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Rolex Explorer- Like Watches for the Broke College Student

Hey folks!

I love mechanical watches. Like many of you, I started my collection with a Seiko 5. I've since added a Vostok komandirskie. The temptation to constantly buy watches is real. Ebay can be a dangerous thing at times.

So...

Here's the thing: I love the design of the classic Rolex Explorer (I). I love the history of the watch. I love the fact that after so many years, it's still something that's remarkably beautiful and desirable.

I simply can't afford one.

I've been looking for a good homage to the Explorer to get me by until I've got the money to actually buy one. It'll be a few years until that's the case. I've looked at some Seiko's, Orient's, and the Smiths Everest (which is just a beautiful watch but I don't know anything about the manufacturer and I'm not sure how often it's in stock). I'm hoping ya'll could give me some recommendations on an Explorer type watch in the more affordable price range (say under $300). I know I'm not going to be getting a watch that has anywhere near the utility or quality of the original, and I know that I'll be sacrificing an in-house movement for either a Japanese (Miyota or Seiko) or a Seagull movement. That's fine. Seiko movements have always been reliable for me.

So what do you all have in mind?
 
I like the original Explorer I. I like the case. I like the numbering style (3 6 9 and then the big triangle). I like the fact that the watch doesn't have the day-date function. So something like that would be more of what I'm looking for. From the Seiko's and Orient's I've seen that pay homage to the Explorer, I haven't really felt connected to the watch. The Smiths Everest is nearly perfect. But I don't know about the quality, nor do I know about the manufacturer. I kinda just stumbled across Timefactors site.

Brands that I particularly like are Seiko, Orient, Seagull, and Vostok. I'm not against trying something new, so any recommendations would be appreciated, and if you have first hand knowledge of Timefactors, that'd be helpful.
 
If you like your Vostok Kommandirskie, why not go for a Vostok Amphibia ?
It's automatic and you're spoiled for choice when it comes to cases and dials
I like the 090 with a blue 12,3,6,9 numeric dial, but there are also 060, 100, 110, 120, 420 and 710 cases available
If you don't like the b-diresctional bezel, you could always mod it with a "clean" bezel
Type vostok amphibia into your eBay search and go nuts !!
Here are my 4 Amphibias
$20160815_103132.jpg
060, 710, 090

$20160815_103211.jpg
100
 
If you like your Vostok Kommandirskie, why not go for a Vostok Amphibia ?

I've thought about purchasing the Amphibia several times. A true diver (I've got a Casio G shock DW5600 that I currently use for swimming and the occasional dive when I make it to the coast) has definitely been on my buy it later list for a long time.

I guess I'm just looking for something a bit more formal to wear with a suit. I love the look of the Explorer and I think it'd go great with my small collection of suits, and when I have my thesis defense next year, it'd be good for that as well. And I plan on doing some mountain climbing in the next few years, so having something in that spirit would be nice. I guess a diver would probably be just as good for all of that, and with the options for customization with the Amphibia, it'd probably be easy to convert it to a more formal occasion.

Adamchur, I've heard a lot of complaints about the bracelets that come with the Amphibia. How's your take on the quality and comfort of the bracelet, and if you've put newer bracelets on your Amphibia's, what are you using?
 
I've thought about purchasing the Amphibia several times. A true diver (I've got a Casio G shock DW5600 that I currently use for swimming and the occasional dive when I make it to the coast) has definitely been on my buy it later list for a long time.

I guess I'm just looking for something a bit more formal to wear with a suit. I love the look of the Explorer and I think it'd go great with my small collection of suits, and when I have my thesis defense next year, it'd be good for that as well. And I plan on doing some mountain climbing in the next few years, so having something in that spirit would be nice. I guess a diver would probably be just as good for all of that, and with the options for customization with the Amphibia, it'd probably be easy to convert it to a more formal occasion.

Adamchur, I've heard a lot of complaints about the bracelets that come with the Amphibia. How's your take on the quality and comfort of the bracelet, and if you've put newer bracelets on your Amphibia's, what are you using?

Modding is a very easy and cheap option on Amphibias - I recently swapped the "Dash-Dot" from the 060 with the Diver bezel from the 710 Scuba Dude - both watches look cooler, I'm also waiting for delivery of a 120 bezel to put on the 090. Hopefully the largere diameter of the bezel will help to hide a ding on the case
http://www.ebay.es/itm/282164776741...49&var=581154449868&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
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Amphibia are all WR to 300m provided you keep the crown screwed in nice and tight.
An added bonus is that if the crystal gets scratched up, you can polish it with toothpaste and cotton wool in a circular motion - after a bit of elbow grease the crystal looks as good as new
The bracelets are ok, useable and surprisingly comfortable, but being folded metal they eventually stretch and fall apart - the quality is about 2 steps below a Seiko 5 bracelet !!
To be fair to Vostok, the original military watches were sold without bracelets so the buyer could choose what to wear them with - a lot of Amphibia fans argue to this day that the watches should be available for less money as a watch only option.

I've got all of mine on Chinese made solid link bracelets with flip-lock clasps available on eBay
The 060 is on an 18mm brushed stainless solid link bracelet similar to the ones used with Tag Heuer watches, I think I paid around €7 delivered
The 100 is on a 22mm 2-tone solid link bracelet which is ok, but has a poor quality clasp, but for €10 delivered it does the job
The 710 is on a 22mm Shark Mesh Deployment Bracelet - it's very comfortable, but it took about an hour to cut it to size with a pair of wire cutters, but well worth €10 delivered
The 090 is on a 22mm Generic "Breitling Bentley" clone, it's built like a caterpillar track, very heavy, but also quite comfortable, well worth €19 delivered

Although IMHO any heavy milanese or shark mesh bracelet looks good on an Amphibia

A cool and cheap mod, which I'll get one day is a 420 case with a black Zissou dial, a "Dash-Dot" bezel and an 18mm Seiko style rubber diver strap - As worn with a suit by Steve Zissou, played by Bill Murray in "The Life Aquatic" - if you google life aquatic diver watch you'll see some images of the scenes with the apple and the lizard
Picture this on a rubber diver strap

http://www.ebay.es/itm/Mens-wrist-d...840045?hash=item43f5a1f22d:g:~FQAAOSw8gVX46ZP

When you start buying Amphibias and modding, it's like a drug - worse than RAD !! lol

A closer look at my 4 watches with their after-market bracelets

$20160926_094328.jpg$20160926_094342.jpg$20160926_094353.jpg$20160926_094404.jpg
 

Ad Astra

The Instigator
+2 Vostok Amfibia. Mine keeps better time than my Seiko diver!



Do have 22mm black silicone band on it.

Digital watches are more accurate but have no soul.


AA
 
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UPDATE

Well I did buy another watch. But I went way off from what I originally was planning. I found a nice Vintage Favre Leuba Sea-King that's been restored by a watchmaker for a good price. I'll post some pics when it arrives.
 

Doc4

Stumpy in cold weather
Staff member
UPDATE

Well I did buy another watch. But I went way off from what I originally was planning. I found a nice Vintage Favre Leuba Sea-King that's been restored by a watchmaker for a good price. I'll post some pics when it arrives.

Nice ... looking forward to the photos.
 
UPDATE

Well I did buy another watch. But I went way off from what I originally was planning. I found a nice Vintage Favre Leuba Sea-King that's been restored by a watchmaker for a good price. I'll post some pics when it arrives.

That Favre Leuba Sea-King is a fine option.

For new, I was going to recommend:

Smiths Everest:

$everest-homage.jpg


Seiko SARB033:

$s_sarb033j_large.jpeg

or Seiko SDGM003:

$S-SDGM003_f_large.jpg

And higher price points, Omega Railmaster, or Aqua Terra.

Down the road, get that Explorer (36 or 36mm) !!
 
Lacking mercedes hands and a 3-6-9 dial, I'm not sure if this fits: Sandoz
When I bought it, I was looking for a nice Explorer-influenced style. And it's really more homage of a DateJust. But nice nonetheless. It has a Swiss ETA 2824-2 happily ticking away inside.
As for OP - I think the Smiths Everest is your best bet.

I like watches. A lot.

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Here's a guy that does custom Seikos in Hong Kong:http://s161.photobucket.com/user/yobokies/library/?sort=3&page=1

From personal experience, the condition or compulsion will turn you into a WIS (watch idiot savant). You'll develop a deep knowledge base on all of these different watches, you'll obsess, you'll drop money on all kinds of watches, and in the end you'll still be left pining for the same watch. You'll have to do it though. You'll have to exhaust yourself on your quest!

I personally burned through a lot of cash buying all kinds of watches. I sold a hell of a lot of them also. My obsession was the Rolex Submariner. I came extremely close to pulling the trigger once and I regret not doing it. I had the cash, and decided it was more responsible to buy an Omega Planet Ocean. That's the only nice watch I have now and wear daily, but did have an Omega Aqua Terra at one time also.

it will be a few years before I'm back in the market for a nice watch again. Having my kids in private school means more to me than a nice watch. I will get back there one day though. Probably right about the time Rolex raises the price of a Submariner above $15K.
 
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