I saw that, but those are tissot brand only. I’m guessing you can find other bands on other sites that will fit as long as it’s ‘straight pin, 22mm wide’?

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https://www.strapcode.com/pages/what-is-milanese-mesh

Interesting. I must be off my game this morning. I totally missed that as well. I guess I only have one option for metal if I want it branded Tissot.

I actually emailed them and the just sent me the link that you posted.

Your particular watch has a 22mm lug width, so you can replace the strap with literally any strap that’s 22mm in width. If you’re like me, you’ll probably have a drawer of a gazillion different straps for every occasion and to change up the look every so often. Just search on Amazon or eBay for something you like.

The only special tool you’ll need is a “spring bar removal” tool, but they’re only a couple bucks.

Awesome. Thanks. Does it matter if it's curved or straight? Or does it just need to be 22mm wide?

Straight and 22mm

Anyone have any brands they like? I don't want to pick up some piece of crap but I don't want to spend a fortune.

Straps aren't really branded, per se. Unless they are stamped to match the manufacturer and/or made for a specific watch. In your case you could go with any 22mm strap you like.

I'd avoid Milanese mesh (much as I like it) with that watch due to the large-ish 43mm case size. Milanese mesh is better suited for smaller case sizes like 40mm and under.

If you wanted to sport it up you could do shark mesh. That would give you the chainmail armor look similar to mesh but with larger links.

Or, if you wanted to dress it up, you could do beads of rice: https://strapsco.com/product/beads-of-rice-bracelet/

I like Strapsco because they always have buy 2 get 1 free. Use code FAM15 for another 15% off (hopefully still works).

The "super engineer" would also look good, as it befits techie-looking watches like skeletons.

Maybe get an engineer, shark mesh, and beads of rice from Strapsco (they also sell the link removal tools & extra spring bars) and mix it up different ways depending upon your mood. I have 2-3 more straps and bracelets than I do watches. Really helps to extend their usefulness and versatility.

The Elvis watch!

I'm a big fan of Nixon!

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Just bought my first automatic watch. A Ball Trainmaster Moon Phase. I’ve been into watches for some time but never bought anything more than fashion brands until now. I thought this was a good entry into a little higher end collecting. Plus, I love the moon phase movement. It has tritium tubes so it nicely glows without charging.

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Dang... that's an awesome jump from disposable to heirloom! Love Ball & that one in particular. I owned the white dial version for a while. Fantastic tritium and so stylish.

Thanks. I feel like now that I’ve bought one luxury watch, I may be buying more at some point in the future.

I still am very fond of my fashion watches. Here’s my current rotation. Of them, my two favorite are the Salvador Dali one since I was fascinated by that painting as a kid, and the Emporio Armani one. That on has a really cool rubber strap that always smells like vanilla.

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If anyone on here is interested, i have an IWC Portugese Chrono up for trade ($4,000 trade value). A few minor scuffs on back of case..comes with paperwork/warranty cards and original leather iwc strap (used but in nice condition). Looking to trade (plus cash) for newer sterns.

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Pardon, didn’t mean to imply your collection was disposable... was more directed at the industry itself, particularly the biggest market manipulators: DW, MVMT, etc.

Still got my original Fossil!

No worries. I knew what you meant. I’ve had more watches in the past that I got rid of from time to time for one reason or another. So, in a sense, I did treat them as a bit disposable. Now, I wish I had kept them all.

Well, it didn't take me long to buy a second automatic -- just 21 days. I think I'm into this watch collecting thing, and I can see it getting a bit habit forming. After spending some money on my Ball Trainmaster, I had to dial it back a little and get something more reasonably priced but still quality. I fell for this Seiko SRPE57, and I decided to change it up by replacing the metal bracelet with a navy blue silicon strap.

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Nice choice. Can't go wrong with the Dress SKX. I had it in gilt (and gray) as well, but switched for the blue version. Fantastic value and good looks.

Welcome to the hobby BTW. It gets addictive. :p

I like watches like I like my pinball machines: made in the mid 1980s, and unreasonably complicated.

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Haven't worn this one in a while. Forgot how much I like it.

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Impulse buy. Wanted a seiko 5. Will split daily wear status between this and my khaki field

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I take it the day of the week is in Japanese, there? So it's a Japanese Seiko?

Yes. That's the symbol for moon and also Monday. It can do Japanese and English for the date but i figured Japanese was cooler. It is a Japanese seiko. I bought it online at sakurawatches. They have a few cool faces on this model. I almost went with this model:
https://www.sakurawatches.com/seiko-5-sports-sbsa121

No, you made the right choice so far as I'm concerned. The steel *with* the black really allows the setting to be highlighted, whereas the all black is just sort of ho-hum. Don't think it's worth that much to me, but I still appreciate it for what it is. Is it waterproof/resistant to a certain atmosphere?

10 ATM. And I agree, I feel its a $200 watch that I paid 300 for. That's kind of why I said impulse buy. I saw it, liked it, wanted to spend some money, lol. Cheaper than a new pinball.

Got it. Makes sense.

I must say, I really like that watch! Hadn’t heard of Ball before but that’s impressive.

I’ve just recently gotten back into watches. My 1985 Day Date here. A bit small by today’s standards but certainly a classic. 94F3B2AA-E6EC-4DB4-83FF-29939AC7193A (resized).jpeg54FF1072-207C-43BA-8FDB-8C68EDFE7489 (resized).jpeg

Then I ordered this watch from Egard earlier this year. I hadn’t heard of the brand before but have really enjoyed this watch. I use it for swimming and when I play tennis and what not, it’s pretty rugged. E8984555-5C39-4299-AB39-EF6853FFB62E (resized).jpegD4A4F463-2EC5-46C9-BC8B-7BBDF6816CCC (resized).jpeg

I love Daydate s . I had the bark version 1986. Sold it few months ago to get this minty complete jumbo!

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Oh I love watches. I suppose it's the mechanical aspect, like pinball. I've gotten a few broken vintage ones to see if I can learn how to do basic servicing and bring any back.

In terms of newer fare, I actually got one of the MING x Massena LAB collaboration watches and it arrived yesterday. Sadly, there appears to be an issue where the hour hand does not stay in sync with the minute hand (I think it has something to do with it being a GMT hand as you can jump it by the hour). Mr. Massena called me after I reported the issue to help with next steps. I'm doing some more tests so they can get a sense of things (a few others have had similar issues).

But it looks cool so here's a photo!

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That’s a sweet Rolex

Wow! Very nice rolex. What type is that one? Looks incredible (and vastly larger than any of mine).

My 3 watch rotation. Submariner, Hulk and my favourite watch the Explorer.

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Thank you! It Is the Rolex 16628 (40MM) aka jumbo . It was the biggest Rolex in that time. Now everything is like 40/41MM

Problem with gold is that you can’t wear it everyday not only as it’s gold but also as it’s 2021.. mad world

I wear my Day-Date close to everyday. What’s the reason gold is not a daily wear watch where you live?

Thanks for data. Yea, that watch looks incredible. I’ll be keeping my eyes open for one. Very sporty!

The 16628 is the Yacht Master. When it was first launched it had a stainless bracelet, platinum bezel and silver dial. I bought one for my wife, but she rarely wears it. The yellow gold that AMSNL posted is quite striking and would be my choice today.

Here’s a photo of one online because I have no idea where my wife’s is -

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These days they cut your hand off for a quick money grab. We had in the netherlands the Rolex gang that robbed people in plain daylight of your Rolex. It’s crazy. With the media etc everybody now knows what a high end Rolex/patek etc is. That’s why I’m sometimes cautious to wear the watch.

Yes it’s was my first of the yachtmaster/Rolex series that I bought and I loved the platinum bezel with the special finish.

The nice thing about these older yachtmaster series that it was availble in 34/36/40 mm . So there was More choice to the wrist. But they are sleepers and discontinued . I think these will
Go sky high ,like the rest in a matter of years

I still have it
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That’s it. And you’re exactly right about the sizes. My wife tried on all three, before choosing the 40mm.
At the time, Blancpain had something call the Trilogy series. There was a chronograph, GMT and standard chronometer with date. The neat thing about these watches was that they had a polished stainless bezel very similar in appearance to the Yacht Master.

Mike_J awsome that you mention it and you have a Verry good memory! The trilogy (gmt) fifty something was a outstanding watch and looked about the same.

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AMSNL - That’s it! Gorgeous watch.
Wow, you’re good!

Hehe thanx. I really like that watch, problem is they don’t hold value well. Same with Cartier or Hublot . As soon as you put them on it’s an instant 2k loss when you need it to move fast. Rolex is easy cash grab all day long when needed!

That is a very good point! My goodness, sorry it’s so dangerous over there. Parts of the US are becoming that was as well quickly.

So what’s yalls feel on watch sizes? They seem to keep getting bigger and bigger and bigger.

I’d like to upgrade to the 40 mm rolex day date, but the cost has just spiraled out of control on the new 40’s…it’s basically two of the 40’s or a Porsche now…crazy where prices are going on high end watches.

My wrists are not that big so I like the old 36MM sizes. When I have a 40/41mm on and get back to a 36MM it’s small haha. 36MM is an elegant and verry nice size to wear.

I do believe the market today is crazy. Why would you spend 15-18k that like 5-7k over retail for a normal steel Rolex when you can have a good solid gold Daydate for like 14 or a Rolex yachtmaster solid gold for like 22-24 . In times where money is worth nothing, why would anyone invest there money in to nothing. In like the last 2000 years gold has always been the no1 trade/sell thing . In a time of war or other shit in the world I know my gold Rolex or any other brand will get food on the table. What are you going to do with a 904L type steel watch hahaha

I think a lot of brands are coming down on size again. I'd have said Rolex still leans towards going big but they did just drop the Explorer back to 36mm for 2021.

For me it is a question of function. I'm more tolerate of tool watches being large but if I'm not getting a lot of water resistance or complications I'd rather the watch be small.

My smallest watch is 34mm (well, aside from my Reverso, but rectangular watches are a different beast) and my largest is 43mm (well, I guess my G-Shock might be 47mm wide but it's one of the square ones so rectangle exception works both ways!). I'd say I like the 38-40mm range best but really it comes down to the lug-to-lug distance. My 34mm is really comfortable to wear but the larger watches are easier to read.

I totally agree. I view my solid gold Day Date Rolex and partial gold Datejust as investments, if crap hits the fan I can slap them on my wrist and have something valuable.

By the way, come join us in the precious metal topic area, we are getting some action in that thread now:

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/precious-metals-gold-silver-and-everything-else