Military Watches
Diving watches as Fashion Statements
by on Aug.09, 2010, under Military Watches, Sport and Dive Watches, Watches of the World
You probably already knew that diving watches—while certainly acceptable for diving—are marketed just as much for non-divers as they are hardcore divers and military units. The latter explains why. A diving watch as a fashion statement can take all the qualities of a toned, tanned elite diver and incorporate all them into the watch. Who knew that watches could serve such a powerful fashion metaphor?
Up your cool factor
Whether diving watches have fancy movements, triple-time zones or artfully-crafted dials and bezels, you can be sure that they will make a statement about your person. These pieces of wrist-wear are made for both sexes and give nearly anyone that cool, svelte look that only three-piece suits and lace-up Rockports could only fathom doing. Not only are diver watches cool-as-hell, and not only do they go to super-duper great depths in the sea—they also evoke a sense of “action” in their owners.
As far as others are concerned, you’re one that has served in elite military units. You’ve been a paratrooper for the Swiss government, and you’ve been a Navy Seal. You could have looked death in the eye—a killer shark or legendary giant-squid, perhaps—and lived the experience to gloat to tell it. Talk about cool!
Form over function—or is it function over form?
As stated before, of course, many diving watches never even come close to open water. People love them because of their attributes. Most do not even understand how those fancy dials, bezels, chronographs and chronometers actually work. And that’s fine, because these watches are marketed to practically everybody—not just the professional diver. Of course, if you wanted to use these deep underwater, most submerse up to 2000 feet quite comfortably and also come with such handy features as rotating bezels that serve as an alarm clock as to when you will run out of oxygen.
There are essentially two varieties of diving watches:
- The attribute type of diving watch is far more about form over function. These are the Blancpains, Panerai’s, Swiss Armies and Rolexes that are meant more for show. Nonetheless, they will usually come with essential diving features such as depth resistance, fancy luminescence and bezels that revolve and rotate.
- The computer variety of diving watches is more-or-less just that: computerized. They rely on sophisticated electronics to aid divers in critical measurements like depth, temperature, air mixture availability, and a myriad of electronic alarms that sound when circumstances are dire. They often feature the ability to even download diving data to a PC or MAC, share it or to just sit there and bask in your accomplishment.
The crème-de-la crème of dive watches
Among the most distinguished, most ruggedly-elegant watches there are a few diving watches that stand-out from the pack:
- Luminox’s Navy Seal Chronograph
- Bulgari’s Diagono Professional’s Scuba
- Blancpain’s “50th Anniversary Fifty Fathoms” (which will set you back a “miniscule” $13k)
- Oris’s TT1 Divers Regulator 1000m watch
- Tag Heuer’s Aquaracer 2000
Online varieties for all budgets
Okay, yes—those are some fairly high-end diving watches. However, there are brands online that are much, much more affordable. They are also just as handsome and lush as the former brands and models, and can fool practically anyone into believing that the time-piece is a five-figure watch.
Related Posts:
The Joy of Vintage Wristwatches
by on Aug.06, 2010, under Dress Watches, Military Watches
Vintage wristwatches have for centuries been one of the most prized collectors’ items. Not only that, but vintage watches are also hugely popular as hand-me-downs, family heirlooms and as gifts for a variety of celebrations. They do not even have to be ‘vintage’ in the strictest meaning of the word; many companies specifically design and make these watches to resemble a vintage look, and sometimes even have modern features incorporated into them. Those are known as replica vintage watches.
Let’s talk a little about actual vintage watches, though. The year was around 1900 and Dietrich Gruen introduced his line of wristwatches to the world. His mission: To produce the thinnest watch possible by cutting out some of the internal overlapping parts. Doing this, famous watches such as the VeriThin, SemiThin and Pentagon were made substantially thinner than its competitors.
Technically speaking, authentic vintage watches have certain characteristics:
- Typically, they are considered vintage if produced before 1970.
- Watches made in the mid ‘70s until modern day almost always use the Quartz movement feature which is Swiss-invented and is not indicative of a vintage watch.
- Vintage watches serve many purposes, like: as heirlooms, collector’s items, people who love to study in the inner workings, and so forth.
- Classic vintage watches have unique characteristics, such as: dials with Arabic numbers, oversized faces and shells, Swiss military engravings, or individual families’ last names engravings.
- Vintage watches were made by several renowned companies, such as: Wittnauer, Hamilton, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Omega, Perrelet and Universale Geneve.
- The Vintage Military style is one of the most treasured. It can be either Swiss or American-made, and common manufacturers of Vintage Militaries include Hamilton, Omega, Bulova, Waltham, Universale Geneve and Elgin.
- Of the former, 90% of them were made during or around the time of World War II, and are extremely valuable wristwatches.
- They were made, and are still sold by many antique dealers with metal, leather, or gator-skin bands.
What it means to own a vintage wristwatch
Owning a vintage wristwatch is a symbol that you are a person of integrity, sophistication, tradition and character. In many cultures and subcultures, vintage watches are handed down to posterity once they attain a certain age, or once a specific milestone has been achieved. In other cultures, people collect fine vintage wristwatches that have been fully-restored. They will then either sell these watches to discerning patrons or proudly display them at home and on their wrists.
Vintage watches are so much more than just keeping the time. They are a reflection of taste and an expression of high-style of the owner. They simply exude charm—something which most modern wristwatches cannot claim. In addition, vintage wrist-wear symbolizes an era that’s gone-by: an era where railroad workers used wristwatches and pocket watches to keep track of time, and a period of time in where quality and style in smaller numbers really meant something. We live in a time where goods are produced en masse and sold to the masses. Of course, there is nothing wrong with that. However, if you want to keep alive the times before mass-marketing then go online and browse the great selection of vintage wristwatches.
Related Posts:
Owning a Wenger Watch
by on Aug.03, 2010, under Military Watches, Sport and Dive Watches
Wenger Men’s 70891 Swiss Raid Commando Chrono Series Watch $223.53
|
Wenger Men’s 70893 Swiss Raid Commando Chrono Series Watch $227.89
|
Wenger Swiss Military Battalion Mens Watch 72458 $65.00
|
Wenger is the legendary manufacturer of Swiss Army knives. It all started at the Paul Boechat and Cie cutlery plant in Delemont, Switzerland, and Theodore Wenger was the man behind the knife. With the huge success of the Swiss Army knife, Wenger watches were introduced.
Today, the company is owned by Victorinox of Ibach, Switzerland and has been branded Wenger & Co. S.A. They are most-notably known as Wenger Swiss watches, due to their long and storied history manufacturing and selling Swiss Army knives. Wenger is hugely-known to produce some of the most beautiful, durable and precise watches in the world—thanks to their prestigious Swiss-Made legacy.
Models of Wenger Watches
When you own a Wenger Watch, you are literally wearing over a 100 years of watch-making and knife-making on your wrist. Take for example Wenger’s GST line: they’re truly, stunningly beautiful in their precise construction, as well as hand-crafted in the highest-quality stainless steels. They are also the same type use by Swiss Elite Forces and come as simple watches, watch-chronographs or watch-chronometers.
The TerraGraph line is another one of Wenger’s creations. Many of them sport brown or black leather straps, white or silver dials/bezel, and come standard with the Swiss Made insignia as well as the benchmark Swiss Quartz Movement technology (of which almost all authentic Swiss watches have).
The Battalion Diver series is a very attractive line of Wenger watches. The different Battalion watches have dark blue dials and metal bezels, stainless steel bands; others have black faces and bezels, with ornate white or gold dials and either stainless steel bands or leather straps.
Finally, the Aerograph collection has—in the opinion of many—some of the most beautiful watches ever designed and manufactured. Take, for example, the AeroGraph Chrono; it has a very distinctive bright yellow dial and black, stainless steel encasing and leather strap. Or the AeroGraph Cockpit Chrono: this features an elegant brown dial, with a brown leather strap and a 12-hour chronograph function. The Wenger chronograph mechanism is durable and reliable.
The range also includes some really beautiful watches for women and it is hard to beat a Wenger ladies watch if you are looking for an especially special gift for an extra special woman.
Benchmarks of Wenger Swiss quality
Those are just a few examples of quality Wenger watches. When you own a Wenger watch, you can be sure of the following, though:
• It has the benchmark Swiss quartz movement
• It uses, most-likely, the industry-standard “screw-on” casing
• It is made from the highest-quality mineral crystal
• It is back by Wenger’s industry-leading 3-year limited warranty
• Most are submersible up to an individually-specified depth
• And most benefit from the Wenger external unidirectional bezel
Extraordinary quality
Wenger’s watches are easily comparable to the likes of Rolex, Tag Heuer or even Cartier. How? They meet or exceed all of all the former’s levels of sophistication, technology, elegance and durability. Plus, they are made in Switzerland—the very country which invented the prestigious Quartz Movement and Swiss Movement. This is what makes Wenger watches certified as Swiss-Made, label that is highly-protected by international trade organizations and the Swiss government itself.
If you go online to find a Wenger Swiss, you’ll find tons of fine examples. Beware though, as there are plenty of counterfeiters out there; one of the easiest ways to spot a counterfeiter is to notice the price. Does it seem far too-low for such a sophisticated timepiece? Does the product description not specifically say either “Made in Switzerland” or “Swiss Made”? In the end, though, you will know a real Wenger Swiss when you see it, and if you are still not sure about it—call the company and make sure.
Related Posts:
-
Welcome to Swiss Watch Guide
You can also subscribe by email by filling the field below:
