Digital technical watches

Yes, digital and technical! They aren’t terribly classy and if you aren’t climbing, flying, sailing, diving or some other verb requiring technical knowledge of timing, altitude, and barometric pressure, you probably don’t need, or want, a watch that tells you those things. On the flip side, if you do, an all digital military or sport style watch can offer a lot of bang for your buck. 

You could go for the well known Suunto watches or lesser known, and far cheaper, Chinese, Japanese and US offerings. The Suunto Core is a favorite of military types, film directors, and wannabe adventurers. The good thing, they’re useful and no one knows if you work at a desk in Columbus, Ohio or a clandestine office in the Middle East. So, don’t go trying to pair a digital tech watch with a suit but for sure don’t listen to anyone who insists you ought to wear your Timex Weekender to the store on Sunday afternoon and you don’t “need” a Suunto Core or whatever else you decide to wear.

Having made mention of Suunto, I think it’s realistic to point out that while popular, made mostly in Finland and very cool, they aren’t unique, aren’t particularly better for the money and don’t necessarily warrant special status. I know, heretical things to suggest, but Pyle(of Pyle Audio fame) and several Chinese companies, Skmei, O.T.S. and Sunroad, along with Casio and Timex, all make watches that compete with Suunto on price and performance, often besting the Nordic marque in spite of movie appearances. Suunto is far more costly, hasn’t got a great track record for durability and isn’t very water resistant by comparison to Pyle and a couple Chinese competitors coming in at trivial prices. The Suunto Core, in particular, does get major style points, but that’s a subjective value. The O.T.S. pictured above looks almost identical to the Core, is slightly more water restant but lacks advanced features like thermometer, altimeter and barometer. Things I like, but don’t necessarily need.

Image courtesy of Amazon

The Pyle Sport Watch looks good, has a better water resistance rating and offers similar features to the Core including weather forecasting. That’s useful to have on your wrist and in the case of this class of watches the information does not require an internet or cell connection, useful for anyone who is often out of cell range. The Pyle can usually be had under $70 new, often much lower. (At the time of writing the pictured watch was $42 including shipping via eBay).

Having now used both the O.T.S. and the Pyle, I’ve discovered a couple things. I do like the style of the Suunto enough that it makes a difference for me. Maybe not a $150 difference, but it suits my personal aesthetic. I also definitely like the added features of the Pyle, ones identical to the Suunto at 1/4 the cost with better water resistance. They have both become alternating work watches for me, currently surviving life in a commercial kitchen. No small feat with fire, steam, scalding water, chemical cleaning agents, freezers, sharp abdvheavy things. I have screen protectors on them and they are both holding up well. The O.T.S. is arguably better than what should be expected of a $10 watch.

There are a couple brands, LAD Weather and North Edge, that match the Suunto look and function a bit better while staying in the $60 range. They may be next on my list as I can’t justify the Suunto price tag on its Scandinavian origin alone. Especially without any gain in performance. Even if the O.T.S., fails, a new one can be had for less than shipping the Suunto back for repair, something they seem to need more than a watch at their price point ought to.

I’ll add that the timer and backlight are the most used features for me on a daily basis. Features found on all of these watches. I do like the barometer and altimeter but they aren’t everyday useful for the vast majority of us.

That’s my take on it so far. I’ll admit to adjusting my opinions at several points on this topic regarding everything from digital only watches to Chinese technology. Not sexy but for sure practical and affordable, even stylish in a tacticool kind of way.

Something else: Barber Martial Vivot

A regular, reliable haircut is essential and hard to find. Taking care of yourself is a solid part of the list of things a gentleman strives to do. It's serious stuff, real stuff. A good haircut can make a person look presentable in jeans and a button down and a bad one can make a bespoke suit look like a costume.

All class, this guy. If we could all find a barber like this life would be just a little bit better.

Laguiole, ancient + modern

Two, three really, pocket knives stand out in my mind as iconic marques. The relatively obscure Nontron, the well known Opinel and Laguiole. All made in France in the same region for hundreds of years. While Opinel has made minor updates to its classic style and Nontron can come across as almost archaic. Laguiole on the other hand is operating in both contemporary and historic eras. It’s worth noting that Laguiole is neither brand nor logo but a historic style that is manufactured all over the world. Some companies like Forge de Laguiole actually do make their knives in southern France and have done so for a very long time. The one pictured above is from Baladeo. They’ve been around since 1995 and offer classic designs at very affordable prices.
The first pocket knives I remember owning were an Opinel No 5 and a basic Laguiole folder. I liked them from the start and still own a couple. Their relatively ancient design remains appealing but the lack of a pocket clip can be a hassle with modern carry habits and updated and exotic materials are fun.
This Baladeo Laguiole is a good example of exploring new territory while not leaving behind the style the knife is known for. It’s just a hair too big to call it unintimidating but it also doesn’t look tactical. I haven’t put it through it’s paces yet but the metal seems good and G10 scales are typically durable. At under $20 its worth using for every day carry considering it’s replaceable and the pocket clip makes it far more useable than more traditional models. Sometimes updating is good. Especially in terms of design thinking, where we don’t just evolve aesthetics, but solve problems. Mess with classics all you want just don’t forget their history.


Currently easy to find on both Amazon and eBay.

Casio MTF E001

Got my hands on a great used Casio that was reportedly run over by a truck. It’s rough but somehow cooler for it. The MTF E001 has a pilot style dial with Bell & Ross style hands, 4 o’clock date window and internal rotating compass ring. It’s only rated to 100m which is ok for every day wear and I’d take it sailing but I prefer 200m or more even though 100m is adequate for 18m or less diving. Long Island Watch has a great video about water resistance if you’re curious. Bottom line, it’s not a dive watch anyway. Plenty of dive specific features on those in contrast with the pilot style features of this one. 

It came to me on an aftermarket band, not a good one, with standard 24mm spring bars. At 24mm the tension in many spring bars leaves them prone to pop off under moderate load, which they did. I ordered a new orange silicone band and used ISO 6425 standard oversized spring bars. Problem solved. They won’t fit all straps but silicone and NATO style are both accommodating. The ones I got from Holben’s weren’t available as of this writing but Barton sells something similar. 

Standard vs oversized ISO

It took some elbow grease to clean up the case with a Scotch Brite pad and I may install a domed crystal(the crystal is pretty beat up) but I’ve got a great everyday watch with some character and a story. It works, keeps good time and is water tight, in spite of its checkered past. What’s the point of this post? I know, “Yeah, yeah, you got another watch.”

The point is I got a great watch for under $20, and you can too. Keep your eyes open and you’ll find diamonds in the rough of your own. This goes for watches, clothes, bicycles, cars and everything else from iron skillets to houses. You don’t have to make six figures to live well and have nice things. 

But what CAN you do?

One of the reasons to wear a watch is to be more conscious of time, more aware of time as a limited commodity. For many, the most important thing we can do with the time we have is enjoy it. Many would also say, someday I/you will have the things you want and live the way you like. That’s very grown up, it’s mature and rational. It’s also flawed. The flaw is the assumption that someday is out there and you’ll live to see it. Realistically, statistically, if you are young and healthy and don’t have dangerous or self destructive habits, that’s probably true. (Vintage Russian Vostok dive watch. Starting around $30 on eBay.) 

However, there’s no guarantee. There is no way to know you won’t be the outlier who gets a fatal disease, steps in front of a bus or falls down a flight of stairs. What that means is, you better enjoy every day as much as you can. 

Maybe you want to be a mountain climber, a musician or a world traveler. There are countless aspirations and bucket list items we all carry around while making excuses for why we can’t. It also isn’t unreasonable or uncommon to not know what makes you happy. 

A basic way to figure it out might be to make a bucket list or ask, if I was independentlg wealthy, what would I do? We aren’t talking about a list of expensive luxuries but simple terms, statements like, “I would travel, I would collect art, I would drive luxury cars.” The point is to give yourself a little wiggle room. 

People have a tendency to tell themselves and others what they can’t do. A more useful question is, what can you do? What step can you take today to live more like you want? 

You might not have the budget for fine dining but you can learn to cook, and cook as well as any chef. If it’s the service and dining experience you crave, there’s always the desert menu or cocktails and appetizers at happy hour. If it’s dancing and being social, bars serve cola in the same glasses they serve mixed drinks. See where this is going? (Potato latkes with poached egg, made at home for less than a dollar.)

Perhaps you like nice clothes. It’s a rare person that can afford expensive Italian suits but thrift stores are full of them and most neighborhoods have a tailer or dry cleaner that can do inexpensive alterations. Lots of people will comment on well kept clothes that fit. Few will ask where you got them.  (Florsheim Royal Imperial brogues. Thrift store, $10 new with tags. Retail $225 Florsheim) 

Stop buying coffee out and put $3 a day in savings. That’s almost $1,100 in just a year. A simple Google search turns up plenty of $300 round trip flights to Europe if you aren’t picky about when you fly. Even if you only go for a long weekend, that’s three or four weekends in Europe a year. Sounds like a jet setting lifestyle to me. (French press available on Amazon. $10 French Press) 

Maybe it’s cars you love. If you aren’t picky about the year and you are willing to turn wrenches yourself, just like cooking, anyone can learn and there are usually dozens of luxury, sports and vintage cars of all sorts available on Craigslist at prices for anyone who can afford a car at all. You might not get a Ferrari but vintage Alfas and Fiats are a lot of fun and are as true sports cars as any. At the time of this writing, a search on Craigslist for cars under $1500 showed everything from Jaguars, vintage Triumphs and Mercedes to Lincolns, Cadillacs and a smattering of Mustangs and Camaros. Basically, short of a late model super car, you can drive almost anything you want for $1500. You’ll need to be ready to repair or restore the car yourself but you really can have the luxury, sport or muscle you want. (Project MG on Craigslist. Drive it home for $1500.)

This could go on and on with everything from open coursware offerings of free Ivy League education to every activity under the sun all there for those who will simply show up. Harvard Open Courses

You might not climb Everest but the world is full of mountains. If you want to climb, you CAN climb, and if it’s Everest you want, every morning you drive past Starbucks with your better tasting home brewed coffee, you can raise your cup to being another $3 closer to your goal while enjoying those weekend hikes and preparatory trips on smaller mountains along the way. (Mt Tam near San Francisco, CA.) 

Just stop focusing on what you can’t do and start doing what you can. 

The versatile Timex Weekender

There are a number of models of Timex Weekender. The one pictured is an oversized chronograph, relatively rare but a good example of the Weekender ethos. 

With a 40mm case, it wears a little bigger than others of similar size. That's likely due to not having a bezel and it works for this watch. It also works on my 8 1/2" wrist, something sub 40mm watches don't do well. 

While not a dive watch, it offers good everyday water resistance and a reliable quartz movement used in a wide variety of watches ensuring easy replacement down the road should it break or wear out. That noted, Timex quartz watches are known for running for years with nothing more than battery changes. 

Many in the series ship with NATO straps, available in a wide range of colors in both stripes and solids. They look great on leather straps and dress up nicely on shark mess. So nicely thanks to simplicity and excellent build quality that you can wear it in almost any setting. The sleek silver case of this model works with jeans and a sweater as well as suit and tie and looks as well as any field watch out there. 

I’d like to see more lume than just the hands, but that’s not something Timex is known or purchased for and it’s got Indiglo. 

Paired with a vintage stainless steel bracelet, I’m confident I’ve got a true “go anywhere” watch. Timex is knocking it out of the park with an affordable, understated, modern classic. 

Casio MTP-4500

My first good/nice/grownup/not a cheap watch was a Citizen Navihawk. I loved that watch. I also beat it up and eventually passed it along to a childhood friend. It's the only watch I really miss. I'd replace it if I could justify the cost but I really can't right now. It'd be worth every dime, the Navihawk is seriously cool hardware but it's just out of reach for the family budget. 

Enter the Casio MTP-4500. It's not the size, quality or multifunctional beast the Citizen is but it's got a slide rule bezel and a couple useful complications. It also looks great and as with many Casio watches, looks like watches in much higher price brackets. To be fair, the band isn't terrible. It doesn't squeak or pull the hair out of my arm and it looks ok for an budget aviator. Much like the Casio Duro, it's about the best budget option for a watch of its kind. 

Saying the band isn't terrible is different from saying it's good or nice though, it's ok. If you want a beater that looks like every other beater and will hold up it'll do. When I worked on an ambulance I needed stainless steel because it could be easily sterilized. In my opinion, the MTP looks much better on a NATO. The one pictured is a nicely patinaed vintage strap I had laying around. 

It might also be noted the watch wears small. With a 43mm case, depending on where you measure, and I did, the watch comes across smaller due to the small bezel. There are advantages to that. It's harder to bump and if you have a smaller wrist, it looks great, even if the slide rule is slightly out of spec and not very useful. My 8.5" wrist needs a bigger case. 

I want a better aviator, a Flighthawk, Flightmaster or a Skyhawk maybe, but until my budget allows for one, I'll be happy to keep the MTP on a NATO or leather rally strap and have a pleasant placeholder. A used one under $25 is a steal but at Amazon retail prices you can do better. 

 

Photos Copyright Jason Barnhart 2017. Not for use without permission. 

Casio Duro

The Casio Duro MDV106 is one of my favorite watches. I have one I put on a NATO and did a bezel swap on that looks as good as watches costing many times as much as the $40 total investment I have in the watch.

It's not a bad watch to begin with, forgive it for being quartz and having a less than stellar strap. At $40 full retail, you can find them on sale or used for $20 and Omega Planet Ocean bezel inserts fit so you can build it out in silver, blue orange or green with commonly available inserts from eBay. At 200m water resistance it's a legit diver beating out higher priced entry level Seikos and higher priced Casio Edifice models. For a "beater" it's very hard to top.
I
As much as I'd like a more interesting dial, I like the simplicity and the Marlin logo that is reserved for 200m+ rated Casios.
Little known mod, you can swap a Casio MRW200H movement and dial for a great looking retro looking watch on a meager budget and unlike the MRW, the case retains 200m water resistance. You can even pick up different hands from Ofrei and Raffles has some interesting dials.
As watches go, it's been largely ignored by the modding community but clearly deserves its place in the watch box. I have one now but I'd make good use of a couple more and while one could argue I'd be better off spending $150 on one watch of better quality, at this price having three different looks in watches that are easily replaced if they get damaged might be a better deal. I'll argue it's one of the best underrated budget divers on the market.

Images of stock watches are from Amazon and the WRH200 mashup images were found on a google search. The black and orange on the NATO strap is my own.

Bargain vintage, better than cheap new watches?

There are scads, piles and heaps of vintage watches out there. Russian, Japanese, Swiss and US made, simple, elegant mechanical watches that can often be had for a pittance. You can find everything from Timex and Seiko to Oris and lesser known marks like Favre-Leuba. The good, you can get a sharp looking watch from a notable maker, often at $20 or less. The bad, it's next to impossible to tell if it's a fake and refurbishing a vintage watch tends to kill it's value. 

However, if you're shopping for $20 watches should you really be overly concerned with authenticity and collector value? No, you should not and if you think you should you're pursuing the wrong hobby. This is where we get to, "If you like the watch wear it." I genuinely like some of my "junk" watches but I feel better about my purchases of vintage pieces by trusted brands. 

The one pictured above was my grandfathers LeCoultre. He picked it up overseas when he was in the Army during WW2 and he absolutely adored it. A $20 LeCoultre would be hard to find but other Swiss marks like Favre-Leuba and West End Watch Co are obtainable and this type of 17 jewel Swiss movement powers a lot of vintage watches. The only thing I don't care for with vintage watches is that before the era of dive watches an awful lot of watches look an awful lot alike. The cases for everything from Oris to Citizen are hard to distinguish at a glance on the cheaper models but they have a multitude of details to obsess over. 

My LeCoultre is small by contemporary standards but I've gotten used to it on my wrist and it's got me thinking about an extended project hunting up vintage(and non-vintage) watches to build a great collection on a minuscule budget. The big question is would I kick myself for owning a dozen $20 watches instead of one $240 watch. I can hear my grandfather now, "You don't have enough money to be cheap." I also don't have $240 to spend on a watch today but I can probably scrape together $20. 

Three reasons to wear a watch

It's a fair question in our current age, why wear a watch? We have screens and devices all around to tell us the time and if we don't others within ear shot usually do but here are three reasons you should still wear one. 

1. You're an adult. Or you should at least try to act like one. A watch is a very basic tool. You should know what time it is without asking others. ...I know you have a phone. Kindly read on. 

2. If you identify as male, it's one of the best and most universally accepted pieces of jewelry you can wear. While some males get away with all manner of rings, bracelets and necklaces, others, most others, do not. A watch is a great way to express yourself add some decoration to your outfit and project a more professional image that says you are likely to be more punctual and care about time, your own and that of others. A watch can say a lot about who you are or at least who you'd like to be and if it's not too flashy it's as welcome in any setting and with any outfit. A basic field watch can go with suits, jeans, and swim suits or workout clothes. The Timex Weekender can even be had for less than $30 if you look hard enough and aren't picky about the band it comes on. 

3. The big one. By wearing a watch you allow yourself to not need to get your phone out during a conversation, meeting, class or quality time with friends and family. In a world increasingly sensitive to people being distracted its reason enough to cut out one more reason to be on that phone. It's also dangerous and in some states illegal to have your phone in hand while driving. Do yourself and your reputation a favor, put on that watch and keep your phone in your pocket. 

Modding the iconic Vostok Amphibia

The Vostok Amphibian has a deep and enduring cult following. Built for practicality and durability, they’re also inexpensive and plentiful but one of their best traits is how easily they can be modified and repaired. They are also not without their own elegance and charm. 

With examples of 200m WR automatics to be had for under $40 used, it’s hard to go wrong. For those on a budget or not interested in paying for a luxury watch, Vostok offers a vast range of customization to rival almost any company catalog. It’s important to be careful and not spend $200 modding your $30 watch, making it both, no longer a bargain and spending as much as you might for something more sophisticated. 

Even a novice can tear them down pretty far. The screw back case is simple and can be upgraded to an exhibition case to see the inner workings for around $40 with parts from eBay.

Bezels are held in place with a single spring and press fit into place. New stock parts can be had inrxprnsiveky or custom parts can be ordered if you’re willing to wait while they ship from places like Poland, Russian Federation or the Ukraine. 

You can even score an increasing number of things like hands and dials that are normally found on much higher priced watches if you can find them at all. 

Sky’s the limit on these watches. They’re a solid buy right out of the gate but can be turned into highly unusual pieces you won’t see on anyone else if you spend a little time getting to know them. 

While not a dress watch, this one turned into a “go anywhere” piece that gets a lot of wrist time. 

Vespa moped, cool/not cool?

So, my other bike is a not so running 2005 Triumph 955 Daytona. Key words, not running, and no budget for parts let alone shop fees to have it fixed. It's ok, I bought it as a project and life got in the way.
Enter this kitsch, sort of cool, ego flattening, 1973 Vespa Ciao moped. Also not running but given for simply showing interest and a far sight cheaper to repair than a big Triumph. Why is it on Three Speed Tour? It's got pedals and it's not much faster than a bicycle. Is it dorky, yes. Is it capable of any tour a bicycle could do, also yes. Do people really do that, yes again.
Can it be pleasant to ride, clean, and aesthetically pleasing while sipping fuel and projecting a certain disarming Italian charm? Why yes, yes it can.
Thus far I've been cleaning it up and out, rodents nested in the air box, and sorting out how to not make it look like a low rent rat rod while avoiding a factory restoration on the other side of the coin. It's not in good enough shape to simply restore and I'm certain it'll look great with in a nice robins egg blue or teal livery with some Italian flag colored stripes and details. Yes, you can see it too. If I can knit it back together it'll be nice.
It's not a sexy early model Vespa scooter but it's fun. A quick look at Craigslist showed a number of running examples ranging from $150-$1000. Just remember fellas, it's not a motorcycle so don't try to make it one.

Something else: How do you take your coffee?

Ritual is worth recognizing. It's an anthropological reality, those things we do big and small, that often go unrecognized except in their absence. For many of us, chief among them is coffee. It's even a good conversation topic. 

I love this scene featuring one of my favorite golden age Hollywood fellas, Cary Grant. From and affair to remember. 

Cary Grant Coffee

How to make coffee like an adult, via Digg. 

Great budget pocket knife

At a very early age it was impressed upon me by my grandfathers and great grandfathers that a gentleman should always carry a small pocket knife. There are innumerable reason for doing so and by small I mean, not tactical. That means different things to different people but unless you are tramping through the woods you probably don't need a survival knife. You also don't need to spook everyone around you when you open a package, cut loose threads or some other random task. For me a good rule of thumb is avoiding anything with more than a 2 1/2 or 3 inch blade. In many places anything bigger than that is illegal for daily carry but if you behave yourself and mind the places and company you keep, you can carry what you like in your pockets. 

This particular pocket knife is a bit larger than my mentors would have considered gentlemanly but as long as you aren't pairing it with a suit you should be ok. It's a real workhorse and has the bonus of being free of branding of any kind. Appears to be Chinese stainless and so far mine has weathered a fair amount of daily carry. I stopped using it regularly when I picked up a Kershaw Shuffle II that features a built in bottle opener and subtle screwdriver. Kershaw Shuffle II 

It's a very basic knife with coyote tan scales, liner lock and pocket clip. Drawbacks are that its and odd shaped clip which, while fine in the pocket, does not allow for customization if that's your thing. It's also only drilled for the clip to be mounted in one place. Those minor things noted, its a bargain at less than a cup of coffee at Starbucks. Found at Walmart, this rugged little tool knife retails for all of $3.50. 

At that price you can buy as many as you like, spend a few bucks on customizing and not be too bothered by losing it or giving one to your nephew who should be carrying a pocket knife of his own anyway. 

This model no longer appears on their website but I've seen them in the stores within the last few months. I think it's one of their Joy Industries series, all of which are around $3. This looks to be the only one in tan but it's worth dropping by the Walmart sporting goods counter if you have a moment. 

Modern gentleman?

Is that still a thing? I, and many others, think it is. Long gone are the days of being born a gentlemen and society at large has moved away from general ideals of gentlemanly behavior but for those who aspire to it and those raised to believe it's the way a man should conduct himself, the concept of the modern gentlemen is alive and well.

The next likely question is, what's at the core of being a gentleman? Is it being polite? Having good manners? An education, classical or didactic? Is it dressing a certain way? The answer, yes, sort of. I'll contend the most important gentlemanly quality is compassion, being concerned with the well being of those around you is the barest essence of gentlemanly behavior. That might be stepping up to help those in need or simply being sensitive to others social and political views and making an effort to not offend them. It's simple, be aware and give a damn about others. As early as the era of the Roman Empire we have known, manners make the man. 

In terms of manners it's an easy jump to consider that following a set of agreed upon rules of behavior could short cut figuring out how to look after and not offend one another. There are numerous books on this topic, and endless online articles and videos. While many people contend manners are no longer relevant, not many have anything bad to say about a mannerly person. One of my favorite sites on the topic is Sven Rafael Schneider's Gentlemans Gazette. A wealth of great videos and articles. The Art of Manliness has a good take on the whole thing too. This piece on talking about religion, politics and money is worth a read. Art of Manliness

It goes without saying, don't push your ideas on other people, but more importantly if you are striving to be a gentleman, you won't be pushing your political, social or other views on unwelcoming ears anyway.

While clothes certainly don't make the man, it's generally accepted that a gentleman tends to project a clean cut, put together image. Well dressed has a lot of meanings to a lot of people. Why it might be important is signaling behavior. Wearing clean clothes in good repair is a great start and adding things like shirts with collars, shoes that can be shined and learning to use and iron tell others that we care about our appearance and that they can expect a certain type of behavior from us. This makes our lives easier and helps immediately put those around us at ease. Your reputation may or may not precede you but your public image certainly will. Tell the world what they can expect from you and then back it up with gentlemanly behavior.

If the clothes don't make the man, money certainly doesn't either. You also can't buy class and whereas it's easier to project the image of a gentleman of class, it isn't the only way to do it. My grandfather managed to look the part in jeans, well cared for Oxford shoes and basic button downs paired with a decent watch. On work days it was a classic Timex that couldn't have cost more than $50. Anyone can pull that off even on a modest budget. If you aren't too proud to wear second hand you can up your game even more. It's possible to buy entire suits at thrift and vintage shops for the full retail cost of a new shirt.

We'll cover these and other topics in future articles along with things like reliable brands, investment worthy items and taking care of what you have.

Barefoot Gentry

In 2010 I coined the term "barefoot gentry" to describe something akin to Paul Fussel's "class x" but lacking the pretense that upper middle or upper class are necessarily something to aspire to, certainly something that due to money can only be achieved as fakery, pretense and social satire. If you aren't wealthy, you aren't and further why would you want to convince the world you are? That's just shallow. Further still, if you have money of any consequence, why would you want anyone to know? That's just asking for trouble to go with your weak ego seeking external validation.
Barefoot gentry is term for a cultural subset, not read as counter culture but more a quiet escape. Mainstream culture is useful, it can even be hacked. That just sounds fun right? Culture hacker should be a job title and it will at be some point. Barefoot conotates being too broke or too annoyed by the whole thing to wear shoes. What it means when paired with gentry is that a lack of shoes doesn't preclude a lack of class, sophistication or education.
I like a pair of hand made Italian shoes as much as the next guy but why I do or don't wear them is none of anyone's business but my own and if someone wants to judge my worth based on my shoes they can take a long walk on a short pier. This also comes back to the idea that there's more than one way to skin a cat or acquire a pair of shoes. The only thing worse than someone flaunting wealth is someone without it overtly pretending they do.
While working for a .com that shall remain nameless I had a boss that was arguably well heeled. One of the funniest things he did was insist the entire staff go barefoot any time corporate types, "suits", were in our space unless we were doing something too dangerous for bare feet. He wanted to send a message, "this isn't about the money."
The Barefoot Gentry concept is focused on making choices and living well on any budget by being clever and learning how to do while cultivating the enjoyment of things that can be had on any budget if you spend your money right or simply figure out how to work the system we call society.
Just because you don't have $100 to eat out doesn't mean you can't eat well. Which is better, a $50 garage sale bike that was top of the line 40 years ago or a $600 bike new from the bike shop and does it matter if they both work? Which is classier, a used Volvo 240 or a new Honda Civic? Who knows? It's up to you to decide. Maybe what you care about is luxury so you buy an older luxury car, a picnic basket and a bottle of decent wine. Maybe you just want reliability. Or maybe you don't care what you drive as long as you've got enough cash for museum memberships and symphony tickets.
It's about smart, value laden choices that get you what you want out of life when just spending money isn't your thing and maybe isn't an option.

eBay watch bargains

Lots of style writers comment on investment grade watches. More comment on budget watches that are often in the $100+ category but what if you want that hip Bell & Ross, Rolex or Omega and just don't have anywhere near the budget? Maybe you can't see the sense in spending thousands on a watch when a Timex or your cell phone tell time just as well. 

Enter true bargain watches, watches under $50 that still look great. If money didn't matter I'd have a collection of awesome watches and price would be my last concern. I'm an admitted watch geek. I like talk of complications, calibers and movements. I've also been known to take my watches apart and modify them. Sometimes a simple parts swap can give you the look of a watch that costs tens of times more. 

I'll save modification for another post but without the need for parts, geeky knowledge and specialist tools, here are a couple that look great that anyone who can afford a watch can lay hands on. 

The first resembles a great looking Bell & Ross Welder or Flight Deck. It's not a copy but it's an ok homage. The company, Infantry, is out of China and has made good looking budget watches specically for the customer who likes the style but doesn't want to spend $3500 on a time piece. I think I paid $9 for the one pictured. Other than not being water resistant, it's kept good time and gets compliments. 

Another is this attractive Watch by ASJ. An obvious homage to the Bell & Ross Aero family. This one came it at around $20 and claims to be water resistant to 30m. At that price I did risk showering and some pool time. So far it's held up great. 

For $10-$15 you can usually find replacement straps for these watches. I'm a fan of orange silicone and striped cloth NATO straps. In many, or most, cases, these after market bands far exceed the quality of the ones the watches ship with. 

These are just two examples of how money doesn't have to be a barrier to owning a cool looking watch. There are countless others from $15 vintage Seiko 5 automatics to $25 Timex Weekenders, both of which look great without being an homage to anything.