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Avatar Is Happy Day! I just got a new watch! Part Seven at Ricky Lee's Home For Wayward Wristwatches. Is Happy Day! I just got a new watch! Post contains photos

Ricky Lee
December 06, 2009 05:31PM
 Registered: April 2005
Posts: 5,848 (2010-02)

Kind of a weird one in that, 3 or 4 years ago, I saw these at a brick 'n' mortar establishment at what I considered a ripoff price of $89.95 Not negotiable. I am angry! I passed. Laughing

Fast forward a few years, and I was overjoyed to see this one show up in a joblot for ~ $4. Made me Inner Scotsman dance a li'l jig, it did.

ENNYway, here 'tis:

Remex Big Moonphase

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo

As a matter of scale, that's the Ricky Standard Combat NATO, 22mm. This a big watch! I mean, like Huuuge! So, imagine my surprise when I put the calipers on it and found it to be "only" 45mm. I've got several bigger'n that. 'tis the 'all dial' design that makes it wear so big, natch.

Now, I was really itchin' to "get under the hood" of this one, and figured it had a PC21. But.. Hmmmm. No "Japan Movt" on the dial, ye note, just "Hong Kong". So perhaps it shouldn't have been a big surprise when I finally laid eyes on the movement and saw:


ONE (1) JEWEL UNADJUSTED REMEX ELECTRONICS LTD.

FRENCH PARTS

HONG KONG

HP6626

The last bit is on the battery clasp, and might be the batt no.

Still. What a unique (to me so far) movement. WIS Honeymoon I dun good fer me hard-earned lunch money here, Bubba! Rolling on the floor laughing my a.. off



-Ricky



P.s. - And, yeah, I still reckon $89.95 was a ripoff. Rolling on the floor laughing my a.. off

It's a happy day, a new watch arrived Pt. 28-3/4 at Ricky Lee's Home For Wayward Wristwatches aka A new combo & mini-Watch or Accessory Review

December 26, 2009 05:02PM


I just wasn't happy with this one on the NATO, and slipped on a black 22mm XL smooth calf strap from Uncle Otto.

Remex Big Moonphase

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo

Ah! Much mo' bettah!

Remex Big Moonphase

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo

Dunno what it is with this one, exactly.. I'm enjoying it way, way more than it's modest pedigree might lead one to expect.

Remex Big Moonphase

Click HERE for larger photo

But after wearing it like so for a couple of days, I realized I had the perfect companion..

Remex Big Moonphase

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo

..in an Uncle Otto 186-273 deployant. This is a 20mm model (the strap is a 22, but tapers to 20 at the buckle) with polished gold finish, and is quite attractively priced at $9. I've seen the type before - what I call a 'fishhook deployant", as it uses a barbed tang for the long end - but have never used one. I think a few words are in order, thus this mini-review.

First, the cons - the barbed tang grabs the strap very tenaciously, so much so that it's a real PITA to remove it. Eek! If you're the kind that readjusts your deployants often, this style is not for you. But if you tend to 'set and forget' 'em, 'tis not bother at all. Also, the closure is not as aggressively 'tight' as some. Mind you, it hasn't come loose or anything, but it requires only very modest pressure to open it. This could, of course, be adjusted by carefully bending the locking tab. Then, too, while it was impressively wrapped & protected, and was flawless upon initial inspection, it's picked up several "desk diver scratches" in only 2 days of wear. This should considered part and parcel of a polished finish, however, and they do sell this in a matte finish (both silver and gold).

But there's a lot to like here, too! Perhaps most importantly the single-plane design results in a mere 1.8mm thickness when closed. Any dual-plane design is thicker - many more than twice as thick - and the thin cross-section means it wears very well indeed. It is perhaps the most comfortable deployant I've had the pleasure of wearing. And since the barbed tang means that one side is completely open, these deployants will accommodate even the thickest of straps.. which is, of course, not the case with 'pincer-type' closures which completely envelop the long end of the strap. Then, of course, there's the low price. And don't forget the low price!

I reckon I'll be buying a few more of these..

-Ricky



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/26/2009 05:04PM by Ricky Lee.

It's a happy day, a new watch arrived Pt. 20 at Ricky Lee's Home For Wayward Wristwatches.. aka This may seem like deja vu It's a happy day, a new watch arrived

December 23, 2009 01:10PM

..and, indeed, I at first took this watch to be a near-identical twin to one you've previously seen. However, upon closer examination I find that nothing could be further I am confused from the truth!

First, while the former has case dimensions of 45mm X 50mm, this one is a slighly scaled-down 43mm X 48mm. Also, there's a huge difference in the dial's font size, and this makes an amazing difference when the watches are placed side-by-side. Seems almost a small watch by comparison, and points out what a dramatic difference 2mm can seem. Crazy! Loco! Smile

Edison Moonphase

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo


Yup, 'tis the Tom Swift Mamma-Bear Hong Kong Moonphase.

There is one overweening similarity, of course.. enough that if not twins they're at least cousins! Sure, they use the same 1-Jewel MFR in Hong Kong REMEX quartz module.

Edison Moonphase

Click HERE for larger photo


All in all a most pleasin' old watch!



-Ricky

Live long and prosper.

Messages In This Thread

Is Happy Day! I just got a new watch! Part Seven at Ricky Lee's Home For Wayward Wristwatches Is Happy Day! I just got a new watch! Post contains photos
Ricky Lee -- December 06, 2009 05:31PM (Views: 89)
90 bucks for this one was a rip-off Scary! EEK! For 4 bucks, it is certainly a good watch. Except that the crown >>>
Reto -- December 07, 2009 08:40AM (Views: 19)

is soooooo tiny
Best regards
Reto
Thank you Boss! Wink.. And to show that Great Minds Really Do Think Alike..
Ricky Lee -- December 07, 2009 01:09PM (Views: 11)

Smile ..I've already looked at replacing that teensy tiny crown. You know, the horological equivalent of a Boob Job.. Rolling on the floor laughing my a.. off

Alas, the top half of the case is counterbored to accept the wee 3.25mm crown, so unless I mod the case, too.. I am confused

Or, I suppose I could just jack the crown outwards .75mm or so.. Hmmmmm.. Rolling on the floor laughing my a.. off

-Ricky

How many pounds of batteries have you been through today? Laughing out loud! (n/t)
Dave Murphy -- December 06, 2009 11:56PM (Views: 16)
Dude! You don't know the half of it. Scary! EEK! All I did here was exhaust the battery stock on hand. Crazy, man!
Ricky Lee -- December 07, 2009 01:02PM (Views: 12)
In addition to those eight, I've got 14 more (fourteen!) with batteries installed, photographed, just gotta write some txt and post 'em. You've seen the best, but there are some interesting watches in the 'B string'..

But that's not all! When it became obvious that I didn't have enough batteries on hand, I reserved a suitable 'test battery' in each caliber, and simply tested the remaining watches for function vs. actually installing the batteries.

So I've got a list of 28 (twenty eight!) batteries to order today. Loco! CrazY! And 28 watches lined up on the workbench for them, o' course.. Confused Scary!

You may be interested to know, too, that I've got a new box wi' ~ 30-odd watches in it that failed the function test, and are now marked 'dead' on the dial wi' me favorite Sharpie. Frowning! Still, luck o' the draw and all, that percentage is actually a little better'n I expected. I am smiling And maybe the REALLY crazy thing is, several of those 'dead' watches will almost certainly get resurrected. Rolling on the floor laughing my a.. off For there are several tasty pieces Envious.. a nearly mint 2-tone Citizen Aqualand, f'rinstance, a Victorinox chrono, a couple of Swiss mechanicals in need of a COA, etc.

A pretty good haul! I love this watch!Winking

-Ricky

To quote Red, "My what big eyes you have..." to see be$t deals $85 off? Well done!
Nuvolari -- December 06, 2009 08:56PM (Views: 14)
...with low miles, in like new condition.

dude.. tell me.. does the sun-moon phase work? (n/t)
anjizkit -- December 06, 2009 06:11PM (Views: 22)
Yes, but 'tis only AM/PM, not true moonphase. Oops! (n/t)
Ricky Lee -- December 06, 2009 07:32PM (Views: 8)


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