tomhorn

My best piece of advice is research first. There are many ways to franken build almost any Rolex, but the key to success is figuring out your plan BEFORE you start buying parts. The worst thing you can do is start buying things without fully understanding what you need, and how far you plan to take the franken.

You will also learn a lot from those who came before you (automatico's post is a prime example). Things like which gen parts fit, which parts aren't worth it, which aftermarket movements will fit your case, or need to be modified.  All of these things (and many more) can make or break your projects.

With respect to Rolex frankens, I am generally not in favor of using gen cases or movements due to costs. Quite frankly, pretty much all Rolex parts are getting expensive and difficult to come by. We're rapidly getting to the place where the current Rolex reps are about to cross the rubicon into being as good as you need from a value proposition given the exponential prices of gen parts. I'm still sitting on a vintage Daytona project that just needs a v72. Have been looking on and off for years to find one not priced insanely. I may never get to it.

 

If you check my signature for my 6263 build, you will find a few posts with vintage brands that contained v72 movements, and a few caliber references.

Unfortunately, "reasonable" is a relative term now ...

Ubi built a couple of stunners back in the day. His 530 chronograph was a work of art.

Mine was the 5514 that I sold to Nanuq not long before he passed. A bit bittersweet now, but I knew it was going to a good home.

On 12/27/2022 at 6:02 PM, freddy333 said:

 

I have no direct experience with VSFs, but, based on the positive reviews I have read & my 1st hand experience with these A4130-powered Daytonas, I think you made the correct choice.

 

If you want to cross all of the t's, invest in a gen dial/handset & balance/bridge & you will not have to look (for the gen) at all. Your VSF's look/feel/performance should then match it.

Oh & congratulations on the sale.

It's awfully good out of the box.

On 12/23/2022 at 3:22 PM, freddy333 said:

Is it smart to be forced to wait years & play games to buy 'gens' at crazy prices or is the smart 1 the person who buys a (clone-powered) fake for a fraction of the cost & without any of the wait/games? 

I have wanted to buy a gen 126610LV since I first saw one as a way to celebrate my selling off one of my companies. The resellers are asking way too much of a premium for me (at one point near double MSRP), and despite asking dealers everywhere I travel to even get on a "list", I can't buy one.

So I bought a VSF, and honestly I'm not looking as hard anymore. From your pictures, the CF Daytona looks like it might be that good too.

As I alluded to in the other thread, all Rolex needs to do is produce enough watches to be in the reasonable ballpark of demand and the flippers won't be able to turn enough profit to keep doing it.

This move doesn't really help (especially with people getting ripped off by buying a replica they thought was real), because the watch can't be certified until 3 years old.

And now Rolex is doing this .... I guess they are getting tired of the second hand market going to others instead of their dealers.

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/rolex-officially-enters-secondary-market-160000708.html

17 hours ago, freddy333 said:

Though, to be fair, here is the official word on the subject from Rolex --
'The scarcity of our products is not a strategy on our part. Our current production cannot meet the existing demand in an exhaustive way, at least not without reducing the quality of our watches – something we refuse to do as the quality of our products must never be compromised. This level of excellence requires time, and as we have always done, we will continue to take the necessary time to ensure that all our watches not only comply with our standards of excellence, but also meet the expectations of our customers in terms of quality, reliability and robustness. Rolex does not compromise on what it takes to produce exceptional watches.
All Rolex watches are developed and produced in-house at our four sites in Switzerland. They are assembled by hand, with extreme care, to meet the brand's unique and high-quality standards of quality, performance and aesthetics. Understandably, this naturally restricts our production capacities – which we continue to increase as much as possible and always according to our quality criteria.
Finally, it should be noted that Rolex watches are available exclusively from official retailers, who independently manage the allocation of watches to customers.'
Why the Rolex watch shortage is a 'perfect storm'

Laughable. They can hire enough people to build as many as they want. The problem is that if they built enough to keep up with demand, they become another Omega or Tag Heuer, and then they aren't "special" anymore.

The last part is correct though. The AD's aren't doing them any favors. Case in point, I have a good friend that used to live in the midwest before he moved to Florida. He was back in his old hometown, and walked into the local AD that he had bought a Daytona from 20+ years ago. When asked if the AD had anything in stock, he was initially told no, that everything they had allocated was already spoken for and there was a waiting list for everything. Friend asked if he could get on the list for a Sub, was told it would be years, so he asked if there was a list for a YachtMaster II and was told yes. After wandering around the store and talking about watches in general, the AD walks into the back room and produces a YMII and tells him it's his if he wants it. No Rolexes on display, and everything was allocated, to here's a YMII if you want it.

On 11/23/2022 at 1:17 PM, freddy333 said:

I can see both sides. Still, with impetus from the ever-willing/improving Asian Switzerland, I think the brands are creating a rift between themselves & their buyers, which is never a good thing. Making gen ownership more difficult while the Asians are making their copies more accurate -- both aesthetically & functionally -- cheaper & accessible cannot end well for the brands. Any of them, including Rolex.

Amen. I can't tell you how many AD's I have gone to trying to purchase a 126610LV. Most wouldn't even put me on a list. Resellers have had the market drop on them a bit, but it's still a 50-60% markup over MSRP.

I bought a VSF, originally just as a placeholder. After getting it and wearing it regularly, I have stopped looking to buy the gen. The VSF is close enough, and a very good watch in it's own right.

Maybe TC was the smart one. Go to the top level rep factories, get them to custom build you a high quality version of a popular rep, changing out enough parts to get past the "copyright/patent" issues. Sell them at higher than rep price, but less than a name brand gen.

Ubiquitous built one with a v72. I would search for his posts on the subject.

You can also start here, but there are also plenty of other posts on using a v23.

Very sorry for your loss. Your Dad was a great member, and was a pleasure to deal with. The Rolex 5514 in his collection came from me and I can't imagine parting with it to a finer guy. RIP Nanuq, you will be missed ...

You will be hard pressed to find a franken. Watch is too new (and not really being produced in any quantity) so parts are extremely hard to come by and expensive when you can find them.

The VSF and Clean Factory reps are great out of the box.

17 hours ago, Nanuq said:

Try searching for an early MBW band too, they were REALLY good.

Yes, they were about as good as they got. Rare to find now, but I was lucky enough to find one for my 5514 build.

49 minutes ago, kidcreole said:

I just got a 1971 Roamer Stinger with valjoux 72 for US$1100! 

That was a steal.

Ubi always wins the day .... :D

TC has been gone for a long time, so a M2M sale is going to be your only option. 

There is a sales section, with rules for selling.

https://rwg.cc/forum/352-watches/

That watch looks somewhat familiar .... improving it already .... 

On 12/25/2020 at 12:52 PM, PP5712 said:

Thx all,valjoux 730 build 6263 is best?

The Valjoux 730 has a calendar complication, which would require modifications to work on a Daytona build. It is not your best option.

From a cost/availability standpoint, your best option for a Valjoux movement would be the base Valjoux 72 movement, as opposed to the Valjoux 726 you mentioned in your OP.

If you want to read more about building a franken Daytona, you can start with my build post (linked in my signature). The start looking at other's build threads. A lot of people have taken on a Valjoux 72 based Daytona build, and there is a lot of good information in them.

Fine watches. Fine people. Our slogan says it all.

If a member can't live by that, then they should be gone.

According to his post on RG, $195.

https://www.repgeek.com/straps-and-watch-parts/274173-fs-rolex-explorer-1016-v2-set.html

+1 Nanuq.

If you are looking to retain value, a vintage Rolex that you like is the best answer. Unfortunately, there just aren't that many watches that hold their value (or increase) like a vintage Rolex.

Or buy something that doesn't cost nearly that much so you don't have to worry about it, and use the rest of the money for something else. Based on some of your description above, something like an Omega 3573.50 would fit the bill. You can get it with the Mitsukoshi panda dial, and it has an exhibition caseback with an interesting movement. That dial is rare, and you should be able to find one for under $5,000.

Too bad the pictures are gone, but lhooq did a thorough comparison awhile back.  He thought the Sternkreuz was the best of the aftermarkets. I have a gen in mine, but it wasn't an "economical" build ....