Jetsons

elwopo, if you have plastic straws handy, you may have a size that will fit snugly. Cut a piece to the desired length and it should work. You can also wrap tape around it if you want additional protection. A piece of heat shrink would be similar. You can find these at Radio Shack and come in assorted small diameters. Best of luck with the project! Added: I reread your post. Do you mean protecting the case tube? The stem/crown should be safely off the watch. The above will protect the case tube if you decide to work around it.

Nice watch and review, Stephane & terrific photos as usual! I'm not too familiar with the YM but I couldn't help notice that the crown is nicely centered on the case. There are only two other rollies that I can think of that have the same, namely the MBW 1665 and the 2893-2 GMTs. Cheers!

With all due respect, this is the most absurd comment I have ever read on this forum! The Zigmeister has taken extended breaks from this forum in the past and it was a huge loss for all of us who happen to be interested in watches. Perhaps you are not.

stilty, at $750 it would be an absolute steal but that was a bit of cash back then. I usually see the 1016 offered for around $4.5K without boxes and papers. I'm not sure why this particular model is so coveted by collectors. A 100% original 5513 or 1680 would be a better snag for an equivalent price, investment wise. It will be interesting to see what the final price on this one ends up being. Cheers, J

Great story, Nanuq! You should keep your eyes peeled on this dealer. Who knows, you might be able to pick up one of those over priced 1665s. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

themuck, this is an extraordinarily informative review. I can only imagine the time you invested to put this together. Truly amazing and VERY much appreciated. You bring up issues with this watch that I don't think anyone else could have addressed , mainly the rust development. The bracelet problems have been documented by others but not to the extent you have. As you mentioned, the watch can be improved on several fronts beginning with the bracelet. Secondly, I think some of us would like to know exactly what case material is being used. It doesn't appear to be the advertised 316L. You might try a Cape Cod cloth to remove the rust spots and hopefully that will work. Again, thank you very much for the time you have invested and making this information available to us. Regards, J

JOJO, terrific 1665! This is as close as one can get unless you fork over $14K. I also remember this watch in pieces and handing it to The Zigmeister. Glad you settled on the T-39 superdome. I have it on my GW as well and would not have it any other way. Enjoy!

themuck, what an outstanding compilation of data and report! I find it amazing that the SSD could withstand this type of abuse considering the lack of QC of these watches. I suspect the machining tolerances must be very good indeed. I am a little puzzled by the rust as well. I have owned 316L watches that have had significant exposure to sea water and have never seen this before. Many thanks for your efforts and sharing this terrific bit of info with us. Amazing report on your part. Cheers, J

That is an excellent review, SportsterRider! Your unbiased commentary is very much appreciated as are the great photos. I read at RepGeek that someone received the SD with an etched crown on the crystal that was barely noticeable, as it should be. If they can correct this small detail, the rest of it seems simple enough to correct. Thanks for taking the time and sharing! Cheers, J

It's the FE 4611A. I have the same on this Heuer, ca 1979. The Zigmeister serviced it and perhaps he would know if ETA hands would fit.

Did someone actually pay for this garbage? I would be on every forum demanding a refund plus a new watch. Thanks for the post, The Zigmeister. Perhaps it will wake up some folks thinking about sending their watches off to surgery to so called modders with zero watchmaking skills/credentials.

The jammed screws may have been glued. I had a similar issue with an oyster and soaked the links in near boiling water for 30 seconds or so. Rinsed with cool water and off they came. The spinning screw probably arrived with stripped threads. With a toothpick or similar pointy object, push the screw from the threaded side while simultaneously backing it out with a screwdriver. This should do the trick. Congrats on the new toy!

Terrific snag, BT! They sure don't make them like they used to. Darn nice work on the CGs. I've done a couple just removing the crown but never with the crown on the watch. Very creative. Enjoy those beauties!

The old MBW that Maria had was the best I've seen out of the box. I'm not sure if OEM parts could be easily installed. I believe even Euno was somewhat tempted by this one. Unfortunately, the new MBK isn't quite up to this one.

Nanuq, on that beauty, the jubilee all the way. You can always sport the 1665 or 5508 is you miss the oyster.

This chap needed to remove the bracelets for the group photo . Nice Monte Carlo as well.

No doubt that it is a vast improvement over the previous model. Having said this, the watch should be improved in several areas. 1) CGs: It may be an easy mod for some but not for most of us. It's inexcusable for the CGs to be this inaccurate given the accuracy that has been achieved with other reps. 3) Pearl accuracy is way off. A gen insert will fit but why stare at an additional expense to fix something that cannot be that difficult to get correct. 3) Frontal rehaut thickness. I agree with BT on this and this is something that can't be fixed. It shouldn't be too difficult to get this aspect of the watch improved. 4) Laser crown on the crystal: Too bold and obvious. They should leave it off which would be more accurate. It is a great watch and I am by no means putting down a great effort. However, I think it's best to document the issues and hopefully, they will be addressed.

Man, you guys are damn good! mrnixon, a buddy recently bought a slightly used blue gen $4K. The IWC was only for moths old and perfect in every way. You might keep your eyes peeled on TZ or perhaps post a wanted add. This is one awesome watch! Added: You can purchase new for $4750 from a reputable dealer (not authorized). Perhaps something to consider. http://www.alanfurman.com/noframes/iwc1.html

Used, I second Timezone: New, I have seen AlanFurman recommended many times plus no tax for New Yorkers. They are not an AD but appear to be reputable. Nice selection as well. Good hunting!

This is an amazing post & pictorial, The Zigmeister! It is also an outstanding observation on your part and quite an eye opener. First thing I noticed was the inferior finish of the components on the CN copy compared to the authentic ETA. It is quite obvious specially on th nickel finished parts. The machining also seems to be of higher quality on the ETA. It would also appear that the copy movements are also not exactly assembled in a clean room and perhaps improperly lubricated. Based on this information, I'm not enthusiatic to add watches to my collection with this type movement at anywhere close to ETA prices. Perhaps the copy is reliable but only time will tell if this is true. I wonder how many watches advertised as having an authentic "ETA" actually have this copy movement? Many thanks for posting this! IMO, this is not a good development.

Thanks for the info, The Zigmeister! I wonder if dealers know about this development and how wide spread this is? I would be good to know exactly what movement one is receiving and paying for. Watches advertised with genuine ETAs (are they really?) are priced well above their Asian counterparts. Cheers!

Perhaps before he had an opportunity to read the fine print of his Omega contract.

Here you go: http://etaswiss.net/gallery/details.php?image_id=2830

Tanfo, terrific photos of the new Sea-Dweller. It's quite an improvement over previous generations. Thanks for sharing! Cheers!