The most interesting watch auctions that are ending today.
The Seiko SNZF17 - part of the Seiko 5 Sports watches family and also called the “Sea Urchin” - can be seen as a very afforable diving watch with a similar style to the Rolex Submariner. The reference SNZF17 has a black bezel insert and a black dial, whereas the SNZF15 has a “Pepsi” (blue and red) bezel and dark blue dial.
This watch can be for many an ideal balance between price and style: the diameter of the SNZF model is 41mm and it is 13.2mm thick, making it a great fit for most wrists. It is powered by the reliable 7S26 automatic (self-winding) mechanical movement, offering a day-date complication. The water resistance of the Seiko “Sea Urchin” is 100m, making it suitable for surface swimming.
A Strela model with the Poljot 3017 column-wheel chronograph movement was introduced in the 1970s and was used in space by Russian cosmonaut Alexey Alexandrovich Gubarev during the Soyuz-28 mission. Gubarev and his colleague Vladimir Remek – the first non-Soviet, non-American to travel to space – were launched aboard Soyuz-28 on March 2, 1978. To put things into context, this is after the American's moon landing (1969) and Leonov's Spacewalk (1965). The crew docked with the orbiting Salyut-6 space station. On Gubarev’s wrist, a black STRELA (labeled SEKONDA). Established in 1966, Sekonda started out as a British brand offering a collection of mechanical watches originally manufactured in Russia.
This model can be found with a white or black dial. The design of this watch is quite different from the first Strela chronograph from 1959, with silver luminescent hands that have a red tip ... Read full article
The Seiko H558-5009 was introduced in 1983 and has become an icon in the watch world. This watch has an horological significance not only because it was worn by Arnold Schwarzenegger, but because it was the first dive watch to feature digital alarm, a chronograph and a combination of analog and digital displays.
The black dial is matte and is protected by a mineral crystal. The hands are lumed, we can see that this dial and hands configuration looks very similary to the Seiko SKX013.
The H558 is powered by a quartz movement.
Steinhart is quite famous for its homage models of the modern Rolex Submariner, but it also issued some watches inspired by some vintage Rolex Submariner watches, that have their own identity:
The OCEAN One VINTAGE Red (ref 103-0657)
The dimensions of these vintage-looking models are: 42mm diameter, 13mm thick, 22mm lug width.
It is also worth noting that a limited edition with a 39mm of the OVM was launched by Gnomon watches, limited to 500 pieces. They are sold out but you can find some on the used market, with a little bit of patience and research.
The Glycine combat sub is a popular watch that offers great value for money and is often mentioned as an affordable alternative to the Rolex Submariner. It's available in different sizes and colors, ranging from 42mm to 48mm. It features an in-house Glycine automatic movement GL 224, which is very reliable and has a 38h power reserve.
The combat sub has a date function with a display at the 3 o'clock position. The glass is made of scratch-resistant sapphire crystal.
The Bulova “Moon watch” is one of those timepieces that have been flying under the radar for decades before being recognized as a true historically relevant watch. It was worn on the Moon by astronaut David Scott during the Apollo 15 mission on his third moonwalk. This is the reason why this particular Bulova chronograph is also often called the “other Moon watch”.
Scott used his personal Bulova Chronograph because the crystal of his Omega Speedmaster got detached and was lost during his previous moonwalks. This chronograph was not explicitly approved by NASA, only the Omega Speedmaster was.
This German-made homage to the Rolex Submariner is particularly well made and is providing amazing value for money in the world of mechanical watches.
The dimensions of the Ocean One are slightly bigger than its luxury counterpart: 42mm diameter, 13mm thick, 22mm lug width.
However, a 39mm version is available on some models, notably the Ocean One 39 black ceramic (103-0981) which is a serious affordable alternative to the Rolex Submariner. Those 39mm models are perfect for smaller wrists, although they have a similar thickness to the 42mm ones, they have a lug width of 20mm.
As its name suggests, the Hamilton Khaki Field is a field watch. The Khaki field is a well built and rugged watch that will stand the test of time. Its simple yet effective design makes it very easy to read and use.
This watch is full of history: it was introduced in 1910, when Hamilton began to equip the American Army with military watches which were more precise. It became the official watch supplier of the US Army.
This model has seen many battles, and if someone asked us to show them what a field watch is, it would be our pick: it represents courage and honor.
The German Steinhart manufacturer, which was also produced a great affordable homage to the Rolex Submariner, offers once again an amazing watch with a very competitive price/value ratio. Indeed the GMT-Ocean One features an anti-reflective coated and scratch resistant sapphire crystal with a high quality magnifying glass for the date window.
The distinctive 24-Hour bezel insert is made of aluminium, although some models now have a ceramic bezel (103-0833). It hosts a reliable ETA 2893-2 Elaboré automatic movement (Swiss made) with a 300m water resistance, all that packed in a 39mm diameter case that is 13mm thick. The lug width is 20mm. The Steinhart GMT Ocean One can therefore be considered as a serious affordable homage / alternative to the Rolex GMT model. This model is also available in 42mm diameter.
The Seiko SARB017 aka Alpinist is a very well made watch. It has gained strong support from watch enthusiasts and is very often mentioned as a legendary watch. The SARB Series was introduced in 2006 and was discontinued in 2018, which made this watch even more desirable, contributing to a rather high price increase (ranging from 20 to 50%) in the last year or so.
The watch features a green dial with gold indices and lumed hands. It is a perfect watch for going outdoors and hiking, but looks very refined too. It even has a solar compass which can prevent you from getting lost - provided you know how to use it.
Oris is an awesome affordable luxury brand that makes understated products with amazing quality for the price... and keep in mind that in Grey Market sites, a 50%+ discount is not rare for this brand. The Oris Sixty-Five was introduced a couple of years ago and was an instant hit. It is a re-edition of an old model dating from 1965 (hence the name) which was quite important for the brand.
This timepiece is available in 42mm (733 7720 4054), 40mm (733 7707 4354) or 36mm (733 7747 4055) sizes, 36mm and 42mm models have the date display at 3 o'clock whereas the 40mm models have it at 6.
The Rolex Submariner is a famous dive watch manufactured by Rolex. It is water resistant at 300m. The Submariner can be bought without a date function. If it comes with a date function, then a magnifying glass (also called "Cyclops") will be present on the lens. The case of the Rolex Sub is 40mm wide and 13mm high. Depending on the models, the watch can be made of Rolex's proprietary Oystersteel 904L or other precious metals such as gold. The hour markers are made of 18ct white gold to prevent tarnishing over time.
The Rolex movement 3130, successor of the 3135, powers this timepiece. The ... Read full article
Today we are focusing on a well-known watch from a mythical Swiss manufacturer, the Rolex Explorer, for which we will offer you some affordable alternatives. Because yeah, at a ...
During the cold war, the USSR and USA competed fiercely in the Space Race to get to the Moon. This competition resulted in historic events achieved on both sides. On the Russian ...
A lot of the devices we use in our day to day lives have been first developed for military applications, watches are no exception. The army extensively requested the development ...
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