Pinion R-1969 - quick intro

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Bahnstormer_vRS
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Pinion R-1969 - quick intro

Post by Bahnstormer_vRS »

A few weeks ago, I was moving towards a significant birthday and had been considering buying a notable watch to celebrate passing into my 'senior' years.

Having bought a Pinion Atom ND as few weeks prior, I'd looked around on Pinion's website, noted their new Elapse Valjoux 7750 powered Chrono but felt that it was not notable enough as I already have several Valjoux 7750 powered chronos. However, I caught sight of the 'last remaining' R-1969 Chronograph, a limited edition, 100 pieces, watch powered by a NOS hand wound Valjoux 7734 from 1969.

Now the R-1969 is a pretty scarce beast here on the forum with, as far as I could find, no photos of it and only a brief introduction in September 2014;- Pinions "new" 1969 Revival Chronograph..

Succinctly, I bought it and some fun was had with a 20 questions game in my Happy Birthday thread.

It has taken a while to arrive, which it did early this afternoon, as there was a small QC issue that Piers @ Pinion wanted to get fixed (kudos to him that he gave me full info on this, and kept me well informed on what was being done) and then it disappeared into a Black Hole yesterday at Royal Mail's Swindon sorting office.

Unboxing it earlier this evening was an absolute delight. There's no heavyweight wooden box, just a canvass and leather 'Made in England' tool roll, in a cotton/linen bag. This was however, beautifully wrapped in tissue paper and ribbon as a present (I'm not sure if this is Pier's general presentation or whether he'd done it knowing that I'd bought it to celebrate my Birthday).

Having opened the outer box, one of the first things I saw was the Ownership/Warranty Card with the Serial number on it. Being an LE of 100 pieces and knowing this was the 'last remaining' I'd anticipated a high serial number, in the 90s perhaps.

Instead, to my surprise and delight it is #023/100. Delight? '23 is my late Father's birth year and I already have two watches with the #023 serial number. I actually got goosebumps when I realised the number that it is.


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I honestly wasn't too sure what to expect with the watch. The photos I'd seen were good but, well, you never know.

I needn't have worried. Its fabulous. The case is simple but elegant and chunky in design, whilst being all polished in finish. At 43mm its right in my sweet spot.

Having had a quick play with it there are a few lovely idiosyncratic features about it.

OK, the Valjoux 7734 is hand wound but runs at a slower beat rate to modern watches, at 18,000 A/n. The Chrono pushers are precise, but light to operate and silky smooth. When the minutes chrono hand ticks over it does so within a four seconds, or so, window and in ticking over to the next minute actually goes forwards about a minute and a half, but then falls back the half minute. This actually got me worried the first time I saw it, as I looked at the minutes sub-dial at the split second the hand was doing its fall back. I thought eh? The chrono is running backwards! Looking at it further I need not have worried.

Being a vintage movement there is no quick set on the date. Kudos again to Piers that it was showing today's date when I unpacked it, although the watch had stopped at c. 2 o'clock. Winding and setting it around 6pm I only moved it forward 4 hours and it is now, as I type, in the throws of moving forwards to the 13th. Clearly Piers had wound and set it for me, and should I have received it yesterday, as planned, it would have still been running on its approx. 45 hours Power Reserve.

The Burgundy strap is first rate. Piers was able to supply a long 85mm/130mm strap for me that fits perfectly. It smells great too.


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Finally, a couple of wrist shots.


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OK; that's it for now. I'm off to bed.


Guy




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Re: Pinion R-1969 - quick intro

Post by Danbailey007 »

Looks great Guy and a fantastic birthday present to yourself! I like the styling of the Pinion watches and their different way of packaging makes a refreshing change.

Enjoy your new purchase!
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Re: Pinion R-1969 - quick intro

Post by Tortoise »

Congratulations Guy, .. a beautiful piece!
Enjoy in good health..
rgds
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Re: Pinion R-1969 - quick intro

Post by JAFO »

More to come for Christmas. CW new year sale. Could be an expensive time of the year, Guy.

Funnily enough I just bought a piece of jewellery that should have been delivered RMSD next day, but seemed to get lost in Swindon and took an extra day to arrive
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Re: Pinion R-1969 - quick intro

Post by Thegreyman »

Congratulations Guy, Pinion watches do look extremely well made and original in their design, and yours is a standout piece.
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Re: Pinion R-1969 - quick intro

Post by gannet »

Congratulations Guy, that looks great :)
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Re: Pinion R-1969 - quick intro

Post by nbg »

Congratulations Guy. :)

Great that it has arrived. I was wondering where it was.

The tissue paper and ribbon is the usual Pinion presentation.

A notable birthday watch. :clap: :thumbup:

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Re: Pinion R-1969 - quick intro

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

I really enjoyed reading your review and looking at the pictures with the breakfast coffee, Guy!

That is one fantastic looking chronograph and I think the canvas–lined leather watch roll is a completely class act. More manufacturers should start to offer similar options (or standard package).

The overadvance and recoil behaviour of the minute hand is not unusual in older movements. My Leonidas does it. The 1861 doesn’t advance beyond the minute, but it does start moving a tiny amount some two seconds before, then as the seconds hand passes the minute it clicks over fully.
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Re: Pinion R-1969 - quick intro

Post by StrapMeister »

Spotted this in the Non CW thread yesterday and have to say this is an absolutely gorgeous watch Guy :thumbup:
Very special - Congratulations :clap:

Great write up and very interesting read.
Just to note that the packaging is standard practice from Piers - always very nicely presented and forms part of the exciting unpackaging process.
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Re: Pinion R-1969 - quick intro

Post by 0uatiOW »

Congratulations Guy, lots to like there. Piers has built himself a reassuringly solid reputation.

I didn’t realise that had a NOS 1969 movement - that’s interesting. I also like the way the sub-dials are recessed and the way the dial balance is designed. Is that a smoked glass caseback window too, with a Pinion logo etched into it? Details matter.

The packaging looks fabulous too with that watch roll. I shall add “the smell of the strap” to my evaluation criteria too. Joking, but I do love the smell of leather.
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Re: Pinion R-1969 - quick intro

Post by Andyshall »

Congratulations Guy.
Pinion watches are really growing on me and this is one of the best I’ve seen.
As you and others have said the watch roll and lack of a daft heavy box is something others could learn from.
Enjoy.
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Re: Pinion R-1969 - quick intro

Post by biggus_richus »

A look at my signature reveals my hand, but that is a cracking watch. There was a variant in the prototype sale earlier this year with orange highlights and infills which was also lovely.

The watch rolls come in handy too - used mine when I went to the CW showroom to carry a few comparison pieces!
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Re: Pinion R-1969 - quick intro

Post by Bahnstormer_vRS »

Danbailey007 wrote: Sun Dec 13, 2020 1:32 am Looks great Guy and a fantastic birthday present to yourself! I like the styling of the Pinion watches and their different way of packaging makes a refreshing change.

Enjoy your new purchase!
Cheers Dan. Much as it is a fantastic birthday present it needs to paid for. :(

Keep your eyes peeled for activity in the Sales Corner; there may even be an Elliot Brown or two available. :thumbup:

Tortoise wrote: Sun Dec 13, 2020 1:56 am Congratulations Guy, .. a beautiful piece!
Enjoy in good health..
rgds
Thank you Ian. Health and life are good right now. :wink:

JAFO wrote: Sun Dec 13, 2020 2:37 am More to come for Christmas. CW new year sale. Could be an expensive time of the year, Guy.

Funnily enough I just bought a piece of jewellery that should have been delivered RMSD next day, but seemed to get lost in Swindon and took an extra day to arrive
Nothing more for Christmas / New Year, other than three Kickstarter and one Elliot Brown Special Project watches that have already been paid for, due to me sometime in the next 4 - 6 weeks.

Thegreyman wrote: Sun Dec 13, 2020 9:53 am Congratulations Guy, Pinion watches do look extremely well made and original in their design, and yours is a standout piece.
Cheers Patrick.

They not only look extremely well made, but feel it. :thumbup: :thumbup:

gannet wrote: Sun Dec 13, 2020 10:02 am Congratulations Guy, that looks great :)

Thank you Peter.

nbg wrote: Sun Dec 13, 2020 10:21 am Congratulations Guy. :)

Great that it has arrived. I was wondering where it was.

The tissue paper and ribbon is the usual Pinion presentation.

A notable birthday watch. :clap: :thumbup:

Neil
Yup; you need wonder no more, Neil.

Thanks for the info on the tissue paper and wrapping; on the one hand its good to know its a nice way to present the box :thumbup: but on the other hand it means it wasn't done especially for me (as it was my Birthday). :thumbdown: :lol:

I know you appreciate Pinion and, in the long term, I might look out for another model.

Amor Vincit Omnia wrote: Sun Dec 13, 2020 10:36 am I really enjoyed reading your review and looking at the pictures with the breakfast coffee, Guy!

That is one fantastic looking chronograph and I think the canvas–lined leather watch roll is a completely class act. More manufacturers should start to offer similar options (or standard package).

The overadvance and recoil behaviour of the minute hand is not unusual in older movements. My Leonidas does it. The 1861 doesn’t advance beyond the minute, but it does start moving a tiny amount some two seconds before, then as the seconds hand passes the minute it clicks over fully.
I'm glad I was able to help you enjoy your breakfast Steve, and thanks for the comparative info on your Leonidas. :thumbup:

StrapMeister wrote: Sun Dec 13, 2020 11:23 am Spotted this in the Non CW thread yesterday and have to say this is an absolutely gorgeous watch Guy :thumbup:
Very special - Congratulations :clap:

Great write up and very interesting read.
Just to note that the packaging is standard practice from Piers - always very nicely presented and forms part of the exciting unpackaging process.
Thanks Nigel. You are an aficionado of Pinion too; they're rather good, aren't they. Thanks for the packaging info.

0uatiOW wrote: Sun Dec 13, 2020 12:54 pm Congratulations Guy, lots to like there. Piers has built himself a reassuringly solid reputation.

I didn’t realise that had a NOS 1969 movement - that’s interesting. I also like the way the sub-dials are recessed and the way the dial balance is designed. Is that a smoked glass caseback window too, with a Pinion logo etched into it? Details matter.

The packaging looks fabulous too with that watch roll. I shall add “the smell of the strap” to my evaluation criteria too. Joking, but I do love the smell of leather.
Yup, Wyatt, the NOS 1969 is the whole raison d'etre of the watch and included in the Owners Handbook is a reproduction of the 'Technical Communication' from Ebauches SA on the dismantling and servicing of the movement; which is fascinating reading.

The sub dials are not only recessed, but the centre portion of the dial, inside the blue ring, is raised. Yes, the case back is smoked but the 'PINION' is part of the decorated Bridge (I'll try and get a better photo taken without the clear film).

Andyshall wrote: Sun Dec 13, 2020 2:49 pm Congratulations Guy.
Pinion watches are really growing on me and this is one of the best I’ve seen.
As you and others have said the watch roll and lack of a daft heavy box is something others could learn from.
Enjoy.
Cheers, Andy.

I think Pinion, who've been around since 2013 now, whist it is clearly a niche brand, is nevertheless growing nicely. :clap: :clap:

biggus_richus wrote: Sun Dec 13, 2020 2:54 pm A look at my signature reveals my hand, but that is a cracking watch. There was a variant in the prototype sale earlier this year with orange highlights and infills which was also lovely.

The watch rolls come in handy too - used mine when I went to the CW showroom to carry a few comparison pieces!
Thanks Rich.

There was a 1 of 2 R-1969, with a bead blasted case and orange detail on the dial, available when I started looking at Pinion a couple of months ago now, but that got sold. No matter, I prefer the look of the polished case.


Overall, thank you all gent for your comments. The R-1969 has been worn for most of Sunday, sorry no photo, and may well get worn further for Motorsport Monday (I think it fits in that category).


Guy
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Re: Pinion R-1969 - quick intro

Post by TigerChris »

Wow! I guess it’ll come as no surprise to you, Guy, that I absolutely love it, it’s stunning - big congratulations. If Piers still had an Orange version available I’d be very tempted to join you. Fantastic buy, suitably special for the birthday and the serial number dropping like that is brilliant, you couldn’t have scripted it better. These bi compax polished case chronographs really work don’t they. Oh, and the amount of times I’ve banged on about the Pinion packaging/watch roll, I’m glad you agree with me :D
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Re: Pinion R-1969 - quick intro

Post by Danbailey007 »

Bahnstormer_vRS wrote: Mon Dec 14, 2020 2:14 am
Danbailey007 wrote: Sun Dec 13, 2020 1:32 am Looks great Guy and a fantastic birthday present to yourself! I like the styling of the Pinion watches and their different way of packaging makes a refreshing change.

Enjoy your new purchase!
Cheers Dan. Much as it is a fantastic birthday present it needs to paid for. :(

Keep your eyes peeled for activity in the Sales Corner; there may even be an Elliot Brown or two available. :thumbup:

Guy
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