Finepics

Actually I have to lay claim for the responsibilty of Schumi's engine failure - the power of phsyco-kinetics.

It's not an offence to buy them - only to sell them so as such they are not worth siezing. Sometimes a Rolex will get pulled though. Slay are you UK based?

I'm not giving Rob a plug as such but the quality of his straps far exceeds any strapmasters, europelli, Dirk (yes Dirk) etc etc. In fact his straps are by far the best I have ever seen - the only thing he does not have is a large range of colours and types. I did not hesitate to get him to make my 3646 strap and that would have cost around $250 - excellent value. It's always a problem for rep owners when a strap is as much as a rep watch but the gen owners think nothing of spending $300 on a strap.

Track EMS at www.parcelforce.com - it usually takes 2 days after posting for it to show on PF's systems. They are pretrty good actually. Transit times are normally about 7 days to the UK.

Yep it's fine. It will probably say something like "En Route to delivery Depot" next, then it will say "out for delivery" which is the last stage. You might get it tomorrow. They routinely send a random load of aircargo through customs but not everything gets looked at by them - most of the time it does not go into customs at all. I had one package with 2 watches in it that had been "Opened for inspection by HM Customs" tape all over it - still came through no problem.

Jon that spacer looks great. You just need to machine a recess for the movt securing screws to fit flush and then machine more of a space around the outside to allow for the thread of the caseback to go in - I know you know this anyway!!!.

Read this and see what you think. http://www.perseo-watches.com/english/cortebert_history.htm You might be right but I still don't see the connection between Cortebert and the 6497. Virtually all pocket watch movts look very similar as they are the most simple of movts with a mainspring, going train, escape wheel and balance wheel - of course bridge plate shapes vary but the mechanics are all similar because they are similar.

I really cannot see the similarites you talk about. The Cortbert name is now owned by an Italian company called Perseo. They went out of business during the 1950's. Virtually all pocketwatch movt are very similar in design. It's a straightfroward type of escape wheel movt - and nothing more. There are dozens of them that all look similar. The Unitas was designed in the 1950's long after Cortberts 616 which dates back to the mid 1930's. And also the 6497 looks absolutely nothing like a cortebert.

Slay the gen G series are not polished at all - they are brushed with a very fine radial type finish (not sure of the swiss name for it).

I understand what you are thinking but it would be like saying use the chrono features from a 7750 on a 6497 because they are both made by ETA. The seagull movt while looking similar to the ETA with regard to the rotor shape is a differetn movt and has a completely different top plate with the PR module built into it. The soprod module is a small device that fits onto the 2892 and I really cannot explain anymore as it difficult to put into words but I would be very suprised if this could be done.

Completely different movts not a cat in hells chance of this working.

Fake

Just to briefly ressurrect this thread I have just taken delivery of a 6152 with asian 6497 form Andrew. I just opened the back up to peek at the movt (which is like a plain base ETA with standard bridges and guess what - there is that same pallet fork [censored]! And I'm absolutely certain that the balance wheel is far from old ETA but actually very new asian which would also explain why there have been balance spring issues. Never come across that with ETA. The plot thickens.

Well I can say that when they come there will be enough for all and they will come AR coated as well.

All the Radiomir 3646 with Moilnija's are 47mm. The ETA 6497 is not based on the Cortebert at all. It is a Unitas design that became an ETA when Unitas were absorbed by them. The Molnija is certainly an almost exact copy of the 616 not the 618 which is different although it shares the same baseplate with the 616. Some parts are interchangeable such as the hour wheel which means being able to use existing hands. The cannon pinions are different and not interchangeable unless you change the bearings because the centre wheel pinions are different sizes. The similarity between these movts sizes is merely coincidence as they are both essentially pocket watch movts that tended to be similar sized cases. The new 3646 which has ETA or Asian 6497 is still the same 47mm case and crown but with a [censored] dial instead. Cases are obviously coming from the same maker (although some now have the design change spring bar) but dials must be from a different one who really does not know his stuff. Same story with the new 6152's with 6497. Same case as before (although there were certainly a couple of versions form different makers) which is the one that has 2 screws in each strap pin. The come with display back and snap on solid cover or solid only cover. These have a good CG but crown ideally needs to be fiddy type. All the cases happily accept either 6497 or Molnija or 616 for that matter!!

The only ones I've seen with a choice were the 47mm 6152's with either screw down crown or locking lever/CG. These I know come with a clip on solid cover that fits over the display back or a solid back. The display back I showd in the other post was a one off as far as I know. The whole watch was a bit odd with the G series movt. I should also warn you that the newer vintage models come with an awful dial. It is a sandwich but the top pierced dial is very thin and the under dial is just painted white. The dials that were fitted to the earlier Molnija models are much much better quality.

Not sure what you mean there Slay?

Here is my display back which also has a brushed finish. I have rounded the corners of the flats to make them a better shape.

Although they are still on the site the Molnija versions are no longer available. They now come with either ETA or Asian 6497 movts. I was very lucky in that one of my 3646's cam with the new ETA G series PAM movt and a display back. This was a one off as far as I am aware. I have seen sellers on iOffer with the Molnija models but usually they hava a solid back anyway. The see thru back of the 6152's does not fit the Radiomir.

The srew down problem only affected certain 183's and was due to poor quality machining. I have had my 183 for a year now without any problems and there are many original wartime 3646 with their original crowns that are not stripped. Obviously you need to be careful when doing up the crown as it is spring loaded so there will be lateral movement of it which means you could accidentaly cross thread it. It's not something I would be worried about.

Philippe - that strap does look good. The dark brown really suits the colour of the lume very nicely.

Not a genuine Tourbillon and even with a nice box that $40 bucks could have gone on a meal out in a restaurant!!!

Only real problem with this way is that if you catch the watch on a handle os something you risk bending the bar. The reason that Panerai went over to the fixed lug type 6152 case is because the Divers complained about the bars bending without them being cut. @Ryannon - thanks for the compliment - the strap is absolutley beautiful and is now beginning to break in. Should have some new pics of the completed project coming soon.

At least there's no pretence it's the real thing and the bidding is at a reasonable level. I don't get too worried by this - it's the ones that go for four figures that really bother me.

one born every minute