Luxury and Affordable Watches
 ENTER CODE WA20 TO SAVE 20 PERCENT any watch.Today we are going to take a look at an all new offering from the well known Spinnaker Watch Company. They produce many active lifestyle watches suitable for diving and recreational use as well. I have handled many of their models over the past few years and they really do put together a decent watch for the money. Another nice thing Spinnaker is doing for you readers is offering a 20% discount off of this new model by entering code WA20 at checkout on www.Spinnaker-Watches.com Case The case is comprised of a new material they are experimenting with which is Polycarbonate. This is a super tough form of plastic and definitely helps keep the weight down on this casual dive-style watch. The case diameter measures in at 43MM and is 12MM thick. The lug opening is 22MM for all you strap fiends out there who love changing up straps on your watches. In my opinion, the Marina does actually fit more like a 41 or 42MM watch considering the lugs are semi integrated into the Polycarbonate case. I have a 6.25 inch wrist and normally a 43MM watch would be too large but this one seems to fit quite nice. Movement A great value proposition in this affordable offering is the addition of a trusty and reliable Seiko NH35 automatic movement. This movement is widely used across the board from larger companies all the way to smaller companies and micro brands. It is one I am very familiar with and I put my trust in it. The movement contains 24 jewels, beats at 3 Hertz ( 21,600 BPH ) and features the hacking and hand wind feature which is a must for a watch enthusiast. Dial The Marina does come in a few different variations including dial and strap colors which I urge you to take a look at on their website if this Black/Yellow combination doesn’t tickle your fancy. The black dial is legible covered by a mineral crystal with decent sized lumed applied markers ( LumeShot in Video ). We do get a date aperture at the 3 position which looks legibile to my eye and features a white background with black numbers. Surrounding the dial is a Black/Yellow uni-directional rotating bezel for timing up to 60 minutes which can be quite useful while out in the ocean on a boat or for casual use. The bezel action is pretty good for this price and only features slight play. Hands The hands on the Marina are quite similiar in style to the Spinnaker Cahill which I reviewed earlier last year and do have a slight vintage aesthetic. The hour hand is just the right size and features a snowball tip which is completely lumed as well as the similiar shaped minutes hand which slightly tapers towards the chapter ring where 60 minute markings are visible. Overall these hands make it very easy to read the time while glancing at your wrist. Strap The strap supplied with the Marina is a two-piece nylon nato style strap with brushed stainless steel hardware. I must say the quality of the strap is very good and it has some nice thickness to it whilst being flexible at the same time. Caseback Another nice feature on the Marina is the addition of a exhibition mineral caseback which is a pop on caseback. This watch is only water resistant to 50 Meters which some watch collectors might see as a let down but this watch was not meant to be a true diving watch and more of a casual everyday watch you can wear while on a boat or around town. Spinnaker does state the watch is suitable for light swimming. I have submerged the watch in a tank of water and had 0 problems so I assume they are correct. The caseback is finished off with a polish and some general information such as model #, water resistance, etc. Conclusion Furthermore, if you are in the market for a reliable and super affordable everyday wear watch with a diving bezel and some neat color combinations I can reccommend this watch to my readers. The price is quite outstanding when using the discount code which would bring the watch down to $95 USD. I do not know of any other companies using this caliber of movement and build for that price to be quite frank. If you really need a 200M true diving watch they do offer many options and styles which I have reviewed earlier this year. I hope you enjoyed the article and do watch the video below this for a hands-on approach. Leave me a comment! OFFICIAL SPECIFICATIONS CASECASE MATERIAL : Polycarbonate (PC) CASE DIAMETER (mm) : 43 CASE THICKNESS (mm) : 12 CASE SHAPE : Round CASE COLOUR : Black Dial COLOUR : Black BAND : Nylon Strap BAND COLOR : Black / Yellow BUCKLE : Normal Buckle BAND WIDTH (mm) : 22 WATER RATING: 5 ATM WEIGHT (g) : 66 WARRANTY : 2 Years International
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Today we are going to talk about a brand I have featured a few months ago on the Watch Addict channel, James McCabe. They recently released a vintage styled chronograph watch on a skull embossed leather strap and it really appealed to me in many ways. First off, James McCabe themes their brand after the iconic watchmaker whose roots originated in Ireland and later in London. Some famous faces who have worn Mccabe watches were Lord Horatio Nelson, and George Washington. George Washingtons pocket watch was actually sold at auction for a staggering ammount a few years back. Now let’s get on to the watch, shall we?  Case The 39.5MM case is comprised of 316L stainless steep in a very fine brushed finish and has some nice vintage aesthetics to the overall shape and look of the watch. For a chronograph being 14MM thick I do not see it as being oversized or too thick in my opinion and it fits the wrist just fine in these dimensions. They really did a good job mimicking the circular bulb shape of older vintage chronographs and it definitely shows. Movement This is a chronograph so to state the obvious the JM-1030-04 is equipped with a fully functional chronograph measuring up to 60 minutes. I believe it is using a Japanese Quartz Miyota chronograph which is not too bad especially for the pricepoint of this watch. The movement also displays a 24 hour subdial over at the 3 O clock position which does come in handy for daily use. I would expect this movement which is powered by a battery to gain around 2 seconds a month which is very good. Dial The model I have for review is their white or off white variation and it gets the job done proving that they can display a vintage aesthetic quite well in these modern times with modern machinery. We do get 12 and 6 applied arabic numerals as well as small applied circles to tell the time. They are raised a bit and definitely legibile at a glance, although some might prefer complete arabic numerals around the dial. I myself would of liked to see maybe a 3 and 9 marking, but as the subdials are quite large I dont think it would of been possible. Another nice touch is the railroad going around the outer portion of the dial with Tachymeter readings. The printing is very fine and neat down to the McCabe logo under the 12 position and “Chronograph” which is written anove the 6 position. The subdials are recessed a bit and are super legibile. The 3 o clock subdial measures 24 hours while the subdial over at 9 measures your 60 minute chronograph countdown. This dial is topped off with a domed mineral crystal. Hands Initially I assumed the hands were black from the stock ohotos I saw of the watch prior to release. When I received the watch I was amazed to see they are actually BLUE! These are not heat treated blue hands like you would see in luxury higher end brands but they do look quite elegant and go along with the vintage theme here. In terms of styling these are Breguet styled hands and hands that I do personally adore. Strap The 20MM strap which tapers down to 18MM at its smallest is a genuine leather brown 2 piece strap of really good quality. I was expecting this because the other James McCabe watches I have reviewed in the past always had very high quality and supple straps. This one is a little different as there is Skulls embossed on the backside of the strap which give the watch a bit of a more modern aesthetic. Now keep in mind nobody but you will be able to see this because it is on the underside. The strap will need a couple of wears to get it broken in , but once broken in it certainly conforms to the wrist. The buckle is brushed and signed with the McCabe logo in a medium size. Another thing to take note of is the quick-release pins installed on the strap. This makes it very easy for the wearer to change out straps within seconds. Well done McCabe, well done. Caseback The caseback is screwed down and allows for 5ATM of water resistance which is definitely not something you want to submerge underwater but do not be frightened washing your hands while wearing it. We do get a beautiful design displayed on the caseback featuring the words “Assembled in the UK” which is good to hear. Conclusion Furthermore, I think if you are in the market for a reliable quartz chronograph with style, vintage aesthetics, a well built and finished case, and a beautifully designed leather strap that will not break the bank at 150 GBP ( 30% off with code WA30 ) you can not really go wrong. They are not asking an insane ammount of money like some other companies are really giving you a hint of the past for a decent bargain. I have left their website below and my special discount code ( WA30 ) to enter at checkout to save 30 percent on any McCabe watch. Check the full specifications and pictures below. COLLECTION : HERITAGE CHRONO MODEL : JM-1030-04 MOVEMENT : Japan Quartz Chronograph with 24 hours CASE MATERIAL : Stainless Steel CASE DIAMETER (mm) : 39.5 CASE THICKNESS (mm) : 14 CASE SHAPE : Round CASE COLOR :Stainless Steel DIAL COLOR :White BAND : Genuine Leather Strap BAND COLOR :Brown BUCKLE : Strap Buckle BAND WIDTH (mm) : 20-18 WATER RESISTANCE : 5 ATM WATCH WEIGHT (g) : 70 WARRANTY : 2 Years International James Mccabe Watch Official Website link for Model
https://mccabewatches.com/products/heritage-chrono-4 Enter Code WA20 at checkout to save 20% 1/2/2018 11 Comments Hamilton Khaki Field Automatic 38MM Watch Review - Under $500 and the BEST Value Field Watch for the Money!
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Today we are going to review ANOTHER new acquisition to my collection of affordable timepieces. It is the New Year and I hope all of my readers had a great holiday and can enjoy a fresh start to a wonderful new year. The piece being talked about today is one from an originally American brand turned Swiss brand over the years now owned by the Swatch group. It is none other than Hamilton, a brand that provides great quality for the price and gives watch enthusiasts a great value proposition as many of their watches are equipped with decent ETA and Valjoux swiss automatic movements. I would also like to pinpoint a timeline of some of Hamilton’s achievements in watchmaking and history which is listed below. History Timeline of Hamilton Watch Company ( Courtesy of HamiltonWatch.com ) 1892 Foundation of Hamilton in Lancaster, Pennsylvania/US 1912 The first series of pocket watches earned the title of "The watch of Railroad accuracy". During that period accidents were all too common due to the fact that various railroads worked with over 50 different "times" – so Hamilton set out to deliver accurate watches to the railroad community. 1914 Hamilton gained the prestigious rank of supplier to the US Armed Forces. 1918 In 1918 a Hamilton aeronautical watch accompanies the very first American airmail postal service between Washington and New York. 1928 The introduction of the Piping Rock and Yankee watch confirmed the Hamilton leadership in American style. 1942 During World War II, Hamilton stopped production of watches for consumers to concentrate on the huge task of providing the forces with a total of one million timepieces. The Hamilton marine chronometers developed in the 1940s were the first to be created by modern manufacturing. Chronometers were vital naval equipment for calculating longitude and plotting location and direction and were used by the US Navy as an alternative to radio to find position. They represented vital military equipment, since radio time signals could be intercepted and falsified by the enemy. During the course of the war Hamilton produced 10,902 marine chronometers that met the toughest demands for accuracy and reliability, as the only company with the capability to provide this support, managing to develop and produce these in a little over a year. The company’s efforts were rewarded in 1943 with a US Army-Navy “E” Award, presented for excellence in production of military equipment. 1951 First movie appearance in the Oscar-nominated movie “The Frogmen”. A true story, this film portrayed heroic US naval divers during World War II as they prepared safe landings for supplies and troops on hostile shores. 1957 Hamilton introduces the world’s first electric watch: the VENTURA, revolutionary technology in a revolutionary design. 1961 In 1961 Elvis Presley wore his Ventura in the film “Blue Hawaii”. Hot on Presley’s footsteps was Stanley Kubrick who approached the American brand in 1966 to make unique timepieces for his new, futuristic film, 2001: A Space Odyssey. The Hamilton design team provided him with a wristwatch and a desk clock that fit the bill perfectly. 1970 The world’s first LED digital watch started measuring time - made by Hamilton. 1971 Hamilton launches one of the first automatic chronographs: The PAN EUROP. 1974 The Hamilton brand is sold to SSIH (the previous name of Swatch Group) on May 16, 1974 1980 A revival in the 80s saw the reintroduction of classic Hamilton designs from the 1920s through to the 1960s. Old favourites like the Boulton, Ardmore, Wilshire and Ventura fuelled and led an industry-wide trend of classic watches. 1990 The intensive Hamilton/Hollywood relationship continues with roles in movies such as Men in Black, Lethal Weapon 4, Independence Day, The Talented Mr. Ripley and Die Hard. 2003 Transfer of the Hamilton production as well as of the headquarter from U.S. to Biel in Switzerland. 2005 Hamilton joins leading aerobatic pilot Nicolas Ivanoff in the cockpit. Since then Hamilton is strongly involved in aerobatics and key airshows: Red Bull Air Races and Swiss Aerobatic Association. As an official Hamilton ambassador Nicolas Ivanoff is taking to the skies in a Hamilton-branded Edge 540. 2006 Hamilton hosts the Hamilton Behind the Camera Awards in Hollywood to highlight special behind-the-scenes artists for their individual impact on the film industry. Celebrities and film stars attending the red carpet event gladly give up the spotlight to cinematographers, prop masters, costume designers and screenwriters. The recognition of the off-screen talent is underlined with the presentation of the awards by the leading stars of the movie industry. 2009 Hamilton is the official timekeeper of EAA AirVenture. For one week each summer, more than 500,000 EAA members and aviation enthusiasts from more than 60 countries come together at this event at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. 2011 Hamilton has developed a new pilot watch, the Khaki Flight Timer, in close collaboration with Air Zermatt, the prestigious transport and rescue helicopter company. The watch integrates a dedicated pilots’ logbook to record details of up to 20 flights. Its launch marks the signing of an official partnership between the two aviation pioneers. Cooperation with various squadrons in South Africa, Canada, Korea, Spain and in Russia also contribute to securing Hamilton’s status as the favorite watch of pilots. 2012 Expanding its close involvement with the film industry, the brand decided to launch the Hamilton Behind the Camera Awards in China, paying tribute to the Chinese off-screen talent who help make the medium so enjoyable. 2014 Hamilton works with the production team of the movie Interstellar to design a unique watch for the character Murph (Mackenzie Foy and Jessica Chastain) and provides Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) with a Khaki Pilot Day Date. 2015 Hamilton watches return to the big screen in Ridley Scott’s epic adventure, “The Martian”. The Khaki BeLOWZERO helps defining the strong character of Mark Watney (Matt Damon), when he is left behind on Mars. Today Known for its innovative designs, Hamilton watches combine American spirit with Swiss precision. The brand’s rich heritage includes railroad, aviation and military roots, as well as strong American designs. A true pioneer, Hamilton has been a key player in the watch industry by introducing new technologies: the world’s first electric watch – the Ventura, in 1957 – and the world’s first LED digital watch – the Pulsar, in 1970. Today Hamilton owns its collection of Swiss Made personalized movements integrated in the watches. Hamilton watches have appeared in more than 450 films, increasing the brand’s legitimacy in the movie industry. The brand also boasts a strong aviation heritage dating back to 1918 and continued today by the strong partnership as official timekeeper of the Red Bull Air Race World Championship. 
Case
The case on the Hamilton Khaki Automatic is 38MM in diameter and 10MM thick. It is comprised of complete 316L stainless steel and for the most part is finely brushed besides the highly polished smooth bezel. It is a rather thin watch and one might not expect that prior to purchasing one but if your in the market for a smaller profile field watch this could be just for you. The lug width is 20MM and does suit the 38MM case well. I did take note of the fine brushing which really blew my mind on the case because it does resemble the finishing of a much more luxurious watch, it looks great and feels great as well. The crown is located at the 3 o clock position and is a rather large crown I must say but it definitely adds to the traditional field watch look Hamilton was going for when designing this watch I assume. Another nice touch is the signed "H" for Hamilton on the crown which is raised and polished. The grip on the crown is pretty good as it is larger so you should have no problem actually winding the watch manually and pulling and pushing it out to change the date and set the time. Now lets "move" on to the movement. Movement The movement featured inside of this timepiece is the caliber H-10 automatic. Let's forget the fancy name and get down to the basics. It is an ETA 3 handed date movement which has had some work done to it and now can hold a power reserve of an incredible 80 hours which is outstanding. There is one downfall to this longer power reserve as we do not get that normal 28,800 BPH but instead it is lowered to 21,600 BPH. I myself do not have a problem with the choppier sweeping seconds hand but some enthusiasts might only prefer the 28,800 BPH which is quite smooth as seen from the naked eye. This movement also features 24 jewels, hacking, hand-wind, and an accuracy of around +5 seconds a day when fully broken in. I do not think Hamilton actually regulates these watches in 5 positions but they are quite on point when comparing them to some other not so mainstream brands who throw ETA 2824 movements in their watches without regulation. For the most part I am happy with the accuracy of myne and the 80 hour power reserve which is excellent and definitely innovative as this didn't exist a few years ago for Hamilton. There are other brands such as Tissot who are competing with this new increased power reserve as well. Finishing on the movement is really non-existent besides the engraved logo and cut outs on the rotor. Dial The dial on the Khaki auto is a straight black dial with white Arabic numerals. The date cutout is located at 3 and is nicely done. The date is 100% visible through the window and looks fine in my opinion. The Hamilton logo is printed finely in white below the 12 position which is surrounded by the 24 hour numerals which go around the inner portion of the dial. We can use this to tell a second time zone or military time. This is very useful especially for a field watch in real life situations. There are two textures on the dial if you look very close..the outer portion has very small circular lines which go around and the inner portion is a straight black. The farthest out portion of the dial is covered in 60 minutes markings and is very finely printed and looks superb. I have found the dial to be quite close to the genuine Sapphire crystal with AR coating and this does help in a way to read the time as it literally jumps at your eyes when you glance at the watch to read the time. All of the arabic numerals as well as the hands and small pips above each numeral are filled with lume which is decent but not something as strong as say Seiko lumibrite. ( See Video for Lumeshot Below ) If there is one thing I would change it would be to add another layer of Anti-Reflective coating to the crystal as it does give off some glare in conditions where a generous ammount of light is involved. Although this glare problem is obvious I can still read the time. Hands The long Plonguer hands this watch uses look very good with the overall aesthetic of the field watch theme. They do reach out pretty far and that is something I am fond of. I do not like when watch companies use really short hands on a watch , it really turns me off. The minutes hand literally reaches into the 60 minute markings near the chapter ring which makes it very easy to read and set the exact time. These hands are filled with lume and the lume does shine brighter on the hands than the numerals. Bracelet The bracelet used on this piece is a comfortable one. It has pins instead of screws which is a love/hate type of thing but I honestly have no problem. The bracelet is comprised of 316L stainless steel and is solid. It features a two button mechanism and a milled clasp which is super secure and I don't see the need for an extra safety tab. It has a super clean look when closed and looks sharp with the Hamilton branding. The brushing on the bracelet is good but not as good as the actual watch case itself. It does mesh well with the case and one can not really tell the difference. ( I am just super picky ). Solid end links are also provided on this 20MM bracelet which is a good look for hamilton. One thing you may notice is that each link has two inner links instead of one....this does leave a line going down each side of the bracelet but some other bloggers have said this is to add a more vintage aesthetic to the watch. I have found that this design does help the bracelet fit nicer and conform nicer on the wrist which is a plus. Crystal We do get a genuine Sapphire crystal which is slightly domed if you look really closely. The crystal does have one layer of Anti-Reflective coating for a better view in the sunlight or high light conditions but in all honesty this watch really needed 2-3 layers or a thicker coating. ( See Video ) Caseback We do get a sapphire exhibition caseback for a nice glimpse of the Hamilton H-10 caliber. The caseback is also screwed down for that 100M of water resistance which is marked on the caseback as well. This was another big reason for me picking the automatic model over the larger manual model. I am one who likes to get my watches wet and this model allows me to with no worries. The movement is rather boring to look at but we do get a nice glimpse of the movement and it looks okay for this price point. If this was a $5000 watch I would be dissapointed. Conclusion In conclusion, I think all around this is a win. We do get a nice Swiss Made watch with a Swiss ETA custom modded movement by Hamilton with 80 hours of power reserve. The finishing is superb and as is the construction of the overall watch. I am really surprised by this one and I should of picked one up way before this year! The bracelet is not super luxurious but it gets the job done with comfort. I would of loved if hamilton used screws instead of pins though. Furthermore, for around $400 USD ( Link Below for Best Price where I bought it ) I dont think you can really find a better field watch. There are other companies such as Victorinox who produce field watches with ETA movements who are competitors I shall say but for some reason this watch just really speaks to me. It is slim, slender, lightweight and well built. I cannot ask for more and I think I got a great watch for the money, so I do highly recommend this watch if you are in the market for a reliable swiss made automatic timepiece with a field aesthetic. Thanks for reading and check out the detailed pictures and video review below. OFFICIAL SPECIFICATIONS
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