pr0digy30

For the ETAs... definitely stem in the last (time setting position)... caused myself much grief last week when I failed to pull it all the way out and had to go in pull everything apart to fix the keyless.

Probably need JMB to mill you a new retaining ring.

I've already started sanding down the bezel... though I don't think I've reduced it that much. As it stands now here are the measurements: Crystal on case: 30.40 mm OD Bezel: Now at 30.10 ID For a "drop on fit" 0.30mm needs to be removed from the bezel, but of course we don't want it that loose, it should take some pressure to put and stay on. Clark crystal is 0.6mm in width. So you'd basically have to remove 1/4 of the OD thickness at the bottom of the crystal... too thin in my opinion. I'd sooner have a properly fitted bezel rather than a too-thin crystal. Not that I plan on swimming with it... but you never know when one might fall into the drink. Maybe JMB can chime in on this on how much I need to go down on the bezel.

Thanks for the advice... boring a pair of calipers tomorrow to find out how much more I need to go. Well not perhaps not much more, but let me know how much is actually coming off.

So I've sanded the bezel down a bit with some low grit sandpaper.... tried heating the bezel & freezing the case, tried silicone grease on both... and I still can't get the bezel to sit down fully (even after almost putting my full weight onto it in a crystal press). For those who have succeeded in putting a Clark on this case... did you have to take a lot off the bezel's inner diameter? I don't really want to sand the bottom edge of the crystal... I'll definitely slip up and score the area that will be visible.

The problem I have with bleaching... is that it leaves the surface optically dead (atleast in my one experiment). If a bezel insert can really get bleached by time and sunlight, swimming in chlorine... it should still have some gloss to it I would think. After I bleached by 5517 insert, I hit it with a couple coats of a satin spray, should have really used semi-gloss. Not only did it darken it a tad to a more natural look, but added protection... after bleaching you could probably scrape the rest of the paint off with your fingernail.

Wow... a real cool dude, he's my new hero from now on!

Flex... thanks. Looks like there was some overlay between the two movements.... but as my quick Google told me, it seems most if not all of the 1655's did indeed hack. *sigh* I'm wondering if it's worth the work. I'll semi-comfortable with working with movements, but have never down a complete tear-down/rebuild... looks like putting a hacking lever in would take a work... getting it in is on the "delicate side" of the movement.

Yeah I still have one of the GMT parts off the original 2836... one of them broke, so now the 24 hour stays fixed (like the gen). How can I convert the 2846 to hack? EDIT: Found it.. Part 9433.

Have a Josh 1655 that I muffed up the ETA 2836 on it (dunno why I order it in the first place, should have gone for the 21J). Now I want to re-assemble it... should I just put a repaired 2836 (hackable) or a low-beat 2846 (doesn't hackg). AFAIK, the 1655 used a low-beat with hacking (forgot the caliber number). Which movement would be the better choice (I'll assume it to to 2846)?

The wokkiness issue reminds me of MBWs... they made a great case that accepted gen parts with ease, then they tried to cheap out with a new manufacturer and made modding a whole lot harder. So we have a great product turned into a mediocre one in the name of profit... if these guys want more profit, just increase the price... don't cut the quality.

Don't trash the insert though... you might find it works well on a super-vintage project.

Sounds like he wrote the letter.

Lovin' it! If you can get a reasonable facsimile of that caseback... you can create a great backstory on that watch.

Yeah, Josh/Andrew updated their dials ages ago. I'd pass on this one, until he can get you one with the proper marker placement.

BKW... did the seller come up with his NAWCC credentials? He's selling quite a few xtals... so makes me wonder where this booty came from.

I'm not a metallurgist but why would the brassy/copper color disappear when I repolish with a Cape Cod? In any case, I'll just keep her in my watch box... and give her a one-day polish when I want to wear it out. She's an old girl, been around the globe a few times... stopped working once when dropped on the floor of the Hilton BKK. Miraculously came back to life on a plane between Bangkok and Malaysia!

I can't see the whole thing being brass/copper... I think it's just the plating on the side. Makes me wonder if I had it ground down to bare SS and "polished up" from there... if that would work?

Great work... nice touch on using the old crystal as the polish bowl!

Yeah it looks like a chrome plating over brass. Here's a pic I took awhile back, you can see the area I only "polished" with the Cape Cod. I can repolish with a Cape Cod and bring it back somewhat, but after a few days the brassy color comes back.

Have an old 21J Daytona... my first rep, that unfortunately had a bad allergy to a Cape Cod cloth. The plating on the side came off, while I can re-polish it after tarnishes back to a copper-like color. Yes it's only a 21J, but it was my first and only rep for many years... so I feel a duty to keep it in good shape. What would getting the sides replated entail? I don't know if it's possible just to replate the sides or if the whole watch has to be done... the lugs are heavily brushed, but are cosmetically fine.

+1

Hmm... snowflake. Glad I ordered two of these! Now I know what to do with the other one.

Back in the fall was working on my 1655 and messed up the balance assembly when it was upside down and pushed a little hard on it (should have been using the movement holder, but hindsight is 20/20). I see Ofrei sells the complete assembly for $60... but I always had a problem getting the balance wheel to catch the pallet fork, even when I tinkered with 21J movements. Now I see Helenarou sells a GMT 2836 for about $130. Should I attempt to repair the 2836 (assuming nothing else got bent up on it), or should I just pop for a Helenarou movement and use the 2836 for parts?

Freddy, the CG's look nice there. Have that over-polished look from years of TLC.