# SeaFighter Chronograph



## caesarmascetti (Dec 17, 2007)

Ok what are your thoughts? I think the SeaFighter case could be used as a base for a MKII Chrono, it kind of have that Omega Mark V look to it.


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## Yao (Dec 12, 2006)

*I have a couple of ideas actually....*

but have to keep the under wraps for the time being.



caesarmascetti said:


> Ok what are your thoughts? I think the SeaFighter case could be used as a base for a MKII Chrono, it kind of have that Omega Mark V look to it.


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## JDS (Ohio) (Mar 1, 2007)

*Re: I have a couple of ideas actually....*

Been wondering for awhile if you'd thought of doing a chrono. I have a weakness for "no outline" subdials like the Speedmaster. If Omega had put a diver's bezel on one, I'd have bought that instead of the 2254.50 for my first "nice" watch. The one it was replacing was actually this Seiko I'd worn for around 15 years:










That Seiko or the Speedmaster Pro dials are just about the perfect chrono dial in my opinion, Those Zenith Elite Rainbow Flybacks, with the arabics are running neck and neck though.


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## MID (May 16, 2006)

*Re: I have a couple of ideas actually....*

Bill, you must do a BP Air Command hommage as your first chrono. Please.


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## NWP627 (Feb 24, 2008)

*Re: I have a couple of ideas actually....*



MID said:


> Bill, you must do a BP Air Command hommage as your first chrono. Please.


Containing a V-7750 please!
N


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## JDS (Ohio) (Mar 1, 2007)

*Re: I have a couple of ideas actually....*



MID said:


> Bill, you must do a BP Air Command hommage as your first chrono. Please.


You mean like this one?









Now THAT's an idea, Bill would already have a similar case, though I bet the dial opening would have to be enlarged.

Another very similar vintage chronograph I found on the same net page as the Air Command is this Zenith, I could go for this one as easily:









And then there is the whole world of long gone Autavias, military and otherwise, etc.


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## MDS (Jan 26, 2009)

*Re: I have a couple of ideas actually....*



JDS (Ohio) said:


> You mean like this one?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Either or both of these would be great!

Mike


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## Yao (Dec 12, 2006)

*Those are on my short list *





mds said:


> either or both of these would be great!
> 
> Mike


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## kelvinward01 (Dec 26, 2008)

all of those are nice.. :-!


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## MID (May 16, 2006)

*Re: I have a couple of ideas actually....*

Yes. That's the one I mean. (And the Zenith is nice too.)



JDS (Ohio) said:


> You mean like this one?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## NWP627 (Feb 24, 2008)

*Re: Those are on my short list *



Yao said:


>


Bill,
Your short list sounds very, very nice. I may have just caught a glimpse of my next MKII purchase. Thank you.
N


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## giosdad (Nov 29, 2007)

*Re: Those are on my short list *



Yao said:


>


I might have to set up a recurring deposit to MKII at the rate of these hints are going. :-d


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## jason_recliner (Feb 2, 2009)

*Re: I have a couple of ideas actually....*

Please Bill, whatever happens, do NOT fit your first chrono with a 7750!


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## NWP627 (Feb 24, 2008)

*Re: I have a couple of ideas actually....*



jason_recliner said:


> Please Bill, whatever happens, do NOT fit your first chrono with a 7750!


In the interest of educating those of us not familiar with the 7750 please explain why.

N


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## JohnF (Feb 11, 2006)

*Re: I have a couple of ideas actually....*

Hi -

What else is he supposed to use? Seriously?

JohnF


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## JohnF (Feb 11, 2006)

*Re: I have a couple of ideas actually....*

Hi -

The problem with both of those is that they can be fairly easily obtained either as a Sinn or as a Guinand and in some ways have become generic.

If I may make a modest proposal: the right and proper homage should be ...










The Benrus Sky Chief.

If anything, Bill should aim at a MKII Sky Chief, but ONLY if he keeps the minute totalizer dial with the markings at 4-8-12!

Here are some additional photos: all credits to the original photographers, these were glommed off of Google...




























The advantage to doing the Sky Chief as an homage is several-fold: first, you can use a manual-wind 77xx movement from ETA, which ensures high quality with ease of supply. Second, the layout lends itself to 77xx, since the subdial at 3-6-9 is straightforward. Keeping the 4-8-12 (and the ongoing mystery of why Benrus and Benrus alone used that instead of 3-6-9!) adds uniqueness to the watch face as well.

He can also offer it in two variants: deepest black dial and silver dial. Hands identical to the original, no options, as well as updated lume for the hands and numbers, as well as for the running seconds at the 9.

Note that the coin-edge bezel moves: there is an internal triangular pip that can be seen on the lower two photos at the 12; this works with the train track markings on the outer edge of the dial. Sweet. 

Lozenge pushers, onion crown, blued hands. Sweeeet. 

316L case, no display back. Heck, you could even put a Poljot in there for the low-cost version (just kidding, folks, just kidding...). 

JohnF


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## usc1 (Jun 25, 2007)

The air command is already in the works by cam of corvus. i vote the sky chief. :-!


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## HappyJack (Mar 31, 2008)

*Re: I have a couple of ideas actually....*



JohnF said:


> Hi -
> 
> What else is he supposed to use? Seriously?
> 
> JohnF


An ETA 251.262 quartz which emulates the Lemania 5100.

The result could look like this:


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## JohnF (Feb 11, 2006)

*Re: I have a couple of ideas actually....*

Hi -

Seriously cool Lemania there.

The problem, of course, is that it's no longer mechanical...

JohnF


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## HappyJack (Mar 31, 2008)

Well, if you don't mind spending more money (and I understand that there is a problem with the delay in the second hand restarting after hacking) there is the 2893-A2 (I think) with the DD chronograph module, as used in the Breitling Calibre 27 chronos.


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## JohnF (Feb 11, 2006)

Hi -

It's not so much about the money (well, it is about the money as well), but the real problem is availability: if you need 300 units of the 7750 today, you might wait 9 months for them; getting the same number of 2893 with the chrono module and you can double that waiting period easily. Alternative is to go through a broker to get them, but that will drive the price up so far that you won't make any money on the watches.

Availability of movements is the alpha and omega of building watches for the independent watchmaker. ETA delivery can be fickle even in the best of times and more than a plans have been cancelled due to a lack of movement availability. This is what will drive what movement is actually put into a potential chronograph.

There really aren't many alternatives to the 7750, especially when you take into account servicing and repair issues. You're going to have a vastly easier time finding someone to work on a 7750 than you will to work on anything else, and easier-to-find translates here also into significantly less costly.

I've run the numbers and it is extremely hard to make a 7750-based chronograph, even sourcing cases and dials from Asia, for less than $600 and still make money on it. If anything, that requires volumes of over 1000 to even get close. Move to a price point around $1k and you've got a going proposition, but also intense competition for your money at that price point. Putting a 2893 with a chrono module drives these costs up significantly. 

And Breitling? They're going to sell their chrono calibres to a competitor? I wasn't aware that Breitling sold any movements seperately...

That's simply the reality of the situation. If you want inexpensive and relatively easily available, then ETA remains basically your only solution (and Selitta and the others have their own delivery and pricing problems that tend to make them uncompetitive for the small manufacturer).

JohnF


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## HappyJack (Mar 31, 2008)

Which takes us back to the 251.262 quartz. I suspect that if the SAAF were ordering a chrono today that's what they'd use. All the benefits of the Lemania 5100 in the picture but with better functionality, less cost, more accuracy and an even more robust movement.

For a Mk2 model of the same then, I'd favour going down the quartz route. I now have the Lemania 5100 version of the RT auto chrono but I had the quartz version with the 251.262 for years and loved it. I rotate the Lemania RT with a Fortis 7750 chrono and A CWC quartz chrono and love them all. But you can't beat a centre sweep minute hand chrono for legibility - whatever movement powers it...


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## Cowbiker (Jun 27, 2007)

*Re: I have a couple of ideas actually....*



HappyJack said:


> An ETA 251.262 quartz which emulates the Lemania 5100.
> 
> The result could look like this:


That quasi-PAM second hand aspect of this dial...I'D SWIM WITH THAT.:-! Seriously neat find, thank you for sharing.


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## austinnh (May 25, 2009)

*Re: I have a couple of ideas actually....*

I love the look of the sky chief and think it would be an awesome watch to homage. I also love the rotating coin edge bezel. It's subtle, not imposing itself on the aesthetic of the watch, but always there if you ever need a bezel.


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## TheDude (Jan 27, 2009)

I agree, the Sky Chief is nice.


I vote for a nice fat acrylic crystal!!


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## Narruc (Oct 23, 2007)

HappyJack said:


> Which takes us back to the 251.262 quartz. I suspect that if the SAAF were ordering a chrono today that's what they'd use. All the benefits of the Lemania 5100 in the picture but with better functionality, less cost, more accuracy and an even more robust movement.
> 
> For a Mk2 model of the same then, I'd favour going down the quartz route. I now have the Lemania 5100 version of the RT auto chrono but I had the quartz version with the 251.262 for years and loved it. I rotate the Lemania RT with a Fortis 7750 chrono and A CWC quartz chrono and love them all. But you can't beat a centre sweep minute hand chrono for legibility - whatever movement powers it...


I'd be happy with a quartz offering. Cool idea.


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## JDS (Ohio) (Mar 1, 2007)

Sounds good. I might like an arabics dial option myself, a look sort of like the Zenith El Primero Rainbow Flyback. Flat (but thick) acrylc sounds interesting too, but a domed sapphire might be worth considering as well.

And I could live with quartz, "Lemania-esque" drive, assuming the pricing was reasonable (and I know it would be).


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