Incoming

[rplace]

What do you guys make of this? No safe queen for sure, but seems to have potential. Timed, adjusted and running fine so says the seller. I should have it by Friday. All the major parts seem to be there including the crown. I'll have to spend the next few years running down a bracelet for it.

I'd like to send it off for a good once over. Sent an email to butch about BWG, but wondering if any of you have other suggestions.

On the hunt for a silver faced GMT now and saving my pennies for Butch's orange beauty. Thanks for the help so far!!!

[Butch]

Nice piece!

As for the Orange one, they just don't stick around that long. Ya snooze, ya lose.

[rplace]

After I try this one on for "size" we will have to talk about that orange one :)

[Sea Wolf]

That one looks like it has good potential but it for sure needs a good service and it will look even better.

Find an original band and it will be complete.  You will find a band, just keep looking on the bay... they do come up.

ETA:  I have an orange and it is a safe queen.  Have not worn it since I found a NOS dial for it and it looks like new. 
I do not want to put any wear on it.  I do like to look at it.

[jon p]

you have a very nice SW there, send it to BWG, he IS the zodiac guru!!! when you get it back from him you WILL BE AMAZED and pleased! he has done many restorations for all of us. i noticed you have a very good condition bezel and that IS good, the bezels are about impossible to find, and when you do find one they can be expensive. there is one on the bay now for $200. the dial looks great. isnt it something what time and probably salt water does to the rubber gaskets!! good luck with your restoration, another SW brought back to its original glory.

[rplace]

Thanks Jon p. I had seen a few with no bezel and I did see that $199 one on ebay. Lots I have looked at had rough looking bezels. The nice looking bezel was what made me jump on this.  I am new to vintage stuff, but it seems like there are some people out there working some magic on the cases, face/hands so hopefully this one will clean up nice. Pretty big sell over at time zone and he says it is running strong. So hopefully this is the right one to put a little bit of work into.

[Cobber]

Looks like a diamond in the rough to me.  For the most part, looks completely unmolested.  Should clean up real nice depending on how deep the scratches in the case are.  They look fairly incidental to me.  Dial looks real nice as well.  Personally I would be against anything other than a simple cleaning as far as the dial is concerned.  I wouldn't bother with restoring or trying to relume unless you could see other Zodiac re-lumes by the service provider.  However, even then I tend to like the aged lume look anyway and yours seems to have aged very gracefully and consistently, a big plus in my book.  I also tend to like the brassing/nickeling of the bezel edges/teeth over NOS as well.
The bezel goes without saying and is probably the cherry on the sundae.
For me, Cosmetically:
1) polish case, crystal, & smooth areas of bezel under the "teeth"
2) clean dial
3) enjoy and keep an eye out for a bracelet.

Hopefully the seller's movement description is accurate.  If so, nice grab!

Can't wait to see the after pics.

[rplace]

Thanks Cobber...great advice I want it clean and nice looking but still vintage and trouble free for wearing a coulpe of times a week. Picked the one up below today. Wow, two days two SWs. Again the bezel grabbed me. Same problem with bracelet, but I am fine with straps for now. Could not get a movement pic so hope it is as clean in as the face is.

[Dutchsiberia]

Wow, awesome looking watches! The outsides of the two look great to me, the movement of the first one shows a lot of wear under the rotor though. That would be my greatest concern. (loose rotor/bearing? )

[rplace]

Agree that left side under the rotor looks a bit concerning. Seller seems legit and had it looked at recently and watch guy says running good. Fingers crossed and no reason to be suspicious. Guess I will find out when I send them to Zodiac hospital.