Just in from Down Under:

1940 Phenix Cal 89 Automatic. Sold in Germany, civilian watch but dial in the style of a DH (Deutsche Heer) military watch. These are really rare, got it for cheap. Original radium dial still glows under UV light.

So who's the go to these days for work on an 1979 Seiko 6309-7049?

Probably a good idea to email Spencer Klein. He's got several Youtube vids and you can contact him through that.

Yeah, I checked with Spencer a while back and due to his 14 month backlog, he stopped taking in work until he's caught up.

I don’t see myself purchasing many more watches. I honestly see myself massively thinning the herd in the next few years.

I like these two, I was leaning towards the Omega but the Sinn might just edge it out. I’m absolutely falling in love with the Valjoux 7750 movement. I wonder how much of a price difference there is in servicing these two movements? NOTHING with Omega is affordable. How bad would maintenance be sending it back to Sinn?

It's a ways off but been thinking about a 24hr/GMT. Love the Coke GMT Master II or something like it, but this Monta also really grabbed my eye. Love it.

quote:

Originally posted by stickman428:
I don’t see myself purchasing many more watches. I honestly see myself massively thinning the herd in the next few years.

It's funny that you posted that, I've actually been having similar thoughts lately, I just haven't gotten to "massive herd" status. I'm still an enthusiast, but I realized I need to pump the brakes a little here. My Combat Sub has been quite an eye opener as to what I'll actually wear daily and what I want and need out of a watch - it has most of it handled. I'm still in the honeymoon phase with it, but as quickly and decisively as it put an end to the daily rotation game, I suspect it's fairly permanent. I have a number of handguns I could carry and rotate through, but I carry my Gen 4 19 because it does everything I need it to do. Hell, I'm already thinning out the knife collection and putting some serious thought to doing the same thing with my guitars.

^^^ I'm thinking of all of those things too. I think I'm finally growing up a little.

Interestingly enough, the Co-Axial movement derives from the 7750.

Panerai developed their cult status with the OP III movement which is... a 7750 without the chronograph complication or day.

The OP III movement is legendary for its durability in stark contrast to the new "in house" movements they offer today.

Stickman, FWIW, I could have bought the Omega but I bought the Sinn. So you know where I stand on that choice.

I sent my Sinn to Germany for repairs under warranty and it was handled no charge - even though I broke the day function by setting the time in the evening. My bad.

The nitrogen fill and copper sulfate capsule means Sinn or their official local repair are the only avenues to getting service. I wouldn't use the local place on a dare. Shipping to Germany is no big deal, they work efficiently.

Hope this helps.

ETA

As to carry pieces, I am more comfortable with a commander 1911, but when I carry these days I have a 3" RB S&W model 13. 6 rounds of accurate 357 is more than enough to deter trouble and vacate an area to stay safe.
As a resident of the formerly great State of California, us plebes are not allowed to exercise our 2A rights - unless we are party apparatchiks - but in extreme cases... well... you know.

What do you guys think about the Le Jour MK 1 Chronograph? It appears to be an old brand that’s been reborn and is now made somewhere in Asia. They are not advertising it as Swiss made so I’m assuming probably made in Hong Kong or somewhere nearby though apparently the quality is quite good.

They are using Valjoux 7750 movements and have a similar vibe as the Omega Speedmaster MK II. When they came out the $3000-2000 price tag was pretty optimistic. They now however have gone on sale and IMO are more inline with what a good quality micro brand using a good movement should cost.

I’m digging the version with meteorite and the PVD with contrasting sub dials. The brushwork and finishing on this watch is impressive.

***edit to add***
Probably not much of a collector’s watch but rather more of a beater. I love the models that have orange hands for the minutes and hours sub dial and big second hand. Color coding the watch hands white and the chronograph’s hands Orange makes it much easier to read. That along with the vintage vibe but new 7750 at a decent price tag makes me interested.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: stickman428,

quote:

Originally posted by stickman428:
What do you guys think about the Le Jour MK 1 Chronograph?

I don't see the Speedmaster vibe as much as I do the Heuer 510 series.

My ~1984 Heuer 510.503 on a bead-blasted Sinn 157 bracelet. Lemania 5100 movement.

Is that a Sinn bracelet? I was looking at a Sinn Arktis II that has a similar bracelet. Lovely watch BTW. It looks REALLY good. I love the little bit of orange to contrast with all the bead blasted silver and black. I’m really starting to appreciate the classic automatic chronographs and the newer retro offerings trying to recapture their magic.

quote:

Originally posted by stickman428:
Is that a Sinn bracelet? I was looking at a Sinn Arktis II that has a similar bracelet. Lovely watch BTW. It looks REALLY good. I love the little bit of orange to contrast with all the bead blasted silver and black. I’m really starting to appreciate the classic automatic chronographs and the newer retro offerings trying to recapture their magic.

Yes, as cited in my post, my Heuer 510.503 is fitted with a Sinn 157 bracelet I had beadblasted locally. And I agree about the older chronos, especially with the 5100 mvt for me.

Here's the factory bracelet (I have stored away) which is much thinner and lighter than the Sinn 157.

It definitely looks better on the Sinn bracelet.

My wife hates my “watch that glows bright as fuck all night long” . She is referring to the Ball Storm Chaser. If you move your arm near your face while sleeping it is about like having an iPhone screen turned on in your face.

I want a watch that glows bright as fuck all night long.

I don't think a Ball watch is in my budget for the foreseeable future, though.

I watched this earlier today, and wound up doing a hybrid of his "slim tuck" and "hybrid tuck" methods on a NATO and I gotta say, I quite like it. All the added bulk of the folds are inside the wrist and the watch wears much closer up on top of the wrist. I had been doing it the traditional way before, but I think I like this a lot better.



I'm thinking about walking my Phoibos. I'm going to have to sit and think about it for a bit, but the honeymoon phase is over and I'm just not wearing it. The date has stopped at the 5th, and I had been hand-winding it daily without wearing it for maybe a week before I stopped bothering. It's nice, the dial is a stunner, but somehow it's just not doing anything for me now. I've heard and read that this is a cycle that a lot of enthusiasts get into and it's recommended to NOT get rid of a watch as soon as the honeymoon phase is over because you might end up regretting it. I dunno, maybe I'll feel differently about it if I give it some time.

I came VERY close to pulling the trigger on a Sinn 104 A St Sa. But hesitated.. In hindsight I kinda regret letting it slip. Recent service and a warranty with papers and full kit. Ugh.

I suppose it’ll be worth it when I wait a while and find a nice Valjoux 7750 powered Sinn diver instead of a Sellita powered day date only diver.

Snapping Twig, thank you for your assessment. You have exquisite taste by the way. As I have learned more about movements and watches the Sinn Arktis II will likely end up my grail watch and be the one that causes me to sell off a lot of other watches. I like the idea of downsizing.

My ideal array/collection of watches is somewhere in the neighborhood of 6-18 max with a few quartz/solar/kinetic sprinkled in with all the glorious automatics.

I have read that Sinn makes a good great tool watch that can take an absolute beating. I’ve also heard they won’t crush you on repairs/service quite like Omega or Rolex will when the time comes to take care of that movement.

Has anyone had a bracelet refinished? To my knowledge I don’t believe Ball ever made a DLC bracelet to match their DLC Fireman.

I thought about just using a stainless bracelet but I don’t think it’s going to look right on a black case even with a silver dial.

I wish I could find just one pic of this bracelet.


On this watch.

Can't keep it to myself - Helm Komodo will be available Friday - just let me get mine first!

https://myemail.constantcontac...3853&aid=lDQ_rZtEmTc