404 Club

[Neverenoughwatches]

1 hour ago, AndyHull said:

Clearly a bit of effort was made with the finishing of the movement.

They look like light abraded ? Geneva stripes . 

[AndyHull]

Some of the 404 clubs Casio members.

I fitted a fresh battery to the AW-90H-9EVEF (which appears to be a current Casio model), and off it went.

I must say, it is without doubt the most awkward thing I've changed a battery in, in recent years. The module is clipped together with a weird plastic sprung frame, which also operates the flimsy metal springs of the pushers. Very fiddly and no doubt prone to breaking. 

Removing and re-fitting the strap was also a bit of a faff, as the spring bars refused to re-seat in the holes in the plastic case, requiring quite a bit of finagling to get them in. It also lacks an LCD backlight or lume, which is in my opinion a serious omission.

I guess it, like everything else in the world today is engineered to a low price, with little thought to things like serviceability. Come on Casio, we expect better!

Otherwise it is quite a good looking little watch.

Edited March 28, 2023 by AndyHull

[rehajm]

Okay after some accounting I think this one just makes it but I need to post before the exchange rate shifts away from my favor. Part of a bag o' rescue watches it was still ticking when I opened the box. Maybe something good inside? Yup- an AS 1187 gummed up with whale oil. A quick bath is all the movement needed. New lume, crystal and an Amazon special leather strap and it's ready as a gift to some random someone...

There are always a few Dorlin branded junkers on US EBay but I don't know much about them. Maybe a jeweler special from Florida? If anyone has additional info...

 

 

Edited March 28, 2023 by rehajm

[Neverenoughwatches]

1 hour ago, AndyHull said:

Some of the 404 clubs Casio members.

I fitted a fresh battery to the AW-90H-9EVEF (which appears to be a current Casio model), and off it went.

I must say, it is without doubt the most awkward thing I've changed a battery in, in recent years. The module is clipped together with a weird plastic sprung frame, which also operates the flimsy metal springs of the pushers. Very fiddly and no doubt prone to breaking. 

Removing and re-fitting the strap was also a bit of a faff, as the spring bars refused to re-seat in the holes in the plastic case, requiring quite a bit of finagling to get them in. It also lacks an LCD backlight or lume, which is in my opinion a serious omission.

I guess it, like everything else in the world today is engineered to a low price, with little thought to things like serviceability. Come on Casio, we expect better!

Otherwise it is quite a good looking little watch.

A few F.91Ws in there Andy. I had to have one myself being the most sold watch of all time. Not always for good reasons .

14 minutes ago, rehajm said:

Okay after some accounting I think this one just makes it but I need to post before the exchange rate shifts away from my favor. Part of a bag o' rescue watches it was still ticking when I opened the box. Maybe something good inside? Yup- an AS 1187 gummed up with whale oil. A quick bath is all the movement needed. New lume, crystal and an Amazon special leather strap and it's ready as a gift to some random someone...

There are always a few Dorlin branded junkers on US EBay but I don't know much about it than that. Maybe a jeweler special from Florida? If anyone has additional info...

The Certina caseback doesn't belong there does it. There seems to be a lot going on there. AS movement , Dorlin brand imported with the jeweler's name stamped on the train bridge ( is that an import code on the balance cock ? ) and a Certina case back. 

[rehajm]

31 minutes ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

The Certina caseback doesn't belong there does it. There seems to be a lot going on there. AS movement , Dorlin brand imported with the jeweler's name stamped on the train bridge ( is that an import code on the balance cock ? ) and a Certina case back.

GYQ on the balance (above all the scratches)...and it gets worse, here's the outer case back. Gulf Wholesale Jewelers were maybe some kind of Dr. Frankenwatch society...

[kxxchoke]

On 3/26/2023 at 5:14 AM, RichardHarris123 said:

It's cleaned up very well.  Are you on with your next? Pictures please. 

It's sitting in the box as far as the watch i made a thread about, i haven't had the time to ship it off. If I ordered the one or two tools/ materials i need i'd more likely take it apart and fix it myself but I was sadly disappointed to hear that it's easier to go from the bottom/back to get to the other side of the watch. I'm very hesitant to remove the movements as I'm not sure what all that entails and if i mess something up I'm not sure I have the right tools for that. Most of my watch tools are beginner level stuff and second purpose elextronics tool kits hahah. As far as the next watch, I'd like one of the omega x swatch collabs just for funsies but I definitely wont pay double for one from a resaler. Other than that most of the watches i want are far out of my price range for about two to three months.

6 hours ago, AndyHull said:

Some of the 404 clubs Casio members.

I fitted a fresh battery to the AW-90H-9EVEF (which appears to be a current Casio model), and off it went.

I must say, it is without doubt the most awkward thing I've changed a battery in, in recent years. The module is clipped together with a weird plastic sprung frame, which also operates the flimsy metal springs of the pushers. Very fiddly and no doubt prone to breaking. 

Removing and re-fitting the strap was also a bit of a faff, as the spring bars refused to re-seat in the holes in the plastic case, requiring quite a bit of finagling to get them in. It also lacks an LCD backlight or lume, which is in my opinion a serious omission.

I guess it, like everything else in the world today is engineered to a low price, with little thought to things like serviceability. Come on Casio, we expect better!

Otherwise it is quite a good looking little watch.

Out of curiosity and adoration of the anecdote do you know what helps to continue this being one of the most popular watches of all time (very well could be a slightly different version) but a variation of these is the only watch that has been sold in american prison systems for i believe over three decades. 

[Neverenoughwatches]

7 hours ago, rehajm said:

GYQ on the balance (above all the scratches)...and it gets worse, here's the outer case back. Gulf Wholesale Jewelers were maybe some kind of Dr. Frankenwatch society...

There are a few past us  jewellers listed with that name, cant trace the import code though. The Certina back is confusing me.

[AndyHull]

3 hours ago, kxxchoke said:

but a variation of these is the only watch that has been sold in american prison systems for i believe over three decades. 

I didn't know that.

I had heard that the mechanism had been pressed in to service by various nefarious organisations as a timer for IEDs. Ca(sio)boom!! if you will.

"Its ubiquitous use in the construction of timers for terrorist bombs prompted US officials to view the wearing of these watches as a "sign of al-Qaeda"."  (Wikipedia).

The ubiquitous little Casio F-91W is so popular it even has its own Wikipedia page.
 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casio_F-91W

[Neverenoughwatches]

3 hours ago, kxxchoke said:

As far as the next watch, I'd like one of the omega x swatch collabs just for funsies but I definitely wont pay double for one from a resaler.

I wouldn't pay half for one tbh, I've seen one taken apart. Complete garbage and also swatch

[tomh207]

5 hours ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

I wouldn't pay half for one tbh, I've seen one taken apart. Complete garbage and also swatch

Better off with the pagani design copy, far better watch with a decent movement and metal case, sapphire crystal and I think sapphire bezel too. All for the princely sum of £60 summat in the current Aliexpress sale.

 

Tom

P.S. I also have seen no reports of the pushers falling off the pagani, unlike the swatch offerings.

[spectre6000]

2 hours ago, tomh207 said:

Better off with the pagani design copy, far better watch with a decent movement and metal case, sapphire crystal and I think sapphire bezel too. All for the princely sum of £60 summat in the current Aliexpress sale.

 

Tom

P.S. I also have seen no reports of the pushers falling off the pagani, unlike the swatch offerings.

Link?

[tomh207]

7 minutes ago, spectre6000 said:

Link?

Several options there for £65.

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003432424579.html

 

Tom

[GuyMontag]

It's not £65, but I picked up one of these and I'm surprised at how good the quality is for the price. I put it on a custom rally strap:

 

[AndyHull]

I've had one of these sitting in my Ali Express shopping trolley for a while.

I keep thinking should I pull the trigger.. Now I'm wondering if the one you picked up is a better deal.
I was also tempted by a couple of blue dialled versions and various other "Seagull Polit Chronograph Wristwatch ST1901" variants.
Its not a huge spend, and I'm sure I'd enjoy wearing it, but the choice anxiety has me trapped... Which one?

 

I know the quality is not perhaps up to the original standards of the Swiss Venus 175 family, but from what I've seen, its not too bad either. They certainly look the part. Some even have a swan necked regulator of some sort.
I'm tempted, and besides when is a Venus 175 going to show up at 404 club prices?

Edited March 29, 2023 by AndyHull

[tomh207]

1 minute ago, AndyHull said:

I've had one of these sitting in my Ali Express shopping trolley for a while.

I keep thinking should I pull the trigger.. Now I'm wondering if the one you picked up is a better deal.
There are a couple of blue dialled versions and various other "Seagull Polit Chronograph Wristwatch ST1901" variants.
Its not a huge spend, and I'm sure I'd enjoy wearing it, but the choice anxiety has me trapped... Which one?

 

I know the quality is not perhaps up to the original standards of the Swiss Venus 175 family, but from what I've seen, its not too bad either. They certainly look the part.
I'm tempted, and besides when is a Venus 175 going to show up at 404 club prices?

From what I’ve seen Andy, if you can get a genuine sea-gull 1963 you’re fine, . They are more expensive but the quality is so much better’s. It’s kinda funny how they seem to make clones of clones. As with nature it gets worse the further away from the source DNA. Buyer beware!

 

Tom

[RichardHarris123]

Caveat emptor indeed, personally I keep away from all the Chinese movements. 

[AndyHull]

4 minutes ago, tomh207 said:

From what I’ve seen Andy, if you can get a genuine sea-gull 1963 you’re fine, . They are more expensive but the quality is so much better’s. It’s kinda funny how they seem to make clones of clones. As with nature it gets worse the further away from the source DNA. Buyer beware!

The other issue is that there seem to be a huge number of people selling these, and a huge number of variations, even with individual sellers.  So with/without sapphire, with/without swan necked regulator, with/without exhibition case back, lots of dials and dial variations and so forth. There are even quartz versions that superficially look pretty much identical.  As you say, buyer beware.

8 minutes ago, RichardHarris123 said:

personally I keep away from all the Chinese movements

It is a bit of a minefield. There are some Chinese movements that are excellent, and some that are absolute garbage. Some obviously have proper QA and high finishing standards, and some have factory fitted thumb prints,  wonky balances and perhaps even some of the case fitters lunch in them from the get go.

[GuyMontag]

I'm pretty sure that I've seen people comment on the swan neck regulator saying that it is purely decorative and that it doesn't actually work. I'm  not positive, but for some reason I *think* that I saw that in some comments.

[tomh207]

9 minutes ago, GuyMontag said:

I'm pretty sure that I've seen people comment on the swan neck regulator saying that it is purely decorative and that it doesn't actually work. I'm  not positive, but for some reason I *think* that I saw that in some comments.

Yeah, unfortunately anything out of china you have to take description with an oz of salt at best.

 

Tom

[AndyHull]

21 minutes ago, GuyMontag said:

I'm pretty sure that I've seen people comment on the swan neck regulator saying that it is purely decorative and that it doesn't actually work. I'm  not positive, but for some reason I *think* that I saw that in some comments.

That is a distinct possibility. In fact there may be some where it is real and some where it is fake, and therein lies the problem. How do you sort out the wheat from the chaff?

10 minutes ago, tomh207 said:

Yeah, unfortunately anything out of china you have to take description with an oz of salt at best.

 

Tom

True to some extent. Low cost export items from random sellers particularly. Don't forget however that China also produces a huge amount of quality stuff too (and the iPhone ).
I guess you could try to make sense of the Ali Express reviews, but that system is so broken that all the hookey sellers have 5 star ratings anyway.

I was also tempted to buy a movement and a separate dial, case hands etc, but that actually works out more expensive than buying a fully assembled watch.

 

Edited March 29, 2023 by AndyHull

[AndyHull]

 

I picked up this little Tavannes mechanism with dial for 0.99p

Tavannes produced Ébauche and complete movements and other parts for many high end manufacturers including Pateke Philppe, Hermes, Zenith, Jaeger LeCoultre amongst others. They also produced a lot of the numeric command machines (Tavannes machines) for the watch industry.

I'll be interested to see if i can improve that dial with a little carefully applied white vinegar.

[RichardHarris123]

2 minutes ago, AndyHull said:

 

I picked up this little Tavannes mechanism with dial for 0.99p

Tavannes produced Ébauche and complete movements and other parts for many high end manufacturers including Pateke Philppe, Hermes, Zenith, Jaeger LeCoultre amongst others. They also produced a lot of the numeric command machines (Tavannes machines) for the watch industry.

I'll be interested to see if i can improve that dial with a little carefully applied white vinegar.

You couldn't make it any worse.  Hehe. 

[AndyHull]

It is missing a few key components.. like perhaps a case, half a strap, a winder and crown, but it does have a crystal.. of some sort.

Edited April 1, 2023 by AndyHull

[AndyHull]

 

Today, more fun with junk.

 

 

In this case, its a reverse quartz conversion.

 

I picked up the little quartz pocket watch for 99p because I thought the fake mechanical movement was was worth a few pictures. I mean these things are a cheap as chips anyway, so why make a fake skeleton mechanical version of what is pretty much the cheapest mechanical watch still in production. However, someone, somewhere felt it worth the effort, so fake cheap quartz ersatz skeleton mechanical watches are a thing. I guess you could argue that they are more accurate and reliable than the real thing,  but then so is a Casio F91W, so if you want accurate then perhaps it might make more sense to buy a "proper" quartz watch.

 

Anyway, I digress. When it arrived, I noticed that the movement insert appeared to be "convertible" to a real.. cheap Chinese skeletonized mechanical movement, and since I have a couple of those lying about, I decided to give it a try.

 

 

What more can I say. Five minutes with a scalpel and some sandpaper and the movement holder was converted.

The stem from the original mechanism fitted the extended crown tube from the quartz version perfectly, so there wasn't even any faffing about. It just worked. So now I have another skeletonized Chinese movement mechanical watch for 99p plus whatever the donor cost (probably also 99p). Its interesting to see that these things are so "boiler plate" in their construction that you can do this.

 

It winds, sets, runs, and the button on the crown operates the front cover perfectly.

Edited April 1, 2023 by AndyHull

[GuyMontag]

It certainly looks nice,  a lot better than what you would expect for 99p!