RWG Technical Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 There are at least 2 variants of the 3717 markers: 1. A chaulk type of lume marker that can be removed quite easily (old version) 2. Plastic lume markers that are glued to the dial (new version) The old version was much better than the newer one. The latest 3717 dials have plastic markers GLUED over painted markers on the dial. The painted makers are smaller than the plastic markers. When you remove these plastic markers to make new thinner Super Lume markers you have 2 problems: 1. the glue will either stick to the marker and remove some of the dial paint, or 2. the marker will break free and the glue will remain on the dial face. Either of these issues cause problems, the missing dial paint has to be touched up, or the glue that remains is shiny and has to be covered up. These are REPLICA watches and there is NO quality control, and as with all rep work, there is always a risk when you are trying to do these types of modifications, everyone is fine with the risk, as long as everything goes according to plan, as soon as perfection is not achieved, I get complaints and negative feedback. As a result of the problems and the negative feedback, I am keeping with my new years resolution, when it becomes a problem, stop offering the service. In one instance, after no less than 5 emails of someone arguing with us over and over, and us explaining that the shinny stuff visible after the lume is GLUE, and that I covered it as best I could when I did the lume, his last email was a curt "whatever...". One individual simply asked if we could make the triangle at 12 larger, we explained why we couldn't, and he was fine with it. Because of these problems, effective immediately, I am not offering to "fix" the lume on 3717's anymore, I will lume over the existing plastic markers, but I will not remove them and make them the correct thinner size as in the gen. RG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TK471 Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 Do these wrinkles ever amaze you anymore, Rob? So many variants on these watches. Thanks for your work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Manny Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 I can appreciate what a pain working with multiple versions of the same watch would be. Is there any easy indicator to identify which version members own? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulVanDyk Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 i wonder if that also applies to Spitfire 3717-02's? i was gonna buy it and throw it into the mix for my "time slot". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utheman Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 Does this apply to the 3717-02/05 Spitfire chrono as well? w Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
breukelen Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 Thanks for the FYI, The Zigmeister. Aside, it is such a shame that there are some real primadonnas out there ruining it for the rest of us when you make things difficult like this, given that The Zigmeister is one if not the only modder out there who is able to perform specialty services like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jitai Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 Thanks for providing us the information. V1 3717 is still the best and hard to beat version. Anyway, rep is afterall a rep and anyone who is treating their rep to The Zigmeister's spa should understand that The Zigmeister can only do his best for the requested mod works and in no way he can make it the same like gen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Limestone Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 Oh man... Mine is one the way to me right now.. I was planning on sending it your way...wit a ETA DW and some relume Can you still do the ETA DW swap? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWG Technical Posted March 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 I am not surprised anymore by the variations in the models, it is frustrating when you have been and continue to give 110% and do some of the best work out there, and you still can't please some. DW swap is not a problem. I can't remember how the Spitfire model markers are...I forget...so I don't know if these are also a problem. If you want to identify the different models, it's quite simple, look at the markers from the side, the early models have all white sides, the newer ones have clear plastic looking sides to the markers. RG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TmeShare Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 The Zigmeister Are most of the hour markers on rep dials glued to the dial? I have seen a few real OEM dials an they appear to mount the hour markers to the dial using metal prongs that go through the dial. No glue and no risk that they will fall out. TimeShare Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chad Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 Does this apply to the top gun also? I have mine coming to you at the end of the month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulVanDyk Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 hello The Zigmeister, this is the spitfire version i was planning on purchasing and have you do the DW, LUME mods when my spot on your "VIP" list comes up. Please let us know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWG Technical Posted March 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 I am referring to this model here: Link to 3717 The others are fine, sorry for any confusion. All markers are glued to the dial, either with a pin through the dial and glue on the back of the dial, or directly to the dial. Only the blended in types of markers are not glued, they are part of the original dial surface. RG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HauteHippie Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 The Zigmeister did my "1st gen" 3717 marker thinning / reluming and I couldn't be happier. It's a shame that it has become problematic, but I know I wouldn't want to be providing that service if I were you, RG.... My lovely Ziggified 3717: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toadtorrent Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 I can't remember how the Spitfire model markers are...I forget...so I don't know if these are also a problem. They shouldn't be...as the markers are metal applique arabic numerals filled with lume. I'm still in the debate about whether or not to send mine your way. MORE TO THE POINT...I can't believe Mr. Whatever's attitude. If people actually spent some time and researched what you do...and what you are able to accomplish with the "starting material" you get...perhaps they would have a better appreciation of the final product. These are rep watches...so, sometimes even the movements can't be serviced if a critical part has blown and can't be replaced. I hope people realize that the fact that a watch is a Chinese rep with no quality control is a real constraint to the final product. If you can't do it...it can't be done...especially with lume work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LegendofSpeed Posted March 24, 2009 Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 Although I completely understand, this ruins part of my plan.... hmmm.... on to the next project... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryaku Posted March 25, 2009 Report Share Posted March 25, 2009 (edited) Hi Rob, i read your post but it's not clear to me if my dials belong to the problematic new version. It should by a V1 not the very first batch but one of the first indeed. Not sure the following pic can help you to see if it's the first good version. It's a spare dial and marker at 9 is gonna fall very soon. Marker at 6 o clock already fell and you can see there Edited March 25, 2009 by ryaku Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWG Technical Posted March 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2009 Yours looks like the first version, if you look at the markers (like the one that fell off) see if the marker is all white and doesn't have a clear piece of plastic on it. The newer ones are easy to see because the marker has white on it, but it's clear plastic also. From a side view, the older model markers look like white chaulk with no clear section. RG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milesd Posted March 26, 2009 Report Share Posted March 26, 2009 Crap, I hope your not running into issues with my 3717. I was told it was a V1 when I bought it so I hope everything is going okay. Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryaku Posted March 26, 2009 Report Share Posted March 26, 2009 Great, glad to hear that The Zigmeister. Now i just need to ship it to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Limestone Posted March 27, 2009 Report Share Posted March 27, 2009 Great, glad to hear that The Zigmeister. Now i just need to ship it to you. Wait, did I miss something? Do you still do some dials The Zigmeister? I thought you didn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryaku Posted March 27, 2009 Report Share Posted March 27, 2009 Well, maybe i misunderstood but i guess he 's still disposed to mod the dial as long as you're 100% sure it's not the problematic version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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