Seagull 1963 Aviation Chronograph Pilot Mechanical Watch International Edition ST1901 - A Near-Perfect Watch for its Price, with Overall Appeal and Historical Significance, A Review (plus Video)

The first watch to join the collection in 2025. The Seagull 1963 Aviation Chronograph Pilot has been said to be a watch that any watch collector should consider adding. The history behind the watch is inspiring especially if one considers going into the watch making business from scratch.

 

Despite having been a collector for many years, I did not get a chance to pursue this model until now. While going through Amazon, I happened to find the page by Seagull and on it is an offering for the Seagull 1963 Aviation Chronograph Pilot Mechanical Watch International Edition ST1901.

 

To be honest, I would not have gotten my hands on an original but a reissued modernized timepiece by the same factory is possible and would be awesome. The offer was very enticing. Coupled with a few coupons that I have with Amazon, I was able to get the watch at an unbelievable price after discount.

 

I quickly put in an order on 3 February 2025 and exactly two weeks later, I got the watch via courier.

Citizen Promaster Mechanical Diver 200M NB6004-83E (similar to NB6004-08E, NB6005-05L, NB6006-02X) - A Dive Watch, A Review (plus Video)

Not many brands can be recognized as a premier dive watch designer. By this I mean brands that can come out with iconic designs that are evergreen and a source for inspiration for many other brands to copy and emulate. Seiko with their Tuna design and Rolex with the Submariner design are such iconic examples. Citizen is one such company that is a member of this exclusive group. Citizen's call to fame is its iconic 1982 Professional Dive Watch 1300m. 

 

In March 2021, Citizen launched an updated modern offering of the iconic 1982 Professional Dive Watch 1300m in the form of the BN0220-16E. This latest rendering is powered by an Eco-Drive module and only has a 200 meter water rating (the original is a quartz engine with 1300 meter of water rating). I was able to get one for the collection (click here to read the review).

Also in March 2021, Citizen quietly announced the launched of the Citizen Promaster Mechanical Diver 200m series. These watches has the NB600X reference code. This new series is not sold widely around the world. What makes it interesting is that it represents a return to automatic movement-based dive watches by Citizen. The automatic movement introduced by Citizen is a new design and designated the Caliber 9051. The movement is a modern 4Hz frequency mechanism with 42 hours of power reserve. The movement is also highly magnetic-resistant.

 

Timex M79 Automatic 40mm Stainless Steel Bracelet Watch 'Batman' Reference TW2U29500ZV - A Recipe for Success, A Review (plus Video)

Timex, the Waterbury, Connecticut-based watchmaker launched Timex Q re-editions in May 2019. That series of watches caught the attention of the watch community due to the evergreen design and ties to the classic 1970s Q-watches. I was keen to get one but unfortunately, the distribution network of Timex is rather poor in Malaysia. Those watches came with quartz movement and I have a feeling, very soon, an automatic movement will be added to the line.

In February 2020, Timex did just that. A series of mechanical watches with the Miyota 8205 movement was added thus the "M79" range was born. The "M" stands for mechanical while the "79" was the year the original Q was released.

I tried getting one in Malaysia but unfortunately, with the Covid19 Pandemic starting to bite, it was likely that the only way I was to get my hands on one is via international online merchants. I waited for over a year and finally made my order via Amazon.

I had to make a choice between 'Batman' (black and blue bezel combination) or the 'Pepsi' (black and red bezel combination). Although I like both, I finally decided on the 'Batman', reference number TW2U29500ZV.  

Bulova Oceanographer Snorkel “Devil Diver” Reference 98B320 - A Beautiful 1970s Dive Watch Reproduction, A Review (plus Video)

The Bulova Oceanographer Snorkel was given the nickname “Devil Diver” by virtue of its water rating of ‘666’ feet. Launched in 2018, this model was a reissue based on a design made in 1972. Unlike other famous watches in that era, the Oceanographer was not as spectacular. In reality, the timepiece can be construed as a typical basic tool-watch. Nevertheless, it has that classic 1970s vibes that is unmistakably cool and attractive.

I have been eyeing the watch ever since it was introduced to the market in 2018. Unfortunately, the Bulova brand is not well covered in Malaysia. It is only via Amazon US that I was able to acquire one. As Malaysia is currently in a lockdown due to Covid19, I was apprehensive in making the order but thankfully, the package arrived safely and earlier than originally scheduled by Amazon.

This is the first Bulova to be part of the collection.

(Very) Short History on Bulova and its Dive Watches

Bulova is an American watch brand founded in 1875 and owned by the Citizen Watch Co of Japan. It is based in New York City. Some of the famous lines under the brand are the Accutron, the Computron and the Apollo 15 watch. I decided not to provide more information about the brand as the same information is already available elsewhere. For more, please visit www.bulova.com. 

TRIPLE TREE Watch Roll (Travel Watch Case for 3 Watches) - Well Suited for Bigger Watches, A Review

I've ordered a faux-leather travel watch case that fits three watches by Triple Tree via Amazon. It has velvet sections to prevent the watches from knocking each other while in the box. Paid RM82.24 (all in) for it. After redeeming a gift card that I got from Amazon, the total transaction was only RM55.39.

Citizen Eco-Drive Promaster Tough Chronograph Stainless Steel and Titanium Watch CA0720-54H - From Citizen's School of Hard Knocks, A Review (plus Video)

I starting to focus more on Citizen designed watches in the last year or so. My previous biasness against non-mechanical timepieces shielded me from exploring this branch of the horological tree. After braking through the 'quartz' barrier I realised that there are a lot of incredible technologies and applications that can be found in this realm. My paranoia of serviceability as well as the possible deterioration of unique components appear unfounded as a number of quartz timepiece since the early era of the quartz timeline remain in operation without a care in the world.

Earlier this year I purchase the Citizen BN0211-50E Promaster Tough. I was very impressed with the build quality and its capabilities. When I noted that Citizen also came up with a chronograph model under the Tough series, I decided to get one.

There are two models under this sub-group. A bracelet version and a strap version. I decided on the bracelet version with reference CA0720-54H as I am intrigue with the bracelet design.For more information about the series and history, please refer to the special section at the end of this review.

The Ohuhu 12 Slot Watch Box - Adequate for Most Watches, A Review

Got myself another watch box via Amazon. This time a Ohuhu branded 12-slot Watch Box. It is a black faux-leather with glass display top and a metal lock catch. It has a beige velvet interior and pillows. No logo is printed anywhere.

Orient Automatic King Master Reissue WV0021AA JDM (similar to WV0011AA and WV0031AA) - JDM Classic, A Review (plus Video)

In 2015 Orient created a re-issue of its iconic Three Star King Master watch of the 1960s. There were three models in the series but all have been classified as JDMs. As such, you are only able to source it from Japan. Official information on the series is only via Orient's Japanese website.

I have been eyeing the watch for a number of years now. I happen to find one listed on Amazon via one of its affiliate merchant for a reasonable price. Given the choice, I would have picked the blue dial version but the black with gold trimming does hold its own appeal. After a few key strokes, the WV00021AA was on its way from Japan to Malaysia.

Since it was first launched until the date of this review, there was not much written about this series. The lack of access was one of the contributing factor to the minimum coverage. I do believe reviews have been written in Japanese but since I and a lot of other people don't read the language, information remains sparse.

TimelyBuys 10 Watch Briefcase Black Carbon Fiber Zippered Travel Storage Case - This is a Good Buy and I Approve, A Review

Got myself another 10-watch watch-box. Made by TimelyBuys, via Amazon, it was priced at USD39.99 (plus another USD16.86 for handling and another USD2.84 for import fees deposit).



This time, I was able to use my gift card of USD27.85 given to me via my Amazon store. In total, I spent only RM136.05.

Citizen BN0211-50E Promaster Tough Eco-Drive Black Dial Bracelet Watch - Simplicity Is Its Beauty, A Review (plus Video)

Any watch collector will have something to say about quartz watches. All would say that accuracy for quartz powered watches surpasses mechanical timepieces. Unfortunately, a lot of them also will shy away from acquiring a quartz watch due to the prevailing negative perception vis-a-vis a mechanical timepiece. Although I officially don't have such a bias view against quartz watches, the watches I acquire over the years appears to show a high degree of leaning towards mechanical timepieces. After looking at the facts and some soul searching, I came to the conclusion that my historical acquisition trail has been influenced by reviews and comments from other watch collectors.

I realised that my worldview is a reflection of the collective wants of all the watch collectors that are sharing their dreams about this hobby online. Unfortunately, this is not what I want in the hobby. For me, it is all about the design, technology and a watch's position on the evolutionary tree of watches. In the last year or so, I have started to become more inclusive and started to look further into the quartz world.

Sodynee WBPU12-03 Watch Display Box Organizer, 12 Slots - Cheap Yet Elegant Way to Display Your Collection, A Review

I decided to get another watch-box so that I can keep some of my watches in a more systematic way. There are options in terms of the number of slots but for my requirement, I chose one with 12 slots. I found one on Amazon that came with artificial black leather and a glass top.

The price quoted was also quite reasonable. It was listed at USD16.99 (plus USD25.71 for shipping and import fees). This equates to RM206.69 (product: RM74.73; shipping: RM113.18; import fees: RM18.78).

Within five days the package was on my desk.