Just Done With A Project That Resulted In Two...

[bobm12]

I had this project to build a watch based on the ETA 6498-1 or UT 6498 (or the 97 variant)...It happened that I sourced a Chinese 6497 and had from a previous purchase a UT 6498...The logical outcome:

 

 

 

 

[Don]

Love 'em both, Bob. Especially the Panerai. :bow:

 

Where do you get those movement covers?

[Geo]

I'm with Don here, they both look great. That's very nice work Bob!

[Lawson]

Sweet stuff mate.  Love the super wide display backs too.

[bobm12]

Thank you for the nice words guys! Much appreciated! You guys rock! Geo, coming from you that's high praise, I've seen your restorations here and they are quite at another level!

 

Yes, Lawson, the exhibition back is really something, isn't it?. It is an easy and real nice movement to work on ( and big) but with details during assembly that makes it interesting!

 

Also, the cases came well protected and with a plastic protector on both crystals (so Don, I didn't have to source them at all but I believe Esslinger has some)...which I forgot to remove to take the pictures for all but 2 of them pictures! :(

 

The plastic parts box in the picture, which I got from either ofrei or esslinger, -- can't remember which -- contains one more 6498 I nabbed from the bay. At this time, it has been cleaned and re assembled and is ticking away happily in a provisional plastic container waiting for its future "home". This one, being "silver" colored, might need a new blue set of screws but I'm still thinking about it.

 

So, in brief, the Swiss movement in the yellow case (ebay) was restored and serviced. I replaced the crown and ratchet wheels (rusty and damaged), also replaced the original screws with blue ones, lost one part of the mainspring barrel and was forced to order a complete barrel replacement from ofrei (peace of mind) and finally straightened the hairspring as per mark's videos. The band I had it around (new) from a big Chinese watch I never used but looks the part. So far it is keeping excellent time and will time graph soon.

 

The other one, I had somewhere a -- maybe fake? -- panerai dial, sourced the movement (new 6497 equivalent) and both the case and wristband from the bay and voila!

 

On both cases the hands were from ofrei. Took me a while to decide about what to choose.

 

So, today I'm wearing the yellow one to work!

Edited October 6, 2014 by bobm12

[Don]

Thanks Bob. I found the parts trays on ofrei.

 

Great selections for the hands and the blued screws are a great touch.

[bobm12]

Thank you Don! I'm glad you found them. Normally, ofrei has better prices by not much in many things but it is not too user friendly to find stuff in their site. On the other hand, they are great people though and if in doubt you can always call or email them. You even get Bob Frei to take care of you personally and he has a vast knowledge and many a solution for any watch problem.

[remadepreacher]

Bob, you mention replacing the screws with blued ones (can't tell much from the pictures). Two questions: are they nicely finished and where did you find them?

[jdm]

3 hours ago, remadepreacher said:

Bob, you mention replacing the screws with blued ones (can't tell much from the pictures). Two questions: are they nicely finished and where did you find them?

Bob hasn't posted in a very long time, and nobody knows why.

[remadepreacher]

Thanks, jdm.

[bobo383]

Nice work! I have a similar pair but the Asian ST36/6497 is giving me fits. Keep breaking the set lever screw - the one you have to loosen to remove the stem. Time for movement #3, unless I can find a suitable set lever screw. The genuine 6498 is so good I’m thinking of ditching the Chinese 6497 copy for a real one. Anyway your pics inspired me to keep going!



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[yankeedog]

Very  nice.