P2 Questions

[charger105]

Hi all.
I recently bought a GF P2 on ebay. However it has a stainless back, with just a serial number, and "Stainless Steel" written on it. Is this usual ? Shouldn't it have a GF back ?

Also, the "Positive Side Up" sticker in the battery compartment is a gold colour. Is this normal, or has it discoloured due to battery leakage ?

Last question......The buckle has "Champion" written on it, not "Time Computer Inc.". Is this normal ?

I got it in a job lot, for next to nothing, and it's a worker ! So I'm wrapped about that. I've been looking at P2s for a while, but working units are normally too pricey for me.

Tks&Rgds,
Andrew.

[azimuth_pl]

hello,

a gf P2 or P3 should have a gf back - only the ring remains ss.
only gf Hamiltons had ss backs.
the stickers were painted gold in the early modules so this is normal.
and champion also is normal as JB and Champion were all key suppliers of bracelets. I'm not sure if they also used Admiral.
Later Japanese solid ss bracelets were made by Bear and has Time Computer on the inner clasp.

[notonly1]

It seems to be the general consensus among many led collectors that all GF P2's had goldfilled backs, but that's not correct. The Pulsar P2 model 2975 had a 14k goldfilled case and bracelet and a stainless steel back.

[azimuth_pl]

well, it seems you're right but what is more curious is that the # 2975 had (from oldpulsars.com) a 14kt Gold Case/Steel Back, 14kt Gold-filled Bracelet.
that's a strange mix - solid gold case with a stainless back ????

Andrew (charger105) - what's the serial number? and check if the case is very "hollow" inside (not thick) which would mean that you got yourself a solid gold watch

[notonly1]

I would like to correct an error in my posting that I notice in Azimuth's last posting. I stated that the 2975 had a 14k goldfilled case. I didn't read carefully enough. It indeed has a 14k solid gold case with a GF bracelet. Thanks.

[charger105]

Thanks for the info gentlemen. Obviously I'd be very happy if this turned out to be solid gold. I would've thought it would be marked in some way though ? Of course someone could've just put a stainless back on a GF model at some stage.

I'm not sure what the inside of a GF P2 case looks like.....I've never seen one before....it looks fairly "hollowed-out" though. See below. If anyone thinks this looks "hollow", please say so.






Rgds,
Andrew.

[retroleds]

Andrew - that is a solid gold one! The four posts are the give-away. You lucky dog!! Darn shame the back went missing. As a complete unit it could draw some nice money. Stainless is nice and clean for a back though...and a solid gold case means never worrying about it "brassing" thru, even if you fall dead-drunk against a brick wall and scrape it to all hell(well, that's one of my excuses for owning a solid).

[charger105]

Wow ! What a piece of luck. Thanks for the response.
Couldn't it be the original back, though ? Apparently the 2975 was solid gold with a stainless back. I'll post the serial number from the back later today if that means anything to anybody.

Rgds.

[notonly1]

Well it seems the deciding factor would be the bracelet. The #2975 had the goldfilled bracelet and the #2980 (the only other solid gold P2 with a bracelet) had the solid gold bracelet. If yours has a goldfilled bracelet then it's a #2975 with the original stainless steel back.

[azimuth_pl]

hooray! congratulations Andrew
your balance is a minimum +500$ above the purchase price if you bought it for the average ebay price. (what was it btw? )
this would be a rare model and it might be possible that the caseback is original with only Stainless Steel and SN# written on it.
btw. why would TC produce a solid gold watch with a steel back? a version for the "poor"?

if you don't think this caseback is original then what would an original one be stamped with? "14K Gold case, Stainless Steel back"?

[charger105]

Thanks Piotr.
It's a sweet score. I was wrapped to get a working module, but to get a gold case as well is awesome.

I bought it delivered to Oz for about $120 with another low end LED watch. He said the low end model didn't work, but couldn't test the Pulsar because he couldn't find batteries. Since he was honest about the low end watch, I thought it was worth a chance on the Pulsar. I didn't know it had a SS back until it arrived. BTW, the low end watch is dead, so it's not all rosey !

I was wondering myself why they would produce a SS back. Perhaps a gold back is too soft, and prone to dents ? But the 18K all gold models have solid gold backs, so I really don't know.

The serial number on the SS back is 14826. The bracelet is definately GF, so it looks like a 2975 model.

Thanks to all for their input.
Rgds,
Andrew.

[retroleds]

why would TC produce a solid gold watch with a steel back? a version for the "poor"?

The cost difference would have been negligable(maybe $30-40 worth of gold in a back even at today's prices), so maybe it was for people with metal allergies/sensitivities - the alloy metals for yellow gold are mainly copper and zinc, both of which are poorly tolerate by many people.

[azimuth_pl]

yep, that allergy-thing also came to my mind. but the bracelet was gold(filled) so the skin would still have constant contact with gold
well, this way or another, perhaps this is an original caseback as they might have used generic steel backs due to a possible low demand for such strange variations and even maybe Pulsar jewelers were told to swap the backs on such watches for the sensitive customers on the day of the sale

[homergreg]

Pulsar made a model with a solid gold face, a stainless steel back, and a gold filled band. It was P2 model #2975. Look at http://www.oldpulsars.com in the models area on the P2 page and you will find mention of it!

[retroleds]

yep, that allergy-thing also came to my mind. but the bracelet was gold(filled) so the skin would still have constant contact with gold

YEah, I admit it is marginal theory - maybe the larger contact of the back is more of an offender for the sensitive skinned? Is kind of odd. Maybe one of our Pulsar experts will have an answer/theory.

[azimuth_pl]

thanks homergreg, we already covered that.
the question is if the 2975 had a clearly and fully signed steel back ("14KGold, Steel back") or just a generic like the one on Andrew's P2?

[homergreg]

Ack, how could is miss the posts about the #2975? I'm guessing that any production information from Time Computer linking serial numbers to watches is lost.

[bruce wegmann]

The 2975 is a bit of an oddball watch; along with the 3115, the only situations where Time Computer mixed solid gold and stainless steel. Sorry to disagree with notonly1, but the definitive part of this watch is the caseback, specially marked "14K Gold Bezel Stainless Steel Back", so it would not properly go on any other watch. Also, the serial number could serve to distinguish between P2 and P3 watches; a P2 would have a five-digit number [and likely a low one...mine is 11262], while a P3 would certainly have a six-digit one. Both of these are very rare watches, possibly scarcer than [though not as valuable as] their fully-solid-gold counterparts [over the last four years, they have certainly shown up on eBay far less frequently than the solid gold versions].

[digibloke]

Charger105. Just curious - does your watch have the early P2 module in it (with the light sensor horizontal to the display and "curly/swirly" battery contacts) or the later which went on to be the P3 module (with the light sensor vertical and standard battery contacts)?

I'll bet it's the early one. But I've had a lousy day so i could be wrong...

[charger105]

The module is the early one with the curly/swirly contacts and the light sensor under the display.

So Bruce, are you saying that the caseback of mine is likely not the original ? It has an early serial number---14826 ?

Rgds,
Andrew.

[notonly1]

The 2975 is a bit of an oddball watch; along with the 3115, the only situations where Time Computer mixed solid gold and stainless steel. Sorry to disagree with notonly1, but the definitive part of this watch is the caseback, specially marked "14K Gold Bezel Stainless Steel Back".

Bruce,
Are you saying that charger105 has the wrong back? Do you know for a fact that the caseback on a #2975 should say "14K Gold Bezel Stainless Steel Back"? Have you seen one?

[bruce wegmann]

Better than seen one; have one. Absolutely full, original package...boxes, papers, etc. Even the hang-tag is identically marked. Can send a pic to anyone interested; they can re-post it to this Forum if they wish.