When I was home visit my father I found this Zodiac watch.
I have no idea on the history or any other information on this watch. I have searched the Internet but found nothing other than this site - www.vintagezodiacs.com. And the official Zodiac watch page. But that has no information on this old watch. From what I can read it is a Zodiac Glouous, and on inside of watch case it says 771 (model ?) and it has a 17 jewels movement. It could be from 1930 - 1970 I have no idea. Any information is welcome.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Carbon case does not look to tough. On the internet site timetapestry.blogspot.com you can see some photos of AP's carbon watch that has some chipped of parts.
I do agree with the guy - I have not been that much of a fan of AP's limited series of the Royal Oak Offshore. Give me the standard version any day. Well check out these chipped AP carbon watch.

I do like the normal AP Royal Oak Offshore much more.

• Black Daytona Zenith movement SS
• Black Daytona 4130 movement SS
• Linde Werdelin Elemental / Hard Black DLC Elemental
• Rolex models 5513, 1680, 16800
• Rolex Deep Sea Sea Dweller
• Rolex GMT II
• IWC Ingenieur
• Panerai 005
• Panerai 243

For Panerai the change of strap is one of the best way to change the look and "feel" of the watch - but how about the watches with steel bands - and especially how to change the Rolex.
You can chose to change to a Nato strap - but is that enough! I have found the Olongapo bracelets to be something special and maybe something I would like to add to a rolex - well just for the fun of it.
The Olongapo Bracelets was something the navy divers in Vietnam had made for there watches with there custom insignias.
I have found that it is possible to get them "custom made" - and according to the users in a better quality than the original. Check out the Military Watch Resource.
For more detail of the Olongapo Bracelets check out watchaddicts where you will find photos of the braclets in action in Vietnam.

Philipps made a BIG 1680 Red Submarina article on the PuristSPRO site. As I have said before never buy a Rolex RED 1680 before a visit to doubleredseadweller.com - and check for all the information regarding how to see if the rolex is "correct" or could be a fake. With the price tag on the Rolex Red 1680 - there are many fake 1680 with a red dial. It could even be a correct 1680 white rolex with a fake dial.
Even if you are not looking for a red 1680 - the information is very nice - and something a WIS always find interesting.
Enjoy the pictures and information.

From the "official" panerai forum paneresti - there is a nice "An overview of all the new models released at the 2009 SIHH". I do like the new "Sub" and the new standard model.
I would probally like to add another Panerai model to my little collections, but it will probally be one of the "old" models (pam 005, pam 243 or pam 000). Check out my Next watch page.

When looking on the "people in the news" that are seen with multiple different watches - I have some to see "Sly" as the one with the most different watches, both within the same brand but also seen with multiple different brands.
From latest Rambo movie - pictures from behind the scenes shows Sly with Roger Dubuis, Panerai (new and vintage), and from other sites we have Sly with AP models and also U-Boot. He probally have many more different watches but I'm sure we can say he is a watch "freak".

Right click on the photos and select "view image" to see them in more detail.

A beautifull watch and some very high quality photos from Martin - I think they are better than the official photos from Panerai. Check out the photos on timezone.com

Is is just me or is the winter coming later and later. When I was young (>20 years ago) I can remember snow in December, snow during the x-mas etc. Now the snow and "winter" comes later and later. Where I live the snow came last week and I did some quick watch and snow photos. Well are you a WIS or not ;-)

Well sometimes it can be a little difficult to know the ways Rolex works with their information. Rolex are known to keep their information mostly for the self. This includes the new Parachrom hairspring introduced in 2000 but first official in 2005. But also more not technical information I find difficult to find. The dial combinations that is possible on some Rolex watches are not a easy information to find - but www.oysterworld.de has the information - so check out this page for the dial combinations possible for your new rolex.

Well the more I see of this watch the more I see this as my next watch. It has a place as a true Rolex classic - and nobody can say anything negative about it. I would at all times prefer this over the chronographs from Panerai, Hubolt, etc. The only other chronograph watch that will find a way to my desk is a Omega Speedmaster. You can even find a direct compare between Rolex Daytona and Omega Speedmaser Broad Arrow on this website www.rolexreferencepage.com

• Black Daytona Zenith movement SS
• Black Daytona 4130 movement SS

The more I look around Jakes Rolex information page the more I think is has some of the best information around - the pictures, stories and information is very detailed. Picture of Rolex in space, high quality photos of "people in the News" with rolex etc. Check it out !!!

I think that we now can say that the James Bond watch is a ROLEX - by history and by Daniel Craig wearing multiple versions of Rolex watches - from Vintage Rolex to the newest Rolex Millgauss.

I do like when I can see that a watch is not a safe queen - a watch should be used, and a Rolex is a one tough watch. My watches are kept on at all times. I'm more afraid of forgetting my watch than being afraid of my watch getting a dent or two. And I can say that after a visit to the local Rolex AD it looks as new again.

I found this Internet page with stories and pictures of beaten up Rolex's. Check it out.

The Rolex GMT is for me one of the first special watches made by any watch company based on input from the industry that had the need for special watches. The born of the Rolex toolwatches. The Rolex GMT master was the first GMT watch model with a 24 hour hand. But many other watch company quickly followed.
I found this webpage with some good information on the Rolex GMT master.
A quote from the Internet side.

"The new model (1675) proved to be such a successful model that, unlike the Submariner, it continued almost unchanged for around 25 years. It now featured crown protecting "shoulders", silver printing on the dial, rather than the gilt colour used on the 6542, and the dial itself was now inscribed "Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified", rather than just "Officially Certified Chronometer" as on the 6542. The new legend came about because the watch was now powered by the new 1565 calibre which featured the free sprung "Micro Stella" balance; this new base calibre (1530) was capable of much greater accuracy than the earlier movements and was subsequently fitted into all Rolex models.

"There are other ways to regulate the speed of a Rolex watch other than removing the caseback. With a Rolex registering 86,400 seconds every day, gravity can assist with keeping the watch on time. This image is frequently posted and referenced around the Internet as one method to use gravity to speed up or slow down a Rolex."

This I found on the net and with the "official" Rolex guidelines. I hav'nt tried it my self but feel free to try it out.

The more I think about it and the more I see the Panerai 243 - the more I think it could be a nice "new" used watch for me. The other watch is the new Rolex Sea Dweller Deep Sea - but I have not seen it in real life on my wrist. What to select - may both watches would be nice. But that is not a option in these times ;-)

Well I never expected a Panerai to be as much a work horse as a Rolex - but that the watch needs service after only 3 years since last service is a little to quickly. My Rolex watches have never had this issue, well apart from my first Rolex 16550 - that stopped after the first week - it was the small gum that is inside all Rolex watches to "collect" dust.
The problem is that my Panerai 25C is a automatic watch - meaning that no need to perform winding under normal use - but somehow this is not the case - the automatic winding is not working as it should so I need to perform manual winding each night until I get it to service - bummer !

My Next Watch page has been updated with some additional watches - I will give a hint. It is not a Rolex and not a Panerai. Well it is a IWC - the Ingenieur (Reference IW322701) or Big Ingenieur (Reference IW500505) - I do find that it has some nice qualities that could justify this as part of my lineup for "the next watch".

The other watch is more special - it is the Linde Werdelin as the quality of there watches are very good and the idea behind the watches are very good. I checking out the following models - Elemental or their DLC version.

I have now moved the first month of "blog" watch information to the blog archive. Please check that out - there is some nice info there also ;-)

Straps to Panerai watches is a story by itself. I know people that have used as much money on straps as on the Panerai Watch they have. I'm not there yet - but it is nice to be able to change the look of a watch by changing the strap. Going from a velcro strap to a real vintage ammo strap.
Personally I like the rough "vintage" straps made from old leather. They look so much more cool on the watch than the nice offical ones.
I do like the velcro and kvelar straps from Panerai - they look cool on the Panerai subs.

A good place to get links to a number of unofficial strap makers is on www.paneristi.com where you can find links to eg.
www.strapmasters.com and tcstraps.com where you can find almost all type of straps.
Or www.strap-works.com - they have a nice selection. Also kaktus straps looks to have some nice straps.
I have personally got some nice straps from www.strapculture.com - and their buckles are also very nice.

For me another true classic is the Omega Speedmaster - that lived since 1953 almost unchanged. This watch has a great design, a unique history, and last it looks great.
The Omega Speedmaster is the ONLY watch worn on the moon - many watches has been in space, but only one has been on the moon. Information from Omega own site "The Speedmaster Professional with reference number 3570.50.00 is the original Moon Watch. This model is made of stainless steel on a stainless steel bracelet, fitted with a black dial and a hesalite crystal. It is waterproof to 30 metres/100 feet and is equipped with the calibre 1861 manual-winding movement."
Other links that highlight the moon watch is eg. www.expeditionexchange.com or the main information site www.speedmaster-mission.net where your can read about almost all you want to know of the Omega speedmaster.
It has many official NASA pictures where the watch is seen

This webpage is based on the COSC standard deviation rate of -4 to +6 seconds over a ten day period of chronometer testing,in five positions and at three temperatures. The webpage has some fun, useless and usefull information. Eg. Rolex adverts, rolexringstones etc. Check it out.

I found these descriptions on timezone.com and they give some nice information on e.g. the new Rolex Deep Sea Sea Dweller.

The website uhrwald.de give some nice information on the different rolex models.
All from serial numbers, to the different models, to wallpapers etc. Only minor issue is that the site is in german - but that can't keep one away from the nice photos.

The site also have some good movie screenshoots with Rolex related to James Bond.

I normally use two danish sites when I want to check out the any watch that I might be interested in. The are one of the oldest watch sites vintageure.dk and www.timegeeks.dk They both have links to used watches and www.timegeeks.dk have some very good articles by the "famous" danish WIS Haagen.

Check out this site Paneristi.com - it is also the unofficial Panerai forum and information place - there are some good movie screenshoots of Panerais seen in different movies.

Dating of a rolex watch by the serial number can be nice - but my information is that any dating before 1972 is a little unsure. But here are some links to information on dating your rolex based on serial numbers.
dateyourrolex.com - has alist of numbers and years to match
Qualitytyme.com also have some dates matched with serial numbers
watches.co.uk also have some information.
But these dates should only be seen as quidelines, as the information I have from a Rolex AD (been in the business for +30 years) is that before 1972 the dating is a unsure.

One of the best places to check vintage rolex, and especially the more exotic rolex submarine models like the red Sea Dweller, red submarine, mill subs, COMEX and other Rolex submarine variations. Check out the very informative homepage at doubleredseadweller.com.
And if your on the lookout for any vintage submarine model do yourself a favor and check out this site before anything else.