When Is

OK, so I'll fess up right from the start and admit to owning several "big" watches...I have one SAIII, one SAS 7750, a couple of RDs and a T-Rex or two, among others.....

So, having not seen it personally, I ordered an Invicta Venom recently (the $299 "kit" from Shop that included another strap, the case, etc.). Wasn't a bad price for a watch with the extras.

I gotta tell ya, I'm flabbergasted...not over the build quality, etc., but at the sheer size of this thing. As I said, I have an SAS, and like it a lot. That watch, IMHO, does represent something of a high-water mark in case design. And it does sit rather high on the wrist, north of 16mm. But for the life of me, I can't figure out the rationale for the Venom. 23mm tall? Folks, that's almost a full inch in height! I'm no little guy, and have an 8 1/2 inch wrist, but can't see this as anything less than cartoonish. How the hell does someone with a smaller frame realistically pull this off — or do they? I'm a believer that watches tend to serve as "jewelry" for men, so there nothing wrong with being a little ostentatious...but is this a watch...or a demand that people notice the wearer, for better or worse?

I compared it to another of my favorites, the SL Atlantis, and there's no comparison. the Atlantis is a 1,000m "dive" watch, is an automatic, and is 16mm tall. The Venom is a 500m watch, is a quartz...and is only slightly less tall than Mt. Killimanjaro. What purpose, exactly, does that stacked bezel serve, other than to increase the height of the watch to nose-bleed elevation?

This isn't a knock on anyone here who owns this watch — just my humble opinion. Like I said, I like big watches. But the Venom just reminds me of an old Lincoln Mark III; you pop the hood, and are greeted with two feet of dead space behind the grillework before you find the engine. The Lincoln's fender braces supported a lot more than sheetmetal: they supported the ego of the guy who had to own the longest ride in the neighborhood.

IMO, size of watch depend on the size of the person...

If you can TRULY pull off a bit watch, size should not be an issue. Look at JAW, Arnold Schwarzeneger, Hulk Hogan, and the like...those guys have the build and big wrist where the watch does not even really LOOK big on them...

Again, IMO, if you don't have at least a 7 1/2 inch wrist, you should go no bigger than 48 mm. I mean c'mon, can you tell me these watches aren't OBVIOUSLY too big for the WRIST...?







So for me, again, it's not the brand or how big the watch may be, but can you pull it off?

Unfortunately there are LOTS of 7" wristed SHEEPLE out there buying 50mm and up and looking....SILLY.

Anomaly wrote:

IMO, size of watch depend on the size of the person...

If you can TRULY pull off a bit watch, size should not be an issue. Look at JAW, Arnold Schwarzeneger, Hulk Hogan, and the like...those guys have the build and big wrist where the watch does not even really LOOK big on them...

Z...agree with you — to a point. My "big" watches fit me fine (I should have pointed out that, aside from an 8 1/2-inch wrist, I stand 6'3" and weigh "north" of 280), so I can pull off big watches with the best of 'em. But even for someone with the build of an offensive lineman, some things nonetheless look "out of place." Hell, I have a 55mm "XXL Oversized" Fliegeruhr from Zeno-Watch Basel (similar to the first shot you illustrated) that looks fine...but it's fairly flat. Not talking about case diameter...The Venom is very nearly a friggin' inch tall. It just screams "Look at me — now, dammit!"

25or6to4 wrote:

Anomaly wrote:

IMO, size of watch depend on the size of the person...

If you can TRULY pull off a bit watch, size should not be an issue. Look at JAW, Arnold Schwarzeneger, Hulk Hogan, and the like...those guys have the build and big wrist where the watch does not even really LOOK big on them...

Z...agree with you — to a point. My "big" watches fit me fine (I should have pointed out that, aside from an 8 1/2-inch wrist, I stand 6'3" and weigh "north" of 280), so I can pull off big watches with the best of 'em. But even for someone with the build of an offensive lineman, some things nonetheless look "out of place." Hell, I have a 55mm "XXL Oversized" Fliegeruhr from Zeno-Watch Basel (similar to the first shot you illustrated) that looks fine...but it's fairly flat. Not talking about case diameter...The Venom is very nearly a friggin' inch tall. It just screams "Look at me — now, dammit!"

Ah...my Avenger Seawolf is right at 18mm tall, it is big...but feel I can pull it off...

I know exactly what you mean - I owned the same group of the largest Invictas prior to my Venom.
Mostly bought it for the architectural features and a low price on a one shot deal by Eyal one night.
Honestly have to say that I'm often slightly embarrassed to wear the thing - Even at 6ft/300lbs.
So it's practically a novelty piece for me - will likely not buy another.

jaw wrote:

I know exactly what you mean - I owned the same group of the largest Invictas prior to my Venom.
Mostly bought it for the architectural features and a low price on a one shot deal by Eyal one night.
Honestly have to say that I'm often slightly embarrassed to wear the thing - Even at 6ft/300lbs.
So it's practically a novelty piece for me - will likely not buy another.

Of the models available, you bought the most conservative of the bunch! I think it is a nice looking design, but way too big (mind you, I am in the 40mm to 44mm crowd)! The crown itself is huge! IMO - The thought behind the design has to be just size for the sake of size!

The point of this thread is regarding the height of the watch and this one has to be one of the largest out there! However, there are some dive watches out there even in the 44mm range that I will not buy because of the height. An example of this is the Benarus Sea Devil. A nice design, but the height alone keeps me away...that is just an example, there are tons of them out there with the same attributes. For those who prefer those types of designs, I think that they are probably in the best position to pick up a nice watch at a decent price right now!

Interesting you bring up Benarus...I am considering one...

been there and really not looking to go back!! I would look at Halios(holotype or bluering) if you need a micro in the stable!



nice watch but the times you would wear it the seawolf will be the choice everytime!!

cali kid wrote:

been there and really not looking to go back!! I would look at Halios(holotype or bluering) if you need a micro in the stable!



nice watch but the times you would wear it the seawolf will be the choice everytime!!

Yeah, having a hard time finding something that is not similar to the Panerai, the Seawolf, or the Below Zero...

Anomaly wrote:

cali kid wrote:

been there and really not looking to go back!! I would look at Halios(holotype or bluering) if you need a micro in the stable!



nice watch but the times you would wear it the seawolf will be the choice everytime!!

Yeah, having a hard time finding something that is not similar to the Panerai, the Seawolf, or the Below Zero...

Go for a Stowa Prodiver or Seatime...they wear alot bigger than the case size...especially on the bracelet!

andrema wrote:

Anomaly wrote:

cali kid wrote:

been there and really not looking to go back!! I would look at Halios(holotype or bluering) if you need a micro in the stable!



nice watch but the times you would wear it the seawolf will be the choice everytime!!

Yeah, having a hard time finding something that is not similar to the Panerai, the Seawolf, or the Below Zero...

Go for a Stowa Prodiver or Seatime...they wear alot bigger than the case size...especially on the bracelet!

I'm lazy right now...get me some pics!

As and ye shall receive...IMO, the quality of Stowa watches can compete with anybody!

http://www.german-watches.com/cgi-bin/lshop.cgi?action=showrub&wkid=21257&ls=e&nc=1271707176-3167&rubnum=seatime&artnum=&file=&gesamt_zeilen=


Prodiver...from Stowa site
url=https://xtrememeantime.forumotion.com/javascript:picwin('http://www.german-watches.com/cgi-bin/lshop.cgi?action=largepic&pic=/g/1182326222-12680.jpg&artnum=prodiver2007&wkid=21257&ls=e&nocache=1271706538-21554')][/url]

Seatime --from stowa site








Seatime on my wrist (7.25) -




I may get a red bezel for mine (already have black and green)...down the road, I may get the carbon dial.

Great look...very clean...what is the size? 42mm?

Sorry for the

Anomaly wrote:

Great look...very clean...what is the size? 42mm?

Sorry for the

42mm wide without crown...51mm-ish long...14mm high

FEATURES
• 1000m / 3300ft depth rating
• Swiss-made automatic helium valve
• Sandblasted and brushed stainless steel 42mm case
• Superluminova on dial markers, hands and bezel markers
• Uni-directional rotating bezel
• Heavy-duty screw in spring bars
• Heavy duty brushed stainless steel bracelet with screw pins, solid end pieces and wetsuit extender
• Heavy-duty rubber deployment strap
• Swiss-made automatic movement (ETA 2824-2)
• 3.70mm thick sapphire crystal glass
• Date window at the 6 position
• Heavy-duty caseback

I know what you mean, getting back to the OT, about height being a factor. 16mm just sounds way too high to me. I have several that are 13mm and that's plenty tall enough to house some rather thick movements. A quartz just dosen't need nearly as much room, in general, as an auto with similar features. I'm a big guy too and my Sumo at 45mm an d 14mm in height is at the upper end of what I consider wearable and is bigger than my old standard because the way the lugs and case work it wears smaller on me than my 43mm -13mm Mido Multifort Chrono.

I wish Lug-to-Lug was a good measure to help understand the real size of a watch but the case design and lug curvature are huge factors, in my experience, in how a watch wears. 2 watches that are 52mm L-to-L may wear alike but are more likely to wear completely differently from each other in my experience.

The height of the Venom really is something ! It's most likely way to BIG
for my wrists, but I know many of you guys can pull it off. I think alot
of the appeal has to do with what Jaw said, which is the architectural
features. Just looking at the watch in pictures, you see that it doesn't
look like other watches, it has a unique case, dial, and bracelet. So it's
probably the look that attracts people, but then later on some may find
it a little bigger than they originally thought.

. . . walked into the office of one of the young fellas at work a while back, and he was wearing a Venom. First time I had seen one in the wild. . . . Holy Moly!!!!!!! He is not a big guy. The Venom looked like it was balancing precariously atop his wrist. Any aspects of the watch that may have been attractive went out the window due to the out of proportion thickness of it. the pushers and crown look like they were sized so you can operate them wearing welding gauntlets!!!!

. . . To each his own as always, but I'm lost on trying to figure out the point of this watch . . . . totally lost.

Is this too big???
ENZO MECHANA (spy shot)



Enzo Mechana




Source - OceanicTime

I think Enzo lost it.The new designs suck.I had the sas and the sanIII.the sas was 373.2grams.its so big that you can't get used to it.
Thats the deal with watches.After wearing the for afew days,they should blend in and no longer be felt as weight on the wrist.
But these behemoths that are being cranked out are way to big.Gaudy comes to mind and ungainlly.The venom though is rated at 1000m.
that rating didn't change when the valgrange was added and an exhibition caseback.my problem with a 1000m rating using a glass caseback
is to my knowledge,only UTS has done that.I don't think any invicta thats rated 300m and up meets iso standards at all.They aviod that topic.
I'd imagine thats since theres no hev on the san,venom and sas that none would pass a pressure test.
look at the sanIII with the 7751 in it.Its got the indent for the 10 oclock calender set.its in the case.I've never seen that on a iso dive watch.
It would fail before it got to 200m,just by being forced in by water pressure.