Chase-Durer?

[sotyakr]

Just received the latest Costco "Passport" member catalog, and one of the upcoming specials is a Chase-Durer "Bomber Command" watch. Looks like most online retailers are selling it for around $300, but Costco Online will have 'em from June 9-15 for $150.

Looks like a nicely designed watch (tritium hands and indexes) and one very (IMHO) bizarre feature. Under a crystal window on the back is a medallion struck from piece of a decommissioned B-52! In any case, I've been looking for a new analog, and I might have to pick up one of these (oh well, the LSH-P get's put off again). Don't really care about the scrap of B-52, but it's in my price range, and hopefully it's a decent watch.

 

[LEDagent]

Is this the watch?

I found this picture on Chase-Durer's website at www.Chase-Durer.com. It looks like a very nice watch, but i don't think it has true tritium illumination found on watches like Luminox. The specifactions says that the watch has a "Tritium/SPO advanced illumination system on hands & indexes".

If you look at the picture...it looks like it's only tritium illuminous paint; You'd still have to hold it to a light source to get it to glow. But it still looks like a nice watch, especially if the backing is from the actual plane! If you look closely, the face looks like carbon-fiber COOL! The website says it retails for $385.00. If you are a watch collector and can get it for $150, you might as well get it.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[avusblue]

If you do get it, will you post pix of the B-52 piece?

Thx

 

[sotyakr]

[ QUOTE ]
avusblue said:
If you do get it, will you post pix of the B-52 piece?

[/ QUOTE ]

Unfortunately (?), I think the pieces of B-52 were melted down and then struck into small medallions and mounted in the back. There are photos of it on some of the retailer sites (can't remember who, I just did a Google search for them).

Thanks for the input Laurence. Yeah, I had a feeling it wasn't "real" tritium, but that is the watch in question.

I'm not a collector, just looking for a nice, possibly cool looking analog and this one looked like a pretty good deal. If this watch really does have some sort of "collector" value, I might be afraid to wear it, and relegate it to hanger queen status! In any case, it definitely won't become a work watch, if I get it.

Checked last night and the Costco Online price started Sunday 6/1. Decision time!

 

[GJW]

I had a Chase Durer BlackHawk and was not impressed.
The illumination was unimpressive, the alarm was almost inaudible and the hands did not match up with the indeces.
Not what I expected of a watch in that price range.

 

[droopy170]

I have a Special forces Air Combat Team. Had it about a year and really like it. Bought this model because of the Time Zone bezel. Couldn't beat the price. I got the metal band for $179.00. Keeps good time and has held up to daily use well. Not nearly as bright as my Sandy 590 with tritium vials but not to bad.
Droopy

 

[Zephyr]

Is the Chase-Durer a Swiss made watch? My dad is thinking of buying one too from Costco.

 

[sotyakr]

[ QUOTE ]
Zephyr said:
Is the Chase-Durer a Swiss made watch? My dad is thinking of buying one too from Costco.

[/ QUOTE ]

According to the Chase-Durer site, their watches use a Swiss movement.

 

[Zephyr]

So, has anybody purchase this particular watch yet?

 

[madecov]

My best friend is a Chase Dealer. I work in his store part time and I wear a Chase Special Forces UDT 1000. Same watch as TAG at way lower cost.
He received a notice from Chase stating that there is a large lot of the Bombers going on the "gray" market. Chase also gave dealers a large discount to offset this.

The Blackhawk line of Alarm chrono's use a seiko movement, so does one of the other lines. Most of the other watches are Swiss, though the movements will vary. The movement in the Bomber is an entry level Swiss Quartz movement. The back of the watch has a punched out and engraved medallion made fron a peice of a B52, it is under a mineral crystal & attached to the screw on back. The dial is carbon fiber and is available in an OD green or Black. The crown is screwed down. My friend has sold about 8-9 of them in the store and the the only real problem he has had is that sometimes the clasp does not work properly. The clasp is what is called a double butterfly and the weak part is in the locking mechanism. The luminous paint on the dials and hands is still Tritium based rather than the Super Luminova that other swiss watches including both Omega and Rolex have gone over to.

 

[sotyakr]

Thanks for the info, madecov!

I'm still sitting on the fence with this one. This is one of Costco's 'gray market' deals since it comes with their warranty, not C-D's, which I have no problem with since they do back up their return policy.

Just not sure if I want to go with something like a Luminox-type, or this C-D for essentially the same $$$, as I do tend to smack my watches around. I just found a Luminox "World Travel Timer" w/black face and stainless band for $129. Looks nice enough, with a minimum of bells and whistles. I'm not really concerned about the "mil-spec, tactical look" (or, lack of), so I may go with this one.

 

[madecov]

If you bang up your watches, I would skip the C-D. The Bomber model is not as robust as some of the other models. Might be better off with something else.

 

[hyeTotum]

Just curious...

Did anyone "take the plunge" on this watch? Any likes, dislikes, comments?

It looks like it's going to remain a little longer as a Costco website 'special' and I hate to miss out if everyone is /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif on it! I'm sick of wearing black rubber sports watches to work -- makes me look like a cheepass according to my tactless co-workers... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[madecov]

If your using it as a "dressier" watch the Bomber has some cool to it. The carbon fiber dial and orange hands, The case has square pushers and the crystal is curved so it has a slight magnifying effect.

 

[hyeTotum]

madecov -- thanks -- I can't believe I'm still agonizing over this (and don't even blink over same price flashlites...???) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

Last question: What other watches would you suggest in the $150-$170 price range for nice casual to not-too-dressy genre? Is anything even available for that price?

Sorry, I seem to be strongly opinionated in everything except this! I havn't bought a non-sport watch in 30 years!?... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/help.gif

TIA and have a Texas "Big Red" soda on me. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink2.gif

 

[madecov]

I think the Chase line is probably the nicest watches for the price.
The Swiss versions use a high quality ETA movement, in some cases the same movement as watches costing 5x as much.
I have the UDT 1000 and the movement is the same one Omega uses in the constellation chrono and TAG uses in some of their watches.

 

[Azreal911]

I own a chase-durer the blackhawk mach 3 for the last 4-5 years unfortnately as of yesterday the minute hand and second hand got stuck and would not move anymore. I've tried to move them with their reseting instructions but it seems jammed (stopwatch is useless now too!). SIGH there goes my nice watch! funny how my casio's take a beating and still goes. i have one that's like 18 years old and it still goes! My next one i'm going to be looking at some luminox models, love that tritium face! anyone know if they sell them at a store in canada? shipping would kill me along with tariffs!

other watches i own is 1)old casio dive watch all metal 2)casio g-shock 3) casio pathfinder triple sensor with digital compass 4)chase-durer blackhawk mach 3(minute hands dead now). 5)tag heuer plastic forumla 1 watch (entire thing is dead) junk.

 

[madecov]

AZreal911,
If the watch is 4-5 years old that is an indication that the battery might be going out. the reset function is still battery dependant.

 

[Azreal911]

oh the battery? i've changed the battery like 1 year ago already. as for the reset function being battery dependent there is a way to actually "move" the minute hands back to center without battery power in the watch manual. This is because the watch minute hand sometimes doesn't center so you will have to adjust it manually. but all i see is the minute hand jerk a bit and stay in the same position when i try it. I've check with the chase durer site and they said it'll cost me around $75 CDN just to check it out!! Time for me to look for another watch mainly a luminox. I don't plan to ever buy another chase-durer because of this. Kept buying casio's cause my 16-18 year old one is still going as proof to their durability and long lasting reliability.

 

[madecov]

The Blackhawk model is one of the Seiko based watches. Dealer cost on them is 45% off the retail price. The movement in the watch is almost entirely plastic with nylon gears.