Seiko "Future Now" E

The Mako line is available in a variety of dial colors; Orient USA tells us that the blue-dialed Mako is their best selling watch. It's not hard to tell why: inexpensive, well made, functional, and quite legible. I rather like the '6/9/12' Arabics on the dial; very cool looking and a nice balance to the day and date at 3 o'clock.The new Mako dial switches to larger markers with a double-width polygon at 12 o'clock. Similarly, the hands have a more complex shape and are bevelled instead of flat. Which do you prefer?I have a 7.5" wrist, and slightly prefer the fit of the new Mako, though both work pretty well in my opinion.Timekeeping for both is basically identical, at within 20 seconds per day. These are well-made but mass produced movements, and will last for many years with a tuneup every 3-5 years. The rules:Limit one prize per person.Participants must be legal residents of the U.S.To enter, simply tweet why you think you should win, and tag your tweet either #wr-mako or #wr-mako2 to show which one you'd like to win. (Examples below.)Contest runs from 9AM March 22nd to 5PM March 26th (PDT).Watch Report staff will make the decisions as to who wins, based on our opinions of which tweets we liked the best.Winners will be notified via Twitter (therefore you must be following us to be notified), and after you send us your mailing address via email, we will mail prizes out via USPS.Prizes will be shipped via regular mail to the participant at the address they indicate via email within 45 days of notification of winning.Update (3/31/2010):We had a huge number of awesome responses.

New Casio Pathfinder PAG

The bracelet is something Rolex will likely change as the Submariner evolves. The bracelet on the new Rolex Sea-Dweller DEEPSEA is one of the sturdiest and best designed dive bracelets we've ever seen.Advice for Buying a RolexIf you're thinking of buying a Rolex, the best piece of advice I can give you is "caveat emptor!" ("Buyer beware!") Do your research and know the product. I decided to buy a second black bezel and replace the green one, creating an anniversary edition with a more traditional look. I only wear it a couple of times per month because a Rolex doesn't fit my lifestyle for everyday use. I worry about attracting too much attention, and occasionally, the wrong kind of attention. But the most important thing is that when I wear it, I know it's on my wrist, and it's simply fun to enjoy such an incredible instrument which has earned so much respect over the years.By Jason MorningstarAdditional Links: The Rolex Anniversary Submariner Photo Gallery A history of the Rolex Submariner Review of the Rolex GMT Master II If you're buying new, buy from a reputable authorized dealer, and you'll be perfectly fine. Buying used is trickier. Don't buy from anyone without a good, solid, verifiable reputation. If possible, meet in person, and to be extra sure your new watch is genuine, meet at either an authorized dealer or a watchmaker who can verify the authenticity before the deal is made.Forgeries are extremely sophisticated nowadays and are virtually indistinguishable from an authentic to the untrained eye.

The New Rolex Milgauss

Christian already told you about the new Rolex Yacht-Master II and the new GMT Master II.The other Rolex announcement at Basel of interest is the new Rolex Milgauss, so named for its ability to resist a magnetic field of 1,000 Gauss.Why should you care?If you take a mechanical watch into a strong magnetic field, some ofthe parts in the movement become magnetized which causes problems;typically the watch will start to run quite fast and requiredemagnetization. The hairspring, made of an alloy called Nivarox,is particularly susceptible. One word of caution: for the new model, Rolex also lists "medicalimaging" as a target market, but a bit of math reveals this to be disingenuous. I also quite like how the combination of domed AR-coated crystal and hands makes the watch readable from a wider range of angles than anything else I've ever seen. It's readable at very oblique angles, which is also nice for sneaking the time in long meetings. If you look closely, you'll see that the hour and minute hands are white, and the second hand is a light shade of grey. It's a nice touch. Also look at the complex curved shape of the lugs; very beautiful and yet hardly noticeable. The button guards are sculpted ridges of metal, and yet the buttons are easily pressed while wearing gloves. Speaking of buttons, I have to mention that the X-33 has the nicest of any I have ever pressed, bar none. Firm, very definite, almost a 'snap' feel to them. Lovely.

Review of the Prometheus Recon 5

Allow 2-4 weeks for delivery.No cash equivalent or other substitution permitted, and prizes are nontransferable.Watch Report is not responsible for any injuries, losses, or damages of any kind arising in connection with this contest or the prizes.Promotion offer valid while supplies last.Void where prohibited by law.Example tweets:I am going to Tarawa for my honeymoon and need a watch that can do a wedding and diving. #wr-mako2I'm a classic guy with classic tastes, and my Timex just died. #wr-makoThe DiscountIf you aren't lucky in the contest, Orient USA has generously agreed to a huge discount for Watch Report readers: a whopping half off on all Orient watches! Just enter "watchreport50" in the coupon field when purchasing.I am a volunteer rescue diver and need a watch to go from the office to the water and back. #wr-mako2" - Paul BroussardSean has already received the Mako:Paul,Wow, that was super fast. The package was at the doorstep this morning.The watch is perfect! After putting it on, it feels more like winning thelottery than a time piece ... well, almost.Keep up the good work.Thanks again,SeanP.S. I'm so pleased that I ordered the exact watch for my dad for Father's Day.We look forward to hearing a report on how it works in a kayak! Our thanks to Orient USA for the two watches, and for extending the discount to our readers.

Casio continues its foray into the world of women's fashion.

Casio continues its foray into the world of women's fashion. Late last year,I wrote about Casio's introduction of the squareBaby-G series, and now they are marketing to fashion-conscious women once againwith the new Futurist.I have to admit, when I first saw a watch by Casio called the Futurist, I startedenvisioning things like GPS, Bluetooth, WiFi, and GSM, so I was a little surprisedto basically find just a lot of hot pink. But I think the idea of combining fashionand technology is a worthy pursuit. I believe Casio feels they have thetechnology part down (see my article entitled HasCasio Perfected the Digital Watch?), so now they are repackaging thattechnology in a way that will appeal to a market which, in the US, anyway, is dominatedby companies like Fossil, Swatch, and Guess.Futurists are cute little watches. Since I'm not likely to write very eloquentlyabout women's fashion, I'll quote Casio's marketing team, instead:The ultimate statement in fashion with a retro style will make it a popularchoice amongst style leaders. Futurist - colourful and stylish, perfect forany day, any outfit - a choice of ten colours! The Futurist comes with sidebarsthat colour co-ordinate with the LCD screens, be colour co-coordinated allthe time.Features of the Futurist include alarm, stopwatch, dual time, and an electroluminescentbacklight. For updates on content, follow Watch Report on Twitter.