Watches: Can't decide between a Yao Seiko,O&W,SandY,or Marathon

acoldspoon

acoldspoon

Joined
Apr 16, 2003
Messages
94
I've reposted this here. It had been posted at Practical Tactical, what can I say, not enough sleep on my part.

Watches: Can't decide between a Yao Seiko,O&W,SandY,or Marathon

I just can't decide. I need something robust enough for Urban Search And Rescue and Paramedic work. Something I can read well in the dark is very important. It must work well at high altitudes as I glacier ski above 11,000 feet. As far as I can see, hacking isn't really important. I work with others who don't have watches that hack, so I don't think I'll use the feature much. The watch must have an understated tactical elegance, something you could wear to a black tie affair one day, and to a crack house for a cardiac call the next day. It must be waterproof to some degree, I do swiftwater rescue, but I won't be scuba diving with it. I hate wearing watches as it is, so I can't see owning more than one. I also have smallish hands, so a gigantic watch is out for me, it just looks wrong and ends up being uncomfortable. I haven't really settled the auto vs quartz question yet, dependability and accuracy is very important to me. If I get the SandY or the Marathon, I'll see if Bill Yao can install a tritium orange tipped seconds hand for me, I'm in NYC and I hear he's moving to town. Strap wise, I think I'll be getting a NATO strap. Maybe a nice regimental one for when I dress up. To clarify, I am considering the following watches and have a $200 budget (give or take):
1)Bill Yao Seiko
2)O&W (not sure if this will really be affordable)
2)SandY, Stocker and Yale, 650 with tritium seconds hand added
4)Marathon Navigator with tritium seconds hand added
The watch must be:
a)Robust
b)Reliable
c)Easy to read in the dark
d)Elegant yet not flashy (must not scream "Mug owner, take watch")
e)Not gigantic

So, any suggestions?
Cheers,
Peter:confused:
 
To be brutally honest with you. Your requirements cry out for a Casio G-Shock. You mention swift-water rescue. Having done a bit of that myself, I can tell you that rushing water even at the surface can put as much strain on a watch as SCUBA diving. The Marathon and Stocker and Yale are actually Navigation watches and were never meant for heavy water immersion.

A Yao Seiko would work for you, as would an O&W, but as a watch enthusiast and collector, as well as a rescue diver, I personally use a G-Shock during most of my high speed work.
 
Thanks for the reply. I really am set on analog for a number of reasons. First of all, as an EMT/Medic and a K9 Handler, I need to be able to read a watch in the dark without having a free hand. Digitals require a button to be pushed, I often don't have that free hand. I also like the simplicity of analog. I have a Palm T in a waterproof housing for anything more complicated. And no offense, but those G-Shocks are too big and too ugly IMHO. You are right about the SandY and Marathon, I think. Will a 6 ATM rating on the Marathon Navigator cut it? I'm starting to think it might not. It looks like the choices are a Traser, Luminox, Seiko, or O&W. I'm really interested to know how the Seiko 007 compares to the O&W. I guess I just like the idea that when the fit hits the shan, at least I wouldn't have to change watches. It is one less thing I'd have to worry about.
So that others may live,
Peter
 
The best choice from the options that you posted would be the Seiko diver. They are tough, reliable, and easy to read. If you wish to save some money you can skip the customization, as these watches are perfectly functional as they come stock.

There are several O&W that are in your price range, but some lack screw-down crowns; which makes them poorly suited to use in water. Many (all that I have seen) of the more moderately priced Swiss autos use a fairly low-grade ETA 2824 that does not have Incabloc shock protection and is therefore vulnerable to vibration and bumps.

Since you seem to have a real need for reliability I'd take an auto over a quartz any day, as the last thing that you need is a dead battery.
 
Now i'm not trying to disduade you here but I don't want you to make a decision on meager information. Many G-Shocks have a Auto EL Backlight. All you have to do to active the backlight is simply turn your wrist toward your body and it comes on. No buttons to push. This feature only comes on at night to save power and can be turned off. They also do make a couple of smaller ones. I will try and post some pics but if they don't work the model number is G-2800.
G-2800B-8VDR.jpg


picture3.jpg


Hope this helps!

Ryan W
Oh one more thing, this particular model is solar powered.
 
Have you considered a Yao Luminox? I have a Yao Seiko. I love it. But nothing will be as bright as any of the watches with trityium tubes.
 
I have a Yao Seiko and love it. While it's not quite as bright as the Luminox it does a good job. Add the Rhino band and you will have a great package.

Cheers!
Scottk
 
Here is a pic of a Yao luminox. This one is the SS with CF bezel:

fbef5ef7.jpg


I personally prefer mechanical to quartz, so I ended up with the Seiko. Which, as I stated above, I really love. I am going to order a MOD Seiko from him as soon as I can.
 
I was wearing a O&W M4 diver yesterday and I like it. I think the SS bracelet is kind of cheesy looking so I changed it out to a CF and I like it. So far no problems.
 
If I were looking for something that would fit at a black tie affair or a crack house it would be the Yao no date MOD Seiko with sword hands, domed crystal sapphire, aluminum chapter ring.
 
Fishbulb,
So the Seiko movement is more shock protected than the O&W movement? That is a big factor in my choosing.

Shootist,
I think I've narrowed it down to either the Yao Seiko or Yao Luminox. I wonder when he'll be done relocating to NYC. I'd like to see both on my wrist and then decide. I have a soft spot for stylish things with no brand names. I'm just not into being an ad for a company. While a small logo or identifying mark is OK, stylishly sterile is even better. That's one of the reasons I really like the Yao jobs.

Ryan,
While some people really enjoy digital watches, I'm not one of them. I find the faces distracting, I don't use the extra features, and I'm very used to taking pulses using and analog dial. Every digital I have purchased has been lost due to sporadic use as a result is distaste. And once again, I find them to be weird for me to take a pulse with. My life may be a bit extreme at times, but I'm still basically a creature of habit. Also, there is not one single G-shock made that isn't too casual for my tastes. OK, so I've got long hair and a soul patch, I'm still a preppy at heart. I guess, as I get older, I appreciate a more introverted and refined style in things like watches. I also wouldn't buy anything that I couldn't wear with a leather and/or fabric strap. I hate metal bracelets, and rubber/plastic straps don't breath.

Cheers,
Peter:cool:
 
Originally posted by acoldspoon
Fishbulb,
So the Seiko movement is more shock protected than the O&W movement? That is a big factor in my choosing.
Click to expand...

ALthough I am not positive, I can say with a reasonable degree of certainty that it is. This is based upon my experiences with other ETA 2824 watches in the O&W price range, which have invariably lacked a quality shock protection system. I have never seen an O&W with the case back off, but from what I know of them I'd be astonished if they had an Incabloc system. The Seiko does not have an actual Incabloc, but appears instead to have a copy that has a virtually identical design.

You can find an excellent review and description of Seiko's 7s26 auto movement here.
 
Good Evening All-

In terms of a "proper" watch to be worn with a tuxedo at a black-tie affair, the correct answer is NO watch at all. If you want to be a traditionalist, wearing any watch would be considered a faux pas for a gentleman. This general rule has been modernized/updated over the years to allow a simple, two-hand watch with formal clothes. Wearing a plastic digital watch to a serious affair-of-state is something to which only Bill Clinton would stoop...

Given your range of activities, I would ABSOLUTELY favor the Bill Yao Seiko. If desired, you could select a leather-backed kevlar strap to balance extremely robust performance with a slightly more formal appearance than a steel bracelet. Depending on the steel bracelet in question, this is certainly open for debate.

The quality Seiko product has satisfied thousands upon thousands of users. It is durable, reasonably-priced, and can be pretty flexible in terms of clothing with which it can be paired. I believe the "sterile" appearance of the watch enhances this ability. Good luck with your purchase and have fun!

Regards,

~ Blue Jays ~
 
Originally posted by Blue Jays
Good Evening All-

>In terms of a "proper" watch to be worn with a tuxedo at a black-tie affair, the >correct answer is NO watch at all. If you want to be a traditionalist, wearing >any watch would be considered a faux pas for a gentleman.

Blue Jays,
I respectfully beg to differ. Admittedly, there are certainly regional traditions regarding proper dress, so I can only speak to my upbringing and life experience in and around NYC, L.A., D.C.,England, and Italy. In New York City, a stones through from Tuxedo, a wristwatch is exceptable. It can have a seconds hand as well as two others, as long as it is elegant. In fact, wristwatches were worn by some of the members of the Tuxedo Club itself. Mind you, I am referring to Black Tie affairs (and Morning attire too). I agree that at a White Tie affair, a wristwatch would be out of place, a pocket watch would be acceptable. As I am a first responder, I allow myself more latitude when it comes to things like watches, knives, cell phones, and small folding CPR mask cases (mines a nice leather one on my keychain) at formal events. Mind you, I also believe in personal expression and appropriately challenging tradition, so each to his own, within reason. For instance, I have never worn a plastic wristwatch to any of the affairs of state I have attended in Washington or NYC. To the last presidential ball I attended, I wore a vintage wristwatch that had been my father's. Unfortunately it self destructed before I was through with college. To my Black Tie and traditional Korean Ham-Bak wedding in a 15th century Venetian Palace, I wore a Skagen titanium watch with multiple alarms due to my balancing the planning of the wedding with guests flying in from all over the word and the need to take medicine at specific times for a temporary health setback. A simpler watch would have been more in tune with the occasion, but there was a wedding to throw...and the ability to organize left me more time to relax.
You are right about getting a Yao. The kevlar strap sounds cool, got any pictures?
Cheers,
Peter
Click to expand...
 
Good Evening All-

Acoldspoon, you can see the kevlar and kevlar/leather straps offered by Howard Marx at West Coast Time from San Marino, California. This person has a rock-solid reputation on TimeZone and other enthusiast sites, so you can feel very comfortable ordering from his company. The watch in the hyperlink above just happens to be a Seiko automatic.

I think we're pretty much in agreement regarding pairing a watch with a tuxedo. It surely ain't proper in the traditional sense, but modern times have permitted some variation on the old rules. I would estimate that more than 98% of men wear a wristwatch of some sort with a tuxedo these days.

Maybe you can have your father's damaged vintage watch restored by a competent watchmaker? That is an unfortunate story. You should have a healthy choice of fine craftsmen in New York.

Regards,

~ Blue Jays ~
 
I have an old Luminox, it's o.k. but the one I have is all plastic which I hate. However, the trijicon glow in the dark works like a mofo.

I've had my Chase Durer "Fighter Command" now for about 5 months now and I really love it alot!!! All I can say is I can't wait till my next one!:)
 
Blue Jays,

Thanks for that link to West Cost Time. I just picked up a Seiko ??? (Divers 200, automatic, 7n36-6a49) with a Waterborne band and was looking around to pick up a couple more bands in this style for some of my other watches. Very cool website. :D
 
I have a Luminox NATO Field watch which is somewhat waterproof, although not to the extent that their SEAL watches are.

The NATO Field model satisfied all of my requirements:

1. Analog-only.
2. Nonsporting.
3. Nontechnical.
4. Leather strap.
5. Quartz movement.

Are SandY, Swiss Army, and Luminox watches all made by the same company? They look similar.
 
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