automatico

I kill off unwanted messages one at a time by clicking on the arrow beside the word 'Message' then click on 'Leave this conversation'. Next it will say "Are you sure you want to permanently leave this conversation? You won't be able to access any posts in it."

Click 'Yes' and away it goes. Is this the right way or not? I do not know.

I wonder how to single space text in posts...and how to get around the blurb "Drag files here to attach, or choose files"  when you just want to post a comment. This does not come up on all posts.

I am not a computer guy at all. Matter of fact, I feel the same way about computers as Elvis felt about television sets. I was at Graceland waaay back when they first opened it up and saw the 'television room' full of RCA television sets with Space Commander remote controls. No wonder he shot a few. It was sad...his cars were sitting around with flat tires, faded paint etc and the house was in bad condition.

On Miami Vice December 13, 1985 Stan shoots a TV set with "Phil the Shill" (Phil Collins) on the TV posing as a faith healer after saying  "This one's for you Elvis!"

If I wanted a 5517 on the cheap this is probably what I would go with today;   https://rwg.cc/topic/181702-the-updated-cartel-5513

I pressed some stainless rods through the lug holes (enlarged to about 1.3 or 1.4mm) on an old Abay 5514 case and it worked out just fine. I slightly tapered the leading ends of the steel rods to help them start and knurled the other end with a fine tooth knurling wheel setup in my lathe. I pressed the tapered end through far enough so the tapered tip could be ground off even with the lug. The pieces of stainless rod stock were cut about 12mm longer than needed and carefully cut off and ground even with the lugs and polished after pressing them in. The rods are available from most watch part suppliers. Since knurling tools are not a common item you will need to devise a way to make the bars fit tight in the lug holes. Sometimes the holes are out of alignment enough to hold the bars in place.

I cut a groove in a piece of wood (using a round wood rasp) to hold the case steady while pressing the rod through the lugs by using the feed on the drill press (not running!) to push the rod through the lugs...tighten the rod in the drill chuck to hold it. When starting to press the rod into the lug, run most of the rod up into the chuck so not much of the rod is extended and just expose as much of the rod as needed at a time, this will help prevent bending the rod. Be careful not to allow the chuck jaws to contact the case. You can also use a small steel or brass hammer to drive them in but it 'mushrooms' the end and can easily bend the rods or ding the case if you hit the rod off center. When the rod gets through one side you may have to slightly bend the rod to get it started in the other lug. Practice on a junk case and you will see that it is a lot easier than it sounds. The hardest part by far is trimming the ends of the rods and polishing the lugs without damage to the case.

edit...I later removed the rods because I got tired of one piece straps pretty quick. This is something to think about if you have not used them.

"In answer to your question; arguably the Russians have the best sub in the Typhoon."

Does Joshua or PureTime have them yet?  

I bet 'shipping' would cost a fortune.

Many times it seems (to me) like a cold wind blowing down an empty alley. Maybe I am just numbed out from reading the same 8 questions 500 times.

Builders keep a specialized forum like this going, not tire kickers. Newbies need to read and learn, then stick around and contribute...not just hit and run.

Btw, who has the best sub?  

"IMHO TAG Heuer's Carrera line is just about as timeless as a watch line gets these days,"

Agree but wish they had left TAG off the dial and just went with Heuer like on the Monaco. Imho their retro styles should be Heuer, not TAG Heuer. When the name 'TAG Heuer' comes to mind I see quartz dive watches.

"Overall, as a brand, TAG Heuer could probably do without Formula 1 and Link."

Agree again, the Formula has moved upscale in price too much to be an entry model and the LINK has an identity problem. I have a steel LINK that does not know if it is a dress watch or sport watch. The watch is rated at 200M and has a rotating bezel, screw down crown, crown guards etc but has a bracelet without a dive extension or adjustment. Dressy diver maybe?

Here is a cool Citizen Eco-Drive that will not break the bank:

eBay item  331731523542

The store a friend owned was a Citizen AD and they would supply free links through the store to anyone who purchased a watch that was too tight on the wrist.

Otoh I know a Rolex AD who used to remove a link from all the tutone DJ etc then sell it back to the customer at a 'discount' for being a good customer.

"One series of materials I'm interested in seeing develop would be impregnated ceramics: porous ceramic matrices can be manufactured and later impregnated with metal alloys, creating a sort of hybrid material that features characteristics of both ceramics and metals." 

+1

I would also like to see metal that has the color of yellow gold and be much cheaper and harder. Maybe an alloy like 'liquid metal' cases but looks like yellow gold.

http://www.ablogtowatch.com/looking-at-liquid-metal-watches-with-omega/

"On arrival the end links looked a little flat."

It might be possible to round out the tops a little with chain nose or needle nose pliers with jaws ground or made for the job. I have done it but it is not easy with thick metal end links, and these look pretty thick.

Something similar to this might work. Clamp the bottom of the link in the pliers and form the top with a rawhide mallet. The end links have to be removable though.

eBay item  201390780948

Coronet:  "Yep, here's a comparison with the gen:"

Looks like melted ice cream. They could do better.

"Great bracelet though."

Looks good.

http://www.network54.com/Forum/207593/thread/1449781180/last-1449925657/View+All

One fellow gives a good explanation with a few details.

I had a 1601 that had a corrosion hole all the way through the top of the case under the bezel and all that showed on the outside was a tiny black speck. Sometimes black specks between the lugs can make holes all the way through the case.

You did good!

It would be nice if someone who knows the MBK story (who, what, when, where) would post it now that they are RIP.

I would go with the Asian etaclone and when it goes DOA maybe put a swisseta in it if you want to keep the watch. Etaclone watches may run for years before anything goes wrong, sometimes not.  I ended up with between $450 and $500 in the watch after all the work and I would guess a new one with an etaclone to be around $275 to $325 but I do not keep up with prices.

I have a red/blue (now purple/gray) 1675 made in 1979 and the cg look much like the second watch from the top in Nanuq's picture. The watch is still original...crystal, insert, hands, c/o once in 35 years, and for sure not ever polished but it has been worn a lot. I got it from the original owner but did not ask if it came with the jubilee or he put it on later...62510H clasp, and 550 hoods. I paid him what he paid for it new...$825.

I was going to put a 1675 together and use it to go by, bought a 1675 with swisseta 2836 and Asian GMT conversion from Abay but never started on it. The Abay watch looks like it is made from a submariner case, too thick and there is too much space between the cg for a 5,3mm crown. This seems to be a common problem.

edit:  I already had the Abay GMT when I got this 1675 GMT. I had another 1675 (made 1968) when I got the Abay watch but traded it away a few years ago. Got them mixed up.

Imho...I always thought the 'sacred three' were PP, AP, VC. I believe the hype (brought about by fancy modern advertising) is much stronger than the actual products any of them ever produced. Always remember that PP was down and out, bankrupt, and not really highly respected (like today) when the Stern family bought it out and took it upscale. I have owned a few but they were older models and truth be told, they did not impress me. The only PP I ever liked was the manual wind Calatrava and never liked anything AP and VC made except maybe a few of their older gold manual wind models from the 1950s/1960s on leather straps. They has class, much like the Hamilton brand back then.

I was around many of these 'high grade' watches 25 or 30 years ago when parts were available and local watch mechanics took them in for repair. One fellow who was a master at watch repair told me over and over about how fragile and flimsy these 'high grade' movements were. I was too dumb to take the advice and got a few harsh lessons with a PP Ellipse (manual wind cal 600), AP RO, a manual wind VC and a few others later on. The way I see it, these 'high grade' brands are fine for owners who work in offices, hang around country clubs, and do not mind dropping many $thousand$ up front for a watch and a few $thousand$ every few years on repairs and service but this is not for me.

As for IWC, the company was founded by an American (FA Jones) many years ago in Switzerland and was never thought of as 'high grade' until recently. They built their present 'high grade' reputation on simple cases with slicked up Eta movements and slicker Aero Advertising. Not much Haute Horology there.

For me, rolex is bad enough and you can buy them used at pawn shops, new at Costco, and get parts on eBay.   

The above comes from a guy who wears a $100 TAG Heuer quartz watch. Take it with a half grain of salt.  

I have one that I bought from a member in October 2014 that was like new but with movement problems. I put a freshly c/o nos swisseta 2836 in it but have only worn the watch a few hours since then to 'road test' it. It is high quality throughout but like all newer models it has the glidelock type clasp and I just do not like them...too many parts. I also put a ST tube and used genuine crown on the case. The original movement turned out to be a mix of genuine and clone parts.

Imho the Chinese '21 jewel' movements are hit or miss in reliability and their etaclones are not a whole lot better. Swiss Eta is best but cost more and if you pay the 'swisseta premium' to a TD, no telling what you will get today with new swisseta movements being very hard for replica makers to get. This is why I jumped on this watch...the dial, hands etc fit a swisseta 2836 where '21 jewel' parts will not.  

edit: I am sure there are replicas with new swissetas available but my guess is they are few and far between as well as expensive. Most 'swissetas' used in replicas now are old, unserviced take outs or a mix of swiss and Asian parts.

"Can't see the photos."

Go to VRF and click on the thread   "Counterfeit 93250 Bracelet"   and they will show up.

You need to know which case tube is used in the case...5.3mm or 6.0mm and go from there. This watch should have a 6mm crown.

Look at the 'Crown info' sticky to see what fits. After you narrow it down you may be able to find a good used genuine crown for not much $$ at a repair shop, eBay etc. If the case tube is damaged...change it out with an aftmkt replacement assuming the threads in the case are oem spec (most are). 

I bet quite a few are sold as genuine. The screws gave it away to me without looking for anything else but many buyers will not see the screws out of the bracelet or know the difference. These bracelets would probably pass on a used genuine watch.

http://www.network54.com/Forum/207593/message/1449012374/Counterfeit+93250+Bracelet

"So Star Time bezels, Are they still available?"

Still on web site for $89.95 

 "It's scary how good ST bezels are, with a good polish."

I have also had good luck with ST bezels but always install them as a pair...ST inner and outer bezel. Mixing them with others may not work as well. Some cartel and other aftmkt bezel parts are just out of whack.

I will always wonder if rwc makes their vintage replacement cases or has them made by outside suppliers. A rolex 5512/13/1680 etc with a 44 prefix 'genuine' replacement case is not worth much compared to an all genuine example in fine condition. I bet a detailed Yuki or Phong case with a '44' prefix serial number would pass for genuine with most rolex fanboys.

Cases are available to make these watches using a 'Hunter' style 12 or 16 size vintage pocket watch movement. The cases sell for $100 to $250 USD and movements are $50 to $250 depending on grade and condition. A finished watch will usually end up costing $300 to $500. Much, much less $$ to do it yourself.

'Hunter' case = flip up cover on the front side, crown at three o'clock and seconds at 6 o'clock on the dial.  Example = eBay item  351594732834

'Pendant' style = common open face pocket watch with crown at 12 o'clock and seconds at 6 o'clock on the dial.

Omega conversion...eBay item 191750883109   Agassiz (Longines) conversion...eBay number  231768152531

Examples of conversion cases...eBay numbers  331699025370   330703904511

I have never put one together but have an Omega PW movement that would probably fit into one of these cases, just never tried it. American and swiss PW movements are usually slightly different in size.

"Keep in mind guys it's either in house Swiss ,German, Seiko or other Asian quality movements in the future w/ ETA cutting off parts."

TAG Heuer is making a brand change in their quartz movements, looks like they are going with Harley Ronda in place of Eta.

http://us.tagheuer.com/en/quartz-movement

Wearing a steel case/plastic bezel/rubber strap T/H Formula. It is from the late 1980s and has a pale yellow 'full glow' dial and plastic bezel. Added a sapphire crystal and now have a bit over $100 tied up in it.   Big Money.  

Watch with (too short) original jubilee style bracelet...$72.  Bezel...$5.  Crystal...$18.  Strap with fake signed deployant clasp...$8.  Batt/gaskets...$2    Bezel from a doa $5 'Majestron' dive style watch. Genuine bezels are $100+. Absurd.  Clasp from a doa flea mkt fake.

Don't wear it outside much. Afraid a 12 year old kid might snatch it.

It looks like you saved some $$ too.  

http://www.network54.com/Forum/207673/message/1448854851/FS-+v.Rare+6350+Explorer+%2A%2AHoneycomb%2A%2A+dial

My apology. I'll admit the word 'junk' was a bit harsh. 

"Why we have fake Tags is beyond me...by and large they're [censored] and cheap money."

That hurts.       From Laughing.     I am deeply offended...about 200M/660feet deep.

Some of my favorite watches are Tag Heuer.  I am wearing one right now.  Just now put it on.

"They also they make ok beater watches for divers. They use Swiss ETA Quartz."

This is the kind of T-H I like...low profile, reliable, waterproof, and cheap, like a Miami hooker.        Never could see paying $150 for a fake quartz T-H when a genuine can be had for about the same $$.