Ball watches have been really popular that last few years ago and are probably the nicest watches (at least from a price perspective) to feature tritium gas tubes in their watches. All of their watches feature the wonder lume, that is made exclusively by MB Microtec in Switzerland. They are small tubes filled with (safe) radioactive material. Ball watches probably makes the best use out of them versus other companies I know to use the luminant. The best part is that they don't need any light to charge and glow for like 25 years.
I am not going to go into much detail when talking about these watches as there are too many of them, and you can get lots of little details about each watch from Ball directly. Careful though. You might be drawn to tears! Last time I was at their site they started playing Amazing Grace. So I saw these watches last June in Las Vegas at the JCK show. These are my favorite of the Ball watches that I was able to see there. Overall these are some very nice watches for the money. Lots of functionality and good solid looks without a lot of fuss.
The first watch you see above you is one of their existing models, but I really like it. Especially with the easier to read white dial. It is the Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon Chronograph Trieste watch. It has a Swiss Valjoux 7750 movement, lots of tritium gas tubes, many looks, and their special flip-lever crown guard. This Trieste edition is limited, and is a mix of steel and titanium parts. It also comes with a rubber strap and is $3,599. The non limited edition version (doesn't have the cool picture at the seconds subdial is about $2,999. Really a unique and cool looking watch. Not super wide, even though it is tall.
The above two watches are from the new Ball Engineer Master II Aviator line. With the standard (day date) and GMT models for you to check out. The each have Swiss ETA automatic movements and are nice and large sized. I love the massive lume indexes and the clear, iconic aviator style dials and hands. Ball even did a nice job with the pilot watch style strap with button in it. I really like the Ball signature "RR" (for railroad) logo that is used as the counterweight on the seconds hand. Nice quality watches that feel meant for professional as opposed to formal wear. Priced about $1,600 - $1,900 and new for 2009.
This looks like one of Ball's aviator watches, but is actually the Ball Fireman Night Train watch. Nice colors with a aggressive facade, it has a dual time complication (also with an ETA automatic movement). The label of "universal military time" is written over the second timezone date window. This is one of the several Ball watches to have a DLC (diamond like carbon) coated case - which makes it very durable. The watch is 43mm wide and has that nice black calf leather strap with orange stitching. About $1,800 as shown.
This is another cool DLC coated watch. It is one of their diver watches and is the Ball Engineer Master II Diver GMT watch. The dial is black with gold tones - and lots of gas tubes! There is a large internal rotating bezel and the central dial is for the GMT hand. The case is 42mm wide and comfortable on your wrist with the textured rubber strap. If you don't like the gold face, there is also a white on black version available. A true diver with 300 meters of water resistance and again an automatic movement. Price for this new model is about $2,500.
This moon phase watch was one of my favorites. There was something very appealing in the simple charms of this watch that combines the classic touch of a moon phase indicator with the technical touch of Ball watches. This watch is more formal than the other watches though. A nice rounded case and textured dial make good to frame the large centrally located moon phase indicator. Look closely and you'll see all the little gas tubes that are part of the moon. It comes with the white dial or black. The steel case is 40mm wide and is also available with a steel bracelet in addition to the calf leather strap. Priced at about $1,600 - $1,700.
This is one of Ball's newly overhauled watch designs for 2009. It is the new Ball Fireman Automatic watch and starts at just $999 ($1,099 on the steel bracelet). It has a few dial tones and is a handsome watch with a few types of styles in the design. Some pilot watch, some diver watch, and even a little Eterna Kontiki thrown in there. The five dial color accents available are brown, yellow, red, green, and white. Each has a leather strap with the sides that match the dial color (but the white dial has blue on the strap, as seen above). Ball calls it a nice entry level mechanical watch and I am inclined to agree.
This is one my my favorite classically styled Ball watches. It is called the Trainmaster Cleveland Express Dual Time. The Trainmaster line of watches are Ball's most expensive with there being two 18k gold version that go up to about $13,000. The pictured watch retails at $3,100. One of the best features about the watch are the applied blued steel Arabic numerals that look so nice. The automatic movement has been decorated and has been COSC Chronometer certified. The watch is handsome without being showy and good for those who like a nice conservative watch with lots of historical reference.
So there you have it. Some nice pictures of some nice watches - especially if you've been interested in Ball watches and wanted to see them live (sort of).
See Ball watches on eBay here.
See Ball watches on Amazon here.
 Ball Trainmaster Official Rail Road 25 Jewels w/ Boxes  US $405.00
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 Latest 2009 New BALL Fireman NM2090C-LJ-BKGR watch US $659.00
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 Ball Fireman 2 - Green - 43mm - SUPERB!! US $649.99
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 Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon Classic GMT, CASE ONLY! US $.01
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 Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon Classic GMT SS Bracelet!! US $1.25
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 Ball Fireman II black dial yellow trimming, New in box! US $625.00
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I recently bought my first Ball watch, the B&O First Mile limited production model. I wasn’t planning to purchase it, but the solid build quality and the great design won me over very quickly. My wife wears a Ball Trainmaster 60 Seconds, which quickly became her favorite watch.
I was so enamored with the quality of the Ball watches that I bought an Engineer Hydrocarbon Titanium, which is perhaps the most solid watch I have ever worn. The watch feels indestructible.
I am looking forward to their newest Hydrocarbon model, the Spacemaster, which will be available in a few weeks.
For those unfamliar with the quality of Ball watches, I highly recommend finding a local dealer and trying them out!
It must be the pictures but to me these watches look pretty shabby for the several thousand dollar price range. For instance look at the quality of the polishing and brushing of the bezel and metal bracelet.
Anyway, I’ve never seen one in real life so they might well be good quality.
Erwin,
The finish on these watches is actually quite nice. The brushed finishes are very fine on both the cases and the bracelets. Many models use a combination of brushed and polished finishes.
I agree that the pictures don’t portray the watches in the greatest light. They look like they’ve been heavily handled and at least 2 of the pictures show the watches with the protective plastic still present.
Yup, Ball watches are pretty nice, and you always feel that you are getting enough for what you paid.
Erwin,
It is just the images. There are finger prints, and the models have been handled a lot. I took the images quickly in passing. Just a brief view of the watches – I wouldn’t have posted them if the watches themselves were shabby.
Erwin is about as wrong about the Ball watches as one could possibly be–even the pictures are not as bad as he suggests, but as others have suggested, the watches in hand are not just equal to the value of the prices they list at, they are actually worth about twice their asking price–truly one of the best buys of a quality watch at the present time. I have, as a watch repairer and collector, bought and sold more than 50 watches over the last two or three years (IWC, Rolex, Omega, Tag Heuer, Eterna,etc.). Ball watches stand up against any of the best, and in fact surpass most. Currently I own six(three Fireman, a Night Train, an Aviator, and a Master Engineer) All keep nearly perfect time, all are built to withstand the harshest treatment, and all are legible in virtually any situation, day or night. I just about wouldn’t even look at another brand these days.
Iteresting.
If I ever come accross one I’ll sure check it out to what they’re like in real life.
A quick note – the Night Train does not have a second time zone – it’s essentially a day/night indicator or 24-hour military time indicator. However, the Cleveland Express Dual Time does have second time zone.
And the Diver GMT is a simply fantastic watch. I picked one up about a month ago and I can’t keep it off my wrist!
Thanks for the clarification!
I was not familiar with Ball watches, but enjoyed your review. At the website, I was especially impressed by the pulsemeter complication. It was well done and combined with the wonder lume, I may have found my next watch.
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