# Looking To Purchase An Omega Flightmaster



## iwhelan (Dec 18, 2004)

I have read up as much as I can find on this watch on the internet, and I love it. To me, this is kind of a holy grail. I tell myself that if I purchase one of these, I wont have to buy any more watches for a long, long, long time. I guess I am kind of lucky that it's not as popular as some other watches out there as far as price goes, but rarity seems to make it hard to find a good one. Has anyone here had any experience with these watches? Any stories, tales, etc that you want to tell about it? I am wondering what kind of money should be put out on a good example of one of these.

What kind of parts are still available? I have heard of Omega doing in-house restorations.. I assume that they are prohibitively expensive, but can you give me an idea of what this might cost? I am probably better off finding a nice one instead of trying to get Omega to restore a bad one, right?

Oh, I am looking for the 910 model with the green AM/PM subdial and the domed crystal.

Any input, positive or negative is appreciated.

-Ian


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## 036 (Feb 27, 2003)

Hi Ian

Welcome.

For a start, have you handled one of these watches in person? The reason these ones (ST145.013) are not as popular as some other Omegas of the period is because they are *huge* and probably a bit much as a practical wearer.

As regards Omega service costs, if you go to the Omega main site after a bit of hunt about it gives you service costs for their calibres; these prices seem to hold whether you send it to Bienne or have it done here, and they are good value for money. But in general it is probably better to look for one that does not need work (and definitely only get one that is complete). There are quite a few around in near NOS condition, not sure why, they may not have been good sellers at the time and when they were bought a lot of owners might not have worn them for two long.

This site here is always good for Omega info:

Chuck Maddox

Si


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## iwhelan (Dec 18, 2004)

Hello Si,

I haven't handled one in person, but I think I have an idea of the size of the watch. I actually prefer large watches. The other two watches that I own are the O&W mirage III and the Seiko Orange Monster diver. The Flightmaster is larger than either of those, but it wouldn't be a daily wear watch... probably more a special occasion watch due to it's size and price. $1500 US (seems to be the average price for a decent one) for a watch is a really large amount of money for me. Plus, I doubt any example that I find will have it's water resistance still and I wouldn't want to accidently kill it in the rain or by splashing it while washing my hands.









Oh, and from what I have read, the 910 version of the watch wears a little easier since it is slightly less thick and has the domed crystal so the top edge is a little less obtrusive. That's the one I am looking for, but it seems to be a little harder to find.

Thanks for the link, I have seen that site before, but it's a great resource!

-Ian


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## vic.wootton (Mar 28, 2004)

Hello Si, I used to have the speedmaster in the same case as the flightmaster, it was serviced by omega and was almost perfect just having a slight ding in the case. The problem was the height that the watch stood on my wrist, about one inch, I deceided that it was unwearable and swapped it for a hamilton fontenbleau chrono.

Vic


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## 036 (Feb 27, 2003)

Hi

I've had a Seiko "Black Monster" in the past and the Flightmasters sit more or less twice as high on the wrist.

Which is very high.

Si


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## Guest (Dec 19, 2004)

The Flightmaster and Speedmaster variants that use the same case wear very high indeed.

Door jambs are their enemies.









I have found them a bit impractical for everyday wear and I love Speedies.

Love to see pics of your 910 when you get it Ian.


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## iwhelan (Dec 18, 2004)

haha door jambs. I can definitely understand that! I do really like speedies too but I already have an O&W Mirage III which has similar styling...otherwise I would probably consider one. What I like about the flightmaster is it's 60's/70's space age styling and that I never see anything else like it anywhere. It wouldn't be a daily wearer though. Is the movement in the flightmaster really that thick or is there any dead space inside of the case?

I was on the subway in New York City (where I work) and I think I saw a flightmaster on someone's wrist.. but it was just in passing and I wish I could have looked closer.

The only thing I am afraid of with the flightmaster is that when it inevitably needs service one day, the color coded pushers/crowns may be replaced. I am not exactly sure what it is about them that breaks that causes the need for their replacement. Can anyone enlighten me?

I have read that if sent to Omega for restoration or service, they'll replace them with regular speedmaster pushers and omega signed crowns.

-Ian


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## iwhelan (Dec 18, 2004)

Oh one more thing...

This is not a big deal, but I am wondering if anyone can tell me what the pricing has been like on the flightmaster. Are the prices that I am seeing nowadays (about $1000 - 1500 US) what they have been at for a while or were they cheaper/more expensive recently? If I purchase a flightmaster, it's not something I would plan on selling but if I ever had to, is it something that will hold it's value for a while, maybe even appreciate? This is just curiousity as I don't plan on purchasing watches as investments. I want to use them!

-Ian


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## Guest (Dec 19, 2004)

Ian

I don't know about availability of the special colour coded pushers etc at Omega but I have seen NOS ones for sale on ebay also dials.

The price on Flightmasters has remained fairly static of recent times in the range you quoted.

The case thickness is really the style although the Speedies that used it had the 1040/45's which are a thick movement and need a thick case.

The movement in the Flightmaster 911 is an 861 with a GMT complication.

The 910 you are interested in has a further modification of a 24 hour register that does away with the constant seconds.

Hope this helps.

Show us a picture when you get it.


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## wamorris1999 (Dec 19, 2004)

Hi, my name is Wayne, and, have only been on the forum a couple of times, a year or so ago, to sing the praises as it were of Roy and his excellent services.

I did notice this article that mentioned the Omegas, and was wondering what anyone thought about the speedmaster. I have the limited version I guess you'd say, its the one with the red sort of checkered outer dial.

I did have a friend refer to it as the "moon watch", being as the back does state that it was the first one on the moon.

Was just looking for some feedback, I love the watch, but, I never have owned anything even close to this expensive, so i am not knowledgeable on the upper level watches. I have a lot of vintage Seikos from the late 60's and 70's, and they are awesome because of their size(i too like them big), and the styleing of that era. I have gotten great deals from Roy, and many from ebay.

Hope to visist your forum occasionally as time permits.









Oh yea, almost forgot, I have NEVER had a watch with such a long reserve. I was wondering if that was normal for these autos.


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## Roy (Feb 23, 2003)

Welcome back Wayne.


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## iwhelan (Dec 18, 2004)

neil said:


> Ian
> 
> I don't know about availability of the special colour coded pushers etc at Omega but I have seen NOS ones for sale on ebay also dials.
> 
> ...


Hi Neil,

Do you have any idea what the reason is for replacing pushers at service time? Why doesn't omega just replace the seals?

I actually see a pusher and a dial on ebay right now. If/when I purchase a flightmaster, I will have to stock up on spare parts!

I will certainly send a photo when I get one... it just might be a little while. I have to still find the right one at the right price..and then get the nerve up to drop that kind of money.

Thanks!

-Ian


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## Guest (Dec 20, 2004)

Hello Ian

I'm no watchmaker just an watch freak







but I don't think the seals are replaceable.

Same with the crowns AFAIK, if the stem goes the whole thing is replaced.

Roy will know.


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## Guest (Dec 20, 2004)

wamorris1999 said:


> Hi, my name is Wayne, and, have only been on the forum a couple of times, a year or so ago, to sing the praises as it were of Roy and his excellent services.
> 
> I did notice this article that mentioned the Omegas, and was wondering what anyone thought about the speedmaster. I have the limited version I guess you'd say, its the one with the red sort of checkered outer dial.
> 
> ...


Hello Wayne

I quite like Speedmasters as well.









Your description of your Speedmaster has me intrigued.









You say it has the red chapter checkering which would mark it down as possibly a MKII or something later.

You state it is an automatic which would certainly not be a Moon watch although you say it is marked "First watch on the Moon"?

There is a new edition of the Moon watch with a red checkered dial like the MKII, is it one of these?


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## leighton (Jan 27, 2004)

Omega seem to have so many variations of these watches it's mind boggling.

It seems to me that all they have to do is add a few decals to the dial and put different inscriptions on the case backs and voila.

A completely new version of the Speedmaster, even though it's identical to every other one that was produced from 1969

Brilliant marketing.


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## iwhelan (Dec 18, 2004)

Hello everyone,

I found a flightmaster 910 for sale at a reputable online dealer. It includes a 120 service warranty. It is supposedly completely overhauled, with seals, hands, crystal and the dial being replaced. He also claims it was cleaned. The pusher buttons are original but do not have the paint any longer, but the 2 crowns on the left side have been replaced with Omega signed crowns instead of the black and blue color coded ones. He's asking $1450.00 US, which seems on the high end of the spectrum for this watch, but it seems like it's in excellent shape and it's had a lot of work done that I would eventually have to do anyway if I bought one for slightly less money.

Here are some photos..

http://www.spmicro.com/gallery/album107

What do you think about the price for this watch? Should i grab it and be happy that all the work has been done already or hold out for a cheaper one and possibly have to have work done to it?

The only other things I am wondering... the new dial does not say T- Swiss Made -T so I am assuming that this is not a NOS dial, but one that was made after the Tritium days. Am I right? Is it safe to assume that there now SL on the dial?

Also, if the seals were all replaced, is it safe to assume that this watch would be OK as far as occasional water splashes from hand washing or rain? I am wondering if it should be pressure tested before I wear it often.

-Ian


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## Guest (Dec 24, 2004)

Hello Ian

It looks in very nice condition.

The case finish is excellent, may have been redone but the caseback shows the DC-8 in VGC and these normally wear after exceessive use.

You could always fill in the pushers with some enamel paint but the others are wrong and I like everything original. However you could probably pick them up at a later date.

As regards the dial all the ones I have seen had the "T-Swiss made-T" yours seems to have just "Swiss made". Possibly a later replacement from Omega?

I personally would always be careful not to get a vintage chronograph wet as they don't have a screw down crown or pushers.

In the end it's your decision, personally I would veer towards an original one in good condition but there again I would just keep it in drawer and rarely wear it.

Good luck with whatever you choose.


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## iwhelan (Dec 18, 2004)

Hi,

So I purchased the watch! Unfortunately it wont be shipped until January 3rd since the seller is going on vacation next week, but I am excited nontheless. I can wait.

Two questions: Is resizing an Omega bracelet just like any other bracelet? I assume I can just bring it to a local jeweler who deals with watches and pay a few bucks for resizing?

Also, this is my first manual wind watch, the others that I have are autos which I never have to wind (not that I can on my Seiko anyway!). Are there any winding basics you all can gives me tips on? How do I know when it is fully wound? How often should I wind it? On the movement in the Flightmaster, do I pull out the crown and then wind or does it wind with the crown completely in?

Sorry for the really basic questions!

I think this was a good choice for a manual wind watch that I may not wear all the time since there is no date or continuous seconds hand. I can just wind, set and wear anytime!

Yes, I am excited.

By the way Neil, I understand what you are saying about getting it wet since it does not have screw-down crowns. However, theoretically since the seals were replaced it should be able to widthstand a splash or two? Didn't the watch have some level of water resistance when new? Should I just forget about this altogether?









I have no idea what the deal is with the non-tritium dial. It was replaced recently, but I have not found out yet from the seller if it was replaced by thier shop. I wonder if Omega still makes replacements and they now come with SL.

On another note, there is currently a NOS flightmaster dial on ebay, and it's a pale grey color. Any idea on what version of the watch this was fitted to? I have only seen the tan dials and the black dials, and also the black ones with the brown subdials.

-Ian


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## Guest (Dec 25, 2004)

Hello Ian

Congratulations on your new watch.









Hopefully some answers to your questions :

Bracelet resizing is not a problem any watchmaker will do it for you.

No locking crown on the Flightmaster so just wind the crown in the closed position.

Wind the watch in the morning before you put it on.

It will probably take around 20 odd turns till it is fully wound you will feel resistance when the watch is fully wound i.e you will no longer be able to turn it, so be careful.

Power reserve is probably around 40 hours so if you wear it the following day it will only need to be wound around ten times to full wind.

I don't like getting any non divers watches wet personally although as you say if it has just been serviced with all seals replaced it will take a splash or two, just be careful, I've seen plenty of watches ruined by water getting in to the dial or movement.

I have seen grey dialled 911 Flightmasters, I think they just altered them over time.

Post some pictures when you get your Flightmaster.


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## abraxas (Oct 21, 2003)

iwhelan said:


> Hi,
> 
> So I purchased the watch! Unfortunately it wont be shipped until January 3rd since the seller is going on vacation next week, but I am excited nontheless. I can wait.................
> 
> -Ian


I canâ€™t wait and itâ€™s not even my watch. Congratulations Ian. I pray itâ€™s a good one. It looks good in the pictures.

john

PS Lovely and unusual â€˜Monstaâ€™ you got there ...

http://www.spmicro.com/gallery/ianw/monster_mod_v2_001


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## ETCHY (Aug 3, 2004)

Good luck with the Flightmaster Ian they're lovely watches & one of my favourite Omega's.

I personally wouldn't risk getting an old watch wet even if the seals have been changed, just imagine the feeling if you looked at your funky new watch and saw condensation forming under the glass..... I speak from experience









Great watch & good choice.

Have a Happy New Year with it.

Dave


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## iwhelan (Dec 18, 2004)

Hello everyone,

Neil, the light grey dial I saw on ebay was actually meant for a 910 flightmaster..so who knows what the deal is there









Thank you very much for the winding instructions, and I will try very hard to make sure that moisture does not come into contact with the watch. I'd rather be safe than sorry. I guess the only conclusive way to know would be a pressure test, right?

Abraxas, I am excited too! I am confident that it's a good one... the watch seller has a good reputation from what I can see and they provide a 120 day service warranty also.

Oh, about the 'monsta'







I dont actually own that watch, I was thinking about having some work done on my Orange Monster and I thought about what could be done with it. That was what I mocked up in photoshop based on a watch that Jack @ IWW had already done.

I am not sure that I am going to go through with it anytime soon now that I am buying the flightmaster. I also am not sure yet if that watch is too over the top. What do you think? I like the beadblasted finish with the pvd bezel.

Etchy,

Thanks for the warning. I think I will follow it. I don't want to damage the watch, especially one that's this expensive (at least to me!).

Thanks everyone!

-Ian


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## iwhelan (Dec 18, 2004)

It's here! It finally arrived and it looks great, almost new even! I'd say it's a 9.5/10. I am very happy and I will have some wrist shots soon.

For a glimpse of the watch before it made it to my doorstep, check out gallery.ianwhelan.com

One issue though,

When setting the GMT hand, it doesn't move consistently with it's crown. It will move a couple of hours and then even though i'm turning the crown it will stop moving and then suddenly start moving again. It seems workable for setting the hand but I am hoping it doesn't bind up while the watch is running. I've literally had it on my wrist for 10 minutes so it's hard to tell... luckily, the watch has a 120 day service warranty so I am covered. I just hope that I dont have to send it back.

Is what I described something to worry about?

-Ian


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## JoT (Aug 12, 2003)

In my experience of some GMT watches if the crown isn't in exactly the right position it will not engage correctly and can produce the symptoms you describe. That's about all the comfort I can give you!

Looking forward to the pictures


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## abraxas (Oct 21, 2003)

JoT said:


> Looking forward to the pictures


 Me too.

john


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## iwhelan (Dec 18, 2004)

So I've been wearing it most of the day today and auxilary hour hand (fake-gmt) is running as it should so i guess it's just a little spotty when setting it. I dont know why it would be like that though but it's not stop at any point so far. The chrono function seems to run fine as I ran it for over 12 hours. I really dig this watch... but to be honest I think that it's not as big as I expected! On my wrist it doesn't feel any bigger than my Seiko Monster on a nato band (which make it sit higher) or my O&W Mirage III that I had been wearing on a Bund strap. I was very surprised with the weight, as it is really light even though it's a big chunk of stainless steel. The bracelet seems light too. The whole watch feels almost more like aluminium.

The quality of the bracelet seems OK, although I have to admit that it's not as well made as the bracelet that comes with my Orange Monster. The bracelet seems a little delicate, but it's comfortable. However, this is a vintage watch and I guess for the time it was pretty good. Does the Speedmaster come with a better bracelet nowadays? Anyhow, it's good enough! I have seen some Flightmasters with another type of bracelet that's got a thin layer of metal on both sides of the center link running down the whole bracelet. I dont know if that's a 911 specific bracelet though. The clasp on that particular bracelet looks different too as the Omega Logo is in a square instead of mine which has the logo just there without any border. Also, the bracelet must be made for giant wrists because I dont have small wrists but all the links that could be taken out of each side of the bracelet have been taken out. When I recieved it there was only one left on one side that could be taken out anyway. Also I have the clasp adjusted to about halfway. It fits nice though now and the local Jeweler who has a big watch department didn't charge anything for the one minute adjustment of removing one link.

The lume still seems to work and I think that the dial and hands now use SL instead of tritium since they are replacements from Omega. The only hand that looks original is the minute subdial hand on the right side of the dial. The paint just looks a little more aged than the rest. I think it's kind of funny that lume was even applied to this watch since the indices and hands are so thin that it's not very easy to see it even when it's fully charged!







I guess the same applies for the Speedmaster pro. It does look neat in the dark though with the thin lines.

The case looks pretty good although it does look like it's been refinished. They did a good job though. I think that's about it for now... I do like it but I'm not sure yet if I love it more than my O&W Mirage III. I have always wanted an Omega though and this one is the one I like the most. I also like the SM300 and speedmaster, but the Mirage III looks too much like the Speedmaster for me to buy one. I think this is a keeper. The only other watch on my list is a nice older Submariner without the framed indices and without date. I think after I get one of those I'll be done with collecting









Would I sell this one day to get a Sub like that? I dont know, but even if there is a possibility, it wont be for a long long time. I want to enjoy this for some years and then probably get too attached to it to get rid of it anyway!

I added some photos to my gallery. Some are not crystal clear but they're decent for quick shots. I hope you enjoy..

the address is http://gallery.ianwhelan.com

-Ian

PS. Do any of you think I should worry about the issue with setting the Aux (gmt) hour hand?


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

Ian,

That is a beautiful looking watch.









If you are worried about the functionality of it get it checked out by a competent, local watch maker, IMHO.

It may not be worth sending it back to the seller as damage in shipping is common and could have been the cause of the anomaly you are getting. If you are happy with it get it checked out by someone who services watches in-house, is competent and make sure the watch is not buffeted by couriers, that's my best advice.

Finding a good, local watch-man is not easy. We have none that I know of in our are these days.









Good luck and enjoy your watch for many years.


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## abraxas (Oct 21, 2003)

iwhelan said:


> I added some photos to my gallery. Some are not crystal clear but they're decent for quick shots. I hope you enjoy..
> 
> the address is http://gallery.ianwhelan.com
> 
> ...


That is a beauty Ian. Unless the watch is under some form of warrantee ... I wouldnâ€™t bother about the GMT issue ... give yourself time to acclimatise with the watch just in case you need anything else doing to it.

If you want bigger ... as you know the 911 *is* bigger ...
















Enjoy your watch.

john


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## Guest (Jan 9, 2005)

Very nice indeed Ian.

It has been restored, but sympathetically.

Certainly a very nice piece.

Wear it in good health.


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## ETCHY (Aug 3, 2004)

Very Nice watch Ian, congratulations.

If you are really worried about the GMT hand thing then I agree with Stan try & find someone decent & local who can have a look it'll save it getting bounced about again in transit.

Try not to worry too much (easier said than done I know) I'm always a bit nervous when I get a new watch it's easy to feel a bit 'flat' at first especially if you've spotted something not working quite right (it's even worse with an intermittent fault as you start waiting for it !) It's also easier to worry if you've spent a lot 'cos you're more bothered about it being right.

At the end of the day you've got a nice new watch which given a few weeks you'll be mad about, if it develop's a fault you'll get it fixed, try to remember it may be new to you but it's an old watch & if I had a car that was around 30 years old i'd allow that the odd off day.

It's a fine watch try to relax & enjoy it.









Dave


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## JoT (Aug 12, 2003)

Loks great Ian; congratulations on a fine watch


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## iwhelan (Dec 18, 2004)

Stan said:


> If you are worried about the functionality of it get it checked out by a competent, local watch maker, IMHO.
> 
> It may not be worth sending it back to the seller as damage in shipping is common and could have been the cause of the anomaly you are getting.


It doesn't seem likely that it was damaged in shipping since it was packed extremely well and there didnt seem to be any damage to the box. The watch does have a 120 service warranty from the seller so I did e-mail her mentioning that I received the watch and I love it, but it's got the aux. hour hand issue. I'll see what she says. I didn't jump all over her about getting it repaired at this point.

Unfortunately, I have no idea how I would go about finding a local competent watchmaker.... I have previously dealt with Jack @ Industrial Watch works but he's not nearby so I would have to ship to him and he has a backlog of work for months.

In any case, the watch is under warranty... I'll see what she says. I can live with it the way it is because it's not affecting the operation of the watch in any way. The GMT hand is still working fine. The thing that worries me is if the problem gets worse someday and I kick myself for not getting it fixed when it was under warranty in the first place! Also, if I want to sell it someday, the buyer might use this small issue to try to knock a chunk off the price for an otherwise wonderful watch.

Ok, I worry too much!










Thanks for the compliments everyone! I took a couple more photos today since it's finally sunny for some better light.

http://gallery.ianwhelan.com

-Ian


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## 036 (Feb 27, 2003)

I take it the GMT hand and the hour hand are not independently settable? If that is the case then is the GMT hand where it is supposed to be, ie at 6 when the main hour hand is at noon?

Personally I would think long and hard before sending the watch to anybody, and the warranty wouldn't persuade me to send it back to the seller.

What would concern me is if something is slipping or doing actual damage while the watch runs (eg are any gear wheels not aligned properly so that there is wear on cogs?). If you can ascertain that this is not the case then leave it until you find someone you are fairly certain will do the job right. Jack at IWW would be a prime candidate if I was anywhere in the US, wiating list or not.

Si


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## iwhelan (Dec 18, 2004)

Si, the gmt hand and the hour hand are independantly settable. The "gmt" hand has it's own crown even, but it's not a true gmt hand, it only goes around once every 12 hours. It's doing that just fine, you wouldn't know there's anything wrong with it unless you were trying to set the gmt hand.. that's where it's a little strange. Otherwise, once you set it, it's totally fine.

Why do you say you would be wary of sending the watch back even though it's under warranty? I think this particular watch shop actually is responsible for the restoration and they have a decent reputation from what I can find.

Jack seems to know what he's doing, you're right. So far the problem isn't really much of a problem... as the gmt hand is doing what it's supposed to do... that is just run at a pre-set difference to the regular hour hand. In my case, I have it set exactly 5 hours ahead for real GMT time (even though it goes around twice a day).

I'll have to see what the outlook is for the watch before I get into sending it to Jack and putting more money into it. I really like it, and I want to keep it for a while, but I'm not yet sure it's a permanent keeper. It depends on how attached to it I get









-Ian


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