The very Rare Casio Duro DRO-204

The Casio Duro DRO-204 is one of those watches that went under the radar for quite some time and wasnt sought after when it hit the shelves. To be honest even this watch in my collection was not bought brand new but I rather like stumbled upon it while surfing ebay listings about 7 years ago. This watch came from Bulgaria and even the original owner I guessed didnt know the value of this gem at the time.

Design

To anyone familiar with G-Shocks this design is really the common five button configuration with the light button configuration in the middle and the normal mode adjust split and start/stop buttons. The faceplate of the watch face is rather thick giving a sense of depth for the digital display. The caseback is the normal stainless steel plate secured by four small phillip head screws although I really wished it came with a screwback type. I was lucky enough to get this watch its original steel bracelet while others have reported having theirs with rubber straps. Lugs are 20mm wide and you can happily use the strap from the casio DW-8300 or even a 20mm Nato Strap. Rated at 200m water resist I have brought this watch out for pool and seaside swimming with no issues.

Whats so Speacial?

What makes this casio so special is that the design of the watch fitted with a steel bezel is much like the DW-8300 "Stargate" and DW-8100 "Gangster" series. Also while most electro luminecense light is usually light green in colour. This DRO-204 lights up with a brilliant blue light. The best part about this watch is that it is not even a G-Shock series but is very much sought after by any G-Shock Collectors.

Other than this its a really simple casio watch, durable and reliable, with all the basic useful functions like timer, stopwatch and alarms.

This watch is proving very hard to find nowadays, ebay listings are very rare and some of the DRO-204 that I found have already been modified using G-Shock modules inside them.

If you do find one grab it!!! Its an awesome daily watch. Watch out for the light button as of it gets broken its bery hard to find a replacement.

Happy hunting and wear your watchea in good health.

Seiko Turtle PADI Special Edition

Hi guys, its been a long time since I have had a chance to update the blog...and...its also been a long time since I bought myself a brand new watch from a store (been buying lots of 2nd hand watches from flea markets and ebay though)

After 3 years since my last purchase (last one was a Limited Edition Blue Monster) Seiko finally made me itchy to get another one of their new releases....

The Special Edition SRPA21 New Prospex Turtle "PADI" edition!!!

To be honest I have alwaysed liked the "Pepsi" theme and have been missing one ever since I let go of my orient Pepsi Mako!!!

The evergreen seiko pepsi SKX009 never really did appeal to me mainly because of two main caveats :-

1) its really common and easy to get

2) old non hack and windable 7S26 engine

3) the hour markers are flat and the dial is kinda boring with little lume for a dive watch.

I wanted to get the new prospex turtle and was almost making the plunge for a blue one but somehow wanted the pepsi one. The pepsi one had a flat black dial though and that didnt turn me on either. For me Pepsi themed watches should always have a blue dial...

Seiko announced the PADI Special Edition and I was totally smitten. Pictures below:

"Big special edition Padi Box"

"PADI - Professional Association of Dive Instructors"

Nice sunburst blue dial!!! with the prospex logo now moved to the top near the Seiko logo. Chapter rings with red and white indexes is a nice touch!!! 

Solid end links, Tsunami logo and engraved "Special Edition"

Normal divers clasp with wet suit extension (really wished it was the ratcheting type ala marine master ones)

Unsigned crown!!! :(

at 45mm it wears big on the wrists and yet nice and flat.

Size comparison with the LE Blue Monster!!!

So in conclusion... I am really liking this PADI Special Edition Watch.

What I like most about it!!!

- Perfect Pepsi themed Turtle!!!

- Nice and big but still flat for sleeves

- Sunburst blue dial is absolutely GORGEOUS!!!!

- Special Edition!!!

- Hack and wind 4R36 movement

- Great Lume!!!

What I wished it had :

- Signed crown!!!

- Sapphire Crystal

- ratcheting clasp

All in all... this one is a keeper and I'm glad I got my hands on one :)

Watch round up 2015...

Yeah I know I haven't been good enough to update this blog but 2015 was a very busy year for me. But never the less 2015 passed by so quickly. In terms of my watch collecting hobby, 2015 would basically be the Year of Digital with me heavily acquiring mostly casio digital and vintage G-Shock watches. I only bought one Japanese Automatic and that was the infamous Alba Blue Manta Ray diver!!!! (I'll do a review of this magnificent watch later)

Anyways here is a list of 2015's acquisitions.

1. Alba "Blue Manta Ray" Automatic Divers Watch

- Super rare blu dialed version with Manta Ray Dial.

2. Casio DW-56RT Referee Timer

- Special timer and stopwatch modes with injury time for various sports.

- Big clear display. A very unique DW-5600 series by casio

3. Casio DW-5000SL Spike Collaboration Edition

- Reissue of the DW-5000 the first G-Shock

- Screwback case

4. DW-8030 Casio Slot Machine

- Rare modue with dollar bill backlight

5. Casio TSR-100 Thermo Scanner

- Rare find, useful Infrared thermo scanner to scan forehead temperature and other items

- The same watch worn by Robin Williams in the movie Flubber 😁

6. Casio Marlin Thermometer Watch.

- Ultra rare model by casio with gauge like display.

- Analogue display of the temperature with "dancing hands

- 20 bar water resist

7. Casio Overland Alti-Baro

- Unique design by industrial designer Seymour Powell middle placed sensor

- Alti, Barometer and Depth meter...

- Alarms for altitude and depth

8. Casio G-Shock DWM-100RX Xaymaca

- Steel PVD Bezel

- Xaymaca backlight and velcro strap

9. Casio CPW-210 "Millenium Falcon"

- Compass only feature

10. Casio SPF-10 Sea Pathfinder Radiant Thermo Scanner

- Same as the TSR-100 thermo scanner

- Blue illuminator, moon age and tide graph

- Best for Sea anglers

Pelican Case with custom Casio Logo.... a more suitable wqtch case for my G-Shocks :)

Thats all for now... I'll try to write a review of all the watches above (if I have the time)

Actually there were a lot more that I bought in 2015 but I sold some of them off...more about thise in another post. 

Chiowww.

Last for 2014...newly acquired watches

2014 was a crazy year for watch hunting, especially when Evil Bay goes rampant. In this short post I'll post a few watches that were snapped up during the year 2014. No reviews just yet...i'll just list down the reasons why I just HAD to have these watches!!!

Here goes :

Casio DW-001

* Vintage and the very first Jason Design

* Has a Thermo Sensor unlike todays G-001

* did a little restoration project on this one

Alba Diver Automatic Watch

* Vintage and Rare!!!

Seiko Bellmatic 4005 JDM

* Very rare to find a bellmatic with only date instead of day date

* Perfect for formal dress occasions

Seiko BFS

* The original Seiko BFS!!!

* RaRe!! Nuff said

Seiko White Knight

* Actually my second White Knight...missed it

* Hard to find

* Best Dress Diver design by Seiko

Casio MRG-1

* The very First MR-G from Casio???

* Black and Gold Edition??

* Had to have it!!!

Casio BM-200

* Nostalgic, had this when I was 16

* Most comfortable Baro watch with no side protruding sensor

* Looks like Scorpion from Mortal Kombat!!!

Casio Duro DRO-204

* Very rare

* Cool True Blue Illuminator Backlight

* Come with original Bracelet

Casio AW-712

* Barometer, Altimeter, Depth Sensor all in a nice looking Analog Watch!!!

* Super rare

Enicar Ocean Pearl Automatic

* My first Enicar!!!

* Swiss Made Caliber 165

Watch round up of 2014 : Those that have departed...

2014 has been a crazy for my watch collecting hobby. In this post I shall round up all off the watches in my collection that I have had to let go off  :( I'll briefly give all the good points of the watches if you are interested in getting your hands of any one of them.

I let go of some of the watches for various reasons among them are (some of them might be familiar to you) :
- No chemistry
- Stayed too long in the watch box without getting enough wrist time
- Offered a good price
- Gave it as a gift for a friend or familiy member
- A sacrificial goat for another watch that's much more desirable (traded in)
- Accidentally won it on Ebay and didnt really wanted it in the first place :P

OK here goes :

Casio G-8000 Limited Edition White Orange

* Stunning G-shock, unique design, nice tattoo on the band

- Let it go to my sis as I realized that white doesn't work for me

Casio Duro 200m Illuminator Ana-Digi

* Bought it for nostalgic purposes as I had this watch wayyy back in 1995 

- Sold to an office mate who really needed a good watch.

Orient GMT Automatic

* Great quality from Orient, Signed crowns, machined clasp and an adjustable 24hr daylight GMT Bezel

- Sold to local collector, wasn't getting enough wrist time

Citizen Military Automatic

* Love the military dial and signed promaster crown, great lume

- Sacrificed this baby to get a really hard to find Vintage Seiko 4005 Bellmatic (date only)

Casio G-Shock G-101

* Great Ana Digi Design, really accurate analogue movement

- Offered a good price from one of my football buddies (at least I get to see it often)

Casio WQV-3 First ever Wrist Camera Watch

* Retro, Cool and a conversation piece, nice for avatar photos, works with windows 7 and USB IR dongle

- Offered a good price by a collector

Casio 7002-7020 MKII 200m Diver

* bought this to replace my SKX007, exclusive Date Only Dial, good and reliable

- Less wrist time, sold for a good price

Swatch Automatic Chronograph

* Hey ho my very first Swisss Auto-Chrono, top of the line swatch

- Sold it to my boss, aiming another swatch 

Swatch Irony Aluminium Chronograph

* Watched an Aluminium Swatch for its lightness

- Gave it to my dad as he said he liked it

Casio MRG-200T

* MRG, Made in Japan, Titanium Bracelet, Screw back whats not to like?

- Bought another 2 MRG's so this one had to go

Casio G-8000 Black Orange

* Best G-Shock Design

- Sold it off to make ware for an even rarer G-8000 :)

Casio BP-100 Vintage Pulse and Blood Pressure monitor watch

* The best watch for fitness tracker, Better module than even the newer BP-120 and BP-200

- Sold to a fellow casio collector

Swatch Irony Retrograde Chronograph

* Big, buffed Swatch Irony

- Sold it off within a fortnight, impulse buy

Swatch Irony Big Aluminium

* Unique whole dial lumed

- Gave away

Casio G-001 Black Red

* Negative display, World Time, Timer

- Sold it off as I got my hands on a DW-001 module and used this G-001's parts for restoration

Casio MD-310 200m dive watch

* 200m, Rotating Bezel, Shrouded Design, First Autolight feature (shake)

- Sold to a gentleman who appreciated it better

Seiko Starfish 7S36 Superior

* Unique starfish design, big and hefty

- Sold it cheap, coz daddy needs some cash

Well thats it for 2014...how many was it now? 17 watches?? all gone?? yeah I guess so but having said goodbye to these fine watches...there were a few that was newly acquired but I'll tell that story in another post. Happy Boxing day 2014!!!