Please Weigh In: Most accurate 111 and Fiddy Dial?

[red]

I've been leaning toward purcashing the 111 that Ruby is offering, but it's so hard to say "no" to getting a Davidsen and not worrying about the re-lume. And then we have Eddie that comes strong with the Fiddy, but Davidsen also has a good Fiddy. Then out of left field we have Josh and Andrew. Both have a great selection, and attentive when it comes to customer service.
So if you own any of their watches, or own multiple watches, please tell me who has the best dial. Thanks.

 

[Niko]

If dial is your main concern, then the Davidsen 127 is the way to go.

Along with an accurate dial, you get fixed cannon pin, AR coating and superlume. The mechanism is excellent, but does not have the historically correct engravings.

Some of the other examples have correctly engraved mechanisms, but the above issues are not addressed.

Davidsen is still finalising his 'ultimate' 111h dial.

N.

 

[RqThrottle]

Hmm...not so fast

I believe Davidsen's case is the right one (117), but his dial is far from perfect (lettering too white?). Also, if he puts a swiss movement in there you WILL have a recessed pin problem. Only the CN movements are cannon pin problem-free.

There is some member on this board that did a boatload of research, and bought them all. He said that overall, the most accurate fiddy is ELs swiss one (117 case, correct movement). You will then need to superlume it, fix the cannon pin, and put a Davisen Crystal. ~$700 after the dust settles.

If dial is your main concern, then the Davidsen 127 is the way to go.

Along with an accurate dial, you get fixed cannon pin, AR coating and superlume. The mechanism is excellent, but does not have the historically correct engravings.

 

[red]

Wow, thanks for the info. Eddie Lee has been very helpful so I might get teh fiddy from him and wait for the ultimate from Davidsen. This is quite an expensive hobby. I have a gen IWC Pilot, and gen Omega Speedmaster (small one) but find myself leaning towards my recent 028 rep. It just seems so right to have a large time piece on my wrist. Thanks and I think I will be contacting Eddie Lee.
So his mineral, then swatch for Davidsen's crystal. Or are the both using the right sapphire.

 

[babola]

Hmm...not so fast

I believe Davidsen's case is the right one (117), but his dial is far from perfect (lettering too white?). Also, if he puts a swiss movement in there you WILL have a recessed pin problem. Only the CN movements are cannon pin problem-free.

There is some member on this board that did a boatload of research, and bought them all. He said that overall, the most accurate fiddy is ELs swiss one (117 case, correct movement). You will then need to superlume it, fix the cannon pin, and put a Davisen Crystal. ~$700 after the dust settles.

Not quite true... 8)
DSN Fiddy rep is one of the closest you can get these days, I have one so I guess I know what I'm talking about The only "drawback" with his Fiddy is that it doesn't come with Swiss ETA E-series mov't, but he will install Swiss H-series 6497-1 mov't per your request. This is what I did, and it came with no recessed pin because he fixes it during the install, all included in price.
It glows like a torch, comes with REAL sapphire, A/R coated, correct off-white dial txt, correct e0117 case, and those Fiddy hands of his (short tube on minute hand) are by far the best ones you can get these days...just ask Mark (finepics) or Vacuum. This is what you get for some $350+

I also had Andrew's and Eddie Lee's "the latest/best", and they need extra mod-work (cannon pin / hour wheel fix, short-tube minute hand, dial relume etc). Andrew's come with Hybryd Asian/Swiss E-series mov't, Eddie Lee's comes with the nicest (so far anyway) E-series Swiss mov't.
These will set you back some $500-650, depending on level of modding done to them.

cheers,
babola

 

[red]

Damn Babola, thanks. I will contact Davidsen with that set up right now. Thanks again.

 

[Niko]

You won't regret it red, I have the same watch as Babola, and I could not be happier with it.

At some point, if Davidsen does offer his current movement with correct engraving, then I will swap out the current movement and put that in his new 111h. I would then have the (almost) perfect 127.

N.

 

[Hyster]

Always impressed by your posts, Balbola.

Still haven't made my mind up but thats interesting information.

Thanks for you insight.

 

[mumum]

This is my first post. I want to say thanks for the very detailed and informative posts. This is getting me excited to be here. Anyone have an idea when the new Davidsen 111h are comming? Also, how do I get in contact with Davidsen? Thanks.

 

[Niko]

Davidsen's 111h will not be too far off.

I have avoided asking him directly just now because I have over spent my monthly budget already!

I am sure that his 111h will be worth the wait.

Check out his dealer section for other examples of his work.

You can contact him by PM.

 

[D]

I am not 100% certain but it appears the Davidson dial project is finalized..... at least for now.

The 111h uses the same dial as the 177h and the final or new or whatever version of the 177h is out, with worse dial markings than the EL/PT watch AND an asian movement for $360.

Someone please tell me I am wrong, honestly, I hope I am and if I am not, tell me who I should buy my 177h from before I send it off for a lume and a cannon fix.

 

[Hambone]

Davidsens fiddy is also the one I have and it is very accurate. His 111H seems to be spot on but others may not agree. I picked up a nice 111 G swiss movement from Andrew that is hard to beat as far as accuracy, but it is not a sandwich dial, , again others have their own preference.

 

[RqThrottle]

Thanks for correcting me, Babola. Good info.

Reading the "perfect Fiddy" topic again, I still get from all the posts that you and Michalis6 leaned towards EL's version fully modified. I am a bit (pleasantly) surprised that you now recommend DavidSan's.

Now, is the Swiss H-series 6497-1 the one with that potential hairspring problem?

Is this an H-series?

thanks again for enlightening us on this interesting topic,

Hmm...not so fast

I believe Davidsen's case is the right one (117), but his dial is far from perfect (lettering too white?). Also, if he puts a swiss movement in there you WILL have a recessed pin problem. Only the CN movements are cannon pin problem-free.

There is some member on this board that did a boatload of research, and bought them all. He said that overall, the most accurate fiddy is ELs swiss one (117 case, correct movement). You will then need to superlume it, fix the cannon pin, and put a Davisen Crystal. ~$700 after the dust settles.

Not quite true... 8)
DSN Fiddy rep is one of the closest you can get these days, I have one so I guess I know what I'm talking about The only "drawback" with his Fiddy is that it doesn't come with Swiss ETA E-series mov't, but he will install Swiss H-series 6497-1 mov't per your request. This is what I did, and it came with no recessed pin because he fixes it during the install, all included in price.
It glows like a torch, comes with REAL sapphire, A/R coated, correct off-white dial txt, correct e0117 case, and those Fiddy hands of his (short tube on minute hand) are by far the best ones you can get these days...just ask Mark (finepics) or Vacuum. This is what you get for some $350+

I also had Andrew's and Eddie Lee's "the latest/best", and they need extra mod-work (cannon pin / hour wheel fix, short-tube minute hand, dial relume etc). Andrew's come with Hybryd Asian/Swiss E-series mov't, Eddie Lee's comes with the nicest (so far anyway) E-series Swiss mov't.
These will set you back some $500-650, depending on level of modding done to them.

cheers,
babola

 

[red]

Just sent payment for Davidsens's fiddy. Will probably wait at least a month before looking for the "perfect" 111. However, I will continue to lurk, and try my best to contribute. This forum is a wealth of knowledge.

 

[babola]

Thanks for correcting me, Babola. Good info.
Reading the "perfect Fiddy" topic again, I still get from all the posts that you and Michalis6 leaned towards EL's version fully modified. I am a bit (pleasantly) surprised that you now recommend DavidSan's.
Now, is the Swiss H-series 6497-1 the one with that potential hairspring problem?
Is this an H-series?
thanks again for enlightening us on this interesting topic,

Thanks mate,
I'm actually not recommending either...at least not directly.
Getting the "prefect" Fiddy rep is not something you'll get off the shelf, from any dealer currently. They all require additional mod work if you're really that much fussed about getting all (or most of) things "right".

Some of us decided to follow that long winding path in the past, and boy oh boy, what a frustrating experience that can be sometimes.

What I tried to do with my previous posts on TRC and RWI, was to 'enlighten' some of our forumers searching for that elusive Fiddy, by giving some pointers on preferred mods and providing comparison between different ways to get around that...most of the suggestions come from my persional experience with this particular matter.

With some extra $$, right mod contacts and sometimes your own know-how, getting that "ultimate Fiddy" replica state is actually not that hard to achieve. Note the quotation marks 8).

Whether your Fiddy rep is coming from EL, Josh, Andrew, Ruby, Paul or DSN is almost irrelevant...all of them will require additional modding if "perfect Fiddy" your final goal. DSN's and EL's Fiddys for example, sit on a totally opposing sides of the spectrum - one comes in fully modded package but "wrong" movement, another with the nicest E-series mov't so far but needs additional modding. So I guess...your pick, really.

Albeit, one fact will always be correct - these are after all only reps and will never have that total 1:1 shape, look and form and appearance of the gen Fiddy or any other gen Panerai for that matter...whether you spend $500 or $5000 on your rep mods. Even the "perfect" Fiddy rep some of us now have in our possession is so far from the gen Fiddy and should never be compared to a gen as it will never become so.

As for answering your question above, yes, that's a nice Swiss ETA 6497-1 'H-series' OPXI movement with CDG and S/N reg.


just my 2 cents on this matter,
babola

 

[mumum]

Davidsen's 111h will not be too far off.

I have avoided asking him directly just now because I have over spent my monthly budget already!

I am sure that his 111h will be worth the wait.

Check out his dealer section for other examples of his work.

You can contact him by PM.

Thanks Niko. I have only now joined the fold, as they say, but have already set my sights on the first one being a Pan. With such competition, maybe I will get the 111h from Davisen and another Pan model from one of the others being mentioned here. But, what other Pan has the most kudos from you guys/gals? Thanks.