automatico

"But then the gen spec hands won't fit the cannon pinion on an ETA movement unless you broach/stake the hell out of them, then they rub the minutes hand." Info is from my notes, no guarantees: Rlx 15xx hand sizes: H 1.20mm M .80mm SS .20mm iirc cal 1030 hands are the same or very close to 15xx. ETA 28xx: H 1.50mm M .90mm SS .25mm Mvt diameter is a hair less than 26.0mm. Rlx 15xx movement thickness; No date...5.75mm Date...6.3mm GMT...6.45m Day/Date...7.0mm All are 28.5mm max diameter. Cal 1030 is 28.5mm also.

"One more thing, has anyone used heard of rolliworks.com ? They claim to be experts in bracelet restoration." I've seen good reviews on their work but it was on later model bracelets like 93150 etc. Do not know if they can restore stretchers and folders. I will say M. Young did a good job on a stretch oyster, an old steel C&I jubilee, and a regular rivet oyster. The other two mentioned before, not so good.

The bottom line imho: "I'm afraid there are two paths to follow here. Aftermarket parts "made to work" and genuine." (Nanuq) As good as some of the replica bracelets are now, I would repair/replace worn out genuine links with replicas and hang on to the originals. There are not many options for folded oyster repair if you want to wear one. ST has some very good hollow center link aftmkt DJ-93150 links for $17.50 each...p/n RMOSS-LINK/OP. If someone really wanted to make a link separator they could buy a small cheapo table vise and mount a pair of smaller clamps of some sort to the top of the jaws (by bolts/screws) and carefully grind the underside of the clamp jaws to match the contour of oyster links. Probably mount the link concave side down so the top clamps would need to be hollowed out a little bit. Close the jaws of the table vise close enough for the clamps to hold the link and unscrew the table vise jaws to separate the links. It would take a lot of fiddling with but it would work. Any clamp cuts/reshaping would need to be polished when finished to keep from scratching the links unless a copper etc liner was used. I've made quite a few hair-brained tools like this and they all worked after a little trial and error. $18.39 at Home Depot This H-D model looks like it has enough room on top of the jaws to mount simple strap type top clamps. Just a strip of steel or brass 6mm or so thick bolted to the top of the vise jaws on each end would work. It would not be hard to drill and tap 5/16 inch or 8mm threads in the jaw tops...6mm or 1/4 inch might be Ok too. Making the top clamps out of brass would be better because it would not tend to scratch the steel links. If you wanted to grind the clamps to fit the top contour of the links the clamp material would need to be a little thicker. You can also line the insides of the vise jaws with brass or copper strips and use the vise to press the links back together. Copper strips on the vise jaws might be better because it is softer and easy to bend, brass tends to crack. Copper strips would also work for pads under the links for protection when pulling them apart. You could use copper strips with holes at each end to match the clamp bolts.

"I’m guessing there is zero parts interchangeability between 15xx and 30xx. (eg. reversers)." Far as I know nothing will interchange.

"AWA's. I am on my second 1570 awa in my 1680 😞 ... I see tons of awa's for 3xxx series Rolex movements, but it is getting rare to see 15xx." Yep, they are getting hard to find. I had to scrounge up the 1520 signed awa in the '1655' out of parts from eBay and it was past its prime. The 1570 signed awa I'm putting in it came from a 1603 and all is well except the rotor axle is loose in the weight. I'll use the rotor from the 1520 awa in it because it has a new rotor axle. I bought a few sets of reversers on eBay with good luck but awa plates or rotors are too much $$ for me now unless I really get in a jam. All the watch traders around here are out of 15xx rlx movement parts or holding on to what they have left. One good thing about the 15xx awa is they can be brought back to life as long as the plates and rotor are good. You can replace the rotor axle, reverser/intermediate wheel jewels, im wheel, and reversers to make it like new. The only factory parts needed are the reversers because the others are available from the aftmkt . A while back I saw brand new aftmkt red anodized reverser bodies for sale without the inner ratchet wheel but they were $100 each. Too much moola for half a reverser imho. In 1995 they were $25 new for a set...one red body and one ratchet wheel. I should have loaded up on them back then. I no longer see many 1030 parts for sale on eBay. One hard to find part is the rotor bearing p/n 7004 and they do not show up for sale often if ever. I hope I have not scared 'one80' away with my Voice of Doom. It ain't really that bad.

"Properly assembled and maintained, Rolex calibers are nearly bulletproof." I agree 100% especially the 1530 base models. My gripe is their parts policy. It is extremely simple though...No Parts For You! Not Now, Not Ever. I like the 1030 models just fine and still have watches with them but do not wear them, never did. I bought them at bargain prices (compared to today) and still have them. The 'shortcut 1655' mentioned above was a major hassle to stick together but that was because it was a project using a non genuine GMT conversion plus having to repair the base movement. That said, it has been running flawlessly for a few months since it was put in running condition back before the GMT kit was added and put in a case. Matter of fact I've decided to leave it in the cartel case and replace the high mileage 1520 auto-wind assembly with a proper low mileage 1570 awa. It will probably quit running now. One thing I do not like about 1530 base movements is they did not put a jewel or bushing in the main plate side for the main spring arbor. If it goes dry it will wear out of round and allow the MS barrel to drag on the plate. I do not know how long it would take without service but I have seen a few. The reverser arbors, intermediate winding wheel arbors, and winding rotor jewels/arbors also need attention every few years. arbor = axle

"The alternative is Michael Young. He's been restoring vintage bracelets for decades and he does *spectacular* work." I sent 4 bracelets to M Young in August 2007 and all I will say is going by remarks about how good his work is in the last 5 or 7 years...the work has greatly improved since I had mine done. I could post details but I have no proof. Let's just say that two out of the four were unwearable when I got them back...one the original swiss jubilee from a 1979 1675 and one from a tutone DJ 6605 made in 1956.

"Basically, looking for 1.8mm spring bars but with the full length of a 2.0mm and with thicker ends to take up all the room in the lug hole." I know exactly what you are looking for. One of the things I have is a big spring bar accumulation from many years 'collecting' and being a silent partner in a watch store. Do I have any spring bars in 1.8mm tube size with long 1.2mm tips? No. Never have seen any. Yet. But no doubt they are out there somewhere. What I have seen is a few 20mm SB with 1.8mm center tubes and long .9mm +/- diameter tips in an assortment I got from S. LaRose 25 or 30 years ago. They are basically the same as a SB made for rlx 6694/1500 case with 19mm lug space and lug holes all the way through...they work in genspec Daytonas too. The catch is since they were made for 19mm lug space and having no 'flanges' on the ends, the 'shoulders' (usually 1.20/1.25mm diameter) on the ends next to the .9mm end tips can sometimes pass through 1.25/1.3mm lug holes and allow the SB to shift to one side. Spring bars made for 16xx, 16xxx, and early 162xx DJ are similar to the 19mm SB except they have a 'plug tip' on one end and on the other end they have a 1.25mm shoulder ending in a .9mm tip. The shoulder might enter or pass through 1.25/1.3mm lug holes allowing the SB to stick out of the lug...but not usually. 'Plug tip' = the tip end that comes out of the tube like a 5512/13 etc SB. 'Official terms' = commonly used terms in the trade: 'Single shoulder' = shoulder on one end only, like the early DJ type SB. 'Double shoulder' = shoulders on both ends, like rlx 6694/1500. 'Single [censored]' = [censored] on one end only. 'Double [censored]' = flanges on both ends. Spring bars for 6694/1500 etc have .9mm tips about 1.5mm long with 1.25mm shoulders on both ends. Spring bars for DJ etc have .9mm diameter tips with a 1.2mm/1.25 diameter shoulder on one end. The other end has a 'plug end' (no shoulder) coming out of the center tube about 2.0mm long. Measurements are approximate but close.

Just for fun...does anyone know the ID and OD of a genuine 1655 bezel? I have three replica bezels and each one is a different size: 1...30.20mm ID 37.55mm OD 2.78mm tall 2...30.32mm ID 37.38mm OD 2.55mm tall 3...30.18mm ID 37.60mm OD 2.80mm tall I've tried three different aftmkt crystals and all three are different ID and OD. The watch has the 30.32mm/37.38mm bezel on it now with the closest fitting crystal of the three...from Cas-Ker a long time ago, I tried a crystal from ST and the ID was too small, one from Sternkreuz was way too loose (might have been a 135C in wrong package), and a new one from C-K was too small to go over the case neck without cracking. No idea who made any of the crystals but the ST and new C-K crystals are exactly the same. I may end up cutting one of the bezels to fit the crystal when I find the right one. I always try to get three so I'll have spares and since the one on the watch is an oldie and not the same as current stock it will be hard to match. Clark has them for $8.25 but shipping is $4.25 and if they do not combine shipping it would be too much $$ just for a trial fit. I have a genuine 116 but it is sealed in a plastic bag and I do not want to open it. I measured the OD of the case neck and wrote it down along with the OD of the crystals mounted on the case but can not find the note. Story of my life.

"Is my 12yr old almost full bottles still good?" Moebiu$ says NO! Internet windbags say NO! I say probably but I'm a contrarian windbag. I bet a lot of repair guys are using oil that old.

"My embarrassment comes from the fact that I have never been successful in putting a mainspring In the barrel back by hand!" After you get the MS started do not look at what you are doing...do it all by feel. Put your hands under a table so you will not be tempted to look. No kidding. My downfall is hairsprings. I am too slow working on them to be worth a hoot. 1. "Is the one sold in the holder just pressed in?" Yes. Carefully and flat. 2. "...and if so, are there any traps one needs too avoid from the spring flying out into my face?" Be sure that any tool you use to press the MS out of the holder into the barrel has an OD big enough to shove the complete MS down into the barrel and not let a run of MS get outside the barrel when removing the MS holder or the MS might/will fly out. Also seat the MS fully in the barrel after inserting it with something that will not damage the MS or barrel wall before you move the MS holder away from the barrel. I use a piece of peg wood a little bigger that a toothpick with a flat end. The ideal tool would be round aluminum etc and just barely slip through the hole in the MS holder so it will push the MS all the way into the barrel but too many tools would be needed for different barrels. 3..."How do you tell the direction of the mainspring before beginning the wind by looking at the shape of the spring?" Always look at the old spring before removing it from the barrel. On automatics be sure the bridle is properly positioned and oil the barrel wall and floor before installing the MS. On manual wind models look at the barrel wall to see which way the MS needs to go in order to get 'snagged' on the wall. Many new MS come dry lubed and only need oil on the wall and a drop on the floor and cap, not much at all on the spring itself. Manual wind watches need very little oil on the barrel wall. Oil the arbor where it passes through the barrel. I use D5 on the arbor where it runs in the barrel and plates...D5 because I already have it and do not want to spend $$ on the latest synthetic FOTM. Heck, I'm already using 9010 and 9020! Besides...D5 is $55 on Amazon now so it is expensive enough for watch snobs. Maybe they should name it D$55. If you do not remember which direction the MS goes in the barrel, you can also look at a similar movement and see which way the MS arbor turns when hand winding. Since the threaded end of the barrel arbor usually goes through the barrel cap, you can tell which way the MS goes by the sharp end of the 'hook' on the arbor. My K&D MS winders are probably 60 years old but they were free. Hard to beat the price. FOTH = Flavor Of The Month. Ha!

Added 3-27-21: From: Where to get a case to fit a Yuki 3135 - The Rolex Area - RWG Question: "I have a Yuki 3135 movement in good shape and I'm entertaining the idea of building a watch around it." "In particular I keep seeing that a 3135-style movement will not fit into a case intended for a 2824 or similar ETA movement, which is what most of the stock out there apparently is geared towards." There are basically two variations of 36mm DJ type cases floating around: 1...Common cases made for swiss ETA 2836 and 2836 etaclones and/or various china DG/NN etc '21 jewel' movements. Because these movements started out as day/date movements, they are a little bit thicker than a 2824 date movement and the stem will be closer to the back of the case because of the thickness of the extra day of the week parts. 2...Cases made for swiss ETA 2824 and 2824 etaclones. They may be a little bit thinner overall than a 2836 case or they may be the same thickness as a 2836 case with the difference in movement thickness allowed for in the way they are machined inside the case. The newer 36mm DJ and DJ 41 cases may be made differently depending on the movement or they all might be the same. This goes for submariner type cases too except many DJ and submariners now come with 3135 clones so the Yuki 3135 may fit. I never had a watch with a 3135 clone, most of my projects used swiss ETAs. Successful projects that is. The problem is these cases are not always made to oem spec (or any spec) and there will be variations in cases made for the same movement...shallow reflector (aka 'rehaut') vs taller reflector, movement not centered in the case same as oem etc. For this reason there is really no set rule on what case will accept the Yuki 3135 clone. It is discouraging but that's the way it is...the replica world is basically 'Out Of Spec'. Ha! About all I have done is tell you what the pitfalls are so now maybe a member who has put a watch together using the Yuki 3135 will chime in with a few tips. 'More or Less Rules'... A case made for a 3135 will usually accept a 2824. May need a movement spacer. A case made for a 3035 will usually accept a 2836. May need a movement spacer. A case made for a 3135 will accept a rlx 15xx no date mvt. Without the calendar wheel spacer. A case made for a 3035 will accept a standard rlx 15xx date mvt. Rlx 15xx no date mvt will work if a calendar spacer is used but it will need a 15xx date center wheel, CP, and hour wheel or the hands may be too close to the dial. 'Hit or Miss Rules'... If you want to use a rlx 15xx date mvt without the date parts in a case made for a rlx 15xx date movement (MBK 5512/13 for example), you can get by with the standard date center wheel, CP, and hour wheel. You need to leave the calendar spacer on the mvt without the date works. If you use a rlx 15xx date movement in a case made for an ETA 2824 or rlx 15xx no date movement, you can remove the calendar spacer and all the date works and use it as/is in submariner cases because the hands setting high will not matter too much and the crystal should be high enough to clear the SS hand. On a '1016' etc it will not look right and the SS hand may rub the crystal. All rlx 15xx, 30xx, and 31xx are 12.5 ligne size in diameter (about 28.2mm) and an ETA 28xx is 11.5 ligne size (about 26mm) so if the case is a 'dedicated' ETA 28xx case it may not accept a rlx movement. The mm sizes are not exact but very close. Enlarging the inside of a case made for an ETA 28xx will not need much cutting because the difference only amounts to about 1.5mm +/- and this equals only a .75mm cut. 'More or Less Rules' come with a No Money Back Guarantee. Same goes for 'Hit or Miss Rules'. Question: "Can you put a clone or GEN 3xxx series movement in a 4-digit GEN case?" Only a few will fit. For example a 3035 with OPD dial will work fine in a 1500 case made for a 1570 date but a 3135 with OPD dial will not fit because it is thinner and the stem will not line up in the case tube. A four digit 16xx DJ is a mess because of the 'pie pan' dial and a flat dial (1016 etc) will work in some projects but I never tried it. The movement mounts a hair higher in a DJ 16xx case because of the 'pie pan' dial so a flat dial and 15xx without date works and calendar spacer might work. There is quite a bit of difference in the 3035 and 3135...as a rule of thumb the 3035 is the same size as a 15xx date mvt but the 3035 and 15xx date movements are thicker than a 3135 and will not fit properly in a case made for a 3135. Otoh...my first '1016' project used a no date rlx 15xx mvt without the calendar spacer in a 162xx case...this is the reverse of your question but it shows another possibility. Everything fits, movement, 1016 dial etc. Since no one makes a 3035 clone afaik we are stuck with genuine 3135/3135 clones and ETAs for other than '21 jewel' projects. What is needed is a pair of high quality automatic movements, one 19800 or 21600 bph with rlx 15xx dial foot holes and hand sizes and one 28800 bph with 3035/3135 dial foot holes and hand sizes. All 3035 and 3135 hands and dials will interchange up through the 36mm DJ etc but the bigger cases, DJ 41 etc use a movement spacer and the date is offset farther to the outside. It's a moving target.

"This was super helpful! Pin this post." Thanks! I'll put it in the 'Building an MBK sub...' sticky at the top of the rlx section. "Can you put a clone or GEN 3xxx series movement in a 4-digit GEN case?" Only a few will fit. For example a 3035 with OPD dial will work fine in a 1500 case made for a 1570 date but a 3135 with OPD dial will not fit because it is thinner and the stem will not line up in the case tube. A four digit 16xx DJ is a mess because of the 'pie pan' dial and a flat dial (1016 etc) will work in some projects but I never tried it. The movement mounts a hair higher in a DJ 16xx case because of the 'pie pan' dial so a flat dial and 15xx without date works and calendar spacer might work. There is quite a bit of difference in the 3035 and 3135...as a rule of thumb the 3035 is the same size as a 15xx date mvt but the 3035 and 15xx date movements are thicker than a 3135 and will not fit properly in a case made for a 3135. Otoh...my first '1016' project used a no date rlx 15xx mvt without the calendar spacer in a 162xx case...this is the reverse of your question but it shows another possibility. Everything fits, movement, 1016 dial etc. Since no one makes a 3035 clone afaik we are stuck with genuine 3135/3135 clones and ETAs for other than '21 jewel' projects. What is needed is a pair of high quality automatic movements, one 19800 or 21600 bph with rlx 15xx dial foot holes and hand sizes and one 28800 bph with 3035/3135 dial foot holes and hand sizes. All 3035 and 3135 hands and dials will interchange up through the 36mm DJ etc but the bigger cases, DJ 41 etc use a movement spacer and the date is offset farther to the outside. It's a moving target.

'More or Less Rules'... A case made for a 3135 will usually accept a 2824. May need a movement spacer. A case made for a 3035 will usually accept a 2836. May need a movement spacer. A case made for a 3135 will accept a rlx 15xx no date mvt. Without the calendar wheel spacer. A case made for a 3035 will accept a standard rlx 15xx date mvt. Rlx 15xx no date mvt will work if a calendar spacer is used but it will need a 15xx date center wheel, CP, and hour wheel or the hands may be too close to the dial. 'Hit or Miss Rules'... If you want to use a rlx 15xx date mvt without the date parts in a case made for a rlx 15xx date movement (MBK 5512/13 for example), you can get by with the standard date center wheel, CP, and hour wheel. You need to leave the calendar spacer on the mvt without the date works. If you use a rlx 15xx date movement in a case made for an ETA 2824 or rlx 15xx no date movement, you can remove the calendar spacer and all the date works and use it as/is in submariner cases because the hands setting high will not matter too much and the crystal should be high enough to clear the SS hand. On a '1016' etc it will not look right and the SS hand may rub the crystal. All rlx 15xx, 30xx, and 31xx are 12.5 ligne size in diameter (about 28.2mm) and an ETA 28xx is 11.5 ligne size (about 26mm) so if the case is a 'dedicated' ETA 28xx case it may not accept a rlx movement. The mm sizes are not exact but very close. Enlarging the inside of a case made for an ETA 28xx will not need much cutting because the difference only amounts to about 1.5mm +/- and this equals only a .75mm cut. 'More or Less Rules' come with a No Money Back Guarantee. Same goes for 'Hit or Miss Rules'.

Looks good! How close to a rolex case of the same period is the toot other than engraving? Looks like it has the back gasket in the case back too. "Also, I have resized those bracelets using two hand remover levers to get in and pry open the folded link to remove and then used various pliers with electrical tape on them to reclose." I have wrestled with these bracelets for years, genuine and replica...good idea on the hand pullers! The main problem I have is keeping the front side of the mid link from showing a slight bend line after removing or installing an adjoining link. I have an old, old set of 10.5 inch USA made Craftsman 'Channellock' type slip jaw pliers with small half round cut-outs on the jaw tips that squeeze the links back together like new. I've had the pliers for over 40 years and have never seen another set like it.

"The vintage Rolex appeal is in the aesthetics not the mechanics." A perceptive statement. We are always looking for the best case, dial, hands, bracelet etc because we already know what the best movement for most projects is...usually a swiss ETA of some sort.

Alligoat is 100% right...using a genuine rlx movement is stepping off the deep end imho. You might read about my trials and tribulations in "Building an MBW Sub + 'shortcut' rlx 1560/70 GMT conversions..." at the top of the rolex section. Rolex = No Parts and not much $ervice available. That's why many of us are here.

"Funny to think of reps as collector items but I would consider the TC V6, the JF 16610LV, and the TC YM to be in that category simply because at their time they were the best and today there really aren’t any acceptable substitutions." I still have 3 or 4 new F520117 swiss ETA noobmariners from 12 or 15 years ago and it seems they have disappeared from sales boards in the past few years so they are becoming 'rare'. Ha! The noobmariners and a few sapphire/swiss ETA submariners and GMT are the cream of my small collection of 'classic replicas'. The F520117 bracelets have thin stainless tubes over the screws in the removable links like oem. Pretty good stuff overall. Kept a few older swiss ETA 5514 and 1680 from 'Paul/Abay' and they have good cases and bracelets, better than most vintage models come with today but the non oem bezels were not good. The case necks are oem spec so bezel kits from ST, Clark etc will fit. The removable bracelet link screw holes have blind sides where the leading end of the screw should show so I substituted hollow links from ST and made a couple pretty good bracelets. The 5514 have oem spec helium valves but the leaf springs might be too weak to make them seal. Noobmariner - greg_r's Lounge - for watch chat - RWG: Replica Watch Guide Forum

"Waiting on some things to come together to build a 16750 with a genuine tritium dial with a beautiful patina at the moment." AKT...Great collection! ...and a trip back in time. Most replica watch interest is in the latest models but I am firmly stuck in the past...4 and 5 digit models, I held on to a few 5 digit replicas in new condition from back when they were available. Genuine four digit 55xx, 1680, 1665, 1655/75 have made a huge $$ comeback but now the 5 digit models are really jumping in price too. I sold/traded all the genuine models a long time ago when I was attending shows etc but kept the replicas because they did not cost much. I am glad I did because if there is ever going to be 'collectible replicas' these models will surely be at the top of the list. In addition to the 'swiss' models (swiss ETA mvts) I accumulated a 'collection' of the same models with china movements...same cases, dials, bracelets but with china movements, DG 3804B in GMT/Ex II models etc. The dials on all these watches are very good and the bracelets are top replica quality...hollow mid link oyster types and finely finished jubilee styles. Have a few 'noobmariners' too but the BK, TC etc watches eclipsed them in popularity. Maybe they will make a comeback some day. I'll be ready. Top replica quality...that's a new one. Ha! Where the '55, '56, '57 Chevrolets are the 'vintage classic' Chevrolets the 5 digit models are the 'later classics' like the Big Block '66 through 70 Chevelle. I kept a new '16750' with lug hole case/printed markers from back when they came with nos swiss ETA 2836/china 24H modification and it looks like they have disappeared from TD etc. Mine has the common flaw from back then...it has the word 'Date' on the dial like later models with applied markers. "1977 - 16030 Buckley dial, it's been in the family since new." A classic! All I have left is the case, dial, and black hands. A set of black hands is near impossible to find now. I ordered them 3 or 4 times when we had a rlx parts account and they never showed up. Had one 16xxx with a white dial and one with a silver dial like yours, still have the silver dial but it got scratched up over the years from being handled at watch shows. "Love the 14060! Prefer it to the 16610 in many ways." Me too. Kept 2 or 3 that I got from watchloverdavid aka WMD in 2001. They used the same cases as a 16610 and solid mid links but they do have lug holes and new swiss ETA 2836. The dials are fair to middlin'. Anyone who watched the Harry Bosch series on Amazon Prime will remember the Harry Bosch no date submariner, it is in a lot of scenes. Watch Bosch Season 1 | Prime Video (amazon.com)

"Almost seems like the crystal is undersized for its spec or 30.28, unless that is a product of the case neck being a little undersized." I will measure a case and bezel tomorrow to make sure I had the correct sizes. I used the figures from the sticky 'Building an MBW Sub...' 3-21-21 Checked the measurements and afaik they are right. "I hesitate to type this truth but I uh... sanded... the outer diameter to make it fit my retainer. (Don’t panic @automatico " Ha! I've done that too! It used to be a trade secret. I pushed the crystal on a spare case and let it spin in a lathe using 1200 sandpaper wrapped around a popsicle stick, then polished it with Wenol or Simichrome polish. You have to use Swiss Made popsicle sticks.

"Avoid glue if you can." "While you have it apart to this point, try mixing up some tea or cappuccino and paint a little on the hands lume. It tends to migrate to the edges and darkens them a bit, you might like the result." Agree 100%. Glue is verboten in this instance. I used super strong tea to darken the lume on my never ending '1655' project hands. It took a few hours. I have said this 100 times before. Here is 101... If anyone is going to work on watches, they need a precision digital caliper (my apology if you already have one). Why? 1...Because a few hundredths of a mm is a big difference in watch work. 2...Replica watches can be waaay out of spec, ranging from no spec junk to oem precision. You have to be able to tell the difference. First, measure the OD of the case neck (where the crystal mounts). It should be oem spec 28.2mm. Write it down. Next, mount the crystal on the case neck and measure the OD of the crystal. Write it down. Measuring a crystal loose (unmounted) is usually hit or miss. Exception...when the crystal is loose on the case neck you have to do the best you can.. Last, measure the ID of the crystal retaining ring. It should be oem spec 30.2mm. Write it down. When measuring ID/OD of parts like this, measure the sizes in 2 or 3 different spots around them. The crystal should be a 'light snug' fit over the case neck. Too loose and the bezel may not seal it to the case. Too tight and the crystal may crack. The bezel ID needs to be about .1mm (one tenth of a millimeter) smaller than the crystal OD...a hair smaller is usually Ok depending on the of the crystal age and material. Some are flexible and some are brittle. If the crystal retaining bezel can be seated over the crystal by hand, it is probably too loose. If the bezel is hard to press all the way down, it is probably too tight. You need a pretty good bezel/crystal press, one that has press cups stiff enough so they do not flex and allow the cup to get out of level when pressing bezels etc. Aluminum cups work better than plastic but it also depends on how they are mounted to the press. This is another subject. Good luck!

"Ah the good old days!" Yep. In more ways than one. Maybe it's like James Otto said: "These are the good ole days." ...if you live long enough to look back. Ha! It's lookin' like we might have some ruff days ahead in the USA. Been there, but I was younger. TJGR... Nice buncha watches! Where you been? We're still here, lookin' out the window.

3-19-21 Next to last round on the '1655' project... Yesterday I finally decided to put the second hand on the watch. Why is this a big deal? I've been putting it off because the movement is already in the case and there was no way to brace the sweep second pinion so the SS hand could be pressed on. If you try to press the SS hand on with the movement in the case, the SS tension spring will just flex down and the SS pinion drops down when you try to press the SS hand on. The autowind assembly is not mounted on the mvt yet. I have a movement holder made for rlx cal 15xx with a screw in the center that can be screwed against the SS pinion to allow the SS hand to be pressed on...but it will not work with the movement in the case. I gave this a little thought and came up with a hairbrained idea that turned out pretty good. I figured maybe an aluminum case press cup that would go down in the case and sit on the outer edge of the movement could be threaded to allow a screw to turn down against the SS pinion. Did I have such a crystal press cup? Yep, found one in a cheapo crystal press. It had a cup just the right size and it was already threaded in the center to screw down onto the press frame. Btw it was 5/16 NC thread, not metric. (??) Anyway, I turned the end of a short 5/16 Allen head bolt down to a small 4mm tip about 6mm long then rounded and polished the end like the screw in the movement holder. It worked just fine...not the way these brainstorms usually turn out. The final and last round will be putting a crystal on it. No more '1655' fiasco comments are planned unless something goes horribly wrong. Might comment on how the 'road test' turns out after a month or two. Can't decide if I am finally finished with this thing or gave up at this point. 5-5-21 A few notes... This thing has been running 24/7 for about two months now with no problems. The date still hangs half way in the window when it flips but it is always centered in the date window the next morning so it is Ok as far as I am concerned because it's not worth the hassle to r/r the hands and dial to find out what is going on. I've seen a few 1575 do this and if the date wheel is not rubbing the dial, it is usually all right to just let it go and there is no sign of the DW rubbing the dial on this one. I changed the high mileage 1520 a/w assembly mentioned above out for a 1570 signed a/w assembly in very good condition and the watch keeps good time and has a long running reserve. If it is put on a Bergeon 'Final Test' winder for 3 or 4 hours it will run for 35-40 hours so it must be Ok. The watch is still running after winding it Monday evening and now it is early Wednesday afternoon so that's pretty good. Note on the Bergeon 'Final Test' watch winder... I've had this one since the early to mid 1990s and have had no trouble with it. It will wind up to six watches at a time but two is all I usually run at a time and always put a watch opposite the one being wound to help balance it out. It is a Europe model made for 220/240V and came with a voltage adapter that is unplugged when not in use. A new Bergeon is $769+/- now and China look-alikes are $37.30 on eBay with free shipping. The only thing that worries me at all is that the shortcut conversion minute wheel no longer runs on a post pressed into the main plate but runs on a .5mm axle pressed into the minute wheel with the little 24 hour drive wheel mounted on top of the minute wheel. I greased the axle with KT-22 so it should go for a long time before it needs attention. If the axle does wear the hole in the main plate out of round, it looked like there was room to put a bushing in the hole. Since the main spring arbor runs in the bare main plate with no bushing or jewel (with a lot more pressure on it) maybe this will be Ok. Otoh the minute wheel axle is a lot smaller than the MS arbor so time will tell. A lot of older movements had MS arbors running in the plate without a jewel or bushing for 50 or 60 years so it was a common practice before high beat (28,800 etc) movements came out with MS barrels that made more revolutions per day. They were c/o every 5 or 8 years and the MS arbors were greased or oiled with D5 or something similar. Btw...the only time there is much pressure on the minute wheel is when setting the time. During normal running there is hardly any stress on it at all. My guess is it will go for quite a few years. 7-2-2021 There is a rough 1570/75 'shortcut' GMT movement for sale on eBay, first one I have seen but there may have been more. eBay item number: 203506883965 Image: https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/k9YAAOSwznVgx9dt/s-l1600.jpg Note: My 'shortcut GMT conversion' 1655 is still running Ok on 7-2-21, keeping good time with good reserve and the date still sticks half way in the window for a few hours after changing but it is centered the next morning so I will leave it alone.

"I have a 1570 chronometer movement that I'd like to house in a Franken sports model, either a 1016 or 5512." Imho the main problem with a '1016' project is finding a good case. I put 5 or 6 of them together starting in 1997. The first one used a genuine 162xx case with lug holes and genuine dial with rlx cal 1570. It was very easy because everything went together without any modification at all...movement, dial, hands etc all fit the case. The only thing out of ordinary was to drill the holes in the lugs out to accept the larger OD spring bars and machine a bezel for a rlx 22 spec crystal. This is still a good option except: The cases cost a lot of $$ today. The side profile of a 162xx case does not match the 1016. Not many earlier model 162xx cases are for sale now with holes all the way through the lugs. Many of the cases are 30+ years old now and suffer from wear and corrosion. There is a lot of junk for sale with the case back gasket left in place to hide corrosion on the back but backs can be replaced. The main case is where the corrosion really takes a toll. The next one used the same movement, dial etc but the case was a 16000 type made for an acrylic crystal, it looked more like a 1016. The 160xx cases are made for a cal 3035 and they are thicker than the 3135 used in 162xx cases so there is that to deal with...the stem will not be centered in the case tube. A no date rlx 15xx will fit in a 16200 case with no stem centering problems. Took them both apart and went to swiss ETA powered '1016' projects after that, the last one using a JMB case. It turned out fine but I do not know if a rlx 15xx will work in one. As for a 5512...it depends on what you decide to go with. Higher grade replica cases for 55xx projects are easier to find than top line 1016 replica cases. I wrote some notes on my '5512' project here: Building an MBW Sub + 'shortcut' rlx 1560/70 GMT conversions... - The Rolex Area - RWG Still have it but now with an ETA 2879. The one useful tip in the post is that MBK cases using a 15xx movement will need a 15xx date calendar spacer, center wheel, and canon pinion. You might get by with a regular no date cw, cp etc but the hour hand may be too close to the dial. My misadventure with a '1655' project is also posted in there, I never took it apart like I planned, matter of fact it is laying on my desk right now. It is still going strong so I do not have the heart to take it apart. Having the movement in the '1655' case is a good place to store it. Good luck! Some info: Starting a 1016 - The Rolex Area - RWG A couple good '1016' project threads... - Page 3 - The Rolex Area - RWG Franken 1016 questions - The Rolex Area - RWG Yuki Matte 1016 Dials - The Rolex Area - RWG A 1016 dial along with some regret - The Rolex Area - RWG JMB '1016' project update... - The Rolex Area - RWG (tells about the ETA 2846/2824 combo movement in JMB case) Four down, one to go... - The Rolex Area - RWG Is it Live, or is it Memorex? - The Rolex Area - RWG Rolex Explorer I Explorer 1016 Gen Beside Yuki Dial - Replica Watch Info (replica-watch.info)

3-15-2021 Lessons learned... Every time I work on a project with 'non-original parts' it is usually a frustrating learning experience of some sort. The long drawn out '1655' project with the 'quickie' GMT conversion was no exception. It might even be 'The Champion'. It will remain The Champion until I finish the J&W.com case '1655' that has been on the back burner for about 11 years. It took a few years just to gather up two or three genuine GMT parts that were needed after already having the 'hard to find' GMT parts. Why was this 'shortcut GMT' project a headache? First...the stem was rusted solid in the main plate and broken off even with the plate. This took a month or so to fix mainly because it had already been apart since April 2010 so there was no hurry. The fix...soaked the edge of the plate with the broken stem in white vinegar until it dissolved. Since the plate is rhodium plated brass it tarnished the plating a little but the plate was same as new after the vinegar dip. It took a couple weeks to dissolve the stem. Second...the 'accessory' aka fake 24H wheel. The fit was so sloppy between the 12H wheel hub and 'accessory' 24H wheel hub that it would go in and out of mesh. The fix...made a bushing to go between the 12H wheel hub and 24H wheel hub out of a stainless steel spring bar tube...a seamless tube, some spring bars have a seam in them. Since the ss tube is riding between two brass wheel hubs with very little load on them there is virtually no wear at all. Third...it needed a new balance staff...I farmed it out. Total cost was around $8 (for the staff)...you have to know 'a guy'. Fourth...the bushings in the 17 jewel 1520 autowind assembly. I swapped them out for jewels. Long story as noted in the post above. Btw...the reverser pivots are .28mm in diameter when new so if anyone is buying used reversers be on the lookout for worn reverser pivots, it is a common ailment with the rlx cal 15xx if not cleaned/oiled once in a while. They might be Ok down to .26mm or so but not much smaller. The oem jewel hole id is .30mm. So...what did I learn? 1...The quickie GMT conversion works Ok ONLY IF you use a genuine rlx 15xx GMT center wheel, canon pinion and hour wheel. Also...if the 24H wheel is a sloppy fit on the 12H wheel hub it will probably need a bushing of some sort. 2...You have to use a genuine GMT calendar spacer ring or space the dial away from the movement a hair to clear all the date works/extra 24H wheel etc. I used dial strips since the dial feet would not fit the 1570 anyway and the strips provided the extra space. A dial washer was used to supply a slight downward force on the 24H wheel to keep it seated. There was enough room between the 24H wheel and dial to allow it to rise up and get out of mesh...the reason why a dial washer was used. 3...I have used a Seitz jeweling tool for years and was Ok with it. Things did not go too well with it this time around because of two things: A...The broaches that came with it have a taper that is too steep (making it easy to cut too much) so the task of slightly enlarging the holes in the autowind plates for jewels became a real hassle. B...I decided to press the jewels into the autowind plates with a staking tool rather than the Seitz tool. Why? More choices in tool sizes etc. The Seitz tool did save the day when it came to installing the hands though. The oem spec 24H hand would stick when starting it on the 24H 'accessory' wheel hub, then slide down against the dial before I could let pressure off of the hand pusher tool. This was a real hassle because you have to remove the dial and push the 24H wheel hub out of the 24H hand from the front side of the dial because there is no room to get a hand remover between the dial and 24H hand with the hand pushed down against the dial. Remember it has dial strips, not screws. Hellofamess. I used the Seitz jeweling tool to press the hands down because it has a micrometer adjustment that allows only so much travel at a time. All the hassle goes away when you can start the 24H hand, then press it down 1/10mm or less at a time. Same for 12H and min hands because most GMT hand stacks leave very little room for error. Also, the plastic hand mounting pushers from my Horotech hand tool also fit the Seitz tool...a lucky break. I still have a rlx 1575 with genuine GMT parts to c/o/assemble for a Phong '1655' case I've had for 10 or 12 years. I'll write the ins and outs of this project when and if it is ever in progress. Progress. Ha! Regress would a better term.