# Shellman Grand Complication



## Ventura (Nov 27, 2006)

Has anyone had experience of these watches? I believe they are Quartz watches, but with grand complications. They reatil around Â£600. A lot cheaper then the mechanical etc grand complications.


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## Mrcrowley (Apr 23, 2003)

They are quartz. However they use same movements as the Jaques Lemans version, which are considerably cheaper.


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## Roy (Feb 23, 2003)

The Shelman and Jaques Lemans grand complication watches have the same Citizen/Miyota movements.


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## Roger (May 17, 2003)

I have a Jacque Lemans version and I like it a lot, its also a minute repeater.

Roger


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## Roger (May 17, 2003)

Here's a pic.


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## Mrcrowley (Apr 23, 2003)

Roger said:


> Here's a pic.


Looks familiar Roger









Still like it?


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## Ventura (Nov 27, 2006)

Where do I buy that watch? I bought a Poljot Sturmanskie Gagarin, a Kentex Marineman II, aswell as a Kurt Weiss Viper recently. But that's a gorgeous watch.


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## Ventura (Nov 27, 2006)

I meant a Kurt Zeiss Viper. Won't allow edit for some reason.


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## Mrcrowley (Apr 23, 2003)

Ventura said:


> Where do I buy that watch? I bought a Poljot Sturmanskie Gagarin, a Kentex Marineman II, aswell as a Kurt Weiss Viper recently. But that's a gorgeous watch.


That came from Epray. However they can be found just searching the name.


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## Ventura (Nov 27, 2006)

Hmmm...tempting.

So is this: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Neu-Jacques-Lemans-H...1QQcmdZViewItem


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## Regal325 (Aug 5, 2005)

Yes, but that Ebay item is not a perpetual calendar OR a minute repeater.

Ken


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## Ventura (Nov 27, 2006)

True, but it looks nice.


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## guitartec (Jul 2, 2006)

The Shellman and Lemans min rep/pep cal moon ph watch both use a Miyota 6790 quartz movement. It's a a very robust movement from my experience. Just make sure the pushers, case, bezel, and bracelet/strap are good quality, and you're good to go. I think the Shellman uses a sapphire crystal. Not sure about the Lemans.


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## Guest (Dec 8, 2008)

Ventura said:


> Hmmm...tempting.
> 
> So is this: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Neu-Jacques-Lemans-H...1QQcmdZViewItem


Not bad looking H


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## RussellB (Dec 22, 2008)

Still loving the SHellman however!!

Not sure about the JPY143,000 RRP



















The Classic Grand Complication is not the most literal interpretation of a mechanical watch- for that we must turn to the Side Slide Minute Repeater, about which more in a moment- but it is certainly the most ambitious of the three in terms of combining complicated features with the aestheticised display of information so characteristic of fine high complication mechanical timepieces. The operation of the Grand Complication is quite straightforward, and the simple instructions accompanying the watch allow for the easy setting of the time, operation of the chronograph, and setting of the perpetual calendar- the latter can be done through manipulation of the pushers, which is much more convenient for the owner than the elaborate maneuvers necessitating opening the case required by some other analog quartz perpetuals.

The Grand Complication's minute repeater is not slaved to the time display; it must be set separately by using the two hands at the six o'clock subdial, which in normal use show the month and the leap year. This does 'break the metaphor,' as online game players sometimes say of language or behavior not consistent with the virtual reality in which the game unfolds, but once the repeater time is synchronized to the time display the repeater function can be used as intended.

The back of the case of the Grand Complication is pierced with eight holes to allow the sound from what appears to be a resonating plate topping the movement to be heard more clearly. Shellman has clearly gone to some trouble to reproduce the sound of an actual gong being struck and they have succeeded to some degree although not completely. The overtones, attack, and decay of the sound of a physical chime have all been reproduced- this is not a monotonic synthetic chirp!- and although the illusion is not perfect it is still a pleasant, bell-like tintinnabulation.


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