SOTC 2024 and Write-Up 1.5 Years In
Hi everyone!
Wanted to share my journey and watch passion that really kicked off over the last ~year-and-half. Added supplemental Versa photos because it’s technically two watches! I’ve cycled through and bought+sold ~10-12 watches during this time period; figuring out what I do and don’t like, what sizes I prefer, what feels good on my wrist, etc. I’ve limited the collection to six, which still encompasses all of my professional needs as well as my hobbies.
Overview and write-ups:
•Orient Mako II, blue• (and story)
My first enthusiast watch and the one that started it all, albeit pretty delayed. Got this as a gift from my dad in 2017, and I subsequently beat the crap out of it and abused it during my time in the military, as an EMT afterwards, and then in a clinical setting. I didn’t really know anything about Orient, or much about automatic movements. The REAL watch journey started when I was at a pool party in 2022 with my wife, and the DJ asks me
“hey man nice watch, is that a….Mako II?” To which I replied,
“uhhh….I, uh….im not sure…it was just a gift from my dad” 🙈
That really stuck with me. I’m a car nut, and I’d be embarrassed to respond similarly to car questions. Not sure how I quite ended up at the next step, but a couple months later I refreshed the beaten up case and bezel with Namoki mod parts: a coin-edge bezel and black+blue glass vintage bezel insert. It doesn’t get much wrist time anymore but it still runs great when I do wear it, at around +8 to +11 seconds per day. The pool party and the subsequent mods to the case are what I feel put me on the path of watch enthusiasm.
•Casio G-Shock GWM5610-1B•
Everyone needs a G-Shock. I was gifted a Rangeman, but thought it was massive. Sold it and put the money towards this 5610. It gets used when I’m working on cars, anytime I’m around firearms, and sometimes on camping trips. Swapped out the factory resin strap with a comfy leather NATO (using an adaptor) and I changed the resin case protector out to a 5610-1 one with white letters vs the blackout ones.
•Casio A168WG•
Sometimes, you just feel like wearing gold. An ‘80s classic, loud but not gaudy. Complements streetwear really well, but interestingly also still works great with dressed-up pastel colors and dressier brown shoes.
•Grand Seiko SBGX261•
My collection’s flagship, and my first luxury purchase. I ended up here on my journey to find the best GADA piece from $800-$1,500. Tried some JDM Seikos, a JDM Citizen, a few microbrands, and a Hamilton. It’s absolutely amazing. I’ve had it a few months and the HAQ movement hasn’t lost any time whatsover, and the seconds hand hits every single marker on the minute track. Say what you will about quartz; this is some the best quartz you can possibly buy, rivaled only by Citizen’s HAQs that get within +/- 5 seconds a year. It’s an extremely simple, versatile design, executed at the elite level. Even with its simplicity, there is SO much to look at and admire here, even though it’s “only” part of the entry-level GS catalog, the SBGX____ series. Photos and video just don’t do this one justice.
•Christopher Ward C65 Dune, White Sand•
Huge fan of CW after I bought my wife a Twelve for our anniversary. My other GADA piece. I wanted something white or off-white and found the C65 Dune. I’ve handled and held a lot of watches on my journey, to include luxury stuff like Tudor, Omega, and Rolex and am of the opinion that for what they offer, CW just punches incredibly high above their weight and blow most watchmakers out of the water in the $900-$2,500 (maybe even $3,000) price range. It’s also a strap monster and pulls off whatever you put it on.
•Vario Versa, Silver/Purple•
My most recent purchase. I wanted a dress watch, preferably rectangular or tonneau. I love the Tank, but didn’t want to pay minimum $3,000 and stumbled on the Reverso. Ivan and Judy at Vario offer phenomenal, humble service. You get lots of character and charm for $428 and under (with coupon codes). I was a little hesitant on purple, but I was feeling adventurous when I made the purchase and I haven’t regretted it one bit. Purple actually works really well with blue and silver sport coats and suits. The silver side is also elegant and pure class, but dressed down. Works great with polos and business-casual.
Enthusiast of automobiles, watches, firearms, and other mechanical objects
I got the exact same reference of GS and I can only confirm your opinion on it word for word 👌🏻first luxury piece for me as well
Nice collection and write-up! A Mako was my first enthusiast watch, too (and probably was for many of us).
Nice post and lovely collection. You’ve covered all the bases for what you need/want and explored different styles. Will be interesting to see how your collection grows and changes over years to come!
Interesting collection wear them all with health! I am currently stuck on what to get next 😅 so I feel inspired by others collections
Nice collection and write-up! A Mako was my first enthusiast watch, too (and probably was for many of us).
Thanks! For many of us it’s either the Mako or the SKX, I prefer the Mako though
Nice post and lovely collection. You’ve covered all the bases for what you need/want and explored different styles. Will be interesting to see how your collection grows and changes over years to come!
Thank you! Covering all my bases was definitely the goal with these 6, I’m curious to see what itch develops for the next piece as well haha
Interesting collection wear them all with health! I am currently stuck on what to get next 😅 so I feel inspired by others collections
Thank you! I am somewhat stuck too, but I think being stuck is helpful sometimes so we can put lots more thought into the next choice
I got the exact same reference of GS and I can only confirm your opinion on it word for word 👌🏻first luxury piece for me as well
Yes!! I feel like it’s so good that I could run a two-watch collection with just that and the white SBGX259 lol. Then my only choice every day would black/white, and bracelet/strap!
Nice collection and write-up! A Mako was my first enthusiast watch, too (and probably was for many of us).
The Mako was the "Bobby Brown" to my Watch Whitney Huston. "Try it Whitney.... first ones cheap"
I met the owner of Vario this weekend at the DistrictTime watch show. Great dude who is just as passionate about the history of the watches as he is about the design and quality. Super nice dude.
Beautiful collection! ❤
Awesome collection bro! Been thinking of getting that Vario lately.
Nice collection broo 🔥
Absolute class collection man! Orient was my first mechanical too :)
I have the same Grand Seiko but with the champagne dial and it seems you love it for exactly the same reasons as I do. What a watch! GS does all the simple things to an impeccable level.
I’m also after a tank for more stylish occasions so I’ll check out the brand that you recommended. And that Christopher Ward Dune model looks the business - love their designs. The only thing stopping me getting a mechanical at the moment is that ultimately I like my watches to be as accurate and convenient as possible, hence maybe I’m leaning towards a Spring Drive movement. Awesome collection and thanks for sharing🫡.
Absolute class collection man! Orient was my first mechanical too :)
Thanks man!!
I have the same Grand Seiko but with the champagne dial and it seems you love it for exactly the same reasons as I do. What a watch! GS does all the simple things to an impeccable level.
I’m also after a tank for more stylish occasions so I’ll check out the brand that you recommended. And that Christopher Ward Dune model looks the business - love their designs. The only thing stopping me getting a mechanical at the moment is that ultimately I like my watches to be as accurate and convenient as possible, hence maybe I’m leaning towards a Spring Drive movement. Awesome collection and thanks for sharing🫡.
Thank you!! I definitely agree with the mechanical hesitance. I used to me a mechanical snob but then I got the GS and now it’s the watch I set the other ones to because it’s so incredibly reliable. I love that I can just pick it up and have it ready too.
Even the GShock with its multiband 6 sometimes won’t pick up the atomic signal and will end up 1-2 seconds off every now and then.
Fab collection. Nicely done.
My take away from the side by side is that the C65 looks huge next to the GS, yet on paper there’s only supposed to be 1mm between them. If you didn’t know you’d think the c65 was a 40 or 41. What’s your take on this? Misleading pic, or does the C65 come up bigger than its spec sheet would suggest.
Fab collection. Nicely done.
My take away from the side by side is that the C65 looks huge next to the GS, yet on paper there’s only supposed to be 1mm between them. If you didn’t know you’d think the c65 was a 40 or 41. What’s your take on this? Misleading pic, or does the C65 come up bigger than its spec sheet would suggest.
That’s a great question! I noticed that too, and I think there are a few factors at play there (including the angle of the pic). Primarily, I believe it’s the dial to case ratio; the C65 has a pretty big dial in relation to the case. The beige/white also has something to do with it, as with wearing brighter colors or white can look more full. Maybe also the boxed sapphire creating more reflections in the pic? The lug-to-lug is very short, and the C65 definitely doesnt wear big on the wrist. In-person when the two are next to each other, the difference isn’t as huge as in the above pic. Im attaching a picture on my ~7”/18cm wrist
Fab collection. Nicely done.
My take away from the side by side is that the C65 looks huge next to the GS, yet on paper there’s only supposed to be 1mm between them. If you didn’t know you’d think the c65 was a 40 or 41. What’s your take on this? Misleading pic, or does the C65 come up bigger than its spec sheet would suggest.
Oh, I’ll also add; the GS looks very small *off-wrist* if that makes any sense. When I purchased it from a friend and saw it in the box for the first time, it looked tiny and I was worried about how small it would feel. But on-wrist and in the mirror (wearing the bracelet especially), it creates a ton of presence and looks more like a 38 but doesn’t feel like it. It’s an interesting phenomenon lol.
Oh, I’ll also add; the GS looks very small *off-wrist* if that makes any sense. When I purchased it from a friend and saw it in the box for the first time, it looked tiny and I was worried about how small it would feel. But on-wrist and in the mirror (wearing the bracelet especially), it creates a ton of presence and looks more like a 38 but doesn’t feel like it. It’s an interesting phenomenon lol.
Yes it’s interesting the different factors that contribute to wrist presence. The C65 looks a perfect fit on your wrist. I’ve long been tempted by one as I love the retro aesthetic. I think their ‘light catcher’ case is beautiful too. Nothing worse than having a slab of cheddar on your wrist.