precise time more simple.”
JLC has a terrific, and remarkably simple, tool-free micro adjustment system on its Polaris bracelets with butterfly clasps. A butterfly clasp really isn't an excuse for not offering on-the-fly micro adjustment. And as to hacking movements: I think it's absurd that haute horlogerie brands like Patek and Vacheron think that they don't need to provide hacking movements. I've never heard a good reason for it, other than cost-cutting.
On-the-fly micro-adjustment is the most important feature for me. It was the deciding factor that made me get my Omega Seamaster 300 Professional in the first place! Plus even my “cheaper” Zelos in the $300 range has them… I see no reason why all luxury watches can’t have them. Good on Tudor for bringing the T-fit to most (all?) their watches now though!
I couldn't agree more. I recently bought a JLC Reverso Gran Sport, which came out in the mid-90s. It has a bracelet with a butterfly clasp, with on-the -fly micro adjustment on both sides of the buckle. If JLC were doing this 30 years ago, why is it so difficult for watch manufacturers today?
The same could be said for drilled lugs. It can't be a costly feature to implement and therefore should be standard across watch lines (except maybe on high-end watches where the bracelet is integrated).
Thanks for the video. I like it when the crown is big enough so that the case thickness does not interfere with winding. For instance, Hamilton Khaki Field and Tissot prx are both incredible watches but the former winds way more comfortable to me.
Anti reflective coating is very important. If you don’t have it, your dial looks really bad and full of reflections all the time. If you have it, especially on top and bottom of the crystal, the dial look phenomenal all the time, and if you scratch it at some point (although I did not scratch a single watch in years), you only have to deal with an imperfection on a limited area of the crystal/dial. Now, I don’t know how others see it, but I would take a crystal which might have a scratch (maaaybe, but unlikely with normal usage) instead of a watch with no anti reflective coating.
My Longines has a short scratch. About 2-3mm long. You only see the scratch in bright sunlight and if you look for it ;-) As you said, you always have a perfect view on the dial - never on the scratch.
Date window for me is huge. Despite sometimes ruining the aesthetic, always knowing what day it is with a quick glance of your wrist is so understated for me (as I always forget haha).
Yep. Date is great on an everyday watch. Maybe on a dress watch it is just something else to set. I mostly consult the date to decide if food is still in date!
Good list. I'd add a count-down rotating bezel - so much more useful than a traditional count-up dive bezel. Also +50m water resistance, so I don't have to worry about it when riding my motorcycle in the rain or taking a dip in the pool.
Great call on movement frequency. I think that the FC Monolithic Manufacture is one of the most significant and overlooked watches released since the spring drive. Absolutely incredible and should have received far more attention than I feel that it did. Amazing technology.
Power reserve is my big one now. Nothing I buy going forward will have less than 70 hours. It's great to switch watches for a day or two without having to fiddle.
This is a bit conflated. A mechanical watch can not maintain its listed accuracy over the entire PR. So whilst you next watch might still be ticking at 69hrs, it's ability to display a time even remotely accurate has long passed. (You will still have to pop the crown and adjust). Each movement has a point in the PR where it will start to fall out of accuracy, the true challenge is to extend this point, increasing overall PR is just the most simplistic approach. There are manufacturers that address this issue differently and for that reason run PR under your 70hr standard. These movements can ultimately perform as well and if not better than something at 70hr.
I agree lug to lug is important to consider. Also don't forget case thickness too. Along with the case size. They all need to be considered when making a purchase esp online purchases. Many cases exceed 14 mm.. ventures on wearing hockey pucks on your wrist.
I'm very new to watches and your videos have been incredibly helpful on my path towards choosing my first watch. Thanks for all the helpful knowledge Teddy!
Great list of features Teddy. The thing your content makes you very unique and shine apart from the rest is your very relatable thought patters. Your ideas are often rhymes with mine and I'm sure with many other people's as well. You always speak to the average consumer.
Really enjoyed this episode. I don't actually have this on my automatic, but I would say for me that a power reserve indicator seen on some mechanical watches is a nice touch just to let you know if need to give the watch some winding etc. But I suppose if you have your watch on your wrist most of the time you have a rough idea of power reserve.
Having a few watches sitting in the box, I find Power Reserve extremely useful. As you mentioned for someone who loves to switch them everyday it is a must have feature and you'll start noticing it once you have a few of mechanical watches. Thank you Teddy
You mentioned lug-to-lug. People with larger wrists (or who buy for people with larger wrists) want to know bracelet size. A Christmas present was a problem because I had to order an extension link the first business day after the fact. It is a simple measurement: "What is the largest wrist size the band/bracelet will support?"
Lug to lug is so important. I tired on some watches I’d consider large in diameter. But they’re comfortable because they have short lug to lug distances.
I love the micro adjustment on my IWC Pilot's Watch. Use it daily. It also has a quick release bracelet. While I don't really change the bracelet, it does make cleaning easier.
I think lug to lug damages small wristed people more than big wristed ones. The fact that the new Tudor BB54 is 37mm with a 46mm L2L makes it wear almost the same as the BB58 almost neglecting the point of a smaller watch. If you have a bigger wrist you can wear almost any watch. unless you have a top 1% wrist size, something like 7.5 inches or more, you can wear everything from a Seiko 5 37mm 42mm l2l to the biggest Invicta watch
One thing I'm always curious about is, when people show the hacking function in a video, you don't make the seconds hand stop at 0-second mark(so when the seconds hand hits 0-second, the minutes hand also hits the minute mark). Isn't hacking also make aligning the minutes hand with the seconds hand more straight forward? To me, alignment of the two makes of a more "accurate" feeling, and it isn't something difficult or gives me too much hassle to do.
Two of my favourite watches are my Precisionist and my 45mm Lunar Pilot. I like them as grab-and-go watches. I also like their accuracy when I'm travelling outside the range of atomic clock signals. I find that they stray less than a second a month from atomic clocks.
There are options like 7 days power reserve from IWC, 8 days from Panerai Luminor and 10 days from Oris. Oris calibre 114 that I own actually has around 2,5-3 days more than what is officially mentioned and have even a great accuracy till the end of reserve. I agree that it is a great feature to have if you have more than 2-3 mechanical watches.
My wife just bought me my first watch! The Seiko Cocktail Time with the blue hands. I’m so stoked! This channel has been my go too for learning about watches and getting my collection started. Thank you for the awesome content.
Anti-Reflective coating and longer Power Reserve are absoultely on my top 5 things to look for when I buy new watches. I live in a country that is sunny all year long, the AR coating is needed all the time to avoid sun reflections. Also because I alternatate a lot between my watches I need a larger power reserve to avoid adjusting time/date every 2 days. Other things I look for when buying a watch: Sapphire Crystal glass, factory warranty duration (for high value watches), and finally the "fit and feel" on the wrist.
- Micro adjustment: Omega and Glashütte Original do it best IMHO. Rolex is a bit too finicky IMHO. The rest needs to do their homework. - Double sided AR coating: huge fan as well! Have experience with Fortis (hardened outside AR coating), Omega (not only Aqua Terras have it) and Seiko. Great feature, no issues (yet). - "High Frequency": am a fan. Have experience with the Bulova Lunar Pilot (while I didn't liked the frying pan like case). Admire the Zenith chronographs with the 100ths of a second. Never touched one. Admire the Citizen HAQ watches. Again, never touched one. - Quick release straps: no experience, but definitely cool! I wonder how they keep up over time. - Drilled lugs: huge fan! But not all of my watches have them. The first time trying to change the strap on my new Planet Ocean a couple of days ago was a PITA. Drilled lugs FTW! The drilled lugs on the vintage DateJust I bought for my wife were a heaven sent. Same goes for my GS SBGE GMT and other Seikos I have. - Lug to lug: not a feature, but a property. Have larger wrists, but I prefer well proportioned smaller L2L on larger (mostly diver) watches, as showcased by brands like Omega, GS and Seiko. - Hacking is important. I like to set my watches to atomic time. No hacking == no perfect first setting == no way to reliably see how the movement performs. That's why I changed the movement on one of my SKX's to the NH36. - Power reserve: important! But if you wear your watch over longer periods of time, it's a non-issue. I rather have better isochronism in a purely mechanical watch with a double barrel as in the Omega 8900, than longer PR. In a GS Spring Drive watch it is a total non-issue. - Feature 9: independent hour hands. Man, is that a feature I enjoy!
Good list and I agree with your choices here, Teddy. I would add that when brands use a special scratch-resistant metal on their bracelets it's a super cool feature. Traska does this very well and although I've worn this a number of times over weekends the bracelet still looks brand new. Why don't ALL brands use this type of hardened stainless steel?
It's the same steel. Its a proprietary coating. The 316L that most watches (and traska) are made from cannot be hardened- denoted from the L meaning "low carbon". With that nerd shit out of the way thank you for introducing me to Traska. I thought they were 2-3k before the prive popped up, great looking watches.
Lug-to-lug (along with diameter and thickness) is a *much* bigger deal now than before on account of so many of us purchasing online, which in a sense is just short of buying sight-unseen: great online retailers (like you!) can offer painstakingly-taken photos and video clips of watches, but taking the watch out of the box and putting it on is where the rubber meets the road. Knowing all if a watch's dimensions goes a long way towards sussing out what will work on one's own wrist. (That said, your showcasing watches on different-sized wrists is almost unique among e-tailers, so kudos to you on that.)
Thank you TEDDY to explore all these technical items. At the end it is more comfort and more efficiency for the owner. On a future watch i will be glad to get the indication "Reserve de marche" .
I like the original content Teddy, no one else on YT is coming up with the original content that you do. I love that you mention Baume & Mercier, I gave a Capeland to my Pops. I currently have an Omega SMP Diver and a Tudor BB58 I traded the regular black bay in for. Not a stunning collection but I save up for a while on pieces that I will enjoy for a while. I don’t need a lot of watches in rotation, although I’d love to have more with some of these features you mentioned, but for me it’s more about getting a couple of icons that will span through time or possibly become an icon later. I don’t know enough about vintage yet, but that’s why I swing towards these known divers that have a bright future ahead. I will eventually dive into (pun intended) the vintage divers like a Sub 5512 but maybe start with a 16610 in the neo-vintage realm. Still gaining knowledge. Thanks for everything Teddy. You’ve helped me on my journey.
I like the look of double AR, but the microscratches are annoying to me. Defeats the purpose of scratch resistant sapphire. The compromise of inner AR coating-only works best for me.
Bravo for this focus on functionality. And hooray for QD straps! If a band or bracelet needs a springbar tool, then is likely to remain on the watch. Another one is thickness, or the lack thereof. I have a lovely Victorinox chronograph wtih a quartz movement that I chose because is doesn't stack up on the wrist the way watch cases do when they need to house something like a mechanical Valjoux. Chronograph watches look lovely viewed from the face, until you turn them sideways. Most of them will not slip under a shirt cuff. The same goes for the current round of hideously expensive waterproof watches with depth ratings that read in kilometers. These things look simply ridiculous when worn on the wrist. Yet another one for me, being basically a "tool watch" guy, is a rotating bezel. Without this, a watch simply tells the time, - with it, you can use it to time things, (when did i put the teapot on?) which is something I do everyday for a variety of activities.
An underrated feature I would add: diver bezel! Many people don't realize, that they can use the bezel for time keeping as well as count down timing (although only 60 min)
Lug to Lug is one of the most decisive points choosing a watch, especially in Pilot and Field watches. I don't understand why brands don't bother to reduce these measures. AR-Coating is important as well.
1. Micro adjustment - All should have once heading north of $1000. 👍👍👍 2. AR coating - on underside at least. 3. HF - Accuracy is not a given in mechanical watches, also more frequent servicing needed. 4. Quick release - Should be available in all watches over $3000! 👍👍👍Drilled lugs don't always make it easier and there is the aesthetic. 👍 5. Lug to lug - It's a good measurement to know. 👍👍 6. Hacking - Is a complete must in this day and age 👍👍👍 7. Power reserve - 70 hours minimum for new watches. A watch should have at least 72 to pass COSC 👍👍👍
I agree most with all, with AR coating and high frequency being the best, purely because of the aesthetics. Power reserve is also useful, especially when you put away your watch for the weekend and it's still ticking on Monday.
On lug-to-lug, I would never normally wear a 44mm watch because my twig wrists simply don't allow for it. But on the Seiko Samurai cases the lugs are so well done that the total lug distance is only 48mm. I had an SRPC93 for two years and it was awesome, fit very well. These days I mainly shop for lug-to-lug length instead of the plain diameter...
I guess I am uncommonly lucky as my wrist size does not seem to change very much from day to day or even year to year. Once I get the bracelet set up right I have never found the need to adjust it on the fly.
Love the part about lug to lug, however it is also important to understand the shape of those lugs, my son's Nomos 38 mm has lugs which dig into my slightly bigger wrist, very uncomfortable 😵💫
Something I've come to realize I've undervalued in the past is a watch's accuracy. This seems a bit silly to say given how much it's discussed, but I'm talking about the difference between even luxury mechanical watches vs. Spring Drive levels of accuracy. I'm used to rotating through my collection, usually wearing a watch with date during the week and swapping to one without on a weekend and after a week the workday watch usually needs to be reset but my GS Mistflake just laughs at that and has managed to be almost entirely in sync with the G-Shock I use to set my other watches since I've had the Mistflake since January. Related to that, I wholeheartedly agree with the sentiment that high frequency on quartz watches is severely undervalued. I get why cheaper quartz watches would want to stick with 1 tick per second to preserve battery life for convenience but all manner of higher end quartz watches would be more appealing if they at least matched the beat rate of lower end mechanical watches.
Tool-less micro adjust! Now that I have a watch with it, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to get one without. Makes the minute to minute wearing of a watch so much more comfortable.
Lug-to-lug is the first measurement and deciding factor to any watch I consider. Due to having a 7.5” wrist, anything sub 48mm looks too small. Example, my Sea Dweller sits better than than my old Submariner. It really isn’t too hard to throw the extra measurement onto the list.
Honestly Power Reserve is so valuable! I do not even own that many different watches but I do not wear my watch everyday and so it is kind of cool to keep it going almost all year round.
"pathetic problems to have...too many watches" This is what separates Teddy from so many other youtubers. He does not take himself or watches too seriously and realizes its a small and lucky crowd that can indulge in a watch addiction.
Such a great video. Very insightful. Real watch enthusiasts will appreciate this a lot. I especially liked the talk about quartz watches which are often not getting enough respect despite being a great piece of engineering
I have a few Seikos that annoy me sometimes. I usually wear a CASIO to work and do the Seiko shake to a watch that I plan on wearing later, grab and go. Many times I have found them stopped after about 6- 8 hours. Same watches have also run 36hr plus, odd. Strange that My new monster has winding that I never use. As soon as I set the date I'm good to go as long as I wear it. Seems that it always has an hour of energy in reserve start. The rotar wind must be very efficient.
Hey Teddy...having some of items #1,2,4 and 7 are my favorite screening features to select a new piece.....I'm on your website now shopping.....Sinn and Mido my price wheelhouse...great vlog!
Minute hands that are the right length so that it’s clear to see the hand and the minute markings and read the time. So strange to see so many watches where the hand length is way off, reducing legibility. Seiko / Citizen seem to do this quite often.
They need to add the crystal and dial diameters. The case diameter isn't enough to give you an idea of what the watch would look like on the wrist. This would really help when you can't try on the watch in person. This is important for me because some watches have narrow bezels and some have thicker or wider bezels. Also watch photos on website don't actually reflect the real dial size....
I drive a wrecker and wear a U1 with double AR. My watch gets abused to some degree even though I try not to. Not a single scratch on the AR after about 7 months of 24/7 wrist time. The black tegimented bezel shows some marks and wear but nothing on the crystal. So far I’m loving the AR coating.
TOTALLY agree with your list … but most of all with the Power Reserve. Definitely makes a difference. I was pleasantly surprised with my Hamilton Khaki Field (Cap version) with its 80 hours power reserve. Thanks for sharing!
Serviceability. Would you be able to service a watch decades from now? If so, would a local watchmaker be able to do it, or would you have to send your watch back to the manufacturer? How much would the service cost? This is particularly important for highly complicated pieces and in-house calibers. It all boils down to the total cost of ownership which you may not think about buying into a watch. Buying a luxury item is one thing, owning it is what makes it a luxury item.
This is a concern of mine when considering a micro-brand, or a vintage watch from a company no longer in business. In-house movements are a concern. I read of a company if Germany that specializes in producing custom parts for orphan watches and movements, but I can imagine it's an expensive process as they're crafted by hand. From my understanding, you may be in a better position for repair if the watch is an Swiss made ETA movement or based on an ETA movement. That should probably apply to Valjoux and Sellita movements as well. Not sure how well that applies to the Japanese Seiko and Miyota movements.
I have two automatic watches. One with an ETA2824-2 and a Seiko cal. 6R15. Had both serviced 1.5 ago. ETA needed a part changed - no issues at all. The watchmaker does Swiss watches only, but they took my Seiko as I brought both. So I don't have much experience but from what I see servicing ETA or its clones should be no problem at all.
Most microbrands are using Seiko NH35/36 movements and Miyota 8000/9000 movements. This movts are the same as ETA/Selitta, mass produced and robust movt and serviceablity is not an issue as parts can be obtain easily. Bb58 is my grail watch but as it has an in hse movt, the servicing is gonna cost me alot so that is keeping me away. Haha My seiko skx and sinn 556 are great daily beaters atm
Hi Teddy, great video! Could you please make a video in the future about best ways to perserve your watches? like how to keep them looking nice. eg. how to "hide" scratches on daily watches etc.? Keep up the great work!
I came to an appreciation of the hacking function with my first non-automatic watch, a Citizen Promaster Land Eco Drive watch with radio controlled setting. It's a JDM watch so the radio-setting is a clunky work-around here in the US. When manually setting, the crown is pulled out to the setting position which moves the second hand automatically to the 12 position. Then set the watch. I do this in front of my computer and set the minute hand one minute ahead. As soon as the minute advances on the computer, I push in the crown and the watch is set perfectly. The easiest hacking solution I've seen so far.
I own a PAM00111, the AR-coating is just breathtaking on this watch. Want to know if you have an authentic Panerai instead of a fake in front of you, check for the AR.
You mentioned how it can be hard to find micro adjustment on straps with deployant clasps, and this is generally true, but you should really check out a Formex watch on a strap. They have a deployant clasp with 7 mm of available on the fly adjustment in 6 steps, and you don't even have to take the watch off to use it. Once you see how it works it's almost comically simple and it makes you wonder how nobody thought of it before.
Agree with lug to lug. It’s more important from a wearability standpoint as compared to case diameter.
This along with lug shape/taper and watch thickness.
I have small round girl wrists. Lug-to-lug makes some watches completely unwearable
@@seattlegrrlie Same here. A great example is the Longines Hydroconquest. The 39mm case doesn't mean a whole lot when the lug-to-lug is 48mm. Meanwhile the Tag Heuer Aquaracer 200 is 10x more wearable for me despite having a 40mm case, because the lug-to-lug is only 46mm.
Yes, I wish I knew about it years ago when I started watches.
*screams in Nomos*
Lug-to-Lug? THANK YOU, Teddy!!!!! Brands absolutely DO overlook this and it's such an important feature for those with smaller wrists. I really hate having to do a deep dive into research for this when brands could easily include it in their specs.
Yep it turns into a huge chore to find lug-to-lug measurements for certain watches, and then the worst is when you watch multiple reviews of the watch and each person says slightly different measurements. Like the difference between a 48mm and 49mm lug-to-lug might not mean a lot, but it affects the wearability a ton for someone with a slimmer wrist like me.
Try this hidden feature: Use your watch as a compass! Point your hour hand in the direction of the sun. South is half way between the hour hand and the 12.
Rotating bezel can be used effectively too
Magnetic resistance is also an important specification that often gets overlooked.
Indeed. To me, lack of magnetic resistance is a deal breaker.
IDEK why magnetic resistance and lug to lug distance are often getting overlooked.
especially with all the many electronics we use today. Most dont know they are subjecting their watches to. I work with electronics all day and just realized for my daily wear of my mechanical automatics, I need to start looking for the best anti-magnetic watch.
@@tyranelewis7763 mate that’s why I settle with Digitals and/or Quartz. It’ll give you a peace of mind. And that statment is coming from someone from the electronics industry too mate. Find out for yourself.
True, but I've also heard that this is largely overblown/marketing? Would love to have experts chime in.
for me, the date window is the most important thing in a watch. next to telling the time of course. but especially when signing a contract, i dont want to have to put down the pen and pull out my phone just to check the date.
so true, its such an underrated feature :-)
Well said. Many people complain against date windows and i can understand that from a design point of view, but for an everyday piece that's hardly leaves the wrist it's very important and useful.
I hate the date window on most watches mostly because I can't read them. And also because of resetting them
Date windows are for M-F. On the weekends I don't want to be reminded what date it is.
If it is that important, don't you also find that having a perpetual calendar is a very important feature? Else you have to remember to update the date once every 2 months, which is easy to forget sometimes (if it happens in the weekend especially)
Quick set date and hacking seconds. I don't wear the same watch every day, so when I go to wear a watch it has stopped. Being able to quickly set it is a must have
The Omega constellation that Teddy owns has the ability to independently adjust the hour hand. I consider that a killer feature as you don’t stop the watch (seconds) to change time zones.
That’s the one feature I really wish my watches had and it’s a big reason why I’m interested in acquiring one that has it.
It is a great feature especially on a daily watch or if you travel a lot.
@@diavalus way more watches should have it - far less clunky than GMT and more useful day to day
@@gordtulk fully agree
Love that feature as well. Especially when paired with a no date like the seamaster 300 heritage.
@@TeddyBaldassarre thanks for the response.
As a businessman I rely surprisingly heavily on a date complication - I must check it 4 or five times a day. My snowflake has easily the most readable one I’ve ever encountered - certainly easier than a cyclops. Coupled with the above complication it would be a killer business watch.
I admire your work Teddy - I’ve learned lots from you and the guests and tours you take. You inspire my purchases and aspirations more than anyone else.
One measurement I have never seen, but I think is pretty important, is the combined thickness of the case and clasp. The case on the latest generation Sub may be only 12ish mm thick but the clasp is considerably thicker than older models. I've seen several reviewers aver that it will slide easily under a dress cuff, but that is not necessarily true. As the owner of a 126610 and a 6.3in wrist, the cuffs of many of my long-sleeve shirts are too small to accommodate the watch, thus relegating it to summer wear. My polar 16570 does work in the colder months. When discussing wearability, case thickness is only half of the story. Teddy, you're doing a great job. Love the content, especially with Mr. Wonderful.
Main things I look about watch are
1. Water resistant, I have a fond memory of a cheap watch while in swimming class when I was in elementary but it was total water resistant, so WR is gonna be my main point
2. Lume, nah just my mum loves luminescent stuff, I still placed glow in the dark sticker on my speaker to remind me of my mum
3. Bracelet, I've used every single strap type (OK I never try mesh) already and metal is the thing I can live with most, I have small wrist so if I use rubber or leather I might need another hole, thus makes me love bracelet since it is the only thing can make to fit me without damaging it
4. Hacking, I'm fine without hacking but with hacking is always easier to set time
@ᴛᴇᴅᴅʏ ʙᴀʟᴅᴀssᴀʀʀᴇ lol stop drinkin pot dood I can read English
@@ahha6304 It's a spam/scambot. I see them quite a bit on channels that may target people with money. I just report them and they disappear.
@@lebowskiunderachiever3591 I know, I have fun with trolling spammer since I have to deal with these kinda people that Thai govt sent to halt freedom of speech in here
Sugess has a great glide-lock style micro adjustment. It’s amazing that micro-adjustments aren’t an industry standard
Agree.Bracelets that are problematic to get fitted well are the ones with a butterfly clasp. Every time I get one sized, it's great until my wrist swells and then often gets uncomfortable. Then you're stuck until the wrist returns to normal. I have a Tissot PRX with bracelet that I love but which has this problem. This is why I generally go for watches with straps, but there are certain watches for which the bracelet elevates the look of the watch over a strap.
Which watch has it??
I also want to know which Sugess watch has this feature.
@@jonathanilagan7778 Their Tudor Pro GMT homage has it.
@@MattSeesGray Their Tudor Pro GMT homage has it.
I wish there was a button for zeroing the second (something like hacking, but don’t have to wait), especially if you want to synchronise with a specific event.
Me too . I wonder if any ani-digis can do that? Actually I believe that a few of the Edifice may be able to 🧐
The Glashütte Original Senator Chronometer has this feature.
From a review: “The first feature that you’ll only understand by operating the movement is the “seconds reset” feature. Many watches have a “hacking seconds hand” which stops moving when you pull the crown out. This is designed to enable the user to set the time more precisely. With the Senator Chronometer, Glashütte Original steps it up a bit with a system that not only stops the seconds hand when the crown is pulled out, but also jumps the seconds hand to “0” - or the 12 o’clock position. The idea, again, is to make setting the precise time more simple.”
I like that, but an even better feature would be a button which resets the world’s time to my watch.
JLC has a terrific, and remarkably simple, tool-free micro adjustment system on its Polaris bracelets with butterfly clasps. A butterfly clasp really isn't an excuse for not offering on-the-fly micro adjustment.
And as to hacking movements: I think it's absurd that haute horlogerie brands like Patek and Vacheron think that they don't need to provide hacking movements. I've never heard a good reason for it, other than cost-cutting.
On-the-fly micro-adjustment is the most important feature for me. It was the deciding factor that made me get my Omega Seamaster 300 Professional in the first place! Plus even my “cheaper” Zelos in the $300 range has them… I see no reason why all luxury watches can’t have them. Good on Tudor for bringing the T-fit to most (all?) their watches now though!
I couldn't agree more. I recently bought a JLC Reverso Gran Sport, which came out in the mid-90s. It has a bracelet with a butterfly clasp, with on-the -fly micro adjustment on both sides of the buckle. If JLC were doing this 30 years ago, why is it so difficult for watch manufacturers today?
The same could be said for drilled lugs. It can't be a costly feature to implement and therefore should be standard across watch lines (except maybe on high-end watches where the bracelet is integrated).
Thanks for the video. I like it when the crown is big enough so that the case thickness does not interfere with winding. For instance, Hamilton Khaki Field and Tissot prx are both incredible watches but the former winds way more comfortable to me.
Anti reflective coating is very important. If you don’t have it, your dial looks really bad and full of reflections all the time. If you have it, especially on top and bottom of the crystal, the dial look phenomenal all the time, and if you scratch it at some point (although I did not scratch a single watch in years), you only have to deal with an imperfection on a limited area of the crystal/dial.
Now, I don’t know how others see it, but I would take a crystal which might have a scratch (maaaybe, but unlikely with normal usage) instead of a watch with no anti reflective coating.
My Longines has a short scratch. About 2-3mm long. You only see the scratch in bright sunlight and if you look for it ;-) As you said, you always have a perfect view on the dial - never on the scratch.
Date window for me is huge. Despite sometimes ruining the aesthetic, always knowing what day it is with a quick glance of your wrist is so understated for me (as I always forget haha).
Yep. Date is great on an everyday watch. Maybe on a dress watch it is just something else to set. I mostly consult the date to decide if food is still in date!
Good list. I'd add a count-down rotating bezel - so much more useful than a traditional count-up dive bezel. Also +50m water resistance, so I don't have to worry about it when riding my motorcycle in the rain or taking a dip in the pool.
Great call on movement frequency. I think that the FC Monolithic Manufacture is one of the most significant and overlooked watches released since the spring drive. Absolutely incredible and should have received far more attention than I feel that it did. Amazing technology.
Power reserve is my big one now. Nothing I buy going forward will have less than 70 hours. It's great to switch watches for a day or two without having to fiddle.
This is a bit conflated. A mechanical watch can not maintain its listed accuracy over the entire PR. So whilst you next watch might still be ticking at 69hrs, it's ability to display a time even remotely accurate has long passed. (You will still have to pop the crown and adjust). Each movement has a point in the PR where it will start to fall out of accuracy, the true challenge is to extend this point, increasing overall PR is just the most simplistic approach. There are manufacturers that address this issue differently and for that reason run PR under your 70hr standard. These movements can ultimately perform as well and if not better than something at 70hr.
@@ALL-il1swyou assume people care that much about accuracy
@@user-tx4wj7qk4t you're right, all they talk about is the marketing talking points with no deeper understanding
I agree lug to lug is important to consider. Also don't forget case thickness too. Along with the case size. They all need to be considered when making a purchase esp online purchases. Many cases exceed 14 mm.. ventures on wearing hockey pucks on your wrist.
I'm very new to watches and your videos have been incredibly helpful on my path towards choosing my first watch. Thanks for all the helpful knowledge Teddy!
Thanks for watching! Glad the videos can help.
Great list of features Teddy. The thing your content makes you very unique and shine apart from the rest is your very relatable thought patters. Your ideas are often rhymes with mine and I'm sure with many other people's as well. You always speak to the average consumer.
Really enjoyed this episode. I don't actually have this on my automatic, but I would say for me that a power reserve indicator seen on some mechanical watches is a nice touch just to let you know if need to give the watch some winding etc. But I suppose if you have your watch on your wrist most of the time you have a rough idea of power reserve.
Merci Teddy ! You're right : lug to Lug is not enough mentioned, but a reason why I've reselled my Tissot LeLocle.
Having a few watches sitting in the box, I find Power Reserve extremely useful. As you mentioned for someone who loves to switch them everyday it is a must have feature and you'll start noticing it once you have a few of mechanical watches. Thank you Teddy
You mentioned lug-to-lug. People with larger wrists (or who buy for people with larger wrists) want to know bracelet size. A Christmas present was a problem because I had to order an extension link the first business day after the fact. It is a simple measurement: "What is the largest wrist size the band/bracelet will support?"
Lug to lug is so important. I tired on some watches I’d consider large in diameter. But they’re comfortable because they have short lug to lug distances.
Quick release spring bar and deployment straps.
Anti scratch coating or even better a hardening process on the bracelet & case steel/titanium is a great feature. I'd love if more watches had this
I love the micro adjustment on my IWC Pilot's Watch. Use it daily. It also has a quick release bracelet. While I don't really change the bracelet, it does make cleaning easier.
Love the pin-activated quick release mechanisms on JLC leather straps
In the same category as lug to lug, but what I think is more important, especially for those with bracelet, is female end link.
L2L is almost as important of a measurement as dial size for me. As a big wristed person, I need to know as many popular watches don't fit me well.
I think lug to lug damages small wristed people more than big wristed ones. The fact that the new Tudor BB54 is 37mm with a 46mm L2L makes it wear almost the same as the BB58 almost neglecting the point of a smaller watch.
If you have a bigger wrist you can wear almost any watch. unless you have a top 1% wrist size, something like 7.5 inches or more, you can wear everything from a Seiko 5 37mm 42mm l2l to the biggest Invicta watch
Bravo! Teddy, would you please do a video where the ranking is by the popularity of dial colors overall for everyday watches? Thank you.
One thing I'm always curious about is, when people show the hacking function in a video, you don't make the seconds hand stop at 0-second mark(so when the seconds hand hits 0-second, the minutes hand also hits the minute mark). Isn't hacking also make aligning the minutes hand with the seconds hand more straight forward?
To me, alignment of the two makes of a more "accurate" feeling, and it isn't something difficult or gives me too much hassle to do.
Quick release straps are my number 1
From traditional to smart watches, it is a real life saver
Two of my favourite watches are my Precisionist and my 45mm Lunar Pilot. I like them as grab-and-go watches. I also like their accuracy when I'm travelling outside the range of atomic clock signals. I find that they stray less than a second a month from atomic clocks.
There are options like 7 days power reserve from IWC, 8 days from Panerai Luminor and 10 days from Oris. Oris calibre 114 that I own actually has around 2,5-3 days more than what is officially mentioned and have even a great accuracy till the end of reserve. I agree that it is a great feature to have if you have more than 2-3 mechanical watches.
My wife just bought me my first watch! The Seiko Cocktail Time with the blue hands. I’m so stoked! This channel has been my go too for learning about watches and getting my collection started. Thank you for the awesome content.
Anti-Reflective coating and longer Power Reserve are absoultely on my top 5 things to look for when I buy new watches.
I live in a country that is sunny all year long, the AR coating is needed all the time to avoid sun reflections.
Also because I alternatate a lot between my watches I need a larger power reserve to avoid adjusting time/date every 2 days.
Other things I look for when buying a watch: Sapphire Crystal glass, factory warranty duration (for high value watches), and finally the "fit and feel" on the wrist.
- Micro adjustment: Omega and Glashütte Original do it best IMHO. Rolex is a bit too finicky IMHO. The rest needs to do their homework.
- Double sided AR coating: huge fan as well! Have experience with Fortis (hardened outside AR coating), Omega (not only Aqua Terras have it) and Seiko. Great feature, no issues (yet).
- "High Frequency": am a fan. Have experience with the Bulova Lunar Pilot (while I didn't liked the frying pan like case). Admire the Zenith chronographs with the 100ths of a second. Never touched one. Admire the Citizen HAQ watches. Again, never touched one.
- Quick release straps: no experience, but definitely cool! I wonder how they keep up over time.
- Drilled lugs: huge fan! But not all of my watches have them. The first time trying to change the strap on my new Planet Ocean a couple of days ago was a PITA. Drilled lugs FTW! The drilled lugs on the vintage DateJust I bought for my wife were a heaven sent. Same goes for my GS SBGE GMT and other Seikos I have.
- Lug to lug: not a feature, but a property. Have larger wrists, but I prefer well proportioned smaller L2L on larger (mostly diver) watches, as showcased by brands like Omega, GS and Seiko.
- Hacking is important. I like to set my watches to atomic time. No hacking == no perfect first setting == no way to reliably see how the movement performs. That's why I changed the movement on one of my SKX's to the NH36.
- Power reserve: important! But if you wear your watch over longer periods of time, it's a non-issue. I rather have better isochronism in a purely mechanical watch with a double barrel as in the Omega 8900, than longer PR. In a GS Spring Drive watch it is a total non-issue.
- Feature 9: independent hour hands. Man, is that a feature I enjoy!
You’re so good at this Teddy
I myself LOVE drilled lugs. It's not a deal breaker for me, but it's a very, very nice function to have, I think. A close second is micro adjustment.
Lug to lug is great for me. I have a 7" wrist, so a large case diameter works for me as long as the lug to lug distance isn't too large.
Agree with this list. That Chef kiss to that bracelet adjustment is spot on 👌🏽
Good list and I agree with your choices here, Teddy. I would add that when brands use a special scratch-resistant metal on their bracelets it's a super cool feature. Traska does this very well and although I've worn this a number of times over weekends the bracelet still looks brand new. Why don't ALL brands use this type of hardened stainless steel?
It's the same steel. Its a proprietary coating. The 316L that most watches (and traska) are made from cannot be hardened- denoted from the L meaning "low carbon". With that nerd shit out of the way thank you for introducing me to Traska. I thought they were 2-3k before the prive popped up, great looking watches.
Lug-to-lug (along with diameter and thickness) is a *much* bigger deal now than before on account of so many of us purchasing online, which in a sense is just short of buying sight-unseen: great online retailers (like you!) can offer painstakingly-taken photos and video clips of watches, but taking the watch out of the box and putting it on is where the rubber meets the road. Knowing all if a watch's dimensions goes a long way towards sussing out what will work on one's own wrist. (That said, your showcasing watches on different-sized wrists is almost unique among e-tailers, so kudos to you on that.)
Thank you TEDDY to explore all these technical items. At the end it is more comfort and more efficiency for the owner. On a future watch i will be glad to get the indication "Reserve de marche" .
I like the original content Teddy, no one else on YT is coming up with the original content that you do. I love that you mention Baume & Mercier, I gave a Capeland to my Pops. I currently have an Omega SMP Diver and a Tudor BB58 I traded the regular black bay in for. Not a stunning collection but I save up for a while on pieces that I will enjoy for a while. I don’t need a lot of watches in rotation, although I’d love to have more with some of these features you mentioned, but for me it’s more about getting a couple of icons that will span through time or possibly become an icon later. I don’t know enough about vintage yet, but that’s why I swing towards these known divers that have a bright future ahead. I will eventually dive into (pun intended) the vintage divers like a Sub 5512 but maybe start with a 16610 in the neo-vintage realm. Still gaining knowledge. Thanks for everything Teddy. You’ve helped me on my journey.
I agree- on the fly adjustment is awesome. I wish it was more of a standard feature.
Yeah. Lug to lug measurement is really important. Thanks for echoing this crucial aspect.
As someone who has small wrists, knowing the lug to lug right from the get go is important for me.
I like the look of double AR, but the microscratches are annoying to me. Defeats the purpose of scratch resistant sapphire. The compromise of inner AR coating-only works best for me.
Bravo for this focus on functionality. And hooray for QD straps! If a band or bracelet needs a springbar tool, then is likely to remain on the watch. Another one is thickness, or the lack thereof. I have a lovely Victorinox chronograph wtih a quartz movement that I chose because is doesn't stack up on the wrist the way watch cases do when they need to house something like a mechanical Valjoux. Chronograph watches look lovely viewed from the face, until you turn them sideways. Most of them will not slip under a shirt cuff. The same goes for the current round of hideously expensive waterproof watches with depth ratings that read in kilometers. These things look simply ridiculous when worn on the wrist. Yet another one for me, being basically a "tool watch" guy, is a rotating bezel. Without this, a watch simply tells the time, - with it, you can use it to time things, (when did i put the teapot on?) which is something I do everyday for a variety of activities.
Hi Teddy, that's a very nice topic you have here !!
Those are all very interesting features to have on a watch !
Thank you for mentioning lug-to-lug and quick release/drilled lugs. Very useful indeed.
Micro adjustment and the ability to switch out straps is a plus since my collection is small and it gives me more looks.
Now You need to make a list of top high frequency quartz watches
Quick release and drilled lugs are so import in a watch to me because i change watch straps and bracelet very often
An underrated feature I would add: diver bezel! Many people don't realize, that they can use the bezel for time keeping as well as count down timing (although only 60 min)
12 hours if you just use the marker and count the time yourself, with an increment of 12 minutes.
Spring drive weaknesses and or other complication weakness would be a great video.
Lug to Lug is one of the most decisive points choosing a watch, especially in Pilot and Field watches. I don't understand why brands don't bother to reduce these measures. AR-Coating is important as well.
once I've had a watch with the on the fly microadjust, I really can't go without it now. Must-have feature.
1. Micro adjustment - All should have once heading north of $1000. 👍👍👍
2. AR coating - on underside at least.
3. HF - Accuracy is not a given in mechanical watches, also more frequent servicing needed.
4. Quick release - Should be available in all watches over $3000! 👍👍👍Drilled lugs don't always make it easier and there is the aesthetic. 👍
5. Lug to lug - It's a good measurement to know. 👍👍
6. Hacking - Is a complete must in this day and age 👍👍👍
7. Power reserve - 70 hours minimum for new watches. A watch should have at least 72 to pass COSC 👍👍👍
3:30 ... If you want to get rid of reflections for watch photography, you can use a circular polarizer (filter) in front of your lens.
Lug to Lug is the most important dimension for me as I have an 8and a half inch wrist👍
I don't like to mess with a watch. Quartz, solar, perpetual calendar and radio controlled are my preference.
I agree most with all, with AR coating and high frequency being the best, purely because of the aesthetics. Power reserve is also useful, especially when you put away your watch for the weekend and it's still ticking on Monday.
On lug-to-lug, I would never normally wear a 44mm watch because my twig wrists simply don't allow for it.
But on the Seiko Samurai cases the lugs are so well done that the total lug distance is only 48mm. I had an SRPC93 for two years and it was awesome, fit very well.
These days I mainly shop for lug-to-lug length instead of the plain diameter...
As for butterfly clasps, Zodiac has expanding endlinks that allow some literal wiggle room for swelling wrists.
I guess I am uncommonly lucky as my wrist size does not seem to change very much from day to day or even year to year. Once I get the bracelet set up right I have never found the need to adjust it on the fly.
Love the part about lug to lug, however it is also important to understand the shape of those lugs, my son's Nomos 38 mm has lugs which dig into my slightly bigger wrist, very uncomfortable 😵💫
Something I've come to realize I've undervalued in the past is a watch's accuracy. This seems a bit silly to say given how much it's discussed, but I'm talking about the difference between even luxury mechanical watches vs. Spring Drive levels of accuracy. I'm used to rotating through my collection, usually wearing a watch with date during the week and swapping to one without on a weekend and after a week the workday watch usually needs to be reset but my GS Mistflake just laughs at that and has managed to be almost entirely in sync with the G-Shock I use to set my other watches since I've had the Mistflake since January.
Related to that, I wholeheartedly agree with the sentiment that high frequency on quartz watches is severely undervalued. I get why cheaper quartz watches would want to stick with 1 tick per second to preserve battery life for convenience but all manner of higher end quartz watches would be more appealing if they at least matched the beat rate of lower end mechanical watches.
the faces on all this beautiful time pieces was awesome!
Tool-less micro adjust! Now that I have a watch with it, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to get one without. Makes the minute to minute wearing of a watch so much more comfortable.
I think Teddy is the most trusted person out there for watch collecting
Lug-to-lug is the first measurement and deciding factor to any watch I consider. Due to having a 7.5” wrist, anything sub 48mm looks too small. Example, my Sea Dweller sits better than than my old Submariner. It really isn’t too hard to throw the extra measurement onto the list.
I switch out straps and bracelets constantly. Quick release and drilled lugs are my biggest quality of life want on a watch
Honestly Power Reserve is so valuable! I do not even own that many different watches but I do not wear my watch everyday and so it is kind of cool to keep it going almost all year round.
"pathetic problems to have...too many watches" This is what separates Teddy from so many other youtubers. He does not take himself or watches too seriously and realizes its a small and lucky crowd that can indulge in a watch addiction.
Such a great video. Very insightful. Real watch enthusiasts will appreciate this a lot. I especially liked the talk about quartz watches which are often not getting enough respect despite being a great piece of engineering
What about manual winding in an automatic watch?
Keep up the fine work!
I have a few Seikos that annoy me sometimes. I usually wear a CASIO to work and do the Seiko shake to a watch that I plan on wearing later, grab and go. Many times I have found them stopped after about 6- 8 hours. Same watches have also run 36hr plus, odd. Strange that My new monster has winding that I never use. As soon as I set the date I'm good to go as long as I wear it. Seems that it always has an hour of energy in reserve start. The rotar wind must be very efficient.
i have an omega aqua terra and love it but it's really annoying that there is no micro adjustment on it😪
Hey Teddy...having some of items #1,2,4 and 7 are my favorite screening features to select a new piece.....I'm on your website now shopping.....Sinn and Mido my price wheelhouse...great vlog!
I don’t even own a watch I just like watching teddy😂
Here you go: ⌚
Minute hands that are the right length so that it’s clear to see the hand and the minute markings and read the time. So strange to see so many watches where the hand length is way off, reducing legibility. Seiko / Citizen seem to do this quite often.
They need to add the crystal and dial diameters. The case diameter isn't enough to give you an idea of what the watch would look like on the wrist. This would really help when you can't try on the watch in person. This is important for me because some watches have narrow bezels and some have thicker or wider bezels. Also watch photos on website don't actually reflect the real dial size....
The Cartier santos spring-loaded link
adjustment system is great.
Dont't forget the IWC micro adjustment with the smart button in the clasp ; )
I bought a GS watch and want the Sunbun but for an expensive watch without a T-Fit on the fly ajustable bracelet has put a hold on my purchase
Very informative vid. Thank you for bringing attention to aspects of watches we don't normally think about.👍
I love the mido micro adjust. On of the reasons I wear my ocean star every day
Power reserve with indicator, like I have on my GS Snowflake.
I drive a wrecker and wear a U1 with double AR. My watch gets abused to some degree even though I try not to. Not a single scratch on the AR after about 7 months of 24/7 wrist time. The black tegimented bezel shows some marks and wear but nothing on the crystal. So far I’m loving the AR coating.
TOTALLY agree with your list … but most of all with the Power Reserve. Definitely makes a difference.
I was pleasantly surprised with my Hamilton Khaki Field (Cap version) with its 80 hours power reserve.
Thanks for sharing!
Serviceability. Would you be able to service a watch decades from now?
If so, would a local watchmaker be able to do it, or would you have to send your watch back to the manufacturer? How much would the service cost?
This is particularly important for highly complicated pieces and in-house calibers.
It all boils down to the total cost of ownership which you may not think about buying into a watch.
Buying a luxury item is one thing, owning it is what makes it a luxury item.
This is a concern of mine when considering a micro-brand, or a vintage watch from a company no longer in business. In-house movements are a concern. I read of a company if Germany that specializes in producing custom parts for orphan watches and movements, but I can imagine it's an expensive process as they're crafted by hand. From my understanding, you may be in a better position for repair if the watch is an Swiss made ETA movement or based on an ETA movement. That should probably apply to Valjoux and Sellita movements as well. Not sure how well that applies to the Japanese Seiko and Miyota movements.
I have two automatic watches. One with an ETA2824-2 and a Seiko cal. 6R15. Had both serviced 1.5 ago. ETA needed a part changed - no issues at all. The watchmaker does Swiss watches only, but they took my Seiko as I brought both. So I don't have much experience but from what I see servicing ETA or its clones should be no problem at all.
@@balesjo this leads me to another though 'buy a manufacturer before you buy a watch'
Most microbrands are using Seiko NH35/36 movements and Miyota 8000/9000 movements. This movts are the same as ETA/Selitta, mass produced and robust movt and serviceablity is not an issue as parts can be obtain easily.
Bb58 is my grail watch but as it has an in hse movt, the servicing is gonna cost me alot so that is keeping me away. Haha
My seiko skx and sinn 556 are great daily beaters atm
Both skx and 556 are great watches! Enjoy them and I hope one day you'll buy your grail :)
Hi Teddy, great video! Could you please make a video in the future about best ways to perserve your watches? like how to keep them looking nice. eg. how to "hide" scratches on daily watches etc.? Keep up the great work!
I came to an appreciation of the hacking function with my first non-automatic watch, a Citizen Promaster Land Eco Drive watch with radio controlled setting. It's a JDM watch so the radio-setting is a clunky work-around here in the US. When manually setting, the crown is pulled out to the setting position which moves the second hand automatically to the 12 position. Then set the watch. I do this in front of my computer and set the minute hand one minute ahead. As soon as the minute advances on the computer, I push in the crown and the watch is set perfectly. The easiest hacking solution I've seen so far.
I own a PAM00111, the AR-coating is just breathtaking on this watch. Want to know if you have an authentic Panerai instead of a fake in front of you, check for the AR.
You mentioned how it can be hard to find micro adjustment on straps with deployant clasps, and this is generally true, but you should really check out a Formex watch on a strap. They have a deployant clasp with 7 mm of available on the fly adjustment in 6 steps, and you don't even have to take the watch off to use it. Once you see how it works it's almost comically simple and it makes you wonder how nobody thought of it before.