Just acquired PAM 390 #6...

[projectologist]

After about 1 1/2 years I just acquired my sixth 390 (previous 5 all sold). It came to my as I was refinishing it for a local member with the option to buy.

• Noob case, cg, crown gasket, movement and hands
• Hf crystal, dial and crown

Also as part of the refinish, I tried to put a more accurate bevel on the crown and re-polished the crown focusing on smoothing the rough rep finish of the teeth. Then I did my usual cg lever pin fix.

Some random pics of the previous builds...


First 390 Hf (before the Noob version was available) with modded cg...

the others...

Noob cg with reduced lever width/steep taper between the roller bearing area and the pivot area. A mod that took an entire day... never again

Gold hands brown dial and sausage lume... love it...

Asso with over a year's worth of patina...

Refinshing and re-polishing rep crowns makes a big difference...

 

[Bozz]

Very nice watch. I'm thinking to take one ;-)

 

[xkurkox]

Thanks for sharing. Your trying to pull a fast one on us thats a gen crown.

 

[kayabun]

Stunning work!

 

[Gorn]

Beautiful pictures and some nice detail work. That can't be easy!

 

[projectologist]

Beautiful pictures and some nice detail work. That can't be easy!

Thanks! All but one pic taken with my trusty old iPhone4

 

[ALE7575]

Hi projecto
Nice to have you here. Welcome
Your PAMs 390 are already famous, and these seem really good


Just some questions:
Why have you changed the Noob Crown ? I thought Noob had changed to "slim" Crown in PAM 390
The same about crystal. I thought Noob had cahnged to corrected bevelled in PAM 390. Maybe the AR or clarity?
Regarding dial Noob seems to have flatter sausage lume application (more accurate) and inscriptions on dial seems more raised and shiny like gen.
Concerning hands, maybe Noob are better finished and with more clean lume application even lume colour seems better, but the Gold colour?

I know it is a taste matter, but just to know the reasons of your decisions

BTW- Nice job the reduced Noob lever. This is the first time I see that, really interesting

Many thanks my friend to participate in our RWI PAM Section, it is a pleasure and a big honour to have you here
I hope to have you more frequently

Regards
ALE

 

[projectologist]

Hi projecto
Nice to have you here. Welcome
Your PAMs 390 are already famous, and these seem really good


Just some questions:
Why have you changed the Noob Crown ? I thought Noob had changed to "slim" Crown in PAM 390
The same about crystal. I thought Noob had cahnged to corrected bevelled in PAM 390. Maybe the AR or clarity?
Regarding dial Noob seems to have flatter sausage lume application (more accurate) and inscriptions on dial seems more raised and shiny like gen.
Concerning hands, maybe Noob are better finished and with more clean lume application even lume colour seems better, but the Gold colour?

I know it is a taste matter, but just to know the reasons of your decisions

BTW- Nice job the reduced Noob lever. This is the first time I see that, really interesting

Many thanks my friend to participate in our RWI PAM Section, it is a pleasure and a big honour to have you here
I hope to have you more frequently

Regards
ALE

First of all, I joined RWI 5 years ago this month. Have done several gtg's with members here over the years and had a couple of bad experiences with several past members here... but I see now that they have long since been permanently banned... a good thing for the community here. I'll try to be a more frequent participant, but recently I have started mod duties at several other watch and enthusiast forums (I have waaay too many hobbies).

• I don't have one of the current Noob crowns, so the Hf crown I already have was a better replacement (after modding it).

• The bevel and clarity of the Hf xtal is still the best choice to my eyes, but of course, as always, that is somewhat of a subjective opinion.

• Lume application is inconsistent for both Noob and Hf dials. The very first Hf 390 I purchased had a great dial that was very accurate to gen. I have kept it since day one. I have not found the gen 390 dial to have shiny letters. My Hf 390 dial has very slightly raised lettering.

• I have found the Noob hands I have owned to have the correct slightly warm gold color matching the gen. Some might call it a hint of rose gold. It is not a yellow gold like those of a 127 or 217. It is very hard to capture with a photo the actual color of the hands you will see in-person.

True colors of anything cannot be determined with only photos as evidence. Every camera sees differently and each has their own unique White Balance default setting.

Thank you for the compliments, however undeserved.

 

[ALE7575]

Thanks projecto for your lkind and thorough explanations

I assume by your comments that you had not a PAM 390 as starting watch, but some parts to get an Hybrid PAM 390
I initially thought you had a Noob PAM 390 as base of work. That explain many things.

Regarding hoobies, I saw some time ago in RG that we share (leaving aside age... LOL...) PAMs love and another Hooby: High End HI-FI

Nice to have you here

All the best
ALE

 

[projectologist]

Except for the very first PAM 390 I bought over a year ago, the following 5 390's started with a Noob as the base.

I was a high-end audio dealer for about 10 years. Most of the tube based gear I sold was from German and Japanese manufacturers. I now enjoy building my own speakers and find I am getting better sound for a lot less money

 

[d4m.test]

absolutely gorgeous!

 

[cnwh]

Typical men hobby! I'm into winder. Beginner though


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Alfy]

Just picked up my first Hf 390. Wasn't too impressed by the finish of the dial or the hands to be honest but still love the watch.

Are there any reliable sources for noob 390 parts?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Poring]

Stunning! What tools do you use to polish the crown teeth?

 

[T3RM1N4T0R]

I've been considering the 390 these are amazing

 

[buffalo56]

First of all, I joined RWI 5 years ago this month. Have done several gtg's with members here over the years and had a couple of bad experiences with several past members here... but I see now that they have long since been permanently banned... a good thing for the community here. I'll try to be a more frequent participant, but recently I have started mod duties at several other watch and enthusiast forums (I have waaay too many hobbies).

• I don't have one of the current Noob crowns, so the Hf crown I already have was a better replacement (after modding it).

• The bevel and clarity of the Hf xtal is still the best choice to my eyes, but of course, as always, that is somewhat of a subjective opinion.

• Lume application is inconsistent for both Noob and Hf dials. The very first Hf 390 I purchased had a great dial that was very accurate to gen. I have kept it since day one. I have not found the gen 390 dial to have shiny letters. My Hf 390 dial has very slightly raised lettering.

• I have found the Noob hands I have owned to have the correct slightly warm gold color matching the gen. Some might call it a hint of rose gold. It is not a yellow gold like those of a 127 or 217. It is very hard to capture with a photo the actual color of the hands you will see in-person.

True colors of anything cannot be determined with only photos as evidence. Every camera sees differently and each has their own unique White Balance default setting.

Thank you for the compliments, however undeserved.

I've always wanted to purchase a 390 but have been putting it off for sometime now because I can't decide between the apparent better build of the noob or the more 'gen' color of the Hfac.

What you mentioned is really interesting. Is the 'rose gold' noob close to the gen at all?

PS I know I shouldn't be complaining since it is, after all, a rep, but the gold hands is one of the unique traits and I'd like to get that as correct as possible. Beautiful 390 pics anyhow!