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First Ball (but several hundred other brands before it)

6K views 7 replies 6 participants last post by  CounterfeitCop 
#1 ·
Evening chaps. I'm new on here, indeed this is my first post, but I'm a staunch regular on a couple of UK-based forums and have been buried in this hobby since 2007 - or in actual fact since I could first read the time if I'm blatantly honest.

I thought I'd pop in here as I've just acquired my first (and definitely not my last) Ball watch. I've eyed up several different models over the years; the Engineer Master Diver II, the Hydrocarbon Mad Cow, the Deep Quest, the Ohio Moon Phase - but I've never actually bought one. I've had hundreds of other watches; Sinns, Damaskos, Precistas, Seikos, Omegas, a couple of Breitlings, Citizens, Casios and dozens of other manufacturer's offerings that I've mostly forgotten about now, but this is the first Ball.

I opted for the Trainmaster Moon Phase as I had a longing for a decent moon phase watch, it is my 40th birthday on February 12th 2016 so I had a good excuse to get something interesting. It arrived the other day from Iguana Sell in Spain who are excellent to deal with.

So what can I say about it? Well, I'm darned impressed with it. It far belies the price. The quality is outstanding, the finish is exquisite and the tritium lume just makes it. I am a lume fan, a big lume fan, and this lovely warm and consistent glow is right up my alley. It's stronger than other tritium dialled watches I've owned, but it is brand new of course. The bracelet is nothing short of a work of art. I've had Rolex bracelets which haven't felt like this - completely rattle free and silky in movement.

I took a couple of photos of the dial lume plus some quick and dirties in the poor light we have right now in East Anglia in the UK. Enjoy if you haven't seen this model, which definitely looks better in the metal than in the promo shots.

No doubt I will purchase other Ball watches in the future, if this one is anything to go by they're obviously good value!

Cheers, Rob.











 
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#3 ·
Cheers chap!

Yeah, the lumed moon did it for me. The whole fit, finish and design of this watch is so impressive. Upon my next purchase (which will be some time away as this year I intend to clear all debts by 31st December) I will be looking for a Ball diver I think. That tritium tube lume is just a winner.
 
#5 ·
Thank you kindly sir. Nice to find a forum that's narrowed in focus. I'm just taking some time to read through the previous threads and glean what info I can about Ball watches. :0)

Seems like a lot of you are based in the US, Ball watches are a lot less well known here in the UK, and although the watch forum community is unsurprisingly knowledgeable of them, I've yet to see a Ball watch on the wrist of a non-horology enthusiast.

I'll be spreading the name where I can. :0)
 
#8 ·
Hi Rob,

You own hundreds of watches ... you do know you are a very sick man? That would be me too. I have collected watches since the 80's, and I own a few ... if you could say Imelda Marcos owned a few shoes! I have a VERY patient, tolerant, understanding wife!

You'll be glad you discovered Ball, I too am a grand fan of Tritium. I own their Skindiver, Engineer AeroGMT , and my wife (must always placate the wife) loves her Diamond Conductor. They make a really good watch ... my Skindiver is my daily wear.

My area of expertise is counterfeits. I'm former federal law enforcement, and my agency was responsible for those cases ... that was what got me so interested in watches. Here's the thing about Ball ... I have fabulous underground resources, and I have access to the best counterfeits in the world from Audemars to Zenith, but there is no Ball for a reason. You get what you pay for, the value is right on your wrist, rather than masterful marketing and "cartel" price controls that breed counterfeiting. They also have excellent communications ... like very few I have dealt with.

The Brits make an interesting watch. NITE makes T-100 Tritium watches, as opposed to the T-25 used by virtually everyone else. The T-100 is approximately 4 times as bright. They are all quartz, but they are working on an automatic. They do NOT compare to Ball, more like a Luminox, but I have their Alpha ($700) which is an interesting add to my collection.

Cheers,

Bill
 
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