I've changed my mind. :roll:Originally Posted by abraxas
I'll have No3 instead. :D
john
Right is better than fast.
However long it takes, I'll be looking forward to this one!
Dave E
Skating away on the thin ice of a new day
I've changed my mind. :roll:Originally Posted by abraxas
I'll have No3 instead. :D
john
Every watch a story.
Numbering part of the grand plan...?
I know, perhaps we can give out a big marker pen-the non permanent kind- and when you want to change the number, some wipes can be used to take it off and the new number applied! :wink:
We could then trade numbers, not watches :lol:
Pottinger :)
Sweet. I'm not a fighter, and the no.7 will match my DN and Italian! :)Originally Posted by abraxas
Hello Eddie,Originally Posted by swanbourne
when will that might be? Primio next year, maybe?
Cheers
Henrik
I hope it will be next year but who knows? I was over there in February this year and so far only 2 of the 5 models we discussed (and I ordered) have been delivered. The Italian will be the third one but still no sign of the other two.
Eddie
Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".
I have not been around here much lately, but the Speedbird III is fabulous. Please reserve #19 for me, and put me down for one WHENEVER it is ready.
Thanks, and enjoy the holidays.
Good to see you here again David, I hope you're keeping well. The SB3 won't be a limited edition but it will have a serial number.
Regards,
Eddie
Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".
If it will have a serial number will you be taking reservations for anyone that wants a particular number??Originally Posted by swanbourne
I would like serial number 1148, please. :)
Cheers,
Martin ("Crusader")
Yeah, that'll be plopping off the assembly line just a few weeks after #1 :wink: But seriously, this will surely be a very popular model 8)Originally Posted by Crusader
Good luck,
Gert
Originally Posted by swanbourne
from 1963, overhauled and restored in Bienne:
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New here, but have enjoyed the black SBII for a year now. A bit scuffed and one deepish scratch. Any suggestions of where to send it in the UK for a refinish/rebrush please?
I would buy a SBIII as per Eddie's picture at the start of this thread. I don't believe there's anything to match the specs; I've tried (also having grown not too keen on the SBII's hands and wanting a dial with no text on it).
The opposition as I have found so far:-
O&W MP - not enough water resisitance; only mineral crystal
IWC, Glycine - v nice but too pricey
Mk 11 (Yao) - too large (40mm)
RLT's Swiss Military type - mineral only and not waterproof enough
.. and so it goes on ..
There is nothing under £300, 100atm, sapphire, blank dial, Mk11 type dial, 38mm, with date. If there is, please tell me; otherwise I await the SBIII. When it comes I shall sell the SBII (hopefully) as I am a 1-watch person!
Finally - Eddie, greetings from W' Gunner (your old hunting ground) :!:
Greetings Stuart, it's a long time since I was freezing down your neck of the woods. :D
Eddie
Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".
Hello Stuart! :DOriginally Posted by Stuart
Try finding forum member Bry1975, he should be able to help you out with a case refinish.
Dave E
Skating away on the thin ice of a new day
Only 5 atmospheres = 50 meters (I think you require ten, rather than 100 atm), and a beautifully domed acrylic instead of the sapphire:Originally Posted by Stuart
There are several forum members who have modified the PRS-53 with Yao parts. :D
BTW, I have a comparative Excel sheet of Mark XI homages. If you are interested, shoot me an e-mail. :-)
Cheers,
Martin ("Crusader")
That looks excellent. Do they order the parts and get it done here (and if so by whom), or do threy send the watch to Yao?There are several forum members who have modified the PRS-53 with Yao parts.
Welcome! :)
My two' pennies worth is, await the SB III. Case should have a better profile (thickness, a complaint by some 'bout the aforementioned, esp with domed crystal), quite possibly case too; knowing the rep of the case-maker and, the dial looks exclnt in the pic or even small variations upon it .
Proportions, case quality, case height and dial design imo, should be excellent. Compare it viz your preferences and possibilities to other watches of this type/description.
It's worth thinking over, imo. :wink: :)
Best Wishes,
Sincerely,
Pottinger :)
Stuart,
I have a SBII with a Yao 48 face and hands (no date) and I think it's great: no pics at the moment, as it's on loan, but I do see that Yao supplies datewheels as well, so no need to worry about the number being misaligned.
Eddie,
Will SB3 be available in a white-dialed version?
Yours,
Kamraj
It's not currently a plan.Originally Posted by Kamraj
Eddie
Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".
Hi all
Fisrt time I have had a proper look through this thread.Very nice.
I wonder how much it might be for a white gold case?
Why not go the whole hog and ... platinum?Originally Posted by Si
I would seriously be interested in white gold hands (if I haven't already said it).
Also a small run of 30-50 SB3s in PVD as per PRS 14 ... I was looking at Ron's two and wondering why I never got one. :roll:
john
Every watch a story.
Thanks, Kamraj. Look forward to a picture when you get it back. Does one send it to Yao, or order the parts and get it done here in the UK (by whom)?Originally Posted by Kamraj
Thanks, Pottinger, for the advice re. waiting for the SBIII. May do.
How, by the way, does one post a picture on the forum?
Eddie,
pity about no white SBIII, but I suppose it gives me an excuse to go shopping right away.
Stuart,
I got mine from a forum member ("Expat" I think his forum name is) in the USA, who bought a Yao dial and hands and had his local watchmaker do the same. If I were doing it myself, I'd do likewise (I'm in Malaysia). You might consider buying the dial (Type 48 with date window at 3), hands (because you have to, and because the pure white lume doesn't match the green-tinged lume of SBII) and a date wheel (because otherwise the SBII numbers will show sideways) from MkII, having them sent over, and sending them with SBII to someone like Bry, or taking them to your local watchmaker (assuming they're reliable) so you can have the case refinished, the movement serviced (assuming it needs it) and the dial etc substituted at one fell swoop. Another option might be to sterilise the dial of SBII, as I suspect the lettering might not be too hard to remove or repaint: I'm sure someone here has tried this out.
Kamraj
Instead of strting with an SBII, you can start with the cheaper O&W MP, which with a 2801 can be had for under £100. This is what MkII used for their original Pilot's Watch, so all parts fit. I had one, but I didn't get on with it so am waiting for an antimagnetic, 38mm SBIII, with 20mm lugs, quality hands and sterile dial 8)Originally Posted by Kamraj
Kamraj[/quote]Stuart,
I got mine from a forum member ("Expat" I think his forum name is) in the USA, who bought a Yao dial and hands and had his local watchmaker do the same. If I were doing it myself, I'd do likewise (I'm in Malaysia). You might consider buying the dial (Type 48 with date window at 3), hands (because you have to, and because the pure white lume doesn't match the green-tinged lume of SBII) and a date wheel (because otherwise the SBII numbers will show sideways) from MkII, having them sent over, and sending them with SBII to someone like Bry, or taking them to your local watchmaker (assuming they're reliable) so you can have the case refinished, the movement serviced (assuming it needs it) and the dial etc substituted at one fell swoop. Another option might be to sterilise the dial of SBII, as I suspect the lettering might not be too hard to remove or repaint: I'm sure someone here has tried this out.
Thanks, Kamraj, for this good advice. Best wishes, Stuart.
Never mind the Speedbird case ... get a PRS-53 and its beautifully domed acrylic and add the Yao dial and hands!
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Cheers,
Martin ("Crusader")
Originally Posted by Crusader
Cheers,
Martin ("Crusader")
What about a blue MOP dial?
Eddie
Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".
That would be lovely.Originally Posted by swanbourne
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:Originally Posted by Ron Jr
Eddie
Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".
What's "MOP"? Mother-of-pearl?Originally Posted by swanbourne
Cheers,
Martin ("Crusader")
Got it in oneOriginally Posted by Crusader
Just get the black dial going soon Eddie, with a 39 - 40 mm case and a 20 mm lug spacing; PRS 3 on the dial where IWC puts its "IWC>" send me one next week PLEASE !!!
Are you sure you read this thread? :POriginally Posted by pplateau
john
Every watch a story.
Oh, the rashness ofm young puppies ... :roll: :wink:Originally Posted by pplateau
Watch projects must mature like good cheese or wine, and the length of time required falls somewhere in between. :P
Cheers,
Martin ("Crusader")
Crusader,Crusader wrote:
Never mind the Speedbird case ... get a PRS-53 and its beautifully domed acrylic from Eddie, and add the Yao dial and hands!
much as I liked the PRS53 (before Dad hijacked it), I have to say that I preferred the Speedbird II for a daily wearer - it felt more durable. Whilst your PRS53 looks like one of the best solutions for a Mark 11 homage that can be worn daily, I prefer sapphire for practicality.
Stuart,
I forgot one suggestion - if you do get the Type 48 dial etc to put in an SBII case, I suggest you also try to get an AR coat applied to the crystal at the same time: the reflections off the SBII's face were what made me prefer my Sinn 656 for everyday use. In an ideal world I'd also look at sourcing a slightly deeper crown as well. I'll try to get some pics of the SBII with Type 48 dial sometime soon.
Eddie,
how about a pink MOP dial, for those of us trying to stay in contact for our feminine aspect? Oh, and while we're at it, replace the luminous markers with diamonds - one each at 3, 6, 9, and a trio at 12. Or a diamond for each hour marker - the aim is to have more jewels on the face than in the movement :D
Regards,
Kamraj
I am unsure of the situation in respect of the dial manufacture, none the less, I have been examining some Mk11 dials and have found another, attractive example and more pronounced variation, that is original, imo:
Note the more extened 10min/sec marker increments-which extend to the dial edge more than the other graduations.
I am find of this effect. Normally I prefer full extension to the dial edge. Imho the combination in this example is particularly clear indeed-a discreet and instantly registered difference in indication that makes for swifter recognition and therefore reading , imho.
Hope this is of some interest.
Note the second hand-v. nice example as is the hour hand.
Best Wishes,
Sincerely,
Pottinger :)
Sorry for the uge pic-wanted to make it clear. Pls reduce it if best-not sure how to effect that.:)
See pic 2 at this site for a corroborative and independent example of that above:
http://www.markeleven.com/
Sincerely,
P :)
Thanks for posting a pic of a particularly nice dial.
I liked it instantly -- design affects one psychologically
It might have taken hours or I might altogether have miseed the reason that you point out: the externed markers.
I shall pay more attention to this factor in the future.
Never took a liking to the short (towards the dial center) hour marks of the JLC, nor the uninspired second hand. :?
The RAF stopped procuring the JLC Mark 11 when it turned out that it was significantly inferior to the IWC version. The JLC's claim to fame is the interest that today's collector's market takes in them.
Let's stick with the IWC dial and hands pattern ... :)
Cheers,
Martin ("Crusader")
Great watch AP - I love that Mk 11 website - I occasionally go there to dream!! :D :D :D
I prefer the other hands Crusader, I like these, though for a different reason.
I do like the dial on this one in respect of the markers-the extended ones at intervals of 5 esp to the outer edge of the dial differentiating them carefully and intiutivel to look at from the other increments.
JLC v IWC...
JLC dial is so much more elegant! this is a flat 3 version that I like to. Not psych'ed by the triangle-prefer the very british dot-baton-dot as at on the above site.
Some observations and ideas to share about.
Best Wishes,
Pottinger.
They really are dream watches David :)I would never wear it as I would be too concerned about it! so am to make my own with a vintage IWC mvmt I have, when possible-its making some progress as and when.
and wanting this beauty if comes out as hoped as hoped!
My IWC mvmt to recase and dial up in Brit Mil Style {cased in pic in non-original case, so no sacrilege taking place :lol: ):
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Stuart,
I've posted a pic or two of the Speedbird II as modified on the main page.
Kamraj
That sounds a great project AP and I look forward to seeing the result. I agree - I would love one of these, but would be reluctant to wear it for the reasons you mention. It's the hands that do it for me.Originally Posted by Ailfrid Pottinger
Meanwhile my SB 1 and JLC WWW (which I think may have been re-plated at some very early stage) keeps the hunger at bay!!
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I rate the JLC amongst my 5 favourite watches that I currently own. Lovely.
Like the project, AP - look forward to seeing that one come to fruition.
Cheers
Foggy
Lucky man, Ian. What are the other 4 favourites?Originally Posted by Foggy
Are we not missing a trick here? Given that Eddie has gotten Fricker to make up cases that are based on original watches PRS14,17,18 why can't they just copy an IWC MKXI? Same size, same style dial, green lume, no date, hand wound.
In other words why are we trying to improve on perfection?
Cheers,
Tim.
Tim, while a manual watch may be very desirable for this community, the attractiveness of such a watch with acrylic crystal (with a screw-down bezel, by the way) for Eddie's business may be an entirely different matter. Also, the 11 had a 35mm diameter - hardly something to catch the fancy of a multitude of buyers, these days.
Cheers,
Martin ("Crusader")
35mm is fine by me I'm happily wearing my Precista G10 today. My point was there are many pilots style watches out there that don't quite have "it" why not make one that is authentic as possible? For those that are large in wallet but short on sight there is the Panerai :lol:
Cheers,
Tim.