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[Celcius]

There would no harm in buying a 60s or 70s Rolex with tritium lume on the hands and dial right? I heard that it's radioactive which is how it produces its glow but can cause cancer if it's not sealed inside the case... would the amount in the watch be too small to be dangerous?

 

[OnkelC]

That's a quite complex issue.

For you as the wearer, the risks would be negligible, since the encapsulation via watch body and dial are more than sufficient to keep the radiation at bay.

But Tritium of old tends to degrade, brittle and dissolve, leaving radioactive dusts and contamination within the watch body. Thus, if the watch has to be opened for a service or a revision, potentially hazardous materials from inside the watch are probable to contaminate the watchmaker.

If you send a vintage (Tritium dial) Rolex back to Rolex for a service, they will replace the dial due to work safety restrictions, resulting in a hefty loss in value of the watch (not original anymore).

So, you will most probably be unharmed, but the service person won't. Better search for a specialized watchmaker for services and repairs on a vintage Tritium watch.

 

[GalacticSushiman]

There would no harm in buying a 60s or 70s Rolex with tritium lume on the hands and dial right? I heard that it's radioactive which is how it produces its glow but can cause cancer if it's not sealed inside the case... would the amount in the watch be too small to be dangerous?

You are all fine mate Except if you start wearing your original PANERAI diver from the 20s with its original lume everyday, I don't see a world in which you could be impacted by the tritium

FYI, 60s/70s Rolex market is a MINEFIELD, make sure to triple check your purchase with people 'in the know'. No later than yesterday a guy posted his next purchase in the 'rolex vintage' facebook group and it was an horror (incorrect hands, incorrect bezel, super polished lugs, relumed and relackered dial, incorrect bracelet.....). edit: and as onkelc said, when you get it, don't give it to Rolex for servicing, find yourself an honest watchmaker and brief her/him very carefully.

 

[Valkerionseven]

Can anyone give a few examples of styles that are popular these days for watches. I casually looked at a few with a friend but the prices and styles seemed to vary wildly. Not looking for anything super fancy. $200 and under hopefully, non metal link band (fabric/leather/faux leather ok) as well as analog.

Live in Japan and like I said they are super expensive and vary a lot here so want some ideas or designs to look at helping me decide what style I might.

 

[LeroyPantwether]

Can anyone give a few examples of styles that are popular these days for watches. I casually looked at a few with a friend but the prices and styles seemed to vary wildly. Not looking for anything super fancy. $200 and under hopefully, non metal link band (fabric/leather/faux leather ok) as well as analog.

Live in Japan and like I said they are super expensive and vary a lot here so want some ideas or designs to look at helping me decide what style I might.

Not sure what you are exactly asking but I'll try to help , mostly because I love convincing people to buy things . As for styles , are you looking to own one watch and wear it casually everyday ? Wear it formally everyday? Are you looking to start a watch collection ? Do you own any other watches already? Are you pretty firm at 200? Japan has some really cool domestic models that would be well worth the few extra dollars .

 

[Valkerionseven]

Not sure what you are exactly asking but I'll try to help , mostly because I love convincing people to buy things . As for styles , are you looking to own one watch and wear it casually everyday ? Wear it formally everyday? Are you looking to start a watch collection ? Do you own any other watches already? Are you pretty firm at 200? Japan has some really cool domestic models that would be well worth the few extra dollars .

Hmm something that looks good in a formal or more casual setting is what would be amazing since this will be my first watch in maybe a decade+. As much as I would love to have more than one and collect, let's just start with one haha. I also tend to work with kids a lot/adults who like to spill shit so not sure how expensive i'd go right away.

And yeah some of the watches made here are great but hot dang they are expensive. Sure I could afford something more expensive in the $500 range or so but I don't want to jump into the deep end right away. Want $200 as my starting max... maybe once I do some more research and get tips might be willing to up that a bit if something really just speaks to me.

Was thinking darker color personally, feel like the all silver/gold color metal linked bands are a bit not my style anymore... though I saw one I was digging that was all black metal >.>

Like I said not sure what I want exactly as I've been a "I got a phone" person. But recently been feeling the urge to accessorize.

 

[PjotrStroganov]

You say they are expensive in Japan. So you have been checking out watches? Or at least have something that piqued your interest?

 

[Radec]

Just don't get those Daniel Wellington stuff.

 

[Superflat]

Hmm something that looks good in a formal or more casual setting is what would be amazing since this will be my first watch in maybe a decade+. As much as I would love to have more than one and collect, let's just start with one haha. I also tend to work with kids a lot/adults who like to spill shit so not sure how expensive i'd go right away.

And yeah some of the watches made here are great but hot dang they are expensive. Sure I could afford something more expensive in the $500 range or so but I don't want to jump into the deep end right away. Want $200 as my starting max... maybe once I do some more research and get tips might be willing to up that a bit if something really just speaks to me.

Was thinking darker color personally, feel like the all silver/gold color metal linked bands are a bit not my style anymore... though I saw one I was digging that was all black metal >.>

Like I said not sure what I want exactly as I've been a "I got a phone" person. But recently been feeling the urge to accessorize.

Under 200$ I would say Orient is a good line if you're looking at automatics. They have a waterproof sports watches with their Ray II and Mako II lines. There's a all black version of the Ray II called Ray Raven II that is currently a little above $200 looking at online retailers, and the regular versions are listed at around $180. Also know that you can swap the bracelets out and put in a leather/rubber/etc strap instead if you don't like bracelets.

Orient also has more dressy looking pieces for under 200$ with the Symphony II and Bambino II.

Seiko is a obvious option with automatics starting at under $100, and get nicer the more you spend. The iconic favorite for most people starting out is the SKX007 or SKX009. The only drawback on the watch imo is that it's an automatic that doesn't hand-wind.

 

[Blitzhex]

What's the closest modern (in stores) equivalent to the UG tri compax moonphase that I can buy today?
Needs to have that mid century look, steel, slim lugs, small bezel, domed glass and chrono and moonphase complications.

These aren't going for too bad a price, but they're 65 years old, tarnished and hard to track down.

 

[Blitzhex]

Had a bauhaus itch that needed to be scratched.
It was a tough decish between the maxbill chrono and the miester chrono.
Settled with the meister chorograph and got the strap off the Form C.

 

[Scalibur]

Just received shipping notification for my Ming 17.01. Will post pics as soon as I get it hands on.

 

[GalacticSushiman]

What's the closest modern (in stores) equivalent to the UG tri compax moonphase that I can buy today?
Needs to have that mid century look, steel, slim lugs, small bezel, domed glass and chrono and moonphase complications.




These aren't going for too bad a price, but they're 65 years old, tarnished and hard to track down.

Hello!



Maybe the Longines Master Calendar? But honestly, try the find the real thing It took me around 2 years

 

[Valkerionseven]

You say they are expensive in Japan. So you have been checking out watches? Or at least have something that piqued your interest?

At the time just went out with a friend and stopped to look at the watches in the various shops we went past in the mall/on the street. Not sure what I want but saw some that appealed to me.

Under 200$ I would say Orient is a good line if you're looking at automatics. They have a waterproof sports watches with their Ray II and Mako II lines. There's a all black version of the Ray II called Ray Raven II that is currently a little above $200 looking at online retailers, and the regular versions are listed at around $180. Also know that you can swap the bracelets out and put in a leather/rubber/etc strap instead if you don't like bracelets.

Orient also has more dressy looking pieces for under 200$ with the Symphony II and Bambino II.

Seiko is a obvious option with automatics starting at under $100, and get nicer the more you spend. The iconic favorite for most people starting out is the SKX007 or SKX009. The only drawback on the watch imo is that it's an automatic that doesn't hand-wind.

Thanks, checked a few of them out. Have not made a decision yet. I'm pretty indecisive when it comes to buying stuff lol.

 

[Ashhong]

At the time just went out with a friend and stopped to look at the watches in the various shops we went past in the mall/on the street. Not sure what I want but saw some that appealed to me.



Thanks, checked a few of them out. Have not made a decision yet. I'm pretty indecisive when it comes to buying stuff lol.

How about something like a Rodina? Not sure how much it would cost you to get in Japan. I think mine goes well with slightly casual as well as formal. Something like this

http://www.seagullwatchstore.com/mobile/Product.aspx?id=37620

 

[dallow_bg]

My newest baby. Look at those lume blobs!
I've been wanting a twin crown super compressor diver for a long time and finally went for one who's dial wowed me. As soon as I opened the package I loved it.

Need to find a good leather strap to pair it up with though. Any suggestions on color?
Came with the original bracelet, but I'm not a big fan of it so it sits on this perlon for now.

Hello!



Maybe the Longines Master Calendar? But honestly, try the find the real thing It took me around 2 years

Tarnished or not, it's a beauty.
The empty sword hand frames are pretty cool.

 

[Bananakin]

Alright watch-GAF, I thought I'd see if you had any recommendations for me. I've been rocking a Timex Ironman for years now and it recently became only semi-functional. So I thought it was time to upgrade to something at least marginally more classy (plus, I just finished my PhD, so I have a graduation present on the way!)

Here's my list of requirements/preferences:

-Price range of $500 or less
-Quartz is a must
-Strongly prefer date indicator
-Could go either way on chronograph
-Prefer brown (maybe black) leather strap (obviously I could just buy another strap, of course - I guess I just mean I want one that would look nice with a leather strap)
-I have tiny wrists, so probably in the range of 38-40mm

Usually the kind of faces I prefer straddle the line between minimalist and overcrowded - not so busy I can't tell what's going on, and not so blank as to look empty. Oh, and for whatever reason I tend to prefer arabic numerals to roman, although that's not a dealbreaker.

To give you an idea of what I was thinking of, the watches that have most caught my eye so far are the Seiko SNDC31 (http://www.seikocan.com/!/en/products/view/sndc31/) and the Hamilton Khaki Field Quartz (http://www.hamiltonwatch.com/collection/khaki/field/field-quartz/h68411533 or possibly http://www.hamiltonwatch.com/collection/khaki/field/field-quartz/h68551753-khaki-field-quartz).

Honestly I'd be perfectly happy with any of these, they look like solid watches (although I'd love to hear people's thoughts on them). But I thought I'd ask here just to see if anyone had any recommendations for nice watches that are in the same vein - I haven't done much research at all yet.

 

[GalacticSushiman]

Tarnished or not, it's a beauty.
The empty sword hand frames are pretty cool.

When they are spotless, always take it with a pinch of doubt. You can't imagine the number of redial/restored UG TriCompaxes out there...

And the empty hands are not really a style, but more of a by-product of the fact a shitty watchmaker relumed them in the early 90s... The lume looked horrible, I had it fully removed

Enjoy the hunt mate!

 

[dallow_bg]

When they are spotless, always take it with a pinch of doubt. You can't imagine the number of redial/restored UG TriCompaxes out there...

And the empty hands are not really a style, but more of a by-product of the fact a shitty watchmaker relumed them in the early 90s... The lume looked horrible, I had it fully removed

Enjoy the hunt mate!

Heh, I had figured either the lume was gone, or badly cracked enough to warrant getting rid of it.
As for redials, oh believe me I know haha. I follow the UG board on OmegaForums enough to help usually spot all the obvious redials, or incorrect hands. I even have Sala's book to help me a bit.


One day I'll make a purchase.