• Take 30 seconds to register your free account to access deals, post topics, and view exclusive content!

    Register Today

    Join the largest Oakley Forum on the web!

New to the Watch Game / MM Questions

pupusasrock

I should Work at Oakley
548
1,343
USA
Having been a fan of Oakley for many years I have decided to try out a minute machine watch. This will be my first Oakley watch. Anyway, I have a few questions I am hoping the forum can answer for me.

1. The watch itself (time) works, but the date is not working right. Is there someone on the forum that repairs watches? If not are there recommendations on where to get it repaired?
2. The model I purchased has a leather band, what do the original TI bands go for these days? I will request one on the exchange at some point, but just looking to see what I would spend.
3. When I looked up this watch on O-review I realized it is called Time Tank on there. I don't know the history of this watch, but why do some call it TT and others MM?

Thanks!
 
1, Most jewelers can do this, but there are members who can replace the movement as well. Cost - $250 to $350
2, $400 to $550 for the metal band. Make sure it has the proper links to attach to the watch itself.
3, It was called Time Tank at first and then another watch brand (Cartier, I think) sued as they own the name "Tank" for any watches...then they became the Minute Machine.
 
Having been a fan of Oakley for many years I have decided to try out a minute machine watch. This will be my first Oakley watch. Anyway, I have a few questions I am hoping the forum can answer for me.

1. The watch itself (time) works, but the date is not working right. Is there someone on the forum that repairs watches? If not are there recommendations on where to get it repaired?
2. The model I purchased has a leather band, what do the original TI bands go for these days? I will request one on the exchange at some point, but just looking to see what I would spend.
3. When I looked up this watch on O-review I realized it is called Time Tank on there. I don't know the history of this watch, but why do some call it TT and others MM?

Thanks!
1. Depending on the face some some of the different colored date dials are more costly to Fix And harder to come by...
2. Your honestly better off trying to find a mm with the ti band for cheap and swapping bands and reselling the watch after swapped if you have a more desirable face.
3. what @Atticus said plus there are some slight differences between the two models.
 



Pricy, I know
 
I’ll chime in here. The movement itself needs replacement . The movement can be sourced for around 75-110$ usd

Any competent jeweler should be able to swap it out for less then 100$ IMO. Mine personally charges me next to nothing.

Should be looking to spend around 200$.

I agree with @oakman1992 buying a band might be tough to source. The price you would likely pay should be around 500-550.

If you shoot me a PM. I might be able to help ya out.

Cheers buddy
 
@pupusasrock

The movement is a Ronda 5040.B. Make sure it is the “Swiss Made” version. There’s one that is identified as a “Swiss parts” but only has 6 jewel movement. The Swiss Made is a 13 Jewel.

The date wheel should have a black background with white numbering. There are cheaper movements with a white background and black lettering, but these were not used for Minute Machines. Only the Yellow, or Brazil Edition Minute Machine has a different date wheel, with black background and yellow numbering.

The Time Tanks have “Oakley - Swiss Made” engraved on the right side of the watch face.

BC85F886-0F95-4C59-A81E-2902CC166E3E.jpeg


Minute Machines have “Oakley” on the Left, and “Swiss Made” on the right in raised lettering.

1A32EA7E-D3C9-4398-9470-EF593180E17D.jpeg
 
The Time Tanks have “Oakley - Swiss Made” engraved on the right side of the watch face.

View attachment 688333

Minute Machines have “Oakley” on the Left, and “Swiss Made” on the right in raised lettering.

View attachment 688334

There are OMM with the first dial layouts. The truth is the transition from the name Time Tank to Minute Machine occurred due to legal reasons, happened relatively quickly, and wasn’t commemorated with any real changes other than the label on the box and marketing artifacts. Somewhere along the line a collector represented a change in the dial represented a changed in the watch’s name, but that was an entirely false assumption that has been spread through the years. One of many falsehoods in the hobby,
 
There are OMM with the first dial layouts. The truth is the transition from the name Time Tank to Minute Machine occurred due to legal reasons, happened relatively quickly, and wasn’t commemorated with any real changes other than the label on the box and marketing artifacts. Somewhere along the line a collector represented a change in the dial represented a changed in the watch’s name, but that was an entirely false assumption that has been spread through the years. One of many falsehoods in the hobby,

So it’s safe to say one with the first version of the watch face could also be a Minute Machine, but not visa versa. It sounded like a good story. :) Thanks for the clarification.

Only a real “Time Tank” can be validated with original packaging.

5F678447-D4FF-49B9-992B-FBF9422BA5E9.jpeg
 
Thanks everyone for their responses, especially @mustangjt for the info on the Ronda 5040.B . That allowed me to do some searching.

So this is what have done the past week. I purchased a second MM with TI band and I took it all apart last night and cleaned and polished each link. Put it all back together today.

A couple more questions.

First, when I reassembled the band I was tightening one of the screws and the screw head completely snapped off. :eek: So now I have a stuck screw. Is this a common occurrence with these bands or do I just have bad luck. I am not sure how of if I can recover from this, but my guess is it would have to be drilled out or something similar if I needed to replace that link, and the link would be ruined.

Second, the other MM I purchased is completely working, and I actually like the face on it more than the other one. So here comes my question on selling. If I sell the extra watch face, which works other than the broken day indicator, should I sell it as is, or should I repair it and then sell it? In other words, if I spend $200 on repairs, will I even make that back if I had just sold it broken?

Finally, is there a good place to get the black movement? I only found a couple on Ebay for about $100, but didn't see them any other place. All websites I found had the white ones.

Thanks for the help everyone, I have been wearing my watch most of the day and love it so far!
 
Thanks everyone for their responses, especially @mustangjt for the info on the Ronda 5040.B . That allowed me to do some searching.

So this is what have done the past week. I purchased a second MM with TI band and I took it all apart last night and cleaned and polished each link. Put it all back together today.

A couple more questions.

First, when I reassembled the band I was tightening one of the screws and the screw head completely snapped off. :eek: So now I have a stuck screw. Is this a common occurrence with these bands or do I just have bad luck. I am not sure how of if I can recover from this, but my guess is it would have to be drilled out or something similar if I needed to replace that link, and the link would be ruined.

Second, the other MM I purchased is completely working, and I actually like the face on it more than the other one. So here comes my question on selling. If I sell the extra watch face, which works other than the broken day indicator, should I sell it as is, or should I repair it and then sell it? In other words, if I spend $200 on repairs, will I even make that back if I had just sold it broken?

Finally, is there a good place to get the black movement? I only found a couple on Ebay for about $100, but didn't see them any other place. All websites I found had the white ones.

Thanks for the help everyone, I have been wearing my watch most of the day and love it so far!

were you able to separate the link with the busted screw from the band? Gotta take It easy when tightening. Factory screws are fragile.

why not get if fixed and keep it :) I don’t think you’d be able to pass the full cost of repair onto the buyer.

I have only seen and purchased the movement with the black date wheel from the eBay seller from Cypress.
 
Back
Top