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Leica Watches - L1 & L2 - what do you think?


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My Leica Watch is:

 

M10 - press MENU button, press "Up" key four times to DATE & TIME, press right key once: it is 7:22 pm Mountain Time (GMT -7) as I write. ;)

 

I haven't worn a watch for decades - but have carried one ever since my first M8.

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Stand-alone winders for self-winding watches puzzle me.

 

I used to have a watch winder for my cool vintage Rado Daymaster 999, I finally decided what is the point? If I don't wear it that day I wind it in the morning, it only takes a few seconds. I have several manual wind watches, accuracy is something that has never concerned me with them. I have a 1961 Rolex Oysterdate I wear regularly, I was happy that it kept time within a couple of minutes per week. I just had it serviced and a new stem, crown and crystal fitted, since I got it back I haven't had to adjust the time - it bugs me that I don't have to tweak it, mechanical watches shouldn't be that accurate! 

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Probably the nearest competitor to the Leica L1 is the Omega Globemaster Co-axial movement chronometer Manual Wind. You can buy a new one of those in stainless steel for around €5000 or half the price of an L1. Rarity - probably about the same I would say, as the majority of buyers will go for the same watch, 1mm thicker, in automatic form. The Omega is one of the very few manual wind wrist chronometers on the market today, because it is just so difficult to get a manual wind watch to pass the COSC tests (-4/+6 seconds a day plus many other tests).

 

Watches even from the big name makers are being heavily discounted at the moment. I got 23% off list on a Breitling in the UK last year and it was one of their latest models. I could probably get nearer 30% or even more this year. 

 

Wilson

 

Isn't the Omega co-axial movement in the Globemaster an automatic one?

 

Ernst

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Isn't the Omega co-axial movement in the Globemaster an automatic one?

 

Ernst

 

Ernst, 

 

They do both manual wind and automatic versions. The automatic versions probably account for 99% of the Globemaster production. I have to admit I have never seen the thinner manual wind version and had to phone the person through whom I buy my watches to get a price. He said it would probably be a special order from Omega, as he had never seen one in the flesh either but knew they existed, as they are in the trade catalogue. 

 

Wilson

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My Omega Seamaster loses 6 seconds a day and has done since the day I bought it 11 years ago. I’m not going to spend >£500 to have it serviced to try to better that.

 

I can’t count how many times I have had the pins in the strap replaced. The latest time was only yesterday. Fortunately, the pin dropped out while I was sitting at my desk, and the watch didn’t drop to the floor or worse.

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Ernst, 

 

They do both manual wind and automatic versions. The automatic versions probably account for 99% of the Globemaster production. I have to admit I have never seen the thinner manual wind version and had to phone the person through whom I buy my watches to get a price. He said it would probably be a special order from Omega, as he had never seen one in the flesh either but knew they existed, as they are in the trade catalogue. 

 

Wilson

 

Hi Wilson

 

I'm perplexed by this. I follow Omega closely and I've never heard of the manual version. It would somewhat fly in the face of their product philosophy.

 

Even the original Globemaster from the 1950s was only available as an automatic. Do you have any references to it?

 

Ernst

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My Omega Seamaster loses 6 seconds a day and has done since the day I bought it 11 years ago. I’m not going to spend >£500 to have it serviced to try to better that.

 

I can’t count how many times I have had the pins in the strap replaced. The latest time was only yesterday. Fortunately, the pin dropped out while I was sitting at my desk, and the watch didn’t drop to the floor or worse.

 

Andy, 

 

I gave my son my Seamaster Professional Chronograph,which was a presentation to me by a German Insurance company, after I had arranged the purchase of a UK insurance company for them. It was too large for my wrist, so I passed it on. I too had the pins problem until I found you could get heavy duty 2.5mm x 24mm pins. I had to run a 2.5mm drill through the sharkskin and rubber straps but since I got those about 12 years, they are still lasting today with my son, who does not lead them an easy life. 

 

Wilson

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My Omega Seamaster loses 6 seconds a day and has done since the day I bought it 11 years ago. I’m not going to spend >£500 to have it serviced to try to better that.

I can’t count how many times I have had the pins in the strap replaced. The latest time was only yesterday. Fortunately, the pin dropped out while I was sitting at my desk, and the watch didn’t drop to the floor or worse.

Loosing pins? I’ve never had that with the Seamaster (nor with the Speedmaster) and I had quite a some. Today, still two. Is your Seamaster a type 300 or 600?

Do you wear it tight or loose?

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Hi Wilson

 

I'm perplexed by this. I follow Omega closely and I've never heard of the manual version. It would somewhat fly in the face of their product philosophy.

 

Even the original Globemaster from the 1950s was only available as an automatic. Do you have any references to it?

 

Ernst

It was written up in one of those style magazines that sit around in the executive airline terminal at Toulon-Hyères, where I was waiting to meet someone earlier this year. I then was talking to the man in Blackburn UK (Iconic), through whom I buy my watches yesterday (he was trying and failing to sell me a new watch) and I asked him about manual wind chronometers. He too was sure he had seen it in Omega-ETA-Valjoux's trade catalogue but had dismissed it as too left field to be of interest to his customers. He thought that list was around €7500 so he would be selling it at €5000. The only benefit he could think of is that it would be around 1 to 1.5 mm thinner than the automatic version. 

 

Wilson

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Loosing pins? I’ve never had that with the Seamaster (nor with the Speedmaster) and I had quite a some. Today, still two. Is your Seamaster a type 300 or 600?

Do you wear it tight or loose?

It’s the 300m smaller diameter model with the blue wave pattern face and the stainless steel bracelet. It’s the pins between the links that go, not ones which attach a strap to a body.

 

I wear it tight but not so that it leaves an impression on the skin. I can’t stand a watch to be loose.

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It’s the 300m smaller diameter model with the blue wave pattern face and the stainless steel bracelet. It’s the pins between the links that go, not ones which attach a strap to a body.

I wear it tight but not so that it leaves an impression on the skin. I can’t stand a watch to be loose.

At least, you have the most beautiful Seamaster ever made.

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Stand-alone winders for self-winding watches puzzle me.

 

Hello Pico,

 

Back in the 20th Century somebody figured out that if they constructed a watch winder then people who bought self winding watches with  a number of "complications", such as: Day, date, moon phase, 24 hour dial, sidereal dial, etc: Would NOT have to reset everything each time they took their watch off for a while.

 

These "dynamic" units can be bought individually, or in groups in cases for travelling. Sometimes these cases also include "static" compartments for those watches which do not require continuous winding that you are also taking along on your trip.

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael

Edited by Michael Geschlecht
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My Omega Seamaster loses 6 seconds a day and has done since the day I bought it 11 years ago. I’m not going to spend >£500 to have it serviced to try to better that.

 

I can’t count how many times I have had the pins in the strap replaced. The latest time was only yesterday. Fortunately, the pin dropped out while I was sitting at my desk, and the watch didn’t drop to the floor or worse.

 

Hello Andy,

 

A watch that consistently loses 6 seconds a day for 11 years is a remarkably good time keeper. As Omega Seamasters are known to be, A good watch repair person can adjust this correctly in a reasonably short time & it should not be that expensive.

 

Have the person measure the timing on your watch & ask them to then set the timing so that the watch runs 6 seconds faster a day. Even if that does NOT read as the correct timing on their machine. That simple.

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael

Edited by Michael Geschlecht
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