Seiko 5 Sports Flieger SRPH29K1 (similar to SRPH21K1, SRPH23K1, SRPH25K1, SRPH27K1, SRPH31K1 and SRPH33K1) - A Beater Watch, A Review (plus Video)

The Seiko 5 Sports line was first launched in 1963 under the original name of Seiko Sportmatic 5. It was  Seiko's first automatic day/date watch and famously known for its reliability and ownership cost. Over the years, many models were churned out from many of Seiko's overseas factories that Seiko could not compile the list of models available on its website. To take back control, in 2019, Seiko centralised the design of Seiko 5 Sports by launching the Seiko 5 Sports Collection series. This time around, Seiko's main website kept track on the models launched. 

I got the SRPD85K1 to commemorate this event for the Seiko 5 Sports Collection in 2019. Since then, I got another piece, the SRPG29K1 which happens to be an infantry inspired design. Around the same time in late 2021, Seiko issued out a new pilot watch series codename 'Flieger'. Of the options available, I chose the SRPH29K1 as it has my favorite colour, green. This time around, I got the watch from another vendor in Mid Valley, City Chain.

The reason I got the watch from City Chain was because of their membership point scheme which which offered the best discount after taking into consideration the joining coupon as well as the birthday coupon offered to members.

Hamilton Khaki Aviation X-Wind Auto Chrono H77906940 (similar to H77916920) - This Watch Does Have The Look, A Review (plus Video)

I have been eyeing the Hamilton Khaki Aviation X-Wind Auto Chrono ever since it first debut back in 2016. Granted the special complication that the watch was designed for would not be useful to me, I was taken more by the beauty of the design than anything else.

The number of pushers and crowns on the watch intrigues me. Having two inner bezels as well as an external bezel in a watch appears to be an overkill. Nevertheless, the watch has a few ingenious use of the moving parts of the watch to do rather complex computations. In reality, the Hamilton Khaki Aviation X-Wind Auto Chrono (the X-Wind for short) is a mechanical computational device that is already obsolete when computers are already taking over the same job and more. 

Looking passed the question of efficiency, you start to appreciate the way form and function designed into the watch would be able to do such calculations. To me, what makes this watch desirable is the way a mechanical 'calculator' has been made to look like a brilliant piece of art. The X-Wind should be in the collection.

Citizen Mechanical Aviator Green Dial NJ0100-38X - A Seiko 5 Wannabe, A Review (plus Video)

I was on my way to Vietnam. As usual, once I am at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, I would visit the Time Watch Shop at Terminal C. While browsing, I happened to look at the Citizen watch section. Out of the many watches, I saw something interesting. In the pile of watches on display, there was a mechanical watch with vintage styling. I was smitten with the design and I quickly bought it since it was not that expensive. The watch I bought is the Citizen Mechanical Aviator Green Dial NJ0100-38X.

This watch has a classic pillow-case design which gives it a vintage vibe. The green dial and the leather strap were the icings that made me pull the ‘trigger’ to get it.


The Watch

The watch is 42 mm wide with a thickness of 12 mm. Lug-to-lug length is 47 mm and its lug width is 22 mm. The watch casing is made of stainless steel and it is paired with a double-layered brown leather strap. Total weight of the whole package is 77 gm.

Seiko 5 SNK805K2 Automatic Military Stainless Steel Watch with Olive Green Dial & Canvas Strap – A universal watch - Everyone can use it, A Review (plus Video)

My love affair with military watches with green dial continues. This time around, I caught the Seiko 5 SNK805K2 in the net. Got it via Amazon Prime. Interestingly, the watch has its origins in Malaysia! It travelled to the US, stayed there for a while and then took another long haul trip back where it was made. What a homecoming.

Since the Seiko 5 sub-brand was first launched back in 1963, it quickly made a name for itself as Seiko offer a selection of affordably priced watches with a combination of far bit of water resistance, automatic movement and day & date display in a single window. The SNK805K2 maintained the standards and is one of the most cost effective mechanical timepiece currently available in the market.

The movement is housed in a 37 mm diameter by 11 mm thick stainless steel case with a Hardlex crystal protecting the dial. The lugs are 18 mm wide. The case is bead-blasted for a matte finish. The small push-in crown is located at the 4 o’clock position and is partially sunk into the side walls of the watch casing. There is a sloping fixed bezel that is the same level at the Hardlex crystal. The screw-down display case-back is also protected by Hardlex crystal.

Parnis 60mm Brown Leather Crown Jumbo Pilot Auto SS Watch Reference PI58 – Cheap homage to the FL23883 standard, A Review (plus Video)

A few months ago in June 2016, I ordered two pilot watches from Parnis (www.parniswatch.net). Unfortunately, one of them, the Jumbo Pilot was not working (please refer to this link on the review of the other Parnis pilot watch; Parnis Black Dial Big Pilot Power Reserve Chronometer). After sending the watch back to Parnis, I received a new example which was working (more about the problems later).

This particular model conforms to the original specification of pilot watches under the German 'B-Uhr' Watch (or Observation watch) standard FL23883 of the WW2 era which calls for a watch that is 55 mm wide (excluding crown; with crown it would go to 60 mm) with a large crown. Under the A-dial format, it should also have a black dial with white Arabic numerals (all numerical markers filled with luminous material) and flame-blued sword hands also covered in luminous material. The designs also featured a unique triangle mark at the 12 o’clock position designed for ease of orientation in any condition. The movement must be capable of stopping the central seconds hand by pulling the crown. The watch should also come with a very long double-riveted leather strap.

Parnis Black dial Big Pilot Power Reserve Chronometer Watch Handmade Leather Strap (Product Code: NEW-304) – The quality and usability is commendable despite it being a cheap watch, A Review (and Video) - Updated (16 June 2016)

For the last couple of months I have been affected by the pilot watch bug. I love the size and the simplicity of a pilot watch. For a good timepiece under this genre, the price is rather high. So, I’ve decided to find a rather cheap alternative from Parnis, a Chinese brand. After going through its vast catalogue of watches, instead of just getting one, I’ve decided to get two.

For this review, I will be focusing on the Parnis Black dial Big Pilot Power Reserve Chronometer (Product Code: NEW-304).

This is a rather large with a case diameter of 47 mm (without crown). Its lug-to-lug length is approximately 55 mm while its thickness is 15.5 mm. The case is made out of brushed 316L stainless steel polished fixed bezel and a display case-back.

The large diamond shaped crown is located at 3 o’clock and is a screw-down. There is a image of a fish on the top of the crown. The black dial has two scales; the outer one is a minute scale with markers while the inner is an hour scale with Arabic numerals. There are two sub-dials located on a top-bottom alignment where the power reserve indicator (North) and seconds indicator (South) are housed.

Athaya Vintage AV001R:Type B Limited Edition Automatic Pilot Watch - A True Pilot Watch of an Bygone Era, A Review

My first love has always been dive watches. In my collection, the bulk of the watches comes from that particular genre (Click the following links for the list: http://easternwatch.blogspot.my/search/label/Diver & http://westernwatch.blogspot.my/search/label/Diver). However, in the last year or so, my interest has started to shift towards pilot watches.

As you know, I bought a watch from Athaya Vintage last year, the Athaya Vintage AV002 Lamafa Diver Watch. I was quite impressed with the watch, especially the price. A few months ago, Athaya Vintage announced a plan to relaunch its first offering, the AV001R Pilot watch subject to possible design changes. Subsequently, Athaya Vintage conducted a market survey and the majority of those surveyed wanted something similar apart from a better movement, better luminous paint and real heat-treated blue hands.

This latest incarnation has been given the reference AV001R. The additional "R" in the reference denotes a 're-issue' from the original model. This time around only 60 pieces will be made (original AV001 was 100 unites).

Like the Athaya Vintage AV002 Lamafa Diver Watch which is a close homage to the famous Seiko 6105 diver watch, the AV001R is also a homage of the classic German-style pilot watch (or known as 'flieger') produced by Laco and Stowa until the end of World War 2. For short history lesson on the B-Uhr watches, go to the end of this posting for more information.

Orient Automatic Flight - Aviation Type Pilot - CER2A003 (CER2A or ER2A series) Black Dial - Value for Money Pilot Watch, A Review

I bought a watch from Solar Time Sunway Pyramid over the weekend. It has been a few months since I indulged in acquiring a new watch. The watch that I got was the Orient Automatic Flight - Aviation Type Pilot - CER2A003.

Orient acknowledges that this is homage to the classic Pilot’s watch. Instead of being too stylish or try to put in their version of what constitute a Pilot’s watch, Orient’s version is a very simple watch. Apart from a date window, the watch has Arabic numerals and three hands. The dial has three scales; the outer scale has minute markers, the middle scale in the traditional Pilot’s watch numbering and the inner ring reads time on an hour scale.

If I was a pilot of yesteryear, the primary complication I need on a pilot watch would be either a countdown timer or a chronograph. This will allow a pilot (without the benefit of radio way-points and GPS satellite navigation) to accurately measure imaginary way-points in the sky by just using timing at specific speeds and direction. This particular complication is not provided by this model and as such, the only benefit it gives to a pilot is the legibility of the information. In this regard, this Orient model is very legible. Even in a dark environment the watch is legible. Luminescent material has been applied to every numeral on the outer ring including the primary markers, in addition to the hour and minute hands.