Australian Watch Authority
What does the “fit and finish” of a watch actually mean and should I even care?
“Fit and Finish”. If you search watch forums enough or eyeball videos on Youtube, you will undoubtedly run into this term. Initially, I had an inkling as to what it was referencing, but I hadn’t grasped its importance or whether I should even care. But as I started to dig deeper, I began to get a better handle on what fit and finish really means to a collector and when it should matter. This is what I’ve found. Fit Here is an assignment. Take your favourite watch that is on its stock bracelet. Spread it open between both hands and place it between a light source and your eyes. Focus in on where the bracelet meets the lugs. Do you see that light shining through? That’s an example of fit. Fit on a watch directly correlates to the tolerances a brand is willing to accept during manufacturing. The smaller the tolerances are, the better the fit. Other examples of fit on a watch can be found in the amount of stretch you see in the bracelet or the amount of play when rotating the timing bezel (if you have one). Is there too large of a gap between the bezel…
JOIN US: We are seeking an incredible Australian-based Account Manager
Editor’s note: We are keeping you all in the loop of another opportunity to join the Time+Tide team. Thanks to all those that heard the call in our recent team update, we are in the process of responding to all. Unfortunately for the majority of applicants, this position is based in Australia, but please do stay tuned as we will have more overseas postings in coming months. Time+Tide is a global authority on luxury watches. Every month, millions of readers and viewers – whether on our platforms or official partner networks like CNN – consult our content for information and education. Founded in Melbourne in 2014, making us a legacy publisher in Internet years, Time+Tide now has team members in key international locations including London and New York. We consider that we are both audience AND community builders. The people that engage with us, through the club, or YouTube, or social media, or the site, make us who we are. Some words about you We are seeking a highly motivated individual with a taste for the fluidity, freedom and “no two days alike” life of digital entrepreneurialism – the superpower we require in this role is: Organisation with a smile. …
Until we get more Oysterflex, these are our preferred Rolex rubber strap options on the market
Like Romeo and Juliet, the Rolex Submariner and the Oysterflex bracelet were meant to be together. The iconic diver’s watch and (probably) the world’s best rubber strap are the beautiful couple never allowed to marry due to draconian family rules. So what are the DIY alternatives to speed up this matrimony? After all, despite what Zach says here, surely it’s not heretical to put a Rolex Submariner or a GMT-Master on rubber? I idly canvassed opinions on this notion on the Facebook group Drinking Coffee and Talking Watches. The prevailing feedback was that the Rolex Submariner is ultimately a rugged tool watch and can look quite dashing on a rubber strap. But one comment in particular made perfect sense with someone remarking that putting your Rolex on a rubber strap “will make you slightly less of a mugger’s target”. Bingo! Aside from basic comfort and practicality, it’s exactly this stealth-wealth characteristic that explains the appeal of rubber. Right now, for example, I’m writing this story on holiday where I packed G-Shocks, a Seiko and a microbrand piece (one watch for two weeks? ha-ha), due to this very sentiment. In an unfamiliar environment, I prefer my watches to fly under the…
Opinion
A barn find to give you hope – the story of a very special NOS vintage Gruen Ocean Chief
Editor’s note: This week, Eric Ku, vintage watch dealer and friend of Time+Tide, posted about five years having passed since the remarkable watch barn find story involving a LeCoultre Deep Sea Alarm. A man by the name of Zach Norris came across an interesting-looking watch at a local Goodwill store, featuring a price tag of $5.99. He bought it in a heartbeat, suspecting it was worth more than the tag suggested, and was delighted to discover its true value. He was flooded with offers for the watch, one of which came from Eric Ku. He agreed to sell the watch to Eric for a cool $35,000. That’s right, nearly 6000 times the price he paid for it. We put a call-out to see if anyone else had their own story of successful thrift shop hunting, and Frank (@SpeedyFett on Instagram) reached out, telling the tale of his vintage Gruen Ocean Chief. Enjoy! I have a barn find story from a couple years ago that is pretty special. I took my family on vacation to Philadelphia for my kids to experience the old historic area. Little did I know that in addition to the Liberty Bell, just around the corner was…
