I am looking for an automatic watch with tritium vials and would like to know what my options are. I know that marathon and ball both make watches like this but i am not sure on the styling. What other makes should i be looking at? Is it possible to put together a frankenwatch with tritiums? Thanks in advance.
Sure.
The dials, minute hand and hour hand of Marathon quartz Navigators fit on the standard ETA 28xx movements.
The second hand has to be broached up to .25 mm, or, if a new second hand is used, a longer 4th wheel has to be fitted; 5.6mm, I believe, for a 2824-2 and 2892A2, a 6.0mm for a 2836-2, basically, it has to be 0.5mm longer than standard.
Not sure about the terminology you used there, i am not into watch tech speak yet! It sounds promising though, basically anything with a normal ETA movement can theoretically have the marathon hands fitted. Is that right? I guess getting the tritium dial in could be a problem though?
The dial fits just fine the second hand is the only problem.
The second hand post is too short on normally configured movements. Because the thickness of the vials the hands are much thicker, the shape of the hour and minute hand are such that they will clear one another with normal height hour and minute posts, but the second hand must have 1) a longer tube (the part that fits over the second hand post) or 2) the second hand post must be longer so a normal length second hand tube can reach it without interfering with the other hands.
Replacing the 4th wheel (on ETAs, the second hand post is part of the 4th wheel) with a longer one will allow a normal second hand to be fitted, but unfortunately, this requires the disassemble of the movement.
The long tube used on the Marathon Nagigator second hand is only 0.20mm in diameter so if it were to be used it would have to be broached (ie drilled) to 0.25mm, again this is not something most can do on their own.
BUT, a watchmaker should be able to do either task, it not really all that hard.
There is a third opion that I didn't mention, as it is rather clumsy in my opinion, the second hand can be bent it a vertical "S" shape so the outer 3/4 is above the minute hand vial, but the inner 1/4 is at the normal height level.
Illustrations:
I see now. Its not really that much of a job then is it? Thanks for being so helpful. Any ideas of a combination of movement and case that would work? I want automatic movement, a steel case similar to the skx007 or the older seiko divers and preferably a fairly sterile dial.
There's the rub.
You will have to find a watch with an ETA 28xx series movement in a case you like.
Here's a link to my Zegarek Zubrow project watch: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=11798&hilit=zegarek+zubrow
Zeno Explorer (ETA) case, ETA 2824, Marathon field watch dial and hands, the second hand was a bear to have fitted, as Lysander has already indicated.
Cheers,
Martin ("Crusader")
I just found West Coast Time, their M16 Type 1 looks exactly like what i am after. Are they any good?
I really like your project there Crusader, its very inspiring. How long did it take in total?
.
WCT M-16
http://www.watcharoo.co.uk/m16.htm
The reviewer is a member here.
john
Every watch a story.
Almost a year ... :roll:Originally Posted by bingobadgo
Cheers,
Martin ("Crusader")
I wonder if Eddie could stick the dial and hands from his Tritium - dialled Precista onto a PRS-18A (or 18Q for that matter?) - it would also mean the watch would have a date at long last :shock: 8) - that would be an excellent watch IMHO :D
That would rock.
Sunnie
Traser does an auto watch, 25 jewels, see here
(ETA 2824-2 of course)
Too right, go on Eddie!
watchdude who posts for sale on MWR sells re-dialed kronos he has the pseudo rhula and cwc RN hommage with tritium lifted from marathon field watches quartz or auto between 1-2 hundred quid at todays exchange. I think he was asking $315 for a domed tritium dial and hands pvd cwc lookalike eta 2824 kronos tested to 10 atm. I liked that one;its cool!:bom:
The tritium-vialed hands require extra height of the pinions, and extra room between dial and crystal. That's why I chose the domed-acrylic ZEX for my project. :wink:
Cheers,
Martin ("Crusader")
Just in case you missed it, there's a black PVD job and also one with a white dial.
I currently own a WCT-16 with a GMT bezel which is an excellent watch for the price. However, unless you really need the GMT option, the count-down bezel is less cluttered. The WCT runs very well, the tritium vial lume is fairly bright (and, of course, lasts all night and doesn't need a "charge"). The only negative I can find is that the second hand does not have a tritium dial, which I prefer. As an alternative, KHS now makes an automatic version of its Mission Timer, which is an homage to the CWC Military Diver, in black PVD coating. Actually, this model strongly resembles Eddie's PRS -4, with the black dial. This watch also is available with blue tritium vials. I've found that the blue tritium vials tend to be brighter and easier to see clearly in the dark. The KHS watch also has a vial on the second hand. I believe these are available from the Milwatch website in Germany. A thought just hit me: Perhaps once Eddie has won his legal battle with O***a we could nag him into reissuing the PRS-4/11 with blue tritium hands and markers. Put me down for No. 17. Hope this helps.
I like the blue lume but the dial looks busy.
http://timecriticalh3.com/8.html
john
Every watch a story.
That KHS looks promising, bead blast the PVD off and it would look halfway decent (not too keen on black watches, a bit too tactical ninja for me). Would it be possible to sterilise the dial? What is their quality like, i have never heard of them before.
oj tritium for the plongeur hand and would make it.
Also comes with a bracelet.
john
Every watch a story.
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