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It's a happy day, a new watch arrived A triumph of Caveman Watchmaking! aka the Tom Swift Pièce de résistance! It's a happy day, a new watch arrived Post contains photos Post contains linked URL

Ricky Lee
December 04, 2009 03:35PM
 Registered: April 2005
Posts: 5,912 (2010-02)


Yup, built in me robe & fuzzy slippers this AM over coffee.
Now, not to too me own horn this one went together so smoothly, it could only be fate.

Or, might as well say "I love it when a plan comes together!" For 'twas a plan, make no mistake. A check of the dial showed the feet to match the ESA 805.X series of 11-1/2 ligne, with the day-date window a match for the 805.124. Since I needed a few things anyway (several crystals, a half-dozen movements, a dozen sets of hands, batteries and.. oh, a dozen black nylon 19mm 1-piece straps and a spiffy new $18 Swiss springbar tool.. ), I dispatched an order to Uncle Otto straightaway. A few days later yon Brown delivered a wee package from Oakland California and..


Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo

..Voilà! "Pièce de résistance" is the only phrase that fits.

And mind you, , I got the hands synched spot on!


Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo



All kidding aside, the hand set (Frei 252.101 70/120) was carefully chosen, as was the seconds hand (Frei HAN-6453). They fit like a glove, though I did have to disassemble to shorten the seconds hand by .25mm (nailclippers to the rescue! ), the only picayune snag in the whole build. I was even able to set the seconds hand on the first go, an event akin to Hell Freezing Over, fer moi.


Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo

Lume on the OEM dial is no match for the Frei hands, but still not too shabby.


Click HERE for larger photo

All in all an incredibly solid-feeling old watch! And, indeed, I don't even consider this one a Franken, really. If the movement is not identical to OEM, 'tis at least a blood brother and, if you disregard the custom hands, it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to consider this one original.

T'anks fer lookin', y'all!



-Ricky



Messages In This Thread

It's a happy day, a new watch arrived A triumph of Caveman Watchmaking! aka the Tom Swift Pièce de résistance! It's a happy day, a new watch arrived Post contains photos Post contains linked URL
Ricky Lee -- December 04, 2009 03:35PM (Views: 171)
A beauty Ricky. Nice job Thumbs up! (n/t)
PaulGeo -- December 05, 2009 01:18AM (Views: 32)
CHEERS! I like it ! Bravo, Ricky !!! I am smiling  Thumbs up! (n/t)
IF -- December 04, 2009 05:45PM (Views: 29)
Applause! Thumbs up! Applause! When saw that case come in at Ur place I thought>
Bock -- December 04, 2009 05:42PM (Views: 21)
now that would great if he brings that one back to glory.... And you did! Thumbs Up :) I am impressed, marvellous watch you build there Ricky! Clapping! Stunning!
Thumbs up! - As me old gaffer would have said...
Harold Clitheroe -- December 04, 2009 05:38PM (Views: 34)
"Champion, that, lad!"

Nicely done!

Cheers
Harold

Nice work! Thumbs up! (n/t)
itschris -- December 04, 2009 04:58PM (Views: 38)
Thumbs up! Thumbs up! Yesssss! I knew it! Laughing out loud! Laughing out loud! Thumbs up! Thumbs up! Post contains photos
Dave Murphy -- December 04, 2009 04:49PM (Views: 50)
Outstanding work!

Yes, indeed, my research concurs with yours: there are several 11-1/2 ''' quartz movements that share dial feet location, and day-date locations with the ETA 28xx drawings. ETA/ESA, ISA, and Ronda included.

Great work! Everything just looks like it belongs!

You most definitely are not residing in the cave on this day!

Wear it with pride. :D :D :D

Don't you just love it when a plan comes together?
Stock photo
.
.
Dave
Somewhere on the South Shore of Lake Ontario

Pretty Nifty, Ricky! Applause! (n/t)
MCV -- December 04, 2009 04:34PM (Views: 31)
'tis a beauty indeed! Truly WIS Honeymoon that second hand! (n/t)
yuta -- December 04, 2009 04:26PM (Views: 47)
Oh Yeh Applause! as DJM, my favorite to date Applause! Clever stuff Horatio CHEERS!
Riddim Driven -- December 04, 2009 04:02PM (Views: 27)
& looking at it more before I hit "post message", it looks just fantastic Smile Would it muck up the nice contrast if the hand color tone matched the aged markers? I don't know really, though I like it as is I think Cool

What a rewarding comfy Fri morning, day off, in the robe & fuzzy slippers -- Nirvana Laughing

RD

Definitely one of my favorites of your projects. VERY Cool (n/t)
DJM -- December 04, 2009 03:44PM (Views: 35)
Thank you! mate! Wonder how it would look on an olive NATO... Rolling on the floor laughing my ass off (n/t)
Ricky Lee -- December 04, 2009 03:51PM (Views: 31)
My guess: goooooooooooood! (n/t)
DJM -- December 04, 2009 04:54PM (Views: 33)


This watch looks awfully familiar... Post contains photos

December 09, 2009 12:09PM


Found on eFlay yesterday. Don't even ask what twisted Crazy! Loco! search criteria turned this'n up.. Rolling on the floor laughing my a.. off


Aside from the branding on the dial & the auto movement vs. quartz, it appears to be a kissin' cousin of the Tom Swift Benrus Quartz! Thumbs up!

Small world! Smile

-Ricky

Messages In This Thread


This watch looks awfully familiar... Post contains photos
Ricky Lee -- December 09, 2009 12:09PM (Views: 116)
Small world indeed (n/t)
Reto -- December 10, 2009 08:02AM (Views: 16)
Cool. (n/t)
Mark C. -- December 10, 2009 12:44AM (Views: 16)
Laughing out loud! Hey Ricky, Lookey Here Post contains photos
ARupard -- December 10, 2009 12:01AM (Views: 24)
This is the first diver that I ever owned, I got it for Christmas around 1973 and wore it for years, it originally came packed in a plastic jar full of water, It still runs well & keeps good time,and I still wear it around every once in a while. The original bracelet was the victim of a bicycle crash (along with a broken arm), the plating is wearing off of the case on some of the edges & the crown, but hey it's old. Never the less it is a permanent resident of my collection.
Photo by ARupard

Whoa! Way cool! Cool!
Ricky Lee -- December 10, 2009 12:28AM (Views: 25)
Quote
ARupard
This is the first diver that I ever owned, I got it for Christmas around 1973 and wore it for years..
Which dates this one, after a fashion...
Quote
ARupard
..it originally came packed in a plastic jar full of water..
Ah hah! Yes, I've head that, now that you mention it. Ingenious marketing ploy, you must admit.. Of course, it'd been done before. Enicar did something very similar, all the way back in the fifties. Smile
Quote
ARupard
..It still runs well & keeps good time,and I still wear it around every once in a while.
Sounds like a real trooper! Thumbs up!

Normally, I'd recommend leaving such a watch as-is.. but as you're the original owner, why not restore it? I mean, come on! Wouldn't that be a hoot, seeing the watch look just like it did back in '73? Rolling on the floor laughing my a.. off
Quote
ARupard
The original bracelet was the victim of a bicycle crash (along with a broken arm)
Eek! I am crying Eek!
Quote
ARupard
..the plating is wearing off of the case on some of the edges & the crown, but hey it's old. Never the less it is a permanent resident of my collection.
See above! You gotta restore it, The Dude abides! Wink

-Ricky

The BIN price seems high >>
Dave Murphy -- December 09, 2009 03:19PM (Views: 12)
>> for something that "seems" to work fine.

Curious, it's a 25jewel day-date, but it does not say "swiss" on it. Any idea which movements came in Clintons?

You know, I just realized that.. Post contains photos
Ricky Lee -- December 10, 2009 11:13AM (Views: 18)
..the Tom Swift Benrus doesn't say 'Swiss' on the dial either. I am confused This despite the fact that the OEM movement almost certainly was Swiss, given that the dial feet were a perfect match for the ETA/ESA 11-1/2 ligne movements. Perhaps the makers of these base watches (and I doubt 'twas either Benrus or Clinton!) simply made no provision for the Swiss hallmark at 6 o' clock?

ANYway, here's a repeat of the Clinton / Fontainemelon caliber 552 photos from aboot a month back..


Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for Post contains Review

Photo by Ricky Lee

Click HERE for larger photo

..and I still intend to send you that rascal! Wink

Of course, I sold the watch I am confused..

Photo by Ricky Lee

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo

..so it might be problematic, finding a case. Laughing

But, you know, I don't regret selling it, as the gent made a gift of it to his 70-something father, and tells me that it made the old man's day. Thumbs up! He wears it on a regular basis, I'm told - loves the patina, apparently, and the fact that the watch was minted when he was still a very young man. Makes it all worthwhile, to hear that your work is appreciated WIS Honeymoon in such a concrete manner..

-Ricky

I thought it was quite reasonable.. IF it does "run fine".
Ricky Lee -- December 09, 2009 10:36PM (Views: 20)
Quote
 Dave Murphy
Any idea which movements came in Clintons?
The one I had previously used a Fontainemelon (quite nicely decorated, too!), and I know they also used A.Schilds. Beyond that, I don't have a clue..

-Ricky


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