Jorg Gray 6500 Commemorative

Pictures from the Presidential Watch Company

Presidential watch. We were a little bit less than interested when we wrote about this watch a year ago. I am not sure if I missed out on the details.

For over a decade, President Obama wore a TAG Heuer watch, until his Secret Service detail gave him a Jorg Gray 6500 Chronograph for his 46th birthday on August 4, 2007. The Jorg Gray 6500 Chronograph which the was given to President Obama was a watch specially manufactured for the US Secret Service store. The only thing special (at least as far as we know) about the Secret Service Version of the Jorg Gray 6500 Chronograph is has the logo of the United States Secret Service logo on the dial.

The watch started to appear in local stores in October 2009. I saw the displays doing my Christmas shopping and finally got around to looking at one up close a few hours ago and noticed that the watch was being sold as a "Commemorative Edition" which features an the engrave case back.


Each Commemorative Edition watch also has an individual laser etched number. The two samples I looked at tonight has series number exceeding the 300,000 mark. They have sold a LOT of these watches, especially when you consider that they also sell the same model without the engraved case back. It may be a small thing to some, but the engraved case back has me seriously considering buying this watch, when I year ago I pretty much dismissed it.

The watch on its own merits. The watch is a quartz chronograph available in 41mm and 34mm case diameters. So you have to accept for what it is. I have not purchased a quartz watch in almost twenty years, and never thought I would consider buying one again. But my preference for mechanical watches has nothing to do with their ability to tell time. If precision timekeeping is your goal, the average $80 quartz watch is much more accurate than even the most expensive mechanical watches. The quartz movement is a Miyota (subsidiary of Citizen) movement, specifically a Miyota Caliber OS-20 accurate to within 20 second a months. Basically, the watch will keep time well.

See: Time Precision: Quartz v. Mechanical

The rest of the watch is made in China. Examining the watch closely, I could not complain about the fit and finish of the case. The watch feels hefty enough, and that is because it has a stainless steel case. So it feels like a quality product. The biggest gripe you are likely to have about the build of the watch is that mineral crystal is used, rather than sapphire crystal. Acceptable for a watch that retails at about US$300 after discounts.

The watch also comes with a three year Limited Warranty.

While the Jorge Grey 6500 chronograph is available in many variants including a PVD version, the Commemorative Edition comes in stainless steel, or stainless steel plated in rose gold or bronze.

The silver stainless steel version is available with a black leather strap or stainless steel bracelet. The rose gold and bronze versions come with brown leather straps.

There is nothing spectacular about the watch, but for the asking price, I really cannot complain about it. The engraved case back really makes it something worthwhile getting. You do not often get to buy a part of contemporary piece history at this price.