- Fossil World Time model CH-2741 Caveman001  February 20, 2013 07:47AM

Admin Registered: July 2012 Posts: 9,826

Having lived with the World Time for ~ a couple of weeks, I reckon it's time for a Review.

I bought the watch from Bro. John (aka JY) Down Under, and it arrived on February 8th. I did post an announcement, and sure you've seen it in the Rollcall theads. Several of 'em, as I wore it every day for 8 days straight.

Not to keep ye waitin' for a new photo, here's a full frontal portrait:

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo

The watch had a resin strap as the OEM affixment but, alas, Bro. John was unable to locate it. He shipped it on a natural-finish canvas strap..


..(on the left) but, nice a strap as it is, 'twas ~ 3/4-inch (1.9 Cm) too short for me. But that's OK! This well-aged Waterborne® fills the bill nicely and, indeed, I'm in no hurry whatsoever to change it!

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo

Simple mirror-polished SS caseback, with laser-etched text. This is an area where Fossil could take a lesson from their subsidiary, Zodiac! While the lack of one is not a deal-breaker..


..I do so enjoy a nicely decorated caseback!

And, no, I haven't opened the case yet. The watch arrived running, but I figure I'll be putting in a new battery soon enough. All a long-winded way of sayin' I'm not sure exactly what manner of movement powers this one. Past experience combined with the "feel" of the setting mechanism tells me that it's most likely a 500 Series. But I don't know that for sure. Not yet! Time will tell...

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo


Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo

So. Executive summary: I just LOVE this bloody thing!

While I sometimes dismiss Fossil as The Watch For Wannabes, that has more to do with a certain stripe of Fossil Fanboy than the watches themselves. Fossil does know how to build a tastefully-designed, impeccably finished watch, offering excellent Value For Money. To me, the CH-2741 drives home the point in spades!

One thing's sure...

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo

It wears Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr8!

Thanks for readin', me Brothers!

Sláinte!

-Ricky

Fossil World Time model CH-2741	Caveman001	302	February 20, 2013 07:47AM
I couldn't have said it better myself I also agree that Fossil can and does make some great watches, gems in fact! I think you're right about the anodising (it looked like it to me also) but I doubt it's titanium underneath, although you never know. That strap is a perfect match! Glad you're enjoying this great looking (and unusual) timepiece. :-)	JY	30	February 21, 2013 05:39AM
Re: I think you're right about the anodising..but I doubt it's titanium underneath, although you never know. Well, if it is anodized (and it sure looks it!), then it can't be stainless steel. The only metals one which colored anodizing works are: aluminium hafnium magnesium niobium tantalum. titanium zinc zirconium Quote JY That strap is a perfect match! Glad you're enjoying.. :-) Thanks mate! And I am enjoying it!	Caveman001	25	February 21, 2013 08:16PM
My Zodiac GMT has a Ronda 705 may be same cal. in the Fossil ? (n/t)	JP	27	February 21, 2013 09:40PM
I wasn't aware there was a 4-hand movement in the 700-series. And Ronda themselves say the 705 is "available as 2 or 3 hands version". ( See here )	Caveman001	27	February 22, 2013 06:49AM
you're right... I will have to look closer next battery change  (n/t)	JP	34	February 22, 2013 11:44AM
Don't feel bad. It's tough to keep all the model numbers straight! I don't even have Seiko down by heart.. Have to look at me cheat sheet. What you've actually got is probably.. ..either the 505.24H or the 515.24H.	Caveman001	33	February 22, 2013 06:47PM

Update: Fossil World Time model CH-2741

Quote
Ricky Lee

..I haven't opened the case yet. The watch arrived running, but I figure I'll be putting in a new battery soon enough. All a long-winded way of sayin' I'm not sure exactly what manner of movement powers this one. Past experience combined with the "feel" of the setting mechanism tells me that it's most likely a Ronda 500 Series. But I don't know that for sure. Not yet! Time will tell...

Well, it didn't take long at all.

And if you saw the Rollcall this morning ( and can read between the lines ), yeah, I was kind of freaked out by the failure mode of the battery. Unlike the average quartz, which keeps time until the watch starts doing the Low Battery 2-Step (or simply stops), this one started running slow. Very slow!

The last time I wore the watch, a week ago, I noticed it was a couple of minutes slow. "Huh" I says to meself "Stuff happens", and I re-set the time and thought no more about it. Well, I went to wear the watch yesterday morning, and was shocked to find the time was roughly 45 minutes slow! This time I'm like "W.T.F?!" I suspected a low battery, but didn't have time to fool with it right then. So I re-set it to Atomic Time once again, and moseyed on to work.

Got home that evening and - Sure enough! - the watch was still running, but had lost roughly 4 minutes in ~ 11 hours. Alrighty then. Time for a new button cell! I opened her up and..

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo


Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo

..as I'd suspected, a 500-series.

Specifically a 1-jewel "SWISS PARTS THAILAND MADE" caliber 505.24H. Now I was a bit taken aback by that, at first, as the 505 is a 10½ ligne (23.3mm) movement. In a watch this big, why not use the larger 515.24H (11½ ligne, or 25.6mm)?

But once I thought about it, it makes sense. With the 505, the date aperture falls well inside the cardinal chapter markers:


With the 515, the date would crowd the chapter marker very tightly, if not actually "eat" it. So I reckon Fossil knew what they were doin'.

ANYway, I slipped in a fresh , it fired right up, and after ~ 18 hours the watch is still dead-nuts on the money.

Got to admit that I'm still a little puzzled by the slow-running. Not only is this behavior unusual in an average or absolute sense, in my experience it's strange even when compared to other Ronda 500s.

Still, it would appear to be a case of All's Well That Ends Well. I'll keep a close eye on 'er, but I'm not gonna worry about it.

Thanks for readin!

Sláinte!

-Ricky

Update: Fossil World Time model CH-2741	Caveman001	135	March 20, 2013 03:56PM
Glad it worked out ok. It's a case of the good old MTSFC. I am guessing in this day and age of mega watches it is quite common.	jackrobinson	45	March 20, 2013 04:18PM
Re: I am guessing in this day and age of mega watches it is quite common. Sure. And when you're talking a 50mm case, a 2.3mm increase in movement diameter is insignificant, after all.	Caveman001	46	March 20, 2013 07:33PM
Same Ronda in my Zodiac GMT Zodiac is made by Fossil, so it makes sense Jean-Paul	JP	44	March 20, 2013 04:24PM
How much I just love Zodiac, this doesn't look very... ..promising, for when I intend to buy one... Maybe it's just between the ears?	James T. Kirk©	41	March 20, 2013 04:57PM
Those are hard to find these.... a fews years back I could have had 10... there is a black/silver GMT that I wish I got back then. (n/t)	JP	67	March 20, 2013 07:52PM
Bit of 'glare' in your photo, so I can't tell for sure, but it appears.. ..that your Zodiac might have the "SWISS MADE" version of the 505.24H? Vs. the "SWISS PARTS THAILAND MADE" variant? Same movement, of course, really.	Caveman001	60	March 20, 2013 07:41PM
will know next battery change  (n/t)	JP	55	March 20, 2013 07:55PM
And, if you get the chance... I'd dearly love to know if your 505.24H displays the same behavior (I.e. losing time) when the cell gets low. I should know, since this is my third watch using this movement ( the others being the Trintec ZULU-01 and Wenger Commando Traveller ). While I have not actually observed this behavior with them, when their cells went flat they were sitting in the watch box. So it's possible that this is normal for Ronda 500s, and I simply haven't noticed...	Caveman001	53	March 21, 2013 09:31AM