Author | Lightnews

Dan K @zdp189.bsky.social · 8m

I don't review or recommend watches I haven't used, but just go out and buy this now.

Reasons: I'm a big WD fan. It's the same as the Tactical Frog which I have but with a VH31 quartz movement. V1 sold out in a week. I bought two V2s at the early bird price of $129.

watchdives.com/products/wat...

Watchdives EXD Titanium Diver Watch 200M – BGW9 Lume, VH31, Swap Strap Design

Discover the Watchdives EXD Titanium Dive Watch featuring 200M water resistance, VH31 sweep second movement, BGW9 lume, and an innovative exchangeable strap design. Built for durability and style.

watchdives.com

Dan K @zdp189.bsky.social · 19m

We don't have DST in Hong Kong and our solstice to solstice variance in daylight hours is only 2.8h. That's one reason I moved here. I don't miss only seeing daylight at lunchtime, despite being a night owl.

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Dan K @zdp189.bsky.social · 28m

That's rough.

COVID killed my enthusiasm for Photography. But it's not as bad as having long-COVID.

Dan K @zdp189.bsky.social · 2h

Rolex now offers a novelty Submariner Date *DESK CLOCK* for US$10,270.

That's some heinous Leica-level marketing sh*t.

share.google/6Hy8Nij5S14Q...

Wait, Rolex's New Submariner Is Battery-Powered? | Gear Patrol

Rolex has a new Submariner Date that costs over $10,000, but oddly enough, it isn't a dive watch — or a watch, for that matter.

share.google

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Dan K @zdp189.bsky.social · 20h

This is my second Watchdives WD1863, a 39mm Chronograph with VK63 quartz movement.

This version has a colourway vaguely reminiscent of the Omega Flight Qualified, though that has only two sub dials.

Of course this only cost me $120; about right for a fun watch.

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Dan K @zdp189.bsky.social · 20h

Here's a Tudor Black Bay for comparison. The Tudor is substantially thicker and heavier than the San Martin. I don't enjoy wearing the Black Bay as much as the Chinese watch.

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Dan K @zdp189.bsky.social · 22h

Wow, that's incredible. @hlmodtech.bsky.social check this out.

Hackaday @hackadayofficial.bsky.social · 1d

3D Printering: Liquid-Filled Filament Was Not On Our Bingo Card

Hackaday Article

hackaday.com

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Reposted by Dan K

WittnerCinetec.com @wittnercinetec.bsky.social · 22h

Preparing a new Super 8 slitting session for the week 😍
NC200, NC400 and a new [yet unknown] PET based stock for initial Super 8 testing 🤩

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Dan K @zdp189.bsky.social · 1d

I have never seen a Big Rose. They are old and fairly rare. How did you decide to buy one of them?

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Dan K @zdp189.bsky.social · 1d

Anyone spoken to @camerakote.co.uk recently?

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Dan K @zdp189.bsky.social · 1d

I may jave a childish sense of humour but I'm not alone.

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Dan K @zdp189.bsky.social · 1d

Each to their own, but here's an idea: what I did in Cuba with BW in XPAN was to frame and compose cinematically. I wasn't shooting panoramas, but scenes with an implied story. You have subjects and a context and a meaning.

Another idea is a single shot diptich or triptych. Multiple concepts/ frame

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Dan K @zdp189.bsky.social · 1d

Then you get your high-horology pieces with hand finished multicomplication in-house movements. Let's not even go there. It's not for our kind of people. Money is not a factor here.

If value for money is key buy Tudor, Longines, Tissot, Oris, low end Omega etc. and the Chinese ofc.

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Dan K @zdp189.bsky.social · 1d

Rolex & Tudor have a high dealer cost, but dealers do add value. Rolex is sadly an overpriced wealth flex, but Tudor offer good value and honestly they give me a chubby.

Once repriced to the grey market, they hold value well and are almost like international commodities.

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Dan K @zdp189.bsky.social · 1d

Western (and to a lesser extent Asian ex-PRC) micro brands mostly trade on hyping heavily China-sourced watches for 10x the cost, but they do add originalish design, better finish and QC. Their main advantage is anti-China consumer bias.

The problem is thin second hand demand/ kerb tax.

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Dan K @zdp189.bsky.social · 1d

All watches over about £200 are hype-priced.

LVMH group brands (Hublot etc) and fashion brands like Chanel, Richard Mille are influencer driven Veblen goods. MVMT are expensive trash.

GS and The Citizen at least try to offer good specs, uprated movements and top notch finishing.

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Dan K @zdp189.bsky.social · 1d

Casio's new mechanical has the same NH-35 movement by TMI (same group as Seiko and Epson) that's in most of the Chinese watches including this no-brand £35 Rolex homage.

Sorry for what looks like dust, it's still got the protective plastic on the glass as I'll probably gift it on.

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Dan K @zdp189.bsky.social · 1d

Phones all but killed digital and quartz watches and the Chinese make better watches in the low end market.

That drove the Japanese into the mid market, hence Casio selling mechanicals, Seiko divers at £1,000, Grand Seiko at £3,000. This is Citizen's attempt at the Grand Seiko market segment.

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Dan K @zdp189.bsky.social · 1d

For context, this was almost directly opposite the Leica store.

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Dan K @zdp189.bsky.social · 1d

No photography!

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Dan K @zdp189.bsky.social · 1d

The leaves were barely turning.

It made me miss Seoul but not London, cities of a similar latitude where I used to live.

Trees here in HK can't be bothered.

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Dan K @zdp189.bsky.social · 1d

Kinkaku-ji. The golden Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto.

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Dan K @zdp189.bsky.social · 1d

A pair of lost baby socks in a Kyoto back alley.

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Dan K @zdp189.bsky.social · 1d

In Japan you can't just smoke on the street. You have to find a designated smoking spot. These include some of the most beautiful and most dreary places.

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Dan K @zdp189.bsky.social · 1d

I'm obsessed with Japanese architectural textures.

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