TeeJay

Looks nice, TJ!

Thanks, bro Sure, it looks nice, and it looks (and feels) nicer now I've put the bracelet from the Tudor Sub into place...

But, I'm still not really feeling it / I'll see how I feel monday when the Snowflake gets a facelift

Same as yesterday, although with a cosmetic modification:

I'll just come out and say it: I have very mixed feelings about this watch, and I can understand why the 1655 does not make frequent appearances in the wristies...

PROS:

Second sweep is the smoothest in my collection.

The hands are very easy to see, and I do like the aesthetic of the 'floating' hands (rather than hands visible all the way to the pinions)

The datewheel font is very crisply printed, so requires no magnification. (In fact, the cyclops only really served to distort the 3 marker...)

Very clean overall aesthetic look to the watch. It does look cool.

CONS:

Lack of rotating bezel means no 'easy timer' indication.

While the '12, 6 and 9 markers are clear, I find the other hour markers are too small to be easily noticed, and can 'jumble up' with the 24 hour markers, making the dial surprisingly awkward to read. Surprisingly, I found my 'wooden mystery' dial more comfortable to read, and that had no markers...

No lume on the dial, but that is fixable...

While it would seem that the watch has more pros than cons (and indeed it does)those pros are all that is preventing me from flipping the watch. The cons, for my requirements, weigh very strongly against the pros, and I do not enjoy wearing the watch as much as I enjoy wearing my Snowflake Sub. I am going to wear the watch over the weekend to give myself a chance to become accustomed to it, but at the moment, I cannot see that happening, and I can't see the watch being anything other than a 'collection only' piece, with its only wrist-time being as a spare should anything happen to any of the others... It's a nice watch, but certainly not my cup of tea YMMV

Fantastic watches

@ T'J

Officially? You've gone too far. I've seen those web sites. Good, _______ (insert 'Lord' of you own faith here) save me.

Not the first time, and probably won't be the last

This thread sucks.

It's incomplete--where are the pictures of the smelting furnaces that produce the steel? What kind of donuts does Rolex spring for on Monday mornings? How do the watch-smiths f*ck their wives outside of work?

TRY HARDER.

Her "Owww, carefull of your wedding ring!"

Him "That was my wrist-watch..."

I dunno if I can locate the Omega flight hands.. they need to be broached though to fit.. they are 1:1 to the gen. .. I have another case.. actually 2, one with a genuine crystal on it.. but I may want to keep that one.. and get lug holes drilled someday.. but what ever I have, I'll send your way with the MBK bracelet I promised..I just gotta dig them out..

AC

Lani

Thanks, bro, it's very much appreciated To be honest, I'm happy with the stock hands as they are (and I don't have the tools to do broaching) I couldn't in good conscience accept any major parts like a case, as at the moment, if I'm perfectly honest, I'm in two minds about even keeping the watch, as I'm really just not feeling it... It might be a different matter once I lume the dial, but at the moment, I can't see it being anything more than a spare watch, so not something I'll give major time to (other than maybe some light vintaging and lume work) If the MBK bracelet is still on offer, that would be very greatfuly received though

There's nothing like a little vintage, that's a fine piece for sure

That's a good day indeed

I may have spare parts for you TJ from the 3 reps it too to make my 1655 ..

AC

L

That would be awesome, bro My original plan, was simply to spray a matte varnish over the dial, but, as it needs luming (not just re-luming, but at the moment it has 0% lume on the markers ) I'm waiting on performing the varnish till that's handled I have to admit, I'm not feeling it as much as I have Subs or the GMT II, and I'll give it 24 hours wear just to give it a fair chance, but, I'm expecting a re-built 79190 dial back from Slartibartfast soon, so I expect as soon as that arrives, the Sub will be glued back to my wrist again This will allow me to have a 79190 as a primary beater, the Snowflake project in the NATO case as a 'Summer watch', and the 1655 as a backup/alternate beater just in case I admit, I do like how the dial looks (especially the hands) but the markers are taking a little getting used to, compared to the Snowflake dial, which is a pleasure to wear

That's a fine piece

My birthday present to myself finally arrived today

I haven't made up my mind about reviewing it yet, as it's a definite 'mixed bag' of flaws in replication vs nice presentation 'in itself'. I did try transplanting the dial/movement into the vintage sub case, but the stem wouldn't disengage the hack, so it looks like I'm stuck with doing a 1655 project

First rate work, my friend, very nicely done

Looks good to me Of course, not that a modern watch would look that way till appx 2045 Awesome work though, on a vintage project, the techniques would be perfect

Yeah since it is going to be on a Seiko Monster the solidity is a must as it will basicly share duties with my G Shock as a tool watch.

If a solid/secure fit to your wrist is what you require, the above mentioned setup will definitely provide that Rotating your wrist to check the time, will not make the watch rotate over your wrist, it will just turn with it Just be prepared to be aware of something pressing against the inside of your wrist until you become accustomed to it

Thanks TeeJay, I could not have asked for a better more detailed answer. I understand what you are saying about the comfort thing as well.

The main reason I want to use a clasp of some kind is in an effort to keep the damage to the band where it goes in and out of a traditional buckle to a minimum. I guess I will order one of the strap/clasp combos and give it a test drive for a week or two before I get the strap made to accomodate it.

Thanks again.

Happy to be of help I think the best way I could describe the overall fit of a watch with this clasp setup, is 'snug', and it sits more like a solid bangle than say an SS bracelet, or even a buckled strap. I wouldn't go so far as to call it 'uncomfortable', but it definitely makes the watch a more noticeable presence on the wrist. But, as I mentioned, everyones tastes are different, so it really is a matter of personal taste On a diver's style watch, that kind of solidity, and the resulting ease for reading the face is definitely a plus. On a more casual or formal watch, it might feel a little 'constrictive'

TeeJay, the link you posted, those look like rubber straps that connect to the deployant much like the Breitling Ocean Racer where you cut the rubber to get it to fit.

Would this one be what I am looking for? It looks like the attachment is as you described

http://www.watch-band-center.com/watchstrap-p3193h330s336-TOP-Watch-band-22mm-.html

Lastly, whats the comfort of this setup in comparison to a regular buckle?

Yes, those straps were rubber, but the clasp itself would likely still be the same as the one in the leather strap you've just linked to The one on the leather strap, is identical in form and function to the clasp on my strap. Here's a few more photos to show how it all fits together

In terms of comfort... That's a hard one as everyone's personal tastes and tolerances can be quite different... The most objective description I could give, is that the 'outer layer' of the strap, with the pressure from the clasp, will press the excess tongue into the inside of your wrist, so the watch will sit very securely in place on your wrist. I would not say that it is unwearably uncomfortable, but personally speaking, I find a regular buckle (or a set up like on a Rolex leather strap) to be, not so much 'more comfortable', per se, but provide a 'less rigid fit' for the watch...

TeeJay do you know where I could get my hands on one?

Also the adjustability, is it a few mm, more, less??

Lastly and this is probably going to be a PITA but how does it attach to the strap?

My orange monster should be here tomorrow and I want to get a strap exactly like the one I have pictured for it, then get the case and deployant DLC'ed to finish off the look.

The main problem I am dealing with right now is the strap is made by JacobStraps originaly for an Oris Carlos Casta watch. Jacob speaks Spanish and some english based on his reply to my e-mail. So I need to get all of the measurments down and get it to him to have the strap made. Since there is a language barrier I have to be 100% or I am almost certian the end result will not be correct.

I have to admit, I can't remember where I bought the strap from, as it was about 3 years ago, and probably the first result from a Google search, but, any one of these straps would provide you with the clasp

The adjustment and fitting to the strap, I can cover in one answer... The outer part of the clasp (not the leaves) attaches to one end of the strap in the exact same way as it would attach to a bracelet, and, even if the strap is designed to be worn with a buckle, the spring-bar will still fit The 'other end' of the clasp is where the adjustment takes place. The section of strap 'with the holes' is looped through the back of the clasp, as you'll see in my above photo, and there is a small peg on the back of the clasp, which goes through the hole in the strap, where the buckle's tongue would pass, so from that point of view, you adjust/set the size of the strap in the same way as you would with a buckle You could also use the additional holes on the back of the clasp to maybe get a few mm of adjustment if need be, but the regular strap holes will most likely be sufficient

I am trying to find a decent divers style deployant that I can put on a leather strap. I am not looking for the standard deployants but more of the style that comes on metal watch bands that lock with a push button and then have a piece that folds over to lock it. Something similar to this

Also if anyone knows about how much adjustability there is in a deployant like this.

I have a deployant which is virtually identical to that one (slightly different shape to the safety clasp/thumb groove) and the amount a adjustability is as in the one you've pictured.

[Edit to add]

Here's a quick and dirty to show the adjustment system...

As if there was any doubt

Another of our favorite whitey, T!

Thanks!

Indeedy

Depends what you're looking for in a watch... Here're a few suggestions for you

Submariner

GMT Master II

Pro-Hunter Sub

B&R

Radiomir

HBB Luna Rossa

Looking very nice indeed, bro

You're right TJ, it's not a super star.

I owned 3 of them in the past, a bad rep, a gen, a black Noob Eta.

It's a love/hate relationship I have with this model.

We'll see if I sell it or keep it this time

It's funny, it always looks so nice in photos, it just didn't 'speak to me' when I tried one on, I guess some watches are just like that. My 16610 EuroFakes Submariner, although a nice watch, didn't hold my interest enough to keep it as a permanent watch, which was why I started looking for a replacement Omega, yet my Tudor Submariner, even though it's an incomplete project, and visually very similar to the 16610, I really enjoy wearing it, so it can obviously only be some small detail which makes the difference, yet so small, I can't put my finger on it

Maybe I'll give the white Exp II another try at some point If I like it, I get a new watch in the collection, and if I don't like it, I'm sure someone would take it off my hands for me

Looking good