3130 with solid segment display

[corona with lime]

Is there any way that a 3130 could have been supplied with a solid segment rather than dot display? Factory service?

[digibloke]

This monster of a thread covers your question if you can get through it...

http://dwf.nu/viewtopic.php?t=979&highl ... ankenstein

Cheers. DB

[bruce wegmann]

The two 3130s I have bought in the last three years both had the original, standard, dot-segment display modules. I also have two Date/Commands [one in stainless, the other goldfill] that have bar-segment displays [and I got the stainless one from its' original owner]. They contain P3 movement rings [the black plastic part] that have had P4 or Dress module electronics grafted onto them. There are a few complications; the module may or may not be Auto-Set [since both the Dress and P4 models came in both magnet and Auto-Set versions], but both my P3s also have the Auto-Command [flick-of-wrist] feature, so the donor electronics are definitely P4. A lot of controversy has raged in the past about the legitimacy of these watches, mostly over how many there are, and how well they are put together. I personally think that, given the number that are known to exist, and the fact that they are reasonably well done [seriously, I have seen P1 modules that were sloppier], it is implausible that they are all the product of some isolated basement workshop, but were done as factory repairs shortly before or after the doors closed forever at Time Computer. To borrow a movie line, "Records of those times are fragmentary, at best". Most of the company records were lost when Time Computer was sold to Rhapsody, and more when Seiko bought what was left after that. Given the historical significance of Time Computer as the first digital watch, this is almost a tragedy. You can send a model and serial number to Colt Firearms, and they can tell you year of manufacture of your gun back to the 1830s, but Pulsar records are less complete than the Dead Sea scrolls. There is probably a fair amount of information that has been lost beyond retrieval, so there are a lot of things we will never be absolutely sure about...

[The Time Computer]

it is implausible that they are all the product of some isolated basement workshop, but were done as factory repairs shortly before or after the doors closed forever at Time Computer. Most of the company records were lost when Time Computer was sold to Rhapsody, and more when Seiko bought what was left after that.

Here we go again!

Rhapsody had nothing . . . . no, ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with this issue! When Time Computer, Inc. was desolved (not bankrupted) Rhapsody purchased all of the ?Completed? stock (only boxed product ready to sell) and the Time Computer and Pulsar registered trademarks. They also got all the patent rights too only to later sell the trademarks and patents to Seiko. The Time Computer, Inc. ?company? was not sold to anyone! Seiko also has NOTHING to due with this issue either as they only got trademarks and patent rights in their transaction, NOT watches! Actually there is a much more complex history to this that someday, when I have time, will reveal. For now, corona with Lime, please read back through what I have previously submitted to this forum and make the determination for your self, please.

"Factory Repairs"? . . . there was only ONE SINGLE factory ?authorized? Service Center! I have painfully researched this for years and numerous times provided this forum with the FACTS of my research. You and others are entitled to your opinions but should be stated in that context. Novice collectors and interested parties visiting this forum will just be confused with these rumors from the facts! I ask, if these watches, as you say were ?Factory Authorized? then who cobbled them together? Are there ANY facts to support your theory?

Were there others who use to work for TC that could have put these together, certainly, as I explain in my previous posts. They used ?Stolen? parts and were NOT authorized so are these watches we see authentic?. . . ABSOLUTLEY NOT! These watches are a product of desperation and in some cases, greed! By implicating that these watches are authentic in any way may cause a novice collector to buy one of these non-original P3 watches believing they are as valuable as the originals, and that bothers me. I think I can speak for most collectors and say they would never pay as much for one of the ?Frankenstein? P3 watches. Are they a great wearable P3, in my opinion, yes but the value is in question.

I will offer one of my sources, just this one alone will erase all these rumors. Anyone can put this to bed by contacting Eddie Radcliff who owned and operated the ONLY factory ?authorized? Service Center! His son, Greg is selling NOS Pulsars on eBay, he can ask his father to confirm that none of these Frankenstein P3 watches came from his father's service center!

Dennis L. Klein

[corona with lime]

digibloke

thanx for the referal to a very interesting thread. Bruce, your observations also are a helpful response.

I have noticed from participation on other forums addressing other subjects that new members are sometimes regarded as second class citizens because they ask questions that have been addressed previously. It's refreshing that some of the members of dwf are willing to assist with novice questions and be patient with beginners seeking basic information. Thank you all for your responses.