quote:

Originally posted by eTripper:

That's really nice! I'm a sucker for sunburst blue dials (and is that bezel black (or dark blue?)...bonus points if so, love a blue and black combo) as well as round indices. Lots else as well to love about that one...an all-around beautiful package.

It's a black bezel. Get one here.

Yeah, Phoibos makes some good looking watches. I'm definitely a fan. The Leviathan didn't do anything for me, but on some random forum I found while looking it up just before the release, there was mention that Phoibos is going to re-release the Wavemaster with the abalone dial sometime this coming spring, I believe March or April. I think I'm going to try to snag one of those. I used to cut abalam (laminate of many thin layers to give a somewhat uniform density to the grain, which is what the Wavemaster dial uses as well) and mother of pearl at an inlay shop that handled C.F. Martin's custom work, so this is right up my alley.

The wave master is a nice watch especially with that dial. The pics I’ve seen of that version have all been stunning.

I scooped up the Leviathan because I got the early bird discount and the open heart dial intrigued me. I figured if I didn’t like it I could always unload it at little if any loss.

I wasn’t expecting to like the Leviathan this much! The bezel action is buttery smooth with a loud click and absolutely zero back play. It’s the kind of bezel action I would expect to see on a watch costing a few thousand dollars.

For such a big watch it is quite comfortable on the wrist. It does get noticed too. My daughter and mother in law immediately noticed the big shiny Leviathan on my wrist.

Here's a vintage Girard Perregaux Gyromatic that had belonged to my Dad. Haven't been able to find any info about this model and even a google image search doesn't turn up a match. Does anyone have any suggestions or knowledge?

I need to find a place to get it serviced and the crystal replaced. The scratches are far less aparant in person than in the photo. I really like the textured face.

I have always liked mother of pearl, but abalone even more.

Looks nice.

quote:

Originally posted by Green Highlander:
Here's a vintage Girard Perregaux Gyromatic that had belonged to my Dad. Haven't been able to find any info about this model and even a google image search doesn't turn up a match. Does anyone have any suggestions or knowledge?

I need to find a place to get it serviced and the crystal replaced. The scratches are far less apparent in person than in the photo. I really like the textured face.

Sorry I too couldn't find that exact dial with unusual hour markers. Wish i could be of more help.

And yes, that definitely should be serviced by a competent watchmaker.

I would suggest looking around omegaforums.net as there are a good number of interesting threads on the GP Gyromatic of old. They were first introduced in 1957 FWIW.

quote:

Originally posted by Beancooker:
So this was my daily wearer

Now that's a G-Shock I wouldn't mind having.

quote:

Originally posted by jhe888:
I have always liked mother of pearl, but abalone even more.

Agreed. Lots more vibrant colors. MOP is more subtle.

quote:

Originally posted by Green Highlander:
Here's a vintage Girard Perregaux Gyromatic that had belonged to my Dad. Haven't been able to find any info about this model and even a google image search doesn't turn up a match. Does anyone have any suggestions or knowledge?

I need to find a place to get it serviced and the crystal replaced. The scratches are far less apparent in person than in the photo. I really like the textured face.

My grandpa's watch was a GP. I own it now. I made the mistake in my youth, of having it redialed. Terrible mistake. I would recommend sending it in for a service and asking them to polish the crystal only. They can do a pretty good job of taking away those scratches with polly watch.

I've used a number of service shops. This one was reasonably priced and did nice work.

https://www.watchmann.com/watchrepair.php

I've also used RGM for vintage chronograph service. Roland's shop is a little pricier I think.

P220 Smudge, how cool would it be if Phoibos offered the Voyager with a dial like on that Wave Master? I’d buy one. The bezel action is the only area opportunity I found with the Phoibos Wave Master.

I wonder if the recent batch of Wave Masters have corrected the sloppy bezel action? It took Phoibos a little while before they offered the abalone and white dial variants of the Wave Master. Maybe they will do the same for the Voyager. The blue & silver dials sure sold out quickly!


A few years ago I bought my brother a Seiko Turtle for his birthday. It was his first automatic watch and I rarely saw him without it on his wrist. Somehow in only a few years he has managed to damage the movement to where it is now running VERY fast. Maybe a simple running it over my demagnetizer a few times will fix it (unlikely). I think he might have smacked it too hard while doing yard work but who knows.

I tried to order a blue Voyager for my brother to replace the Seiko PADI Turtle he recently killed but the website glitched and sold me an out of stock item that won’t be restocked until well into 2021. I think ordering a NH36A and just swapping in a nice regulated Seiko movement into his PADI is the smartest move.

I’ve heard doing the hands can be difficult. It’s not that hard is it? I kinda like the idea of swapping in some Tudor Snowflake hands though the stock Seiko arrow hands are pretty cool.

Thanks Bald1 and r0gue for the replies and recommendations. I will get it serviced when I replenish the watch fund after hitting it pretty hard the past few months. My desire is to keep as much original as possible. I have absolutely zero interest in getting it redialed. It currently has an amazing texture with no foxing or discoloration. The detail of it did not come through in the picture I posted but were in the original.

quote:

Originally posted by Green Highlander:
Thanks Bald1 and r0gue for the replies and recommendations. I will get it serviced when I replenish the watch fund after hitting it pretty hard the past few months. My desire is to keep as much original as possible. I have absolutely zero interest in getting it redialed. It currently has an amazing texture with no foxing or discoloration. The detail of it did not come through in the picture I posted but were in the original.

Excellent move! Maintain the "wabi" of your father's use!

I made a similar decision regarding a 1965 Omega Constellation champagne dial PiePan I inherited. Restricted service to just the movement and although the crown with integral o-ring was worn, I opted to retain it as no replacements exist any more with the Omega logo on it. The case was cleaned but NOT polished in any way. The acrylic crystal was buffed nicely though. Simply wanted to maintain the integrity of the "wabi." And the risks are very low with that worn seal as it is a dress watch that won't be subjected to risky environments or abuse.
I also did replace the broken aftermarket metal bracelet it had on it with a nice alligator strap.

quote:

Originally posted by bald1:Excellent move! Maintain the "wabi" of your father's use!

Excuse me for being pedantic, but as a student of Japanese history and culture, and a practitioner of the Urasenke-ryu of Chado, a small correction: It would be sabi, not wabi.

"Sabi is beauty or serenity that comes with age, when the life of the object and its impermanence are evidenced in its patina and wear, or in any visible repairs.

Wabi...connotes rustic simplicity, freshness or quietness...or understated elegance. It can also refer to quirks and anomalies arising from the process of construction, which add uniqueness and elegance to the object."

Excerpted from the Wikipedia article 'Wabi-Sabi'

Aside from terminology, that Omega is a class act!!!

That is a GORGEOUS Omega! Wow.

quote:

Originally posted by BrianO:

quote:

Originally posted by bald1:Excellent move! Maintain the "wabi" of your father's use!

Excuse me for being pedantic, but as a student of Japanese history and culture, and a practitioner of the Urasenke-ryu of Chado, a small correction: It would be sabi, not wabi.

No doubt you are right but frankly the term "wabi" has been used for years and years among watch collectors, especially military types, as an example found on MWR (http://www.broadarrow.net/). A few use "wabi-sabi" too FWIW. So correctness or not, I'll continue with the established convention.

quote:

Originally posted by P220 Smudge:

quote:

Originally posted by bald1:
No doubt you are right but frankly the term "wabi" has been used for years and years among watch collectors, especially military types, as an example found on MWR (http://www.broadarrow.net/). A few use "wabi-sabi" too FWIW. So correctness or not, I'll continue with the established convention.

Hmmm. This sounds like what goes on in the gun community in regards to "fitment" and "ambidextrious."

No, your analogy isn't apt. Wabi in the context I refer to means simply the accumulated wear and tear on a watch indicative of honorable usage. And frankly, consistent with the definition our friend supplied here where "construction" is taken as "usage":

quote:

Originally posted by BrianO:
Wabi...connotes rustic simplicity, freshness or quietness...or understated elegance. It can also refer to quirks and anomalies arising from the process of construction, which add uniqueness and elegance to the object."

quote:

Originally posted by bald1: No, your analogy isn't apt. Wabi in the context I refer to means simply the accumulated wear and tear on a watch indicative of honorable usage. And frankly, consistent with the definition our friend supplied here [b]where "construction" is taken as "usage"...

Absolutely wrong. Construction and usage are two different things. Don't misrepresent what I wrote in an effort to bolster your incorrect usage. "Construction" refers to the way an object is designed and built, and falls under wabi. A brand new watch can have wabi. "Usage" is exactly that, and falls under sabi.

quote:

Originally posted by BrianO:

quote:

Originally posted by bald1: No, your analogy isn't apt. Wabi in the context I refer to means simply the accumulated wear and tear on a watch indicative of honorable usage. And frankly, consistent with the definition our friend supplied here [b]where "construction" is taken as "usage"...

Absolutely wrong. Construction and usage are two different things. Don't misrepresent what I wrote in an effort to bolster your incorrect usage. "Construction" refers to the way an object is designed and built, and falls under wabi. A brand new watch can have wabi. "Usage" is exactly that, and falls under sabi.

Lighten up!

I was yet again explaining the common parlance among watch collectors who use the term to describe the wear from use. And providing an interpretation of your definition is not a misrepresentation but what again these collectors use the term for and why. And FWIW many years ago this very discussion appeared in a couple of MWR threads where several Japanese members allowed that it passed their sanity checks.

Be as pedantic as you like. The fact remains that correct or not, it is used in the cited circles just as I've stated.