Step away from the WD-40

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JwRosenthal

·Feb 1, 2021

So I took a risk on eBay a few months ago, a lovely yachting style Luxor popped up as non-running but looked like it had promise. Price wasn’t bad but I made a low offer and the dude accepted quickly.
I got it and although I couldn’t really see through the crystal, it looked like it could be a nice watch- I was excited.

I gave it to my watch handy friend to put in queue to see if the issue was something easily resolved by a CLA or if it needed to go to my watchmaker.

Well, he got around to it tonight and immediately saw the problem

But upon further investigation, he found himself swimming in a slick mess of a very familiar smelling oil
Look around the tacky ring

Shiiiiny

Anyone want to go swimming?

I think BP wants their oil back

Needless to say- the previous owner probably tried to get this thing running by spraying half a can of WD40 into it...ugh.

My buddy did manage to finally get it all off and it looks good, let’s hope the lume isn’t compromised.

I have another 7733 that’s freshly serviced in another watch I don’t wear much, so that’s going in this one and the Exxon Valdez is packed up and ready to go off to my watchmaker- he’s gonna love me.

Oh- the case & crystal cleaned up nicely

This is going to be a nice watch- despite the Spray-can Menace.

 

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pdxleaf

·Feb 1, 2021·"I cut it TWICE and it's still short!"

How in the world did he get that oil off the dial without damaging anything?!!

Those blue and red countdowns are primo. And all the painted numerals are so clear. I need to start spraying mine with the magical oil. (Not the lesson you hoped to teach.)

Congrats and enjoy wearing it (eventually.)

 

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wagudc

·Feb 1, 2021

Don't stop the story was just getting good.

🍿

 

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JwRosenthal

·Feb 1, 2021

wagudc

Don't stop the story was just getting good.

🍿

He keeps sending me pics of other bezel insert he had that he can modify to fit.
I admit, now that the crystal is cleaned up, the original bezel insert looks rather ratty

He sent this one as a joke

I kind of dig it, but it is a bit much- even for me. I have looked around for another yachting style insert but nothing I could find close to this size.

 

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wagudc

·Feb 1, 2021

I kinda like the ratty insert, I mean if it works for @STANDY . . . The faded Pepsi gave me pause, but yeah it's too much. The other bezel doesn't look quite right for the watch IMO. Just another excuse to keep scouring the far corners of the bay. (E that is.)

 

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cvalue13

·Feb 1, 2021

 

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JwRosenthal

·Feb 1, 2021

wagudc

I kinda like the ratty insert, I mean if it works for @STANDY . . . The faded Pepsi gave me pause, but yeah it's too much. The other bezel doesn't look quite right for the watch IMO. Just another excuse to keep scouring the far corners of the bay. (E that is.)

Agreed. Although I have to say- the Pepsi is growing on me as a bold statement. Plus a GMT bezel can still be useful. Maybe a coke GMT bezel....hmmm
I would ideally want another identical to this, which is similar to the ones used on the Nivada/Croton’s.....anyone know of one that fits those?

 

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cvalue13

·Feb 1, 2021

JwRosenthal

Plus a GMT bezel can still be useful

I don’t think a 24hr GMT bezel can be useful in a 12hr movement handset, but I’m here to learn...

As for the black bezel he sent: what sort of bezel counts up to 6 in apparent 2hr increments? Here extra for that...

 

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JwRosenthal

·Feb 1, 2021

cvalue13

I don’t think a 24hr GMT bezel can be useful in a 12hr movement handset, but I’m here to learn...

As for the black bezel he sent: what sort of bezel counts up to 6 in apparent 2hr increments? Here extra for that...

 

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Observer

·Feb 1, 2021

Nice one, @JwRosenthal. You create some excellent threads. Looking forward to the completed project.

 

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cvalue13

·Feb 1, 2021

JwRosenthal

i see; shorthand for the minutes marks. Sort of confusing.

 

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Professor

·Feb 1, 2021

JwRosenthal

Agreed. Although I have to say- the Pepsi is growing on me as a bold statement. Plus a GMT bezel can still be useful. Maybe a coke GMT bezel....hmmm
I would ideally want another identical to this, which is similar to the ones used on the Nivada/Croton’s.....anyone know of one that fits those?

On another thread we discussed methods of preserving a diver watch movement that was soaked with water after a seal failed.
Rinsing with clean water then drying and soaking with penetrating oil was suggested as a temporary measure till the watch could be properly cleaned and serviced.
WD40 pushes out water as it penetrates crevices. Its only real virtue.

WD40 is more of a preservative than anything else. Once the carrier evaporates it deposits a thin film of lacquer like material over everything it touches. Anything with tight tolerances will become locked up tight till cleaned with a solvent.

If the watch maker was able to completely clean and oil the movement and no corroded parts were found the oil did its job. Without the oil bath this would likely have become an unsalvageable mass of corrosion long before you ran across it.

 

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Vercingetorix

·Feb 1, 2021·Spam Risk

cvalue13

I don’t think a 24hr GMT bezel can be useful in a 12hr movement handset, but I’m here to learn...

As for the black bezel he sent: what sort of bezel counts up to 6 in apparent 2hr increments? Here extra for that...

Add a zero and it becomes minutes.

 

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cvalue13

·Feb 1, 2021

Vercingetorix

Add a zero and it becomes minutes.

Thx; that became clearer once I saw it on a 3-hand watch. Had high hopes for something more than just a confusing design choice. (I see that they were attempting to fit the number between and preserve all of the minute indices; but boy does it give me an eyebrow twitch to see eg “50” denoted as “5”, especially since this is a rotating bezel)

 

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STANDY

·Feb 2, 2021

wagudc

I kinda like the ratty insert, I mean if it works for @STANDY . . . The faded Pepsi gave me pause, but yeah it's too much. The other bezel doesn't look quite right for the watch IMO. Just another excuse to keep scouring the far corners of the bay. (E that is.)

Totally agree, the beauty of these watches is the nick’s and scratches they picked up over the years.
You want a pretty one buy a NOS one to start with....

 

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JimInOz

·Feb 2, 2021·Melbourne Australia

Let's have a poll.

I vote for the original bezel, gives the watch character.

 

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rootbeer7

·Feb 2, 2021

What a great looking watch. Keep original.

 

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kov

·Feb 2, 2021

My vote goes also to the original bezel. 👍 Nothing worse than a like-new part on a watch that had a life.

 

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rob#1

·Feb 2, 2021

+1 for the original bezel

 

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wilderbeast

·Feb 2, 2021

kov

My vote goes also to the original bezel. 👍 Nothing worse than a like-new part on a watch that had a life.

Agreed. I think a nice distressed leather strap will sing on this beauty. Great story!