Magnum Mania!

I was in the jewlrey store looking at rings for my wife when I spotted a Pepsi Bezel GMT Master II in the case. Of course, the sales rep saw my fake one, but not too close He got the real one out of the case, and I tried it on. $5700.00 I wish I could justify that. He started talking about financing, and my wife was encouraging me to look into it. Frankly if I did, I'd be scared to death to wear it. it was nice to dream a little though.

My good friend has a Rolex like Magnum's. He wears it almost every day.

He let me try it on once, and I think that's the closest I'll ever come to having one.

They are really nice, though.

--Sammy

The replica (fake) I have seems to be as good a quality as my Seiko. I told my wife that someday I'd like to buy the Swiss replica from the site James linked to in the Magnum Gear section, but for now I'm quite happy with mine. I just can't bring myself to putting $6000 on my wrist. The GMT Master that Magnum wears has an acrylic crystal which scratches easily, the Master II (and my fake) have a saphire crystal which is much harder to scratch. Deep down I think I'd like to have a 1960's or '70's Master, but the scratching thing (and the price) are factors to consider. I actually think the Master II is a much nicer watch than TM's Master.

How much do the Chronosport watches like he wore in the first 3 seasons usually go for? I would think they would be a lot cheaper. I always considered the Chronosport to be the "real" Magnum P.I. watch, since it was the original, and seems more in line with what a military man (his father) could afford, as well as what a rough and tumble P.I. would actually wear without worrying about damaging something as valuable as a Rolex.

Max,

What a good idea! I don't know that we've ever discussed the Chronosport much. As you said, probably more affordable. I'm eager to hear anything anyone can provide about it.

golf

golfmobile wrote:Max,

What a good idea! I don't know that we've ever discussed the Chronosport much. As you said, probably more affordable. I'm eager to hear anything anyone can provide about it.

golf

The only thing I can find on the net is this one - http://www.50717.com/notissued/chronosport-1.html

It is essentially identical to Magnum's watch. Here is a side-by-side picture:



The only difference I can see is that Magnum's watch simply says "Quartz" while the one on the site I linked to says "Sea Quartz 30", which is probably just due to being manufactured at a different time, or perhaps a slight model variation.

That watch is listed on the page of that site with the title: Not Issued but Favored by Soldiers - http://www.50717.com/notissued/ - which is another point in favor of it being, in my mind, the "real" Thomas Magnum watch. The Rolex just seems too upscale and expensive for a soldier.

Heck, the Chronosport is still way out of my price range!!

$1,400 Chronosport on eBay

Someone found one just like TM's:

TM's Chronosport (Click on UltraMagnetic's post of Feb. 13)

I can't even find a replica!

golf

That one on eBay is the UDT, which is a little different than Magnum's in that it has a digital display in addition to the analog display.

The one on that forum is just like the one on the military watches site, including it saying "Sea Quartz 30".

Look at this:



In 1978 they sold new for $165 or $190 with the steel strap. Notice that the pictured watch in the ad simply says "Quartz" exactly like Magnum's does, and it is titled as "Sea Quartz 30". So that establishes that the ones that say "Sea Quartz 30" are the same model as the ones that just say "Quartz", and also establishes that the exact make/model of Magnum's watch is "Chronosport Sea Quartz 30".

There is also a Chronosport UDT (with the digital and analog display on eBay for a buy-it-now price of $725, and one with 14 bids, 12 hours left, $350 and "reserve not met".

I doubt the one you linked to will sell for $1400 unless there is something special about it that a collector might be interested in.

TM better screw down that crown if he's going to swim laps in the tidal pool.

I have a knock off brand that I got on eBay for cheap. I think that is the closest I'll ever come to owning a Rolex like TM's.

N1095A wrote:I spotted a Pepsi Bezel GMT Master II. Frankly, I'd be scared to death to wear it.

No need to be intimidated about wearing a Rolex. They're built like a tank. I've worn my Submariner since I bought it in 1989 and it is nearly indestructible.

I like to think that the Submariner falls between the Chronosport Diver and the GMT Master.

We can find the knock-off/replica Rolexes, and they are affordable. Why can't we find a knock-off/replica Chronosport? That's what I want now, and I can't find one. Can anyone else? I want one, but I'd like to spend the $20-80 for it that I spent for my imitation Rolexes. (I have two, the male and the female sizes.)

Greedy, greedy, greedy . . .

golf

MaximRecoil wrote:

In 1978 they sold new for $165 or $190 with the steel strap. Notice that the pictured watch in the ad simply says "Quartz" exactly like Magnum's does, and it is titled as "Sea Quartz 30". So that establishes that the ones that say "Sea Quartz 30" are the same model as the ones that just say "Quartz", and also establishes that the exact make/model of Magnum's watch is "Chronosport Sea Quartz 30".

Wow, awesome find MaximRecoil! The Chronosport "dive watch" has finally been ID'd!

Great find!

To sway off topic just slightly. Did I read that a Chronosport is a Breitling or related to it somehow? I have a Breitling that is about 6 years old and it has a few similarities to a Chronosport. I love Breitling and it is also indestructable.....touch wood.....and it's also used by the RAF. Also being a bit of a flight junky myself...

Icepick wrote:Great find!

To sway off topic just slightly. Did I read that a Chronosport is a Breitling or related to it somehow? I have a Breitling that is about 6 years old and it has a few similarities to a Chronosport. I love Breitling and it is also indestructable.....touch wood.....and it's also used by the RAF. Also being a bit of a flight junky myself...

I think the UDT used the same movement as the Breitling Pluton (and both movements are next to impossible to replace) but I don't think the two companies are related. I will say though that when I had the Sea Quartz 30 about 5 years ago (got the idea to get one from Ghost Writer close up shot!), I had it serviced by Chronoserv. They had to put a new movement in it and fit a new crown. well the crown sported a large cursive "B" just like on alot of Breitling models! I was pretty shocked and think there might be more of a connection, though they could have just used the same parts supplier since neither make all parts of their watches.

On the Rolex, there is also a company now named Debaufre that sells a 42mm GMT style watch. A bit larger than the one TM wore but has the sapphire crystal, ETA movement and is WR to 300m I think. A good deal if you don't mind that the name is different, and if you're like me and never rememeber to take a watch off before swimming. Oh, and if you ever thought of getting a Rolex, now would be the time. Rolex changed the case design about a year ago and no longer make the Pepsi bezel (except in diamond encrusted hideousness), plus they raised the price on the newer ones to over 6.5K If I had the means I'd get one but that won't happen for several more years yet, if I ever do.

Oh, and on a Chronosport look alike? There are several options. The CWC company supplies dive watches (and regular field and chronos) to the British military. They make a C-sport twin! Uses fixed bars so you have to use a NATO style strap but that just makes it more secure and you know your getting a military certified watch so use and abuse aren't an issue. also check out Timefactors.com under their watches. Tehy make one with a date only display, 10 yr battery and a sapphire crystal. Very nice watch and uses regular spring bars.

Kev (a certified watch nut!)