I keep coming back to this thread...and I've finally succumbed, order just placed
I keep coming back to this thread...and I've finally succumbed, order just placed
Good man, I’m sure you won’t be disappointed. A couple of observations from the first ten days of ownership; I’ve managed to knock it on door frames and bench tops a few times and it’s great not having to be bothered about it or mother it. Also it’s a pretty hardy fellow as none of those knocks have left marks; as a previous poster said, function over form.
I’ve always been a stickler for time keeping with my autos so just naturally fell into timing this. I have found over the years that quartz movements can differ significantly between manufacturers. If this maintained current performance it would gain 90 seconds in a year. Considering the daylight saving change I can certainly live with a gain of 45 seconds every six months.
for me the vostok divers were the best value divers in the world - when they used to be £20-£30 new
no idea how much they are these days
Predictably, another few late-night G&Ts saw the debit card come out!
I went for that 'Diver' Magazine deal of 12 mags plus the Apeks 200m diver for £56. I'd been mulling over that offer since it was posted on here a few weeks back, and this thread pushed me over the finish line.
I do prefer the bezel on your Divex model more though.
Probably.
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
I am tempted with the Submariner 200, does anyone know what the dimensions are, tried searching without much luck
I’ve ordered an Apecks too but ordered a new one before I saw the magazine deal
Should be here any day now. Should make a great holiday watch
That magazine deal is great if you're interested in diving. My youngest was just asking me why his Divex was worth 1/100 of a Rolex. Cue a conversation with a little about watches and a lot about market forces...
Good looking watch for the price
Hands up who's got a drawer full of great value watches that they never ever wear.
Me.
I have maybe about 15-20 watches, and i only ever wear one or two of them, or a g shock.
Most of these watches ive owned for a long time . Like alot of the regulars on here, I've had alot of watches pass through my hands over the years. I've been buying watches for about 12 years, and the ones i still have with me represent a distillation of that period and what i find interesting about watches.
So regardless of how much i paid for any one of these watches , i would say all of them have provided great value.
The price has nothing to do with it.
... alot of people mistake 'cheap' for 'value'. That's the main point I want to make.
Of course everyone has a different budget, but that has nothing to do with it IME.
Everything is relative. Looking for a good watch is the same as anything else - you need to find what works for you.
Just my 2p
Dave
Last edited by seikopath; 20th May 2018 at 06:09.
Good luck everybody. Have a good one.
^^^^^and a good 2p worth it was, I have a few great value divers watches and wear each regularly, I don't tend to keep what I don't use
Sent from my [device_name] using TZ-UK mobile app
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
....I lied:
Untitled by David Douglas, on Flickr
Untitled by David Douglas, on Flickr
Untitled by David Douglas, on Flickr
What did you lie about?
Ps looks good, looking forward to my Apex arriving. It will go straight on an isofrane
Untitled by David Douglas, on Flickr
^^^^^ Good looking diver Dave! A veritable bargain to boot too.
So here's the thing... I'm on a mission to sell a bunch of watches and accumulate funds so that I can buy an Offshore Professional Field Engineer.
I'm actually doing quite well - I've only got about 400 quid more to go.
So why, oh why have I just placed an order for two of the Divex 200m Submariners?!
I'm blaming you David - it's all your fault...
Simon
Don’t blame me for your lack of willpower Simon ;)
Why two?
Yes, you have a point there, mate...
Why two? One for me to use as a gym watch (can't abide G-Shocks), a second one for my son who irritates me by wearing his Seamaster when he's doing stuff for which he should be wearing a 'beater'...
Simon
Great thread..... nice pics.... and great to see value for money timepieces.
Thanks for sharing takethecannoli :)
So my Divex 200m arrived this morning after a short layover in the Post Office (why does my postie never knock?!), and here are my initial impressions...
Firstly, the packaging is workmanlike but perfectly fine...
Apart from the packing slip, it comes with no paperwork whatsoever- no warranty, no instructions. Couldn't care less, but just saying...
The watch itself is just really excellent value for money - it appears to be well made, really solid and for a 'proper' 200m dive watch, remarkably thin.
Oops, really should have brushed the dust off, first...
I knew there had to be a catch... the strap is utterly enormous! This is a working dive watch sold by a commercial dive equipment company and as such the expectation is clearly that it will be worn over a wetsuit. As such, while the buckle half measures just 82mm in length, the other half is a fairly gargantuan 160mm and is therefore totally unwearable.
Actually I'm not remotely concerned about the strap (apart from the fact that I can't actually wear the watch today), as this is a perfect excuse for me to try out the Borealis version of an ISOfrane. I have a 22mm black one winging it's way towards me from Portugal as I write. Photos and comments on that as soon as it arrives...
Those of you who have seen my SOTC threads in the past will recognise my 'Buddha' photos, so here's one of the Divex.
I know someone in an earlier post on this thread was asking about the dimensions of this watch. I've just got the calipers out and it measures 43.6mm diagonally across the case, but don't be fooled by that number. It wears significantly smaller than that, partly due to short downturned lugs and partly because it only measures 40mm across the bezel, 48.4mm lug-to-lug and a positively sylph-like 11mm in depth.
Overall impressions are that this is phenomenal value for money, coming across as a 'real' working dive watch with remarkable build quality. For £80 delivered, what's not to like?
I bought it to do duty as my gym watch, but I can see it being worn rather more than that, to be honest. I think I'd be tempted to take it away on holiday this summer, for starters...
Simon
Last edited by mycroft; 4th June 2018 at 13:13.
Hey....twins!
I measured my strap to where I’d ideally want it to end under the keeper and cut through it with a heated up sharp knife. Now I can wear it and you don’t see the cut end under the keeper.
I am Police Officer and when my Pro-trek gave up the ghist 8 years ago, the huys in nthe underwater unit were using the Divex and I managed to blag on from them
Still wear it to this day, With only one battery change
Awesome watch
Mozza
Well the keeper is 18mm wide so there's certainly plenty of space to hide the cut-off end of the strap! I'm quite intrigued by the incoming Borealis strap, though - it's only cost me £23 delivered which is less than 25% of the cost of an ISOfrane - and they seem to have had decent reviews. I'll be able to make a direct comparison as I have a genuine blue ISOfrane on my Seiko 'PADI' Turtle...
More feedback on that once it arrives.
Simon
Just read though the whole thread, have to say what an amazing looking watch for pennies imo. I don’t need one but I’m thinking about buying one.
Thanks
Here's how my strap looks now....
Untitled by David Douglas, on Flickr
....and into the depths of my daughter's bath.
Untitled by David Douglas, on Flickr
Can’t agree that strap is too big. Width is proportionate to watch and purpose. (Cut length of mine down very easily)Attachment 14392
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Exactly this. Actually the width (at 22mm lug width) is ideal for the watch size - I dislike puny strap widths on divers.
I know I could cut the strap down as you guys have done, but for the time being I'm going to hang on for the incoming Borealis.
Simon
- - - Updated - - -
Buy it, buy it, buy it!!!!
Simon
Last edited by mycroft; 5th June 2018 at 12:51.
This morning (when I should have been working!), I found a rather nice grey Elite Condor 22mm leather strap in my watch box, and popped it on the Divex.
I rather like it...
Simon
We'll have to agree to disagree there, David. Horrid things imo... fiddly, scratchy, uncomfortable, cheap-looking... eugh.
I'm so sorry, temporary thread hijack, I'm feeling better now...
Simon
Having now retrieved my Borealis rubber strap this morning from the Post Office, it's now on my Divex and I have to say I'm absolutely delighted with the combination, which has cost me in total the grand sum of £103
What do you think of this?
...and the obligatory wrist shot...
In all honesty the Borealis is 90% of what an original ISOfrane is, and it cost me £23 delivered (a 22mm black ISOfrane for Watch Obsession is now £110!!). I think it highly unlikely that I would ever buy an ISOfrane again - I would be paying an extra £87 for a vanilla smell!
Simon
That looks the mutt’s Simon. I’ve ordered a black and an orange isofrane style from Cousins. The price of isofrane is insane these days.
Thanks David. I'm able to directly compare the Borealis with the ISOfrane as I have one of each - if anything the Borealis is slightly softer and therefore more comfortable...
Orange is a good call, too. Always a winner in the summer.
Simon