Anyone heard of these? They are an American company with a bit of history behind them, apparently very well thought of. I found them on the Jura Watches website and then went onto the Ball Watch Company website. They have a very good collection, but not at the cheaper end of the market, the lowest priced watch is 430 quid, going up to around 1,300, so mid range. They're pretty good, kind of different, but basically mainly classic designs with one or two more daring designs thrown in. A great 43mm chrono which had me thinking hard. I found they are distributed through Selfridges in the UK as well as Jura. The Ball Watch website is something else too...it's worth a look in itself.

From my research on the internet they are the geninue thing!

I like the engineer ohio looks pretty cool with those tritium gas tubes

I'll have one in my collection sooner or later. The Cleveland Express I think it is, or the Moon Phase.

I've just been back to Jura for another look in the cold light of day, but they still look really good . Plenty of diversity in the collections and look really well put together. I also noticed they seem to have a good spread of case sizes to suit most wrists/tastes; everything from 38mm up to 44. I always go for 39mm - 42mm, 43 at a pinch. I can see at least a dozen watches or more I'd have in a heartbeat, but the Engineer Master 2, Telemetre Chrono is looking particularly tempting. I'm thinking of taking a trip over to Manchester or Leeds to check these things out in the near future; I go there a fair bit anyway and selfridges seem to be stocking them. Good opportunity to take a look .
I just bought a Longines hydroconquest and thought I'd make that my only buy this year, but that seems unlikely now...

I've got my first Ball on the way, ordered it from an AD last Tuesday, should be here tomorrow or Tuesday.

I looked at several models, and was also considering an Omega 2254, and after trying all of them on, decided to go with the Ball Engineer Master II Diver (with grey accents). Once you handle a Ball in person, you'll want one. They're amazingly high quality for the price (retail on the one I'm getting was $1800 USD, and IMO it blows the pants off the Omega, quality wise). I'll post some pictures when I get it. It'll share duties with my C5 Aviator, I'll wear one of those almost everyday.

Very, very nice!

I checked out the site. I looked at specifications on nearly all of them. I found no quartz movements and that doesn't surprise me because all watches were very high caliber. They were all automatics with some impressive movements like the 7750 and the ETA 2892-2, the same movement used in the Omega Seamaster and other Omega models. Even the one ladies watch I ran in to was an automatic. There were many Ball watches that came with the same 2824-2 movement as does CW's. Your's, I believe, has the ETA 2836. This company is equal to Omega in the degree value, above average caliber. All automatics, high caliber movements, this is no BS company!

Russ

Flumpus wrote:I've got my first Ball on the way, ordered it from an AD last Tuesday, should be here tomorrow or Tuesday.

NIce purchase, looking forward to the photos.

Yep, mine has the 2836... I considered the COSC Diver, but it's considerably more expensive, and bigger (44mm versus 42mm), which I didn't really like, despite having a big wrist. That was really my only concern getting this versus a Seamaster, the movement. The Seamaster at the same AD was about the same price (less than $100 more), and had a COSC 2892 based movement, but from all I've read, the non-COSC Balls keep excellent time, and 1-2s/day isn't uncommon.

Flumpus, Every time I go back to the site I see something else I want to buy. I'm looking forward to seeing your pics when it arrives. Good choice as well, it's a really smart watch you picked there.

Nice watch, nice movement: The 2836 is the same movement as the 2824 with the difference being in the day/date calendar wheels. The entire family begins with the 2801, which is a manual wind only and includes the 2804, both without the self-winding rotor gear train assy. Next is the super 2824, 2834 and lastly the 2836. All share the same basic 2801 base movement.

Russ

Daz wrote:The Ball Watch Co. have a marvellous selection, I could fit anyone of them into my collection. I particularly like the Enginer Master 11 Telemeter in white. Can I have...

You've hit the nail on the head, Daz. TBW Co. have such a great collection, it's easier to pick the ones you wouldn't have in your collection. I've got to get my best scheming head on to work out how to get one of these suckers , having only just made another reasonably big buy. Still, a nice problem to have...how to sneak in another watch...

Get the one with the ETA 2892-2 and you will really be going one step above.

RSHETTLE wrote:Get the one with the ETA 2892-2 and you will really be going one step above.

Yeah, 2892-2 would be good; right now I can't keep off the web site . There's so many really fine watches to look at and I can't get over the prices . These really are around 40-50% and more lower than brands of similar quality. On the Jura site thay have Bremont and Bell&Ross; both great brands and similar in quality, but double the price of Ball. I also like the fact that Ball are American, as there is a great watchmaking tradition in the USA that has been in a bit of a rut for years and often overlooked compared to european market. The history of the brand appeals as well, because it was born out of practical necessity. All adds up to a great addition for the collection...