ww12345 Posted July 26, 2011 Report Posted July 26, 2011 Would either of these ebay auctions provide an acceptable donor for a 1675 project? http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Zodiac-SS-Aerospace-GMT-Automatic-Found-/370528187262?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item564533737e#ht_4320wt_1185 http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-mens-Zodiac-Aerospace-GMT-Automatic-w-Date-NR-/110717706074?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item19c74a1f5a#ht_500wt_969 I think that this watch has either a Zodiac 86 or a Zodiac 76. Anybody know where to get Zodiac 75B movements without selling your soul? Thanks for the info in advance!
panerai153 Posted July 26, 2011 Report Posted July 26, 2011 Would either of these ebay auctions provide an acceptable donor for a 1675 project? http://cgi.ebay.com/...#ht_4320wt_1185 http://cgi.ebay.com/...5a#ht_500wt_969 I think that this watch has either a Zodiac 86 or a Zodiac 76. Anybody know where to get Zodiac 75B movements without selling your soul? Thanks for the info in advance! First off you would need to know the dimensions of the movement. also what are the sizes of the hands. (Will ETA hands fit?) possibly there are members here who have tried those particular movements and could wrigh in as to the possibilities. Another question, does the GMT hand on the Zodiacs "track" like the GMT hand does on the 1675 and 16750, or is it adjustable and jump like the ETA 2893-2 ?
chiman12 Posted July 26, 2011 Report Posted July 26, 2011 I believe that they should both be fine. Even if it is not a cal 75, it is a newer variant of it. The Zodiac movements are a true GMT movements an track just like a 1675. The date wheel even spins the same way. GL on the project!
Ronin Posted July 26, 2011 Report Posted July 26, 2011 IIRC, getting hands for this will be the biggest challenge as they are neither Miyota/DG sized or ETA sized.
chiman12 Posted July 26, 2011 Report Posted July 26, 2011 Ronin...to clarify....the GMT hand is almost gen spec (needs a little broaching) and the other hands are in fact ETA based. But it is a PAIN to get parts for as it is a really rare movement. So unless you have already sunk money into a zodiac or a glutton for punishment, then go with something more modern with parts that are accessible.
ww12345 Posted July 26, 2011 Author Report Posted July 26, 2011 Too late! I already got it... One of the main reasons I decided on this was because the final price - $265 - was still under the price of a 2893-2. Also, like you said, the GMT hand is darn near Rolex specs, and I knew that the 2893 wouldn't be. I figure if I have to service it, it will still be worth it to have the almost-spec GMT post and Datewheel that turns in the right direction. One question, though - what kind of datewheel should I get? I don't assume that an OEM datewheel from Rolex would fit... would it? Thanks again for the help!
chiman12 Posted July 26, 2011 Report Posted July 26, 2011 You can use a gen spec date wheel for the project, but you will need to know someone that can modify the current date wheel to make it all work.
JoeyB Posted July 27, 2011 Report Posted July 27, 2011 Also, like you said, the GMT hand is darn near Rolex specs, and I knew that the 2893 wouldn't be. The GMT 4th hand for the ETA 2893-2 is the same size, 1.7mm, as the Rolex GMT. The other hands are different.
jmb Posted July 27, 2011 Report Posted July 27, 2011 You can use a gen spec date wheel for the project, but you will need to know someone that can modify the current date wheel to make it all work. Are you talking about grinding off the Rolex teeth and thinning the original date wheel to glue on the Rollie DW as an overlay?
chiman12 Posted July 28, 2011 Report Posted July 28, 2011 Are you talking about grinding off the Rolex teeth and thinning the original date wheel to glue on the Rollie DW as an overlay? You have to do more than that my friend!
Ronin Posted July 28, 2011 Report Posted July 28, 2011 My notes show the hand sizes for that movement to be: 130 / 90 / 22 (don't have GMT size handy). Good luck finding Mercedes hands that look right in the hour and seconds department.
JoeyB Posted July 28, 2011 Report Posted July 28, 2011 Genuine Rolex GMT hand is .17mm. What are the sizes for the other 3 gen hands? 1
Ronin Posted July 28, 2011 Report Posted July 28, 2011 Genuine Rolex GMT hand is .17mm. What are the sizes for the other 3 gen hands? aka 170 right?
cib0rgman Posted July 28, 2011 Report Posted July 28, 2011 Too late! I already got it... One of the main reasons I decided on this was because the final price - $265 - was still under the price of a 2893-2. Also, like you said, the GMT hand is darn near Rolex specs, and I knew that the 2893 wouldn't be. I figure if I have to service it, it will still be worth it to have the almost-spec GMT post and Datewheel that turns in the right direction. One question, though - what kind of datewheel should I get? I don't assume that an OEM datewheel from Rolex would fit... would it? Thanks again for the help! A 2893-2 on ebay is $255.00 and includes shiping, then you can but the part at cousins to raise the hands and have enough room for the hands. and it fits like a globe in a 1655 case... you will need to glue the datewheel disc and yes you can use a rolex datewheel.
JoeyB Posted July 28, 2011 Report Posted July 28, 2011 aka 170 right? Oops! Wrong placement of the decimal! Good catch! It should read 1.70mm, Sorry.
mikellem Posted July 28, 2011 Report Posted July 28, 2011 You have to do more than that my friend! ChiMan, then tell what else has to be done? There is no better machinist on our forum than JMB! Cheers, MM
ww12345 Posted July 28, 2011 Author Report Posted July 28, 2011 (edited) I thought about the 2893, but decided on the Zodiac because it didn't have problems with hand clearance. I didn't know you could buy the parts to lift the hands at CousinsUK. On the other hand, couldn't I broach gen-spec hands to fit the Zodiac hour, minute and second hand pinions just about right? I really hope that I haven't bitten off more than I can chew. I heard it said on this very forum that 1675s aren't for the faint of heart. Hopefully I will come out on the other end (with LOTS of help from JMB) relatively unscathed. Chiman, what else should be done to get the new datewheel on? I was under the impression (as JMB was) that you just filed the old down enough that you could glue the other datewheel on, and raise the dial just a hair to get everything to fit. Are we missing something huge? Thanks for all the responses. I will be sure to post pics when it is all finished. Edited July 28, 2011 by ww12345
ww12345 Posted July 28, 2011 Author Report Posted July 28, 2011 (edited) Ronin, I just looked up the gen hand sizes for the 1570/1575 calibre. It shows that they are 80/120/20. I assume this is 120 for the hour, 80 for the minute, and 20 for the second, is that right? If so, couldn't the Yuki handset that comes with the 1675 dial be broached ever so slightly to fit the Zodiac movement? I have also seen 80/130/20 listed as handset sizes. However, I assume the numbers you gave me were from the Zodiac movement, correct? Thanks for your help. I'm pretty new at this! Edited July 28, 2011 by ww12345
chiman12 Posted July 28, 2011 Report Posted July 28, 2011 http://www.rwgforum.com/topic/125766-my-1675-cornino-finally-completed/page__p__911275__fromsearch__1#entry911275 Here is the first 1675 build with the Zodiac 75B (I believe)...the small gmt hand is gen spec, slightly broached to fit and the rest of the hands are ETA hands. You can't just glue the date wheel overlay to the Zodiac date wheel and call it a day, there needs to be some clearance as the date wheel overlay will rub on the movement plate and the date won't flip properly....I'll let you guys figure out the rest...I can't give away all my secrets!!!
cib0rgman Posted July 28, 2011 Report Posted July 28, 2011 http://www.rwgforum....__1#entry911275 Here is the first 1675 build with the Zodiac 75B (I believe)...the small gmt hand is gen spec, slightly broached to fit and the rest of the hands are ETA hands. You can't just glue the date wheel overlay to the Zodiac date wheel and call it a day, there needs to be some clearance as the date wheel overlay will rub on the movement plate and the date won't flip properly....I'll let you guys figure out the rest...I can't give away all my secrets!!! You could use a very fine sand paper or a knife sharpening flat stone and thin-out both date-wheels. that will give clearance to clear the dial. that one reason why date-wheel overlays are better, but they are hard to come by...
chiman12 Posted July 28, 2011 Report Posted July 28, 2011 If you thin out both date wheels, It will make the clearance worse, not better. Your taking away material...
cib0rgman Posted July 28, 2011 Report Posted July 28, 2011 Are you saying that spacing between the Dial and the Datewheel is too much; the date-wheel sits too far away from the dial?
ww12345 Posted July 28, 2011 Author Report Posted July 28, 2011 Should just the datewheel "overlay" (in reality, the WSO datewheel) just be thinned on the bottom? I wonder if thinning the original Zodiac datewheel might cause some problems with the changing of the date. So, in bullet points: *Strip the teeth off the new datewheel *Thin the bottom of the new datewheel until ample clearance is provided *Glue it to the top of the Zodiac Datewheel, ensuring that numbers line up where possible. Am I missing any steps? I understand keeping some secrets, but am I at least going in the right direction?
Jimster Posted July 29, 2011 Report Posted July 29, 2011 How about a DG 3804B? They are work horses and inexpensive. Search for information on them and the 1675.
Ronin Posted July 29, 2011 Report Posted July 29, 2011 Here is a video of my DG3804, that: Dropped into a GEN Case. Even the datewheel aligns with GEN Dials out-of-the-box. No overlay used. (True, not silver, but felt the "serviced DW replacement look worked). DG3804 PRO's: Drops into Gen Case with slightly sanded Stilty ring or Yuki 1575 adapterDatewheel aligns with Gen DialDatewheel mechanism easily modifiable (Stock white/black numbers can be sanded off revealing silver area for overlay decal)Mercedes Hands readily available. A Gen GMT hand could be adapted.Slow Beat 21.6. (ETA 2836 mods are high beat / wrong, and NO BETTER as it is not a factory ETA, and never Swiss)If it fails / dies, R&R it for under $30.
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