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  1. Time Exposure coordinates his cast with his car's paint job Sep 18, 2013

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    As I begin to accept the fact it is now (at age 46) difficult to read the minute counter on a Valjoux 7750, I find the Lemania 5100 might fit the bill.

    I may be a fool to ask this on the Omega forum, but maybe someone will be unbiased ;)

    Is there another maker (besides Omega) worth checking out for their rendition of the Lemania 5100?

    Don't get me wrong. Although my personal experience with the Moon watch and the Broad Arrow have been miserable, I would happily consider the Omega version of the 5100.

    I just want to make sure I'm not leaving anyone out. A glance at the adds for Sinn/Fortis/Tutima/Orfina Porsche Design offer some great looking watches as not-so-great prices compared to the Omega catalogue.

    Appreciate your help!
     
  2. Northernman Lemaniac Sep 19, 2013

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    Both Omega calibers 1040 and 1045 will provide the center minute chrono hand. Both movements was designed and made by Lemania. In the case of the 1040 this has a 24 hour function exclusive to Omega. The 1045 was sold as the 5100 to a range of makers.
    If not Omega why not look at Lemanias own take on the 5100? That will even be a proper in-house product (even if I do not think that matters too much). Not that easy to find, but great quality.
     
  3. Sherbie Sep 19, 2013

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    There was a great thread on starting a week ago on the cal 1040 - some great looking 70s watchs. This movement, alongside the cal 1045, are still, IMHO, underated and undervalued.

    They make excellent daily watches, but some can be rather large and heavy, so inspect before you buy
     
  4. danomar Sep 20, 2013

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    I sympathize. ;)

    As expected, my myopia got better a few years ago at the expense of seeing close-up. Now I have progressive bifocals but can never seem to get close-up quite right.

    I need to time things at work quite often, and the central minutes hand of the Lemania 5100/5012/134x series are the most legible chronograph format that I have found. The 5100-based movement is slightly taller than a Valjoux 7750 but not very much. Some people think the pushers are stiff, but that is usually in comparison to the 7750 or a column wheel design. Omega versions of Lemania auto chronos add some proprietary parts that require special knowledge and parts access, but they are still Lemanias inside. Which is to say, robust and accurate.

    There are several very nice Cal. 1040-powered Omegas out there... :)
     
  5. Stewart H Honorary NJ Resident Sep 20, 2013

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    +1 on the 1040.

    Of the 16 chronographs I own, it is by far the easiest to read and as I said in the thread on the 176.007s, I love the sweep minute recorder (useless as it may be)
     
  6. Northernman Lemaniac Sep 20, 2013

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    A Lemania version:
    [​IMG]

    Caliber 5012. Lemania badged but also sold as Heuer Cortina.
    Case is identical (!) to Omega FIFA watch. Actually the case reference in this one is Omegas own FIFA number 11003. I have no idea why but maybe someone here has some theories?
    The dial has the same 3D/holographic brush pattern as the Heuer Cortina. Really something to behold in varying light conditions!

    [​IMG]
    (Please excuse the bad photo quality, have not gotten to taking proper shots yet, and I am not close to home at present).
     
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  7. danomar Sep 21, 2013

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    Sorry to hijack the thread, but I have to show off my Lemania Vall...Joux!

    [​IMG]

    ;)
     
  8. Northernman Lemaniac Sep 21, 2013

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    5012 or reduced 5100?
    Ie 21600 or 28800 a/h?
     
  9. Privateday7 quotes Miss Universe Sep 21, 2013

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    I just know that Valjoux is abbreviation from Vallee de Joux, Valley of Jura where most of Swiss watch companies traditionally reside.
     
  10. danomar Sep 22, 2013

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    Good question. It is a 5012. This is one of limited number given or sold to the Football Club Valleè de Joux.

    [​IMG]

    I just like the idea that it is a Lemania Valjoux. Inside joke of sorts. :)
     
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  11. Northernman Lemaniac Sep 22, 2013

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    May have felt like a kick in a certain place by the Valjoux/ETA guys ;)

    Just out of curiosity: Would you happen to have the caseback (inside) reference number?
     
  12. andy_s Oct 14, 2013

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    As Danomar and others say (Hi Daniel!), very much the easiest chrono to read, not only due to expanding the size of what was a minute subdial to fill the whole watch dial, but also because it is more intuitive as the scale is the more familiar 60min scale rather than the 30 min scale of a normal chronograph layout.
    You glance and see whereabouts the arrow hand is on the dial and instantly can see how far through the hour you are - just like the other hands on the centre spindle.

    Probably the best value for money is the Lorenz diver, not well known outside enthusiasts. Going up in price then into the Picot, Eberhard and Eterna range. After that the Porsche Designs and Tutima Bunds, Omegas and Sinns. Much depends on the individual model of course.

    For me, the best use of most of the movements strong points, notably though it's layout though, is the EZM1.

    Here's a few; Omega of course, a Lemania and the EZM1:

    [​IMG]

    And some others:

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    The 1040/134x was a different movement altogether, more complicated and refined, so a cheaper replacement was needed during the quartz era and so the 5100/1045 was born.

    [​IMG]

    Tissot, Omega and Lemania (1045/5100 and 1343 in this case), the members of the SSIH group of 1932 to the mid-eighties.

    Andy
     
  13. timeismoney Oct 14, 2013

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    [​IMG]





    Dibs! Really like this pair! The lume are perfect, too! What brand are they? Do you have any info on them?
     
  14. andy_s Oct 15, 2013

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    These are the Lorenz Sub Professional, obviously drawing influence from the Rolex Sub, but with a chronograph function and a 5100 one at that. They were made in the nineties to early 2000's I think. Lorenz is an Italian watchmaker that normally makes quite unremarkable watches for general consumption, however they did a good job with the Sub Pro I think. The Lorenz name doesn't pump up the price but the watches themselves are spot on.
    There were a few different types - as you see, panda dial and all-black, but also there was an all-blue model and I think a white dialled one too.
    For the black ones there were a few different versions through the history, all very slight (compare the minute counter shape, the bezel markers, the crown protector shape, the bracelet shiney/non-shiney centre links etc - you get the idea).

    Here's a good thread - http://forum.atgvintagewatches.com/showthread.php?t=4260 that shows the small varieties.

    For about 6-700Eu for a 200m waterproof, fairly recent L5100 with a traditional style case I don't think you can go far wrong.

    [​IMG]
     
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  15. timeismoney Oct 15, 2013

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    Thanks for the info and extra pics, Andy. I like that all black dial a lot, you really can't go wrong with the price point, the ruggedness and the 5100 easy to read set up. Here are mine saying hello:
     
    lemania-mania.JPG
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  16. Time Exposure coordinates his cast with his car's paint job Oct 18, 2013

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    Fantastic responses to my original post. I have been searching 5100's in the market and there are some beauties (a Tutima and Sinn Military come to mind). But despite my attempt to uncover a great deal on the cult-favorite 5100, I have come to this conclusion:
    NO BETTER VALUE THAN OMEGA!
    And if someone cares to suggest I'm mistaken, I'm all ears (eyes?)
     
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  17. cvalue13 Oct 18, 2013

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    Wont weigh in on Omega vs other makers (I'm biased), but I will re-open the can of worms regarding Omega c.1045 vs 1040/1 - I would stick with a 1040, if only for the fuzzy feeling provided by opening up the watch and not seeing a bunch of plastic parts (or otherwise avoiding the nagging notion of it even when the 1045 isn't open).

    Not that the 1045 doesn't function well, but search this forum for a pictorial exploration of the 1045 by Archer and tell me you don't think "well, that's kind of disappointing."

    If you then want a list of every c.1040/1 ever made by Omega (or the very few non-Omegas to ever use the 1040), let me know.
     
  18. Poday Oct 19, 2013

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    The 1045 is an interesting thing. On one hand, yes, plastic parts would seem to indicate lower quality. On the other hand, if the use of plastic parts allow more functionality, a lower price, and similar longevity, then why should I have a problem with it?

    In the end, fuzzy feelings are nice, but I'd rather have greater functionality, plastic or not.
     
  19. andy_s Oct 19, 2013

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    From another thread:

    "The Omega 1045/Lemania 5100 is a bit of gem in its own right I think, conceived by Piaget, Baumgartner and technicians from SSIH, and built at a time when the whole Swiss mechanical industry was blighted by the Japanese quartz revolution, Lemania needed a robust, simple to manufacture, reliable and fully functional chronograph that was above all cheap. Now 'cheap' doesn't necessarily mean 'nasty', in this case a well engineered design solution that used pillar construction, stamped parts and a few plastic bits – doesn’t sound tasty does it? But, it does have what could be described as classic chronograph design features; it’s integrated (i.e. not a modular type), with a vertical clutch, (that gives a crisp let-off), and rotary cam/column wheel as opposed to cam levers. Importantly though it features a directly driven chrono min/sec hand, the advantage of the direct drive is as there is no intermediary wheel so it is harder to jolt or stop the hand under 'g' load. The ‘plastic bits’ are actually Delrin™, this was chosen as it self-lubricates, (as it’s a plastic – well, a DuPont acetal polyoxymethylene resin designed for strength, light weight and self-lubrication), and is used for day/date wheels and the day change cam amongst other things, these are areas where wear is low anyway, so Delrin™ was the functional, deliberate material of choice rather than being just a cost-cutting shortcut. (Incidentally, the 7750 uses some plastic too, but again, in a deliberate way, even more incidentally, a lot of the cheap Chinese 7750 fakes use metal parts instead!)."

    So you can allow yourself a warm fuzzy feeling that it's well engineered :)

    Incidently, the looks of the 1045 are very agricultural, so much so that only one watch was produced with a display back, that was the Silberstein Bauhaus which was heavily modified. As Chuck used to say, it's like a Jeep or AK47, a utility movement, not one that has to be guilloched and Cote de Geneved, never intended to be seen or admired even. There was no emphasis on finish or aesthetic, as watches didn't sell on that basis at the time. Nowadays some consumers go for perlage and blued screws etc to mark the difference between (or justify why perhaps they prefer to buy) mechanical over quartz. The L5100 / Cal. 1045 had no such influence at the time.

    The guts - http://forum.atgvintagewatches.com/showthread.php?t=4567

    This isn't knocking the 1040, a different beast, a nice movement, well made and well presented, particularly in the Omegas.

    @cvalue13 - a list would be excellent!
     
  20. cvalue13 Oct 20, 2013

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    A list is coming!

    And I do appreciate the utility of the 5100/1045 - as well as the "Jeep" analogy very much - and would very much like to have a 1045 example or two (and have had a jeep or two).

    Since mechanical watch geekery is very often about things other than brute utility, and Time Exposure started this thread based on the desire for a central sweep minute chrono, the 1040 is a worthwhile contender on any account, and on other accounts may also satisfy some preferences other than utility.

    I also happen to think the dial arrangement of the 1040 is more attractive, and the 1045 too cluttered if the desire is readability.

    In any event, the clear solution to this problem is to purchase several watches with both movements.