Budong The Collector

My Father bought identical Seiko 5 Watches in Australia back in 1997. Only difference is the dial color. He gave the black dial one to me and eventually he gave the white dial one as well. Both watches are still working. Dimensions Case Diameter: 38mm Thickness: 11mm Lug tip to Lug tip: 42mm Lug Width: 19mm Specifications Crystal: Hardlex Water resistance: 30m Case Material: Stainless Steel; Solid case back. Movement: 7s26 (Automatic 21Jewels; 21,600bph) Complications: Day/Date Case Code:  7S26-8760 Power reserve: 43 Hours Applied gold indexes and gold hands. Day and date nicely framed at 3 o'clock. Seiko and Seiko 5 shield applied below 12 o'clock. Printed "AUTOMATIC" and "21 JEWELS" above the 6 o'clock. Broad sword style hands are lumed and there are also lume dots above each hour marker except at the day and date.Second hand is plain and thin. Case style is from the 70's if I'm not...

This was an impulsive buy for me. I just happen to be at the basement of Makati Cinema Square and found out first hand that the place is full of tactical shops selling guns, knives, vests, bullets, military gear, etc. I found a small store that sells mostly knives and bags. It is one of the stores that don't sell guns. I was a bit afraid to walk in a gun store. As I browsed through their inventory, I noticed they sold Opinel knives. I asked to see the number 8 and 7 in both carbon steel and stainless steel. I opted for the number 7 carbon steel Opinel since the size was just right for me and I've been wanting a carbon steel folding knife for a while now. Got this for a shop called FORGED. Carbon steel blade. This will need much more maintenance than stainless steel. Multi-language blister pack. I didn't get the one with the leather pouch since it's much more expensive. I can make do without the pouch. The knife features a locking collar called ...

The Opinel No. 7 Carbone pocket knife. I'm finally going to open my birthday gift for myself. The Opinel No.7 pocket knife. This is the Carbone variant (carbon steel). First, wrist watch shot. Yes, I'm wearing my Citizen Promaster NY0040 diver. I'm thinking of having  the crystal replaced with a sapphire. Here is the knife in its packaging. It's in a blister pack. I got this one from a local tactical store called Forged. If you are interested in checking out their store, they are located at the basement level of Makati Cinema Square or check out their website here . Let's open it! I didn't get the one with the leather pouch simply because its way more expensive. Personally, I can make do without the pouch. Packaging is in multiple languages. I'm still thinking if I should keep the packaging...maybe the paper insert. The plastic blister pouch can go. It's carbon steel so care must be taken to keep the blade from rusting...

Before I share to you my highly opinionated and very personal review, let me get a few things out of the way. I am not a watch critic. I am a watch enthusiast. I have little experience in reviewing watches and what I write in this post is not the "law". I have little technical knowledge about watches. If I happen to mention or mislabel some parts in the watch, please be kind. I am not recommending any brands nor is this blog backed by any watch brand or manufacturer. Let's start. I purchased a watch online back in March, 2018. It's a mechanical dress watch that is made in, you guessed it, China. A very affordable, manual wind, mechanical watch that caught my eye mostly because it didn't look half bad, with the skeleton movement and display back, and mainly because it was a manual wind and not an automatic. This one was not my first choice, but it turned out to be for the best since I now realize my first choice was not very coherent in terms of its colo...