Ham 'n' Pickle

All, there is a high street 'catalogue' department store in the UK called Argos and I happened to come across a jewelery flyer of theirs in a Sunday paper. On the front cover was a picture of a 'Navitimer-alike' and inside the description is for :- http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/part...xt%3EROTARY.htm A Rotary quartz watch with a distinctly Navitimer style - or maybe it's more of a Sinn 903 Auto Pilot Chrono style. The slide rule operates using a second 'crown' at 10 so I presume the bezel doesn't rotate. At

Just a small update to a 'long in the tooth' thread - watched 'Next' with Nick Cage in it a few nights ago and very prominent in the film was a Tag Carrera on his wrist. In the film Cage's character can 'see' his future 2 mins ahead of time so he uses his watch, (fairly inappropriately as a countdown timer would be handier surely), to see when things are going to happen in the 'future'. Ham 'n' Pickle.

I bought a 24mm SS bracelet a while ago 'cos I liked it so much but haven't found a watch with 24mm lugs that I like enough to fit it to. Perhaps the Superocean Heritage is it but I don't know just yet - other Breitlings take my fancy first . Here is a link to the Strap Shop (UK supplier). hxxp://www.thestrapshop.co.uk/pages/mwb/stainPop/T34.htm Ham 'n' Pickle.

Thanks for the reply Victoria. Yes doing a bit more searching did show up a few more 'watch for my wife' posts - and I was also looking at another of your recomendations, (I think it was you), for a Piaget Emperador - just need to check on sizes etc ... Cartier items look pretty good. Regards, Ham 'n' Pickle.

Guys, I am looking for a new watch for my wife, she isn't particularly 'into' watches and the main reason for getting her one is her last

I'd be pretty interetsed to know the supplier details also - either in this thread or in a PM. Ham 'n' Pickle.

All, just recently watched a preview of new film 'The Bank Job' - set in 60's London East End, a group of small time villians get the chance of a lifetime to pull a big bank job, plot twists involve saucy photos of a royal, blackmail photos of most current MP's and the help/hinderance of MI5 and various local hoods. Quite an entertaining film with some good work by a varied cast. Anyway, late in the film there is a very big product placement of a Tag Monaco in blue/white, the Steve McQueen watch, that the lead character is wearing. The Charater is a small-time crook, a used car salesman by trade, a little bit down on his luck and being chased for a couple of thousand pounds he owes to a dodgy money-lender so I was just wondering is it likely he would be wearing a really tasty watch ? Obviously the (gen) Monaco now is pretty desirable and whilst not huge money still more than your average joe would pay for a watch so would this be the same in the 60's or is it likely that this sort of character would own a Monaco ? Ham 'n' Pickle.

I would go along with all the previous comments about this being very useful info. The only thing I would like to see more of on watch bezels is a countDOWN bezel not a countUP one. My ideal watch would be a Breitling B-1 which has the numbers on the bezel starting at 55 on the number 1 baton a reducing to 5 on the number 11 baton. This makes more sense to me to set the bezel number on the minute hand and count down to an event happening in that number of minutes, (set the bezel number 25 at the minute hand and in 25 minutes the minute hand will be at the zero mark whilst giving you a running value of how many minutes left until the event).. Ham 'n' Pickle.

Just checked on my package, (that previously had 'Advised' on the ParcelForce site), and it now shows as delivered. The signature shown on the site is not one I recognise so I am assuming that one of my neighbours has taken it in for me !!! (I live in a street with a number of students that I only know by first names). Seemingly this would mean no customs charges though (as above I was expecting the next step after 'advised' was a notice for charges before delivery would be made). Good news. Ham 'n' Pickle.

TeeJay's reply sounds correct. I have a package from the US in this 'Advised' state at the moment. I have the customs ID that the shipper received, (got the 'Advised' notice from ParcelForce website), so I went in to my local ParcelForce office and queried things and was told 'the Coventry branch does all the Customs pickups and must have knowledge of the parcel but hasn't enetered it into the ParcelForce system yet as it has no UK number. Give it some time and you should get it soon, I know that Coventry has a BIG pile of things still to be sorted'. I am going to wait for a week then check again. Ham 'n' Pickle.

Second number used in a strap description of the width at the buckle end. 22/20 is 22mm at the watch lugs tapering down to 20mm at the buckle end. 22/18 tapers down to 18mm at the buckle end of the strap. Ham 'n' Pickle.

Watched a preview of Beowulf on Monday and have mixed feelings about it. The 'hook' of 3D isn't played up very much in the trailers or the poster material, I don't know if the maker/producers were thinking people would be put off by the gimmick or not but to be honest this was probably the best part of it for me. Some of the scenery and the action sequences are pretty good and some of the CGI modeling is exceptional but this is then balanced out by the poor 'acting' skills of the CGI characters and the too-simplified version of the story. Some of the CGI actors were modeled very well, (Anthony Hopkins character), whilst some were poor, (all but the first view of Angelina's human persona). There are some great moments of mirth, (a buxom serving wench in 3D is a sight to behold), and Grendel is very well modeled and voiced. There were also some very obvious nods to 3D with spears thrusting out of the screen and objects being thrown about, (very much like the early 3D films - "Look at that out THERE !!!"), but as I hadn't seen anything modern in 3D this was a reasonably spectacular presentation. Not sure I would watch it again at home, (or at a non-3D cinema - don't know too much about the technology used but you still have to wear glasses, polarized lenses rather than the comic-book red/green ones of the past), due to the story and lack of dramatic acting but it was certainly worth a watch once at the cinema. Ham 'n' Pickle.

OK The Zigmeister, more great advice - I will continue to pursue a 'friendly' watchsmith. Admittedly I don't think I am in dire need yet, (just got a Tag Carrera and likely to get a Navitimer soon), but I can see the benefits of servicing, (depending on costs of course), even for reps. I certainly see these watches as long term enjoyment rather than disposable playthings. Cheers again. Ham 'n' Pickle.

Thanks for the info The Zigmeister, (and Kruzer), I maybe just need to get a cheap-as-possible rep with an Asian 7750 to have a play with the case/dial/hands. My final option for servicing would be to pay for a holiday for The Zigmeister - I would imagine a group of us could get together and get you a couple of weeks a year in the UK The Zigmeister - it may be quite a busy 'holiday' though (and getting your watch repair equipment through customs could be an issue) !!! Cheers, Ham 'n' Pickle.

A few questions for the group. 1. Various reps come with the Asian 7750 - some with date only, some with day/date - Do both types use exactly the same 7750 movement, just with no day wheel installed when not appropriate ? 2. Is a gen Valjoux 7750 ALWAYS a direct swap with ANY rep using an Asian 7750 ? (maybe specifically the Tag Carrera, Tag Aquaracer Day/Date, BCE, Navitime 6,9,12 layout etc ...) - I am presuming that in reps like the navitimer 3,6,9 the date wheel hole in the dial is just positioned at the 4 o'clock but the movement cannot be swapped as it is a 'modified 7750' with 'secs at 3'. 3. Assuming 2. to be a YES, then would the hands and dial mounting be simple or could there be issues ? (fuzzy question I know) This question is sort of covering a couple of topics for me as I would consider changing Asian 7750's over to Valjoux 7750's for reliabilty/quality but also as I am having a problem finding a watchsmith in my area willing to deal with reps for servicing etc ... so would be thinking of getting a watchsmith to just service a bare movement, (either Valjoux or Asian), and getting the movement in and out of the rep myself. (Again movement type may depend on finding a watchsmith willing to service a bare Asian 7750 movement - I assume none would have a problem with a bare Valjoux 7750). Thoughts ? Ham 'n' Pickle.