A very 2020s alarm clock
A combination of '70s, 2010s and 2020s all wrapped into one.
While there is a plain black version of the clock I'm talking about, you gotta love the wood grain version. The kitschy aesthetic of this just cannot be denied.
I'll start with the features first.
Dimmable display, dual alarms with separated weekend/weekday/7-day settings, 5 alarm tones including radio, FM radio, battery backup, USB ports in the front, current indoor temperature at bottom right, weekday displayed at top right.
As for the rest of it, what we have here is a '70s style wood grain mashed against a 2010s style display with 2020s features. Very cheesy design...
...and I love it.
I don't know exactly when faux wood grain started appearing on everything, but there was this span of time from around 1975 to 1990 where you saw it a lot. Fake wood grain was especially seen on alarm clocks and televisions. When the '90s rolled around, all the grain went away in favor of solid no-pattern colors.
Now in the 2020s, faux wood grain has come around full circle due to the fact it's so old it's new again.
Because I'm middle aged, I remember back when fake wood grain was a new thing and see it now as a retro callback of sorts. For somebody half my age, they just see the grain as a new style. And that's fine.
My favorite part of the clock is that the manufacturer even wood-grained the big snooze button. That's just funny.
This is the most useful diver wristwatch
Some dive watches are better than others.
Take an Orient Mako II, an example of a dive watch that has the most useful configuration. I'll explain why in a moment.
When it comes to dive watches, there are a ton of them out there cover all price ranges. I believe the cheapest you can go for a dive-style watch that actually works like it's supposed to is the Casio MRW200H. You can't do for-real diving with that timepiece, but at least it has the rotating bezel and anybody can afford one. The Orient Mako II on the other hand can be used for actual diving as it does have 200m water resistance, although it's probably a wise idea to have it pressure tested first just to be on the safe side. If you want something that is absolutely certified for diving, see Seiko Prospex. That says "DIVER'S 200m" right on the watch dial itself, and a watch can't have that printed there unless it's been certified for diving.
But let's say you don't dive, which counts for most dive watch owners. What's the most useful style?
Look back to that Orient Mako II above. You don't have to get that specific watch, but if you get one in that specific configuration, it is the most useful.
First-15 separation
It is really useful if the bezel has some kind of visible separation either with markers, colors or both to separate the first 15 minutes. Most things you will time with that bezel will be in that range.
As a cooking timer, that's where seeing the first-15 separation is really useful. Cooking things like potatoes, rice, hamburgers and so on all can all be timed with your trusty dive bezel.
Believe me, you will very much appreciate having that color/marker separation when the bezel is used as a cooking timer. Just rotate the bezel so the arrow lines up with the minute hand, and when the minute hand reaches the desired time, the timer has elapsed. Nice and easy.
Big markers or big numbers
The best dials on dive watches have either big numbers or big dots and blocks.
A fundamental reason why so many guys like divers so much is because you get maximum legibility. Even if your eyesight is poor, you can still read the thing.
The Seiko Prospex divers mentioned above not only have giant markers, but some models also feature a red minute hand border - and the minute hand is an arrow. There is no mistaking the minute hand for the hour hand on a Prospex diver. Great design.
Mechanical or Solar
The #1 reason to own mechanical or solar is so you don't have to mess around with battery changes.
Mechanical never needs a battery change because it doesn't use one.
A solar watch battery, in theory, should last 20+ years provided that you don't keep it in the dark. What I mean by that is when you're not wearing it, don't put it in a drawer. Keep the watch out in the light, even if it's just room lighting or sunlight coming into the room during the day, and that's enough to allow the solar battery to hold its charge.
An example of a very nice solar diver is the Citizen Promaster Eco-Drive.
The worst thing you can do to a solar-powered watch is let the battery go completely dead. That doesn't mean you have to perch the watch in the window directly facing the sun to keep it working. Again, it just means it has to be exposed to some light during the day and not be stored in total darkness in order to keep working properly.
Metal bracelet
A lot of dive watches come with rubber straps for the obvious reason that it's easier to strap that over a wetsuit. However, for day-to-day use, the metal bracelet is better.
Even if you prefer a leather strap, get a diver with bracelet anyway simply for the fact you'll have more choices available to you.
If the bracelet is terrible, get a Strapcode bracelet. It will be better. Alternatively, take the bracelet off and use leather. Most guys seem to have good luck with Hadley-Roma straps, and that brand even offers a few styles in silicone that look like leather.
If possible, stick with the metal bracelet simply for the reason it will outlast leather or silicone so it's one less thing to worry about.
Dark dial
This usually isn't a problem since the majority of dive watches have dark dials. You will however see a few with bright dials. Don't go there.
A bright dial means less contrast and makes it more difficult to read the time.
Stick with the standard dive dial colors of black or dark blue. Other colors like green or red are also good as long as they're dark. When you see the bright orange or yellow, stay away from that because it won't be doing you any favors.
Uncluttered dial
The Orient Mako II is a good example of a good clean dial design and is in fact cleaner than the Seiko Prospex dive dial which gets a little busy with its script above the 6.
One of the cleanest dive dials I've seen is the Bulova Oceanographer. The script on that dial is done in a way where it never gets in the way of the time, which is a good thing. The stubby fencepost style hands make reading the time very easy. Several color combos are available, almost all of which are great (except the orange dial version, which is terrible).
In the end, if you get the right dial configuration, then you've got yourself an awesome dive watch you'll enjoy wearing that looks good and is genuinely useful.
The Casio G-SHOCK DW9052 returns
My relationship with watches has changed, so I bought this again.
I originally bought my G-SHOCK DW9052 in January 2017, then sold it in May 2019.
Here it is now in April 2023 and I decided to buy the DW9052 again.
Why?
Things have changed in what I want out of a watch now.
The reason I sold off the DW9052 I had before is because I thought I wanted a Casio digital watch with more features. Examples of this are the WS1000H (3 alarms, timer with auto-repeat), AE1000W (5 alarms, timer, 4 time zone displays) and SGW100 (3 alarms, timer with auto-repeat, thermometer, compass).
What really changed my tune more than anything else was getting a W218H. That watch for a lot of guys is their go-to Casio. Good size, ultra lightweight, fantastic legibility, great night light, several colors to choose from, and cheap but good. Basically put, a W218H is identical in features to the F-91W but better in all the right ways.
The W218 showed me that I greatly prefer an uncomplicated digital watch. After I started wearing that, I stopped wearing my other Casios with more advanced features.
However, what the DW9052 has that the W218H doesn't is a full month-day date display, a countdown timer with auto-repeat and 200 meter water resistance. I'm not big on water resistance rating, but did really want that month-day date display and timer with auto-repeat back.
I wasn't sure if I'd like the DW9052 as it is 48.5mm lug-to-lug, 43mm diameter and 14.7mm thick. It's the thickness I was worried about.
Once I strapped on the DW9052, my worries disappeared because I rediscovered instantly that this model is the only G-SHOCK that fits my skinny wrist correctly. It is so comfortable and so light at just 59g.
Drawbacks of the DW9052? Yes, there are a few.
The battery used is the CR2016, meaning it has to be changed once every 2 to 3 years.
Beep sound is lower compared other models. I'm okay with this. If I need something with a louder beep I'll just strap on the W218H. Alternatively, I have my W735H that can be switched over to vibration instead of beep (which really gets your attention).
Oh, and speaking of the W735H, yes, that's a great model too that actually fits my small wrist. But it's chunky at 16.1mm thick even though technically lighter at just 50g. It also has month-day date display, an unbelievably good night light and a timer, but... the timer doesn't have auto-repeat. But again, still a great watch.
A drawback of the DW9052 for others but not for me is how simple the watch is. The feature set is time, single alarm (which can be scheduled by date), timer with auto-repeat, chronograph and flash alert. That's it. The flash alert means that whenever an alarm or timer elapses, the display flashes. Flash alert is enabled by holding the START/STOP bottom right button for 2 seconds, the watch beeps once and you see a little burst icon appear. Disabling flash alert is by pressing and holding START/STOP again for 2 seconds.
I think the DW9052 just looks cool. I love seeing that curved G-SHOCK logo on the top part of the bezel and the decidedly older style of the watch as it is part of the Casio vintage/classic range. Sure, it's round and a bit bulbous, but that's part of its charm.
What the DW9052 does is give me just enough features without the timepiece being overly complicated. And, of course, this watch is built to be used. It's G-SHOCK, so it's tough and can handle anything I do with it.
Good to have it back.
The best purple Stratocaster I've ever seen
This Strat is a feast for the eyes.
If you know the Fender lineup at all, you're going to say, "Wait a minute... the Fender Vintera '60s Stratocaster is only offered in 3-Color Sunburst, Ice Metallic and Surf Green, what's the deal with the purple one? Is it a special edition?"
No.
It's a different model, the Fender Vintera '60 Stratocaster Modified, and Burgundy Mist is one of the only two offered colors for this model (with the other being Olympic White).
This Burgundy Mist, a purple color, is without question the nicest version of this finish I've ever seen on a Stratocaster guitar body.
A big reason why this purple works so well on this guitar is because the maple has a nice dark tint to it. The combo of the dark fingerboard, dark-tinted maple, Burgundy Mist finish and white guard is an absolute knockout package.
Believe me, if you get this guitar, you will love staring at it on your guitar stand when not playing it. It's good enough to be a showpiece instrument. The color is just that good.
What's the difference between a regular Vintera and a Vintera Modified?
Vintera: Old-school style build with "Mid-'60s-C" shape neck, 7.25" fingerboard radius, "vintage" size frets, traditional electronics and 6-screw bridge.
Vintera Modified: Two of the three single-coil pickups have greater output, a Modern C shaped neck with 9.5" fretboard radius, medium jumbo frets, 2-point tremolo system and modern S-1 switching (adds the neck pickup for position 1 and 2).
Said another way, "Modified" basically means "Modern". It is absolutely the one I would pick over the regular model mainly because of the larger fret wire and flatter fingerboard.
I am very happy Fender decided to make the Burgundy Mist Vintera '60s Modified. It is the better guitar compared to the Vintera '60s and has the best color of the '60s lineup...
...which isn't to say the other colors are bad. Not at all. Every color in all honesty is great. But that Burgundy Mist is far and away the "wow" color. And it's a factory finish without having to make a special order!
The secret weapon of the Fender American Performer Telecaster Hum
This one caught me by surprise because I didn't know the guitar could do this.
The Fender American Performer Telecaster Hum. It's been around a while. About 5 years. You can have one for well south of $2,000 (sometimes even under $1,000 if you look around).
I got the opportunity to play one of these recently, and discovered that the front humbucker does in fact have a split-coil function by pulling the tone knob...
...but I am pretty sure this guitar did not always have this feature. I believe the Hum originally had a different front humbucker with no splitting ability. Current new ones at the time I write this in April 2023 do courtesy of the push-pull tone knob and what Fender calls a "Double Tap" front dual coil pickup.
Does it play well? Yes. Weight? Not too heavy, not too light, just right. Sound? Good. My favorite sound was the bridge+neck with the humbucker in split setting.
The only thing that might turn some people off is that no Butterscotch Blonde version of this guitar exists. Finishes available are Vintage White, 3-Color Sunburst and Surf Green. Vintage White is my preferred color, but the Surf Green version (which comes with rosewood fingerboard) looks fantastic as well.
If you gotta-gotta have the traditional Tele in a Butterscotch Blonde, the best deal going right now for that is Squier, no question. The Butterscotch Affinity Tele is the winner for low-cost Butterscotch, and after that the Squier Classic Vibe 50s Tele. Those two have the absolutely classic Butterscotch-with-black-guard look.
Or, if you have deep pockets and absolutely totally want that classic Tele look with no compromises made, see Fender American Vintage II 1951 Telecaster. Butterscotch nitro finish, black guard, "that sound", it's all there.
Personally, the Hum Tele is my choice, but I understand that others prefer the Butterscotch.