Bike Mike

How are you guys? Just wanted to stop in and see how everyone was doing. Unfortunately I have been away for some time getting bounced all over the World for the past year-and-a-half, leaving me zero time for life in general. Things are starting to settle back down, which I am hoping is going to give me some more time to spend at my watch bench and in the forum. Not to mention pick up a few new reps. Hope everyone is doing well! Apologies for not getting back to any PM’s. Cheer, BM

1800 Coleccion with undertones of strippers is how I like to smell.

+1...They were not thinking!

Given how long the A7753 has been out...I would venture to say it is not likely as one would think we would have seen it already.

They did...The new Explorer was designed at the time when Ford still owned JLA. The lead designer stayed with JLA when Ford sold them. Ever notice why some of the new Jaguars look like AM's? Same reason, they were all under the same roof.

+1! Even though I do not have a PD watch (I have wanted one), I love their products. I own just about everything cigar related they make. Their luggage alone has much engineering to them as their cars. Their watches would be more appealing I think, if they would engineer their own movements and not use a off the shelf ETA. Anyone that hates Porsche has never driven one or did not know how to drive one. About 2 cars come to mind, that can compete with a Porsche on a track...of course the street is a different story.

Typically I am a vodka drinker...Polish Potato Vodka. Lately I have gotten back into Tequilas. Enjoyed a glass of this the other night. Phenomenal! It just evaporates off your tongue.

This is what happens when the designer of the Ford Explorer goes LR...they take their styling with them.

Have you tried looking for a local watchmaker in your area? You might find one that will work on your reps..some are pickier then others. They may only work on ETA based reps and not touch the Asian movements. Never hurts to ask some times.

I have seen a couple of reps come across my bench recently that were sold as ETA 2824/2836, they were not, however they were not clones either....They were both Sellita SW200's. As the ETA's are drying up the dealers seem to be going to Selletia movements, so they can say the movement is "Swiss" even though it is not a ETA.

As always Z great write up. Just a shame, as this mod is so easy to do correctly if the modder knows what they are doing. Just goes to show, saving time when working on a watch, almost always directly translates into a premature failure.

This is a Valjoux 7736 movement used by Breitling for this and other models. Love to get my hands on one of these for a overhaul! Beautiful!

Gen...rep subdials do not reflect like that...perfect linear sunbursts from center.

The bracelet is wrong as well. No removable links to size and mesh is too fine.

Z, this is awesome! Thanks for sharing! Would love to do more lathe work like this...most I have done other then making some screws is a balance staff for a pocket watch...I just don't feel comfortable without a cross-slide. My buddy turns down clock parts all day by hand and has a great feel for it. Coming from working on full size lathes, I just can't get over having my hands on the dials for precision level of control.