Helmut

Chaps, my HEV button has gone missing. I was going to loctite the bugger on but before getting round to doing it, the little blighter has already done a runner. Does anyone know where I can get hold of one please?? It's the Seamaster Pro Chrono 300m. Anyone know the Otto Frei code for the item and if he holds them in stock? Thanks

Great review, By-Tor. Nice to see a comparison. I got my Chrono last week from Josh and it's not left my wrist! It most certainly does have an old fashioned 'purposeful' feel to it and the quality is second to none. I have had mine next to a gen and it is almost impossible to tell them apart. I would say this is one of the most accurate reps around and only when you have it next to a gen can you spot the minor flaws. My pal who has a gen says mine actually keeps better time than his!

Whilst bored here on a Friday night, I did the usual surfing around for time pieces. I came across a Seamaster model I'd never seen before; The Seamaster Ploprof 600 A very specialised pro dive watch certified down to 1300'. Not everyones cup of tea but it would be a nice one in the collection. Searched around for more info on the odd looking thing and came across other highly specialised dive wrist work. One that I would consider to win the 'most imposing crystal' award would go to the Rolex Deep Sea Special; Now that would certainly be a conversation piece! From what I can glean, it was designed with the help of Jacques Piccard for use in the Trieste descent to the Marianas Trench. Not cheap either. Only a handful were made and only a few remain and they fetch upwards of £75000! Talk you way out of a rep with one of them! The site is here. Its in Swiss but can be Babelfished. Lots of very interesting history on dive watches and some nice pics of the more extreme arm clocks. I particularly liked the Seamaster 120 near the bottom of the page. I really like the old traditional 1960's 'divers' watch look. Functional, solid and just a bit mad. C'mon rep makers, go out on a limb and give us some of these barking mad jobbies!!

Thanks for that. I'll ask him next time round.

Excellent write up, chrgod! I too have ordered one from Josh last weekend. Really looking forward to getting it. Depending on how the bezel, crysyal and case back look, I may pop off to Offrei and 'mix and match' with some gen parts. I didn't know about the extra pre delivery cleaning/service? Where are the details for it please?

Very nice. Can we expect it for sale soon? Which model is it? Is it a fantasy? It doesnt look disimilar to some of the earlier Sinn models.

I saw an XXL Railmaster at the dealers today. F**k my boots, it's HUGE!! It must be like wearing a wall clock on your wrist..... It was sat next to a Speedy Pro and it made that look like a lady's ticker!

I think most of them sell a bastardised version of the reduced (see By-Tors great review).

Cheers for that, baltic. I was going to ask about the case back. Sounds good that the gen fits. Many thanks.

Thats the conclusion I have come to too. Thats good to know, madmex. Ok, $64000 question. Who has the full size Pro with correct (ish) case in stock?? ......and will the case allow the fitment of a gen hesalite and bezel? Regards

It's what I'm inclined to think too. Having read By-Tors excellant reviews and looked closely at the reduced and normal Moon, it's all getting a bit confusing. Ok, I'll try and explain. The usual Speedy Pro moon rep has the incorrect subdial spacing which inturn means the 9 and 3 stick markers are short. Hands are as per the gen as is the remainder of the dial markings..no second numbering around face and two dots either side of the 12 marker. From our dealers, I've read the case dimensions are 40mm across the case and 10.5mm thick. These dimensions equate to a pre 1965 Speedy (non pro). The gen Reduced has a case size of 38mm and the same face as the 'new' one I've mentioned in my first post. Numbered seconds on the face, thin sweep hand and the thin crown guard. These facts (apart from the case size) means the current Speedmasters the dealers have are all Reduced despite having Professional in place of Automatic below 'Speedmaster'. So, my conclusion so far is that there are currently three Speedmaster Moonies available from the dealers. 1. 40mm case with all the correct Reduced features. Case a bit too big. Professional instead of Auto. Subdial spacing is accurate to gen Reduced. 2. 40mm case with the wrong crown guard, face and hands. Subdial issue. Case of a reduced, face of a Pro. 3. ??mm case with correct face and crown guard. Subdial issue. 3 is at present the nearest to a Speedy Pro Moon. I believe its the one that baltic reviewed recently next to a gen. The two pictures at the begining of this thread are closest to a Reduced imho. So, to summerise! My initial title of 'New Speedies. Getting Closer to Gen' would now appear to refer to the reduced. I was hoping we would be a bit closer to a Pro Moon to be honest. Each time I'm about to commit to buying one, I get this anally retentive 'detail devil' tapping me on the shoulder prior to pressing 'purchase'! I guess I'm going to go with the one baltic has. (Can we have the Speedy Broadarrow case (42mm) with a Moonie Pro face please? Subdial will still be an issue but it will be closer in case size to the gen). BTW, where did you get it from, baltic? Great review too, thanks. Edited to add. Cancel that baltic, I've just read back through your posts and you got it from EL? Regards

We now have second numbers around the face. I've not seen those on a full size Moonie. I think they are only found on the reduced. Some you win, some you lose!

Just had a quick gander at a couple of our dealers and it appears that the latest Speemaster Moonies are getting closer to the gen. I'm on about the apparent sub dial spacing; Latest version Earlier version Both look identical but have a closer look at the length of the 9 and 3 stick markers. They appear to be the same length as the rest. It may be all the markers have been printed smaller so they can all be the same length to give the apparent view that the gen has. Now, heres the question. Has the latest version got a larger sized face? (The cases are the same size). Both have the same movement so I'm guessing the subdial spacing is the same. If the dial is larger, this may mean the outer ring is not so obvious now. Win win situation in the step towards the gen. Anyone got one yet? Next one on my list but would like a heads up. Thoughts? Thanks to Josh for the pics.

The new Navis Ive seen on a couple of the dealers sites appear to have the correct date window now. Just hope they have the correct 'temp' back.

Whos going to be the first to do a 'rep' of it? I'm with TTK. The design isnt my cup of tea but the sheer craftsmanship is outstanding. He even made his own crown!! Just looking at the picture of the tiny thing in the minute lathe is a piece of work on its own.