I had been working with Patrick for about a year and although we got on well, we were quite different – we had quite different career paths, interests and social circles and so hadn’t spent any time together outside of work when I experienced a ‘life-event’ that I was not prepared for. I like to think of myself as quite a resilient man – someone who is more than able to take on and cope with considerable stress, change and uncertainty and remain calm, collected, pragmatic and optimistic (mostly my mother’s influence!), but there was nothing that could have prepared me for this. I was mentally, emotionally, and physically undone. One morning at work a huge wave of emotion washed over me, and slumped at my desk, I started to cry uncontrollably. Being in an open plan office – this was far from ideal, but in an instant Patrick got up, told our Director and senior leadership team to leave their office as he needed it, ushered me in, closed the door and gave me a safe space. When the wave of emotion died down, Patrick took me for a coffee and we talked – on reflection I’m pretty sure I did most of the talking and he did most of the listening.

For a while, this became a frequent occurrence where I clearly wasn’t able to function as a human being, and without hesitation, Patrick treated me with compassion, respect, kindness, and understanding. He chose to be authentic and vulnerably shared that the same thing had happened to him many years ago and without any level of patronising, softly and calmly offered assurances that it was going to be ok. My journey over the next two years was (putting it mildly) turmoil. If I’m honest, on more than one occasion I would go to the train station and stand on the platform and question if stepping off-the platform was a better outcome than the future ahead.

For the next 2 years Patrick worked closely alongside me extending a hand of friendship, checking in with me and prioritising me over work and at times even his own personal commitments. Needless to say over that time the two of us formed a deep, mutual  friendship as we helped each other operate and deliver in a challenging environment.

Over time, work saw us part ways professionally – each being pulled in separate directions to lead differing teams within the same organisation, but we kept in contact and met up to discuss our respective challenges enjoying a coffee on many occasions.

In September of 2022 Patrick reached out to me and asked if I would consider working for him (as he had been promoted) but there were two caveats. The first was that he wanted to prioritise our friendship – if I was in any way uncomfortable or concerned about working for him rather than with him, then this would be a non-starter. As far as I was concerned the minimum requirement I have for working for someone is trust – and I trusted Patrick with my life.

The second was that he wanted me to know he had been diagnosed with stomach cancer. At this point – no one else at work knew and it would remain that way for a long time.

Unfortunately I have an ongoing relationship with cancer. When I was 8 my cousin was diagnosed with and died of leukaemia. A few years later my grandmother died from cancer, and since then numerous family and friends have been diagnosed with and lost the fight against various forms of cancer.

Patrick breezed through his initial chemotherapy treatment which brought such strong positivity and kept his spirits high, and very shortly he received a surprise call form his oncologist with the news that he wouldn’t have to wait for his operation and that it would be in just a couple of weeks.

Although Patrick and I worked together, we were very much separated by geography – with nearly 100 miles between our homes. However when the opportunity arose, my wife and I went to visit Patrick in recovery following his operation. What was truly humbling was to see this incredible man moved to tears with gratitude that we had come to see him even if only for a short time. It reminded me that we never really know the impact we have on the people around us and the simplest of things can have such a huge value to people.

The following 8 weeks were some of the hardest of Patricks recovery as he re-learned what eating would look like following the removal of his stomach. But slowly, he regained his strength before he would then undergo another round of chemotherapy to ensure he was cancer free.

Just before Christmas Patrick rang me to give me some amazing news – namely that his latest test results had come back with the news that he was cancer free. Although this was of course the news we were all hoping to hear, this was nevertheless amazing news.

However, following a difficult Christmas with blood clots and a return to hospital for further tests, Patrick received the devastating news that he had developed secondary peritoneal cancer. There was now nothing that could be done and Patrick would sadly now have only months left. After struggling with further chemotherapy, Patrick made the difficult decision to favour quality of life over quantity and chose to stop his treatment in favour of enjoying whatever time he had left. In May my wife and I had the chance to go out for a meal with Patrick, his wife and son and had a wonderful evening together laughing, sharing stories and just hanging out. Sadly his condition soon deteriorated and on July 8^th 2024 Patrick passed away.

A few months after the funeral, Patricks wife contacted me to tell me that Patrick had remembered me in his will. I was flawed. I honestly didn’t know what to say or how to respond. His friendship, transparency, authenticity and kindness meant everything to me but I certainly wasn’t going to dishonour Patrick’s last wishes.

After some weeks of deliberation, in memory of Patrick I chose to buy a watch with the money he left me. Something that every time I put it on and wore it, I would remember my friend. For the first time in my life I wanted a chronograph. For me it represented the ability to ‘stop time’ – to pause the recording of time and savour a moment and so for a number of reasons, I chose the Longines Avigation Bigeye.

I know it’s not an understatement to say that I would not be here today if it wasn’t for Patrick. There are 4 other people who helped me through what can only be described as the lowest time of my life. All of them spoke truth to me with compassion, empathy, understanding, reason and humility.

There weren’t many people that Patrick truly trusted and let into his life. He was mostly a private man who loved his family and was an incredibly proficient and capable man. I was extremely privileged to have been able to call him my friend and walk beside him every step of the way through his battle with cancer.

Although I could spend many of my days deeply bitter that Patrick was cruelly ripped away from us, I’m choosing to celebrate the time I had with him – treasuring fond memories and thankful for the impact that he had on me. He taught me a lot professionally and was often the wise voice in my ear saving me from unwise decisions. Every time I look at this watch I will remember with fond memories the time I got to spend with my friend and mentor.

None of us know how many days, weeks, months or years we have to live – what matters is what we choose to do with the time that we have. Few of us will ever know how the simplest acts of kindness will dramatically affect those around us or how our actions and vulnerability may lead to some of the deepest and most valuable friendships.

While, a number of my watches represent significant memories, this one’s for Patrick…

Today the reality of the work that the Secret Intelligence Service (or MI6 to you and I) does is by nature “secret” (in fact it is UK classified as ‘TOPSECRET’) which therefore means that a lot is unknown about what intelligence operators get up to and how they work. However the various heads of SIS (known by the designation ‘C’ rather than the fictional ‘M’) have over the years taken the opportunity to debunk some of the myths – one of which is that MI6 intelligence officers carry guns and have a license to kill – they really don’t. In fact the oversight and scrutiny that the British intelligence agencies have is far greater than you might imagine and they strictly operate within the law. So lets explore who Bond could be…

Following the September 11th terrorist attacks it has become a necessity for MI6 to operate in more hostile regions around the world. With this operational requirement comes the need for protection and other discrete work – and who better experienced and qualified to provide this than experienced Special Forces operators?

Looking at James Bonds’ past we know that he was a Royal Navy Officer – later holding the rank of Commander. A man with Bond’s skillset today in the Navy would have progressed through to the Royal Marines Commandos and if he truly excelled would have been asked if he would attend ‘selection’ for UK special forces. Passing selection would have provided a choice to enter either the Special Air Service or its Royal Navy counterpart the Special Boat Service – where he would have received further training including diving, underwater reconnaissance, underwater demolitions, submarine infiltration and much more. While the existence of both the SAS and the SBS are relatively well known, they operate as part of the UK’s Special Forces community which also includes Special Reconnaissance Regiment and the Special Forces Support Group. However the UK Special Forces also has another rather discrete unit called ‘E-Squadron’. The unit is manned by experienced operators who are hand picked from the SAS, SBS & SRR specifically to work with the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS/MI6). So after joining the SBS, Bond would have been hand picked to serve in E Squadron. He would then have supported, protected and operated alongside MI6 in a variety of roles across the globe at short notice.

So now we’ve managed to establish who the real Bond might actually be, what watch might Bond wear on his wrist?

In 1954 Rolex won the contract to supply the British Ministry of Defence with the MilSub – a modified Submariner. These were used extensively throughout the British navy for divers, commandos and the Special Boat Service alike. The Milsub was not massively changed for the military market however the MoD did mandate fixed bars ensuring the watch would not become separated from its wearer and a larger bezel along with the distinctive “sword hands”. Between 1967 and 1971 Omega supplied the Ministry of Defence with military grade Seamaster 300s. Like the MilSub, these were delivered and used by the Navy and special forces alike.

Since the 1970’s however it has been the Cabot Watch Company (CWC) who won the contract to supply all three arms of the Ministry of Défense with timepieces. Initially the Royal Navy Divers watch was an Automatic with the reference 0552/9237697 – This superseded the Rolex Milsub and is actually rarer than the watch it replaced. A few years later this was updated at the M.O.D’s request to become a quartz version (Model RN300-83 QM60 with a NATO code of 0552/6645-99-7573314). This was then issued to Royal Marines and Special forces under a revised designation (RN300-MT QM60 with a NATO code of 0555/6645-99-7573314) . This is the watch that Bond would have been issued with upon joining the Royal Marines Commando’s .

CWC were commissioned to provide a bespoke variant of this watch for the Special Boat service- with a black PVD coating (QS120-DD with a NATO code of 0555/6645-99-7995443)

While Bond would have been provided with the black SBS watch upon his successful entry into the Special Boat Service, operating in E Squadron would require him to blend in to his surroundings rather than standing out, and in civilian clothing (rather than a wetsuit) it is the watch he was provided when he joined the Royal Marines Commando’s (RN300-MT QM60 with a NATO code of 0555/6645-99-7573314) that he would be wearing today. Tough as nails, accurate, highly dependable and cost effective (as the MoD doesn’t have a slush fund for expensive watches).

While the bond franchise was built on remarkable history and facts that informed the fiction of the books and films with a heritage including Rolex and Omega of the earlier years, the only way the real life bond is wearing an omega is if he is buying it himself – although this does nothing to detract from the heritage that Omega genuinely has with the UK Ministry of Defence it is unfortunately not what the real world ‘Bond’ wears.

This particular CWC Royal Navy Diver (0555/6645-99-7573314) Serial number 325/21 is arguably one of the most historically significant CWC Royal Navy Divers Watches. It was issued at 14:06 on September 8th 2022 and is the very last that CWC supplied before Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II sadly passed away just over an hour later. I had the privilege to serve Her Majesty for many years in a number of roles and I’m pleased to say that this particular watch is my own.

While Omega and Rolex have a rich history and heritage suppling the British Ministry of Defence with watches, these are expensive and very hard to find. You could easily spend just over £6000 on an Omega PlanetOcean as worn by Daniel Craig or over £8000 on the latest “No Time To Die” Omega Seamaster 300m.

However, should you want to adorn your wrist with something with arguably greater current prevenance, you could buy a CWC RN Diver for a fraction of the price.

The Cabot Watch Company Royal Navy Diver Issue (RN300-MT-QM60) is available direct from CWC here for £550 as supplied to the Ministry of Defence, UK Special Forces and other discrete units.

There are clearly a lot of options to choose from and whether you are travelling with a single watch or an entire collection there are options that will suit you and your circumstances differently. There are important considerations before you choose which type of watch storage is going to meet your needs. If for example your watches include ones with integrated rubber or steel bracelets, you will need a solution where the watch is secured around a cushion, watch pillow or tube.

Alternatively, if you are the type to go off off adventuring rather than a weekend break at the Ritz, you will probably want something that will protect the watches from being knocked or adversely damaged by either extreme weather or other risks. We have tried to explore the market and highlight what we think represents the best selection of options across a broad price spectrum, number of watches and protection offered.

RENITOR SINGLE WATCH CASE

The Renitor single watch case brings benefits from not only protecting a watch you want to travel with but has been designed to include a space big enough to accommodate 1 to 2 straps as well as a strap changing tool. It takes up the smallest possible size while providing just enough space for all the essentials – perfect for that weekend getaway. This will allow you to “wear-one take-one” plus a couple of straps. Its small enough to chuck in a bag and not take up much space while offering the maximum protection for your watch. Ideal for a weekend getaway where you might want one watch for general activities and another for dinner.

Observations: For us this is a game changer. A single watch case with space for a watch, straps and a tool – all while providing an extremely robust level of protection allowing you to travel worry free at a truly accessible price point.

Dimensions: 139mm x 100mm x 57mm
Price: £28.99
Available from: www.amazon.co.uk

TO THE HOUR – THREE WATCH CASE

‘To the hour’ was set up as a sub brand of ‘The Case Farm’ who in fact were set up by Peli-Products UK (The UK distributor of PELI & Storm cases) in response to the rising demand for specialist cases. There are three product ranges that ‘To The Hour’ offer – the Enigma range, the elements range and the vault range. Both the elements and the vault range are based on the mainstream Peli protector cases with the enigma range being based on the Peli Micro cases. The sweet spot in the range for us is this three watch Enigma case that has enough space to take three watches with you while providing maximum protection. Unfortunately there isnt any room for straps or accessories, but the case allows you to pack three watches in to the smallest space while maximising the protection offered. This case is covered by Peli’s lifetime guarantee and is crushproof, waterproof, dust proof and includes an air pressure equalisation valve ensuring your case stays closed and secure even in the event of a rapid change of atmosphere. There are the usual external amenities allowing you to strap or clip this to another bag, however given that its probably going to be protecting your most valuable timepieces, we’d advise you pack this inside your luggage!

Observations: Due to the size and spacing of the cushions within the case, it is able to accommodate even the largest of watches including a 45mm Panerai. Unfortunately this doesn’t have any space for tools, straps or other accessories, however this does offer arguably the best protection for three watches backed by a lifetime warranty and for under £70 – and we think this is a bargain!

Dimensions: 238mm x 141mm x 67mm
Price: £69.99
Available from: www.tothehour.com

BLACK CHEST – FOUR WATCH CASE

The BlackChest 4 watch case is designed to take 4 watches plus a plethora of straps, tools and accessories with you in perfect safety. The case is based on a Nanuk 904 case with a multi-layer custom foam insert (available in a number of colour options). The outside of the case features two positive locking latches that cannot be accidentally popped open, a pressure equalisation value and a carry handle. On the inside, the top layer provides storage and protection for 4 watches and an additional covered section to hold straps and tools. However, removing this top layer reveals another storage layer below with three compartments suitable for more straps, tools, springbars and cloths. This is smaller than many other 4-watch cases providing robust and rugged protection for 4 watches and all the associated accessories you could want.

Observations: This is a terrific case offering space for multiple watches, tools, straps and everything else you may need. It is worth noting that the watch cushions are fairly closely spaced which means if you have large watches they might be in danger of knocking each other while in transit. We have been in conversation with Blackchest who have taken our feedback and are prototyping an alternative internal layout to address this issue. We will update this article when we have seen these updates.

Dimensions: 213mm x 152mm x 94mm
Price: ££119
Available from: www.blackchest.co.uk

PELI – SIX WATCH CASE

The Peli 6 watch case is based on the brands Peli protector 1200 case and is ideal if you are travelling with 5-6 watches. As with all Peli products cases, this is covered by Peli’s lifetime guarantee and is crushproof, waterproof, dust proof and includes an air pressure equalisation valve. The watch pillows are wide enough to accommodate 6 fairly wide watches up to and including a 45mm Panerai Radiomir. Each watch including the case and crown are fully recessed into the pocket eliminating the risk of watches touching each other during transportation.

Observations: With such great protection on offer, the only drawback is that this does not include space for additional straps, tools, springbars or other accessories.

Dimensions: 270mm x 246mmx x 124mm
Price: £104.99
Available from: www.tothehour.com

BREMONT SAFECASE

The largest case that we have here is the Bremont Safecase. This is designed to store and transport up to 8 watches as well as numerous straps, tools, cloths and accessories with complete protection. The outside of the case features two positive action clasps to secure the case closed and cannot be inadvertently opened, a handle and an air pressure equalisation valve as well as a transparent nameplate allowing you to personalise the case. On the inside the lid contains a bespoke foam protective layer embossed with the Bremont Logo within the embossed Union Jack. The main layer has space for 8 watches with ample space between them assuring that even in the event of a flight crew having a very bad day on an airline, there is no possibility of the watches knocking or damaging each other. The cushions are engineered to a fine tolerance ensuring they are a tight fit which is nice and allows you to orientate the watches towards you should you wish to use this as a display case. The high density foam used has a bespoke embossing pattern which is nice and renders individual ‘cells’ for each watch and cushion.

Removing the top layer reveals a lower layer with plenty of space for many straps, tools, spring bars and any other accessories that you may wish to travel with or keep with your watches.

Observations: This is a well designed and manufactured case that gives the assurance of extreme protection, however due to the fit of the foam within such high tolerances, it can be difficult to remove the top layer to access the layer below without first removing a number of watches as there is nothing to grip or hold on to. Overall this is a high quality case offering great protection for 8 watches along with plenty of space for accessories.

Dimensions: 430mm x 340 x 190mm
Price: £295
Available from: www.bremont.com

bremont bridle leather 3 watch roll

The Bridle leather three watch roll from Bremont is a more traditional watch roll design securing the watches around a central cushion encased within a textured leather outer. However what sets this apart from traditional leather watch rolls is the design of the interior which provides an internal compartment large enough to store and transport a plethora of straps, tools and spare spring bars. This provides a more elegant and refined aesthetic while also delivering a level of practicality. The leather is soft to the touch and the closure uses a traditional Bremont buckle.

Observations: While this doesn’t offer the most extreme protection for the watches contained within, it does deliver one of the best all round solutions allowing you to travel with any type of watch (including integrated bracelets) in a more refined leather case with space for everything else you might need.

Dimensions: 205mm x 83mm
Price: £165
Available from: www.bremont.com

zaidmade Watch ROll

Zaid’s handmade leather watch rolls provide a flexible traditional solution for watch travel. Using soft supple leather this will protect up to 4 watches against scuffs and scratches and take up virtually no space when its not in use. Alternatively due to the unstructured nature, one of more of the pockets can be used for straps, cloths or tools.

Observations: While this is designed as a simple, elegant, and traditional solution for protecting watches while you travel, it won’t offer much protection against knocks, bumps or other more substantial threats that might compromise your watches. It is however a low cost hand made solution that will patina over time for a soft rich elegant aesthetic.

Dimensions: 139mm x 100mm x 57mm
Price: $85
Available from: www.zaidmade.com

HAveston m-12 tool watch roll

The M-12 tool watch roll is a 4 watch roll up fabric watch roll that will accommodate and protect up to 4 watches. It is inspired by vintage WWII US Military tool rolls dating from between 1934-45. With its distinct military look and feel, it has been crafted from canvas and features a soft synthetic suede interior and a reinforced stud and plate closure. In the hands this is extremely well made. Its thick enough to protect the watches inside from all but the harshest of knocks and bumps while still maintaining the charm and aesthetic of a fabric watch roll.

Observations: The closure is a very nice touch and keeps the watch roll firmly secured while in transit although this prevents it from laying flat once unrolled. The combinations of fabric ensure that this is usefully robust whilst ensuring its soft to the touch where it matters – on the surfaces protecting your watches. We have seen and held cheap imitations of this and they are a world apart. This is beautiful sympathetic travel solution for military watches offering a good level of protection. You can of course use one of the compartments for additional straps and tools instead of a 4th watch making this a flexible option.

Dimensions: 420mm x 180mm
Price: $66.75
Available from: www.haveston.com

Bark & Jack – COCOA BROWN WATCH ROLL FOR 6 WATCHES

The Bark&Jack Cocoa Brown Watch Roll is is a beautifully soft and refined leather watch roll handmade in Florence, Italy in calfskin and sued leather. It provides 6 individual compartments for watches, straps or tools. and also comes with 6 leather inserts that can be placed between the watch and bracelets to prevent the bracelet scratching the back of the watch which is a nice touch. The closure uses a hook and loop system (Velcro) to secure the roll closed which is fuss free although when full and containing 6 watches, there is substantially less to

Observations: The leather is beautifully soft and when open, offers a great surface to protect your watches while you switch straps and replace spring bars. This is a compact way of travelling with up to 6 watches without taking up too much room, however as with other fabric rolls, this will not offer more than scratch and superficial knock protection for your watches.

Dimensions: 400mm x 145mm
Price: £159
Available from: www.barkandjack.com

Final observations

These travel storage solutions offer varying degrees of protection for watches and accessories ranging from scratch protection to an almost indestructible case at price points from under £30 to £300 for up to 8 watches. There are larger sizes of some of these cases available which you will find on the websites listed for each product including the ‘Vault XXI’ offered by Peli allowing you to store and travel with up to an astonishing 21 watches – although who would want to travel with 21 watches (other than a watch dealer) is beyond me.
However, should you wish to check this out it is available here: www.tothehour.com

A final word of caution. Even though some of these cases seem to offer extreme protection for your watches backed by a lifetime guarantee, your watches might be in more peril than you realise! Those of us with small children might be able to relate to the warranty exclusions listed by Peli whose legendary lifetime warranty has certain exclusions…

This guarantee does not cover shark bite, bear attack
or damage caused by children under five.

Peli Products Lifetime Guarantee

Peli Products Brochure (with full warranty wording) available here

If you have any experience with any of these watch storage solutions, please do share your views in the comments below.

However it was many years before this in my twenties – long before I got married when I felt I wanted to leave a future son something of value – something that represented and embodied one of my values and so I bought my first ‘proper’ watch. I’ve always had the mindset that I’d prefer to buy something of quality that will last rather than “buy cheap – buy twice”, and so I bought a COSC certified Breitling.

A watch to me represents the observance of the inevitable; Time moves on. So to be wise, we need to be intentional about what we do with this time. As we get older we start to understand the finality of time. Each person is given a different amount. None of us knows exactly how many years, months, weeks, days or hours we have and so we start to understand that time is valuable. This very concept hit me like a sledgehammer when my son was born. And so although he was only a few months old, I bought a pair of baseball gloves and a ball in anticipation of what was to come.

With house moves, job changes and unfortunate changes in personal circumstances over the years, the gloves and ball moved from one loft to another, ever waiting for the right time when my son was old enough to start having some ‘deep-and-meaningful’ conversations while passing the time chucking a ball to each other.

However last year I grabbed the gloves and walked up to my local field with my son and spoke to him of how I had dreamt of that very day some 12 years earlier. We mucked around, laughed, spoke and generally just hung out without much of an agenda other than spending time together and building memories – one of the most valuable things we can do with our time. It also struck me how much my relationship has evolved with him. He is no longer a small child who needs nurturing, but is growing his identity and forming the values that he cares deeply about and he will carry with him for the rest of his life.

This brings me to the most important lesson I want to teach my son. Each of us have talents, abilities, strengths, gifts and experience that we gain over time. So what will our legacy be? How can we impact those around us to leave the world and the people in it a little better off than when we arrived? This for me is the question of legacy that drives and motivates me. Because if i’m honest, there’s never been a selfish role model that I’ve ever looked up to, and my experience has always been that there is far more pleasure, satisfaction and meaning in life when we choose to positively impact others than when we just pursue personal happiness.

In September 2020, Oris launched a limited edition watch to commemorate and celebrate the life of Roberto Clemente – called the ‘Oris Roberto Clemente Limited Edition’. This is a Big Crown Pointer date with a white dial, and embossed case back and a themed strap with the leather and stitching reminiscent of a baseball glove. It’s a beautiful watch and many have commented that it is arguably Oris’s most beautiful watch with classic proportions and an unobtrusive subtleness. The connection of both time and baseball reminded me of my son and our time hanging out together in a field on a summers afternoon.

However what struck me most when looking into Roberto Clemente wasn’t his baseball achievements (even though these are clearly why he is considered a baseball legend) it was his humanity. Here was a man who had a healthy relationship with time. One of his most famous quotes puts that into a challenging perspective:

He was a passionate humanitarian and activist and lived to serve others by bringing real change in his home country and his local community. His love for humanity marked his fate as he lost his life in an airplane accident attempting to aid earthquake victims in Nicaragua on New Year’s Eve in 1972. He chose to personally escort a shipment of aid after learning the previous shipment never got to where it was needed, and sadly the aircraft crashed after takeoff due to being overloaded.

Each day when I put on one of my watches i’m reminded that I don’t know how much time I have left – so don’t waste what I’ve been given.

Each of us has at our disposal the most valuable, irreplaceable resource – time. So what are you going to do with it? What are you going to be known for once you have made your impact on the world?

a History of Time

This superb illustrative journey shows a visual history of iconic timepieces spanning over 100 years of watchmaking. Starting in 1904 with the Cartier Santos Dupont the poster takes you on a journey through time in 49 intricately detailed hand-illustrations of the most prominent and notable watches of the last century. These horological icons have been seen in films and on the wrists of presidents, celebrities, and cultural icons.

Featured watches include the Cartier Tank as worn by Muhammed Ali, Hamilton Ventura worn by Elvis Presley, Tag Heuer Monaco as Worn by Steve McQueen, The ‘Paul Newman Daytona’ and the Rolex Datejust worn by Martin Luther King Jr. As you can tell this a long and distinguished list! This fabulous collection of watches has influenced or defined the design of the modern era of watchmaking in the 21st century.

A History of Time is available as an 18″x 24″ print on 192 g/m² paper shipped unframed allowing you to choose the mounting and frame of your choice.

As an exclusive treat for our readers, you can get a 20% discount on this using the discount code ‘Wristworthy’ at the checkout!

Available from:
Website: VeryOnBrand.com

Art-of-Horology

However taking things up a notch, if you’re looking for something a little more unique and personal but can’t afford to buy that special person a speedmaster, how about buying them a poster of their grail watch or alternatively, a favourite watch in their own collection?

For the past three years, Art-of-Horology have been producing these fantastic posters which have been featured in GQ magazine, within many watch shops worldwide and behind prominent YouTubers (including Theo & Harris and Bark & Jack amongst many others) – so its possible you have seen these before but not known where to get them.

Their collection of watch art posters are each digitally re-created by Liam and with over 50 watches and designs to choose from there’s a great choice on hand. These include horological icons from the infamous Seiko SKX & Casio F-91W to the AP RoyalOak, Omega Speedmaster, and Rolex GMT Master II amongst many others.

Each poster is available as a high quality A2 print on 180 gsm premium silk stock. These are shipped unframed allowing you to choose your mount and frame while keeping shipping costs to a minimum .

Furthermore, if the watch you would like as a poster is not available, Art of Horology can make it for you. This not only allows you to have a digitally recreated piece of artwork of any watch of your choosing, but also if you wish; a commissioned representation of a precious heirloom is equally possible.

One last and beautifully unique touch, each piece of art can be adjusted to the specific time and date of your choosing – this allows you to provide a truly personal gift imparting a memorable time and date of an event like a birthday, anniversary or celebration for example.

Art of horology are in fact 3 years old today, and after having shipped more than 1500 pieces of art to 57 countries, we’re delighted to celebrate with them! For a limited period of time, our readers can get a 15% discount a using the promo code ‘Wristworthy’. So if you’ve been considering one of these for yourself, or perhaps a birthday or Christmas gift for that watch lover in your life, now is most definitely the time to buy one!

Unfortunately we can attest to the impact of these posters first hand – we bought a Tudor BlackBay GMT poster some time ago, and just over a month ago ended up buying a Black Bay GMT! You might want to be careful which poster you buy as your next purchase could very easily be much more expensive!

Available from:
Website: Art-of-Horology
Instagram: @the_art_of_horology

One Hour Watch

However, if youre looking for a one-off hand drawn piece of art, look no further than the incredibly talented Lee Yuen-Rapati.

Based in the UK, Lee is a designer from Canada who specialises in illustration, type design, and industrial design. He holds a Master’s degree in typeface design from the University of Reading, and a Bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary design from NSCAD University.

In 2014 Lee began the series One Hour Watch which involves creating an original watch drawing every day in one hour or less. The series currently stands at more than 1800 drawings and ranges from his personal creations to recreations of iconic favourites. Lee has worked as a commission-based illustrator for a wide array of clients ranging from an international community of watch collectors and enthusiasts as well as for established watchmakers such as Roger W Smith, and Urban Jürgensen.

Each piece of art is individually created by Lee usually to a standard size of 12x15cm however he’s happy to work within a clients request as essentially every piece is commissioned and bespoke.

Lee doesn’t sell any of his existing “One Hour Watch” pictures which are kept as a library and catalogue of some of his work so far, however he is more than happy to re-produce any of them as commissions if there is one in particular that you would like. Below is a small selection

Contact Details:
Website: watchtype.net
Instagram: @onehourwatch

We hope that this will provide a few options for those already thinking about Christmas presents. You should have plenty of time to order these for delivery before the holiday season. In addition, look out for our forthcoming article on watch accessories which may include some more gift ideas as we head towards the holiday season.

Have you seen or discovered watch art elsewhere? let us know in the comments below which is your favourite and why.

This can happen for a number of reasons ranging from the pursuit of a grail watch where personal sacrifices need to be made, to realising that although we really like certain timepieces, we are just not wearing them much. This then represents a considerable investment that is not being used. In addition as we grow older we also typically gain more disposable income and learning from our experiences and changing tastes, find what used to be the unobtainable, within potential reach.

So how might you go about parting with your watches?

While many people use eBay, it’s business model is inherently designed to support buyers through lowering their risk. However selling on eBay isn’t quite so ‘risk free’. There is of course the risk of fraudulent or unscrupulous buyers claiming the watch is not genuine or claiming it has been returned and getting their money back through PayPal (as they are protected) and you never see the watch again. While this is not necessarily commonplace, it has happened on a number of occasions and as a seller it’s a risk you must be aware of. In addition, eBay requires quite an investment in time, and results often fall short of hopes and expectations. Lastly, the eBay and PayPal fees which are around 10% – which makes you ask the question why they take so much when you have to do all the hard work?

An alternative you may consider is part exchanging them for the watch you want with a pre-owned specialist, like Watchfinder for instance. While this can offer you a great level of convenience and I must say I have in the past personally chosen this method, they are in the business of selling pre-owned watches which means they need to have a margin in their sale, unlike selling directly to another collector. This means you will inherently not get the best value for your watches – which is the price you pay for convenience.

So what’s the alternative? Well you could choose to use a broker such as James from KibbleWatches.co.uk. Brokers work in much the same way that an estate agent does. They perform all the hard work in photographing, listing, promoting and selling your watch on your behalf for a small percentage of the sale. A key benefit of brokers is that they typically become well connected within the industry so they are able to draw upon those relationships in a way that you or I can’t.

This is the route I most recently took when I chose to part with a couple of my Tudors. I wanted to get the best realistic price possible for them as I was buying another hi-value piece. I didn’t have the time to create two eBay listings, write ups, photographs and then spend ages haggling with people wrongly trying to negotiate a price reduction because they’ve seen a worst condition watch with missing papers for cheaper elsewhere. So having met and spoken to James previously I gave him a call and asked to meet up.

James is well known within the intimate watch circles in London and further afield, so he has a lot to lose if his reputation becomes tarnished. This results in him being open, honest and friendly as his desire is for you to be as happy with the outcome as possible – happy customers are good business!

My experience was extremely straight forward, painless and surprisingly quick. I met with James in central London and we reviewed and discussed my two watches and my personal aspirations for what I might hope to achieve. This is an extremely important part as being realistic up front about their condition and value saves endless conversations and heartache later. He agreed that in this particular case, both watches were in extremely good condition and having the box, papers, hang-tags etc placed them as premium examples. We discussed and agreed what would be realistic to achieve for the watches as well as him gaining an understanding as to what the minimum I might hope to achieve for them. I cannot emphasise enough how important it is to get this step right. Having an unrealistic expectation of your watch’s worth can be crippling for you and the broker, as it results in watches that don’t sell. This means you don’t have funds freed up and the broker ends up promoting a watch he can’t find a new home for. No one wins. We also discussed and agreed a reasonable rate for commission. This will reflect the work that the broker has to put in to selling your watches including good photography, advertising and promoting them, leveraging contacts within the trade, negotiating on your behalf, and finally (and very importantly!…) acting as escrow ensuring cleared funds are received before parting with your watches. This critical step protects you as the seller from losing your watches through fraud.

From there I signed a consignment contract with James containing all the above details on it, and left him with my watches to photograph, promote and sell on my behalf through KibbleWatches.co.uk supporting this with promotions through a number of social media platforms.

Within a mere 7 days through contacts within the industry and previous customers James had successfully negotiated the price within the range we had previously discussed and agreed a sale. He then contacted me with the good news and arranged a bank transfer for the sale price (minus his previously agreed commission)

Overall I achieved a great price for both watches – higher than I would have achieved by part exchanging the watches through watchfinder, in a short time with no stress or hassle. What more could I ask for?

My experience was refreshingly simple & straightforward and as James is a knowledgeable collector himself, it felt more like chatting to an old friend rather than negotiating a business deal.

All in all I cannot recommend KibbleWatches.co.uk highly enough. If you are considering parting with a watch I would suggest you give him a call!

KibbleWatches contact details:
Website: www.kibblewatches.co.uk
Instagram: @kibblewatches
Mobile: 07786 515664

So what are the new watches?
Well, Seiko has taken to revamp the Seiko 5 series by taking one of the most cult watches in history and updating it for today. Based on the Seiko SKX visual aesthetic (which itself is based on a number of heritage models) Seiko has introduced 5 ‘Themes’ – Sports, Suits, Specialist, Street & Sense within which they have ostensibly created 27 different visual variants of the beloved SKX. These include models with Steel, Mesh, NATO and Rubber straps, with regular or blacked out and rose gold cases, textured dials and even an orange dial (a re-invigorated SKX011 – their least popular SKX model). These new watches include a much wanted upgrade to the trusty 7S26 movement in the guise of the 4R36 movement. This benefits from the addition of hand winding and hacking and is the base movement for the Prospex Range. But these watches are not referred to as ‘Prospex’ but as Seiko 5 Sports so why not? Well the most significant and notable change is the removal of the screw down crown and that the new range is not ISO certified unlike the SKX that they replace.

So why did Seiko chose to do this?
Well to understand this, you need to take a look at where the Seiko SKX sat in the range. You see the SKX represented a marketing nightmare for Seiko. As a watch, it is the perfext embodiment of a no frills diver. It is an ISO6425 certified dive watch (which means each and every watch has been tested to 125% of the depth stated on the dial as well as a whole variety of other stringent tests) which in theory places it in the same camp as the Seiko Samurai and the Turtle whose RRP is ostensibly the same as the SKX (although the SKX can invariably be purchased for less) But the SKX doesn’t carry the Prospex logo on the dial and doesn’t have hand winding or hacking so cannot be accurately set to a reference time. This is because it contains the extremely robust and clever 7S26 which has served Seiko well for decades, however the public are demanding more.

This leaves two courses of action for Seiko. Improve the movement and upgrade the SKX to Prospex status in Seikos’ lineup – which would delight SKX owners but then create too much competition and not enough diversity in the bottom end of the Pro series range, or demote the capabilities of the SKX by removing the screw in crown and ISO6425 rating of the watch and create a whole series of watches with enough models to appeal to those wanting to get their first mechanical sports watch – which quite frankly is where the SKX sat anyhow.

Given the choices Seiko had in front of them I completely understand why they chose the course of action they did and I hope that we see a whole new generation of watch enthusiasts embrace and adopt the new Seiko 5 Sports range, however I know that there will be many mourning the demise of their beloved SKX for a technically inferior model. The New Seiko 5 Sports range should provide a robust entry level sports range to attract customers looking to buy their first ‘propper’ watch and provide great selection to choose from.

One small concern…
The new models have a push/pull crown and a 100m waterproof rating. While this should be more than adequate for those wanting to swim with their watch rather than dive professionally, we have unfortunately had some bad experiences with Seiko models that don’t have a screw down crown – specifically the SNZH55 which is a Seiko 5 dive watch with a push/pull crown rated to 100m. This let water in while swimming in a swimming pool (so at most 2 metres deep). We hope that Seiko has done a better job with the new Seiko 5 Sports range as early negative experiences could inhibit a potentially great watch that will inspire the next generation of watch lovers.

This might also be the time to go and buy a Seiko SKX while you still can as we can see demand for this is already on the rise. The new Seiko 5 Sports range goes on sale in September with an indicative pricing of £250-£350.

Items in this article:
New Seiko 5 Sports range
Related:
The Problem with an SKX

Firstly, There are two types of chronograph – modular & integrated…

A modular chronograph comprises two elements. The base movement and the chronograph module itself. An example of a modular chronograph is the ETA 2894, which comprises the 2892 base movement that can be used on its own, delivers basic timekeeping in a compact movement just 3.6mm in height. It contains all the ‘usual suspects’ (hacking, hand winding, hours, mins, seconds etc) for basic timekeeping, and also provides a drive that can deliver power from the mainspring to drive the additional module. In this case, ETA’s modular chronograph module sits on top.

The benefit of a modular movement is that if there’s a problem, a watchmaker can separate the two halves, and work on the just the bit that needs his attention. This also keeps costs down in both time, and replacement elements, as it’s possible to replace one or other elements (base movement or chronograph module) rather than the entire movement.

On the other hand, modular movements suffer from a lubrication issue: as the movement is basically built in two halves, unlike an integrated movement, each half needs separate lubrication and can, if left for too long dry up. As a guide, it is therefore important to run the chronograph on the movement periodically to ensure its all running smoothly and the lubrication has not dried up. Running the chronograph once a month for an hour should help prevent this.

One of the easy ways of identifying a modular movement, is to look at the placement of chronograph pushers on the case. If the two chronograph pushers sit higher than the winding crown, then they are attached to a module sitting on top of a base movement.

An integrated movement as you might imagine incorporates all the components in a single design. This invariably delivers a slimmer overall thickness of movement, and will include all of the expected characteristics of a chronograph. Overall it’s more efficient not to have space wasted with extra plates and drive wheels to transfer power to another module. A typical example of an integrated movement is the valjoux 7750 – one of the most prolific chronograph movements used in watchmaking for decades.

Of the two, modular movements are often regarded as the poor cousin of an integrated movement (as it results in bulkier watch cases due to the increased depth of the movement) and as I’ve mentioned is less efficient. Integrated movements are generally much more commonplace.

Again, on a side view of the case, if the chronograph pushers line up with the winding crown then they are part of an integrated movement.

In addition, there are two architectures of chronograph movements, cam actuated and column wheel. As you might imagine each has its benefits, so I’ll attempt to cover some of the basics.

In a cam actuated chronograph, levers activated by the top pusher engage and disengage the wheels that drive the chronograph hands with the main timekeeping parts of the watch using a layered cam where one layer receives input from the pusher, and the other engages and disengages the clutch connecting the chronograph to the movement. In addition the cam is designed to block the reset mechanism so that this cannot be performed while the chronograph is running as this would be fairly catastrophic while the chronograph is engaged to the main movement. The flyback chronograph was specifically developed to allow the reset of the chronograph while its running and in a single movement disengages the clutch, resets the chrono and re-engages the clutch. These movements are much rarer and more complicated as a result.

Incidentally, all modular chronographs are cam operated, as they have a limited depth to build the chronograph module without making the entire movement prohibitively thick whereas in an integrated chronograph, there is more depth to be able to include a column wheel which is deeper.

A column wheel was designed to do the same job but with less parts. Instead of multiple cam plates that are stacked, a single turret shaped wheel is used. However as you can imagine, this is a more complicated and difficult part to manufacture. However with less parts come less friction (and therefore wear) and also a more consistent feel requiring less pressure to actuate.

Many have also noted that the operation of a cam actuated chronograph experiences a jerk when it sets off however this has been attributed more to the lateral clutches present in cam operated chronographs as opposed to vertical clutches on column wheel chronographs.

So column wheel chronographs are more complicated to design and build resulting in an increased cost by the manufacturer however these movements are smoother to operate by the user, and more desirable as a consequence. Column wheel chronograph movements include the infamous Zenith El Primero and the manually wound Omega 321 movement used in the original Speedmaster. As you can imagine, pretty much all high end chronographs have column wheels including Patek Philippe’s CH 29-535 PS and A. Lange & Söhne’s L951.5

You may have noticed that trying to get hold of an original Speedmaster with a 321 movement will be a little pricey as will almost any watch with an El Primero movement (which not only has a column wheel by also a Hi-beat of 36,000 vibrations per hour) let alone a Patek or Lange.

However would it surprise you to learn that you can in fact buy a column wheel chronograph for a few hundred pounds that has a movement stretching back nearly 80 years?

Back in the 1940s Venus had created a pair of chronograph movements that became ubiquitous. The Calibre.170 and Calibre 175. The Calibre 170 was a twin register, vertically aligned, manually wound column wheel chronograph, and its sister the Calibre 175 was identical except its chronograph registers were horizontally aligned. These were not only highly regarded as exceptional movements but were adopted by a huge quantity of manufacturers including Breitling, Aristo, Birks, Helbros, Telda, Silvana, Bovet, Loyal and many more.

By the 1960’s, Venus decided to sell off the movement to raise capital in the light of newer architectures and future developments and sold the rights (as well as the tooling to produce the movements) to the Chinese who in 1963 in Tianjin released a pilots chronograph for the Chinese airforce. In 1992 the Tianjin Seagull Corporation was created as the foundation for the Seagull watch brand.

In 2011, Seagull re-issued this watch (the “Seagull 1963”pilots chronograph) which contains the very same movement. Seagull refer to this movement as the ST19 movement however this is in fact the Venus Calibre 175 still produced using the machinery and tooling procured during the 1960’s.

This watch is still available to buy today for under £300 (in a variety of models including the original 37.5mm with a hesalite crystal) which quite frankly is an astonishing value proposition.

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If Seagull are able to produce this watch today with a manually wound column wheel chronograph movement, there is nothing stopping brands such as Omega producing a modern column wheel chronograph. If Omega released a column wheel as part of their yearly announcements I can imagine that it would only be part of a limited edition re-issue commemorating the Speedmaster and based on the last two limited editions – sold out within minutes. So if you would like to own a chronograph with a piece of heritage and history without breaking the bank, and from a supplier that is not sold out within minutes, look no further…

Do you own a column wheel chronograph? – What’s been your ownership experience? – let us know in the comments below.

The traditional and somewhat humble NATO strap was purely utilitarian by creation – there to ensure that the watch head wasn’t lost in the event of a spring bar failure. However nowadays, few of us undertake frequent activities that are likely to cause this (as well as the quality of spring-bars improving over the years) so nowadays most of us are buying and wearing NATO straps as watch accessories to complement both the watch itself and our attire. Indeed watch manufacturers have themselves caught on to this with Omega having launched a NATO configurator on its website allowing you to see what various straps will look like on a variety of their watches, and as you can imagine Omega NATO straps are not cheap – but controversially they are proportionate.

Like Omega, Tudor also made a name for themselves when they launched the ubiquitous Black Bay for their inclusion of an extremely high quality fabric strap that while not a strict NATO does embody the same purpose and function of a traditional NATO. Most if not all who have ever worn this will attest to the fact its probably the most comfortable strap they have ever put on.

It’s not a hard correlation to accept but clearly the quality of the strap directly affects the comfort of how your watch will feel and wear. With this in mind, if you’ve spent hundreds or thousands on a watch, you wont want the strap you wear it on to either be uncomfortable or to adversely affect its look.

With this in mind, I’d like to suggest that “…there are NATO straps and there are NATO straps”

Buying a quality NATO can be transformational in how it wears, but who makes a really good quality NATO strap and what sets apart one manufacturer from another?

We have probably bought more NATO straps than we care to admit – which as chance would have it means we have experienced some awesome (and some not so awesome) straps along the way…

There are ostensibly three things that contribute to a decent NATO (or for that matter any strap). The quality of the material used, the quality of the hardware (buckles & keepers etc) and the attention to detail. On a cheap strap, often quality control is the first thing that suffers. Cheap straps are much more susceptible to loose threads, fraying holes and before long the strap will deteriorate. Not to mention that poor quality fabric can be itchy & uncomfortable. The buckles are thin, cheap and flimsy, and overall instead of enhancing the look of your watch, you have in fact deteriorated not only the look and feel, but also the enjoyment of your watch.

While it’s not in our nature to put others down, it is in our nature to extol the virtues of people and products that we believe are excellent. With that in mind, we’ve shared a few or our personal recommendations below. We have spent time getting to know the owners of all three brands below and can attest to their focus on care and customer service. We have first hand experience of the straps having worn them extensively on a variety of watches so as usual these are our recommendations based on our own (unfortunately very extensive) experience!

Blusharkstraps
Ever since I first discovered BluSharkstraps I fell in love with their premium feel – and this in fact has been their defining characteristic and mission in life. Joe’s relentless pursuit of designing, building and delivering high-quality NATO straps has produced some of the best NATO’s on the market. Our favourites are the Alphashark and AlphaPremier ranges that feature the very best hardware with brushed, polished or black PVD finishing available across their range of 18, 20, 22 & 24mm sizes. This allows you to choose, match and pair your NATO precisely to the watch that you are buying it for. The quality of fabric is excellent as is their attention to detail, stitching and hardware used.

The AlphaPremier straps are differentiated by a silky smooth material that is only 1.2mm thick, and a sliding first keeper. The AlphaShark straps are $32 (£25) and the AlphaPremier straps are $36 (£28) If you are looking for a conventional NATO strap in quite possibly the most diverse range of colours & sizes built to an extremely high standard that will complement an expensive watch you will not find better.

The only down side to BluShark’s straps if you live here in the UK (and this is not their fault) is that you will typically take advantage of their buy 2 get one free offer which will then cost you $72 (£56) for three – which still represents extremely good value in the light of Omega’s NATO at £120 however this then puts you above the import duty charges and will incur additional customs fees as it crosses into the UK.

Haveston
If you are looking for the security of a NATO strap without the extra bulk that comes with multiple passes of material lifting your watch off your wrist as well as keepers to the side of your wrist holding excess material, then look no further than Haveston. Based here in the UK, Alex has taken the time to re-engineer the traditional NATO as a single pass strap delivering the benefits of a NATO strap while delivering the feel of a two piece canvas strap. We wrote an article on the straps and would recommend having a further read here. Ostensibly, because the single pass still passes between both spring bars, in the event of a failure the watch will still remain on your wrist. However because it only has a single piece of material beneath the watch, it sits much closer to your wrist. In addition, because there is no “third keeper” you can move the head of the watch further down the fabric ensuring the buckle and keepers are precisely underneath your wrist. Furthermore, Alex has engineered the second keeper as a ‘floating’ keeper allowing the flexibility of securing your watch consistently depending on how much excess is left. The buckles and hardware deliver a premium yet slender aesthetic and complement the fabric of the strap well. Havestons straps are available for $28.55 (£22) here in the UK. Although the price is listed in dollars this is more as a representation of a universal currency as a lot of customers are based overseas. Alex has informed us that the revised site will list the straps in local currencies which will be launching soon.

Bark & Jack
If on the other hand you prefer the look of a traditional NATO strap but don’t want the bulk, then I would urge you to try a strap from Bark&Jack. Adrian has been working very hard finessing and prototyping a silky smooth, and extremely slender NATO resulting in a strap that has the traditional look of a NATO that is extremely comfortable to wear but doesn’t lift the watch head far from your wrist resulting in a much better aesthetic. In addition if you buy two, you are also provided with a ‘watch sock’ for protecting your watch from scratches while storing it. Currently available in 4 colours: black, green grey and sand in 20mm widths only. What is astonishing is that the quality is on a par with the best and yet these are available for a mere £18 here in the UK! In my humble opinion these are as good as (if not better than) the Omega NATO straps available in terms of quality. The only negative is that some may prefer a wider range of colours and sizes of NATO straps, however as this is a new product range and is Adrian’s first product, there is no doubt he has hit the ground running with a fantastic product, and we look forward to more colour choices and widths in the future!

With such excellent straps available at very reasonable prices it would be sacrilege to endure discomfort or a poor quality strap when both your wrist and your timepiece deserve better!

What’s your experience of NATO straps? Let us know in the comments below!

Links to items in this article:
Blusharkstraps – AlphaShark – Luxury Strap
Blusharkstraps – AlphaPremier – Ultra Luxury Strap
Haveston Single Pass NATO
Bark&Jack NATO Straps

The Seiko SKX is one of the worlds most ubiquitous watches. Universally loved by so many around the world, it manages to achieve the seemingly impossible. Let me explain the problem…

As a divers watch it is inherently robust, yet the case of the SKX has curved sides ensuring the watch is extremely comfortable when you flex your wrist. The lug to lug dimensions are modest at 46mm meaning it can be comfortably worn by wrists of all sizes (for comparison the 38mm NOMOS Club campus has a considerably larger lug to lug distance of 48.5mm). The crown is offset to the 4oclock position ensuring it doesn’t dig into the back of your hand. The dial is extremely legible and includes both a day and date, and it has an in-house movement that is so robust, people typically count the time between services in decades! What’s more this isn’t just water resistant to 200m – its an ISO6425 rated dive watch which means every single SKX has been tested to 125% of this depth(250m). The icing on the cake is that this amazing watch does not cost the earth but is available for the quite frankly unbelievable price in the UK of around £200.

The Seiko SKX is by no means perfect though. The action of the bezel leaves a lot to be desired, there are comments from numerous owners complaining that their chapter ring is misaligned, and you would be forgiven for thinking the jubilee bracelet available was a free gift in a box of cereal! Seiko uses their proprietary Hardlex crystal which is not as scratch resistant as sapphire glass, and the movement cannot be hand wound or stopped to synchronise it to a reference time.

However despite these shortcomings, every SKX owner will tell you they love their SKX – probably disproportionately – which is where the problems start…

If you were to look through watch collections you might be able to spot a theme. A series of beautiful, strategic and valuable watches from one or more manufacturers brought together to form the collectors choices and lurking at the back somewhere you will find the obligatory SKX. The most common ‘excuse’ that a collector will publicly admit to, is that they bought it as an everyday ‘beater’. In other words they bought it with the intention that they didn’t mind what happened to this cheap watch and that any damage it sustained while doing the gardening or other activity was damage not received by the rest of the collection. However if you look closely you will discover the SKX rarely has any damage. Why? because after buying this cheap watch he’s discovered how incredibly wearable it is. For some reason it looks great on almost any strap! Leather, NATO, canvas, crocodile, sailcloth, cordura – everything seems to go with an SKX.

Its at this point that things take a further turn for the worse. “If the watch is so wearable, how about fixing one or two of the shortcomings?” Well as you might imagine there is a whole host of companies producing parts specifically for the SKX including crystals, movements, bezels, dials, hands and many other alternative components should you wish to truly customise your watch. A common disposition is to replace the movement upgrading it to the NH35 and replace the Hardlex crystal with a sapphire crystal.

By this point in time some owners have spent as much getting the watch modified with the cost of a watchmakers time and parts as it cost them to buy in the first place and are left wondering why they had to do all this themselves and Seiko didn’t produce a more ‘premium’ Seiko SKX

This year at Baselworld, Seiko launched the SPB079 – while in derivative terms, its not a direct lineage of the SKX, it is in form. It’s powered by the 6R15 movement (Seiko’s in-house name for the NE15 which is an upgraded NH35 with a better main spring and a longer 50 hour power reserve) with hacking and hand winding, a sapphire crystal with AR coating, a quality rotating bezel, applied markers on the dial, a traditional crown at 4o’clock and like the SKX is an ISO6425 rated divers watch. The case design is sympathetic to the SKX’s iconic shape but with every contributory element improved, these all add up to a whole lot more. Once you hold the SPB079 the quality improvements are immediately apparent and the watch feels altogether a much more premium watch. The SPB079 retails at £799 and while that is considerably more that the SKX, it is far cheaper than the build quality suggests!

While it may be a little cheaper (but not much) to buy an SKX and upgrade the dial, hands, crystal, movement, bezel insert, bezel and strap, once you have added the watchmakers time you will be pretty close to the price of the SPB079.

The problem with the SKX is that it is such an amazing watch and so versatile that it connects with people causing them to fall in love with it for so many reasons. So here’s my advice: Buy one and love it. Don’t upgrade it – appreciate it for what it is. If you want a more premium watch buy a different watch. and if you want a beater watch – buy a G-Shock!