My collection for the H4U watch collectors' get-together in Kuala Lumpur

Today, watch collectors under the H4U banner (Horology Fur Unity) congregated in Kuala Lumpur for the second meeting of the fellowship. The first meeting held in 2010 was a success and this time around, corporate sponsors have come on board to make this event a much more colourful event.

In the early morning before the event, I prepared my collection for the "show-and-tell" session. I brought every piece of my collection for the event. All 34 of them in 2 watch boxes (the 34th watch was on my wrist).

Below is my Seiko, Schroeder, Orient, Orient Star, Rolex, Titus and Parnis watches.

Below are more Seiko, Orient, Deep Blue, Arbutus, Ocean7, Citizen, Suunto, Tissot, Casio, Invicta and Apple Ipod watches.

Below are Citizen, Victorinox, Aristo, Zeppelin and Seiko watches.

TAG Heuer Aquaracer 500M with Ceramic bezel

TAG Heuer has redesigned their 2009 Aquaracer 500M model. Now using a ceramic bezel, a first for TAG. 



There's no more cyclops either.

Here are 3 pictures (obtained from the web) of the various colour combinations for this model.





Love the blue version.

SEIKO Sports SSA053K1 - new daily watch candidate

A new series of daily watches has been launched by Seiko. The Sports SSA053K1 and SSA055K1 models are well designed watches for sports as well as formal affairs.



Retail Price is set at RM1075. It comes with 24 jewel automatic, self-winding mechanical movement of the 4Rxx series. Using an internal bezel, it can help find true North using the map function.





It has a date as well as a 24hour indicator. Apart from the internal bezel, it also has an external bezel.



A real "man"'s watch. I think I will aim to get one.

Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon Deep Quest 3 km Diver; desktop review and next target

My fascination with deep divers continues. Another brand with a 3,000 meter dive rating is the Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon Deep Quest. Using a time tested Swiss ETA2824 series movement, it is a well designed watch and not that expensive.



Size is at least 45mm wide, and quite thick.The dial is clear and easily readable.





It used tritium gas tubes. The case is also anti-magnetic.This model comes either in black dial (the first two pictures or a white dial (see below). Personally, the white dial is nicer but the Arabic numerals used are too big. This kills the white dial for me. The black dial looks cleaner.





Verdict: Want to get one!!!

Lum-Tec 500M-1 Luminous Deep Dive Watch; to be acquired

This watch is becoming my most difficult acquisition.

Bought in early April 2012 via Amazon.com, the purchase was fulfilled by theFlyTime a registered merchant under Amazon.com's merchant affiliate programme. Using the United States Postal Service (USPS) as the courier appears to be a bad choice. The package was stuck in the US for 2 weeks before it was sent overseas and after an additional 3 more weeks, it was confirmed that it was loss. Although the official report stated the loss was incurred outside the US, however I suspected it was already lost while in the care of the USPS. The 2 weeks going from one US postal distribution centre to another was a major indicator that something was wrong. Because the official report from USPS absolves them from the "loss", the insurance will only pay for 85% of the value. However, theFlyTime gave me an option to either claim the insurance or they will sent another replacement watch via another courier. This time it is estimated to arrive with 5 to 10 days. Lets wait and see.

The Lum-Tec 500M Luminous Deep Dive Watch is a 500 meter rated dive watch. Its call-to-fame is the lume technology used by the Lum-Tec company. It has one of the brightest lume possible without the use of tritium tubes. Called the LUM-TEC MDV technology®. The 500M-1 is the micro polished and brushed stainless steel finish whereas the 500M-2 is the bead blasted Titanium Carbide dark charcoal PVD hard coating version.



Both comes in black dial with a 44mm width excluding crown. Thickness is 18.5mm thick and the casing has 24mm lug width. Uses the 316L stainless steel solid block for the case. The crown has a screw lock with triple diamond sealing system. The case-back is threaded with double sealing system. It uses a 5mm thick curved sapphire crystal with double side anti-reflective coating. The diver bezel is uni-directional rotating. Movement is the Seiko derived Sii NH15 automatic and hand-winding mechanical movement. Custom molded anti static rubber strap.





One I get the watch I will provide a full review.

The Clerc Hydroscaph GMT Watch; a desktop review

Clerc watches are mostly futuristic dive style watches. This watch company have yet to make a splash in Malaysia but with the exiting designs introduced recently, it won't be long before it establish itself here. The Hydroscaph GMT watch is one design that I am exited about. It comes in two dial zones. One on the bottom that is brushed metal, and another on the top in glossy black armoured pattern; a very chic look.





Inside the watch is a Clerc designed automatic movement called Caliber C606. It has a power reserve of 47.5 hours. The movement has the time, date, subsidiary GMT dial as well as a power reserve indicator. The movement uses a dedicated screw-down pusher between 10 and 11 o'clock to adjust the GMT hand. Opposite at the bottom of the dial is the more unique looking power reserve indicator. This uses a disc-style hand.



The case is 44.6mm wide. The case is water resistant to 1000 meters and includes and automatic helium release valve located on the back of the watch. There is also a small sapphire exhibition window right on the escapement. It comes with a rotating diver's bezel. However, there is alight twist to be able use the bezel. To operate it, you need to flip out a little key and turn it. This moves the bezel in one direction. While the bezel is harder to operate compared to those you can grip, the system does offer a more secure means of turning the bezel.



The lume is also impressive.

The only snag with this watch is the price. Suggested retail price is now set at USD7,750 or RM24,000. A pity.

Anonimo watches

Visited the Red Army Watch shop in One Utama, Kuala Lumpur recently and was introduced to an Italian brand of Anonimo watches. Like the macho design of the watches. Below are some of watches under this brand that tweaked my interest for your viewing pleasure.

Below is the the Anonimo Cronoscopio Mark II. This watch is large at 48.5mm wide and in black steel. Inside the watch is a Swiss ETA Valjoux 7750 automatic movement that has the subsidiary seconds dial removed. Love the huge crown. Only gripe is the way they chopped off the number "6" and "12" due to the sub-dials. They should have just take those two numbers out and replaced them with a simple notch.



The D-Date II. The watch is  43mm wide and in black toned sand-blasted steel.




The Pulluce Magnum. A 45.5mm wide watch a "open heart" designed dial. Its uniqueness is the bronze metal used. It uses a special alloy of bronze (UNI5272) that has been sand blasted as well with a satin and brushed finish.My gripe with this watch is the placement of the "open heart" on the dial. It should have been placed where the spinning "heart" of the automatic movement. As it is, nothing interesting to observe from the hole.



Relatively not that expensive (compared to other European brands).