replace pip/pearl or not to replace?

[Dan S]

Originally Posted by Pouakai

Definitely, that sounds good. Is there a go-to supplier of these here on the forum?

If only it were that easy.

[lee fowler]

Originally Posted by Pouakai

Definitely, that sounds good. Is there a go-to supplier of these here on the forum?

I have some pips available.

[Styles Bitchley]

Originally Posted by Pouakai

Definitely, that sounds good. Is there a go-to supplier of these here on the forum?

I believe Michael Young sells aftermarket pips and will try to colour match.

[Dan S]

Just be careful if you are tempted to take a loose pearl out of its packaging to get a better look. They are smaller than you expect and very hard to find if they fall on the floor. Don't ask me how I know.

[springer]

Originally Posted by Dan S

Just be careful if you are tempted to take a loose pearl out of its packaging to get a better look. They are smaller than you expect and very hard to find if they fall on the floor. Don't ask me how I know.

Good info Dan, and, they are even harder to find if you lose one in your drain while cleaning your watch.

A while back I was cleaning my Submariner 5513 with an old toothbrush and some dish soap out in my garage sink.

When I finished, I noticed that, while the watch looked very nice, there was an open hole in my bezel insert where the pip had been. I couldn't believe it was gone. Needless-to-say, it was nowhere to be found. The pip was gone...or so I thought.

With nothing to lose (but the pip) I removed the hair trap from under the sink and carefully emptied in on a large piece of cardboard. After a minute or so of looking around at what was in the trap, the proverbial "needle in a haystack" was found to my utter amazement. I had found the pip and securely placed it back in the bezel insert and after several years now, it is still back where it belongs in my Submariner.

As a side note, I no longer clean the Submariner in the sink but instead, I fill a two or three quart bowl with water and grab my toothbrush and some dish soap and clean away.

Good luck with your pips everyone!

[ncstate1201]

Originally Posted by springer

Good info Dan, and, they are even harder to find if you lose one in your drain while cleaning your watch.

A while back I was cleaning my Submariner 5513 with an old toothbrush and some dish soap clean out in my garage sink.

When I finished, I noticed that, while the watch looked very nice, there was an open hole in my bezel insert where the pip had been. I couldn't believe it was gone. Needless-to-say, it was nowhere to be found. The pip was gone...or so I thought.

With nothing to lose (but the pip) I removed the hair trap from under the sink and carefully emptied in on a large piece of cardboard. After a minute or so of looking around at what was in the trap, the proverbial "needle in a haystack" was found to my utter amazement. I securely placed the pip back in to the bezel insert and after several years now, it is still back where it belongs in my Submariner insert.

As a side note, I no longer clean the Submariner in the sink but instead, I fill a two or three quart bowl with water and grab my toothbrush and some dish soap and clean away.

Good luck with your pips everyone!

Hopefully it is securely in place minus the hairs

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[springer]

Originally Posted by ncstate1201

Hopefully it is securely in place minus the hairs

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

Elmer's wood glue can be a good friend!

[zapokee]

Originally Posted by springer

...I removed the hair trap from under the sink and carefully emptied in on a large piece of cardboard. After a minute or so of looking around at what was in the trap...

Very brave. I'd probably go to the trouble of sourcing and paying for a new matching pip rather than search through a drain hair trap.

[springer]

Originally Posted by zapokee

Very brave. I'd probably go to the trouble of sourcing and paying for a new matching pip rather than search through a drain hair trap.

It's a garage sink. I wash my hair in the shower in my house. Try it sometime, you'll never wash your hair in your garage sink again.

[Dan S]

A UV light can make them a little easier to find, but you'd be surprised how many things glow under UV on your floor, or in the drain presumably.

[ncstate1201]

Originally Posted by Dan S

A UV light can make them a little easier to find, but you'd be surprised how many things glow under UV on your floor, or in the drain presumably.

Ok that might be a gross concept

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[Oyster Perp]

Working in a jewellers many ago we cleaned rings etc regularly. We always used soap/warm water/soft toothbrush. The first rule was..... always put the plug in ! Bit of a con really as the customer thought they where getting some sort of deep clean.

[ncstate1201]

Originally Posted by Oyster Perp

Working in a jewellers many ago we cleaned rings etc regularly. We always used soap/warm water/soft toothbrush. The first rule was..... always put the plug in ! Bit of a con really as the customer thought they where getting some sort of deep clean.

No biggie unless you charged significantly for that

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[Eric88]

It has been a while, though I had a Sub at ABC Watchwerks for servicing many years ago with a missing pip in the bezel. Beau was able to put in a replacement that matched the patina of the dial's lume plots and did it much more securely than my prior attempts.

At one point, I had bought a few pips from a TRF vintage seller and may still have some in a little bag. I had glued one in the hole following directions given to me and it was never seated as securely as I would like.

[fskywalker]

Originally Posted by Eric88

It has been a while, though I had a Sub at ABC Watchwerks for servicing many years ago with a missing pip in the bezel. Beau was able to put in a replacement that matched the patina of the dial's lume plots and did it much more securely than my prior attempts.

At one point, I had bought a few pips from a TRF vintage seller and may still have some in a little bag. I had glued one in the hole following directions given to me and it was never seated as securely as I would like.

What's the recommended glue to re-attach a loosen pip?

[motoikkyu]

My two cents: as a single entity on a vintage watch (there's only ONE pip!), color match isn't as crucial as, say, hands. So it looks different, so what? There's only one of it.

[Dom9]

Digging up an old thread but does anyone have the insert pip hole size to hand for a 5513/1680? I think it may be 1.5mm but I've also seen 1.3mm quoted. Thank you!

[west8720]

Easy. Replace - However it must match patina of current watch.

[tekno]

There are well made replacements


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro