Thoughts on DSOTM Apollo 8 hand transplant?

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atebit

·Apr 15, 2022

I just received my Apollo 8 from an AD this past February. Love everything about it except…there is so little contrast between the hands & dial that I often have a hard time making them out.

I’m considering having a watchmaker swap out the existing hands for ones offering more contrast. I’m not concerned about resale value, but I am a little concerned about warranty so thinking that I might wait until after the warranty’s up.

There is an old-school (literally) watchmaker in my state that is quite familiar with Omega. He’s the one that will probably get the work unless someone can suggest a watchmaker that may’ve done this or a similar job for them?

 

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Butik

·Apr 16, 2022

Unfortunately very weak legibility was the reason I sold mine after just a couple of weeks of ownership. And I waited a few months to get it from my AD. Was really looking forward for it but eventually could not live with the fact how hard it was to read time on it 🙁

 

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atebit

·Apr 16, 2022

Well I just dumped another $645 into the deployant strap & clasp so I’m in for the long haul I guess. Still hoping I’m not the pioneer here with this hand swap idea.

 

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Evitzee

·Apr 16, 2022

I've had the Apollo 8 for over two years and have never had a problem telling the time. But I've had many skeletonised dials over the years so I know how to read them. Many people get overwhelmed because there is a lot of stuff going on on a dial like this. But you have to ignore all of those distractions and look for the hands and read the time. All I can recommend is focus, and try harder.

Edited: Apr 16, 2022

 

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KnoP

·Apr 16, 2022

There will be for simure some omega service points who will do that so the warsnty proceeds… imho i won‘t because the watch is very fine as it is! (i don‘t have one though)

 

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mbp

·Apr 16, 2022

What color hands are you considering? The standard?

 

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atebit

·Apr 16, 2022

Not sure, I’m open to suggestions. I imagine if the watchmaker decides to take on the task, he’ll have some ideas. If it will work, something that’s maybe a little wider as well. Sometimes (for me) the thin strip of lume gets mistaken for a subdial hand, or vice-versa.

 

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Blackdog

·Apr 16, 2022

Frankly, FWIW, I would not do it.

If it is not the watch for you, just move on and get something else.

My opinion...

 

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Duckie

·Apr 16, 2022

Blackdog

Frankly, FWIW, I would not do it.

If it is not the watch for you, just move on and get something else.

My opinion...

Agreed.
I'm wondering why legibility wasn't factored in prior to pulling the trigger in the first place👎
Either one fully appreciates the watch for what it is or one ought to move along. Customisation can be a rabbit hole with many entrances.
Then again, I suppose the OP started down that road with the strap and after the hands there's not many places the OP can go to without getting in very deep except for the Bezel i suppose👎

 

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atebit

·Apr 16, 2022

As @Butik mentioned, the contrast issue can be hard to see in video/pictures. I purchased from an out of town AD that happened to still have one in stock. No local OBs or ADs had one that I could look at in person at the time.

Maybe in time my brain will develop some gestalt around the hands and it won’t be as much of an issue. I really don’t want to get rid of it.

 

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MTROIS

·Apr 16, 2022

OP, I think this is a fine idea! I often wished that the hands would have been at a minimum a bit wider…
Not sure how the regular white hands would look, and they might be a bit short too.

 

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MTROIS

·Apr 16, 2022

A atebit

I just received my Apollo 8 from an AD this past February. Love everything about it except…there is so little contrast between the hands & dial that I often have a hard time making them out.

I’m considering having a watchmaker swap out the existing hands for ones offering more contrast. I’m not concerned about resale value, but I am a little concerned about warranty so thinking that I might wait until after the warranty’s up.

There is an old-school (literally) watchmaker in my state that is quite familiar with Omega. He’s the one that will probably get the work unless someone can suggest a watchmaker that may’ve done this or a similar job for them?

Love the idea, but be careful, not everybody can work on this watch. I even thought I had read that the Apollo 8 is a Bienne-only for service as a special movement holder is needed.

 

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Archer

·Apr 17, 2022·Omega Qualified Watchmaker

MTROIS

Love the idea, but be careful, not everybody can work on this watch. I even thought I had read that the Apollo 8 is a Bienne-only for service as a special movement holder is needed.

No, the 1869 is not a Bienne only caliber. There is a specific movement holder for hand fitting for the 1869 and 1865, that is different than the general holder used for the other related calibers. Unlike the regular calibers, these two have the casing rings attached to them prior to the hands being mounted, so the holder is larger to accommodate that.

 

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pumpernikiel

·Apr 26, 2022

I must say that although the issue with contrast is a very rational one - I decided to purchase the watch purely based on emotions and simply becasue I felt completely in love with Apollo 8... therfore I hear you, but I don't understand you 😀