[Spencer PK]

Found another weird eBay auction, on eBay.co.uk - a yellow Pepsi 6139. Oddly named auction, but looking for the jewel in the rough I saw four things I could definitely use, so I went for it - $100. The four needed items: I'll get a 2nd complete stem including winding gear (a $65 value!), magic lever assembly, a mint Pepsi bezel, and best of all an original Sterlux bracelet!


The rest of the stuff is gravy, but I'll look it all over to see what can be used to improve the FrankenChrono - the case doesn't look half bad actually, and I may use it in place of this one that I have now. The Sterlux will go on the 6139 that's in the shop. This all means that both of my functioning 6139s will have working bezels. Also, I'll have a complete set of parts to try my hand at rebuilding a complete 6139 movement, consequence-free. I've already stripped one down past the winding assembly and balance, as well as through the dial past the date wheels etc, and got the movement back together and working! This will be chance to go a little deeper and see if I can do it again.


The silliest thing is that this all started with me trying to find parts for my first (and at one point only) 6139. Now I have two? Working on a third? Oh well - beats digging ditches.

 

[Spencer PK]

nice buy, I was watching that myself for much the same reasons as you, those stems are a bugger to find. I think you may have got your currancy conversion slightly out though, with postage it works out to $100 but don't worry I will not tell your wife I still think it's a bargain even at a 100$

Whoops, crap you're right. But yes it's still a bargain, even at that. The individual components are more than that easily. Anyway, the wife can't get too PO'd since it's my birthday. Anyway, I'm paying for all of this by selling off my huge old collection of WW2 stuff, none of which I've looked at for years. In the end it's a zero-sum game. At least, that's what I'm telling myself

 

[Spencer PK]

is that an Arabic day wheel I see??


I just noticed that.

 

[Spencer PK]

Carefully looking over the photos, I think here's what happened - I think this watch was rarely worn, and was water-damaged early on. The movement parts all show discoloration, and the lume has darkened, but the case looks great, and the bezel shows no wear. So, water resistance fails, and then after talking to a watchsmith who says "you got it wet?? Um, a full repair is going to be lots and lots of money" the guy throws dead watch in drawer, and it is later stripped for a few parts. Here we are.


Just a theory.

 

[Spencer PK]

It's a mystery. I got a vintage Waltham diver off of Etsy of all places - a rare Swiss-made 17j model with orange face and bezel, never seen another one. I got it for a few bucks. Mint condition, perfect working order, not a thing wrong with it. Bizarre.