WatchUSeek Watch Forums banner

MkII Addiction: How many do you own?

27K views 162 replies 78 participants last post by  horrij1 
#1 ·
Ok, I am officially curious: having participated on this forum for some time, it became obvious to me ages ago that there are MkII admirers ("I'd like one someday"), MkII fans ("I own one"), MkII enthusiasts ("I liked my first one so much I bough another") and MkII addicts ("I own 3..4..5.."). When a small watch company's products become as addictive as potato chips, it raises all kinds of interesting questions for people who study this kind of thing.

So I ask you, fellow forum members: where are you on the scale? Play if you want to, feel free to lurk if you don't. So, the rules are simple: How many do you currently own (including ordered but not yet received) and how many others have you previously owned that are now gone (catch-and-release). I'll start....


Owned/Ordered - 6
Kingston, TR-1000, LRRP Capstone, Stingray / (2) Key West GMTs

Catch and Release - 0

Score: addict :)
 
#2 ·
I am not sure I am an addict. I have to say I am very into the designs, attention to detail and the quality of the MKII watches. This is tempered a little by some of the big boys who dis homage watches from all makers. I do not own one of the bigger brands and have only handled a couple of R*'s. I am not educated enough to see what makes them better and the branding on some of the newer ones is a big turn off to me. I have been wearing my Kingston C3 no date w/Hadley Roma as my daily watch for 3 months(?) and I think I love it more than when I first picked it up. Perfect size for me and I really dig the overall look.

I have two and two on order:

MKII Kingston GO - C3, no date, Red triangle, almost daily wear.
MKII Kingston Post GO order - BGW9, Date, Red Triangle, still in protective plastic.
MKII Key West - order in
MKII Key West - order in

When the designs are more finalized I may try to move my Kingston BGW9 to help fund the Key West's or a Nassau. I was not expecting Gilt to be an option on the Key West so there will be a lot of duplication in my limited collection.

I like a lot of the designs. The Nassau looks great to me. The Paradive, Blackwater, LRRP, T-Rayville all look great to me and I have lusted after them all at different times. I would probably have more if I could wear more than one watch at a time. :)
 
#3 · (Edited)
One for every day of the week:

Vantage
Blackwater
LRRP
Stingray
TR
SeaFighter
Kingston C3

Pre ordered:
Key West GMT
Project 300 (I think)

Wishlist (Proposal what to build next):
Compressor - case diver like the old IWC Aquatimer
Full lumen dialed Key West like GMT

And nearly bought a second Vantage earlier this afternoon. But the seller was not interested in a sale outside CONUS o|

Menno
 
#4 · (Edited)
I have a Kingston BWG9 no-date on order. It will be my first MKII. I've never even handled an MKII before, but based on what I've learned here I fully expect to love the Kingston, and when I like a brand I tend to collect more than one. But of course with MKII collecting the watches you want is a process. I put myself on the wait list for the Project 300 and will likely pursue a Nassau as well. If I can ever find a TR1000 I want that too. But for now I'm still a virgin.

Edit: and then there were two.. Ordered the Nassau. Not sure where this puts me in the "addiction"category. I guess I have a vicarious addiction based on you guys experience.
 
#5 ·
I've had unwavering interest in this forum/brand for a little over a year now, and only just recently took delivery of my first MKII... As I expected, I was so impressed with the first that I jumped on a second within 2 weeks. So, without even handling a watch, Bill's work kept me interested in MKII for a year, and now with 2 in hand I have physical evidence that my obsessing has been time well spent.

Own: Vantage, Kingston

Score: Enthusiast (I definitely feel this is an apt description ;-))

None on order (I would have a Key West on order, but I was out of the country on business when the ordering opened & closed last January :-(). I have definite plans to acquire more (read: at least Nassau & Key West) :).

Beyond the watches, something else that I'm convinced keeps me coming back to this forum everyday is the membership, that is, the die hard fans and the friendly community that you all create here. That's something I just don't feel is quite the same in other forums here at WUS (especially outside the "boutique" brands).
 
#6 ·
My first watch when I graduated from university back in 1978 was a brand new black dial, black bezel tudor sub no date. I paid 500 dollars. Unfortunately I needed cash and sold it after several years of happy ownership. Then in the late 90's I rediscovered my love for watches and went on a Rolex binge for about 10 years. My 2 best friends were a certified Rolex master repair tech and a super knowledgeable pawn shop owner. It was scary for a watch addict, it was like being befriended by 2 crack dealers. Between the two I had the opportunity to buy some gorgeous early GMT,Sub Rolexes and tudor chrono models. Years later I realized they all shared similar traits: black matt dial, stainless steel case, oyster bracelet and that awesome solid feel of a well made mechanical machine. Now that I have a young family I had thought the chances of regaining that feeling in a watch was long gone. The reality of being a married man with responsibilities and more importantly a limited budget. Then a I heard about MKII a few years ago and I started seeing Bill's watches popping up on the sales forums. When I bought my Vantage this summer (after many attempts ) and tried it on for the first time I just smiled. Yao has truly matured as a watchmaker and he has an incredible gift for recapturing the magic of the vintage watches (which is one factor missing with alot of micro-brands) that have become insanely expensive. I am now his biggest fan and I hope to someday add a Nassau to my collection. My days of heavy buying and selling are over and I would be perfectly content to spend my final days with a MKII on my wrist.

Current situation: Vantage, LRRP Capstone

Self evaluation: Enthusiast on the verge of being an addict

My name is Wallace and I'm a MKII......
 
#12 ·
...Then in the late 90's I rediscovered my love for watches and went on a Rolex binge for about 10 years. My 2 best friends were a certified Rolex master repair tech and a super knowledgeable pawn shop owner. It was scary for a watch addict, it was like being befriended by 2 crack dealers. ...

My name is Wallace and I'm a MKII......
You literally made me LOL a couple times with this post! Great story and very well told, Wallace! :-d
 
#7 ·
My addiction score:

Owned/Ordered - 6
LRRP, Stingray 50, Blackwater Types 1 & 2, Quad 10, GMT plank

Catch and Release - 2
Stingray 60 (never warmed to the polished case), Blackwater (even I had to admit that three was nuts)

Score: Hopeless Addict Beyond Help

Kind regards to my fellow addicts everywhere,

Myron
 
#8 ·
Currently: 2 full MkII pieces (7 including mods)
Blackwater type I
Sea Fighter OCN-1c
Custom build super compressor plongeur (built by James at MWWC)
Old O&W mod (possibly from Bill's early days)
Sandoz Singapore sub mod
SKX007 planet seamaster mod
O&W MP2801 with MkII dial

Models formerly owned:
O&W sub mod (traded)
Hamilton type 53 (built by m.and, traded back to him)
Blackwater custom (gone to a MWR member)
Stingray (gone to a WUS member)

Always wanted:
Quad 10
LRRP milsub


Addict? Nahhhhh! I prefer to think of myself as a MkII fan and eventually hope to reach connoisseur status!
 
#9 ·
I'm posting drunk so you'll have to bear with me.->Dog Fish Head 90 Minute IPA

Owned- (6) Blackwater x 2, Sea Fighter Type II, Vantage, LRRP Milsub, Nassau
Ordered new- (4) LPPR Milsub, Vantage, Sea Fighter Type II, Nassau

Catch and Release- (3)

Blackwater MOD1A- I liked my RN bezel better.
Milsub- too big for my girl scout sized wrist
Vantage- Great watch, but it didn't bond with me at the time. I wish I had never flipped it.

Addict: Yes, but Project 300 and Project GMT didn't appeal to me. Maybe Project "hand wind" will pique my interest.
 
#10 ·
I'm not a MkII addict, I'm a Submariner addict. This fact has been well documented in the Affordables Forum https://www.watchuseek.com/showthread.php?p=4603959.

I have admired Bill's work for years, but with my narrow taste profile, only a couple MkII models actually have any chance of winding up on my wrist. And the LRRP Milsub is too chunky.

Watching the Kingston saga unfold, I seized an opportunity to pick one up in February of this year. I have never looked back. It is my favorite watch, even beating my recently serviced Tudor 79190 for wrist time. Looking forward to what's next!



Tapatalk
 
#11 · (Edited)
:) Hello all, I am OmegaCosmicMan, and I am a MKII addict. b-) There. :-x I have posted it- For all to see. :roll: Five. :) And a Key West and Project 300 in the works. And all the parts have been collected to be sent to Motor City Watch Works for a Seiko MKII Mod that you all may see- someday.

:think: My story may be a familiar one - perhaps you can relate. I have always appreciated fine machines, and so sought them out. After a Hamilton that I really, really liked went back to the service center in Pennsylvania because it wouldn't run over night, and returned to me, after many months with a hefty repair bill, and continued to run as poorly as before, I swore off mechanical watches and purchased Timex'es - many of them. (I actually still have that Hamilton somewhere in my 'stuff'.) After going through a bunch of those, I stopped wearing them and carried the head in a pocket or hung it on the dash in my work truck. Sometimes I would get six months out of one before it was dropped, lost, crushed or otherwise damaged.

I graduated to the next phase in my work-life, and found that I needed a good reliable watch to wear. Being here in the cold, wet north-land, I have been let down many times (at the worst time) by battery-powered devices that stopped functioning when they got cold (and sometimes wet too) so simple is best, I sought out mechanical watches. I enjoyed the functionality of GI service watches and went through a bunch of those - but for some reason, the plastics in those GI watches barely lasted a year before something broke. I found O&W watches, and had purchased some of those. Sometimes you get a good one, and sometimes the quality swings wildly across the scale. Purely by accident (or maybe fate - Destiny?) I happened to bid on and win a one-owner Ollech & Wajs M-series diver on eBay - the owner assured me that it was one of fifty prepared and modified by Bill Yao for West Coast Time, who originally had it listed as an 'Explorer-Style' watch with thin delicate, Mercedes-style hands and an exquisitely marked 3-6-9 MKII dial. The paperwork seems to confirm the claimed provenance.

You know how you can feel quality in the way a stem smoothly loosens and clicks out so you can wind and set a fine watch? I could feel and sense quality and the painstaking care that went into this watch, my first MKII.

I started looking at MKII's web site and dreamed of the day that I would be able to have one of my other O&W's modded. Time passed, and MKII gave up the production and distribution of those superb-quality modding and replacement parts, and evolved into a watch manufacturer. I know I looked at Blackwaters on the website when they first became available and dismissed them because of the wait time, and actually, because I did not like the name. I thought they were too exclusive, and expensive too. :think: Later, I started reading the forum here, read every thing I could read about the Kingston. I was well-past the Kingston pre-order, and then learned of the Project 300, so I managed to get signed up for that. Then, through following the forum, I learned of the last of the Vantages becoming available - somehow, I managed to fumble through and complete the ordering process and that arrived in late September 2011. Then, I managed to fall into a fantastic deal from an original Kingston owner who had waited too long. That watch arrived and far-exceeded my expectations in every way. I bought it because it was too good of a deal to pass up, and never imagined that I would actually like it as much as I do.

I knew that a GMT watch from MKII was a must-have after experiencing the Kingston. There was no way I could miss out on that offering. (I could sell some Fortis's -even my prized Flieger GMT if need be...) I made the Project GMT pre-order (now Key West). I learned of the technologies involved in producing components for watches and became fascinated with the sapphire bezel and the possibilities that would bring to MKII's line. I was able to purchase a sapphire-bezel ParaDive - It is fantastic - by far the most accurate and so far reliable watch I have owned so far (there is at least one Omega cal. 565 Constellation and couple of cal. 1012 SeaMaster Cosmics in the comparison pool too...;-) )

And my latest acquisition is my custom Blackwater - it is unusual in that it has a government spec dial and hand set - (tritium vials are the ultimate in illumination for a tool watch). I was told that this was built for the fellow I purchased it from by Bill Yao himself. Again, the quality and perfection of function are apparent. I will be checking it for accuracy this week when I return to work.

And, (despite the name) if a Type II Blackwater with a countdown-bezel in good condition becomes available, I won't hesitate to tap the savings account for that. And if that perfect Kingston with C3 lume, dated with a gold date wheel, or no-date with a C3 dial....;-) I could probably scrape up enough to purchase that. ;-)

I am powerless over my addiction to these fantastic machines, some things I have always deeply desired, without even being conscious of it....My story continues....:)

-Best to all, apologies for the length. :roll:

-May you enjoy your MKII's in the best of health and circumstance. |>|>
 
#14 · (Edited)
First off, I'm a born and bred watchaholic! my wife thinks I'm crazy, but it must be catching, because she has 6 watches now and another one coming for our anniversary. I bought my first MKII back when Bill brought out the Stingray with the acrylic bezel insert. Unfortunately, I let that one go in a moment of temporary insanity. Not too long after that having pretty acute withdrawal symptoms, I latched on to another Stingray, alas not one with the acrylic bezel insert (I've been searching for another one of those for years, obviously they are as scarce as hens teeth). I was off the forum for a while, so i missed out on the plank Kingston order, but I was lucky enough to get into the general order line up. While waiting for the general order, I got the opportunity to buy a 2nd stage while it was still in the pre-delivery phase. Actually, it was just what I was looking for, but couldn't get in my general order watch, as all the Gilt/C3 dials were spoken for. When the Key West came along, I think I hit the preorder button about 30 seconds after Bill opened up the order site. So right now, I've got 3 MKII's and one preorder.

Kingston Gilt/C3/non date/ Kingston Bezel
Kingston Gilt/BWG9/Date/Kingston Bezel
Stingray
Key West GMT -pre-order

sold: Stingray/acrylic bezel

So there you have it, 3 in the house and one on the way at some future date.

As many have said, I'm very impressed by the quality/price ratio of MKII watches. I have owned quite a few watches in the same price range as the MKII's but none of them come even close to the quality and workmanship of the MKII's. They are terrific watches, and even more so with their price point.

I would probably own more, but some of the MKII's don't sing to me, just as many watches from other brands don't as well. Not taking away from the watches, but watches such as the Blackwater and the Project 300 just aren't my cup of tea. I had a SM300, spent a pile sending it to Bienne for a complete face lift, but I just never really bonded with it. But the ones I own, I really do like, and they aren't going anywhere!! After my experience with the acrylic bezel Stingray, I realized that if you have a MKII that you like you better hold on to it, because replacing it when you come to your senses, may be very, very difficult.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wallace Reynolds
#15 ·
Greetings all!

Great thread, I'll weigh in. I own 2. I bought a Blackwater Type II with RN bezel but really wanted a Type II with US time elapse bezel. I found a Type I with the bezel and did a little dial mod, so now I have exactly what I wanted. I tried to get in on Project 300 but missed the closeout by about 4 hrs I think. I would likely buy a Paradive if it is released with a Type II dial; Day/Date is the only thing that keeps my Blackwater from being perfect. I'd like to try a Paradive on first, however, b/c i have a rather small (6.75") wrist. Here's my beloved MMT... Score: enthusiast with addictive personality traits...

Fashion accessory Watch accessory Jewellery Watch Titanium
 
#17 ·
By your definition I am currently only a MkII Enthusiast as right now I own a Kingston and a Nassau.

Some time in the future I will graduate to a full MkII Addict as I have deposits down on a Project 300 and a Key West.

Of course this takes no account of the approx 50 G-Shock, Omega, Seiko, Citizen, Ocean7, Halios, Marathon, Benarus, PRS-2 and Timex watches on my shelf ;-D
 
#18 ·
By your definition I am currently only a MkII Enthusiast as right now I own a Kingston and a Nassau. ;-D
Denial is a characteristic of addiction. Sorry to have to break this to you, Nelly San, but by my definition you are truly an addict: On order is the same as owning in my mind, since you've put up your money and have "skin in the game" on both the Project 300 and the Key West. You have a "four watch MkII" habit, I'm afraid. I see that you've tried treating it by surrounding yourself with all of your other watches, but I'm afraid there are no known effective treatments once you're hooked. :)
 
#20 ·
I currently have three. Blackwater MMT Type A1, Paradive Type A1 with date, and Kingston gilt non-date w/C3. I think that's all I'm going to own from the brand at the moment. I lost interest in the 300 and the Key West as I finally woke up and realized that those watches just aren't my flavor at all. I'm a plain t-shirt and jeans guy, those watches simply does not match my style or personality. Even the Kingston is a questionable watch for me, despite how much I respect the work put into it.

However, I am madly in love with my MMT and Paradive. The first day of wearing the MMT, I scratched the bezel at work. Just two weeks after receiving the Paradive, I've already got two scratches on the bezel and have possibly permanently stained one of the numerals with turmeric curry. I work in a kitchen, so I'm always using my hands, sticking them in the oven, waving and moving my arms all over the place to grab and maneuver food and pans. Yep, they're shaping up quite nicely to be MY watches.

Status: I highly respect the brand, but I wouldn't say I'm close to being an addict. Maybe if a quartz model comes along, I'll take interest in the brand again.
 
#23 · (Edited)
I think I qualify as an addict. :-d

Gone but not forgotten:
Paradive sapphire
LRRP GMT Capstone DLC
LRRP GMT
Sea Fighter "Military"
Sea Fighter "Bund"
Kingston
"Baby" Vantage

Still hanging around:
Nassau red triangle
Paradive DLC aluminum bezel

Untouchable:
Graywater

Waiting for:
Key West

I never got to own a Blackwater but I believe that fever has passed....;-)
 
#24 ·
Holly thread resurrection Batman! With the recent purchase of a Seafighter Bund I may have entered into the addiction stage. Would love to add a GMT Key West and might have a line on a Stingray. Then of course a Kingston might fit in the collection...

I am however considering passing on my Nassau red triangle, the 3 6 9 Nassau get most of the wrist time...
 

Attachments

#25 ·
I don't consider myself an addict, but looking at the loose definition of MKII addict, I have to confess that I qualify. I was way late to the game and stumbled upon the brand when searching for an IWC Mark XI / XII / XV I didn't even know the Quad10 had been out of production for quite a while and sent an e-mail to Mr. Yao.

Timing is everything and as it turned out, Bill was contemplating an additional / final run of 10 more Quad10's. I checked back when he had told me to and was able to secure / reserve on of these 10. Whilst waiting GO, for the Kingston opened and I secured one of these too. Same with the Nassau.

So here I am, with 3 deposits on 3 different MKII watches, without ever having seen one in the metal - talk about a leap of faith. I was -and still am- very impressed with Mr. Yao's level of customer service and he went at great lengths when there was a major hick-up / faux pas with my GO Kingston. As a consequence, I do own the very last Plank kit (SN 299), one that was never scheduled and I have a letter from the man himself authenticating my Kingston Plank kit. That will be an interesting package when my estate sells my watches.

Being one of the first to order a Nassau, I ended up with a very limited Big Crown Nassau - another interesting lot in my estate sale.

Got also early in on Project 300 (do we call those Plank orders too?) and the Key West (PO) - hearing me talk about the KW, my wife got interested and we now do also have a KW GW on the way - we're still debating the configuration; we both like the white gilt best, but is it wise to get two identical ones? Let's hope Mr. Yao adds the other dial and bezel to the Plank kits (if not maybe offer these for sale?).

For those who kept track: 3 MKII's in the house and 3 on the way.

And for the record, we are in denial and don't call ourselves addicts. Just connoisseurs who appreciate the finer things in life :-d
 
#26 · (Edited)
Edit: I forgot about the 48 click GMT LRRP that I owned and gave to my brother. So, I had 7, not 6...

I had 6 but down to 5. I sold my Capstone LRRP to another forum member. The five remaining but soon to be in the for sale forum are:

DLC Kingston
DLC Paradive Saphire
2 Nassau's (Red Triangle)
Vantage


Lost my interest and never wear them. My Rolex's monopolize my wrist. My Seiko's and XW/Dagaz pieces are worn for diving...
 
#28 ·
I only have the MKII Nassau for now but plan on getting the Key West when they hit the secondary market.
 
  • Like
Reactions: heebs
#31 ·
Like others, I was late to the party, not discovering MKII just before the Nassau started shipping. Confused, early on, too. I fell in love, LOVE with a photo I saw of a Mil-Sub LRRP and somehow got it into my head that it was a Kingston. Spent 18 months years watching Kingston prices rise steeply from the $1000 level, at which point I couldn't even imagine spending that on a micro, and LRRP prices follow along just behind. Decided in the summer of 2013 to bite the bullet and pulled the trigger on a used but LNIB HRV LRRP-UTC, which I immediately sold after being begged by another WUS member. In the brief time that I had that watch, I fell in love with it and after about a month of searching found the identical non-HRV watch for sale at about the same price and pulled the trigger. Got dinged on import duties on that one and when it arrived it was obviously well used (though still looked - looks :) - like a million bucks), so I paid significantly more for it than even current market values. While I waited for it to arrive, however, my dream Kingston suddenly became available - non-gilt with date. I snapped it up, too and it arrived one week after the LRRP. Still have both those pieces. Then ***** offered me a Blackwater...

So, here's how it all breaks down (7 total - including Kew West preorder), 2 currently in hand):

3 LRRPS (2 UTC, one mil-sub)
1 Kingston
1 Blackwater with 3-6-9 dial and date - I miss this one but it went back to the original owner, so I can't regret moving it on
1 Nassau with red triangle
1 Key West on pre-order

Currently, the Kingston and the non-HRV LRRP are in the watchbox, but I still find myself lusting after a Paradive, missing my Blackwater, and drooling over gilt dial Kingstons when they occasionally come up for sale - even though I suspect strongly that I still prefer the non-gilt dial?! I'll get my answer that question when the Key West arrives.
 
#35 ·
^^ That's the one! Not really a 3-6-9 dial I see now, though... I traded it back to the original owner (and purchaser of the watch from MKII) when ***** correctly pointed out that it was a bit redundant with my Watchco SM300 in the watchbox. Can't fault that logic! A phenomenal little watch, though.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top