Oulm Dual-Time

Caveman's Watch Forum

Oulm Dual-Time model 9591

Caveman001

September 12, 2012 05:45PM

Admin
Registered: July 2012
Posts: 4,589

I won't call this one an " New watch arrived!

", because sure y'all had a sneak peek in the What are you uwearing?

a couple of days ago.

And fair warning, Bro. Smaug, I'm going to violate one of your Reviews Guidelines Oops! My mistake!

by including photos taken from very similar angles. winking smiley

This watch proved to be a right difficult one to photograph, you see, and depending on the angle..

Photo by Ricky Lee

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo
..of the light, it can look quite different:

Photo by Ricky Lee

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo
That's because of the mirror-finished chrome plating, of course. In some photos the true nature of the finish is obvious...

Photo by Ricky Lee

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo
While in others you could almost take it for a 2-tone:

Photo by Ricky Lee

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo
The case is base metal, of course, and chrome plated, as mentioned earlier. The chrome itself is quite well done, but there are some flaws evident underneath, though nothing too egregious. IOW, the surface preparation prior to electro-plating was less than perfect. Still, we're talking about a watch with a ~ US $30 street price here, so this is no deal-breaker for me.

Photo by Ricky Lee

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo
It's a big rascal, at 49mm X 61.5mm X 14.5mm thick, with 24mm lugs. And yes, it wears quite Large. This may be partly because, if you measure in-line with the crowns (but don't include the crowns), it's a whopping 53mm. But mostly because it's just one whacking big watch, period. If you have a problem with XL watches, this one's definitely not for you!

Photo by Ricky Lee

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo
The crystal(s) are mineral glass, and the 'rivets' you see on the face are mere decoration, stamped into the bezel.

As I mentioned in the review of the Chronovski Dual-Time, dual movements could not be considered a sophisticated or elegant means of implementing the Dual Time complication. However, it's also perfectly functional, and offers some real advantages over the average inexpensive 4-hand GMT movement. It's dead easy to change the time on one movement without disturbing the other, for instance, and legibility is very good. And those pesky partial time-zones are no problem whatsoever!

Photo by Ricky Lee

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo
A SS snap-in caseback, there was no gasket on it as supplied. Not sure if that's OEM, or if it went astray at some point. But a regular old o-ring works fine, despite the oddball shape. I installed one when I swapped out the batteries. Like the Chronovski, it uses dual SII/TMI PC21S movements. I think they are the HCP version, which is apparently necessitated by the rotating-disc digital ( aka "bathroom scale" ) display of the top movement. No surprise, the watch fired right up with fresh

#377 cells.

On major surprise was..

Photo by Ricky Lee

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo
..that the strap fit me with room to spare. WooHOO! Applause!

No, you'd never mistake it for a high-end strap, but it's actually of fairly decent quality, and very supple and comfortable. It had a conventional tang-n-buckle closure from the factory; The single-action deployant is an aftermarket add-on ( Hear ye hear ye!

also supplied by Bro. JY - John,

).

The model 9591 is also available in a white dial...

Stock photo

Nice, but I like the black dial better. Curiously enough, if you want the digital display in red..

Stock photo

..it apparently becomes a Model 9630.

I like this watch enough that I admit to being tempted by the 9630. Mildly tempted that is; In the end it's just too similar to the 9591 for me to seriously contemplate it. That being said, there may well be another

in my future:

Stock photo

Hey! With a pair o' those I could do some serious dual-wristin'! eye popping smiley

EIGHT time zones! WooHOO!

Photo by Ricky Lee

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo
In summary, provided you have no problem with gigantic watches, the Oulm 9591 offers great value for the money. The PC21 movements will blow any mechanical in the weeds accuracy-wise, and are likely to run for decades (out-last the base metal case, probably Laughing Out Loud!

). And, believe it or not, once you get used to it, the dual-eye design makes for an eminently intuitive and practical Dual-Time paradigm. Hey, there are worse ways to spend thirty bucks! Trust me on this. Rollin' on the floor laughin' me ass off!

Rollin' on the floor laughin' me ass off!

Sláinte!

-Ricky

Messages In This Thread

Oulm Dual-Time model 9591	Caveman001	259	September 12, 2012 05:45PM
not quite Ulm, then? Its the Arts! "Johann Gambolputty de von Ausfern- schplenden- schlitter- crasscrenbon- fried- digger- dingle- dangle- dongle- dungle- burstein- von- knacker- thrasher- apple- banger- horowitz- ticolensic- grander- knotty- spelltinkle- grandlich- grumblemeyer- spelterwasser- kurstlich- himbleeisen- bahnwagen- gutenabend- bitte- ein- nürnburger- bratwustle- gerspurten- mitz- weimache- luber- hundsfut- gumberaber- shönedanker- kalbsfleisch- mittler- aucher von Hautkopft - of Ulm" Sorry mate, but couldn't resist ! Interesting with the "digital" display, though! definite eye-catcher!	flasharry	29	September 12, 2012 06:23PM
Very funny Harold! (n/t)	DJM	34	September 12, 2012 08:18PM
No, not quite Ulm. But you know, that leads directly into the Honest Crooks sketch, which is at least nominally watch-related...	Caveman001	31	September 13, 2012 04:17AM
Re: (n/t)	James T. Kirk©	29	September 13, 2012 07:09AM
Re: The Gambolputty ref is from an old Monty Python comedy sketch..	flasharry	28	September 13, 2012 08:03AM
This one? YouTube video	jackrobinson	31	September 13, 2012 08:31AM
That'd be the one. (n/t)	Caveman001	59	September 13, 2012 08:44AM
Na so wass, all die Deutchen Wörter? (n/t)	James T. Kirk©	27	September 13, 2012 07:05AM
Nice review Ricky! That o-ring must have been omitted by the factory because it had never been opened before you got it. Enjoy! (n/t)	JY	34	September 12, 2012 07:56PM
Nice review! (n/t)	DJM	33	September 12, 2012 08:18PM
good review. i'm guessing the watch takes on the color of the surrounding due to the abundance of chromes surface, in the eyes of someone looking at you. that is an interesting feature. (n/t)	jackrobinson	24	September 12, 2012 11:12PM

A couple of more photos of the Oulm Dual-Time model 9591

September 14, 2012 05:11PM

On the leather NATO, that is.

Photo by Ricky Lee

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo

Photo by Ricky Lee

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo
And, of course, ye saw this one in the What are you uwearing?

this morning:

Photo by Ricky Lee

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo
The pair drew a lot of attention at work today, BTW. I lost count of the number of comments. More than a half-dozen.. maybe 8, 9, even 10. I am blushing

I even got one unsolicited offer to buy the Chronovski. winking smiley

(Yeah, I declined.)

Sláinte! smileys with beer

-Ricky

"A man, like a watch, is to be valued for his manner of going." - William Penn

Messages In This Thread

A couple of more photos of the Oulm Dual-Time model 9591	Caveman001	79	September 14, 2012 05:11PM
To my surprise, that one is kind of growing on me. I think it's >>> the unconventional way of indicating the time on the top left face. That last shot is my favorite; you're right, those all polished surfaces can be a bear to shoot.	DJM	15	September 14, 2012 06:11PM
A confession... Quote DJM ..the unconventional way of indicating the time on the top left face. At first, I could not read the "bathroom scale" display on top at a glance. I'd have to stop, look before and after, and cipher a bit. However, after a few days practice, it's not too bad, and I do enjoy it. Still, it's not what you'd call "intuitive"...	Caveman001	16	September 14, 2012 06:43PM
agree, amazing thing our brain I can imagine what it WOULD be like for a teen that has only read mobile-phone digital watches to start reading an analog...	jackrobinson	11	September 14, 2012 07:09PM
My 14 year old son, still has trouble reading analog! That why he only wants analog watches. Well one day he grows accustomed to it I hope....	James T. Kirk©	7	September 15, 2012 02:52AM
its growing on me too - I tell ya he's brainwashing us that CM guy I'm stopping myself from ordering it because I know I need a bunch of straps before that. here it is on DX only $10.90 shipped. It has a crappy PU strap though with rust loving nits and would immediately come off and go into the dustbin. But man - I need to order straps already...	jackrobinson	14	September 14, 2012 07:13PM
(n/t)	DJM	7	September 14, 2012 08:07PM
looks good on the NATO strap... and this one will get people commenting at your manicurist too DX	jackrobinson	11	September 14, 2012 07:55PM
Not bad for a couple of 'mega cheapies' eh?! (n/t)	JY	9	September 15, 2012 02:09AM
Not bad at all! (n/t)	Caveman001	8	September 15, 2012 06:48AM