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Which should I get? 1655 or GMT II c


TeeJay

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At the moment, I'm having the usual Libran conundrum of being able to balance both arguments, so I need my bros to settle it for me... A bit about me...

I'm very much a 'jeans and white shirt' kind of guy. I can wear a suit and look smart, but I don't often have the need to. If it's hot, I'll wear combat shorts and a wifebeater, so something which goes with that would be prefereable...

I do like vintage watches. I like that they don't draw attention through polished surfaces, I like that they don't even look anything special, so don't attract any attention, and, I like that I don't have to worry about keeping them pristine...

At the moment, I have one Vintage Sub in permanant use, which I really enjoy wearing, and, I have a NATO sub project on the go, which will also be in the vintage aesthetic...

If I were to get a GMT II c (actually just a black bezeled GMT II, (no ceramic insert) but with green hand and lettering :bangin: ) then I think it would give me a nice 'smart watch' for special occasions/going out, (when I might make the effort to at least wear a clean white shirt :D ) And, it would also add a 'modern watch' to my collection, even if it wouldn't actually get much regular wrist time :)

If I were to get a 1655, it would give me the opportunity to vintagize another watch, maybe try a few new techniques, and add a really iconic watch to my collection... It would certainly make a pleasant alternative to the vintage sub, but, would not be any better for 'smart wear', so would not give a 'smart alternative', nor would it provide the functionality of a second time-zone, which, although something I don't use often, is useful to be able to use if the need arises...

So, bearing in mind what I tend to wear, which do you think would be better suited for my personality?

Thanks in advance :)

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I think you would be pleasantly suprised with a nice blingy polished SA for going out. I'm not kidding either, you just have to try it out and see what I mean.

:D

Thanks for the suggestion, but bling's really not my style :D If I was to get an accurate GMTIIC with the polished mid-links, I'd brush them out of the polished look before wearing the watch, as that was something I really didn't like about the gen (or my less than accurate YachtMaster :D ) so I don't think it would be worth me getting a really bling watch, even for going out, as it would just be totally out of character for me :D

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Is this a rhetorical joke T'J?

For heaven's sake, the 1655 of course.

If you want a 'smart' watch, Rolex is entirely off the table. I mean, in the 'Sport realm' where you reside, horologically, a 16613 could do the job, but that's certainly no more 'you' than the latter day GMT. For that get a 'Vach. Gentlemen prefer.

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Thanks for the feedback, guys 1655 it is then :)

Is this a rhetorical joke T'J?

For heaven's sake, the 1655 of course.

If you want a 'smart' watch, Rolex is entirely off the table. I mean, in the 'Sport realm' where you reside, horologically, a 16613 could do the job, but that's certainly no more 'you' than the latter day GMT. For that get a 'Vach. Gentlemen prefer.

Thanks for the insight, as usual, you make perfect sense :)

I say go to a Breitling AD and check it out. Get yourself some variety :yeah:

The ones I've tried on thus far, while nice watches for sure, really didn't do anything for me at all. Breitling is probably the one brand I could never see myself wearing :D

GMT IIc obviously doesn't really suit your tastes imo Teej, you'd just get it and want to mangle it and thats not really the right look for it ;)

Go vintage, its definately more 'you' and utilitarian.

I have to admit, had the result been for the not-quite GMTIIC, it wouldn't've been mangled, just kept as an out of the box alternate wearer, although I think I would have potentially found it more versatile functionally, rather than aesthetically :)

VINTAGE for sure TJ! ;) And as you said if you're going to mod it yourself you get the satisfaction of the labor spent on it.

Here are some teasers for you....

DSCN4548.jpg

DSCN4536.jpg

DSCN5087.jpg

DSCN4548c.jpg

Thanks for the teasers :good: I think you're right that I'd get more satisfaction from vintagizing a watch as a project, than I would from just owning and keeping one 'as is' :)

Thanks for all the advice, guys :drinks:

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I think know your drive to experiment, you would have more fun on a 1655 project than merely unpolishing a IIc. It wouldn't fill the void as well for a "smart" watch that the polish of the IIc would give, but if you take away the shine, you end up in the same spot anyways...so you might as well have fun with a project you would enjoy more.

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I think know your drive to experiment, you would have more fun on a 1655 project than merely unpolishing a IIc. It wouldn't fill the void as well for a "smart" watch that the polish of the IIc would give, but if you take away the shine, you end up in the same spot anyways...so you might as well have fun with a project you would enjoy more.

I think you're absolutely right, it would definitely be the more satisfying project, and overall, I think a more fitting watch to my other tastes :)

This is the 1655 I've got my eye on. Far from perfect, I know, most obviously, the need for a bracelet swap, but I have one of those in my parts box, so no problem there... A few dings in the case, 10 seconds under the grill for the dial, and I think I'll have something vaguely presentable (in terms of aged appearance, not in terms of a watch to wear somewhere swanky :lol: ) It's a watch which has been on my radar for a while, but only now that one has been available at such a low price, that I've got the spare cash to actually buy, so I definitely think it's a trigger which needs pulling :)

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I tell you my best wishes for your new project ...

Archimedes

Many thanks :) I've been collecting reference material of aged 1655s, so I'll have an understanding of how they age, or rather, how well they age, which seems to be better than how Submariners age :)

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Many thanks :) I've been collecting reference material of aged 1655s, so I'll have an understanding of how they age, or rather, how well they age, which seems to be better than how Submariners age :)

There *are* tritium dials that are still white... just means they aren't exposed to the elements as much, so to say. Ie. the crown is screwed down properly! Much rarer to find them, but find them you can...

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