Finepics

Seagull hand sizes are: Hour hand - 1.40mm Minute hand - .94mm Centre Second - .26mm Sub dials - .26mm

I fitted an ETA datewheel into an asian 7750 TAG link just recently - perfect fit. My main concern is that somewhere I read that the hand post sizes have changed on the new 7750's so that gen hands will not fit? Can anyone point me in the thread direction for that.

Forgot to add that anyone worried about the date should just order a genuine ETA 7750 date ring to correct the problem.

@ bkdc - Thanks for that tip - just bought one myself!! I can do the swaps in the UK for those that were asking. Don't all come at once as I am taking more of a back seat at the moment but will be able to do these fairly quickly as I am just about to clear my decks a bit. PM me.

Andrew - is it possible to get the factory to change the GMT hands on these. I am sure the supplier of hands could get the size correct as it is really something thaty has spoilt all the recent GMT series (PAM88, 186 etc). I even think the hole size might be the same as that used on the 2893 GMT so the hands probably already exist.

Easiest way is to drift it out using a small pin and a toffee hammer. It is not welded in so can be tapped out.

Think you have lost the plot totally!!!

It is possible that I have access to a gen with a date/cyclops - if so I could maybe unlock the secret. I need to speak to the owner very nicely.

To cure them I use a low spectrum UV bank note checker. The adhesive when cured actually integrates with the sapphire so the cyclops can never be removed!! The cyclops on PAM's are on the inside so are coated with the crystal. Marco I'm not sure if the adhesive will work on an AR coat - I would need to ask Norland.

When I cemented mine I used a special adhesive that is optically matched for sapphire made by a company called Norland Optical. The adhesive is NO 61. I used a tiny drop the size of less than a pinhead which creates a layer of glue that is microns thick. The distortion is more to do with the difficulety of precisely aligning the cyclops - a fraction of a mm out and it will distort. I have my 063 crystal away being coated at the moment so I hope this will remove a lot of the reflections - we will see. Marco - a word of warning - yoiu cannot AR coat the crystal if the cyclops is not sapphire. The AR recipe for sapphire will leave newton rings on the cyclops if that is mineral glass.

Senna is nice but that caseback is wrong. This Link in Grey is 99% accurate and even as a PAM man I am looking forward to giving this a litle wrist time - eh David!!!

Nice one V you crafty old devil - hang on - do we allow semi gen owners to post here!!

The GMT hand needs to be the same size pointer as the PAM 63 type - might have to get me one of these if that dial colour can be corrected

Sorry Angus - just realised that this is the North Pole edition not the PAM205 Arktos GMT so the caseback is correct. Club Panerai describe the PAM 252 as having a blue dial and of 500 units.

I think you might be thinking of the one that Mike Horn wore on his expedition which had a silver sub dial - production models are all black as this one is.

GMT hand arrow too big and wrong caseback. This should have the standard Arktos caseback.

Hey Speedy - that really sucks big time - I do feel for you buddy.

Absolutely - in fact IWC recently launched a new range made from this and Panerai had some prototypes at the recent Baselworld made from ceramic.

The ceramic material is Zirconium Oxide (Zi) in the gens. This is a commonly available material that can be moulded under heat and pressure. I use it in the dental industry to make the frameworks for all ceramic crowns and bridges. Zirconium (Arabic zarkûn from Persian zargûn meaning "gold like") was discovered in 1789 by Martin Heinrich Klaproth and isolated in 1824 by Jöns Jakob Berzelius. The zirconium-containing mineral zircon, or its variations (jargon, hyacinth, jacinth, or ligure), were mentioned in biblical writings. The mineral was not known to contain a new element until Klaproth analyzed a jargon from Ceylon in the Indian Ocean. He named the new element Zirkonertz (zirconia). The impure metal was isolated first by Berzelius by heating a mixture of potassium and potassium zirconium fluoride in a small decomposition process conducted in an iron tube. Pure zirconium wasn't prepared until 1914. Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2), sometimes known as zirconia, is a white crystalline oxide of zirconium. Its most naturally occurring form, with a monoclinic crystalline structure, is the rare mineral, baddeleyite. The high temperature cubic crystalline form, called 'cubic zirconia', is rarely, if ever, found in nature, but is synthesized in various colours for use as a gemstone. The cubic crystal structured variety is the best-known diamond simulant.

Take no notice of the EMS site - their descriptions are not accurate. Many shipments from CN go through UK customs routinely and it does not mean that this actual package will be inspected. Usually a whole plane load of cargo will be randomly diverted through customs and this is just part of it. No reason that they will confiscate this or apply charges. It is not illegal to buy a rep in the UK only to sell it. This has happened to me many times without any problems - most likely it will be delivered on Monday/Tuesday.

If you really want the best quality then go to robross04@aol.com - a strap that will last years and years that is within your budget and non painted edges. See his post: http://www.rwg.cc/members/index.php?showtopic=12055

The dial is from a PAM 5218/201A Pre-A panerai from 1993. These were only in a polished SS case so this is a fantasy model.

The G series has the Black Seal in the lower half of the dial and the newer H series has it in the top half of the dial.

MMMMmmmmm - noobs - don't you just love em!! Ask Davidsen for a new screw and get yourself a bottle of Loctite or similar. It's a glue like substance that will stop you losing your screws again. Nice watch - enjoy.