denimhead

Beautiful B, Very nice indeed. Now go and hit it with a brick and swim with the fishes 

Good Afternoon Zaza,

Did the chap give you any indication of age? The tritium pearl looks almost NOS, i would certainly say the insert looks Gen to me and the font looks too thick to be a service item so that's good news. While the bezel looks quite well worn. The friction ring looks brand new and un used? Could it be a mixture of parts?

Cheers DH

Very Nice indeed R, always listen to the Boss in your life. I tend to find they're never wrong, even when they are

Regarding the dial size, the case is desiged for a Gen spec dial at around 26mm. I bought a Helenarou glossy dial and had to reduce it as it was 28mm. If I'd known then I'd have used an ingod one.

Cheers DH

I'd suggest Watchmakers Hypo Cement, it seals very well. If not go with Pete's suggestion and grab the silicon 

Have a word with Ken at Raffles Time, he has them at a very reasonable price

Cheers DH

Not too sure about what appear to be swirl marks on the sides, but, otherwise, well done.

Yeah not sure what that is Fred, i'll get the cape cod out tonight

Looks great.  What is the link to the Tiger cases?

Here you go mate www.tiger-concept.com

Well you know how it goes with Vintage Rolex, you strive to build the best you can. In my case a Phong based 6538, Gen 1030 movement etc. Then you sell it! I missed the watch that much i decided that i needed another one but being a bit tight for cash at the moment i was interested in seeing if i could put one together on a really tight budget. The recipe is-

Tiger Projects case set, looks the same as the Original slim Silix case so quite pleased with that. Bezels rubbish and nothing close to Gen but with a bit of ageing it does the job.

Stuck with the Tiger crystal as it sat nice and low and is watertight

Aged the Tiger insert to a nice Ghost silver grey

Athaya tube and crown, not pleasant to fit as you need to drill out the existing hole then re-tap it. But worth the effort

CWP Long Seconds Hand, closer to Gen in terms of shape and length

UK supplier hour and minute hands, chrome plating sanded off

Big Daz did his work on the dial and hands, I decided that i really wanted a cleaner looking dial this time rather than total Tritium melt down. I like it for a change. work traded for some of my handy work(hows thats DeepSea working out Daz?)

Eta 2846 i bought on the Bay for $30.00 That was a steal

It will soon be sporting a very nice Vintage NOS Riveted bracelet courtesy of Nanuq, once I've attacked it with grit paper and stones. Thanks Pal

All in for about $250.00 Not bad then considering a Gen would be around $45,000.00

DH

The best you can get  www.timefactors.com

Some of Big Dazza's Handy Work on an Mq Vintage dial. Puffy lovliness

Drill bit size to tap chart:

http://brassmein.com/tech/taps.htm

Thanks A, its done. I'll post a picture Thursday

I've got to agree with you B, its a very fine line between something that looks naturally aged and just right rather than 'too yellow' lume with a half destroyed dial. I'll be posting some additional pictures of Big Daz's handy work on Thursday when my 6538 returns from his Spa! A 1 day turn around build God Bless him. Better grab an appointment before he jets off on his travels.

DH

Hi Guy's 

The engraving side of the project is still under development but I'm now looking to use the original Pantograph machines so it will all be done by hand. I am however in the process of producing some caseback stamps as per the Gen way the cases would have originally been stamped. One for the mid 50's to the 60's(6536/6538/6542 etc)

Then one for the 70's models like the 1680/1665 etc.

Sorry but I'm only going to be concentrating on the older models as the hand engraving and hand stamping isn't going to be correct for the newer stuff

Cheers DH

Thanks guys,

Andy its one of the Tiger cases which looks very close to the silix thin case, so yep it might be a tricky one.I think the 3.5mm drill bit looks the closest to the shank measurement of the tap exclusing the threads. I also have a 4mm so I'll work my way up if need be. Wish me luck!

Cheers DH

Hi Guys

I'm attempting to fit one of Athaya's Brevet 8mm crowns to a 6538 case this weekend, I have the correct tap which is 4mm with a 0.5 pitch. But how big a hole would i need to drill to get things moving? 3.5 or 4mm

Any advise greatly appreciated!

Cheers DH 

Welcome on board Sir, to the most informative watch website I've personally ever found. Rep and Gen

DH

Congratulations Freddie, very nice indeed  Funny how turning a certain age makes you contemplate that first Gold watch purchase. A white dialed Eberhard Extra Fort will be my introduction to the 'Old enough To pull it off' Club

DH

Congratulations Hike

DH

Hi C,

If you sent money for 'items'then your 100% covered, if you sent it as 'a gift' then your on shaky ground. I recently bought a Vintage 78360 bracelet on VRF and it arrived in a complete state, nothing like the pictures on the listing. The seller didn't respond, i provided proof of post with tracking number so i automatically got refunded.

Good Luck Mate

DH 

Clark 1675 Bezel needed. If you have one going spare, paypal at the ready

Cheers DH

"nicest"? "best"? It's all relative, of course. Genuine Rolex Tudor hands would be tops. 

True Joey, Hour and minute Tudor hands with the existing Cartel 24hr hand????

As the title suggests, I'm planning on using a gen dial so I'd really like the best available. ETA remember not 1575

Thanks Guys

Eucris by GF Trumper, Mr Bonds choice in the original Ian Fleming Book

Fantastic result considering the sum of its parts, just goes to show what can be acheived without huge costs. One thing that might be worth doing is sand down the insert a bit so it sits inside the bezel a bit flusher. Congrats on a lovely piece

DH

I made a mistake.  I was pushing the crystal through the bezel off the watch.  When I placed the crystal on the watch case the bezel pressed down perfectly.  I guess thee case expands the crystal just a little.

 

Here is the case.  It is unsanded, unpolished...generally unfinished.  I think that all the cutting is over.  I cut down both side and the "saddle" on either side of the CGs.

 

The biggest problem is that it starts out as a 40mm case with a dial of 27.5mm.  The Ingod44 dial is 26.5mm.  Problem...I think.  I purchased the white dial with the watch and I am pretty happy with it.  The spacing in "Oyster Perpetual Date" is wrong, but there just aren't that many of this reference in the wild.  There's not going to be anyone around me to compare it.  Anyway, when asked, I always start by saying, "Well, I have a really strange hobby..."  I don't try to pass them off as gen.  My datejusts are all gen but the movement and hands, but when someone asks me if it's real, I say, "Mostly," and then explain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By the Way...  This is the gen model that I was using.  I have found at least three and maybe more, case styles for the 1655.  I'd like to find a straight, white second hand like this one.

 

Congratulations of your case modding so far,looking good. Here's a couple of pictures of where I am so far. I aimed to create the up turn on the undersides of the CG's you get on the 1655 and the 1675. On the ingod case it's a bit easier too remove material as you have the ridge on the undersde as per Gen to work too. 

Cheers DH