Navitimer

[eLiNK]

Hi,

I have embarked on a small project of swapping dials on my Navitimer.

Have found a gen dial on eBay and had to have it restored as the quality was not so good.

Now, the problem is the spacing is a little bit different.

I made some pictures of the rep and the gen dial and measured distances on pictures with Screen Calipers.

The measures are approx. as follows:..............gen....................rep

spacing b/w subdials at 3 and at 9...............16.63 mm..........16.40 mm

center to subdial at 6.................................... 8.19 mm............8.00 mm

inner measurement circle..............................27.79 mm..........25.87 mm

Do you think because of the allowances it'd be possible to still swap the dials?

(Unfortunately, the watchsmith I found seems to be disinclined to do on reps something beyond simple tasks.)

Edited September 7, 2006 by eLiNK

[RWG Technical]

I have installed many genuine dials on Navitimers, actually just did another one on Monday...

I never measured the dial spacing, as there is no reason to...the genuine uses the same movement as the rep, a 7750...it's a direct fit...

The only problem you will find, is the gen dial is thicker than the rep one, and you have to file down the case ring attachment points for the clamps, you'll see what I mean when you try it out...

RG

[PAMman]

You don't say whether your Navitimer is the standard 7750 layout (sub-dials at 6, 9 & 12) or the 7753 layout with sub-dials at 3, 6 & 9 but you refer to the center dial at 6 so I assume it's the 7753 style.

The current genuine Navitimer uses the Swiss 7753 which has the sub-dial at 12 moved to 3 similar to the modified Asian 7750. The Asian 7750 is a direct swop for the Swiss 7750 so the unaltered sub-dials at 6 & 9 should be the same on the modified Asian and the Swiss 7753 - there is no scope for movement or variation. This leads me to think that you have a genuine Navitimer dial from a non-7753 Valjoux/ETA movement. Older Navitimers used a range of other movements with the same basic layout, including Valjoux 72, Venus etc. Is the dial configuration correct for the 7753? i.e. running seconds at 9, 30 min counter at 6 and hours at 3?

[RWG Technical]

Add to my comments, what PAmman said...

The last one I did was a standard 7750 layout, i.e. subdials at 6-9-12...with a date window.

RG

[Pugwash]

I have installed many genuine dials on Navitimers, actually just did another one on Monday...

Have you put genuine dials on IWC GSTs before, or will mine be amongst the first?

[r11co]

Have you put genuine dials on IWC GSTs before, or will mine be amongst the first?

You are obsessed, Pug.

[Pugwash]

You are obsessed, Pug.

Um, where are we? Isn't this watch-obsessives-central?

Sorry, I'll get my coat.

[r11co]

Um, where are we? Isn't this watch-obsessives-central?

Yup, and you are honorary president of the IWC Gst section.

[ubiquitous]

Um, where are we? Isn't this watch-obsessives-central?

Sorry, I'll get my coat.

Oh, dookie! You mean to tell me I'm in the wrong place too?

[RWG Technical]

Have you put genuine dials on IWC GSTs before, or will mine be amongst the first?

Your breaking new ground on this one...but I suspect it will be a straight swap...should be here today or tomorrow...will advise.

RG

[eLiNK]

Thank you The Zigmeister and PAMman for the info.

I knew there were no problem with installing a gen dial in the Navitimer with 6-9-12 configuration.

Mine has 3-6-9.

Quite forgot to stress that detail.

Edited September 7, 2006 by eLiNK

[eLiNK]

BTW, here's the dial i have

(in unrestored condition)

D-A-M-N, I just noticed I was given a wrong dial.

It is exactly like mine but has "Breitling Navitimer Chronometre" written.

Edited September 7, 2006 by eLiNK

[eLiNK]

Talked to the watchsmith, and had him redo it. Another couple of weeks of waiting.

He says it is my dial and the logo and wording was printed anew.

Here's how it looks now.

Don't like the logo at all.

Edited September 7, 2006 by eLiNK