u/Willing_Crew_8055

At first I was sort of excited because indoors it did make the contrast just a bit better. Outdoors, almost no difference! So I’m going to undo it.

About 30 minutes after it gave me 5 short beeps like it was complaining. The deal breaker is it stopped the Bluetooth. It connects but only for a second then disconnects. So back to standard air-filled it goes!

EDIT: I know the pics make it look like it’s just dunked in oil but it it was disassembled like normal. Case is full. No issues or bubbles with the hydromod process itself.

Pew pew pew pew

Here’s the BX5600 with its MIP display vs the GMW-B5000G with its factory Casio STN display both stock (not hydromodded). Both of these watches have blue teefs and connect to the app.

In the pictures the one with the very shiny bezel is the B5000G. I swapped these watches on the pics left to right to try to equalize the lighting. If you are a bezel enthusiast the shiny bezel is a Casio DLC coated from the Porter. This B5000G will eventually become a Porter clone with factory parts.

Again the B5000G has 5 time zones vs the BX5600 2 tone zones.

If anything this makes me want to hydromod the B5000G I’m willing to bet that would look fantastic.

Both of these look comparable honestly.

Picked up a GW-BX5600-1JF on my journey of experiencing various Casios on a catch and release program.

The BX5600’s MIP display is darker and lower contrast than my hydromodded 5610U. Sure, the MIP has far superior off angle visibility but when I look at my watch, I look at it. The BX5600 can’t match the everyday contrast and clarity of my hydromodded 5610U.

The BX5600 also has only two time zones. The 5610U has five. Being in sales for a German company I use all five time zones; four for travel in the USA and one for Berlin. I can’t travel as effortlessly with the BX5600. With my 5610U I just push a button to cycle to the correct time.

The BX5600 does have the ability to display two time zones in the little upper right window but for 60 year old eyes this tiny text (while really cool) is functionally illegible if you are not outdoors.

The backlight on the BX5600 is strangely weak. This creates an interesting situation where in some lighting the time can’t be read at all. When you are indoors with not enough ambient light to see the display it’s also not dark enough for the backlight to work. The 5710U does not have this problem.

Oh course the BX5600 is Bluetooth linked but I have many Casios with this feature and don’t see this as a huge advantage. The vast majority of use for a watch for me, is just looking at it on my wrist to see what time it is.

I’ll give the BX5600 the benefit of a month of wearing around to see what the whole experience is but out of the box, my 5610U seems easier for the normal daily uses.

Had the chance to measure the radiation of some really cool watches. And a REALLY cool watch. A Blancpain 50 Fathoms.
The 50 Fathoms was not mine. But the Nivada Grenchen and the Bulova 3818A are mine.

I measured both from and back of my own, but didn’t occur to me to measure the back of the 50 fathoms. We were all blown away by how high it read on the Geiger counter. Measuring in Microsieverts per hour (μSv/h).

For context, average background radiation is roughly 0.1 to 0.3 μSv/h

For those who own radium dial watches. How often do you wear them?

I’m reading the GW5000U is the umtinate daily… etc. So to try to get a better feel for the screw back it’s what’s on the wrist today.

However I can’t help but love the clarity of my hydromodded 5610U instead. I Strongly prefer it despite all the viewing angle comments about the 5610U.

Here are some shots from “readable / normal” angles, at slightly different light conditions so you can see the difference between these two.

Anybody hydromod a GW5000U? I think that’s where I want to be, a hydromodded DW5000U, although the weight bump with the oil in the 5610U makes it wear really nice.

EDIT: You might ask “why would you hydromod a positive display” it’s mainly because I’m from the olden days before the Internets and the bump in clarity and contrast not only looks great it helps me a lot

Just got delivered my new Baby-G BGD-5650-1JF.

How cool! It’s tiny like an F91W but with all the world time, tough solar, multiband, 5 world time zones, dual time display just like the 5610.

The strap is short - I’m using the 2nd to last, and last strap hole on my 7.25” wrist.

Casio just kills me these are so fun. The “Baby G” lettering on this version is functionally invisible if anybody’s wondering.

Just kidding sort of. Picked up one of these in Lucerne the other day out of curiosity and / or to flip when I get back home.

Was delighted to find this morning it’s a no-date, like the specials, so now I feel very exotic and pampered

/s

Still fun. Picked up never those pink ones too will see if my daughter likes it when I get home

When looking through the catalog I’ve always been amazed at the sheer variety of watches Blancpain produces.

By chance I had the opportunity to visit the Blancpain boutique in Zurich a few days ago. We were riding the public transport down the main drag on the way to the railway station when my wife spotted the Blancpain store. It was just outside the tram stop and although not planned, my wife said “Hey, a Blancpain boutique, do you want to check that out?”

So there’s more evidence of good life choices. Imagine willingly turning your husband loose in a $$ haute horology hotspot like this, courageous if you ask me!

The variety was really impressive. I asked the sales rep something I’ve suspected; if Blancpain produces a lot of variants in small lots say 200 or less, and he indicated that was true. I have no way to know if that’s actually true, or if he was just agreeing with a walk in customer.

One of the highlights of my visit was being able to handle the 38mm 18k FF with the no date MOP dial. Stunning, heavy sucker though, and a serial number in two digits. The sales rep said the sample in hand was only the 3rd one the store had been supplied for sale.

Enjoy the pictures!

Always knew I’d made a great surfer and all it took was a GBX-100S to find out. Now, Bondage Bob and I are hitting the surf and making waves.

All jokes aside this GBX is pretty useful. Light and comfy with its MIP display, vibe alarm and world time. I’ll never use the surf functions but the sunrise / sunset is useful to know the “magic hour” if you’re into taking pictures. Overall a fun watch

I’ve found my 5610U yo be my go to watch for business travel, which I get stuck with a lot because I’m in sales for a German company.

I find myself always reaching for this one. Of course it’s accurate, it has 5 time zones I actually use, it’s light and crispy clear.

I wanted more so I hydromodded it. Not disappointed! As crisp as the bare bones F91W even with the sonar cell. The only downside, is the “wrist roll” to illuminate won’t work because the little rolling ball is now in oil.

It’s also a few grams heavier which feels right.

Love this watch!!

The battery is fresh, brand new already tried that. Any ideas?

Display will blank out after maybe 8 minutes abd it springs to life with the touch of a button.

EDIT: the Adjust button stopped working

E2: The light stopped working. No buttons respond but it’s still displaying the time

E3: it’s completely dead. Pour one out, boys!

The final reveal: I’ve hydromodded this about five times and then un-hydromodded it again in several attempts. It might be tired of my antics

The interesting and wealthy one. Out and about this week a Rolls Royce Mullner (?) drop head coupe at Costco and of all things, a Renault Alpine A110 pictured together out in regular ass traffic (!!) with a 2010s Ford Ranger extended cab.

I’m not sure which is more impressive, the A110 or the Ford Ranger, because f*ck yeah Ford Ranger

This was the first time in my life I’d seen an Alpine A110 anywhere in real life much less just running errands in traffic!

Picked up a used GBX 100S off the bay for $90 to check out one of these newer MIP displays and I’m not disappointed.

This watch is light, the strap is extra soft and floofy almost like rubber and the reverse MIP display is hyper legible.

Plus I guess this thing is trying to double as a smartwatch but with a 2 year battery life as a noble goal. It’s app connected to the Casio app on my cell phone and gives vibration alerts for text, email, notifications etc.

Does world time well, no complaints and has a step tracker. The surfing features for tide I don’t use but it’s handy to know sunrise and sunset times.

All that being said it makes a great watch! So easy to see and light.

I still don’t know if I’d like this MIP display in a traditional square - it looks so modern - but the legibility at all angles is amazing!

It’s taking a nap on one of many strategically placed silicone coasters I have around the house. It never just gets “set down”

42mm in titanium on the rubber strap with Germany clasp. This watch is so perfect for me!

2020 Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Chrono Flyback Calendar Moonphase.

I literally did not know you could put all those words together in the same sentence.

Look at this thing. Plus it comes with 4 straps? The owner never wore it.