Lately I’ve been turning over a bit of a new leaf.  I’ve always been up for adventure but just like with drugs (so I’ve been told) and many other things, the same old same old just hasn’t been cutting it.  Lately my adventures have been more and more extreme and dangerous.  Whereas a few years ago going body surfing was the height of my exploits, these days mountaineering and rock climbing have been the dominating my life.

The same goes with watches.  Forget beautiful leather-strapped watches and automatic diver’s.  In a situation where error is a luxury you can afford, they may be fine, but with the adventures I have lined up the just won’t do.

Lately I have been looking for something a little more serious.

And that led me to Suunto.  When it comes to serious tool watches (rather than watches that make you look like a tool), Suunto is the first place extreme adventurers go, and with my love of mountains and climbing, the choice was obvious… The Suunto Core!

Sunnto Core All Black Mens Watch CORE ALLBLK

This watch not 0nly tells you how high you are (no not in that way ) But it also tells you the air pressure, has a compass, and what else is that it also tells the… what was the called?  Oh yeah, the time!

What I love about this watch is that it also tells you how much daylight you have per any given region in the world.  A feature I never thought to be useful, but on a rock climbing trip last week would have been useful and prevented my friends and I from hiking several miles with only the glow of our cellphone back lights illuminating our path.

These watches are so hardcore that Suunto calls their watches Wrist-top Computers!  Huh?!?

This is the Raymond Weil RW Sport Quartz Chronograph:

NEW RAYMOND WEIL RW SPORT MENS WATCH 8520-STR-05207

…and while that name does sound like a mouthful, I’m sorry to say that the watch is known by no other name, perhaps a model number, but what would you prefer to say?

If you don’t care about watches, and like the way this watch looks than get it, I’m not going to stop you, but my personal opinion is that if you want a watch that is truly special, this is as far from that as you can possibly get.

Someone once said that a rose by any other name isn’t something or other… I forget the expression, but my point is that for a truly great watch to be great it has to have a special name, like “Speedmaster,” “Submariner,” or, “Daytona,” to simply name a watch based on what characteristics it has is like naming my dog, “White-haired poop Machine Which Sometimes Has the Ability to Lick Its Own Butt “  It just shows that the watchmakers weren’t really caring, but that’s largely due to the fact the watch company isn’t anything really special.

You see while many watch companies, even the lesser known ones, have been around for more than 100 years, Raymond Weil has been around only since 1972, which means that even stains in my apartment are older than that.  What’s more is that this company bombards us with commercials and advertising, but it’s watches are really as mediocre as a 6 inches on a ruler. Raymond Weil watches are primarily mid-market graduation presents for students who did poorly in school.

Take this watch for example, just look at it, it’s a conflicting and ridiculous mess.  I’ll start with the bezel, it looks like it comes from an Omega Speedmaster and the bracelet looks like it comes from one of those wacky Zeniths.  It has sporty features like a good water resistance and a screw down crown, yet it has features you’d find on a jewelry watches such as a butterfly clasp and the big date.  The big date, furthermore, which are two number wheels showing the date, is split in half by the chronograph hand.  Whether or not it was done intentionally or not I’m not sure of, but it looks ugly, it looks stupid.

What’s more is that the numbers o nthe dial make no sense at all, it’s like the watchmaker ate some alphabet soup and sneezed.

So to sum up, I’d pass on this watch, get something else!

A few posts ago I lamented over the costly breakdown of my beloved Seiko Black Monster and how that has filled a void in my heart, but those days are a distant memory and now there is a new love in my life!

It’s weird how the few watches I own now all caught me by complete surprise, and this one is no exception.  This watch just kind of popped out a display case and when I put it on it was complete magic, and now that I’ve had it for a little over a month now, I can tell you exactly what I think of it.

T17168642 – Tissot

Well to start I didn’t get any ordinary Tissot PRC 200, I got the 2007 limited edition commemorating the 2007 Pan-American games (whatever they are).  The difference is that instead of having white hands, all of the chronograph hands are in a very vivid yellow that contrasts the blue dial nicely, and it has an engraving on the back which I’ve never really been bothered to look at.

To be honest with you though, I’ve never really liked chronographs and watches that are shiny general, but as I age into my late-20’s I’ve noticed that my tastes have been changing and that I really don’t mind.

Something that I don’t really mind either is the tachy-meter and what I love about this quartz chronograph is that it operates kind of like an automatic chronograph so you don’t ever really notice.  The seconds are the 6 o’clock subdial and the push button clasp is solid.  What I love more about this watch is that it’s not some over-sized over-shiny silly thing that are aimed toward men with confidence issues, it’s only 40mm so it sits on your wrist like any ordinary wristwatch:

T17168642 – Tissot

After a month I can say I’m absolutely in love with this watch.  It is the the most dramatic departure from my “normal” tastes in wristwatches, but I believe I have come into an age where I can wear a watch like this and wear it well.

Not too long ago your humble presenter rolled over the quarter century mark and celebrated his 25th birthday, so to celebrate the occasion my beautiful fiancee presented me with this stunning new Hamilton Khaki King Automatic:

Hamilton H64455533 Men’s Khaki King Automatic Black Dial Strap, Free Shipping

I’m not going to beat around the bush, this watch is absolutely fantastic; And having it for just about a month now I have to concede that this watch is utterly flawless. I love how the dial has millisecond markers, I love the day/date display, I love how the numerals light up at night, I love the stitching on the leather strap, and above all I love how the accuracy of the watch is the same as the accuracy I got out of my much-higher priced Rolex.

I have always seen Hamilton watches at stores though and have always wondered where within the watch the “catch” lies. They are so affordable that I thought there had to be some cracks, but after having for just about a month now I’m pleased to say that I have not found a single chink in its armor.

I even took it down to the southwest with me on a recent business trip and I have to say that with that watch and with my beautiful fiancee at my side, everything felt just right. Here is a shot of this beautiful watch looking down from the top of the Hoover Dam:

Hamilton H64455533 Men’s Khaki King Automatic Black Dial Strap, Free Shipping

And even at breakfast it is just absolutely brilliant:

Hamilton H64455533 Men’s Khaki King Automatic Black Dial Strap, Free Shipping

I love this watch! And I can tell you right now that it will be a watch I will pass down to my future grandchildren should I ever have any.

Now for a little brand history, I will tell you that if you have not heard of Hamilton watches, than that’s fine, but whether or not you are aware of it, Hamilton watches are all around you. They may receive publicity by being peppered on the wrists of famous actors in countless Hollywood films, but what I’m interested in is how they helped build 20th century America. Hamilton may now belong to the Swatch Group, but make no doubts about it, Hamilton is an AMERICAN watch.

Along with Ball and other American watch manufacturer’s of the time, Hamilton watches were designed to be railroad grade watches, and that meant ACCURACY through and through. When a man or woman in 19th and early 20th century wanted to know the time, they asked a train conductor because he knew the score (or in this case, the time), and one of the watches they tended to carry was a Hamilton. Later on in the 20th century, however, they tended to be become more known more as military watches than anything else. Being slapped on the wrists of one million soldiers during World War II meant that the Hamilton watches were as instrumental to winning the war as the M-1 Garand rifle. Chances are that your grandfather or grandfather’s father has probably once owned a Hamilton. Chances are that in your granny’s house you may find one lying around. I have always equated Hamilton watches as being as American as apple pie. When I think America, one of the things I think of are Hamilton watches.

Furthermore, I have always thought that Hamilton watches represented watches that belonged in a different time. Their design and styling isn’t classy or sophisticated, it is just a style that is unique to Hamilton, and I’ve never known a style like it, and what’s more is that they are affordable and can be bought by anyone. Hamilton watches are worn when you want to escape your world somehow. Say you are sitting at your office (as I’m doing right now) and want an excursion. You can just look at your Hamilton watch and somehow transcend yourself to a different America, an America where things are simpler and where values were more true. Maybe I’m getting a little carried away here, but they are truly a magnificent watch, and I respect it hugely.

No it’s not what you think. Although it’s not far off, but… Oh never mind! This is the Seiko Black Monster I’m talking about here. It is a diving watch from the far east with a small but loyal cult following. Originally available only in Japan it has made it’s way overseas and your humble presenter was able to scoop one up. Without further adieu, here is my Black Monster:

Seiko Diver’s Automatic 200M – Black Dial – Stainless Bracelet

When I first picked this up I immediately knew why this watch is nicknamed the Black Monster. It’s big, it’s thick, and it’s heavy. (Hmm…) This is a big chunk of metal no doubt. It’s not the biggest Diver’s watch you will find, but for me and most people it’s more than enough watch. Its nighttime illumination is top-notch. It’s accuracy is unheard of at this price level, and I have a feeling this automatic watch will last many many years without the need for servicing. Here it is sitting on the wrist of your humble presenter:

Seiko Diver’s Automatic 200M – Black Dial – Stainless Bracelet

It’s big, it’s heavy, and it’s ugly, but I absolutely love this thing. The clasp is an especially nice touch with both push button and deployment adding two layers of security to the thing. The bracelet is super-solid and honestly I’m hard-pressed to find much of a difference between this and something like a Rolex Submariner. I suppose you won’t feel such a loss if you should happen to drop this thing in the ocean, but as far as I know, this watch is the best value, best bang for your buck. However you want to put it, it’s a steal. I love my Black Monster.