I got dem ol' Racer J39 Blues again Mama!
Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2021 1:44 pm
(With apologies to the late Janis Joplin) .... I've also got black hands and thick crystal vision.
Rightfully, I should have added this as another update to the Racer J39 'Spanish Inquisition' thread on the old forum last year, but events and other priorities overtook me. To better understand the context, it would be helpful if you've previously read my posts on page 4 of that thread, regarding the first Racer J39028-70 I bought, off Spanish classifieds site Milanuncios, way back in November 2014. That watch had an incorrect replacement crystal fitted (which had been rather messily glued in). As this was the first example of this range of dressy J39 model variants I'd ever seen, so didn't know any better, I effectively replaced the 31.0mm Ø x 1.0mm thick flat round crystal with 'like for like' - using a Cousins 'cheapie' generic with a more pronounced bevelled edge. I was quite pleased with the way it turned out.
It wasn't until about 18 months later, in April and June 2016, when I first bought an Orient J39930-70 (which had been messed about with) and then an unmolested almost NOS condition Racer J39029-70, that I realized my novice mistake.
The correct original crystal for these watches is not flat, but slightly domed with a flat bottom. The problem in finding a suitable generic replacement is that the watch case's mounting flange is very shallow (being only about 0.5mm deep).
When I placed my next order with Cousins, I tacked on one of their p/n DF300CMH310 domed flat bottomed crystals, which was the closest thing I could find. Although most of the dimensions and proportions are right, the sidewall depth is 1.0mm, whereas it needs to be 0.5mm. After some deliberation, I decided against fitting it to my original J39028-70 and left it as was with the incorrect replacement flat crystal.
Rightfully, I should have added this as another update to the Racer J39 'Spanish Inquisition' thread on the old forum last year, but events and other priorities overtook me. To better understand the context, it would be helpful if you've previously read my posts on page 4 of that thread, regarding the first Racer J39028-70 I bought, off Spanish classifieds site Milanuncios, way back in November 2014. That watch had an incorrect replacement crystal fitted (which had been rather messily glued in). As this was the first example of this range of dressy J39 model variants I'd ever seen, so didn't know any better, I effectively replaced the 31.0mm Ø x 1.0mm thick flat round crystal with 'like for like' - using a Cousins 'cheapie' generic with a more pronounced bevelled edge. I was quite pleased with the way it turned out.
It wasn't until about 18 months later, in April and June 2016, when I first bought an Orient J39930-70 (which had been messed about with) and then an unmolested almost NOS condition Racer J39029-70, that I realized my novice mistake.
The correct original crystal for these watches is not flat, but slightly domed with a flat bottom. The problem in finding a suitable generic replacement is that the watch case's mounting flange is very shallow (being only about 0.5mm deep).
When I placed my next order with Cousins, I tacked on one of their p/n DF300CMH310 domed flat bottomed crystals, which was the closest thing I could find. Although most of the dimensions and proportions are right, the sidewall depth is 1.0mm, whereas it needs to be 0.5mm. After some deliberation, I decided against fitting it to my original J39028-70 and left it as was with the incorrect replacement flat crystal.