Project 300

[LAPD]

I myself did make the deposit and i expect that around 1Q2011 i might get an update on when the project will get started. My expectation on receiving the watch is around 1Q2012..

Same, I got my deposit in too.
And I totally agree with you about 1Q2011 for an update maybe some drawings, and 1st to 2nd quarter 2012 for word on delivery dates.

Ahhh the foresight...

I've always wanted one of these, in the mean time I'm stocking up on NATO bands, Maratac, G10's, checking out Corvus and seeing what will go best with it apart from the solid end link bracelet.

Patience is a Virtue, good luck to everyone especially Bill.

[bob m]

post 102 woot!!!

lets hope Bill does this-once the kingstons are out of the way...figure I got 2 more years with my LRP

[Randy9999]

Just clicked over and sent my $350 PayPal deposit for Project 300. Now if only I could still secure a Kingston spot, my MkII life would be complete.

[bob m]

[mbmorell17]

Bill,

Any update on Project 300? I'm a bit late in the ordering but just did a deposit for the pre-order. When will they start shipping. You'll see my note, I ask as I will be redeploying mid Feb and will be moving around a lot till I settle down in May 11.

Mike

[tmoris]

my morning mail:

Hi ,

I finally have some news for you regarding the Project 300 watch. In short I have decided it best to incorporate some more expensive features into the project and as a result the price will have to go up for both the pre-order customers and general order customers.

Primarily the changes revolve around the competitive environment and the requirement that the Project 300 watch match the original watch as closely as possible. At the top end of the range the Project 300 watch will compete with WatchCo's kit watches using original Omega parts (priced around $1,900 (used) to $2,900 ("new")) and at the bottom end of the range by fake versions of the SM300 selling probably for a few hundred dollars. If this project takes off and sells well it won't take too long for an enterprising black marketeer to realize that all he/she has to do is remove the Omega logos and they will be able to under-mine this project in short order. The changes I have incorporated into the specifications have been designed to maxmize the value to you while minmizing the risk to your participation.

• Sapphire bezel inlay: My reasons for changing the specification to sapphire glass from acrylic are two-fold. The first is that sapphire will look newer longer and give the watch a richer appearance and feel. The second reason is that it will likely prove easier to mass produce than using acrylic. Over the years I have had quite a bit of experience using acrylic inlays and despite my best efforts with my latest supplier dimensional consistency continues to be a challenge. Sapphire glass can be made to tighter tolerances in smaller batches, which theoretically will improve manufacturability. However this also means using a more expensive supplier and handing off more of the assembly to the case supplier, which naturally also increases costs.

• High domed sapphire glass crystal: The first reason that I have selected this option is because it will enable the finished watch to more closely match the original SM300s dimensions. Usually incorporating a standard double domed crystal increases the thickness of the watch because the movement has to be set farther down in the case body. A high domed sapphire crystal resembles the shape, roughly, of a bottle cap, which is the most similar to the original acrylic crystals on the SM300s. A doubled domed sapphire glass is closer in shape to say a lens from a pair of glasses. Not only with the high domed sapphire crystal get us closer to dimensions of the original watch it will also be an improvement over the original watch's specifications.

• Case - from CNC machined to stamped/CNC machined: This primarily reason for the change is cost. Continuing the project in combination with the other two additions to the case specifications would have placed the retail price of the watch above $2,000. This I believe would have become an unacceptably high price in most people's view.

• Spare bracelet: We should be able to keep this option in the final package. The goal is to provide a solid-end link bracelet. However there is still a minor possibility that we may have to resort to using a folded-end link/solid link bracelet. This is because I will have to coordinate the purchase of the bracelet myself, rather than relying on the case supplier, which is the normal procedure. My own supplier can manufacture a bracelet closest to the original without the need for new tooling. The incremental risk is offset by the significantly reduced cost of using existing tooling.

It is important to note that there is execution risk associated with the sapphire bezel inlay. My guess at this point is that the inlay will cause delays in the manufacturing of the watch as it is something that I haven’t yet incorporated into one of my watches. I am currently in the trial phase with two suppliers. My best estimate at this time is that the project will take about 12 to 18 months from the time that we get enough interest. At this point we have about 50% of the required interest necessary to proceed with the project but at the same time haven’t done any promotion or advertising for the project in about 6-7 months.

After this there is a survey link that i wont copy paste since i assume its only intended for those already in the project.

My newbie concerns:
- stamped/CNC machined (how different is it from CNC machined)
- folded-end link/solid link bracelet (what exactly is that and how does it differ from the original)

[ASRSPR]

My newbie concerns:
- stamped/CNC machined (how different is it from CNC machined)
- folded-end link/solid link bracelet (what exactly is that and how does it differ from the original)

CNC/Stamped presumably means some case parts will be stamped and other machined. There was some discussion earlier in this thread about the differences between the two processes, I think.

As for a bracelet with folded end links and solid links, I think Bill is reiterating earlier concerns that while he was trying to go for solid end links, he might only be able to get folded ones. The end links are the links where the bracelet connects to the lugs of the watch case. Solid ones are a single block of steel, generally with a hole for the spring bar and some sort of attachment mechanism for the other bracelet links. Folded ones are a thin sheet of steel that is folded into roughly the same shape, but is hollow. Generally, the same spring bar that goes through the end link also goes through the first bracelet link, which usually means that the end link comes off with the spring bar when everything is disassembled.

Original SM300s are commonly found on period 1171/633s, which are folded link bracelets of similar design as I've described.

[sunster]

"My best estimate at this time is that the project will take about 12 to 18 months from the time that we get enough interest. At this point we have about 50% of the required interest necessary to proceed with the project but at the same time haven’t done any promotion or advertising for the project in about 6-7 months."


This watch is going to be awesome....however not too sure I wanna wait around for about 3 years. For those of you who have more patience than me, this looks as though its another Yao winner

[bob m]

I can wait...I got a custom no date milsub, I need to get another couple of years out of this watch anyways. Plus a couple years of squirreling $ away will be well worth it. When you figure one less starbucks a day along with the deposit, will get you Bills latest and greatest watch.

[pinchoff]

"My best estimate at this time is that the project will take about 12 to 18 months from the time that we get enough interest. At this point we have about 50% of the required interest necessary to proceed with the project but at the same time haven’t done any promotion or advertising for the project in about 6-7 months."


This watch is going to be awesome....however not too sure I wanna wait around for about 3 years. For those of you who have more patience than me, this looks as though its another Yao winner

I'm just 50, so, I have plenty of time. It is great to build on a 2year long project