Nanuq

Later that week I was in Tourneau's looking at watches and the saleslady there knew her stuff. She oooooh'd and ahhhh'd over the SD (or was it my manly wrists?) and came *that* close to selling me an IWC minute repeater chrono... it was a lovely titanium thing but I think I've got enough watches. For now.

It's pretty rare. Notwithstanding the numbers of old SDs that flooded and died, very few of them went "chocolate" from their exposure to UV light. This one's from 1971 so it's getting pretty old. I have heard of Subs going chocolate with age too... probably it's from a flaw in the manufacturing process but I kinda like it.

Then what happened? I mumbled something about... "oh, this old thing?" and then I went and got an ice cream. Yum!!

I found myself in a high-end watch shop on my last business trip. They had sparkly Rolexes, Omegas, Corums (Corii?), you name it. I was admiring a certain gold Bucherer chrono on a delectable leather strap. It was reasonably priced (cough cough) at $22,000. The salesman asked if I had a stylistic preference, while easing me over toward the cheap end of the counter. Perhaps due to my jeans, sneakers, and polar fleece windbreaker? I described my affection for dive watches, specifically round faced watches with black dials and, ideally, stainless steel construction. His nose wrinkled slightly, as if I'd released a foul stench into the room. He told me with evident disdain that his shop did not service that segment of the watch industry. I glanced over at the Rolex counter, but sadly, saw only a sea of jewel-encrusted dress watches. He did, to his credit, offer me a Bucherer brochure to take with me as I left (hint, hint). So I reached for it, and my sleeve slipped up a few inches. A certain chocolate dialed watch peeked out and the man was on it like flies on a dead salmon. He grabbed my wrist and turned the watch toward him, and his mouth fell open. Oh I love it when that happens. Another Mk-II Sea Dweller fan made, on the spot! It was a good trip.

Here's my vote for a brown dial

Friend, life is far simpler than this. 1) Tell the truth. 2) Be kind. 3) Act with integrity.

Here's the only car for life in Alaska...

YIKES what is Miss Understood doing here???

Ideally your folded oyster won't have 37 years of wear on it and links as stretched as Jacko's bank account.

Arguably the most brilliant man on the planet.

It needs a fliplock bracelet. And I *reeeeeeeeeally* need that folded/riveted bracelet for my 6536! Here's the folded oyster (no rivets) that came with a 1665. Note the fliplock... it should have no "grooves" in it.

Well, since Sunday is the 13th....

Here's the MBW 6541 next to my 6536. Check out the lugs and chapter ring/rehaut.

Mmmmmmmmmmm, is there an upper limit to the number of jewels a movement can have?

Gaaaaaaah! I never spotted it until now. Ziggy, look at the big gap between the chapter ring on your dial and the rehaut bevel inside the case. Huuuuuuuuuge gap. It's bogus. This is how close the minutes track should be to the steel of the case:

Here's mine... somebody needs to grab this puppy!

You remember how hard it was to try to make the T16 fit my case? There was no WAY it would go on. It sounds like persuasion made it go on yours okay. I know the 5508 and 6538 take the T16 so it's conceivable the 6541 would too. Question, was the crystal retaining ring triangular in cross section, or "L" shaped? I'm betting triangular. Hey do you still have those photos of my open 6536? Try comparing the case lugs with your 6541. Just a hunch...

There's a very nice bubble to the back, rounded and smooth as it should be for a watch this old. But the back of the case should be worn smoother too. The backs of the lugs on my 6536 are a bit worn from shirtsleeve wear. They're nowhere near as "sharp" as your photos. But... if it's a franken case, why make it to fit a t16 crystal? Can you find a crystal more rare than that or a t18? If I was making a franken case, I'd personally make it to fit a t19. Those are available anywhere. So it's got thin lugs and takes a t16. Verrrrrrrrrrrrry interesting...

Check out the "R"s....

@Zig, I think it's a redial. The coronet "mouth" is shaped a bit wrong and the two "R"s in OYSTER PERPETUAL are identical. The first should look normal and the second should look crippled with a more vertical "foot" to the R. The 6541 used a modified 1030 movement so that part is good. She's a beauty! Do you need another tropic-16? I have a gen superdome 16.

@Gents, please delete my "stars" count as well..... I'm just here for the free beer and popcorn.

Thinking back to that grand day when we all counted down to 10:00 precisely, and flooded the old site with messages welcoming all to the new RWG. It were a valiant and glorious thing, and I hold dear the friends I have made in this endeavour. This day is called the feast of Crispian: He that outlives this day, and comes safe home, Will stand a tip-toe when the day is named, And rouse him at the name of Crispian. He that shall live this day, and see old age, Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours, And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian:' Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars. And say 'These wounds I had on Crispin's day.' Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot, But he'll remember with advantages What feats he did that day: then shall our names. Familiar in his mouth as household words Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter, Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester, Be in their flowing cups freshly remember'd. This story shall the good man teach his son; And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by, From this day to the ending of the world, But we in it shall be remember'd; We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he to-day that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile, This day shall gentle his condition: And gentlemen in England now a-bed Shall think themselves accursed they were not here, And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

Simple... quartz watches represent a disposable-commodity era. Mechanical watches are art.

Humor section... hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Lemme see.......

You know I can't stand it when people are posting GMTs! Here's mine...