TeeJay

I use my EXPII last trip to Asia.....I always adjust well coming Asia way, but have a hard time adjusting back home! It takes about 5 days to finally get in synch!

TJ! Waiting for your Japan pix, Bro! Hope you had a great time with the wify!

F

I thought you used your AP Safari It was actually your shots of that which made me wonder if I would have adapted better with a regular watch, rather than the GMT which constantly displayed the UK time...

The pics are already up in the off-topic section, bro It was an awesome time, I only wish we could have stayed longer, to have experienced more of the country, and spent more time with people

Ever since I started wearing this, my GMT experience greatly improved. I used to find it a hinderance with my Rolexes as if I used the bezel it would get hit and I personally don't care for the 24 hour bezel format as the hand reading changes. With the jumping hour pusher system moving forward and backward across midnite it is a breeze. And I love the 24 hour window for home time which tells night/day via 24 hr obviously, but does so without interfering with the main hands or dial. I wish more companies did "non-bezel read" GMT watches. I never travel with anything but this and I bring my DJ for a dressier change of pace usually as well. I will wear the GMT as a more casual day watch and the DJ as more of a night watch with of course strictly the Un on for actual travel days.

I've said it before, bro, that is an awesome watch, and incredibly elegant, but I'm a little confused by what you meant with the text I've boldened...

I know what you mean about how a bezel can get knocked, and it's funny, previously, I said I liked the all-black GMT insert, as it meant that only the numbers moved, while the watch retained it's same appearance, but, I have to admit, having the coke insert did make it easier to make the day/night distinction at a glance... That's the awesome thing about this hobby, any time I get 'too comfortable' with an idea, a new watch shows me the error of my ways

LOVE GMT watches- very convenient on business/ pleasure trips- i'm comforted knowing my home time

I'd definitely agree with you there, but do you find that knowing your home timezone affects how you adapt to local time?

If you are talking external design... Rolex didn't have anyone worthwhile to copy, as Omega did, by innovative lifting of practically everything Rolex, then basing their bigger crapper watches on their earlier crappy Rolex 'homage' watches

If you are talking internal design... Rolex has a habit of improving their movements (and the ebauche they buy for their Tudor line) rather than using crappier and crappier movements with minor (or in the singular case of the co-axial, major, and sometimes barely functional) 'improvements' in their ever expanding line of 'follow the idiot market' watches..

Bond Sub - classic, no you can't have a free one to promote the brand...

Bond Seamaster? OMG!!@#!@! Look how much money we can make with branding $50 shit quartz and $200 shittier co-axial movement flash bang watches with 007 logos!

Omega 'Innovation' has been running down hill toward fashion-watchdom since they took their first baby-steps down the slide with the change from the 321 to the 861 in their chronos...

* Innovation Note: Rolex did share Lemania movements with Omega (and most other high quality chronos of the 50's-60's, but you will notice Rolex switched to the much better Zenith ebauche when available, on their way to the development of their own complete, superior, movement. Omega has proven themselves marginally capable of re-producing Dr. Daniel's original radial friction co-axial escapement improvement to their line.

Now... don't even get me started on Heuer (ne

Actually, I will wear it sparingly and for special occasions, I don't want to damage it, or even scratch the thing for that matter!

I'd always intended mine to be a beater, but I hadn't planned on having to use the crystal to replace the crystal in my GMT I'd also had an unfortunate accident with brushing the bezel insert, so it's probably best that I just source a new one, and keep this for parts Funnily, I felt the Yacht-Master was a bit 'obvious' for special occasions, and felt it worked better as a casual watch

Seamaster Pro on gen rubber.

I love this watch.

I've always liked that combo, just never gotten round to trying it for myself

Looks good MP! I have a WM9 on it's way to me, and seeing pictures like this only make me want it more

The Yachtmaster is a real grower, I love the silver coloured bezel (Platinum on the gen?) and the way there isn't too much contrast with the dial. It looks very classy, yet still sporty. It reminds me a little of the UN MMD's.

As Mickey said, I think you'll really like it. I was immediately won over by the 3D bezel insert, it's a very classy watch. I just wish I hadn't trashed mine

Thanks!

It was a scary time, but every cloud has a silver lining (or bezel?)

I can imagine it was, but, indeed, everything worked out well A totally awesome watch, I have a hunch you'll be giving it a lot of wrist time

Awesome watch, amigo, I'm glad to hear your transaction came off well

Very nice write-up. Reminded me a Paneristi/Rolex blog (can't remember which) in which this guy was on a PR tour of Seiko and spent a lot of time visiting watch haunts with leisure pics thrown in as well.

I've only ever done a couple of flying visits in and out of Narita for work (with a night or two's stay) but no more than a snatched hour or two leisure time. Which believe me is excruciatingly frustrating and actually worse than never visiting in the first place.

It's top of my list to go back for a couple of weeks or more - a week between modern Tokyo and Kyoto, and another travelling around the country, visiting more rural Japan - but for now like Ubi says, living vicariously will have to do.

Thanks I know the write up you mean, it was an article by John Holbrook II, who's written some really nice Rolex reviews. A very nice guy as well

I know what you mean about that kind of visits, not so much from personal experience, but from a friend who's a singer and has travelled quite extensively, but said about how all she ever saw of a country was airports, hotels, and the gigs, not the actual country itself...

I think Japan definitely needs at least a fortnight, probably three weeks, to appreciate properly, and see enough of the country to make it worth while, from a pure tourism point of view

Well, it would certainly lose something in the translation, but if you could bend the ameri-western colloquialism of "Good Times!" around the more

Shinto state of 'eternal well being through goodness' you'd scratch the surface.

Ahh, awesome, domo arigato indeed My ability to speak Japanese is pretty much limited to please, thankyou, yes and no, but I'm pleased that I managed to get by on just that, and a knowledge of the culture (bowing at the right time, giving items with both hands etc) without having to resort to the typical 'Brits abroad' mentality of "IF I SPEAK LOUD ENOUGH THEY WILL UNDERSTAND ME!!!"

If you wouldn't mind, I saved the pic of the 47's 'winglet' sporting the Union Jack. Classic! More an aero-phile and history buff than worldly traveler, I found the photo revealing on many levels. As you would know, the Union colors on a 'jack flag' were reserved for the Queen's Navy. Then of course, the Who I would say one of Branson's 747's come close enough?

Amazing considering not too, too long ago, this was 'state of the art' world travel;

BOT, 'these are the good old days' for sure T'J. Here's to looking back on them when the time comes

By all means, feel free to save a copy Indeed, a much misunderstood and mis-appropriated flag, but, a fine symbol of what the United Kingdom stands for (in theory at least )

Awesome photos of the Victory, I visited the Cutty Sark in Greenwich when I was younger, and always had a fascination with all things nautical

thanks for the trip

cheers,

Frank

No problem at all, I'm glad you enjoyed it

and a group shot:

That's a fine collection you have there, bro Two DSSDs? You must really like them

I'm still working on my 1680 project. I had an excellent case, but wanted one with a custom serial so I sold it to another member. Now I'm stuck playing the waiting game to get myself another case.

Now I have the movement dial and hand set but no home for them, so I decided to a safe place would be to keep them in an old datejust case!

The movement is a Rolex 1570. I just got it back from a complete service and had a radial silver date disc installed and a new mainspring for good measure. The dial is a genuine RSC replacement dial with luminova markers as are the hands. These babies glow like a torch!

I think it looks pretty cool! Just don't mind the YG crown with the WG bezel, or the specs of dust on the crystal. This is just for fun!

Just the kind of project I like

I appreciate the watches, but I'm not so keen on the company which makes them

I think after the amount of customization and modification I've made to it, it's safe to finally call this 'my watch'

Eleven watches is a good sized collection, what pieces do you have? Welcome to the party

Any visits to the Ginza district?

Sadly not, we stayed entirely in Ikebukuro, as we never really had the time or budget to travel further afield. I really wanted to visit Shinjuku, but sadly, it just wasn't a possibility. Maybe next visit, insha'allah

That was a truly enjoyable read, TeeJay, thanks much for posting.

So...did you ever find out what the HAL 2000 panel was?

Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed reading it

We didn't actually ask, but my wife thought that they might have been some kind of fire hydrants or fire safety equipment... If anyone else does know, I'd be most interested to find out

Really enjoyed your account TeeJay, seems a very lively city and certainly one you need full batteries for

Thanks, and sorry I missed your comment earlier Indeed, Tokyo is pretty lively, but actually not as busy as I was expecting. You're absolutely right about needing full batteries to enjoy. I think had I adapted to the time zone better, or maybe had a longer stay, I think I would have been able to go to a few other places I'd wanted to visit (such as a shrine in Shinjuku, and take the bullet train to Osaka) At the moment, I've settled back in at home, with no jet lag whatsoever (just standard fatigue from travel) but I'm really missing the easy supply of Pocari Sweat

Hey TeeJay, awesome write up, well worth doing! I have always wanted to visit Japan myself. One day maybe.

Getting immersed in a completely different culture must be stimulating.

I hope you get to go back one day.

Great read

Thanks, amigo Indeed, if you ever do get the chance, it is one worth taking As you say, it's very stimulating to be immersed in a different culture. I guess I didn't find too much of a problem with that, as I have studied Japanese culture quite extensively, and although I can't read Japanese, I can say things like 'yes, no, please and thankyou', and to be honest, that was all I actually needed to be able to speak, as I have a Japanese phrase book app on my iPhone, which I simply used like cue cards for if I needed to ask anything complicated, so the language wasn't really an issue, and although the exchange rate isn't 1:1, the prices were easy enough to take at face value, and not worry about over-spending

i really enjoyed reading this!

thx TJ

No problem, I'm glad you enjoyed reading it It trailed off a bit towards the end, as once we'd left Japan, there pretty much wasn't anything else to report

Great photos!

Tokyo's a fantastic place, Osaka too. Looking forward to going back soon.

Thanks Some didn't come out as well as I'd've liked, but never mind I really wanted to go to Osaka, but sadly, we just didn't have the time or cash to make the trip

superb !

so how was that lesbian vampire movie anyway ?

Thanks It was one of the worst movies I've watched Utterly cheesy, but sadly, not really funny, poorly acted, and way too busy trying to be 'ironic' to actually succeed in that attempt... Of them all, the best movie was the Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Infact, I'd say that's one of the best movies I've ever seen, so I'd highly recommend giving it a look

Cho~Sugoi TJ san!!!!

that was a very enjoyable narrative of your trip.. I know you were looking forward to this for you and Emily and your Buddy Andrew.. I'm happy it went well for you !!

thank you for taking the time to share this with us !!

A~C

Lani

As above, the universal translator is off-line, R-san, but domo arigato It really was awesome, and all came off without a hitch Well, I did break a pair of sunglasses (and nearly a finger) tripping over the table in the karaoke joint, and get a taxi to deliver us back to the hotel, but other than that, it was smooth as silk And of course, any time, I'm only too happy to document my travels, it gives me something meaningful to do while traveling

Great read, but... who is andrew ?

Thanks, man The third sentence will answer that question for you

What a fun read. It sounds like a fantastic trip. I haven't been there in years...would love to go back. Weddings are truly a great occasion and excuse to get old long time friends and family together...and what better way to do it than to combine it with a vacation. Great stuff.

BTW...that suitcase looks awesome...it really does!!

Thanks, it was a fantastic trip Well, the 12 hour plane flight was a bit of a drag, but it really was a fantastic occasion

Thanks, I'm glad you like it I freehanded the designs with Sharpies while watching Miami Ink, and Dirty, Rotten Scoundrels the evening before the flight

よい時!

I'm afraid my universal translator's off-line, but domo arigato