Fitting the Bulova Precisionist movement in a Rolex Submariner.

[Rippity]

Hi. I have a good Submariner Copy. It's not a triple A, but an excellent high quality copy. I love this 1953 design, but hate it's shortcomings. The world has moved on since 1953. What I hate most of all is that the watch stops when I don't wear it. I have like most of you a collection of watches and don't wear the same watch every day. I simply want to throw this Sub in my whatch box with the rest on the off days and strap it on without the need to set it again. Replacing the mechanical movement with a cheap Quartz with its shaky step movement ... mm that's not a very elegant solution. So ...
I want to fit the Bulova Precisionist movement in the Submariner. A perfectionists horror I know, but let's face reality. The Bulova Precisionist movement is in every way superior to the Rolex Sub movement. It is more precise: several minutes for the Sub to only a few seconds for the Precisionist, 2 year battery live means no worries non stop the exact time, an even smoother seconds hand movement than the Rolex AND all that for 1/50th of the price !!!
I want to take the movement out of this watch:

And place in to this watch:

Any thoughts ?

 

[Rx4Time]

The hands probably will not fit, you have to measure the crown height but it's doubtful that would be the same, and the dial feet would probably have to be clipped as it's doubtful they would line up correctly. You're not the first one to ask this question and I'm unaware of anyone who's ever successfully done it. if it can be done I think a fair number of people would be interested in having this as an option. Best of luck in your endeavor.

 

[mari115]

or maybe you could get a watch winder

 

[Rippity]

Yes I am aware of the problems. Have done it a few times before, with cheap watches.
The stem length should work, but to adapt the stem of the Bulova to the crown of the Sub, will be a (small ?) problem 1.
Than like Rx4Time sais, getting any Submariner dials that fit on the Precisionist will be the major problem.
The case of the Bulova and the Sub are more or less same diameter and the Quartz is thinner so I hope that will be adaptable. I will need to glue the dial to the movement.
Can't wait to surprise/confuse the "connaisseur" with the smoother than smooth sweeping seconds hand.

 

[Rx4Time]

Since you've done this before, is the stem the Bolivia uses a proprietary one or a standard one like you'd see in an ETA movement? If it's a standard one you could just buy a few different ones and see which one fits. As far as the dial goes I would suggest you consider dial dots to hold it in place versus glue. you'll be forced to make some kind of movement holder either out of plastic or have one milled. I would be curious if you could post some pictures of the ones that you did in the past if you still have them. This is something that I see has me curious and it has been discussed lightly before. The big concern I have is the height of the crown. if the movement has to sit too low then the hands won't sit properly on the dial.

 

[Rippity]

I will update here with pictures when doing the switch. Now searching for a good affordable second hand Precisionist. Buying a brand new one to use as a donor would be a shame.

 

[Rippity]

My comparison in the first post here between Mechanical movement and Quartz forgot one important detail: Our watches are replica's and far from the original Rolex specs. Mine for example often does not last through the night, and in the morning it has stopped already. Not to mention switching between mechanical watches. Al this means that I am wearing at this moment a cheap Submariner Quartz copy, that I can just put on and go.

I have tried to find the Precisionist movement separately ... but it is nowhere for sale. The Precisionist watches on Ebay cost about 100 euro.
The best offer I found so far is this: EBAY
Has anyone seen a place that sells the movement separately ?

 

[tamomota]

any update on the project?
thanks

 

[Specter1000]

hmmm....interesting for sure. As for the hands, there are lots of sub aftermarket out there, you might need to buy some undersized hands and broach them to the correct size...of course you will need to get measurements or the old trial and error method. I have a hand broach tool, can't remember if I got it on eBay or from Esslinger.

 

[Ko67]

One issue will be the diameter. The p102 is 12.5 ligne, whileost is the movements we see are 11.5 linge. If you want quartz, there are eta, myota, Hattori and Ronda. Mvts that are a better fit for these eta/2813 cases.


Sent from my iPhone using RWI

 

[Ko67]

Sorry wrong post


Sent from my iPhone using RWI

 

[hdezo]

hi!
I've buy a precisionist to, for "franken" a sub ...
NIce watch, As it is new it's bothering me to destroy it ! So I'm looking for another used one !

I have already installed quartz movement in sub, but the hand moves by jerking (miyota 2115...)

And you, Did you make your change? On what watch (noob arf...) ? You got any pictures?

 

[bobandshawn]

I can read the future. This will not come to fruition. End.

B

 

[hdezo]

other problem, the wheel date is to large (maybe use a no date sub)

 

[Rippity]

hmmm....interesting for sure. As for the hands, there are lots of sub aftermarket out there, you might need to buy some undersized hands and broach them to the correct size...of course you will need to get measurements or the old trial and error method. I have a hand broach tool, can't remember if I got it on eBay or from Esslinger.

I have searched many hours for a continuously sweeping seconds movement. But I could NOT find any that is for sale as a spare part. And I am still searching for a Bulova movement. The only solution so far is to buy a complete watch, use the movement and throw all the rest away. Bulova Precisionist goes for 100 Euro including shipment here in Europe. Any suggestions please ?

 

[Rippity]

hi!
I've buy a precisionist to, for "franken" a sub ...
NIce watch, As it is new it's bothering me to destroy it ! So I'm looking for another used one !

I have already installed quartz movement in sub, but the hand moves by jerking (miyota 2115...)

And you, Did you make your change? On what watch (noob arf...) ? You got any pictures?

I am in exact the same dilemma as you ! I emailed a few movement suppliers with the question of what continuous movements they can offer me, but nobody answered.

 

[hdezo]

my precisionist is new, and in real, it's amazing sweeping hand.
I'm looking for a old one, for disasemble, and after put it in a sub case.

In fact, 3 problem
The alignment of the stem (movements do not have the same thickness)
The length of the stem (How to measure the exact length)
The hole diameter of the hand

It is necessary to forget the dateweel, because it is not positioned in front of the hole of the Sub

 

[Rippity]

my precisionist is new, and in real, it's amazing sweeping hand.
I'm looking for a old one, for disasemble, and after put it in a sub case.

In fact, 3 problem
The alignment of the stem (movements do not have the same thickness)
The length of the stem (How to measure the exact length)
The hole diameter of the hand

It is necessary to forget the dateweel, because it is not positioned in front of the hole of the Sub

Date wheel is not important. As the watch is now with the mechanical movement ... I can't bother to correct the date every time I wear the watch anyway .
The Bulova movement is rather expensive at 100 Euro. Do you know an other continuous sweeping movement that is available as a spare part ...for example from Miyota ?

 

[hdezo]

bulova p102 made by citizen japan.
There is also a Seiko, but much more expensive.

I don't know any other

 

[Pam297Pam299]

Good luck on the project. Please share info and pictures.