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TAG Heuer Aqua Racer
by Danscomp
Tag Heuer is a Swiss luxury watch brand. There are few makers capable of playing in this field, as it is not just the technology and not just the design that you need to nail. Heritage helps, but you need the cachet, the style, the elan.
Tag Heuer has all of these. Famous sponsors of the brand include Steve McQueen, Ayrton ... Senna, Uma Thurman, Maria Shapova, Lewis Hamilton and Brad Pitt.
Excepting a slight difference in size, the men and women's aquaracers are identical. Just as well, because I am reviewing the woman's watch. One that I was able to give to my wife. The first thing that strikes you when you see one in person is just how perfect it is. Every milimetre is somehow right. Every tiny detail is just so. It is classic, simplistic and beautiful.
Minimalism is the order of the day. Silver is the theme, and this is accomplished through alternating matt and polished surfaces that compliment each other. There's no pretention here. An analog display. Hour markers are flanked with second markers and with a comparitively large "12" at the top. The Tag Heuer brand mark is the only splash of colour in the whole ensemble.
The scratch proof, anti relflective casing avoids being bulbous and doesn't detract from the overall attractiveness of the watch. It is a metal clasp, and the segments are comfortable against the skin (or so I have been told). Adjustment is easy and quick once brought into any watch specialist.
It is waterproof to 100 meters, which means you can get it wet, but not a good idea to take diving. Battery replacements involve sending the watch away during which the components are cleaned. This costs about £40 a go, so it is just as well each battery lasts up to 5 years.
If you want to buy one, it is one of the cheapest in the Tag Heuer range. Cheap is a subjective term. Here it means approximately £800.
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cK Suspension Ladies
by missrarr
Years ago in my old then-home town there was a little independent jewellery shop nestled around a corner from all the commonplace chains like H. Samuel and similar. I loved looking in the window whenever I was in town and would take detours to do so whenever I and my fellow students at the local college bunked off Life Drawing to spend ... the last four hours of Friday in the pub.
Their window would have something different to all the chain jewellery windows, and for the size of the tiny shop the range was remarkable. Some really unique designs were available, from the sparkly to the earthy and hitting just about everything in between, and upstairs a real, working jewellery workshop produced their own ranges as well as the guest designers.
One day I saw an advert requiring a Sunday shop assistant, and amazingly, I got the job. Eventually my days were increased and I spent a happy few years there, part of a wonderful and fun team, enjoying learning more about one of my favourite subject matters and getting to unite these gorgeous bits of jewellery with their delighted new owners.
Then life got in the way and the reality was that it was time to start my career, which sadly wasn't in jewellery design (although one day I would like to retrain). I did, however, land a really great job opportunity which took me out of the area and on my first weekend home one of the first things I did was drop in to see my old colleagues and after I passed my probationary period in my new job I went back again to treat myself to one of my favourite things - a new bit of jewellery.
***THE CALVIN KLEIN SUSPENSION WATCH***
A few months before my regretful departure, the store was on the up locally and we took on Calvin Klein's then-new range of jewellery, mostly because of trying to branch out into expensive watchwear, which was a feature of the range. I love something a bit different and rarely wear watches because I suffer from a condition known (by me) as "Sparrow Wrists". Now, I don't know why I call it that because relative to their whole bodies, Sparrows would of course have their wrists on their wings which are actually quite large, so it makes stuff all sense, but basically the end result is that I have tiny wrists and normal watches either don't fit even when altered or just feel wrong.
Enter stage left the Suspension range from Calvin Klein. Featuring a beautifully finished, rounded and slightly oval watch face, the bracelet part of the watch was in fact two strands each side of thing leather cord, knotted back on itself at each end of the watch face and then fastened securely into the clasp at the back. The result was a watch that looked like a bangle, even more so when you take into account the simplicity and the tactile, smooth style of the face - there are no time markers, just the hands and a small logo. It almost looks like a leather bracelet with a sort of shell feature, a beautiful bit of jewellery as opposed to an obvious watch.
Originally we stocked this in a bronzey gold, black and a unique and very beautiful dark blue, which I fell in love with instantly.
Even so, given my tendency to lean towards jewellery as opposed to watches, I surprised myself when I found myself contemplating this watch, six months later, as my celebratory treat. But, embarking on a new career as I was, suddenly a watch seemed fitting and I found myself telling my former colleague to box it up - after significant length had been removed from the leather straps by one of the jewellers so it didn't fall off my ridiculous wrists!
***A GOOD DECISION?***
Okay, so first of all this is a cross between a watch and a piece of statement jewellery. I had my watch's strap adjusted but I still wanted to retain the "bracelet" element of the design, so I do wear it loose, which I feel is worth mentioning from a reviewer perspective. You could wear it tighter than I do, but I like bracelets to fall quite loose on my wrists (kidding myself that I am, or at least was, an elegant, dreamy waiflike Goddess, I suppose!).
First off, the timepiece itself; an oval dome with pointed ends, there are holes at either points where the leather (petrol blue) is looped through then knotted back on itself - but this has never worked loose, despite being a basic twisted knot. The leather secures into a small, narrow clasp which has a tiny CK logo and is very secure and has never once opened on the sly. Being a bracelet style, funnily I find it easy to put this on - merely turn my wrist upside down, pin the timepiece underneath it and the leather straps are in a good positions and are malleable enough to put the clasp ends together easily to snap the fastening.
The timepiece itself is domed in shape and there is a slight alteration in the petrol blue shade in a circular cutout around the actual mechanism. Here you just have the hands and the CK logo. It's both understated whilst also being a real statement piece.
The back of it is silver stainless steel and feels heavy, cool and high quality. Despite my wearing my watch very loosely, the weight and the fact that it is tapered in shape (the battery and timepiece compartment is flat, the edges curve to fit the shape of the wrist slightly) means that, despite its weight comparative to the tiny straps, this doesn't actually spin around underneath my wrist as much as I thought it would. Yes, it does on occasion, but mostly it stays in a good position, which saves it from damage.
The straps have never once stretched or shown any cracking, and are made from high quality materials. The really remarkable things is that this watch has been part of my life for over four years now and whilst it spends much of its time in its beautiful presentation box, it hasn't lost any time at all and the battery is still going strong.
But what I truly love about this watch is that it is a statement, a combination of jewellery and a watch, totally unique and most people who have seen it have initially said "I love you bracelet" before they realise that the shape and style is actually concealing a very subtle and stylish timepiece. I always look for something unusual, distinctive and eyecatching in my jewellery but I also love subtlety and this watch gives me everything, so when I slip this on I don't feel I am wearing a watch, which has never appealed to me, but a really beautiful bit of jewellery. I love the petrol blue colour, the bold design and I can't speak highly enough of the quality.
I love the tactile, beautiful workmanship that has gone into this watch - the timepiece is like a beautiful shell, cool to the touch and with perfect finish all around. It is definitely the most elegant and professional piece of jewellery I have ever owned and I am honestly proud of it.
In short, it was the perfect buy for that significant treat and I will always, always keep this and love it. And one day, it might, just might, need a new battery.
***AVAILABILITY & TECHY STUFF***
The wide availability of this watch seems to have decreased upon current Google results. Watchshop.com claim to have this in different colours (it would seem another, darker bronze option was added to the range) although this blue is out of stock. If available, they would have listed it at £170, with the gold and bronze commanding slightly higher prices and breaking the £200 barrier.
Amazon have a silver, mirrored version down from an RRP of £215 to £124 at the time of writing, the true bronze at £219.99, the gold bronze at a whacking £279.99 and my gorgeous petrol blue at £244.99.
Obviously, for they art eternally hip and trendy and thus can never keep their old stock in the public view, Calvin Klein's (irritating, meant-to-be-slick-but-decidedly-klunky) trend bible of a website no longer offers this product for sale.
Watchshop.com details on the product list the following technical information:
Water Resistancy: 30 metres (I have not, and will not be testing this, not even for you lovely lot!)
Movement: Swiss Quartz
Glass: Saphire
Clasp Type: Jewellery clasp
Strap: Genuine leather
Case width: 31mm approx
Case depth: 11m approx
Case material: Stainless steel
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Timex T2N602
by myloh
I'm reviewing the Timex Man's Watch that I bought my husband for Christmas.
It cost me £45 online,but was advertised at being originally £60,so I was happy with a bit of saving there.
The model No is T2N602 and it has a leather strap rather than the stainless steel one pictured,but is identicle otherwise. It is an analogue ... watch & has a black dial & very clear hands & numbers.
The case is 42mms in diameter ,and 12mms thick.The warranty is for 2 years,which is fair enough for a £45 watch.It is water resistant up to 30 metres.
First (as usual) why I bought this. Well I was looking for something to buy my other half for Christmas is reason number one. The second reason is that the one he had had become disfigured due to a DIY incident which caused the glass to get badly scratched .It didn't bother him,but it bothered me intensely & he simply dug his heels in & refused to look for a new one. MEN ! So I investigated buying a new one for him.
Buying him a watch is a pain quite frankly (hence the last one being 4 yrs old) because he is incredibly fussy in a plain way.......if that makes sense. He doesn't like "whistles & bells" and prefers a plain analogue watch with a plain face that is easily readable. The strap must be leather,because anything else causes a skin reaction .After looking around a few shops I saw none that ticked all the boxes I knew needed ticking, so I looked online & saw this one on offer. The fact that it was reduced in price was a bonus.....literally.
I was dubious about Timex because I vaguely recalled hearing bad reports on them in the past ,but on reading up was assured that while they may not be considered topnotch gear by some purists,they are perfectly serviceable & durable,which is all we needed.So I went ahead & bought this one.
It arrived nicely boxed & looked the bizz.....just like in the advert . I checked it for visible marks,scratches etc, but it was pristine as expected,so I wrapped it & put it under the Christmas tree fully expecting much rolling of eyes at his unwrapping it to find something he declared he REALLY didn't need. But fortunately he seemed really pleased with it on the day & set aside his old one to put the new one on .
He loves the black face & finds it really easy to read.
He swims daily so I had thought the "water resistant to 30 metres" a plus. But apparently he removes it & leaves it in his locker anyway (who knew),so not tested that feature out really as yet. Time keeping has been precise with no loss or gain of minutes and it seems hardy enough so far. Hopefully it remains accurate & gives no problems,but if it does I will update this review accordingly.
Would I recommend it ? Not sure yet ........in as far as it has been used it has been reliable,but three months is not that long really.Time will tell (see what I did there?). But so far so good.
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