Are you choosing the best among the best? Seiko Landy, the Alpinist, the Omega Speedy Reduced, the Omega Seamaster, the Samurai X: A tough decision?

Well, I’ve been searching around looking for an additional member to the club. The club only housed the SKX007 and the Black Ice which is still ticking. The rest of the members were sold due to the economic downturn. 

That’s life; nothing stays forever. However ”Living your life to the fullest is an adventure. It is your journey and destiny, enjoy it, get the best of the best, perhaps an excellent automatic watch? Seeing its ticking means your heart still beating, and the experience continues until it finally ended for good.”

So, in this new quest searching for the so-called ‘holy grail’ of your own. (well don’t take it literally, because you won’t stop looking for watches until you stop ticking - it’s your hobby and passion, how can you control?).

The best part of the journey is having a problem making a decision and starting rationalising every detail, specification, etc. 

However, it is not that difficult, take the one that pleases and smile back at you, like the Black Ice, I picked it up because I like it. It was a straightforward decision. But, the next selection would be strict. Why? Because you need to get the watch that can justify the usage and the value for your money.

Therefore, which one should I choose? Err sorry...Rolex is now out of the picture...I myself can’t justify the need for it, the price has gone up about RM10K since I bought and sold my Explorer 1...the amount in which I can use to fund my own research - on books, travel and such...

I’ve checked the IWC, ORIS, Luminox, Seiko 4R36 and 6R15 range, Omega Seamaster, oh yea the Rolex Explorer 2...whereby the new face is no longer carry the patina looks that everyone desire of...hmm not to forget the Longines Hydroconquest too. So, which one of these would be the new member of MyExplorerClub?

... and should be able to survive and ticking for me in my next adventure with no hesitation ...

My reliable SKX007 in action...what do you actually need from a watch during a critical mission?

Sharing with you the photos of my reliable SKX007 in real action...and this is because I love this watch, like taking photographs with your buddy per se...On one fine day, I’m gonna write, perhaps some tips about what make a good tool watch during a mission...

Laos dam collasped 2018 Attapeu, Sanamxay.

Hinterland trail during a humanitarian aid mission in Sabah, 2018. The road condition was so unpredictable. We were stranded in the middle of the jungle where no communication were available, including sat-phone.

Humanitarian aid for the Syrian in Lebanon 2016 - A Day in A Camp photography exhibition (showing my works during World Refugee Day in Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur)

Exploring the frontier facing the Indian Ocean at Sumatera, Indonesia - 

historical research and field studies

This is not Indiana Jones - in front of one of the historical tomb in West Sumatera, Indonesia

Humanitarian aid for the Rohingya in Cox’s Bazaar, Bangladesh. 

(Humanitarian photographer)

Seiko Diver’s SKX007 Superb Precision!

Finally, I got some extra and I got it overhauled and NOW it is my no 1 watch.
Seiko Diver’s SKX007 is a superb piece of watch! Precision has never been better, I'm really astonished with it performance. It took me awhile to say it as I don't want to give wrong information to readers, and also to my fellow explorers!

Oh ya! I just replaced the stainless steel bracelet because it got heavy bashing during my travel to Bangladesh for my research - history and other works in other places in the world...with the day date function - it is fully functional to keep me remember my journal.

Seiko Divers SKX007 @ Indian Ocean Border (Samudera Indonesia)

Hi All!

It has been awhile since I last update this blog. I was so busy in completing my book had just finished and published it in 2016...you can buy it here: http://mybookstore.usim.edu.my/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=435

And it has been nominated for best cover at Frankfurter Buchmesse 2017... see it here and please voten!

https://beautyandbook.com/kias-tersirat-perantauan-bertemu-melayu-islam-di-dunia-melayu-benua/

I really appreciate your voten!

Ok guys!

Here is latest of the SKX007@ wrist...it has been a true friend, going places with me...and I never worried about anything because I know it is really tough...anyway at one time (over a year now) I forgot to screw it properly, as you can see from the glass it gets cloudy...gonna send it for service perhaps this week.

This post is related to my previous post: 

https://myexplorerclub.blogspot.my/2014/07/seiko-7s26a-balance-wheel-kong-kaput.html

in which I opted not to fully overhauled it 3 years ago in July, and now after 3 years I have a bit of extra money so it has to be fully overhauled...I love this watch.

Thanks for visiting and keep on browsing!

ANIMAL Watch - Operating Instructions

Dear Friends.

I've found my Animal W001 operating instructions. But I couldn't find the round box that came with it when I bought it in Birmingham, England nearly 17 years ago. The watch is not moving because the battery is dead and some batteries don't react well with the watch electrical component...and I don't know why.

Anyway, I really missed the present of this watch on my wrist...and I believed some of you out there (who have had the experience of owning the same type of the watch) feel the same way too:-)

Thanks for reading.
explorerdivers.

*thinking of sending it to the UK for complete overhaul. Something to pass down to the next generation...

Exploring Vientiane - 2.00 am in the morning.

I couldn't sleep. So I packed up my gear and went a walk by myself looking for an interesting subject at 2:00 am.

Patuxai Monument
"It's already late, no entry sir," says the guard
"Just gimme 10 minutes ... please ... big dogs you have there..."

Patuxai - literally meaning Victory Gate or Gate of Triumph, formerly the Anousavary or Anosavari Monument known by the French as Monument Aux Morts) is a war monument in the centre of Vientiane, Laos, which was built between 1957 and 1968. Patuxai is dedicated to those who fought in the struggle for independence from France. In romanising the name from the Laotian language, it is variously transliterated as Patuxai, Patuxay, Patousai and Patusai. It is also given the name of Patuxai Arch or the Asian version of Arc de Triomphe of Vientiane as it has general resemblance to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris; however, it is typically Laotian in design, decorated with many Buddhist mythological figurines such as of kinnari (half-female, half-bird figures) - Uncle Wiki

Finally, I got the Peace Gong.

Gong Perdamaian Dunia - World Peace Gong (History)

Where is Vientiane?

From a distance, at night, the street and the monument reminds me slightly of Paris too, but of course here with extremely peace. And for sure I couldn't get this shot during office hour.

 Have you ever watched that movie... American Werewolf in London?

What a Crazy Night!

Vientiane Laos , 8th June

2:36 am

Points to ponder:

Just imagine, if you are in the middle of nowhere at 2:00 am, with your cameras on, handphone (off course), and you get stopped by strangers, what will you do? What will be the first thing they will search for?

It's nothing to be proud of, and I'm just sharing my experience. But as usual, if you need to get the shot, then you need to get the picture - at the right time.

Anyway, never do this at home friends.

SANYO My Old Friend

Long time no see...Sanyo my first digital watch. Beli kat area Chow Kit.

...haaa yang tu tangan Sulaiman Randes @ Man "B****y" otai Kampung Baru :-)

ANIMAL W001 - Soon my time will stop ticking too...

The history of my life WATCHing...

• A Mickey Mouse watch - A present on my fifth birthday if I could recalled. My dad told me that it was a Rolex. I didn't even know what was Rolex back then. Only now I knew that he was just kidding me.
• Familiarised with Dalil and TIMEX - it was my on my Dad wrist.
• My Dad took me to my first James Bond Movie - Moonraker, I remembered the Jaws character better than Roger Moore..:-)
• Citizen / Titoni - Borrowed my Mom's watch.
• Digital Sanyo - My Dad took me to Chow Kit Road and told me to select any watch that I like as a present for me for successfully being accepted to a boarding school :-(
• Citizen - A present from my mom when she returned home after performing Haj in Mekah.
• Alba - Another present from my mom - also when she returned home after performing Haj in Mekah for the 2nd time.

Now with my own money :-)

• Seriously into TIMEX. But I got hooked up to Animal WR001 Sport Watch Quartz Japan Movement.
• Animal W001- It was on my wrist for more than 10 years.
• Gold Plated Seiko 5 - for my Dad on the Father's Day. See the smile on his face.
• Animal W001 rotating with Tissot PR50 - But this Tissot was not so water resistant - I sent it for service and never reclaimed it back. Until one day I gave my good friend the service receipt and told him that if he wanted a watch then he may take it from the workshop and pay for the service bill. Then I sold the watch to him cheap.
• Animal W001
• Fake Rolex Explorer 2 - I didn't know that it was a fake. I bought it cheap USD50. Bloody fake! It never lasted. I threw it away. Never get a fake watch anymore!
• Animal W001- my faithful Animal start giving problem. It intermittently died after the battery changed. Now it is time to get a new watch, and that was SKX013.
• Seiko Diver's - SKX013 not so long after I met the SKX007 in a second hand shop.
• Seiko Diver's - SKX007 with heavily scratched mineral glass and badly wounded. I wonder what the previous owner had done to this watch.
• Seiko Diver's SKX007 and rotating with the Animal W001 - getting annoyed with the accuracy of the automatic watch (SKX007). I got so fed up with the SKX007 that was never accurate.
• Started researching and eyeing for good automatic watches like Sinn, Tag, Fortis, Hamilton, Breitling and at the same time looking for a watch with a better accuracy. Finally I made a decision to get a solar watch.
• I was considering to get the TIMEX IRONMAN but finally I purchased a Casio.
• Casio PRO TREK PRG 130T - I told myself that it would be the last watch that I ever purchased.  Try to sell the SKX007 but nobody wants it. So I keep it.
• Casio PRO TREK PRG 130T - after sometimes I didn't feel right. This is a very big watch and very complicated to use. I hardly used all the features. But it went with me to a trip to Ayuthia, Siam. That give the watch a sentimental value.

Again start eyeing for automatic watch. Got hooked up to the Rolex Day-Date gold. A very beautiful watch. Very-very extremely beautiful Rolex. But it wouldn't stand the daily bashing if it were to be permanently on my wrist.

So I decided to purchase another watch and it must be a Rolex. However I never wanted the Explorer 2 anymore, everytime I look at it, its remind me of the fake bloody fake.

• Finally I purchased the low profile Explorer and felt really sad that I had to depart with my beautiful Rolex Day-Date.
• Coming back to the SKX007... sent it to Seiko Service Center... get it fully overhauled, changed the mineral glass and walla! It came back to me smilling...it will be a keeper.
• That's about it
• Emm...the Explorer tells me that it is 2:00 am... time for bed sir.

So that's all.

My beloved faithful and trusted Animal W001.

Purchased in England.

Japan Movement.

THIS IS A RARE AND 1ST MEN ANIMAL SPORTS WATCH

ROTATING BEZEL

LUMINOUS  HANDS/MARKERS

DATE WINDOW

100M DEPTH

I had to work hard, bloody hard to purchase it. It was my first salary. It gave me excellent service. 

It accompanied me during the happy and sad time, see what I see, travel with me to several places in the world, keep me going through the oldest rainforest in the world and finally to the highest peak of the Malay Peninsula that is Gunung Tahan.

WATCHing part of my life. Most of the time was with the faithful W001.

Rest in Peace my dear friend W001.

Soon my time will stop ticking too....