An OMG Moment - Rubber Strap Failure of my Bell & Ross BR02-92 Pro-Dial Dive Watch, Advice (Updated)

Back in October 2013, I purchased my Bell & Ross BR02-92 Pro-Dial Dive Watch that comes standard with a rubber strap (for more on the watch, please refer here: Bell & Ross BR02-92 Pro Dial Diver Watch - A French Connection).

There were a lot of complaints from owners about the poor quality of the rubber strap which generally don't seem to last for more than a year. A simple Google search on the subject would give you a list of postings from disgruntled owners. I did take note and I have been careful when wearing it for the last two years.

Uhrenbeweger (or Watch Winder) by Beco Technic, A Review

I got this watch winder as a free gift from my AD recently. This was the exact model of my previous watch winder that I bought that is not working anymore (the motherboard got fried - too expensive to repair).

Blake Watch Roll Reference Item 305628 by Wolf - Accessories, Review

Recently I got a gift from my watch dealer a traveling watch storage system made by the Wolf company. This particular storage system is called The Blake Watch Roll which consist of a leather encased tube that can fit approximately three watches.

It is approximately 20.3 mm long with a diameter of 8.3 mm with purple suede lining. The tube is opened using a snap button. The inner role is where you put your watches.

AVI-8 Hawker Hurricane Automatic Pilot Watch AV-4017-02 – A Cheap Mechanical Pilot Watch, A Review (plus videos)

The Specification

UK-based AVI-8 Watches is a fashion watch stylist in my view. In a short period of time they have managed to roll out an extensive line of timepieces; a manufacturing strategy not adopted by any ‘serious’ watchmaker but you will see being done by fashion houses such as Fossil, Daniel-Wellington and others.

I don’t usually cover these brands as I find the inputs they have on their products are generally minimal. They may be the original designers, but the manufacturing process is totally contracted out to OEM manufacturers typically in China. However, I made an exception for the AVI-8 Hawker Hurricane Automatic Pilot Watch with the reference AV-4017-02 because of a few unique features.
The AVI-8 Hawker Hurricane AV-4017-02 is a mechanical timepiece with a pilot watch design. Made out of 316L stainless steel, the watch is 44 mm wide and 14 mm thick. Its lug width is 22 mm.

BALL Engineer Hydrocarbon AeroGMT Reference DG2016A-SC-BK - Well protected as a tank and a real bright spark in the dark, A Review

This is my first BALL watch. Although I know about this brand, I was introduced to it only lately by a friend of mine that have a lot of knowledge about BALL watches. From a historical perspective, BALL Watch Company is impressive. 


Brand History

BALL Watch Company SA is an American watch company based in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. It was founded in 1891 by Webster Clay Ball (also known as Webb C. Ball) in Cleveland, Ohio, and is directly linked to the American railroad history.

After a tragic train collision in 1891 in Kipton, Ohio, due to timing issues, Mr. Ball was appointed by Lake Shore Lines, a train company to help revamp the railroad system, incorporating accurate timing as a cornerstone that keeps things moving without any mishap. He set up the “RR Standard” (“RR” for Rail Road) to assure a high accuracy and perfect reading to all railroad employees. He also created the BALL Time Service, an after-sale service to which every employee of the rails had to bring his watch every two weeks to make sure the accuracy and reliability of the watch was optimal. Some of the key criteria for a watch to obtain the “RR Standard” certification are as follows; no lid on the dial; size 18 or 16 (44.86mm or 43.17mm); plain white dial, bold black hands and Arabic numbers; minimum of 17 jewels; adjusted to at least 5 positions; adjusted to temperature 40 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit; and accuracy with a gain or loss of maximum 30 seconds a week, among others.

Steinhart Ocean One Titanium 500 Premium - Best Watch on a Budget, A Review

I not had the opportunity to get my hands on a Steinhart watch before. The diving watch styling of Steinhart is too close to the Rolex Submariner design. I don’t particularly like getting something that is too close to an original especially when it is still in production. However, when Steinhart launched the Ocean One Titanium 500 Premium, back in 2015, I was hooked. In fact, a lot of other people also had the same view like mine and the watch is always out of stock due to strong demand. Finally, after a year of trying, I got my hands on one.

The spirit behind the brand is Mr. Guenter Steinhart. He studied architecture and engineering in Munich, Germany. He was interested in making watches that looks good, shows the quality and above all inexpensive to the masses. He set up shop in the Jura region of Switzerland. Ever since the first Steinhart came off the production line, the brand continues to grow a strong following of fans due to its affordability.

Tissot T-Touch Expert Solar Titanium T091.420.44.051.00 - A smart watch that has style and class; worth every bit, A Review

Up to this moment, I own two Tissot watches. Both I bought when I visited Switzerland back in 2011; the Tissot Gents T-Classic Le Locle (see: http://westernwatch.blogspot.com/2013/10/tissot-gents-t-classic-le-locle.html) and the Tissot Seastar II (see: http://westernwatch.blogspot.com/2014/02/tissot-seastar-ii-t55848311-refine.html). Before and since that purchase I have not looked at another Tissot because of the many issues relating to the brand from counterfeit all the way to the lack of serial numbers (Google it to find out more).

In recent years I have been attracted to one of Tissot's most famous series, the T-Touch after seeing being worn by Richard Hammond of the Top Gear fame. In all his overseas Top Gear adventures you will always see him with an orange strap Tissot T-Touch.

Although Tissot presented its first tactile multi-functional watch in 1999, it was only 15 year later, in 2014 that a T-Touch with solar power capability was introduced to the general public. I finally took the plunge and got myself a T-Touch Expert Solar Reference T091.420.44.051.00.