(2024-04-22) I updated my baseline watch requirements, and they sadden me
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My collections keep refreshing slowly but surely: all of them are going to
consist of less items but of better quality ones. It started with the 
purchase of a Lamy 2000 EF fountain pen, full-steel version of it, to be 
exact. But FPs are the topic I don't have any strict requirements about at 
the moment. Moreover, I have determined my personal top-3 (Lamy 2000 SS, 
Hongdian Black Forest Max, Pilot MR) and don't feel like anything could 
shake it. Cellphones and wristwatches, on the other hand, are such topics. 
And, as I concluded that all hope has been lost about cellphones, my 
collection of them keeps diminishing. For watches though... Let's see.

No, I do love pretty much every watch I still have in the collection. But if
I want to continue with the hobby, it's time for my criteria for new entries 
to be updated. I've had experimented enough with different tech and 
materials to shape a solid baseline of what I really want as of now, to be 
practically usable on my own wrist yet still collection-worthy. So, here's 
the list of my current baseline criteria.

1. Case diameter, mm: 36..40 (38 or 39 preferred).
2. Case thickness, mm: <=13.
3. Lug width, mm: 18 or 20 (16 or 22 are viewed individually).
4. Lug to lug distance, mm: 48 max, 46 and below recommended.
5. Case material: titanium (scratch-resistant coating recommended).
6. Water resistance rating: >=10 bar (>=100m).
7. Glass crystal material: sapphire (AR coating recommended).
8. Power: solar rechargeable OR 5+ years battery (10+ years recommended) OR
automatic winding.
9. If quartz, de-facto accuracy must be within ±5 s/mo OR the watch must have
a longwave/GPS/Bluetooth time sync system.
10. If automatic, the stated accuracy must be within -15/+25 spd AND the
watch must have a straightforward way to regulate it at home.
11. If analogue, the watch must have distinct minute markers AND, if these
markers are flat on the dial surface, the minute hand must reach them.
12. Integrated bracelets are discouraged, integrated straps (that can't be
replaced with any other third-party strap or bracelet) are prohibited.

Now, here's the sad part: can you find at least ten different models (that
are currently in production) matching all these requirements?

Because I tried. I really tried. Found three so far. One of them is, of
course, a crazy expensive Casio MRG-B5000D, another one is a JDM Citizen 
Promaster (PMD56, the requirement #11 doesn't apply as the markers are on 
the inner ring), and the third one is a titanium version of Certina DS 
Caimano (C035.410.44.087.00). That's pretty much it. I can't find more as of 
yet. I remember we had much more choice. What's happening? Is there some 
titanium shortage on the global market or did the marketologists decide for 
us that we don't need long-lasting AND lightweight watches anymore? Did the 
Swiss and the Japanese have a conspiracy to not deliver an ideal wristwatch 
ever, and instead feed us with compromises on one aspect or another? I just 
got the aforementioned Certina (maybe will compose a post about it someday) 
and probably gonna get the Promaster too, but the choice became too narrow 
compared to the amount of mediocrity the watch industry has been pumping out 
to this very day. Even the companies I highly respect, like Casio and Epson 
(Orient), mostly gave up on titanium in favor of stainless steel or even 
brass (for the lowest-end models). Seiko abandoned almost all of its 
titanium watch production as well. Citizen still holds to some extent but 
most of its titanium models fail my other criteria pretty hard. And the 
Swiss... again, Certina is one of their few brands even worth starting to 
look at if you want a real watch that can keep time, not a fashion item.

To be honest, I really don't know what to do. Maybe I should just wait until
the trend for bulky wristpucks wears off (pun intended). Maybe I should just 
abandon the hobby altogether, at least until something _really_ interesting 
comes up. After all, I probably already have enough time measurement tools 
for the rest of my life. And the Citizen PMD56 looks like a perfect point to 
make this stop. But the hope that it won't be a full stop still remains. As 
I already said, I'm a dreamer, sort of.

--- Luxferre ---