fijikid

Thanks, Toad. Pretty much what I've suspected at this point. I'll probably try the miyota route, though I'm a bit concerned about hand sizes as I think the minute hand hole size is slightly different. Moral of the story - don't mess with the 2813. It's a fine movement if you just leave it alone.

So, I posted a while ago how I screwed up my U1 by trying to increase the brake pressure on the second hand tension spring (great idea, idiot ) I just wanna wear my U1 cuz it's so cool. I know I need the so-called "tall canon pinion" version of the 2813 - where do I get one? Should I just ask Josh to sell me a replacement movement? Can I put a Miyota 8215 in there? Despite stem hole issues, can a 4813 go into the Sinn? Should I just order a new one with an ETA inside? Any help would be GREATLY appreciated. Willing to trade NYC based favors (legal) for exceptional help.

Hmmm, that'd be silver. Yup. No questioning your eyesight on this one...she's (Hi-O) Silver!!! ...AND BEAUTIFUL! That said, I'm glad I didn't order white, cuz I'd be unhappy with silver.

Looks very nice. Was getting worried after reading some of the less than enthusiastic responses by a few early recipients. Yours looks just gorgeous. If my blue faced #9 would just make its way outta JFK, I'd be happily wristed as well. Come on mailman! Bring me some love today!

Nice pick up Lani. I saw that this morning and was so glad it was sold. Prevented the usual hand-wringing bank account analysis. How nice that it is YOU who got it. The early U.S. Diver's/Sailboat backs are the best. To those who don't 'get' vintage, I suppose museums are just full of old crap? A bit (OK, completely) ignorant, but I'm happy so many dismiss the old gems as junk - leaves more for me to hunt for. I've enjoyed my Philippines/Subic Bay-plucked example for several years now. Can't wait to see that beauty back to it's old self - don't make it too nice, though.

So I'm waiting for my group project AP Royal Oak and as people start to tell of receiving theirs in the states (like me), I'm anxiously awaiting the postman who I greased over christmas (not common in my hood) to be sure he actually brings me my stuff, not just the slip to go pick it up at the PO (a nightmare here in brooklyn, ny). Anyway, last night I dreamed that a package arrived that was packed somewhat poorly. I opened the package and sure enough, out popped two, not one, but two crappy watches - not my AP! The two watches were very vivid in the dream, including the detail that the buckle was the name of the watch cut out to form the buckle shape itself - maybe it said Invicta, though I can't be sure. I woke up sure that I'd been hosed along the way. But then I was like - no way Paul didn't put my watch in the package and why on earth would someone steal my watch but replace it with 2 crappy watches. None of it made sense. I'll chalk this one up to pining and anxiety due to all the bad trade/lost watches talk on the forums these days. I hope this watch shows up this week so I can stop my imagination from taking flight. Anyone on the East coast of the USA get theirs yet? I just want my watch...so I can start waiting for another one! I gotta stop with this watch mania.

Even when I try to be late I'm on time. I simply hate to rush anywhere - even though ironically I speed liberally almost as a rule - hence I leave early and arrive early. If for a meeting, I like to have the lay of the land in my head before I sit down to talk. Making others wait on you is selfish. Period. Unfortunately it's often the first hard lesson between myself and others, and often results in bad feelings (but improved on-time performance from my business partners). That said, I look at my watches all the time and rarely do I know what the [censored] time it is!

Hey Paul - no worries, man. I just bought in to what I saw as a beauty of a watch. Our German friend sure is taking this personally ? Can't wait to get mine and never did I feel duped by what was advertised. Now mail me my f*@#ing watch!!! ;-)

These are very commonly collectible and most certainly on the radar of EVERY mil-watch collector and many vintage dive watch collectors. Things to look for in these Benrus Type I watches (vs. Type II which has arabic numbers on the dial versus markers) are the crowns which operate on a split stem due to this being a monocoque case. Replacement crowns are available, but the presence of an original crown is most desired - indicated by a slit/dimple on the end of the crown. Many of these watches saw very hard service, but they also stood up to the treatment. They are super-cool and THE classic Vietnam era watch (as an issued piece vs. the non-issued but very popular Seiko 6105). You got a good eye, OS - they are very nice watches. Predicted closing price on that watch from a very very trusted seller: $1100 (due mostly to dial condition).

When I was 14, I used to take the train into NYC from the burbs with my skater buds and we'd skateboard all over Manhattan (facking awesome). While on Canal Street one day I bought a fake Rollie sub for like $25. Wore the [censored] outta that watch and it actually lasted a good long while. That was 24 years ago (!!!!!). Over the years I would pick up a watch here and there, but it wasn't until I went to the Chatuchuk flea market in Bangkok while travelling with my wife, that I bought my first Seiko chrono (6139-8012 IIRC). That was it. Game over. Came back to NYC and discovered the Seiko Forum, got into divers, went swiss vintage and that's where I'm at now. In my internet trolling I came across this place and was dumbstruck by the quality of reps (since the 80s!!!). You all know how it goes. I've learned more here about movements than on any gen forum I've been - not to mention encountered one super supportive community. I'm glad I fell victim so many years ago....

BAD ASS.

This thread has been a real spleener! I've read every post and I'll sum up my reactions: Allergy Doc, I commend you - I've never been able to start an 8 page post on any topic on any forum, so well done. Gatchaman and Lani marched straight down the path to hell is paved with good intentions trail - coupled with the de-personalized nature of email communications. Too bad on that count. Corgi: while I see your point about the avatars and gifs, nothing's really that bad, but then again, everyone's taste and values are different. What really annoys me is that your animated-gif-fest actually causes my computer to lock up for a second. That should be banned! I'm pretty much a low-count noob who's been around for a wee while, but when I do post, I usually get feedback from some of the the most knowledgeable cats on this forum, and that is nice. I appreciate the 'gentleman's club' vibe around here and Gioarmani's gf's ass is just about as good as it gets, so bonus to me. Lastly, I must say that I don't really appreciate the effort that goes into maintaining and running a large forum like this, so THANK YOU to all the guys that make this place function - 'tis truly a labor of love (so rare these days!).

:clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: That was fun. Thanks for the effort, Zig. Since I pulled apart my DG2813, this stuff has become so much more meaningful and interesting.

Sure - you can ask to receive 5 working watches! That'd be a deal and a half.

You're close, MilSub. It might be the pallet lever if the pallet lever was even involved at this point. I discovered that the escape wheel is not making contact with the wheel just before it, so that the escape lever doesn't even get a chance to take part in the fun. Aligning the wheels in all their proper pivots is VERY tricky.

So I wanted to stop the stutter and to do that I removed the winding bridge to access the brake. To get the winding bridge back on, I needed to remove the balance [censored] so that I could nudge all the gear shafts to seat their ends in the proper jeweled pivots. Quite a little puzzle in there. Anyway - after much frustration documented below, I got it back together and it seemed to be OK until I wound it: I'm an idiot. Anyone know what I did wrong? (besides futzing with it in the first place. It was still fun. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YoCerwuIHc

Hey - I know you've been down this road before, so, can you say that the tall canon version is a direct swap for the 2813? I'd love to hear someone say they've swapped them without doing much else (cuz my skillz wit da tweezees be limited ). TIA for any help on this.

This is all fine and good - I've read all about the indirect seconds engineering shortcomings. However, when your watch appears to stop for 2 seconds at a time (yes, it's that noticeable), the suggestion that "it's hard to imagine how this characteristic could ever be observed during normal wear on the wrist" is totally absurd. I've come to the conclusion that the quality and meshing of the gears on these Chinese movements varies GREATLY. I got one of the bad ones and yes, adding brake pressure is no easy feat. Time for a new movement - guess I'll have to put another DG 2813 into it. I will NEVER buy one of these movement watches again.

Thanks, Freddy. I'll give it a try, even though I'm dubious I can get the winding bridge back on correctly.

Hi Andrew. Thanks for jumping in here. I'm aware of the canon pinion problem, but I've also read that the stem holes may be different sizes not to mention the 2813 is slightly slimmer as well. Would love to put a 4813 in there but not if it's going to be more headaches. Thanks.

OK - I installed a new kitchen sink today and I tried to reduce the stutter of my DG 2813. Guess which one I performed successfully. Exactly. My wife is thrilled with her new 'farmhouse' sink and I completely [censored] [censored] the movement, culminating in losing one of the tiny blued screws that hold the winding bridge on. Just an FYI - getting the winding bridge back on was nigh on impossible - especially after I'd bent back the second hand brake (perhaps a little too robustly!). Anywho - totally screwed the pooch on this one. Two options: Someone can send me a winding bridge screw from their nackered 2813. Someone can send me a junked 2813 movement from which I can remove said screw. Someone can tell me definitively if I can drop a 4813 into this watch or do I have to swap out parts from the 2813 like the canon pinion? Anybody? PS: thanks Milsub for the link - I really tried to do this but once the winding bridge was off I couldn't get all the little gears back into their appropriate jewels on the the winding bridge. FRUSTRATING!!

First off, thanks for that perfect ass, Gioarmani! Such a nice ass. Your advice though, not so much. When you say replace the movement - no problem, but with what? Another 2813? A miyota 8215? Same problems, no? Brake adjustment? Anybody? Bueller? Bueller? I know the movement's like $16 at Ofrei, but it's gonna be the same problem, no? I don't really want to sell this watch and just buy the Swiss ETA version (or asian clone ETA). I'd rather mess with this one. Somebody wanna help me destroy my movement? Or supply a 2813 diagram?

I've searched for this info and found nothing - doesn't mean its not there, but I'm just not putting the right words together I guess. So, the question is this: my U1 seconds hand really stutters badly - I'm sure some are worse than others and I think mines on the poor end of the scale. Can I: open her up and put more brake pressure on the second hand to keep more constant gear contact? or can I upgrade the movement keeping all other things the same? DG4813 is thicker so alignment is prolly an issue, right? Any help will be greatly appreciated.

The U1 is a phenomenal rep. Very hard to distinguish from the genuine article. I have one with the chinese movement: get the swiss eta, very worth it when everything else on this watch is so beautiful. Standard AR is some of the best I've ever seen from the factory - crystal disappears all the time. The U1 is one bad mutherfukker.

Manischewitz!!! I didn't mention you Toad! I'm an ass. I KNOW you were not fishing for that with your reply, but credit is due - I've read many of your guides. I've got a real soft spot for McQueen Explorers. Now if only Zig would produce his own line of watch repair videos and sell them to us devote