Well after much delay...The Tst is moving forward

[jringo8769]

Well by my Dear Friend CoachRoack/ClockBloke..Tony  gave me the opportunity to make this Tribute watch in memory of a great man who i did not know very well and had no idea how much of a innovator he truly was... from what i am told he was very giving and very talented man who we all need to aspire to be more like.....i hope these ideas will be in keeping with what he did....there is two versions i have made of this...i think the second one is the right direction...still need a few more things before it goes off to be completed...i have to thank so many amazing people here who got me this far....God Bless every one of you...sorry for the long delay...sorry illness and getting the right look is most important...God Bless John



Parts to be included in this build are as follow....

A Genuine East Lake Bubble Boy Crystal thanks to MrWozza70....

The Tst 6309 7290 case with the black acetal shroud from TigerUk...one of the earliest ones made

The Hands are NOS Bill Yao MKII hands from MrWozza70 too...

All the gaskets and seals were from SeikoPsycho

The Mesh Bracelet was from Jimmy1963

Caseback thanks to Tritto...that will be sanitized 
it will have a 6349a movement with black kanji wheels installed......

i really wanted to go in a different direction with the movement like a 6117 or a 6306a movement but i have not been able to track those down...

the crown will have a S etched in it too..

i am sure i am forgetting so much...but so many have asked about this...i felt it was time to get some info and pics out there...thank everyone of you...God Bless and will keep you updated with progress as i have it....

[Groundhog66]

I dig it, can't wait to see it on your wrist.

[longbike]

Etta boy John , you see I told you,  you had Talent still Hidden in you.

That is going to be awesome and very unique when completed. You have come far John and will continue

to go ahead with what you are doing.

The .... Jonathan " Swede Freak "  Koch Commemorative Tribute Watch.

 

A Tribute to a .... " Fine Gentleman and Innovator " , in his time that would have been very proud of people

remembering him in a ...." Time Piece " , dedicate just to him. He was a absolute .......  " True Master in His work ".

Many have answered your call to get this done and it was their pleasure to contribute what they had in

the ... " Making and Development of this ... Commemorative Time Piece ".

The Man would have been very proud of you and others in doing this a very ... " Special Remembrance and Tribute ".

I commend all those that have taken part in the making of this .... " Special Watch ", because they knew just 

who he was. A Man dedicated to what he had done and for the benefit of others also to enjoy this

wonderful work and hobby for so many and as he did love doing it also. 

Thank you very much John for the ... " Excellence and professionalism "  in this commemorative work.

( This includes all that have given from their sources also. )

Aloha    Louis / LongBike

[jringo8769]

Thank all of you...Louis you are such a great friend and always know exactly what to say....this would not be possible if was not for so many people who have helped so much....hopefully i will find the missing pieces soon...God Bless John...the 6119 grey dial i think really sets it off...i so need to get a better camera too...

[jringo8769]

Thank you Tim...this has been so much harder to make the right decisions that i ever thought....

Feb 13, 2015 19:06:12 GMT -8 Groundhog66 said:

I dig it, can't wait to see it on your wrist.

[Deleted]

I'll be completely honest.....and you may not care to hear it, but here goes...

Most longterm members of this forum may be aware that Jonathan was my mentor. We spend countless hours together in his shop working and talking. He was truly a great guy and I owe much of my watchmaking skills to him. Due to the friendship that I had with Jonathan I can make a few honest statements as to what he liked and disliked when it came to mods.

First......He absolutely hated the "Tuna" series Seiko diver series with a passion. More importantly he detested what John (TigerUk) was doing to the 6309 cases by butchering them into "tuna wannabe" mods. He was a huge fan of the Seiko factory case designs and in particular the 6309-704x. His most loved creation was actually a 6105-8110 case that he built up with assorted parts. It was named "Babe" and his son Matthew now wears the watch with pride.


That being said, Jonathan was a tinkerer and made much of his creations with what he had on hand. But there was always a flow to his projects and if it didn't look right he simply went back to the ole drawing board to take another crack at things.
For what it's worth....and I do appreciate the effort you've put into the project, but I think the overall design of your watch isn't in the right place with regards to what a proper tribute should be. You should've done more research into Jonathan's past work. Google is a fantastic venue for searching out such photo examples.

Also, I really need to ask this question... What is your reason for attempting to create a "tribute" watch to someone that you know absolutely nothing about? You clearly never met nor spoke to the man while he was living, but yet you feel some urge to use his memory to justify some project that you're hatching up?  
Like I mentioned before, you probably don't care for what I had to say, but there are some things that simply need to be said.

[longbike]

Feb 13, 2015 20:10:04 GMT -8 jringo8769 said:

Thank all of you...Louis you are such a great friend and always know exactly what to say....this would not be possible if was not for so many people who have helped so much....hopefully i will find the missing pieces soon...God Bless John...the 6119 grey dial i think really sets it off...i so need to get a better camera too...

  John like Peter has said in advising and instructing me on picture taking. It is not the camera I have found out, but when I

have taken my pictures now I believe they have improved a lot. I found that the flash gives off reflective annoying glares

and it defeats the pictures. I now take the pictures in the dark with out the flash and it works a lot better, well

until a picture taking box or tent is made.

Also I have to really focus the camera good then don't shake it to much. I bought a cheap Tripod and it does

better.  Watch the GLARE on the CRYSTAL that is the problem to always see.

Bless you also John   Louis / LongBike

[jringo8769]

Well Shawn....i really do appreciate your feedback...i have asked so many people for real input and your's seems to be the first real honest input....i had no idea what that Jonathan detested these TST...the watch came to me thru Cockroach and with all being said i wanted to make a watch in tribute to Jonathan....not one person other than you has told me anything like this...you should know better than anyone who Jonathan liked...i am sorry if i have offended anyone...all i was trying to do is something that many could be proud of...sorry if you think that i have not done my research as i have asked anyone who would listen  and i had wished someone would have let me know this so many months ago..obviously i have upset people so i will not post any more info and this build will come to a halt...i really do appreciate the info...God Bless John

Feb 13, 2015 20:21:16 GMT -8 @dcso211 said:

I'll be completely honest.....and you may not care to hear it, but here goes...

Most longterm members of this forum may be aware that Jonathan was my mentor. We spend countless hours together in his shop working and talking. He was truly a great guy and I owe much of my watchmaking skills to him. Due to the friendship that I had with Jonathan I can make a few honest statements as to what he liked and disliked when it came to mods.

First......He absolutely hated the "Tuna" series Seiko diver series with a passion. More importantly he detested what John (TigerUk) was doing to the 6309 cases by butchering them into "tuna wannabe" mods. He was a huge fan of the Seiko factory case designs and in particular the 6309-704x. His most loved creation was actually a 6105-8110 case that he built up with assorted parts. It was named "Babe" and his son Matthew now wears the watch with pride.


That being said, Jonathan was a tinkerer and made much of his creations with what he had on hand. But there was always a flow to his projects and if it didn't look right he simply went back to the ole drawing board to take another crack at things.
For what it's worth....and I do appreciate the effort you've put into the project, but I think the overall design of your watch isn't in the right place with regards to what a proper tribute should be. You should've done more research into Jonathan's past work. Google is a fantastic venue for searching out such photo examples.

Also, I really need to ask this question... What is your reason for attempting to create a "tribute" watch to someone that you know absolutely nothing about? You clearly never met nor spoke to the man while he was living, but yet you feel some urge to use his memory to justify some project that you're hatching up?  
Like I mentioned before, you probably don't care for what I had to say, but there are some things that simply need to be said.

[jringo8769]

this build is no longer proceeding ...with the new info it seems very foolish to continue...i apologize to any people i have offended or upset...please close this thread....God Bless John

[trandy]

I have to tell you Shawn....while we're all being honest here....I don't know you aside from some business we've done together....and nice business at that...certainly no complaints on my part....but I think you're being a little harsh on this....it's almost like you're taking it personal...what does it hurt for him to show some tribute to Jonathan in his own way?

I didn't know Willie Mays....does that mean I shouldn't paint a portrait of him?

[Deleted]

Feb 13, 2015 21:02:39 GMT -8 trandy said:

I have to tell you Shawn....while we're all being honest here....I don't know you either aside from some business we've done together....and nice business at that...certainly no complaints on my part....but I think you're being a little harsh on this....it's almost like you're taking it personal...what does it hurt for him to show some tribute to Jonathan in his own way?

Please forgive my harshness, but this is actually a very personal topic for me.....
I spent many hours with Jonathan over several years and consider myself honored to have been able to call him a friend. When he passed last year, it was like losing a father. 
Afterwards, I made weekly trips to his residence 100 miles away to assist the family with preparing his estate. I did this out of pure respect for Jonathan. I grieved as his family grieved and I find it offensive for someone to use the memory of a man that they did not know to self-promote a project that has zero to do with what Jonathan really was.

If the project was being guided by a member that was actually connected on some level to Jonathan I would have no problem whatsoever.  I'm fairly certain that I personally knew Jonathan better than anyone else on this forum and I won't even consider undertaking such a project.

This one just feels and looks wrong.....nuff said

[jringo8769]

Well with this new info..i will change directions and complete this in a different way...it still deserves to be finished....i just wish i had know all of this before i got so involved with this...but never fear ..i will pick myself up..dust myself off and continue one....thank all of you so much...God Bless John

[martog]

Feb 13, 2015 21:43:36 GMT -8 jringo8769 said:

Well with this new info..i will change directions and complete this in a different way...it still deserves to be finished....i just wish i had know all of this before i got so involved with this...but never fear ..i will pick myself up..dust myself off and continue one....thank all of you so much...God Bless John

Good on you John, that's what I like to hear.

All the best Mark.

[jringo8769]

Thank you Martog...hey when life gets you down....just dust yourself off and figure out a new way to do things....

[feca67]

Just out of interest, do you know why Jonathan hated Tunas so much?  Sounds like more than just a style thing?

Feb 13, 2015 20:21:16 GMT -8 @dcso211 said:

Most longterm members of this forum may be aware that Jonathan was my mentor. We spend countless hours together in his shop working and talking. He was truly a great guy and I owe much of my watchmaking skills to him. Due to the friendship that I had with Jonathan I can make a few honest statements as to what he liked and disliked when it came to mods.

First......He absolutely hated the "Tuna" series Seiko diver series with a passion. More importantly he detested what John (TigerUk) was doing to the 6309 cases by butchering them into "tuna wannabe" mods. He was a huge fan of the Seiko factory case designs and in particular the 6309-704x. His most loved creation was actually a 6105-8110 case that he built up with assorted parts. It was named "Babe" and his son Matthew now wears the watch with pride.

[Deleted]

John do what you want with the watch. I was the original winner of the parts. Build what ever makes you happy it was my gift to you for being a good friend and I just didn't have the time to do this project myself. Nobody elses opinion matters. Sell the parts if it makes you happy it's yours to do what you want with. There was not terms put down to what should be built with the parts and nobody but you has input in my humble. You should not do anything just to please a dead guy no matter how much he was admired or liked. This is your project nobody elses.

[Deleted]

John, continue the project; just dedicate it to someone or something else. I know your intentions were good and your heart was in the right place; unfortunately sometimes things just don't work out.

I have one of Tiger's TST cases as well but never thought about making it a tribute to anyone. The most logical person to pay homage to with this project might be John Bentley(TheTigerUK) as he is the one who engineered these pieces

Key Pon Truckin

[longbike]

John you did and meant well in doing the watch. Always remember that when you do some thing

do it till the end. This was your project, so go ahead and finish it to its fullest. You have done a

good job in arranging it and parts finding for it. Your efforts have shown a lot of people that you

can do what you set out to do so just continue on till it is finished.

This is about some thing you set out to do, just do it, and since you have it almost done hey,

make it a ..... " Tribute watch to ..... " John Linder the Creator of it ".   Your efforts show just what

you can do and more, so do not drop your project just because it was set out on a different course

and did not reach its destination of intent. Continue its course to the ...... " Builder and Foundation "

for what it was layed out to be. The watch is .... " Unique " and let it be in that position no matter what

may come around so let it continue on to its finish intent and of its purpose.

No matter if anyone might not agree with what you are doing it is yours to do with and what and how

to do it. It is your choice to create some thing no matter what it is so just go ahead and do it.

The purpose was to ...... " Build a Watch of Uniqueness " from the start.

[Deleted]

Feb 14, 2015 9:50:17 GMT -8 @penguinbce said:

John, continue the project; just dedicate it to someone or something else. I know your intentions were good and your heart was in the right place; unfortunately sometimes things just don't work out.

I have one of Tiger's TST cases as well but never thought about making it a tribute to anyone. The most logical person to pay homage to with this project might be John Bentley(TheTigerUK) as he is the one who engineered these pieces

Key Pon Truckin

The only thing John supplied was a badly altered case. A lot of members gave to this, some guys who are on this forum not just John.

[Deleted]

Feb 14, 2015 10:09:56 GMT -8 @cockroach said:

Feb 14, 2015 9:50:17 GMT -8 @penguinbce said:

John, continue the project; just dedicate it to someone or something else. I know your intentions were good and your heart was in the right place; unfortunately sometimes things just don't work out.

I have one of Tiger's TST cases as well but never thought about making it a tribute to anyone. The most logical person to pay homage to with this project might be John Bentley(TheTigerUK) as he is the one who engineered these pieces

Key Pon Truckin

The only thing John supplied was a badly altered case. A lot of members gave to this, some guys who are on this forum not just John.

Can't be all bad with so many having and enjoying them. I can understand the point of view of a purist but not all WIS are purists