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What a nice Sub OTB.[emoji106]

Yours is definitely my favorite 5517 on the boards. Here is mine: It needs so much more work to be acceptable.

Crownartcustoms mk3 insert is the final detail...

On a tip from [mention=59902]hologramet[/mention], I purchased an insert from [mention=47967]Dlf[/mention]. What can I say, it’s amazing! Here it is now installed on my 5517. Thank you both guys!

This is such a quiet forum. I’m surprised this topic hasn't gotten any more love. I have lot of respect for OP in the work he does to other subs OP-after living with it for a month, has your impression changed? Have you noticed anything more--and is there anything you're itching to do to it? Warmly

Unfortunately for a vintage sm300 there is no rep option from the so common sources; case shape and dimensions, dial size, bezel shape and assembly, insert, etc... are all far away from the real mccoy. The only decent option is a vietnam rep, the most accurate I know. i found one in 2018 and share some pics of it (case has correct dimensions and made to fit a cal. 550 omega mvmt, 27.5mm dial, 60 click bidirectional bezel and a mil engraved caseback). It has gone through relume and dial ageing after a minor accident and is now waiting for a custom made plexi insert.

"You are in unicorn territory..." For sure. Used to be these projects could be put together for $2k or less. Not now, because of 'rolex insanity' and the fact that the $250 'go to' David Wong case has been MIA for years...along with DW. Also, V72 movements were put in many 'no name' watches that were selling for $300 to $500 back then. Not now. They have all been scooped up. Something else to consider...at today's prices it would be easy to sink $5k or $6k in a watch with your specs even if you went with an aftmkt dial. Imho that is a lot of $$ for a watch that anyone other than us (RWG etc guys) would not pay much more than $1000 for just to get the movement. I learned this with 1570/1520 powered 5512/13 Frankensteins. There are exceptions of course. If I wanted to 'scratch the itch' for a while, I would buy a cartel '6263' with a Seagull ST19 from 'Mary' or someone and wear it while I searched out the options and prices of putting one together. I recommended 'Mary' because my last purchase was a few 'foldoyster' bracelets...easy and trouble free. The other TDs are good too but I have not purchased anything from them in a while. Another option is to keep a lookout for one with V72 etc in the Trading Zone. Good luck!

From Phong, but it will cost you several thousand Dollars if you can find a dial, that might cost you into five figures alone, another two thousand for a movement. You are in unicorn territory and will likely spend a long time and a great deal of money acquiring parts

Today I got a true 'safe-queen'. This 16800 has been in a dry, dark safe for most of its life. I am amazed with the stability and color of the luminous. Luminous decay / patina has to deal with the phosphorous present in the Tritium mix. UV light bleaches the red phosphorous and leaves the luminous white. Based on the Rolex catalog photos I have seen, the original watches in the 1960s and 1970s left the Rolex factory with slightly tinted yellow markers. They darken or lighten over time based on the conditions in which they are stored. With so many variations of luminous applied to vintage watch dials, and multitude of conditions that the watches are exposed to, give us a vast array of results. Perhaps this is what draws us into the vintage realm. I prefer dark luminous, but some people strive for 'snow white' luminous. This is achieved by the watches being worn and exposed to sunlight. Here is a random assortment of watches and dials that I have owned in the past couple years...note: no two are alike!

Ruby’s insert is great. It does tend to turn purple-ish when bleached rather than charcoal-grey. So don’t over do it.