Watch of Today

[mikepilk]

22 minutes ago, Endeavor said:

A seller on eBay had a bunch (10 or so) brand new Zodiac dials (with "red-dot") on offer, I think €25 each. Initially I thought that they were too expensive, but somehow I couldn't get the dial out of my head and bought it. At that time I had never heard of Zodiac and had no clue about the meaning of the "red-dot" either. Weeks later the dial arrived and it was actually very nice and clearly of very high quality. Perhaps one more? ....... Too late, all gone.

Did you find out why the red dot is there ?

I have a Seiko 5 just like the one you show above. They are simple, and cheap, but it's one of my favourite watches to wear. (But, oh those small diashock jewels , I'm going to leave them in next time I clean it)

[Endeavor]

5 minutes ago, mikepilk said:

Did you find out why the red dot is there ?

I didn't get any further than what I assume is a kind of commercial idea to make the watch more "recognizable". The red-dot" doesn't seem to have any function other than that.

As for the Seiko 5; the watch was bought from new and even thought I don't shy away from other brands and chronographs, Seiko's don't seems to have a great repair / parts reputation. Since I rotate watches, I think I'll let this one run until it doesn't and that could take a (much) longer time than what one may expect

 

[gbyleveldt]

1 hour ago, Endeavor said:

As for the Seiko 5; the watch was bought from new and even thought I don't shy away from other brands and chronographs, Seiko's don't seems to have a great repair / parts reputation. Since I rotate watches, I think I'll let this one run until it doesn't and that could take a (much) longer time than what one may expect

Well, that depends, but out of principle - being a Seiko fanboy - I'm going to disagree 

They're no less repairable than any other brand. In fact I'm working through a batch of 13 of them as we speak. Granted, I strip parts from donor movements (as that's cheaper than sourcing new parts) but they're so prolific that it's hardly an issue to get spares. It's a hell of a lot cheaper (and easier) than buying parts for swiss watches.

[Endeavor]

57 minutes ago, gbyleveldt said:

I'm going to disagree

I'm glad to read that !

So far I've been reading horror stories about getting specific Seiko parts due to the fact that there are so many flavors of movements. The Seiko 5 is therefor the only Seiko I own, just for the reasons described above.

But you may have a point, since there a 20 trillion of them sourcing parts may not be such a problem (?)

An interesting thought ..... !

Edited June 25, 2022 by Endeavor

[mikepilk]

3 minutes ago, Endeavor said:

I'm glad to read that !

So far I've been reading horror stories about getting specific Seiko parts due to the fact that there are so many flavors of movements. The Seiko 5 is therefor the only Seiko I own, just for the reasons described above.

But you may have a point, since there a 20 trillion of them sourcing parts may not be such a problem (?) An interesting thought .....

I agree with @gbyleveldt, I too am a fan of Seiko. They may not be the most elegant movements, but they are robust, cheap, and parts are usually easy to find.  (Usually ..... e.g date corrector wheels for LordMatics are rare as rocking horse poo. I made my own with some brass sheet and a file). The auto mechanism is so simple, but efficient - no sensitive reverser wheels.

Before trying my first chrono, I thought an intermediate step would be alarm watches - so I got two Seiko Bell-Matic. Great watches. Quite collectable,  I see the prices are rising.

[Endeavor]

Well, hearing this that may open a whole new avenue to me, or was I on a "my wives" controlled budget? 

[mikepilk]

56 minutes ago, Endeavor said:

Well, hearing this that may open a whole new avenue to me, or was I on a "my wives" controlled budget? 

I was going to ask your opinion of Seiko 6138,6139 chronographs (originally my first choice for a "learner" chrono), but I guess you haven't dismantled any ?

[Endeavor]

6 minutes ago, mikepilk said:

but I guess you haven't dismantled any ?

You guessed it 100% right !

So far I've stayed away from Seiko ......... but searching eBay as we speak

[gbyleveldt]

36 minutes ago, Endeavor said:

So far I've stayed away from Seiko ......... but searching eBay as we speak

Wonderful!! Just be prepared to be poor. Not because they expensive but that there’s so many of them that you’d want them all!

[Endeavor]

6 minutes ago, gbyleveldt said:

you’d want them all!

Are you kidding me? Clearly you haven't met my wife yet !

Edited June 25, 2022 by Endeavor

[gbyleveldt]

3 minutes ago, Endeavor said:

You haven't met my wife yet !

Now now, there are ways past that. We discussed it on the forum a few weeks back 

[Endeavor]

Yes, I use the "kitchen-door". That works fine until the moment that the postman knocks on it ......

Edited June 25, 2022 by Endeavor

[mikepilk]

5 minutes ago, Endeavor said:

You haven't met my wife yet !

I'm after a "Pogue" (the yellow dial one), but the prices keep rising. If you're wondering why "Pogue" :

As the story goes, during training for the Skylab 4 mission in 1973, NASA astronaut Colonel William Pogue used his 1971 Seiko 6139-6005 with a yellow dial to time various maneuvers and engine burns. While the Omega Speedmaster was the standard-issue watch for NASA astronauts at the time, Pogue didn’t receive his Speedmaster during training. When it came time to embark on the Skylab mission, both watches accompanied him into space: one as standard equipment; the other, a timepiece he knew and trusted. Thus, despite not being NASA-certified, the Seiko 6139 became the first automatic chronograph in space. This is how the watch earned its nickname, The Pogue. 

Also 6138 vs 6139 :

There are two primary calibers: the earlier 6139 introduced in 1969 (and produced until approximately 1977), and the 6138 introduced a year later in 1970. The difference between the two movements is that the 6139 only has a 30-minute chronograph register, and the 6138 has an additional 12-hour register. Both lack an active running seconds and in terms of specs, they beat at 21,600bph and have a power reserve of 45 hours. Both also have a day/date indicator. The 6139 has 17 jewels, and the 6139 has 21 (and 23 for some of the rarer Japanese domestic market variants like the 6138-8000). Both variants lack hacking and the 6139 does not hand wind. In terms of size, the 613X is 27mm in diameter and 7.2mm (6139)/7.9mm (6138) tall.

 

[Endeavor]

Interesting read ! Thank you for that !!

The only reasonable looking "Pogue" I could find right now: https://www.ebay.de/itm/304532764651?hash=item46e79137eb:g:R0gAAOSwcixirci-

Ends in 42 minutes ......... tick-tak, tick-tak ....

Edited June 26, 2022 by Endeavor

[Neverenoughwatches]

4 hours ago, Endeavor said:

Interesting read ! That you for that !!

The only reasonable looking "Pogue" I could find right now: https://www.ebay.de/itm/304532764651?hash=item46e79137eb:g:R0gAAOSwcixirci-

Ends in 42 minutes ......... tick-tak, tick-tak ....

A guy on gumtree was after swapping 2 nice ones for a used van ? Random ! about six months ago. He didnt want to sell for cash ? Again rather random ! I was tempted to go buy a crappy van for a couple of hundred quid. Nice watch, its on my list and i have been quite lucky just lately.  So Universe i know you are listening, i have a carboot tomorrow and i have been a very good boy this week

Edited June 25, 2022 by Neverenoughwatches

[VWatchie]

20 hours ago, Endeavor said:

A seller on eBay had a bunch (10 or so) brand new Zodiac dials (with "red-dot") on offer

Very nice dial, and watch! it piqued my curiosity and I found a nice article about it here:

https://wornandwound.com/zodiac-story-behind-curious-point-series/

[Endeavor]

@VWatchie; Glad we have curious members like you !!

Very interesting article and now I do understand more about the "red-dot" and why they are more sought after.

In the article it is said that the models came with Quarz- and Mechanical-movements, one example was shown with an ETA 7750. The dial I bought fitted the 2824-2 directly so one wonders if the 2824-2 was one of other mechanical movements used?

That the point-models were discontinued in 1998 means that the new dial I bought must have been a NOS left over .... lucky me !

Thanks for your input

[VWatchie]

About the Seikos. I've serviced two of them. Well, technically one, as the other was an Orient (my service walkthrough of it here). After this a swore never to touch any Seiko movements again. Although I'd really want to as they have so much going for them such as the magic lever and how the springs are integrated into the parts. IMO, superior engineering to the Swiss in many ways.

My objections are two; Firstly, the cap jewels for the third wheel and the escape wheel (at least the 7sxx movements). They are smaller than dust particles and just a pain to clean, oil, and replace.

Secondly, it seems impossible to find working mainspring replacements. I've tried several Generale Ressorts springs, a bunch of braking greases (including Kluber), and altering the bridle, but never succeeded. I always ended up reusing the original spring to get some sort of decent power reserve. Also, new barrel completes are far and few between and very expensive when eventually found.

I wish things were different as I really like the Seikos. I my opinion they make some of the most beautiful watches on the planet.

[Endeavor]

Today I'm wearing a "long wished" of mine, a (near-real) "Omega speedmaster date" and, obviously, it comes with a story

See the story below as a fairy tale, it never happened for real ! We aim to be lawful citizen

"Once upon a time there was a Swiss seller selling (very cheap compared to the chronometer grade ETA7750's) NOS Omega 1164 movements. The problem was that he was living in Switzerland, meaning that the movement would have become prohibitive expensive after paying all the compulsery EU-"dough". As it in fairy tales goes, he had a beautifull sister living in France 

With the movement secured, a high quality 7750 housing was found ...... but agian it was in Switzerland Prepared to pay the EU-"dough", it was sent. Perhaps with the aid of the Corona virus, the parcel went fairy-tale enough unnoticed through the various EU cash-in points "

Both new Speedmaster dial & original hands were sourced within the EU.

With a new original chronometer-grade Omega 1164, new Omega Speedmaster dial & hands and with a new high quality "close-to-the-real" housing, my long-wished Speedmaster-date was born;

It isn't the "real" Omega Speedmaster-date, but mine has a very accurately running Omega chronometer-grade 1164 movement whereas the real Speedmaster-date has a "normal-grade" Omega 1152 caliber.

For a fraction of the price it's good & close enough for me. I'm very happy with it !!

BTW, both Omega calibers, the 1152 and the 1164 are based upon the ETA 7750. Not sure what Omega does to an ETA 7750 apart from their own Ω stamp in the main-plate and oscilating weight?

 

Edited June 26, 2022 by Endeavor

[VWatchie]

4 minutes ago, Endeavor said:

See the story below as a fairy tale, it never happened in real ! We aim to be lawful citizen

The Watch Gods must be with you! I pray that someday they'll be with me too! 

[Endeavor]

5 minutes ago, VWatchie said:

I pray that someday they'll be with me too! 

Patience's & communication (with the right aim ) is the name of the game ..... obviously a healthy doses of luck doesn't harm either ! 

[gbyleveldt]

5 hours ago, VWatchie said:

My objections are two; Firstly, the cap jewels for the third wheel and the escape wheel (at least the 7sxx movements). They are smaller than dust particles and just a pain to clean, oil, and replace.

Nah man, they easy with an auto oiler. And I know you know how to wield an auto oiler in anger!

5 hours ago, VWatchie said:

Secondly, it seems impossible to find working mainspring replacements. I've tried several Generale Ressorts springs, a bunch of braking greases (including Kluber), and altering the bridle, but never succeeded. I always ended up reusing the original spring to get some sort of decent power reserve. Also, new barrel completes are far and few between and very expensive when eventually found.

Yeah, 7Sxx mainsprings are a pain. Top tip, the mainspring is the same as used in the barrels of the newer NH3x movements. So you can just buy the NH barrels complete for around £15 and strip their mainsprings for re-use in a 7Sxx barrel. A cheaper route might be just to buy complete 7Sxx based watches; I’ve picked up a whole bunch for around $10 each with perfectly usable mainsprings. Truth be told, I’ve had pretty good luck re-using the original mainsprings and only had to resort to harvesting where I broke mainsprings. And the reason they broke is because they’re a pain to wind in the mainspring winder because they’re a lot thinner in height that Swiss mainsprings. But using a #6 arbour in a #7 winder seems to be the trick for these.

[mikepilk]

7 hours ago, VWatchie said:

My objections are two; Firstly, the cap jewels for the third wheel and the escape wheel (at least the 7sxx movements). They are smaller than dust particles and just a pain to clean, oil, and replace.

As I mentioned above, those small diashock springs holding the cap jewels on the third and escape wheel are a nightmare.

The general consensus is to leave them in place for cleaning, then oil them through the hole. Unlike @gbyleveldt, I don't have an automatic oiler, so I use an old oiler sharpened to a point that I prod through the hole. It works fine.

I have managed to use GR mainsprings successfully, but now we have the above tip about NH3xx mainsprings from @gbyleveldt, I'll be doing that !

[VWatchie]

6 hours ago, gbyleveldt said:

Top tip, the mainspring is the same as used in the barrels of the newer NH3x movements.

That, is some seriously valuable information! Thanks! I will give the Seikos another chance now.

3 hours ago, mikepilk said:

The general consensus is to leave them in place for cleaning, then oil them through the hole. Unlike @gbyleveldt, I don't have an automatic oiler, so I use an old oiler sharpened to a point that I prod through the hole. It works fine.

I had no idea! Do they really get clean enough? This information definitely makes me inclined to try. Thanks! I have the Bergeon 1A automatic oiler (the size usually used to oil the balance cap jewels) but if I recollect correctly the needle is actually too wide for these minuscule Seiko cap jewels which made me invest in a Horotec Incabloc Oiler. An old oiler sharpened to a point should work equally well, but I guess I'm just crazy about tools 

EDIT: Here's my video review of the Bergeon 1A automatic oiler.

Edited June 26, 2022 by VWatchie

[Ashes]

Late to the party, but this is my first proper luxury Swiss timepiece that I've owned. Only picked this up last month.

An Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional Co-Axial Master Chronometer Chronograph 42mm (The sapphire sandwich version). I’m over the moon  (no pun intended) with it and wear it almost on a daily basis. 

I love the Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 3861 and the open exhibition style case back to see it in all it's glory.

Never, ever, ever going to even take the case back off this watch! Before any of you have thoughts of the horrors a newbie like me could cause this masterpiece of craftsmanship and engineering.