Retro Rose

Like @NightWatch, I've been adding to my collection to include dials in all the liturgical colors. Rose was always going to be trickiest: it's not in my normal comfortable color palette; it's not among the most common dial colors, so options are relatively limited; and there are only two Sundays a year for which it is liturgically appropriate. I wasn't eager to sink much money into something I didn't expect to wear regularly. And just as I was resigning myself to abandoning the hunt (or maybe just tabling it until closer to Advent), I stumbled across this thing, and so got to have my first AliExpress experience.

Considering that this was acquired to tick exactly two boxes ("color," "price"), I'm a little surprised at how much I like it. Perfect dimensions for my wrist, really elegant retro aesthetics, not (so far as I can determine) an homage watch. The canvas strap that came with mine is pretty unfortunate, but I think this one really wants to live on leather anyhow. And I'm faintly disappointed in the completely sterile case back; I know there are more interesting specimens out there. (Like the one @HonestWatchReviews takes a look at here.)

Will I wear it on more occasions than the two "rose" Sundays a year? Almost certainly. On many more occasions? Probably not. So certain questions (movement reliability, accuracy, scratch resistance) aren't really engaging me the way they would if I planned to wear it frequently...or if I'd paid more than $80 for it! But overall: beautifully designed, really nicely finished, a terrific value, and a welcome addition to the collection.

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Love the idea of collecting all the liturgical colours!! I almost wish I had never heard of it... it's too obviously something I want to do now. (I already love showy dial colours, so my collection is half orange.)

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Oh yeah, today was Laetare Sunday! So, time to break out the Rose! I love the example you've shown, so nice!

I don't have rose vestments :( so it was still violet for me today. I'm only one color into the journey with white, anyway! But white matches most vestments, so I thought it was a good start. I'll need gold for Easter! hmm. Most violet watches are pricy, so I think I'm going to start working on green for my next.

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That color is gorgeous! 😍

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sagebrush

Love the idea of collecting all the liturgical colours!! I almost wish I had never heard of it... it's too obviously something I want to do now. (I already love showy dial colours, so my collection is half orange.)

It's nice having a very achievable number of colors as the goal. Or at least that's what it feels like before the madness sets in. "Okay, violet. Well, I can get an extremely purple watch from Invicta for $60, but that's not quite my speed. That Anordain dial, on the other hand, is amazing but it's sold out, and more than I want to invest in one color right now anyhow. OH! That Bulova Devil Diver is a wonderful green...but I already have a green watch and still need a red one!"

And so forth. :)

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NightWatch

Oh yeah, today was Laetare Sunday! So, time to break out the Rose! I love the example you've shown, so nice!

I don't have rose vestments :( so it was still violet for me today. I'm only one color into the journey with white, anyway! But white matches most vestments, so I thought it was a good start. I'll need gold for Easter! hmm. Most violet watches are pricy, so I think I'm going to start working on green for my next.

Green does cover a great swath of the year, so it's definitely a smart next step!

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Angles

That color is gorgeous! 😍

It really is! Thanks!

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These are really nice pieces. I absolutely love mine on the bracelet. The rose coloured dial is something a little different and is beautiful. I'm glad you're enjoying yours too. Could it be the first of many AliExpress purchases? 😉

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HonestWatchReviews

These are really nice pieces. I absolutely love mine on the bracelet. The rose coloured dial is something a little different and is beautiful. I'm glad you're enjoying yours too. Could it be the first of many AliExpress purchases? 😉

I can’t recall whether I came across your review before or after I ordered mine, but either way it was nice validation that I was on the right track! Yes, the dial is quite exquisite, especially considering the price. I haven’t totally ruled out the idea of getting another in a different color! So yes: it was the first AliExpress purchase for me, but it won’t be the last! Cheers!

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Very nice sir 👌🏼 I picked up the same one on a beads-of-rice 😉 lots of fun, this one 😁

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Pieces0ftime

Very nice sir 👌🏼 I picked up the same one on a beads-of-rice 😉 lots of fun, this one 😁

Starting to think I ought to have opted for the bracelet, too! Glad to be meeting people who share my frankly exquisite taste. ;)

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Every day is a school day! I never knew that such a thing as Liturgical colours existed until now.

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Stroud_Green

Every day is a school day! I never knew that such a thing as Liturgical colours existed until now.

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Stroud_Green

Every day is a school day! I never knew that such a thing as Liturgical colours existed until now.

Having grown up in a series of very non-liturgical churches, that was a later-in-life discovery for me as well!

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This is really something. I have nothing but respect for such a noble quest.

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StNobody

I can’t recall whether I came across your review before or after I ordered mine, but either way it was nice validation that I was on the right track! Yes, the dial is quite exquisite, especially considering the price. I haven’t totally ruled out the idea of getting another in a different color! So yes: it was the first AliExpress purchase for me, but it won’t be the last! Cheers!

I have the salmon on a beads of rice and wear it surprisingly often! Every time I peruse Ali ex I still pause at the rose…

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Nick314159

This is really something. I have nothing but respect for such a noble quest.

To be very honest, this is at least 83% just me justifying my addiction with virtuous window-dressing. But I will share your comment with my wife, to see if she buys it! ;)

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lmchew

I have the salmon on a beads of rice and wear it surprisingly often! Every time I peruse Ali ex I still pause at the rose…

Am I the only one who didn't get that beads of rice bracelet? And yeah: it's hard to resist the pull of a second color, especially at the price! There's a blue dial that I think looks rather elegant...

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Cosme44

Love that Merkur! Did you buy it from an official Ali-Express seller?

Thanks! And yes! Got it right here, in fact. That's how I know it features "pure copper hydraulic process inlaid three-dimensional word nails." 🤯

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I had to look up the whole color liturgical concept so thanks for spurring me to expand my horizons. Sweet rose! May you wear all of your colors in good health!

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FlatteryCamp

I had to look up the whole color liturgical concept so thanks for spurring me to expand my horizons. Sweet rose! May you wear all of your colors in good health!

Who doesn't love a good horizon expansion?! Too bad I've already deployed my "The More You Know" graphic in this thread. Oh, wait--I can bust out this one!

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I forgot to wear the Shunbun yesterday for Laetare Sunday. I sort of kicked myself when I saw the rose vestments. Here it is with the pink set last year. I wore something that was more like Sarum blue for Advent.

Edit: So now you have me cataloging my watches by liturgical color. As mentioned, I have the Grand Seiko SBGA413 for Laetare and Gaudete Sundays, and several blue watches for Advent. I have a SARB017 Alpinist for Ordinary Time. The Seiko Presage Negroni and the red Cassioak are for Palm Sunday, Pentecost, martyrs, etc. I have black watches, but I've never seen black worn liturgically at my church (cassocks are just underwear, of course). I have a SARB035 and a gold Citizen Chronomaster (not actual gold) for Christmas, Easter, etc. I lack purple, but we use oxblood for Lent (and blue for Advent), so that's my excuse for not getting a purple watch.

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wilfried

I forgot to wear the Shunbun yesterday for Laetare Sunday. I sort of kicked myself when I saw the rose vestments. Here it is with the pink set last year. I wore something that was more like Sarum blue for Advent.

Edit: So now you have me cataloging my watches by liturgical color. As mentioned, I have the Grand Seiko SBGA413 for Laetare and Gaudete Sundays, and several blue watches for Advent. I have a SARB017 Alpinist for Ordinary Time. The Seiko Presage Negroni and the red Cassioak are for Palm Sunday, Pentecost, martyrs, etc. I have black watches, but I've never seen black worn liturgically at my church (cassocks are just underwear, of course). I have a SARB035 and a gold Citizen Chronomaster (not actual gold) for Christmas, Easter, etc. I lack purple, but we use oxblood for Lent (and blue for Advent), so that's my excuse for not getting a purple watch.

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The Grand Seiko is to die for, of course, and now I suspect I'll be hounded by a vague but persistent sense of dissatisfaction until I can have one of my own.

Which thankfully is at least partially offset by the satisfaction of having had a salutary (maybe?) impact on your cataloging! I think you need at least one more green watch in the mix; Ordinary Time is awfully long, you know! 😉 I'll be paying attention to your photos from here on out! (I'm sure I could scroll a bit now to see the full arsenal, but I think I'd rather be delighted to see specimens one at a time as the liturgical year passes.)

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StNobody

The Grand Seiko is to die for, of course, and now I suspect I'll be hounded by a vague but persistent sense of dissatisfaction until I can have one of my own.

Which thankfully is at least partially offset by the satisfaction of having had a salutary (maybe?) impact on your cataloging! I think you need at least one more green watch in the mix; Ordinary Time is awfully long, you know! 😉 I'll be paying attention to your photos from here on out! (I'm sure I could scroll a bit now to see the full arsenal, but I think I'd rather be delighted to see specimens one at a time as the liturgical year passes.)

Thanks! But don't get too excited; in general I don't think my photos are too exciting. But just to whet your appetite, here's the Shosho with the white tunicle (yeah, I know it looks blue, but that's just the orphrey), and the Shunbun in said tunicle (I wish I had a picture of the blue one). I probably shouldn't take pictures of watches in church.

I'm not too keen on green watches, I find they tend to clash with clothing and are hard to match with straps. The Alpinist is mostly stashed in the back of the watchbox these days, but I'm glad to have it around. I guess I'll have to break it out this summer.

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StNobody

To be very honest, this is at least 83% just me justifying my addiction with virtuous window-dressing. But I will share your comment with my wife, to see if she buys it! ;)

Very happy to be your enabler :)

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Nick314159

Very happy to be your enabler :)

Naughty!

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With that strap it's a very sheik combination.

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SurferJohn

With that strap it's a very sheik combination.

Thanks very much! If only the strap were as comfortable as it is attractive...

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StNobody

Am I the only one who didn't get that beads of rice bracelet? And yeah: it's hard to resist the pull of a second color, especially at the price! There's a blue dial that I think looks rather elegant...

Haha you might be. If I’d found this model first I would have gotten it in salmon and yours in rose. That blue, though…

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mNWuFpY

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lmchew

Haha you might be. If I’d found this model first I would have gotten it in salmon and yours in rose. That blue, though…

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mNWuFpY

DANG it. You just HAD to find this model and dangle it in front of me, didn't you? I'm really liking this dial texture with those indices. 💸

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Ok! After googling liturgy and liturgical I can finally know what y’all are talking about!

For those like me, attached it below. Yes, some great dial colours to choose from 👍.

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