jameswrx

iTrader: (4)

Good stuff. I've got way too many, the only torch I use a lot is my sunwayman V10R titanium. But I've got loads of others, even aspheric lens'd examples that throw a perfect LED shape for hundreds of yards (dead handy haha). Mind you, I do enjoy seeing people's face when I say "oh I've got a torch you can use" and hand them my tiny ITP AAA light equipped with a 3.7v 10440 cell. Blows most people's minds what's possible.

Matteeboy

Even my 500 lumen Fenix raises a few eyebrows but my 1800 lumen (properly tested, not some Chinese import) bike light is truly epic. I pair it with a 500 lumen lid light for proper death beam fun!

I have plenty more too...

john banks

I have average wrist girth but find large watches end up digging in with wrist movement and complicate frequent hand washing. Since I deal with a lot of ****, both these things are necessary. If I am not working, I am already too much of a slave to time.

Saxo Boy

One thing that is worrying me about the Hawk is that its 53mm and I think I have wimpy wrists (although I've never measured or compared them)

Matteeboy

53mm is HUGE!

Saxo Boy

Spec Here. I was wrong, it's 51mm although I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that they take the crown in with that measurement as well.

Matteeboy

They look good but they are just quartz movements. For £300, I'd want a proper auto.

jameswrx

iTrader: (4)

53mm is big, the seiko's in the vids are roughly 10mm small than that and they're a fair size on the wrist!

Matteeboy

Indeed - I have fairly slim wrists (6'5" I think) and my Seiko is 42mm (see earlier pic). Unless you have enormous wrists, 53mm could look a bit daft!

Saxo Boy

I just measured and my wrists are 7" on the nose. I think 51mm will be far too large. I also found a detailed review of the Hawk here which includes a picture of it on a measuring grid.

At the moment I'm probably leaning towards something like the Seiko Black Monster or the SNZF17K1 black automatic, both of which are neatly under budget.

magepaster

iTrader: (2)

I have wrists measuring in at almost 8.5 inches so can carry off a biggish watch. I've often thought of getting the Seiko Monster in orange and have finally decided to take the plunge.

Saxo Boy

Trigger Pulled

Reasons I chose this watch:

1. More appropriate size for my wrists
2. Screw down crown and certified 200m rating
3. Clean looking design
4. Automatic movement [matteeboy makes a good point; seem more 'right']
5. Very well reviewed online and regarded as an excellent VFM watch

Thanks to everyone that contributed

Matteeboy

Good choice! I'm not very impressed with how Creation dealt with a warranty issue but if you do have an issue, send it to Seiko UK.

That's a great watch; enjoy!

jameswrx

iTrader: (4)

Yeah, good choice. Mine is the Pepsi version of that, I do fancy a 007 myself.

There are a couple of online places selling the skx models over here but I'm sure they're buying them from creation anyway.

You got the right bracelet with the solid links, they do a hollow one but it's naff.

There's quite a following for the auto seiko's, and something like that (if you look after it) will not only last well, but they're future classics for certain enthusiasts.

I'm quite pleased with my latest one, the seiko 5 sport version of that watch really. No screw down crown like my skx but it's got a see through back and the hour markers are nicer.

Saxo Boy

I was really torn between the 007 and the cheaper 5 sport. I really liked the idea of the glass back but I figured I'd look at it a few times then never bother to look again. The swinging point was that the sport isn't a true divers watch. The 007 feels like a more authentic timepiece; designed with a purpose in mind and fit for that purpose. They Sport felt a bit more like something you'd buy window shopping in the high street because it looks nice at a reasonable price.

Matteeboy

Mine is a 200m Seiko 5 (same movement as yours Saxo) but not an official diver; it does feel very solid though: probably a sort of halfway house between the two.

jameswrx

iTrader: (4)

The case is much nicer on the one you've bought compared to the 5's. You'll love it I'm sure. It's got a great look and feel to the sides of it. Like you say, the 5 case looks like every cheaper watch I've had, but the one you've bought has a real nice look to the sides. They've got a good feel about them for the money & the auto & the second hand movement is cool.

Only reason I got the 5 sport one too was I found one very cheap (nearly new) Saying that though it's still a great watch for the money, very cheap on creation and much better on the wrist than in pics.

Matteeboy

The 5s do cover a huge range of watches though from £40 specials to £300 stuff. The case of mine is like it's hewn from a solid billet of steel. Oh they say it's a 7S36 movement but it's actually 7S26, 23 jewel.

http://www.creationwatches.com/produ...z211-3810.html

I went for the fully Jap J version instead of the non Jap K version.

I'd buy another (from somwhere else) without hesitation - some of the Grand Seikos are lovely and IMO have superior movements to pretty much any watch in the World but they ain't cheap!

chopperman

Good tough watch that will last years. 7s26 is a good movement but you may find after a few months it starts to run a little fast. This is basically due to it being "run in" so the oils have thinned from when it was calibrated in the factory. Its a pretty straight forward job to adjust but can take quite a few goes before you get it set right.Any watchmaker can do the job cheaply.

Daryl

Good choice - and you've got enough left over from your original budget to get a Monster!

It's the uglier, chunkier, tougher, better built brother of the 007!

chopperman

I bought my son an orange monster, great watch. If you want even chunkier then there is always the tuna can.,

Scooby-kid

I know nothing about watches but the Casio Ediface range looks visually stunning

Quite fancy one of the radio controlled solar powered ones.

Scott

Scooby-kid

*Edifice sorry

Saxo Boy

What I found amusing at the weekend was this Casio was something stupid like £45 in John Lewis. I remember when it was £9.99 from Argos in the 80s. How does that work then? It must cost literally 5p to manufacture these days

Matteeboy

I have two of them - one fully digi, one analogue. Decent watches and very accurate!





The Edifice ones do look very good but for some reason, are only 100m waterproof.

Now I have the Seiko, I tend to only wear the G Shocks surfing (I have four in total).

Recently got this as a spare; the missus now wears it all the time - £8 delivered!!

LSherratt

iTrader: (1)

Same one as mine, although I ditch the metal bracelets for different straps.

fpan

iTrader: (11)

You can get this within budget, it has a japanese mechanism; I've been very satisfied with mine

magepaster

iTrader: (2)

Now, I like the look of that.

lozgti1

Nice choice.

I keep sizing up Orient Mako auto.Really good reviews.About £100 and think Seiko own them

Look similar to one you bought (and my longines hydro)

Rapid17