Three Blind Mice

[freddy333]

[b16a2]

Beautiful!

[dieselpower]

Remarkable. If you're going to make me sick with envy why not go the whole hog, what movements are inside these gems? Case and pusher details etc etc. Excuse me I have to go now, I feel quite ill! Fantastic pieces D, enjoy and wear well. And just for the record they are the exact three I would choose, feel like selling one

[harley]

wow,

looks fantastic

plz show better dial pix

[freddy333]

Remarkable. If you're going to make me sick with envy why not go the whole hog, what movements are inside these gems? Case and pusher details etc etc. Excuse me I have to go now, I feel quite ill! Fantastic pieces D, enjoy and wear well. And just for the record they are the exact three I would choose, feel like selling one

Sorry, Diesel, I was just trying to make up for not posting any new wrist shots (other than my beater shots, which I keep posting because.....well, that is the watch I am usually wearing).

The watches on either end are my DW 6239 & 6241 V72 project watches. As you know, these have been detailed in various posts.

The center watch is new & a bit of a dark horse. I am waiting to get some additional info from the source, which I believer will be both interesting and welcome to many members.

The watch in the center is a 7750-powered 6263 Franken (which as you can see has asymmetrical pushers) that I put together earlier this evening. You may have read my De-Automating the Asian 7750 inquiry that Ziggy responded to earlier on Monday. Well, the goal was to allow me to replace the original caseback (which was too tall) with a (correctly) shallower DW caseback, which fit perfectly once the rotor was out of the picture. Now the case has the proper profile for a vintage Daytona and the watch sits at the same height on my wrist as either of the 2 DWs. The bezel was an extra DW part that I accumulated during my repeated miscommunications with David (which turned out to be fortuitous). I also swapped out the original rep crown and tube for gen Triplock parts (the case hole required a thorough tapping before the tube could be installed smoothly) and I cleaned & lubed the keyless works while I was rummaging around inside the case. I also replaced the crummy end links & bent springbars with better quality rep links and gen springbars. I debated whether to install one of those sweet beveled gen T21s that look so sparkly on the other 2, but decided against it (at least for now) because the dial has some issues that I am not happy with (crown too low and subdials not quite accurate, though few people would ever notice it) & the hour totalizer hand (subdial at 6) slowly creeps around the subdial when the chrono is NOT in use (you can see this in the picture).

[harley]

wtb a dial for the 7750 daytona

[freddy333]

wow,

looks fantastic

plz show better dial pix

Thank you.

Close-ups of the 2 bookends have been posted numerous times in various recent threads and I think most of the members are probably sick of them by now (search for my name with 6239 or 6241), but I will try to post a few more shots of the center watch (including a close-up of the dial) in the next day or so along with more details.

[dieselpower]

Thanks for the informative reply. So, you put a 7750 in a (DW V72?) case with asymetric pushers! Very interesting. How did you get the pushers to work? I have an EE Daytona with asymetric pushers. Correct me if I'm wrong but it sounds like a Swiss 7750 could be put in without the rotor and a new caseback screwed on then I would have a hand wound Daytona with fully functional chronos and a Swiss movement. Of course I am completely incapable of performing such miracles but it would be nice to know if this were possible in theory.

[Tribal]

Nice ones Freddy

Interesting that you put a Eta 7750 in a DW case without the rotor....

I'm suprised that this works with asymetric pushers...

Great work my friend.....

[docblackrock]

Three Blind Mice

Yeah but how do they run?

[LordRasta]

I should wear them for you. I'm such a good guy. VERY nice my friend.

[dieselpower]

Very good docblackrock. Very good.

[freddy333]

Thanks for the informative reply. So, you put a 7750 in a (DW V72?) case with asymetric pushers! Very interesting. How did you get the pushers to work? I have an EE Daytona with asymmetric pushers. Correct me if I'm wrong but it sounds like a Swiss 7750 could be put in without the rotor and a new caseback screwed on then I would have a hand wound Daytona with fully functional chronos and a Swiss movement. Of course I am completely incapable of performing such miracles but it would be nice to know if this were possible in theory.

This particular watch came from the factory with the 7750 inside. As I have heard, there is a version of the Asian 7750 configured with asymmetrical pushers. I just modded the watch to fix some of the more obvious inaccuracies and improve the overall look & feel. I believe this watch is the same 7750-powered Daytona (with asymmetrical pushers) that Honpo has on his website. And as soon as I can provide more details, I will. But to answer your question of whether you could put a Swiss 7750 into this case, yes, as long as the Swiss 7750 has an asymmetrical pusher arrangement, I do not see why not.

[freddy333]

Nice ones Freddy

Interesting that you put a Eta 7750 in a DW case without the rotor....

I'm suprised that this works with asymetric pushers...

Great work my friend.....

Thanks, Tribal. I removed the rotor to disable the auto-wind & make the watch function more like the gen vintage Daytona 62xx, which, as you know, were manual-wind watches. Certainly, Valjoux-powered DWs are more accurate in their function (since they share the same base movement as the gen 62xx Daytonas), but I think this is a reasonable compromise considering the savings in both time (to search out a V72) and money (the cost to purchase another V72).

Replacement of the crown & tube were the obvious next step since, having its auto-wind mechanism disabled, the watch would need frequent winding and the cheap, rep POS crown/tube would have stripped within the first few screw/unscrewings. Also, the rep Triplock crown is too wide and a dead-giveaway, and it was a relatively easy mod so it made sense to do it.

[freddy333]

Yeah but how do they run?

The (V72-powered) bookends keep COSC time (after spending a few days tweaking their regulators), and the centerpiece runs but, as I mentioned above, the hour totalizer seems to run (creeping around the subdial, seemingly counting hours) when the chrono is NOT in use. I am guessing there is a clutch that is mis-adjusted, but hopefully Ziggy will chime in with a more accurate answer.

[manuel]

very nice!

I have a valjoux 726 watch for a project like this. (21600 bph)

I like the white exotic dial daytona.

Will I encounter difficulties fiting the movement?

[freddy333]

very nice!

I have a valjoux 726 watch for a project like this. (21600 bph)

I like the white exotic dial daytona.

Will I encounter difficulties fiting the movement?

I believe the Valjoux 72x series all run at 18000bph.

As for difficulties fitting the movement.........hard to say. One of mine went in like a hand in a glove while another caused me nightmares for weeks on end (there are a number of posts detailing both projects - search for 6239 or 6241 & my handle). But even if the movement fits the case, there are usually other issues you have to contend with (pushers not fitting, crown tube not matching existing case threads, difficulties installing bezels or crystals, finding a way to secure the movement into the case, having something in the case causing the caseback not to fit, misaligned lug holes, etc.). I would defer anyone considering the construction of one of these gems to consider the wisdom of Animal House:

Start drinking heavily.

Good luck.

[vintagerolex]

Very nice watches.

[pitimany]

WOww.

Very impressive.

The quality in the 7750 dial is very good compared to the regular pre-daytonas 7750 around.

Crown, pusher and case finish is stunting in the VJ72.

Excellent work, freddy333.

Best,

P

[manuel]

I believe the Valjoux 72x series all run at 18000bph.

As for difficulties fitting the movement.........hard to say. One of mine went in like a hand in a glove while another caused me nightmares for weeks on end (there are a number of posts detailing both projects - search for 6239 or 6241 & my handle). But even if the movement fits the case, there are usually other issues you have to contend with (pushers not fitting, crown tube not matching existing case threads, difficulties installing bezels or crystals, finding a way to secure the movement into the case, having something in the case causing the caseback not to fit, misaligned lug holes, etc.). I would defer anyone considering the construction of one of these gems to consider the wisdom of Animal House:

Start drinking heavily.

Good luck.

Freddy, I have followed your projects long time ago since rwg exists. I always have wanted to talk with you, but I first have to get DW case kit. Heard that he may send you any kit, and it turns to be a roulette because you will never know what kit is going to arrive.

The valjoux 726 runs at 21600 bph because the machine used by my watchmaster says that.

This is my valjoux 726 watch. Pictures of movement will be published someday maybe.

Edited November 7, 2007 by manuel

[Guest avitt]

Very nice collection

Although I have to say that I was a little disappointed as a read down the thread...I first thought that you had somehow stuffed a 7750 into a VJ72 case set - and I was already digging out my spare parts...

[docblackrock]

The (V72-powered) bookends keep COSC time (after spending a few days tweaking their regulators), and the centerpiece runs but, as I mentioned above, the hour totalizer seems to run (creeping around the subdial, seemingly counting hours) when the chrono is NOT in use. I am guessing there is a clutch that is mis-adjusted, but hopefully The Zigmeister will chime in with a more accurate answer.

Thanks Freddy, but I guess the joke must have been lost in translation

I meant it as in the Olde English nursery rhyme

Three blind mice, three blind mice,

See how they run, see how they run,

They all ran after the farmer's wife,

Who cut off their tails with a carving knife,

Did you ever see such a thing in your life,

As three blind mice?

(before vbarrett weighs in on this, the 'farmer's wife' refers to Queen Mary I and her husband, King Philip of Spain - ha ha beat ya Vic )

[freddy333]

Very nice collection

Although I have to say that I was a little disappointed as a read down the thread...I first thought that you had somehow stuffed a 7750 into a VJ72 case set - and I was already digging out my spare parts...

Sorry Avitt, and thanks. Late last year or early this year, someone (I forget who) posted a response to a thread I started inquiring about info on Honpo's 7750-powered Daytonas. That person had one of these 7750 Daytona reps with asymmetrical pushers. I thought you (& most of the regulars) read that particular thread & were aware that these things exist (although they seem to be as rare as hen's teeth. You might want to PM me on this subject when you get a chance.

[freddy333]

Thanks Freddy, but I guess the joke must have been lost in translation

I meant it as in the Olde English nursery rhyme

Three blind mice, three blind mice,

See how they run, see how they run,

They all ran after the farmer's wife,

Who cut off their tails with a carving knife,

Did you ever see such a thing in your life,

As three blind mice?

Went right over my head, Doc. I just re-read your original post and I get it now. I usually get those things, but I must have read & responded to your post as part of 3 or 4 responses I posted early this morning. Not enough sleep I guess.