What watch do you wear?

mikeh501 said:
Was seriously looking at the ball worldtime watch but ive just seen so many owners having problems with them its put me off; basically what some of you said at the time!

So what else should i be looking at? thinking upto 2k, but id go higher for the right time peice, maybe even double.

Im after something dive/sports style, steel bracelet, GMT function, date window, moderate size, black faced and obviously automatic. preowned would be fine also.
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I sent my Ball World Timer back and they replaced the inner wheel, which has now been identified as a faulty part on the watch. Since being repaired it's been worn frequently with no issues whatsoever. In the 3.5 years I've had it, it's gone back twice, but only once was for a fault with the watch itself. The first time was just to clean some dust from under the dial and tighten the inner bezel slightly(nothing major).

If you have £4k to spend on a watch then that opens up a lot of possibilities, especially pre-owned.
 
Folks, got my Tissot watch finally. Looks fab.
Question, can I REMOVE half links completely? (So the half link is connected to another link which DOES NOT have an Arrow indicator on it, but I need to knock out the pin in that link in order to REMOVE the half link)
 
I am looking into building my own watch from components. I have an old movement from a Gruen pocket watch that I am going to have a go at servicing. Then put into case of my own choosing provided I don't kill it. Should mean I can build something pretty unique and put my own finish on it :)

I also have a couple of watch maintenance tools coming over the next few days, and going to get a few broken movements from the bay with the idea of pulling them to pieces and getting my head around the movements.

Could be an interesting new hobby :)

I will post some pics of any progress I make in this thread.
 
Malt_Vinegar said:
I am looking into building my own watch from components. I have an old movement from a Gruen pocket watch that I am going to have a go at servicing. Then put into case of my own choosing provided I don't kill it. Should mean I can build something pretty unique and put my own finish on it :)

I also have a couple of watch maintenance tools coming over the next few days, and going to get a few broken movements from the bay with the idea of pulling them to pieces and getting my head around the movements.

Could be an interesting new hobby :)

I will post some pics of any progress I make in this thread.
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This could be bloody fantastic!

I'm really interested about doing this myself! Let us all know how you get on!

Good luck!
 
Malt_Vinegar said:
I am looking into building my own watch from components. I have an old movement from a Gruen pocket watch that I am going to have a go at servicing. Then put into case of my own choosing provided I don't kill it. Should mean I can build something pretty unique and put my own finish on it :)

I also have a couple of watch maintenance tools coming over the next few days, and going to get a few broken movements from the bay with the idea of pulling them to pieces and getting my head around the movements.

Could be an interesting new hobby :)

I will post some pics of any progress I make in this thread.
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Do you know what the movement is? If a 6497/8 (which as you prob know are very widely used pocket watch movements) there are very many cases available which would be a straight fit with no need for movement rings or machining.
 
I have yet to remove the movement, I was waiting for the hand removers to arrive before I dive in.

Once I know I have serviced it well enough.. I took a pic the other night, lemme, lemme upload it.. Pics might help identify it, although Gruen watches are supposedly quite hard to find information on.

Small:
movementsmall.jpg


Large:
movementlarge.jpg
 
http://www.pixelp.com/gruen/1904.html

http://www.pixelp.com/gruen/1894.html


From a quick scan it looks like an in house movement (or at least a movement made for Gruen) as such you may find it a challenge to get standard cases to fit.

You may be better off servicing this to go back in the original case and building a watch around a widely available movement with plenty of case and dial options available to you.

I don't want to poor cold water on your plans and you may be lucky and find a case that will work for you but it could well be a long shot.
 
Cavallino said:
Folks, got my Tissot watch finally. Looks fab.
Question, can I REMOVE half links completely? (So the half link is connected to another link which DOES NOT have an Arrow indicator on it, but I need to knock out the pin in that link in order to REMOVE the half link)
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Anyone please?
 
Pictures? If you take a mini link out it's not connected to a main link so won't connect back up to the bracelet if the middle is missing - Unless it's a proper half link?

Need pics to see.
 
Skidder said:
http://www.pixelp.com/gruen/1904.html

http://www.pixelp.com/gruen/1894.html


From a quick scan it looks like an in house movement (or at least a movement made for Gruen) as such you may find it a challenge to get standard cases to fit.

You may be better off servicing this to go back in the original case and building a watch around a widely available movement with plenty of case and dial options available to you.

I don't want to poor cold water on your plans and you may be lucky and find a case that will work for you but it could well be a long shot.
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Thanks for that :)

I was not sure it would be easy, but I have some ideas. I might be able to get a case of a slightly larger, or smaller size and have it adjusted in a machine shop to fit, or create some spacers to make it fit well in a standard housing. Even knocking up a custom housing from scratch is possible really.

I like the idea of doing something a little more difficult for a first watch, as it should seem a lot easier if make a second, more standard watch. This is not even an automatic, so it would be unlikely to be worn every-day, perhaps just as a dress watch. It would feel really special knowing i had "created" it myself :)
 
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mrk said:
Pictures? If you take a mini link out it's not connected to a main link so won't connect back up to the bracelet if the middle is missing - Unless it's a proper half link?

Need pics to see.
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I dont have a camera to hand atm but here is a crude drawing, hope you coulkdcan understand it!

gu1y.jpg
 
Malt_Vinegar said:
Thanks for that :)

I was not sure it would be easy, but I have some ideas. I might be able to get a case of a slightly larger, or smaller size and have it adjusted in a machine shop to fit, or create some spacers to make it fit well in a standard housing. Even knocking up a custom housing from scratch is possible really.

I like the idea of doing something a little more difficult for a first watch, as it should seem a lot easier if make a second, more standard watch. This is not even an automatic, so it would be unlikely to be worn every-day, perhaps just as a dress watch. It would feel really special knowing i had "created" it myself :)
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I wish you well with it. I get a lot more pleasure from the watches I have worked on than (almost) all my others. It is worth a bit of perseverance.

Do you have it to hand to measure the diameter? If similar to a 6497/8 it may be that making a movement ring would work for you.
 
Cavallino said:
I dont have a camera to hand atm but here is a crude drawing, hope you coulkdcan understand it!

gu1y.jpg
Click to expand...

I think I get it but pics to be sure :o I think by the looks of it the half link you're on about is the one that attaches to the clasp end itself?
 
No the half link Im on about about is the one on the RIGHT in the pic above and is NOT connected to the clasp, its connected to ANOTHER FULL link.

The link ON THE LEFT is then connected to the clasp.
I dont want to remove the left link I just want to remove the pin that RUNS THROUGH it even though that link doesnt have an Arrow symbol on it....

Not sure if this is allowed?
 
Skidder said:
I wish you well with it. I get a lot more pleasure from the watches I have worked on than (almost) all my others. It is worth a bit of perseverance.

Do you have it to hand to measure the diameter? If similar to a 6497/8 it may be that making a movement ring would work for you.
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Not to hand, I have a set of digitial calipers at home, and will see what size it is when I remember tonight.

Sounds interesting!
 
Cavallino said:
No the half link Im on about about is the one on the RIGHT in the pic above and is NOT connected to the clasp, its connected to ANOTHER FULL link.

The link ON THE LEFT is then connected to the clasp.
I dont want to remove the left link I just want to remove the pin that RUNS THROUGH it even though that link doesnt have an Arrow symbol on it....

Not sure if this is allowed?
Click to expand...

Ah yes I see now, yes that's fine then and should have no trouble!
 
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