Hi Jeff, I too was a little shocked but not that much.
I used to have a nice Eterna-matic with the same style, called "Airforce II": retro / military style, just time and date, no chrono functions. I had to save my pocket money over several months and it became my first 'serious' watch (i.e. other than Swatch and the like and with mechanical rather than quartz movement). I was immensely proud of it and very content for quite a few years: that is, until I started craving for a Speedmaster Moonwatch. Then it was the Carrera Re-edition and then and then...you all can imagine very well.

So now anyway you have the 'good digital watch' against which you can assess precision of the mechanical newcomers, as you and Chuck recommended in Collecting 110 'How to Buy a Watch' part 2!

Cheers,

Fabrizio