hey guys!

I just acquired a cal 321 speedy and awaiting its arrival My dream has come true!

Although bought at a relative bargain price its gonna need some TLC and looking for a DON bezel in good condition and minute and hour hands (second hand seems to be fine thankfully) i just feel it would liven it up alot! Want to source correct parts as i will probably keep the watch forever.

How difficult are these to find? Already sourced a bracelet. Also pulsations bezel id be interested in finding as well!

 

I think there is a queue.....

 

Ebay is your friend, mucho deniro is required.

Good luck!

 

Didn't someone's uncle have a few spare parts sitting around?

Finding the watch was the easy part, now you get to search for a unicorn and a couple of mermaids...

I am in the same boat, and have decided to dry dock it.

 

Dry dock it? Like just wait haha, i realize it will be probably be awhile before one pops up.

Is there any difference betweek premoon hour and minute hands and more modern variations? I know the seconds hands are different but thats about it. I must join the queue it seems for the bezel

 

If the hands "as is" drive you nuts, a short term fix is to buy new, correct hands, and have someone paint them to match the patina on the dial. While this will not enhance the watch value wise, it may help you.

Do you have any pics of the watch to share? Everyone always loves picking them apart...which is great because you get valuable insight into what is the best course for the restoration.

 

Heres a picture if you look closely the hand has missigg lume and doesnt match the color of the seconds hand, then the bezel

 

You are so far ahead of the game...you already have a DON! While a little rough, it is original.

The hands might be able to be cleaned, and there are watchmakers out there that can restore and correctly paint missing lume. Others with a whole lot more experience will surely weigh in.

Congrats on a beautiful piece.

 

Thanks for the feedback!

I am glad it seems i may have made the right move, the DON is correct and original just in rougher condition than id like i guess but it is bearable.

As far as the hands maybe abc watchworks to refinish them? I would want non luminscant paint to keep the appeal at night since the dial i pressume doesnt glow. not sure if thats possible but thats as far as i think id go

 

Searching better condition Don bezel than your right now is long journey. And eBay might be your ocean. Good luck.

 

I disagree with the comment where someone suggested getting new hands and painting them to match the patina on the dial.
If anything, I would be thinking about finding someone that could re-lume the dial to match the hands.
It looks like the lume on the dial has been removed.
Sorry if my opinion offends anyone.

 

The lume on the dial is actually eggshell as far as i can tell it looks as if the portion on the step up portion of the dial is worn off but thats it. Only reason id do the hands is because the hour is completely missing lume in one spot and mismatched to the seconds.

Nonetheless thanks for the feedback guys! Might have a new appreciation for my original bezel maybe it isnt as bad as i thought

 

If you like it that's the main thing, DON is great but everyone has there favourite thing mine currently is the dial , as the best ones light up your day.

 

I agree dial definately takes the main stage. I like the dial on this one if the hands matched to it id be happy to say the least really

 

Really nice watch......................congrats!

My thoughts......................stay with that bezel. It may be a bit weathered, but that's part of the watch's history. It''l cost you $1k to get a decent one, that is if you can find it.

Bit hard to see, but on my monitor the dial plots look the same colour as the chrono seconds hand i.e. lume is there on the plots. As others have said, your best bet may be to re-lume the hr / min hands to match the chrono hand (or vice versa). Hand lume colour is frequently different than dial plots for reasons unknown. Sometimes hands have been replaced 30yrs ago and hence lume has aged differently than the lume dial.

Vintage baton hands in nice condition never seem to turn up on ebay, so reluming may be the only reasonable way to go.

 

I may just keep the bezel

A relume will soon come and ill post pictures when its all done im hoping the seconds hand and dial patina match that way i can get the hour and minute hand the same

It does have some appeal to the way it has aged for sure

 

Dibs on the handset if you end up changing them out.

 

I

I wish. A few parts festering away somewhere...

 

Why touch the hour hand? It's probably original to the watch as hand lume is often darker than that on the hour markers.

Simply get new material colour match and added to the minus hand.