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Seiko Ananta Chronograph Watch Review



Case: Stainless Steel
Case Diameter: 46mm
Bezel: Tachymeter Strap:Crocodile 
Lug Width: 24mm 
Crystal: Sapphire
Movement: Automatic
Power Reserve: 45 hrsWater Resistance: 100m



The Seiko Ananta Chronograph has a lot of engineering behind the watch. Ananta is a Sanskrit word that means ‘the infinite’, this watch is part of a collection that expresses Seiko’s dedication to infinite perfection. Katana is the ancient art of sword making, this watch pays homage to this history. The side of the watch case has the distinctive Katana curve, with the case back and lugs being forged from a single piece of steel.
  The Ananta uses the now well known Spring Drive technology, arguably the most accurate automatic movement produced today. Seiko uses specifically Caliber 8R28, featuring 28,800 vibrations per hour, 34 jewels, 292 parts, with a power reserve of 45 hours. There is a see through case back to display the rotor and further pays homage to the hand guard on a Katana sword. The case is 46mm, supported by a crocodile strap, with a three fold clasp and push button release. This watch is very well crafted and thought out. Seiko has raised the bar.

Pros - Spring Drive, easy to read, well thought out

Consideration - There might be some sticker “shock” potential to the casual Seiko
owner, watch has a large wrist presence

TAG Heuer Men's CV2A10.FC6235 Carrera Automatic Chronograph Day-Date Watch


TAG Heuer Men's CV2A10.FC6235 Carrera Automatic Chronograph Day-Date Watch


  • Automatic movement
  • Black dial with hours, minutes, seconds chronograph, day-date, and tachyemeter
  • Black leather strap
  • Stainless steel case with black PVD covered aluminum bezel
  • Water-resistant to 330 feet (100 M)

TAG Heuer Men's CV2A10.FC6235 Carrera Automatic Chronograph Day-Date Watch

TAG Heuer Men's CV2A10.FC6235 Carrera Automatic Chronograph Day-Date Watch :
baccalah.blogspot |

Guaranteed Accelerated Delivery


Guaranteed Accelerated Delivery Overview

Amazon.com offers Guaranteed Accelerated Delivery dates on selected items in our stores when you choose One-day or Two-dayExpress shipping. If the item you purchase is not eligible for Express shipping, we also offer Guaranteed Accelerated Delivery viastandard shipping or international shipping when applicable.
This means that if you place a qualifying order, we'll prioritize your order so it ships right away and automatically refund the shipping costs if we miss our delivery promise. This service is for eligible items we know we can ship right away, provided with no additional shipping costs, and subject to the terms below.

Choosing Guaranteed Accelerated Delivery at Checkout

To make sure the item you're buying is eligible--look for the "Want it delivered . . ." message that displays a delivery date and shipping option. This message lets you know that Guaranteed Accelerated Delivery is available for the item and displays the soonest we could deliver it to you if ordered within the time displayed.
Orders for multiple items, or multiple copies of the same item, may take longer to assemble and may not be eligible for guaranteed delivery, even if the items are listed as eligible. To be eligible for guaranteed delivery on these orders, select the "Ship my items as they become available" option, which means multiple-item orders will be split into multiple shipments and shipping fees charged for each shipment.
To place your guaranteed order:
  1. Add the item to your Shopping Cart and proceed to checkout.
  2. Choose an eligible shipping address within the United States (including Alaska, Hawaii, and U.S. Territories, but not P.O. boxes or APO, FPO, or DPO addresses) or an eligible export country.
  3. Select the guaranteed shipping option advertised on the product detail page. You may also select other eligible shipping option and guaranteed delivery dates displayed in green.

  4. Pay using credit card or debit card to avoid payment processing delays.

  5. If your order contains items not eligible for Guaranteed Accelerated Delivery, you'll be prompted to check a box indicating you'd like to split up your shipments (at additional cost). Your items will be delayed or ineligible for the guarantee if you don't check this box.
  6. Place your order before the deadline displayed on the product detail page and enjoy the fast shipping!
Canceling items, combining orders, or changing your shipping address or shipping options after you place the order might affect your eligibility for Guaranteed Accelerated Delivery.

Adjusting Your 1-Click® Ordering Settings

If you purchase eligible items, your default shipping speed is the one advertised on the product detail page, and your default shipping preference is "Ship my items as they become available," you'll automatically get Guaranteed Accelerated Delivery when you place a 1-Click order.
To verify or change the shipping method for a 1-Click order:
  1. Click the Review or edit your 1-Click orders button on the 1-Click confirmation page.
  2. On the next page, which summarizes your order, click theChange button next to Shipping Speed. (Changes must be made before the deadline displayed on the product detail page.)
  3. Select a guaranteed option as your shipping speed.

Qualifying for a Refund under the Guarantee

We'll automatically refund your shipping costs when we miss a delivery promise for a guaranteed order under the following qualifications:
  • If you choose a guaranteed shipping option advertised on a product detail page when placing your order, ship to an eligible address, and complete your order before the deadline on the product detail page, we guarantee that your items will arrive on or before the delivery dates shown at checkout. This means we will refund shipping fees associated with your items if they are not delivered to their destination on or before those dates.
  • If your order contains other items that aren't eligible for Guaranteed Accelerated Delivery, and you do not check the box indicating you'd like to split up your shipments, you will not be eligible for the guarantee.
  • For your order to qualify for Guaranteed Accelerated Delivery, your credit or debit card must be successfully charged before the deadline displayed on the product detail page.
  • During the checkout process, if for any reason your items no longer qualify for Guaranteed Accelerated Delivery (for example, if the order deadline passes or if inventory runs out), you will not be eligible for the guarantee.
  • A signature may be required for some deliveries. If this is the case, an attempted delivery on or before the guaranteed delivery date meets our delivery guarantee. 
  • A delivery appointment may be required for some deliveries. If this is the case, an offer by the carrier of a delivery appointment on or before the guaranteed delivery date meets our delivery guarantee.

Guaranteed Accelerated Delivery Fine Print


  • Applies only to items that include the "Want it delivered . . ." message that displays a delivery date and method on the product detail page. If the item's product detail page does not include this message, it is not eligible for Guaranteed Accelerated Delivery.
  • Applies only to products sold by Amazon.com through our website located at http://www.amazon.com. Does not apply to any products purchased at amazon.co.uk, amazon.de, amazon.fr, amazon.co.jp, amazon.ca, or any other website operated by Amazon.com, its affiliates, or third-party merchants accessible from our site. Does not apply to any products purchased through Amazon Marketplace sellers. Does not apply to gift cards, and any items that do not include a message about a delivery date and shipping option below the availability information on the product detail page.
  • Will be subject to geographic shipping restrictions that may apply to particular products or locations.
  • Does not apply to purchases made under our Prime shipping membership program.
  • Guarantee does not apply to orders shipped to P.O. boxes or APO, FPO, DPO addresses.
  • May not be used with free-shipping promotions.
  • Does not apply in the event of service interruptions or failures caused by events beyond Amazon.com's control.
  • Your only remedy under this guarantee will be a refund of the shipping fees associated with the items in your order that are eligible for Guaranteed Accelerated Delivery.
  • Amazon.com reserves the right to change or discontinue Guaranteed Accelerated Delivery at its discretion.



New old stock Sea-Gull ST5






There seem to be enough of these new old stock (NOS) Sea-Gulls floating around on the world wide garage sale that I figured a review of one couldn't hurt, so here goes. Note-For another review of these ST5 Sea-Gulls, look here.

The watch you see above is a Chinese Sea-Gull model from the 1970s. Despite its age, it arrived in flawless condition (a feat that some new watches I have owned couldn't manage btw). The watch did not ship with a band so a trip to the parts box produced the combination in the photos. These old Sea-Gull models are, ahem, traditionally sized men's watches which is to say, small by today's fashion standard. The watch measures 35mm in width (37mm with the crown), 42mm lug to lug, 10mm thick and uses an unusual 19mm band lug width (You can probably squeeze a 20mm model on though). Despite the smallish measured dimensions however, this model wears a bit bigger than it is thanks to the high crystal and the thick, elongated lug design. As a dress watch, it is really quite good looking.

I was pleasantly surprised at the fine build quality on this model. Unlike many watches from the seventies which still used plated brass watch cases, Sea-Gull was already using a nicely polished stainless steel case on this design. That decision to go with the more durable metal no doubt contributes a lot to this watch's age defying looks. The hands appear to be polished stainless steel as well and the dial features raised metallic markers. The crystal is the only visual clue that this is an old design. It is a raised flat-topped acrylic type unlike the mineral and synthetic sapphire units common today. (For what it's worth, I happen to like acrylic crystals. Minor scratches can be polished away easily with a cotton ball and a little toothpaste. Try that with a scratched mineral glass crystal). The hands and face have no lume which is fine for a dress watch. While the case back screws down against a rubber gasket, I wouldn't trust any older watch near water so assume no waterproofing here.

Internally, this oldster is powered by Sea-Gull's ST5 19 jewel hand wound movement. The movement is a sight to behold. It features hand striped decoration on the bridges and plates. The workmanship of this striping is very well done and not at all the sort of thing I would associate with a socialist economy. A lot of pride clearly went into this little engine. In terms of accuracy, my example is gaining about 15 seconds daily which I can live just fine with. One thing that did surprise me is how stiff the crown is. You really have to grip it tightly to wind it. It's not a bad thing as far as I can tell but it is something to consider. For what it's worth, the mechanism is loosening up a bit as I use it. Could be just some old oil gumming things up. In addition to all the decoration btw, the movement also features what appears to be a polished, internal anti-magnetic shield. Yet another nice and unexpected touch.

All in all, I'm quite satisfied with my journey into Chinese horology so far. On two occasions now I have both been pleasantly surprised and had my prior assumptions challenged. I have a familiar feeling that these two Chinese watches (see the review before this one) will not be my only ones. I think a new watch box may be in order first though...

Sea-Gull M185S Review













Let me start off by saying that I have been uneasy about getting a Chinese watch for some time now. It isn�t that I have anything personal against the Chinese people or nation per se, far from it in fact. It�s just that, in my mind, the phrase �Made in China� has always meant cheap, not quality. Cheap is fine for a pair of socks or a plastic toy for my kids. However, buying a �cheap� watch (as opposed to an inexpensive but otherwise excellent watch) was never something I was interested in doing. Well, an odd turn of events not long ago made me realize that I was looking at China through a poor filter that was screening out a lot of good things.

As is the case in many places of business, employees in my office give one and other gifts, cards and other tokens of appreciation during the holiday season. Nothing new there for most of us. This year though, one of my co-workers gave me a very fancy box of tea. Not Twinnings or Teavana or Harney but Chinese green tea in an unreadable (to me) Chinese box. I love tea. I honestly have not met a cup of tea that I don�t like. (As an aside, my mother was and avid tea teetotaller and teapot collector. She had at least one hundred teapots at one time. We used to joke that if the Royal Navy stopped by for high tea one day, we could handle it). This particular Chinese tea was truly excellent. It had an almost nutty flavor that I�ve never experienced before. My only regret is that I have no idea what it is called or where to get it. That being said, it warmed me up during the worst of this winter�s cold spells (so far) and got me thinking, if China can make good stuff like this, what else have they got that I�m ignoring? And that, of course, got me wondering about Chinese watches. Was there a Chinese watch that was the equivalent of fine tea? Thanks to Google and a number of watch forums, it quickly became apparent that one such Chinese watch company was really very well regarded, Sea-Gull.

Sea-Gull got its start in 1955 when the Chinese government established a watch factory. The story apparently goes that four watch repairers were instructed to find a way to build a watch domestically. They supposedly started with a simple Swiss movement, modified the design to suit their needs and built China's first real watch, largely by hand. From this humble start, the company has since made a variety of watches varying from simple, utilitarian types to mechanical chronographs to some very fancy (and pricey!) tourbillions. While Sea-Gull watches have been sold outside of China since the early 70's, in the last few years, the company has begun an international expansion with sales/service locations in the U.S. and the European Union. For more on the history of Sea-Gull, see here.

In addition to watches themselves, Sea-Gull movements are sold to other watch companies for incorporation into their products. As of 2005, Sea-Gull was manufacturing approximately 25% of the watch movements in the world. Fossil and Timex, among others, have taken this approach with apparent success to date. Some Sea-Gull movements are even being put together in Switzerland apparently under the name Claro-Semag. These Swiss/Chinese watch engines are apparently modified somewhat in Switzerland to allow them to legally carry the label Swiss Made. Bizarrely, there have even been reports of fake Sea-Gull watches that have been assembled by unscrupulous vendors with real Sea-Gull movements. I think it's safe to assume that you've got a quality product when it's worth it for someone to try to make money off a copy. Imitation may not be the sincerest form of flattery in this case but it suggests that the real thing is quite good.

It also bears mentioning that there is apparently a notable difference in quality between a Sea-Gull branded watch and many of the watches that have one of their movements. EBay is crowded with watches that have Swiss and German sounding names. Many of them fall into a gray category commonly called "mushroom" brands, so called because they pop up in no time and vanish quickly too. It is not uncommon to find a Sea-Gull engine in these watches. The problem with them though is that there is little, if any, in the way of service, support or quality control behind them. Their watches may, in fact, work just fine but, ultimately, their products are built to earn a fast buck and deceive their buyers into believing that they are something they are not.

With all of this in mind, I decided to take the plunge and make a Sea-Gull my first new watch of 2012. The model you see above is the M185S. I liked this one for its classic looks and blued hands. I didn't see it in stock at Sea-Gull USA so I used the global tag sale after pestering an expert at the Poor Man's Watch Forum as to the authenticity of the watch. (Ebay seller was trusthonestman btw. Apparently pretty well thought of. The watch shipped in the original box with Chinese language documentation. Seller included a photocopy of some basic English language instructions as well. According to a friend, the watch carries a one year warranty and will achieve full power from the auto winder after six hours of wear on average). Sea-Gull uses this same case design for several other models as well. The main difference between the M185S and the others is the addition of a Chinese language day complication in addition to the date window. (I can't read it, of course, but I think it looks cool). In terms of dimensions, the watch measures 39mm in width (43mm with the crown), 47mm lug to lug, 14mm in thickness and has a 20mm band lug width. As this is a dress watch, there is no lume on the hands or dial. The hands are blued and the overall appearance with the large onion crown is one of classic elegance. Water resistance is rated at 3atm which is fine for a dress watch. The M185S uses a domed mineral glass crystal. The lugs are curved downward and the leather band and buckle are Sea-Gull branded and appear to be of very good quality. The case-back is held to the watch case with screws, which is a little unusual these days but it certainly seems to function adequately. Lastly, the watch features a display back through which the decorated automatic movement can be observed.

Internally, the M185S is powered by a Sea-Gull ST16 21 jewel automatic movement. The ST16 is one of many in-house movements manufactured by Sea-Gull. It is technically interesting in that it borrows the Seiko "magic lever" automatic winding system design while following the overall layout of a Miyota automatic movement. The ST16 hacks and hand winds as well if those abilities matter to you. The movement is considered sort of an entry level, work horse model in the Sea-Gull line. It has been around for a long time and the Sea-Gull branded watches equipped with it (as opposed to other "mushroom" brands that may use it) have a good reputation for reliability. The movement is nicely decorated with machined striping on the rotor and bridge plates.

Subjectively, the watch wears very nicely. It has that solid feel that I generally associate with a well made piece. The included band both is fairly long and reasonably thick so it should fit a large range of wrist sizes. I particularly appreciate the "China Made" identifier at the six o'clock position on the watch face. Unlike the mushroom brands with their Germanic and Swiss sounding names, this Sea-Gull is not pretending to be anything other than what it is. In light of how well it appears to be built, it's makers should be proud to state it's place of origin clearly.

I started off this review by admitting my unease with the idea of a Chinese watch. It seems clear to me though that the Chinese watch industry is following the well travelled trajectory of both the Japanese and Swiss watch industries. Initially, both of them were considered merely cheap imitators of other nations quality timepieces (Yes, I did say the Swiss. Their early efforts at watch production were considered low quality knock-offs of then American made watches). I think we all know by now how things worked out for the Swiss and Japanese in this industry. From the looks of my Sea-Gull example, China has entered these ranks as well. Now I just need to save a few grand ($) for one of those amazing looking tourbillions of theirs. One day...

The Murphy Vostok Bezel Review







I don't believe I've ever done a review for a watch part before (bracelets aside) but it had to happen sooner or later I suppose so here goes.

If you are a fan of Russian watches and Vostok Amphibias in particular, you are probably already aware of one of the more irritating characteristics of the watch. That would be the stock bezel. In almost all respects, Vostok did a splendid job on the Amphibia. It has a stainless steel case, a rugged automatic movement that can hand wind, an acrylic crystal that can be polished free of scratches very easily and, best of all, a very low price. One of the few details that is sub-par on the Amphibia is the stock bezel (the other being the lume which is awful). The standard Vostok bezel is a piece of chrome plated brass with painted accents. It looks pretty good and functions acceptably but, like anything made of brass, it scratches very easily. Until recently, the only option for us Vostok fans with damaged bezels was to procure a factory replacement part. That's not the case anymore.

Murphy Manufacturing, run by Dave Murphy, has come up with a terrific replacement bezel for the Amphibia. Unlike the original, Murphy's bezel is a beautifully solid piece of stainless steel that fits the Amphibia's case flawlessly. The machine work on this part is really very well done. Its so good, in fact, that I wish Vostok would just subcontract the bezel part of their business to Murphy. He really does a significantly better job.

The Murphy bezel does not ship with a bezel insert (the black part in the images above). That can be obtained from a variety of sources that sell Seiko 007 diver bezel inserts (I got mine here) The bezel fits on the Amphibia (or Komandirskie I suppose) using the same bezel wire that the stock unit is secured with. In terms of dimensions, the Murphy bezel sits a little higher than the stock unit. In the side by side shot above (the original bezel equipped model is on the right), you can see the difference between the stock bezel and the Murphy replacement. The increased height is needed to accommodate a bezel insert.

Overall, the Murphy bezel is a real home run. It addresses one of the big weaknesses in Vostok's design in a very elegant way. The whole character of the Amphibia is remarkably enhanced by this seemingly small change. The Murphy bezel can be obtained by contacting Dave Murphy at Murphy Manufacturing Co. . If you collect Vostoks, treat yourself to one of these.

Poljot Kirova Chronograph Reissue Review




It is with a bittersweet feeling that I find myself writing this review. Word is now trickling out that Maktime, the successor entity to Poljot that manufactured the 3133chronograph movement, has gone bankrupt. Unless some white knight arrives to either bail them out or buy the tooling for the movement, the 3133 is no more. While there is an apparently ample supply of 3133 chronographs on the world wide tag sale, once that supply is gone, that's it.

Ah well (sniff...), on to the watch. The Kirova chronograph in this review is one of several different reissue models of the original First Moscow Watch Factory Kirova chronograph. This particular example is one of the largest cased models of the Kirova reissues. It measures 42 mm in width (45 mm including the crown), 14 mm in height, 50 mm lug to lug and has a 20 mm band lug width. Most of the other Kirova reissues I've seen are typically 40mm in width.

Visually, this watch seems to combine the face design of the 1940's vintage one button chronograph with the two button control layout of the 1950's vintage Urofa powered chronographs. Despite appearances, only the hands on this model are lumed. The numbers, while colored as if painted with radium, do not glow in the dark. The case is matt finished stainless steel and the crystal is mineral glass. The case back and crown screw down and the watch is rated at 5 atm water resistance (which I would take with a grain of salt frankly). The original leather band was of indifferent quality so I replaced it with a padded Hirsch model.

Internally, this Kirova is powered by the venerable 3133 23 jewel hand-wound chronograph movement. The 3133 is a Russian made version of the earlier Swiss Valjoux 7734. The Russians bought the rights to the movement from the Swiss, raised the jewel count from 17 to 23 and increased the beat rate. It has served as the standard Russian chronograph movement for roughly the last 35 years. The 3133 is generally regarded as a fairly rugged movement (as mechanical chronos go) and it is known for it long 50+ hour power reserve.

I personally find this watch to be very attractive. The face and hands exhibit an old style charm that I don't encounter often these days. I think I would have preferred it if the designers had left off the date window but I can certainly live with it. I picked this example up a few years ago (when Russian chronographs were absurdly affordable) but I still see this model new on eBay from time to time. I think it's a keeper.

Leather Nato






I've been trying to find a strap that I liked for this Adi for a few years now. I think I've hit on a winner. The leather Nato above was procured from Nilsen's ebay watch band store (Randy passed away a few years ago but his wife now runs the place). Nice to see that the selection is still good and that the prices remain very reasonable. I think I paid about $26 shipped. Not bad at all.