#9. Luminous functionality watch

[walsrori11]

Mechanica Gold Skeleton Automatic Waterproof Men's Watch

Why Choose Our Watch?

1. Guaranteed Quality from Our BrandAs our exclusive brand product, this watch ensures top-notch quality. We offer hassle-free return or replacement services in case of any quality issues, giving you peace of mind with your purchase.

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3. Elegant Packaging, Perfect for GiftingThe watch comes in a premium, standalone gift box that is both durable and stylish, making it an excellent choice as a special gift for someone you care about—or for yourself

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4. Exceptional Features for Everyday UseWaterproof Design: Wear it confidently in any situation.Luminous Functionality: Check the time effortlessly, even in the dark.Mechanical Core: Precision-engineered for durability and performance.High-Quality Stainless Steel Strap: Combines comfort and resilience.Elevate your style and invest in a watch that embodies sophistication and reliability. Make it yours today!

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[lili-home-to-embraces-and-hugs]

“ROBINS AFTER DARK – EPISODE 9: RANKING GOTHAM VIGILANTES BY SNACK CHOICE”

(feat. Signal, Red Hood, Spoiler & a total disregard for podcasting ethics)

[Intro music: static, then someone aggressively beatboxing the Batman theme]

Spoiler:

“Welcome back to Robins After Dark, Gotham’s worst podcast. Broadcasting live from the Cave. Stolen mic. Zero rules.”

Red Hood:

“Today’s topic: What you eat after 2 a.m. says more about your trauma than therapy ever will.”

Spoiler:

“Tonight’s guest: The Daylight, the Drama, the only one here with a consistent skincare routine—Signal!”

[Signal enters with tactical shades and a Capri Sun.]

Signal:

“You dragged me out of bed for this.”

Red Hood:

“Correct. Suffer.”

RANKINGS START NOW:

Nightwing – Trail mix.

Spoiler:

“He eats it mid-flip. Thinks it’s healthy. It’s 80% chocolate.”

Red Hood:

“He’s pretending to be functional. He’s not. There are atleast three broken bones and a smile.”

Signal:

“He offered me dried cranberries and a warning once.”

Red Robin – Cold pizza and black coffee.

Spoiler:

“His diet is literally ‘emergency at all times.’”

Red Hood:

“Do you know how many times I’ve seen him eat crust and mutter, ‘justice never sleeps’? He sleeps never.”

Signal:

“He tried to replace my electrolytes with Monster Energy. I fought him.”

Robin – Plain almonds and wrath.

Spoiler:

“Once saw him eat a raw bell pepper on a stakeout like a cartoon villain.”

Red Hood:

“Called my Pop-Tarts ‘commoner food.’”

Signal:

“He judges snacks like they insulted his honor.”

Batman – Black coffee and empty silence.

Red Hood:

“Man once turned down a sandwich because it had ‘too much personality.’”

Spoiler:

“He looked at a granola bar like it was emotionally vulnerable.”

Signal:

“I gave him nightwings trail mix. He handed me a mission report.”

Oracle – Goldfish crackers and side-eyes.

Spoiler:

“Eats them while hacking the NSA and roasting your grammar.”

Red Hood:

“She doesn’t snack. She tactically nibbles.”

Signal:

“She carries them in a utility pouch. Respect.”

Orphan – Dried mango and quiet power.

Spoiler:

“She offered me one, mid-fight, and then suplexed a guy. I cried.”

Red Hood:

“She is nourishment incarnate.”

Signal:

“I once watched her eat a mango and walk through fire. Unbothered. Untouchable.”

Signal – Apple slices and hot chips.

Spoiler:

“Chaos and vitamins. You contain multitudes.”

Red Hood:

“You bring Takis into the Cave and still lecture us about hydration.”

Signal:

“Its because I’m almost always correct and im luminous.”

Red Hood – Beef jerky and vengeance.

Signal:

“You don’t eat. You conquer that shit”

Spoiler:

“You once dipped Slim Jims in espresso. That’s not okay.”

Red Hood:

“Pain builds character. And strong jawlines. Id know. Trust me.”

Spoiler – Pocky and emotional damage.

Red Hood:

“She eats twelve in a row then kicks a war criminal in the neck.”

Signal:

“You’re basically fueled by purple rage and sugar.”

Spoiler:

“I am the serotonin Gotham doesn’t deserve but needs so desperately.”

[Sudden crashing noise.]

Red Hood:

“Was that Red Robin?”

Signal:

“He just fell into the Zeta Tube again.”

Spoiler:

“Throw a granola bar down there. He’ll stabilize. Probably ”

And that's it for today with the Robins after Dark and our human daylight Signal

[Outro music: an aggressively bad kazoo solo. Maybe intentional.]

[atplblog]

Price: [price_with_discount] (as of [price_update_date] - Details) [ad_1] The Citizen NJ0196-80X, featuring a bold green dial, combines modern aesthetics with reliable functionality, making it a versatile timepiece for both casual and formal wear. Powered by the Caliber 8210 automatic movement, it offers precision and eco-friendly operation without the need for batteries. The stainless steel case and band, complemented by luminous hands and markers, provide durability and readability, while the 100-meter water resistance ensures it can handle everyday activities with ease. Perfect for watch enthusiasts and active individuals, this model blends traditional craftsmanship with a vibrant, nature-inspired green dial, making it a standout choice for those who appreciate style and performance. Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.6 x 4.1 x 0.9 cm; 160 g Date First Available ‏ : ‎ 13 March 2025 Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ CITIZEN WATCH CO., LTD. ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0F1CPJ1FT Item model number ‏ : ‎ NJ0196-80X Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ China Department ‏ : ‎ Mens Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ CITIZEN WATCH CO., LTD., CITIZEN WATCH CO., LTD., 6-1-12 Tanashi-cho, Nishi Tokyo-shi, Tokyo 188-8511, Japan Packer ‏ : ‎ Citizen Watches (India) Private Limited No 38 A1, II Phase, Doddanekundi Industrial Area, Mahadevapura Post, Bangalore 560 048 Importer ‏ : ‎ Citizen Watches (India) Private Limited No 38 A1, II Phase, Doddanekundi Industrial Area, Mahadevapura Post, Bangalore 560 048 Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 160 g Item Dimensions LxWxH ‏ : ‎ 46 x 41 x 9 Millimeters Net Quantity ‏ : ‎ 1 Count Generic Name ‏ : ‎ Automatic Watch [ad_2]

[fossilwatch]

The 10 Best Fossil Watches You Should Own in 2024

Top 10 Best Fossil Watches: A Blend of Style, Quality, and Innovation

Introduction

Fossil is one of the most popular watch brands in the world, known for its stylish, high-quality, and affordable timepieces. With a wide range of watches catering to different styles and functionalities, Fossil continues to be a go-to brand for watch enthusiasts. In this article, we will explore the Top 10 Best Fossil Watches, highlighting their unique features, design, and why they stand out.

1. Fossil Grant Chronograph Leather Watch

Key Features:

Classic Roman numeral markers

Chronograph functionality

Genuine leather strap

Stainless steel case

The Fossil Grant Chronograph is one of the brand’s most timeless designs. It combines vintage aesthetics with modern chronograph features, making it a perfect everyday watch.

2. Fossil Townsman Automatic Stainless Steel Watch

Key Features:

Skeleton dial showcasing automatic movement

Elegant stainless steel bracelet

Water resistance up to 50m

Durable mineral crystal lens

The Townsman Automatic is a great choice for those who appreciate fine craftsmanship. Its exposed gear design adds sophistication and a premium look.

3. Fossil Nate Chronograph Black Stainless Steel Watch

Key Features:

Bold, oversized design

Chronograph subdials

Matte black stainless steel case

Water-resistant up to 50m

With its military-inspired aesthetic, the Fossil Nate Chronograph is a bold and rugged watch, perfect for men who prefer a strong, statement-making accessory.

4. Fossil Machine Stainless Steel Chronograph Watch

Key Features:

Industrial-inspired design

Durable stainless steel case

Chronograph functionality

Water-resistant up to 50m

This watch is designed for those who appreciate robust, heavy-duty timepieces. The Fossil Machine Chronograph blends durability with modern aesthetics.

5. Fossil Hybrid HR Smartwatch

Key Features:

Hybrid smartwatch with analog hands and digital display

Tracks heart rate, steps, and notifications

Two-week battery life

Customizable watch faces

The Fossil Hybrid HR bridges the gap between classic design and smart technology, offering fitness tracking and notifications in a traditional-looking timepiece.

6. Fossil Sport Smartwatch (Wear OS by Google)

Key Features:

Google Wear OS for smart functionality

Heart rate and GPS tracking

Interchangeable silicone straps

Lightweight and stylish design

For those who love fitness and tech, the Fossil Sport Smartwatch is a great option. It offers various smart features while maintaining Fossil’s signature design aesthetics.

7. Fossil Jacqueline Leather Strap Watch (Women’s)

Key Features:

Feminine and elegant design

Genuine leather strap

Roman numeral hour markers

Minimalist dial

Designed for women, the Fossil Jacqueline offers a chic and timeless look, making it perfect for both casual and formal occasions.

8. Fossil Neutra Chronograph Stainless Steel Watch

Key Features:

Sleek and sophisticated design

Three chronograph subdials

Stainless steel mesh strap

Water-resistant up to 50m

A perfect dress watch, the Fossil Neutra is ideal for business meetings or formal events, thanks to its stylish stainless steel mesh bracelet.

9. Fossil FB-01 Dive-Inspired Stainless Steel Watch

Key Features:

Dive-inspired bezel and design

100m water resistance

Luminous hands for visibility underwater

Durable stainless steel case check some best watches on mfbuddywatch

For those who enjoy water activities, the Fossil FB-01 is a reliable dive-inspired watch with excellent water resistance and durability.

10. Fossil Everett Automatic Stainless Steel Watch

Key Features:

Transparent case back showcasing automatic movement

Bold and modern design

Stainless steel bracelet

Water-resistant up to 100m

The Fossil Everett Automatic is an excellent choice for those who appreciate mechanical movements. It’s a stylish yet practical watch that blends tradition with modernity.

Conclusion

Fossil continues to offer a variety of watches that cater to different tastes, from classic and elegant designs to modern smartwatches. Whether you're looking for a bold chronograph, a sleek automatic, or a hybrid smartwatch, there’s a Fossil watch for every occasion. With their balance of affordability, quality, and style, Fossil watches remain a popular choice for watch enthusiasts worldwide.

[gdgwatches]

Rolex Explorer Homage Watches: Affordable Adventure-Ready Timepieces with Iconic Style

For decades, the Rolex Explorer has been a symbol of rugged elegance and exploration. Known for its minimalistic design, exceptional durability, and ability to withstand the harshest conditions, the Explorer became a legendary choice among watch enthusiasts and adventurers alike. However, its premium price point can put it out of reach for many. Fortunately, Rolex Explorer homage watches provide an accessible way to enjoy a similar design and spirit without the hefty investment.

What Makes the Rolex Explorer Iconic?

The Rolex Explorer was originally crafted to endure extreme conditions. Its clean, legible dial, robust Oystersteel case, and resistance to shock and temperature variations made it a dependable choice for mountaineers, explorers, and adventurers of all kinds. The Explorer’s understated 3-6-9 numeral design and elegant simplicity became instantly recognizable, appealing to those who value timeless style paired with performance.

Why Choose a Rolex Explorer Homage Watch?

For those who admire the Explorer’s classic aesthetics but seek a more budget-friendly option, homage watches offer an attractive alternative. Unlike replicas, which aim to deceive, homage watches are inspired by the original design but manufactured by other brands. These watches pay tribute to the Explorer’s signature look and durability, allowing fans to capture the essence of the watch without compromising on quality or authenticity.

Here are some reasons why homage watches inspired by the Rolex Explorer have gained popularity:

Affordability: Homage watches offer a similar aesthetic without the luxury price tag, making them accessible to a broader range of watch enthusiasts.

Quality Craftsmanship: Many homage watches are produced by reputable brands that emphasize craftsmanship, precision, and durability, making them a solid investment in their own right.

Distinct Yet Familiar Design: Homages often feature familiar design cues—such as the Explorer’s legible dial and rugged build—while adding unique touches to set them apart.

Practicality: These watches maintain the versatile, adventurous spirit of the Explorer, making them great for both daily wear and outdoor activities.

Top Features to Look for in a Rolex Explorer Homage Watch

If you’re in the market for an Explorer-inspired homage, here are some features that closely align with the original’s iconic design and functionality:

Simple and Clean Dial: Homage watches often feature minimalist, high-contrast dials with easy-to-read Arabic numerals at 3, 6, and 9, paying homage to the Explorer’s iconic layout.

Durable Materials: Many homage watches use stainless steel cases and scratch-resistant crystals for enhanced durability. Some even offer impressive water resistance levels, just like the original Explorer.

Automatic Movement: Look for homage watches with reliable automatic movements, ideally with a good power reserve. Brands often use Swiss or Japanese movements to ensure accuracy and longevity.

Luminous Markings: Homages capture the Explorer’s focus on legibility by incorporating luminescent materials for the hands and indices, making it easy to read in low-light conditions.

Solid Bracelet and Case Back: A high-quality bracelet and sturdy case back are essential to the Explorer’s adventure-ready feel, and many homage models replicate this durability.

Recommended Rolex Explorer Homage Brands

While there are many homage watches available, some stand out for their exceptional craftsmanship and brand reputation:

Steinhart: Known for its homage watches, Steinhart produces Explorer-inspired models with Swiss automatic movements and excellent build quality.

Ginault: This American brand produces homage watches with precise detailing, offering excellent durability and functionality.

Baltic: Baltic’s collection has some Explorer-inspired models with a vintage touch, appealing to those who love classic timepieces.

MKII: MKII watches offer a luxurious homage experience, with Explorer-inspired models crafted with high-quality materials and a commitment to precision.

Where to Buy Your Rolex Explorer Homage Watch

If you’re ready to add a Rolex Explorer homage watch to your collection, GDG Watches is an excellent place to start. Known for their curated selection and dedication to quality, GDG Watches offers a range of homage timepieces that pay tribute to iconic designs. With a commitment to authenticity, customer service, and warranty support, GDG Watches is the perfect destination for purchasing homage watches from respected brands.

The Perfect Adventure Companion at an Affordable Price

Rolex Explorer homage watches capture the spirit of exploration and timeless style while remaining accessible and affordable. They offer an ideal balance of durability, precision, and understated elegance, allowing watch enthusiasts to embrace the adventure-ready spirit of the Explorer. Whether you’re a seasoned collector or new to the world of horology, an Explorer-inspired homage watch is a valuable addition that delivers both function and style.

[chanelwatchreplicap203r]

How to Tell a Real Rolex Submariner from a Fake: A Comprehensive Guide

When it comes to luxury watches, few names evoke as much admiration and prestige as Rolex. The Rolex Submariner, in particular, is a coveted piece among collectors and enthusiasts alike. However, with its popularity comes the rise of counterfeit versions. If you’re considering purchasing a Rolex Submariner, it's essential to know how to distinguish an authentic model from a fake. In this guide, we’ll explore the key features that can help you spot a counterfeit Rolex Submariner, ensuring you invest your money wisely.

1. Understanding the Basics of Rolex Submariner Design

The Rolex Submariner is known for its distinctive design and robust functionality. Before diving into the specifics of identifying fakes, familiarize yourself with the features of a genuine Rolex Submariner:

Case: The case is made of high-quality stainless steel or gold.

Dial: The dial should have a clean and precise layout with luminous markers.

Movement: A genuine Rolex has an in-house automatic movement.

2. Check the Serial and Model Numbers

One of the first things to check is the serial and model numbers. Genuine Rolex watches have these numbers engraved between the lugs at the 6 o’clock position. The numbers should be clear and well-defined, with no signs of fading. On counterfeit models, the engravings may be poorly done or non-existent.

3. Examine the Weight

Rolex watches are known for their weight due to the quality materials used in their construction. If the watch feels too light, it may be a fake. Authentic Submariners weigh significantly more than their counterfeit counterparts due to the solid metal used.

4. Inspect the Cyclops Lens

The Cyclops lens on a genuine Rolex Submariner magnifies the date by 2.5 times, making the date easy to read. If the date appears flat or not magnified enough, it’s a clear indication of a counterfeit. Additionally, the Cyclops lens should be perfectly aligned with the date window.

5. Look at the Movement

The heart of any Rolex is its movement. Authentic Rolex watches feature a smooth sweeping second hand, while many fakes exhibit a ticking motion. If you can, ask to see the watch's movement through an exhibition case back or, if the watch is new, consult the seller for the warranty card that includes movement details.

6. Check the Bezel and Rotating Mechanism

The rotating bezel of a Rolex Submariner should rotate smoothly and click into place with precision. If it feels loose or wobbly, it's likely a counterfeit. Additionally, the markings on the bezel should be clear and precise, with no signs of misalignment.

7. Verify the Logo and Markings

The Rolex crown logo is a hallmark of authenticity. On a genuine Submariner, the logo will be sharp, well-defined, and positioned correctly. Check other markings on the watch as well; they should be clean and professionally done. Any signs of smudging or uneven lettering are red flags.

8. Purchase from Reputable Sources

One of the most effective ways to ensure you’re buying a genuine Rolex Submariner is to purchase from reputable dealers. Websites like Luxe Replica Watche offer a selection of high-quality replica watches that closely resemble the originals. While they are not genuine, they provide a more affordable alternative without sacrificing style and appearance.

9. Get a Professional Appraisal

If you’re still unsure about the authenticity of a Rolex Submariner, consider seeking the help of a professional appraiser. They have the tools and expertise to verify the watch's authenticity thoroughly. This step is particularly important if you’re investing a significant amount of money into the purchase.

Conclusion

Investing in a Rolex Submariner is both a financial and emotional decision. With the prevalence of counterfeit watches, knowing how to distinguish a real Rolex from a fake is crucial. By checking the serial and model numbers, examining the weight, inspecting the Cyclops lens, and verifying the movement, you can safeguard your investment. Remember, if you’re looking for high-quality replicas, visit Luxe Replica Watche for a wide selection that meets your luxury style without breaking the bank.

[replicabaumemercierwatchesh542g]

How to Spot a Fake Rolex Submariner 16613: A Comprehensive Guide

The Rolex Submariner 16613 is one of the most coveted luxury watches in the world. With its striking blend of gold and stainless steel, it exudes elegance and sophistication. However, the popularity of this model has led to a surge in counterfeit watches, making it essential for potential buyers to know how to spot a fake Rolex Submariner 16613. This guide will walk you through the key features to look for, ensuring you make an informed purchase.

1. Understanding the Rolex Submariner 16613

The Rolex Submariner 16613 was produced from the early 2000s to 2010, showcasing Rolex’s commitment to quality and innovation. This model is known for its striking blue or black dial, unidirectional rotating bezel, and the iconic Cyclops lens over the date function. Before diving into the details of spotting a fake, it’s crucial to familiarize yourself with the features of the genuine watch.

2. Examine the Weight

One of the first indicators of a fake Rolex is its weight. Genuine Rolex watches are made from high-quality materials, giving them a substantial heft. If the watch feels unusually light, it may be a counterfeit. A genuine Submariner 16613 should weigh around 166 grams. If you have a reliable scale, feel free to compare weights.

3. Inspect the Case and Bezel

The case of a Rolex Submariner is crafted with precision. Check for sharp edges and smooth surfaces. A fake watch may have rough finishes or poor craftsmanship. The bezel should turn smoothly and align perfectly when it clicks into place. The engraved markers on the bezel should also be clear and well-defined.

4. Date Magnification

One of the standout features of the Rolex Submariner 16613 is the Cyclops lens over the date display. A genuine Rolex magnifies the date by approximately 2.5 times. If you notice that the date is hard to read or not magnified correctly, it’s a strong sign that you’re dealing with a counterfeit.

5. Check the Dial

The dial of a genuine Rolex is immaculate. Look for signs of misalignment or poor printing. The hour markers and hands should be perfectly aligned and luminous. A common issue with fake watches is that they often use subpar materials for the luminescent markers, resulting in a less vibrant glow.

6. Look for the Crown Logo

Rolex watches feature a finely detailed crown logo at the 12 o’clock position on the dial. This logo should be crisp and clear, with no signs of smudging or misalignment. Many fakes will have a poorly printed or misshapen crown logo.

7. Verify the Serial and Model Numbers

Every genuine Rolex comes with a unique serial and model number, located between the lugs on the side of the case. You can reference these numbers with Rolex’s official database to confirm authenticity. Counterfeit watches often lack these numbers or have them poorly engraved.

8. Movement Inspection

The movement of a Rolex watch is a marvel of engineering. If possible, have the watch opened by a professional to inspect the movement. Genuine Rolex movements are intricate and finely crafted, often featuring the word “Rolex” engraved on the movement itself. Counterfeit watches frequently use cheap movements that lack the same level of detail.

9. Purchase from Reputable Sources

To avoid counterfeit watches, it's crucial to purchase from trusted retailers. At Luxe Replica Watche, we offer a curated selection of high-quality replica watches that resemble the original designs. While we focus on providing luxury replicas, it's essential to understand the differences between genuine and replica watches to make informed decisions.

10. Conclusion

In conclusion, spotting a fake Rolex Submariner 16613 requires careful attention to detail and a keen eye for craftsmanship. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can confidently differentiate between a genuine Rolex and a counterfeit. Remember, investing in a luxury watch is not just about the brand; it’s about the craftsmanship and legacy that comes with it. For those seeking high-quality replicas, visit Luxe Replica Watche for a selection that meets your needs.

[ukreplicaswisswatchesx352j]

How to Spot a Fake Tudor Pelagos: A Comprehensive Guide

The Tudor Pelagos is a remarkable dive watch, known for its robust design and exceptional functionality. However, as with any luxury item, the market is flooded with counterfeit versions. Knowing how to spot a fake Tudor Pelagos is essential for any watch enthusiast or potential buyer. This guide will help you identify the genuine article and avoid the pitfalls of purchasing a replica.

1. Understanding the Tudor Pelagos

The Tudor Pelagos was introduced in 2012 and has quickly gained a reputation for its durability and water resistance, making it a favorite among divers and watch collectors alike. With its titanium case, helium escape valve, and luminous markers, the Pelagos combines advanced features with a classic aesthetic.

2. Examining the Weight

One of the first indicators of a fake Tudor Pelagos is its weight. The genuine Pelagos is made from titanium, which is lighter than stainless steel. If the watch feels heavier than expected, it might be a counterfeit. Always compare the weight to a known authentic model if possible.

3. Checking the Dial and Markers

Pay close attention to the dial and hour markers. The genuine Tudor Pelagos has a matte black dial with clear, luminous hour markers. Fakes often have shiny dials or poorly applied markers. Use a magnifying glass to inspect the details. Authentic watches have crisp, well-defined printing, while fakes may have smudges or inconsistencies.

4. Inspecting the Crown

The crown of the Tudor Pelagos is another critical area to inspect. On the authentic model, the crown is engraved with the Tudor logo, and it operates smoothly without any resistance. Fakes may have poorly executed engravings or feel rough when turning. Additionally, the crown should screw down tightly and not feel loose.

5. Serial and Model Numbers

Every authentic Tudor watch comes with a unique serial and model number. These can typically be found between the lugs on the case back. Ensure that the numbers are correctly engraved and match Tudor's records. Counterfeit watches often have incorrect or missing serial numbers, making this a vital step in validation.

6. Assessing the Case Back

The case back of the Tudor Pelagos is also an area where fakes often fall short. Authentic Pelagos models feature a brushed finish and the Tudor shield logo. Counterfeit versions may have a polished finish or poorly executed logos. Use a loupe to examine the engraving closely.

7. Movement Matters

One of the most significant differences between a genuine Tudor Pelagos and a fake is the movement. The authentic Pelagos is powered by Tudor's in-house movement, which provides precision and reliability. If you have access to the watch's movement through an open case back, look for the Tudor branding and the quality of the craftsmanship. Fakes often use inferior movements that can be identified by their irregular ticking sound.

8. Documentation and Packaging

When purchasing a Tudor Pelagos, always ask for the original box and papers. Authentic watches come with a warranty card and a manual. If the seller cannot provide these documents, consider it a red flag. The packaging of a genuine Tudor watch is also of high quality, with the logo prominently displayed.

9. Purchase from Reputable Sources

To minimize the risk of buying a counterfeit Tudor Pelagos, always buy from reputable sources. Consider retailers like Luxe Replica Watche, which specializes in authentic luxury watches and provides quality assurance. Research the seller, read reviews, and ask for references if necessary.

Conclusion

Spotting a fake Tudor Pelagos requires attention to detail and an understanding of the watch's characteristics. By following the tips outlined in this guide, you can confidently distinguish between genuine and counterfeit models. Always prioritize buying from reputable sources like Luxe Replica Watche to ensure you’re getting an authentic piece.

[praesidus01]

Top 10 Jungle Watches for Outdoor Enthusiasts in 2024: Reliable and Stylish Timepieces for Adventurers

For outside lovers, having a reliable watch is vital for monitoring time and navigating via nature's challenges. Jungle watches are in particular designed to face up to rugged conditions while providing crucial capabilities for adventurers. Here’s a list of the pinnacle 10 jungle watches for 2024 that cater to the desires of out of doors fanatics.

   Top 10 Jungle Watches for Outdoor Enthusiasts in 2024

Praesidus Rec Spec-OG Popcorn

The Rec Spec OG Popcorn is clearly born from the original MACV-SOG watches of the 60s but with a spin. Its shiny-black "popcorn" dial texture provides a striking amount of volume to the overall watch while not over-complexifying the overall legibility. The applied indexes feature a "tritium" style green luminous that calls back to the original radioactive tritium paints used in the 60s on these kinds of watches.

Garmin Fenix 7

The Fenix 7 is a multi-game GPS watch that includes superior navigation capabilities, coronary heart price monitoring, and solar charging skills. Its rugged design makes it a favorite amongst hikers and climbers.

Suunto 9 Baro 

Known for its surprising battery lifestyles and unique GPS tracking, the Suunto nine Baro is ideal for lengthy expeditions. It additionally capabilities a barometric altimeter and weather monitoring.

Casio G-Shock Rangeman

This watch is built to endure excessive conditions with its shock-resistant design and water resistance up to two hundred meters. It moreover consists of a compass, altimeter, and thermometer, making it a bendy device for outside adventures.

Citizen Eco-Drive Promaster

Harnessing solar strength, this watch in no way wishes a battery change. The Promaster series is understood for its durability and functions like water resistance and luminous arms for low-mild conditions.

Seiko Prospex Diver's Watch

This diver's watch combines fashion with capability. It gives splendid water resistance and is designed to withstand harsh underwater environments, making it first-rate for folks who revel in aquatic adventures.

Timex Expedition Scout

A finances-pleasant option, the Timex Expedition Scout offers critical capabilities like an Indiglo night time-mild and durable creation, making it suitable for casual outdoor sports.

Luminox Navy SEAL Colormark

This tactical watch is designed for sturdiness and visibility in low-mild situations. Its self-powered illumination ensures that you could study the time in any environment.

Apple Watch Ultra

While extra tech-centered, the Apple Watch Ultra gives diverse outside functions such as GPS monitoring, coronary heart price tracking, and rugged layout factors tailor-made for journey seekers.

Tissot T-Touch Expert Solar

This sun-powered watch consists of touchscreen functionality, altimeter, barometer, and compass features, making it an exquisite accomplice for serious out of doors fanatics.

Where to Buy Jungle Watches

When looking for the proper jungle watches, it's critical to explore reliable structures that offer excellent, long lasting, and stylish options. Whether you’re an outside enthusiast or truly need a rugged look ahead to your adventures, traveling the best watch selling sites will help you locate precisely what you need. Below are some of the pinnacle platforms wherein you may buy jungle watches:

1. Praesidus

Praesidus is famed for its antique-inspired designs, inclusive of models like the Rec Spec OG Popcorn, which merges traditional navy aesthetics with modern-day sturdiness. This platform gives sturdy and nicely-designed watches that enchantment to journey enthusiasts who need both style and reliability. The type of watch sizes available ensures you could find a watch that fits flawlessly on your wrist, regardless of your preference for large or smaller timepieces.

2. Amazon

One of the most famous and first-rate watch selling sites, Amazon offers a significant choice of jungle watches from well-known brands like Casio, Garmin, and Suunto. Not only does it provide competitive pricing, but it also capabilities widespread client evaluations and designated product descriptions to help you make a knowledgeable choice. Whether you are looking for simple watches or additional capabilities like compasses and altimeters, Amazon’s sizeable selection makes it smooth to compare options.

3. REI

Specializing in outdoor equipment, REI is a relied on vacation spot for adventurers searching for splendid merchandise. They stock quite a number of journey and jungle watches designed for rugged environments. REI is one of the fine watch selling sites in terms of finding timepieces which can withstand the cruelest situations, supplying each sturdiness and fashion. Their selection frequently consists of watches with specialized functions such as GPS, water resistance, and hard straps designed for prolonged use inside the wild.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a reliable and fashionable jungle watch, those great watch selling sites provide a whole lot of models to fit your journey-stuffed life-style. Whether you're seeking out just watches with simple functionality or advanced capabilities like GPS and water resistance, platforms like Praesidus, Amazon, REI, ensure you’ll locate the proper jungle watch within the right watch size to your wishes. With those trusted web sites, you could confidently equip yourself with a durable and fashionable timepiece for your next excursion into the wild

[topitemsselection]

Top 10 Popular Men Watch Styles of All Times

Watches have long been a staple of men's fashion, combining functionality with style. Here are the top 10 popular men's watch styles of all times:

1. **Dress Watches**:

   - **Description**: Sleek and elegant with a minimalist design, typically featuring a thin case and a simple leather or metal band.

   - **Popularity**: Perfect for formal occasions and business settings, dress watches are timeless and sophisticated.

2. **Diver Watches**:

   - **Description**: Designed for underwater use, these watches feature high water resistance, a unidirectional rotating bezel, and luminous hands and markers.

   - **Popularity**: Known for their ruggedness and practicality, diver watches are favored by both adventurers and style-conscious individuals.

3. **Chronograph Watches**:

   - **Description**: Equipped with a stopwatch function, chronograph watches have multiple sub-dials and pushers on the side of the case.

   - **Popularity**: Versatile and sporty, chronographs are popular for their functionality and dynamic look.

4. **Field Watches**:

   - **Description**: Originally designed for military use, field watches are durable, easy to read, and typically have a straightforward design with a fabric or leather strap.

   - **Popularity**: Appreciated for their simplicity and reliability, field watches are ideal for casual and outdoor wear.

5. **Pilot Watches**:

   - **Description**: Featuring large, easy-to-read dials, oversized crowns, and additional functions like GMT (second time zone) or slide rule bezels.

   - **Popularity**: Inspired by aviation history, pilot watches are both functional and stylish, appealing to aviation enthusiasts and watch collectors alike.

6. **Smartwatches**:

   - **Description**: Combining traditional watch elements with modern technology, smartwatches offer connectivity, fitness tracking, and various digital features.

   - **Popularity**: The integration of technology makes smartwatches a contemporary favorite for those seeking both style and functionality.

7. **Luxury Watches**:

   - **Description**: Often handcrafted with high-quality materials like gold, platinum, and diamonds, luxury watches showcase intricate craftsmanship and design.

   - **Popularity**: Symbolizing status and success, luxury watches are coveted for their exclusivity and elegance.

8. **Automatic Watches**:

   - **Description**: Powered by the movement of the wearer’s wrist, automatic watches eliminate the need for battery replacements.

   - **Popularity**: Valued for their engineering and self-sustaining mechanism, automatic watches are a favorite among horology enthusiasts.

9. **Skeleton Watches**:

   - **Description**: Featuring a transparent dial or case back, skeleton watches expose the intricate workings of the watch’s movement.

   - **Popularity**: Known for their artistic and mechanical appeal, skeleton watches offer a unique glimpse into the watchmaking process.

10. **Casual Watches**:

    - **Description**: Designed for everyday wear, casual watches combine style and comfort with a variety of designs, materials, and features.

    - **Popularity**: Their versatility and practicality make casual watches a go-to choice for daily use and informal settings.

These top items selection watch styles have stood the test of time, each offering unique features and aesthetics that cater to different tastes and lifestyles. Whether you're looking for functionality, elegance, or a blend of both, these styles provide a wide array of options to suit any occasion.

[vokeme2022]

Citizen Promaster 1000m Professional Diver Watch Review

The Citizen Promaster 1000m professional diver watch showcased the world's first solar-powered 1,000-meter dive watch in Baselworld. As you may know, the Citizen bn7020 17e 1000M high-end diver watch means business. This tool watch is a practical watch tailored to fulfil its purpose as a diving watch.

About Dive Watches

Dive watches are trendy because you can trust they will not be easily dented, scratched, or broken. Dive watches are built to withstand these conditions, making them perfect for professional divers and adventurers.

Citizen Promaster 1000M Professional Diver Review

The first thing that catches your eye when you first see this Citizen watch is the case. This 52.5mm x 21.4mm case is built with Citizen's "Super Titanium" alliance for scratch resistance, lightweight, and durability.

The bezel is coated with Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC), and the sapphire crystal has an anti-reflective coating. The bezel has a 'saw blade' design, so it can be rotated easily, even when wearing thick diving gloves. This unidirectional bezel features an elapsed time display and lock.

The locking mechanism prevents the bezel from accidentally bumping and affecting the accuracy of the elapsed time display. You may see an orange strip when the lock is unlocked. This visual indication tells you exactly when the bezel is locked in place. A similar orange strip can be seen when the screw-down crown is loosened.

Functions

This dive watch has a date display at 3 o'clock and a power reserve indicator at 9 o'clock. The power reserve indicator lets divers dive worry-free because they know precisely how long the watch runs without lights. The Citizen Promaster 1000M Professional Diver watch also has a helium release valve at 10 o'clock on the side of the case.

This helium release valve releases helium gas that enters the watch during deep diving, preventing damage or rupture of the movement. As you may have noticed, the hour markers are pretty significant.

The added lumens and increased size make the time easy to read, even in less-than-ideal conditions. The outline of the minute hand is bright orange, making it easy to distinguish between the hour and minute hands.

Citizen bn7020 17e Movement

As for the movement, this dive watch has a solar-powered movement with an accuracy of +/- 15 seconds per month. This Eco-Drive One movement can convert any light (natural or artificial) into energy, which is stored in a power cell.

Because the watch can store energy, the watch will continue to work even if kept in the dark (at least six months). The best thing about solar watches is that you don't have to worry about replacing batteries.

ISO compliant

If you're looking for a tested dive watch, you'll be happy to know that the Citizen Promaster 1000M Professional Diver is ISO-compliant.

Weight

The Citizen Promaster 1000M Professional Diver watch can be a bit heavy, but it's stylish in a way that's industrial and mechanical can. A watch with an adventurer motif makes you feel as if you are discovering the world.

Date display: at 3 o'clock

Movement: Quartz

Function Power reserve indicator: ISO-compliant diver

Band: Black polyurethane strap, buckle

Case Size:  52 mm x 22 mm

Accuracy of ±15 seconds per month / Eco-Drive / About 1.5 years of driving when fully charged

Unidirectional: Bezel/Bezel Lock/

Power reserve indicator: × 10/1000m waterproof (saturated diving)

Luminous: (hands, indexes, bezel at midnight)

Waterproof: 1000M/100 for swimming, water sports, scuba diving

Tighten the crown: 1000 meters/3300 feet water resistance.

Check Price

FAQs

What is ISO compliant, and what are its Requirements?

ISO watch is a certified diving watch tested to ensure it is resistant to saltwater and reliable even underwater. ISO 6425 certification also performs tests for resistance to magnetism, impact resistance, external force resistance, and thermal shock resistance.

Finally, there is a test to see if the watch continues to work after spending 15 days in a pressurized chamber. This chamber contains a mixture of helium and oxygen (or 100% helium gas) and returns to atmospheric pressure within 3 minutes after high-speed decompression.

If the watch passes these stringent requirements, it may display a depth rating after the word "diver." In this case, the Citizen Promaster Diver is marked "Professional Diver's 1000m" on the side of the case.

ISO Certification Requirements:

The watch must be equipped with a device that allows the user to preselect a time of up to 60 minutes. This can be a rotating bezel or a digital display.

Timing devices must be protected against accidental manipulation.

The bezel should have a scale showing 60 minutes, with an indicator showing every 5 minutes.

The markings on the dial must be visible and in harmony with the markings on the preselection device.

The time should be visible, and the minute hand should be easily distinguishable from the hour hand.

The time set on the preselector must be precise as an indication that time is passing (this requirement is usually met by a glowing hand and an hour mark).

A battery-operated watch must have a visible low-battery indicator.

Conclusion-Citizen professional divers watch

This watch is the ideal watch for divers. It has all the features you could want from a dive watch and is ISO-compliant. This is the most oversized watch I've ever seen, but thanks to the rug-free case, it's easier to wear and less bulky.

This Citizen professional dive watch is a statement watch that focuses attention on the wrist and encourages conversation.

Please note: As An Amazon Associate, We Earn Affiliate Commissions From Qualifying Purchases.

[classythingeagle]

Clean Factory Rolex GMT Sprite with Dandong 3285 Movement: In-Depth Review and Authenticity Analysis

Clean Factory, a leading name in Rolex replica watches, brings us the Rolex GMT Sprite featuring the advanced Dandong 3285 movement. This piece stands out for its precision in mimicking the original's design and functionality, making it one of the most sought-after replicas in the market. Here's a detailed look at its features and how it matches up to the genuine model:

Unique Ceramic Bezel: The watch features a distinctive black and green one-piece fired ceramic bezel. This meticulous craftsmanship closely resembles the original, especially in the seamless transition between the two colors. The bezel's platinum scales are filled using an advanced technique previously used in the Coke Circle/Interpol models, ensuring no color fading and a natural, gradual transition between hues.

Sapphire Crystal Glass: The watch employs a sapphire crystal glass with a sinking treatment, creating an authentic look. The solid central shaft, polished corners, and the precise detailing on the 6, 9 numeral studs enhance the watch’s premium feel. Additionally, the date window's cyclops lens is treated with a blue coating, further matching the original.

Superior Case and Bracelet Quality: Constructed with 904L stainless steel, both the case and bracelet exhibit top-notch finishing. The bracelet is available in either panel chain or three-bead chain styles, providing options for customization. The case is finely polished, with the side surfaces gleaming, akin to the genuine model.

Dandong 3285 Movement: A significant upgrade from the previous 3186 movement, the Dandong 3285 movement extends the power reserve to 72 hours. It includes a KIF shock absorber and a blue hairspring, with each movement undergoing rigorous QE simulation tests. The movement structure mimics the original, complete with functional shock absorbers and real, usable gears. The time adjustment mechanism is identical to the original, allowing both forward and backward calendar adjustments.

Bracelet Options: The Clean Factory GMT Sprite offers bracelets made of AR material, with options including a five-bead chain and an Oyster-style bracelet. Each link in the five-bead chain is polished to perfection, while the Oyster-style bracelet features solid links with brushed and polished edges, along with a safety clasp for easy adjustment.

Enhanced Features and Authenticity Marks: The watch boasts a full-scale luminous filling, precise dial engraving, and an anti-counterfeit mark at the 6 o'clock position with 152 laser points. The GMT function displays both day and night time with its unique bidirectional rotating bezel. The watch's sapphire crystal offers clarity and scratch resistance, while the calendar window features magnification for easy reading. The authenticity of the design is further ensured with a hidden crown logo and a sealed case back, guaranteeing water resistance up to 100 meters.

In summary, the Clean Factory Rolex GMT Sprite with the Dandong 3285 movement is a superior replica, capturing the essence of the original Rolex GMT Master II. Its precision in details, high-quality materials, and advanced movement technology make it a top choice for enthusiasts seeking the highest quality replicas.

[ledvideo]

Application of small spacing LED display in conference rooms

As a self-luminous display device, LED display screen has become one of the indispensable display devices driven by its characteristics such as high brightness, long viewing distance, high contrast and clarity. As LED display manufacturers and the entire industry chain continue to improve their products, small-pitch LED displays are gradually becoming the first choice in conference rooms. So, what is a fine-pitch LED display? What are the applicable functions of a fine-pitch LED display in a conference room?

As an indoor environment, the conference room has a relatively short viewing distance and limited display area. Traditional large-spacing LED displays may appear grainy when viewed at close range, resulting in poor overall picture clarity. To this end, LED display manufacturers have specially developed small-pitch LED displays specially designed for conference rooms. This type of screen has the characteristics of low brightness and high gray. The brightness range is usually between 100cd/㎡ and 800cd/㎡, and the screen brightness can be intelligently adjusted according to the brightness of the surrounding environment to achieve better viewing effects. This low-brightness, high-gray, small-pitch LED display can maintain a high grayscale level in a low-brightness environment, and the picture clarity is still high, and it can perform well even in weak light. Take you 5 minutes to understand the conference room LED display.

In today's market, low brightness and high gray have become one of the important reference indicators for small-pitch LED displays. Compared with traditional LED displays, LED outdoor displays focus on brightness, while small-pitch LED displays pay more attention to low brightness and high gray, maintaining high grayscale and image quality in low-brightness environments. Only a small-pitch LED display with low brightness and high gray characteristics can better meet the needs of conference room users.

The conference room is an indoor environment. Watching a bright screen for a long time in a dark indoor environment can easily cause visual fatigue and even damage the eyes. In order to solve this problem, LED display manufacturers have developed small-pitch LED displays with low brightness and high gray. The brightness range of this kind of screen is usually controlled between 100cd/㎡-300cd/㎡, and it can be intelligently adjusted according to the brightness of the surrounding environment, making it more comfortable for human eyes to watch. How much does an indoor LED display cost?

However, simply lowering the brightness of traditional LED displays will not solve the problem. Because traditional LED large screens lack the characteristics of low brightness and high gray, if the brightness is reduced, the image quality and grayscale will be lost, and even the details of the image will be unclear. Huaxintong Optoelectronics LED display manufacturer has fully considered this issue in the design of small-pitch LED displays, so it can easily achieve low brightness, high gray, high anti-static and high refresh rate functions.

In order to provide a better viewing experience, small-pitch LED display manufacturers have designed unit modules or unit boxes with a 16:9 or 4:3 ratio. Users only need to splice in proportion to obtain the golden ratio video standard, avoiding problems such as stretching or distortion of video images. In addition, the small-pitch LED display itself has small spacing and no mask protection. In order to reduce the probability of light collision and lamp falling during installation, the die-cast aluminum front maintenance installation method is generally used to ensure that the screen body is smooth and seamless and the picture is uniform. Nonlinear point-by-point correction technology can be used to make the image clearer and have a stronger sense of layering.

Thank you for watching. I hope we can solve your problems. Sostron is a professional LED display manufacturer. We provide all kinds of displays, display leasing and display solutions around the world.

Follow me! Take you to know more about led display knowledge.

Contact us on WhatsApp：https://api.whatsapp.com/send/?phone=8613570218702&text&type=phone_number&app_absent=0

[atplblog]

Price: [price_with_discount] (as of [price_update_date] - Details) [ad_1] Every second is valuable, ensure you make the right choice for your accessories. LONGBO is led by innovation and nurtured with consistent quality and brand personality. Its design emphasizes mostly trendy features, fashion and utility. So every style of their watches is designed and updated by fashion trends while keeping user-friendliness. Therefore, if you are looking for a watch with high quality and at a reasonable cost, we recommend you brand LONGBO as your first and last choice. This trendy and stylish watch 2 sub-dials for measuring 60 seconds, 60 minutes and a 24-hour sub-dial Features Quartz movement Premium quartz movement, ±20 seconds per month accuracy, makes you become the master of your time. Hardlex mirror Provides high transparency and durability, enabling you to see the time clearly with scratch-resistance ability. 30m waterproof, enables you to wear it while washing hands and under rains HD Luminous, quickly absorbs the light energy for easy reading in low-light Stainless Steel Strap The stainless-steel bracelet with fold-over-push-button-clasp, is very smooth, elegant and comfortable to wear. Customer Note: ☆The colour may be a little different due to the effect of light and monitor settings. ☆ The watch is daily use water-resistant watch and not meant for any water-related activity ☆Try not to let the watch come in contact with steam and hot water. ☆Kindly illuminate the watch with strong light for half an hour to activate the luminous function. ☆Use a soft and dry cloth to wipe off moisture, sweat and dirt accumulated on the watch to maintain its durability of it. ☆Do not set day or date between 9 pm and 3 am as the movement of the watch is in the process of changing the date at these times Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 18 x 3.2 x 3.2 cm; 150 g Date First Available ‏ : ‎ 30 March 2023 Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ Vian International, V2A Tower, KH NO 1218, Rithala, Delhi-110085 PH +91-9315666060 ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BZZMTRXQ Item model number ‏ : ‎ 83513 Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ China Department ‏ : ‎ mens Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ Vian International, V2A Tower, KH NO 1218, Rithala, Delhi-110085 PH +91-9315666060, Vian International, V2A Tower, KH NO 1218, Rithala, Delhi-110085 PH +91-9315666060 Packer ‏ : ‎ Vian International Importer ‏ : ‎ Vian International, V2A Tower, KH NO 1218, Rithala, Delhi-110085 Customer Care - 91-9315666060 (Mon-Sat 11 am to 6 pm) Item Weight ‏

: ‎ 150 g Item Dimensions LxWxH ‏ : ‎ 18 x 3.2 x 3.2 Centimeters Net Quantity ‏ : ‎ 1.00 Piece Generic Name ‏ : ‎ Dress Watch [ad_2]

[the-badger-mole]

Arranged Marriage AU Part 11

Was falling in love supposed to be this easy?

Zuko contemplated this as he watched Katara sleeping. Thin rays of early morning sunlight had bothered her closed eyes, chasing her into Zuko’s arms without waking her. It was becoming a routine to wake up like this. Katara still had her own room, but a few nights a week, she ended up in Zuko’s bed, or he in hers. It was occasionally physical, though that part of their relationship was still new. Still exploratory. Mostly they stayed up well into the early hours of morning talking. 

Zuko had never been one for late nights. Between the effects of the sun’s cycles on firebenders and the years he’d spent on board a ship keeping military hours, he was used to early nights and mornings. But Katara was very much a night owl-hawk. And Zuko found it easy to be open in the dark. It wasn’t that the dark hid Katara from him. He could always find her eyes in the dim light from the stars, or the strong, luminous glow of the moon. But night drew in around them like a blanket, making it easier to pretend the world outside didn’t exist. In the dark, there were no politics, no rules and regulations. They could be just Zuko and just Katara. 

They covered everything on those nights. They compared notes on the days when he chased Aang around the world. There were wild stories about their separate journeys to Ba Sing Se and their time there. He explained why he had turned on her then. He confessed that had his father not died on the day of the eclipse, he planned to join the Gaang as Aang’s firebending master. Katara confessed that she probably would have killed him if he had. Then she’d smoothed that confession over by admitting that she was mostly angry because she thought she had misread him in the cave, and she hated being wrong. 

“I didn’t misread you, though,” she said softly, confessing a deep dark secret.

“Didn’t you?” Zuko asked curiously. Katara shook her head and placed her hand on his chest, over his heart. 

“I could see there was something good and noble in you then. I was right. My timing was just off.”

Katara was an open book. She answered his questions with little hesitation. Even when discussing still raw wounds. She told him how her mother died, and Zuko swore to himself to find the murderer and bring him to justice. She told him about bloodbending and how she’d learned to literally bring people to their knees, but only during a full moon. She told him about Aang’s obvious crush on her, and how she had nearly given into him if only to preserve his feelings. But she had never felt comfortable with him. He expected too much from her. He expected perfection. He treated her like a goddess, but never saw her as a person. Zuko held his tongue about his own thoughts about her divinity.

Zuko told her his secrets in the dark. He told her about his mother. About how she’d disappeared in the night. How he’d later found out that she’d ended up back in the town she’d been born in, and how two years after that, she’d died an insignificant and tragic death when a fever swept through. He told her how he got his scar, and how he’d spent years trying to prove his worth. 

“It’s still so confusing,” he murmured. “How someone like you could ever consider someone like me. I’m not worthy of you.”

“You can’t take your sense of value and self-worth from me,” Katara had said, brushing the hair from Zuko’s eyes, running her fingers along the topography of his ruined face. “I’m only human. Just like you. I’m not trying to make you into someone I could love. I love you because of who you already are.”  That was the first time she’d said she loved him. Zuko couldn’t believe how easily the words slipped out, as if she’d said them a thousand times. They’d been married for almost a year by then, and Zuko had hoped she might feel the same way about him, but to hear the words was...breathtaking. 

He did, in fact, have to stop and catch his breath. It took half a minute for his heart to return to its natural rhythm, and for his lungs to begin functioning again. 

“I love you, too,” he murmured into Katara’s hair. He was met with the sound of light snoring. Katara was asleep. Zuko wanted to be annoyed, but Katara curled into his side, her arm draped across his chest, and sighed contentedly against his neck. He would have tomorrow to tell her how he felt. He’d have a lifetime of tomorrows to tell her. 

Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 , 12 ,13 , 14, 15 , 16

[beemusik]

How David Bowie Invented Ziggy Stardust

Jason Heller’s book Strange Stars: David Bowie, Pop Music, and the Decade Sci-Fi Exploded is the story of how science fiction influenced the musicians of the Seventies. Out now in hardcover via Melville House, Strange Stars also examines how space exploration, futurism and emerging technology inspired the sometimes-cosmic, sometimes-mechanistic music the decade produced. In this section, Heller delves into the creation of Bowie’s most-famous alter ego, Ziggy Stardust.

A small crowd of sixty or so music fans stood in the dance hall of the Toby Jug pub in Tolworth, a suburban neighborhood in southwest London, on the night of February 10, 1972. The backs of their hands had been freshly stamped by the doorman. A DJ played records to warm up the crowd for the main act. The hall was nothing fancy, little more than “an ordinary function room.” The two-story brick building that housed it – “a gaunt fortress of a pub on the edge of an underpass” – had played host to numerous rock acts over the past few years, including Led Zeppelin, Jethro Tull, and Fleetwood Mac. Sci-fi music had even graced the otherwise earthy Toby Jug, thanks to recent headliners King Crimson and Hawkwind, and exactly one week earlier, on February 3, the band Stray performed, quite likely playing their sci-fi song “Time Machine.” The concertgoers on the tenth, however, had no idea that they would soon witness the most crucial event in the history of sci-fi music.

Most of them already knew who David Bowie was – the singer who, three years earlier, had sung “Space Oddity,” and who had appeared very seldom in public since, focusing instead on making records that barely dented the charts. His relatively low profile in recent years hadn’t helped his latest single, “Changes,” which had come out in January. Despite its soaring, anthemic sound, it failed to find immediate success in England. But the lyrics of the song seemed to signal an impending metamorphosis, hinted at again in late January when Bowie declared in a Melody Makerinterview, “I’m gay and always have been” and unabashedly predicted, “I’m going to be huge, and it’s quite frightening in a way.” Bowie clearly had a big plan up his immaculately tailored sleeve. But what could it be?

Before Bowie took the stage of the Toby Jug, an orchestral crescendo announced him. It was a recording of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, drawn from the soundtrack to A Clockwork Orange. To anyone who’d seen the film, the music carried a sinister feeling, superimposed as it was over Kubrick’s visions of grim dystopia and ultraviolence. Grandiloquence mixed with foreboding, shot through with sci-fi: it couldn’t have been a better backdrop for what the pint-clutching attendees of the Toby Jug were about to behold.

At around 9:00 p.m., the houselights were extinguished. A spotlight sliced the darkness. Bowie took the stage. But was it really him? In a strictly physical sense, it must have been. But this was Bowie as no one had seen him before. His hair – which appeared blond and flowing on the cover of Hunky Dory, released just three months earlier – was now chopped at severe angles and dyed bright orange, the color of a B-movie laser beam. His face was lavishly slathered with cosmetics. He wore a jumpsuit with a plunging neckline, revealing his delicate, bone-pale chest, and his knee-high wrestling boots were fire-engine red. Bowie had never been conservative in dress, but even for him, this was a quantum leap into the unknown.

Then he began to play. His band – dubbed the Spiders from Mars and comprising guitarist Mick Ronson, bassist Trevor Bolder, and drummer Woody Woodmansey – was lean, efficient, and powerful, clad in gleaming, metallic outfits that mimicked spacesuits, reminiscent of the costumes from the campy 1968 sci-fi romp Barbarella. The Jane Fonda vehicle had been a huge hit in England, and it became a cult film in the United States, thanks to its titillating portrayal of a future where sensuality is rediscovered after a lifetime of sterile, virtual sex.

In the same way, Bowie’s new incarnation was shocking, lurid, and supercharged with sexual energy. Combined with his recent admission of either homosexuality or bisexuality, as he was then married to his first wife, Angela, Bowie’s new persona oozed futuristic mystique, which Bowie biographer David Buckley described as “a blurring of ‘found’ symbols from science fiction – space-age high heels, glitter suits, and the like.”

But what bewitched the audience most was the music. Amid a set of established songs such as “Andy Warhol,” “Wild Eyed Boy from Freecloud,” and, naturally, “Space Oddity,” the Spiders from Mars injected a handful of new tunes, including “Hang On to Yourself” and “Suffragette City,” that had yet to appear on record. Propulsive, infectious, and awash in dizzying imagery, this was a new Bowie – cut less from the thoughtful, singer-songwriter mold and more from some new hybrid of thespian rocker and sci-fi myth. These songs bounced off the walls of the Toby Jug’s no-longer-ordinary function room. The audience, whistling and cheering, was entranced. A show eye-popping enough to dazzle an entire arena was being glimpsed in the most intimate of watering holes.

Although the crowd was sparse, people stood on tables and chairs to get the best possible view. The stage was only two feet high, but it may as well have been twenty, or two million – an elevator to outer space designed to launch Bowie into an orbit far more enduring than that of Major Tom in “Space Oddity.”

At some point, amid the swirl and spectacle of the two-hour set, Bowie announced from the stage the name of his new identity: Ziggy Stardust.

Like an artifact from some alien civilization, Bowie’s fifth album, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, was unveiled on June 16, 1972. By then, Ziggy had become a sensation. After the Toby Jug gig in February, concertgoers embraced Bowie’s new persona in music venues around the UK. Attendance swelled each night, as did a growing legion of followers who dressed themselves in homemade approximations of Bowie’s outlandish attire.

Just as the album was released, he and the Spiders appeared on the BBC’s revered Top of the Popsprogram, performing the record’s centerpiece: the song “Starman.” For many of a certain age, watching Bowie on their family’s television that evening was tantamount to the Beatles’ legendary spot on The Ed Sullivan Show in the United States eight years earlier. “He was so vivid. So luminous. So fluorescent. We had one of the first color TVs on our street, and David Bowie was the reason to have a color TV,” remembered Bono of U2, who was twelve at the time. “It was like a creature falling from the sky. Americans put a man on the moon. We had our own British guy from space.”

Musically, “Starman” was an exquisite and striking slice of pop songcraft, exactly what Bowie needed at that point in his career. Lyrically, he smuggled in a sci-fi story that centers around Ziggy Stardust, who was both Bowie’s alter ego and the fictional protagonist of the Rise and Fall concept album, as loose as it was in that regard – it is more a fugue of ideas that coalesce into a concept. Through the radio and TV, an alien announces his existence to Earth, which Bowie describes in lovingly rendered sci-fi verse: “A slow voice on a wave of phase.” The young people of the world become enchanted and hope to lure the alien down: “Look out your window, you can see his light /If we can sparkle, he may land tonight.” But that alien is reticent, and his shyness makes him all the more magnetic.

Bowie sang the song on Top of the Pops clad in a multicolored, reptilian-textured jumpsuit, which Melody Maker called, “Vogue’s idea of what the well-dressed astronaut should be wearing.” In that sense, “Starman” is a self-fulfilling prophecy: before he could truly know the impact the song would have, he used it to describe its effect on Great Britain’s young people in perfect detail. He was the starman waiting in the sky, and the kids who saw him on TV soon began to dress like him, hoping to sparkle so that he may land tonight.

If Bowie intended “Starman” to be an overt reference to [Robert A.] Heinlein’s Starman Jones, the book he loved as a kid, he never publicly confessed to it. But the admittedly sketchy story line of Rise and Fall parallels another Heinlein work: Stranger in a Strange Land, the novel that had influenced David Crosby in the ’60s and, later, many other sci-fi musicians of the ’70s. The book’s hero,Valentine Michael Smith, comes to Earth from Mars; in Rise and Fall, Mars is built into the title. And both Valentine and Ziggy become messiahs of a kind – androgynous, libertine heralds of a new age of human awareness. Bowie claimed he’d turned down offers to star in a film production of Stranger in a Strange Land and had few positive words to say about the book, calling it “staggeringly, awesomely trite.” Be that as it may, he clearly had read the book and developed a strong opinion of it – perhaps enough for some of its themes and iconography to seep into his own work.

The opening song of Rise and Fall, “Five Years,” elegiacally delivers a dystopian forecast: the world will end in five years due to a lack of resources, and society is disintegrating into a slow-motion parade of perversity and moral paralysis. It’s a countdown to doomsday, with the clock set at five years. The song’s ominous refrain, “We’ve got five years,” is sung by Bowie with increasing histrionics, his voice sounding more panicked and deranged as he repeats the phrase. “The whole thing was to try and get a mocking angle at the future,” Bowie said in 1972. “If I can mock something and deride it, one isn’t so scared of it” – with “it” being the apocalypse.

“Five Years” set a chilling tone, but Rise and Fall didn’t entirely wallow in it. The coming of an alien rock star named Ziggy Stardust is relayed in a multi-song story that’s equally melancholy and ecstatic, tragic and triumphant. On tracks such as “Moonage Daydream,” “Star,” and “Lady Stardust,” Bowie wields terms such as “ray gun” and “wild mutation.” He also claims, “I’m the space invader,” as though he were channeling the ideas of his sci-fi heroes Stanley Kubrick or William S. Burroughs, particularly the latter’s 1971 novel, The Wild Boys.

As Bowie explained, “It was a cross between [The Wild Boys] and A Clockwork Orange that really started to put together the shape and the look of what Ziggy and the Spiders were going to become. They were both powerful pieces of work, especially the marauding boy gangs of Burroughs’s Wild Boys with their bowie knives. I got straight on to that. I read everything into everything. Everything had to be infinitely symbolic.” The photos of the Spiders from Mars inside the album sleeve of Rise and Fall were even patterned after the gang of Droogs of A Clockwork Orange; Droogs are mentioned by name in the Rise and Fall song “Suffragette City.” Furthermore, Bowie posed on theback cover of the album, peering out of a phone booth – just as though he were that other cryptic British alien who regularly regenerates himself and is often seen in a phone booth (specifically a police call box), the Doctor from Doctor Who.

Bowie also drew from work of the Legendary Stardust Cowboy. Born Norman Carl Odam, the Texan rockabilly artist released a twangy, oddball 1968 single titled “I Took a Trip (On a Gemini Spaceship)” that Bowie wound up covering in 2002; it was from Odam that Bowie borrowed Ziggy’s surname. And after going on a record-buying spree while touring the United States in 1971, he bought Fun House by the Michigan proto-punk band the Stooges, whose outrageous lead singer was named Iggy Pop. He jotted down ideas on hotel stationary while traveling the States, resulting in a name that was a mash-up of Iggy Pop and the Legendary Stardust Cowboy. Ziggy Stardust was a fabricated rock star, one whose sleek facade flew in the face of the era’s reigning rock aesthetic of laid-back, unpretentious authenticity. Instead, Bowie wanted to puncture that illusion by taking rock showmanship to a previously unseen, self-referential extreme.

When it came to Bowie’s urge toward collage and deconstruction, Burroughs remained a prime inspiration. A pioneer of postmodern sci-fi pastiche as well as the literary cut-up technique, in which snippets of text were randomly rearranged to form a new syntax, Burroughs straddled both pulp sci-fi and the avant-garde, exactly the same liminal space Bowie now occupied. Rock critic Lester Bangs accused Bowie of “trying to be George Orwell and William Burroughs” while dismissing him as appearing to be “deposited onstage after seemingly being dipped in vats of green slime and pursued by Venusian crab boys” – a description that sounded like it could have been cribbed straight from a Burroughs book.

In 1973, Burroughs met Bowie in the latter’s London home. The meeting was arranged by A. Craig Copetas from Rolling Stone, and the resulting exchange was published in the magazine a few months later. In the article, Copetas observed that Bowie’s house was “decorated in a science-fiction mode,” and that Bowie greeted them “wearing three-tone NASA jodhpurs.” The ensuing conversation ranged across many topics, but it circled around science fiction – and in particular, the similarity Bowie saw between Rise and Fall and Burroughs’s 1964 novel Nova Express, a surreal sci-fi parable about mind control and the tyranny of language.

In an effort to convince Burroughs of the similarity, Bowie offered one of the most revealing analyses of Rise and Fall as a work of science fiction:

“The time is five years to go before the end of the Earth. It has been announced that the world will end because of a lack of natural resources. Ziggy is in a position where all the kids have access to things that they thought they wanted. The older people have all lost touch with reality, and the kids are left on their own to plunder anything. Ziggy was in a rock & roll band, and the kids no longer wanted to play rock & roll. There’s no electricity to play it.”

Bowie went on:

“[The environmental apocalypse] does not cause the end of the world for Ziggy. The end comes when the infinites arrive. They really are a black hole, but I’ve made them people because it would be very hard to explain a black hole onstage.”

Curiously, it took him another twenty-six years before casually revealing in an interview that a sci-fi song called “Black Hole Kids” was recorded as an outtake during the sessions for Rise and Fall. He called the song “fabulous,” adding, “I have no idea why it wasn’t on the original album. Maybe I forgot.”

But Bowie dropped the biggest revelation about Rise and Fallin the 1973 conversation with Burroughs. Ziggy Stardust, according to his creator, is not an alien himself; instead, he’s an earthling who makes contact with extra-dimensional beings, who then use him as a charismatic vessel for their own nefarious invasion plan. But like Frankenstein’s monster being erroneously called “Frankenstein” to the point where it seems senseless to quibble with that usage, Ziggy Stardust continues to be widely considered the alien entity of Rise and Fall. Considering the shifting identity and gender of Bowie’s most famous alter ego, that ambiguity may well have been his intention. Talking to Burroughs, he ultimately labels Rise and Fall “a science-fiction fantasy of today” before reiterating its similarity to Nova Express, to which Burroughs responds, “The parallels are definitely there.”

Rise and Fall has always been as fluid as Bowie’s facade itself. Michael Moorcock’s Eternal Champion cast a shadow over Ziggy Stardust, especially the glammy incarnation of the many-faced character known as Jerry Cornelius – who was adapted to the big screen in 1973 for the feature film The Final Programme. It coincided with Ziggy’s own ascendency, not to mention the New Wave of Science Fiction and its preference for fractured narratives and multiple interpretations over linear stories and pat endings.

During their mutual interview, Burroughs brought up the then-current rumor that Bowie might play Valentine Michael Smith in a film adaptation of Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land. Bowie again dismissed it. “It seemed a bit too flower-powery, and that made me a bit wary.” For his part, Bowie’s fellow sci-fi musician Mick Farren of the Deviants later admitted he always thought Michael Valentine Smith was a major influence on Ziggy Stardust. “I was certain someone would call him out for plagiarism,” Farren said. “Nobody did.”

Bowie may have denied his affinity for Stranger in a Strange Land by his boyhood go-to author Heinlein, but he was not shy about professing his love for one of the authors Lester Bangs compared him to: George Orwell. Almost as a footnote, Bowie told Burroughs, “Now I’m doing Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four on television.” That project would never come to pass, but it would lay the groundwork for his next, less famous sci-fi concept album – a jagged, atmospheric song cycle that plunged Bowie into the darkest extremes of dystopia.