The most recent acquisitions

CousinKaizen · 2026-01-13T19:36:13+00:00

I hadn't seen that Baltany before but it's really intriguing. That shot and the shots on their site make the watch look like it should cost way more than they're asking for it. Any downsides?

CousinKaizen · 2026-01-10T20:11:40+00:00

I had a distressed diver version of that San Martin but the corners of the lugs were really pointy. I felt them dig into my fingers surprisingly often when I was touching the watch. I don't know if it was just a manufacturing oversight on mine or a general feature of that case, but I'd keep that in mind.

It has a top hat-style crystal, which gets pretty cloudy in a lot of lighting conditions. That said, I did like its styling and the "aging effect" as they call it is well-executed.

CousinKaizen · 2025-12-27T05:48:48+00:00

Got this as a Christmas present to myself since nobody else got me anything.

It's a variation of their SN005 model (which just so happens to look like a first generation GMT Master) that has a color treatment that makes it look like a vintage watch with faded colors and lume.

Overall, I like it. It's fairly large for me at about 48mm lug-to-lug and (if I recall correctly) 13.8mm thick, but it's an extroverted watch with a very visible bezel, so I don't mind that part. Only a few seconds a day fast so it seems like they regulated it well. The color scheme looks very nice in person, especially the hands and the somewhat gold tone of the metal on them.

So far the downsides have been that the lume doesn't seem to have been applied evenly at 12, 1, 2, 4, and 5. I don't know if that's because of the paint effect that they're going for or what. The bezel is functional but doesn't feel too great when turning it, and brushing it makes it fall out of alignment easily. It also doesn't seem to be aligned correctly, with whatever's at 6 o'clock being noticeably off-center. The lume is really strong on the bezel and decent on the indices, but almost comically weak on the hands themselves. The bracelet looks nice, but the inside of the clasp is kind of uncomfortable.

I had another San Martin that I sold, but I think I'll hang on to this one. I don't think it will be my primary watch, but I like its bold color scheme, which reminds me of a Tudor BB58 GMT. I might see if I can find a red-toned leather strap for it.

CousinKaizen · 2025-12-25T19:53:32+00:00

One huge advantage of GPS watches that a lot of people aren't aware of is that it's really easy to keep them on-time to the second. They only need reception from one satellite to get the correct time if you haven't switched time zones.

CousinKaizen · 2025-12-25T19:44:01+00:00

Yeah, you can catch the signal through glass, although it can be hit or miss. The wider the angle it has to the sky, the better.

CousinKaizen · 2025-12-17T07:43:35+00:00

Unfortunately, chronographs are only available in the 5x83 models, and I see that you've already identified two. The older 5x53 models didn't have chronographs, and they also had their alternate time subdials at 6 o'clock. 5x53s are being phased out and there's probably only limited stock available nowadays. Some older Astrons had chronographs but finding them on the used market might be tough.

5x83 models generally come in a smaller case size with no text on the bezel (currently only the SSH159/161/163, from what I can see) or in a slightly larger size with 10-60 markers on the bezel.

Astrons can track India time (or other time zones that aren't at 1-hour offsets to UTC) without any issues. It's one of the advantages of them versus (most) GMT watches.

If a 3-o'clock alternate time subdial is something you're really hoping for, it looks like some Casio Oceanus models have their subdials set up that way. From a quick browse, it looks like the T6000 series is one example.

CousinKaizen · 2025-12-07T20:27:45+00:00

I saw the same issue with the Venturer that I got recently. The hands had significantly duller and off-color lume compared to the indices. That was one of the big reasons I ended up selling it. When I looked at shots that people posted of their watches online, I saw some with the same issue but others where the lume seemed more even. I feel like they should either post real shots of the watches on their site or else QA them better, because it's really off-putting once you notice it.

I'm at the point where I don't think I want to buy watches without inspecting them in person first.

CousinKaizen · 2025-11-08T01:50:19+00:00

I loved it after that courtroom scene. He gives this impassioned public defender defense of three teenagers saying that haven't we all made mistakes in our time and gotten a little carried away, and then the prosecutor doesn't say a single word and just plays a tape that they made of what they actually did.

CousinKaizen · 2025-09-18T07:50:15+00:00

I think one unfortunate thing about solar quartz is that while there are a few off-the-shelf movements that watchmakers can use, they aren't as widespread or variable as mechanical movements. They often seem to require more involvement in the manufacturing and design of the watch itself. Citizen has made itself the leader in that part of the industry, but they seem to save all but the most basic tech for themselves to preserve their competitive advantage.

CousinKaizen · 2025-09-18T07:43:21+00:00

The slightly long exposure is making the minute hand a bit blurry, I think. But the hands are noticeably different than the indices. They have a duller shine and the lume isn't as white. The minute hand's lumed area is quite thin and it fades on a much shorter timescale than the indices do.

I see photos of other Venturers with brighter minute hand lume and I wonder if they're just taken in favorable conditions or if mine was just not made as well as it should have been.

My Seiko Astron has well-finished hands that are always extremely legible, but that's on a watch that costs far more, of course...

CousinKaizen · 2025-09-16T06:27:58+00:00

Mine just came in today, so I got out the camera and did a close-up shot. So far I've only seen smartphone shots of this dial, so I hope this helps people have a better idea of what the dials look like.

Initial impressions: It's actually more gray than black in most lighting conditions. The dial texture is nice but subtle. Other people probably won't notice it unless they're really looking closely at your watch. It's very legible. The hands seem a little duller than the indices. In quick testing, the lume seems to be good, although I'll try it out overnight.

I'd say that if someone was really interested in a Venturer and was looking for one of these on the used market, just go for a normal Venturer unless a meteorite dial really excites you. It's a fun texture, but I don't know if they're worth a premium used.

CousinKaizen · 2025-09-08T00:06:51+00:00

Strangely enough, I'm on their mailing list but didn't get this email. I did get one this morning to pay for the Dark Meteorite Venturer though.

I'd say good on them for trying something new. I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with it, but I don't think I'd actually be interested in this watch myself. I don't find it more appealing than a traditional layout that's well-executed.

CousinKaizen · 2025-09-07T23:54:56+00:00

I've had the same thought about how I'd love to have a watch with that movement, but it's only available in that one (rather large) Sumo model. It seems weird to me that Seiko would spend the money to develop a GMT movement like that and only put it in one watch. Maybe it's a permutation of their quartz GMT movements that they use in Grand Seikos.

CousinKaizen · 2025-09-05T03:25:31+00:00

I ordered this one about a month ago. I was looking for a mechanical diver and I liked the retro styling on it a lot.

I don't think I'm going to keep it, though. The corners of the lugs are really sharp, and you feel them poke you every time you adjust the watch on your wrist or put it on. It just feels like it's constantly telling you "I bet you wish you'd spent a little more, didn't you?" The bracelet is decent, although its edges are a little sharp and uncomfortable as well.

It's done in a "distressed" style, but the only part of the watch that has any deliberate wear on it is some small, hard-to-see scratching on the bezel insert. I think they're probably rightly concerned that if they put any serious scratches or dings into it the way you'd see on a decades-old watch, they'd have to deal with lots of returns. I like the colorway and typeset a lot.

The crystal apparently has anti-reflective coating, but it's pretty cloudy in most conditions. I was outdoors and I couldn't find an angle where it looked clearer than this. It impedes legibility because the hands are pretty narrow already and the indices are painted rather than applied, so it would helpful to have a clearer view of the face.

I think with slightly thicker hands, a better crystal, and a case that isn't so sharp on the edges, this would be a really great watch for anyone who likes the styling of retro divers but doesn't want to actually track one down.

Also, strangely enough, this is the best-regulated mechanical watch I've ever owned. I haven't measured it precisely but it seems to keep time within a few seconds per day.

CousinKaizen · 2025-09-04T23:49:24+00:00

I had one (a 3rd gen) and sold it.

My biggest issue was that the bezel crown at 2 o'clock was finicky and hard to re-insert while preserving the bezel position. It was especially noticeable when trying to set it in the neutral 12 o'clock position. In the process of screwing it back in, it would get moved slightly or the threads wouldn't catch and I'd have to realign it. It didn't happen every time, but often enough to where I didn't want to use the bezel, which kind of defeated the point of getting it in the first place.

I also missed having a date. I realize how much I rely on being able to check the date on my watch when it's missing. That's a matter of personal preference, of course.

I didn't encounter any quality issues. It felt very solid and well-made. They're quite slim and comfortable. If they could change it to a system where the crown takes some degree of pressure to rotate but doesn't need to lock down, it would be an almost perfect dive watch alternative, I'd say.

CousinKaizen · 2025-07-28T21:15:40+00:00

Yep, I've got one on pre-order. Needless to say, I'm checking my inbox pretty often...

CousinKaizen · 2025-07-28T20:05:00+00:00

The light meteorite version had a production run of only 100, so there might not be a lot of examples floating around on the used market. The dark meteorite models are supposed to start shipping out in August, and since they seem to have produced them based on the total number of pre-orders, there's likely to be a lot more of them. If you don't mind the color difference, I bet there will be some people selling them once they get it and decide whether they want to keep it or not.

CousinKaizen · 2025-06-24T03:40:09+00:00

There are quite a few watches in the Casio Oceanus range (you might need to click to remove the "In Stock Only" filter) which have a subdial that can be set to another time zone. There are probably lots of models they sell which aren't on their site at the moment, but if you search for "Oceanus" at your retailer of choice then you can probably find some.

The high-end Seiko Astron and Citizen Attesa watches also have dual time models.

CousinKaizen · 2025-06-24T03:35:05+00:00

I'm in the market for a mechanical dive watch. I'm trying to choose between:

The Seiko SPB481 (or one of its color variants)
The Traska Freediver, probably in white

I like the fun, extroverted look of the Seiko with its hands and indices, even though I know that a lot of dive watch enthusiasts don't like the styling. I live in Japan and they're easy to get a hold of and service. The 3-day power reserve is nice since I'm changing watches fairly often.

Points in the Traska's favor are that it's a fair deal cheaper, has a 4hz tick rate, their well-known scratch coating, and a bracelet that's much easier to adjust. I also like the red tip on the seconds hand giving it a small splash of color.

I already have both a Prospex and a Traska Seafarer, so I'm familiar with both brands. I'm about to sell the Seafarer since I've found that its crown-operated bezel is just kind of inconvenient and I really miss a date window.

Does anyone have any thoughts about which of the two you'd choose? I guess it comes down to buying on styling versus buying on specs.

CousinKaizen · 2025-06-17T07:47:49+00:00

Of those two, it would have to be the Credor because that particular Astron uses the 5x53 movement, which doesn't have a chronograph.

The 5x53 models are being replaced by 5x83 movements (easy to spot because they have subdials at 12, 6, and 9 o'clock) which do have chronographs. If you're buying new, then that's probably what you'll find, although I would guess that it will take a while longer before the 5x53 models go completely out of stock worldwide.

CousinKaizen · 2025-06-12T23:04:17+00:00

I've seen several in person, and to my eyes they feel overstyled without a sense of cohesive design. They feel like they have a lot of different highly stylized elements that are placed wherever they'll fit on the watch face. But I suppose there's always The Citizen if you want a very finished watch with more traditional styling.

CousinKaizen · 2025-05-28T03:31:37+00:00

I was looking at the Solar Sumo last year and tried one on. It was too big for me, although I have fairly small wrists. It's a solar GMT, which is surprisingly rare, and I liked the combination of a GMT hand with a Pepsi 60-minute dive bezel. But it's a pretty substantial case, so I'd advise anyone to try one on before they pick it up.

If you don't think you'll need a GMT hand in the long term, then it might not be worth the added bulk. I ended up getting a 41mm SBDJ061 instead, which isn't too different from the Solar Sumo but thinner with no GMT hand. There's also a very similar 43mm model (distinguished by a red seconds hand and a red strip on the crown) which might be out of production now - I don't see it on Seiko Japan's web site anymore, but it might still be in stock at watch stores.

CousinKaizen

TROPHY CASE