Guest Post: An Abstract Man-Made Concept Creates A Time Collector

[Every once in awhile, I like to invite guest bloggers to post on this website when they bring insights into interesting watch collections and watches. This post is the first in a series from Eiffion, a watch collector in the UK, who goes by the handle collectibulldog on X. Eiffion wasn't a watch guy until a chance encounter with a really amazing watch company.  Now, he has quite an interesting collection with a mix of brands and price points. Since my own watch collection is quite conservative for office wear, it's fun to see watches collected with different styles and selection criteria.  Without further ado, here's Effion . . .]

Introducing a watch collector:  Collectibulldogs 

Hi readers,

Eiffion is the name and this is my first (hopefully of many) granted by the fantastic watch dude recently befriending each other and showing others how proper shoutouts reposts and general help for others only takes a minute and the respect you get when people see your selfless nature is Timeless.

A Peek At Eiffion's Collection

Now I’m not here today to link you to my own website, Collectibulldogs.com [Ed Note. Ha, ha, I linked it anyway.] although I love the fact that I’m given the opportunity to even add my link there and my website is the worlds largest English Bulldog antiques and collectibles online museum that’s made many unofficial world records the website and size of collection is something to behold.

A Tiny Sampling of a Vast Collection (from Collectibulldogs)

Watches, pocket watches, clocks, Sundials even candles and the sky have been used to tell where the sun is in position to the earth and where we are as we spin at 28000 thousand miles an hour creating what is universally known as a day consisting of 24 hours. There is not one particular person we can think for this invention as it is a concept which means it was created overtime just like fired was discovered or that the moon was in charge of the worlds tides. More importantly it created order out of chaos leading up to what modern day man calls a routine or a daily weekly routine

Interested in the concept but not knowing if it’s covered on this blog I found this link so if you want more information on the concept dates (Times lol) just click and it will bypass Google and take you to some interesting content. 

AN ABSTRACT MAN MADE CONCEPT CREATES A TIME COLLECTOR

Now I’m not a bragger far from it and most would think by now this fella knows his science, etc., but before this year I fought routine I didn’t own or wear watches and, if you were to ask me what time it is what day it is or even the number of the month, I would not have a clue part of this is due to my mental health disorder (which you can also catch up on at Collectibulldogs with our mental health awareness section) But also watches never appealed to me until I saw the watches of one company.

The Cold Call that Changed The Way I See Watches

Writing this part is seriously frustrating so forgive any discrepancies, collecting English bulldog antiques is what I do best. My free e-book proves this and the collection of over 5000 bulldog antiques in five sections and research and then displayed for the last 12 years. I have spent most of my money time and effort on getting the best of the best to make our collection what it is today, one thing I do look out for that is watches that associated with Bulldogs whether it be the brand the look as long as it is authentic and there is a reason behind the bulldog advertising then collectibulldogs will buy it. [Hence, the call . . . ]

Photo by Jonathan Mauer, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Now when I say cold calling online made me ill you may think OMG I don’t understand what is he talking about? Well let me tell you when you pick up your phone you normally get adverts little snippets to look at before you slide your phone turn it on and use it I picked up my phone about five months ago and a widget shows a watch not just any watch but this one was called the bulldog watch and made by the world famous MB and F Company. I have added a link so that you can check out why I fell in love with what I saw: the HM10 Horological Machine Number 10: Bulldog. The abbreviation stands for Maximilian Busser and Friends.

Maximilian Büsser and Friends HM10 Bulldog (photo from website)

That link will take you to some of the most fantastic watches and time pieces and other amazing concepts that this company has managed to bring to life. The Bulldog watch is part of a dynasty of watches made by this company that has taken on board life around Them and put this into their designs I also believe they have their own patented movement and if you check places like eBay you will see the prices of these watches go into the hundreds of thousands the Bulldog watch titanium would be $107,000 or if you wanted it in rose gold that is $120,000. 

Maximilian Büsser and Friends HM10 Bulldog RT in Red Gold (photo from website)

[We'll continue Eiffion's journey as a watch collector in future posts. You can find Collectibulldogs on all formats. This includes X with 177,000 followers and this kind of following can be found all over our social media, this is 12 years of blogging, bookmarking and trying his hardest to self promote Collectibulldogs without the hassle of being classed as spam.]

Watch Wearing Wednesday: George Watch with Tachymeter Markings

Today, I'm wearing a George Watch with Tachymeter markings and a vegan leather strap.  I sure am  sorry about all the vegans, but they do make for a nice, comfortable, watch band.  All jokes aside, it's was an outstanding good value for only $10.98.

George Watch from Walmart with Tachymeter Markings.

This watch was supplied by the E. Gluck Corporation - one of the largest private label quartz watch manufacturers in the world.  They also own the Armitron and Torgoen watch brands.  It's a great bang around watch for everyday wear.

Watches A to Z: Elgin

If you are into collecting watches, one brand you may have heard of is Elgin. The Elgin National Watch Company was originally founded in Elgin Illinois back in 1864 and operated up until 1968.  You'll see watches from them under the names Elgin, Lady Elgin, and Lord Elgin.

Vintage Elgin Manual Wind Watch - photo by Joe Haupt from USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

The Elgin watch company moved its manufacturing from Illinois to South Carolina in 1963.  However, all US manufacturing was stopped in 1968 and the Elgin brand was sold.  The brand passed through many hands and was ultimately purchased by MZ Berger.  Elgin watches made after 1968 are not related to the original Elgin watch company and have little collector value.  For example, since the first quartz watch was unveiled by Seiko in 1969, this attractive women's Elgin watch that I came across in a thrift store, has no real collector value.

A modern Elgin quartz watch for women

Elgin is pretty well known for pocket watches and you can often find nice examples posted on online auction sites for reasonable prices.  Several websites cover the topic of Elgin watch collecting.

A Key-Wound Coin Silver Vintage Elgin Pocket Watch
(photo by Joe Haupt from USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)

One caveat to the "no collector value" label on modern post-Elgin Elgin watches is that you may still find watches with the Elgin label that are attractive and priced affordably.  For example, I really liked the look of this quasi-mechanical quartz Elgin watch that I bought a few years ago in a department store.

With all the Swiss brands that have been revived under new owners or that have been captured by non-Swiss owners, there's no reason that MZ Berger can't capitalize on their ownership of the Elgin brand and even revive it in modern times. If you like a modern Elgin watch, there is no reason not to buy it.  Companies like MZ Berger make plenty of fashion watches sold under a variety of brand names.  As of 2024, modern Elgin watches are available here on Amazon.  Some are marketed purely under the Elgin label and others under the Elgin by Accutime.  This blinged out Elgin Reserve by Accutime watch is very reasonably priced here on Amazon.

As far as the internet knows, MZ Berger still owns the Elgin brand. While some of the watches are a little "blingy," others are quite attractive. In an era where many dead Swiss brands are being revived, I think it's kind of cool that an American name in watches  continues on. You can find Elgin watches on Amazon here.

Watch Wearing Wednesday: Timex Easy Reader

Have you wondered what kind of watch the millionaire next door wears? Odds are it's something like the Timex Easy Reader.  It might not be the flashy watch you think.  The millionaire next door might be the guy with the pickup truck or the small fleet of workman's vans.  That guy might be focused on value and functionality.  The Timex Easy Reader delivers that in spades.

The Timex Easy Reader in front of a Rolls-Royce

This watch is special to me because it once belonged to my late father.  It actually makes a great father's day watch.  I outline the reasons why in this article.

Sharp Watch Shout Out: Frederique Constant Slimline Automatic Blue Dial Men's Watch

All the Alibaba watch specials in the world can't provide one thing: mystique. There is something special about the long tradition of Swiss watch making that is special. It's like the spark of humanity. It's also about wearing something that connects you to all that tradition and craftsmanship. Unfortunately, the mystique of a genuine Swiss mechanical watch usually comes with a price tag that keeps the watches off of most wrists. Fortunately, every once in awhile, I stumble across a watch or a brand that might be priced within the range of our dreams.  One such recent discovery on Amazon is the Frederique Constant brand. I like the Frederique Constant Slimline Automatic Blue Dial Men's Watch,

Frederique Constant Slimline Automatic Blue Dial Men's Watch (Amazon photo)

With an open heart to provide a glimpse of the watches mechanical movement and a exhibition caseback, the Frederique Constant Slimline Automatic is beautiful inside and out. Frederique Constant has pioneered the use of carbon-coated silicone parts in their movements. That's why they get the sharp watch shout out! 

Frederique Constant Slimline Automatic Movement (Amazon Photo)

Frederique Constant is one of three Swiss brands that was recently acquired by Citizen, but design and manufacturing is still done in Geneva, Switzerland.  While the Slimline Blue Dial retails for just over $1000, they offer a variety of automatic and quartz movements.  A slimline quartz model is available on Amazon for less than $400.

Frederique Constant 39mm Slimline Men's Quartz Watch (Amazon photo)

Watch Wearing Wednesday: Bulova Precisionist

Maybe the reason my Bulova Precisionist looks so fast is that it has a high precision quartz movement that vibrates at a frequency of 262 khz-eight times faster than a conventional quartz watch?  Maybe the reason it looks so fast is that I took a photo of it next to a Ferrari?  Who is to say?  But, it's a good looking watch. 

Bulova Precisionist

Here are a few more photos so that you can see different aspects of this affordable beauty.  This series of watch photos show the dial, caseback, leather strap, and buckle details. 

The Bulova Precisionist at a Sandwich Shop

The caseback of the Bulova Precisionist showing details and the strap

 A close up of the Bulova Watch Strap

Genuine Leather and 22mm Marking

Back in 2015, Bulova decided that they were going to remove the tuning fork logo from the face of many of their watches.  I was kind of bummed at the time per my post:  "Where has the Bulova Tuning Fork gone?"  True to their word, the tuning fork logo was gone from the dial of this Precisionist.  But, they managed to work it on the strap buckle, caseback, and crown.  That's enough to make me happy.

The famed Bulova Tuning Fork Logo on the Buckle

If you'd like to read a full review of this great watch, check it out here. If you like to buy a Bulova Precisionist, you are in luck because Amazon has them here:  Bulova Men's Precisionist (96B158).

Wristwatch Review: Naviforce Men's Quartz Sport Watch

Watchmakers from China are challenging established watch brands from around the world with stylish offerings at low prices.  One such watch brand is Naviforce. The watch listed on Amazon is labeled as "NAVIFORCE Sport Watches for Men Leather Band Waterproof Quartz Analog Wristwatch Easy to Read with Auto Date." Plain and simply:  this watch is a nice looking take on the field watch genre.

NAVIFORCE Quartz Sport Watch

NAVIFORCE Watch Design

This watch design is squarely aimed at the adventurous field watch look. I think it nails the aesthetic perfectly. The black case, the military-style digital font of the 2, 4, 8, and 10 and the other hour batons, and the arrow pointing to the day of the week, combine for a militaristic field watch look. The strap is a perfect shade of brown suggesting that adventures have been had and more are to come.  It's also comfortable, attractively branded with the NAVIFORCE logo, and generously sized.  

NAVIFORCE Quartz Sport Watch with Day and Date Indicators

NAVIFORCE Watch Dimensions

The NAVIFORCE Quartz Sport Watch is well proportioned for daily wear at 46mm in diameter and is a manageable 11.5mm thick.  The lugs are 24mm and the strap tapers subtly to 22mm.

NAVIFORCE Watch Construction

This NAVIFORCE Quartz Sports watch does not feel cheap. It has a stainless steel caseback, a zinc alloy case, a leather strap, and a mineral glass crystal. For daily wear in normal conditions, it's perfect. However, it only offers 30 meters of water resistance and the manual warns not to submerge the crown. That falls a little short of the expectations for a field watch.  In fairness to NAVIFORCE, this is clearly a fashion watch.  A few reviewers on Amazon have called out the poor water resistance and I keep mine out of the water. The case seems rugged enough and substantial enough to take a beating, just not a dunking.  Fortunately, my adventures tend to be urban and suburban.

The NAVIFORCE Quartz Sports Watch is best for suburban adventures

NAVIFORCE Price

The NAVIFORCE Quartz Sport Watch is an absolute steal for less than $25 on Amazon.  If you'd like to get one, you can find is here on Amazon:  "NAVIFORCE Sport Watches for Men Leather Band Waterproof Quartz Analog Wristwatch Easy to Read with Auto Date."

NAVIFORCE Overall Impression

The NAVIFORCE Quartz Sport Watch is a rugged-looking, attractively-priced watch, for casual adventures. Unless you really do go on swamp safaris and fishing expeditions where water is a continuous threat, it's perfect for daily wear. I'd definitely give this very affordable watch a look.