This is the fourth or fifth watch I've bought from Tony and each and every one of them has been a great experience. Nobody ships them faster and nobody sells better watches. Maybe some can equal him, but I really don't see how he could do any better.
I went with an IWC chronograph this time. This is the blue faced le petit prince version and it is absolutely amazing! There is nothing not to love about this watch except possibly the strap. It is just awesome to behold. I've got small wrists, so most pilot watches are just too big for me, but my Breitling CME does ok, so I thought I'd take a chance on this one. It is just a touch smaller than the BCE, so I figured it might work.
The best way to describe this watch is to compare it to a phone that has a screen which goes all the way to the edge. There isn't a rotating bezel on this watch and you can see very little of the case when you look directly at it. This watch is all face and nothing else. It is the perfect pilot watch. I love my BCE, but after wearing this one for a couple days, I can tell you that the BCE is going to ride the watch winder for a few months. This one is just too good to put down.
I'm not a huge fan of the strap. It's a little flat and shiny for my taste. With a 21mm lug width tapering down to probably 17 or 18 mm (haven't measured yet) it is just slim looking on this larger cased watch. I would have preferred a more vintage style strap like the one I put on a similarly sized Citizen.
I just think something like that would look better, so I'll see what I can find. There are a couple with the same general shape of the IWC strap with the addition of the classic rivets near the case that I may consider. I'm going to wear this one in for awhile and see if maybe it changes with some use. The best leather jackets are the ones that are worn looking, so maybe this will do that too.
The lume is really good on it. More green than blue (sorry... bad camera phone picture). It is really bright and stays that way for quite awhile. I charged it up real good in the hangar the other night and it was still quite readable in the car an hour later when I got home. The 30 minute chrono dial has lume on the hand as well which means the chrono is functional in the dark. That is a cool touch. I can't say that for the BCE.
Of course, since this is a pilot watch I had to get the right background to properly photograph it.
Tony always does a great job and I've enjoyed working through him the last few years. He is definitely my dealer of choice whenever I start shopping for a watch. Such a great guy! He does a good job with the QC as well. When he first got this one in he noticed something wrong with it and had the factory send him another one. His attention to detail is outstanding. Very quick to resolve issues and just a great communicator. I look forward to my next purchase from him! Thanks Tony! You are awesome!
-Anthony
I went with an IWC chronograph this time. This is the blue faced le petit prince version and it is absolutely amazing! There is nothing not to love about this watch except possibly the strap. It is just awesome to behold. I've got small wrists, so most pilot watches are just too big for me, but my Breitling CME does ok, so I thought I'd take a chance on this one. It is just a touch smaller than the BCE, so I figured it might work.
The best way to describe this watch is to compare it to a phone that has a screen which goes all the way to the edge. There isn't a rotating bezel on this watch and you can see very little of the case when you look directly at it. This watch is all face and nothing else. It is the perfect pilot watch. I love my BCE, but after wearing this one for a couple days, I can tell you that the BCE is going to ride the watch winder for a few months. This one is just too good to put down.
I'm not a huge fan of the strap. It's a little flat and shiny for my taste. With a 21mm lug width tapering down to probably 17 or 18 mm (haven't measured yet) it is just slim looking on this larger cased watch. I would have preferred a more vintage style strap like the one I put on a similarly sized Citizen.
I just think something like that would look better, so I'll see what I can find. There are a couple with the same general shape of the IWC strap with the addition of the classic rivets near the case that I may consider. I'm going to wear this one in for awhile and see if maybe it changes with some use. The best leather jackets are the ones that are worn looking, so maybe this will do that too.
The lume is really good on it. More green than blue (sorry... bad camera phone picture). It is really bright and stays that way for quite awhile. I charged it up real good in the hangar the other night and it was still quite readable in the car an hour later when I got home. The 30 minute chrono dial has lume on the hand as well which means the chrono is functional in the dark. That is a cool touch. I can't say that for the BCE.
Of course, since this is a pilot watch I had to get the right background to properly photograph it.
Tony always does a great job and I've enjoyed working through him the last few years. He is definitely my dealer of choice whenever I start shopping for a watch. Such a great guy! He does a good job with the QC as well. When he first got this one in he noticed something wrong with it and had the factory send him another one. His attention to detail is outstanding. Very quick to resolve issues and just a great communicator. I look forward to my next purchase from him! Thanks Tony! You are awesome!
-Anthony