Opinions on 2789 new old stock?
I'm working out the details of a build.
It's not a must but I'd like to use a Swiss movement. But I didn't want to break the bank doing it. I've found new old stock of an ETA 2789 for $75 and I'm seriously thinking of giving it a try. But I have a couple of questions/concerns.
40+ years on a shelf is a long time. Should I assume the movement would need a service, just for lube and light cleaning? Last I heard lube doesn't have an indefinite self life. Or that's what my ex girlfriend tells me anyway. If so that doesn't make it as much of a bargain. I can buy a new SW200 for $200 or less. So $75 plus the cost of a visit to the watchmaker, for a last gen movement, makes me feel like I should get lubed as well.
And let's pretend in my fantasy world I could get by without a service. Would the handsets made for a 2824 fit the 2789. Because I'm going to be super grumpy if I have a cool movement but no hands for it. The specs on both list the "hands" as 1.5x.9x.25 but I don't have any idea what that means. That they're the same seems promising though.
My dial is a no date. I'm my miracle fantasy scenario, where the movement is fine, and the handsets fit, will I be fine just removing the day/date wheels. I would just leave them under the dial, but I'm fairly certain I'm going to need to use dial dots to set the dial so wheels squirming around under the dial likey dislodging the dots seems like a poor idea. Plus I've read the added friction puts unnecessary strain and wear on the movement. But that may be a myth.
My Google results tell me the basic size should drop into a 2824 case. And that is a it's a step behind the 2824, but basically a good movement. I'm sure they answer all my other questions as well if I knew what I was looking for.
Any watchmaker/repair hobbyist, or even Frankenwatch Creator's care to weigh in and point me in a direction.
Just a watch dumi hoping to learn stuff
Yeah... Just being stubborn I suppose. Plus a cool older movement with a cool older dial seemed like a match made in heaven. I thought I'd stumbled onto something for a hot second. I am planning to learn to do the service myself at some point, but I'm not there yet. The PT5000 and ST2130 are looking better by the minute!
Now that the movement is basically settled. Time to find a case.
Yeah... Just being stubborn I suppose. Plus a cool older movement with a cool older dial seemed like a match made in heaven. I thought I'd stumbled onto something for a hot second. I am planning to learn to do the service myself at some point, but I'm not there yet. The PT5000 and ST2130 are looking better by the minute!
Now that the movement is basically settled. Time to find a case.
There is a website called calibre corner and they have very detailed information on a lot of movements. You should be able to compare different movements to find out what is interchangeable.
There is a website called calibre corner and they have very detailed information on a lot of movements. You should be able to compare different movements to find out what is interchangeable.
I checked Caliber Corner before I wrote the post. It has lots of good info on the 2824 but nothing on the 2789. Google was of enough help though to find out it will drop in. It's the same diameter and thickness. And I think it has the same size for the handset.
But I've decided that it would need to be serviced which would likely run up the price enough that it would be more cost-effective to just buy a new 2824.
It's just a fun build and not something I was looking to spend a fortune on. So it's looking more and more every day like I'll use a clone. An ST2130 or a PT5000. But I'm also having a hard time finding a case to fit a 31mm dial so that may push me to need to use an NH series movement.