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SMP Great White GMT - A few observations

B
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Hi Chaps,
New member and 1st time writer. Great to read the discussions on the GW, as I have just recently decided to have a 'different' watch (i.e. one without a black or blue dial). One of my prerequisites is legibility. As my eyes now rely on the aid of spectacles, I need a watch which tells me the time without me having to squint for 10 minutes to see how quickly each hand is moving in order for me to determine which one is the hour and which one is the minute hand! I need to see the hands, not through them so later Seamasters are a no-no.
Is the GW easy to see or should I go for a Broad Arrow?
Your valued opinions are the reason I joined😀
 
ConElPueblo
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@Tet, would you mind sharing the serial number on your GW? I am looking at one for sale and it has the same bracelet. It's a full set with two owners in total, so I doubt there are any shenanigans.
 
Tet
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ConElPueblo ConElPueblo
@Tet, would you mind sharing the serial number on your GW? I am looking at one for sale and it has the same bracelet. It's a full set with two owners in total, so I doubt there are any shenanigans.

I don't have it with me at work but will happily look it up and share it with you when I get home.
 
ConElPueblo
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Tet Tet
I don't have it with me at work but will happily look it up and share it with you when I get home.

Cheers 👍

I thought it odd that it wore that bracelet, so did some research and yours was the only other I was able to find with the same bracelet. Who knows, it might end up with this making a case for both of them being legit 😀
 
Tet
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ConElPueblo ConElPueblo
Cheers 👍

I thought it odd that it wore that bracelet, so did some research and yours was the only other I was able to find with the same bracelet. Who knows, it might end up with this making a case for both of them being legit 😀

Possible, I do think mine was probably swapped over at some point tbh. Some people prefer the comfort of the bond bracelet so wouldn't be too surprising but interesting none the less, who knows. I wear mine on an Omega shark mesh(which I gave a full brushed finish to match the case) now which for me is the best of all.

2020-01-04-6359.jpg
 
padders
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It will indeed be interesting if the serial numbers of the watches mentioned above correlate but I personally think it unlikely it was a factory combination.

I can see a situation where a GW bracelet gets damaged or worn (both Bond and Speedy types don't take kindly to heavy wear) and rather than spend the, what, £600 a dealer might ask for a new 1611, an owner goes to ebay and buys the next best thing the Bond style 1531 which are comparitively plentiful at half the price or less.

I too really like the Omega mesh option on the SMP, it looks like it was made for it.
Edited:
 
ConElPueblo
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padders padders
It will indeed be interesting if the serial numbers of the watches mentioned above correlate but I personally think it unlikely it was a factory combination.

I can see a situation where a GW bracelet gets damaged or worn (both Bond and Speedy types don't take kindly to heavy wear) and rather than spend the, what, £600 a dealer might ask for a new 1611, an owner goes to ebay and buys the next best thing the Bond style 1531 which are comparitively plentiful at half the price or less.

I too really like the Omega mesh option on the SMP, it looks like it was made for it.

Well, I'm open for new discoveries 😀

Would you happen to know if the GW was ever sold on strap only?
 
padders
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Pretty sure it wasn't. I have a price guide from ~2002 that features all the then current SMP variants. I will take a look later and see if any other options for the GW were listed but of course that will only be the UK market for 1 year so wont be definitive. The std SMP and just maybe the black GMT was sold on the rubber strap.

This thread is lacking photos so I will use that as an excuse to gratuitously shoehorn this in, the GW's cousin that I am wearing today, the non America's Cup. My thread, my rules lol:

IMG_6132.JPG
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Archer
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ConElPueblo ConElPueblo
Would you happen to know if the GW was ever sold on strap only?

Yes, Ref. 28382091, sold on a rubber strap with deployant buckle.

Cheers, Al
 
padders
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Looks like it was available with strap then if it is on the system, perhaps that is how those 2 came about. Here are a couple of snippets from the Dec 2001 price guide and catalogue. Only the bracelet Great White is listed here but as I said above that doesn't mean a lot, other rubber strap models are mentioned or shown and there are curious omissions, where is the 2254 or 2255? The prices are sobering. The 3570 Moonwatch is on the next page at £1,395. Excuse the defacement, at the time I was choosing one to buy for a significant birthday, I settled on the 2255 in the end.

IMG_5441.JPG IMG_6022.JPG Price.jpg
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Tet
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Archer Archer
Yes, Ref. 28382091, sold on a rubber strap with deployant buckle.

Cheers, Al

Interesting to learn and yes could explain things. With regards to Padders brochure above, I guess this could have varied by regions? Mine was purchased from Spain.
 
ConElPueblo
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padders padders
Looks like it was available with strap then if it is on the system, perhaps that is how those 2 came about.

The one I am looking at is the ordinary reference, so came on a bracelet. I cannot get the seller to tell me the serial ("for reasons you well know why" 🤦), but he's agreed to tell me if Tet's is close to his. He's adamant that it's original from new and while he isn't the first owner, I could well imagine it being true.
 
Archer
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Tet Tet
Interesting to learn and yes could explain things. With regards to Padders brochure above, I guess this could have varied by regions? Mine was purchased from Spain.

Omega will often indicate on the Extranet if a model was made for a specific geographical region, but this one doesn't indicate that...
 
ConElPueblo
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Archer Archer
Omega will often indicate on the Extranet if a model was made for a specific geographical region, but this one doesn't indicate that...

Are there any mention of other bracelet types than the 1610 bracelet? I believe the one I am looking at has a 1513?... Which I guess was used on the 50th anniversary GMT?

EDIT: Looking at this thread, it would seem that only the 1611 was used on the GW.
Edited:
 
Archer
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ConElPueblo ConElPueblo
Are there any mention of other bracelet types than the 1610 bracelet? I believe the one I am looking at has a 1513?... Which I guess was used on the 50th anniversary GMT?

EDIT: Looking at this thread, it would seem that only the 1611 was used on the GW.

Correct - only that bracelet or the rubber strap.
 
WRATH OF KANE
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Here's my GMT. It's all original, I bought it in the mid nineties from a dealer in Dallas (can't remember which one). It was my daily wear for over twenty years. Tough watch!
 
Tet
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What was the initial release year for these anyway? I thought it was early naughties but the above suggests earlier.

Would be interested to know.
 
padders
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Tet Tet
What was the initial release year for these anyway? I thought it was early naughties but the above suggests earlier.

Would be interested to know.
They came out late 2001/early 2002 at the earliest AFAIK, the black dial one was earlier, circa 1997.
 
tikkathree
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Tet Tet
There is, open the bracelet up closest to the divers extension just as though you are removing a link. Be careful as just like the links there is a tube inside. Once open use a screwdriver to gently prize the opening(the opening part of the section that now looks like a keyhole)further open. The aim is to open it enough that is a snug fit when you insert it back into the bracelet opening(there shouldn't be wiggle room). If you got it right it will now snap back into place nicely.

Hope I described it well.


I think you did; you mean this part with a keyhole shaped hole? Increase the width of the hole "at the ankles"?
20200417_160003.jpg
 
Archer
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tikkathree tikkathree
I think you did; you mean this part with a keyhole shaped hole? Increase the width of the hole "at the ankles"?

What you are trying to do is make these two small indents grip better on the inside of the other part:



Rather than gouge up the clasp with a screwdriver, I prefer to use a punch and spread those two small tabs:



I use my staking set for this, but if you have any kind of small punch it will do the job just fine - you won;t need to spread it much top increase the tension to keep it closed.

Cheers, Al
 
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