M.T.O watch project,

[John]

speaking of the zed watches, where's he been the last few days 

Paul does odd shifts  I hope he's alright 

[gunga]

Can someone take a picture of how you set up your Nato bands?  Did you guys cut and burn to shorten or fold back?  I want to leave the option of extra length to fit over a 6-7mm thick wetsuit (very rare for me, so not too important).  I'm not sure how to fold it back...

[ryan1835]

 You fold it back on itself, your not supposed to cut it ill get a pic up tonight

[Benner]

Can someone take a picture of how you set up your Nato bands?  Did you guys cut and burn to shorten or fold back?  I want to leave the option of extra length to fit over a 6-7mm thick wetsuit (very rare for me, so not too important).  I'm not sure how to fold it back...

Google Nato strap.  Many explainations on there how to do it.

[Zed]

Hi guys sorry not been around ive been on nights since friday plus my pc broke on friday and waiting on it being fixed (i hope) so i might not be back on till next week as im using my sister in laws laptop at her house , ok nato's please dont cut it back just turn it on its self sorry no pics bit im no good on a laptop and i cant get onto my phottobucket, there is a pic on one of my posts i think, pics look great guys , well off now back hopefully very soon,


paul 

[gunga]

Glad to see you're back Paul.  Yep, found the Nato info, thanks!  Cool strap, seems quite durable.

[NutSAK]

I guess I shouldn't really say my zulu is "like new".  It has the black oxide hardware, and some of that has worn off.  There's really no noticeable wear to the fabric though.

It's not easy to swap the band out on this particular watch I have the zulu on.  The pins are close to the case, and with the thickness of the band, it won't slide out.  So, I would have to take the pins out every time I swapped, and I'm WAY to lazy to do that.

I should mention that I've since found out that the Maratac Zulu strap is made from thicker material than the NATO spec strap.  The NATO spec allows the strap to easily slip past the case and spring pins, and therefore requires the "keeper" strap and buckle on the backside, to keep the case from slipping around the strap.  Since the Zulu is thicker, it is tighter between the case and spring pin, and doesn't require the keeper strap.  The Zulu will take more abuse than the NATO, but isn't as convenient to swap out for cleaning or changing color.

[markn951]

Can someone take a picture of how you set up your Nato bands?  Did you guys cut and burn to shorten or fold back?  I want to leave the option of extra length to fit over a 6-7mm thick wetsuit (very rare for me, so not too important).  I'm not sure how to fold it back...

I was just wondering this earlier today. Google is your friend

http://www.gnomonwatches.com/NatoInstructions.htm

[NutSAK]

My quick analysis of the watch itself is the case is quite nice.  The engraving on the back of the case is very nice!  Overall it's lighter weight than I expected, but this is mostly due to the bracelet.  The Bezel functions quite nicely, just a little too easy to rotate for a dive watch and cosmetically I've been spoiled by some of the new ceramic bezels.  The bracelet is disapointing, If I can find one of my natos in the right size I believe I'm likely to try it on this watch.  The movement interaction is pretty good. Hacking is solid, it has some of the weird behavior of earlier movements during adjustment, the hacking appeared solid, and the winding quality felt about medium. I might open the watch one day to have a closer look.  The printing on the 'day' dial is not very high quality.  I did not test the lume.

I agree with most everything you've said in your short review.  

I'd like to add that I find the bezel rather odd--it has 70 clicks.  No wonder it doesn't line up perfectly with the second marks.  The accuracy of mine has been pretty good, being within ~6 or 7 seconds per 24 hours.  The rotor is quite loud, but this is my first automatic, so I have nothing to compare to.  I can easily hear it a couple of feet from my ear in a fairly noisy office when it freewheels.

I've tested the lume a bit.  You can charge it up fairly brightly, but it fades quickly, over a short period of time.

[gunga]

I'm trying the Nato for the first time.  It is more comfortable and a lot lighter on the wrist, I like the looks of bracelets better in general, but the bond-ish Nato is nice.

Just wondering, how does the extra starp underneath the watch help?  I've read RAF style Natos without the extra strap and G10 with the keeper.  I can't quite figure out how the keeper strap helps keep the watch on?  Is it just so the watch can't slide around so much on the band if 1 pin breaks?  Not sure it's worth the extra thickness...

[NutSAK]

Is it just so the watch can't slide around so much on the band if 1 pin breaks?  Not sure it's worth the extra thickness...

It's there to keep the watch from sliding around the band, regardless of if both pins are intact or not (esp. when off the wrist).

One thing you may want to try, if you don't like the keeper strap, is a Zulu strap.  The Zulu strap is thicker, so the watch doesn't slip on the band, and it doesn't have the extra keeper strap.  Otherwise, the Zulu is basically the same, and routes under the pins and around the case back just as the NATO does.

[Zed]

Hi giys, my pc is still broke so still having to pop to my sister in laws every they days when i can, thanks gunga for the nato help i cant do much on this laptop as not used to it, i hope im back on by next week fingers crossed,


paul

[gunga]

Oh no, something has happened to my ZA1!  I was just using my watch, next to an open flame... and I accidentally brushed the cyclops (with a bit of force) and it just slid right off!  (with some "encouragement"). 

Luckily, a little WD40 and a fingernail later, the crystal is looking good (with just a small minor nick) sans cyclops.

I like it MUCH better this way.  Will try and post pix tonight or tomorrow.

I know it's no longer a proper submariner homage, but I like to think of it as my custom ZA1.  It suits my needs much better now.

[Freudian Frog]

Zed... what sloppy worksmanship. Gunga, you should demand a refund!

[Gareth]

How very careless of you gunga.  

I actually rather like the cyclops so I'll be very careful not to make the same "mistake" as you mate.

[Zed]

lol yep heat and a sharpy will do the trick , im a fan of cyclops 

[gunga]

It was the one thing that really bugged me.  I didn't know how comfortable a Nato was (or even what it was) until you all introduced me to it.  The cyclops drove me nuts tho.  So after an exhaustive search on the net, I bit the bullet.  Worst case was needing to replace the crystal.  Or more.

You need to see this:

http://www.rolexforums.com/showpost.php?s=2025ba9188a8c4eb13442484c4869171&p=1179020&postcount=44

Cracks me up.

Yeah Zed, I demand a refund.  Plus extra, for my pain and suffering...

 

[Zed]

It was the one thing that really bugged me.  I didn't know how comfortable a Nato was (or even what it was) until you all introduced me to it.  The cyclops drove me nuts tho.  So after an exhaustive search on the net, I bit the bullet.  Worst case was needing to replace the crystal.  Or more.

You need to see this:

http://www.rolexforums.com/showpost.php?s=2025ba9188a8c4eb13442484c4869171&p=1179020&postcount=44

Cracks me up.

Yeah Zed, I demand a refund.  Plus extra, for my pain and suffering...

 

lol, that looked painfull to that crystal 

gunga ill answer here what you asked me about plexis v mineral, personaly i prefere plexi's as are easy to buff out marks, but they are easy to scratch, so most would prefere a mineral or at more cost a saphire, acrylic plexis do add a nice vintage look though with a nice dome, 

[John]

It was the one thing that really bugged me.  I didn't know how comfortable a Nato was (or even what it was) until you all introduced me to it.  The cyclops drove me nuts tho.  So after an exhaustive search on the net, I bit the bullet.  Worst case was needing to replace the crystal.  Or more.

You need to see this:

http://www.rolexforums.com/showpost.php?s=2025ba9188a8c4eb13442484c4869171&p=1179020&postcount=44

Cracks me up.

Yeah Zed, I demand a refund.  Plus extra, for my pain and suffering...

 

Job done,cyclops removed successfully LMAO 

[ryan1835]

so the cyclops is just glued on?

id never have known 

[Zed]

so the cyclops is just glued on?

id never have known 

yeah thats how they are all on ryan, i thought years ago they was kind of molded on 

[gunga]

If Sapphire or mineral glass, the cyclops is glued on using optical epoxy (maybe Norland 61?).  The plexi ones can be molded, so don't try and remove those...

[Zed]

If Sapphire or mineral glass, the cyclops is glued on using optical epoxy (maybe Norland 61?).  The plexi ones can be molded, so don't try and remove those...

yep not a good idea gunga, i wasnt sure of the glue for putting on a cyclops so i sent johns for him to add at a later date, ill practice first i think with this, 

[gunga]

Norland 61 is UV cured optical epoxy.  Not too bad to work with.  I use it for installing trits in lights.

BTW, how do you keep your auto watches wound if you have more than 1?  Do you use a winder?  I'm going to have 2 or 3, and don't plan on daily rotation for each watch...

[nuphoria]

Yikes, they went medieval on that watch! 


As a side note on Natos, I decided to get a cheaper version of that rather nice Corvus Vintage Bond one. £10 on ebay - will report on quality later   

[John]

Norland 61 is UV cured optical epoxy.  Not too bad to work with.  I use it for installing trits in lights.

BTW, how do you keep your auto watches wound if you have more than 1?  Do you use a winder?  I'm going to have 2 or 3, and don't plan on daily rotation for each watch...

JMO It makes no sense to have three auto's running,I would have my fav constantly running then if I wanted to change for the day I'd start that one up.My fav watch would have enough reserve to last a night out or even a day wear change  of coarse you could keep them all wound up on the winder if you so wished,if they have one   

[Benner]

Leaving an auto not running causes oils to solidify and things to seize causing a world of problems (potentially)

[John]

Leaving an auto not running causes oils to solidify and things to seize causing a world of problems (potentially)

 

Thanks Ben 

Gunga scratch my opinion completely,wind them all up daily   

[Benner]

Is this the time where I now say that I don't bother? 

[John]

Is this the time where I now say that I don't bother? 

The time!