Francis Urquhart

Keep what you have and buy something totally different. Maybe simple, elegant, perhaps vintage. But it's your arm so get what you like.

A vintage Omega is a lovely choice, but will it survive until death do you part? Something new, or nearly new, might be more resilient as a long term reminder of when you tied the knot. And when it is your diamond wedding it will be vintage.

Ball, assuming you don't already have some other permutation of the common or garden diver. Jean Richard if you have but want something radical. But it looks like a child's toy to me.

One application of a bit of leather dye from a car upholstery repair kit later... I am much happier with this. Thanks all.

I've been lusting after one for a good few years but never seen a good steel one anywhere close to £400. Even three times that seems to be a very competitive price. But they are beautiful, in limited supply,and a classic, so I suspect prices will tend only to increase (especially as the fashion for oversized watches seems to be waning).

Depends on what you get up to, but a Reverso would be on my list for a nice non-Rolex that could be worn on any occasion. Maybe not so much if you are a plasterer, or deep sea diver, even in its reversed mode.

The one I got for my 18th birthday.

I got one a while back which I gave to my son (hence the old photo) and whilst it is undoubtedly a bit of a lump and somewhat 'loud', I liked it very much.

Thanks all. Confirms my view that the strap doesn't work. On the plus side side it was very cheap on the Watch Gecko sale, so I have not lost much, but it proves again the old adage of 'buy cheap, buy twice'. I have a daughter. That's my excuse and I'll be sticking to it. Grey shoes would of course be worse.

After the regrettable loss of my last strap in the microwave (as below) I have replaced what had been brown leather with blue. I like the colour, but am not so convinced by the contrast stitching. Half of me is tempted to get out the blue felt tip pen or navy shoe polish and make the stitching match, but the other half thinks I'll get used to it. What do you think about the contrast stitching?

It is a dress watch. I did buy the watch on a bracelet but it looks a bit more elegant to my mind on leather. The bracelet is a tad blingy.

To be fair, the smell of slightly stale sweat did go. Or at least was outweighed by the smell of burnt plastic. Has anyone tried the freezer trick with more success? Less likely to lead to catastrophic failure, I should think. Although I find it hard to see how it would kill the bacteria either.

Yes, I did.

After reading a tip about putting watch straps in the freezer overnight to kill the bacteria that cause an unpleasant odour, particularly in these warm and humid days, I thought a blast in the microwave might be effective. It wasn't a success by any means. And I had to clean the glue off the microwave. Bugger. Time for a new strap.

It is horribly tacky. As an Oxford graduate I might wear a college tie but never a university one. University stuff is only for freshers or tourists.