I think I've done it!

[stilty]

So after a good 8-9 months of waiting and sourcing, I think I've (almost) built the perfect franken! Almost I say as there is one weak link on the quest for perfection.

First off, please excuse the horrible photos! I don't have much time. I was lucky to find a few hours to get this built, let alone set up a photo shoot. So I shot this in my office in low light with flash and over exposed. The wife is in the other room and doesn't know what I am up to. You see, we are new parents, and I swore I would lay off the watch hobby for a while. But I couldn't resist.

Here's what I got.

Genuine 15200 case. near 95% mint! still has caseback sticker. the original owner placed a protective sticker over original 15200 sticker and it is mint.

Genuine silver dial, but in the photos, it has a crazy irradecent (sp?) glow! Can't explain it, but only a gen dial can do it.

Genuine date disc! Yes, GENUINE! The printing is unbelievable compared to aftermarket or rep.

I installed a new crown. Didn't replace the tube as the case is near new.

Genuine 78350 bracelet that is near 95 and super tight%

Movement is ETA 12892. New Old Stock from a Mido watch. Movement is 20 years old, but never used. I just had it completely overhauled and is running at +2 seconds. This is the 12.5''' version! Fits a genuine Rolex case perfectly. This movement is awesome! If you can find one, get one for your project. The sweep is so smooth, you can really feel the rotor move when you move the watch, and the best thing is, it manually winds so smooth and effortless, just like a gen.

The hands: Clark's aftermarker Tudor and the absolute weakest link! When you compare these hands to the whole project, they do not stand up. I'm going to have to install genuine hands. (yes, it can be done). I have a set of genuine hands and the finish is stunning! Side by side, the aftermarket look like [censored]. I just have to wait for some parts for the lathe.

Anyway, on to the photos (again sorry for the overexposed pics)

Here is a shot of the dial. yes over exposed! I set the date to the 7th, as my wife's birthday is Sept. 7 and I was planning on giving this to her then. notice the nice serif on the date disc.

Here is another shot of the dial. I now set it to the 24th as I realize that I won't be able to wait until her birthday and will give it to her in the morning!

Damn, those photos SUCK! It really is stunning to see in person!

Anyway, here is a shot of the caseback. The sticker is mint!

Here is a shot of the lovely movement! Notice how it sits so nicely in the case!

And another:

Here is a nice profile shot! I love a gen crystal!

And here is another! The crystal really pops in the sunlight! So beautiful! It really captures the light! (sorry you can't see it in my crappy photos)

Anyway, I probably should have waited to post this until I had the chance to take some decent photos, but I am to excited and if I give this to my wife tomorrow, I'll never have a chance to photograph it as I'm sure I will never get it off her writst.

And for reference, here is a pic of the genuine 15200 with silver dial... I really can't explain this dial, but it is very beautiful and it jumps out like crazy!

Hopefully I will have a chance to get some decent photos to try and capture the beauty of this watch. I must say this is a quality timepiece and I feel proud to give this to my wife. Without an extremely thorough inspection, she will never get called out as a franken or rep.

[docblackrock]

Good find, the 12892 is a great movt but in the DJ case, I would imagine you needed to use a spacer ring?

Also I'm a bit confused, a modern gen date disc (looks like modern font so c.3055 or 3155?) apart from not fitting a 12892 well, would not change dates in the right CCW direction. Or am I missing something?

[Heywood]

Congratulations on a job well done!

That's a very nice piece. I've been keeping my eyes open for a 12892 for a while to go in a 16200 datejust case, hope I'll be as lucky with that project as you've been with yours. These project watches always look better with only genuine parts showing.

I'm sure your wife will love it!

[dieselpower]

Great looking watch, very classy. I hope your wife enjoys wearing it - lucky lady!

[stilty]

Thanks everyone for the kind words.

I ended up giving the watch to my wife this morning and she loves it! The 34mm case fits her nicely and is perfect for the woman who doesn't want a small watch, nor be bogged down by a big beast either.

Here are a couple of nicer shots taken in natural light.

I just love the movement. high quality and finely finished. genuine swiss made.

Here is a wrist shot: My wife likes to wear the watch a little loose.

and here is my daughter after she grabbed the watch from my wife. She is developing good taste in fine watches!

She loves the taste of genuine 904L Stainless Steel

I will have to swap out the hands for genuine as the aftermarket do not match the White Gold dial markers. Definately can notice in the sunlight.

@ doc, I used a genuine 3135 date disc and mounted it on top of the 12892 date disc as an overlay. They both advance in the same direction. The 3035 and previous calibers, (with the exception of the 3055) advanced the date opposite to ETA. Also, no spacer ring needed to fit movement in the case. it is 12.5''', same diameter as 3135. Only spacer ring is between dial and movement to align the stem.

[docblackrock]

@ doc, I used a genuine 3135 date disc and mounted it on top of the 12892 date disc as an overlay. They both advance in the same direction. The 3035 and previous calibers, (with the exception of the 3055) advanced the date opposite to ETA. Also, no spacer ring needed to fit movement in the case. it is 12.5''', same diameter as 3135. Only spacer ring is between dial and movement to align the stem.

I meant a spacer for the stem alignment, thanks for confirming - also allows you to use DW as overlay without issues.

[stilty]

I meant a spacer for the stem alignment, thanks for confirming - also allows you to use DW as overlay without issues.

yes, you can use overlay with no problem as the spacer allows enough clearance for genuine date disc. The tolerance is very tight though. spacer ring is .25mm. Genuine date disc is .19mm thick. Only a difference of .06mm! just enough room for it to fit! Or if you are worried about space, the luenfat date overlay is only .09mm so you have a little more room to work with.

[maxmilian]

Very very nice !, I also have started to source for a franken Datejust

[alligoat]

Very nice job stilty, I'm a big fan of Rolex Date watches- clean lines, nice ss case and bracelet. You've done a great job and fitting an 12892 in there is neat. Congratulations.

[rosnik]

Stilty,

your work it's PROFY!!

I'm just one bit invidious.........

I hope to mod. my 12892 too soon too.

Thank you for your help!

[rosnik]

Stilty,

One question for you please.

How do you get GEN hands on ETA movement?

[stilty]

Stilty,

One question for you please.

How do you get GEN hands on ETA movement?

I posted something a while back, but for some reason, I don't think it is up anymore?

You have to modify the hour wheel and cannon pinion to fit the hands. The ETA hour wheel is 1.50mm and the Genuine rolex hour hand is 1.40mm. Best to find a watchmaker with a lathe who can reduce the diameter of the hour wheel. Or you can do it yourself.

For the cannon pinion, the tip diamaeter is .90mm and the tube is .97mm. Genuine Minute hand is .95mm. You can either try to reduce the gen hand hole size to fit eta cannon pinion. Or, you can order a longer cannon pinion, cut off the tip, and reduce tube diameter to .95 on a lathe. For the sweep second hand, so far the only way I've found to fit, is to broach the genuine hole from .22 to .25mm to fit eta 4th wheel.

it all depends on what you feel comfortable doing, but it can be done.

[guanaco]

Great job stilty, love the watch!

[rosnik]

I posted something a while back, but for some reason, I don't think it is up anymore?

You have to modify the hour wheel and cannon pinion to fit the hands. The ETA hour wheel is 1.50mm and the Genuine rolex hour hand is 1.40mm. Best to find a watchmaker with a lathe who can reduce the diameter of the hour wheel. Or you can do it yourself.

For the cannon pinion, the tip diamaeter is .90mm and the tube is .97mm. Genuine Minute hand is .95mm. You can either try to reduce the gen hand hole size to fit eta cannon pinion. Or, you can order a longer cannon pinion, cut off the tip, and reduce tube diameter to .95 on a lathe. For the sweep second hand, so far the only way I've found to fit, is to broach the genuine hole from .22 to .25mm to fit eta 4th wheel.

it all depends on what you feel comfortable doing, but it can be done.

Thank you for advice Stilty!

Can you explain me were are the 'visual' differences from GEN hands and Eta like GEN hands.

MBW they appear to be the same!

[stilty]

Thank you for advice Stilty!

Can you explain me were are the 'visual' differences from GEN hands and Eta like GEN hands.

MBW they appear to be the same!

It is all in the finishing. There is no comparison. Highly polished white gold compared to regular polished steel.

And with the mercedes style hands, the genuine hands are slightly domed and the rep hands are flat or bevelled.

[rosnik]

Thank you Stilty,

now I now were to point my view...........

[LordRasta]

Congrats! Should get you a week or two of newlywedness. A gen gets you the same week or two.

[docblackrock]

It is all in the finishing. There is no comparison. Highly polished white gold compared to regular polished steel.

And with the mercedes style hands, the genuine hands are slightly domed and the rep hands are flat or bevelled.

Well you have a better eye than I. You can honestly spot that a mile off on tiny hands? Without a loupe? Really? IMO the main visible (naked eye) difference between new gen hands and reps is simply the lume.

Comparing WG and polished SS on say a DD president bracelet, is another matter. WG has a distinctive difference in colour.

[stilty]

I guess I'm too picky, but when you do look at them, there is a difference, and the fact that I know, bothers me. I'm sure the average person would not be able to tell, unless it was pointed out, or they compared side by side. What is an easy comparison is the difference in color between the hands and WG dial markers. The rep hands are too white, while the WG are softer. I've compared the gen hands to the markers and they match in color and finish. Definately under a loupe there is a huge difference. The Gen are perfectly polished and finished (as long as one never, ever touches them with their fingers), while the rep hands have a lot of imperfections. also, the minute hand on the rep is a bit too long and extends past the dial markers. I have a gen set of date hands that I will install one day.