Watch Industry Practices that Need to Stop Now!

[@andrewhannam.]

Had no idea about the different spring bar holes for straps vs bracelets.... That is crazy

[@islandwatch]

Yeah, as another pointed out, Bulova does it on the lunar pilot too.

[@andrewhannam.]

Wondering if it has to do with spring bars being too close to the case for straps to fit properly? Still frustrating to be sure...

[@cunawarit]

@@andrewhannam. Me neither! I was surprised.

[@wristopia4101]

@@andrewhannam. Its the other way around I think.

[@noelmurphy3450]

Thanks for the vid & tips Marc. Cheers Noel

[@michaelcoleman7260]

I like having you as a business owner, because you sell great watches and the whole process is so smooth. I like watching you as a guest on other channels (like with TGV) because you’re gracious and fun. And I like listening to you on your own channel because you’re so on point and informative. Cheers Marc.

[@willkendallpro]

I love what you are doing with Islander watches. You and other independents are going a long way to fixing what is currently wrong in the watch market. Also, watchmakers should consider something like Loctite 569, a low-viscosity thread sealer, instead of using a thread locker.

[@person.al2551]

The lack of micro adjustments or even half links on a bracelet just drives me bananas! I have a watch with a butterfly deployment clasp that is either too tight or too loose and finding a suitable aftermarket bracelet is torturous. Goldilocks be damned!

[@islandwatch]

Thanks for the comment

[@cunawarit]

@@person.al2551 aren't half links enough? If the half links are small I tend to find it OK.

[@ge48421]

@@cunawarit I live in the Mojave desert. My wrist is not the same size in summer and winter because of the extreme temperature differences, and it also swells when I'm flying. Casio Oceanus that cost under 10% of that Grand Seiko has a tool-less micro adjustment. I wear the Grand Seiko on a strap these days, I got tired messing with those posts and collars, because of course Grand Seiko can't use screwed links either.

[@PietroCozziTinin]

At last another explanatory video from you. I love them soooo much. Please keep them coming.

[@ahha6304]

I can't sleep if Morc didn't say "Hi this is Morc" and wearing 2 watches

[@islandwatch]

LOL. You got it!!!!!

[@zosothezephead837]

Would that be Mork from the planet Ork?

[@AZalic]

Only if he does a wrist check

[@likearc]

That Long Island accent does get me

[@cashau2965]

​@@zosothezephead837 ...yeah where's Mindy....

[@mdunawaym]

I love seeing you with TGV, and I loved seeing you with Teddy last week! My boys!

[@jamesjohnson7905]

I value your candidness

[@appalachiangunman9589]

The Orient Mako USA II is probably one of the hardest Orients to find a bracelet for. I’ve wanted a jubilee-style bracelet for mine for a while. It was actually the only Orient I saw with solid end links on the factory bracelet, so the bracelet is actually fairly nice, I just like the aesthetics of the jubilee-style bracelet.

[@Oozywolf]

Great reference to the screaming meme in the thumbnail haha. I know Bulova did the strap thing on their Moonwatch. Where the bracelet version has different drilled holes 🤯. Not sure if the newer models with the retro logos do as well. But the original versions did. Very strange decision lol

[@ilpolacocattolico9283]

I agree, odd number in between lugs is annoying. In some cases standarization is bad but in many cases it is good - like there is no reason to not change rules to drive on right side in every country in the world or use metric system everywhere. Easier to find watch straps and bracelets in 18/20/22/24 milimetres. And changing strap or bracelet on watch can give it new life. 21 mm between lugs was the reason I did not buy Certina DS Action Diver, even though it is really good watch in its price range. Another thing that is annoying and related to above is strange case design which makes hard to get a strap or bracelet other than factory made. Just do an integrated bracelet design or normal one, so most straps will fit. Examples: many watches from Casio Edifice line, like ECB-2200HTR-1A.

[@MarcTsawwassen]

I always learn a lot from your videos. They are excellent - insightful and show your passion for watches. You deserve even more views than you get.

[@MWall711]

The inventory is the one that can sometimes be annoying but I get it. It's not always possible to predict which model will be a great seller. The other is when there is a limited number of intro prices for a product and it sells out very quickly. Sometimes by the time I get the email, text, or see the video the product is already out of stock. Again I get it, but it can be frustrating not being able to capitalize on a great deal. I did just order another Islander, though, and it's already shipped. Great customer service as usual!

[@islandwatch]

Thanks for the business and comment!

[@eatswodo]

Like many here, I had no idea about the different lug hole positions for straps vs bracelets. That makes it all the more amazing that the original bracelet from my Kamasu fits my 12-year-old Mako 1 (which came on a rubber strap) perfectly 😊

[@georgecupac1202]

that makes sense for the Seiko, thanks.

[@alexisayala4429]

Camera quality looks amazing! Wonder if mark got a new one but keep it up big dawg

[@StuntpilootStef]

My pet peeve is lume. Either make it work or leave it out. The amount of watches that have lume that only lasts about 1 minute drives me up the wall. Just don't have lume if you're not willing to make it work, it's not that difficult.

[@islandwatch]

For sure, cost cutting!

[@onoff5604]

Curious to hear Marc's view on this with his insights into manufacturing. It seems like a major disconnect between watch makers who (asside from Erebus and a few others) act like lume scares away customers and put on a little lume as they can, whereas I literally cannot every remember hearing anyone every say "less lume is better, more lume is terrible" or "this watch is good but the lume just lasts too long, it ruins the watch" WE ALL LOVE LUME! WHERE IS THE LUME?? (Pehaps like Orient not being aware that anyone buys watch straps...how can a watch maker not be aware of that??? But...project management is full of this kind of default-oversight.)

[@jerryglasses2229]

Buy a better watch

[@toshitominaga3911]

Spot on! Good point.

[@zyembla]

PRX much?

[@monologic4806]

Thanks for sharing 👍

[@kramdog3000]

Very good points, Marc!

[@herewegoagain...]

Naming the movement for just a rotor swap: Tag Heuer was, and still is, notorious for this with their Caliber 5. The reason they, more than others, caught so much heat is because of their price range: nearly $4000 for an AquaRacer with just an of the shelf ETA 2824 is simply overpriced. The likes of Laco get away with it because their prices are far more reasonable for what you are getting. Interesting bit of history: Omega is actually guilty of this for just 1 or so years. The original Bond Seamaster (circa '92 or '93) was initially equipped with Omega's 1109 movement, which literally was just an ETA 2892 with a rotor swap (still had ETA stamp on baseplate). Very quickly, however, Omega started equipping those watches with their 1120 cal., which, still mostly just ETA 2892 architecture, was at least made by Omega with some minor adjustments (More Jewels and a different rotor bearing), complete with Omega stamped baseplate.

[@islandwatch]

Interesting, thanks for sharing

[@jerryglasses2229]

The caliber 5 AR was 2500. And so what if they used that movement it's a really good movement. In house calibers aren't necessarily better just different and more costly. Most of them are mass produced with no hand finishing. Might as well have a 4r.

[@fedomandez]

Same for Longines whose movement are used in chopard and Mido. And they're still Eta2892 with different bph and rotor

[@herewegoagain...]

@@jerryglasses2229 Someone likes Tag... 1. Current MSRP on a TAG AR is nearly $4k. What it WAS some arbitrary number of years ago, ignoring inflation, is irrelevant. 2. The problem with using an off the shelf movement at the price point, be it $2500 years ago, or $4k today, is that competitors offered, and continue to offer, similarly priced, higher quality watches with fully, or partially in house movements, for equivalent prices (a '07 Bond Seamaster 2220.80 with the in house 2500 coaxial movement had an MSRP of a little over $2k). This makes a watch using an off the shelf ETA movement, despite being excellent, overpriced. 3. Better is a subjective term, but in house movements are absolutely more expensive to make. And no, your claim that in house movements are mass produced in the same way an ETA 28XX is, is simply false. The Rnd and hand fitting required over an architecture that has been around for decades cannot be understated. As a result, paying the same for an off the shelf ETA movement vs a more expensive in house movement is not good money. 4. 4R?!?!? Are you serious? This is where I know you are trolling. A 4R, spec wise, is literally an order of magnitude less accurate than either an ETA 28XX or virtually any truly in house movement, in ironically, a fatter package, resulting in a fatter watch. This is the most ludicrous apples to oranges comparison, akin to suggesting a Civic is similar to a Dodge Hellcat, ignoring the massive horsepower divide.

[@herewegoagain...]

@@fedomandez Well, sort of. Turns out, you give Longines too much credit. The L888 in their watches is actually based on the ETA A31.L11, which itself is based on an ETA 2892, but with a thinner mainspring, allowing for extra winding, resulting in the longer 72 hour reserve. Point is, Longines did nothing, they just got an off the shelf ETA movement. BUT, in fairness to them, unlike a $4000 AquaRacer, their watches are actually sort of reasonably priced.

[@adk7962]

Always enjoy Professor Marc’s Business Classes. As for the straps for the Orient and Seiko. Some of it (not all of it) has to do with Japanese culture. When you’re given something, they feel they have given you the best possible solution. ie, if you go to high end sushi restaurant, you eat the sushi the way it was prepared. You don’t dip it in soy sauce or anything like that.

[@islandwatch]

Well said!

[@samnova450]

Interesting insight Marc, gives us buyers a behind the scenes look at the store. Thanks

[@islandwatch]

Thanks 👍🏻

[@rjsenn4142]

Similar situation with Damasko I believe- tweaked an ETA and marked up the watch by 50%- at least on the model I have. So glad to have bought it with the non modified ETA. I wouldn’t have paid the price for the modified movement.

[@danielleavitt5411]

Selling out of a specific model is pretty common to low production and small companies. Glycine will often be sold out of Airman watches because their tooling is swapped out for Combat Sub production. Hanhart is another good example. They make small batches of parts as needed. When I ran into an issue with the strap of my ES 417 Flyback, I ended up getting quite a variety of parts (two different buckle types, standard and quick release spring bars, slightly different stitching style). They just don't have the capacity to have several sets of tooling in parallel production. But this also means that these watches are made by a small team of very dedicated makers. These are not some nameless cooperation with production facilities on multiple continents. Small batch production is very much a watch tradition!

[@deanmitropoulos8079]

Thanks Mark many great points !

[@dadmodswatches]

Mark, we are very much on the same page Sir! These things drive me crazy! And that's a short drive these days!

[@islandwatch]

LOL, thanks!

[@Nefville]

My issue is with bulbous casebacks that try to hide the thickness of a watch by temporarily burying part of the watch into your literal arm. Call out coming, my ISL-21 was a major offender, and that's also why I know exactly how Islander chapter rings always line up. There are two feet on the bottom of the chapter ring that fit into holes on the dial. I took my movement and dial out and put them into a titanium field watch case. Turned out great, with the exception of the holes on the dial and no minute markings but honestly, hardly notice them. PS a blue aventurine Brookville in 38mm would solve all of my problems!

[@PETERJOHN101]

My gripe is a seller site with more out of stock than in stock listings, especially when it turns out those items are discontinued or just perpetually unavailable. Mark? 🙄

[@friskjidjidoglu7415]

For me, the biggest one is WR denominated in units of length. It is consistently the most misleading and least understood thing about watches for consumers. Companies could really bypass this whole issue by just stating, in plain language, what it’s rated for in the packaging and with a small pictogram showing the maximum use-case somewhere on the caseback. If they want to elaborate with whatever units, they can put that in a more technical space, such as a manual or an information page on the website.

[@jpdemer5]

Shower, swim, or dive. That's enough distinction for 95% or more of buyers. Only a hard-core scuba or saturation diver needs to be concerned with the 200m and up ratings. Them, and the same guys who think it's important that their car can go 220 mph and not just 190.

[@Texmotodad]

Amen brother. All valid points sir!

[@hugejohnson5011]

Good info to chew on.

[@michaelj8793]

I know how you feel nothing worse than fluctuating oil pressure Wheels up my friend Be well and God Bless 👍

[@islandwatch]

OMG!

[@scottbeckett4190]

Awesome vid! Thanks!

[@TheBimmer74]

What about Squale? If you buy ot on the leather will the bead blasted bracelet fit? I saw at least one review that said it was a super PITA to install.

[@AlTheEngineer]

Orient asking "why would anyone want to swap the bracelet on their watch" describes the Japanese industry very accurately :D. As an engineer myself for the past 20+ years, I worked with Japanese engineers and companies a lot and I really respect them and their skill, but sometimes their corporations are way too stuck on their ways and refuse to budge on any modernized and or newer idea which they haven't considered. I've gotten similar answers from Japanese manufacturers in the past working in the automation and electronics design spaces ... its always a challenge to get them to change anything and or update a proven design! But hey, their stuff works and its mostly super solid so I'll give them that!

[@wristopia4101]

You can swap it, just not for their one. That is super odd, but it's also odd Marc moaning about it when every other thing he moans about is to do with aftermarket straps.

[@AlTheEngineer]

@@wristopia4101 yeah but it is still a very weird mindset to have from a company that makes millions of watches.

[@wristopia4101]

@@AlTheEngineer Yeah I agree. Same with Grand Seiko refusing to add micro adjust. Ultimately I respect their decision though. I just stopped buying their watches but love the two I have.

[@AlTheEngineer]

@@wristopia4101 yes I absolutely love my GS GMTs and my Seikos for sure! So I agree with you.

[@ge48421]

Pet peeves: Lug holes drilled so close to the watch body that you have to use curved spring bars to fit a strap or NATO. Strap holes spaced so far apart you can't get a good fit. Quartz chronograph special section: That useless 24 hour dial. Chronographs that stop after an hour. Can't time the thanksgiving turkey with that one. Small chronograph minute dials that count to 60 and are almost unreadable. Casio special section: Straps that are too long and no option to get a shorter one. Not everybody has 8 inch wrists. This is mostly an issue on G-Shocks. Alarm beepers that are so quiet that you can't hear them in the open cubicle environment many of us work in. (I am not particularly a fan of smart watches, but I can hear or rather feel the alarm on a Garmin, the strap fits, and I can live with charging the thing every two weeks. Sorry for the rant.) I'll stop now.

[@JosephsCoat]

I’ve spent my whole career working in management in the manufacturing industry and I have to say with some level of credibility, there is absolutely no excuse for chapter ring misalignment.

[@LS1007]

Great video Marc! Good luck in Chicago. 🍀

[@islandwatch]

thanks so much

[@bidipbo]

This topic ought to inspire so many comments. This is subjective, of course, but I hate when a company produces a watch that fulfils 85-90% of the specs you desire, but fails to deliver the full package. Do they think we won't pay the extra $10-$13 for better lume, or a sapphire crystal? The Sophie's Choice of a perfect case size, but a dodgy movement versus the updated version that possesses the perfect movement, but a smaller case diameter, is aggravating. Along these lines, the dials of differing versions of the same model feature exactly what you want, but it has the wonky movement, or the too-small case dimensions. This model has the applied indices, but that one does not - but they are both the same price! I hate that watches leave QC and still have defects. This can be alignment issues; crowns that are gritty; crown stems that do not function properly; razor-like edges that make contact with skin (particularly on the clasp); imperfections on the surface that cannot be unseen, etc. I am annoyed by watches marketed as a diver, but missing key aspects necessary to qualify as a diver. One annoyance is a dive watch that possesses only 100 metres of water resistance - shameful. I hate when a brand sells an updated version of the model without updating the stated specifications and corresponding images on their website. The result is that they 'introduce' the latest version to paying customers that fell in love with what they found on the brand's website, only to receive a different version in the mail. There are so many more examples and I know that I shall recall a few others after pushing the comment button.

[@zambonidriver42]

Marc, love the shirt!

[@steaknzp7855]

Not about the watches themselves, but here are some watch website practices that need to stop: - Not listing ALL of the dimensions. Diameter is not the only measurement that matters (or even the most important in my opinion). I want to know lug-to-lug and thickness as well to get a better idea of how the watch actually fits. Full diagrams are even better. I shouldn’t have to go searching around the web for basic measurements. - Too few filters. I was on a manufacturer website recently and the only filters were New or All so I had to sift through 5 pages of watches and click on each one to see the specs. I want filters for size, style, movement, color, etc. Why is that so hard to implement on a website in 2024?

[@Watchmade]

Nice topics very interesting. However on the Laco Miyota movements, I saw a video from Laco in German, talking about that they adjust every Miyota movement. Dont know if this justifies putting an own movement name.

[@tmo8936]

How do you like the certina ds action diver 38mm? Thanks

[@jlewi715]

My biggest peeve is hand alignment. It doesn't a tremendous amount of effort to get the hour/minute hands aligned within a minute of each other; often even better than that. Yet so many watches across big ranges of prices have hands that are misaligned by 3-5 minutes. I am a complete amateur and I can get the hand alignment dead-on basically every time when reassembling a watch with minimal effort & time spent doing it.

[@mellow-jello]

Had to wait til the end to make sure - no wristwatch check from both wrists? Must really peeve you off, a Marc first! I believe you, you must be bananas!

[@greggusan]

What actually drives me a mad is how watches are so often presented in promotion pics. It seems to me they always appear to have a brushed finish (which I much prefer). But the real watch is more often than not, polished! Why would they do that?? Wouldn't people who like polished finishes be less interested in the piece? On the other hand, I'd be pissed off if I got a watch that I expected to be brushed, but was all shiny. If the company thinks brushed looks cool in photos, maybe it should have a brushed finish for real!?!

[@islandwatch]

Marketing vs expectations need to be managed.

[@PETERJOHN101]

Virtually all images on seller sites are illustrated drawings, not photographs. A few exceptions are the European shops. You can google an actual photo of the watch in question but search is becoming very difficult due to managed search output.

[@DSlyter1995]

I’ve been defeated by extra Loctite on a marathon and Davosa bracelet! I tried the hairdryer trick with no luck. I broke a couple of my watchmaking screwdrivers in the process. I ended up going to a jewelry store to have the bracelets sized 😭😂

[@watchmetwist]

Love it!

[@hectorshouse7348]

Great video…thank you Mark

[@islandwatch]

thanks!

[@nukadog1969]

My pet peeve is not including quick-release spring bars and on-the-fly adjustment with every watch over about $200...these are not new things, nor are they hallmarks of luxury per se. It reminds me why I never owned an SKX series. Even in the 90s, a hacking movement was NOT revolutionary or even evolutionary. I wasn't willing to buy a watch that didn't implement 40-yr old tech.

[@islandwatch]

Thanks for sharing that.

[@jpdemer5]

You don't really need hacking when the watch will be several seconds out of whack by the time you have lunch.

[@cunawarit]

@@nukadog1969 100%

[@blastaway1784]

Quick release spring bars are lower in quality and longevity and demanding OTF adjustment has just become a boring, repeated meme by now. "for my 50 bucks I want cosc and OTF adjustment and clay bezel insert and sapphire and 4 Hz and and and" zzzzzzzz.

[@waymok2789]

This is with watches as well pretty much every other consumer product: huge markups just to have phony sales. 90% off this Invicta? Wow! What a deal!

[@islandwatch]

Bargain! Just 4 payments of 39.99

[@ivanmejia6843]

19mm is actually very common. I have so many watches with the lug width, I though it was the norm! 21mm is very uncommon, though. Of all the odd lug widths, I'd go with 19mm always.

[@MrHardhatharry]

Marc, the wall clock over your left shoulder, below the ehelf, what is it and where can i get one?

[@timgenter1264]

Another one is coming to a major watch show with no stock to sell....when you are a US watch company :)

[@islandwatch]

😂

[@charlyvanbuuren2947]

My Alpina startimer classic has the same problem concerning fitting a bracelet instead of the leather strap...😢

[@polygoncoco]

All my watches are 19mm. If I’m spending thousands on a watch I can afford to get a decent strap from delugs or molequin 🤷‍♂️

[@jameskwon7617]

Some Glycine models drill two sets of holes, one for a strap, and the other for it's conforming end link bracelets.

[@AbdulRWatches]

My pet peeve is the water resistance rating, as a lot of people think 30m means really 30 meters of water depth. Patek is one of the only ones that I know about that are changing that.

[@ethanlareau3970]

Same here. Why can’t 50m be the minimum? What would be so hard about bumping it up just that little bit??

[@islandwatch]

Good call

[@zplapplap]

@@ethanlareau3970What difference would that make?

[@MegaThucydides]

Agree that just about any watch today should be swimmable. However I think 30m means actually 30m of atmospheric pressure, not water pressure

[@ethanlareau3970]

@@MegaThucydides You’re right. Any water movement below the surface creates pressure on the seals beyond mere depth. For a 30m watch to be 30m resistant in water, there would need to be absolutely no water movement. Sorry if that’s common knowledge. 😂

[@daley1985]

Hey Marc, how come a dress watch comes with so little water resistance. Why dont all dress watchs come with sapphire and at least 100m WR. Is it a cost issue, size issue or manufacturing problem? or combo of all.

[@christianmotos]

Wish you'd have chapter markers to access all these points on the go.

[@timrodriguez1]

"If you don't have it, you can't sell it."...lol🤘🤣

[@shcmoly]

I would love to see more watch & learns.

[@islandwatch]

I know. Me too! I'll get on it.

[@vedranhasanagic7259]

Bought Kamasu on rubber, strapcode fits perfect

[@hifi-enthusiast]

Hey Mark, is there already a watch & learn about Loctite ? I'd love to know more about the right use of Loctite and why you said t's not necessary.

[@yambo59]

One thing that TICKS me off is how watch manufacturers refuse to make bands long enough for large wristed folks, I have an 8.25 approx. wrist and out of 30 watches even expensive ones none of them fit - 99% of my watch have to have a NATO band so they will fit, and there are times id really like to have the band it came with - but NOOO--OOOOO they refuse to make watch bands long enough to fit large wristed people

[@herewegoagain...]

Tissot Gentleman is also 21mm. I gave up and just bought the Tissot Leather straps because I was tired of looking.

[@islandwatch]

Preach on!

[@drbobsnightmare2521]

Mark, I lost my spring bar. I need some replacements. For Miltat/Strapcode Angus J Louis on an sla marinemaster 300. How do I find the right ones on the web site?

[@vaclav_fejt]

I was thinking of buying an Orient...still not sure whether Kamasu, Kamasu 2, or Mako 40, but damn...

[@valengreymoon5623]

I believe the Lunar Pilot also has different hole positioning for straps, Vs. bracelets.

[@islandwatch]

Yes, you are correct!

[@boisdog]

You can still put the LP on a bracelet, you just can't use the fitted end Bulova bracelet. I have mine on a Strapcode with the straight ends. Some will say the gap left is unacceptable but I don't ever think about it.

[@DisplayKeesBack]

Came here to say that!

[@rayc1557]

Instead of using loctite, use clear lacquer nail polish. Prior to any thread locker, always degrease both mating surfaces with some 90 or 100% alcohol and let it dry completely. Unlike loctite, lacquer nail polish can be accidently over-applied with no adverse effects. It has slightly less holding strength but, it's perfect for wristwatch components. When its time to disassemble things, a little acetone can be used -but that probably won't be necessary. Trust me on this... You'll like it.

[@timrodriguez1]

Actually, instead of Loctite use Teflon plumbers tape. A little trick I learned from balisong flipping. Works just as well as loctite, but does not gunk up the threading of the screws. Only use a tiny piece (one wrap of the threads). 👍

[@brittcave8447]

My 1994 Omega SMP has four hole drilled to accommodate either bracelets or straps.

[@theshadowman1398]

I have 5 seiko’s. 4 out of 5 are JDM. All the bezels line up perfectly.

[@Jetta4TDIR]

My pet peeve is vendors that sell internationally but only ship from their country instead of offering local hubs, or providing a cost effective shipping price for international customers. Shipping costs are extortionate these days and i don't believe import duties costing more then the item cost is a good selling point. Not only does it limit the target market but frustrates possible international buyers.

[@markcoveryourassets]

I have refused to buy a Laco in the $400+ range that has a Miyota 8xxx movement called German manufactured.

[@Naushad1210]

If manufacturers solved some of these problems, they would actually destroy entire sub-industries! Especially for aftermarket bracelets.

[@ScottNotAvailable]

Can someone please recommend an Islander watch model that they love? Thank you

[@luist.1919]

My pet peeve is also making watch with odd size lug widths. Why make a watch w/ 19, 17, or 23mm lug size? I have a 23mm watch & it sucks not to pair it with some straps I already own. (Side note: Marc, I love the narrow depth of field look on the recent videos. But with my aging eyes, it almost impossible to read your instagram counter.)

[@laurencehogg6010]

I have two Citizen pilot watches; love them both. Apart from the 23mm lug width. 23mm. Someone actually signed that off.

[@islandwatch]

Yup. Horrible.

[@Lawrence64]

Same way with the Bulova Lunar Pilot. If you bought it with the leather strap, you won't be able to replace it with the same Lunar Pilot's Steel bracelet, due to the pin hole position. Annoying.

[@Ninjamlm]

Do your watches stand up to water? I had a Steeldive leak after just one year. I guess yours are parts manufactured in China too so I have to ask. I have Swiss watches and a Casio tough solar I bought from you but I like some of your islander designs.

[@acftmxman]

What drives me nuts is when a brand (hey you Seiko) don’t announce a new release until after it hits retailers, or not at all.

[@islandwatch]

You should see when they tell the vendors, it's after you!

[@barrettwbenton]

Of course, the reverse is also maddening: when a new model is announced, but takes *forever* to reach retailers.

[@jerryglasses2229]

Locktite on bracelet screw kills me. Brand new braclet with mangled screws the worst

[@TheWibbo]

Is that a magnum sriratcha bottle on the shelf?

[@islandwatch]

LOL, it's a prop

[@emgshredder]

I have an Orient Star with two lug hole positions. Was wondering what the point of that was.

[@islandwatch]

Bingo

[@ScottNotAvailable]

Mark - any chance you could make a version of the Axios Pathfinder? They stopped making them, and I don't know why! They sold out quickly and are hard to come by. I contacted the company and they said they will not be making any more. My pet peeve is when watch companies discontinue a successful model with no explanation! Help!

[@jaydub9509]

Thanks Mark, that was both fun and annoying at the same time! How about calling a watch a limited release, with minimal changes compared to the non-limited release version, and then releasing it in tens of thousands quantities? Looking at you S%^ko.

[@islandwatch]

Yeah, I hate that!

[@ReticentSparrow]

I suppose mine would relate to general legibility. Bright applied metal indicies on a sunburst dial might look nice, but on a watch advertised as a sports watch in direct sunlight? Maddening. A watch without a clear way to orient where the 12 o' clock position is? Torture. It sounds silly, but as someone who wears his watch inside the wrist, and looks at his watch while groggy in the dark, this is one of my needs. Minimalist watches can be quite handsome, just not for me. Speaking of Islander stock, I'm hopeful we'll see more Brookville Coral Linen dial watches before too long. I've signed up for the email notification, so now I patiently wait.

[@herewegoagain...]

LOL, well Orient built it right the first time... no need to make modifications. But in all seriousness, the reason, I suspect, Orient has such strange hole locations is precisely because of the hollow endlinks. They are just folded over pieces of steel, so the spring bars sit literally all the way back at the fold, causing the holes to be drilled far closer to the edge of the lugs than any normal watch. This, incidentally, makes regular straight edge straps sit very oddly on a bracelet Mako II, leaving too much gap between the case and strap, which is why Orient drills the holes closer to the case on strap equipped models. So, if you got a bracelet equipped Mako II, you basically need to get straps and bracelets specifically made for that watch, which is painfully annoying.

[@islandwatch]

Thanks for sharing

[@jeremysmith9696]

odd size lug widths for sure. I've not purchased watches because of 19mm or 21mm lugs. I'm not going to start hunting extra straps.

[@TheNinjaPicker]

My biggest complaint is micro brands that start out selling 150-300 watches and then double or triple the price of their watches. Yes im talking about you Jack Mason. The people who buy the $200 watch are not the same people who buy a $999 watch. One of the many reasons I like brands like Islander, AVI-8, Dan Henry and Torgoen.

[@islandwatch]

Thanks for being a customer! The first price you sell at is the most important.

[@patrickhartmann1540]

Agreed. And the same people who would spend $300 on a Jack Mason watch would buy something else for $1,000

[@jacobshort4978]

Is that a bottle of hot sauce on the shelf?

[@cunawarit]

I don't know if this is an unpopular opinion, but I'd rather have no screws on a bracelet. I prefer the split pins, they just work better, are easier to replace, and super affordable! I wish makers would stop using the screws.

[@islandwatch]

It's a valid point. And screws come unscrewed. But I think screws are associated with quality.

[@donrobbins4861]

​@islandwatch but screws have a tendency to become unscrewed while the bracelet is on your wrist causing the watch to fall off and hit the ground. Hence the over reliance on Loctite by manufacturers. Best solution for manufacturers is to use pins instead of screws. More reliable when correctly sized.

[@donrobbins4861]

@@islandwatch personally I feel the perception people have of screws being associated with quality is just a perception, but the reality is opposite. That's why most of my favorite watches are on straps. To each his own but I avoid bracelets with screws when possible

[@mtbkmaniac1]

Someone told me that thread locking solutions are sugar based. If you soak it in water, it will soften

[@commandZee]

🙏Please Islander Endlinks for the rubber strapped Orients.

[@brianmccord7387]

Ghost dates. The NH 38 exists; buy it and install it every time.

[@islandwatch]

Good one. And guilty!

[@brianmccord7387]

@@islandwatch I love the Roslyn, Marc!

[@ethanlareau3970]

@@brianmccord7387 Same here. Had my gunmetal one on earlier today. 👍🏼

[@tvguyjake]

Am curious,,,what's with the giant container of hot sauce? Are you expecting supply chain problems again?

[@Mr1MOA]

It's like an auto manufacturer asking why would anyone want to change out their wheels................cause "Merica" we like to customize everything......

[@halfsourlizard9319]

I have had a Rolex AD ask why I would ever consider putting my GMT II on a leather strap -- why would you *ever* take it off of the original bracelet? Um, because it's fun?

[@islandwatch]

For sure. Non-enthusiast obviously!

[@megacab]

This may not be popular opinion, but I don't like bracelets. I'll put it on for an occasion, but other than that I usually wear a Nato strap.

[@zerox615]

Yes. #1 is loctite on bracelet. Like wtf, we need to remove links to make it fit our wrist. The dumbest part is that most, if not all, these watch with loctite does not even come with loctite itself to reseal them back once you've adjusted it. Last but not least, don't ever use loctite on a bracelet. If you are that afraid of screw coming out then just go with push pins or something.