New Chrono PAMs from DSN - 188, 196 and a new T-S-T dial to boot

[Drew maximus]

So

are these better than the cartel 7753 versions?? (Lume and datewheel aside) I owned a beauty that I had modded up with T crown, Leo wheel and a slightly modded cg and everyone said the case shape was all wrong and that the only good daylight would be a modded EL case Daylight

So is the case shape right?

Do you mean this one? courtesy of Makube and you kind sir.

Profile pic of bezel.....seems like a low profile bezel, not sure if this is correct (as ive never reviewed a gen before)

BTW thanks Tanya, you have made my year.

[Watchmeister]

Here are a bunch of reference shots- 2 Honpo's (what people call EL's) and a gen.

[babola]

Do you mean this one? courtesy of Makube and you kind sir.

Profile pic of bezel.....seems like a low profile bezel, not sure if this is correct (as ive never reviewed a gen before)

Judging by the pics it's a V2 case.

Not the Honpo/EL type Kruzer is referring to in his post above, which is closer to the gen.

Here's the two cases side by side. Honpo/EL on the left, the "not-so-correct" V2 on the right (in the middle)

DSN's new 188/196 are closer to V2, though.

cheers,

b

[w0lf]

I dunno guys, I want a 196 but I'll wait to see the price. I think these are overall slightly better OTB than cartel's previous offering but not better than the best watch honpo in any respect other than the dial.

To me the show stoppers are the the case, belezel egraving and L S M L font. Everything else is fixable to some extent.

[w0lf]

Ohh yeah, it looks like everything is going to come in this case now. He'd been using the same case maker for automatic SS cases since last June or so. So far 27,28 and now 188, 196 come in it.

[Mickey Padge]

Shame he can't have the factory just reduce the bezel font a little, also, the 60 and 400 both have no gap next to the tachy lettering, those faults are a possible deal breaker for me, depending on the $$$ maybe......

[siesta181]

The bezel markers are noticably larger and knowing DSN, the caseback will probably be thin. But it all depends on the price point now.

A good 7753 EL case daylight project will probably cost about USD 1.2k ~ USD 1.5k (all mods in of course, lumework + LEO/lello DW + T-crown) with a good starting point of a 7753 movt (about USD550 ~ USD600) + EL Daylight case (USD300 ~ USD 350) if you can find one.

Should make for an interesting discussion when the price is revealed.

[Mickey Padge]

Anyone hear back from DSN yet?

[w0lf]

$860 is the price.

[Mickey Padge]

That is very good, considering the cartel version is more than that, without the superlumed dial/hands, and DSN's attention to detail with your order

[w0lf]

I guess the price tag is reasonable but that's not the issue. I keep looking at the watch and noticing more stuff I don't like, for example the rehaut is deeper than a mineshaft, it's appears like 10mm tall in the lume shot and side profile.

In the end this it what happened with my 27A. Even after modding the crown, CG, datewheel and shaping the case I couldn't get past all the other little things that were off on it that I couldn't fix. Overall for someone not as anal as I, the 27A it is a phenomenal value out the box and a watch that will last and last as I'm sure these daylights will.

Mickey, you were the 1st to review DSN's 27A, care to be the guinnea pig once again?

[babola]

Just to add few random bits on the fly about the 196...

- the dial is good, but just good...the more I look at it the more I find the off-bits, like Luminor Panerai txt being of different font and text overall thinner, cardinal numerals just a tad thicker than gens, small loop on number 4, thinner white markings on the dial etc

- the case again comes with 'dimples', has wrong bezel shape and engraving is too wide and larger overall. Lugs are stumpy. Rehaut is unusually deep. The bow line (curvature) on CG is too pronounced, CG lever needs reshaping at the tip at least, crown needs upgrading.

- the large hands (minute/hour/chrono) are excellent, much better than on my 196 from EL, so will most likely replace them. The small chrono hands on chrono registers come with a tad bigger 'leaf', making them look a bit on a large side overall.

All that said, I still maintain my 'thumbs up' for this piece...at the price mentioned above, a reliable workhorse that's very very close...just don't compare it too much to the gen and you'll be OK

[Mickey Padge]

I wish I could w0lf, I would have to sell the 027a to fund this, at the moment it's with Domi having a date wheel swap!

[Mickey Padge]

It's strange, some shots seem to have a deep rehaut, and yet others don't, could it just be poor lighting?

[babola]

It's strange, some shots seem to have a deep rehaut, and yet others don't, could it just be poor lighting?

Doubt it mate, I keep looking at the rehaut of my EL 196 from every possible angle and I just can't 'reproduce' that sunken barrel look

Shouldn't be a deal beaker though, IMO.

[Mickey Padge]

I guess we need to wait for some decent member review pictures, for me the only problem is the large bezel font, it bugs me!