My wife's eyes glaze over when talking about watches and, although my toddler likes her "Pink Dolphin" Swatch, my kids are too young.
Would love to talk about what this collection needs, where it's gone wrong, alternate strap options, or answer any questions about any of them.
When I achieve some life goals I plan to get a BB54 to commiserate it all (been after that Bond Dr No look since the beginning). Years out so we'll see if the goal watch changes. Otherwise I don't plan on adding anything as I already have too many.
This collection is guided by not clashing with my gold wedding band and fitting my 6.5" wrist. I try and have a purpose for each watch (what is the situation this one would get worn over another). Also try to stick to one watch per brand.
Mathey Tissot - Special Occasions Anyone have any info about this one?? My grandfather wore it during his second wedding to the woman I called my grandmother. Passed down to me when I was a kid and I wore it for my first and last time at my wedding. I'd love to wear it again, but feel like it has to be earned.
Omega Seamaster DeVille 14k - Dress My wife gifted this for our first wedding anniversary. If there's one watch I want my kids to associate with me it's this one. Although it's my dress watch it can work really well for casual wear, too. I've yet to see an identical example. I'd love to find the exact dial in a stainless example to gift my wife.
Glycine Airman No 1 (GL0159) - Weekend Black This was originally going to be my travel watch. But the lack of water resistance (and Yema catching my eye) scared me off. It's really peaceful telling the time in 24 hours, gives you a true sense of how much of the day is left. I don't like clashing black with blue or brown so if I'm wearing black on the weekend this is one of the go tos.
Marathon Navigator (6645-01-544-9475) - "Beater" My buddy in the Navy, who is also one of the few people in my life who I talk watches with, gave this to me. He has been issued about 5 Marathons at this point and was issued this one twice (government spending at its finest). Navigator often gets worn to work when I'm going to be in the field. If for some reason I feel I'll need to know the time in the middle of the night I'll keep this one close by as the tritium lume is amazing. Wish it had the black crown still like the older versions, would be sleeker (but those old versions don't have sapphire).
Yema Superman GMT Bronze - Travel Only gets worn when I fly. Enjoy that the bronze watch is patinaing to the places I've traveled. I think it is under the radar a little bit, which hopefully makes it less of a target while traveling. Only knock is the bezel is unidirectional and ratcheting, like a diver, when it should be bidirectional and frictionless. Lazy on Yema's part, but only need to in rotate the bezel when changing time zones, so not that big of a deal / frequent.
Seiko SNE498 "Baby Gold Tuna" - Swimming My homage to Bond's watch (for all of a minute before he got captured) in For Your Eyes Only. Such unique proportions. It's probably the one that's the closest to being out the door, but I know if I took it out of the box and put it in storage, I'd be digging it out every month or so, which is a sign it needs do stick around. The mineral crystal bothers me.
Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical (H69429901) - Brown This is the ETA 2801-2 movement before they replaced it with the H-50. I prefer a smoother second hand sweep and don't personally have the need for a higher power reserve on a watch with a wind. Primarily gets worn on the weekends to the playground or with clothes that call for brown. My wife called this the "comic sans" the first time she saw it which is of course a dig, and I'm not sure I'm in love with it either. I like the history and the tropic dial so it's not going anywhere, but if Bulova finally does a legit re-issue of the A-11 with a tropic dial it may be in trouble. (Bulova was close on the last one, but mineral crystal and blue dial didn't hit the mark.)
Lorier Neptune III Blue/Gilt - Blue Bought this for myself to commiserate a career milestone / fit a new role. Does a good job walking the line of being relatable and classy. Gets worn primarily to work or if I want blue. I wonder if I get the BB54 if it'll feel too similar. Only knock on the watch is the painted dial looks a bit cheap to me, I wish they'd apply the indices. Really like Lorier as a US microbrand, their style, and service.
Seagull 1963 - no purpose Wore it on my honeymoon in Asia so I don't plan on it going anywhere. It doesn't have a purpose to serve in the collection except sentimental and doesn't get worn much. Any strap ideas to give it a spot in the rotation?
Seiko SARB017 - GADA People say it can be hard to pair it with things, but I don't find it to be an issue unless I'm wearing a clashing green. Like that this watch can really do anything - go from a day at the water to a nicer dinner and look in place the whole time. The compass is misaligned so I set it to North standing from one of my favorite views (so it doesn't drive me nuts).
Swatch Mission to Mars - Lightweight Not pictured as my wife recently brought it back from a business trip at my request. Figured I'd flip it if I didn't like it, but it's pretty cool and I'm going to keep it. Feels like nothing on the wrist.
Also not pictured the ones I've stored and need to sell: Seiko SKX007, Glycine Airman No 1 3944, Invicta Pro Diver 8926OB (before they made the indices nasty yellow), Victorinox Swiss Army Maverick Dual Time 241442.
The Neptune wears thicker and heavier than the Hammy, but even though the lug2lug on it and the Hammy are both 47mm, the curves make it feel smaller. At least on the Khaki the issue is the lugs are too flat. Same reason you can only put a NATO on it. I'm good until 48mm. The Yema wears as my biggest watch.
Nice! Yeah, I'm probably 3-5 years away. Gotta fund those 529 accounts and everything inbetween first.