2893 GMT in MBW 1665 Case

[TJGladeRaider]

I have a new 1665 Case Set from MBW that's a little weird - it has a bogus He valve scribed into the case. Evidently, that's what Maria was using for the COMEX - but the case says 1665. On the other hand, this was a replacement case they sent me for one I broke off a tap in so maybe Maria just scribed the He in a 1665 case - who knows. When I take a bracelet off one of my others, I'll look.

In any event, in looking through the posts here, there seem to be several people out to make the vintage GMT project work using the 2893 movement and the 1665 case. If anyone ever does figure out how to make that work, please let me know because it wouldn't bother me one little bit to have this He valve on an otherwise perfectly nice vintage GMT - or maybe I'll just make a GMT capable COMEX.

I know, I'm a heretic . . .

Bill

[cib0rgman]

you can use josh's 1655 case but not a 1665. I am building one right now. I bought a 2893 movement waiting for the movement.

[hava]

you can use josh's 1655 case but not a 1665. I am building one right now. I bought a 2893 movement waiting for the movement.

But 1655 is thick than 1675 gen case.....not same case.

[FxrAndy]

I am pretty sure it can be done, I have just finished a 2892 in a WM9V2 case, and i am working on a 2893/2 in a GMT2 case right now (just waiting for a GMT hand to arrive as a 2836 gmt hand is 2mm and the 2893/2 gmt wheel is 1.8mm)

I have 1 2893/2 still in my box.

[TJGladeRaider]

you can use josh's 1655 case but not a 1665. I am building one right now. I bought a 2893 movement waiting for the movement.

Yep, you are exactly right - I got my numbers confused. I was thinking the 1665 was the 1655 Steve McQueen case which is why I couldn't figure out what a He valve was doing in it.

Bill

[kbh]

You really need a set of hands with longer tubes to make it work properly. Or you need to install taller canon pinion and the other assorted wheels to have room for the date wheel overlay.

Here's a post I made on another forum:

I was trying to explain to a member why it's next to impossible to use a standard 2893-2 ETA GMT movement in a Rolex rep. Actually any rep that doesn't use a standard ETA date wheel. I thought it may be of interest to some of the modders here so I will repost my reply to him:

I thought it would be easiest to explain the problem with a couple of pictures. Notice the GMT gears on the right of the movement and how high they sit. The brass gear is about dead even with the date wheel. That date wheel would normally have the numbers painted on it but they have been sanded down for when I previously put a DW overlay on it.

Now, on the other picture you will see how wide the Rolex DW overlay is, where it actually covers the gear. When you raise the overlay to where there is no conflict with either that wheel or the bottom of the dial, then you no longer have enough room to properly fit the GMT hand over the dial. Also, if you look at the GMT hand you'll see it has to be able to pass the dial markers, which are raised rather significantly on a Rolex dial. Remember, the GMT hand is the first to go on the dial. It would be much easier if it used the same configuration as Rolex with the GMT as the second hand in the stack.

So, as I said before, without installing the tallest set of canon pin, GMT wheel, etc that ETA makes, you will have an extremely difficult time getting it all to work properly.

This movement can be modified into a 2892-2 easily and works fine in a watch such as a Sub, SD, etc. It just requires removal of the GMT gear set.

Also the reason that 2836-2 is so much more popular for reps is that the canon pin set is already taller because of the day wheel, which is removed for the addition of the GMT module or for general use in watches that need an overlay.

Hope this helps explain it better.

[TJGladeRaider]

Hope this helps explain it better.

Yes indeed it does . . . I sure miss my PAM GMT with the 2893 in it.

Bill

[panerai153]

I believe that you also encounter another clearance problem when trying to fit a 2893-2 into a GMT IIC or even a 16750 with raised markers with metal surrounds.The metal surround markers are even higher than the dial markers on the 1675. I have wanted to get my GMT IIC modified to use a 2893-2 movement, but thus far I can't find anyone who will attempt it. Ziggy looked at it and said it was too much of a compromise trying to squeeze the dial down, bending hands to clear, etc. I would expect that someone who has replaced the canon pins wirth the tallest versions and could source ETA parts could do it, but I haven't found that person yet. A few months ago, BK was trying to make the modification by using modified hands, but what came of that project I don't know.

[JoeyB]

You really need a set of hands with longer tubes to make it work properly. Or you need to install taller canon pinion and the other assorted wheels to have room for the date wheel overlay.

So, as I said before, without installing the tallest set of canon pin, GMT wheel, etc that ETA makes, you will have an extremely difficult time getting it all to work properly.

I installed the ETA2893-2 in my 6542 with no real issues at all, but I expected to have to fit it. The case is from Silix and came with an Asian 2836-2. I made my own overlay using the white water slide decal paper, black/red, and removed the date wheel to install it (water is likely not a good idea while still on the movement!). I sanded off the original numbers/paint, and installed the decal, but did not cover the teeth on the date wheel. The teeth looked like a place for it to hang-up, and I thought the ridge on the date wheel maintaining plate should be kept clear too. I also took the 'spacer' ring down from 0.7mm to 0.4mm so the crown/stem would line up better, and the dial sits closer to the movement. The GMT hand sits fine, and clears the markers because they are only lume.

So, I'd say that some applications do work, a 1675 as another example. Both the 6542 and the 1675 have the same stack as the ETA2893-2, GMT hand on the bottom. But I can see that the dial markers on the later models could be a problem. That might be why Rolex changed the stack, to accommodate the higher markers.

[sneed12]

I have wanted to get my GMT IIC modified to use a 2893-2 movement, but thus far I can't find anyone who will attempt it.

One of the biggest problems with the IIc is that, as far as I know, no one makes aftermarket 2893-2 hands in green.

I've built 2893-2 GMT Master II's (16710) using hands from WSO over on eBay (everyone's favorite seller, I know) and it's a pain in the ass but not impossible.

[kbh]

It can be done, just not very professionally. Here's a picture and you can see the bending of the hands and even the slight indent at the center of the dial. It actually looks pretty good until you put it under a magnifier. Anyone that wants to try this I would strongly suggest you take out the crystal first and install the hands from the front with the movement installed, since there is a lot of bending and fitting. When it works without any of the hands hanging up on markers or each other, then re-install the crystal.

Also, the hand is a red one that I re-painted.