Who Watches the Watchmen (Our Chit Chat Thread)

traco

Omega dropped the white dial Speedmaster. Have to say it looks good to me. Will have to check it out in the flesh though.

fulladapipes

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121853910#Comment_121853910

They're losing the run of thmselves on pricing though, no matter how nice it is (and it seems to be).

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/intro-omega-white-dial-steel-speedmaster

banie01

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121853928#Comment_121853928

Fully agree, Omega are going quite wild with their pricing. I can't fathom paying €9100 for a relatively basic, albeit high quality, hand wound mass produced movement.

C0N0R

Excuse my heinous photography skills, my father gave me this a number of months ago, it came from his family somewhere. I know when I wound it at the time it did move, I wound it today - free to wind but no go in the second hand. Who or where is the best place to send it to get it going again? I’m aware it’s probably not financially justifiable - but that’s of little concern to me, would like to get it going again from a sentiment perspective. Thanks

893bet

9k. **** off Omega.

Just **** off.

Lorddrakul

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121854461#Comment_121854461

😆

It is a but much, it must be said.

Cienciano

Good episode of Irish History Podcast on the history of time in Dublin. How time was told in medieval times and how rural people told time. Up to how clocks evolved across the city

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gC08a5-UPVw

scwazrh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121854461#Comment_121854461

Omega are pricing themselves like Rolex but missing the fact that Tudor is their competition now

romperstomper

Can I add lume to my watch? I have a withings activite from 2014 that I am very fond of, but there is no lume whatsoever and I want to be able to check the time when in my bedroom

Pablo_Flox

Question for those that have done it before what is the easiest way to de-magnetise a watch? Would most jewelers be able to do it? Or am I just as well buying a machine off Amazon and doing it myself?

Or (perhaps a long shot) is there anyone around South Dublin that has one I could use? I assume that it only takes a couple of seconds?

banie01

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121874571#Comment_121874571

Happy to send you on my demagnetiser if you don't get sorted locally.

Pablo_Flox

Very kind offer! I will see if we can find anything locally, but if not I will send you a DM. Appreciate the offer banie!

Neilw

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121854461#Comment_121854461

I really like Omega, have two of them but I totally agree with you.

I will never buy one new again.

Would love to own a speedy but I don’t think they are worth the asking prices now.

I put my name down for a non date sub for the craic, doubt I’ll hear anything as I have no previous purchase history but who knows.

scwazrh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121877740#Comment_121877740

I’m with you on not buying one new again.Ive the moon watch which I’ll keep but just sold my seamaster as have lost interest in omega completely.Overpriced and far too many versions of the same watches .Even pre owned there’s little value for money in them .

OmegaGene

preowned is the way to go with any watch in my opinion, if its on a strap get that replaced if its on a bracelet remove it and drop it into the ultrasonic sorted, if buying preowned someone else is taking the majority of the sting out i=of it and if bought wisely you should get most of your money back

banie01

I've not done the whole bells and whistles, glass of bubbly at the AD style purchase yet, and tbh? It's not something that particularly holds much attraction for me in buying. I've bought in various places, from forums, to shops and Chrono24 and have always been happy with the deal. I think that's what matters most, being happy with the deal.

I saw a thread over on TZ a few weeks ago that really caught my eye.

https://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.php?534731-Bracelet-Polishing-Done-Right&p=6346041

Bazza shared some photos of really excellent IMO bracelet refinishing. I dropped him a message at the time to ask if he would do my Omega 2535.80 bracelet. It has lost a little sheen on the polished sections and I do think that when that style Omega bracelet is at its best? That it really does pop.

He got back to me today confirming he would be happy to do the work but, not with return post to the Republic. Luckily I have an NI address so will be sending him the bracelet next week.

I'll be sure to share some before and after pics 👍

Lorddrakul

After quite a bit of messing about, my Sturmanskie 3133 has come good.

Just back from a service with Poljot24, it was running about -2s per day, which is perfectly acceptable, but I prefer mine to run + rather than minus, so I got the the old Weishi.

Fairly happy with that. So I'll see how it performs on the wrist, which is the ultimate test.

H_Lime

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121887034#Comment_121887034

-2 is great but I get the desire for plus spd.

A decent indicator I've found on most movementa is to set face up spd to offset 12 down.

I use this as my start point for regulating and fine tune after wearing if any deviation can't be dialled out by how it's left overnight.

You mind me asking what they charged for a sevice and how quickly it was done?

Lorddrakul

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121887288#Comment_121887288

Yeah, I generally just do a dial up as seen in the pic.

I know that a three position regulation is what's needed for anything really accurate, but for me, on the wrist is the best measure.

Since I got it this way yesterday, it seems to have gained 1s in 24 hours on the wrist, which is just perfect. I'm not sure if you are familiar with the 3133, but it is a slightly ruggedised Valjoux 7733/4, so not the most refined movement ever, but effective, and hence its use by the Soviet air force for navitimers. As such, it is quite military in its operation - not like an Omega or the like, it is very much of its time.

As regards cost of service, it was around €100, ex postage. It does take a while, anything from 4-6 weeks, but I'm never in a hurry. However, I've been going to Julian since 2006, so dunno if the rate I'm charged is reflective of that. However, the service is always excellent and he has often sent me the likes of straps and deployants, etc to try before buy with no obligation whatsoever. The main thing is Poljot24 has the expertise and the spares for anything from those manufacturers and I've always sent my Poljot and Vostok watches to him for anything.

H_Lime

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121888140#Comment_121888140

On wrist is the benchmark all right. It's just I've found I can speed the amount of adjustments if I start by splitting the diff between 12D and FU, seems to give a better general representation of how the movement behaves on wrist. If I'm selling a watch I often take a photo of it set flat with zeros as zero sells lol.

Just reading up on the 3133, interesting movement and history of the company, is yours a marktime example? I see US branded movements fetch big bucks.

That's a very good price from Julian and nice to be on first name terms with him, deffo sounds like mates rates. I've bought a couple watches from him. I asked because my much loved seagull 1963 should be due a service coming down the line. Im trying to establish is more economical for me to have it serviced or just buy in and replace the movt myself.

Lorddrakul

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121889603#Comment_121889603

Yeah, understood with the regulation.

I'm very much the amateur, and TBH, I'm going a bit on trial and error, but I've not killed anything - yet!

My Sturmanskie 3133 is an early 90s model, be the serial number so when Poljot was trying to make a go of it commercially after the collapse of the Soviet Union. As such, the movement is exactly the grade supplied to the air force from about '89, and the same dial and hand set. The case is a nod to modernity, in that it has the Daytona style inscribed tachymeter bezel, and knurled crown and pushers. It is a rarity in this variant.

Alas, Poljot just wasn't able to compete in the ruthless world of capitalism and soon went under, whereupon much of the old parts stock was bought by dealers, such Julian in Poljot24. He performs an excellent service in keeping things going, but also doing very high quality re-issues with Seagull and other movements, such as the Leonov style Strela.

It's a rabbit hole I first traversed when I bought a couple of what I thought were novelty watches in Minsk in 2002, which turned out to be a Vostok Komandirksie with the KGB dial, and Vostok Partner with a submarine dial, which I still have and wear regularly. They are both 2416B automatics.

Brief_Lives

I was just looking at how automatic watches work. found these.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_pV8TGKfMc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ov0sUvTxQo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWtOiJ3z_j8

Roycropper63

Bought a bracelet to change on my watch. Not enough space to get the spring bar out. Spring bar tool will not fit in. Local jeweller tried too. Any ideas? Thanks

Ryath

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121891546#Comment_121891546

Think it's been posted before but this is a good site with 3d models you can move around and gives a good view and understanding of what all the parts do.

https://ciechanow.ski/mechanical-watch/

Lorddrakul

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121891626#Comment_121891626

I had an issue with an SKX that had non-shouldered spring bars on a jubilee bracelet that was a pick to remove. Ended up sacrificing a tweezers to sharpen the end to a point and used one leg to grip and lever down the bar.

James Bond Junior

My 18 month old is picking up new words at the moment at what seems like an hourly basis. "Watch" is one of this weeks additions to her lexicon. 😎

Roycropper63

Butchered the old bracelet off with a snips. Now to find spring bars to fit. Lost them between house and jewellers!!

Lorddrakul

Right, lads.

The game is up!

https://www.irishtimes.com/life-style/fine-art-antiques/2024/03/16/time-out-luxury-watch-boom-fades-as-auction-sales-drop-13/

ironictoaster

Anyone experience this with an automatic watch? I went to wind my Hamilton watch manually as I haven’t worn it in a few weeks. The rotor seems to spin violently while winding. It’s about less than a year old.

blue5000

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121901011#Comment_121901011

ETA movement? Yes happens my Damasko also. I generally hold it level while winding it, but try not to wind it ever. It was serviced about 4 years ago which stopped it temporarily but is happening again now. There is a few threads on it on wus if you look there.

https://www.watchuseek.com/threads/rotor-spinning-issues-sellita-sw200-1-eta-2824.5373297/