Reply With Quotevery nice duo! something quite cool about when someone buys the same watch(variant aside) twice as it shows true passion for the watch.
get some poly watch on that hesalite pronto!!!
Sneaky little pickup here today... snared privately outside of any forum. My apologies to anyone with OCD!!
I was recently bemoaning the fact that my 50th Anniversary Speedmaster would never acquire the lumed look that I love and strived for (should I reach a good age) due to its indices being of Super-Luminova make up.
Okay.. it was indeed a present from my beloved (that's the wife!) for my 40th birthday... so indeed it is a precious piece. But in all of this watch loving madness, I really did fancy a piece that would look like it had done the rounds.
So here is my little pick-up.
Circa 20 years old... and with a nice faded yellow. Also, hesalite (as opposed to the sapphire on my LE version), and it has indeed been tooled to high heaven!
She's now been shoved on an old style classic dive strap from the strap drawer... which to an extent matches the lume. However, I may seek out something black to put her on, as that may accentuate the colour of the indices even more.. without the colour clash.
Pics taken as per on my shockingly bad iPhone camera.
And yes... she's even had a pusher amputated! But hey. I won't worry about her getting a bang as she does the rounds with me at work!!
The crystal doesn't look half as bad in the flesh... these were taken near natural light... buy hey, if I was that bothered...
and with her modern counterpart...
True wabi madness... apologies to anyone with OCD!
Greg. :)
Last edited by gregory; 23rd August 2014 at 17:13.
very nice duo! something quite cool about when someone buys the same watch(variant aside) twice as it shows true passion for the watch.
get some poly watch on that hesalite pronto!!!
Originally Posted by xanx
Cheers. :)
Poly watch... what... and ruin it? ;)
Joking aside.. I am tempted.. but with it having a 'limb' missing and all, I am in no hurry. ;)
Greg.
Very nice pick up.
I've recently picked up a brand spanking new looking, Bienne restored one, having a beautiful stepped dial, but NOS outer parts.
And the daft thing is, I can't wait to get it looking like that. Strange aren't we
Love the strap too.
I've recently picked up a brand spanking new looking, Bienne restored one, having a beautiful stepped dial, but NOS outer parts.
And the daft thing is, I can't wait to get it looking like that. Strange aren't we
Love the strap too.
I do love the stepped dial fella... sounds like a great pick up.
And yeah... we are very strange, once we appreciate that about ourselves we can start to move on and enjoy the hobby even more!
Yeah... may stick with the strap. It's an old knackered thing (like myself and the watch) so will fit in with the overall theme. ;)
That's certainly experienced some life!
Looks perfect as it is, though I might be tempted to have that pusher fixed. That said, if you can still operate it without it (not sure if this is possible) why bother. Wouldn't be tempted to polish it up any. Looks well loved and full of character.
Lovely watch. I don't like the nato though. Not one bit.
I like the NATO, Gregory :)
Absolutely gorgeous. Wouldn't change anything about the watch, except it does look a little grumpy without its' pusher...
Fantastic! Many congratulations. It looks great.
Great looking dial and it works well with that strap. If it were mine, I'd fire it off to Mr. Potter for a service and new pusher but keep everything looking as it does now, no need for any cosmetic work - given it's beater status, and good looks. :)
Congratulations!
Okay, xanx, I had an old tube of Poly in so gave the hesalite a go... I am not too shy of a bit of attempting to tidy her up, so as to get some clarity on the yellowed lume.
I have used it before on another piece... an acrylic crystal... and it did okay.
I was suprised however at how good the hesalite came up. Gave it just 3 x 4 minute stints... and the marks and scratches are almost gone!
Know what you're saying dkpw... cheers. Have shoved on a leather zulu for today. I am tempted a little for the pusher... as for the service... I am not so sure.
I have run a timing test (she has been sat stood still for some time) and over a 15 hour period has lost JUST FIVE SECONDS. Just outside COSC specs of -4 over 24 hours? I will live with that. ;)
As for servicing... the orginal bracelet is now sat on the kitchen sink drainer soaking in a washing up liquid solution, the crystal is now Polywatched by me... it's had the spa treatment in the Greg household... Bienne eat your heart out! Just after sourcing a couple of links now for my fat.. erm.. larger wrists.. job done! I'll live with the pusher for now. ;)
A few pics of the Polywatch work. :)
Greg.
Lovely patina, you can change the pusher yourself if you are handy at all, I'll talk you through it.
Stunning Greg, nice one....
Cheers mate... I'd appreciate that.
Tiny shot with the back off...
and a vid of the moment... both crappy iphone pics... but having some fun with her...
http://tinypic.com/player.php?v=2en7...8#.U_nhEmMyvRg
So you can open the case......a set of jewelers screwdrivers (or 1 the right size!) and you'd have that movement out in 10 seconds. new pusher fitted in 1 minute.
For jewelers screwdrivers am I thinking that they are a 'special' purchase need... or will the precision screwdriver set that I have do?
Cheers...
Greg.
A precision set might do.
You'll want to use a screwdriver that fits the screws you have to loosen tightly.
Not too big, not too small, otherwise you'll damage the polished screwheads.
Loosen the screw that keeps the crownin place, gently pull the crown.
Remove the ring around the movement (from memory I believe that isn't fastened with screws).
Turn the watch while keeping a movement holder to the back and the movement should just drop out.
The pusher is kept in place by a tiny screw on the inside.
New pushers can be found on the bay.
Good luck!
Lovely, Greg. I'm a big fan of the stepped-dial speedies and this one has bags of character and IMO looks perfectly presentable after a bit of a polish on the crystal. The advice above about removing the movement etc. is spot on and the pusher should indeed be easy to replace.
Probably worth giving the case parts a really good clean with a soft toothbrush and warm soapy water and letting everything air dry thoroughly before putting it all back toether: it's always slightly stomach-turning to see how much skin, grease and other loveliness has accumulated in the crevices of the case and caseback...!
Finally, since you've got it open a new caseback gasket (a few quid from Cousins) would probably be sensible, if you care about such things.
Enjoy it, it looks great. Much "warmer" somehow than a sterile, brand-new one would.
Looks great like that.
I recently picked a brand new one, thinking it would be a wear once in a while watch, to keep it nice. Can't take it off now, already building up some wabi.
What a watch! That little pusher looks hilarious. I went with the sapphire sandwich as the scratches would drive me crazy.
The screw is still there (it can't fall out) and most likely the spring is also in place. If that's the case you simply need the outer button. Lovely watch Greg.
Nice one. Have you got a wristshot?
Nice work. A scratch free crystal on an old watch really makes a difference
Excellent wrist, could use a tattoo ;-)
I do mate... here shoved on a strap that it too wide... but hey! Tattoos of course included... as requested!
And cheers Tom GW, having looked at the pusher, I am wondering if everything is indeed intact apart from the actual button.
I'll get back to you and let you know once I have one in mate.
Greg.
Thanks Greg. Love the wrist shots with your tattoo :-). I bought your Anonimo a few years ago that is when I first noticed.
Yeah mate... I do member... is she still with you / running?
Hope all is well with you. :)
Bit of a thread resurrection.....
I followed a link to this from a recent WTB thread, and it reminded me of a conversation we had on the vGtG the other night.
I have a very similar Speedmaster, and have often remarked on the gorgeous Cotswold-stone lume on the indices, but the pearly white hands I always assumed were as a result of a service exchange back in the days before I owned it.
But I have seen so many from this vintage with the same aged lume indices but white hands that I now wonder if it is nothing more than the different finishes aging differently.
Any experts care to comment?
Holy Thread Resurrection batman hahaha! I have just seen this... apologies to all for pinning it to my WTB, it was simply to get pics of the offending watch and pusher issue out there.
So yeah mate...
I got this from my best friend who actually owned it from brand new and I can absolutely confirm that the lume aged like this and that the hands haven't been touched.
I in fact have it on my wrist as we speak. The hands are white and the indices are the cream.
So yeah... completely untouched and unreplaced. It is 'as is.'
Greg.
*PS I am no expert, I simply know the history of this one watch. :)
My tritium Speedy is 25 years old (the end of the tritium era) and has aged the same - dial markers are yellowing and the hands are mostly white. I assume they are the original hands because replacements would be superluminova instead of tritium and the hands (and dial) do not glow anymore.
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