Good-bye, Mr. Bond

Sad to say good-bye to Mr. Bond. I have sold my Black Bond (Omega SMP co-axial with black dial). Its a absolutely stunning watch to wear and to look at. Its just an awesome watch and Omega did a great job on keeping the SMP fresh. My only "complain" is that the blue lume is somewhat less bright than SL C3 that the blue Bond uses. Though the white appearance does looks great with the black dial during day light. Since I am a lume-freak, bright lume means something in my book. :p And I was in the process of changing up my collection, so the black Bond had to go. In the future, if I come across a deal with the blue Bond, then maybe I will snatch that instead.

While we are on the topic of the new blue lume from Omega, its giving me second thoughs on my "grail" -- the new 1200m PloProf. I really like the style of the watch (which the why I now have a Ocean7 LM-7), but the fact that the 1200m PloProf doesn't have the "brightest lume" bothers me somewhat. And when compared to the Ocean7 LM-7 (which used SL C3), the lume on the LM-7 is a lot brighter. Combined with the much (MUCH!) lower retail price on the watch itself, I just need to own the LM-7 for a while and see if I could "settle" for the LM-7 instead of the 1200m PloProf.

And recently, I can't take my mind off Panerai 233. It has the 1950 case style, 8-day GMT manual wind in-house movement with date, and a super dome sapphire crystal and display back. It retails around USD$12,000, which is "slightly" out of my price range right now. :p But man, that's a beautiful watch. I doubt I would shell out that much cash for one watch, but who knows?! Maybe something will push me over the edge and I might end up with one. :p (Come on, for one PAM 233, I could have any two of the following: PAM 111, PAM 24, PAM 25, Rolex SD, Rolex Sub LV, Rolex Sub ND COSC, Rolex GMT IIc, ... etc)

Ocean7 LM-7 Impression

The O7 LM-7 got here last week and I have a chance to give it some wrist time over the weekend. So far, I am liking the size of it. Its a big watch with a flat caseback and short lug to lug size, so it wears quite comfortable and quite manageable on smaller wrist size. Here's the measurement for the watch:

• cystral: 29mm
  
• bezel: 44mm
  
• 3-9 size: 54.5mm
  
• 12-6 (lug to lug) size: 45mm
  
• height: 14.5mm
  

I have handled quite a few Ocean7 watches before, and all of them has very well implimented bezel. The clicks are solid and firm with no side to side play. Well, unfortuniate its not the case on the LM-7. From other users' opinion online as well as my own experience, the clicks on the bezel is not well defined and the bezel has side to side play. So that takes away some kudo points from the watch. The bezel itself is locked via the button at the top right corner of the watch. One has to depress the button to unlock the bezel, which turns bi-directionally. The button action is a little stiff but it works as advertised. It works ok when you use both hands to operate the bezel lock and bezel. But its a little more difficult when the watch is on your wrist and you wish to turn the bezel with just one hand. The package comes with a red anodized and sliver brushed button to suit your taste.

Speaking of the bezel, one thing that's always going to be in the back of my mind is the durability of the bezel insert and the bezel lock. As a general rule of thumb, the more complicated it is, the more things that can go wrong in the long run. The bezel lock has a few moving parts and a spring. And the bezel insert has sapphire glass over (sealed and) lumed numbers. So there's always a certain questions of "what if", "how durable are they" and "can it be repaired if something goes wrong". Only time will tell. But since I am not paying a major premium for the watch. I wouldn't worry about it for now.

The dial is blue and the color itself changes when its hit by different lighting condition and intensity. I like the dial color so far. I have thought that I might like the black dial even better because its more tranditional and will work better with different strap colors. But it will also be too similar to the new 1200m PloProf. I think the blue color dial plays more homeage to the vintage Omega 600m PloProf.

The crown is over-sized and easy to operate. When unscrewed, there's no side to side play and each click is solid. Turn the crown to set the date and time is easy and has a nice direct feel to it.

The lume on the bezel numbers, hand and hr markers on the dial are Super Luminova (SL) C3. It appears light green in day light situation. But it shines (literally!) when the lights are out. I have "tested" the lume brightness and duration, and it easily last through 5AM. And I remember when I woke up to check the time at 5AM, I was thinking: "Man, this thing is BRIGHT." Beside the brightness of the lume itself, its also got something to do with the fact that there are so many things that "lights up", including the numbers on the bezel. Its really a joy to look at in the dark (after the lume are charged).

The Ocean7 PloProf style strap is comfortable to wear. And I am happy to report that the strap fits smaller wrist size very well. The LM-7 has a bracelet option. I haven't tried it yet, but I suspect its going to make the watch a little too heavy for my taste. Maybe I will try that later on (if I ever get bored with the rubber straps and other leather strap options).

The lugs are 24mm. So besides the OEM bracelet and PloProf style rubber strap, you will have no problem finding a wide varity of thick leather strap that will work with the watch. LM-7 uses O7's own thick spring bars. The drilled lug holes will make changing straps a manageable task.

Conclusion: I think the LM-7 is a fun watch to wear and you will notice people stare at it from time to time. The style is quite unique. If you like the PloProf style but doesn't want to shell out major cash for one (the other two choices are vintage Omega 600m PloProf and the new Omega 1200m PloProf co-axial, either one will cost you some pretty pennies), the LM-7 is definitely the one for you. The watch is far from being perfect, with the less-than-precise bezel action, bezel play, unproven durability of the bezel insert and bezel lock mechanisme. But the "price to fun-to-wear" ratio is high on this model.

I have a few things that I like this the LM-7 better than the new 1200m PloProf(!), which are the much (MUCH!) low cost, the use of SL C3 (brighter is better) and the drilled lugs holes. The 1200m PloProf is still my grail, but if the LM-7 can satisfy my thirst of a PloProf (style watch), then I can allocate my funds to the next "grail on my list" :p LOL

Good things come in group of five?

So my five watches arrived already. And here's my initial thoughts:

• Ocean7 LM-7 1000m
  
  I know I *almost* sworn I would not get a LM-7 because the new Omega SMP Ploprof 1200m with co-axial 8500 movement is out. BUT ... I changed my mind when I came around a fine sample of LM-7 at a very attractive price. I still think the new Omega Ploprof is my grail and wish to own one someday. May be this LM-7 will be my "test drive" for the size and feel of wearing it.
  
  So on to the LM-7. This package came with both the black Ploprof style rubber strap and Ocean7's "5 links" bracelet. I haven't tried it on the bracelet yet, but the rubber strap match the watch really well. I do have to say that the fit and finish is not up to par with Omega's offering, but the price tag is not USD$9000 either. :p The LM-7's bezel lock button is a little stiff, making it difficult, if not impossible to use the bezel with just one hand or with the watch on the wrist. And in both locked and unlocked positive, the bezel is some side to side play on it. Its not horrible, but its not great neither. Keep in mind again, I am not paying USD$9000 for it ... LOL :p
  
  The sapphire bezel is nice to look at, and the lumed markers are great. Its not as detail nor clean as the new Omega Ploprof. And one thing I worry about is the reliability of the bezel insert, from bubbling, or how the bezel insert is going to handle water in the long run, etc. But I figure at the price that I paid for it, I can live with the *risk*. For the price of the new Omega Ploprof, I would expect it to least at least 15-20 years without any degrading.
  
  The size of the LM-7 is good. The short lug-to-lug size makes it easy to wear for my wrist size. The watch is large, but doesn't feel overly large. But if I wear the watch tight, then the crown at 9 will dig into my wrist. Luckily, I don't like wearing my watch tight any way.
  
  The crown is large and easy to use, smooth screwing in and out of the crown tube. The Swiss Sellita SW200 movement is smooth to wind. I haven't check the timing of it yet.
  
  The lume *seems* to be good. I haven't really do a lume test on it yet. But I expect it to last through the night with ease.
  
  One thing I do like the LM-7 over the new Omega Ploprof is that the LM-7 has drilled lugs. that makes changing strap much easier.
  
  
• Marathon SAR
  
  This is my "I-don't-even-remember-how-many" Marathon SAR and I am certainly famility with it. After all these time (I guess since 2001 of its introduction), I still think its one of the best value in dive watches. It has all the goodies you want from a dive watch that's user friendly (and I don't even dive!): WR300M, sapphire crystal, large easy to use crown for winding (when dry), tall and easy to use bezel, easy tell the time, great lume, drilled lugs for easy bracelet to dive strap change, diver's extension on bracelet clasp. The watch and bracelet feels solid and its just a joy to wear.
  
  
• Casio G-Shock GW056CJ
  
  I had the GW056 before and I really liked the slim profile and size of it. But I wished for a reversed LCD for a stealthy look but unfortuniately, that's not available for US version of the GW056. This GW056CJ is a JDM 2006 special edition. It has a dark grey case and strap, and very stealthy reversed LCD. The matter in fact, I think the reversed LCD is too stealthy and now I am a little worried about the "viewability" of the time during less-than-optium lighting. Luckily, the duration of the auto-EL is adjustable and it can be set up to 3 second to make it easier to read the time. Besides the reversed LCD, having only 60 min for both STW and CDT is the thing that worries me and may push me into letting it go later. But time will tell.
  
  
• Casio G-Shock G9000-8V Storm Trooper
  
  I got this one as an inpulse buy cause of the great deal. I expect it to be a beater and I will use it as one. You just never know when you will need TWO 1000hr chronograph. :-)
  
  
• Casio G-Shock GW810D (SS bracelet + reversed LCD)
  
  I bought this one at a beater price, and it sure looks like a beater when it arrives. That's fine cause I am not going to baby this one neither ... LOL :p
  

When it trains, it pours (so to speak ... )

With the available funs from the sales of my Milgauss last week. Continuing with the mindset of staying with poor-men's watches, I bought three watches over the weekend (two days). That makes more than one watch per day (1.5 watches per day :p ). And two of them are "re-purchase":

• Ocean7 LM-7 - I know I did say I would not buy one because of the fear of future company support for the watch. But I finally came across a deal that I would consider taking that risk.
  
• casio G-Shock GW056CJ - Its a 2006 special edition with reverse LCD. I liked the GW056 becase of the low flat profile, but the down side of it is the 60 min STW and CDT respectively.
  
• Casio G-Shock GW810D (reversed LCD) - I had one of these before. I modded it with the GWM850 module. Though the GWM850 module has better feature, I never liked the look of it. I eventally sold the moddod G and moved on. I found this GW810D at a beater price, so I might as well get it and use it as a beater. :-)
  

I am sure there's more to come :D

Can't get away from the Storm Trooper

The Casio G-Shock G9000-8V has off white color case and nicked name: Strom Trooper. I had one before. I really like the white face with off white case. And the dual 1000hr comes in handy from time to time. I sold it for some other watches.

Now I am going to have one again. And yes, yet another inpulse buy. I am still afraid that it won't get much wrist time because the other mechanical, solar and kinetic scream: "wear me to keep me running".

Another plan would be to purchase a solar atomic Mudman later, and then do a case/straps swap to make the atomic Mudman into a atomic storm trooper.

I don't know yet. Let's wait and see.

So I have never get away with Marathon SAR, but apparently I keep selling my Rolex(es)

Let's talk about the one that's gone first, which is the Rolex Milgauss. I can't seems to keep Rolex for very long. And may be I am in the process of "trying out" higher end watches. I like the Milgauss, but I don't like it enough to keep it. So off it goes.

I think I need to give Rolex a break off my want-to-buy list, cause while I think they are extremely nice watch, I just don't think they are sticking in my collection.

Now comes the one that I can't seems to be get away with, which is the Marathon SAR. I already lost count of how many Marathon SAR I have bought and sold. And yet, there's another incoming one. Ultimately, I still think Marathon SAR is one of the best implimentation of a proper dive watch in that price segment, especially at the pre-owned market since the Marathon SAR with the original non-tritium dial is already discontinued.

I think the Seiko SUMO 200m diver with 6R15 movement comes very close to the value of a Marathon SAR. But the SUMO lacks sapphire crystal and metal movement retainer. After the after market sapphire crystal upgrade, the price of the both SUMO and Marathon SAR comes very close, while the SUMO still spot a plastic movement retainer. Its not something that's apparent to average owner/user since its inside the case and hidden from view from the owner (unless you open up the case), but that's when the "value" part comes in.

Don't get me wrong, I still think the Seiko SUMO is great value and I would get one (a blue one and mod it with sapphire crystal, SBDX001 Marinemaster clasp and hands) if the right opportunity present itself.

Maybe I should mod Marathon SAR into a no-date version with sword hands since I've always wanted a Rolex Sub ND 14060M. I don't know yet. One thing I do know is that since I sold my Rolex Milgauss, I now have some toy funds freed up and I am on watch hunt again. :-)

So what am I looking for in the short term? I guess mostly lower to mid level ones now:

• Sinn 656 / 856 / 857 / U1 with bracelet
  
• Breitling SuperOcean black dial (model from 2007 only)
  
• Seiko with 8L35 automatic movement
  
• Tag Heuer Carrera chonograph (black dial)
  
• Omega Speedmaster (double sapphire)
  
• Fortis Marinemaster with bracelet
  
• Doxa SUB 1200T Professional
  

That's not a short list .. ;-)