When Jenny created the Caribbean 1000, it was the very first 1000m dive watch and the patents were first registered in 1964 with a tripple safe one piece case.

It was later branded by Jenny for Philip Watch, Jaques Monnat, Jaquet Droz, Ollech & Wajs, Aquadive, Fortis, and probably some others.

Today the Jenny Family currently own Doxa.

More info here: http://www.rruegger.ch/jenny_caribbean.htm

Well enough talk. Here are the pics.

Front

Side

An acrylic bezel insert

Solid case back, it has been refinished, the markings are there, barely visible

The marks are:

Automatic Incabloc Fullsteel Super Water Resistance
709-1
Swiss Made
Brevet 17531/68 18350/68
Brevet 5292/68
7093375

Here’s my collection of monobloc cases from Soviet Union, Switzerland and Japan.

Here’s how they stack up

Finally their beautiful case backs (real plain for the Soviet Zlatoust Diver)

Here’s how they wear.

The USSR Zlatoust diver, despite it’s size, it’s only 3ATM or an operating depth of 30m.

No there’s no typo there, given the technology in USSR in the 60s, this is probably the only diver watch before Vostok came out with a 20ATM dive watch around 1967.

As for wearing it ? I doubt anybody can put it off, unless you have 10″ wrist ? It’s 60mm without crown and 80mm from lug to lug and a 20mm crown.

It looks way too big and that wrist shot is very deceiving

My wrist is only 7″, after all, it’s meant to be worn outside a wet suit.

I think the reason of the case back design is comfort. Despite, a high profile and a heavy case, the MM300 sits pretty well on my wrist and it’s very comfortable.

Read more about the Seiko MarineMaster 300 here

Finally, the Aquadive.

At times, I feel it’s sticking onto my wrist and I have to take it off to “air” my wrist.

They are all great watches in their own way, I’m glad to have them in my collection.

I got to learn that Ocean7 actually released a Ploprof homage, LM-7, couple of years ago. I was tempted by it, didn’t really like the SS version, so I managed to source a pre-owned PVD version.

It’s using a Sellita SW200 movement, a ETA 2824 clone. Time keeping is still great, +5-6s after 5 days, even thou it’s a year old watch and I might be the 3rd owner already.

Anyway, I spent some time reading about the whole process of this watch in Watchuseek Ocean7 forum, from how the idea was formed to production, it took a year before it started shipping at the end of 2008 !

It’s amazing how they managed to design this watch with so many inputs from the forum, going over the details of the color of the dial, 5-minute interval markers, acrylic or sapphire bezel insert etc.

Front

Red bezel lock button

Another close up of the front, I really like the watch and the solidly built case.

It is possible to adjust the bezel while wearing the watch . You have to adjust the bezel with your thumb and index finger, while pressing the button down with your middle finger.

If you are wearing it on your left hand, it’s a little harder, you have to adjust the bezel with your thumb and middle finger, while pressing the button down with your index finger.

Both the crystal and bezel insert uses sapphire, making the front surface of the watch very scratch resistance.

Check out the hands, the lume is great.

Signed crown !

Case back, according to the past post forum posting, every watch will be pressured tested for the 1000m rating.

It’s definitely “Swiss Made”, halfway through the project, a lawyer from the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry, contacted them to investigate their use of the designation, “Swiss Made”, on their watches.

Ocean7 proved their claims, to their satisfaction and passes their criteria for the use of that designation.

Now for the straps try-out, choosing the most suitable shoes.

Original Ocean7 isofrane rubber

Brown pilot leather ?

Tanned leather ?

Carbon fiber ?

Thick straight leather ?

Orange rubber ?

Black bracelet ? It’s rubber from Panatime.

Zulu for the toolish look ?

Well, I settled for this plain black leather strap for a change from rubber.

It’s waterproof. *grin*

If I remember correctly, this reissue model is 1 of the earliest from Poljot. There are subsequent reissues from Poljot International and Volmax.

I am very impressed with the details on the dial and the overall case finishing.

Front shots

Case back.

Now some folks out there find the logo rather annoying, so in order to remove it, you have to remove the case back and find a way scratch it away.

A comparison with an older vintage Poljot Strela.

The dial and case design is very faithful to the original Strela. It makes a very nice dressy watch.

When I saw the sales post in SCWF, I couldn’t resist and emailed Kucimo, who’s the seller.

After a few email exchange and googling around for his sales history, I was more assured about the transaction as it’s not a small amount.

So he shipped it out on Monday, and I got it on Wednesday ! EMS shipping rocks.

Upon receiving the parcel, it’s a real hassle to open it as it’s very well packed with multiple layers of tape but you will know that the watch is well protected and it will be safe and sound inside.

My first impression of the watch when I took it out, is WOW. The sweeping second hand, the solid 1 piece case (monocoque), the finishing, dial and hands, it’s a work of art.

A very solid and heavy piece

From my understanding, the 8L35 movement is a undecorated, unadjusted version of the Grand Seiko 9S55. A 26 jewels, automatic, 28800bph, capable of hand winding and hacking with 50 hour power reserve. It’s also known that the 8L35 along with other Grand Seiko movements are hand assembled in Japan by a team of 20.

I tried to hand wind the watch, same smooth sandy feel. Once the second hand starts sweeping, I can’t help but to stare.

Now for the rest of photos.

Lume is charged by the morning sun

No separate case back

Side profile, a common complain is the lack of a signed crown.

Side profile

Well, it’s a 6L15 with hand winding and hacking feature. I really like hand winding my watch. Besides reading time and adjusting time, hand winding is the closest thing with interacting with the watch.

Most of my Russian watches are hand windable, they tend to go “click click click” when you wind, it’s the click going against the ratchet wheel. The click also prevents the main spring from unwinding.

Anyway, on newer movements, like 6L15 and ETA 2824, the winding goes without such clicking. It’s has a sandy feel, like sticking something into the sand and twisting it.

That’s the main difference on hand winding for me and the hacking is a bonus feature.

The watch, chunky piece of metal with a beautiful finished dial, raised hour markers.

Signed crown, a very nice touch, as my other Seiko do not have any signed crown.

Head only, very nice mirror polish, thou it’s like a scratch magnet if you are not careful with poking through drilled lug.

Damn solid end links, also problematic as you can see from the following shots…

Sumo on leather, doesn’t cut it. The gap is way too wide.

Wrist shot with leather, the gaps look ok here, but you have to look at it in person.

Rubber, same issue but the gap is smaller, more acceptable.

Finally, with my straight ends Anvil. Doesn’t cut it too.

Ok, now for the comparisons.

Sinn-ko VS Sumo VS Monster, some commented about the fat fonts on Sumo.. well it’s a Sumo what.

Sinn-ko VS Sumo VS Monster crown shot, signed crown is nice.

Anvil & Stock Bracelet comparison, now here’s where some will pick on, the puny sized bracelet. It’s actually 20mm and tapered down ! I didn’t measure, but it’s around 18mm. I think it should be 22 and tapered to 20.

Sumo with butterfly wings.

Sinn-ko with heavy duty flappers.

Monster with hmmm, monster wings..

And sadly, it has parted to his new owner.

Well, I been wearing it for a while, it’s about time to post up a decent review of it yet.

The Seiko 6138-0011 also know as the UFO. I went to read up a bit on Seiko chronographs and why everybody was advising on leaving the chronograph function on.

It’s an automatic chronograph movement, using column wheel to engage the chronograph function and most importantly, it’s using a vertical clutch system.

In typical chronograph, like my Poljot 3133, it brings the chronograph wheel train into contact with the normal power train to start the chronograph. In such engagement, usually you will see a jerky start and for the 3133, the size of gear teeth do not match, it will cause a lot of wear and tear if you keep the chronograph moving.

Close up of the dial, using a Raynox Macro lens

Exposure of 1.6s, love how the second hand sweeps.

The back

The front with it’s spreaded wings

K2, Mr Goh’s thick thick 20mm Paros strap

Battle scars as my friend put it…

The first alarm wrist watch was first introduced in 1947 by Vulcain. The Cricket watch was also nicknamed “The Presidents’ Watch”, since Eisenhower, Nixon and Johnson were all loyal customers and eminent ambassadors for the Cricket.

In 1959, 1st Moscow Watch Factory developed the first Soviet Wrist alarm clock “signal” 2612 (“Flight”). It was almost a copy of the A.Schild 1475. I can’t find much information on the AS and Poljot link.

Photos of the AS 1475 can be found at Ranfft Watches.

In 1978, the 2612 was slightly tweaked, thus the caliber code was changed to 2612.1.

A comparison between the 2612 and 2612.1.

1st Moscow Watch Factory 2612

- serial number on the barrel bridge
- the 1MWF logo on the wheel bridge
- no “2612″ or “SU” markings.

Poljot 2612.1

- “2612.1″ on the barrel bridge
- no serial numbers marking
- SU on the wheel bridge

How it works
The top crown at 2 o’clock is for alarm adjustment and winding.
The bottom crown at 4 o’clock is for the time adjustment and winding.

1. Stud attached to caseback
2. Alarm hammer
3. Ratchet Wheel for alarm

Once fully wound, when the alarm is triggered, the spring will rotate the gears to vibrate the alarm hammer.

From the diagram, you can visualise the hammer going left to the watch movement and going right to the stud when the case back is screwed in.

A video of the alarm: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnHub25JnX0

The alarms that I own now and my grail

A “Made in Russia” to pair with my first “Made in USSR” alarm

A NOS Полет, СДЕЛАНО B CCCP

With the box and papers, dated: 120891. Is it 12th Aug 1991 or 8th Dec 1991 ?

8th of Dec 1991 is a significant date for the Soviet Union where the leaders of the Russian, Ukrainian, and Belarusian republics met in Belavezhskaya Pushcha and signed the Belavezha Accords declaring the Soviet Union dissolved and replacing it with the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). (Source: Wikipedia)

Poljot, Russia

Sekonda, USSR

Poljot, Made in USSR, Tank case

Poljot Gold, Made in USSR

Полет Gold, СДЕЛАНО B CCCP

A group shot

A early Poljot 2612 alarm with the 2612 movement.

The same model found in a 1972 catalog. Numbered 4, 2612/473124.

My grail for the 2612 is 1 of the early versions of сигнал with the Signal dial.

I have to thank Kevin for inspiring me to write my first milestone on the Poljot Signal, Полет Сигнал, a mechanical watch with alarm features after I posted my collection of the alarms, which is 1 of my favorite Soviet caliber.

My first Soviet Union mechanical watch is the Poljot Alarm 2612.1.

and my alarm collection grew..

Well, I will leave the milestone for the next post..

Happy 2010 !

Dive

Space/Aviation