More Vantage Pictures

Some more Vantage shots on a leather NATO.  Unfortunately, since the pictures were taken at noon, the hour hand obscured the MkII logo below the 12 o'clock marker.

This is a custom Vantage back when Bill still made watches to order.  Notice the yellow sweep seconds hand.  AFAIK, not many people chose this option.  I think it makes the watch pop.  The no-date dial with the "scientific" chapter ring is also uncommon among the Vantages I've seen online.
 

 

LRRP GMT 48 Has Arrived

This is the final iteration of the MkII LRRP.  Bill Yao, MkII's founder, calls this the LRRP GMT 48.  What's in a name?  Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP).  Next, GMT is obvious.  Finally, 48 denotes the forty-eight click bi-directional bezel.


This is my second LRRP.  The first one is the classic homage to the Rolex ref. 1655 Explorer Mark II from the 1970s.  That one came in the non-HRV (helium release valve) case and was fitted with a bracelet.  This version is a more modern homage (especially with the font on the bezel insert) to the Rolex ref. 16710 and 116710 GMT-Master II models.  It really looks awesome!


I specifically wanted the HRV case with the thick screw bar lugs.  My intention is to wear this one on nothing but one piece straps (NATOs and the mil-straps) all throughout my trip to humid and steamy South East Asia.  In addition to the black Maratac NATO that came with watch I'm packing spare Olive Drab and Desert Tan Maratac NATOs plus a Grey and Olive Drab milstrap with PVD'd hardware.

New shoes for the Quad10

I fitted my MkII Quad10 with a leather NATO strap.  I got these off of ebay for a reasonable price.  Unfortunately, one of the colors (light tan) was out of stock so I could only buy the ones in dark brown and black colors.

The hardware on these aren't massive which I like.  I can't stand the overblown metal rings on Zulus and their like.  The leather is smooth on one side and soft and rough on the other.  Most leather NATO straps I've seen have a buffalo skin texture.  I prefer the smooth leather.

 

Here are more pics of the watch on the strap.

 

PAM 111 on Serge Custom Strap

I put my PAM 111 on a dark brown Serge strap I received from the generosity of my friend Chris M. (aka Speedmaster).  Thanks Chris!  What a difference a strap makes.  It has breathed new life into the 111 as I was getting bored.  Nice and thick, but not ridiculously so.  The buckle is the curved type "Pre-V" style bottle-cap.  It's a brand new strap, but it feels broken-in.  It's very comfortable and has a vintage aura to it.

Serge straps are some of the best value per buck aftermarket Panerai straps out there.  Check them out!

Ref. 5513 Submariner

This is how I usually wear my ref. 5513 Submariner...on a one-piece U.S. milstrap.  This particular variety of strap comes in two basic colors: olive drab and black.  I prefer the olive drab which gives the Sub a more military look.

The 5513 is from circa 1967.  It's been fitted with a 1970s-era service dial that is pretty uncommon.  It's a so-called Type I Maxi dial.

An advantage that one-piece straps have is that they hold the watch securely to your wrist in the event one of the spring bars breaks or comes off.

It's very comfortable to wear especially in hot or humid weather.

One secret to wearing your watch on a fabric strap is to affix a plastic caseback sticker before you put the strap on the watch.  The sticker prevents the strap from damaging the caseback from the constant rubbing of the two surfaces.  You can buy these stickers in bulk at watch parts houses.

Zen & the Art of Bracelet Removal

I just spent over an hour removing the bracelet from my Seamaster 300. You read that correctly, over an hour. You're probably thinking, "This guy doesn't know what he's doing." You may be right, but by now I've had over 6 years experience removing and fitting bracelets onto watches so that probably isn't the case. Well then you might ask, "Do you even have the right tools?" Yep. I've got a host of bracelet/strap removal tools and the one I use most often is the Bergeon 6111. The Bergeon gets the job done. Then why did it take me over an hour?

Single flange spring bars.

Take note, especially you watch companies out there: If the watch case does not have drilled through lugs, then use double flange spring bars...please!

It's also critical to remember not to remove a bracelet if you are angry, in a hurry, or in any state of mind other than that of pure, calm water. Remember, only after you clear your mind and body of all emotions are you in the right mental state to attempt such a procedure.

Finally, fer goodness sake, tape up those lugs! (Taping up the caseback couldn't hurt either.)

And just to let you know; I successfully removed the bracelet without damaging the watch. Whew.

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Watch Straps

As you've noticed from my watch pictures I'm a fan of cloth straps. There are two major camps when it comes to how people like to wear their watches. First there are bracelet fans. People who prefer their watches on metal bracelets, either OEM or the aftermarket variety. Then there are the strap fans. There are so many different varieties of straps: leather, rubber, cloth, etc. They even have subvarieties of these types: calf leather, ostrich leather, kevlar, natural and synthetic rubber, and on and on. It's an industry unto itself. Just google "watch straps" and check out all the sites devoted to nothing but straps. Strap collecting has become a subgenre of watch collecting!

Getting back to my preference for cloth straps, the reason why I like them is mainly due to comfort. I find they breathe better and they can be easily adjusted to fit your wrist depending on the time of day or temperature (both of these factors can expand or contract the diameter of your wrist). Unlike rubber straps, cloth straps don't trap heat and make your wrist sweaty. And if they get dirty they can be easily washed with a little soap and water.

I particularly like one-piece straps because of their security advantage. If you happen to lose or break one of your springbars the watch will still be secure on the other end of the strap. Thus your watch be on your wrist and not on the ground in front of you in pieces, or worse yet, lost somewhere 10 miles back!

One of the criticisms of cloth straps is that they look cheap. Compared to some leather straps that can cost hundreds of dollars cloth straps are cheaper. However, I only wear tool watches so cloth straps look right at home on them. Now, I wouldn't wear a Rolex Day-Date on one and admittedly that would look cheap, but for example a Rolex Submariner or an Explorer on a grey G-10 just oozes class and exudes a purpose-built aura. Sounds like hyperbole for something as mundane as a strap? However, you'll be surprised at how much a strap can change the entire look of a watch.

My current favorites are the G-10 or "NATO" and the more simple milstrap. If you never have before, try them out on a dive or sport watch and you might become a convert.

Below is a picture of just a sample of the straps I have. This is by no means my exhaustive strap "collection." As you can see they're a lot of G-10s and milstraps with the odd synthetic rubber or calf skin strap thrown in for good measure.