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Thread: One for 2020

  1. #1
    Administrator swanbourne's Avatar
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    One for 2020

    Prototype under construction.



    Eddie
    Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".

  2. #2
    Looks good.Glad you went for manual wind.

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  3. #3
    That looks great! I’ll definitely have a black one (at least).


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  4. #4
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    I’m liking this a lot, definitely a black dial for me. 2020 is going to be an expensive year!


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  5. #5
    That'll save me from buying the IWC Tribute. I like the look of this!

  6. #6
    Administrator swanbourne's Avatar
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    Eddie
    Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".

  7. #7
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    Fantastic. Hope the design doesn't change too much. The one thing I'd change would be for the minute hand to extend a bit further toward the edge of the dial before starting to taper to a point, but that's just personal preference.

  8. #8
    Grand Master Passenger's Avatar
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    Not sure about the handset, may look better if they were both syringe or both the other style...just looks a bit of a mismatch as is to me, maybe just me.

  9. #9
    Master
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    Excellent work Eddie.

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by monogroover View Post
    The one thing I'd change would be for the minute hand to extend a bit further toward the edge of the dial before starting to taper to a point.
    Agreed. The minute needs to be a bit longer before the taper. I also wonder whether a brushed bezel might be more practical than polished. It looks better to my eyes and lessens worries about inevitable scratches that come with actual wear!

    M

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Passenger View Post
    Not sure about the handset, may look better if they were both syringe or both the other style...just looks a bit of a mismatch as is to me, maybe just me.
    That was my first thought as well.

    My second thought was that this watch is very similar (too similar?) to the PRS-29A

  12. #12
    Looking good!
    The IWC Mk XI we’re all hoping to find - but in a usable modern execution that would be more practical for everyday wear.


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  13. #13
    Agree, that minute hand don't look right.How do iwc do them?

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  14. #14
    Grand Master Daddelvirks's Avatar
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    That's rather lovely, handwinding is great and still a decent WR as well.
    Got a new watch, divers watch it is, had to drown the bastard to get it!

  15. #15
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    Wow. When you announced a Speedbird in 36mm I was hoping it was going to look like this. Well done! Only thing that I would like to be changed is the minute hand. If the luminous part would be slightly longer (that should just touch the hour index markers) before it tapers to a point, it would be perfect.
    What will be the anti-magnetic rating?

  16. #16
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    Looks great, may have to treat myself to one of those !

  17. #17
    Administrator swanbourne's Avatar
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    Eddie
    Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by 459GMB View Post
    My second thought was that this watch is very similar (too similar?) to the PRS-29A
    ^This^

    As I already own the marvellous PRS-29A, this new watch is just too similar to warant a purchase but I'm also fairly sure that quite a few would like both. I would also prefer the Air Ministry watch over the cream dial version despite the latter having lume but kudos for going with heat blued hands rather than painted. I do appreciate the prototype is looking towards the IWC for inspiration but it's just not distinctive enough for me to take the plunge. However, if I didn't already own the 29A, I would be very tempted as it is a classy and smart design regardless of dial option.

    Graeme

  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by MartinCRC View Post
    Agreed. The minute needs to be a bit longer before the taper. I also wonder whether a brushed bezel might be more practical than polished. It looks better to my eyes and lessens worries about inevitable scratches that come with actual wear!

    M
    Agreed on the taper - in low light they will look very similar due to the similar length of lumed area and only a very slight difference in end shaping.

    But it looks great as a package

  20. #20
    Administrator swanbourne's Avatar
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    The minute hand issue has already been raised.

    Eddie
    Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".

  21. #21
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MartinCRC View Post
    Agreed. The minute needs to be a bit longer before the taper. I also wonder whether a brushed bezel might be more practical than polished. It looks better to my eyes and lessens worries about inevitable scratches that come with actual wear!

    M

    I'd much rather repolish a bezel than restore a brushed one.
    F.T.F.A.

  22. #22
    The original Speedbird handset always looks good to me; clear, easily read and somehow matched.



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  23. #23
    Will it have the soft iron Faraday Cage for protection?


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  24. #24
    What's everybody's preference dial colour wise? Fancy white for a change myself.

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  25. #25
    Grand Master Sinnlover's Avatar
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    One for 2020

    I like it however...
    One that I would really like to see is the fat cased 6b...



    I can but dream!
    (Photo from MWR and likely Rev-O)

  26. #26
    Master Tenko's Avatar
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    Spot on! Black dial for me please.

    Any votes for aged lume on this?

  27. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by amcneill View Post
    What's everybody's preference dial colour wise? Fancy white for a change myself.

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    I prefer the black dial myself.

  28. #28
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    This looks pretty extraordinary--I love the dial, the case and the choice of movement.

    But I think I was expecting more of a 36mm version of the PRS-22 package--i.e. with a metal bracelet (of course 18mm). Is that definitively not on the cards? That would help distinguish it from the PRS-29a. Like the IWC-inspired bracelet (Mk XV and after). Or even the Mk XII's beads of rice...

    That said, this will look just fantastic on a mesh.

  29. #29
    Grand Master abraxas's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sinnlover View Post
    I like it however...
    One that I would really like to see is the fat cased 6b...



    I can but dream!
    (Photo from MWR and likely Rev-O)


    The 36mm Smiths De Luxe GS Military. I am all up for that as I also find the Mk II above to be too close to the PRS29-A (W10).
    Last edited by abraxas; 2nd December 2019 at 23:47.

  30. #30
    Craftsman redhed18's Avatar
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    One for 2020

    Quote Originally Posted by Tenko View Post
    Any votes for aged lume on this?
    Yes! Just like...


    Crap now I have to buy 18mm straps...

    Are those spring bars fixed??
    Last edited by redhed18; 3rd December 2019 at 02:30.

  31. #31
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    Quote Originally Posted by swanbourne View Post
    Prototype under construction.



    Eddie
    Eddie,
    Ever since first getting into watches years ago, I've always held the original JLC/IWC Mark XI Navigator Grade Pilot's Watch as the ideal, and this one is aesthetically absolutely beautiful to my eyes with the previously-voiced-by-others caveat about the minute hand I have to respectfully agree is too fat and too short. For myself, I think a closer replication of the original IWC MkXI's minute hand as you've shown below would be a perfect fix.

    Most of all though, the true reason I've always held the original MkXIs the ideal is the purpose-built case construction these watches utilized to aggressively and comprehensively confront and negate all the issues and factors inherent to post-WWII military aviation that might prove detrimental to the reliably accurate timing of a mechanical Navigator grade pilot's watch. Given that, I very respectfully hope that this one will be far beyond just another Mark XI look-a-like and fully incorporate both the original's flanged crystal design secured against any level of negative pressure with an internally threaded 90/10 cupro-nickel lock ring and also the movement shielding internal antimagnetic full coverage soft iron "Faraday Cage".

    These were the things that made military and commercial pilots and aircrew of the Cold War era seek these genuinely iconic watches out, not just for their "look" or superficial aesthetics, and both of the above technical features still remain useful in aviation and aerospace (as well as hyperbaric medicine and research, medical imaging, and other professional endeavours) even now with the high level of protection from magnetic fields an especially great feature to have for many or most us in our high tech permeated everyday lives from work to home.

    While the true original Jenny Caribbean front-loaded/screw-down flanged crystal monocoque case design is vastly superior for diving use, a true-to-the-original Mk XI's rear-loaded screw-down crystal equipped two-piece case design TF Mk XI "homage" or "recreation" (hopefully with good upgrades like a water resistance rating of 100m, or so, and also something like the simple but apparently quite effective Certina DS type shock buffering to better protect the mechanical movement) could theoretically even be something a classic military pilot's watch admiring professional saturation diver might want to wear waiting it out "in storage" inside the shipboard pressure chamber between dives.

    Quote Originally Posted by swanbourne View Post


    Eddie

    Quote Originally Posted by adg31 View Post
    The original Speedbird handset always looks good to me; clear, easily read and somehow matched.
    ..........
    Adj,
    Though I'd personally much rather have the lume fill in the intentionally disparately tipped "sword point" of the minute hand like the original Mk XIs for a new "Mk XI" from TF, I think the TF Speedbird PRS-1 from the early years one of Eddie's very best aesthetically and I've always admired it that way.


    Quote Originally Posted by abraxas View Post


    The 36mm Smiths De Luxe GS Military. I am all up for that as I also find the Mk II above to be too close to the PRS29-A (W10).
    Abraxas,
    Whether concurrently or for a future variation, I think a true-to-the-original's case design TF Smiths 6B Deluxe would be great too as the original military issue Smiths 6B Deluxe Navigators from the 1960s apparently had the exact same internal case design as the earlier JLC/IWC Mk XIs.

    I'm also not aware of anybody else having ever specifically "homaged" the original Smiths 6B Deluxe before
    Last edited by Rollon; 5th December 2019 at 04:54.

  32. #32
    Master OldHooky's Avatar
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    I'd agree about the minute hand.
    I'd prefer brushed to polished, but it wouldn't be a deal breaker.
    And a deeper black dial than the Speedbird would be perfect!

  33. #33
    Master sweets's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by swanbourne View Post


    Eddie
    With the greatest respect Eddie the taper of the lume on that minute hand ends pretty much on the short minute markers.
    The taper of the one in your sketch is over before it reaches the longer hour markers.

  34. #34
    Grand Master Sinnlover's Avatar
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    I too think the hands need revising.
    If viewed at night it would be very difficult to tell which hand is which. Both are too similar in length.

  35. #35
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    +1 on the minute hand. Lovely looking watch. I too wonder about the antimagnetic potential.

  36. #36
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    I'm at bit worried about the lug-to-lug distance. 48mm is a lot on a 36mm case. I have the Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical where the lug-to-lug is 47mm on a 38mm case, and I find that way too much. It just seems a bit unbalanced, and it only looks good on nato straps, as the gap between the case and a padded leather strap is quite wide (and that's on a 20mm lug with). However, this is just my subjective opinion



    (Photo stolen from the WWW)
    Last edited by Stigison; 3rd December 2019 at 14:19.

  37. #37
    Grand Master number2's Avatar
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    Much prefer the Smiths booby logo.
    "Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."

    'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.

  38. #38
    I love everything about it, hands included, I’m definitely in.


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  39. #39
    Master Tenko's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tenko View Post
    Spot on!
    With a revised minute hand, didn’t spot that on my phone earlier....



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  40. #40
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    Quote Originally Posted by Stigison View Post
    I'm at bit worried about the lug-to-lug distance. 48mm is a lot on a 36mm case. I have the Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical where the lug-to-lug is 47mm on a 38mm case, and I find that way too much. It just seems a bit unbalanced, and it only looks good on nato straps, as the gap between the case and a padded leather strap is quite wide (and that's on a 20mm lug with). However, this is just my subjective opinion



    (Photo stolen from the WWW)
    100% agree with this. Please consider making it <=46mm. Hope you’re resting well Eddie :-)


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  41. #41
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    Quote Originally Posted by Stigison View Post
    I'm at bit worried about the lug-to-lug distance. 48mm is a lot on a 36mm case.
    According to http://www.markeleven.com the lug-to-lug of the IWC MK11 is 45,9mm and of the JLC MK11 46,3mm. So I agree with you, 48mm is indeed too long for a faithful homage and will probably lead to ugly gaps between case and strap as well.

  42. #42
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    Quote Originally Posted by number2 View Post
    Much prefer the Smiths booby logo.
    Seeing that this is more or less the Speedbird in 36mm I wonder why it does have Smiths on the dial and not Speedbird. Personally I would prefer the Speedbird name on the dial for this watch (but can live with Smiths also).

  43. #43
    Craftsman redhed18's Avatar
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    One for 2020

    Personally I don’t like Speedbird on the dial. Some kind of mental association...



    I would be in favour of the shorter lugs too.

  44. #44
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    Quote Originally Posted by redhed18 View Post
    Personally I don’t like Speedbird on the dial. Some kind of mental association...
    I associate Speedbird with BOAC and since BOAC did issue civilian IWC MK11's (minus the circle T and broadarrow) to its pilots, putting Speedbird on the dial seems appropiate to me. But as I said, I can live with Smiths.

  45. #45
    Administrator swanbourne's Avatar
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    Expect more to be branded Smiths, I'm building the brand up.

    Eddie
    Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".

  46. #46
    Grand Master Der Amf's Avatar
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    If the world can cope with Omega creating a Seamaster Railmaster, would it object to a Smiths Speedbird?

  47. #47
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    Quote Originally Posted by brand_c View Post
    100% agree with this. Please consider making it <=46mm
    I agree as well.

    I have the PRS-29A, and that's the only thing that annoys me about it ... granted it is not as bad a gap as Nomos seem to delight in, but it does seem a bit unnecessary, in fact completely unnecessary :-)

  48. #48
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    Love the idea of building the Smiths brand up and love the 'booby' Smiths logo too. The 29AM has become my grail watch but I really like the fat-cased Smiths De Luxe pictured below.

    I also own the Hamilton Khaki model pictured and quite like the long lugs as I want to make my own straps given that I already make belts, sheaths, tool protectors, etc. The longer lugs allow for more leather to pass over the springbar creating a stronger strap and also means less leather skiving which is a chore for this mere hobbyist. However, my 29A outperforms the Hammy in every respect bar power reserve which is not an issue as I wind mine every morning before putting on. A comforting ritual that I enjoy. No doubt I'll sell the Hammy on soon.

    One style I'd love to see would be a homage or derivative of the WWW watches with a small seconds dial. 36 or 38mm would be perfect although I suspect that most would prefer 36 which is more than fine by me. My one big watch is my PRS-3 which I'll never part with but I think I'll move on my 40mm Everest in favour of the 36er.

    Hope you're resting and recouperating well, Eddie.
    Last edited by Red Kite; 3rd December 2019 at 20:00. Reason: schpelling

  49. #49
    Master Lammylee's Avatar
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    One for 2020

    Looks a cracker, a 39mm version would be perfect for me but I appreciate demand may not be high enough and at least I’ve got my Double Dome PRS-29b.
    Last edited by Lammylee; 3rd December 2019 at 19:56.

  50. #50
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    Quote Originally Posted by swanbourne View Post
    Expect more to be branded Smiths, I'm building the brand up.

    Eddie
    That is awesome Eddie.

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