About the PAM389 VSF V2 and my OCD

[pechspils]

Hey,

I have mentioned this before: I'm a yuuuge fan of the PAM389. I already own the V6F version and just bought the VSF V2 so I can wear it with two different straps without actually having to change straps.

Except for the movement, the only big difference between the two versions I can see is the pearl which is a bit more gen like (less lens shaped and a bit lighter in color). The difference is really subtle and hard to see without having both versions side by side. Ceramic bezel is the same. The dial lume may be a bit more greenish but that's a subtle difference as well.
I've never had any issues with either V6F or VSF reps so I probably didn't stare as intensely at the QC photos as I should have. Once the V2 was on my wrist, my OCD struck me instantly and hard: one of the 12 o'clock markers was a micron off! Waaah!

Can you see it? Probably not. So let's zoom in...

Luckily, I have a box full of wonderful Bergeon tools and was able to correct the marker on my own. Here's a post operation photo:

Much better, isn't it?

Long story short: the 389 VSF V2 is a great rep but keep an eye on these markers when you get the QC pics and always rotate the photos to an upright position if they're shooting the watch lying on its side.

 

[ericb196]

nice work !! Could you explain a bit how you did that so nicely ?

 

[pechspils]

Sure. From the top of my head:

1. Removed caseback with a ball
2. Removed mag shield at the indicated position (small arrow)
3. Standard procedure is to remove the rotor but since the glued Chinese rotor deco plates are such a PITA I just left it on.
4. Removed the stem while pressing the release button
5. Removed the 3 screws which secure the movement in the cage
6. Rotated the cage to locate and remove the 4 rubber spacers which secure the cage in the case
7. Removed the movement with the cage from the case by flipping the entire case
8. Removed the crooked marker with the Bergeon plastic stick and plastic pliars
9. Repositioned the marker on the dial after putting a tiny amount of adhesive on the marker
10. Put everything back together and oiled the rotor bearing with a precision oiler and a tiny drop of oil.
11. Greased the seal and put the caseback back on

Tools used:
- Sticky case opener ball
- Brass pliars
- Silicone o-ring greasing tool
- Precision screw driver kit
- Magnifier loupe
- Plastic stick and plastic pliars
- Precision oilers and the blue oil from Moebius
- Rubber fingertips
- Dust blower
- Rodico

 

[CybNoX]

Thumbs up

Do you also find the color of print inscriptions differs between them both?

i find Vsf inscriptions to be too orange

 

[mysterio]

Good on you pechspils that you have the tools and the skill to fix what's bothering your OCD. Can't imagine how frustrating it would feel if you saw something but you couldn't do anything about it.

 

[pechspils]

Thumbs up

Do you also find the color of print inscriptions differs between them both?

i find Vsf inscriptions to be too orange

You are right, there is a slight color variation between the two but at least for me, it's hard to notice.

While looking at them side by side, I noticed a few other things:
- On the VSF, the 15/30/45 and dot markers are slighly less raised.
- On the VSF, the silver 0-15 markers are thinner
- The REG-TM isn't as clearly visible on the VSF

I can't say though which model is more gen like, they're both very nicely done.

 

[CybNoX]

thanks sharing, wear them in good health!

 

[Aj52]

Hi, i’ve just recieved a VSF V2. Love the watch but is it normal to have the rotor movement quite noisy in these?

 

[pechspils]

My OCD saga continues!

Recently, I received a new PAM 1389 from ZF. This is my second 1389, I sold the last one (XF) a while ago but being a 389 fan, the 1389 just belongs into my watch box as well.
Here it is:

The phone camera doesn't have enough dynamic range to show the problem but this watch came with the shittiest lume pearl ever. It was flat, filled to the brim and had a yellowish tint to it. It screamed FAKE WATCH all over it was that bad. Other than that, the watch was pretty well done by ZF. The 45 marker is slightly crooked but that's an easy fix. But the pearl I could not bear.

So I went shopping with Noctilumina and bought some white blue-glowing lume and the UV binder. The UV binder is a must have because it doesn't shrink, which is essential for a pearl. A shrinking binder looks terrible on large surfaces like a pearl once it dries.

Here's the result:

Again, 2D technology doesn't do justice but the pearl is looking much more gen-like now, thanks to surface tension of the drying binder it's nicely rounded as it should be.

 

[Poonfluff]

I had thr same problem when i order from Andrew. I have refused 3 watches due to the misaligned 12 and 6 hour markers. For some reason, they are always misaligned. Even the watch i GLed was still misaligned, but passable.

https://m.imgur.com/account/Poonfluff/images/Sbgmv8i

I have tried local watchsmiths to fix the misalignment, but they refuse to work with it as it is a replica. So sad

 

[Poonfluff]

Hi, i’ve just recieved a VSF V2. Love the watch but is it normal to have the rotor movement quite noisy in these?

Same problem. Sadly no watchsmith in my city would touch my pam389. It sounds like a small rattle when ishake mine.

 

[mysterio]

Same problem. Sadly no watchsmith in my city would touch my pam389. It sounds like a small rattle when ishake mine.

Sadly that is a fact of replica ownership. But realistically no reputable watchmaker would advertise as being able to work on replicas. Maybe some of them do, just ask nicely and be very discreet about it. Avoid the watchmakers inside ADs, definitely they will refuse to knowingly work on a replica.

 

[Poonfluff]

Sadly that is a fact of replica ownership. But realistically no reputable watchmaker would advertise as being able to work on replicas. Maybe some of them do, just ask nicely and be very discreet about it. Avoid the watchmakers inside ADs, definitely they will refuse to knowingly work on a replica.

I found a chinese watchrepair shop in chinatown today. They were willing to "clean/service" the movement for 100CDN. Is this too good to be true? Im afraid that hell somehow fuck up as the shop does look sketchy.

 

[mysterio]

I found a chinese watchrepair shop in chinatown today. They were willing to "clean/service" the movement for 100CDN. Is this too good to be true? Im afraid that hell somehow fuck up as the shop does look sketchy.

What? A Chinese watch repair shop in Chinatown? If the guy is Chinese, man you have the hat trick of repair shops. :lol: Well seriously though, if the shop looks the part, and it looks busy (lots of watches for repair on queue), not too tidy but not too disheveled either (God forbid you lose a part in there) and you may have just found a diamond in the rough. Besides, do you have any choice?

 

[Poonfluff]

What? A Chinese watch repair shop in Chinatown? If the guy is Chinese, man you have the hat trick of repair shops. :lol: Well seriously though, if the shop looks the part, and it looks busy (lots of watches for repair on queue), not too tidy but not too disheveled either (God forbid you lose a part in there) and you may have just found a diamond in the rough. Besides, do you have any choice?

Yup, the guy was straight up chinese doesn't speak a lick o english. Had to communicate through his wife. Lots of cheap automatics in the shop. Will try my luck during the weekend.

I got a PAM187 on the way through the m2m, if he can service the VSF P9000 movement, bet he can service an A7753 as well.

 

[mskwatch]

buying two watches just because you're lazy to change straps, lol, that is the definition of luxury unk:
cheers, mate! you inspired me, takes sooo much time to change the straps on the 425, maybe should source a second one