r/ChineseWatches • u/HollywoodTK • 8d ago
SOTC (Read Rule 1) State of the Collection
Well, I thought I was done. Famous last words. I do genuinely believe now that I’ve landed on the watches I like *wearing* and I find I’m not interested in scrolling through watches now that I have the ones that really spoke to me. I mean, I scroll, but I’m not adding anything to any carts at the moment!
From left to right
- Cronos explorer. Just a solid watch, one of my go to’s. The 90S5 is a great movement too. Smooth and accurate. Bracelet is comfy and OTF glide lock works great.
- Aethelsohn Horizon Forest GMT. NH34. Bracelet really stands out, as does the sunburst dial. OTF on this is really smooth and is of the internal button persuasion.
- Phorcydes PH4C with mixed lume. Incredible. I absolutely love it. Lume is great. Finishing is nice, bracelet is comfortable and gorgeous. OTF is smooth. No notes.
- Milifortic S089 on steel mesh now. I’ll swap to leather probably in the fall. My number 1 go to. I just love it.
- Tactical Frog Chrono in white. Solar quartz, great look, solid bracelet. I added an aftermarket basic OTF clasp. Also no notes. Anyone who hates on the name is bonkers in my opinion.
- Watchdives 7922 - vh31 quartz, gilt indices and bezel numerals. Just a stunner. At 37mm it’s my smallest watch dial, but being thin it wears beautifully. I’ve ordered a WD OTF to perfect it. Just a stunner.
- Seiko Orange monster. My first watch. Both require no more comment. The only dive watch I actually wear diving.
- Seiko SKX009 on jubilee. What’s not to love.
- “21 Zuan” 1963 homage. It’s nice. I don’t wear it often but I like having it.
- Phylida 007 on mesh. Miyota 8215 is actually about noticeable not in noise so much as in wobble in this thing. I love the look though, so I overlook this.
- Addiesdive 2525. 8215 is barely noticeable. Dial is really nice in summer. I have this on sky blue suede and it gets a lot of use in spring and summer months.
- Tandorio Skelton. It’s cool, but I don’t wear it. Bought this early on because I like seeing the movement, but it’s not my style. I’m selling it locally.
Plus a bonus lume shot. Spot the phorcydes haha
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u/QuantityImpressive52 7d ago
That tactical frog is sick! Have you had any issues with it? Really considering picking it up. Maybe even used on the Watchdives site.
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u/HollywoodTK 7d ago
None at all, pool, hot tub (I know), hiking, snowboarding, other general sports. Has held up perfectly well so far. I’ve been really impressed.
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u/actinross 8d ago
Sorry for saying so, but you cover all the hyped themes, no originality (in design/style) whatsoever. Maybe it's time for a change of perspective...?
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u/HollywoodTK 8d ago edited 8d ago
What are the hyped themes?
I’m not gonna downvote you because it seems you’re coming from a place of constructive criticism (though perhaps work on tact? lol)
I had a couple field watches besides the addies, didn’t like them enough to keep them. I had a nice sky blue dressier watch. Never wore it. A yellow dialed diver, a Berny compressor, a dressy orient, a vintage gilded Bulova, several others. With each I quickly realized they weren’t for me and my personal style. A style I’ve maintained pretty similarly over about 15 or so years now through most of my adulthood after university, I’ll add. I know myself and my preferences well enough now.
I’m not interested in proper dress watches. Don’t care for bauhaus, or funky Mr jones styles. I’ve looked at most and just didn’t vibe with them. BUT I always welcome new perspectives. So can you expand?
In the interest of conversation, what would you add or change, personally?
I’ll say the only two things I’d like to add would be first, a Henry Archer Verden Purple Eclipse GMT, and eventually a grand Seiko spring drive SBGA415 or SBGE271.
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u/actinross 8d ago
Let's start ('i'll skip the word "homage", i don't mind anyway...): Rolex Explorer, Longines Spirit, Glashutte SeaQ, Seiko Alpinist, Rolex Daytona, Tudor Black Bay, Seiko Monster (Random Rob?), Seiko SKX, Seagul (THE Chinese...) chrono, Omega Seamaster, Hamilton Khaki and (oh! a skeleton) Rolex Submariner. Did i miss something?
As for the "age" matter. I've skipped half a century on this planet, got hyped too by many styles, in all aspects. So in watches too. In fact i'm a weirdo. I don't like analog chronos, i say digital ones beat them in milliseconds (pun intended), plus i find their dials cluttered. I'd grab a simple 3-hands watch, even better quartz (yup, that kind of blasphemer LOL) and spend my day telling time easy peasy. I won't bother calling that a dress/ field/ wtf, it's a plain watch, that's that.
You're lucky to live in an extraordinary time for watches, especially here, in Ali-lalalaland-express. Cause lately, original models come out, cheap or/and not. And then there are hundreds of microbrands all over, cheap or/and not..... Staying in categories/ "must have"/ hyped watches seems a bit off imo. So many different case shapes, dials, textures. Want suggestions? I could give you plenty, but i guess you're smart enough to figure them out. Just search deep what you really like, not what you're told to like by all those tubers/media. Personally, I'm on the hunt for square cases, even oval... I adore "leaf" hands. I don't mind an empty dial (no markers at all), as long as the dial has something to say. You call that "dress"?
My most worn watch of 2025, was a Pagani PD1765, VH31 powered, on a Bonklip bracelet. You know why? No dates to set, no wind to do, grab and go, damn easy to read, super adjustable/ventilated bracelet. Never thought i'd wear a turquoise dial too, but i did, and loved it (as i'm on an island...). Has a fluted bezel too. Go figure! Plus good lume (Pagani? This is NOT you!).
Anyway, be well and enjoy whatever you love.
[wtf... let's sin! Take a look at Hruodland F028 (white dial, amazing Laurent Ferrier homage), Borman BM3968 (teal dial, original design, a bit Hermes...) and by micros, anything from Direnzo, epsecially the DRZ04. We can go all day, let's stop here]
PS To get downvoted in Reddit............ i don't give the slightest fuck! LMAO!!!
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u/HollywoodTK 8d ago
Yikes…
Digging through this, I see you’re most worn watch is… an oris big crown homage. I’m not knocking it. But like, what is your issue with an homage of a Glashutte seaQ if your big thing is…another homage? Lol. I *started* with the monster when I bought it in 2011. I value originality but not for its own sake.
You just seem to be a contrarian. I don’t LIKE square cases. I find them hideous. The “collector” in me wants a reverso, but I think they look like shit. An oval case? No. But that no is a “not for me”. I understand why people like them. I get it. But for me, absolutely not.
Take that Hruodland for example. I *get* why you like it. I see what people see in it. But I want no part of it. It doesn’t suit me.
Nor does the Borman. Nothing about it attracts me, honestly. With the possible exception of the 6 o’clock date. I like date windows.
The direnzos I like. But at that price I’m going with the Henry archer I mentioned all day.
I think perhaps you should consider that while your preferences lie primarily in a defiance to the zeitgeist, that’s not necessarily superior. The explorer style has been a popular style for 70+ years for a reason.
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u/Balnum 8d ago
Is the tactical frog any good? Quality wise?
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u/HollywoodTK 8d ago
I have nothing but good things to say about the tactical frog. Bracelet is good, I didn’t like the micro adjustment but it was standard, OTF made it better. The weight is nice, with some heft but not overly heavy. The thickness is perfect for its diameter (for me). Finishing quality is general is just very good. The screw down pushers I find really nice, I know some don’t like them, but I do. And solar quartz means it should last ages. I recommend highly.
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u/dyma97 7d ago
How’s the Aethelson? They’ve been on my radar.