Post by carl on Dec 12, 2019 19:14:31 GMT -6
When I first saw this watch a couple years ago, I was mesmerized by the almost comical looking asymmetrical dial, and the oversized push pieces. The price tag really threw me, though, as it seemed to be a really well made and quality timepiece. Especially with a modified ETA 7750 Valjoux chronograph movement. I was also having a love affair with the Omega Speemaster at that time, so I kind of left the watch and really took not much interest in it. Over the couple of years, it kept popping up on various websites, with reviews about how accurate, robust and well finished it is, in fact many saying it was one of the very best chronographs. I never really got a chance to actually try it on my wrist, though, until Tuesday night.
A couple of friends who belong to the Vancouver Chapter of RedBar invited me to a Longines event at the Marriott Parq Hotel. I really got to learn about this very interesting and historical brand, but they didn't have a BigEye. However, one of the RedBar members owns the watch, so he let me try it on for a while. I really loved how it looked and fit on my wrist. Again, the asymmetrical quality and oversize push pieces really endeared me to the watch. So I decided to do some more research and try to find one at an AD, to know the MSRP.
One of the guys at RedBar told me they had seen one at a local AD, so I decided to go have a look on Thursday. But I still wanted more information, especially about the movement. I was still puzzled at the price. I found my answer on one of the forums: the exclusive-for-Longines column-wheel movement used for the BigEye has the date function engineered into it in such a way that removing the date wheel (which they do for the BigEye, hence the 2-position stem) leaves some of the gearing intact. So there's no date wheel under the hood, and the stem has only two positions. To customize any further would have resulted in a significant uptick in costs. The crown would have only had two positions to begin with, as date adjustment is done through a pusher at the 10 o'clock position.
Normally a watch that has no visible date function, yet has a "ghost" date under the hood is a deal breaker for me. However, after learning the above, I can totally accept the reasoning behind the movement modification. The MSRP of the watch is $3250cad, or about $2470usd. Normally, a watch with this movement would be over 4 grand. So still very good value, I accept the movement modification as just a quirk of the watch, and I also got a heck of a good price on the watch!
This watch is not only comfortable at 41mm and 14.6mm thick, but it really is a blast to wear. In fact, it makes my Speedy watches seem rather mundane in comparison, the name of course originating from the oversized 3 o'clock minutes counter, and I do love the oversize push pieces. Justification for my acquisition - not that I need one - is that I have sold five watches in my collection over the past few months, with more to be sold.
So here are some pics I took today:
I can already tell that this will get more wrist time than both of my Speedy watches. Just by sheer wrist presence and appeal. As I get older, my tastes and interests have changed vastly, along with my better knowledge. In spite of the rather cartoonish appearance, and I mean that in the nicest way, one does realize that all the elements do come together to form a perfectly functional and robust piece that a pilot could wear and comfortably operate with a gloved hand.
Cheers,
Carl
A couple of friends who belong to the Vancouver Chapter of RedBar invited me to a Longines event at the Marriott Parq Hotel. I really got to learn about this very interesting and historical brand, but they didn't have a BigEye. However, one of the RedBar members owns the watch, so he let me try it on for a while. I really loved how it looked and fit on my wrist. Again, the asymmetrical quality and oversize push pieces really endeared me to the watch. So I decided to do some more research and try to find one at an AD, to know the MSRP.
One of the guys at RedBar told me they had seen one at a local AD, so I decided to go have a look on Thursday. But I still wanted more information, especially about the movement. I was still puzzled at the price. I found my answer on one of the forums: the exclusive-for-Longines column-wheel movement used for the BigEye has the date function engineered into it in such a way that removing the date wheel (which they do for the BigEye, hence the 2-position stem) leaves some of the gearing intact. So there's no date wheel under the hood, and the stem has only two positions. To customize any further would have resulted in a significant uptick in costs. The crown would have only had two positions to begin with, as date adjustment is done through a pusher at the 10 o'clock position.
Normally a watch that has no visible date function, yet has a "ghost" date under the hood is a deal breaker for me. However, after learning the above, I can totally accept the reasoning behind the movement modification. The MSRP of the watch is $3250cad, or about $2470usd. Normally, a watch with this movement would be over 4 grand. So still very good value, I accept the movement modification as just a quirk of the watch, and I also got a heck of a good price on the watch!
This watch is not only comfortable at 41mm and 14.6mm thick, but it really is a blast to wear. In fact, it makes my Speedy watches seem rather mundane in comparison, the name of course originating from the oversized 3 o'clock minutes counter, and I do love the oversize push pieces. Justification for my acquisition - not that I need one - is that I have sold five watches in my collection over the past few months, with more to be sold.
So here are some pics I took today:
I can already tell that this will get more wrist time than both of my Speedy watches. Just by sheer wrist presence and appeal. As I get older, my tastes and interests have changed vastly, along with my better knowledge. In spite of the rather cartoonish appearance, and I mean that in the nicest way, one does realize that all the elements do come together to form a perfectly functional and robust piece that a pilot could wear and comfortably operate with a gloved hand.
Cheers,
Carl
The counter at three is the 30-minute counter (with bold hash marks every 3 minutes, must have been some special layout for pilots?) so it only runs with the chrono. The centre countre at 6 o'clock is the 12-hour counter. And the small hacking or stop seconds at 9 o'clock.
