New Rollie Gmt Model, Modified Eta 2836-2

[TJGladeRaider]

I have a TWG correct hand stacked Explorer2 working fine and a PT GMT2 with 'wrong handstack' working super... I have them 6 months approx. Both are adjusted 2836-2. TJ can you explain what the trouble was....

They didn't work right.

I'n no Ziggy, I haven't a clue - all I can tell you is the watches kept time perfectly but the GMT hands had minds all their own.

For example, set the watch to twelve noon - all hands straight up, GMT straight down. The next day, at noon, the GMT hand might say it's 9:30.

I wish I could better describe the problem, but all I know is, I only have two 2836's that worked right. One is in a Pam 29, the other in an Omega SMP GMT.

Of the ones that did not work right, Omega, Rolex and Pam were included.

Bill

[bklm1234]

The Zigmeister, what watch does your movement-in-review come from? Is it from Paul (WO-Mart)?

[Guest avitt]

I am on a trip right now...Had the option of 3 "GMT" watches: A Hamilton 2893-2, an Omega rep, and Trusty's Exp. II rep. They all keep proper time, so there's no wrong choice, but I find the Explorer to be the easiest to use.

(I'm operating on the assumption that most people like to show the local time with the main hands of the watch).

As an example, on a flight tonight, I update the time on my watch by +1 hr. in one simple step:

1. Pull the stem to the first position, and advance the hour hand by one hour. (You don't have to worry about precisely moving the hour hand, as it advances in 1 hour increments).
   

...The GMT hand time did not change. It continued to represent my "Home Time".

With a 2893-2 based GMT, that same procedure would require multiple steps:

1. Memorize the current time of the GMT hand.
   
2. Move the stem out to the second position, and advance the main hands by one hour.
   
3. Move the stem to the first position, and set the GMT hand back to the memorized time.
   

Now, neither of these is a big deal. I'm just saying that the GMT with adjustable hour hand is a bit easier to use. There no argument about the quality of the 2893 movement...I'm happy to own one. However, some collectors trust those crafty Chinese enough to use entire movements designed and made in their factories. In this case, all they've done is add a few gears to a workhorse ETA movement...and in the case of Trusty's Exp. II, it looks like they've done a pretty good job.

[TK471]

I am on a trip right now...Had the option of 3 "GMT" watches: A Hamilton 2893-2, an Omega rep, and Trusty's Exp. II rep. They all keep proper time, so there's no wrong choice, but I find the Explorer to be the easiest to use.

(I'm operating on the assumption that most people like to show the local time with the main hands of the watch).

As an example, on a flight tonight, I update the time on my watch by +1 hr. in one simple step:

1. Pull the stem to the first position, and advance the hour hand by one hour. (You don't have to worry about precisely moving the hour hand, as it advances in 1 hour increments).
   

...The GMT hand time did not change. It continued to represent my "Home Time".

With a 2893-2 based GMT, that same procedure would require multiple steps:

1. Memorize the current time of the GMT hand.
   
2. Move the stem out to the second position, and advance the main hands by one hour.
   
3. Move the stem to the first position, and set the GMT hand back to the memorized time.
   

Now, neither of these is a big deal. I'm just saying that the GMT with adjustable hour hand is a bit easier to use. There no argument about the quality of the 2893 movement...I'm happy to own one. However, some collectors trust those crafty Chinese enough to use entire movements designed and made in their factories. In this case, all they've done is add a few gears to a workhorse ETA movement...and in the case of Trusty's Exp. II, it looks like they've done a pretty good job.

Uh, oh. I'm starting to think that maybe I don't know how the 2893 movement works. The GMT hand is not independently adjustable like the 2836-2?

[Chronus]

THE GMT-Master was originally designed for pilots, and in that profession, setting the "home" time as GMT was useful. This is probably why the 24-hour hand is popularly known as the GMT hand. The rotating bezel of the GMT-Master (or Omega Seamaster GMT) allow another timezone to be set as well.

For the international traveller, it is more useful to set the "home" time to that of where you reside, and the current time displayed by the regular hour hand.

Of course, if you don't travel, you can set the GMT hand to a timezone that you may want to keep updated of. eg. You live in London but your parents live in Ontario, so the GMT hand would be 5 hours back.

[dabom]

Rob,

As promised here are the pics of my TWG Expl2 with 2836-2 GMT mod.

Wow! Looks like TWG Exp2 are better made than Eddie's! Looks like the stem is welded onto the gear.

[Guest avitt]

Uh, oh. I'm starting to think that maybe I don't know how the 2893 movement works. The GMT hand is not independently adjustable like the 2836-2?

On the 2893, the GMT hand is independently adjustable. The only problem is that the GMT hand follows the main hands: When you advance the time on the main hands, the GMT hand follows. That is why you have to reset the GMT hand, if you want to keep the "home time" accurate.

[kingkitesurf]

What you see is the hour hand gear... But anyway the GMT hand gear dit not get loose from the tube when taking the gmt hand of... twice went without budging. The watch really runs great.

Wow! Looks like TWG Exp2 are better made than Eddie's! Looks like the stem is welded onto the gear.

[dabom]

What you see is the hour hand gear... But anyway the GMT hand gear dit not get loose from the tube when taking the gmt hand of... twice went without budging. The watch really runs great.

in any case, I think the module is too makeshift to bear. Having two gears stacked ontop of each other and freely rubbing against each other is just not acceptable. In the end I still want a well-made watch, not simply one that looks good and runs. I've spent about $900 on two of these plus luming and service - just to get it to run as good as the original (I messed up my first one). That's one third the price of a used genuine. That really made me think about how insane it was to spend so much money on such a crudely made device. Am I going to get the satisfaction of ownership like I will from the real thing that works properly and last forever? No.

For now, I think I will just stick to fully 100% Swiss movement and completely avoid all the tacked on modules. These bastardized reps look great on the outside, but that's the problem - you can fall in love with them and just become [censored] off when something goes wrong with them - because they simply AREN'T made to last.

[GhostfaceZX]

I had the same movement in my Exp2 as KingKiteSurf posted, and I had the issue of the broken GMT gear.

See here: CLICK THIS LINK

BTW, I didn't have any problems with the movement. I opened it up to try to realign the dial, as it is slightly twisted to the left.

I had the entire movement replaced with the same modified 2836-2 and have had no issues with it at all after regulating.

Edited October 9, 2006 by GhostfaceZX