# Seagull 1963 Reissue Available from Seagull HK Directly



## mleok

I contacted Seagull HK directly a week or two ago, and apparently, they have the Seagull 1963 reissue available for direct order. I got in contact with Thomas at Seagull HK through their contact page:

http://www.seagullhk.com/english/contact.asp

and was quoted $180 for the watch, $15 for shipping to the US, and $8 if I wanted the display caseback instead of the solid caseback.

If there is interest on the forum, we could perhaps see if they are willing to negotiate a smaller per unit price for a large bulk order.


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## jpham792

I would be very interested in a group buy =]


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## Torsten

mleok said:


> I contacted Seagull HK directly a week or two ago, and apparently, they have the Seagull 1963 reissue available for direct order. I got in contact with Thomas at Seagull HK through their contact page:
> 
> http://www.seagullhk.com/english/contact.asp
> 
> and was quoted $180 for the watch, $15 for shipping to the US, and $8 if I wanted the display caseback instead of the solid caseback.
> 
> If there is interest on the forum, we could perhaps see if they are willing to negotiate a smaller per unit price for a large bulk order.


After seeing an earlier post this morning I went to the Tsinlien Seagull offices here in Hong Kong over lunch. And bought a 1963 re-issue. I felt like a kid in a candy store. There are 13 Pilot re-issue watches in the office. All ready to go.

At this point Thomas does not have sapphire glass case backs so my watch came with the standard steel case back.

Oh, I paid US$180.

Thomas is a nice guy and we had a chat while he was collecting all the pieces (strap, case, warranty card etc.) Apparently Tsinlien is no longer permitted to sell Seagull Tourbillons. (He has only one left). Once his stock is depleted you can only buy Tourbillons through the official Seagull dealer in Hong Kong.

In addition to that delicious plate of 1963 watches, there were a number of ST25s. Seagulls, as well as re-branded "Hirsch" and "Krones" watches. Not to mention all of the boxes I did not open to have a peak.

I am definitely going back there to check out other models.

Unfortunately, I am now back in, and stuck at, the office. With no time to play with my new watch. o|

Cheers, Torsten


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## mleok

Torsten, this is interesting, so Tsinlien Seagull is not the official Seagull distributor in Hong Kong? It's interesting that they didn't have the display caseback available, since Thomas didn't indicate that to me in his email earlier this week.


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## Torsten

According to the name plate at the entrance, Tsinlien is not just selling Seagull watches but is a garment trading company as well. The premises actually is an office and not a shop or show room. (I am very tempted to post the photos I took). Think 12sqm office room with a junior watch maker assembling watches surrounded by boxes and spare parts stored in tiny containers. 

From what I understand, Seagulls are being sold through one of the local jeweler chains. I did not catch the name though as my Cantonese is pretty crap.

This would make sense as they appear to mainly sell the movements (according to other posts on WUS). And given the fact that they assemble re-branded Seagulls.

When I looked at my watch I asked about the sapphire case back and Thomas mentioned he did not have in stock.


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## whatmeworry

Ditto, if shipping to the UK is an option.


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## soopah

Let us know how much. You can probably sign up at least 20.


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## sharkfin

Hmmm, spoke to Thomas a while back, and he stated display backs were made a long time ago, was for demo or prototyping. Production has since stopped for a long time, and will not be produced in the near future. 
However I've seen the other variants such as the 0437 model, and this apparently comes with a display back. ???
I hope this has since changed and its in production again. I definitely want one for mine. :-!

Cheers, Dave.


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## Torsten

I couldn't help myself....


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## Engi

Any news of the 1963 Reissue in 40 mm case with sapphire crystal ?

Thanks,

Engi


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## jacksgrapes

I'm down for a bulk order.


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## Lester Burnham

If the price is right, I'm in too |>


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## Lowfields

Id be in for a bulk buy too.


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## Oldheritage

+1, if we can get a nice deal count me in too :-!


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## Back

Torsten said:


> After seeing an earlier post this morning I went to the Tsinlien Seagull offices here in Hong Kong over lunch. And bought a 1963 re-issue. I felt like a kid in a candy store. There are 13 Pilot re-issue watches in the office. All ready to go.
> 
> At this point Thomas does not have sapphire glass case backs so my watch came with the standard steel case back.
> 
> Oh, I paid US$180.
> 
> Thomas is a nice guy and we had a chat while he was collecting all the pieces (strap, case, warranty card etc.) Apparently Tsinlien is no longer permitted to sell Seagull Tourbillons. (He has only one left). Once his stock is depleted you can only buy Tourbillons through the official Seagull dealer in Hong Kong.
> 
> In addition to that delicious plate of 1963 watches, there were a number of ST25s. Seagulls, as well as re-branded "Hirsch" and "Krones" watches. Not to mention all of the boxes I did not open to have a peak.
> 
> I am definitely going back there to check out other models.
> 
> Unfortunately, I am now back in, and stuck at, the office. With no time to play with my new watch. o|
> 
> Cheers, Torsten


Don't you just love living in HK?! 

When I was there I saw some watch cases spread out on Thomas' desk and it looked to be towards a diving watch. Hopefully soon Sea-Gull will come out with a diver!
Not so sure if the 12 sqm is an office or a storage with a desk. However, I would be quite content to work in that office


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## lmnsv

0437-sl-2901 is available to order too :-!


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## infinitime

Oldheritage said:


> +1, if we can get a nice deal count me in too :-!


Please count me in for 1 as well, if a group order is placed.


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## mleok

Okay, I just emailed Thomas to see if he would be willing to offer a discount if we ordered say 10 or 20 of the 1963 reissues. I'll let you know what I hear from him.


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## pasan

I am all for a group buy at this price. I remember a similar group buy a while back but the watch was double the price, and my better half forbade me from going through with it.


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## mleok

Okay, so Thomas will offer a $10 per unit discount if we did a group purchase of 20 units or more, which makes it $170 per watch.

My feeling is that the small discount doesn't really justify the effort in setting up a group buy if we would only receive the discount by having a single shipment to one address, particularly since the group is quite spread out across the world.

I am now asking him if he would honor the discounted price, while handling the individual shipments to the various group members. Will keep everyone posted.


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## Torsten

This is slightly off thread but I just came across a 1963 re-issue on Taobao. Unfortunately the dial got butchered thanks to re-branding. On top of that the asking price is double what is being discussed here.

Anyone seen a re-branded 1963 before?


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## Back

Torsten said:


> This is slightly off thread but I just came across a 1963 re-issue on Taobao. Unfortunately the dial got butchered thanks to re-branding. On top of that the asking price is double what is being discussed here.
> 
> Anyone seen a re-branded 1963 before?


Have a look at this thread: https://www.watchuseek.com/showthread.php?t=407042

Towards the end of the thread you can find numerous different versions


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## chirs1211

May be interested too if other models are available like the 0437 , i've got a '63 reissue, and shipping is direct to me.
Cheers
Chris


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## gigfy

Torsten said:


> This is slightly off thread but I just came across a 1963 re-issue on Taobao. Unfortunately the dial got butchered thanks to re-branding. On top of that the asking price is double what is being discussed here.
> 
> Anyone seen a re-branded 1963 before?


I've seen this one before.


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## mleok

Okay, I've heard back from Thomas. If we are able to put together 20 people, he will honor the discounted price of $170 for the watch, and add the cost of shipping to the price depending on where the watch will be shipped to. For reference, the cost of shipping to the US is $15.

If you're interested in the 1963 reissue in the original size, and haven't yet indicated an interest in the group order, please let me know. My understanding is that the 42 inch version, as well as the 0437-sl-2901 variant will be available for purchase in about 3 months.


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## chirs1211

Hi, just to clarify is the bigger 1963 reissue dial exactly as the original just bigger or will it have some differences?
I may be in for the 0437-sl-2901 though when available,
Chris


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## gigfy

mleok said:


> If you're interested in the 1963 reissue in the original size, and haven't yet indicated an interest in the group order, please let me know. My understanding is that the *42 inch version*, as well as the 0437-sl-2901 variant will be available for purchase in about 3 months.


Please ask Thomas if he has any photos of the 42mm version. And if it will come on a bracelet.

Thanks,
gigfy


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## DSLAM

yeah, I would like to see a pic of the 42mm if possible. If not, will it be exactly the same just bigger?


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## Torsten

gigfy, I might be interested in the 0437-sl-2901 myself. Would be happy to go over to Thomas offices once he has the new models ready and take a couple of pictures for comparison and post them on WUS.


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## tallthinbear

Ditto.|>

May I ask if the original case size is 38mm?



chirs1211 said:


> Hi, just to clarify is the bigger 1963 reissue dial exactly as the original just bigger or will it have some differences?
> I may be in for the 0437-sl-2901 though when available,
> Chris


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## pisar

I'm interested in 1963 (classic verision in 38mm case)...so count me too please.

But i would be interested in 42mm maby...but i have to see picture first.


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## dkbs

Me too got similar email from Thomas but I am very confused about this 42mm size. Are they releasing a new model or just restart the old assembly?

42mm maybe too big for this tiny 31mm ST-19. Chronograph hand will be too close to the center.



pisar said:


> I'm interested in 1963 (classic verision in 38mm case)...so count me too please.
> 
> But i would be interested in 42mm maby...but i have to see picture first.


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## cemtas

Count me in for a group buy, too! This may be a stupid question, but would they still have then 19 Zuan versions?


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## gigfy

cemtas said:


> Count me in for a group buy, too! This may be a stupid question, but would they still have then 19 Zuan versions?


Not a stupid question at all. I don't know the answer but here is some info on the versions.

The models with 19 zuan & 21 zuan on the dials use the same movement. Which can either have 21 or 23 jewels. I believe the 21 zuan dials were made for the newer Northern European sellers. The 19 zuan dials were made for the older sellers from the forum (jtbold & cnmark).

There may be some out there but I haven't seen (or don't remember seeing) any new 19 zuan models.

cheers,
gigfy


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## cemtas

Thanks, Gigfy! :thanks

Well, it would be great if Tsienlin's stock includes the 19 Zuan, non-red star versions. I'd be really in for that! But, I guess 21 will have to do, if that's all that's on offer. I've only seen this thread like 20 mins ago, and am already giddy with anticipation to strap one on my wrist:-!


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## pisar

Any progres?
I'm ready to order and i suppose others too.

The most important is to have discount but with shipping to every individual address (easier and it help to avoid extra taxes etc.)



mleok said:


> Okay, so Thomas will offer a $10 per unit discount if we did a group purchase of 20 units or more, which makes it $170 per watch.
> 
> My feeling is that the small discount doesn't really justify the effort in setting up a group buy if we would only receive the discount by having a single shipment to one address, particularly since the group is quite spread out across the world.
> 
> I am now asking him if he would honor the discounted price, while handling the individual shipments to the various group members. Will keep everyone posted.


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## Harry Withenfields

Is it the same display caseback as before? I won't say I didn't like it, but it leaves a hell of a lot of the movement hidden, to my way of thinking. Mind you, I'm not an expert or anything, so there may be good reasons why the visible area is so small relative to the size of the watch. It's such a beautiful movement it's a pity not to be able to see more of it!


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## RyanD

Some observations: 
1. These watches are not available from Sea-Gull USA, the largest Sea-Gull store in Beijing that carries every single model, or from the factory store in Tianjin. Sea-Gull Hong Kong seems to have an unlimited supply.
2. The cheapest Sea-Gull with an ST19 movement costs around $800 in China and around $400 in the USA. The 1963 from Sea-Gull Hong Kong costs only $180.
3. One of the variations is on the Sea-Gull Hong Kong site under "OEM" models instead of under Sea-Gull models.

I'm just saying...


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## Kungfucowboy

There are a couple models available on taobao for about $300 but if you are talking about AD's you are about right.

That's the reason i ordered one as soon as i heard they are back in stock in Hk


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## Gunscrossed

I'm interested in ordering the classic version. How many more people do we need?


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## cemtas

Hi mleok,

From the Tsinlien website, under the chronograph series, Page 1, the first watch there is a 19 zuan 1963 - would that also fall under the offer from Thomas? Thanks


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## dcharold

Sounds like a great deal. I'd like to be counted in (long time lurker on here). 

He'll ship to the UK right?

David


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## Kungfucowboy

Just got mine in the mail today. It looks even better than the pictures. Oh btw mine says 19 zuan not 21 on the face. I'm in the middle of changing appartments so no time for pictures


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## AlbertaTime

dcharold said:


> Sounds like a great deal. I'd like to be counted in (long time lurker on here).
> 
> He'll ship to the UK right?
> 
> David


Hi David...just a note to say "glad you're here"...welcome to the Forum :-!


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## gigfy

Kungfucowboy said:


> Oh btw mine says 19 zuan not 21 on the face.


Hmmm. :think: Very interesting!

Congrats on getting a 19 zuan variant. :-!

cheers,
gigfy


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## cemtas

Kungfucowboy said:


> Just got mine in the mail today. It looks even better than the pictures. Oh btw mine says 19 zuan not 21 on the face. I'm in the middle of changing appartments so no time for pictures


Lucky you! And good to know they still have the 19 zuan variant in stock and it's not just an old pic on their website - gonna try and get me one now!


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## dcharold

AlbertaTime said:


> Hi David...just a note to say "glad you're here"...welcome to the Forum :-!


Cheers - 'fraid I am one of those folks that loves to read the forum but hasn't been a poster!


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## Mystiqz

i'm interested too. plz PM me with details.


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## McNulty

I'm also interested in the classic version, and also maybe the 40mm. depending on the photos.


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## chirs1211

Whats happening with this now, i'll prob be in if a 0437-sl-2901 is available.
thanks
Chris


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## mujahid7ia

I'm interested in a classic as well, if there is still interest in this.

EDIT: To clarify, I'm interested in the 1963 reissue mentioned by the OP, not the sl-2901 variants.


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## fkfs9

anyone successfully gotten their watch from Thomas yet? 

I made my payment last week and it wasnt shipped till now. Thomas says he has not got the stock yet.


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## Bob_McBob

Good timing. I'm really interested in one of the 1963 reissues. Can I still get the discounted price? Who do I get in touch with?


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## paveiv

fkfs9 said:


> anyone successfully gotten their watch from Thomas yet?
> 
> I made my payment last week and it wasnt shipped till now. Thomas says he has not got the stock yet.


Same here, paid more than a week ago, still waiting (do not take this as a complaint, the watch are worth it


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## pisar

paveiv said:


> Same here, paid more than a week ago, still waiting (do not take this as a complaint, the watch are worth it


And same here...i was waiting over a week i think...but yesterday i got info that he shipped watch. So you should have similar info very soon i think.


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## Kungfucowboy

shipping from china often takes 2 weeks to get to the usa or europe. maybe you can ask for a tracking number from him. As mentioned i ordered and received mine a while ago. shipping was only 4 days but that's because it was domestic mail.


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## paveiv

we both (with fkf9) have our watches shipped


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## grolen

I'd also be interested in picking up one of these. If anyone can PM more info, it'd be appreciated.


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## chirs1211

Me too please
Cheers
Chris


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## dcharold

chirs1211 said:


> Me too please
> Cheers
> Chris


Me too, I'm not sure what to do to order... I thought it was a group buy thing?


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## franc8

mee too, thank you very much


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## mujahid7ia

I'm not sure that the group buy is happening, the discount wasn't really that significant. Anyway, I just ordered my Sea-Gull 1963 from Thomas for $190 shipped to the US. I'll post pics when it arrives.


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## timejunkie

Anyone have Thomas' contact info? The link on the first page seems to be down. Thanks.


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## mleok

For everyone interested in the group buy, the issue is that we've yet to reach the minimum number of 20 for the original 1963 reissue. Some other forum members expressed an interest in the larger version, or the one with the alternative dial, which will only be available in another two months or so.

In any case, the quoted discount was only $10, so for those who aren't willing to wait, you can contact Thomas directly at [email protected].


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## paveiv

Hong Kong, the Seagull has landed  I have no Chinese Mig but this Su-47 is made in China anyway so here you go...



















Plus I love this "paintbrush" picture in manual )


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## Back

paveiv said:


> Plus I love this "paintbrush" picture in manual )


:-d:-d:-d:-d:-d:-d:-d:-d:-d:-d​


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## seagullfan

What does the back look like?

I had contacted Thomas and he said that it'd be 2 months before the display back version would be ready...anyone get a display back version from him?


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## paveiv

seagullfan said:


> What does the back look like?
> 
> I had contacted Thomas and he said that it'd be 2 months before the display back version would be ready...anyone get a display back version from him?


It is the solid one (as in this picture http://farm1.static.flickr.com/146/437565705_0222a487d8_b.jpg)

I was thinking about having the see-through one but then decided on the more classic look. Altough I kind of miss seeing the movement.


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## timejunkie

Yeah, I'm waiting for the display back too.


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## chirs1211

I'm waiting for the sl guess it'll be a while then.
Chris


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## Kungfucowboy

> anyone get a display back version from him?


i asked, paid for and got both styles of caseback with my watch.


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## seagullfan

Kungfucowboy said:


> i asked, paid for and got both styles of caseback with my watch.


Any chance of showing us a photo? Has it got the red text or is it a completely clear back?


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## watchugot

Hi, I want a 1963 Reissue like in the OP, and shown on the company's website.

I tried the contact page a few days ago, but have not heard anything back. I don't need the discount $185+shipping sounds good to me.

Does anyone have a direct email contact they can send me?

Thanks!


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## mujahid7ia

[email protected]
he sent me the notification that my order has shipped today


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## fkfs9

Got mine in the mail today, missing the spring bars..

Nonetheless, a drop dead gorgeous piece...


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## mujahid7ia

Very nice! Hope mine includes spring bars as I'm all out... haha. 18mm or 20mm?


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## seagullfan

Did it not come with a strap?


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## Kungfucowboy

> Any chance of showing us a photo? Has it got the red text or is it a completely clear back?


i'll try to stop being lazy about pictures. It has the red star line drawing and 1963 on the glass back, it's not completely clear.


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## fkfs9

mujahid7ia said:


> Very nice! Hope mine includes spring bars as I'm all out... haha. 18mm or 20mm?





seagullfan said:


> Did it not come with a strap?


18mm spring bars and yes it comes with a zulu strap tucked inside the box.


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## mujahid7ia

Kungfucowboy said:


> i asked, paid for and got both styles of caseback with my watch.


Hmm, maybe I should have asked... I guess I could get one later on? Would it have to be from Sea-Gull or could I find a clear caseback that fits elsewhere?


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## watchugot

mujahid7ia said:


> [email protected]
> he sent me the notification that my order has shipped today


*Thank you!*

*fkfs9,* Whooo! That's it!


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## timejunkie

I emailed Thomas and he said the display backs will take at least 2 months. :-(


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## timejunkie

However watchunique has them back in stock, but you'll pay a premium for it. Pay more for instant gratification or wait? o|


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## seagullfan

Less of a premium if you're from within the EU - 199 euro +shipping for the clear caseback one.

From Hong Kong - 198 dollars (incl. shipping) but I need to pay 21% tax - 181 euro... a difference of maybe 10-20 euro... is that worth two months of waiting? Hmm...


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## seagullfan

mujahid7ia said:


> Hmm, maybe I should have asked... I guess I could get one later on? Would it have to be from Sea-Gull or could I find a clear caseback that fits elsewhere?


Watchunique seem to have the clear caseback by itself for 25 euro if you're not living in the EU.

Seagull 1963 Display Caseback - Seagull 1963


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## timejunkie

I pulled the trigger. :-!


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## seagullfan

timejunkie said:


> I pulled the trigger. :-!


Me too - a birthday present to myself 

It came to 218 euro delivered to Ireland. Still cheaper than the M171s I got from the US (I think I paid 250+ euro for that in the end).

Happy days.


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## Back

seagullfan said:


> Less of a premium if you're from within the EU - 199 euro +shipping for the clear caseback one.
> 
> From Hong Kong - 198 dollars (incl. shipping) but I need to pay 21% tax - 181 euro... a difference of maybe 10-20 euro... is that worth two months of waiting? Hmm...


Live outside the EU and 20-25% tax (can't remember exactly how much) is deducted if you order from watchunique!

That's how I got my 1963 for a very good price :-!


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## tallthinbear

After over a month's wait, I'm picking mine from Thomas tomorrow @ his office.... ;-)


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## McNulty

Thomas is not a very serious man. I'm a member of a Spanish watch forum that made a group buy of more than 50 buyers.

We got an arrangement with this man to buy a limited quantity of 30 units (he did not offered more than these), but instead of reserving them, he has been selling them individually to other people. At the end he offered us 12 units, that I'm sure he will not be able to maintain.

So we have broken relationship with him. Maybe we will negotiate with Watchunique in the next months.

I think he sold the watches before having them. When he did not receive watches enough to cover his requests, he only shipped the orders that he had already collected.

I'm sure that is the reason of the delay in shipping: he collected money without having the watches. And I'm sure he is yet collecting money, but he won't have more watches until the end of October (certified by Watchunique). As far as I know, he has not more stocks right now. Neither Watchunique.com.


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## seagullfan

All I know is that according to UPS - my 1963 from watchunique should be 1 day away  - with the display caseback 

It does show up as "out of stock" right now on watchunique too


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## hil

I emailed Thomas using the address found here. He quickly responded that he had the watch and verified the price to be $180. + $10. ship, a total of $190.00 usd. He specified the same address to be his paypal address whereupon I sent money.

The watch, a 37.43mm version of 1963 reissue is gorgeous and more than that it has been maintaining good time since it's arrival two weeks (approx.) after my payment.

It has the steel back marked "1963" with the same characters as are below center on the dial and a center star with crossbar. The watch arrived with springbars and a NATO style light green or OD colored band which seems to be a poly blend material similar to a nylon band.

VERY nice watch keeping excellent time too. I put an old 18mm brown leather on it and hoped it would mystify a watch-snob aquaintance, which it nicely did. 

(note: the dimensions seem not to a usual standard. As noted, the diameter is above and the lug spacing is less than 18mm also, instead it's 17.60mm - but an 18mm band squeezes in just fine.


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## tallthinbear

Great customer service from Thomas!

I ordered the display back model from him more than a month back but when I arrrived at his office on Tuesday, he only had the stainless steel back case model.

Yesterday, he personally hand delivered the display case back unit to my office!

I will definitely buy from him again.


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## timejunkie

seagullfan said:


> All I know is that according to UPS - my 1963 from watchunique should be 1 day away  - with the display caseback
> 
> It does show up as "out of stock" right now on watchunique too


Mine got stuck in Custom for a few days. Suppose to be in transit now. Guess I'll have to wait until next week. <|


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## mujahid7ia

I just received my watch today, and will post pics shortly.


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## mujahid7ia

Came in a plain white cardboard box, with a wooden box inside. Pillow, watch was wrapped in plastic, and the strap was in a plastic bag as well.




























Red star, 19 zuan. hand with arrow on the seconds and the shorter,straight hand on the minute totalizer. pretty much the version i wanted

Seems to be running fine. I think I will keep the blue protective stickers on the chrono pushes, I really like it haha...and it kinda goes with the blue theme. Anything I should check on this watch to make sure it works properly?


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## Back

mujahid7ia said:


>


LOVE the picture! Great job and enjoy the watch in years to come!


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## timejunkie

Do you know John C.? He's a pediatrician at NSLIJ.



mujahid7ia said:


> Came in a plain white cardboard box, with a wooden box inside. Pillow, watch was wrapped in plastic, and the strap was in a plastic bag as well.
> 
> Red star, 19 zuan. hand with arrow on the seconds and the shorter,straight hand on the minute totalizer. pretty much the version i wanted
> 
> Seems to be running fine. I think I will keep the blue protective stickers on the chrono pushes, I really like it haha...and it kinda goes with the blue theme. Anything I should check on this watch to make sure it works properly?


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## mujahid7ia

Back said:


> LOVE the picture! Great job and enjoy the watch in years to come!


Thanks; it's actually from my cell camera which isn't very good with the exception of a good macro mode and good auto-focus. If you saw it at full res it would look pretty grainy. Anyway, one more for fun  :


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## mujahid7ia

timejunkie said:


> Do you know John C.? He's a pediatrician at NSLIJ.


Actually the paper you see is my younger brother's EMT certification which he obtained through an LIJ program, so he doesn't know any hospital personnel. I'm a pharmacy student, and although I do have rotations at hospitals, I haven't rotated at North Shore LIJ yet.


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## Back

That is a great mobile phone you got. What model is it?

+ another great photo!


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## mujahid7ia

It's an LG Vu (CU920) with a 2.0 megapixel camera with autofocus, no flash though. I'm actually upgrading soon, probably to a Samsung Captivate (Galaxy S). Hope I'm not getting too OT.

Thanks!


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## yande

Just want to second all the great feedback Thomas at SeagullHK has had through this forum. I emailed him from Australia re: the 1963 (which I talked my Chinese girlfriend into buying for me,) and I can not speak more highly of the time and effort he placed in me, a single customer. Anyone considering doing business with this man, Please do. If only there were more of the same throughout the world. A truly pleasureable buying experience. Couldn't wait for the clear case back though. I was quoted the exact same price and $US12 post to Australia.


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## timejunkie

Just curious, are you Phi Dex?



mujahid7ia said:


> Actually the paper you see is my younger brother's EMT certification which he obtained through an LIJ program, so he doesn't know any hospital personnel. I'm a pharmacy student, and although I do have rotations at hospitals, I haven't rotated at North Shore LIJ yet.


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## tallthinbear

Yes yande, Thomas is a very honest man.

I was at his office, just passing some time with some questions on watches. He accomodated me and also shared a bit of watch knowledge.

I'm keen on a particular Seagull model and he says he can only checked with the factory in Tianjin on stock availability after the Tianjin factory have completed their relocation & restart operations.

Think should be available end of August or early September.

I'm definitely buying from him again.





yande2536 said:


> Just want to second all the great feedback Thomas at SeagullHK has had through this forum. I emailed him from Australia re: the 1963 (which I talked my Chinese girlfriend into buying for me,) and I can not speak more highly of the time and effort he placed in me, a single customer. Anyone considering doing business with this man, Please do. If only there were more of the same throughout the world. A truly pleasureable buying experience. Couldn't wait for the clear case back though. I was quoted the exact same price and $US12 post to Australia.


----------



## sharkfin

Hi guys, sorry if this has been posted. 
How much is SeagullHK selling the display backs for?
Just curious as to see whom would be cheaper.
I remember asking Thomas many months ago if display backs would be made, and he said not for a long time. Well, i'm glad they're coming finally.

Thanks, 
Dave.


----------



## yande

sharkfin said:


> Hi guys, sorry if this has been posted.
> How much is SeagullHK selling the display backs for?
> Just curious as to see whom would be cheaper.
> I remember asking Thomas many months ago if display backs would be made, and he said not for a long time. Well, i'm glad they're coming finally.
> 
> Thanks,
> Dave.


I was quoted $US 8 by Thomas for the Clear case back, but as of last week, he still doesn't have them. Price not including freight.


----------



## sharkfin

yande2536 said:


> I was quoted $US 8 by Thomas for the Clear case back, but as of last week, he still doesn't have them. Price not including freight.


whoa, thats a big diffence to watchuniques pricing. too bad I put an order in already. 
Thanks for the info.

Dave


----------



## tallthinbear

If i'm not mistaken, Watchunique gets their 1963 supplies from Seagull HK Direct.

That could explain the price difference.



sharkfin said:


> whoa, thats a big diffence to watchuniques pricing. too bad I put an order in already.
> Thanks for the info.
> 
> Dave


----------



## mujahid7ia

timejunkie said:


> Just curious, are you Phi Dex?


Nope, know a few people who are I think. Rho Chi seems to be bigger at my school.


----------



## yande

Wow.. My 1963 arrived from Seagull Hong Kong, (Thomas in Hong Kong to me in country NSW Australia in 4 days!) and I am duly impressed. What is simply a beautiful simple classic design, not to mention the ST19. I'm thrilled. Now only to decide what band would look great on this watch? Any ideas? I've put my Omegas and Tags away for a different day.


----------



## Martin_B

Congrats on your new watch :-!



yande2536 said:


> I'm thrilled. Now only to decide what band would look great on this watch?.


How about:









Regards,

Martin


----------



## chirs1211

Hi, got mine on an old aviator style from ebay think it really suits, do a search for 18mm old aviator in jewelry and watches, they're not awsome quality but still very , and only $22.
And there's always the RIOS which is nice though more than twice the price @$46 but prob worth it
Cheers and good hunting
Chris


----------



## mujahid7ia

I'm also looking for strap suggestions, probably some type of brown leather, so keep the pics coming!


----------



## Harry Withenfields

sharkfin said:


> whoa, thats a big diffence to watchuniques pricing. too bad I put an order in already.
> Thanks for the info.


Well, I'm grateful to you for alerting me to the fact that they're around at all! I'm going for watchunique, then at least I've got one! (Even if I do have to pay more, _and_ VAT...)

Is Thomas's future back actually the same as the watchunique one?

Harry

Oops, apologies: should have gone back a bit further:


Kungfucowboy said:


> i'll try to stop being lazy about pictures. It has the red star line drawing and 1963 on the glass back, it's not completely clear.


----------



## Pawl_Buster

Harry Withenfields said:


> Well, I'm grateful to you for alerting me to the fact that they're around at all! I'm going for watchunique, then at least I've got one! (Even if I do have to pay more, _and_ VAT...)
> 
> Is Thomas's future back actually the same as the watchunique one?
> 
> Harry
> 
> Oops, apologies: should have gone back a bit further:


There is one on auction at ePrey right now and it looks to be in new condition. It has the solid case back with red script.


----------



## Harry Withenfields

Sorry, should have made clear I was talking about the back, not the whole watch (which I already have, with steel back). That seller also has a Titoni for sale. I mention this in case it means something to someone.

On the subject of whether clear display backs are available, Ivo Vis of watchunique has given me permission to pass on his _entirely personal and unofficial_ tip that the printing on the glass can be removed with a sugar cube, which is hard enough to remove the ink/paint but soft enough to avoid scratching the glass. He stresses that this process voids any warranty. Now all I have to decide is whether to do it!


----------



## charmquark

mujahid7ia said:


> I'm also looking for strap suggestions, probably some type of brown leather, so keep the pics coming!


I'd suggest an Atlas from TSS. I've got one on an Oris big crown with similar colouring to the 1963 and it looks great.


----------



## iliuqi

Nice watch


----------



## NicoAlonso

I've also pulled the trigger.
Display back is not in stock. I'll have to wait 45 days at least, said Thomas.
Don't know if I'll pay extra $$ for watchunique display back or I'll wait.:-s
Do you know any other way to get it?
Thank you for this thread


----------



## machlo

At last I get one.


----------



## AlbertaTime

Congratulations, Machlo! Beautiful!

The '63 is a classic.

I'm curious...where's the shot taken? Looks like a nice place.


----------



## machlo

My place, 9th floor in Warsaw.


----------



## SPE777

To update this topic, I emailed Thomas to order one of these watches. 

As of October 13, 2010 they're out of stock and do not know when more watches will be available. They can put your name on a wait list, however. 

Doesn't sound like there's any alternative, so I guess I'll just have to wait. Bummer. :-(


----------



## Saazo

how long does it take for Thomas to reply to your email normally?

i sent him an emai couple of days ago but havent heard back.

i guess i will need to go on the waiting list now by the sound of things.:-d


----------



## Schizm

He emailed me back within 24 hours after my first inquiry. After I sent the money, I didn't hear from him for a week......until today. He confirmed my watch had been sent and gave me a tracking number 

Can't wait!


----------



## Schizm

SPE777 said:


> To update this topic, I emailed Thomas to order one of these watches.
> 
> As of October 13, 2010 they're out of stock and do not know when more watches will be available. They can put your name on a wait list, however.
> 
> Doesn't sound like there's any alternative, so I guess I'll just have to wait. Bummer. :-(


I may have got the last one................Sorryb-)


----------



## SPE777

Schizm said:


> I may have got the last one................Sorryb-)


It's all good. I'm sure you got one of the defect refurb models. :-d;-)

BTW- It took around 24 hours to get a response.


----------



## dkfuel

SPE777 said:


> To update this topic, I emailed Thomas to order one of these watches.
> 
> As of October 13, 2010 they're out of stock and do not know when more watches will be available. They can put your name on a wait list, however.
> 
> Doesn't sound like there's any alternative, so I guess I'll just have to wait. Bummer. :-(


Thank you for posting that. I've been lurking in this thread for over two weeks and just never got around to emailing Thomas.

Frankly, I'm relived. I didn't want to spend that kind of money right now on a watch, so now I don't have to feel guilty about doing it. "Dang, I waited too long." LOL


----------



## siLence79

Helped a friend of mine to place an order for this 1963, this was his 1st watch. Emailed Thomas around Aug, was told that it's OOS, new batches would be in by Sep..hence left my name on waiting list..received an email from Thomas around late Sep, informing me of the new stocks which was ready.

Watch shipped out on 6th Oct, received it 3 days ago, I thought I'll share some pics with you guys 

the small 'green' package ;-)









& the watch itself



























My friend much prefers a solid caseback than a see-thru for his 1st watch 


















He was extremely pleased with the watch! |>

And oh, before I met up to pass him, I took a quick qristshot for my own library reference :-d









Thanks for reading!


----------



## Back

A new change in the design: the crown on the older batches does not have the Sea-Gull logo as the one your friend now has!


----------



## ModernTimes

Harry Withenfields said:


> Sorry, should have made clear I was talking about the back, not the whole watch (which I already have, with steel back). That seller also has a Titoni for sale. I mention this in case it means something to someone.
> 
> On the subject of whether clear display backs are available, Ivo Vis of watchunique has given me permission to pass on his _entirely personal and unofficial_ tip that the printing on the glass can be removed with a sugar cube, which is hard enough to remove the ink/paint but soft enough to avoid scratching the glass. He stresses that this process voids any warranty. Now all I have to decide is whether to do it!


I removed mine with polywatch; but I suspect that toothpaste would also do the job (I have used it on camera lenses with a bad patina).


----------



## Schizm

SPE777 said:


> It's all good. I'm sure you got one of the defect refurb models. :-d;-)


AGH! You jinxed my watch.......One of the hands came off o|

Karma


----------



## horrovac

ModernTimes said:


> I removed mine with polywatch; but I suspect that toothpaste would also do the job (I have used it on camera lenses with a bad patina).


Oh dear... doing something like that to a camera lens is horrible. Never, ever use anything abrasive on an optical glass. You're sure to damage it. Should anyone read this and think, hm, my camera lens ist kinda dirty: DON'T! That's a terribly stupid idea!


----------



## ModernTimes

Well, yes and no: I wouldn't of course do that on a clean/newish lens with any kind of ordinary dirt, and would not recommend it in general; but this was a 60-year-old lens with a very thick and hard patina on its rear element that ROR and other solvents would not remove, so it was that or nothing. And I have seen toothpaste recommended as the least abrasive readily-available material for such uses. Believe me, it was better afterwards - and a working zeiss lens for $12!


----------



## ozputera

I got a strange response from Thomas (the seller). Few days ago, Monday if I have not mistaken, I received an email from him saying that the watch would be available next week. After several email exchanges including photos, price, clarifying whether it was with display or solid caseback, I then was told the stocks would not be available and had put me on waiting list again:roll: :-s

Has anyone had this sort of communications with him recently ?


----------



## jh9t

I sent them a message through "Contact Us" on their website last Friday, no response yet.


----------



## SPE777

I received an email from Watchunique on 10/17 and this was their response:

"New stock will be available around the first week of November."

Not sure what that means about buying direct from Seagull HK. Will they be restocked also or are _*all*_ units are being sent to Watchunique?


----------



## TO_ARCH

SPE777 said:


> I received an email from Watchunique on 10/17 and this was their response:
> 
> "New stock will be available around the first week of November."
> 
> Not sure what that means about buying direct from Seagull HK. Will they be restocked also or are _*all*_ units are being sent to Watchunique?


Hmm, it sounds like there was some source of agreement between Watchunique and Seagull. I always thought the Watchunique is the only dealer.:think:


----------



## Pawl_Buster

TO_ARCH said:


> Hmm, it sounds like there was some source of agreement between Watchunique and Seagull. I always thought the Watchunique is the only dealer.:think:


There have been several dealers for this watch in the past but it seems today, only 'watchunique' and Sea Gull HK are selling them.

Previously there were sellers like Jeff Stanley and CNMark.

There may be another source in the US...probably found buried in this incredibly long thread :-d


----------



## pisar

ozputera said:


> I got a strange response from Thomas (the seller). Few days ago, Monday if I have not mistaken, I received an email from him saying that the watch would be available next week. After several email exchanges including photos, price, clarifying whether it was with display or solid caseback, I then was told the stocks would not be available and had put me on waiting list again:roll: :-s
> 
> Has anyone had this sort of communications with him recently ?


That simply means that he's dealing with many people at once and there is only one rule....you pay = you have the watch. Fast people are the winners : )


----------



## ozputera

pisar said:


> That simply means that he's dealing with many people at once and there is only one rule....you pay = you have the watch. Fast people are the winners : )


No many businesses can boom to that extent, this is one of the few.:-! If that is the case, it is just a matter of time that this market will be flooded with 1963; good news for the late comers:-d.


----------



## NicoAlonso

I got mine today, after 20 days waiting.
It seems I should feel lucky, reading the news:




































Very happy with it, works perfect.
Greetings from Spain.


----------



## yande

NicoAlonso said:


> I got mine today, after 20 days waiting.
> It seems I should feel lucky, reading the news:
> 
> Very happy with it, works perfect.
> Greetings from Spain.


Can't exactly see, but was wondering if it had the "new" signed crown on it. Without, or with, it is still my favourite non swiss watch. Sorry, I just got my Speedie Pro, but having said that, I will be wearing my Seagull 1963 at my wedding next month. That should say something about my appreciation of this watch. I love it.
I think Thomas does the best he can, and I have complete faith in the man.
Regards to you too
from Australia.


----------



## Schizm

Just received the replacement for my broken watch........Since they were out of the 19 jewel issue, I got the 21 jewel. No extra charge :-!


----------



## AlbertaTime

Schizm said:


> Just received the replacement for my broken watch........Since they were out of the 19 jewel issue, I got the 21 jewel. No extra charge :-!


Excellent news! :-!


----------



## SPE777

I received an email yesterday from Watchunique that they're taking pre-orders for this watch. Additionally, they were offering an 8% discount off their price. 

With the conversion of euros to dollars, and shipping to the U.S., the price still came out to around $205, which is $15 more than buying direct from Seagull HK! 

Hmm...I'm undecided at this point. I really want this watch, but would prefer to get it for $15 cheaper if I can. 

What do you all think?


----------



## Tone-NY

SPE777 said:


> I received an email yesterday from Watchunique that they're taking pre-orders for this watch. Additionally, they were offering an 8% discount off their price.
> 
> With the conversion of euros to dollars, and shipping to the U.S., the price still came out to around $205, which is $15 more than buying direct from Seagull HK!
> 
> Hmm...I'm undecided at this point. I really want this watch, but would prefer to get it for $15 cheaper if I can.
> 
> What do you all think?


Personally, I would opt for the watch from Watchunique for an extra $15. At least you'll be informed when it will ship and get a tracking number out of it. YMMV


----------



## helixtimestwo

Just placed my order with Thomas...Seagull 1963, Sapphire crystal, glass case back - $223. 

now the waiting begins...


----------



## chirs1211

Hi all, a little off topic, but relevant i think, does anyone know how many of the 1963 re-issue were/have been made? They've been claimed as being limited but limited to how many? Just seems every so often a new batch appears, which does kinda pose the question of when production will stop and if there is a finite number they are working toward.
Hope someone has an answer (sure they do)
Cheers all
Chris


----------



## Pilot Error

Let's just say A LOT! with no conceivable end in sight. Why would they stop when demand is so high? It's certainly in the thousands. BTW, I got mine a few weeks ago and the case back is numbered. It says No.176/200 HK does anyone have similar, or know anything about this? Thanks


chirs1211 said:


> Hi all, a little off topic, but relevant i think, does anyone know how many of the 1963 re-issue were/have been made? They've been claimed as being limited but limited to how many? Just seems every so often a new batch appears, which does kinda pose the question of when production will stop and if there is a finite number they are working toward.
> Hope someone has an answer (sure they do)
> Cheers all
> Chris


----------



## Back

I think the latest batch was numbered to 200, while previous batches not. 

What does differ the different batches can be for example the crown (the latest batch has the Sea-Gull logo on it, while the older batches does not); also the hands can differ on older batches (the hands on the sub-dials for seconds and minutes) - please correct me if I'm on wrong on any of the points...


----------



## Naturally

Probably limited to the number of watches they can sell :lol:.

Just placed an order for one with Thomas. He quoted $200 + $15 for EMS shipping to Oman. He estimated 10 days for dispatch.

I am looking forward to the watch, this is my first Chinese (Chinese watch that is).


----------



## Back

The 1963 re-issue is a great first Chinese watch! Enjoy it (as I know you will)!


----------



## yande

Hi All. Just received my second 63, this one with a clear case back, and I have just noticed that it does have a different second hand on the sub dial. I will take this opportunity to give Thomas the big thumbs up. A great man, and from my correspondence with him these past 6 months, I know that he does everything he can to get these watches out. So if you have sent him some money, you WILL get your watch as soon as it is possible. Sometimes it pays to be patient, as I got the clear case back and logo'd crown for no extra charge. I can't speak more highly of him. Now, what to do with my other.?


----------



## Back

yande2536 said:


> Hi All. Just received my second 63, this one with a clear case back, and I have just noticed that it does have a different second hand on the sub dial. I will take this opportunity to give Thomas the big thumbs up. A great man, and from my correspondence with him these past 6 months, I know that he does everything he can to get these watches out. So if you have sent him some money, you WILL get your watch as soon as it is possible. Sometimes it pays to be patient, as I got the clear case back and logo'd crown for no extra charge. I can't speak more highly of him. Now, what to do with my other.?


I'm sure that there is someone that would be "willing" to take over your old one...

How about some pictures of both to see the differences (before you ship the older one away to a new home)!


----------



## yande

I will post pics as soon as possiible. A tad busy at the moment. (Getting married tomorrow, and just had to have a quick look at WUS, before I start writing the Vows and other necessities. Procrastination gets me no where.) 
I did mean to apologise for not posting pics, in my previous post. Sorry for that.
Regards
Mark


----------



## yande

OKay, I'm all set. Just a couple of qucik and dirties, considering the circumstances, I did well.
I was wrong, as the second hands are the same on my model, but I hear that they are coming out in different designs, Sapphire crystals, and perhaps even in different colours.
Anyways, I haven't even taken off the plastic protective sheets, and also photographed with a couple other favourites.
New Crown









Not so good comparison shot









Couple of Favourites


----------



## Back

When getting married wus should not be a priority! Congratulations and I hope you will have a wonderful day!

(what watch will be worn for the occasion? - I had to ask;-))


----------



## yande

Back said:


> (what watch will be worn for the occasion? - I had to ask;-))


Great question. First part of the day I have worn my Omega Speedmaster Pro, 3570.50. Was going to wear my Omega Seamaster 2262.50, which is what my partner suggested, but I think I will wear the 63. My new one, with clear case back. I love it, and that way I know I will never sell it. Not that I can bring myself to sell any of the little blighters. I can't even bring myself to practice on the old ones that I bought, specifically with practice in mind. (Hand removal etc.) As regards to WUS, and marriage, this is my way of relaxing before the event.
Just thinking about it, despite the fact that my partner is Chinese, one can easily tell just in what regard I hold the 1963 Seagull, I have some nice watches, but it is still one of my top 3.. Beautiful watch.


----------



## Naturally

Naturally said:


> Probably limited to the number of watches they can sell :lol:.
> 
> Just placed an order for one with Thomas. He quoted $200 + $15 for EMS shipping to Oman. He estimated 10 days for dispatch.
> 
> I am looking forward to the watch, this is my first Chinese (Chinese watch that is).


I just received my watch in perfect condition. :-! to Thomas. total wait time is a little more than 2 weeks. Really good.

Very nice watch that I will set and wear first thing when I get home.


----------



## sdchew

Another satisfied customer of Thomas! :-!

Being in the same timezone as Thomas (GMT+8) has its advantages. When I wrote to him on the 20th of December, he immediately replied within 3 hours. 6 emails later to clarify a few details, the watch was sent off to the post office that exact afternoon.

Unfortunately HK Postal Service was pretty slow considering its only a 4 hour flight between HK and Singapore. Then again, I guess Christmas delivery screws up the postal services once a year.

Here are some pics!




























Thats my original 1969 on the right. The new one I ordered from Thomas (on the left) is actually for a friend. Its the newer version with the Sapphire Glass and Seagull signed crown. Mine is the 'original' re-issue with the acrylic face and unsigned crown.










I like display cases as its a pity to have such a nice movement hidden. I know some folks don't like the feel of glass against skin but I'm perfectly fine with it. Anyway I specified display cases for both.










Feel kind of embarrassed to post this lousy shot. However, it seems its the best my iPhone camera and my shaky hands can manage.

Now of only my 18mm leather Kreisler military strap will arrive this week, it would be GREAT!


----------



## Back

Nice to see two brothers re-united 

Post some pics once your new strap has arrived as I'm getting a bit bored of my brown croc that I've had for a while and need some new ideas |>


----------



## yande

I can only say, Thankyou Thomas. This guy does such a great job satisfying all our WIS demands. Sure, I think he juggles a lack of watches and a strong demand from us, but in a very fair and calculating way. I have never been misled, or disappointed by him. Hopefully, this Feb, I may have the chance to take "THE Anonomous MAN" out for lunch, or similar, as he has accepted my invitation as I pass through HK on the way to the mainland. I will surely pass on the thanks that this community has expressed. You can, by all means, send me gifts and cash with which to pass on. And although this was started and stated as a joke, such as to the esteem that I hold Thomas, not a cent would be short changed to him. But having said that, *don't send me anything*, I will just pass on the thanks and good will from his many, many satisfied customers, the world over.
regards
mark


----------



## sdchew

Back said:


> Nice to see two brothers re-united
> 
> Post some pics once your new strap has arrived as I'm getting a bit bored of my brown croc that I've had for a while and need some new ideas |>


Went out to buy dinner, decided to check the mailbox again and there it was!


----------



## Back

Looks good! Similar to the strap that AlbertaTime has. 
I'm thinking of putting on my blue nylon strap for a change... Will be my project tomorrow (as I am still sick I have some free time on my hands)


----------



## Kewrock

Hi guys! Are these watches still available direct? I don't have any idea what made me click on the Chinese watch link, I guess curiosity. In my ignorance I really didn't think anything but knock-offs came out of China. Boy was I wrong. That's a beautiful watch, with what appears to be a nice heritage. I have a Speedy and a vintage Poljot/Shturmanski/Okeah, This would be a great addition to my space/aviation collection. I don't want to bother this Thomas fellow if he's being inundated with requests and no watches to sell.


----------



## Back

_*Welcome *_to the world of Chinese watches which definitely has more to offer than the "stereotypical Chinese watch" - copies of famous brands!

Don't know how many he still has in stock, but sending Thomas a mail will provide you the answer: whether there is still stock or if there are more in a potentially new batch.

Good luck!


----------



## sdchew

Back said:


> Looks good! Similar to the strap that AlbertaTime has.
> I'm thinking of putting on my blue nylon strap for a change... Will be my project tomorrow (as I am still sick I have some free time on my hands)


I got the strap from a eBay contact referred to in this forum. Sorry but I can't remember whether it was AlbertaTime


----------



## netdancer

Back said:


> _*Welcome *_to the world of Chinese watches which definitely has more to offer than the "stereotypical Chinese watch" - copies of famous brands!
> 
> Don't know how many he still has in stock, but sending Thomas a mail will provide you the answer: whether there is still stock or if there are more in a potentially new batch.
> 
> Good luck!


Guys,

WHere can I get THomas's e-mail address to contact?

THanks,

SErgey


----------



## Back

Here you go: [email protected]


----------



## Kewrock

Hey guys. I emailed Thomas, He quoted the same price w/$10 for glass back. I've read there are quite a few seemingly random variants. I know that's to be expected in small batch manufacturers. But is there anything I should request? 21jewel? 19Jewel? case sizes? front lens materials? or should I just take whatever he sends? Any help or experiences would be greatly appreciated....Roc.


----------



## yande

Kewrock,
Thomas seems a very accommodating sort of guy. Give him your wish list and ask him to see what he can do. He'll most probably get back to you with what he can do, and I'd suggest that you pay that money. From what I have experienced, and read, money paid is your name on the list. First paid, first delivered. From my experience, he's a great, honest and dedicatetd man. I asked him once if it was a problem giving out his email address, and he stated that he would appreciate it if I did. So anyone hanging back, send him your requests. Best of the best to all
regards
mark


----------



## limitededition

Hey NICE watch. I have been in contact with SeagullHK regarding the 1963 over the past few weeks. I was offered the "Plastic Lens" model w choice of crowns, case backs, and wooden box. I think I showed interest in a sapphire or mineral crystal edition, but Thomas did not mention anything about offering a SAPPHIRE model in his replies. Can you disclose how much the sapphire model is and which model do you prefer plastic vs sapphire? and why =P


----------



## sdchew

I tried to order another sapphire 1963 model for another friend but Thomas told me that they were from a limited production run and he has no idea when it will occur again. I guess if enough you guys badger him for it, he will probably get Seagull to do it again.


----------



## sdchew

sdchew said:


> I got the strap from a eBay contact referred to in this forum. Sorry but I can't remember whether it was AlbertaTime


Now that I saw the original thread, yupe I got the contact from AlbertaTime.The seller seems to have a lot of them for sale

LOT-4-18-MM-LEATHER-KREISLER-MILITARY-SPORT-BANDS-


----------



## Kewrock

I ordered my 1963 through Thomas. I sent him a picture off Ebay of a version with a glass back, signed crown, 19j red star dial, with gold numbers and black hands. He said his was identical, but his had blue hands. He also said he could not get a sapphire crystal. He said it went out today. I asked him how long, he didn't answer that part. The price was $190US+20post.

Anybody know how long shipping from HK/China takes?


----------



## Back

Kewrock said:


> I ordered my 1963 through Thomas. I sent him a picture off Ebay of a version with a glass back, signed crown, 19j red star dial, with gold numbers and black hands. He said his was identical, but his had blue hands. He also said he could not get a sapphire crystal. He said it went out today. I asked him how long, he didn't answer that part. The price was $190US+20post.
> 
> Anybody know how long shipping from HK/China takes?


Good choice of watch!
Shipping from HK to Europe takes about 2 weeks with normal mail. However, watches might be more scrutinized than what I usually send to Europe (toys for my nephew)...

Don't forget to put your vote in the following thread: https://www.watchuseek.com/f72/calling-all-sea-gull-chronograph-1963-d304-owners-486200.html

Wear it in good health and pics when it arrives please!


----------



## No Smoking

Does anyone have the direct email to Thomas as the link in the original post doesn't work. Also anyone know if there is stock currently?


----------



## Malakim

No Smoking said:


> Does anyone have the direct email to Thomas as the link in the original post doesn't work. Also anyone know if there is stock currently?


Here you are: [email protected]

Thomas is a great guy, I've just ordered my second watch from him.


----------



## carguy3507

My Seagull arrived and stopped working after a day or so. I contacted Thomas and he requested I send it back to him for repairs. Good to see him looking after it.


----------



## hidden by leaves

Can anyone ballpark a current price on these for me please? I'm not clear on all the variants, but I would be wanting the "basic" one: steel back, acrylic crystal, in my recollection like the reissues that were coming out initially. And if anyone knows about shipping... I'm in Canada. 

Carguy, sorry to hear of your troubles, hope they get you sorted out soon. 

Thanks, 
HBL


----------



## McSh5

$200 to $250 depending on the source. Up to $400 if you buy off it off eBay, waste of money though with other more direct sources.


----------



## lateasusual

Any news on his website? Read he was going to be updating but it has been down for a couple of weeks now. Does he include any website information in his communication with you? This is what I have. http://www.seagullhk.com/english/index.asp Maybe he has changed his web address?



carguy3507 said:


> My Seagull arrived and stopped working after a day or so. I contacted Thomas and he requested I send it back to him for repairs. Good to see him looking after it.


----------



## Back

lateasusual said:


> Any news on his website? Read he was going to be updating but it has been down for a couple of weeks now. Does he include any website information in his communication with you? This is what I have. http://www.seagullhk.com/english/index.asp Maybe he has changed his web address?


I contacted Thomas regarding the website and he told me that he is updating it so it should be up and running soon. Hopefully with some new good looking models


----------



## nostalgie

Here is one more in southern Germany since saturday. It works fine, the only thing that drives me crazy is when i push the lower button too strong the hands dont reset. If i push it slightly it works. Any similar expierience?


----------



## WatchU

Is the 1963 reissue from Seagull HK or the Seagull D304 (limited edition from Seagull US) the 'most original' one? 
What are the 'original' specifications (if ordering from Seagull HK)? Other than Non-display caseback and acrylic.


----------



## Back

WatchU said:


> Is the 1963 reissue from Seagull HK or the Seagull D304 (limited edition from Seagull US) the 'most original' one?
> What are the 'original' specifications (if ordering from Seagull HK)? Other than Non-display caseback and acrylic.


The D304 is the one looking closest to the original:














Send Thomas at Sea-Gull HK an e-mail and see what is available.


----------



## SPE777

Nostalgie- Not had that problem myself.

BTW- Nice choice of strap!


----------



## rothko

Nostalgie, I just checked mine and I don't notice any resetting problems. It will reset no matter how I press the lower button.


----------



## sdchew

Nice little review of the sapphire edition 1963 here


----------



## nostalgie

I changed the croco against a horse, for me it is perfect now.


----------



## nickyboyo

Nice strap nostalgie. Isn't it just a lovely watch??? I just had to put mine on, as a weekend treat for myself. I still think my blue NATO strap looks the best with the '63, but of all the leather/hide combinations i have seen, yours is right up there with the best- very nice.


----------



## nostalgie

Thanks for compliments, i love this watch! When they made the original i was learning to read and write.


----------



## yande

nostalgie said:


> I changed the croco against a horse, for me it is perfect now.


Your watch looks great。 How did you remove the red writing on the caseback? Some say toothpaste, or polywatch works. 
I am holidaying here in China at present, and my 1963 Re-issue is one of the two watches I bought with me. The other being my Speedmaster Pro. 
I love my 1963, in fact, so much I have 2. Regrettably no pics as I left my camera in a taxi here.


----------



## McSh5

I've been trying to find an ST19 based chrono with exhibition back and literally the ONLY thing holding me back on the 1963 has been the red crap on the back glass. I didn't realize you could remove it!

How are people doing it? If it is a reliable method I'm buying one ASAP since the M199S is now like $650.


----------



## nostalgie

The red letters are inside. You can remove it very easy with aceton. You also can use the nail polish remover of your wife......


----------



## McSh5

Sweet, good to know...thanks.


----------



## gigfy

Shane112358 said:


> I've been trying to find an ST19 based chrono with exhibition back and literally the ONLY thing holding me back on the 1963 has been the red crap on the back glass. I didn't realize you could remove it!
> 
> How are people doing it? If it is a reliable method I'm buying one ASAP since the M199S is now like $650.


I've also read others using a sugar cube (as abrasive that will remove the paint but not scratch the glass) and also polywatch (as a solvent to dissolve the paint). Make sure you clean it well to remove any residue.

cheers,
gigfy


----------



## iherald

I emailed Thomas about 10 days ago and haven't heard anything. Has anyone got any ideas?


----------



## Back

Send another e-mail. The Chinese New Year could still be lingering with orders and much to do...


----------



## Oldheritage

iherald said:


> I emailed Thomas about 10 days ago and haven't heard anything. Has anyone got any ideas?


I'm emailing with him right now, he responds within 24 hours.


----------



## Back

iherald said:


> I emailed Thomas about 10 days ago and haven't heard anything. Has anyone got any ideas?


Just want to check - which e-mail address are you mailing to?


----------



## Oldheritage

I'm emailing [email protected], and he has always responded within 24 hours so far.


----------



## iherald

Back said:


> Just want to check - which e-mail address are you mailing to?


I used the address here, [email protected] to email him. I actually checked yesterday to make sure that I have the correct address. I'll send him another email!

Thanks!


----------



## iherald

I emailed him again yesterday and heard back today. I guess the first email was lost in the crush. 

Thomas does not have any more 1963's in stock, but he did send me this picture of something he has in stock. it's the "US" version. I prefer the original, as it's more unique. This version costs $180 and with the clear back it's $190 US. Thomas just emailed me back (30 minutes!) and said that the original version will be available at the end of April.

Sorry for the two images, I'm not sure how to delete one of them.


----------



## Kungfucowboy

Judging from pictures of both, the D304 definitely looks more like the real thing.


----------



## Back

The D304 definitely looks more like the original, but considering the numerous different dial versions that are out there I sort of wish that I would have them all!!!!


----------



## dkbs

This photo further proves my previous statement. Do you know what's wrong with this photo? Clearly, chronograph minute hand hit the minute hand and the watch stops. Maybe you are thinking about chronograph minute hand is not properly installed. But I can tell you the truth: No. This is not the case, hand is perfectly installed here. The real problem is, the stem of chronograph minute wheel is little longer than it should be. My 1963 has exact same problem.

I believe the whole batch of 1963 has that exact problem. I recommend all of us should stop buying 1963 until Hongkong Seagull really plan to do some improvement on the quality.



iherald said:


> I emailed him again yesterday and heard back today. I guess the first email was lost in the crush.
> 
> Thomas does not have any more 1963's in stock, but he did send me this picture of something he has in stock. it's the "US" version. I prefer the original, as it's more unique. This version costs $180 and with the clear back it's $190 US. Thomas just emailed me back (30 minutes!) and said that the original version will be available at the end of April.
> 
> Sorry for the two images, I'm not sure how to delete one of them.


----------



## carguy3507

carguy3507 said:


> My Seagull arrived and stopped working after a day or so. I contacted Thomas and he requested I send it back to him for repairs. Good to see him looking after it.


I wanted to follow up this post. I mailed the watch back to Thomas he had it repaired or replaced (I can't tell which) and mailed it back to me with a tracking number. The whole process took about 6 weeks. Great service from Seagull and Thomas.


----------



## sdchew

Interesting information. I recently sent back my second 1963 to Thomas as I found that the chronograph seconds hand collides with the minutes hand and it stops the entire watch. I'm still waiting for Thomas to resolve it. Thus far it had been almost 4 weeks. 

I urge everyone to do the following checks when you get your watch. 

Wind up your watch, set the time and run the chronograph. Keep it running until the watch stops. This will typically last more than 1 day and will give you a good indication whether all is well.


----------



## dkbs

And this one minute hand hit chronograph hand too. See they all stop at the exact damn place.

https://www.watchuseek.com/attachme...ailable-seagull-hk-directly-0437a-2901-21-jpg

What a joke! Everyone open your eye wide before any payment!



mleok said:


> I contacted Seagull HK directly a week or two ago, and apparently, they have the Seagull 1963 reissue available for direct order. I got in contact with Thomas at Seagull HK through their contact page:
> 
> http://www.seagullhk.com/english/contact.asp
> 
> and was quoted $180 for the watch, $15 for shipping to the US, and $8 if I wanted the display caseback instead of the solid caseback.
> 
> If there is interest on the forum, we could perhaps see if they are willing to negotiate a smaller per unit price for a large bulk order.


----------



## Back

dkbs said:


> Clearly, chronograph minute hand hit the minute hand and the watch stops. Maybe you are thinking about chronograph minute hand is not properly installed. But I can tell you the truth: No. This is not the case, hand is perfectly installed here. The real problem is, the stem of chronograph minute wheel is little longer than it should be. My 1963 has exact same problem.


How are you able to tell this from the pictures? In order to see if the chrono minute hand is on the same level (obstructing the the minute hand) the picture would have to taken at the correct angle....


----------



## yande

I am another one that is not too sure about the example that "dkbs" is using. To be honest, all I am seeing are pictues of a 1963 in the classic 10 past 2 photographic state. I'll admit I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed and if someone can enlighten me to what is being stated and what I am missing, I would be very grateful. Having said that, I know that Seagull have some issues with quality control. My first 1963's crystal fell out into my lap about 2 days after receiving it. Thankfully I snapped it back into place, and it has performed perfectly ever since. My second one, with the clear case back came (thankfully) with no probllems, and I certainly checked it out. 
So any elaboration regarding the chrono sticking would be really appreciated. Once you iron out the kinks, they are surely a great bang for your buck. Mine is up there in admiration with my Speedmaster Pro, but then it is not a Speedmaster Pro, and also does not cost near as one. Thomas must be aware of all their issues, as he is very obliging when one is pointed out to him. 
regards to all
Mark


----------



## sdchew

I just post a short video of the fault I observed. The fault becomes apparent when you move the minute hand and you can clearly see it colliding with the chrono second hand.


----------



## iherald

How many people have this problem? There seems to be a lot of people on this thread and others who have bought this watch, through various sources. How many have problems?

Also, for those who have problems, where did you get them? Thomas?


----------



## Back

Received mine from watchunique.com sometime in 2009 and it has been flawless :-!


----------



## chirs1211

Same here, Watchunique.com and has been perfect, plenty of room between all the hands no risk of them touching at all.
Chris


----------



## sdchew

I bought 3 thus far. 2 from Thomas and only the last one has the issue shown in my video. The other two has been flawless.


----------



## pcke2000

mine bought from watchunique.com, it is working fine.


----------



## sdchew

I got my watch back from Thomas and the issue with the hands colliding has been fully resolved!


----------



## jitsion

I am confused.

I emailed Seagull Singapore, they said the reissue 1963 is not from TianJin factory, (Guy said he asked them himself) so he does not carry them in Seagull Singapore. 

But I clearly saw one of the photos in this thread w Thomas (seagull HK) having the certificates and stuff. So what is what ?

Also is the acrylic cases safe ? I prefer mineral cases.


----------



## Back

The model comes from Sea-Gull HK (order from Thomas or other websites that carry the model).
Sea-Gull Tianjin has, oddly enough, nothing to do with the 1963 re-issue.


----------



## yande

jitsion said:


> Also is the acrylic cases safe ? I prefer mineral cases.


I actually love the acrylic crstal. It's a beautiful look. I treat it like my Speedies Hesalite, a tube of polywatch will keep your watch looking like new for many many years... Having said that, it is pretty tough as it is..


----------



## jitsion

thanks guys !

i will proceed to consider ordering 1 unit from seagullhk thomas then.

i trust someone here checked on the watch's movement as well. !

awesome.


----------



## sdchew

Back said:


> The model comes from Sea-Gull HK (order from Thomas or other websites that carry the model).
> Sea-Gull Tianjin has, oddly enough, nothing to do with the 1963 re-issue.


I suspect this watch is a 'special order' from Seagull HK. Thus it isn't a standard offering from Seagull Tiajin. However, the watch is probably made there


----------



## McSh5

Here is a photo I just got from Thomas with the new model coming into stock shortly. $210 shipped. Clear back, acrylic front.









Unfortunately I just bought a used one for $250 less than a week ago o| BUT....the one I got has sapphire on both sides and is mint. Which I think is worth the cost....


----------



## sdchew

Yeah the sapphire ones are really nice


----------



## AlbertaTime

jitsion said:


> Also is the acrylic cases safe ? I prefer mineral cases.


I prefer acrylic...like it almost as much as sapphire. It's tough, resilient...scratches easily but polishes just as easy. Good stuff.


----------



## kai-wun

A buddy of mine is heading to China and HK. I'd really appreciate it if someone could point out where he could grab one of these for me 

If not, where I could order it would be great as well.

Cheers
k


----------



## yande

kai-wun said:


> A buddy of mine is heading to China and HK. I'd really appreciate it if someone could point out where he could grab one of these for me
> 
> If not, where I could order it would be great as well.
> 
> Cheers
> k


Great move. Drop Thomas an email: [email protected]
He is the man to sort you out and I highly recommend him. Others may have his street address.
Good luck


----------



## diverman

Each day I have more and more simpathy for these Seagull timepieces


----------



## Back

kai-wun said:


> A buddy of mine is heading to China and HK. I'd really appreciate it if someone could point out where he could grab one of these for me
> 
> If not, where I could order it would be great as well.
> 
> Cheers
> k


Just like yande2536 says: contact Thomas via e-mail and see what he has in stock.
His office is located in Sheung Wan and your friend can either take the MTR to the Sheung Wan station and then walk the rest (probably about 10 minute walk - depending on how hot it is...) or the tram which stops just around the corner from his office. Can't find the exact address, but it's on the 21st floor of the Guangdong Financial Building.


----------



## pcke2000

Shane112358 said:


> Here is a photo I just got from Thomas with the new model coming into stock shortly. $210 shipped. Clear back, acrylic front.
> 
> View attachment 418017
> 
> 
> Unfortunately I just bought a used one for $250 less than a week ago o| BUT....the one I got has sapphire on both sides and is mint. Which I think is worth the cost....


so another batch will become available soon? Since I am thinking to another one, but unfortunately, watchunique.com has sold out theirs. Thanks!


----------



## RuffRydas

Am I missing something here? Why not get the official Seagull (Tianjin) re-issue of the first Chinese Air Force chronograph? (Sold on www.usseagull.com as the D304) I realize it's more expensive but at least it's the "official" limited edition?


----------



## rko

RuffRydas said:


> Am I missing something here? Why not get the official Seagull (Tianjin) re-issue of the first Chinese Air Force chronograph? (Sold on www.usseagull.com as the D304) I realize it's more expensive but at least it's the "official" limited edition?


 Its not just more expensive, its twice to thrice more expensive.


----------



## DSLAM

RuffRydas said:


> Am I missing something here? Why not get the official Seagull (Tianjin) re-issue of the first Chinese Air Force chronograph? (Sold on www.usseagull.com as the D304) I realize it's more expensive but at least it's the "official" limited edition?


I guess you are missing a little something. :rodekaart First of all the 1963 Re-issue _is _an official one and second of all, it is a very different watch than the D304 you've linked to. If you check out some of the great pics of the 1963 you can see. Personally, I dont feel anything for the D304 but the 1963 just has that certain 1960's look and the color scheme is a lot more pleasing.


----------



## yande

DSLAM said:


> I guess you are missing a little something. :rodekaart First of all the 1963 Re-issue _is _an official one and second of all, it is a very different watch than the D304 you've linked to. If you check out some of the great pics of the 1963 you can see. Personally, I dont feel anything for the D304 but the 1963 just has that certain 1960's look and the color scheme is a lot more pleasing.


Yeah, I'm with you on that one. I'm sure the D403 is a good watch, and I especially like that material band, but the 304 just does not seem to have the intimate personality of "our" 1963 re-issue that we all know and love. The D304 looks all together too shiny, too new, as compared to a 1963 designed watch. The D304, on first impression seems to lack a soul. Now my thoughts could stem from loving what I have gotten used to seeing, tho' now I think of it, in a lot of ways, the D304 looks just like any other Seagull. Perhaps I now understand why the 1963 Re-issue is not advertised and promoted by Seagull. Don't get me wrong though, I would love to have a D304 in my stable, but I much prefer the 1963 re-issue price tag, hence I don't see that happening!
It also seems that those that are not in the know, ie. Thomas, have a hard time in finding the 1963 re-issue. Suits me. Although even knowing Thomas does not mean immediate access
Thanks RuffRydas for the heads up.||>


----------



## Martin_B

The D304 is indeed a different watch. So I want one of those too


----------



## gigfy

yande2536 said:


> Yeah, I'm with you on that one. I'm sure the D403 is a good watch, and I especially like that material band, but the 304 just does not seem to have the intimate personality of "our" 1963 re-issue that we all know and love. The D304 looks all together too shiny, too new, as compared to a 1963 designed watch. The D304, on first impression seems to lack a soul. Now my thoughts could stem from loving what I have gotten used to seeing, tho' now I think of it, in a lot of ways, the D304 looks just like any other Seagull. Perhaps I now understand why the 1963 Re-issue is not advertised and promoted by Seagull. Don't get me wrong though, I would love to have a D304 in my stable, but I much prefer the 1963 re-issue price tag, hence I don't see that happening!
> It also seems that those that are not in the know, ie. Thomas, have a hard time in finding the 1963 re-issue. Suits me. Although even knowing Thomas does not mean immediate access
> Thanks RuffRydas for the heads up.||>


Wow, lacking a soul. That is harsh. :-d

In my mind they are two different watches from different arms of Sea-Gull. Tianjin Sea-Gull and HK Sea-Gull have differing business philosophies.

Cheers
gigfy


----------



## Malakim

gigfy said:


> Tianjin Sea-Gull and HK Sea-Gull have differing business philosophies.


I'm sorry if this has been discussed to death elsewhere - but as a noob when it comes to Chinese watches I wonder what the relationship between Tianjin an HK is. Are they two different companies, or branches of one and the same?


----------



## gigfy

Malakim said:


> I'm sorry if this has been discussed to death elsewhere - but as a noob when it comes to Chinese watches I wonder what the relationship between Tianjin an HK is. Are they two different companies, or branches of one and the same?


Some info here
https://www.watchuseek.com/f72/new-dial-variation-1963-reissue-499485.html#post3662216

https://www.watchuseek.com/f72/does-anyone-have-any-contact-details-sea-gull-hk-483461.html#post3591649


----------



## TO_ARCH

Some interest reading about D304 ... 
The China local Seagull branded watches

Full evaluation article (4 pages) recently received from Trendtime Chinese Magazine Jan/2011 and article about the Poly Auction, D304 with number 00001 sold three and half times the retail price! This is also the first time carry items from China watch manufactures.


----------



## pyjujiop

yande2536 said:


> I actually love the acrylic crstal. It's a beautiful look. I treat it like my Speedies Hesalite, a tube of polywatch will keep your watch looking like new for many many years... Having said that, it is pretty tough as it is..


 +1

Don't just dismiss acrylic as inferior just because some people throw up their noses at it. It's shatterproof, easily polished back to like-new condition in seconds if you happen to get a scratch, and as anyone familiar with the Vostok Amphibia can tell you, an acrylic crystal-based design can even improve the water resistance of a watch. On many watches, I'll actually prefer acrylic to mineral because of the ability to easily remove scratches. I'm a pretty big guy (6'5", 315) and I sometimes bang my watches into stuff, so a watch with a crystal that doesn't shatter and which I can buff scratches out of is really nice to have. |>


----------



## RuffRydas

TO_ARCH said:


> Some interest reading about D304 ...
> The China local Seagull branded watches
> 
> Full evaluation article (4 pages) recently received from Trendtime Chinese Magazine Jan/2011 and article about the Poly Auction, D304 with number 00001 sold three and half times the retail price! This is also the first time carry items from China watch manufactures.


:-!:-!:-!:-!

Thanks for the read!! It's good to see Seagull picking up some steam in China. Unfortunately most Chinese who spend over 1000 RMB (~$150US) on watches these days are probably buying them for a show of status rather than a love of horology.


----------



## Malakim

gigfy said:


> Some info here
> https://www.watchuseek.com/f72/new-dial-variation-1963-reissue-499485.html#post3662216
> 
> https://www.watchuseek.com/f72/does-anyone-have-any-contact-details-sea-gull-hk-483461.html#post3591649


Thanks, those posts makes it all a little clearer.


----------



## andrewb172

Just got an email from Thomas today, my seagull 1963 reissue is on it's way to Oz.


----------



## No Smoking

He shipped mine on Sunday hopefully it gets to Sydney before the 5 day long weekend. I do have one complaint about Thomas though, before I purchased the watch he would respond to emails within 12hours but after payment it took me two emails and around 5 days before I got a response from him regarding when my watch would be shipped. I do remember reading a similar complaint in this thread?


----------



## Metlin

So, was it the watch with the Chinese text at the bottom (the "newer" dial variation) or the older one with the Chinese text on it? I emailed Thomas asking if he had any available, but haven't heard back yet. Let's see!


----------



## bracky1

Metlin said:


> So, was it the watch with the Chinese text at the bottom (the "newer" dial variation) or the older one with the Chinese text on it? I emailed Thomas asking if he had any available, but haven't heard back yet. Let's see!


I emailed Thomas last week before ordering and it's the original with the Chinese text and acrylic crystal that he's sending out.


----------



## sdchew

TO_ARCH said:


> Some interest reading about D304 ...
> The China local Seagull branded watches
> 
> Full evaluation article (4 pages) recently received from Trendtime Chinese Magazine Jan/2011 and article about the Poly Auction, D304 with number 00001 sold three and half times the retail price! This is also the first time carry items from China watch manufactures.


I will always take these kind of news with a pinch of salt. After all, you don't know who the winning bid was from. For all you know, it could have been a Seagull placed bidder.


----------



## No Smoking

Metlin said:


> So, was it the watch with the Chinese text at the bottom (the "newer" dial variation) or the older one with the Chinese text on it? I emailed Thomas asking if he had any available, but haven't heard back yet. Let's see!


Its the same as the one on the previous page with "Plastic Lens". Also it comes with a display back.


----------



## andrewb172

bracky1 said:


> I emailed Thomas last week before ordering and it's the original with the Chinese text and acrylic crystal that he's sending out.


 Yep, I did the same, looks like he's pretty busy. I wouldn't expect to see it clear customs before the Easter break though. Having brought a few things in to the country recently, I've found stuff can spend quite a few days getting through.


----------



## yande

gigfy said:


> Wow, lacking a soul. That is harsh. :-d
> 
> In my mind they are two different watches from different arms of Sea-Gull. Tianjin Sea-Gull and HK Sea-Gull have differing business philosophies.
> 
> Cheers
> gigfy


Thanks for the links gigfy. Yeah perhaps it sounds harsh, "no soul," buy I did qualify that statement thru my bias. Your links have opened my heart somewhat and my eyes to the D304. Its just that I happen to have a very soft spot for my 1963 Re-issue. Upon further reading, the D304 does have its place and merits.

Regarding Thomas. I think that is just how he works. I paid for a watch, received the stock reply that I would be notified when he had a shipping number and then left it with him. In the past, I have had to wait up to a month or more, though in this case, thankfully it was only a matter of days. Correspondence is haphazard at best in between those times, I guess it is all about priority. 
Mine was also posted out on Sunday, and I was hoping to receive it by Thursday, though in retrospect, after having read the previous post regarding Easter, perhaps I may adjust my hopes. BTW, that tracking number means very little to me. I can never get it to register going anywhere, but they always turn up and I have complete faith in Thomas, especially regarding after sales service, just in case there is an issue.
Fingers crossed X
Mark


----------



## No Smoking

Seems like he has a lot of Aussie customers, I wonder which one of us 3 will get it first. I use this site when ever I need to track standard mail items. Post/EMS tracking - track-trace Just paste the tracking number in with no spaces and it should show up.


----------



## yande

Thanks for that. A definite bookmark. You did well, mine left Hong Kong on the 17th. 
Regards who will get theirs first, my handicap is I live 360k's from Sydney.
And the race is on...


----------



## Metlin

bracky1 said:


> I emailed Thomas last week before ordering and it's the original with the Chinese text and acrylic crystal that he's sending out.


Thank you. I just emailed him as well -- it sounded like the same thing, so I went ahead and ordered one. Now I am eagerly awaiting its arrival! 



No Smoking said:


> Its the same as the one on the previous page with "Plastic Lens". Also it comes with a display back.


He said the same thing to me ("plastic lens"). By that, I am guessing he means acrylic?


----------



## bracky1

Mine has arrived )

Ordered on the 13th, posted from Hong Kong on the 17th, delivered in the UK on the 20th.

How's that for service.


----------



## yande

bracky1 said:


> Mine has arrived )
> 
> Ordered on the 13th, posted from Hong Kong on the 17th, delivered in the UK on the 20th.
> 
> How's that for service.


That's incredible, not only for Thomas, but for the UK/HK postal service.
Remember, as they say, "it never happened if there isn't pics.!"
Congratulations, and I am hoping you love it.
Question? Has it the Seagull logo on the crown? My first didn't, then my second with the clear case back did. I'm hoping. 
regards
mark


----------



## bracky1

yande2536 said:


> That's incredible, not only for Thomas, but for the UK/HK postal service.
> Remember, as they say, "it never happened if there isn't pics.!"
> Congratulations, and I am hoping you love it.
> Question? Has it the Seagull logo on the crown? My first didn't, then my second with the clear case back did. I'm hoping.
> regards
> mark


Ah now, that's the hard part. It was bought for me by my Daughter as a birthday present so, although she has told me it has arrived and that it's very nice, I can't get my eyes or my hands on it 'till the 30th.

I've begged, pleaded, cajoled and even threatened her with Chinese burns and all to no avail.

However, pics will be taken when I sober up after my birthday ;o)

Update, just asked my Daughter to have a look and it's a plain crown so no Seagull logo.


----------



## bracky1

Trying to upload some pics, I'll try again


----------



## bracky1

Sorry about the quality of the pics, they were taken by my Daughter on her Iphone as I'm not allowed near it yet :-(


----------



## Oldheritage

Looks very nice. I've just paid mine so I should be joining the club soon :-!


----------



## pcke2000

Oldheritage said:


> Looks very nice. I've just paid mine so I should be joining the club soon :-!


please don't forget to take photos when it arrives


----------



## pcke2000

maybe I need to buy one from Thomas too, my first one is from watchunique.com, has '21 jewels' on the dial, but the crown is plain, and the watch came in in a tin can.


----------



## Oldheritage

pcke2000 said:


> please don't forget to take photos when it arrives


Will do ;-)


----------



## gigfy

bracky1 said:


> View attachment 424594
> View attachment 424595
> View attachment 424596
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sorry about the quality of the pics, they were taken by my Daughter on her Iphone as I'm not allowed near it yet :-(


The pics are just fine. A handsome watch fitting for a birthday present. Congratulations! Wear it in good health.

Cheers,
gigfy


----------



## tecrose

Do you happen to know the lug size? I'm thinking about buying it and I'd like to see if any of my straps fit the watch. Thanks!


----------



## yande

tecrose said:


> Do you happen to know the lug size? I'm thinking about buying it and I'd like to see if any of my straps fit the watch. Thanks!


Lugs measure in at 17.5mm., for me. Stock NATO measures 18mm, and fits well.


----------



## iherald

Oldheritage said:


> Looks very nice. I've just paid mine so I should be joining the club soon :-!


How do people pay for watches through Thomas?


----------



## yande

Paypal to his email address. [email protected] 
Always works for me.
Any help needed, drop me a PM. BTW, welcome..


----------



## RuffRydas

When you guys ordered from Thomas via Paypal, did he ever confirm the receipt of your order/payment? I sent my order/payment to him on April 17th and haven't heard anything from him. Emailed him two days ago and still no reponse.


----------



## Oldheritage

I paid him tuesday, received an email from him about 16 hours later confirming that he had received the funds.


----------



## No Smoking

I got a response pretty much instantly when I paid him but then didn't hear anything from him again until he shipped it.


----------



## andrewb172

No acknowledgement that the paypal payment cleared and then 4 days 'til he emailed me that he had shipped it. With general enquiries though he usually responds in 48 hours.
With public holidays for easter in Hong Kong, that may contribute to some delays in any communications.


----------



## Metlin

Just got a note from Hon stating that he's shipped the watch, with the tracking number. Rather eager to receive it! It looks quite nice in all the pictures, especially for its price point.


----------



## harrym71

I sent him payment via paypal over the easter weekend, he wrote me back and told me that he would send it out after easter holiday.
Haven't heard since. I will send him a message and see if I can get a tracking #.


----------



## Zoodles95

harrym71 said:


> I sent him payment via paypal over the easter weekend, he wrote me back and told me that he would send it out after easter holiday.
> Haven't heard since. I will send him a message and see if I can get a tracking #.


Cool! A fellow G.T.A. WIS getting a 1963...

I had some correspondence over the weekend with Thomas and ended up pulling the trigger on one. He e-mailed me today to say that he is in China on business so my 1963 would be going out in a few days.

I am curious to see what this 1963 will be like. I have owned a Watchunique, CNMark, one from the Austrailian seller who was selling them on the AWF, and now I will have one from Thomas and Sea-Gull HK. From the pics I have been seeing it looks like the seller from last year was buying them in bulk Sea-Gull HK and then re-selling them. Believe it or not I actually had an original 1963 for a bit. The 1963 that Kevin Ma and Sea-Gull USA are selling is the same style as the one I owned. Mine had a really faded dial and some missing text. It was authenticated though...

Which 1963 was the most like the original? Believe it or not the Watchunique I had a few years ago. The smaller crown on the watchunique felt and looked the most like the original 1963 I had.

My favourite 1963 is the current one I have which I suspect came from Sea-Gull HK originally. It has the same box as the ones that people have already posted.

Here is my only remaining 1963. It will enjoy having a running mate again.



My newbie will have that signed crown which I will like. I love that symbol and most of my vintage Sea-Gulls from the 1970s have that same symbol on the crown...


----------



## yande

Still waiting on my third delivery from Thomas. That I feel has more to do with Australia Post/Customs, as Thomas stated that he posted it out Monday week ago. Hopefully tomorrow.
I came across this thread by M4tt, 
https://www.watchuseek.com/f20/1963-169653.html
and for those who are not familiar with M4tt, I, along with many others hold him in very high esteem, especially on the Omega Forum where I have come across him. Personally, reading M4tt's revision of the 1963 really helped validate my own personal thoughts on this watch. 
I am especially happy that it; a) comes at such a price, and b) has the connotation of China in the heading, or "made in..." to make those lesser informed and higher pretentiousness to dismiss this watch. All the better for us I think. I have some of the best Omegas made, and my 1963 is held in the same esteem as the best of them. As I've quoted more than once, (before i read M4tt's post) an incredible bang for my buck. I absolutely love the 1963, especially the ST 19-01.
Metlin: Hope yours arrives soon and I am sure you will love this little gem.
Regards
Mark


----------



## Manjushaka

Hi guys long time no see in the Chinese mechanical forum. It's been more than a year ago now after I broke my first '63, it's time to get myself another one. And BTW just dropped Thomas an email. 
However I saw this as I was looking for pictures of this awesome watch Seagull 1963 | Dingle Speaks
Just below the photos, the guy said the watch is apparently made in some plant in Shenzhen. Someone in the know please shed some light on this?

Cheers.


----------



## andrewb172

Just came home to find mine in the mailbox, nicely packed and looking good.
The Australia post tracking site still shows no activity, but it's here!


----------



## No Smoking

How is it? I'm still waiting on mine, I rang up Australia post earlier today and apparently mine is still sitting in customs and has been since the 21st so I'm hopeful that it will come on Friday but it seems unlikely.


----------



## andrewb172

No Smoking said:


> How is it? I'm still waiting on mine, I rang up Australia post earlier today and apparently mine is still sitting in customs and has been since the 21st so I'm hopeful that it will come on Friday but it seems unlikely.


Mine was posted out on the 16th, so 12 days with easter in between seems to be about right (I recently had a watch sent from Germany that took about the same amount of time) 
Arrived in perfect condition, everything works, looks a little smaller than expected, but the size makes it look neater and classier in my humble opinion.
The band is a bit cheap and cheerful, so I'll be looking out for something a bit better to put on it.


----------



## yande

Mine was dropped off tioday. 10 days including Easter, not too bad. Was a tad disappointed that there was no Seagull logo on the crown, though it did have a clear case back, and a new shaped wooden box!! Whooppee! . Fortunately I have one with a Seagull crown, but no clear case back. Might have to do some modifying. Plan on getting rid of the red text, so as I can really see the ST 19 01. I've done it before using Poly watch. Will post some pics later. All in all, a beautiful watch. I love it.


----------



## No Smoking

I must be unlucky, mine was shipped on the same day as you guys and apparently mine is still stuck in customs.  Also Yande is the red text on the inside or outside of the case back and how hard is it to remove using Poly Watch?


----------



## yande

Hi No smoking. Red text is on the inside. Hardest part is getting the case back off, and re seating the rubber seal, (o ring). Then it is just a matter of using poly watch to remove the red text. Usually 10 mins sitting in front of the tele does the job, taking care to remove all the residue around the edges. If I can do it, anybody can. 
Although the red text is fine as it is, I just like the unobstructed view that removing the text allows. I'll get some pics together to show the end result. As the case back has the hexagonal setup as compared to slots (like Omega) some care needs to be placed in how you remove and replace the case back. I've a cheap case back remover tool which has a variety of fittings. I chose the long, straight slotted ones, tho I have heard of people using a large socket in this case. Good luck!


----------



## yande

A few pics to show you my latest arrival from Thomas.
I have used a comparison to one that my wife bought for me last year. With that one, I have used Polywatch to remove the red text, and I was also lucky enough to have it fitted with the Seagull logo on the crown. I'm 50-50 on the logo's crown, For some reason the Seagull 1963's simplicity, and style doesn't suit the modern edge of the Seagully logo on the crown. But then I like to have it on my keeper.

Dials are identical:









Case back with red text removed, and not the best pic, but at night, with flash.. The ST 19 01 is such a beautiful movement, it really needs to be seen. The more the better IMHO.










The two crown varietals: One on right has plastic covers still in situ on the pushers. I guess you can see what I mean, where it perhaps is a personal choice about the crown logo. I like both, for differing reasons.










I would just like to say a great big thank you to the original posters of this thread. This watch is one that I hold very near to my heart. My wife (Chinese) bought it for me, and it really has a treasured place in my collection. Thanks guys for allowing me to find and source this watch. It is very special. Thanks Thomas also, as always, reliable and solid as a rock.
May all your Segulls fly homne to their nests soon.
Regards
mark


----------



## bracky1

yande said:


> A few pics to show you my latest arrival from Thomas.
> I have used a comparison to one that my wife bought for me last year. With that one, I have used Polywatch to remove the red text, and I was also lucky enough to have it fitted with the Seagull logo on the crown. I'm 50-50 on the logo's crown, For some reason the Seagull 1963's simplicity, and style doesn't suit the modern edge of the Seagully logo on the crown. But then I like to have it on my keeper.
> 
> Dials are identical:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Case back with red text removed, and not the best pic, but at night, with flash.. The ST 19 01 is such a beautiful movement, it really needs to be seen. The more the better IMHO.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The two crown varietals: One on right has plastic covers still in situ on the pushers. I guess you can see what I mean, where it perhaps is a personal choice about the crown logo. I like both, for differing reasons.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I would just like to say a great big thank you to the original posters of this thread. This watch is one that I hold very near to my heart. My wife (Chinese) bought it for me, and it really has a treasured place in my collection. Thanks guys for allowing me to find and source this watch. It is very special. Thanks Thomas also, as always, reliable and solid as a rock.
> May all your Segulls fly homne to their nests soon.
> Regards
> mark


Thanks for the pics and information Yande. As detailed on previous pages, mine arrived over a week ago but I won't get my hands on it 'till Saturday. Now that I've seen both together I think I prefer the plain crown and the clear caseback so I'll be looking to remove the red lettering, thanks for the tips on how to do that. I'll put up a few pics next week when I have it all sorted out to my satisfaction.


----------



## Manjushaka

Just got a reply from Thomas saying the sapphire version won't become available until November. He quoted me the price for acrylic and clear display back at $190 + $20 for shipping to Sydney. Somewhat different to what you guys have paid.


----------



## andrewb172

Manjushaka said:


> Just got a reply from Thomas saying the sapphire version won't become available until November. He quoted me the price for acrylic and clear display back at $190 + $20 for shipping to Sydney. Somewhat different to what you guys have paid.


No, I paid the same. The old price about a year ago was $180 + shipping. The Aussie dollar being what it is at the moment, it may actually be cheaper for us now.


----------



## yande

Actually exactly the same that I paid. Funny thing, 6 months ago I bought one and accidentally paid the amount in Australian dollars not US. He politely accepted the payment saying that there wasn't that much difference. (About $5, I think at the time). Now if you accidentally paid in $AU, he would be about 15 to 20 dollars in front. For us Asutralians, it is becoming a better deal every day.
First pays, first receives..


----------



## bracky1

The Seagull has landed at last and I must say I'm very impressed so far.

Here's a few pics as I know everyone likes pics ;-)


----------



## andrewb172

So... all good here with mine other than that it runs a couple of minutes fast per day.
(I am a rank beginner, never even had the back off of a watch before, but have alot of confdence in my mechanical skills)
Would some kind person please direct me to a thread for adjusting the watch, I'm assuming it has to be covered somewhere on the forum but for the life of me, I can't find it.
Thanking you in advance
Andrew


----------



## Metlin

Just received mine -- it's a great watch!

Pictures: https://www.watchuseek.com/f2/new-arrival-seagull-1963-a-537373.htm


----------



## andrewb172

Found it 
https://www.watchuseek.com/f72/regulating-st19-movement-253825.html


----------



## lairons

this watch is produced in my country but sells cheaper in your country!!!


----------



## harrym71

I just received my watch yesterday and as happy as I am about it I am not 100% positive that I will keep it.
It's a great looking watch but I feel it's a tad too small for my wrist.

I will mull it over the weekend and decide if I will sell it. It's been unwrapped but still has the protective sticker on the front.

Here are the gratuitous pics.


----------



## Metlin

Harry, the size of the watch is one of the reasons I feel that it straddles the line between dress watch and "sports" watch. It's a great looking watch, but you must remember that it was issued half a century ago to people in China, and odds are that they were made for people of smaller stature. However, I typically prefer dress watches in the 38 mm range, so this is perfect for me.

I probably won't wear it with a suit, but with a leather strap, it's perfect for a day out in your khakis and a blazer.


----------



## harrym71

Metlin said:


> Harry, the size of the watch is one of the reasons I feel that it straddles the line between dress watch and "sports" watch. It's a great looking watch, but you must remember that it was issued half a century ago to people in China, and odds are that they were made for people of smaller stature. However, I typically prefer dress watches in the 38 mm range, so this is perfect for me.
> 
> I probably won't wear it with a suit, but with a leather strap, it's perfect for a day out in your khakis and a blazer.


Well, I will try and find a nice brown strap the way you did and try it out then. 
The size is growing on me and it is a very nice watch.
Thanks for the info. 
Much appreciated.


----------



## MrSnrub

Hello from another Aussie. After seeing the nice pictures in this thread, I've gone and ordered one of these watches from Thomas 

It does have a great vintage look, and will be a change for me as I'm normally a diver sort of guy. That brown leather strap really does suit it, I think I'll be getting something like that to supplement the NATO.

Just wondering if anyone knows what the lug width is?


----------



## alexp215

What's the story behind this watch? Also, how do I go about getting my hands on one?


----------



## Back

@ MrSnrub - lug width is 18 mm

@ alexp215 - there is tons of information on WUS. Just do a search on 'Sea-Gull 1963' or simply '1963' and you will find all the information you need :-!


----------



## chirs1211

Hi, 18mm straps fit great on these mate, unless they've changed since i had mine, but i doubt it 
Cheers 
Chris


----------



## charmquark

A question for anyone with a 1963 re-issue and a vintage Seagull; do any of the decoratively cast case-backs fit on the 1963?


----------



## caz

No, it's not a race thing. Seiko produces the same size watches as it's western counterparts. It has to do with trends. Many vintage watches from 40's - 60's were anywhere from 34-38mm. Vintage diving watches were usually 40mm. Now everything has gotten ridiculously huge. I think it has to do with consumption and how we're all getting fatter in 1st world nations. If you look at clothing too, a size "medium" back then would be considered "X-small" by todays standards.


----------



## tomee

how are you guys emailing Thomas?

direct through the segull website?


----------



## yande

To his email address:
[email protected]

Are you looking for one Tomee? PM me if so.


----------



## jbbusybee

Just emailed Thomas, hope to join you all soon|>


----------



## tecrose

Got mine yesterday. Acrylic lens, display back, green NATO strap. Interestingly mine has a signed crown (Thomas told me that it's not signed). Stunning watch. Currently running at +11 s/d. Will post pics once I get hold of a macro lens.


----------



## tomee

yande said:


> To his email address:
> [email protected]
> 
> Are you looking for one Tomee? PM me if so.


PM sent


----------



## AlbertaTime

charmquark said:


> A question for anyone with a 1963 re-issue and a vintage Seagull; do any of the decoratively cast case-backs fit on the 1963?


I don't know and I wouldn't personally chance it because I wouldn't want to cross-thread or strip the threads...but I think it's a great _idea_ though


----------



## unjung

caz said:


> No, it's not a race thing. Seiko produces the same size watches as it's western counterparts. It has to do with trends. Many vintage watches from 40's - 60's were anywhere from 34-38mm. Vintage diving watches were usually 40mm. Now everything has gotten ridiculously huge. I think it has to do with consumption and how we're all getting fatter in 1st world nations. If you look at clothing too, a size "medium" back then would be considered "X-small" by todays standards.


I think it's just about cheap, gaudy affectations. People want to show off, so B&R and Panerai and friends make big watches, so Nixon and friends end up making massive watches. So I think it's just a fad, and it will probably ebb. Just like super slim fit suits.


----------



## jbbusybee

Agreed, whenever I put my Seiko 7T27 RAF watches on they are so 'petite' compared to modern watches, and these were the original tool watches!


----------



## jbbusybee

It's on the way! So never having a non automatic watch, what is your winding routine? Is it possible to over wind?

Sorry if this is a numpty question, just like to kown.


----------



## yande

I usually make it a morning ritual. Just before I go to work, and rather than being a chore, it can be a very pleasureable time. Whether you reflect on your watch, or your day, or what ever , as you wind. I think I may have a touch of OCD, as I tend to subconsciously count as I do.:think:
Just wind until you feel the resistance, where it can't be wound anymore. Just leave it at that. You will get a feel for it as the days go by.
Enjoy, and now to the bands....


----------



## Metlin

yande said:


> I usually make it a morning ritual. Just before I go to work, and rather than being a chore, it can be a very pleasureable time. Whether you reflect on your watch, or your day, or what ever , as you wind. I think I may have a touch of OCD, as I tend to subconsciously count as I do.:think:
> Just wind until you feel the resistance, where it can't be wound anymore. Just leave it at that. You will get a feel for it as the days go by.
> Enjoy, and now to the bands....


So, how much is the reserve?


----------



## yande

Metlin said:


> So, how much is the reserve?


Good question. I've never checked it. Honestly though, I replied to this thread with Manual winds generally in mind, not the Seagull 1963 specifically, but one manual is as any other I've handled. 
Sunday 22.06 here, just finished work and have the week off.. I'll check it out and let you know, if no one can beat me to it.


----------



## sdchew

Reserve is about 48 hours. Or at least the 3 I have tried were in that range.


----------



## iherald

I just got my Seagull 1963, thanks Thomas! I've never bought a watch that wasn't from a store. Is there a way to install the band without the tool?

Edit: I saw on youtube how to do it. But, with the military band that comes with it, am I stuck covering up the clear back? I assume so, but figured I may not know the proper way.

Otherwise I love this watch.


----------



## pcke2000

iherald said:


> I just got my Seagull 1963, thanks Thomas! I've never bought a watch that wasn't from a store. Is there a way to install the band without the tool?
> 
> Edit: I saw on youtube how to do it. But, with the military band that comes with it, am I stuck covering up the clear back? I assume so, but figured I may not know the proper way.
> 
> Otherwise I love this watch.


congratulations! sorry, I can't answer your question, as my 1963 came from watchunique.com with the strap is already on


----------



## AlbertaTime

iherald said:


> Is there a way to install the band without the tool?...Edit: I saw on youtube how to do it. But, with the military band that comes with it, am I stuck covering up the clear back? I assume so, but figured I may not know the proper way.


A G10/NATO strap will cover the back, yes...but you don't need a tool for G10/Nato straps...here's some very clear instructions:

Pugwash's NATO How-To



jbbusybee said:


> It's on the way! So never having a non automatic watch, what is your winding routine? Is it possible to over wind?
> 
> Sorry if this is a numpty question, just like to know.


You _could_ overwind it...but you'd need a small wrench...and you'd know it well before you did it. Just wind till you feel differing resistance.

And, to both of you"the 1963 is a wonderful watch! Congrats!


----------



## yande

Personally I am not too keen on the NATO with the clear back, firstly, it covers the back, and secondly, with that little bit extra of thickness of the clear case back, combined with the NATO it pops up just that little bit too much for my liking. 
A beautiful watch that with it's variety of beautiful colours allows for many captivating strap options.
As Alberta Time stated, congratulations.. I'm sure you're happy and are busy taking photos to show all of us....


----------



## iherald

I will decide what I want to do with the strap, thanks for the help. But, I'm having problems with the watch working. 

I set the time, and the second hand (red ) and the mini blue one on the right, work for about 20 seconds and then they stop. 

I'm sure it's something stupid I'm doing, but it's annoying. Any help would be awesome.


----------



## chirs1211

Hi, the red second hand (seconds) and right subdial (minutes) are used for the chronograph, no idea why they stop after 20 seconds, is the left subdial working? Which is normal seconds.
Chris


----------



## iherald

No the left subdial isn't working and the time isn't moving. I've been wearing it all day thinking maybe it just needed a certain amount of energy stored or something


----------



## andrewb172

iherald said:


> No the left subdial isn't working and the time isn't moving. I've been wearing it all day thinking maybe it just needed a certain amount of energy stored or something


Not wanting to sound smara$$ or anything, but you have wound it haven't you?


----------



## iherald

Ummm, don't worry about sounding like a smarta##, I'm likely the a$$. I have to wind the watch? That's likely the answer. What's the best way to wind it?


----------



## andrewb172

iherald said:


> Ummm, don't worry about sounding like a smarta##, I'm likely the a$$. I have to wind the watch? That's likely the answer. What's the best way to wind it?


Centre button, wind clockwise til you can't wind any more. You should do this daily to keep it running, a full wind lasts about 40 hours or so.


----------



## iherald

That was totally the problem, the watch is running great now. I guess that also makes sense why it would work for 20 seconds, I would turn the centre button to get the right time, but that might only be a turn or two, so it wouldn't be much of a wind.

Thanks again!


----------



## yande

iherald said:


> That was totally the problem, the watch is running great now. I guess that also makes sense why it would work for 20 seconds, I would turn the centre button to get the right time, but that might only be a turn or two, so it wouldn't be much of a wind.
> 
> Thanks again!


The plot thickens.... Just to make sure. You pull the centre button out one notch, to change the time, and best to only move the hands in a clockwise direction, something about more strain on the gears when they go backwards. You push the crown back in to wind the watch. Turn it, the crown (aka the centre button) clockwise also to wind your watch. Turning it anti-clockwise doesn't do anything. 
Iherald, no offence, but I did have a bit of a chuckle at your dilemma. I'm so totally relieved your watch did not have a problem. There would be nothing worse, horologically that is, then receiving a watch that did not work.
regards


----------



## ImitationOfLife

I haven't had time to go through the entire thread, so I apologize, but are the 1963s still available? On the Seagull 1963 website, they're almost sold out (the sapphire crystal version is totally gone).

Thanks.


----------



## AaaVee

Any suggestion how to buy this watch directly from Seagull? I've tried to contact them via contact form in official homepage, but no any response so far..


----------



## gigfy

ImitationOfLife said:


> I haven't had time to go through the entire thread, so I apologize, but are the 1963s still available? On the Seagull 1963 website, they're almost sold out (the sapphire crystal version is totally gone).
> 
> Thanks.


That is yet another seller of the watch. Does anyone know if this person is a WUS member? Anyways, I suspect if they are not sourcing these watches from Sea-Gull HK directly, then they are probably going through a middle man (maybe even Thomas). Getting to the point, this thread is based on Thomas in HK who sells the watch directly. You can send him an email (his address is a few posts above) and ask if any are available.

cheers,
gigfy


----------



## gigfy

AaaVee said:


> Any suggestion how to buy this watch directly from Seagull? I've tried to contact them via contact form in official homepage, but no any response so far..


Did you contact Sea-Gull Tianjin or Sea-Gull HK? These watches are from Sea-Gull HK and I don't think they are in the onesy twosy business. If you wanted to by a MOQ (minimum order quantity) then I'm sure they would talk. What is the MOQ? I'm not sure. 10, 50, 100?

cheers,
gigfy


----------



## yande

Latest email from Thomas, (yesterday) is that he has sold out and waiting for delivery of the latest production run. That will be at the End of June... There is a waiting list.. If you want one, get your name on it asap.


----------



## ImitationOfLife

Thanks for the heads up, guys.


----------



## harrym71

As much as I like this watch it is not seeing too much wrist time.
See here for the sale of my watch.

LINK


----------



## jbbusybee

Help guys I'm panicking, got my watch from Thomas today, wound it up until I felt the resistance and it was working fine, however the top button started and stopped the red hand, but the bottom does nothing anyway I've pressed the buttons to see what they do and the whole watch has stopped not ticking or anything!!!

What have I done wrong!


----------



## yande

Mate, not sure what has happened. You seem to done everything right. Top button starts and stops the chronograph, the bottom button returns the chrono seconds hand back to the 12 o'clock position, but only when the chronograph has been stopped by pressing the top button. Regardless of what you are doing, the small seconds hand should still be ticking away. Hopefully someone will come along with some other advice or ideas, I doubt it is something major. Regardless, Thomas is very good about these things. Relax, see what else gets posted and/or shoot Thomas an email off. Sorry to hear your problem. It will work out ok.
regards
mark


----------



## No Smoking

Thought I should give an update on what happened with my order from Thomas. If you recall I posted a few pages back that my watch was shipped on the 16th of April, well for whatever reason that watch was never received by me. After numerous emails back and forth Thomas shipped me replacement watch free of charge on the 23rd May. I received this watch earlier in the week and have no complaints so far. Thomas is still chasing the post office regarding the first watch and it appears the first watch has been lost. I highly recommend anyone looking at purchasing a 1963 do so through Thomas, his communication (while in some cases could be slightly better) and customer service was excellent.


----------



## stfraw

No Smoking said:


> I highly recommend anyone looking at purchasing a 1963 do so through Thomas, his communication (while in some cases could be slightly better) and customer service was excellent.


Hi, would you please PM me contact details for Thomas? Thanks.


----------



## No Smoking

His email has been posted in here a few times but its 
[email protected]


----------



## mocka

After lurking around on these forums for some time anonymously and silently deciding which should be my first self-bought watch, I have now registered and found that Sea-gull 1963 probably is the one.

One thing though: the watches from Thomas is in Acrylic crystal, do you have to be over-protective to avoid scratches?


----------



## AlbertaTime

mocka said:


> After lurking around on these forums for some time anonymously and silently deciding which should be my first self-bought watch, I have now registered and found that Sea-gull 1963 probably is the one.
> 
> One thing though: the watches from Thomas is in Acrylic crystal, do you have to be over-protective to avoid scratches?


Mocka...first, *WELCOME* to the WUS Chinese Mechanical Watches forum!!

You have to be somewhat careful but not _over_-protective. Acrylic scratches much more easily than sapphire or mineral, but polishes (unless quite scarred) very, _very_ easily using a polish like Polywatch or even similar stuff you can get at auto shops.

There's a good reason that tool watches like the Bocktok Amphibia and even higher end Rolex and other divers can come with acrylic...and that's because it's a useful, good choice, especially for a toolish watch.

Sapphire is very difficult to scratch but shatters often if it breaks. Mineral is tougher to shatter but almost impossible to polish and not really that hard to scratch---sand will do it.

I like sapphire, I like acrylic (most of my watches are acrylic) and I tolerate mineral.


----------



## mocka

Thank you AlbertaTime!

By "toolish", do you mean that the Sea-gull 1963 is a good everyday watch?


----------



## AlbertaTime

mocka said:


> Thank you AlbertaTime!
> 
> By "toolish", do you mean that the Sea-gull 1963 is a good everyday watch?


I don't use it for that and probably wouldn't recommend it. For me, it's a special occasion dress/display piece.

For a daily "affordable", I'd always recommend to get get a mech/auto or quartz three hander, or a quartz chrono (or more expensive mech), especially if you're going to do chrono timing lots.

I just meant that acrylic is a tough material, so it's good for tools and _excellent_ on the 1963.


----------



## Chascomm

AlbertaTime said:


> I just meant that acrylic is a tough material, so it's good for tools and _excellent_ on the 1963.


...and you'll never find a mineral or sapphire crystal that has the look of the 1963's acrylic. The sapphire version of the 1963 has the tall bezel which in my opinion detracts greatly from the classic style of the watch.


----------



## yande

Chascomm said:


> ...and you'll never find a mineral or sapphire crystal that has the look of the 1963's acrylic. *The sapphire version of the 1963 has the tall bezel which in my opinion detracts greatly from the classic style of the watch.*


I've not heard that mentioned before, thanks for the tip, though honestly, I just could not imagine the 1963 with a sapphire, on my wrist anyway.


----------



## mujahid7ia

AlbertaTime said:


> Mocka...first, *WELCOME* to the WUS Chinese Mechanical Watches forum!!
> 
> You have to be somewhat careful but not _over_-protective. Acrylic scratches much more easily than sapphire or mineral, but polishes (unless quite scarred) very, _very_ easily using a polish like Polywatch or even similar stuff you can get at auto shops.
> 
> There's a good reason that tool watches like the Bocktok Amphibia and even higher end Rolex and other divers can come with acrylic...and that's because it's a useful, good choice, especially for a toolish watch.
> 
> Sapphire is very difficult to scratch but shatters often if it breaks. Mineral is tougher to shatter but almost impossible to polish and not really that hard to scratch---sand will do it.
> 
> I like sapphire, I like acrylic (most of my watches are acrylic) and I tolerate mineral.


Does anyone have any tips on polishing acrylic? Should I get Polywatch or just use toothpaste? I have a few scratches on my 1963 and they don't seem too deep, but I've never tried polishing it before.

Thanks!


----------



## infinitime

mujahid7ia said:


> Does anyone have any tips on polishing acrylic? Should I get Polywatch or just use toothpaste? I have a few scratches on my 1963 and they don't seem too deep, but I've never tried polishing it before.
> 
> Thanks!


I have a small collection of Vostoks and vintage Chinese watches, most of which have acrylic crystals. I have used Polywatch, as well as toothpaste in the past, and both work well.

However, for more delicate work, I also use a polishing compound used by modellers, called "Tamiya Canopy Polishing Compound". It is basically a three-stage polishing compound used for getting scratches out of clear plastic parts on airplane models. It comes in Coarse, Medium, and Fine, and can be found at most hobbyist shops. Cost varies, but is about US$5 a tube.

A practical hint when using, I usually use a slightly moist cotton squab, and apply the paste in a circular fashion on the crystal in very small circles. Depending on the depth of the scratch, I often only use the Fine compound, which is sufficient to bring back a shine.

This stuff also works great on plastic automotive headlight covers, if it is looking yellow due to too much UV exposure...


----------



## AlbertaTime

infinitime said:


> I have a small collection of Vostoks and vintage Chinese watches, most of which have acrylic crystals. I have used Polywatch, as well as toothpaste in the past, and both work well.
> 
> However, for more delicate work, I also use a polishing compound used by modellers, called "Tamiya Canopy Polishing Compound". It is basically a three-stage polishing compound used for getting scratches out of clear plastic parts on airplane models.  It comes in Coarse, Medium, and Fine, and can be found at most hobbyist shops. Cost varies, but is about US$5 a tube.
> 
> A practical hint when using, I usually use a slightly moist cotton squab, and apply the paste in a circular fashion on the crystal in very small circles. Depending on the depth of the scratch, I often only use the Fine compound, which is sufficient to bring back a shine.
> 
> This stuff also works great on plastic automotive headlight covers, if it is looking yellow due to too much UV exposure...


I...concur.








:-d


----------



## mujahid7ia

infinitime said:


> I have a small collection of Vostoks and vintage Chinese watches, most of which have acrylic crystals. I have used Polywatch, as well as toothpaste in the past, and both work well.
> 
> However, for more delicate work, I also use a polishing compound used by modellers, called "Tamiya Canopy Polishing Compound". It is basically a three-stage polishing compound used for getting scratches out of clear plastic parts on airplane models. It comes in Coarse, Medium, and Fine, and can be found at most hobbyist shops. Cost varies, but is about US$5 a tube.
> 
> A practical hint when using, I usually use a slightly moist cotton squab, and apply the paste in a circular fashion on the crystal in very small circles. Depending on the depth of the scratch, I often only use the Fine compound, which is sufficient to bring back a shine.
> 
> This stuff also works great on plastic automotive headlight covers, if it is looking yellow due to too much UV exposure...


Thanks for the advice! I'll give it a try. I also have a few old Vostoks that I could try this on.

And AlbertaTime, that is pretty much my favorite scene from CMIYC, hilarious!


----------



## sirrtuan

I emailed Thomas a couple days ago and still didn't get any email from him.
What is the best way to contact him?


----------



## sdchew

By email. Probably give it a week or so


----------



## Pubcrawler

Hi all. Just received my 1963 from Thomas, he was very responsive via email and other than a couple of communication 'challenges', great to work with. I paid $15 extra for expedited shipping and got it within a week. Looks great and picking up a leather band tomorrow. Thanks to the WUS community and this post for pointing me in the right direction!


----------



## jbbusybee

Yep got mine at the weekend, Thomas was very helpful and stayed in touch. Really delighted with the watch.


----------



## pcke2000

Just found out Seagull 1963s are back in stock at watchunique.com


----------



## dogbot

Another whole-hearted recommendation for Thomas :-!
I received my 1963 today after receiving great communication from Thomas and prompt email responses. Here's a picture of the beauty (although the acrylic crystal makes it tricky to photograph well).









I'm off to some external meetings tomorrow and would love to wear it, but I'm not sure you can wear a nato with a suit? However, the Seagull might just pull it off - it is exceptionally classy!


----------



## Colin63

pcke2000 said:


> Just found out Seagull 1963s are back in stock at watchunique.com


Just ordered one, can't wait for it to arrive!b-)


----------



## Invglr

I received my 1963 reissue from Thomas about two months ago. Service was great, but as of yesterday my watch is refusing to wind and is no longer keeping time. Anyone have an idea what is going on?


----------



## pitosalas

Great. I too was considering ordering one from him.

By the way, it looks like what he is offering is different from this because this link specifies sapphire crystal and his images say plastic. True?

Seagull 1963 Air Force Watch Sapphire Crystal and Leather Strap - Seagull 1963 Air Force Military Watch


----------



## AlbertaTime

pitosalas said:


> Great. I too was considering ordering one from him.
> 
> By the way, it looks like what he is offering is different from this because this link specifies sapphire crystal and his images say plastic. True?
> 
> Seagull 1963 Air Force Watch Sapphire Crystal and Leather Strap - Seagull 1963 Air Force Military Watch


Thomas sells both AFAIK. I prefer the acrylic crystal version for appearance, but the sapphire is a good choice for long term crystal durability.


----------



## AlbertaTime

Invglr said:


> I received my 1963 reissue from Thomas about two months ago. Service was great, but as of yesterday my watch is refusing to wind and is no longer keeping time. Anyone have an idea what is going on?


Hi Invglr, and _*WELCOME*_ to the WUS Chinese Mechanical Watches forum.

I am no movement expert so perhaps others will chime in, but whatever the cause...it might be best if you inform Thomas of your problem sooner rather than later.

I know it's always inconvenient when a watch has problems :-( but often, your seller is your best chance of a good repair at least cost.


----------



## pitosalas

AlbertaTime said:


> Thomas sells both AFAIK. I prefer the acrylic crystal version for appearance, but the sapphire is a good choice for long term crystal durability.


Interesting -- I would have thought that the Sapphire crystal would be clearer and brighter than the acrylic. Not so?


----------



## Oldheritage

Nope, the acrylic is perfectly clear, nicely domed and has no problems with reflections even in bright sunlight. I'm guessing that on a watch with this price, an AR coating is not applied to the sapphire crystal which would make it more susceptible to reflections in my experience.


----------



## britspin

So My 1963 Arrived today - Excellent customer service from thomas so far, and a truly beautiful watch and so far keeping great time. 

However, a problem. The min/hour hands, seconds subdial and the red seconds hand are all working fine, but the 30 min totalizer (3 O'clock dial) doesn't move at all when the chronograph is "on". It just stays at pointing to 30.

I've emailed Thomas, and feel confident he will resolve, but there is always the possibility I have done something stupid or missed something obvious. Any suggestions? (I have wound it, I promise!)

And should I be asking for a replacement watch now, while I send this faulty one back? Only frustration is that I like it so much I want to wear it even though it not working properly!


----------



## AaaVee

Got mine from Thomas Today ->
https://www.watchuseek.com/f72/unboxing-new-arrival-seagull-1963-a-562643.html


----------



## yande

AaaVee said:


> Got mine from Thomas Today ->
> https://www.watchuseek.com/f72/unboxing-new-arrival-seagull-1963-a-562643.html


Great thread AaaVee, beautiful pics.

Wondering if any other "newer" arrivals came in a box similar to AaaVee's? Great to see that the only thing I was disappointed in with Thomas's 63's now looks greatly improved.. IMHO a watch like this deserves its own customised box.


----------



## britspin

yande said:


> Great thread AaaVee, beautiful pics.
> 
> Wondering if any other "newer" arrivals came in a box similar to AaaVee's? Great to see that the only thing I was disappointed in with Thomas's 63's now looks greatly improved.. IMHO a watch like this deserves its own customised box.


Mine came in exactly the same packaging as AaaVee's. Looks great - though now in transit back to HK!


----------



## yande

Thanks britspin, sorry to hear that. Great to hear about the boxes though.
We hear of a few problems with QC on these 63's, though having said that, I have bought 9 from Thomas, (including 4 incoming) and have not had a problem, well actually my first one, the plexi fell off, but I simply snapped it back into place. Thomas wanted me to send it back and replace it, but my fix was good enough and I still have that one as it is the one that my wife bought for me. Having said that, I have just had my Omega Speedmaster 3570.50 returned to me after it took on water, 12 months into a 24 month warantee. I and it got caught in a rainstorm. Yeah I know, been to the moon, sports watch WR 50m, but sh*t happens. It was a production issue. Now the Speedy Pro costs more than 10 times the cost of a 1963, and as with Omega, we are more likely to hear of problems. This thread may be the exception there, maybe not, but we do get a lot of people telling us how happy they are not only with the watch but also with Thomas. He really stands by his product and he deserves full credit for that.

Best of luck mate for a quick turn around.


----------



## sdchew

Thus far, I have had 3 boxes from Thomas. Only 1 of the 3 had the 1963 markings and that was for the Sapphire 1963. If the future boxes all have 1963 markings, that would make a nice upgrade


----------



## britspin

yande said:


> Thanks britspin, sorry to hear that. Great to hear about the boxes though.
> We hear of a few problems with QC on these 63's, though having said that, I have bought 9 from Thomas, (including 4 incoming) and have not had a problem, well actually my first one, the plexi fell off, but I simply snapped it back into place. Thomas wanted me to send it back and replace it, but my fix was good enough and I still have that one as it is the one that my wife bought for me. Having said that, I have just had my Omega Speedmaster 3570.50 returned to me after it took on water, 12 months into a 24 month warantee. I and it got caught in a rainstorm. Yeah I know, been to the moon, sports watch WR 50m, but sh*t happens. It was a production issue. Now the Speedy Pro costs more than 10 times the cost of a 1963, and as with Omega, we are more likely to hear of problems. This thread may be the exception there, maybe not, but we do get a lot of people telling us how happy they are not only with the watch but also with Thomas. He really stands by his product and he deserves full credit for that.
> 
> Best of luck mate for a quick turn around.


as you say, this sort of thing happens. I've no complaints at all about the responses I've had from Seagull HK, and every confidence I'll end up with an excellent watch. Obviously it's always better for these things to go right first time, but given that things do go wrong, I'm happy with the way Seagull HK and Thomas have responded so far. I'd certainly buy from Thomas again.


----------



## celtics1984

I am thinking of purchasing the 1963 Seagull watch. What is more preferred the acrylic or sapphire chrystal on the watch. I have heard the bezel is higher on the sapphire version. Also where is the best place to purchase the watch?


----------



## ms1

The watch is great. I swapped the nato with a black leather strap, looks good.


----------



## yande

celtics1984 said:


> I am thinking of purchasing the 1963 Seagull watch. What is more preferred the acrylic or sapphire chrystal on the watch. I have heard the bezel is higher on the sapphire version. Also where is the best place to purchase the watch?


I love the acrylic.
Try choosing any of the previous 18 pages of this thread. It must be mentioned about ....36? times?? Heck even the title gives you the name, without too much work, I reckon you can find Thomas's email address. Scroll down and hit page 17 have a look for a similar question. No joy? page 16, and you have got to find it. If all else fails: up above, right hand side. "search this forum" type: thomas 
Great guy to deal with.


----------



## vokotin

Hi everybody.
I'm a newbie here. I just want to say thanks to this forum. Because of you guys, i have known and bought the "1963".
The watch is simply stunning! perfect in every aspect, no QC issue whatsoever.
Thomas service was excellent, is a great guy to deal with and a very dedicated man. 
So, i can warmly recommend him to everyone wants to buy this great piece of Chinese horology, you won't be disappointed.


Best Regards
vokotin


----------



## Back

He is indeed!!

Enjoy it in good health :-!


----------



## AlbertaTime

Hiya vokotin!! _*WELCOME*_ to the Chinese Mechanical Watches forum here at WUS!! And congratulations on your 1963. :-!


----------



## sneijder

No Smoking said:


> His email has been posted in here a few times but its
> [email protected]


I sent Thomas an email a few days ago, but heard nothing yet.

Has anyone heard from him recently ?


----------



## topazbullet

I am waiting on a reply as well - I will let you know if I get one.

I am also ready to buy two, so if anyone wants to negotiate a bulk deal, let me know!


----------



## sdchew

Ghost festival fast coming up in HK. He might be busy preparing.


----------



## sleepnaught

What is the width of the watch face I prefer larger faces? If I can still get one of these direct I will for $180. Classy watch. I would try to wear it with a blue or red nylon strap if that didn't look good prolly oxblood leather.


----------



## AlbertaTime

sleepnaught said:


> what is the width of the watch face i prefer larger faces? If i can still get one of these direct i will for $180. Classy watch. I would try to wear it with a blue or red nylon strap if that didn't look good prolly oxblood leather.


_*WELCOME*_ to the Chinese Mechanical Watch forum, sleepnaught 

I measured 35mm without crown, and I think the watch would look great on the blue, depending on the shade of blue. Red might work wonderfully, again depending on shade, but it might overpower the watch, too. Oxblood leather would simply _work_, and wonderfully; that would be classy :-!.

Folks here will probably expect this suggestion from me ;-), but...also take a look at some of the regimental stripe G10/NATO straps because they might work perfectly.


----------



## sneijder

He's been in touch ! Order placed !


----------



## tecrose

My two-month-old 1963 is broken. I think the winding gear ratchet is gone. Right now the main spring unwinds itself once the crown is released. I'm send it back to get repaired


----------



## britspin

Since I posted in thread about my 1963 being faulty on arrival, thought I should update.

Watch went back to HK for repair and was sent back very promptly. Unfortunately either the journey or the repair caused the original fault to still be present. So I asked Thomas at Sea-Gull HK to send me a new watch, with an extra strap and I would then send the faulty watch back. He agreed to this immediately and sent the new watch the next day. It arrived this morning, and it seems to be working perfectly. (I'm only wondering if I should buy a brown strap too...)

All in all, I cannot recommend Sea-Gull HK customer service highly enough. Responses were prompt, reasoanble and efficient. things go a little wrong in all businesses sometimes, and the way this was dealt with was, in my view, exemplary. I've had far worse Customer service for products that cost a lot more money. Probably best way to put this is that I would not only buy from Sea-Gull HK again, but I'd recommend them to others.

(and it's a gorgeous little watch, too)


----------



## vokotin

Glad to hear that britspin.
Like i said time ago, Thomas is a very honest dedicated man.
It's a shame that he has been replaced.
However, SeaGull HK is a great company and we can't go wrong.
Congratulations on your "1963" and wear it in good health.|>


----------



## iam7head

Anyone have another source for seagull in hk or us? Carol who replaced Thomas just quoted me something insanely high and I am local(no tax and shipping needed)

Are they trying to price the 63' the same as the limited edition d304? Because the price is up there from what I gotten from carol.


----------



## Back

Check watchunique.com


----------



## yande

Is there any more news as regards Thomas being replaced? What is the new price that is being quoted? Bit of a shock for me as I have bought a few Seagulls off Thomas this past year. Thomas was one of the guys who I could trust, he always did the right thing and I have never read a negative remark about him. That has got to say something. Thankfully I bought 4 last time and still have 3 left. Might hang onto them.


----------



## sdchew

From what I'm reading from the other thread, the new price is USD475. Ouch


----------



## sirrtuan

I emailed Thomas yesterday and he got back to me today with the same price that I purchased from him a month ago.


----------



## linsook

sirrtuan said:


> I emailed Thomas yesterday and he got back to me today with the same price that I purchased from him a month ago.


lol sounds fishy. guess he took a batch with him when he left or perhaps that was the reason for his replacement.


----------



## sdchew

Alternatively, he could have struck out on his own. After all, he has been dealing with Seagull Tianjin for a while. Maybe someone should pay him a visit to find out?


----------



## yande

Thomas is wondering how this news got started. It IS business as usual for him.


----------



## linsook

yande said:


> Thomas is wondering how this news got started. It IS business as usual for him.


then who the hell is carol?


----------



## iam7head

linsook said:


> then who the hell is carol?


it doesn't really matter when she is asking 2.5 time $ for thomas's 1963


----------



## hked

LOL......

I called Thomas and he HAS branched out on his own, but I guess he still has his sources. The 1963 with sapphire crystal and display-back is still available (at a very reasonable price) and I have ordered a couple with acrylic crystals, although I'm not sure how long the wait will be.

Carol, I believe, is not to blame for the recent ridiculous price increases. She has just taken over from Thomas's at Tsinlien. Seagull is trying to go up-market and the M199s is selling for around US$1538 here in Hong Kong. The tourbillons have been marked up 100% from last year!!!!!

I guess the days of solid, relatively cheap offerings from Seagull are a thing of the past o|o|o|.


----------



## Back

Interesting and exciting to hear - I'm sure Thomas can do something very interesting with his own business! Any information on his future plans?

Perhaps he would then be best person as a contact for a possible WUS Chinese watch... :think:


----------



## sdchew

hked said:


> I guess the days of solid, relatively cheap offerings from Seagull are a thing of the past o|o|o|.


Agreed. Seagull seems to have drastically increased and have started to control the final price. Glad I bought my Kemmner tourbillon. Can't justify the 2x price difference for a dial marked with the Seagull name.

Let's wish Thomas all the best and hope he would be able to keep supplying us here in WUS!


----------



## hked

Didn't really ask him about his future plans, but please count me in for a WUS Edition Chinese watch :-d.


----------



## Pubcrawler

Had an issue with my 1963 - wouldn't wind. Sent an email to Thomas and returned the watch to be fixed and he responded that it would be taken care of and returned quickly. I'll let everyone know how it goes, but Thomas has been communicative and I'm confident this will all work out.


----------



## anjasola

If Thomas read this or anyone else who has contact info, i would like to purchase.


----------



## hked

You can email him here: [email protected].

Good luck with your hunt!!!


----------



## aleparma

Hello everyone!
It's my first post in this great forum, I am interesting to buy a seagull1963 with your group order.
The price is good for me, but i ask you general details and if shipping in italy is possible?
thank you and sorry for my bad english...


----------



## sdchew

aleparma said:


> Hello everyone!
> It's my first post in this great forum, I am interesting to buy a seagull1963 with your group order.
> The price is good for me, but i ask you general details and if shipping in italy is possible?
> thank you and sorry for my bad english...


Welcome! There isn't a group order. Just drop an email to Thomas (email address 1 post above) and tell him what you want and work out the shipping cost. Send him the money via paypal and you got it!


----------



## yande

aleparma said:


> Hello everyone!
> It's my first post in this great forum, I am interesting to buy a seagull1963 with your group order.
> The price is good for me, but i ask you general details and if shipping in italy is possible?
> thank you and sorry for my bad english...


I commend you for reading the thread, as the idea about a group order was posted sometime ago, though it did not work out. Face it, how much discount could one give on this watch that sells less than $US200. For that money I believe the Seagull 1963 Re-Issue to be one of the best buys one could make for that type of money. It has it all. Manual wind reliable movement with a column mounted chronograph, not to mention the history or the looks. A sensational buy. As regards to Thomas, he would have to be one of the more reliable, honest and sincere sellers that I have met. A pleasure to deal with and highly recommended. We hear of a few QC issues, but you only have to browse the Omega Forum for example, to see that Sh** happens to be best of them. Aleparma, you have good taste it seems.


----------



## iam7head

Anyone knows if there's a shape difference between the plastic vs sapphire version?

I love the looks of high dome plastic pop on vintage watches, I don't mind the extra maintenance but it seem thomas is out of plastic crystal 63 at the moment.

if there's no difference in crystal snape i might take the sapphire version, if you have a side profile of the 63 and don't mind posting that would be stellar.

I hope it's an interchangeable crystal unlike the plastic crystal on the speedmaster


----------



## AlbertaTime

Hi aleparma, I see you're getting good help from everyone, so this is just another _*W*__*E*__*L*__*C*__*O*__*M*__*E*_ to the Chinese Mechanical Watch forum at WUS! :-!


----------



## Oldheritage

Look for my thread about https://www.watchuseek.com/f72/my-1963-a-567608.html here: it contains some profile shots of the plastic crystal version. If I remember correctly, the sapphire version has a higher bezel.


----------



## sdchew

Here's some pics I took of the sapphire version next to the acrylic version.

https://www.watchuseek.com/showthread.php?p=3587564


----------



## iam7head

thanks guys looks like I'll have to wait for the plastic crystal from Thomas~


----------



## djw2122000

Early August I took delivery of Seagull 1963 reissue acrylic w/ exhibition caseback. I purchased from Thomas @ Seagull HK which I found through a link on this thread. Thomas was prompt in responding to my email inquiry and shipping the watch. I went with basic HK Post int'l shipping as I wasn't in a hurry. To my surprise the nicely wrapped package arrived at my door in exactly one week. I had done my research so I knew pretty much what I was buying. The watch is most interesting. Impressive that you can get a decent watch with column-wheel chrono (Seagull ST-19 mvmt) for under $200. True the 37mm (or maybe it's 36mm) case is a bit on the small side by today's standards but it's reminiscent of the 1960s. For those of you fashion consceience that's a good thing!!! The watch is reasonably accurate (I didn't expect cosc accuracy for under $200) and the chrono functions nicely. The chrono pushers have a nice feel to them. It came with an olive color nato strap and watch box. I picked up a Hadley-Roma #885 oil-tanned brown leather padded 17mm strap which I found to be a nice addition. Thanks to contributors to this post and Thomas @ Seagull HK.


----------



## aleparma

thank u!
i sent a mail to thomas, i'll give u news, bye!


----------



## samanderson

Hi 

Just so you know, this is the first time I have ever written on any forum so please exuse any unintended faux pas 

Thank you to all who have contributed to this thread so far; it was very informative and helpful. It is my birthday next week so I decided to "help" my wife find me a good present by choosing it for her. I do it every year and she prefers it that way (and so do I!). 

We just came back from overseas and I saw a watch that I thought was quite cool in the duty free magazine - a Skagen. That got me thinking about watches. My mate looks at fashion forums and one had an article about the Seagull 1963. I was immediately taken by it and decided that was what I wanted to get. Spent all day yesterday reading this thread and other related ones to try and come to grips with the number of variations of this watch: it is all rather complication but great fun. 

I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to find a supplier or not and so I was really pleased when I saw recent activity regarding Thomas still selling despite being replaced by Carol. I emailed him yesterday inquiring about buying one and he responded within the hour which was great. He said that he had the acrylic crystal version for US$190 and the Sapphire version for $220 plus shipping. Like many others on here I very much prefer the Acrylic version and so enquired about the configuration of the minute and second subdial hands on his current stock. He replied about 12 hours later saying that he had both configurations in stock at the moment (with the longer subdial hand on either the left or the right) and asked which one I would prefer. Brialliant!

So this morning I sent him $220 via Paypal ($190 + $20 shipping) and hope to see it here soonish. 

I am very excited that I was able to find a supplier and owe it all to those who contributed to this thread. So once again, thanks very much, and I shall be reporting on it when it arrives.

I actually like the look of the NATO strap but, like many others, want to be able to see the mechanism. Also, as the watch is quite high already I want a strap that will not raise it higher. So now all I have to do is find a suitable strap. Many possiblities - I like the challenge of finding just the 'right' strap.

Cheers
Sam


----------



## AaaVee

Is it normal that in watch winding process time-to-time happens cracking noise? During full winding it happens for 6-7 times. Functionally everything still works fine.
Is it common or it's just me?


----------



## Chronopolis

AaaVee said:


> Is it normal that in watch winding process time-to-time happens cracking noise? During full winding it happens for 6-7 times. Functionally everything still works fine.
> Is it common or it's just me?


I have a PARNIS power reserve model that does that. It also uses a Seagull movement. 
It's alarming to hear/feel that "cracking" noise/vibration. 
Drives me crazy, but the watch keeps ticking along just fine. Maybe it's the way they are made?


----------



## yande

My mate 'fluppyboy" took some photos of my 1963 and I thought that they were just too good not to share with you fellow enthusiasts. Thanks Rudi.


----------



## vokotin

Very beautiful photos:-! and thanks for sharing.
The more i see the "1963" the more i love it.

cheers,
vokotin


----------



## No Smoking

So after not wearing my watch for a week or so I decided to give it a wind. After about 15-20 winds of the crown I felt the crown start to click and now the crown just spins and I feel no resistance. Does anyone know what I broke? Surely 20winds isn't enough to overwind it, I've wound it more than 20 times before and not when it was fully depleted.


----------



## No Smoking

After playing around a bit with my watch I don't think I actually over wound it but rather after setting the time I don't think I pushed the crown in properly. Although this is strange considering I'm 99% sure I did push it all the way back in. Anyway after pulling the crown out and pushing it back in a few times everything seems to be back to normal. Anyone had a similar problem?


----------



## yande

I have not had the same problem with my 1963, but a couple of times since I became a WIS, (I think I can say that and not be pretentious) I have been amazed to find that I am wearing my watch with the crown out. I've usually discovered this when my "very expensive" watch suddenly has gained a couple of hours, or stopped. After recovering from the shock,and thinking about it, I just can't believe that I had done such a thing i.e., not secured the crown. My conclusion is that it is because I am a WIS that such errors occur. You "no smoking" use the word 'fiddle', and I think that is the cause for (my) such errors. Fiddling... Plus the fact that if I only had one watch, there would be very little setting the time, winding of automatics to get them started etc. But I love it, and I always try to learn from my, and my watches mistakes.

Glad to hear it all worked out good. There has been a couple of quality issues posts of late here and am glad this is not another.


----------



## samanderson

Well 6 days after paying Thomas via paypal my watch arrived. It happened to turn up on my birthday which was a real treat.
I am more than happy with the watch; I am thoroughly pleased with it and wrote to Thomas to tell him. I was a little suprised because I have not seen a watch on these forums which have the same variations as mine:
Crystal: Acrylic
Back: Display
Zuan: 19
Subdials: Shorter on right (seconds) and the longer one with the tail on the right (minute totaliser). (Note that the right subdial does not overhand the circle as i have seen in some variations.)
Crown: Signed

I think this is unsual because most of most of the watches from Thomas seem to have an unsigned crown. And most of them also have the subdials the opposite way around. The ones from Watchunique have signed crowns but they also have the subdials the opposite to mine. 
I am very pleased with my configuration and wouldn't change any of it - so I consider myself quite lucky.

I am also impressed with the accuracy of this watch: it only gained 4 seconds over 3 days. I also tested its power reserve and was pleased that it went for 50 hours and 58 minutes - much longer than the 34 hours stated on the pamphlet that came with it.

Finally a word about Thomas: as many have said I found him to be very helpful and easy to deal with. Some have reported that he is currently out of stock of the acrylic lens but I managed to get one no problem. I asked him about the configuration of the subdial hands and he said that he had both variations in stock and asked which one I would like. 24 hours after paying him I had not heard back so I emailed and asked him to confirm that he had received the money. He replied very quickly and saying he had posted it and gave me a tracking number. I totally recommend that anyone looking for one of these fantastic watches email Thomas.

Finally, I have posted a few pics. They are not as good as other ones I have seen on this forum, but they will have to do.








My daughter with my well timed present!








This is where it stopped after 50 hours and 58 minutes.








A beautiful dial
















The signed crown


----------



## yande

Hi there samanderson, great pics, especially the first one. Brings a smile to my heart.

Yes, Thomas is A1+. I have seen your configuration before, basically, (I think) they have reversed the hand set up as the chrono layout remains the same.

It seems that Thomas is always going ahead. First it was the clear case back, then the signed crown, then the custom boxes, and now a pamphlet! That is what makes Thomas Thomas! A 1963 legend. I hope my next purchase comes with some paperwork!

Photo was taken of my 1963 by a friend of mine, fluppyboy, who posts here on WUS.


----------



## paulie485

samanderson said:


> Well 6 days after paying Thomas via paypal my watch arrived. It happened to turn up on my birthday which was a real treat.
> I am more than happy with the watch; I am thoroughly pleased with it and wrote to Thomas to tell him. I was a little suprised because I have not seen a watch on these forums which have the same variations as mine:
> Crystal: Acrylic
> Back: Display
> Zuan: 19
> Subdials: Shorter on right (seconds) and the longer one with the tail on the right (minute totaliser). (Note that the right subdial does not overhand the circle as i have seen in some variations.)
> Crown: Signed
> 
> I think this is unsual because most of most of the watches from Thomas seem to have an unsigned crown. And most of them also have the subdials the opposite way around. The ones from Watchunique have signed crowns but they also have the subdials the opposite to mine.
> I am very pleased with my configuration and wouldn't change any of it - so I consider myself quite lucky.
> 
> I am also impressed with the accuracy of this watch: it only gained 4 seconds over 3 days. I also tested its power reserve and was pleased that it went for 50 hours and 58 minutes - much longer than the 34 hours stated on the pamphlet that came with it.
> 
> Finally a word about Thomas: as many have said I found him to be very helpful and easy to deal with. Some have reported that he is currently out of stock of the acrylic lens but I managed to get one no problem. I asked him about the configuration of the subdial hands and he said that he had both variations in stock and asked which one I would like. 24 hours after paying him I had not heard back so I emailed and asked him to confirm that he had received the money. He replied very quickly and saying he had posted it and gave me a tracking number. I totally recommend that anyone looking for one of these fantastic watches email Thomas.
> 
> Finally, I have posted a few pics. They are not as good as other ones I have seen on this forum, but they will have to do.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My daughter with my well timed present!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is where it stopped after 50 hours and 58 minutes.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A beautiful dial
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The signed crown


Very nice, Sam! Thomas just shipped my 1963 a couple of days ago so I figure to see it early next week. I second everything you've said about his great service. I am curious to see what version I get. He told me he only had sapphire crystal in stock. It sounds as though you have a preference for the acrylic. Any particular reason?

Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner


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## chirs1211

Hi, those are great pics, so thought i'd share mine, photos aren't great sorry, just done with my phone.
Cheers 
Chris


----------



## samanderson

Thanks to Yande, Chris1211, and Paulie485 for your comments on my photos. As much as I like your ones Yande no shots ever seem to do justice to these watches because they change so much depending on the light and the angle from which it is viewed.

Paulie485: Well done in purchasing - I'm sure that you will not be disappointed. I chose the Acrylic version for a couple or reasons. Firstly, I agree with others who have posted on this thread that the Acrylic looks a little more vintage. I like the dome shape as opposed to the flat Sapphire. However both version look fantastic - check out Yande's photo above of the Sapphire version.

The second reason was that scratches etc can be easily buffed out of the Acrylic. I know that the Sapphire is tougher but I am a bit of a perfectionist and it would annoy me so much if it did get scratched and I was unable to do anything about it.
It was, however, a tough decision and I would have been more than happy with the Sapphire version.

Cheers
Sam


----------



## paulie485

samanderson said:


> Thanks to Yande, Chris1211, and Paulie485 for your comments on my photos. As much as I like your ones Yande no shots ever seem to do justice to these watches because they change so much depending on the light and the angle from which it is viewed.
> 
> Paulie485: Well done in purchasing - I'm sure that you will not be disappointed. I chose the Acrylic version for a couple or reasons. Firstly, I agree with others who have posted on this thread that the Acrylic looks a little more vintage. I like the dome shape as opposed to the flat Sapphire. However both version look fantastic - check out Yande's photo above of the Sapphire version.
> 
> The second reason was that scratches etc can be easily buffed out of the Acrylic. I know that the Sapphire is tougher but I am a bit of a perfectionist and it would annoy me so much if it did get scratched and I was unable to do anything about it.
> It was, however, a tough decision and I would have been more than happy with the Sapphire version.
> 
> Cheers
> Sam


Interesting. It seems the sapphire has the small dials reversed. I am very hard on watches so the less of anything that is sticking up, and the tougher it is, the better  I learned to live with dings a long time ago. In fact the more gray hair I got, the less I stressed about having my watches reflect my "character"  it's sort of like what they say about dogs resembling their masters.

Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner


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## paulie485

paulie485 said:


> Interesting. It seems the sapphire has the small dials reversed. I am very hard on watches so the less of anything that is sticking up, and the tougher it is, the better  I learned to live with dings a long time ago. In fact the more gray hair I got, the less I stressed about having my watches reflect my "character". It's kind of like what they say about dogs resembling their masters.
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner


Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner


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## yande

samanderson said:


> .........check out Yande's photo above of the Sapphire version.......Cheers
> Sam


I think full credit belongs to my mate fluppyboy, who took this photo of my *ACRYLIC* version.... How true Sam, change the angle, change the light, and something different subtly gleams back at you. I showed this watch to another WUS, who had not seen it before in the metal, and he was in awe of the blue hands, the blued screws and the column mounted chronograph, and when I mentioned the price, his statement was "unbelievable!" And then the chrono reset pusher came out.!!o| I was then the one that was thinking "unbelievable." 
I promptly emailed Thomas about this, and was told that last years releases had a little problem with this occuring, and the mechanism used to hold the pusher is still in the watch, and an easy fix, and that that problem has now been resolved. After stating that he kindly told me that I could send the watch back, (I bought it about 8 months ago, it is my personal 1963, and I have removed the red script off the see thru case back (with polywatch)) and then also gave me a detailed explaination on how to fix it.

Seeing as I have started this FREE DIY course, Nicholas Hacko Watchmaker Sydney | Rolex | OMEGA | PATEK | Panerai watches I may just hold off for a little while on sending it back. (Mods, as you can see this is not a business advert, but a link to a FREE DIY course, run by a watchmaker, who also sells watches. I have no affiliation what so ever, except as stated.)


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## samanderson

Hi Yande
SORRY about mistaking your crystal. When I look back at the previous pictures you posted I can see that it is certainly the acrylic but in the single one you posted later on it looks flat and so very clear.

Disappointing about the pusher but great to hear that Thomas is happy for you to send it back. 

I followed your link to the DIY course - it looks really interesting! I am now scouring New Zealand's version of ebay for a Seiko so that I can join in. Thanks for posting hte link!

Sam


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## paulie485

I just opened up a package from HK and inside was my lovely 1963 Reissue. It is much more delicate and refined than I had been expecting. I figured we could do without anoother unveiling scene - we've all seen lots of packages with funny writing on them. I will try to put up some photos that do it justice when I get the time.

In the meantime I have a practical question about the movement. There was no documentation with the watch so I assumed I could just wind it up as usual with a mechanical watch. I was surprised to find that after 30-40 winds it did not wind up tight. Does this particular movement have an escape mechanism to prevent over-winding? OR did I just not wind it enough. Thanks for any tips. I'm quite excited about this watch|>:-d|>


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## samanderson

paulie485 said:


> In the meantime I have a practical question about the movement. There was no documentation with the watch so I assumed I could just wind it up as usual with a mechanical watch. I was surprised to find that after 30-40 winds it did not wind up tight. Does this particular movement have an escape mechanism to prevent over-winding? OR did I just not wind it enough. Thanks for any tips. I'm quite excited about this watch|>:-d|>


Hi Paulie485 - congrats on the watch. I agree, it is a lovely little watch when you see it for real. My watch does wind up tight. It took me a little over 40 winds the first time until I felt the tension. If I wind mine after 24 hours it takes around 21 winds, and after 48 hours around 40, so I'm not surprised that yours took at least 40. I'd keep going for a few more winds.

Sam


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## paulie485

samanderson said:


> Hi Paulie485 - congrats on the watch. I agree, it is a lovely little watch when you see it for real. My watch does wind up tight. It took me a little over 40 winds the first time until I felt the tension. If I wind mine after 24 hours it takes around 21 winds, and after 48 hours around 40, so I'm not surprised that yours took at least 40. I'd keep going for a few more winds.
> 
> Sam


Sam, absolutely right. I stuck with it for a few more winds and it came up tight. I spent all afternoon staring at the dial - lovely.


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## MHe225

paulie485 said:


> I just opened up a package from HK and inside was my lovely 1963 Reissue .... There was no documentation with the watch ... |>:-d|>


Congrats Paul. I know exactly what you mean; the 1963 Reissue is a little beauty |>

I didn't receive any documentation either and I e-mailed Thomas asking for a manual. I'm attaching what he sent to me; no information on winding, but still a few things that are good to know.

Enjoy your new watch.
RonB

*PS* - still don't know what to do with this watch: keep it for myself or give it to my wife (who was born in '63). In the latter case, I may need to order one more


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## paulie485

MHe225 said:


> Congrats Paul. I know exactly what you mean; the 1963 Reissue is a little beauty |>
> 
> I didn't receive any documentation either and I e-mailed Thomas asking for a manual. I'm attaching what he sent to me; no information on winding, but still a few things that are good to know.
> 
> Enjoy your new watch.
> RonB
> 
> *PS* - still don't know what to do with this watch: keep it for myself or give it to my wife (who was born in '63). In the latter case, I may need to order one more
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 510016


Thanks, Ron. Useful stuff, although nothing surprising.


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## sdchew

Could someone explain to me what item 1 on the list of caution means?


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## paulie485

sdchew said:


> could someone explain to me what item 1 on the list of caution means?


delete post. Wrong info.


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## chirs1211

Hi, on my 1963 turning the crown clockwise moves the hands clockwise.
I have the 21 jewel from watchunique, don't know if that makes a diffrence from the 19 jewel or not.








Chris


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## paulie485

chirs1211 said:


> Hi, on my 1963 turning the crown clockwise moves the hands clockwise.
> I have the 21 jewel from watchunique, don't know if that makes a diffrence from the 19 jewel or not.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Chris


Chris you are correct. I went and checked mine again. I'm not sure how I missed it, but mine is the same - clockwise crown, clockwise hands. So what does the caution mean? Now I can't make any sense of it. Even the premise is wrong.

Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner


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## A.Russell

These watches look great, though I am hesitant because they are Chinese (synonymous with poor quality). I have yet to own anything from china that wasn't poorly made, even if they were trying to copy a Western or Japanese design. I've seen so many people who have bought a Chinese motorcycle because it was supposed to have a copy Honda motor who have had nothing but trouble with them. 

Even the best quality fake watches from China with sapphire chrystal and automatic movements don't cost more than $ 100 (unless you are a naive foreigner), and I wonder how they justify $ 180.

What is special about these watches that puts them in the same price category as a quality Japanese watch? 

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk


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## chirs1211

sdchew said:


> Could someone explain to me what item 1 on the list of caution means?


Could you re post this list mate, can't seem to find it

Thanks 
Chris


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## Oldheritage

For starters, try finding a mechanical chronograph from a Japanese brand in this price range. Second, if you'd see this watch in the flesh, the finish is really great. I own Japanese watches in this price range, and they are absolutely comparable finish wise (case, dial, hands,...).


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## yande

A.Russell said:


> These watches look great, though I am hesitant because they are Chinese (synonymous with poor quality). I have yet to own anything from china that wasn't poorly made, even if they were trying to copy a Western or Japanese design. I've seen so many people who have bought a Chinese motorcycle because it was supposed to have a copy Honda motor who have had nothing but trouble with them.
> 
> Even the best quality fake watches from China with sapphire chrystal and automatic movements don't cost more than $ 100 (unless you are a naive foreigner), and I wonder how they justify $ 180.
> 
> What is special about these watches that puts them in the same price category as a quality Japanese watch?
> 
> Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk


Perhaps start with a read from here....
https://www.watchuseek.com/f20/chinese-speedmaster-pro-169896.html

Actually this is the wrong thread that I posted, currently looking for another by M4tt, just after he received his 1963.. Sorry about that.

Here you go, try this one.. https://www.watchuseek.com/f20/1963-169653.html


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## A.Russell

I webby to your link. There was a very unflattering post in there about one persons impression of its quality. 

I also did a search for the movement and discovered it was
An old swiss movement that the Chinese purchased. It is very old, and I doubt the Chinese build it to the same standard as the Swiss did. 

Seiko did manufacture a cheap mechanical Chronograph for a short time. I don't know why they discontinued it.

I'm still not convinced. It certainly looks nice, and a that it is a mechanical chronograph is very cool. I don't know that it is quality or worth $ 180 dollars, though. Maybe they have two prices, like $ 60 for Chinese and $180 for westerners. 

Edit: okay, I followed that second link. Looks a lot more interesting now. Maybe this its a rare exception in quality and certainly interesting historically. It does look attractive, too. 


Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk


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## samanderson

I read all of your first link looking for the relevance to A.Russell's question and thought that I must have been going crazy! Then I came back to find you have edited it - your second link was great thanks.

In response to A.Russell - I have recently bought a 1963. I do understand your concern about chinese products. I am a complete watch novice (it's my first) but this watch is fantastic and has started a bit of an obsession really - my wife is a little concerned because now I am looking for a 1960's Seamaster ("but you've just bought a watch!" she says.)

I love the fact that it has a genuine swiss column wheel movement, that mine has great accuracy (+4 secs after 3 days running), awazing detail on the dial, and quite an unsual look.


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## Nick1958

A.Russell said:


> These watches look great, though I am hesitant because they are Chinese (synonymous with poor quality). I have yet to own anything from china that wasn't poorly made, even if they were trying to copy a Western or Japanese design. I've seen so many people who have bought a Chinese motorcycle because it was supposed to have a copy Honda motor who have had nothing but trouble with them.
> 
> Even the best quality fake watches from China with sapphire chrystal and automatic movements don't cost more than $ 100 (unless you are a naive foreigner), and I wonder how they justify $ 180.
> 
> What is special about these watches that puts them in the same price category as a quality Japanese watch?
> 
> Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk


I would take issue that everything Chinese is cheap rubbish. If you walk around the big stores in China, the goods on offer are every bit as good as you would find in Europe (most of the stuff in our shops is made in China anyway) I have several good quality Chinese watches, by Shanghai/Seagull that I really like. They may not be in the same class an an Omega, but they are strong and reliable, keep very good time, and look pretty good. I do not own a 1963 at the moment, but I'm hoping to buy one soon. From reading this thread, they seem to be reasonably good quality, and I love the style.


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## A.Russell

I just edited my post. If you guys can vouch for it, it must be good. 

I hope you can understand my apprehension.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk


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## Oldheritage

Everyone is entitled to his own opinion and nobody has to like Chinese watches, no problem there. I like Russian and Chinese watches for what they are. I own some more expensive Swiss and Japanese watches, and they are lovely pieces as well of course. Some of my tastes are simply better suited by Chinese or Russian watches, like inexpensive but reliable mechanical chronographs. You can't beat the Russians (Poljot 3133) or the Chinese (ST-19) on that.


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## yande

Yes, sorry about the first link. Good to see others perspectives though.

As regards Chinese quality, well I'm sold... My wife is Chinese... 

I hear a lot of "China bashing" not saying anyone has done that here, (more so media) though if you have not experienced the people and the culture, you really have no idea as to how much we could learn from them, especially considering how fast they are learning from us. Come to think of it, you only have to read the Financials to come to that conclusion.

I remember not too long ago when everything "Made in Japan" was rubbish, ok, I'm showing my age now, but think cameras, watches etc. It really is an amazing world.


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## paulie485

A.Russell said:


> These watches look great, though I am hesitant because they are Chinese (synonymous with poor quality). I have yet to own anything from china that wasn't poorly made, even if they were trying to copy a Western or Japanese design. I've seen so many people who have bought a Chinese motorcycle because it was supposed to have a copy Honda motor who have had nothing but trouble with them.
> 
> Even the best quality fake watches from China with sapphire chrystal and automatic movements don't cost more than $ 100 (unless you are a naive foreigner), and I wonder how they justify $ 180.
> 
> What is special about these watches that puts them in the same price category as a quality Japanese watch?
> 
> Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk


I just received my first chinese watch, a 1963 Reissue that cost $180 shipped. After a few days living with it, I can happily report this post is nonsense.

Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner


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## paulie485

chirs1211 said:


> Could you re post this list mate, can't seem to find it
> 
> Thanks
> Chris


Check a few posts back. MHe225 posted it as an attachment. I can't figure out how to copy it on my mobile. PM me if you can't find and I will do something on my desktop.

Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner


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## MHe225

paulie485 said:


> Check a few posts back. MHe225 posted it as an attachment. I can't figure out how to copy it on my mobile. PM me if you can't find and I will do something on my desktop.


The old forum software allowed us to attach pdf-files to a post. Not anymore, so I took a screen capture of the little document that Thomas had sent and pasted it in my earlier post. 
Paul, Chris or anyone else, if you want the pdf or doc (MS Word - that's what Thomas actually sent) version of this little manual, send me a PM with your e-address and I will forward it to you.

RonB


----------



## paulie485

MHe225 said:


> The old forum software allowed us to attach pdf-files to a post. Not anymore, so I took a screen capture of the little document that Thomas had sent and pasted it in my earlier post.
> Paul, Chris or anyone else, if you want the pdf or doc (MS Word - that's what Thomas actually sent) version of this little manual, send me a PM with your e-address and I will forward it to you.
> 
> RonB


Thanks, Ron - - I'm able to print it off. I just couldn't transfer it into a new post using my iPad. I can't figure out why forums are not willing to support copy-and-paste functions. This is not the only one - TZ is even more Neanderthal. Maybe they are trying to make it more difficult for people to grab and publish copyrighted material.


----------



## AlbertaTime

A.Russell said:


> These watches look great, though I am hesitant because they are Chinese (synonymous with poor quality). I have yet to own anything from china that wasn't poorly made, even if they were trying to copy a Western or Japanese design. I've seen so many people who have bought a Chinese motorcycle because it was supposed to have a copy Honda motor who have had nothing but trouble with them.
> 
> Even the best quality fake watches from China with sapphire chrystal and automatic movements don't cost more than $ 100 (unless you are a naive foreigner), and I wonder how they justify $ 180.
> 
> What is special about these watches that puts them in the same price category as a quality Japanese watch?
> 
> Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk


_*W*__*E*__*L*__*C*__*O*__*M*__*E*_ to the Chinese Mechanical Watch forum!

Your hesitation is understandable, but we're not dealing here with a watch company with short and mostly fictional history. This is an affordable in-house column wheel chronograph built and assembled by a Chinese company with over 55 years years watchmaking experience.

You can read the company's history here: Tianjin Seagull - Chinese Watch Industry Wiki

Here's a tear-down of the movement: https://www.watchuseek.com/f72/another-inside-look-seagull-1901-a-225110.html

and, although not regarding the ST-19, here's a tear-down and comparison of a different Sea-Gull and a closely comparable ETA movement: https://www.watchuseek.com/f72/st18-eta-2892-2-review-257999-post1877875.html that might help you judge relative quality.


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## AlbertaTime

Nick1958 said:


> ...I have several good quality Chinese watches, by Shanghai/Seagull that I really like. They may not be in the same class an an Omega, but they are strong and reliable, keep very good time, and look pretty good....


Agreed, and _*W*__*E*__*L*__*C*__*O*__*M*__*E*_ to the WUS Chinese Mechanical Watch forum!


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## A.Russell

Okay, I'm sold already! 


Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk


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## sdchew

MHe225 said:


> Congrats Paul. I know exactly what you mean; the 1963 Reissue is a little beauty |>
> 
> I didn't receive any documentation either and I e-mailed Thomas asking for a manual. I'm attaching what he sent to me; no information on winding, but still a few things that are good to know.
> 
> Enjoy your new watch.
> RonB
> 
> *PS* - still don't know what to do with this watch: keep it for myself or give it to my wife (who was born in '63). In the latter case, I may need to order one more
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 510016





chirs1211 said:


> Could you re post this list mate, can't seem to find it
> 
> Thanks
> Chris


Here you go. Click the link above which says attachment


----------



## Chascomm

A.Russell said:


> I webby to your link. There was a very unflattering post in there about one persons impression of its quality.


Looking over all the comments regarding actual experience of the 1963 reissue, it would seem that not all the reissues were made in the same batch and thus there is much variation in quality and price. Overall it is probably not quite up to the standard of a 100% Tianjin-made Sea-Gull product. It still looks and feels fantastic in the metal and I regret having not yet purchased one for myself.

Most common issues seems to be related to the adjustment of the chronograph functions. This being an old-school design, everything is adjustable, unlike an ETA 7750. There's a good side and a bad side to that.



> I also did a search for the movement and discovered it was
> An old swiss movement that the Chinese purchased. It is very old, and I doubt the Chinese build it to the same standard as the Swiss did.


There are signs that when Sea-Gull dusted off the old Venus 175/ST3 design, they did some detailed redesign to make the ST19. I would hazard a guess that the raw ebauche bolts together with less finishing required than the old Swiss version. A late 1950s report by the chief engineer of the A.Schild company stated that all Swiss movements (apart from the low-end pin-lever stuff) required some degree of hand-finishing just to reach the ebauche stage.

So how good is the ST19 ebauche? I've seen at least two Swiss manufacturers passing off refinished ST19s as their own work. One of these was in the tens of thousands of euros price bracket.



> Seiko did manufacture a cheap mechanical Chronograph for a short time. I don't know why they discontinued it.


But was it really cheap? In today's money, would it have come in under $200? Probably a better basis for comparison would be Russian chronographs, which do not use the expensive-to-manufacture column-wheel system of the ST19 and yet have been climbing in price over the last decade. Try finding one below $400.



> I'm still not convinced. It certainly looks nice, and a that it is a mechanical chronograph is very cool. I don't know that it is quality or worth $ 180 dollars, though.


I'd look at it this way: considering the number and complexity of the components in this design, I'd be more concerned if the price was much lower than this. It would suggest the use of factory seconds.



> Edit: okay, I followed that second link. Looks a lot more interesting now. Maybe this its a rare exception in quality and certainly interesting historically. It does look attractive, too.


Yeah, it's got a kind of magic, doesn't it?

I'm not sure about the 'rare exception' thing. If you look carefully around you, you may be surprised at the number of high-quality Chinese products you use every day.


----------



## paulie485

Chascomm said:


> I'm not sure about the 'rare exception' thing. If you look carefully around you, you may be surprised at the number of high-quality Chinese products you use every day.


For example, your iPhone or iPad. Your computer. Many of your kitchen appliances. If you ate at mcdonalds this week, your food was cooked on equipment made in china. It goes on and on.

Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner


----------



## zgold922

Sorry, I know I'm late to the party...but I am very interested in purchasing this watch. Can somebody tell me how to order it? Also, a) what is the size, 42mm? and b) does it have a see-thru caseback?


----------



## paulie485

Just send Thomas an email and he will give you his paypal information. His address is found at the beginning of this thread. I just ordered one and it was a fine buying experience and I love the watch. I believe it is somewhat smaller than 42mm and it does have a display back. You may get a sapphire crystal or not depending in which is in stock.


----------



## samanderson

Great choice of watch - I love my 1963!


----------



## yande

paulie485 said:


> I believe it is somewhat smaller than 42mm and it does have a display back. You may get a sapphire crystal or not depending in which is in stock.


Or how long you are prepared to wait for the next production run. Not usually too long, and definitely worth it, though in all honesty I have never held a Sapphire version..
The Acrylic (with display back) version is approx 37mm in width, without the crown and 40mm including the crown. Depth is 14mm. Solid case back is slightly thinner. 1mm perhaps.

As Samanderson states, "I love my 1963" ('s) |>|>


----------



## OuiMonsieur

Sent a mail to Thomas with no answer yet (sent yesterday). Can someone give all the info?

thanks!


edit: Just got the email today! nvm!


----------



## White Tuna

I purchased oneof these a couple of months back from Thomas. I am blown away by the looks.This is one of the best looking watches I have ever seen. I can tell the handsare blue in most light and they are nice.

I have put a big scratch on the crystal. How do I remove it?

Also even though I love this watch it just stops sometimes. It seems to stopwhen I wind it to the end after which it runs for a few minutes and stops andthen at other times when it is sat down....perhaps it does not like the angleit is laying at.

I may be able to get a watch pro to look at it. He wears and Omega and is proba Swiss movement enthusiast. Would it be worth having him look at it? Also, isthere anything I should ask him to look at? Love the watch and it would be myeveryday wear if it did not stop.


----------



## sdchew

Polywatch would help with that scratch. 

Yeah, might be a good idea to have your friend look at it. Mine doesn't stop until the power reserve runs down.


----------



## samanderson

Hi WHite Tuna
What cyrstal did you get: acrylic or sapphire? Depending on the depth of the scratch then it should buff out with polywatch.

Regarding the problem of the watch stopping. I have read of many people who have had problems and contacted Thomas. He has always seemed to work to resolve any problems. My first port of call would be to contact him.

All the best


----------



## White Tuna

sdchew said:


> Polywatch would help with that scratch.
> 
> Yeah, might be a good idea to have your friend look at it. Mine doesn't stop until the power reserve runs down.





samanderson said:


> Hi WHite Tuna
> What cyrstal did you get: acrylic or sapphire? Depending on the depth of the scratch then it should buff out with polywatch.
> 
> Regarding the problem of the watch stopping. I have read of many people who have had problems and contacted Thomas. He has always seemed to work to resolve any problems. My first port of call would be to contact him.
> 
> All the best


Thanks guys. I will try polywatch and email Thomas. I am pretty sure I have the acrylic....It is never cool to the touch and I did not pay for an upgrade.

Great watch though!


----------



## samanderson

The acrylic is domed when looking at it side on. It is likely to be that as the sapphire is pretty tough to scratch. I agree, the watch is fantastic!


----------



## Riccardostanco

Hello guys,

This watch looks awesome and i want one! But i don't want to buy it from some dodgy seller on ebay, and i live in Holland.
So where to buy this watch?

Riccardo


----------



## yande

Riccardostanco said:


> Hello guys,
> 
> This watch looks awesome and i want one! But i don't want to buy it from some dodgy seller on ebay, and i live in Holland.
> So where to buy this watch?
> 
> Riccardo


Read the thread. It is mentioned about 20 times in the last 3 months, and the read will make you love the watch all the more. Perhaps someone may enable you more than I, but really..... I'm most probably the dodgy seller on Ebay you are referring to. FWIW.. I'm not a dodgy seller, read my feedback.


----------



## wildpack

I searched ebay for "1963 watch" and nothing comes up.

Good thing I bought mine from Thomas last week.

(You send money to this guy in China, and he immediately sends you a very nice watch. Rarely, but sometimes, things really are as good as they sound.)


----------



## Back

Riccardostanco said:


> Hello guys,
> 
> This watch looks awesome and i want one! But i don't want to buy it from some dodgy seller on ebay, and i live in Holland.
> So where to buy this watch?
> 
> Riccardo


Home page is based in NL.

Good luck in your hunt


----------



## hked

You can shoot an email to Thomas [email protected] or Carol [email protected] (both from Hong Kong). Definitely reliable as many forum members will attest to  



Riccardostanco said:


> Hello guys,
> 
> This watch looks awesome and i want one! But i don't want to buy it from some dodgy seller on ebay, and i live in Holland.
> So where to buy this watch?
> 
> Riccardo


----------



## yande

yande said:


> Read the thread. It is mentioned about 20 times in the last 3 months, and the read will make you love the watch all the more. Perhaps someone may enable you more than I, but really..... I'm most probably the dodgy seller on Ebay you are referring to. FWIW.. I'm not a dodgy seller, read my feedback.


Just for the record... and my reputation. Immediately after posting this reply I PM'd Riccardo with Thomas's email address, and we went onto have a nice chat about the 1963. In my way, I was trying to make a point about doing some research, even try the search button, but the title of this thread basically tells anyone that the Search function is not needed here. WUS, (any forum) gets the same questions time and time again, and the answers have all have been answered before and are held within. I've even posted Thomas's email address numerous times on this thread.

I suggest, if you are new to this great thread, start at page 1, and have a read, at worst, the photos on this thread will keep you enthralled.

Thanks HKED for posting Thomas's email address, you are a gentleman.


----------



## samanderson

Hi Mark. I totally agree with you. When I someone directed me to this thread I read it from start to finish and found all the information that I needed. And reading the thread gave me a real appreciation for this watch and made me even more keen to get one - so it is well worth it. Good on you.


----------



## ColinW

Hi guys,
I love this watch but I'm concerned it maybe a bit small for me. Most listings have it at "38mm" but I think I've seen it at "36mm" too. Has anyone taken a digital caliper to one and gotten an exact, without the crown, measurement?

Also, what's the lug size? I'd want to look into a leather strap too. 

Thanks in advance!


----------



## yande

Dimensions of the stainless steel case are approx 37mm in width (37.2 mm to be exact), without the crown and 40mm including the crown. One of those watches that seems to wear bigger than the numbers suggest.


----------



## samanderson

Some of the surface has come off the dial in small pieces and floats around between the dial and crystal. It is hard to photograph but I have put one below. You can see some tiny pieces above the n in "zuan" and below the u. There is also a big piece on the minutes totalizer dial. You can see where it has started to flake off between the 5 minutes mark and the edge of the dial.









I emailed Thomas and he said to send it back. I sent it yesterday - hopefully it doesn't take too long.


----------



## vokotin

Sorry to see that!
However, the most important thing is that you'll get your 1963 fixed very soon.
Thomas after sale service is outstanding.


----------



## samanderson

Thanks vokotin. I have found Thomas to be excellent so I am not concerned.


----------



## ColinW

yande said:


> Dimensions of the stainless steel case are approx 37mm in width (37.2 mm to be exact), without the crown and 40mm including the crown. One of those watches that seems to wear bigger than the numbers suggest.


Thanks for the reply!

That explains why I've seen it at both 36mm and 38mm. 
Hmmm... I'll keep thinking about it. The only thing much below 40mm that gets any wrist-time is my vintage Omega dress watch - and then only with a suit.

Somewhere in the thread, there was talk on a 40mm version coming out. Any news on that?


----------



## ANZAC56

How did I miss this one, I was in HK in January at a Seagull dealer -- (Han Tai Fook ?) didn't see this one at all. Might need glasses as well. I've sent an email to the famous Thomas, so here's hoping..


----------



## hked

This particular 1963 variation is not available through Chow Tai Fook, although they may have had a D304 reissue.

Good luck with getting hold of one, I'm sure Thomas will give you the star treatment!



ANZAC56 said:


> How did I miss this one, I was in HK in January at a Seagull dealer -- (Han Tai Fook ?) didn't see this one at all. Might need glasses as well. I've sent an email to the famous Thomas, so here's hoping..


----------



## chichiri20x7

Just put in my order with thomas for a sapphire one. can't wait til it arrives.


----------



## samanderson

Nice one, I'm sure that you'll love it.


----------



## frantsous

I trust this forum. So I ordered a Seagull 63 to Thomas.

And I received it today:









I cannot understand that Thomas didn't do a verification of the watch before sending it.

I will see now how is the after sale service. I emailed him and wait for the answer.


----------



## lambretta

I have just finished ordering a sapphire with see through back. Thomas has quoted usd $220 + $35 Postage to Australia. My first hand winder. Has anyone got any pics with it on a Hirsh Medici? Would the curved ends fit the 1963 case? And finally lug width 18mm?


----------



## paulie485

lambretta said:


> I have just finished ordering a sapphire with see through back. Thomas has quoted usd $220 + $35 Postage to Australia. My first hand winder. Has anyone got any pics with it on a Hirsh Medici? Would the curved ends fit the 1963 case? And finally lug width 18mm?


Don't have the pics you need, but I am sure you will enjoy the watch. I wore mine today and it is really sharp.

Paul


----------



## yande

*A Strange Thing Happened to MY 1963
*(Apologies for the long post)

I've purchased around 8 x 1963's from Thomas. I have been selling them on, though the bottom seems to have fallen out of the market. Earlier I had got results of over $360, though of late it is more like $240. I have one left to go apart from the one my wife bought me, my first 1963, and I will never sell that one.

I was showing my collection to another WUS member some 4 or so months ago, and after viewing some of my more expensive watches, we got to my 1963. Just as he was "oohing" and "aahing" over the watch, I then heard an "oops", and in his hand lay the chrono reset pusher. I was slightly embarrassed, as I had been extolling the virtues of the 1963, and he was shaken thinking that he may have broken it. No problem, I stated and carefully stored it away.

It had been over 12 months since I had bought that particular watch from Thomas, and when I emailed him with my problem, his first comment was, "send it back to me and I will get it fixed for you." He then went onto to state that some of the earlier models have suffered from the same problem and the later models have had this fault rectified. He then told me that it was not a difficult fix, and perhaps I may like to try to do it myself, if not, send it back.

Today I finally took the case back off, and situated in the pusher tube was the tiniest circlip that I had ever seen. I managed to place it back onto the pusher, give it a squeeze to secure it to the pin, and got it all back together.

Firstly I would like to commend Thomas for the great after sales service and assistance that he offered and gave me. In this world of fast dollars and short memories, I feel he is truly an exception. Secondly, although I own a set of screwdrivers, prior to this, I had only taken the backs off a few of my older, no value watches. This was my first screwdriver on screws experience, and sure, it was one of the easiest fixes one could imagine, but the feeling of succeeding, having the watch back together, all chrono functions working, was unbelievably uplifting.
In the following photos, you can see how I mangled one of the movement mounting screws, but hey I learnt a lot from that mistake. Correct screwdriver for the correct screw! And yes, I did secure that mount before I closed the case..

I still feel that the 1963 to be one of the best watches available for the money and Thomas one of the best when it comes to customer service..










Back together again...


----------



## FUMAO

Just picked up two of these from Thomas this week and I have to say they are fantastic. Great service, great value and a great first Chinese watch to add to my small but growing collection of watches.

Also need to thank hked, he offered to meet up and show me his version of the Sea-Gull before I purchased, he called Thomas on my behalf while I was there and showed me a couple of great Shanghai's that he owned. Thanks again ed.

Anyway here is mine on a leather NATO (or is it a Zulu?)


----------



## hked

My pleasure and a belated welcome to the forum  

So what's your next target?


----------



## chirs1211

Hi, just wondering if there were any differences between the 21 and 19 jewel versions, apart from 2 jewels.
Is Thomas selling only the 21jewel now?
Chris


----------



## vokotin

chirs1211 said:


> Hi, just wondering if there were any differences between the 21 and 19 jewel versions, apart from 2 jewels.
> Is Thomas selling only the 21jewel now?
> Chris


I think he sells both versions, the only difference is the crystal used.
From what i see here, 21 jewels are sapphire versions and 19 jewels are acrylic versions.

cheers.


----------



## samanderson

From what I can remember from other posts, I think that the jewel count for both watches is the same - the movement is the same in both versions and they both have 21 jewels. However, many of them have been labelled "19 zuan" as a reference to the orginal 1963 which only had 19 jewels. 
How's Swansea? I had a good night in the Yates there back in 2005.


----------



## chirs1211

Ahh that sparks a memory from something i read before, i'd forgotten about that 
Swansea's good thanks, getting a bit colder and darker now as we're heading into winter, Yates hasn't changed much from what i can remember, not been there in a while, i'm glad Swansea showed you a good night when you were over here though
Cheers
Chris


----------



## samanderson

Well it took 4 weeks but I just received an email from Thomas saying that my watch has been fixed and is on its way back. I kinda expected him to just send me another one but he sent it back to the factory to have the dial refinished - which is fine by me so long as it looks good. 

I must again commend Thomas on his after-sale service. I had email updates from him when he received the watch from me and when he sent it back. He also replied very promptly to any emails that I sent him. Anyone thinking about the 1963 but concerned about QC with a chinese product can buy with confidence from Thomas.

Now it's just the waiting game.
sam


----------



## DPflaumer

Just because I haven't checked through this thread in a *LONG *time, where is the best place to get one of these? I think I'm finally ready to take the plunge.


----------



## wildpack

samanderson said:


> I must again commend Thomas on his after-sale service. I had email updates from him when he received the watch from me and when he sent it back. He also replied very promptly to any emails that I sent him. Anyone thinking about the 1963 but concerned about QC with a chinese product can buy with confidence from Thomas.


Thomas seems to work long hours too. Emails from him at 2:00AM and watches shipped at 8:00AM.
I'm still happy with my 1963.


----------



## paulie485

wildpack said:


> Thomas seems to work long hours too. Emails from him at 2:00AM and watches shipped at 8:00AM.
> I'm still happy with my 1963.


+1 great service from Thomas, lovely watch.

Paul


----------



## samanderson

wildpack said:


> Thomas seems to work long hours too. Emails from him at 2:00AM and watches shipped at 8:00AM.
> I'm still happy with my 1963.


I know! Mine was sent at 7am - the guy must live on virtually no sleep.


----------



## samanderson

International shipping is a curious beast. Thomas sent my watch on Monday and it arrived at my door on Thursday. It cost him US$4.50. When I sent the watch back it cost me US$16.50 and took 2 weeks. Go figure.

Anyway, the watch is back and I'm mostly happy. It is obviously the same watch that I sent him because there was a small scuff on the crystal that is still there. I can also see, very faintly, that the dial has been touched up and not replaced. I think that I expected him to possibly replace the whole unit, or, at minimum, the dial. That is my only slight disappointment. You have to look very carefully, and know what you are looking for, but I know that it's there. But I just have to chalk it up as the history of this watch.

He did however replace the minute hand (which had a small white mark on it) and allign the chronometer second hand (red) fully with the 12, which had been buggin me. I stand by my earlier comment that his after sale service is very good. So thanks again Thomas


----------



## IanC

Keep in mind hong kong post is much cheaper than NZ post(partly due to currency rates, but i think HK post is heavily subsidised or something)


----------



## miroman

Hi,

how can I contact Thomas? I'd like to take one 1963.


----------



## MHe225

miroman said:


> Hi, how can I contact Thomas? I'd like to take one 1963.


Ha, now I can return the favor. Check my post in this thread: https://www.watchuseek.com/f72/chinese-brand-chronograph-595647.html#post4357479 It has all the info you need and then some more. Good luck. You probably already now: it's a lovely little watch, even nicer in real life than in the photos.

RonB


----------



## miroman

MHe225 said:


> Ha, now I can return the favor. Check my post in this thread: https://www.watchuseek.com/f72/chinese-brand-chronograph-595647.html#post4357479 It has all the info you need and then some more. Good luck. You probably already now: it's a lovely little watch, even nicer in real life than in the photos.
> 
> RonB


 Thank You Ron. I just have sent him a mail . As I understand he is very busy, I hope he will succeed to answer. |>


----------



## atthaphon

Luckily, after searching for a place to order Seagull 1963, I raninto this post. After reading through all comments, I managed to get one from Thomas. Yes, with better price compared to other sources, and with good feeling that I will be well-serviced just in case of claim.

This is my first chinese watch,but have had more my wrist time than my other swiss watches. I really like the smooth pusher feeling when functioning the chrono, and the beauty of the dial and hands.

By the way, I love to see Seagull market this model in higher level, with better case , hands, and dial finish. and I will be the very first to buy one even with much higher price.


----------



## linsook

atthaphon said:


> Luckily, after searching for a place to order Seagull 1963, I raninto this post. After reading through all comments, I managed to get one from Thomas. Yes, with better price compared to other sources, and with good feeling that I will be well-serviced just in case of claim.
> 
> This is my first chinese watch,but have had more my wrist time than my other swiss watches. I really like the smooth pusher feeling when functioning the chrono, and the beauty of the dial and hands.
> 
> By the way, I love to see Seagull market this model in higher level, with better case , hands, and dial finish. and I will be the very first to buy one even with much higher price.


They do. http://usseagull.com/EnProductShow.asp?ClassID=81&ID=107 http://usseagull.com/EnProductShow.asp?ClassID=81&ID=107


----------



## AlbertaTime

linsook said:


> They do. -SeaGull USA -SeaGull USA


And this upgraded model, although different aesthetically from the well-known 1963 (which I love and own), seems to me to be quite a bit closer to the design/looks of the original issued model.


----------



## miroman

miroman said:


> Thank You Ron. I just have sent him a mail . As I understand he is very busy, I hope he will succeed to answer. |>


 Can anybody help me contact Thomas? Obviously it's too busy to read every mail, so is there any 'other' way to contact him? I'd like to buy one 1963 and combine shipping with my 'Moonphase SE' watch.


----------



## ghostryder

Anyone out there been in contact with Thomas lately and successfully ordered a 1963? I've tried e-mailing him a few times to see if he still had any 1963s available, but no response. :-(


----------



## ghostryder

Well, Thomas responded to my e-mail and initially, told me he had no more stock, but then right on Christmas Day, told me he had sapphire ones in, so I ordered one ASAP and it came in today! Now I really do believe in Santa Claus. 

Put it on a Hirsch Liberty strap . . . crappy iphone pics follow:









It really is a beautiful little watch in the steel (as a plethora of you have mentioned) and pictures do not do it justice at all (especially not my terrible phone pic).

Thomas is awesome, once he had the watch in stock, responded quickly and shipped quickly.


----------



## samanderson

I posted this on the main chinese main but got no answers so am trying my luck here.

I have had my 1963 for about 5 months. It always made quite a loud noise while being wound (which I really liked). Suddenly it stopped making the noise. It still makes the same noise when the crown is wound the wrong way, but not when winding the right way. It is not completely silent: a small ticking noise can still be heard but it is very quiet - especially considering how loud it used to be. Has anyone come across this before? Or any ideas as to why this might happen?

Cheers
Sam


----------



## yande

As much as this may not be what every one would like to read, but you do get what you pay for. I have been paying around $AU186 per 1963, buying numerous at a time. I have been selling a few of them. In the past 12 months, I have had 2 crystals pop off and one pusher just fall out. I managed to push my crystals back on, and (see earlier post) managed to reset the retaining cir clip back on the stem of the pusher. My conclusion; the 1963, whilst an extremely attractive watch, (in a collective and aesthetic sense,) is still a sub $200 watch, with little or no WR. The build QC could be better, but I will say that the after sales service is 110% plus thanks to Thomas. I have mentioned my problems to him and he has always offered to fix or replace, no questions asked. In my collection, my 1963 is highly regarded and treated very gently, obviously not my daily wearer, and a watch I feel, without, my collection would not be complete. 
I hope most will get what I am trying to state. I love my 1963, and highly recommend them, but I do treat it very gently and would never place it anywhere near moisture.


----------



## samanderson

I agree with your comment yande - although I have just a few watches and so this is my daily wearer. I figure that I would rather wear it out than not get the pleasure of wearing it.

Having said that, since my last post, mine no longer winds. Well, it does wind, but it just unwinds itself again straight away. I wrote to Thomas and he said it might be a problem with the hair spring and to send it back again. 

The only annoying thing is having to pay for postage, again, which comes to around US$16 and, of course, the wait. all up it took about 2 months last time.


----------



## wildpack

yande said:


> As much as this may not be what every one would like to read, but you do get what you pay for. ...


yande, Nicely written and carefully worded. I also have a 1963 and having read a lot of the posts, you wrote down a lot of what previously one had to "read between the lines".

Many posts I read re-iterate that QC is not the same in an OEM watch as a Seagull. This was a contributing factor to my reconsidering the Seagull moonphase project watch (and the size and the batons, etc.) Still as you say, I love my 1963 and don't regret buying it. Curious, 2 crystals out of how many total?


----------



## zeero3

I have a really quick question I'm hoping someone can help me with.

I inquired with Thomas about the Seagull 1963 and asked for the watch with acrylic crystal, signed crown, and glass case back.

He responded that he had an "acrylic glass canvas version." And that this version is "the old version of acrylic plastic lens just the plastic changed to glass material."

From what I understand, the acrylic plastic version can be buffed out using polywatch. I never had an acrylic plastic lens on my watches and SORT OF want one for this watch as it looks unique, but I don't want to get stuck with an inferior glass lens that is highly prone to scratches and can't be buffed out with polywatch. Does anyone have any knowledge on what Thomas is talking about and if I should obviously be looking for the sapphire crystal since he doesn't have the acrylic plastic?

Thanks in advance....


----------



## Y4BBZY

Watch is sexy, might pick one up. Anyone know the cheapest place to buy one? Really don't want to pay $400 from http://www.seagull1963.com? Thanks in advance


----------



## boostin20

I'm going to have to put a 1963 on the list.


----------



## csh08

Just ordered from Thomas. Comes with mineral glass - not sapphire or acrylic - canvas strap and display back.

Looking forward to receiving the watch.


----------



## Jonatutu

csh08 said:


> Just ordered from Thomas. Comes with mineral glass - not sapphire or acrylic - canvas strap and display back.
> 
> Looking forward to receiving the watch.


Have you receive your watch yet? I would like to get one too!! May I know how much is Thomas selling now?


----------



## macleod1979

I am going to assume you will be posting pic of that beauty once you receive her? lol

-J


----------



## steven.w42

hi all, 

I just sent Thomas an e-mail to inquire about pricing and availabity for a Seagull 1963, I was wondering if I could pick your brains for a bit of information?

First, does anyone know what the current price is if purchased directly from Thomas? As was stated earlier in this thread, the seagull1963.com web site is currently charging just under $400 USD.

Second, does anyone know which movement the current issue uses? Is it still the ST-19?

Thank you in advance for your assistance and patience .

Kind Regards,
Steven


----------



## Dingers

Just ordered a 1963 from Thomas for the sum of 220 + 20 for shipping to Australia.

This is the mineral glass version? He said Acrylic isn't made anymore due to quality issues.

I'm guessing the Sapphire has gone up in price also or it is also out of production.


----------



## Bull Winkle

Just got mine from watch unique, good price, I wanted the acryillic version for being close to original version and it's beautiful. very accurate, about 5-7 seconds a week. Better than most of my swiss watches. First Chinese watch and I'm really happy with it. Put it on a Red/Sand/Red nato and it really matches the dial really well.


----------



## steguo

Hi Everyone,

I contacted Thomas to purchase a 1963 and he informed me that the acrylic version is no longer in production. He currently only has the mineral glass version in stock, and is expecting a new batch of the sapphire version late June. Both versions are now priced at USD220

What's the difference between the acrylic and sapphire version of the 1963. I'm a watch noob, but I've heard mineral glass is a no go because unlike sapphire it scratches and unlike acrylic you can't buff it out.

Also I'm undecided, should I just get the mineral version? Should I wait for the sapphire? Or should I get an acrylic version off watchunique.com?


----------



## IanC

I found mineral glass is pretty hard to scratch and it should be enough if you are just wearing it for normal daily use.

Sapphire on the other hand, has another advantage other than scratch resistance...it is much clearer than mineral glass. So get the sapphire version if possible.


----------



## obsidian

Just to let you know, there is a big difference in the shape of the case between the acrylic/mineral and sapphire versions.
This is due to the fact that the acrylic and mineral crystals are highly domed, while the sapphire crystal is a flat disc.
In modern watches with flat sapphire or mineral crystals, the dial is set deep into the case, surrounded by a tall rim, to allow the hands to have clearance under the flat crystal. In older watches with domed acrylic crystals (as well as the 1963 reissues) the dial is set close to the top of the case, with the hands near or actually protruding above the rim of the case opening. This is possible because the domed acrylic crystal rises high above the dial to give the hands clearance. That's why you usually can't install a flat crystal in a case designed for an acrylic crystal.

This picture shows a Seagull reissue with mineral highly domed crystal (the acrylic looks similar):










The sapphire version uses a standard flat crystal (highly domed sapphire crystals are insanely costly to produce). In order to give the high mounted hands clearance they need to add a tall metal bezel to the case that takes the place of the sloping sides of the domed crystal-- so that the flat sapphire is raised high and can clear the hands:










As you can see, this changes the shape and look of the watch. The tall bezel slightly covers the edges of the dial, making it smaller, and the tall rim casts shadows on the dial's edges as well. I think these will highly impact the visibility/legibility of the dial in certain lighting and angles.


----------



## Dingers

IanC said:


> I found mineral glass is pretty hard to scratch and it should be enough if you are just wearing it for normal daily use.
> 
> Sapphire on the other hand, has another advantage other than scratch resistance...it is much clearer than mineral glass. So get the sapphire version if possible.


I went with the mineral glass specifically because of the domed shape and the lack of crystal clarity lol
I feel it gives more character and perhaps a warmer feel in general.


----------



## steguo

obsidian said:


> The sapphire version uses a standard flat crystal (highly domed sapphire crystals are insanely costly to produce). In order to give the high mounted hands clearance they need to add a tall metal bezel to the case that takes the place of the sloping sides of the domed crystal-- so that the flat sapphire is raised high and can clear the hands:
> 
> As you can see, this changes the shape and look of the watch. The tall bezel slightly covers the edges of the dial, making it smaller, and the tall rim casts shadows on the dial's edges as well. I think these will highly impact the visibility/legibility of the dial in certain lighting and angles.


Ah okay, I guess explains this photo sent by Thomas (or is it his assistant, Hon Chung Leung?)










It seems like in addition to what obsidian said, the crystal itself protrude from the bezel as well.

Thanks for all the replies everyone!


----------



## KarenChezk

Bull Winkle said:


> Just got mine from watch unique, good price, I wanted the acryillic version for being close to original version and it's beautiful. very accurate, about 5-7 seconds a week. Better than most of my swiss watches. First Chinese watch and I'm really happy with it. Put it on a Red/Sand/Red nato and it really matches the dial really well.


Wow how nice..... you must be very pleased.... It is very classic

-Kar


----------



## blurrycloud

Love the watch, but don't really like the red text on the back crystal.
I feel it is just in the way of the beautiful movement
Is there any way to remove it?


----------



## guaian

Today I received my beautiful 1963 from Thomas. Bad news is that the watch doesn't work.... The wood watch's box arrived broken so I infer that it could suffer a hard strike during the shipping. The watch doesn't wind and both the hour and minute hands move in both positions of the crown. I've sent an email to Thomas explaining the issue and asking him for a solution.

Any experience dealing with Thomas in regards to a claim?

Thanks!

Guaian


----------



## bracky1

blurrycloud said:


> Love the watch, but don't really like the red text on the back crystal.
> I feel it is just in the way of the beautiful movement
> Is there any way to remove it?


I scraped most of it off with a small knife and removed what was left with fine wire wool. Worked fine for me.


----------



## wildpack

I recall someone removing red lettering by rubbing with a sugar cube. (google for full details, I didn't try this)


----------



## yande

blurrycloud said:


> Love the watch, but don't really like the red text on the back crystal.
> I feel it is just in the way of the beautiful movement
> Is there any way to remove it?


I concur, hence I removed mine with a 'dab' of Poly Watch, whilst perhaps just as effective as steel wool, being a purist at heart, personally I am sure it felt better. It is also the necessity to take those scratches out of your acrylic crystal, If in doubt, search "Omega Speedmaster hesalite, poly watch." 
Having dealt with Thomas over the past couple of years, I am positive that any legitimate claims against the 1963 will be well looked after. I can't speak more highly of Thomas, aka Hon Chung Leung. Come on guys, think outside the square!!! Amusing....


----------



## wildpack

wildpack said:


> I recall someone removing red lettering by rubbing with a sugar cube.....





yande said:


> ... I removed mine with a 'dab' of Poly Watch .....


Inexpensive professional product and personal recommendation of positive experience. I'd be listening to yande. Ignore silly sugar cube advice. (wearing my 1963 today :-! with red lettering)


----------



## Colin63

Used polywatch on mine.:-!


----------



## santanderino91

HEllo everybody,
What is the link to find a webstore for a 40mm seagull 1963 ? I have clicked some of your links and they ask me for passcodes...


----------



## steguo

Hey everyone,

I just received my seagull (mineral glass version) and I love it.

Just wanted to share with everyone the fact that it no longer comes with a nato strap. It's now just a normal strap, with what appears to be a similar material as the previous nato strap. Personally, I prefer the new strap as it allows you to see the movement if you opted for a display back.


----------



## bosseb

Hello, I just received my Seagull 1963 reissue.

When I use the timer, the minute counter moves forward at 57s, is this normal behavior?


----------



## J_Gamero

By the way this is first watch I bought since joining forum months ago and lurking time to time.

How quick is Watch Unique!
Red Guards troupes get mojo on despite Post Office snail pace?
This is test.
On the clock!
See how fast!
I order 1963 today.
June 13th.
From WatchUnique, Netherlands.
I will post very soon when it here in California.
When East Is Red and box is at my door!


----------



## J_Gamero

My watch is not important to you all.
But some might be interested how fast watchunique ships to america.
order placed june 13th.
order shipped from holland today on June 18.
scheduled delivery on June 22.
requires signature, although not a direct signature...
...you can leave a signed note at delivery point if you are not home when delivered.


----------



## yande

J_Gamero said:


> My watch is not important to you all.
> But some might be interested how fast watchunique ships to america.
> order placed june 13th.
> order shipped from holland today on June 18.
> scheduled delivery on June 22.
> requires signature, although not a direct signature...
> ...you can leave a signed note at delivery point if you are not home when delivered.


'Hi there, 
am interested in the price that you paid for your 1963 from Watch Unique.

It is my understanding that he buys his watches from Thomas? Am I wrong with this thought?


----------



## J_Gamero

yande said:


> 'Hi there,
> am interested in the price that you paid for your 1963 from Watch Unique.
> 
> It is my understanding that he buys his watches from Thomas? Am I wrong with this thought?


I paid $214 USD = 166.81 Euros , but this included the shipping. 
Before shipping it was $192 USD = 150.42 Euros

Ordered on June 13
Arrived here in California USA on June 25
Only 12 days.
Fedex is the delivery that watchunique uses, their website says UPS , but they now use Fedex.

12 day is not a lot, very fast.
Nice watch.
Highly recommended!

Woo Hoo !

EDIT: I think this is a watch from Thomas, not sure, it looks just like it so I think so...

Fedex requires a signature, if you are not going to be home to sign, you can leave a signed note on the door to FEDEX and they will leave the package. If you don't leave a note and then you are not at home, then Fedex will leave a note pasted on your door for you to sign and then they will leave the parcel the next day. Otherwise you have to be at home and sign or go into the fedex office to pick up the parcel.

But you do have to sign, one way or another for delivery.


$214.45 USD To amount€166.81 EUR


----------



## paulie485

steguo said:


> Hey everyone,
> 
> I just received my seagull (mineral glass version) and I love it.
> 
> Just wanted to share with everyone the fact that it no longer comes with a nato strap. It's now just a normal strap, with what appears to be a similar material as the previous nato strap. Personally, I prefer the new strap as it allows you to see the movement if you opted for a display back.
> 
> View attachment 721065


I also like the look of this strap. I have one of these watches but have not yet found the perfect strap for it. Can anyone tell me where to get one of these? Many thanks.


----------



## J_Gamero

paulie485 said:


> I also like the look of this strap. I have one of these watches but have not yet found the perfect strap for it. Can anyone tell me where to get one of these? Many thanks.


for what it's worth, I just got the watch from watchunique, the strap is same color and material but it IS a nato strap, and the watch looks the same exactly. It is available with or without the see through back, see through costs more of course.


----------



## FlyerGuy

I've emailed Thomas and WatchUnique recently to inquire about the watch.

Thomas mentioned that he will have a domed sapphire crystal available in July and WatchUnique's model has the domed acrylic instead.

On another note, is this the Seagull 1963 or another watch? Has it been available with the engraved back at some point?


----------



## yande

FlyerGuy said:


> ....
> On another note, is this the Seagull 1963 or another watch? Has it been available with the engraved back at some point?


Wow, I like the look of that. If only it came with the 1963 re-issue dial!! My main disappointment about the 1963 as I have known it is it's lack of WR. Would be nice to have one like this and with the red lettering on the clear case back already removed. That movement looks similar, but others would know more than me. Sure looks beautiful...


----------



## samanderson

Yeah that looks fantastic. Shame about the crown though. Totally agree with Yande, the selling point for me on the 63 is the dial. WR would be a huge bonus too.

On another note, yesterday I had to send my 1963 back to Thomas for a 3rd time! This time the minute counter sub dial stopped resetting. There were also other minor problems, such as the minute counter switching over after 58 seconds, jumpy engagement/disengagement of the chronograph, and when the chrono was stopped at around 58.5 seconds the red hand would jump backwards 2-3 seconds. I think that this movement is particularly poor. 

I do wonder about the quality control on these watches. The other two reasons I had to send back were firstly because some of the face started flaking off the dial, and secondly because something broke inside and it would just unwound when winding.

Thomas has always given excellent after sale service, and so I have no cause for complaint there, but it is annoying to have to send it back 3 times. Each time costs US$25 for postage and insurance so I have now spent an additional $75 on this watch.


----------



## Back

That is not the Sea-Gull 1963, unless the latest model has changed the crown...
The 1963 has a flat crown and not a "tulip look".


----------



## Oldheritage

I think that for the price we are paying there is absolutely no quality control. The ST19 is in my experience not the most reliable budget chronograph movement around so I tend to take my shopping for budget chronographs to Russia...


----------



## _XII_

samanderson said:


> ...Thomas has always given excellent after sale service, and so I have no cause for complaint there, but it is annoying to have to send it back 3 times. Each time costs US$25 for postage and insurance so I have now spent an additional $75 on this watch.


I recently did send a Chinese Perpetual watch to Honk Kong to be fixed. They refunded the shipping cost for me. Now I am waiting my 1963 back from Thomas. He doesn't refund?


----------



## Dingers

I hate that green canvas strap... I replaced it with a nice leather deployment clasp as soon as I could!


----------



## Citizen V

deleeete


----------



## FlyerGuy

I've been reading the past few pages and I'm a little concerned about the newer batch Thomas has with the sapphire crystal. It really doesn't seem as aesthetically pleasing as the acrylic or mineral version that had a smaller bezel/rim.

Just to make sure I'm thinking about the right thing, this is the earlier version, with the acrylic or mineral crystal sitting closer to the dial and with a small bezel/rim?




Oldheritage said:


>


And this is the newer one with the sapphire crystal sitting higher above the dial, with a much more pronounced bezel?




steguo said:


> View attachment 702827


Does anyone have clear comparison photos between the two types?

I've found these ones from an older post in this same thread.


sdchew said:


>


----------



## Oldheritage

You're right. I don't have any comparison pics myself but I do find the newer sapphire crystal version to be less pleasing aesthetically. IMHO the bezel is too tall on these.


----------



## FlyerGuy

I've found some clearer photos from seagull1963.com.

This is their sapphire crystal version, with a thicker, curved bezel/rim:










This their mineral crystal version, seems to have the thinner, minimal bezel/rim:










And this is their plastic, I'm guessing acrylic, models with the "US Version" dial, looks to have the same case as the mineral one.










Too bad Thomas doesn't have the original case available, I would much rather buy it from him than somewhere else.


----------



## jaw4527

is there anywhere to get the mineral crystal version now?


----------



## chirs1211

www.watchunique.com have what i believe is the acrylic crystal version in stock

Chris


----------



## jaw4527

would you guys recommend the acrylic version for $205 shipped from watchunique or the sapphire version for $240 shipped from thomas?

also - what thickness watch band would i need if i am looking to replace the strap


----------



## chirs1211

Band is 18mm, crystals have different properties acrylic will scratch but can be polished out, sapphire wont scratch as easily, if at all.
Main difference is in the look of the watch, i'm sure you've seen the pics in the previous few posts, get the one you prefer the look of or you may not wear it. 
If you search you'll find threads on the pro's and con's of each type of crystal, if scratch resistance is a main priority and you like the look of the taller bezel it's a good buy, if you'd prefer the more classic look of the 1963 go acrylic
I'm sure you'll be happy with either version of this watch
Chris


----------



## FlyerGuy

jaw4527 said:


> would you guys recommend the acrylic version for $205 shipped from watchunique or the sapphire version for $240 shipped from thomas?


I'm on the verge of making the same decision 

I really prefer the thinner case from WatchUnique but Thomas seems to have better customer service, should you need to have the watch serviced.

I'm thinking that I take good enough care of my watches that the acrylic won't get banged up too much.


----------



## obsidian

Quite frankly, one of the reasons to get this watch is the retro look the domed crystal gives it. This watch looks like it's from the 60's. 
The sapphire crystal, with that ridiculous high bezel completely ruins the retro look. The watch doesn't look modern or vintage-- it's a mishmash.


----------



## GarageBoy

Is the acrylic one at watchunique the "original case"? I'm a tad confused with the gazillion variants


----------



## redcow

chirs1211 said:


> www.watchunique.com have what i believe is the acrylic crystal version in stock
> 
> Chris


I have just ordered from watchunique and it is, in fact, the acrylic version. So far, the service has been superb with Ivo answering all of my questions promptly and personally. I mentioned quality control issues and he said that they "double test" all of their watches before shipping. I will post a follow up when the instrument arrives.


----------



## chirs1211

Had mine from Ivo around 2 years ago, and although it only has limited use, in rotation, i have had no issues with it at all, and certaily none of the issues mentioned previously in this thread, it runs perfectly.


Chris


----------



## redcow

chirs1211 said:


> Had mine from Ivo around 2 years ago, and although it only has limited use, in rotation, i have had no issues with it at all, and certaily none of the issues mentioned previously in this thread, it runs perfectly.
> 
> Chris


That's good news indeed, thanks.

Off topic re your location: I once had a recording of Dylan Thomas reciting his "Return to Swansea" and a beautiful thing it was.


----------



## chirs1211

Strangely enough i've not heard it, may try and track it down 

Just to add with the 1963, i've just double checked the chrono function after reading some have had issues with the minute changing at 57 secs, and that is all fine too  
Hope you enjoy your watch once it arrives, and wear in good health 

Chris


----------



## danill

What do you guys think about the Italian Moratello leather strap from WatchUnique? Worth the extra 20€?


----------



## FlyerGuy

danill said:


> What do you guys think about the Italian Moratello leather strap from WatchUnique? Worth the extra 20€?


It's €20 more for their leather strap _plus_ the nylon NATO strap 

I would pass and use that money to get one elsewhere but that's me.


----------



## danill

FlyerGuy said:


> It's €20 more for their leather strap _plus_ the nylon NATO strap
> 
> I would pass and use that money to get one elsewhere but that's me.


Thanks. 

Where would you recommend me getting a nice affordable leather strap? Also, how do I make sure the strap fits the 1963 if I buy it elsewhere?


----------



## redcow

Just to confirm that my 1963 reissue arrived today from Watchunique. 9 days total from order to arrival here in Vietnam. Acrylic crystal, very nice slightly off-white face, filled red star, 21 Zuan with solid case back. All functions working fine. Feels a bit fragile but my only other chrono is a 1970s Seiko 6138 which is a serious appliance. Nylon band not to my taste so I replaced it with an old dark brown leather one I had, good look. Now if I could only dull down that shiny stainless case to give it an even more subtle but still elegant look.......


----------



## Codelen

I really love this watch, it's beautiful. I want to order one from Thomas, but I think I'll wait for the acrylic version since he has only SG in stock. One thing is a bit confusing. A couple of months ago, when I contacted Thomas for the photos and info, he sent me pics of the watch with "19 Zuan". Yesterday he sent me new pics of the SG version with "21Zuan". Are all of then 21 now, or does it depend on the version? I suppose it's "21" for the sapphire glass version and "19" for the acrylic one. Don't know why though...


----------



## Frank451

Torsten, this is interesting, so Tsinlien Seagull is not the official Seagull distributor in Hong Kong? It's interesting that they didn't have the display caseback available, since Thomas didn't indicate that to me in his email earlier this week.


----------



## frenchst

Ordered one two nights ago from Watchunique to be delivered to the UK.

To say I am excited is an understatement. I dedicated my first post on here to it.


----------



## smithcorp

I just got my Seagull 1963 re-issue from Thomas yesterday. Lovely watch and very quick postage. It is the sapphire crystal with NATO strap and has the display back. I emailed him to ask which others he has in stock (as i now have urge to buy more, these are very pretty watches) but he said he only has sapphire in stock. So, expect display back for yours' when they arrive.

smith


----------



## frenchst

My 1963 Seagull arrived. :-!



















Well happy. Excuse the crappy mobile pictures!


----------



## eggplanty

I got my Seagull 1963 today from Thomas and overall I really like the watch. My question is does anyone have any pictures of a side profile of the sapphire version. Mine is supposed to be sapphire glass, but I noticed the glass is domed. Earlier in this thread someone said that the sapphire glass versions are flat because it costs more to produce domed sapphire glass. I just want to make sure I have the watch I paid for. Thanks!


----------



## sdchew

Actually I noticed that the Seagull 1963 isn't really a single model but a continuous evolution depending on the parts available on the market. 

From these parts, the watch is assembled. I guess what managed to stay relatively consistent is the dial this far. Thou 21/19 Juan dials do exist.


----------



## frenchst

My Seagull stopwatch sometimes sticks on the large watch hand and they both get stuck. Has anyone had this before and, if so, how is it resolved? It's a little disappointing really.


----------



## redcow

frenchst said:


> My Seagull stopwatch sometimes sticks on the large watch hand and they both get stuck. Has anyone had this before and, if so, how is it resolved? It's a little disappointing really.


Yes, that is really disappointing. I would email Ivo immediately and I'm sure he'll make it good.


----------



## djwoblely

This thread is awesome. I am not sure if i should order from Thomas or watchunique. I might just wait till I make a trip to HK to look for it to make sure I don't get a lemon.


----------



## yande

That sounds like a great idea. After buying around 8 of these watches I have had various problems. Crystal falling out, pusher falling out. (Not to mention other's issues with hands touching each other and stopping etc) I'd really like to handle one if I was considering buying and wearing a 1963 re-issue. To be fair, Thomas's watches have been improving in QC all the time, though as they say, "you get what you pay for." If you have the option of visiting HK, yours (djwobbley) is the way I would go.


----------



## djwoblely

Thanks yande, yeah I'll just wait when I have time to head out there since I have plenty of watches to hold me down. Don't wanna deal with having to send something back. It wouldn't be my first Chinese mechanical and I am fully aware of QC issues. Looks like I will stop my impulse purchasing tendency on this, for now.


----------



## yande

Sounds like the smart option. And excuse me. DJWOBLELY. (sp!) I now get it. I too hope to visit Thomas this February. I can not speak more highly of his service. He truly does his best.


----------



## Markino

Hi!
I'm in Beijing at the moment... Where can I buy a Seagul 1963?
If there is no shop here... Who can I write an email in order to understand if it's possible to buy and ship me the item in the hotel?
I don't know Chinese...


----------



## xingfenzhen

Markino said:


> Hi!
> I'm in Beijing at the moment... Where can I buy a Seagul 1963?
> If there is no shop here... Who can I write an email in order to understand if it's possible to buy and ship me the item in the hotel?
> I don't know Chinese...


There is a seagull flagship store at Oriental plaza (near Tian'anmen Sq., Forbidden City etc), it's right next to the Rolex store, you can't miss it. However, beware that the prices are quite expensive and no 1963 watch other than the official D304. (Though its a good place to actually look at watches in person and buy watches not available in the US. ) Here is the store on google maps, good luck
https://plus.google.com/100375692916782896682/about?gl=us&hl=en
Here is baidu maps showing exact location of the store in the mall. A capability google has yet to acquire.
http://map.baidu.com/?newmap=1&ie=utf-8&s=s&wd=北京市东城区东长街1号东方新天地


----------



## andy_k

Is there a domed sapphire version of the seagull 1963?


----------



## andy_k

djwoblely said:


> This thread is awesome. I am not sure if i should order from Thomas or watchunique. I might just wait till I make a trip to HK to look for it to make sure I don't get a lemon.


I just receieved my seagull 1963 from Watchunique and the watch is super fine !!.. The crystal is domed acrylic as I believe those are the only ones Watchunique stock and comes with optional display back, which I got . I would highly recommend buying from watch unique !


----------



## micase

andy_k said:


> I just receieved my seagull 1963 from Watchunique and the watch is super fine !!.. The crystal is domed acrylic as I believe those are the only ones Watchunique stock and comes with optional display back, which I got . I would highly recommend buying from watch unique !


Have to agree with this, ordering from watchunique was hassle free and the watch turned up in excellent condition. The only downside was the strap with the watch, which was really poor quality but not a huge issue for me as I was replacing it anyway. Luckily I got the display back showing off the movement inside, it's hard not to take off the watch just to watch the movement go.


----------



## bitt3n

micase said:


> Have to agree with this, ordering from watchunique was hassle free and the watch turned up in excellent condition. The only downside was the strap with the watch, which was really poor quality but not a huge issue for me as I was replacing it anyway. Luckily I got the display back showing off the movement inside, it's hard not to take off the watch just to watch the movement go.


is there any issue paying custom fee when shipping from WatchUnique to the US?


----------



## pcke2000

bitt3n said:


> is there any issue paying custom fee when shipping from WatchUnique to the US?


I didn't have the problem, I am in Indiana


----------



## nsx_23

Is there a place in Shen Zhen that sells Seagull? Or where would I get one in Hong Kong?


----------



## _XII_

Here is my experience with Thomas (Hon Chung Leung).

- I paid for a Seagull 1963 via Paypal on on 29th May.

- The watch was defect right from the beginning: The second hand and the minute counter didn't reset to zero. Also the chronograph didn't start correctly, as the second hand would sometimes "jump" backwards and start from (say) 55 second mark. These anomalies didn't happen every time though: It could take a couple of attempts to notice them. I explained this very clearly to Thomas.

- The watch wasn't properly fixed by Thomas (or whoever is his watchmaker) even after two attempts. In fact, it seemed like it was not fixed at all.

- I have now sent the watch from Finland to Thomas in Hong Kong three times. I haven't got it back after the last time, which was on 11th August. On 24th September I asked about it and Thomas promised to send the watch to me on the same week. He didn't.

- My request for refund on 16. October was ignored. Not refused but ignored. Thomas promised again to send the watch to me.
.
- Communication from Thomas has been below minimal. However, I have written to him both very clearly (as I understand his English isn't very good) and politely.

This seems like a never-ending story. Nearly five months have passed. No watch. No refund.

UPDATE: After asking second time I got the refund! It has to be said though, that I lost the Paypal fee and shipping costs (three times shipping to Hong Kong). Ok, time to move on.


----------



## JustinD

It appears as if the seagullhk.com site is no longer operational? I was in contact with Thomas some time ago about buying one of the 1963 chronographs but put the purchase off.

I'm now ready to get one though and would still like to order it from Hong Kong, or, buy it in person since I'm in Beijing and travel to Hong Kong occasionally. 

Does anyone know what's happening or how I can get in contact with someone at the Hong Kong Seagull distributor of the 1963?


Edit: Using the email address I had on record, from my last correspondence with Thomas in Hong Kong, I contacted him about the Seagull 1963. He said he no longer has any iteration of the 1963 in stock and referred me to a friend of his, along with that friend's email, saying he had the sapphire crystal version, in stock.


----------



## yande

Iterations aside, it sounds like an end of an era, if not a thread. Personally, it has been a great ride and thanks to all that contributed. 
PS. I have no reason to doubt JustinD, but I do hope his post is not correct. Thomas (as in Hon Chung Leung) has been pronounced out of business, regarding the 1963, during the life of this thread before.


----------



## JustinD

yande said:


> Iterations aside, it sounds like an end of an era, if not a thread. Personally, it has been a great ride and thanks to all that contributed.
> PS. I have no reason to doubt JustinD, but I do hope his post is not correct. Thomas (as in Hon Chung Leung) has been pronounced out of business, regarding the 1963, during the life of this thread before.


I'd be happier if my post was not correct as well. For one thing the price that Thomas offered could not be beat. Secondly - I travel to Hong Kong occasionally and would have been able to purchase in person.

Thomas did not indicate that he would *never again *have any of the Seagull 1963s - just that he didn't have any now. Here is his email in full:



> Dear: [*REDACTED]*
> Many thank for your request 1963 sapphire version
> I am sorry to tell you that I have nothing 1963 in stock.
> May I introduce one of my very good friend [*REDACTED]* he have this kind of watch in stock .
> Would you mind to contact him for your detail.
> [*REDACTED]*
> Thank for your attention and hope this can help for request.
> Thomas


Redacted are my name and the name of his "good friend" along with the friend's email.


----------



## SAABaru

Just wondering any Canadian have experience bought this Seagull 1963 from Watchunique, like fedex brokerage fee + custom tax need paid through FedEx International Economy,

Thanks


----------



## hked

Thought I'd reassure you guys that Thomas is still in business. I would have responded earlier but wanted to hear the latest news from the man himself before posting anything up.

We met for a chat yesterday and it is true he doesn't have any 1963 watches in stock at the moment. However, he has a new batch arriving before Christmas and I'm sure people will snap them up like hotcakes. They will be definitely be different from any of the re-issues you have seen before!



JustinD said:


> I'd be happier if my post was not correct as well. For one thing the price that Thomas offered could not be beat. Secondly - I travel to Hong Kong occasionally and would have been able to purchase in person.
> 
> Thomas did not indicate that he would *never again *have any of the Seagull 1963s - just that he didn't have any now. Here is his email in full:
> 
> Redacted are my name and the name of his "good friend" along with the friend's email.


----------



## DSLAM

Interesting. How will they be different?


----------



## JustinD

hked said:


> Thought I'd reassure you guys that Thomas is still in business. I would have responded earlier but wanted to hear the latest news from the man himself before posting anything up.
> 
> We met for a chat yesterday and it is true he doesn't have any 1963 watches in stock at the moment. However, he has a new batch arriving before Christmas and I'm sure people will snap them up like hotcakes. They will be definitely be different from any of the re-issues you have seen before!


Thanks for the update - I hope the new 1963s are as cool and attractive as the "older" ones were. Did he indicate in which way they will be different (kind of movement, size, etc.)?


----------



## hked

I'll have to ask for Thomas's permission before making any disclosures ;-). However, this new batch shows he does listen to his WUS supporters and will provide them with something they have been asking for for a long time.



DSLAM said:


> Interesting. How will they be different?


----------



## spacetimefabric

Yes, please keep us in the loop, as I am interested in one, as well. 

Went to the seagullhk site and saw that the site was down, and so thought this was all over and done.


----------



## yande

hked said:


> Thought I'd reassure you guys that Thomas is still in business. ..........he has a new batch arriving before Christmas ................They will be definitely be different from any of the re-issues you have seen before!


Thanks hked. That indeed is good news, and I am doubly looking forward to the pre Christmas edition. If any here are thinking of getting a watch from Thomas, well.........All I can say is that he stands by his watches and does everything he can to do the right thing.


----------



## redcow

*"They will be definitely be different from any of the re-issues you have seen before!"
*So can you give us a hint as to in what way it will be different? Case? Movement? Quality control? We are waiting for your reply....


----------



## ColinW

redcow said:


> *"They will be definitely be different from any of the re-issues you have seen before!"
> *So can you give us a hint as to in what way it will be different? Case? Movement? Quality control? We are waiting for your reply....


I bet it's bigger. Many of us big guys can't pull off 37.5mm - just looks like a big mole on my wrist. 

The only other complaint I remember is it's unreliable.


----------



## Citizen V

hked said:


> I'll have to ask for Thomas's permission before making any disclosures ;-). However, this new batch shows he does listen to his WUS supporters and will provide them with something they have been asking for for a long time.


Is this the same as the announcement you were going to make in the forum project sub forum?  or is there more to look forward to. 
EDIT: I see now it is different . I look forward to Thomas's announcement!


----------



## supersong115

I just want to chime in here by saying that I too ordered from watchunique and have been very satisfied with their service and shipping speed. Netherlands to Portland, OR in about a week. Here is a picture of mine on a J.Crew NATO strap  Cheers!


----------



## Triton9

ColinW said:


> I bet it's bigger. Many of us big guys can't pull off 37.5mm - just looks like a big mole on my wrist.
> 
> The only other complaint I remember is it's unreliable.


Yup! Get it at 42.5mm will be perfect. I love this watch too but I don't like handwind watch Maybe they are going to make an automatic watch?


----------



## humanboy

Apologies from the start if this has been covered but with so many posts it's been hard to track the info down

The size quoted is 37mm, but does this include the crown?

Also I need some opinions, I'm considering buying the acrylic Watchunique version, but does anyone wear it as a dress/business watch. My new job means I'll be wearing a suit for most of the working week. I was looking at an Orient Bambino, but the 1963 is really calling me and I can't have both - yet

What are your views, could the watch be dressed up for work. Any experiences, pictures or a nudge in the right direction would be much appreciated. 

Thanks
David


----------



## MACHENE.Tech

Anyone made a purchase from Seagull 1963 Chinese Air Force - Seagull 1963 Air Force Military Watch Their pricing seems kind of steep, but they seem to be the only distributor for 1963 State side. Is there any value in paying a premium from this vendor? Thanks.


----------



## frenchst

humanboy said:


> Apologies from the start if this has been covered but with so many posts it's been hard to track the info down
> 
> The size quoted is 37mm, but does this include the crown?
> 
> Also I need some opinions, I'm considering buying the acrylic Watchunique version, but does anyone wear it as a dress/business watch. My new job means I'll be wearing a suit for most of the working week. I was looking at an Orient Bambino, but the 1963 is really calling me and I can't have both - yet
> 
> What are your views, could the watch be dressed up for work. Any experiences, pictures or a nudge in the right direction would be much appreciated.
> 
> Thanks
> David


There are some images of it kicking around on a brown leather strap and it looks very smart in my opinion. I still have mine on the original strap but brown leather is where I'll be going with it for smartness.


----------



## redcow

MACHENE.Tech said:


> Anyone made a purchase from Seagull 1963 Chinese Air Force - Seagull 1963 Air Force Military Watch Their pricing seems kind of steep, but they seem to be the only distributor for 1963 State side. Is there any value in paying a premium from this vendor? Thanks.


I think the huge chrome bezel for the mineral glass crystal (or is it the sapphire one? ) is extremely ugly and out of character with the original design, but that's just me!


----------



## ColinW

humanboy said:


> The size quoted is 37mm, but does this include the crown?
> 
> Also I need some opinions, I'm considering buying the acrylic Watchunique version, but does anyone wear it as a dress/business watch. My new job means I'll be wearing a suit for most of the working week. I was looking at an Orient Bambino, but the 1963 is really calling me and I can't have both - yet


I don't own the watch but I believe it's 37mm without the crown. Definitely on the small size - which is why I never bought one.

Personally, I don't think it would go well with a suit. But no one's going to notice your watch anyhow, so I wouldn't worry about it. ;-)

Perhaps get the '63 and an inexpensive quartz for work?


----------



## humanboy

ColinW said:


> I don't own the watch but I believe it's 37mm without the crown. Definitely on the small size - which is why I never bought one.
> 
> Personally, I don't think it would go well with a suit. But no one's going to notice your watch anyhow, so I wouldn't worry about it. ;-)
> 
> Perhaps get the '63 and an inexpensive quartz for work?


Thanks Colin & Frenchst

I'm sure you're right however I was trying to justify the purchase of another watch I don't need, but really want. I must stay focused, I'm in the process of selling most of my watches and the extra cash is burning a whole in my pocket. Nevertheless you're absolutely right if it makes me smile, why on earth should I care what everyone else thinks.

Oh no I still can't decide.


----------



## rydogg

Hi guys, 

New to the forum and have just trolled through this entire thread which is filled with great info. I absolutely adore the Seagull 1963 and am desperately trying to find one to be shipped to me in the UK. Watch Unique sounds a sensible choice since they're based in Europe however their website appears to be down?! Google says 'it may harm my computer'. All very strange, does anyone have their email so I can email to find out what's going on? Thanks a lot!

R


----------



## rydogg

redcow said:


> I have just ordered from watchunique and it is, in fact, the acrylic version. So far, the service has been superb with Ivo answering all of my questions promptly and personally. I mentioned quality control issues and he said that they "double test" all of their watches before shipping. I will post a follow up when the instrument arrives.


May I ask if you still have Ivo's email? The website is down and I want to ask if he is still selling them?


----------



## redcow

rydogg said:


> May I ask if you still have Ivo's email? The website is down and I want to ask if he is still selling them?


I have this for Ivo: i[email protected] However, it appears that the email is linked to the website so if the site is down, the email may not go through.
By the way, the watch has been running continuously and perfectly since it arrived and all chrono functions work and reset as they should.
Good luck
Edit: I just accessed watchunique.com without a problem, please try again.


----------



## yande

rydogg said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> New to the forum and have just trolled through this entire thread which is filled with great info. I absolutely adore the Seagull 1963 and am desperately trying to find one to be shipped to me in the UK. Watch Unique sounds a sensible choice since they're based in Europe however their website appears to be down?! Google says 'it may harm my computer'. All very strange, does anyone have their email so I can email to find out what's going on? Thanks a lot!
> 
> R


Hi rydogg and welcome to the forum. Thankfully I now understand that you have "trawled" through the entire forum, and not made a pest of your self by "trolling" the entire forum! ;-) There is a big difference.

Sorry I can't help you out with WU's email, as I have bought approximately 8 x 1963's from Thomas. No, I don't wear them all at once, though had a good little thing happening on EBay for awhile. Thomas is a great, honest guy to deal with, as I am sure Watch Unique are also. Best of luck, but please refrain from trolling other forums! :-d

You can always contact Thomas, in Hong Kong here: [email protected]

Take care and enjoy!


----------



## ColinW

redcow said:


> Edit: I just accessed watchunique.com without a problem, please try again.


Worked for me too.


----------



## macleod1979

Worked for me too. Must have been server issues.


----------



## rydogg

redcow said:


> I have this for Ivo: i[email protected] However, it appears that the email is linked to the website so if the site is down, the email may not go through.
> By the way, the watch has been running continuously and perfectly since it arrived and all chrono functions work and reset as they should.
> Good luck
> Edit: I just accessed watchunique.com without a problem, please try again.


Thanks for the help guys, I'll continue to 'trawl' through your posts in the future hehe.


----------



## FlyerGuy

SAABaru said:


> Just wondering any Canadian have experience bought this Seagull 1963 from Watchunique, like fedex brokerage fee + custom tax need paid through FedEx International Economy


I've bought mine from Ivo at WatchUnique.

Shipping to Eastern Canada was €16, paid to WatchUnique. As for FedEx, I was hit with $9 for duties plus a handling or clearance fee of $10 and taxes, totalling about $50.

All in all, totally worth it and reasonable fees and as any Canadian would expect when buying things online, poor us 

As for my copy of the watch, it's been running great albeit a little fast, I would estimate around ~30-45 seconds give or take over weeks. But I don't wear it all that often since I'm worried about scratching the beautiful domed acrylic crystal.


----------



## tanwill

Oh my ! 63 pages !I spent 4 hrs reading about the 1963.Keen in getting one but would prefer the new version end Dec. Maybe it will be slightly bigger as 37mm is tiny for my fat body !


----------



## arnz3

tanwill said:


> Oh my ! 63 pages !I spent 4 hrs reading about the 1963.Keen in getting one but would prefer the new version end Dec. Maybe it will be slightly bigger as 37mm is tiny for my fat body !


I'm waiting for it as well. Intrique to know whether they will come with 19 zuan or 21 zuan.


----------



## tanwill

arnz3 said:


> I'm waiting for it as well. Intrique to know whether they will come with 19 zuan or 21 zuan.


From what i read, 19 zuan is just a homage to the original 1963.
In actual, the reissue 1963 are all 21 zuan.

edit : Yes... or 23 zuan (23 Jewel). Thanks* lysanderxiii* for the correction.


----------



## lysanderxiii

...or 23 jewels....


----------



## choyb

Hi guys,
although this is my 1st post, i have been a "reader/Visitor" here for years, just wanted to make my stay official.
I am also an active member of other foums(fora), just did not get around to officially join WUS.

Just the same, through this thread i emailed Thomas re availability of the watch. I got a prompt reply saying that availability will be around mid-December.
He also stated that, it will be the "Acrylic" version that he will have in stock.

best regards


----------



## DSLAM

Welcome!. That's more info, thanks. I wonder what other changes are in store.:think:


----------



## fliegerchrono

Nothing about a different size?


----------



## samanderson

But I don't wear it all that often since I'm worried about scratching the beautiful domed acrylic crystal.[/QUOTE said:


> The beauty of the acrylic crystal is that most scratches buff straight out with something like Polywatch. It is amazing how quickly and easily they are restored to looking just like new.
> 
> So wear it - cause it has such a beautiful dial that it needs to be displayed!


----------



## arnz3

tanwill said:


> From what i read, 19 zuan is just a homage to the original 1963.
> In actual, the reissue 1963 are all 21 zuan.
> 
> edit : Yes... or 23 zuan (23 Jewel). Thanks* lysanderxiii* for the correction.


I'm thinking on the dial. I know that the actual jewel count is 21 or 23, but I'd like to know whether the dial will come with 19 or 21. I've asked Thomas, but he hasn't reply yet.


----------



## Ric Capucho

After 64 pages of this thread, I rather feel like I've read most of a library book, only to find that the last chapter's still out on loan, so I can't find out what happens until next month.

Buggah.

On tenterhooks now to see what Thomas has to offer with his new 1963 wot's different. And a couple of hours ago I'd never heard of him or the damn watch in me life. Licking me lips now, though.

Ric


----------



## hked

Not going to spoil the surprise as Thomas asked me to keep it under wraps until the watches are finished.

He finally listened to my repeated requests for acrylic!!! Although my friends and I got tired of waiting and ordered a special batch of our own :-d.



DSLAM said:


> Welcome!. That's more info, thanks. I wonder what other changes are in store.:think:


----------



## Ric Capucho

Simply couldn't sleep last night, Mr hked, hence a trawl through this thread. As has happened countless times before, I also got all captivated with the idea of the 1963. So I fired off an email to Thomas just before I finally slept.

Answer back by the time I woke up, so a reply to the reply and now I'm wait listed.

And all this sneakiness done while Frau Capucho kipped next to me. Hah! Shall have to open a P.O. Box one of these days so I can receive deliveries without getting caught. And dig a secret room out of my cellar to store 'em in. With fingerprint scanner for entry.

Ric


----------



## fliegerchrono

Just got confimration by Thomas that it will have acrylic glass and a see-trhough case back and maintains the orginal 37,5mm seize


----------



## Ric Capucho

Hmm, so i wonder what that surprise is, or what surprise can be remaining? Does is come with a free kick in the bum? Not the expected bigger size surprise, it seems. Which might be a good thing as domed glass (acrylic) might look like a hydroponic tank if it gets overly scaled up.

I conjecture (I'm expanding my vocabal vocabi vocabo... Buggah. I'm expanding the words wot I use) it's either the removal of the red print from the exhibition back... or... or a real 19 jewel movement. That grew on trees rediscovered in some farmer's field.

So it'll be the demise of the red writing on the glass then.

Ric


----------



## yande

samanderson said:


> The beauty of the acrylic crystal is that most scratches buff straight out with something like Polywatch. It is amazing how quickly and easily they are restored to looking just like new.


Anyone that has a fear of acrylic crystals needs to have a look at the Omega Speedmaster Profession with it's inherently similar (though perhaps advanced) hesalite crystal that is still in situ today as it was first, OVER 5 decades ago! Both are scratchable (as are sapphire and mineral) though the heslalite and acrylic are both readily bought back to perfect condition in a couple of minutes of "watch bonding" using Polywatch, toothpaste or a number of different similar compounds.

The acrylic is a little glossier than the hesalite, and perhaps not so good with reflection, though as most are domed, compared to the flats' of the Saphhire and mineral crystals, this helps. 
Hesalite / acrylic crystals in my opinion suit some watches in such a way that they just would not be near the original with any other crystal. Sure, I will empathise IMO and that's the beauty of horology is that not one watch will suit everyone.










I love this shot as it shows the Omega symbol, dead centre that every Omega Speedmaster (with an acrylic/heslaite/plastic crystal) has.










Can't wait to see the latest incarnation of the 1963 from Thomas in December.


----------



## yande

Ric Capucho said:


> ......So it'll be the demise of the red writing then.
> Ric


Polywatch strikes again....


----------



## ColinW

fliegerchrono said:


> ...maintains the orginal 37,5mm seize


Bummer. Well, I didn't need another watch anyhow.


----------



## Ric Capucho

I thought the same, but then again I need a smaller watch that fits more snugly under a work shirt, anyways. But then again not sure I'd use this as a daily wearer.

Hmm.

Anyways, me having one and that's that.

Ric


----------



## hermit_sim

Hi Markino,

I don't know if you are still in Beijing because it has been quite a while since this message was posted. Sorry I don't read the forum everyday 

Tianjing, which is where the headquarters of Seagull is located, is just a (rather) short distance away. You could buy the watch straight from the HQ and I heard you get better price there.

Good luck!


----------



## hermit_sim

Hi everyone!

I just want to share the 1963 I bought from the Seagull shop in Singapore. The watch works fine at about +/- a couple of minutes after about 12 hours when I tried it out. My only 'complain' is that the back case is not set right. The sales person told me this is normal. Anyone here thinks otherwise?


----------



## Ric Capucho

hermit_sim said:


> Hi everyone!
> 
> I just want to share the 1963 I bought from the Seagull shop in Singapore. The watch works fine at about +/- a couple of minutes after about 12 hours when I tried it out. My only 'complain' is that the back case is not set right. The sales person told me this is normal. Anyone here thinks otherwise?
> 
> View attachment 887917
> 
> 
> View attachment 887918
> 
> 
> View attachment 887919


So that'll be the Sea-Gull D-something, their own inhouse homage to the 1963, am I right?

Looks very nice, I must say. Personally I like the back being at a jaunty angle. But I can see how you might not. Maybe live with it and see if you also come to admire it that way. The face is definitely not the same as the 1963 that makes up most of this thread. The hands look great. Catch the light in nice ways, according to that photo. But it has its own identity and presence. I'd say money well spent.

Congrats.

Ric


----------



## Pawl_Buster

Ric Capucho said:


> So that'll be the Sea-Gull D-something, their own inhouse homage to the 1963, am I right?
> 
> Looks very nice, I must say. Personally I like the back being at a jaunty angle. But I can see how you might not. Maybe live with it and see if you also come to admire it that way. The face is definitely not the same as the 1963 that makes up most of this thread. The hands look great. Catch the light in nice ways, according to that photo. But it has its own identity and presence. I'd say money well spent.
> 
> Congrats.
> 
> Ric


this is the D304 model which is a homage/reissue of the original Air Force watch. The one with the star logo is a later model.


----------



## hidden by leaves

So who made my watch? (and movement?) From some posts I've seen it's not Seagull... Thanks in advance if someone can clarify.


----------



## Pawl_Buster

hidden by leaves said:


> So who made my watch? (and movement?) From some posts I've seen it's not Seagull... Thanks in advance if someone can clarify.


The movements are all Se-Gull. The original batch of these was made by Sea-Gull but all subsequent batches have been outsourced. It is doubtful that we will ever know exactly what factory or kitchen table assembled these.
With the exception of crystals, case backs and dials; it is reasonable to assume that most of the watch is assembled from Sea-Gull made parts.
Actual content varies depending on the seller who had each batch made up.


----------



## hidden by leaves

Pawl_Buster said:


> The movements are all Se-Gull. The original batch of these was made by Sea-Gull but all subsequent batches have been outsourced. It is doubtful that we will ever know exactly what factory or kitchen table assembled these.
> With the exception of crystals, case backs and dials; it is reasonable to assume that most of the watch is assembled from Sea-Gull made parts.
> Actual content varies depending on the seller who had each batch made up.


Thanks very much Paul, that is both helpful and appreciated. I do have/can find out some history of where mine came from and when, so perhaps someday I can narrow it down! Regardless, it runs magnificently and I think looks great.

Cheers,
Anthony


----------



## Citizen V

fliegerchrono said:


> Just got confimration by Thomas that it will have acrylic glass and a see-trhough case back and maintains the orginal 37,5mm seize


Ah interesting. I love that size but I just recently got a 1963 :/. I suppose I could flip it if I like this new one better.


----------



## samanderson

I really like this watch. But "+/- a couple of minutes after 12 hours" seems terribly inaccurate. Are you sure about this?

Sam


----------



## joashes

Get one from poljot24.de where they have stocks of the 19 Zuan model.


----------



## Ric Capucho

joashes said:


> Get one from poljot24.de where they have stocks of the 19 Zuan model.











Just rushed over to Poljot24.de They seem to be sapphire 21 zuans. And at €275 which is about $355. Did I miss something?

Nice pictures though.

Ric


----------



## samanderson

Yeah that is really expensive compared to buying through Thomas - around $200 last time I checked. 

A 2 year guarantee is nice because I have had to send mine back to Thomas 3 times already and am going to send it back to him for a 4th time: he asked me to wait until December though, it must be something to do with his new stock. I'm not sure it is worth an extra $175 dollars though; you could almost buy an extra watch for that.


----------



## pirho123

samanderson said:


> Yeah that is really expensive compared to buying through Thomas - around $200 last time I checked.
> 
> A 2 year guarantee is nice because I have had to send mine back to Thomas 3 times already and am going to send it back to him for a 4th time: he asked me to wait until December though, it must be something to do with his new stock. I'm not sure it is worth an extra $175 dollars though; you could almost buy an extra watch for that.


4 times? The mechanism is totally unreliable? Or this is another problem?


----------



## ColinW

samanderson said:


> I really like this watch. But "+/- a couple of minutes after 12 hours" seems terribly inaccurate. Are you sure about this?
> 
> Sam


I assume he meant "seconds".

If the watch is as bad as he says, it's useless.


----------



## ColinW

pirho123 said:


> 4 times? The mechanism is totally unreliable? Or this is another problem?


From what I've read, this movement has more problems on average.

Perhaps the change on the new batch will be a more reliable movement.


----------



## pirho123

ColinW said:


> From what I've read, this movement has more problems on average.
> 
> Perhaps the change on the new batch will be a more reliable movement.


I've heard about same problems with Magrette which has this movement


----------



## samanderson

The reasons I had to sent it back for the first 3 times are found here. This time the chronograph start and stop function have stopped working.

People have written that this watch may be more of a 'collector' than a 'wearer'. I think that they may be correct. But kinda wish I had known that before I bought one because I like to be able to wear my watches.

I also hope that this new batch will be more reliable.


----------



## elioporky

I've recently had a few emails back and forth with Thomas. I asked him how the new batch will be different and he replied: "I have one biggr[sic] size of previous model and will mail you the photo when product completed."

So this is legit? He says he accepts paypal and that the watch will cost $200 plus shipping.


----------



## DSLAM

Well, if you talked directly with Thomas, then I guess it is legit. Sounds good. Did he give a time line?


----------



## elioporky

DSLAM said:


> Well, if you talked directly with Thomas, then I guess it is legit. Sounds good. Did he give a time line?


I suppose my fear is that anyone can open a gmail account and make a few posts on message boards under different names saying that they've bought watches from some random guy. I am certainly comforted by PayPal being involved in the transaction, but I don't think it's unreasonable to be cautious. And just to clarify, I didn't "talk" to Thomas, I was in communication with him over email.

To answer you question, no, he didn't really give a timeline. But I will absolutely communicate that info once I receive it.


----------



## hked

If this is the email 'Thomas' used [email protected] then he is legit.

Thomas is the source of the 1963 Reissue, produced our 2011 WUS Moonphase Project and will manufacture our 2012/2013 models as well. You can check feedback for our last forum watch here or do a search:

https://www.watchuseek.com/f461/forum-project-watch-unboxing-thread-682869.html
https://www.watchuseek.com/f461/timing-chi-mech-forum-watch-685921.html



elioporky said:


> I suppose my fear is that anyone can open a gmail account and make a few posts on message boards under different names saying that they've bought watches from some random guy. I am certainly comforted by PayPal being involved in the transaction, but I don't think it's unreasonable to be cautious. And just to clarify, I didn't "talk" to Thomas, I was in communication with him over email.
> 
> To answer you question, no, he didn't really give a timeline. But I will absolutely communicate that info once I receive it.


----------



## elioporky

hked said:


> If this is the email 'Thomas' used [email protected] then he is legit.
> 
> Thomas is the source of the 1963 Reissue, produced our 2011 WUS Moonphase Project and will manufacture our 2012/2013 models as well. You can check feedback for our last forum watch here or do a search:
> 
> https://www.watchuseek.com/f461/forum-project-watch-unboxing-thread-682869.html
> https://www.watchuseek.com/f461/timing-chi-mech-forum-watch-685921.html


Well that certainly is good to hear.

I received an email from Thomas this morning in which he affirms that the new watch will be 42mm. I'm hoping he'll still have the smaller one as well because that was what I had been originally seeking.


----------



## samanderson

That is great news! I have the original size and love it, but find it a little small. Will have to seriously consider getting the 42mm.


----------



## redcow

samanderson said:


> That is great news! I have the original size and love it, but find it a little small. Will have to seriously consider getting the 42mm.


Ha! I was hoping for the exact opposite, a smaller version, say 35mm. I love the small diameter vintage watch designs and also have a pretty thin wrist. Even the 37mm reissue looks huge on my wrist!


----------



## chirs1211

Do we know if there are any other differences, apart from the size, yet?

I have the 37.5mm one, so not too sure if i'm going to go for one just for the size increase alone.

Chris


----------



## elioporky

redcow said:


> Ha! I was hoping for the exact opposite, a smaller version, say 35mm. I love the small diameter vintage watch designs and also have a pretty thin wrist. Even the 37mm reissue looks huge on my wrist!


I love that bracelet... what is it? where did you get it?


----------



## MACHENE.Tech

Subscribed.


----------



## elioporky

samanderson said:


> That is great news! I have the original size and love it, but find it a little small. Will have to seriously consider getting the 42mm.


and I'd seriously consider buying your smaller size off you if you were so inclined...


----------



## redcow

elioporky said:


> I love that bracelet... what is it? where did you get it?


It's a 1960s "beads of rice", common on Omegas and a few other brands during that period. I hunt for them in the markets and watch stalls here in Saigon and have found 3 so far but they are getting scarce. You can find them on ebay but they are getting very pricey. Still, nothing is more comfortable than a "BOR" especially in the tropics and it's a great vintage look.


----------



## fliegerchrono

Hey, strange thing, he mentioned to me that it would be the same size!



elioporky said:


> I've recently had a few emails back and forth with Thomas. I asked him how the new batch will be different and he replied: "I have one biggr[sic] size of previous model and will mail you the photo when product completed."
> 
> So this is legit? He says he accepts paypal and that the watch will cost $200 plus shipping.


----------



## ultarior

Hello!

Some years passed but can anyone tell me what happened with the site from the root post?
http://www.seagullhk.com/english/contact.asp

TIA


----------



## elioporky

fliegerchrono said:


> Hey, strange thing, he mentioned to me that it would be the same size!


I just got an email from him that said: "Yes I have arcylic lens coming 38.00MM"


----------



## hked

I'm sure he has more than one batch, so don't be surprised if he says yes to both questions :-d.

Trying to get a group discount if anyone is interested.



elioporky said:


> I just got an email from him that said: "Yes I have arcylic lens coming 38.00MM"


----------



## ColinW

hked said:


> Trying to get a group discount if anyone is interested.


If we're talking 42mm, acrylic crystal, and display back, I'm interested. If I can get it in my hands before December 24th, I'm interested in two.


----------



## hked

I don't think the 42mm comes with the acrylic crystal, but I'll ask tonight and let you know ASAP.



ColinW said:


> If we're talking 42mm, acrylic crystal, and display back, I'm interested. If I can get it in my hands before December 24th, I'm interested in two.


----------



## Ric Capucho

hked said:


> I'm sure he has more than one batch, so don't be surprised if he says yes to both questions :-d.
> 
> Trying to get a group discount if anyone is interested.


I'm in for the 42mm group, Mr hked. Might also take a 37mm to salt away of that's the only way to get an acrylic. One wonders how he's gonna dome glass the 42mm of it's not acrylic.

Ric


----------



## samanderson

I'm with ColinW. If it has the Sapphire I would have to think about it, and preferably see pics. Any chance of getting some shots off Thomas hked?


----------



## Ric Capucho

samanderson said:


> I'm with ColinW. If it has the Sapphire I would have to think about it, and preferably see pics. Any chance of getting some shots off Thomas hked?


I'm guessing the shots are pending manufacture, similar to the forum watch. I'm sure Thomas won't be shy to take a snap or six and get 'em to hked or other emailers once he gets his hands on the real goods. But I'm looking at the calendar and thinking this is unlikely to be over by Christmas.

Ric


----------



## samanderson

Ric Capucho said:


> I'm guessing the shots are pending manufacture, similar to the forum watch. I'm sure Thomas won't be shy to take a snap or six and get 'em to hked or other emailers once he gets his hands on the real goods. But I'm looking at the calendar and thinking this is unlikely to be over by Christmas.
> 
> Ric


Oh sure, I meant that I'm keen on one 42mm if it has acrylic. I would only want one and for me there is no hurry.


----------



## chirs1211

HI.

May be in for the group buy on a 42mm, pref specs first though, but if price is good...

Chris


----------



## elioporky

hked said:


> Trying to get a group discount if anyone is interested.


Yes, hked, I would be very interested. Would prefer Sapphire 38mm but am happy with acryllic as well.


----------



## hked

The 42mm 1963 does come with an acrylic crystal :-d. Thomas told me the ETA is early January, so fingers crossed.



Ric Capucho said:


> I'm in for the 42mm group, Mr hked. Might also take a 37mm to salt away of that's the only way to get an acrylic. One wonders how he's gonna dome glass the 42mm of it's not acrylic.
> 
> Ric


----------



## Ric Capucho

hked said:


> The 42mm 1963 does come with an acrylic crystal :-d. Thomas told me the ETA is early January, so fingers crossed.


Then reading between the lines, I hereby confirm I want both the 37mm and and 42mm.

Dear Mr hked, please make all my dreams come true. I'm guessing you have two group buys in mind, right?

Ric


----------



## Cosmograph

hked said:


> I'm sure he has more than one batch, so don't be surprised if he says yes to both questions :-d.
> 
> Trying to get a group discount if anyone is interested.


Oh pls let me know, am interested indeed in the new movement and size! Let us know Ed!


----------



## hked

Actually it is more of an introductory offer for WUS members. I'll need to get more details from Thomas, but if we can get orders for around 30-50 pieces (either size would do) and mention this forum then we can get a slight discount. All payments and orders will still be conducted through Thomas.

I'll let you guys know once the watches have been completed and Thomas sends me pictures of the finished products.



Ric Capucho said:


> Then reading between the lines, I hereby confirm I want both the 37mm and and 42mm.
> 
> Dear Mr hked, please make all my dreams come true. I'm guessing you have two group buys in mind, right?
> 
> Ric


----------



## ColinW

Ric Capucho said:


> One wonders how he's gonna dome glass the 42mm of it's not acrylic.Ric


The sapphire ones are domed but it's very, very slight. You can notice it when held side-by-side next to something that's flat, but it's nothing like domed acrylic.


----------



## ColinW

hked said:


> I'll let you guys know once the watches have been completed and Thomas sends me pictures of the finished products.


Sounds good! Thanks!:-!


----------



## eesh

I will be interested in 37mm acrylic with exhibition back, only if the movements are now more consistently reliable. 

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## Chascomm

ColinW said:


> The sapphire ones are domed but it's very, very slight. You can notice it when held side-by-side next to something that's flat, but it's nothing like domed acrylic.


Which mean that is still needs the taller bezel to compensate for the height. That changes the proportions of the watch, especially when viewed from the side (examples have been posted elsewhere). However on a 42mm case, which alters the proportions anyway, that would not be so evident.

I've noticed on the forums that most people who 'demand' a larger watch also tend to 'demand' sapphire, so it's probably good business to combine the two. The fact that Thomas is even prepared to consider acryllic with a 42mm 1963 indicates a pleasing broadening of tastes on this forum :-d


----------



## pirho123

I will definitely take acryllic 42mm and maybe 38 mm


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Thrax

42mm sapphire = would buy.


----------



## Angelo534

I would be very interested in a group buy =]


----------



## MACHENE.Tech

Thrax said:


> 42mm sapphire = would buy.





Angelo534 said:


> I would be very interested in a group buy =]


+1


----------



## yande

hked said:


> ...... Trying to get a group discount if anyone is interested.


Not wanting to be a downer on this enterprise, but I think the practicalities of this has been discussed before on this thread. On an approx $200 watch, a group buy is going to get you about $10 off, then considering that the group buy is most probably going to be shipped to one address, forward shipping charges will eat more than the allotted discount..... Not to mention what happens if something went wrong with one watch??? Record of purchase??
One has to remember though, you get what you pay for..

Just saying, and please enlighten me if I am wrong, and please don't get me wrong, I am a fan of this watch as anyone is.

Personally I bought 6 at one time, and got a discount on the shipping!! Though I am not the type to ask for a discount when the price is incredibly cheap in the first place.

I really admire Thomas.


----------



## hked

Ummmmm, "All payments and orders will still be conducted through Thomas." So basically it is the same as buying from Thomas directly, only with a small discount (you are correct about the US$10).

I know you have a soft spot for the 1963 :-!.



yande said:


> Not wanting to be a downer on this enterprise, but I think the practicalities of this has been discussed before on this thread. On an approx $200 watch, a group buy is going to get you about $10 off, then considering that the group buy is most probably going to be shipped to one address, forward shipping charges will eat more than the allotted discount..... Not to mention what happens if something went wrong with one watch??? Record of purchase??
> One has to remember though, you get what you pay for..
> 
> Just saying, and please enlighten me if I am wrong, and please don't get me wrong, I am a fan of this watch as anyone is.
> 
> Personally I bought 6 at one time, and got a discount on the shipping!! Though I am not the type to ask for a discount when the price is incredibly cheap in the first place.
> 
> I really admire Thomas.


----------



## fliegerchrono

I don't like the look of the higher bezel on the 38mm watch, so hopefully Thomas will have thee 42 mm example available with acryllic! Count me in for that one!


----------



## Ric Capucho

hked said:


> Ummmmm, "All payments and orders will still be conducted through Thomas." So basically it is the same as buying from Thomas directly, only with a small discount (you are correct about the US$10).


Exactly.

Dunno why people keep peering down gift horses' mouths.

Ric


----------



## ColinW

Ric Capucho said:


> Dunno why people keep peering down gift horses' mouths


I think yande just missed the "All payments..." comment from a few days ago and may not realize that hked is 'The Man' when it comes to dealing with Thomas.


----------



## hked

ColinW said:


> I think yande just missed the "All payments..." comment from a few days ago and may not realize that hked is 'The Man' when it comes to dealing with Thomas.


Not really, he normally replies quickly to emails. Although he has been very busy lately in a rush to complete orders before CNY.

I'm not sure if he gets much sleep as he once told me it would be ok to call him anytime before 2am. Maybe one of you guys can give it a try ;-).


----------



## Quake1028

I'm all over a 42mm version.


----------



## bob92

Quake1028 said:


> I'm all over a 42mm version.


Me too!


----------



## Dsaat

Quake1028 said:


> I'm all over a 42mm version.


+1 I was about to get the 37,5mm version just yesterday. Then I saw this!


----------



## ndrago

My experience with the Seagull 1963 has been pretty saddening. I got the watch from watchunique because I wanted it before christmas (got it around 20th Nov), and shortly, after a week or so, the watch started to behave strangely. 

Pressing once on the start/stop makes the seconds hand move a little and then stops (looking through the display back also shows the balance wheel stopping), pressing again on the button makes the watch work - the hour and minute hands that is - with the seconds hand stopped.
I have tried to contact watchunique both through their website and e-mail but got no response whatsoever.

Oh well, hope you guys have better luck..


----------



## samanderson

Hi ndrago

I'm sorry to hear of your problems with your 1963. I hate to ask an obvious question but have you wound your watch? This is a mechanical watch and needs to be wound to work.

The other question I have is, what do you mean by 'seconds hand' and 'hour and minute hands'. Are you aware that the red hand is the chronograph, and that the little hand on the left is the seconds hand? 

I only ask all these basic questions because you have 1 post and may be new to mechanical watches.
Sam


----------



## ndrago

samanderson said:


> Hi ndrago
> 
> I'm sorry to hear of your problems with your 1963. I hate to ask an obvious question but have you wound your watch? This is a mechanical watch and needs to be wound to work.
> 
> The other question I have is, what do you mean by 'seconds hand' and 'hour and minute hands'. Are you aware that the red hand is the chronograph, and that the little hand on the left is the seconds hand?
> 
> I only ask all these basic questions because you have 1 post and may be new to mechanical watches.
> Sam


Hello, I am indeed new to mechanical watches, but not that new to not know about winding a watch. It was the red hand (chronograph) that I was talking about - the little register at 9 works fine - unless I start the chronograph. Here is a video (sorry for very poor quality) but it's portraying the issue well enough: Video - TinyPic - Free Image Hosting, Photo Sharing & Video Hosting


----------



## samanderson

Yes that does indeed look strange. Hope you hear back from Watchunique soon - they ought to stand by the products they sell.


----------



## m102486

I'm also very interested to get one, just waiting on the specs. lug size , movement etc.


----------



## Chascomm

Obviously Watchunique should be expected to stand behind the product that they sell. However if you don't get any help from them, all is not lost. In the Reference sub-forum (link at the top of the main Chinese forum page) you will find a guide to adjusting the chronograph action of an ST19.


----------



## ColinW

Chascomm said:


> In the Reference sub-forum (link at the top of the main Chinese forum page) you will find a guide to adjusting the chronograph action of an ST19.


I didn't read the whole thing yet but it looks really interesting. To make life easier, here's the link: https://www.watchuseek.com/f72/what%92s-wrong-my-chronograph-504772.html


----------



## cleanup

I'm not interested in the group buy, but how do I go about purchasing one of these directly from HK? The original website has been down for ages; not terribly interested in ordering from WatchUnique since I'm in Canada and I'm sure I'd get killed on customs with a UK shipping origin via UPS.


----------



## ultarior

look thru the thread to find the mysterious THOMAS contacts )


----------



## DSLAM

Wasnt there supposed to be an update in Dec.? 
Actually, I will be going to HK in a few days anyway, perhaps I can meet the famous Thomas in person.


----------



## ColinW

DSLAM said:


> Wasnt there supposed to be an update in Dec.?


January.
From post #685 in this thread: "_The 42mm 1963 does come with an acrylic crystal. Thomas told me the ETA is early January, so fingers crossed_."

Should be a happy New Year after all!


----------



## cleanup

Thomas just emailed me and said the next batch is due on Jan 10th.


----------



## chirs1211

Any specs? size dial etc


----------



## cleanup

chirs1211 said:


> Any specs? size dial etc


Here's his email. The picture he attached just looks like the 39mm version. I'm guessing he meant a new batch of 39mm 19 zuan, not the new 42mm.



> Dear: AlbertYes the new production will completed around 10 of January.
> The unit price of the coming acrylic plastic lens version is US$200.00 + shipping cost.
> Please find the enclosed photo for this production.
> This version with see through case back.
> Thomas


----------



## Ric Capucho

cleanup said:


> Here's his email. The picture he attached just looks like the 39mm version. I'm guessing he meant a new batch of 39mm 19 zuan, not the new 42mm.
> 
> [/SIZE]
> View attachment 922857
> [/FONT]


Don't get too excited... this is the same exmaple photo Thomas has been sending out since November (or even earlier). Hopefully the new batch will be identical. We must wait and see how the new 38mm and 42mm watches look like, I guess.

Ric


----------



## cleanup

Ric Capucho said:


> Don't get too excited... this is the same exmaple photo Thomas has been sending out since November (or even earlier). Hopefully the new batch will be identical. We must wait and see how the new 38mm and 42mm watches look like, I guess.
> 
> Ric


I realise that. Presumably they will be identical. I was going to ask him about the 42mm version but frankly I'm more interested in the original 39mm so I think I'm going to go ahead and put myself on the waiting list. He said those signing up now could expect shipment in late January.


----------



## Ric Capucho

cleanup said:


> I realise that. Presumably they will be identical. I was going to ask him about the 42mm version but frankly I'm more interested in the original 39mm so I think I'm going to go ahead and put myself on the waiting list. He said those signing up now could expect shipment in late January.


Yeah, I'm still hovering between the two. If the 42mm is a scaled up 38mm with acryllic, etc, then I may end up taking both.

My wife will kill me (again) of course.

Ric


----------



## Dingers

ndrago said:


> My experience with the Seagull 1963 has been pretty saddening. I got the watch from watchunique because I wanted it before christmas (got it around 20th Nov), and shortly, after a week or so, the watch started to behave strangely.
> 
> Pressing once on the start/stop makes the seconds hand move a little and then stops (looking through the display back also shows the balance wheel stopping), pressing again on the button makes the watch work - the hour and minute hands that is - with the seconds hand stopped.
> I have tried to contact watchunique both through their website and e-mail but got no response whatsoever.
> 
> Oh well, hope you guys have better luck..


This actually happens with mine too, but I haven't been bothered to send it back to Thomas as pressing it again makes the watch start again.

It still keeps amazing time


----------



## hexhibit

Is there any way to get the 0437 version of this watch any more (pic attached)?
I had mine stolen in a house burglary a few years back - miss it.

cheers,
alastair


----------



## hked

I believe this is the original 38mm watch. There will be several other batches including a similar version in 42mm and a couple of other colours to mix things up.

The watches should have been finished prior to Christmas, but Thomas was unhappy with the quality of the hands and had them done again.



cleanup said:


> Here's his email. The picture he attached just looks like the 39mm version. I'm guessing he meant a new batch of 39mm 19 zuan, not the new 42mm.
> 
> [/SIZE]
> View attachment 922857
> [/FONT]


----------



## hked

I'm working on it, or rather pushing Thomas to see if can be done again :-d.



hexhibit said:


> Is there any way to get the 0437 version of this watch any more (pic attached)?
> I had mine stolen in a house burglary a few years back - miss it.
> 
> cheers,
> alastair


----------



## cleanup

hked said:


> I believe this is the original 38mm watch. There will be several other batches including a similar version in 42mm and a couple of other colours to mix things up.
> 
> The watches should have been finished prior to Christmas, but Thomas was unhappy with the quality of the hands and had them done again.


It would be great if people would read my entire post. I know it's the original. I included it just for posterity's sake. Thomas told me photos of the 42mm would be ready January 15th.


----------



## ColinW

cleanup said:


> It would be great if people would read my entire post...


Which post?



cleanup said:


> I'm not interested in the group buy, but how do I go about purchasing one of these directly from HK? The original website has been down for ages; not terribly interested in ordering from WatchUnique since I'm in Canada and I'm sure I'd get killed on customs with a UK shipping origin via UPS.





cleanup said:


> Thomas just emailed me and said the next batch is due on Jan 10th.





cleanup said:


> Here's his email. The picture he attached just looks like the 39mm version. I'm guessing he meant a new batch of 39mm 19 zuan, not the new 42mm.


I think all we know is Thomas may have some 1963 type watches available soon. Maybe some with vintage specs, or maybe some with a modern look, or maybe some a very, very different different look. We'll have to wait and see what's offered.


----------



## hked

No need to get your knickers in a twist and so sorry for stating the obvious.

The photos I have of the three 42mm watches to be offered are definitely different to the one you posted. As Ron always says 'Be Helpful'.......although I now realise it is not always appreciated.


----------



## Ric Capucho

hked said:


> No need to get your knickers in a twist and so sorry for stating the obvious.
> 
> The photos I have of the three 42mm watches to be offered are definitely different to the one you posted. As Ron always says 'Be Helpful'.......although I now realise it is not always appreciated.


And the photos are...? Come in, hked. We're all on the edges of our seats, here.

Ric


----------



## hked

Ric Capucho said:


> And the photos are...? Come in, hked. We're all on the edges of our seats, here.
> 
> Ric


Sorry for keeping you in suspense Ric, but I promised I wouldn't post the prototype pictures as there slight changes may have been made during production. Only another week or so before I get the go ahead from Thomas.

For the record, I bought and sold the 38mm sapphire version a while back and have been waiting for the acrylic crystal for over a year. Feedback and ideas from forum members made this possible, so thank you guys!!!


----------



## marxthebills

hexhibit said:


> Is there any way to get the 0437 version of this watch any more (pic attached)?
> I had mine stolen in a house burglary a few years back - miss it.
> 
> cheers,
> alastair


Also interested.


----------



## Ric Capucho

The suspense is killing me, now. I need some sort of hope, or I'll end up spending my watch budget on all sorts of nonsense.

Hmm, maybe a worthy thread digression?

What are you going to buy because Thomas still hasn't readied the 1963?

I'll start:

(ahem)

Either a pair of Raketa Koperniks (white and black dials) or more likely an old Poljot 3017. Or that black-dialled Beijing ZunDa.

Or screw it, I'll get the Beihai.

Ric


----------



## Ric Capucho

You see? You see what you've made me do? I've just bought myself a Rodina.

Ric


----------



## Martin_B

Ric Capucho said:


> You see? You see what you've made me do? I've just bought myself a Rodina.
> 
> Ric


:-d:-d:-!


----------



## Pawl_Buster

Ric Capucho said:


> You see? You see what you've made me do? I've just bought myself a Rodina.
> 
> Ric


Is that Romany for Parsnip? ;-)


----------



## pirho123

Waiting for letter from Thomas...)


----------



## Ric Capucho

Pawl_Buster said:


> Is that Romany for Parsnip? ;-)


It's Russian for shurrup.

But seriously, I have a feeling it's someones old project watch manufacturered by the Sea-Gull factory.

Anyone know the truth?

Ric


----------



## Citizen V

PM'ed back


----------



## chirs1211

2 Days to go !!


----------



## tokumei

Hi everyone, I'm a long time lurker here and this thread has finally brought me out of hiding! I was wondering if anyone has had any luck in contacting Thomas? I tried his gmail address to no avail and was wondering if there was some sort of secret code I need to know?


----------



## DSLAM

tokumei said:


> Hi everyone, I'm a long time lurker here and this thread has finally brought me out of hiding! I was wondering if anyone has had any luck in contacting Thomas? I tried his gmail address to no avail and was wondering if there was some sort of secret code I need to know?


No code that I'm aware of. I've emailed him before and he answered but there was a delay of a few days. He's probably busy with this new release, probably lots of people emailing him directly as well.


----------



## fliegerchrono

I received two pictures of the new Seagull 1963 chrono 38mm acrylic lens with see-through caseback from Thomas today!
















$200,- excl shipping.


----------



## tmr5555

Firstly, the new caseback is much better no red lettering on the glass obscuring the movement, the new crown isn't as nice as the flatter one from before though...


----------



## Ric Capucho

Too late, I've just ordered 199 examples. 

(Kidding, but I did just snap one up).

Ric


----------



## DSLAM

I like having traditional characters on the back too, nice. I was under the impression that these new ones were supposed to be 41mm, or am I confusing something?


----------



## hked

The 38mm 'new' version without red lettering on the back is one of several batches. I should be receiving photos of the 42mm versions from Thomas today  



DSLAM said:


> I like having traditional characters on the back too, nice. I was under the impression that these new ones were supposed to be 41mm, or am I confusing something?


----------



## kasperek

hked said:


> The 38mm 'new' version without red lettering on the back is one of several batches. I should be receiving photos of the 42mm versions from Thomas today


Do you have any details on the other batches? Particularly on whether or not there will be more 38mm acrylic versions?


----------



## ColinW

kasperek said:


> Do you have any details on the other batches? Particularly on whether or not there will be more 38mm acrylic versions?


I think that's what fliegerchrono just posted pics of - a new batch of the remake of the original batch verses the 42mm which is a larger new batch of the of the remake of the original batch.

Please... try to keep up...


----------



## hked

kasperek said:


> Do you have any details on the other batches? Particularly on whether or not there will be more 38mm acrylic versions?


I believe the only 38mm version is the one shown by fliegerchrono and the rest are 42mm. Will let you know a little later.


----------



## kasperek

ColinW said:


> I think that's what fliegerchrono just posted pics of - a new batch of the remake of the original batch verses the 42mm which is a larger new batch of the of the remake of the original batch.
> 
> Please... try to keep up...


I was just wondering if there would be any others before I pull the trigger haha, all I don't really like about this batch is the bigger crown, the engravings on the back i'm slightly unsure of but I think i'll fall in love with them once I have the watch in my hands.



hked said:


> I believe the only 38mm version is the one shown by fliegerchrono and the rest are 42mm. Will let you know a little later.


Alright sounds great, thanks for the update


----------



## MACHENE.Tech

It seems like more people are interested in acrylic over sapphire (just read the last dozen posts, not the entire thread, didn't tally either). Is there a particular reason why? Not interested in the acrylic vs sapphire debate. Just curious if I missed something-cool-that-I-don't-know-about acrylic on a 1963.


----------



## Ric Capucho

MACHENE.Tech said:


> It seems like more people are interested in acrylic over sapphire (just read the last dozen posts, not the entire thread, didn't tally either). Is there a particular reason why? Not interested in the acrylic vs sapphire debate. Just curious if I missed something-cool-that-I-don't-know-about acrylic on a 1963.


Well, plenty of clues in the entire thread. Well worth a full read, because if you're unsure whether to buy to begin with, you'll be salivating by the end of it. I read the lot one sleepless night, then fired off a stream of emails to the famous Thomas before falling asleep. That's a real gem for $200.

The acryllic can be formed into a proper dome, which better matches the original and also the vintage design theme.

Of of course sapphire's a more modern and durable material, but cannot be properly domed because of constraints in the material. So instead the sides of the watch have to be "higher" to allow the flatter crystal to properly clear the hands. Hence the more "deep" look of modern watch dials.

So your call: acryllic dome for that vintage look, or sapphire durability?

Ric


----------



## ColinW

kasperek said:


> I was just wondering...


Yup, it will be interesting to see what's offered.

Oh, and welcome to the forum!


----------



## ColinW

^^ What he said. That vintage, retro, high-dome look is cool!



Ric Capucho said:


> ...but cannot be properly domed because of constraints in the material....


I don't know if it can't be or if it's just cost-prohibitive. You would probably have to start with a much thicker piece of sapphire and do a lot more grinding - greatly adding to material and labor costs.
Corum does it with the bubble watch and aren't those sapphire?


----------



## Ric Capucho

ColinW said:


> ^^ What he said. That vintage, retro, high-dome look is cool!
> 
> I don't know if it can't be or if it's just cost-prohibitive. You would probably have to start with a much thicker piece of sapphire and do a lot more grinding - greatly adding to material and labor costs.
> Corum does it with the bubble watch and aren't those sapphire?


You're right, I should have said sapphire can't be domed economically.

Ric


----------



## hked

Thomas said the vintage domed (read acrylic) look can be achieved with sapphire - at a cost. If I remember correctly around USD40 per piece.

Personally, I prefer the warmer acrylic crystal for a real vintage feel.


----------



## Ric Capucho

hked said:


> Thomas said the vintage domed (read acrylic) look can be achieved with sapphire - at a cost. If I remember correctly around USD40 per piece.
> 
> Personally, I prefer the warmer acrylic crystal for a real vintage feel.


There ya go; something for everybody.

Ric


----------



## hked

I meant it is possible, but I don't think Thomas used it this time around.


----------



## Ric Capucho

Emailed photos of the latest 38mm acryllic 1963...

Ric


----------



## elioporky

I took the plunge and ordered one. I'll post pics when it arrives. My brother found a great thread about making your own leather watch bands and I might give it a shot... 

I'm thinking about ordering the 42 when it comes out as well and selling or gifting whichever one I like the less.


----------



## Slow*Jim

link?


----------



## hked

Sorry Thomas said his server is down and will only be able to send me the photos tomorrow.

Whoops, I must missed the two photos that were attached so here you are guys!!!! The watches are basically the same as the prototypes Thomas showed me a couple of months ago. Ummmmmmm, looks like I'm going to pick up some new watches very soon ;-).

















There is also a black dialled 42mm version available. There may be the possibility of a USD10 discount for the first 50 WUS members (38mm version also included in this special offer), but I am waiting for permission from the Mods and will keep you all posted. In any event, the 42mm watches won't be ready for shipping until the end of January.

I'll add more photos ASAP!


----------



## ColinW

Thanks for the pics! 

I have a question. What's the blue thing on the crown?


----------



## hked

ColinW said:


> Thanks for the pics!
> 
> I have a question. What's the blue thing on the crown?


Something used to protect the crown during transportation. I believe it is very easy to remove.


----------



## Ric Capucho

So, I think I'm right that Thomas has four 1963 models (so far):

38mm White dial $200
42mm White dial $220
42mm White dial, black sub-dials $220
42mm Black dial $220

...and all with domed acryllic, exhibition backs. No hints of sapphire, so far, but maybe they're also to come?

Only the 38mm, it seems, keeps those wonderful stove-pipe chrono buttons that keep catching my eye. But I guess something has to give when you scale up. And the 42mm gains a freshness about it, that I didn't expect.

I'm sticking with my 38mm order, but look forward to seeing the black-dialed 42mm. As I suspected, this is all leading to a second order for one of the 42mm. What I like is that the dial colour differences will allow me to differentiate on more than just physical size.

Happy days.

Is Thomas gonna launch a proper brand on the back of this? He should.

Ric


----------



## Thrax

I'm very disappointed that the larger diameter has changed aesthetics.  I was hoping for a larger version that retained the lovely blue second hand, but I just can't love this.


----------



## MACHENE.Tech

Ric Capucho said:


> Well, plenty of clues in the entire thread. Well worth a full read, because if you're unsure whether to buy to begin with, you'll be salivating by the end of it. I read the lot one sleepless night, then fired off a stream of emails to the famous Thomas before falling asleep. That's a real gem for $200.
> 
> The acryllic can be formed into a proper dome, which better matches the original and also the vintage design theme.
> 
> Of of course sapphire's a more modern and durable material, but cannot be properly domed because of constraints in the material. So instead the sides of the watch have to be "higher" to allow the flatter crystal to properly clear the hands. Hence the more "deep" look of modern watch dials.
> 
> So your call: acryllic dome for that vintage look, or sapphire durability?
> 
> Ric


Exactly the input I was seeking. Appreciate it.


----------



## ColinW

hked said:


> Something used to protect the crown during transportation. I believe it is very easy to remove.


Good. I was afraid he was trying to go upscale with a cabochon or something. That's definitely an acquired taste that I haven't, and may never, acquire.


----------



## Citizen V

Thrax said:


> I'm very disappointed that the larger diameter has changed aesthetics.  I was hoping for a larger version that retained the lovely blue second hand, but I just can't love this.


I believe there is one like that. See the 2nd pic hked posted

Sent from my cm_tenderloin


----------



## Ric Capucho

Anyone know the lug width of the 38mm? One has an aversion to NATO straps.

Ric


----------



## Citizen V

It's 18mm for the 38mm. I still need to get a proper fitting strap for mine  I have a 20mm leather strap wedged in

Sent from my cm_tenderloin


----------



## tmr5555

Seeing this image, how cool would it be if we made a panda forum chrono watch for 2013?
I know there are many panda lovers out there!
IMHO this would be so awesome, i already have like 10 mockups ready :-DD


----------



## dougiedude

Seems the link to Thomas for ordering is privileged info... Or can I get that here? 

Any help is appreciated...


----------



## Harv_

As a long time lurker who has been following this thread for a while, thanks to all! I just sent in my order.

As I eagerly await delivery, does anyone have a translation of the text on the new case back?


----------



## Ric Capucho

Harv_ said:


> As a long time lurker who has been following this thread for a while, thanks to all! I just sent in my order.
> 
> As I eagerly await delivery, does anyone have a translation of the text on the new case back?


Yep, it says "This side down."

Hope this helps,
Ric

p.s. Heh heh heh...


----------



## Ric Capucho

Or maybe "Smash glass in case of emergency".

Ric


----------



## hked

The following watches come with 42mm cases, transparent case backs and acrylic front crystals. Apparently prices haven't been set yet and hopefully Thomas will call me later today to confirm. More photos of these sexy models:

Original cream dial






















Black dial















White dial


----------



## Thrax

Now you're speakin' my language.


----------



## Cosmograph

hked said:


> The following watches come with 42mm cases, transparent case backs and acrylic front crystals. Apparently prices haven't been set yet and hopefully Thomas will call me later today to confirm. More photos of these sexy models:
> 
> Original cream dial
> View attachment 937623
> 
> View attachment 937622
> 
> View attachment 937626
> 
> 
> Black dial
> View attachment 937643
> 
> View attachment 937645
> 
> 
> White dial
> View attachment 937649
> 
> View attachment 937651
> 
> View attachment 937652


ok where do I sign up for the white and black dials... Oooh! Now that just screams HOT!!!!


----------



## hked

Cosmograph said:


> ok where do I sign up for the white and black dials... Oooh! Now that just screams HOT!!!!


Get in line my friend :-d. Looks like I have another bunch of incoming watches to find space for!!! The 42mm models have arrived, but I believe Thomas is going to test them and what not before shipping starts in late January. So you still have time to decide which model(s) to go for.


----------



## Thrax

So, like, is ordering one of these privileged information? Do I need to know a secret handshake?


----------



## hked

Thrax said:


> So, like, is ordering one of these privileged information? Do I need to know a secret handshake?


Not at all, you can just contact Thomas directly through his email [email protected] , although you may have to wait for a reply as he is very busy at the moment! We are waiting for permission to do a special WUS USD10 discount for the first 50 members who purchase either the 38mm or any of the 42mm models. Since the 42mm watches won't be ready for shipping until late January there will be plenty of time to order if you want to wait for the discount.


----------



## Thrax

Maybe I missed it, but what is the pricing structure? Thank you for your help so far!


----------



## hked

Thrax said:


> Maybe I missed it, but what is the pricing structure? Thank you for your help so far!


No problem. Pricing for the 42mm hasn't been decided yet, but Thomas should have it sorted today and I'll post details as soon as I receive them.


----------



## ssni4

hi,hked i want to order 42mm cases,Original cream dial,Sapphire front crystal .thx


----------



## shiraz

Is the 38mm the same as the 1963 reissues that have been available for several years which I have bought already with display caseback and without? Or is it something new?

Look forward to the 42mm. will you announce the details here or is there a waiting list somewhere?


----------



## hked

shiraz said:


> Is the 38mm the same as the 1963 reissues that have been available for several years which I have bought already with display caseback and without? Or is it something new?
> 
> Look forward to the 42mm. will you announce the details here or is there a waiting list somewhere?


The 38mm is basically the same model with a revised case back. All orders will be conducted through Thomas, but if you want the WUS discount (to be confirmed) then you can send me a PM. What other 42mm details would you like?


----------



## italycai

Hi guys, this is my virgin post on the forum but have been lurking for quite some time now.

The moment I saw the 1963, I fell in love with it and knew I had to have it. I'm leaning towards the 38mm due to my puny wrist (6.25') and also prefer the stovepipe chrono pushers but will wait for pricing of the 42mm to be announced before I decide which to order.

Quick question, Thomas quoted me USD $38 for EMS shipping to Singapore but I read in the earlier pages that shipping was only about $10 even to the US. Was there an increase in the shipping cost that I may have missed out? 

Thanks!


----------



## hked

italycai said:


> Hi guys, this is my virgin post on the forum but have been lurking for quite some time now.
> 
> The moment I saw the 1963, I fell in love with it and knew I had to have it. I'm leaning towards the 38mm due to my puny wrist (6.25') and also prefer the stovepipe chrono pushers but will wait for pricing of the 42mm to be announced before I decide which to order.
> 
> Quick question, Thomas quoted me USD $38 for EMS shipping to Singapore but I read in the earlier pages that shipping was only about $10 even to the US. Was there an increase in the shipping cost that I may have missed out?
> 
> Thanks!


Standard worldwide shipping costs USD20 and EMS shipping around USD38. With EMS you get recorded delivery, faster shipping and peace of mind. However, I have heard of instances where taxes have been levied against EMS shipping (both in the U.S. and Europe), while some packages sent through standard shipping slip through.


----------



## Ric Capucho

Ok, so the 38mm should be on its way; a decent strap's been ordered to replace the (cough, spit) NATO it comes on.

So no obvious next watch to think and dream about.

Ho hum.

Ric


----------



## ssni4

hked, Is this 42mm case with sapphire crystal ?


----------



## hked

ssni4 said:


> hked, Is this 42mm case with sapphire crystal ?


No, the current batch of 38mm and 42mm watches all have acrylic crystals.


----------



## samanderson

Thanks for all the info Hked

I can't decide if I prefer the 42mm 'classic' or my original sized one (I think it's either 36.5mm or 37.5mm). I'm trying to work out if the dial for the 42mm 'classic' is the same size as the original or is it bigger? I mean, have they made the whole dial and hands proportionately bigger for the 42mm, or have they simply used hands and the dial from the original size and re-cased them in a larger case?


----------



## hked

Ric Capucho said:


> So, I think I'm right that Thomas has four 1963 models (so far):
> 
> 38mm White dial $200
> 42mm White dial $220
> 42mm White dial, black sub-dials $220
> 42mm Black dial $220
> 
> ...and all with domed acryllic, exhibition backs. No hints of sapphire, so far, but maybe they're also to come?
> 
> Only the 38mm, it seems, keeps those wonderful stove-pipe chrono buttons that keep catching my eye. But I guess something has to give when you scale up. And the 42mm gains a freshness about it, that I didn't expect.
> 
> I'm sticking with my 38mm order, but look forward to seeing the black-dialed 42mm. As I suspected, this is all leading to a second order for one of the 42mm. What I like is that the dial colour differences will allow me to differentiate on more than just physical size.
> 
> Happy days.
> 
> Is Thomas gonna launch a proper brand on the back of this? He should.
> 
> Ric


Sorry Ric, my mistake. The pricing for the 42mm models hasn't been announced yet (just called Thomas again) and I will post it as soon as I get the information.


----------



## pirho123

hked said:


> The 38mm is basically the same model with a revised case back. All orders will be conducted through Thomas, but if you want the WUS discount (to be confirmed) then you can send me a PM. What other 42mm details would you like?


Also want to buy 38 & 42 mm classic style models with WUS discount


----------



## Bradjhomes

Ooooh I certainly like the look of the black dial. Look forward to orders opening


----------



## shiraz

Thanks hked

I will watch this thread for further developments. Hopefully the revised caseback will be made available to those of us who purchased the 38mm before.


----------



## kasperek

What strap is everyone getting for their newly purchased watch?

I'm thinking of Nomos shell cordovan 

I would love one with some texture but unfortunately that seems near impossible to find with my small 6" wrists


----------



## Citizen V

kasperek said:


> What strap is everyone getting for their newly purchased watch?
> 
> I'm thinking of Nomos shell cordovan
> 
> I would love one with some texture but unfortunately that seems near impossible to find with my small 6" wrists


That is exactly what I wanted for the one I have already. Right now I have a cheap version, and hopefully will upgrade to the real thing later


----------



## kasperek

Citizen V said:


> That is exactly what I wanted for the one I have already. Right now I have a cheap version, and hopefully will upgrade to the real thing later


Nice, it seems like a really nice strap from what I've been reading.

Are you getting the one I linked or perhaps the one with red stitching?


----------



## Citizen V

Hm, that is a good question. I've been leaning towards the one with the red-brown stitching, but have not decided yet.


----------



## chirs1211

Hi, are these all of the final designs?
Was hoping for an all black dial in 42mm  

Chris


----------



## hked

chirs1211 said:


> Hi, are these all of the final designs?
> Was hoping for an all black dial in 42mm
> 
> Chris


Yes, these are the final designs.


----------



## hked

samanderson said:


> Thanks for all the info Hked
> 
> I can't decide if I prefer the 42mm 'classic' or my original sized one (I think it's either 36.5mm or 37.5mm). I'm trying to work out if the dial for the 42mm 'classic' is the same size as the original or is it bigger? I mean, have they made the whole dial and hands proportionately bigger for the 42mm, or have they simply used hands and the dial from the original size and re-cased them in a larger case?


Sorry for the late reply. The 42mm watches have been revamped and use larger dials and hands.


----------



## lks1984

Cream dial version in 42mm case is definitely "must have" for me  Waiting long long time for it, and 'bum' the dream come true


----------



## bow

Good call, cos I want black dial!!!


----------



## chirs1211

Wanted a black dialled one too, but if i'm honest i'm 50/50 on the silver subdials

Chris


----------



## Roadholding

Hello forum dwellers,

I have been lurking for quite a while in this excellent forum. My father bought the "standard" 38mm 1963 last year and is very happy with it. I really want to get one as well, but am wondering whether alternative dial color choices for the 38mm version will become available in the future. It needs to be 38mm though, so the current alternative color versions (which are all 42mm, if I understand correctly) are not an option for me.

Hked, perhaps you have some insight into this? Many thanks in advance,
Aurel


----------



## Pawl_Buster

chirs1211 said:


> Wanted a black dialled one too, but if i'm honest i'm 50/50 on the silver subdials
> 
> Chris


Any different colours than the original would make it not a re-issue.
Perhaps one or several of the Parnis sellers are watching this thread and are already in production ;-)


----------



## beceen

allright, people - tell me clearly then, once again - what is the price of 42 version?
there have been prices listed is some earlier posts, but I did not get if they are final?


----------



## MACHENE.Tech

Pawl_Buster said:


> Any different colours than the original would make it not a re-issue.
> Perhaps one or several of the Parnis sellers are watching this thread and are already in production ;-)


nice point


----------



## FlyerGuy

samanderson said:


> I'm trying to work out if the dial for the 42mm 'classic' is the same size as the original or is it bigger? I mean, have they made the whole dial and hands proportionately bigger for the 42mm, or have they simply used hands and the dial from the original size and re-cased them in a larger case?





hked said:


> Sorry for the late reply. The 42mm watches have been revamped and use larger dials and hands.


Not to be a party pooper but the new 42mm versions clearly do not have the same style of hands as the original version.

The original has a slightly thinner hour hand and a minute hand that extends all the way to the edge.

The 42mm version has a slightly thicker hour hand and a minute hand that *does not* extend all the way to the edge. If anything, the hands on the 42mm model seem to be shorter than the original.

This is all a matter of taste of course but it's different enough that it does not look balanced in my eyes.

Original version:




























42mm version from _hked_'s photos:










The swapped hands in the minutes and seconds registers have occurred in the past as well in the original version so let's not go there for now.

_Tianjin Watch Factory_ in Chinese is missing. The writing has been changed to _Made in China _with _China_ written at the bottom.


----------



## wildpack

FlyerGuy said:


> Not to be a party pooper but the new 42mm versions clearly do not have the same style of hands as the original version....


Crown is pretty different too. These watches do seem to "evolve".

Still happy with my small sapphire 1963. Too many other watches out there to get stuck in upgrade mode.


----------



## samanderson

Thanks Flyerguy for that response (and also Hked). The photo comparisons are really helpful in identifying the differences. Another one, which I think is a shame, is that the 42mm does not have the outer black circle around the minutes on the main dial.


----------



## hked

Roadholding said:


> Hello forum dwellers,
> 
> I have been lurking for quite a while in this excellent forum. My father bought the "standard" 38mm 1963 last year and is very happy with it. I really want to get one as well, but am wondering whether alternative dial color choices for the 38mm version will become available in the future. It needs to be 38mm though, so the current alternative color versions (which are all 42mm, if I understand correctly) are not an option for me.
> 
> Hked, perhaps you have some insight into this? Many thanks in advance,
> Aurel


This current batch of watches has been modified according to the needs of the market and I believe Thomas will see how well they sell before bringing out any more 'new' models. I can always give him a nudge in the right direction if there is a demand for 38mm alternative colours :-d.


----------



## chirs1211

So black with silver subdials and white with black subdials were part of the original '63 line up then ??
And I only stated that I was keen on a black dial but was not sure if I liked the silver subdials, parnis crack was uncalled for!!

Chris


----------



## hked

beceen said:


> allright, people - tell me clearly then, once again - what is the price of 42 version?
> there have been prices listed is some earlier posts, but I did not get if they are final?


I've been badgering Thomas for the prices over the last few days and they haven't been finalised yet. Pretty sure he'll stop answering my phone calls soon ;-).


----------



## ColinW

FlyerGuy said:


> Not to be a party pooper but the new 42mm versions clearly do not have the same style of hands as the original version.
> 
> The original has a slightly thinner hour hand and a minute hand that extends all the way to the edge.


I didn't notice that at first. The minute hand curving at the edge of the dial is a big reason it had that retro vibe.


----------



## Ric Capucho

Guys, no worries if the 42mm doesn't float yer boat. Either buy the 38mm which is much closer to the original, and your expectations, or buy an entirely different type of watch.

Thomas obviously is trying to launch a range of watches here, all with a common theme. I'd be surprised if he simply scaled up the 38mm in every dimension, retaining every design element, as I doubt an inflated version would work. Remember how Porsche inflated the 911 and came up with the original Cayenne? Well, that's one of the pitfalls of how designs don't scale as you think they might.

Ric


----------



## JustinD

hked - I'm in Hong Kong until Wednesday. Any chance that Thomas would sell me one of the cream dialed 42mm watches now as opposed to waiting?


----------



## hked

I asked him the same question and I'm afraid the 42mm watches won't be available until the end of January. Guess we'll all have to wait a little longer!


----------



## warsame

Got my reply from Hon or Thomas recently. Two questions. Is this guy trustworthy? And is the 'acryl plastic lens version' the original? Fantastic watch to a fantastic price!


----------



## warsame

Guess I killed the thread


----------



## DSLAM

warsame said:


> Guess I killed the thread


:-d That's funny. It often feels that way when you're new to forums I think. Anyway, I think the consensus here is that Thomas is trustworthy. Not sure about the other question about the acrylic lens. Do you mean the original from 1963 or from the first new batch from a few years ago?


----------



## warsame

Hey, thanks for the reply. Hope he is.

I mean the original reissue. The one wornandwound made an review on. I see a lot of different versions being requested and Thomas said in the mail "acrylic plastic lens version" so maybe not the original reissue?


----------



## Citizen V

Yes the 'original' re-issue had acrylic crystal too. 

Sent from my cm_tenderloin


----------



## Ric Capucho

warsame said:


> Hey, thanks for the reply. Hope he is.
> 
> I mean the original reissue. The one wornandwound made an review on. I see a lot of different versions being requested and Thomas said in the mail "acrylic plastic lens version" so maybe not the original reissue?


I wouldn't normally recommend someone to go through 83 pages of any thread, but in this case it might be merited.

Thomas was instrumental in the original reissue, and he's *more* than instrumental in the latest. It's now essentially his own baby: no longer the doting Godfather, now the proud Father. Perhaps in the various posts you'll see Thomas's name and email address crop up time and time again. And never a negative, as I recall. I can't say (yet) whether the latest reissue is essentially the same as the original reissue (Confused? You will be... Soap!) but I'm betting it is, and any changes willl be material improvements. Indeed, I'm betting with my feet because I have one on the way right now.

As for the acryllic glasswork: the true 1963 original had an acryllic dome, it being 1963 and all that. The original 38mm reissue(s) came in two versions (correct me anyone, if I fall off the path here) both an acryllic dome for that vintage look, and also a flatter sapphire version, for those who simply can't live without. Of course the sapphire traded vintage looks for modern durability.

So far the latest reissues (in 38mm and 42mm) we've heard about all have acryllic, so lord knows if Thomas plans a parallel sapphire universe. It may be.

Ric


----------



## Ric Capucho

Hi All,

So guess what was waiting for me when I arrived home; the latest, hot off the press, never been kissed, squeaky new 1963 Mark II Reissue.

It's everything I hoped it would be, and more. The biggest (literally) surprise was the scale of the watch which belies the mere 38mm case diameter. I've said it before, and I say it again, watch size is a volume thing, and not a diameter thing. Domed acrylic, slightly domed case back (with the window so I can peep at the movement therein) and a deep enough case to accommodate the oversized crown. All of this bulks up the watch considerably. Oh, and that enlarged crown looks great with the steam-pipe buttons, so no concerns from me on that.

I won't be bothering with the 42mm, ta muchly.

Seconds don't hack (I didn't expect them to), chronograph buttons work fine, and I'd missed that the timed seconds are with the big red seconds hand, and not the subdial, unlike my RAF Seiko. Ahhhhhh, gotcha.

The supplied green NATO strap (cough, spit) never got a chance, of course. One hates NATO straps with a vengeance. I've got another TSS Atlas in the ether, but I popped on this brown oiled leather as an interim... only I'm so happy with it, I think I'll probably letting sleeping dogs lie.

Not a bad life.

Ric


----------



## warsame

Ric

Great pictures but why such a NATO hater  Looks great on that strap, gives it another look. How come your glass back is all clear and its 19 Zuan instead of 21? New version? Think i'll have to read through the whole thread now, too many surprises


----------



## Ric Capucho

warsame said:


> Ric
> 
> Great pictures but why such a NATO hater  Looks great on that strap, gives it another look. How come your glass back is all clear and its 19 Zuan instead of 21? New version? Think i'll have to read through the whole thread now, too many surprises


Yep, it's a shocking world. 

Ric


----------



## kasperek

Ric Capucho said:


> Yep, it's a shocking world.


Is the crown signed by chance?


----------



## marxthebills

I still think none of the new ones have anything on the original. I'll definitely be replacing that NATO. Anyone have any recommendations on a strap like the Horween Shell Cordovan Brown and not so heavy on the wallet (US based)? That super smooth leather would look great around my wrist.


----------



## Ric Capucho

More photos...

Ric


----------



## Ric Capucho

David562 said:


> Any news of the 1963 Reissue in 40 mm case with sapphire crystal ?


It's a 42mm case, and the last 3-4 pages of this thread'll bring you up to date.

Ric


----------



## redcow

Ric Capucho said:


> View attachment 945390
> 
> 
> View attachment 945392
> 
> 
> View attachment 945393
> 
> 
> More photos...
> 
> Ric


Hi Ric. I don't see much difference between what you are showing and mine, which I acquired from Watchunique about a year ago. Slightly different placement of the sub-dials in relation to the numbers and 19 instead of 21 Jewels. Crown may or may not be different. Am I missing something?


----------



## Citizen V

The hands and case back are also different

Sent from my cm_tenderloin


----------



## Ric Capucho

kasperek said:


> Is the crown signed by chance?


The crown has the Sea-Gull logo. A seagull with a rectangle around it. Looks a bit like an envelope, to be honest.

Ric


----------



## Ric Capucho

redcow said:


> Hi Ric. I don't see much difference between what you are showing and mine, which I acquired from Watchunique about a year ago. Slightly different placement of the sub-dials in relation to the numbers and 19 instead of 21 Jewels. Crown may or may not be different. Am I missing something?


Probably not missing anything enough to replace yours with the new one. Aren't you already happy with yours? Also I can't see if yours has acryllic glass.

Ric


----------



## redcow

Hi Ric, Yes, very happy with mine (ticking away daily for about a year) and not thinking of changing, only curious about "updates" etc. Acrylic, which I preferred over the glass options of the time because they had rather ugly thick bezels to support the flat (not domed) glass. Chrono functions work and reset properly although the "start-stop" button has a slightly worrying "crunchy" feeling to it compared to other chronos I own, however it works perfectly so far. Thanks for the pics.


----------



## fliegerchrono

Wow the 38mm version looks GREAT! I want one, is there any news on the WUS discount? And another small thing..... I'll have to get rid of a watch to buy it...... nice one though.... https://www.watchuseek.com/f29/fs-%2A%2Alowered-price%2A%2A-military-submariner-sterile-milsub-804194.html#post5868545 ;-)


----------



## kasperek

Ric Capucho said:


> The crown has the Sea-Gull logo. A seagull with a rectangle around it. Looks a bit like an envelope, to be honest.
> 
> Ric


Thanks a ton, here's to hoping mine is also signed.

Mine has been sitting at the post office for two days, can't wait to pick it up tomorrow.


----------



## Ric Capucho

kasperek said:


> Thanks a ton, here's to hoping mine is also signed.
> 
> Mine has been sitting at the post office for two days, can't wait to pick it up tomorrow.


If you just ordered one of the latest ones from Thomas, then I'd expect the all the latest reissue crowns to be identical. Can't speak for earlier reissues.

Know what you mean about stuff sitting at the post office for days. My work often takes me on the road for days, so I've had packages sat there even for a week or so.

Ric


----------



## chirs1211

Early reissues didn't have the signed crown 

Chris


----------



## Ric Capucho

Ahhhhhhhhh....


----------



## elioporky

I got mine. It's awesome. Stuck an oiled brown band on it but am looking for something more fabulous. This picture doesn't do it justice but I haven't had an opportunity to display it in front of the Swiss Alps 

I agree with Ric that it wears a little bigger than it seems, but not TOO much bigger. One of the reasons is that it's a very light watch, surprisingly so for it's thickness. I have a Seiko SNK807K2 and it basically has the same case diameter (confirmed side by side - I'll send a pic), but the Seiko is thinner and heavier and reminds you that you're wearing a watch more than the Seagull does. That being said, ever since I received mine Tuesday evening, I've been choosing my shirts for work based on what will go well with the watch. My wife says that it looks like a watch you're grandfather passed down to you, but that's in pristine condition.

Again, I apologize for the pic but want to include it as evidence of Thomas's trustworthiness. The colors are much warmer in real life.


----------



## wvizmanos

Hi. After seeing a few pics i think i want one for myself. Im interested in getting the 38mm version, which i believe is the closest remake of the original version. Can somebody please direct me to Thomas? Thank you. (And I apologize for being lazy not reading the whole thread)


----------



## chirs1211

You're forgiven, here you go email him here [email protected]

Chris


----------



## Ric Capucho

wvizmanos said:


> Hi. After seeing a few pics i think i want one for myself. Im interested in getting the 38mm version, which i believe is the closest remake of the original version. Can somebody please direct me to Thomas? Thank you. (And I apologize for being lazy not reading the whole thread)


[email protected] ([email protected])

I'd advise anyone interested to reread the last 5-6 pages of this thread before ordering so yer know what you're getting into.

Ric


----------



## chirs1211

Yep, i was just about to edit my post.
I agree with Ric, best to read through

Chris


----------



## wvizmanos

I did a quick search of Thomas' email address last week and was able to email him expresssing my intention to buy one. It's exactly the same as the one posted by chris1211 but howcome i never received a reply from him??


----------



## Ric Capucho

wvizmanos said:


> I did a quick search of Thomas' email address last week and was able to email him expresssing my intention to buy one. It's exactly the same as the one posted by chris1211 but howcome i never received a reply from him??


I've heard he's travelling at the moment.

Ric


----------



## wvizmanos

Thank you Ric.


----------



## Smoking Joe

I want one as original to the original as possible!!  The 38mm cream dial one is lovely. Display back or steel back?


----------



## hked

Display back.


----------



## hked

The price for the 38mm watch is USD200 and USD220 for the 42mm versions. Standard shipping costs USD22 or you can choose EMS at USD40. If you have further questions please feel free to PM me.


----------



## Smoking Joe

PM sent.


----------



## Smoking Joe

Why do some of the photos listed here show dials with 19 jewels and others with 23 jewels?


----------



## FlyerGuy

Smoking Joe said:


> Why do some of the photos listed here show dials with 19 jewels and others with 23 jewels?


Refer to this thread:

https://www.watchuseek.com/f72/seagull-st19-jewel-count-=-21-23-thanks-lysanderxiii-189937.html


----------



## Smoking Joe

Thanks!


----------



## dan000

I'm about to order one of these from Thomas. How hard would it be to get one of these acrylic crystals replaced of I damage it somehow?


----------



## Smoking Joe

Good question. I actually just ordered one with an acrylic crystal as if it gets scratched I can just polish it out. Whereas glass you are stuck.


----------



## fliegerchrono

Polywatch rulezzzzzz ;-)


----------



## Ric Capucho

Colgate rules!


----------



## Smoking Joe

"Displex" and Brasso rule too! ;-)


----------



## jjolly

I'm part of the club as of about 15 mins ago.... Something *very interestingly* beautiful about this watch.









Now I'm off to finish getting this blue off of the pushers


----------



## waXology

Hi guys,

Long time reader. Thanks for posting great info.

I received mine from Thomas yesterday but is there something im doing wrong or is this thing impossible to wind? I can get it to work for about 30 seconds before it stops. Seems like the movement just won't wind... Any help would be appreciated.

Cam


----------



## Ric Capucho

How many winds do you give it? Needs about 60 half-winds with my thumb sliding over the top of the crown to get more or less fully charged.

Ric


----------



## ColinW

waXology said:


> I received mine from Thomas yesterday but is there something im doing wrong or is this thing impossible to wind? I can get it to work for about 30 seconds before it stops. Seems like the movement just won't wind... Any help would be appreciated.


Sounds like there's something wrong with it. Maybe the pawl that keeps the spring/gear from unwinding after it's wound isn't engaging.

Anyhow, you should probably contact Thomas.


----------



## hked

Thomas is back and the 42mm watches are ready for shipping!

If you have any questions please feel free to PM me


----------



## stepper78

Any confirm photos of the 42mm watches?

Or the one earlier is the confirm one? The one with the shorter minute hand.



hked said:


> Thomas is back and the 42mm watches are ready for shipping!
> 
> If you have any questions please feel free to PM me


----------



## hked

The photos in the earlier post are correct.



stepper78 said:


> Any confirm photos of the 42mm watches?
> 
> Or the one earlier is the confirm one? The one with the shorter minute hand.


----------



## ed335d

hked - your inbox is full, but I was just PM'ing to say thanks!

Ed


----------



## hked

Allow me to introduce The Three Stooges (42mm).


----------



## samanderson

Nice line-up!


----------



## Ric Capucho

I quite like the Panda.

O-oh...

Ric


----------



## fliegerchrono

Wow, nice work!
Still, I think I'll be ordering the classic 38mm one!



hked said:


> Allow me to introduce The Three Stooges.
> View attachment 963780
> 
> View attachment 963865


----------



## samanderson

Is the 0001 on the case a L.E. serial number?


----------



## hked

I don't think they will be limited, but yes it is the first of the series.

I believe there are only around 50 white dials and even less black dials in this production run.


----------



## fliegerchrono

Yes! Put down my order for a 38 mm!! Now just what strap will I put it on?


----------



## ehou333

hked said:


> Allow me to introduce The Three Stooges.
> View attachment 963780
> 
> View attachment 963865


Are the black and white editions for sale? Where can they be ordered?


----------



## _XII_

The original "re-issue" minute hand was thicker than the hour hand. This is fixed now.


----------



## Rdenney

My 1963 Reissue arrive today. I purchased the 38mm version, with the cream-colored dial.

And I've spent some quality time with a microscope and a loupe.

First, the case. The case is really excellent. The lugs are long and stylish, and the stepped bezel makes the watch wear bigger without being bigger. I put it next to my Poljot (late version with a round case) and the clunkiness of the latter becomes really apparent. I put it next to my vintage early-60's EBEL dress watch, which is to my eyes perfectly proportioned, and it holds up. The crown is big enough to hand-wind (necessary here, of course). The pushers are proportioned correctly. The watch looks better on a leather strap than on the provided NATO strap (pictures soon)--the case holds up to nice leather. The lug opening is not quite 18mm, and an 18mm strap has to be encouraged to fit, though it does not look compressed once it's there. I think a 19 or 20mm strap would look better. The 36mm case on my old EBEL takes a 19mm strap, and I like the proportions of the strap being at least as large as half the case diameter.

The detailing on the dial gives no cause for complaint. No weird printing artifacts or the like. And the acrylic crystal is perfect. The watch looks like a 60's watch, but without looking too small. And I'm glad this is an homage to an earlier Tianjin-made military watch--the writing on the watch is in Chinese characters and that means I don't have to feel guilty for wearing a watch that is pretending to be western when it isn't.

The bluing on the hands is a bit bright for real bluing, but that's a subtlety that will not bother me at all.

The movement is excellent. Obviously, I didn't tear anything down, but I did study it very closely. No Venus 175, as installed in, say, a vintage Breitling Navitimer, looks as good as this one, even if the imitation Geneva stripes were fly-cut rather than the result of polishing. At 30x, the grooves that give the stripes their look were even and large, versus the more random and far finer grooves that result from using tripoli on those tiny little buffs. But to the naked eye, they give the right effect. The chamfering on the bridges is done pretty well considering the price point.

The color of the blued screws suffers the same defect as the hands, but at this price it could not possibly bother me. But plain polished steel might have looked as good or better. The Seagull movement's chronograph control levers were highly polished--unlike those same levers on any Venus-made caliber 175, and unlike the control levers on my EBEL cal. 137. That really made the surface features of the movement sparkle, and it has great "curb appeal" through the display back. Look deeper, though, and the base plate and other inner workings are not pearled or decorated as they are on that EBEL movement and on the better Swiss watches (especially those wtih display backs). One has to look past a lot of sparkle to see that, though. Seagull just chose to polish and decorate different bits. 

It's fun to study a hand-wind movement through a display back--no rotor to block the view.

I tested the watch with Kello (that cheapie iPhone timer thing), and the watch ran +12 dial down to +6 with the dial vertical and 12 o'clock pointed down. No other position ran outside that range. We'll see how that plays out in the real world, but I call that very little positional variation and at least close to chronometer timing, at least with a full wind. Yes, I realize that COSC measures time gained and lost in each position for a full 24 hours, and I"m considering this test just an indicator. My new EBELs are all within about 30 seconds of each other, having all been set alike four weeks ago. And they are all maybe 90 seconds fast, which means they are averaging about +3. That's right in the COSC sweet spot, it seems to me. The Seagull will need a week or two of keeping it wound to know for sure, but it doesn't seem as though it will be much outside that range, if at all.

Of course, teh ST19 runs at 21,600, and not at the 18,000 of the original Venus 175.

And now that I have a chrono with a column-wheel control, I understand it somewhat differently that how it is usually described. The column-wheel requires force to turn to the next position (which is what the start/stop pusher does), because the pillars are actuating a couple of levers as that is happening. The pillars are small, so the part of a lever falling off of one as it moves away, or climbing onto one as it is pushed underneath it, has to be close to the lever's pivot. That means whatever the lever does has a lot of leverage to exert onto the column wheel, and that adds to the workload of the start/stop pusher. One other thing that is happening is that the reset lever is being cocked when the chrono is first started. When the column wheel is in the run position, that reset lever is held in place by one of the column wheel pillars, which prevents it from becoming uncocked even if the reset pusher is pressed. Thus, the reset pusher does not have to wind anything up to have enough snap to roll those heart cams back to the zero position. That pusher requires almost no force at all. The start/stop pusher requires as much force as the start/stop pusher on my lever-actuated EBEL 137, and both require less than the one on the Poljot 3133. 

I was surprised to discover that the minute totalizer is designed to jump minutes. The chrono seconds wheel has a single tooth that aligns with the minute wheel, and engages just enough to catch one tooth. The minute totalizer wheel has minute detents, and that passing tooth moves it to the next detent. So, the minute totalizer jumps to the next minute as the chrono seconds hand is passing 12. The minute wheel on my EBEL does not do that, and it's a nice feature.

The case could be made that the Venus 175 was one of the key innovations that helped restore the Swiss watch industry coming out of the Great Depression, and keep it going during WWII when they were powering the watches favored by military officers. But it was not an auto, and that was a crippling defect by the 60's. That's why Venus sold the tooling and so on to Tianjin--they were trying to fund the development of a lever-actuated chrono that could be thin enough to have automatic winding. (Column wheels are not thin. But Zenith figured that trick out three or fours years later, and kept the column wheel.) Given the 175's role back in the day, there is some lamenting that movements like it are no longer available. Well, they are. And they seem to work as well now as they ever did--maybe better--and there are nice watches available that use them.

Rick "trying to motivate the next round of potential buyers" Denney


----------



## jjolly

A quick update on my last week or so with the watch....

1) This is a really great watch. It's keeping time much better than expected. I'm not as obsessive as some watching 2-3 secs in a day period, but I can tell you that I haven't had to adjust the time since I set it initially.....and I've probably worn it 50% of the time and kept it wound at some point on the day (or so) that I wasn't wearing it.
2) You can *hear* the watch and I really like that. Some may not -- but I love the j'ne sais quoi it gives to the watch.
3) I've gotten tons of compliments on it (that I don't get with my sub or 007.)
4) This is the first hand wound automatic that I've had and I'm really loving it. Something very pleasing and old-school about the process of handwinding a watch.

I bought a black/black version for my best friend's birthday....so hopefully that tells you what I think about the watch.

~j

p.s. - my experiences with Thomas have been nothing but 100% top notch....we just need to convince that guy to start sleeping


----------



## jjolly

They look good Ed. Now you're making me think I need to get a panda for myself....


----------



## samanderson

Thanks so much for your great review Rick. I have owned a 1963 for about 18 months now, and I still love it. I have read a lot about this watch, including this entire thread, but have learned many new things from your post.

Sam


----------



## dkbs

Do you (or anyone) have real life any photo of 42mm 1963? It seems from your photo that the case back size is much smaller than dial size. How could Thomas manage to assemble this watch?This watch might require removing crystal before one can access to movement. Also, from your photo, the low right lug was off.

Any reason to design like this?



hked said:


> Allow me to introduce The Three Stooges (42mm).
> 
> View attachment 963865


----------



## Ric Capucho

Don't know if I agree with that.

The case back size likely reflects the comparatively smaller size of the ST19 movement. The dial is much bigger than the movement, ergo all's well.

Ric


----------



## samanderson

I agree with Ric, but dkbs' question did make me examine the watch more carefully, and it does seem like an unusual design. I would want to actually see one before making a judgement but I wonder if it is a little off-putting having the asymmetrical top and bottom. The pushers look strange in the shallow sloping underside. It's does seem like it's a shortcut to produce a 42mm watch from a 38mm one. It might have been better to forego the open caseback for a better design.

As for your second question about the lug dkbs, it does look like that but it's just the photo. The end of the lug is being reflected in the case because it's such a polished surface, and it looks like an unusual lug base. Follow the outer edge around from the left side and you will be able to see it better.

Sam


----------



## hked

I think it is just my crappy photography skills, or lack thereof. Also not sure how much more real-life you want as the watches are mine and were taken in my office?

Maybe someone else would post more photos? In reality all the lugs are the same.


----------



## jjolly

Pretty sure ill have one here in the next day or two Ed and I'll be glad to take a couple of shots.


----------



## hked

Thanks mate, really looking forward to seeing your photos and wrist-shots


----------



## Wimpy

Ric Capucho said:


> View attachment 944778
> 
> 
> Hi All,
> 
> So guess what was waiting for me when I arrived home; the latest, hot off the press, never been kissed, squeaky new 1963 Mark II Reissue.
> 
> It's everything I hoped it would be, and more. The biggest (literally) surprise was the scale of the watch which belies the mere 38mm case diameter. I've said it before, and I say it again, watch size is a volume thing, and not a diameter thing. Domed acrylic, slightly domed case back (with the window so I can peep at the movement therein) and a deep enough case to accommodate the oversized crown. All of this bulks up the watch considerably. Oh, and that enlarged crown looks great with the steam-pipe buttons, so no concerns from me on that.
> 
> I won't be bothering with the 42mm, ta muchly.
> 
> Seconds don't hack (I didn't expect them to), chronograph buttons work fine, and I'd missed that the timed seconds are with the big red seconds hand, and not the subdial, unlike my RAF Seiko. Ahhhhhh, gotcha.
> 
> The supplied green NATO strap (cough, spit) never got a chance, of course. One hates NATO straps with a vengeance. I've got another TSS Atlas in the ether, but I popped on this brown oiled leather as an interim... only I'm so happy with it, I think I'll probably letting sleeping dogs lie.
> 
> Not a bad life.
> 
> Ric


Gidday Ric,

Did you end up trying the TSS Atlas on your new beauty - or have you stuck with the oiled brown as you were thinking? I am trying to deicde which one to buy.... 

And have you (or anyone else?) used the TSS butterfly push button deployant?

Thanks! Andrew


----------



## Ric Capucho

Wimpy said:


> Gidday Ric,
> 
> Did you end up trying the TSS Atlas on your new beauty - or have you stuck with the oiled brown as you were thinking? I am trying to deicde which one to buy....
> 
> And have you (or anyone else?) used the TSS butterfly push button deployant?
> 
> Thanks! Andrew


I stayed with the oiled brown on the 1963 because I loved it as it was, so best to stop when I've got a winner. The tan Atlas is on my Alpha Panda.

Both straps are as cheap as chips from TSS so you might wanna consider ordering both. Can't have too many straps hanging around...

Ric

View attachment 970896


----------



## Wimpy

Ric Capucho said:


> I stayed with the oiled brown on the 1963 because I loved it as it was, so best to stop when I've got a winner. The tan Atlas is on my Alpha Panda.
> 
> Both straps are as cheap as chips from TSS so you might wanna consider ordering both. Can't have too many straps hanging around...
> 
> Ric


I'm sold! Thanks.......


----------



## jjolly

hked said:


> Thanks mate, really looking forward to seeing your photos and wrist-shots



View attachment 971790

View attachment 971793


More later..


----------



## jjolly

Ok. Here are some more pics. Again -- hard to do the watch(es) justice when not in person.

The 42mm definitely wears 42... But not bigger. I have a 6.5+ wrist and I think it looks great on -- the lug-to-lug width isn't huge so it wears well. I'm giving this as a gift so I'm trying not to take too many pics on the wrist, but it looks and feels good.

I still love the "original" but the panda dial one is calling my name.

On to the pics:

View attachment 971854

View attachment 971856

View attachment 971857

View attachment 971858

View attachment 971859

View attachment 971861

View attachment 971863


----------



## Rdenney

View attachment 971866


Here's a quickie iPhone shot of the 38mm case on a black calfskin strap with cream-colored thread that matches the dial.

Rick "better pics this weekend" Denney


----------



## hked

Thanks for the comparison and wrist-shots! They both look good on your wrist and the 42mm doesn't seem overwhelming.

There is a Panda waiting for you


----------



## hked

Very nice Rick and I enjoyed your refreshing review very much. Looking forward to seeing more photos and strap combos!


----------



## jjolly

Nope. It's not overwhelming at all. To be honest though -- I think that a new strap may be in order. This one isn't horrible but I'm thinking something with a little lighter color would do it justice


----------



## lks1984

jjolly said:


> Ok. Here are some more pics. Again -- hard to do the watch(es) justice when not in person.
> 
> The 42mm definitely wears 42... But not bigger. I have a 6.5+ wrist and I think it looks great on -- the lug-to-lug width isn't huge so it wears well. I'm giving this as a gift so I'm trying not to take too many pics on the wrist, but it looks and feels good.
> 
> I still love the "original" but the panda dial one is calling my name.


hoooly .... . I'm still waiting for a cream dial version to arive, but this lovely Panda is now talking to me o| Got to have it! o|


----------



## chiefum

I just received mine...the 38mm....it looks beautiful....now I'm just waiting for a strap to arrive...so I can wear this bad boy.


----------



## Smoking Joe

My 1963 re-issue arrived yesterday. I had been looking forward to receiving this since I ordered it and I was pleasantly surprised when I opened it last night. The box took a bit of a battering in the post and also not helped by customs cutting open the package. I was holding my breath to see if the kicking the package received got through to the watch- and no!  The watch was perfect and more so it was stunning! A 38mm cream dial with acrylic crystal and display back. Wow! This watch looks even better in the flesh than it does in the photos.  1960s classic looks but with a modern touch. I’m wearing in work now and will see how it runs over the next few days but initial impression is that it is a beautiful looking watch. Feels and looks very well made and I loved the wooden presentation box. A few people have commented on it already.

What do I call it when people ask about it? Do I say that it is a “Seagull” 1963?
Also, is it better to keep the chronograph running or stopped? The reason I ask is that some of the Japanese chronographs are better off running to save wear on the clutch. But the Swiss ones are better off stopped. So I presume since this was based on a Venus movement it would be better off stopped?

Very happy with this watch! Unusual and beautiful. And even the NATO strap I swell made and suits the watch. Maybe at some stage I will try a leather strap out but for the moment the green NATO looks good.

Photos will follow.


----------



## cbass8282

My 42mm Cream arrived last night. What a gorgeous watch! I've had a 38mm for awhile and I wanted to see how much larger the newer offering is. Well, I feel it definitely wears larger than 42, but not obnoxiously so.

Here's a wrist shot I took this morning.


----------



## ColinW

cbass8282 said:


> My 42mm...


That's a great shot! Thanks!

I didn't mind the crowns changing too much but the minute hand not going all the way to the edge of the dial like on the 38mm... it loses some of that vintage feel for me. :-(


----------



## Rdenney

Smoking Joe said:


> What do I call it when people ask about it? Do I say that it is a "Seagull" 1963?
> Also, is it better to keep the chronograph running or stopped? The reason I ask is that some of the Japanese chronographs are better off running to save wear on the clutch. But the Swiss ones are better off stopped. So I presume since this was based on a Venus movement it would be better off stopped?


I call it a Seagull, though it might be a Seagull HK. It certainly has a Tianjin ST 19 in it.

The clutch on this one is not really a clutch--no slipping is possible. It uses an idler gear with sharp triangular teeth to drive the central seconds wheel, which has very fine triangular teeth. Those teeth are fine to keep the second hand from jumping when the idler wheel is pushed up against it to start the chronograph. But triangular teeth are not efficient, and the points will wear on the sides of the opposing wheel as it turns. As with similar Swiss movements, I would not runs the central seconds hand continuously.

Rick "who has studied just this issue with a microscope" Denney


----------



## dougiedude

Rdenney said:


> I call it a Seagull, though it might be a Seagull HK. It certainly has a Tianjin ST 19 in it.
> 
> The clutch on this one is not really a clutch--no slipping is possible. It uses an idler gear with sharp triangular teeth to drive the central seconds wheel, which has very fine triangular teeth. Those teeth are fine to keep the second hand from jumping when the idler wheel is pushed up against it to start the chronograph. But triangular teeth are not efficient, and the points will wear on the sides of the opposing wheel as it turns. As with similar Swiss movements, I would not runs the central seconds hand continuously.
> 
> Rick "who has studied just this issue with a microscope" Denney


Great info Rick, thanks:-!!!

I can't wait to get my 38mm... Come on, postman...

You can refer to your watch as a 1963 Chinese Air Force re-issue/replica, too, to put it in historical perspective also, if I'm remembering correctly?


----------



## dkbs

Have you ever been thinking about why it has a jumping chronograph second hand instead of sweeping one (It is called spur gear)? And which system has sweeping chronograph second hand?

The main reason to use triangle teeth (in spur gear system) is to reduce the delay.



Rdenney said:


> But triangular teeth are not efficient, and the points will wear on the sides of the opposing wheel as it turns. As with similar Swiss movements, I would not runs the central seconds hand continuously.


----------



## Oldheritage

Best to leave it off. No weak clutch in this movement so no need to let it run.


----------



## dkbs

Could you post a picture of the back of 42mm 1963?



cbass8282 said:


> My 42mm Cream arrived last night. What a gorgeous watch! I've had a 38mm for awhile and I wanted to see how much larger the newer offering is. Well, I feel it definitely wears larger than 42, but not obnoxiously so.
> 
> Here's a wrist shot I took this morning.


----------



## Pawl_Buster

dougiedude said:


> Great info Rick, thanks:-!!!
> 
> I can't wait to get my 38mm... Come on, postman...
> 
> You can refer to your watch as a 1963 Chinese Air Force re-issue/replica, too, to put it in historical perspective also, if I'm remembering correctly?


Re-issue is ok but 'replica' equals fake and these are definitely not fakes.


----------



## dougiedude

Pawl_Buster said:


> Re-issue is ok but 'replica' equals fake and these are definitely not fakes.


Yes, please excuse me o|, you are so right, Sea-Gull made the original, too, so these are re-issues... just larger, and _better!!_


----------



## redcow

ColinW said:


> That's a great shot! Thanks!
> 
> I didn't mind the crowns changing too much but the minute hand not going all the way to the edge of the dial like on the 38mm... it loses some of that vintage feel for me. :-(


Agree. The whole idea of enlarging the 38mm to 42mm defeats the concept of a vintage "reissue" and makes no aesthetic sense. Moreover, as Colin points out, among other things, the non-elongated minute hand on the enlarged face results in a watch which is neither vintage nor modern but appears to have been thrown together to appeal to buyers who have no experience with nor appreciation for vintage design and who feel that bigger must be better; an orphan, hovering between two worlds and residing in neither. I'm sure that the 42mm fans will be happy with their purchases and any effort which promotes mechanical watches is fine with me, but it is a pity that the original spirit has been lost in favor of contemporary fashion.


----------



## fliegerchrono

Hear, hear, Redcow!


----------



## Rdenney

redcow said:


> Agree. The whole idea of enlarging the 38mm to 42mm defeats the concept of a vintage "reissue" and makes no aesthetic sense. Moreover, as Colin points out, among other things, the non-elongated minute hand on the enlarged face results in a watch which is neither vintage nor modern but appears to have been thrown together to appeal to buyers who have no experience with nor appreciation for vintage design and who feel that bigger must be better; an orphan, hovering between two worlds and residing in neither. I'm sure that the 42mm fans will be happy with their purchases and any effort which promotes mechanical watches is fine with me, but it is a pity that the original spirit has been lost in favor of contemporary fashion.


I'm with you--there was no temptation on my part to get the larger case.

Yes, it's nice of Thomas to provide the options, and to provide these deals for us, without losing the option of the watch in close to its original size and configuration.

I'm not too afraid the original spirit will be lost. That original spirit has certainly been challenged by other trends, too, including some sellers offering glass or sapphire crystals. That seems to me to undermine the whole 60's look, which really needs the deeply domed crystal.

Rick "whose 38mm isn't as small as his actual early-60's watches, but still carries the vintage look" Denney


----------



## MACHENE.Tech

redcow said:


> Agree. The whole idea of enlarging the 38mm to 42mm defeats the concept of a vintage "reissue" and makes no aesthetic sense. Moreover, as Colin points out, among other things, the non-elongated minute hand on the enlarged face results in a watch which is neither vintage nor modern but appears to have been thrown together to appeal to buyers who have no experience with nor appreciation for vintage design and who feel that bigger must be better; an orphan, hovering between two worlds and residing in neither. I'm sure that the 42mm fans will be happy with their purchases and any effort which promotes mechanical watches is fine with me, but it is a pity that the original spirit has been lost in favor of contemporary fashion.


Although I agree, it's still subjective. When the stars align, I will be going for the 38mm.


----------



## MACHENE.Tech

D*mit, I changed my mind. If the stars align really really well, I want both.


----------



## jaagiv

Friend of mine bought one a few months ago from Thomas in person, he just came home to the U.S. and I have fallen in love with this watch...
.. Ordered mine over the weekend.... Cannot wait to post pictures in one week! Already ordered some new straps for it also. 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


----------



## fliegerchrono

Good to know I am not the only anorak who has ordered some straps when ordering the watch!


----------



## Smoking Joe

Smoking Joe said:


> My 1963 re-issue arrived yesterday. I had been looking forward to receiving this since I ordered it and I was pleasantly surprised when I opened it last night. The box took a bit of a battering in the post and also not helped by customs cutting open the package. I was holding my breath to see if the kicking the package received got through to the watch- and no!  The watch was perfect and more so it was stunning! A 38mm cream dial with acrylic crystal and display back. Wow! This watch looks even better in the flesh than it does in the photos.  1960s classic looks but with a modern touch. I'm wearing in work now and will see how it runs over the next few days but initial impression is that it is a beautiful looking watch. Feels and looks very well made and I loved the wooden presentation box. A few people have commented on it already.
> 
> What do I call it when people ask about it? Do I say that it is a "Seagull" 1963?
> Also, is it better to keep the chronograph running or stopped? The reason I ask is that some of the Japanese chronographs are better off running to save wear on the clutch. But the Swiss ones are better off stopped. So I presume since this was based on a Venus movement it would be better off stopped?
> 
> Very happy with this watch! Unusual and beautiful. And even the NATO strap I swell made and suits the watch. Maybe at some stage I will try a leather strap out but for the moment the green NATO looks good.
> 
> Photos will follow.


38mm case with acrylic crystal and display back.


----------



## Rdenney

In my review back up the thread, I promised pictures. Here they are.
View attachment 977881

1963 Reissue, in original cream dial and 38mm case. I like the black leather strap with the cream stitching on this watch.

View attachment 977880

A closeup of the dial to show that the printing and applied markers are really done quite well.

View attachment 977879

The ST1901 movement--a modern 21-jewel version of the Venus 175, made using the vintage tooling.

View attachment 977878

Here's a closeup of fthe movement, showing the column-wheel chronograph control at top center.

Rick "the movement is almost too shiny to photograph" Denney


----------



## dougiedude

Gorgeous, simply gorgeous! I can't believe there were reissues without the display caseback, but then, those would actually be more true to the original....

Thanks, Rdenny, for the review and these pics... mine was last 'sorted' in New Jersey, so I'm hoping it makes it home soon..:-!


----------



## michaelmc12

hey everyone, been away for a while but I'm back and looking to order one now. Can someone tell me how to reach Thomas? And what's the current price for one. Thanks guys!


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## Smoking Joe

I know that I have read in this thread what the Chinese on the front and rear means in English, but I can't seem to find it. So can someone give me the translation again please?

Front: 
19 Jewels
??
??

Back:
?? - ??
1963



Thanks.


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## Ric Capucho

michaelmc12 said:


> hey everyone, been away for a while but I'm back and looking to order one now. Can someone tell me how to reach Thomas? And what's the current price for one. Thanks guys!


You email Thomas at [email protected] ([email protected]) asking to order one. The cost for the 38mm is $200 plus about $30 for shipping (depends on your country). He'll confirm the total including shipping, then you Paypal him using the above email address. Then you wait 1-2 weeks, and receive one of the nicest watches I've ever had the pleasure of laying my eyes on.

Ric


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## seagullfan

Interesting to see that the sub-counter hand with the tail still jumps from one side to the other - is this a difference between 38mm and 42mm watches or just a random difference?

In the photos below - the 42mm watch has the hand on the 30 minute register and the photos of the 38mm watch has the "tail" hand on the seconds register.



cbass8282 said:


> My 42mm Cream arrived last night. What a gorgeous watch! I've had a 38mm for awhile and I wanted to see how much larger the newer offering is. Well, I feel it definitely wears larger than 42, but not obnoxiously so.
> 
> Here's a wrist shot I took this morning.





Smoking Joe said:


> 38mm case with acrylic crystal and display back.


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## Smoking Joe

seagullfan said:


> Interesting to see that the sub-counter hand with the tail still jumps from one side to the other - is this a difference between 38mm and 42mm watches or just a random difference?
> 
> In the photos below - the 42mm watch has the hand on the 30 minute register and the photos of the 38mm watch has the "tail" hand on the seconds register.


I was wondering that myself too!


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## linsook

Smoking Joe said:


> I know that I have read in this thread what the Chinese on the front and rear means in English, but I can't seem to find it. So can someone give me the translation again please?
> 
> Front:
> 19 Jewels
> ??
> ??
> 
> Back:
> ?? - ??
> 1963
> 
> Thanks.


The front is in simplified text while the back is in traditional text.

中国 = China
天津手表厂 = Tianjin Watch Factory

中國空軍第一隻航空碼表復刻版 = Chinese Air force first aviation chronograph re-issue engraved edition.

LOL. A tad bit convoluted in English.

On Sea-Gull's D304, they have it down on their booklet as, 'China's first Aviation Chronograph Vintage Edition.'
https://www.watchuseek.com/f72/seag...seagull-hk-directly-420653-8.html#post5693746


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## Robocaspar

Just wondering if this reissue was, is or will be available with sapphire crystal? Someone posted that they had the sapphire version, but I've gone through the whole thread and the only reference I found was that Thomas is currently not producing sapphire versions of the watch.


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## dougiedude

She just arrived last night, and it hasn't left my wrist since, except for the photo shoot:

View attachment 979732
View attachment 979733


FYI, she's a 38mm on green Cordura.

Thanks for making this happen Ed :-!, Thomas :-d, and WUS  !!


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## dougiedude

IMO, I like the green Cordura better than the NATO it came with, but I think I would like a brown leather strap even better...


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## fliegerchrono

Mine just came in today, together with two NATO straps I ordered in Sweden, what timing!
38mm for me, and I really like it on the beige/red nato!


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## lks1984

Mine arrived as well - 42mm classic version 


















































































I've changed original strap to Hadley Roma olive canvas, and IMHO it's looks marvelous on it  As shown on pics - also tried it on military green nato.






























> Thanks for making this happen Ed :-!, Thomas :-d, and WUS  !!


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## seagullfan

And I've just spotted that the 38mm's crown is signed with the original Sea-gull logo but the 42mm's crown doesn't appear to be. Curious! Is it just a matter of different parts being used or stylistic choices?

The 38mm one I got from Watchunique didn't have signed crown either.


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## jaagiv

fliegerchrono said:


> Mine just came in !


O my man those straps look great! I wanted the sand and red one myself but c&b was out of stock so I ordered it in opposite colors I.e. red with sand stripe. Was going to get a blue NATO also but didn't, may have to now. Also ordered a brown strap. Pics will come as soon as my watch does 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


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## fliegerchrono

Nice jaagiv! Do takes some pictures! I just might put it on a darkbrown leather strap later this year, but for now it looks great on this nato!



jaagiv said:


> O my man those straps look great! I wanted the sand and red one myself but c&b was out of stock so I ordered it in opposite colors I.e. red with sand stripe. Was going to get a blue NATO also but didn't, may have to now. Also ordered a brown strap. Pics will come as soon as my watch does
> 
> Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


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## Smoking Joe

I gave my 1963 a shock test this evening. I was showing it to my niece and how the chronograph worked. And it slipped out of my hand and fell crystal down smack onto a hardwood floor! :-( After a few curse words I picked it off the floor and was relieved to see the chrono still timing away and no loose hands and no cracked or marked crystal! Phew!! It seems perfect so no harm done!


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## wildpack

Smoking Joe said:


> .... And it slipped out of my hand and fell crystal down smack onto a .... floor! :-( After a few curse words I picked it off the floor and was .....


Exactly why I won't spend more than $1K on any watch. Congratulations on being really lucky. 

Me, not so lucky with my 007 on concrete. :-(


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## hkseagull

*Re: Real 1963 watch from Tsinlien Sea Gull*

View attachment 980658

View attachment 980672

View attachment 980673

Recently,we received some complaints for the watch of 1963 from customer.They are in bad quality and we found out that they are not manufactured by our company.So we have to clearify that they are selling the forgery watch not real 1963.You can see the difference between both of them.Thomas was resigned from Tsinlien Sea Gull.If any question,you can contact to us at anytime.


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## dkbs

*Re: Real 1963 watch from Tsinlien Sea Gull*

So tell us which of the following one is the real:

1) 1963 bought from Thomas after his leaving

2) 1963 bought from here: 
Seagull 1963 Chinese Air Force - Seagull 1963 Air Force Military Watch

3) 1963 bought from Watchunique: 
Seagull 1963

4) 1963 bought from Thomas before 2010

By the way, are you, Tsinlien Sea Gull, selling 1963 right now? If yes, how much? If no, since when you stopped selling?



hkseagull said:


> Recently,we received some complaints for the watch of 1963 from customer.They are in bad quality and we found out that they are not manufactured by our company.So we have to clearify that they are selling the forgery watch not real 1963.You can see the difference between both of them.Thomas was resigned from Tsinlien Sea Gull.If any question,you can contact to us at anytime.


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## wvizmanos

View attachment 980753


Mine says Hi


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## Smoking Joe

Bar the 21 Zuan versus 19 and a steel back, I don't see any difference from those photos?


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## Smoking Joe

wildpack said:


> Exactly why I won't spend more than $1K on any watch. Congratulations on being really lucky.
> 
> Me, not so lucky with my 007 on concrete. :-(


Ouch! :-( It can so easily happen. :-(


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## redcow

*Re: Real 1963 watch from Tsinlien Sea Gull*



dkbs said:


> So tell us which of the following one is the real:
> 
> 1) 1963 bought from Thomas after his leaving
> 
> 2) 1963 bought from here:
> Seagull 1963 Chinese Air Force - Seagull 1963 Air Force Military Watch
> 
> 3) 1963 bought from Watchunique:
> Seagull 1963
> 
> 4) 1963 bought from Thomas before 2010
> 
> By the way, are you, Tsinlien Sea Gull, selling 1963 right now? If yes, how much? If no, since when you stopped selling?


Interesting. A search of Tsinlien Sea Gull turned up this company Mechanical Watch from Tsinlien Sea Gull Co Ltd
Selling this watch for
View attachment 980791
US$ 70.00 !!! Go figure. It seems to me that watchunique is getting their supply from Tsinlien rather than Thomas. Was Thomas selling these watches before 2010 when, according to the post, he would have still been working for the factory? Interesting post and looking forward to more information
Edit: Just saw that the US$ 70.00 price is for minimum order of 300 pieces! Still.......


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## Rdenney

*Re: Real 1963 watch from Tsinlien Sea Gull*



dkbs said:


> So tell us which of the following one is the real:
> 
> 1) 1963 bought from Thomas after his leaving
> 
> 2) 1963 bought from here:
> Seagull 1963 Chinese Air Force - Seagull 1963 Air Force Military Watch
> 
> 3) 1963 bought from Watchunique:
> Seagull 1963
> 
> 4) 1963 bought from Thomas before 2010


5) Given that the original 1963 (and all currently ST19 movements) was made by Tianjin in Beijing, and not by Tsinlien in Hong Kong (even though both use the export brand name "Seagull"), which company represents an authentic 1963?

One of the problems with westerners buying Chinese products is that the Chinese have such a different business code that it is hard for anyone with western business concepts ingrained into their experience to know who is doing what, and with what authority. I see this in the music world. As a tuba player, I have looked seriously at a range of Chinese-made tubas. Some are made by Dalyan, some by Jin Bao, and many by a range of other producers, all of which are working from the same pattern, but not all of which achieve the same outcomes. With most, it's impossible to discover who actually made the instrument, or to what quality specification. Tubas are easier to copy than watches because the tooling is simpler and generally less precise, but vastly more difficult to achieve excellent results, because so much of their manufacture requires hand work and considerable experience that goes deeper than the visible. I have found that the only reliable way to purchase a good product is to purchase it from a reliable person who has standing in the community of buyers. For tubas, that person is usually a westerner, simply because they know how to communicate with the buying community, and they are willing to place their instruments in the appropriate venues and they personally know potential endorsers. They are also usually capable performers on the iinstrument themselves, because generally they are providing the quality control, and they are staking their reputation on the product. All of these things are difficult to address when dealing with Chinese factories, especially when quality can't be measured with a ruler. When the person representing the products declares an instrument unsuitable, the factories pull out their yardsticks and pronounce it good--the tubing is the correct width and length, etc. But that is verification without validation--it fits a specification but it is not usable. Western manufacturers both verify and validate as part of their internal processes, often with transparency, and even then performers will have strong preferences within a batch even though they all look identical. This is a reason, for example, why better Swiss watches are COSC-certified--accuracy is a validation that the product actually meets the customer's needs, and not just conform to a specification. COSC certification is an open and transparent way to provide that validation.

There is no COSC for Chinese watches. So, when I look at the history of 1963 reissues (and I did before putting my money down), I see that Thomas has earned the respect of the buying community. I knew that my purchase from him was backed up by years of positive experiences--including the years since 2010. That's no guarantee, of course, but it provides comfort and confidence. I also, from research, believe (and that's the strongest word I can use) that the ST19 is actually made by Tianjin Seagull, not by anyone else (including Tsinlien). My belief is based on the likelihood of there being only one line that can produce these movements, given their low production numbers, and the original source of the tooling. If Tianjin thought Thomas was misrepresenting their product (and the dial does say Tianjin, apparently), it would be up to them to act. I know that "Seagull" is a brand that used by Tsinlein HK and by Tianjin, but I suspect those two entities look on each other as competitors at this point.

A letter stating that one's current sales competitor was once fired by them does not attract the confidence to which I refer. I understand that other sellers of 1963 reissues don't want to have to provide warranties for each other, but that is a lot easier just to say. This smells to my very western olfactory senses (which may be wrong, of course) like an attempt to undermine the sales competition more than to clarify the marketplace. But there is no doubt that this is a marketplace that needs clarification.

Rick "who'll contact Thomas if his 1963 has an issue, but no sign of needing such yet" Denney


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## Smoking Joe

*Re: Real 1963 watch from Tsinlien Sea Gull*



redcow said:


> Interesting. A search of Tsinlien Sea Gull turned up this company Mechanical Watch from Tsinlien Sea Gull Co Ltd
> r
> View attachment 980791
> ..


I don't like that. It has lost all resemblance of a classic 1960s watch. It looks just like a 1990s/ 2000s watch. Doesn't float my boat from a "classic" or historical point of view.
It is a nice modern watch though.


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## Ric Capucho

*Re: Real 1963 watch from Tsinlien Sea Gull*

I don't care who he does or doesn't work for, past, present or future. The 1963 reissue vision is with Thomas.

Ric


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## tmr5555

@Rdenney: your comments are spot on.


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## redcow

*Re: Real 1963 watch from Tsinlien Sea Gull*



Smoking Joe said:


> I don't like that. It has lost all resemblance of a classic 1960s watch. It looks just like a 1990s/ 2000s watch. Doesn't float my boat from a "classic" or historical point of view.
> It is a nice modern watch though.[/QUOTE
> Agree about the design. I was just trying to shed a little light on what this company was selling now and I also thought that the US$ 70.00 wholesale price was interesting. Most likely the same movement inside. Rdenney also makes some interesting points about competition, where the movements are probably made and Thomas' adherence (more or less) to the "reissue" spirit.


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## pirho123

Thomas forever!!!


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## Martin_B

*Re: Real 1963 watch from Tsinlien Sea Gull*

I think the SGHK version is just the M177s case with pushers drilled in. Though not my taste, $70 is tempting, just for the movement and dial


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## linsook

*Re: Real 1963 watch from Tsinlien Sea Gull*

Probably a good idea to change the thread title to, '1963 Chinese Airforce reissue.'

In my opinion, Thomas is the go-to man for the 1963 reissue. Those seeking a purebred 'Sea-Gull 1963 Airforce' reissue should look to Sea-Gull (Tianjin) for the D304. Both are a must-have.


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## AlbertaTime

*Re: Real 1963 watch from Tsinlien Sea Gull*

As this thread was started when Thomas was an employee of HK Sea-Gull (also known as Tsinlien Sea-Gull), which is no longer the case, the forum moderators have chosen to re-open a new thread under a more accurate title given present circumstances.

https://www.watchuseek.com/f72/1963-chinese-air-force-style-watches-thomas-others-821627.html

Thread closed.


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