My 5402SA Jumbo is Back Home!!!

[onkyo]

Congrats Hal.... your watch looks amazing.

And the story is even more amazing.

Enjoy it to the fullest.

[craniotes]

That's not a watch, its a boomerang. An exquisitely finished, steel and gold boomerang that just so happens to tell the time.

Congratulations, Hal!

Regards,
Adam

[ydna808]

Very very nice H! Home sweet home

[DCgator]

Great story and thanks for sharing.

[T.S.Eliot]

Congratulations They really did an excellent refreshing job, it looks brand new

Enjoy it and really nice collection

[Submarino]

Originally Posted by mb23

Wow. Very happy day. And she looks like a brand new car all waxed and ready to go. Beautiful.

Thanks.

Originally Posted by jay1988

Wow that's a story to tell the kids/grandkids if you have any and any WIS you ever happen to meet. Great stuff. Looks amazing and a nice AP collection you have there.

Definitely and thanks. One of these days I'll post a pic of the whole collection.

Originally Posted by mjclark32

Wow, what a journey that piece has been on!
It looks great, glad you've got it back

Indeed. I am very happy that is back now.

Originally Posted by kevbm

Wow. I only have 34 more years to go to accumulate the history and stories with my watch. Enjoy this beauty once again.

Originally Posted by TSW

It came out beautiful Hal!

Thanks.

Once a again back in your great collection.

That's right Thomas. It was definitely worth the wait. After the service and quality of refinishing I keep confirming why AP has always been my favorite brand and part of the 'Holy Trinity of Watchmaking'. Nothing but 'haute horlogerie'.

Originally Posted by alexlt730512

Congrat, u still got the old parts back.

I asked for them because of the importance of the piece, sentimental value and the importance to keep the original dial and hands.

Originally Posted by SteelerFan65

Beautiful Hal--looks great!

Thanks Ken.

Originally Posted by orangedial

Very nice story and what a strong connection you have with this particular watch. It looks amazing after a complete make-over! You should make a vow to never be parting with her again ;) Congrats!

I will never part with it, unless I really need to.

Originally Posted by ocwatching

LOOKS fanstastic..congrats on a great ending to this saga...

Correcto. Finally the saga is over with a happy ending. Just like on the Hollywood dramas.

Originally Posted by seattle1978

congrats! looking great!

Thanks Bogdan.

Originally Posted by Rolex Freak

Looks brand new.

Definitely. I am loving it. That's why you need to get that Diver ASAP.

Originally Posted by mws222

Looks great, congrats!

Thanks so much guys!!!

Originally Posted by caryyee

Wow, it looks like a completely different watch!!

Kudos to AP for returning the parts to you, something that Rolex would never ever do!!

You can't expect less from AP. That's why they are who they are. What's the purpose of keeping beat up pieces or old dials at the Service Center??? I don't want to sound accusatory but some of those old parts left at the RSC somehow end up in the used parts/dials market. I know it for sure when it comes to the Mexico RSC. Back there (at least in the late 90s) you had the choice to get your parts back or leave them at the RSC. I always asked for them but I can only imagine how many people would just leave them there after a service.

Originally Posted by Lolay

Glad it ended well...not that you'd expect anything less from AP. Great collection BTW! I'm enjoying a nice cup of coffee and this thread is a real treat!

Thanks.

Originally Posted by nick c

stunning!

Originally Posted by exchange83

What a fantastic story. Thank you for sharing.

Thank you gentleman.

Originally Posted by emagni

Awesome story. The love of your life :-)

Never, that is my wife!!!

Originally Posted by Lt.Arclight

Beautiful,worth every penny. Wear it in good health.

Thanks.

Originally Posted by chicagofan

Big congrats, Hal! Beautiful watch with a great story behind it.

Thanks Howard. You now know how good it looks after seeing it in person last night. Hope to see you again soon.

Originally Posted by Fiddy

Big congrats!
Worth the wait.

Indeed. Thanks.

Originally Posted by onkyo

Congrats Hal.... your watch looks amazing.

And the story is even more amazing.

Enjoy it to the fullest.

Thanks for the well wishes!!!

Originally Posted by craniotes

That's not a watch, its a boomerang. An exquisitely finished, steel and gold boomerang that just so happens to tell the time.

Congratulations, Hal!

Regards,
Adam

See I told you it was worth waiting for good pictures instead of a crappy iPhone snap.

Originally Posted by GerardoG

Felicidades! It is a great story and the watch looks amazing!

Gracias hermano. Un abrazo.

Originally Posted by ydna808

Very very nice H! Home sweet home

Thanks.

Originally Posted by wrxsti

bloody beautiful!

Thank you.

Originally Posted by Puffy

looks great hal, worth every penny mate

Thanks Anders and indeed worth every penny. Time to get yourself an AP.

Originally Posted by travisb

Glad she's back home with you Hal. Looks terrific!!!

I know. I think it was worth the long wait and the drama behind making the decision and get it restored. IMHO vintage APs need to look like new to fully appreciate the brand. Beat up APs don't look very good to be honest. On the other hand, vintage Rolexes that are all beat up have way more character and tend to look amazing. Another one of the differences between a 'tool watch' and 'haute horlogerie'.

Originally Posted by tseliot

Congratulations They really did an excellent refreshing job, it looks brand new

Enjoy it and really nice collection

Thanks. I am very pleased with the results.

[replicator]

Wow - what a great story!

Makes me more assured that I made the right decision to pull the trigger on an AP this week! Love that it is 34 years old, yet still has style that still resembles the models of today. Timeless piece - congratulations.

[GerardoG]

Felicidades! It is a great story and the watch looks amazing!

[wrxsti]

bloody beautiful!

[Puffy]

looks great hal, worth every penny mate

[travisb]

Glad she's back home with you Hal. Looks terrific!!!

[masterserg]

Gorgeous and very special!! Felicidades!!

[Submarino]

Originally Posted by masterserg

Gorgeous and very special!! Felicidades!!

Muchas Gracias!


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[ChristianN]

This came out really amazing. I think you should keep in mind that it took 30 years of beating on it to get it to where it was - using it for another 30 should be just fine :).

[B. Doggy]

Freshy fresh!!!

[texex91]

Great shots and welcome home!

[Submarino]

Originally Posted by ChristianN

This came out really amazing. I think you should keep in mind that it took 30 years of beating on it to get it to where it was - using it for another 30 should be just fine :).

Good point! I am going to wear it on special occasions and every once in a while. I don't want to abuse it because this was the last time that the bezel could be refinished and it's very thin now. A hard knock might even break it.

Originally Posted by B. Doggy

Freshy fresh!!!

Originally Posted by texex91

Great shots and welcome home!

Thanks guys!

[Dickson Lim]

Glad to see it back Hal. It looks perfect for its age, I was shocked to see the edges and chamfers were perfectly retained.

There must be a reason to be the Holy Trinity of Watchmaking or the Haute Horlogerie. Going to wear my AP soon, I miss her, even she is just one floor away from my living room.

[Michael M.]

Amazing transformation, looks brand new!!!

[mineral]

I can understand that feeling owning this jumbo. I love mines as much as you do. Enkoy

[mineral]

The jumbo family...

[Dino944]

Wow, really impressive work ! Nice to see your Jumbo could be restored back to like new condition! Any before the restoration photos that you could share with us just so we could see what they had to work with?

Enjoy it and wear it in good health.

[PanosI]

Double WOW !!!! I had to view the thread to my 21" monitor to really appreciate the excellent work that AP did to your watch. Speechless

[TSW]

Originally Posted by mineral

The jumbo family...

Beautiful trio

[Hairdude1]

WOW it looks great!!!! Glad to see she is back with you!!!!

[Submarino]

Originally Posted by mineral

The jumbo family...

Very nice trio!!!


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[Submarino]

Originally Posted by Dino944

Wow, really impressive work ! Nice to see your Jumbo could be restored back to like new condition! Any before the restoration photos that you could share with us just so we could see what they had to work with?

Enjoy it and wear it in good health.

The last three pictures at the bottom of my first post are of what the watch looked like before. It wasn't a beater or anything but edges on case and bezel were very rounded and overpolished. The biggest part of the work was done internally with a major movement overhaul.


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[vintagewaferthin]

Looks awesome! I'm really dreading sending my vintage tissot bumper away for an overhaul which I've been told will take 3-4 months( that is if no parts have to be replaced), but after seeing how good your ap looks after an overhaul, I can't wait till my watch comes back from overhaul!

[bayerische]

And WOW again!

They did some extremely nice work on your bezel. It was so soft, and now it's nice and sharp again!

[exchange83]

What an amazing job they did. Especially enjoyed the letter they wrote.