Thanks for the feedback on the Lunar Pilot. I guess my main concern is the large 45mm size and the narrow 20mm strap. Does it look like a watch that "skipped leg day"?

Green Highlander, If the size & strap are your only concern then don’t worry. That watch needs only a simple strap swap to look incredible. Don’t worry about it looking like a watch that skipped leg day it’s a fantastic watch with great balance and aesthetics. I only parted with mine because it is incredibly hard for me to bond with a quartz watch and I have a family member to adored it so away it eventually went. I run the chrono function on my chronograph watches A LOT so it always kind of annoyed me that using all of my watches capabilities lessened it’s battery life. That was my singular issue with the Bulova and ultimately why it was replaced by an automatic chronograph.

The Bulova Lunar Watch is balanced and most certainly ready for lift off. I do kinda miss mine.....it matched my red white and black Yamaha YZF-R1 superbike perfectly.

It's a classic, iconic watch. I don't think you could go wrong trying one out.

The Bulova was actually a Universal Geneve.

https://wornandwound.com/bulov...n-can-get-one-today/

quote:

Originally posted by Mars_Attacks:
The Bulova was actually a Universal Geneve.

https://wornandwound.com/bulov...n-can-get-one-today/

Makes sense as I'm not sure Bulova ever produced movements in the USA. At least, to date, I have never found one. Perhaps very early on they did. Every one I have seen, touched, rebuilt have been Swiss in origin.

RMD

The Bulova Lunar Pilot is also on my short list of 'I don't have anything like that/cool NASA connection' watches. They seem to be getting a bit harder to find at 'bargain' prices tho...

I generally enjoy this guy's reviews:



Link to original vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcmANzMCIFE

Boss

Well carp. I found out today that I may not get my Helm Komodo until sometime in 2022. Low production and high waiting list number. Fork.

That sounds about right. Now you know why Helm watches are so sought after. We covet that which we cannot easily obtain. When I first learned of the brand while watching micro brand watch reviews on YouTube the reviewer said something like “and this next brand is just fantastic but if you want one you’re going to have to be patient and lucky or pay over MSRP to buy one used.”

It is possible Helm will offer another preorder window. They did this a few times while I was waiting a looooooooooong time for my Vanuatu.

I do think Helm watches are worth the wait. My expectations were set pretty damn high and Helm still managed to exceed them. When it comes to tool watches built to take a beating Helm has to be considered one of the absolute best bang for you buck watches on the market.

quote:

Originally posted by Johnny 3eagles:
Well carp. I found out today that I may not get my Helm Komodo until sometime in 2022. Low production and high waiting list number. Fork.

I was hopeful I might get in this last window, but apparently not.

Wanted to follow up with My Doxa pic post as I didn't have a photo of the wifes's Doxa Sea Nymph NOS on Imgur at the time so here it is with my sea rambler on rubber. I should have got the Caroline (orange) also for her before they ran out. She wishes she had both too.




Hray

After getting the dive watch bug, I finally decided on a bracelet style/finish
and bought a MiLTAT hexad in brushed stainless from Strapcode.
This thing is substantial!

Initially thought I got one that made it past QC. Thoughts of stoning and fitting
the end links (solid) made me cringe. Patience won, and I figured out they can
only be installed from the back. Whew. One problem...

I'm not an octopus with two spring bar tools

I recall seeing someone post in this thread a tool with twin spring bar forks.
Online, prices are all over the place, and I guess quality also. Suggestions?
As much as I'd like to wear it, I have no problem waiting for a specialty tool
to do this right, so I don't scratch the case and/or bracelet.

Well, the mac-daddy spring bar tool is made by Bergeon and costs roughly a million dollars. Horotec, and possibly Boley may well have a more affordable tool. ALI Express is a Chinese "Amazon" website that has some copies of the Swiss tools and may well have an analog of this tool. Fitting can be done without it, but it take some patience and a large quantity of profanity.

Good Luck,

RMD

I haven't bought a watch in 6 months. This popped up cheap:

Ridges on the case sides are neat.


Lume still glows under UV light:

quote:

Originally posted by rduckwor:
Well, the mac-daddy spring bar tool is made by Bergeon and costs roughly a million dollars. Horotec, and possibly Boley may well have a more affordable tool. ALI Express is a Chinese "Amazon" website that has some copies of the Swiss tools and may well have an analog of this tool. Fitting can be done without it, but it take some patience and a large quantity of profanity.

Good Luck,

RMD

My Bergeon 6767-F cost $19.

I think this is what they’re talking about. It ain’t a million bucks, but it might as well be for my purposes:

https://www.jewelerssupplies.c...on-6825-460.016.html

quote:

Originally posted by YellowJacket:
My Bergeon 6767-F cost $19.

My Bergeon 6767F with two Bergeon 3153 replacement pins was $20.95 shipped from J. Borel. No need for a gilded bling uber expensive tool.

BG6767F *stainless steel tool

BG3153 *Bakelite handle

This message has been edited. Last edited by: bald1,

quote:

Originally posted by P220 Smudge:
I think this is what they’re talking about. It ain’t a million bucks, but it might as well be for my purposes:

https://www.jewelerssupplies.c...on-6825-460.016.html

It's a little less at Jules Borel, but still a bit pricey: http://www.julesborel.com/prod...-2-ends-at-same-time

I could see that tool being useful for instances, but yes, that’s more than I’m willing to spend on such a thing, even at $175.

wildheartedson0105, it sounds like the end links on your strap are similar to how the end links on the bracelet of my Glycine are. They’re solid, and they kind of slide onto the lugs. I’m not at home, or I would take a picture. It’s not easy to describe, but it only goes on one way. Anyways, the trick I came up with is, yes, working the tool from the back. To install, I get one spring bar end clear of the lug enough to start sliding that side of the end link into position, then carefully depress the other end of the spring bar enough to push the other side of the end link into place. Removing it is a bit trickier, and what I do is work one spring bar end up enough to clear the hole in the lug and I pull on the bracelet enough to keep it from popping back into place. I hold that tension and then carefully work the other end loose and pull the end link free of the lug. Doesn’t require two tools or eight hands, but it does require slow, careful, deliberate movements. A little bit of luck doesn’t hurt, either.

quote:

Originally posted by P220 Smudge:
I think this is what they’re talking about. It ain’t a million bucks, but it might as well be for my purposes:

https://www.jewelerssupplies.c...on-6825-460.016.html

Completely unnecessary unless you're a jeweler or watch repairman.

I'm pretty sure the Bergeon tool is the one. Yikes on the price! Horotec makes a similar tool that is less expensive, but they also make a spring bar tweezer that goes for $40. Upside, much less expensive. Downside, if a tip breaks off a fork, it's trash. Upside for the more expensive tools, if a tip breaks, the forks are replaceable.

P220 Smudge, I tried easing the end link a little at a time. Got it to the point where all I had to do is get the ends of the pins to compress inside the lugs, but at that point, the fit is so tight, it's straight in with no play.

I read a thread on a site where someone suggested using the tip of a chopstick to compress the spring bar end.

Perhaps I can finish this ordeal over dinner at a buffet!