Lightweight watches

K.O.D.

K.O.D.

Driving the expletive train
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Aug 21, 2013
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So my recent hospital stay (9days) saw the disappearance of my favorite watch, and the only one that fits. I'm going to have a link put back in to my Invicta Darth Vader watch, but the thing is like 5 pounds.

What I had was super light. 2013 Swatch irony diaphane series. Aluminum and ceramic band. It is impossible to find.

Any ideas of something under $300 to replace it?

Only pic I can find atm

IMG_20170521_232834_zpschgkksy5.jpg


Edit: found another

https://imgur.com/a/obpSKQg
 
Hey man, I hope you are feeling better! If I am not mistaken Swatch still makes Irony series watches. Citizen titanium watches are pretty lightweight, I have PMD56-2951 with a NATO it weighs around 2 oz. another alternative UK exclusive BN0118-55E, though both watches are priced above $300. You can also check Luminox, Traser, Casio, and Bertucci. Best of luck and take extra good care of yourself!!!
 
One of U.S. Amazon's marketplace dealers has a men's Swatch Irony Diaphane series watch for $198 + $22 shipping, three in stock. Different colors than yours but hey, others have them if Amazon does.

It looks to me like you want a very light weight metal watch with a metal bracelet. One way to get this is with titanium. Invicta Pro Diver Men, Model 0420, is a Rolex Submariner styled diver watch with a titanium case (except for the case back), a titanium bracelet, and a Seiko NH35A movement. This is Invicta's product page with their joke MSRP of $895.

https://www.invictawatch.com/watches/detail/0420-pro-diver-men

Amazon sells these for around $100 and once or twice a year their marketing computer puts it on sale for around $80. I thought hey, I don't own a titanium watch, and I bought one for $83. It weighs only 4 oz. and it's a big diver watch. Here are photos better than the stock photos.

Invicta-A.jpg

Invicta-B.jpg

Invicta-C.jpg

Invicta Watch Group are not watch makers: they assemble watches from parts made in China, Malaysia, the Philippines, sometimes Japan and even Switzerland. When the design is good and the parts are good, their watches are potentially good and very cheap. Their quality control is spotty and their customer service is awful. Buy from a dealer like Amazon who accepts returns for full refund for watches in new/unused condition. Do not remove the plastic shrink wrap or clip the tags before you hand-wind and set the watch and run it 24 hours. If it is off more than +/– 15 seconds, return it.

I'm not trying to promote Invicta, they're just an example of a titanium watch that's easy to find and not too expensive. There are others. Case backs are always 316L stainless steel but they don't weigh much. Titanium watches are very light and some don't care for the wrist feel which they say is plastic-like. There are different grades of titanium: Omega and Grand Seiko watches use Grade 5, or Ti6Al4V alloy, which is harder than 316L. Cheap watches use softer titanium, but light scratches can be removed with a pencil eraser.
 
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Yeah I had a link and battery put in my Invicta Darth Vader watch, which has a Swiss Ronda movement. It's a boat anchor, gotta be 4-5 lbs. Fine for once in a while, but long walks and stuff it gets old fast.

https://imgur.com/a/x0bCcww
 
Check out Momentum watches. The Smoke Jumper and Atlas come in titanium, and for quite a decent price (under your budget, even with sapphire upgrade).

5kk2Zv5.png
 
Thanks everyone. However, it turned out my mom had it. She had taken it off me in the ER so it wouldn't be stolen. I work with my parents and she was the one to drive me to the hospital. Smart woman. She saw me wearing my Vader watch and it reminded her my Swatch was in her purse. Happy happy joy joy. However, I still have the bug to buy a new watch. Maybe I will see a unique one when I'm in Door county , WI this week/weekend.
 
Piso Mojado Piso Mojado Those Invicta's are pretty good looking. A pal of mine that owns a construction company has worn his for several years. He loves it and affectionately calls it his Redneck Rolex. :)
 
skyhorse said:
Piso Mojado Piso Mojado Those Invicta's are pretty good looking. A pal of mine that owns a construction company has worn his for several years. He loves it and affectionately calls it his Redneck Rolex. :)
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Invicta Pro Diver 8926OB is Invicta's 40mm Rolex Submariner copy with a Seiko NH35A movement. The movement makes it ‟Pro.” Amazon and other deep discounters sell them for around $80 and occasionally mark them down to around $60, cheaper than you could buy the parts. Hobbyists who like to tinker replace the dial, the hands, and the bezel insert.

Diver watches need good shock resistance, good water resistance, and good luminescence. If you're not diving, you don't need the luminescence, and cheap diver watches make good beaters. In Ian Fleming's first James Bond novel, they literally were beaters: 007 used them for brass knuckles.

For a few dollars more, cheap Chinese diver watches have sapphire crystals and they don't all look like Submariners: you can buy an Breitling, Omega, Tudor, Panerai or Seiko copy, and they even imitate some high end micro brands. But for $60 it's hard to beat an Invicta Pro Diver, if you get one that works.
 
I'm not really a watch guy. I appriciate O.P. watch though. that looks like a sweet one got away.

me? $30 digital Casio Illuminator.
 
K.O.D. said:
It was $175 new. I love the watch, love that I can change the battery with no tools.
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OH. That's certainly a game changer.

on that note I'd like finding a watch like that that also has a band sizable without tools. THAT would be a game changer for me.
 
There are a bunch of nice picks from Swatch. They even do a mechanical/automatic now, I get very tempted just thinking about it.

The only thing better than not needing tools to change a battery is not needing a battery!
 
Danke42 said:
There are a bunch of nice picks from Swatch. They even do a mechanical/automatic now, I get very tempted just thinking about it.

The only thing better than not needing tools to change a battery is not needing a battery!
Click to expand...
Casio Tough Solar. Rah!
 
Snooping around the net I bumped into recommendations for a far eastern brand called BOLDR. They make a traditional field watch with titanium case and quartz movement.
 
Back in my younger days Swatch watches were "the thing". People used to sport 3 or 4 or more on each arm. They were way cheaper then too.
 
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