Reply With QuoteNice pick up! I've tried them on and think they wear very well. That lume is so cool!
Thanks for looking. Low effort thread, but I thought I'd share some pictures of my recent acquisition, a Vertex M100. Picked up on here after a WTB (with a promise to offer it back to the seller if it doesn't stick!)
Lots of information HERE, so I won't go on, but I will say that if you make a simple watch, your margin for error is tiny. Go wild and you can be a bit more hit and miss, so it doesn't matter if the hour hand is a hair too long, or the dial is a little small. But a simple WWW remake needs to be spot on. Much like Eddie's PRS29.
A lot of people have strong opinions on the business model (again, see link) of the Vertex owner, but I bought it used, so IDGAF. I'm interested in the watch.
And so far, I'm happy that this is about spot on. I'll see how I feel in a month, but I'm liking it at the moment, and have set myself the target of wearing nothing else for a fortnight. I'll see how that works out!
The distinguishing feature is the numerals made from luminous material. No paint, no filled numerals here - just solid lume. Reminds me of the luminous stars I used to have on the wall of my bedroom when I was 10.
Nice pick up! I've tried them on and think they wear very well. That lume is so cool!
I do like the numerals!!
Wow - that really does look nice 👍
I think this is a bloody good looking watch.
I'm actually on the fence with the M100B version and whilst not the true remake of the dirty dozen watch woujld make a great summer daily.
I think it's a fine watch, but it's not free so the price (if paying full retail) is relevant to the discussion I think. Movement don't hack, bracelet don't exist (not that I like bracelets) crown don't screw. This does not mean you haven't got a lovely watch (seeing as you didn't pay 'retail'), I'd not say no to it! I just think the Hodinkee post is basically dancing around "2.5k is a rip-off but we're part of the Veblen marketing dept, so here I go..."
Chunks of lume is a good idea though. Didn't G-Shock do it first?
Oh and I like the font! And I have this odd like of arabic dials where numbers get a tiny bit cut off to fit something else. Sad, I know.
Anyway, being constructive, how do you find it compares to any other 'three-handers' you have had?
Last edited by redsox78; 27th April 2020 at 21:31.
Thanks for the comments and thoughts - always interesting to hear the POVs of others! And yeah, it's very easy to criticise the watch, for the reasons you said, and others (the odd MLM style of selling it, the odd modern packaging, perhaps.) The Hodinkee article is interesting, you're right.Originally Posted by redsox78
The M100 makes very little sense, even in this odd world of WIS. Eddie's PRS29b is 98% of the watch, never mind things like the recent Hamilton H/W.
I've owned a lot of similar three-handers - the two I've mentioned previously, plus Rolex Explorer I, Citizen Chronomaster, Eterna, 9F movt. GS, Omegas (all centre seconds, of course).
In the sub-seconds category, I can quickly find pics of these that I've owned -
Of all the watches I've owned, the Vertex reminds me most of the IWC XV. I know, I know, different hand styles, centre-seconds vs sub-dial. But the feel of the watch (so hard to quantify) is very similar. The way it wears on a NATO. The proportions, the fit.
As I said - the M100 is a hard sell, but I like it.
I am big fan of military/field watches which is mainly what my small collection consist of. I really am a fan of the Dirty Dozen watches and though Vertex is one of the original brands. I really wish they had made the m100 more in line of the original. The price was over 2,000 GBP and you had to have basically an invitation to buy one.
I recently backed the re-issue of the Timor Heritage Field watch on Kickstarter and this version of the original is very true to the original with one exception and that being it doesn't have fixed bars but instead has traditional spring bars which for me was a bonus as I am not a fan of Nato or single pass straps.
I wish they would come out with more re-issues of the watches that made up the famous Dirty Dozen and make them true to the originals.
I think this would be my problem if it was my cash (and I could buy one at retail). If I liked them equally, I would go for the Nomos, think. But the Vertex does look very nice. If you can afford them both, no complaints from me! It'll be interesting to see how sucessful they are and how much Bremont think of replicating the 'exclusivity'
Of all the watches I've owned, the Vertex reminds me most of the IWC XV. I know, I know, different hand styles, centre-seconds vs sub-dial. But the feel of the watch (so hard to quantify) is very similar. The way it wears on a NATO. The proportions, the fit.
As I said - the M100 is a hard sell, but I like it.
There is a lot to like in this watch.
An interesitng movement choice, the Perseux, much like Eddie's PRS-36.
The "Lumerals" are great, albeit with a very modern feel to them by comparison to lume over a printed ground.
The scalloping to the inside of the crown is a very nice vintage vibe (very odd they didn't keep this for the monopusher chrono)
It looks very crisply executed.
But it is impossible to get away form the price, which is way too much, and not justified by the tech involved.
Is there any particular case construction or hardening to up the cost? None that I see. Nor anything in terms of sapphire shaping, caseback novelty or much else to justify the large numbers.
The MkII cruxible (I prefer the original, not the newer Hellion version) is an equally adept military "re-issue" that has had modernity sprinkled over it. It is a small fraction of the price.
My Siduna M3440 chronograph even has a very similar looking set of "lumerals" on the dial, does a lot more than the Vertex and still costs £700 less (and is half the price of the Vertex chronograph).
So although it is a great looking watch, and I would love to own one, I will never buy one, as I know I can get better watches for my money.
Dave
Thank you for your comments, Dave - I appreciate your thoughts. Yes, you're right - there will never be a discussion of this watch that doesn't mention the price!
It is well executed - that's a good way to put it, but yes, there are better ways to spend one's money - if were I the kind of buyer who watched the pennies, I certainly wouldn't own it. But then I also own a titanium G-Shock, and therefore clearly cannot be trusted with money!
The Cruxible looks interesting, but there are too many little things "off" with it - that small margin of error, again! The hands, the large amount of watch before you get to the dial! the "tail" on the lugs. And the Siduna looks interesting, and great value! But the proportions feel a bit wrong.
I mean, I've been playing about with watches for nearly 20 years - 17 years on here, which sounds ridiculous when I type it! I've rejected watches for having no distinguishing 5-minute markers on the 30-minute dial on a 7750 chrono, for goodness sake!
But the M100 feels like a good fit at the moment.
No problem, always good to have a reasonable discussion, and I perfectly understand that there is no substitute for a design that just speaks to you.
I have to say that is not the kindest picture of the Siduna, taken a little too close, making the lugs disappear behind the bezel.
My arrival review of it is here for nicer photos.
Dave
I'll have a look, Dave - I appreciate your contributions to the forum - and I think that picture I chose is pretty fore-shortened!
Walter that’s a lovely piece, had a look at the pictures a few times now and looks to be a very functional tool watch and a good looker too, not the sort of thing you see every day either
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Thank you, Macca - I've had a lot of watches through my hands, and I'm really liking this one. De gustibus non est disputandum. What puts me off a watch will not bother you, and visa versa. I like this one.
Lovely, but would have to be 42-44mm diameter to work for me. Case finishing/ dial execution looks really nice.
Sent from my Nokia 3.1 using TZ-UK mobile app
No problem at all, I’ve always tried to be pragmatic with watches, yes the price could put some off but the finish and features are outstanding, it’s a lovely military piece and to my mind at least rather exclusive. That’s a great saying, may pinch that one myselfThank you, Macca - I've had a lot of watches through my hands, and I'm really liking this one. De gustibus non est disputandum. What puts me off a watch will not bother you, and visa versa. I like this one.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I've been very taken with these when they've appeared on IG feeds. However all of the many pluses, don't outweigh two small but definite negatives. Syringe hands have never done if for me, and those red markers.
I'll stick to my PRS-29B.
David
Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations
The syringe hands are less noticeable than, for example, a Sinn, and I've always been a lume-queen.
Have you still got my land master that has some excellent lume too from memoryThe syringe hands are less noticeable than, for example, a Sinn, and I've always been a lume-queen.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Lume comparison between those would be interesting, as would selling the Landmaster on SC :)
I did a quick lume check this morning - four watches from my box. Pop 'em in the sunlight this morning.
Then into a dark room.
Then 15 minutes later! The 16600 is (unsurprisingly) fading already!
Then I got bored and lost patience with the whole business!
Sorry!
That panerai is stunning
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Bumping this as I took a nice pic today.
And I've got a video of the watch here - https://youtu.be/X-0sv8gaYlw
I am enjoying your video style.
It's incredibly British, the mixture of charm, unplanned shonkiness, swearing and genuine, informed opinion.
I can think of no-one else that might consider an aside on black cats' a****oles in a watch video.
Advertorial, it is not.
Which is a great thing. I mean the above with the greatest respect.
D
I love the cat
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Thank you for the review, Dave - it made me smile! And I will pass on your compliments, KAS118, to Lola the cat!
very nice looking design, i agree. some really good field watches around atm- this, the seiko tictac, and of course the prs-29
Nice watch,I cam across these after being offered the original.
Excellent you got one - I still love the chrono - its my most worn and its just such a nice package.
I am still tempted for a m100 as well....
Enjoy !
cheers
matt
Just bumping this as I'm wearing the watch today, and playing with my camera.
Thoroughly enjoyed your video review of the watch and your excellent Will Carling impression throughout.
I agree with your comment about the feel of a watch and your reference to the IWC Mark XV as an example of this. Any reference to an IWC pilot watch is usually met with a deluge of comments on the idiocy of choosing one of these watches over the many cheaper alternatives around. And mostly they are right. But I researched the bejesus (and fun) out of the pilot watch market before buying mine, and hoped to prefer one of the many alternatives I tried, but none of them matched the 'feel' of the IWC. Perhaps it's as simple as being a good fit.
The Mark XV and the earlier XII with the JLC movement are two of IWC’s finest watches. I had an XV and sold it to the OP here. I missed it and had to replace it. As you say, it just feels right. The proportions are perfect and it’s capable of great accuracy. All the IWC Pilots that follow don’t come close to the XII and XV.
Posting Permissions
