# Ball Road Master Preorder



## samanator

OK here is the first one of these I can get in line for.

Roadmaster
Roadmaster


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## samanator

Spoke too soon. Lumed GMT scale on the bezel, and no tube in the GMT hand. What's the point of the lumed bezel? Wish there was a non GMT version. They really need Phillipe back designing these things. He would not have missed that. I really like the white tubes. Shame about the GMT setup. I could never look past that error.


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## happyscrappyheropup

I like the stainless with blue accents. The preorder price is attractive for a chronometer, too.

-- Wayne


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## happyscrappyheropup

samanator said:


> Spoke too soon. Lumed GMT scale on the bezel, and no tube in the GMT hand. What's the point of the lumed bezel? Wish there was a non GMT version. They really need Phillipe back designing these things. He would not have missed that. I really like the white tubes. Shame about the GMT setup. I could never look past that error.


Isn't this the GMT hand?










-- Wayne


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## timefleas

happyscrappy: Yes, you did circle the GMT hand, but the point was that it is not GTLS-lumed, in fact, it is an open triangle, through which you can see the hour marker, below it--it does appear, though, to have a t-tube at it's very tip, so maybe not a problem?

That said, I agree with Michael, don't need GMT on this, or just about any. Would like to have seen a bit of a lume at the 3 to make for a symmetrical array at night (there's plenty of space there next to the date window), also really don't like rubber straps as Ball's default for any DLC-cased watch--and--might as well say it--would have preferred a black dial date wheel on a black dial, black-cased watch....(if there was some white GTLS at the 3, then the white dial probably would have been OK).

Pre-order prices are reasonable IF you really wanted/needed a GMT complication, but if you were buying it _despite _the GMT--as a basic watch--seem pretty high, really, and the normal retail seems well over the top--personally would pass on this one.


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## Moonlighting

I'm a little bit confused. The description states 38 tubes. Looks like 11 for each hour (minus 3 o'clock -- why isn't there a smaller tube at 3 with all that space!?!), 3 total on the hands (if you look close at the mock up the gmt does appear to have a green tube on its tip), and 12 slim green tubes on the gmt bezel totaling 26 tubes. 

Where are the remaining 12 tubes? 

Is it possible the remaining 12 tubes are in fact large green tubes under the number cutouts on the gmt dial? What do you all think?


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## timefleas

Moonlighting said:


> I'm a little bit confused. The description states 38 tubes. Looks like ... and 12 slim green tubes on the gmt bezel totaling 26 tubes.
> 
> Where are the remaining 12 tubes?
> 
> Is it possible the remaining 12 tubes are in fact large green tubes under the number cutouts on the gmt dial? What do you all think?


I think you meant 12 slim _yellow _tubes on the bezel. Perhaps (?) the 11 hour marks are made up of two tubes each under an outer white box (making 22), plus three on the hands (12 + 22 + 3)--but even if that were so, that still would leave one unaccounted for. Interesting question.


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## Level.5x

I love that maroon color Ball uses. Especially on that medium-dark grey dial. You can always count on Ball to liven up your collection.


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## troyr1

I like it. I am looking for a gmt also. Alas, I am on a buying hiatus. 

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## clarken

I hate to say this none of the new ball models in the last several years interest me at all and I own three maybe next year.


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## watchmego3000

samanator said:


> Spoke too soon. Lumed GMT scale on the bezel, and no tube in the GMT hand. What's the point of the lumed bezel? Wish there was a non GMT version. They really need Phillipe back designing these things. He would not have missed that. I really like the white tubes. Shame about the GMT setup. I could never look past that error.


GMT hand is lumed - it has a green tritium tube sticking out the end.


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## WhoIsI

I saw the green lume at tip of GMT hand like u do. It is not the lume from index.



daschlag said:


> GMT hand is lumed - it has a green tritium tube sticking out the end.


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## timefleas

daschlag said:


> GMT hand is lumed - it has a green tritium tube sticking out the end[/IMG]


*WhoIsI*: _ I saw the green lume at tip of GMT hand like u do.

_You guys did read past the first few posts, right? This fact was clearly pointed out several hours, and several posts, ago...


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## watchmego3000

timefleas said:


> *WhoIsI*: _ I saw the green lume at tip of GMT hand like u do.
> 
> _You guys did read past the first few posts, right? This fact was clearly pointed out several hours, and several posts, ago...


Quoted OP to see if he would catch it, since he hasn't been back to the thread. Clearly.


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## samanator

happyscrappyheropup said:


> Isn't this the GMT hand?
> 
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> 
> -- Wayne


I found that later on but geez it will be hard to see.

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## samanator

daschlag said:


> GMT hand is lumed - it has a green tritium tube sticking out the end.


If you have to zoom it that much to clearly see it the design fails. Add that this is shown with a land speed record car. Shouldn't it have Lume on the second hand to time say a fast moving car over a distance? Also what is the association of the road master GMT with cars? Seems to me the Road Master name would be more fitting to the Storm Chaser Pro. That has more of a rally look, a tachometer scale to time speed, Chronograph .... Ball removed the telomere scale from it so it really was no longer a Storm Chaser. I guess the Road Master tie to cars is they are using left over Ball for BMW cases and bracelets. Seems a better name for this series might have been travel master, since plane master sounds funny? At least then the GMT function would make sense?

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## samanator

samanator said:


> If you have to zoom it that much to clearly see it the design fails. Add that this is shown with a land speed record car. Shouldn't it have Lume on the second hand to time say a fast moving car over a distance? Also what is the association of the road master GMT with cars? Seems to me the Road Master name would be more fitting to the Storm Chaser Pro. That has more of a rally look, a tachometer scale to time speed, Chronograph .... Ball removed the telomere scale from it so it really was no longer a Storm Chaser. I guess the Road Master tie to cars is they are using left over Ball for BMW cases and bracelets. Seems a better name for this series might have been travel master, since plane master sounds funny? At least then the GMT function would make sense?
> 
> This had the potential to be a really good watch if just a bit more planning and thought were used. Now get MB to make a triangle tube for the GMT hand, add a tube to the second hand (the thin one in the GMT hand would be fine in yellow not green), and give it a more appropriate name and your good to go.
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro


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## heb

I love all the meaningless chapter marks; lot more dial ink for the money.


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## watchmego3000

heb said:


> I love all the meaningless chapter marks; lot more dial ink for the money.


Yeah what's up with that? Since when does an hour have 72 minutes? And a minute 72 seconds? They're only 20% off... pretty close.


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## samanator

Someone pointed out on another forum that it looks like they cut the date box too big, and had to put a mask around the date to bring it to the correct size. Ball needs to build a few No Date versions of it's watches so that they can have proper markers at the 3, or move the date to the 4:30 so it's doesn't interfere. Balls niche is the night readability of the GTLS lume in any condition so these watches should work best in the dark. These seem to put flash over function.

So far the best Ball watch of 2017 remains to be the Train Master World Time Chronograph IMO. This seems to be another addition to the clouded brand image Ball has these days. I don't understand why release a EHC with no tube in the second hand(most of the 2017 releases do not have lumed second hands). Add an EHC with just 100m WR? These are suppose to be the most rugged models in the Ball line.


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## gossler

Id like to point out something that has not been mentioned. They used the Ball For BMW, case design and hands... without the BMW theme.... which had been suggested for a long time... personally, I like it, however I just bought a watch on their outlet store recently, so I am set for a year...


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## samanator

gossler said:


> Id like to point out something that has not been mentioned. They used the Ball For BMW, case design and hands... without the BMW theme.... which had been suggested for a long time... personally, I like it, however I just bought a watch on their outlet store recently, so I am set for a year...


My post #16 it is noted, but glad someone else saw it.

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## Karkarov

In all fairness that GMT hand is too thin for any kind of tritium. That said I do agree, they either should have not lumed the bezel at all, left the GMT off and lumed the normal 12 hour bezel, or put a larger GMT hand and lumed that with the bezel. I do see the posts about the very tip of the GMT hand being lumed, but *****, that is very hard to see. I do really feel like just not using GMT at all would have been a better idea.

In the end this model doesn't do anything for me anyway, I like the concept of white tritium, but that's about it. Hopefully they will use it on some more watches going forward.


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## timefleas

Karkarov said:


> ... I like the concept of white tritium, but that's about it. Hopefully they will use it on some more watches going forward.


Good observation, hadn't noticed it, but you're right, white tubes would be an interesting addition to the line up.


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## morrison2951

Gotta' see these white tubes in person- imagine that they'd be even brighter than green tubes.


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## happyscrappyheropup

samanator said:


> Also what is the association of the road master GMT with cars? Seems to me the Road Master name would be more fitting to the Storm Chaser Pro.


When I hear Roadmaster I think of this










-- Wayne


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## funkright

I like this watch. Cleaner and more asthetically pleasing than most other Ball watches. The date window looks more balanced then their usual implimentations. Good work


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## samanator

happyscrappyheropup said:


> When I hear Roadmaster I think of this
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> 
> -- Wayne


You and I are thinking the same thing.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro


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## samanator

funkright said:


> I like this watch. Cleaner and more asthetically pleasing than most other Ball watches. The date window looks more balanced uthen their usual implimentations. Good work


Maybe a little cleaner, but at the risk of some serious technical flaws.

So are you buying one?

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## samanator

I think we need to push back before these new models release on the lack of a tube in the second hands of many of these models. Now if they use the GMT mini tube in these second hands that would be slick and very clean. Then fix the GMT hand.


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## Karkarov

samanator said:


> I think we need to push back before these new models release on the lack of a tube in the second hands of many of these models. Now if they use the GMT mini tube in these second hands that would be slick and very clean. Then fix the GMT hand.
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro


I don't know, the only one of these preorders I have jumped on since they started with the silver/bronze stars is the Voyager, and it had the second hand tube. This Roadster model is just too plain for me. I would probably go in for maybe a new moonphase or something though.....

I guess we have to give credit to Ball for trying something new either way.


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## SteveJ

samanator said:


> I think we need to push back before these new models release on the lack of a tube in the second hands of many of these models. Now if they use the GMT mini tube in these second hands that would be slick and very clean. Then fix the GMT hand.


The preorder of the Engineer III King showed an illuminated second hand or I wouldn't have bought the stainless version.


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## gaopa

I really like the looks of the gray dial one on the SS bracelet. It looks like a lot of watch for the money.


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## SteveJ

gaopa said:


> I really like the looks of the gray dial one on the SS bracelet. It looks like a lot of watch for the money.


I sure agree with you. I preordered the black 43mm on steel. So, hopefully, there will be another reason to look forward towards the end of summer.


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## omeglycine

Count me as another who really likes the Road Master. I am at least thinking about the preorder. But I do agree that the date window is...strange, and that the gmt hand is incongruent with the lumed chapter ring. And yeah, why are there so many markers around the dial? 

I just went from "Hello. What's your name?" at first glance to "Oh look, I have to go. I got a...thing."


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## NMTBC

If I haven't already got the bmw gmt, i would totally consider the roadmaster, especially the black case with grey dial. IMO the style and feel of the this model is very different from the bmw collection.


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## 92gli

God forbid they spend an extra couple dollars to get a custom date wheel with the movements so the window can line up with the hour markers. I won't even complain that it's white; the hour markers are so big the date window could have blended in with them if they were on the same radius.

This company must consist of one designer sitting at a table with 15 accountants.:roll:


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## gossler

After reading all the posts about the date window... I agree with you, at first glance it did not jump at me, but now... what is the purpose of the second offset rectangle? I still believe one of the best date windows of all my collection is the BALL EM II Diver...I love the brushed steel detail.


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## SteveJ

92gli said:


> God forbid they spend an extra couple dollars to get a custom date wheel with the movements so the window can line up with the hour markers. I won't even complain that it's white; the hour markers are so big the date window could have blended in with them if they were on the same radius.
> 
> This company must consist of one designer sitting at a table with 15 accountants.:roll:


LOL!
That would leave four people building watches, because according to my admittedly limited research on the company they claim a total of twenty employees.


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## samanator

SteveJ said:


> The preorder of the Engineer III King showed an illuminated second hand or I wouldn't have bought the stainless version.
> 
> View attachment 11552602


Yes but the majority of the new releases do not. How can you build an EHC with no second hand Lume?

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## SteveJ

samanator said:


> Yes but the majority of the new releases do not. How can you build an EHC with no second hand Lume?


There's no accounting for design sometimes. What mainly drew me to Ball in the first place was the night time visibility due to the tritium tubes. 
I also "need" to see the seconds when in the dark. 
It's like a pilot light that shows me that it's still working.


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## GregoryD

daschlag said:


> Yeah what's up with that? Since when does an hour have 72 minutes? And a minute 72 seconds? They're only 20% off... pretty close.


I believe those marks are for easier reading of the GMT time - each hash is a ten minute delineation.

42mm is about as big as I usually go, so I contacted Ball to see what the L2L is - they said it's 46mm, so should be very wearable.


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## TigerDore

I like this and I agree. I would commit to buying one if they make those changes. I want to reward this because it is a great step in the right direction, but the lack of attention to those little details is frustrating.



samanator said:


> I think we need to push back before these new models release on the lack of a tube in the second hands of many of these models. Now if they use the GMT mini tube in these second hands that would be slick and very clean. Then fix the GMT hand.
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro


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## Elkins45

So can you rotate the inner bezel using the crown, or is the GMT hand just for 24 hour time?


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## watchmego3000

Elkins45 said:


> So can you rotate the inner bezel using the crown, or is the GMT hand just for 24 hour time?


The 24 hour hand can be set independently using the crown. I don't believe the bezel rotates on this one.


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## samanator

Fixed bezel.


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## NMTBC

Saw the real product photo on instagram, looks pretty good


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## Vernon11

I'm so torn. First, I've never owned a Ball, so I just don't have a frame of reference. And second, 44mm is the perfect size watch for my taste, but I want this one badly. I'm hoping the 42mm might "wear big," but again, never owned a Ball. 

Decisions. Decisions.


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## HoustonHorn

Vernon11 said:


> I'm so torn. First, I've never owned a Ball, so I just don't have a frame of reference. And second, 44mm is the perfect size watch for my taste, but I want this one badly. I'm hoping the 42mm might "wear big," but again, never owned a Ball.
> 
> Decisions. Decisions.


This will be my first Ball. Blue DLC with the Nato strap is gorgeous. Now to wait.


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## heb

I like all the hash marks; not confusing/meaningless at all.

heb


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## Frossty

I really like the Roadmaster. The red second handle looks very well to me.


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## 3migo

This has definitely been the most tempting recent pre-order for me. That black dial with the blue accents is absolutely stunning, plus I've always been a huge GMT fan.


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## bigchrisxxxl

Nice little casual watch. I like GMT.


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## HoustonHorn

So has anyone received their order yet? Received an email a few weeks ago saying customers would start receiving their watches in August. Would love to see some pictures.


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## PapaMac

I'm still waiting also. I had re-read that same email that I received and came here to see if there were any updates here.


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## Suruliraj Nirmalkumar

I received email two days to confirm collection point (Singapore).
Hope very soon receive


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## Suruliraj Nirmalkumar

Suruliraj Nirmalkumar said:


> I received email two days before to confirm collection point (Singapore).
> Hope very soon receive


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## Suruliraj Nirmalkumar

Hai everyone, I just collect my road master 
It's my second ballwatch , first one is skin diver ll, Roadmaster with my skin diver, lume shot , open case back looks very nice ,Lume is colourful .for me skin diver lume is stunning over roadmaster ,,,


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## HoustonHorn

Thanks for posting the pics! Really looking forward to getting mine soon.


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## toddvb71

(USA) Got mine today! Nice looking watch. Happy with my purchase.


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## Suruliraj Nirmalkumar

Hi can you post some pictures of you roadmaster


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## toddvb71

Suruliraj Nirmalkumar said:


> Hi can you post some pictures of you roadmaster


Not quality shots, but here you are:


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## tnjohn

toddvb71 said:


> Not quality shots, but here you are:
> 
> View attachment 12557449
> View attachment 12557451
> View attachment 12557453


That is a super looking watch, and I like it on bracelet

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk


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## Vernon11

Here are some lume shots...messing around with my Sony Alpha:


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## HoustonHorn

Vernon11 said:


> Here are some lume shots...messing around with my Sony Alpha:


Great pictures!


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## OSUMBA2003

Has anyone else gotten shipping notification, specifically in the US?

Last I heard, it was pushed back to mid-October (which is now), but no word since.

I was a later order, so I wouldn't expect mine to be at the front of the list, but just curious.


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## lolo96706

OSUMBA2003 said:


> Has anyone else gotten shipping notification, specifically in the US?
> 
> Last I heard, it was pushed back to mid-October (which is now), but no word since.
> 
> I was a later order, so I wouldn't expect mine to be at the front of the list, but just curious.


I got my order this past Thursday.


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## Fomenko

I've also preordered one. After seeing this thread, I wrote Ball to ask for the status of mine, and it seems that the US distributor (located in St Petersburg, FL) has it... still waiting for shipment and any news from them. Will post pics as soon as I get it!


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## OSUMBA2003

Fomenko said:


> I've also preordered one. After seeing this thread, I wrote Ball to ask for the status of mine, and it seems that the US distributor (located in St Petersburg, FL) has it... still waiting for shipment and any news from them. Will post pics as soon as I get it!


I got my notification from them today, so hopefully yours will be soon!


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## PapaMac

OSUMBA2003 said:


> I got my notification from them today, so hopefully yours will be soon!


.
I received my notice of shipping today, also!

Looking forward to this!


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## funkright

Looks great. I should have ordered one


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## Fomenko

OSUMBA2003 said:


> I got my notification from them today, so hopefully yours will be soon!


You were right! Got my e-mail already and hopefully next Tuesday I'll have my first Ball arriving...


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## OSUMBA2003

Very rudimentary pics. Couldn't get any good light.










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## Fomenko

Haha! Looks like we both got them yesterday...
It's my first Ball Watch, and I like it. For the price it seems to be a very good buy!
I'm mainly used to divers and not having a "real" bezel makes the dial look big, but 42 mm is a nice size. I like the shape of the case, and the colors in the dial.
The tubes are less bright than I expected, but they look nice and they are something different.


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## HoustonHorn

I got mine yesterday. Really love the watch, but the lume is very very faint. Nothing like the pictures above from Vernon. Not even as bright as the pictures by SN in the dark room. I can't read the GMT 24-hour numerals in the complete dark. Would really like to have the lume look more like Vernon's above - what is the best course of action. Should I contact the distributor here in the US?

Thanks!


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## ChuckMiller

Poor execution from Ball. Pity.



samanator said:


> Spoke too soon. Lumed GMT scale on the bezel, and no tube in the GMT hand. What's the point of the lumed bezel? Wish there was a non GMT version. They really need Phillipe back designing these things. He would not have missed that. I really like the white tubes. Shame about the GMT setup. I could never look past that error.


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## HoustonHorn

ChuckMiller said:


> Poor execution from Ball. Pity.


There is lume on the GMT hand and it is the same green as on the GMT scale on the bezel.

My problem is the lume on all of it is pretty dim, especially for what I was expecting.

Here is the lume compared to a couple other watches.


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## MotoJoe

Made an account just to post to this thread as I am experiencing the same lume dimness described here. I am going to try and contact Ball directly and see what, if anything, can be done. I will post back with what they say.


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## JoeC

HoustonHorn said:


> There is lume on the GMT hand and it is the same green as on the GMT scale on the bezel.
> 
> My problem is the lume on all of it is pretty dim, especially for what I was expecting.
> 
> Here is the lume compared to a couple other watches.
> 
> View attachment 12640917


The tritium on my ~10 year old Ball is more bright than this.


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## paintingtiger

Would love to see some more wrist shots of this one. It's the one, along with the Endurance, that I really regret missing out on. I wonder if it will be released at any point to ADs or online.


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## HoustonHorn

JoeC said:


> The tritium on my ~10 year old Ball is more bright than this.


It is dim and very difficult to read at arms length. The camera actually makes it brighter than it appears.

Ball responded and said all the watches are tested and the lume should be fine. I am going to send the picture and send it back to see what they say. They'll probably want me to send it in. If they still say it is ok then I'm going to see what the restocking fee is or have them send it back so I can sell it.

I really like the watch but the lume is disappointing compared to other Ball watches I've seen and that was part of the appeal.



> Made an account just to post to this thread as I am experiencing the same lume dimness described here. I am going to try and contact Ball directly and see what, if anything, can be done. I will post back with what they say.


Glad I'm not the only one who thinks so.

Not sure where you are located, but here is the contact info they sent me regarding issues in the US.

*BALL Watch USA *
*1920 Dr. MLK St North
Suite D
St Petersburg, FL 33704
USA
Tel.: +1 727 896 4278
Fax: +1 727 825 0803
[email protected]*


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## WUSB

Old thread but curious about the lume issue. Has anyone got BALL to acknowledge to what appears to be a defect and corrected the watches? Assuming not but I am interested in trying to pick one of these up but the lume issue is disconcerting.


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## Balldy

WUSB said:


> Old thread but curious about the lume issue. Has anyone got BALL to acknowledge to what appears to be a defect and corrected the watches? Assuming not but I am interested in trying to pick one of these up but the lume issue is disconcerting.


Hello,

My Aviator has just turned 10 years old and the lume is still going strong - perhaps not as bright as when new - I would guess maybe about 75% - still very easy to read in the dark!

Balldy


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## WUSB

Balldy said:


> Hello,
> 
> My Aviator has just turned 10 years old and the lume is still going strong - perhaps not as bright as when new - I would guess maybe about 75% - still very easy to read in the dark!
> 
> Balldy


I hear ya but it sounded like the Road Master lume was really poor from the start. Originally I wish I knew of the preorder but because of the complaints, I'm glad I didn't but if BALL made it right I'd like to pick one up.


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## WUSB

Balldy said:


> Hello,
> 
> My Aviator has just turned 10 years old and the lume is still going strong - perhaps not as bright as when new - I would guess maybe about 75% - still very easy to read in the dark!
> 
> Balldy


I hear ya but it sounded like the Road Master lume was really poor from the start. Originally I wish I knew of the preorder but because of the complaints, I'm glad I didn't but if BALL made it right I'd like to pick one up.


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