finally, 'bumblebee' is back... and led to a very interesting evening GTG :)

My wife has taken to calling my ref 5002 slow beat Big Pilot 'bumble-bee', and since it has gone through my own watchmaker, and then to IWC for fixing the crown-thread problem (preventing it from locking properly).

I finally got a msg yesterday from Ronie that it could be picked up. so in a huff and a puff I dashed off after work to get it...

and as the watch world whirls and whirls, look who I bumped into without pre-arrangement.

As some of you know, Roman has been in HK and Singapore for brief periods, and I was slated to meet him later today, but as watch-fate would have it, he swung by the nearest boutique to his hotel in the half hour he had to spare, and found me sitting there talking to Eric :)

so here is my 5002 and his Ken Negochu having a small GTG.

and as fate would have it, Ricky also swung by for a few quick minutes to pick up his Ali XS strap (we forgot to take a pic, lol).

so on this lazy Saturday, I took some time out for some much needed big pilot photography, having missed a black-dial pilot for a really long time, not helped by the many beautiful pics of the DFB, Japan edition BP, and the Markus Buhler and SC's blue Big Pilot Los Angeles edition on facebook...

...and very much into the classic side of things for quite a few months...

finally uniting both my Big Pilots (yes SC and Tracy - I need more BPs !)

and gratefully, to Ronie of Prince's Building boutique, for the retention of the fish crown :)

Shing, looks like you had fun GTG w Roman. I had never seen his Inge version, was that a limited edition?
Also, very interested in how you were able to retain your fish crown after servicing, I was under the impression that keeping it was not possible?

Thanks for sharing.

Cheers,
Kevin

Kevin - here's Roman's post when he acquired his 3227 Ken Noguchi

www.iwc.com/forum/en/discussion/31263/

SHING another great post and pleased you warch is back - with the fish crown.

Now of course should you for whatever reason get allergic to bee-sting and that bumblebee needs to fly out - please do remember Pauline who by then will want to migrate from her sweet honeybee to the bumblebee.

on the fish crown - I had to have a special arrangement done, and sacrifice water-proofing as a result. I was helped that the regional center was also in Hong Kong so very clear instructions could be given to them by the boutique staff.

great to have your 'bumblebee' back isn't it shing?

i am definitely most interested to hear you managed to save the fish!

roman... uh-oh, your ken noguchi is starting to speak to me!

regards,
thang

I said already on FB, Hong Kong is very small city))) I had just 40-50 minutes free, so, decided to come to the nearest IWC boutique. And found Shing there!!
But it was really briefly. See you in 30 minutes in Kowloon Shing!

Shing, you are very lucky that you could keep the fish crown. It is a pity that IWC replaces the crowns with a probus scafusia crown, actually only for marketing reasons and not for technical ones. So you need to find a clever way - which you did - to avoid that. Congratulations!

Shing,

With a Big Pilot, particularly the iconic slow beat, the next on the shopping list, what is the policy from HQ on retaining (or not) the fish crown should it be returned and or what is the secret to retain ?

Looks fab following its spa......

All the best

Thank you for the report and pictures. The 5002 is a stunning piece and the special edition 3227 is very very nice too!

Gave a good time and post lots of pictures!

Kind regards,

Clemens

Isn't it amazing how you can bump into people from so far away? All you have to do is head for the nearest IWC Boutique!

Nice report. Saving the fish crown is quite a feat!

You accomplished something I would have liked to do. The only consolation was I got to keep the fish crown. Sometimes it is not returned at all

My 5002 is also the slow beat model.

Aloha Shing -

You and SC are probably the only two Forum members who have been able to keep their original crowns - It's great to hear stories like this!

• Tracy

The story about the fish crowns is interesting. Shing and SC, do you have more details about this? I wonder if IWC made a new crown with the fish on it?

Kind regards,

Clemens

There are many variants of the BP out there - mine also looks different from the usual ones:

I was told that the fish crown is not produced anymore, as Georges Kern wants to push the Probus Scafusia one.

Aloha -

Please let me know if you ever decide to sell that prototype BP - I'd love to add it my collection.

• Tracy

Tracy, I'd only swap it against your Bühler LOL

Bumble-bee, that's nice :o) Such unplanned meetings are the best, thanks for sharing it!