An Exclusive Review Of The Baltany 1921 Driver
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- Опубліковано 27 січ 2024
- HI Guys in this video I will be reviewing Baltany's latest release the 1921 Driver. Based on the Vacheron Constantin 1921 of yesteryear. I will give you all the details and opinions and examine on the microscope! Another great watch from Baltany!
Links to the watches.
www.baltany.com/product/balta...
Subdial Variant
www.baltany.com/product/retro...
AliExpress links
s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DDv...
Sub Dial
s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DE9...
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About me:
My name is Mike and I am a hobbyist watchmaker. I am completely self-taught in watch repair and restoration. My channel is all about my journey of hobbyist of watchmaking. I have watch repair tutorials, watch restorations and watch repair videos. Some of my content you can easily follow along to if you are working on the same watch movement. My main focus is to document my journey and inspire more people into this wonderful hobby and demonstrate that this hobby can be very rewarding. I do not profess to be a professional watchmaker and in my videos, I show all my mistakes, mishaps, highs and lows and keep everything as honest as possible. It is easy to edit all the mistakes out and make my videos look perfect but I believe that keeping it real reflects the true reality of this hobby. So what are you waiting for? please check out my watch repair and restoration videos, get inspired and start your own watchmaking journey.
#watchrepair #watchrestoration #watchmaking - Навчання та стиль
When I began to watch content about watches, I wondered how someone would fall in love with all that stuff. I mean, why do you need a watch when you have a smartphone at your disposal? Boy, now here I'm having my list of favorite models and even learning how to read the timegrapher 😂. Watches are contagious.
Great watch, love the design! Thanks for such a comprehensive review. Keep safe buddy
Great review Mike - loved the fact you opened it up.
I think for the price this watch looks great! I’m a sucker for those style numerals… Baltic and Furlan Marri have already received my funds for their watches with the Breguet numerals.. Baltany could be the next addition! I like the idea of the sub seconds version, but the Miyota is just such a solid movement compared to the Seagull. Thanks for the detailed review and visual of the dial out of the case, very unique way to review a watch and I think we all appreciate it!
Thank you for your feedback in my review. Pleased you appreciate the inside and out approach, most reviews are in my second channel My Watch Reviews.
Baltany have a lot to offer as a brand and can only go upwards.
Definitely a Marmite watch. You either love it or hate it. A very good review. Well constructed and evenly balanced. Baltany have a good reviewer in yourself.
I like Marmite, LOL
@@TailSpinRCSpain I hate the stinky stuff!!
Thank you Ross. I want to really like this watch but it needs to be on my right wrist!!
I'm learning to use the dial feet drill tool. If they have a spare dial perhaps someone, or even me at a later date, could do the conversion for you.
Its pointless though Ross because the crown position would then be in the wrong place as that part is not movable. Crown would then be at 3 rather than 12.
I'm definitely going to get the salmon subdial version of this; I think it looks fantastic and great value for money. I'm also lefthanded but luckily have always worn my watches on my left wrist.
Interesting watch, great movement. Thanks for another great review. Stay safe buddy
Interesting watch. I like the high quality look and finish. I like the movement. I'm not sure I can get used to the slanted dial though. Great review. I appreciate you taking it down and looking over the inside.
Great review and nice video quality!
Glad you enjoyed it and thank you.
I really like this Baltany. Thanks for sharing
Funny that “ Left-Handedness “
of the original VC Design .
As many of the cars of that Era were Right Hand Drive .
A lot going on in Touring/Sports , muscling those Bad Boys around .😅
The Frosted Dial , High Polished Indices and lovely Handset is
easy to love 😍
The 9000 Series Myota Calibers are steadily replacing the NH movements in many Micro-Brands Automatics .
Baltany has really matured to an accomplished AliExpress Micro-Brand over the last few years ❤
I’m glad you didn’t mess with the Dial Pin mounts .😮
That Dial wouldn’t have fared well I think .
.... Thanks for the great in-depth look at this Driver’s 👍
A very unique and slick watch. Thanks for the review
Thanks for watching it.
I wonder if you could rotate the case 180° while rotating the dial 180° on the movement? The crown would be closest to your right thumb while hopefully the 12 should appear toward the outside of your hand as intended with the right-handed watch.
Thats a good idea. The crown position put me off even trying to move the dial feet as it would be in the wrong position. I will try this later on and if I like the look I will post a UA-cam short on it or post in my community tab
@@MyRetroWatches Please do post a picture either way, I'd love to see how it looks.
@@MyRetroWatches Did you ever come up with a solution mate?
It's absolutely cool to see the same caliper gauge and the compass on your desk as I am using in a different country😊. This cheap compass turned out to be far better at detecting magnetized watches than pricier ones.
The watch in the video seems really cool. I have a watch based on the Miyota 8215 movement with unidirectional automatic winding, which is really noisy compared to orient and seiko. What about this particular watch? Is this Miyota a quiet one?
I have the Miyota 9015, date version of this movement in my Zelos Blacktip titanium and it’s quite noisy rotor wise in that watch and I have the 9075 GMT movement in my stainless steel Bulova Wilton GMT and it’s a little quieter in that watch. Pretty comparable to my 8203 movement in my fugu and 8204 in my other citizen diver.
I have one driver’s watch in my collection. 1930’s vintage, or so. Interesting. Not too common in most places I’ve looked for watches. Flea markets & estate sales, Midwest USA
I'm so glad Baltany sent you this version, I have one, but I don't really want to take it apart yet! Mine was exactly the same on the timegrapher, and I can't find any QC issues. Fortunately, I am right handed and wearing it inside my left wrist, the dial alignment is perfect anytime I look at the watch, not just driving 👍. Great review, thanks. By the way, I know it isn't good practice, but you could reposition the dial with dial dots......
Thank you. I have contemplated many ways to make it work but the one thing I didn’t say in the video was that for me to move the dial round could be achieved but the crown position would not be as that would still be in the same place sadly
@@MyRetroWatches You could have the crown at 3 o'clock to the dial I suppose 🤔 so it would be lower left corner.
Hi Mike...hope you are well. After lurking around your channel, I now have some ebay seikos and I'm currently working on a 7009a movement. I'm ready to reassemble but wonder if you can be kind enough to help with the old favourite...oils! The parts list calls for Moebius A (I believe this is equivalent to 9010) but wonder about S-4 and S-6...I think I can use HP1300 for s-4 but can't seem to find anything about s-6. Apologies if you've covered this somewhere already! I have 0941 for the pallet jewels and Kluber p125 for the barrel ...
Heading for their site 😀
Love Baltany , great watches and priced well. 👌
Agreed
Interesting watch, straight away I think of the 1920s-1930s. Strangly the more historic sub dial version is cheaper! Unless you said it was quartz?
The correct way to wear these is with the dial on the inner wrist. You might find it less unusual feeling worn that way on the left? I wear my watches on the right normally, but if I am charging my Kinetic watch after not wearing for a few months, I wear my daily rotation on the right and the Kinetic on the left for however many days it takes.. I find that after mixing it up or wearing 2 watches both wrists feel normal.
My and my sieve-like memory! I checked up on the other one, Seagull ST1701, I have had watches with those movements before, all worked fine.
I would revise that to drivers did wear them on the inner wrist in the 20s etc., whether Vach intended it to be worn that way back in the 20s, I haven't seen a vintage ad to say either way. That's if they even advertised it, as so few were made, they might have virtually gone to their special rich clients straight away?
This one was a wild ride. Ultimately, I wear my watch on my right (despite being a right hander), so this is never going to work for me. My opinions on the looks and construction are always going to be second to that. You can't knock Baltany for trying new (homage) stuff though. Great review as always.
Have the similar automatic one with small seconds, bought a blue shark skin strap for it cost half as much as the watch. Doesn’t matter. The quality is superior. There is real love in creating this watch, a watch person did this. Mine does not have an open case back don’t care.
I have this Baltany watch with a salmon dial. This particular piece released by Vacheron Constatin is intended to be a driver enthusiasts watch designed to be worn inverted on the left wrist. Thus, as the driver is driving, he/she merely has to flick their wrist slightly to look at the time while maintaining control of the car during the twisting roads.
nice watch Mike
Well being an Miyota 9039 it is a bargain. I guess this watch would be even better with Sellita SW210-1 and an Seagull version of of ETA/Unitas 6498 as a budget friendly version. The visuals and the dimensions are great. I like the dial position it is very practical just like the crown position. Nice video nice macro shots. We love your channel ad your work.
Great review. Can you tell me just how legible this watch is in the light? In the video it sometimes looks fine and at other times the hands disappear
I have owned this watch since Christmas and legibility isn't a problem, it is better in some lights than others, but a slight turn of the wrist make the hands and indices more obvious on the rare occasions they aren't as clear.
Thanks for reply. Much appreciated@@dunderhay9169
I had this watch in my cart-- but hesitated and put it back. It should be a thin watch. Put a hand winding movement in this and make it 8mm thick. It would wear so much better!!
They did it! They DID put a handwind into it and it's a mm thinner and much easier to wear! Yes I did go buy it! Awesome thing!
Shame it cannot go on the right wrist I am right handed but wear my watches on my right wrist, just feels wrong on the left. Try and get Baltany to send you their explorer watch in for review. Another great review Mike.
Thank you for watching. I have now reviewed 5 Baltany and I am impressed with what they offer.
I am totally with you. I am also left-handed and if Baltany made one oriented in the other direction, I would buy one immediately.
Baltany is excellent and their quality is only surpassed by their exceptional customer service. I think they will make us a lefty version of the 1921 one day. 😊
(Edit for spelling and grammar) Excellent review as always. I think it is a great watch. Not quite my style. And for me a vintage watch is fair game as a Homage even if the original brand releases it again. Besides. I don’t think anyone looking for the original is cross shopping the Baltany. Looking forward to the review of the Citizen. Thanks!
It's the first one I've seen in review that I would have purchased!!. I love the design but I am also a lefty 😢
Sorry to disappoint. It’s a great watch but us lefties are left out of the equation..!
Really elegant looking watch, but probably a touch large (even though i know it's been upsized for modern tastes).The second hand's a delight.
Thanks for the review Michael. It's a great watch. I'll definatly pick one up. Or the sub seconds model. The original is not in my reach....
thanks, links in the description ;-)
Don't like sub dials and don't like off-centre, I'm Dutch :) We are all about the centre. Nice dial though :) Open the watch, and turn the clock face plate a quarter, to make it fit for left handed.. Or Dutch. Put new dial feet thingies on the plate. Great watch.
The crown will not be at 12 if I moved the dial feet round.
It’s a difficult job to do and then with the case being still wrong I’d end up being disappointed
Did they say what the treatment to the steel was? I wondered why more companies didn't try a Tenifer (Tufftride®, QPQ®, or Melonite®)
type nitride finish. It should work on 316l and would make a huge difference in wear and tear. Ideal for a diver or field watch.
This watch is very cool, good spec. I'm not thrilled with a screwed down back, perhaps that is a feature carried over by the original?
Let me try an and answer a few questions.
Caseback for reasons I didn’t think of at the time is the actual shape of the case. Being square if it was a screw down then the lugs would get in the way of removing as the corners are too wide. Yes you could make it round but then it would not be flush and probably add thickness . This must be why they made I’d screw down. I would assume the original is too in fairness.
As for the hardness treatments I’m trying to remember how you harden stainless as I don’t think it can be hardened conveniently by heat treatment unlike tool steels .
Thing is I only know tool steel from work and bit stainless.
I’d have to enquire how it’s done. Case hardening perhaps ?
@@MyRetroWatches Possibly salt bath nitride. You could easily get it 500 Vickers or even harder depending on the specific process. It basically penetrates the steel too so you don't have dimensional issues. It sort of sounds like that might be what they are doing.
I tried to get a couple watch companies in China to try nitriding. One said they would try it out but Covid supply issues killed the microbrand my friend had and that was the end of that.
Do you think the logo/brand name can easily be removed? Would love to put my own logo or just have a blank dial
Not without ruining the dial .
Where can I get one in the UK?
Perhaps sacrilegious, any thoughts on grinding down the dial feet, rotating the dial and reattaching with dial dots to achieve the proper left handed version?
Thing is even if I can turn the dial the crown position on the case remains the same and would then not be at the 12 as it shows on this version .
True, though if rotated the crown would then be at the 3 o’clock position, no?
In a strange way it would take away some of the watch’s uniqueness and appear perfectly regular to the unaware observer.
Interesting watch to be sure, but probably not my style. I do find it odd they don't pre rig the dial feet so they can be rotated for a left handed person. Seems like a simple add and well worth it in the long run. It would make a good selling point.
The position of the dial feet is set by the miyota movement and cannot be changed by the watch manufacturer.
They would need to sell 2 versions, which might not make business sense
Great review. As a fellow leftie I was really hoping you were going to come out with a way to make it left handed. Maybe enough people mentioning it might get Baltany’s attention!
Even if I moved the dial round the crown position on the case would remain the same so would be just as bad.
Looks like there is plenty of realestate to use those double sided adhesive tape instead of dial feet. At least then you can use it on your right wrist.
yeah.. a driving watch on the right wrist would make more sense for drivers
( especially stick shift drivers outside the UK )
because they use their right hand changing gears,
that way the automatic windingmechanism will be just fine.
Nice watch, have already got the 1926 model, which is fantastic,
Sadly I took won't be buying the 1921 as I'm also left handed
Baltany make fine watches - You might emulate me and wear two wristwatches for the bling effect ..
The dial is almost as good looking as Seiko GQ snowflake one. If this one would sparkle like then when sun hits the snow i would buy it immediately without looking at the price tag, but for now i'll just keep it on my watching list
I have the sub second one at half the price As I wanted one closer to the original. I have never bought a baltany but I have been pleasantly suprised by this watch can’t fault it for the money ( and I don’t want to afford 37k for the VC one ) bizarre that the min dial is offset but the sub dial is not, but that’s just like the VC
All in all very good value good quality can’t fault it
I like this one slightly more than the sub dial but can’t see how it can cost £100+ more 🧐
The movement is more expensive, but I know what you mean, it doesn't cost that much more. I suspect sales of this will be a lot less, so they need to recoup the extra development costs from a lot less units. I'm glad they did make it though, it's my favourite watch and £250 for a 9039 powered very well made watch is a bargain anyway.
It will be the movement and that it has a display back with sapphire . The other one does not.
Equally this was the first model they launched I’ve just taken 2 months to get around to making a video on it.
This watch looks eerily similar to the KUOE - ROYAL SMITH especially the face and square shape of the watch.
This is a “homage” of the Vacheron Constantin 1921 Driver. It’s their design so if this brand Kuoe have one then they have also got the design from the VC
That angled watch would do my ocd in , nice watch but ......
Def a Vacheron homage...
Correct. The VC1921
“Exclusive”…except for two others…=not exclusive. But, a good review.
Well agreed but given how many review channels there are I was surprised it would be me. The biggest is Jody who has one of these to do .
Yes. I can imagine with his following there never an end to offers for him.@@MyRetroWatches
Just nice to be considered. Clearly they like my no holes barred approach. I go looking for issues with the microscope.
Nice case shape, however I would love to see it brushed.
I don't like dial design (especially digits look)! It looks bland and dull.
I know what you mean but they are trying to keep it looking like the original by the looks of things
@@MyRetroWatches I respect it but in my opinion something is missing here.
@@betulaobscuraIt is interesting, personally I love the way there is no unnecessary writing on the dial, these early wrist watch designs copied the hands and dials from pocket watches, but I do understand why many don't like that look now.
@@dunderhay9169 It wasn't the best then and it is not the best now. Many old designs aged very badly. This dial would be much better with different digits and slightly redesigned hands.
@@betulaobscura That's your opinion, I bought this Baltany, because it has those beautiful Breguet numerals and spade hands similar to a 1926 Longines that I inherited and wore for many years.
:)
It is my understanding that you wear the watch on the inside of your right wrist. Now put your hands on the imaginary steering wheel in the classic 10 n 2 position.It makes sense now, right?
Guys, would someone pleae buy me this as a gift 😑
Not my cup of tea. Looks rather disjointed. I am a leftie, so I wear my watch on the right wrist. Not sure how that will work.
دسلايك بسبب الاعلانات الطويلة المزعجة
its just watches? really. ??? thats it??? no face or nothing? free watch and boring stuff. no its not a high priced watch and stuff.
Does not make sense what you are saying. Watch might be free but all my tools , camera , equipment and my time are not.
When I began to watch content about watches, I wondered how someone would fall in love with all that stuff. I mean, why do you need a watch when you have a smartphone at your disposal? Boy! Now, here I'm having my list of favorite models and even learning how to read the timegrapher 😂.
Watches are contagious.
:)