Simply brilliant. Some guy with too much time on his hands screen captures every clear shot ever taken of Mr. Bond’s timepiece. Classically cool fellas…

Check it out here.

How’s this for inventive? Take a G-Shock, ditch the part that makes it so indestructible and encase the hole shebang in wood. I’m not sure I get it… at all…

See for yourself.

On the 1st of March 1965, Omega’s Speedmaster chronograph was “flight-qualified by NASA for all manned space missions.” From that point forward, the Speedmaster became a coveted watch by collectors and watch abusers alike. To put it frank, the Speedmaster is a tool watch with the looks of a highly refined and swiss fashion watch. To me, it’s perfection.

While the general appearance of the Speedmaster has gone unchanged, the movement has gone through a number of revisions. The first series of watches were powered by a work horse manual wind movement while the newer watches are moved by gorgeous automatic units. I’d love to have one from just about any generation, but a beat up early model would suit me just fine.

Of course, money is the issue. New watches are out of this world price-wise, but older units can be had for around $1500 on eBay. In each case, my wallet just isn’t quite fat enough to withstand the pressure. I’ve never jumped on one despite my love…

I have, however, always looked for hommages that cary the same look of the Speedmaster but don’t bring the same price tag. My favorite is the Seiko SND729. This particular Seiko is based off of the company’s 7T92 quartz movement. It’s a quality piece that keeps accurate time and can be cheaply produced. I’ve always felt that automatic watches are more fun to own, but there is also some merit to being able to just grab a watch and go – the SND729 allows you to do that. It’s convenient.

I any case, the SND729 features a 41mm case (43mm with crown) and 21mm lugs (20 or 22mm NATO straps fit just fine thank you). The face isn’t a knock-off of the Speedmaster, but hints at its heritage and is extremely clean and easy to read. And while my thirst for Omega’s finest hasn’t been quenched, this little Seiko has certainly kept me satisfied until my dream can one day be realized.

If you are into the Speedy like me but don’t have the funds, give this little number a shot. They are a bit hard to find in the American market, but if you are patient you can usually pick one up on eBay for less than $150.

During the closing days of the Vietnam war, a new watch was born. Members of the SEALs, Green Berets, and other Special Forces teams were issued what many consider to be the finest military timepiece ever produced. Today, we call it the Benrus Type I watch. The Type I was a very simple dive watch built to be easily readable and absolutely bulletproof. The 42mm steel watch was powered by a very high quality 17 jewel ETA automatic movement – an extremely robust and very accurate machine. Packaged with the simple exterior, this watch quickly became a favorite amongst military folks and collectors alike.

I’ve loved the Benrus Type I since the first time I laid eyes on it and have always wanted one, but the collectors have put this one out of my reach. Often these tool watches are seen up for grabs at well over $1500 and while I consider them to be worth that, I’d be hard pressed to find the expendable income. As such, I started looking for a suitable homage of sorts. Enter the Ollech & Wajs Cobra.

O&W was started in 1956 with an eye on sports watches. Their rugged construction and good looks made them popular with fellas in militaries all over the world. The advent of the cheap quartz movement, however, put them out of business in the 1970′s. In the 1990′s, the company came back under the leadership of family and they’ve been kicking out some pretty impressive tool watches ever since.

The Cobra is a newer watch by O&W and appears to be heavily inspired by the Benrus Type I. It features a 40mm (43mm with the crown) bead blasted case and the honorable ETA 2824-2 automatic movement. For those not in the know, the 2824 is a work horse of a movement proven to be very reliable and flexible. In fact, this very movement can be found in many watches costing thousands of dollars more than the Cobra. Put frankly, it’s a serious selling point.

As for that bead blasted case, it’s simply gorgeous… O&W is quickly becoming one of my favorite brands simply because their attention to detail is so apparent in all of their offerings. Finish is great, the seams are seamless, the lum is respectable, etc… It’s just hard to beat them for the price.

And what about the dough? New Cobras are offered by Gnomon Watches for $440. Certainly, that’s not a price to sniff at… 400 bones is 400 bones and that’s a lot of scratch. However, if you are into the Benrus and find yourself with the need for a super high quality auto, the Cobra is one hell of a value. And if you are patient, you can pick one up on the used market for less than $300. That’s the route I went and I couldn’t be happier.

As you all know, I’m a watch freak. Mostly, I’m into both modern and vintage military watches. The great thing about vintage military watches is the feeling they give on the wrist – you are wearing history. Of course, some of those watches just don’t keep on tickin…

The great thing about modern military watches is that some of them are absolutely indestructible. Sure, they don’t give the same feeling of history as a vintage watch and some of them look a little too gadgety to my eye, but their functionality is hard to beat.

Enter Mk II watches. Essentially, these guys custom build watches to your order using a menu based system. They feature vintage inspired cases and modern movements. I’m in love with the Blackwater pictured above. Maybe you can find something you dig.

Check them out.

I’m still on vacation, but thought I would drop a quick note… Earlier this week, Hamilton introduced a new watch to the market. Essentially, it’s a retool of the X-Wind and adds such features as a PVD finish, black face, and carbon strap. Somehow, this damned thing measures the mach speed of an aircraft. Just a hair over a grand puts you there.

Another day, another watch… This time, I thought I would review one of my latest – The LUM-TECH Combat B1. The B1 is a military inspired piece with a 17-jewel mechanical movement. It features a bead blasted PVD case that measures 43mm excluding the crown and the absolutely incredible LUM-TECH SuperLum. It’s built like I like my watches to be built – like a tank.

Canadian Search & Rescue needed a watch that could live up to the demands of their job. As such, they contacted Marathon, a Candian watch company, and put them on contract.

“Build us something with the qualities of a tank.”

And that’s exactly what Marathon did. In fact, they were so successful that it wasn’t long before the American government put them on contract as well. The result is a series of watches that is widely known and accepted in the watch world as the ultimate tool watch.

G-SAR & J-SAR
The basic SAR is known mostly as the G-SAR ($700). It’s an auto watch with an ETA movement. Also available is a T-SAR ($450) that is a quartz watch with the same dimensions and look, but with a little cheaper price tag due to the less complex movement. The bezel on these SAR’s measures in at about 41mm, so they aren’t necessarily HUGE watches by today’s standards. However, they are thick pieces and VERY heavy. You know when you have one on.

C-SAR
A few years after the initial SAR contract, Marathon introduced the C-SAR. It’s a chronograph version with a huge 46.6mm diameter and price tag to match ($2700), but with a reputation as being one of the most bulletproof chronographs ever assembled.

J-SAR
Next on the production schedule is the J-SAR ($475). It’s the latest SAR and features the huge case of the C-SAR, but without the chronograph movement. Instead, it features a quartz movement… HUGE and again, extremely durable.

Our Thoughts
I have a T-SAR and wear it frequently. It’s big and heavy, but somehow it is also comfortable with it’s Marathon bracelet. I bought it for several reasons, but mostly because it’s a tool watch. In a day when lots of manufacturers claim to make tool watches, it’s refreshing to see one that actually lives up to the title – relatively inexpensive, industrial looks, and absolutely bullet proof. If I had only one watch, it would be a SAR.

Where To Buy?
If you are patient, you can find good deals on eBay. I bought my T-SAR for around $350 with the stainless Marathon bracelet. However, if you would rather buy from a retailer, countycomm is a great place to start.

Woah… What’s this? Atomic Industry is stepping out of the garage for a bit and bringing you a community dedicated to the love of the gadgets and the gear that make your life easier. Expect full reviews on the latest watches, knives, bags, and other “every day carry” goodies – both tactical and non-tactical.

So take your hat off, hang your coat, and stick around a while. You’ll be glad ya did.