My first Grail: Avia DSM

[vpn]

Hi friends! I'm very happy to introduce you my latest acquisition in my collection. An Avia DSM watch with a Optel module! I've bought the watch for a very low price, from an Italian seller who purchased it from a retired jeweller. The watch was untested, but when a battery was installed it sprung back to life, although it was permanently stuck at 6:08.

I've received it together with a non working model, and after I've fiddled a bit with the crown, I've managed to set it and now it works and sets properly. The display has a very good contrast and the numbers are crisp and bright, although I have to get used to the highly reflective panel, which is a pain to read when there's low light.

Here are the pictures of the watch. I'm wearing it since 4:00 PM and I'm amazed by its accuracy. I haven't been able to synchronize it perfectly to the UTC clock (due to the awkward setting procedure), but it's running at -15 seconds without losing or gaining nothing. Wonderful!

[Kasper]

congrats..one of the last working ones..make a movie...damn it's "la bella Italia"indeed

[vpn]

And the most ironical thing is that usually I can't find nothing interesting on the Italian Ebay, until suddenly that DSM popped out while I was searching for... A Timex Electric!

I'd love to make a video of the watch to show it working. I just have to find a good light condition in order to make the digits as visible as possible.

[simone]

great catch amico!
preserve it like the holy grail......

[vpn]

Definitely! I've measured its accuracy during these days: the watch seems to lose five second per day. It's not surprising due to its age, but it's not a problem for me, at least it works well and the segments are bright.

According to the seller, the watch was bought from a jeweller in Milan who closed some years ago. He used to be an authorized Avia dealer, but he didn't know how to fix it (it was permanently stuck at 6:08). Thanks God the watch was stuck in setting mode, and I've easily fixed it.

[Kasper]

does he have others?

[vpn]

It'd be a miracle if he has other ones!

[simone]

ohhhh Milan rules!

[SASM]

Such a nice watch! I want one, too!

[vpn]

Thank you Hanno, unfortunately yesterday the watch stopped working, along with the non working one that a friend of mine managed to bring back to life. Now I have not one, but two broken DSM watches, and I feel like I've wasted my money...

[Kasper]

i even buy these non working:-))

[dutchsiberia]

Are you 1000% sure it's not a connection problem or a dead battery? I bought a "broken" watch a few times, discovering the "new" battery was dead or it had a minor connection problem.

[richard_uk]

Also what type of battery are you using? These need a 1.55V silver oxide.

[vpn]

Hi friends, please forgive me if I didn't give you updates anymore about the Avia DSM. I didn't notice the new posts.

I hava a great news about the watches, because two days ago, I've tried to put a new battery into the watches, and after a couple of hours, the first watch (the one I used to wear) started working again. I've tried removing and reinstalling the battery to see if it would take the same amount of time in order to work again, but now it turns on immediately when you put the battery.

Besides that, the little issues that the watch had some months ago (such as segments disappearing randomly and fading if you'd squeeze the caseback) have disappeared. It's strange to see that the watch started working reliably after it apparently died two months ago.

I think it could've been a battery issue (I used an alkalyne AG13 battery before, now I'm using a Renata 357), and maybe I should've kept the battery inside the watch during these months, maybe the watch would've begun to work reliably in a shorter time. I've fixed the crown too.

Here's a picture of my Avia SGT Quartz finally working flawlessly. It keeps good time too! :)



The second one, which wasn't working (my friend was able to fix it but it wasn't very reliable) sprung back to life as well, although it took more time than the first one. Unlike the first watch, the second one works a bit erratically: all the segments but one are visible, and the apparently missing one is so dim that you can barely see it in counterlight. It also lacks a retaining screw which should keep the module firm into the case. However I think that a good cleanup of the module and the contacts would make that second DSM work properly.

At least the story had a good ending: I'm wearing the first watch since three days and it works flawlessly, without any gremlin, just like how it should've been 40 years ago. I love it!

[Kasper]

quick..take a movie/200 pictures...we love to see those digits change. Only a few working left. Maybe it's the Italian weather
very nice

[vpn]

Thank you Kasper, it's still working reliably after four days, I think now the old gramps finally woke up from his sleep. I should definitely make a movie, as soon as I get new batteries for my camera.