This is the first draft of an article I am working on for submission to a couple of online wristwatch publications. I thought I would preview it here and see what members thought..
My New Favorite Vacation Watch
By John Cote, November 3, 2022
I have been a very frequent business traveler and vintage watch wearer for most of my adult life but picking a vacation travel watch has always seemed a difficult proposition. Vacation travel is different. It may involve crossing time zones, just like business travel but it often involves adventure and exposing a watch to the vagaries of nature that business travel does not. It can involve going places where obviously nice/expensive and or blingy watches elicit the attention of a criminal element rather than admiring stares in a board room.
Something you should know about me before I delve into my difficult choice is that I am a very passionate and prolific watch collector but a collector, almost exclusively of vintage watches. That said, I do have a few modern watches, which for me can mean watches made in the last 10-20 years in my collection, and I do tend to lean toward those when making this vacation watch choice. Generally speaking, the modern watches are more robust and, quite frankly, I probably value them less, or at least am much less emotionally attached to them. I do wear quite a few of the vintage watches, mostly chronographs from the '50s, '60s and '70s, for business travel but they are too prone to value decreasing scratches and dings or worse when worn on vacation.
A pair of vintage Heuer GMT watches from the early to mid '70s which I wear for business travel but which don't fit the bill as vacation watches.
So, what are my travel watch criteria…
The beautiful gray "plank" dial of the Seamaster Aqua Terra
My version of this watch has a gray, plank dial and is on a well-built, robust, and nicely finished factory bracelet. To me the dial, which is supposed to have the look of the plank deck of a yacht, and the hands have a very satisfying look. The dial changes hues in different light which to me is a very pleasing effect. Though I prefer single hinge clasps to this double hinge/hidden clasp, this bracelet is very comfortable, robust and secure and it did not take much time to get used to the function of the clasp. To me the look of this watch is a sort of half dressy half sporty. It's a very versatile look.
The bracelet and clasp are very well done
The watch survived my knocking about in little island cars and aboard ferries and sport boats. It took dives in the salty Aegean, and more than a few warm fresh water and soap cleanings without a single burp or hiccup. As to its accuracy, the caliber 8500 Coaxial movement with its beautiful "Geneva Stripe" damascening, which can be viewed through a sapphire glass view back, gained a total of 5 seconds over the first 10 days of the trip. After that I just quit paying attention. This accuracy seems almost too good to be true for any mechanical watch.
The amazingly accurate and beautiful cal 8500 Coaxial movement of the Seamaster Aqua Terra
Let me get to functional aspect of the watch that most reviewers seem to like least. That is the lack of a "quick-set" date. This watch has a screw-down, waterproof crown with 2 setting positions. When pulled all the way out, the crown sets the time and the watch is hacked, which means the second hand quits running and is locked in place. This means the watch can be synced easily with atomic clock time. When pulled half-way out the crown simply and quickly moves the hour hand either forward or backward without the hack. It is functionally a time-zone adjustor, but it also functions as the not so quick date adjust as the best way to semi-quickly adjust the date is to advance the hour hand forward until the date is correct. This has been a "deal breaker" for some reviewers but to me it is a welcome and very functional travel compromise. As a vintage collector, I am used to watches which have much more tedious date setting functions. The fact that I can quickly and easily adjust the time zone by moving the hour hand for me is an asset which far outweighs the slightly slower date setting.
The Aqua Terra is a comfortable watch and looks great on the wrist
In short, I love the stylish but not blingy, versatile look of my Seamaster. I love the accuracy. I love the travel functionality. I love the knock about robustness. I think this will be my new favorite vacation watch and as a mostly retired old dude, I plan on wearing it on a lot of vacations.
My New Favorite Vacation Watch
By John Cote, November 3, 2022
I have been a very frequent business traveler and vintage watch wearer for most of my adult life but picking a vacation travel watch has always seemed a difficult proposition. Vacation travel is different. It may involve crossing time zones, just like business travel but it often involves adventure and exposing a watch to the vagaries of nature that business travel does not. It can involve going places where obviously nice/expensive and or blingy watches elicit the attention of a criminal element rather than admiring stares in a board room.
Something you should know about me before I delve into my difficult choice is that I am a very passionate and prolific watch collector but a collector, almost exclusively of vintage watches. That said, I do have a few modern watches, which for me can mean watches made in the last 10-20 years in my collection, and I do tend to lean toward those when making this vacation watch choice. Generally speaking, the modern watches are more robust and, quite frankly, I probably value them less, or at least am much less emotionally attached to them. I do wear quite a few of the vintage watches, mostly chronographs from the '50s, '60s and '70s, for business travel but they are too prone to value decreasing scratches and dings or worse when worn on vacation.
A pair of vintage Heuer GMT watches from the early to mid '70s which I wear for business travel but which don't fit the bill as vacation watches.
So, what are my travel watch criteria…
- A look that is soul satisfying to me (a criteria for any watch)
- Ease of time-zone/hour or GMT adjustment
- Easily visible date function with ease of setting
- Some degree of accuracy in time keeping
- A less flashy (attractiveness to thieves) look
- A watch that is not a bother and which requires little thought
- Robustness/water resistance
- Bracelet as opposed to strap for sweat and water resistance and outdoor feel.
The beautiful gray "plank" dial of the Seamaster Aqua Terra
My version of this watch has a gray, plank dial and is on a well-built, robust, and nicely finished factory bracelet. To me the dial, which is supposed to have the look of the plank deck of a yacht, and the hands have a very satisfying look. The dial changes hues in different light which to me is a very pleasing effect. Though I prefer single hinge clasps to this double hinge/hidden clasp, this bracelet is very comfortable, robust and secure and it did not take much time to get used to the function of the clasp. To me the look of this watch is a sort of half dressy half sporty. It's a very versatile look.
The bracelet and clasp are very well done
The watch survived my knocking about in little island cars and aboard ferries and sport boats. It took dives in the salty Aegean, and more than a few warm fresh water and soap cleanings without a single burp or hiccup. As to its accuracy, the caliber 8500 Coaxial movement with its beautiful "Geneva Stripe" damascening, which can be viewed through a sapphire glass view back, gained a total of 5 seconds over the first 10 days of the trip. After that I just quit paying attention. This accuracy seems almost too good to be true for any mechanical watch.
The amazingly accurate and beautiful cal 8500 Coaxial movement of the Seamaster Aqua Terra
Let me get to functional aspect of the watch that most reviewers seem to like least. That is the lack of a "quick-set" date. This watch has a screw-down, waterproof crown with 2 setting positions. When pulled all the way out, the crown sets the time and the watch is hacked, which means the second hand quits running and is locked in place. This means the watch can be synced easily with atomic clock time. When pulled half-way out the crown simply and quickly moves the hour hand either forward or backward without the hack. It is functionally a time-zone adjustor, but it also functions as the not so quick date adjust as the best way to semi-quickly adjust the date is to advance the hour hand forward until the date is correct. This has been a "deal breaker" for some reviewers but to me it is a welcome and very functional travel compromise. As a vintage collector, I am used to watches which have much more tedious date setting functions. The fact that I can quickly and easily adjust the time zone by moving the hour hand for me is an asset which far outweighs the slightly slower date setting.
The Aqua Terra is a comfortable watch and looks great on the wrist
In short, I love the stylish but not blingy, versatile look of my Seamaster. I love the accuracy. I love the travel functionality. I love the knock about robustness. I think this will be my new favorite vacation watch and as a mostly retired old dude, I plan on wearing it on a lot of vacations.
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