TeeJay

I'll warn you in advance, this is a long one I'd say you've got it with Number 4 I quite agree, the 24 hour function is not displaying a second timezone, but, I think that as the watch will have the 24 hour bezel (making precise 24 hour time possible) then there might as well be a way of precisely telling the time in that 24 hour format on the dial. Or, to put it another way, consider some of the Panerai GMT watches... They have the GMT hand, but do not have 24 hour marks on either the dial or the bezel. The hand provides AM/PM distinction with its sweep, but, given the lack of a 'timing scale' the hand is not really useable for telling the precise 24 hour time, which I feel is not making the most of the available function. It would be like taking dial #3 (actually one of my favorites ) putting it over a 1655 movement, but then putting it in an original Explorer case. It would look good but would have the same issue as the above-mentioned PAM GMTs: Not entirely readable as a 24 hour format. Now, to be honest, while the person living/working in space might not necessarily need that 24 hour readability and format, and dial #3 in an Explorer or Milgauss case would probably look really slick, as you are using the 1655 case which does have the 24 hour markings and an AM/PM sweep hand, I feel it would only be logical to maximize the utilization of those resources #s 5 and 6, I really like the layouts, but as before, I think more suited to a 'low impact' watch like the DateJust. I do really like the simplicity of them though #3, likewise, I feel is nice, but more along the lines of the original Explorer. I think it would make an excellent beater, easily readable, but as above, wouldn't make full advantage of the 24 capacity of the movement or case. I'd be interested to see how the triangles and 'long seconds' from #1 would look on #4... I think that the triangles in those positions makes a nice 'separation' of the day/night halves of the dial, as each marks 'twelve o clock'. I really like how #4 has the additional 24 hour marks, as I feel that is an essential for this watch, and, it does so in a way which is much less cluttered than the 1655. As the 'even' hour markers on #4 are quite thin, I think that having the 'long seconds' might not clutter the dial too much. My experience with the 79190 dial is that while the 'long seconds' can make the dial seem smaller (but not cluttered) with less open black area they do make it very easy to read the exact time, as the minute hand 'touches' over each, so even at a glance, one can see precisely where the hands are pointing, compared to say a 16610 dial with the shorter second marks which the minute hand does not reach... I just had another thought, looking at my 1655... How ebout re-enameling the lines which represent the 'odd hours' on the bezel? All the lines between 18 and 6 in deep blue, and all the lines between 6 and 18 in deep red, as a little homage to the Pepsi GMT... I think doing the numbers themselves might be a bit much, but just the lines, I think might make a nice touch

100% halal

This might be a crazy question, but I'm something of an animal nut... Would it be possible to befriend the bear Gentle Ben-style, or would approaching one just end in being big furry's lunch?

Thanks for the find, I quite like the look of that, although I must admit, I do have a fondness for the 1655 hand-set, it's just the dial layout which bugs me to use (love it to simply appreciate aesthetically though ) I just had a thought, maybe this custom watch was along the same lines of how the Submariner evolved into the Sea-Dweller, by use and reports from professional divers, and this modification was what turned the 1655 into the Explorer II (should be Explorer III ) of today

I'm building me one of those Do you know if the watch retained the Explorer handset, or used the GMT handset?

I would suggest sticking to a 1655-style dial, for the very reason it was designed. While being in space, as with caving, night and day can be relative concepts, but the human body still maintains circadian rhythms. The reason I suggest sticking to a dial with 24 hour markers on the dial, rather than relying solely on the bezel for hour markings, is so that lume can be applied, rather than attempting to lume the bezels 24 hour markers (It would also ensure that even if the bezel was to come off while wrestling with a Klingon, the watch would still maintain readable hours ) What I would like to do (but my art package has now totally died) would be to replace the 6 marker with another triangular marker, and replace the 9 marker with the same rectangular marker as on the other 'main' hours. That way, it would be more compatible with the 24 hour system, but still maintaining a familiar 12 hour style, to assist with the wearer's circadian rhythms

Okay, my graphics program kept crashing, so I had to do this as a real rush-job to just convey the basic idea, rather than fine-detail. I think it combines the excellent visibility of the 3,6,9 dials, with the long second markers of a Tudor 79190, with the additional 24 hour markers of the 1655, with an attempt do distinguish the main hour markers from the additional 24 hour markers, to reduce the cluttered look which the 1655 dial suffers from, I hope you like it

Give me an hour, I'll see what I can come up with

It's a funny thing indeed, as some sites say that he wore a 1655 privately, yet there's still no actual evidence of him doing so, and I'm sure there're enough candid photos about for someone to have found one with the necessaries... Oh well I think that fact might be quite correct

Indeed, a poor choice of words on my part, it might simply be that he endorsed the watch somehow, rather than directly owning one, indeed, all the photos available show him wearing a 5512 or a Monaco, so who knows... Irrespective of his personal possession of the watch, I'm sure that it is the connection of his name to the watch, which has resulted in its Cult Status, rather than any intrinsic quality to the design itself...

+1

They're Cult Watches now, for the simple reason that Steve McQueen owned one While they photograph nicely, personally, I find it a horrible watch to wear, the dial is too cluttered. The only reason I have kept mine, is because I am really pleased with the luming job I did on it. If it wasn't for that reason, it would be gone, and I would have gotten something else as a spare... But hey, to each his own

I think it's because I don't change watch very frequently, I figured needing to change to a different kind of strap would make a good reason for changing watch Bracelet is okay for most eventualities, but sometimes it gets a bit too hot for a bracelet, and that's when NATO or Tropic comes into play I hardly wear watches on leather straps at all now I've moved away from PAMs, and I think some of that is not wanting to take off a watch which is waterproof, just because water would damage the strap, so much easier to have a strap which is also truly waterproof as well I think you're quite right about DJs needing a cuff to truly work, in short sleeves they are just that little bit too small. [Edit to add] Not mine, but a fine example of this awesome dial

An awesome post, brother, awesome to see you on the board again If Rolex is whetting your apetite at the moment, I'd be remiss if I didn't suggest you have a look at the Tudors as well I absolutely love the 79190 dial, as the triangular markers at the cardinals make such a difference to the usual Submariner markers, both visually from an aesthetic point of view, but also visually from a functional point of view, providing larger indices to look at Following your example, I have no plans to build my collection beyond 'function/occasion/situation' watches, and now class those as: Daily beater Daily beater hot weather (on NATO or Tropic) Travelling watch Sports watch (chronograph) Suit watch (casual but professional) Formal watch (leather strap only) Spare beater To be fair, the beater, hot weather beater and travel watch could be effectively one watch, (GMT on Tropic would be my vote) but I think it is nice to have some variety, just to have the opportunity to wear and appreciate a different watch from time to time As you've sold on the MMD, I'll write it off my list for potential buys, and settle for another YM, as that really was a nice 'all round' watch to wear

To be fair, if it's just the watch head, I wouldn't be overly concerned about it heating up from sunlight, but of course, it's your choice With regards the Kevlar strap, what is the water resistance/water retention of the strap like? I only ask, as personally speaking, I don't like the feeling of a wet fabric strap on my wrist. I only tolerate a wet NATO strap if its wetness is inevitable, such as swimming, but if it's avoidable, such as bathing, I would still remove the watch rather than get the strap wet. A silicone strap, on the other hand, while not always quite as smart, can still be quite acceptable aesthetically, as well as meaning it's no issue if the watch gets at all wet

Any time, amigo

They look fantastic As for this: Get it black-lumed, keep the look, gain the glow

Personally, I'd just put the Ingenieur (right hand pad with just the 12 and 6 numerals) on a rubber strap

I couldn't really make out the pics on the iPhone last night, but that is not only a winning combo, but that clasp really looks the business, no-one would ever guess it was a rep part, it really sets the mesh off perfectly

No change here, still wearing the usual beater The weather's been in the high 20s, sometimes a bit humid, and I've been in the pool a few times, and I have to say, the Tropic-style strap from Modena really is the ideal strap for this kind of weather, and well worth every penny Fantastic quality, at a price even I could afford

It was seeing your pre-Daytona on the Tropic strap which gave me the 'final color-scheme' for my project, although I'm planning to make it a Tudor Chronograph instead of a Rolex, and also gave me the final push I needed to try the Modena Tropic-Style strap, which has been a real pleasure to wear during the recent hot/humid weather

Very classy, bro