How things change....

One of the things I like to do time to time (but not enough) is to visit and check out the brands website and see what is new and what is happening with the brand. One of the brands that I have not checked out for some time now is Tutima. Oh how things have changed. 

I know that Tutima have moved or return to Glashutte and is now a manufacture in Glashutte and can carry the famed Glashutte/SA on their dial. This came about with the introduction of the Hommage Minute Repeater. There is one word I can use to describe the watch, amazing. 

The Hommage Minute Repeater.

Photographs: Tutima

I expected changes to Tutima with them returning to Glashutte, but .....

Gone are the watches that I like, the military collection. The Military Chronograph. It has been replaced by the M2 collection. Indeed very different. Larger, bolder yet more modern. The NATO Chronograph have grown up. There are now 3 watches in the collection.

The Chronograph 6451-02.

The Pioneer 6450-01.

The Pioneer 6450-02.

Photographs: Tutima

The new watches are larger at 46.5mm, thicker at 15.85mm and have a better water resistant rating at 30 ATM as opposed to the 20 ATM of old. The chrono pushers are now rubber lined and the watch now offers anti-magnetic protection. Cool....

Oh yes... a new case back featuring a silhouette of an aerobatic double-decker plane.

For more information:

Tutima M2

Looks like my old NATO Chronograph is now defunct.... :(

The old, boring case back. 

And the Lemania 5100? It has been replaced by the Tutima Caliber 321. There is not much information on the new caliber except it is an automatic movement that has an antique gray coating. According to Tutima, the Caliber 321 that ticks within the M2 ..

'reconstruction of the dial train creating an easily legible sweep minute counter - as has been the case with previous generation for decades - is a proprietary Tutima development. Additionally, the arrangement leaves room for the 24-hour display as with the Lemania 5100...'

It looks like the same as the old watch, but minus the date complication. So finally, the Lemania 5100 is no more. Good bye Lemania 5100.....

The Lemania 5100 inside old faithful...

A closer view of the Lemania 5100.

The Tutima signed rotor.

A robust and reliable 17 jewels automatic movement. 

The movement signed 5100.

Good bye good friend...

Tutima Field Chronograph

I thought I post some pictures of my (ex) Tutima Field Chronograph, reference 768-01. Like I said in an earlier post, I am not sure if the model name is correct for the watch. 

Anyway here are some pictures (for reference).

The watch is powered by an ETA 251.262 quartz movement.

The reference 768-01.

The chronograph buttons and the screw down crown.

The case has a brushed finish. The bezel has a polished finish.

The case back. minimal markings. Brushed finish in the center but polished around it (look at the other photograph).

No, those are not fixed bars but screw bars.

The other side.

A closer view of the crown. The finishing of the bezel is not that great.

The dial with the orange chronograph hands. The sub-dial at the 6 o'clock shows the seconds.

It has a central minute chronograph hand. 

The movement, signed Tutima.

It is a 27 jewel movement.

The ETA signature and movement reference.

Inside the case back. Unsigned.

The lume shot (apologies for the poor quality).

And there you have, the Tutima Field Chronograph. 

Bracelet adjustment on my Tutima

I finally got myself the Tutima Military NATO Chronograph TL watch. Actually I wanted the Tutima Military NATO Chronograph T watch but never got it. Maybe the price was not right or one never came up or there were issues with the watch. I was once offered the stainless steel version of the watch (the T not TL), but I wanted the titanium version. There is another shop that has the T version but the price was a tad high. Before we go one, what is the difference? Well the Chronograph T is the version without the bezel (lunette). So the Chronograph TL would be Titanium Lunette? 

However I manage to get one at a good price and the condition of the watch is pretty good. It comes with the box and papers. It has also been last serviced by Tutima in 2008. Thank you to those involved. Why I like the watch? The Lemania 5100 movement that powers the watch and the size, 43 mm diameter. I have another watch with the Lemania 5100 in the Revue Thommen, but it is 'small'. In fact I believe it is the smallest Lemania 5100 powered watch.

The watch has been adjusted by the last owner and it is too small for me. Lucky for me, the owner still had all the links. So out with the tools.

The extra links. 

The back view. Note the arrow, showing the direction to 'punch' out the lock pins.

The link in the holder. I need to do this to push out the lock pins as it was in the link.

The lock pins. It is held in place by the offset tab. You can just see it here. The tab is formed by pinching the lock pin. 

Another view of the lock pins. You can see the tab.

The bracelet, as said earlier was adjusted for a smaller wrist. There is no adjustment links on this side of the bracelet.

The fine adjustment on the clasp. There are only three adjustment holes on the clasp. It is currently in the middle.

The other side of the bracelet has two adjustment links. Notice the wordings 'TITAN'? The bracelet is made of solid  titanium.

What I like about the watch? The bracelet has the diver extension. I never consider this watch to be a diver watch. It can't be as the Chronograph T does not have a bezel to measure dive time and the TL, although it has a bezel, it can rotate both ways (which is dangerous for divers). I always consider this watch a pilot watch. By the way, the watch is water resistant rated to 20 ATM.

The first thing I do is to put the fine adjustment to the smallest setting. This so that (in-case) I get fat, I have 2 more adjustment points.

The 'balance' check. This is to check that the clasp is 'balance' to the watch. Basically both sides of the bracelet are about the same length. If the lengths are not the same, the watch can rotate on your wrist. As can be seen below, it is not very balance.

Splitting the bracelet to put in the extra links.

You can see the lock pin in the link. 

The extra link is added. 

Now the other side is split.

The other side ready for the extra link.

The clasp waiting to be reattached to the bracelet.

Everything is done. Before you push the lock pins in, check for fit and balance.

The balance check. Looks better and more balance.

Fit and comfort test. I have to say that the bracelet is one of the most comfortable bracelet that I have tried on.

Once everything is fit tested, push the lock pins in.

I used a 0.8 pin to push the lock pins out. It is important to chose the correct pin size. Too thin and you damage both the push pin and the lock pin. To large and you damage the hole in the link.

I use the size 1 pin to make sure the lock pins are flushed with the sides of the link. And there you have it, how to adjust the bracelet on the Tutima Military NATO Chronograph.