Horological Meandering

2018 started with delivery in January 2nd of a watch I pre-ordered back in September 2017.  It arrived at the U.S. AD on Dec. 27, 2017, but due to the New Year's holidays was not delivered until after 2018 started.

EZM 1.1 from Sinn.  43 mm case Ø, Tegimented stainless steel, and the Sinn SZ01 movement vs 40 mm Ø case, titanium, and Lemania 5100 movement of the original EZM 1

Quickly after the Squale Militaire C3 50 Atmos arrived from the Netherlands.  This is the second edition of this watch made especially for Amsterdam Watch Co. in a numbered series of 40 watches. I got the same number xx/40 for both editions.  Squale made the famous Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bund 3H for the German Navy in the 1970s.  This is as close to a reissue of that watch you can get.

Then a full set IWC Porsche Design Ocean Bund ref. 3509 joined my other Ocean Bund references.

The following watch was a vintage IWC Ingenieur ref. 666 sourced from France

Anti-magnetic watches were a mini-theme (last year I got the Omega Railmaster 60th Anniversary) as the next incoming was a brand new Rolex Milgauss white dial (now discontinued)

Another military-issued watch in the form of the CWC General Service watch aka "Fatboy" issued in 1980 came next

My first Kickstarter-backed watch was this ZRC Grand Fonds "North Adventure"

My favorite Seiko is this year's 1968 300m Diver Reissue:  In Japan it's the SBEX007 and everywhere else it's known as the SLA025

I bought a second one to store safely for future generations while I wear the other

I also added two SKX009J (Pepsi) to my SKX009K, but ended up returning one of the J's due to bezel misalignment.

The Omega Seamaster 300 60th Anniversary was an unplanned purchase, but I had an itch I needed to scratch   It was a bonus that I was able to source a brand new full set at a good price

The Cruxible is an A-11 spec homage watch from Bill Yao over at MkII watches

Ultraman!  'Nuff said

Finally, my Summer watch arrived in Winter.  Zodiac Super Sea Wolf on blue rubber strap

I think that's it for watches this year.  I did also get a vintage Seiko World Time mantle clock, but the focus is on wrist watches here.  I have two other watches that are fully paid for and now I'm just waiting for delivery including the Hodinkee 10th Anniversary Omega Speedmaster.  I don't know if I'll get them before the new year, but I doubt it.

The theme for 2019 is going to be Restraint.  I want to buy a lot less watches and sell some watches I'm not wearing and those I'm no longer feeling (thinning the herd).

I'm a little irked about the late delivery of the Zodiac as it would have been a great Summer watch for the pool and beaches, but that's what happens when expectations aren't set properly by ADs.

I know how it goes.

Mike

Then they expanded to create entire watches which are homages of vintage and discontinued models. The quality is equivalent to Seiko or Sinn IMO. For many years the movements used were ETA 2824s, then later ETA 2836 and even ETA 2893 for a GMT watch homage.  I think they even used Soprod A10 movements once.  Now they are pretty much using Seiko ebauches in the form of the NE15 which is really a white-label Seiko 6R15.