Talbot
One Too Many
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Homage watches?
- Thread starter Yahoody
- Start date
Yahoody
Practically Family
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History is a fun thing to read.
https://www.ablogtowatch.com/brief-history-waterproof-watches/2/
Setting aside the snob factor of having a modern copy with a brand name attached. Maybe the homage watches are simply a very nice watch made from the high-quality parts that are now available to everyone. And offering real value @ pennies on the dollar by comparison.
Your comment is rather funny really if you know anything about the history of the more famous watch brands, be it Smith, CWC, Rolex, Tudor or pretty much anyone you care to name. The most famous watches are very likely just copies of a watch that came before the "famous maker's" version.
Designed from the ground up in 1952, the Fifty Fathoms was born from the mind of French secret service agent, Captain Bob Maloubier, MBE, who worked with the Special Operations Executive during WWII.
Which of course Rolex knocked off shortly after. In 1953, Rolex introduced their Submariner line of dive watches in the form of the reference 6204.
Worth a read:
https://www.gearpatrol.com/watches/a557312/military-watches/
Funnier yet, as I type this, I have 7 mechanical watches and one quartz movement sitting at my desk. Retail prices on those watches range from $110 to $17,000. By far the best time keeper is $700 Quartz. (even a cheap Casio will out perform any mechanical Rolex) The best mechanical watch for keeping time, in this bunch, is a toss up between a $365.00 homage and a $110 Invicta. Funnier yet as they both use the same, <$50, Seiko NH35 movement. The 2 Rolex watches fall in right behind those two
And another COSC rated homage to the original Fifty Fathoms. And again, a much better watch than the original. As it should be 75 years later.
CW's current version:
https://www.ablogtowatch.com/brief-history-waterproof-watches/2/
Setting aside the snob factor of having a modern copy with a brand name attached. Maybe the homage watches are simply a very nice watch made from the high-quality parts that are now available to everyone. And offering real value @ pennies on the dollar by comparison.
Your comment is rather funny really if you know anything about the history of the more famous watch brands, be it Smith, CWC, Rolex, Tudor or pretty much anyone you care to name. The most famous watches are very likely just copies of a watch that came before the "famous maker's" version.
Designed from the ground up in 1952, the Fifty Fathoms was born from the mind of French secret service agent, Captain Bob Maloubier, MBE, who worked with the Special Operations Executive during WWII.
Which of course Rolex knocked off shortly after. In 1953, Rolex introduced their Submariner line of dive watches in the form of the reference 6204.
Worth a read:
https://www.gearpatrol.com/watches/a557312/military-watches/
Funnier yet, as I type this, I have 7 mechanical watches and one quartz movement sitting at my desk. Retail prices on those watches range from $110 to $17,000. By far the best time keeper is $700 Quartz. (even a cheap Casio will out perform any mechanical Rolex) The best mechanical watch for keeping time, in this bunch, is a toss up between a $365.00 homage and a $110 Invicta. Funnier yet as they both use the same, <$50, Seiko NH35 movement. The 2 Rolex watches fall in right behind those two
And another COSC rated homage to the original Fifty Fathoms. And again, a much better watch than the original. As it should be 75 years later.
CW's current version:
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Yahoody
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Here is a fun collection and the original. All of which are great watches. And all the newer versions, those pesky homage versions, are much, much better watches than the original Smith W10
"Developed by famed British clock- and watchmaker Smiths, the W10 was built from the late 1960s through the early 1970s and is unique as a military watch for having been manufactured in England, with an in-house, English-made movement, to boot."
Vintage Smith W10:
And a current Smith:
CW's version is COSC rated:
CWC's version
"Developed by famed British clock- and watchmaker Smiths, the W10 was built from the late 1960s through the early 1970s and is unique as a military watch for having been manufactured in England, with an in-house, English-made movement, to boot."
Vintage Smith W10:
And a current Smith:
CW's version is COSC rated:
CWC's version
Yahoody
Practically Family
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I liked the new Smith's enough to get one of my own. Thanks for the insight on that one
!
Monte
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"VARIO 1945 D12 Field Watch is heavily inspired by the ‘Dirty Dozen’ – a collection of Swiss and British watches commissioned and worn by the British military during WWII...."
Homage to the Dirty Dozen watch makers and those who wore them. My lume could be better and last longer, but I like it and it keeps time acceptably.
Homage to the Dirty Dozen watch makers and those who wore them. My lume could be better and last longer, but I like it and it keeps time acceptably.
Attachments
Yahoody
Practically Family
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WD version below is the same watch as your Thorn from what I can see. Only difference that I can tell is a domed crystal instead of a top hat/bubble on the Thorn, the dial logos and the riveted bracelet on the Thorn instead of screws on the WD. Another exceptionally accurate PT5000 in this one. I added the cyclops. Easy to do on the Watchdives version crystal.
theeprimitivesound
One of the Regulars
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Heuer Monaco caliber 11.
Nice to see another Frogmantle about.
VinnyPush1
New in Town
- Messages
- 1
I know this thread is a bit old, but I've been looking into homages myself lately
That MilSub-inspired one Yahoody mentioned sounds great. Has anyone tried the newer Seiko NH movements in those? I'm curious how they hold up over time compared to the Sellita ones.
That MilSub-inspired one Yahoody mentioned sounds great. Has anyone tried the newer Seiko NH movements in those? I'm curious how they hold up over time compared to the Sellita ones.
TyPetty
New in Town
- Messages
- 4
I get the appeal of homage watches. I've been wearing a patek nautilus replica and the quality surprised me. It scratches that itch for iconic design at a fraction of the price, just like the homages you described.
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Yahoody
Practically Family
- Messages
- 961
- Location
- Great Basin
Fun to see this thread revived from the dead! Since I started it years ago I've really gotten back to watches. Some Swiss and a good many more from China. I've stuck with WDs for the most part simply because I think they make great watches, no matter the price.
My thought on the Seiko NH family? It is a basic movement at is generally a reliable work horse but never very accurate. For me reliable in a watch means it has to be accurate. The NH's I have own and still own aren't.
"Officially, the Seiko NH35/NH35A is rated at –20 to +40 seconds per day, but many owners report real‑world accuracy closer to –/+1 to –/+10 seconds per day."
I've only seen the -20 to +40 in my own watches..and I've has a dozen or so of them now.
Chinese makers are doing reliable and accurate clones of the Swiss ETA 2824-2, that for me are holding will within COSC chrono specs. That is -4 to +6 seconds per day. They are also easily regulated.
Mine all run now at +1 to +3 spd. Which is nothing but stellar. I've found the ST2130 to be a bit better than the PT5000 FWIW.
Also worth looking at a Seiko VH31 quartz movement with the higher beat second hand that tries to mimic a auto. They are quartz and obviously very accurate. The VH31 makes for a great watch.
If you have any interest in a Submariner homage or mil-subs in particular their Reddit page is well worth a look.
This is one of my all-time favorites with the SW2130, also from Watchdives. Truth is this one is a 1:1 clone of the Rolex Sub 116610 maxi case. And it does a really great job at it! This one is worth a whole lost more than it actually costs to own which is $159.00, delivered anywhere in the world. Crazy! But wonderful time in life to be into watches ;-)
My thought on the Seiko NH family? It is a basic movement at is generally a reliable work horse but never very accurate. For me reliable in a watch means it has to be accurate. The NH's I have own and still own aren't.
"Officially, the Seiko NH35/NH35A is rated at –20 to +40 seconds per day, but many owners report real‑world accuracy closer to –/+1 to –/+10 seconds per day."
I've only seen the -20 to +40 in my own watches..and I've has a dozen or so of them now.
Chinese makers are doing reliable and accurate clones of the Swiss ETA 2824-2, that for me are holding will within COSC chrono specs. That is -4 to +6 seconds per day. They are also easily regulated.
Mine all run now at +1 to +3 spd. Which is nothing but stellar. I've found the ST2130 to be a bit better than the PT5000 FWIW.
Also worth looking at a Seiko VH31 quartz movement with the higher beat second hand that tries to mimic a auto. They are quartz and obviously very accurate. The VH31 makes for a great watch.
If you have any interest in a Submariner homage or mil-subs in particular their Reddit page is well worth a look.
This is one of my all-time favorites with the SW2130, also from Watchdives. Truth is this one is a 1:1 clone of the Rolex Sub 116610 maxi case. And it does a really great job at it! This one is worth a whole lost more than it actually costs to own which is $159.00, delivered anywhere in the world. Crazy! But wonderful time in life to be into watches ;-)
