Our hero:
Hamilton Khaki Base Jump Automatic Chrono
Ref: H79786333
Diameter: 51,6mm
Height: 14,7mm
Case material: Titanium (DLC as a kind of PVD process)
Introduction: Baselworld 2009
It is lefty chrono - quite rare by this fact. Lefty chrono operated using rotating bezel instead of usual 7750 buttons, consider that..
The watch was introduced in Baselworld in 2009, together with bronze version. Market introduction was supposed to be in September 2009 but everything got late and customers registered to get this watch first - got their watches just before Christmas. After that, Hamilton decided to recall it from the market.
This is very uniqe watch even in a gen world - this version was pulled out from the market quite soon after release. Official Hamilton's explanation was "manufacturing problems" without any specific details. Since the watch is unique in the way it triggers chrono functions, it was possible something was not designed right way.
I found some explanation, there is a quote from WUS:
"The result of my extensive search is that the BJ (Base Jump) chrono is gone forever !
About 70 were brought into the US, 30 of them had bezel failure, and the
rest were recalled. I am supprised that such a unique, magnificent, watch
was not fixed and reissued. Dealers say they could sell all they could get.
There was a LOT of work in producing this watch, I can't believe that the
project was cancelled. (...)"
In opinion of AstroAvia (a gen owner who disassembled his watch), it should be enough to oil the bezel ring to minimize friction and avoid problems. Original part of thread here (sorry for other forum link):
http://www.repgeek.com/showthread.php?p=1842469#post1842469
Personally, I think the problem with technical/economical aspect of producing this watch was tied to the watch manufacturer itself. Consider these:
- you can buy non-PVD version with the same bezel function
- the rep is incredibly close to the gen, since it is a gen in most parts, probably! (except the movement and hands?)
- there are no other version of this watch available as a rep (no bronze, no non-PVD one…)
To me it looks like Hamilton resigned from this particular manufacturer for uknown reasons, technical or more likely - economical, since the production is being continued somewhere else. The original manufacturer was left with leftovers of this particular model and now they decided to introduce it as a rep to reuse otherwise 'dead stock'. Good for us
====
I found main reason for the watch to be pulled from the market. That was unexpected explanation behind the mysterious rarity of this watch. Hamilton was accused of patent infringement by Rolex on the matter of bezel-operations. Rolex patented the invention with its "ring command bezel" thing and Hamilton was forced to withdraw the Base Jump Chrono entirely from the market and from the offer.
====
To achieve Swiss Made badge, Hamilton can produce casesets overseas, import parts into Switzerland, add ETA movements, assembly it all together and test to achieve various level of costs to be spent in this country, as required. If they are smart, the parts production is greatly diversificated geographically, preventing various producers to 'connect the ends' and introduce reps in this case. Sometimes something can go wrong with this policy, as being shown in our example
Now to the review. If the caseset, dial etc. are not from 'leftovers stock' - they must be from 'restarted production'. Let's pictures talk:
Gens:
Rep:
And the best way of presentation - a small movie:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U49M-3vUpVg"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U49M-3vUpVg[/ame]
Bezel operations:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtmZxYlQPZ0"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtmZxYlQPZ0[/ame]
Bottom line: I DO LOVE THIS WATCH. AstroAvia said the same and now I understand his statement. It was unexpected to me. Base Jump Chrono was interesting for two reasons: unique bezel chrono operations and 50 mm big, DLC'ed Titanium case with "clous de paris" pattern outside, which is a thing of beauty. In person - it rocks! Multilayer dial looks great, too. It wears quite lite due to titanium used. About the Asian 7750 - strange looking, very clean with all bridges sandblasted? Looks like it. It doesn't look like ANY of A7750 I have - this one looks like a Swiss one, prepared to be shown through the back of the watch. It doesn't have any ETA stamps but You actually start to look for them. And these sandblasted brigdes and plates and mirror-like (chromed?) moving elements. Nice quality and runs +3sec/day almost regardless the position.
If it is 'limited old stock' thing, go and buy one while still available
As for Hamilton rotor thing…. it is enough to go to chrono24.com and search for 'hamilton 7750 rotor' An option for the rep maximalists.
Hamilton Khaki Base Jump Automatic Chrono
Ref: H79786333
Diameter: 51,6mm
Height: 14,7mm
Case material: Titanium (DLC as a kind of PVD process)
Introduction: Baselworld 2009
It is lefty chrono - quite rare by this fact. Lefty chrono operated using rotating bezel instead of usual 7750 buttons, consider that..
The watch was introduced in Baselworld in 2009, together with bronze version. Market introduction was supposed to be in September 2009 but everything got late and customers registered to get this watch first - got their watches just before Christmas. After that, Hamilton decided to recall it from the market.
This is very uniqe watch even in a gen world - this version was pulled out from the market quite soon after release. Official Hamilton's explanation was "manufacturing problems" without any specific details. Since the watch is unique in the way it triggers chrono functions, it was possible something was not designed right way.
I found some explanation, there is a quote from WUS:
"The result of my extensive search is that the BJ (Base Jump) chrono is gone forever !
About 70 were brought into the US, 30 of them had bezel failure, and the
rest were recalled. I am supprised that such a unique, magnificent, watch
was not fixed and reissued. Dealers say they could sell all they could get.
There was a LOT of work in producing this watch, I can't believe that the
project was cancelled. (...)"
In opinion of AstroAvia (a gen owner who disassembled his watch), it should be enough to oil the bezel ring to minimize friction and avoid problems. Original part of thread here (sorry for other forum link):
http://www.repgeek.com/showthread.php?p=1842469#post1842469
Personally, I think the problem with technical/economical aspect of producing this watch was tied to the watch manufacturer itself. Consider these:
- you can buy non-PVD version with the same bezel function
- the rep is incredibly close to the gen, since it is a gen in most parts, probably! (except the movement and hands?)
- there are no other version of this watch available as a rep (no bronze, no non-PVD one…)
To me it looks like Hamilton resigned from this particular manufacturer for uknown reasons, technical or more likely - economical, since the production is being continued somewhere else. The original manufacturer was left with leftovers of this particular model and now they decided to introduce it as a rep to reuse otherwise 'dead stock'. Good for us
====
I found main reason for the watch to be pulled from the market. That was unexpected explanation behind the mysterious rarity of this watch. Hamilton was accused of patent infringement by Rolex on the matter of bezel-operations. Rolex patented the invention with its "ring command bezel" thing and Hamilton was forced to withdraw the Base Jump Chrono entirely from the market and from the offer.
====
To achieve Swiss Made badge, Hamilton can produce casesets overseas, import parts into Switzerland, add ETA movements, assembly it all together and test to achieve various level of costs to be spent in this country, as required. If they are smart, the parts production is greatly diversificated geographically, preventing various producers to 'connect the ends' and introduce reps in this case. Sometimes something can go wrong with this policy, as being shown in our example
Now to the review. If the caseset, dial etc. are not from 'leftovers stock' - they must be from 'restarted production'. Let's pictures talk:
Gens:
Rep:
And the best way of presentation - a small movie:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U49M-3vUpVg"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U49M-3vUpVg[/ame]
Bezel operations:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtmZxYlQPZ0"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtmZxYlQPZ0[/ame]
Bottom line: I DO LOVE THIS WATCH. AstroAvia said the same and now I understand his statement. It was unexpected to me. Base Jump Chrono was interesting for two reasons: unique bezel chrono operations and 50 mm big, DLC'ed Titanium case with "clous de paris" pattern outside, which is a thing of beauty. In person - it rocks! Multilayer dial looks great, too. It wears quite lite due to titanium used. About the Asian 7750 - strange looking, very clean with all bridges sandblasted? Looks like it. It doesn't look like ANY of A7750 I have - this one looks like a Swiss one, prepared to be shown through the back of the watch. It doesn't have any ETA stamps but You actually start to look for them. And these sandblasted brigdes and plates and mirror-like (chromed?) moving elements. Nice quality and runs +3sec/day almost regardless the position.
If it is 'limited old stock' thing, go and buy one while still available
As for Hamilton rotor thing…. it is enough to go to chrono24.com and search for 'hamilton 7750 rotor'
An option for the rep maximalists.
