automatico

Loosen the screw next to the stem (where it comes out of the movement) about a turn and a half or two turns...not the one circled in red.

Well...never tried sticking loose lume on any hands worth over 50 cents a dozen but I have fogged a very thin coat of clear paint on the underside of quite a few ratty hands without getting any in the holes using a spray can from a distance. For higher $$ hands it may be better to use an air brush. This can change the lume color though. If you spray the hands laying on a sheet of paper, piece of wood etc the paint may stick the hands to the paper/wood etc and really make a mess out of it...you want the overspray to go into the air. Put a toothpick through the holes and stick the other end into something...I use modeling clay. Try this on a few $0 hands first. No guarantees. Never had a lot of luck brushing paint on hands because it may go on too thick and can pull more lume off of the hands.

"It seems it is not just me that finds it hard to keep track of which 3135s are which. 2836 with cover plates, the movement Noob use that is dimensionally the same as the Rolex and the one BP uses which is pretty much the same as the Yuki." One easy way to tell is look at the reversers...the Yuki/SH3135 have red teeth on the reversers and the A3135 movements have red covers over the reversers and the teeth are silver colored. The modified '3135' etaclones are fairly easy to spot because they have the standard Eta 28xx reversers and the movement is easy to identify as an eta when compared to the other two. The Yuki/Asian ShangHai Super 3135 Clone Automatic Movement looks the best to me but I have never owned one.

Made a few mistakes when typing the part numbers above: p/n 7829 is for center wheel and canon pinion for Rolex 1520/30/60 etc no date movements together in a pack p/n 7950 is for center wheel and canon pinion for Rolex 1525/75 etc date movements together in a pack p/n 8030 is for center wheel and canon pinion for Rolex 1565/75 date/GMT movements together in a pack p/n 8001 is for center wheel and canon pinion for Rolex 1556 Prez Day - Date movements together in a pack The hour wheel part numbers and sizes are correct.

"...now I need someone who can service and ETA 2893-2 GMT movement." The 2893 is probably just about as easy as an eta 2824/36 to work on but many (including me) are not overly familiar with them. I have a few 2892 and even spent the $$ on a rotor bearing tool but that is as far as it went. What this means is most of the repair guys on RWG are probably like me...not as familiar with a 2892/3 as an eta 2824/36. Ask around, I'm sure someone can help. "...I feel that I should drop all the reps I have and go Gen. Also my beloved MBW 1665 which has a 1570 movement inside now it will not change dates." This will be an easy fix. It is a 50+ year old design, very easy to work on, and the date works only have about a dozen parts. The only problem is parts if you need anything...expen$ive and sometimes hard to find. Two common problems are worn reversers and rotor axles so be sure to have them checked, and a new mainspring is good insurance. Probably be a good idea to have it completely c/o while it is half way apart, taking care to properly oil the mainspring barrel arbor on both ends and thoroughly clean and properly oil the balance jewels, escape wheel jewels and pallet stones. The autowind assembly is very easy to c/o and it can be done in a half hour or so...just a few parts. When one of my 'mechanical marvels' takes a dump, I put my trusty Accutron II back on.

Here are the sizes of various 15xx calibre Rolex hour wheels and canon pinions. Why? Because with some case/dial combos, they have to be swapped around like with the MBK projects mentioned above. 　 Rolex 1520/30/60 etc no date: hour wheel = 1.27mm high, p/n 7890 canon pinion = 2.2mm high, p/n 7889 both parts together p/n 7829 (not too hard to find) 　 Rolex 1525/75 etc date: hour wheel = 1.8mm high, p/n 7952 canon pinion = 2.75mm high, p/n 7951 both parts together p/n 7950 (easiest to find and the 7950 combo is available in high quality generic parts for $30 to $50) 　 Rolex 1565/75 date with GMT: hour wheel = 2.2mm high, p/n 8032 canon pinion = 3.15mm high, p/n 8031 both parts together p/n 8030 (these parts are pricey and very hard to find) 　 Rolex 1556 Prez Day - Date: hour wheel = 2.46mm high, p/n 8005 canon pinion = 3.4mm high, p/n 8004 both parts together p/n 8001 (these parts are hard to find but not much demand for them)

"What you can get for less than the price of a used V72 alone !!! I sincerely doubt you can get any closer to gen on such a budget." I agree. Imho this is what a first class Daytona project should be. No high priced 'designer' case, no revamped, high $$ V72. Never was a fan of the V72, owned quite a few in the past but they were relatively cheap at the time. Had some trouble with them but parts were also cheap. Then V72 parts ran out and eBay happened along with the current vintage chronograph feeding frenzy and prices went crazy.

That is a very good looking watch! The dial is well done too. No one will ever know the engine came from a Chevelle and not a Corvette.

I am not versed in modern Omegas but will say this one looks good. I bet very few would spot it as a replica for two reasons: 1...It is very well done and highly detailed. 2...Not many people are familiar with newer Omega watches like they are with Rolex etc. If the A7750 in your example is Ok from the start, it is a good deal because this is a LOT of watch for the price. One way to prevent trouble is not use the chronograph function much...stay away from the 'suicide buttons'. As long as the watch is used only for time and date and not for timing events, it functions as an ordinary automatic date watch with very little wear during everyday use.

"You dug up a 7 year old thread! My, how the prices have changed!" Yep, a blast from the past. No more 'Crazy Sales!' Looks to me that since Yuki is getting $189 for a rivet oyster that a whole watch with one on it for $228 is not too much to pay. The bracelet may not be as good as the Yuki model but if you figure half Yuki price ($90) for the bracelet, the rest of the watch is $138...not too bad in 2017. For $138 you end up with a complete cartel case ($75, maybe more), clone 28xx movement ($60 +/-), dial/hands ($35 +/-) that can be sold to get most or all of the $138 back. If the watch is like the pictures, it looks like there is plenty of metal around the lug holes so they can be drilled out without being too close to an edge.

It reminds me of the old saying: You can't cheat a cheater. Ha!

"Rolex said the watch is genuine, needs polishing and lubrication." An 'official' rolex repair shop never saw a used rolex watch that did not need "polishing and lubrication." ...even if it just came out of another shop after polishing and lubrication. If you like it, keep it. It is a good looking watch. Maybe buy a used genuine AK dial and hands later to go with it so if you decide to sell it you will have all the genuine parts, this helps a lot even if they are not on the watch. The dial and hands do not need to be in very good condition, just genuine and not refinished. "Turns out that Rolex thinks the 5500s never came with the Explorer dial." They think they know it all. I have a 1002 (1964, cal 1560) with Yuki explorer dial/hands...they did not make a 1002 like that for sure. Ha! If you keep it, get it serviced by someone you trust, not a rwc repair facility. No telling how much they might charge or what you would get back after they work on it. They can quickly turn your $2000 watch into a $1200 watch while charging you $1000 at the same time. Figure on cleaning/oiling, new mainspring, gaskets, and maybe a rotor axle...plus case tube, crown, and crystal if needed. Hopefully the reversers are Ok, they usually are.

"Maybe the time is slowly coming where it's better to keep (or get) the reps one always wanted and not to wait for better ones..." You are probably right. I figure the raids are aimed mostly at modern models because there so many of them in the market and the demand for vintage replicas is probably very small compared to modern. My guess is vintage replicas are about as good as they will get and may be the first to go from dealer offerings because of low demand. Meanwhile the best vintage examples will still come from detailers like Phong and RWG members etc. In the real world, a 5512/13/1655/1665/1680 case from MBK, Phong, V-nam etc with properly fitting crystal, bezel, and gaskets with a fresh eta movement is a 'better' watch for everyday wear than a genuine swiss cheese case with a tired oem movement and fuzzed out dial anyway. For most rolex projects, Eta beats oem rolex movements imho.

"Am I mistaken or would a Yuki movement drop into a Noob 3135 case and re-use the dial and hands?" It should assuming the Noob 3135 and Yuki 3135 are both oem spec.

Question: "What exactly is the weak point of the SA3135?" Answer "The biggest issue is the total lack of replacement parts." Solution: "My opinion is that if you're buying a rep. get the eta movement. The eta has standard parts that are easy to source." Agree. "I used a Yuki in my latest build because I used a gen case and the Yuki is a direct drop in." Imho this is the only valid reason to use a 3135 clone. No oem parts and high watch repair labor cost are two of the major problems facing watch owners, especially mechanical watch owners. Replicas are bad enough but try finding a bezel/case screw for a Royal Oak or a pallet fork for a Patek, Paiget, V&C, JLC etc. You will get screwed, glued, steam rolled, and dry cleaned. At least. Even if the repair guy down the street can do the work, he can not get the parts. This may be one of the reasons why high grade replicas are proliferating. Buyers who would have to stretch their budget to afford a rolex, omega or something similar find out how much it will cost for 'routine service' (or have been screwed by oem repair service price gouging in the past) decide to get a replica. ...or an Accutron II.

Here is the size you need but this is only for a basic spacer that is not made to also support the dial. 28.5mm outside diameter (fits rolex cases made for 1520/1570 etc) 26.0mm inside diameter (fits eta 28xx movements) Approximately 2.25mm thick depending on if case clamps with screws are used or with screws fitting into a groove cut in the case. A dedicated 2824 spacer may be thinner than 2.25mm, the spacer I measured was made for an eta 2836. Most standard brass eta spacers are 29.0mm od x 26.0mm id x 2.3mm thick and can easily be modified to work in your application. Specialized custom made case spacers ('Stilty' etc) have a step cut inside and outside to precisely fit the movement. The long gone 'Stilty Spacers' were made to also support the dial using an eta 2836 or 2824 movement and are near impossible to find now. It is easy to make a 28xx to rolex 1520/1570 spec case out of a standard brass spacer and anyone handy with a lathe can make a precision 'Stilty' type spacer using a standard brass spacer in an hour or so. The 'Yuki' spacers are also precision made as far as I know but I have never seen one. https://yukiwatch.ecwid.com/ETA-adaptor-retro-fit-cal-15X0-case-p35063689 Maybe someone on the forum will make one for you.

INCREDIBLE & RAREST VINTAGE GENUINE USED TROPIC SUPERDOME 18 795,00 € I'm rich! I have 3 of them...$790 Euro X 3 = $2670 USD! "...PA462-20A, right a crystal that costs $10.50" Maybe not so rich after all. Mine are in GS envelopes. Rats. But they are new. I do have 3 new sealed in plastic genuine 25-21. What are they going for now?

"But so yes, there are oddballs but again, 99.99999% of the oddballs are fake as hell!" Agree. I have seen an olive green GMT bezel for sale somewhere but can not remember where. WSO has 'green green' bezel inserts but no olive green. Here is one closer to olive green: http://www.timebymail.com/bezel-insert-for-rolex-gmt-master-ii-watch-dial-replacement-part-2962-p.asp

" I've been collecting vintage Rolex sports models since approximately 1990 and I've NEVER seen a blueberry GMT, nor did anyone ever talk about it whatsoever. Perhaps there were a few genuine ones but in all honesty, zero of them were out in the wild. FAKE! Well, more like 99.9999999999% fake!!!" I started in 1972 and have never seen one either. Been to a lot of watch shows too. "The amount of fake aged bezel inserts, fake blueberry inserts, fake small GMT hands is really annoying!" Bleach job inserts: I have an original 1675 with the naturally faded bezel insert but with all the bleach jobs floating around I would have a hard time proving it is original. It's funny in a way: me...a repwatch guy crying about replica parts making their original parts worth a bit less. Ha! Btw, concerning vintage hands and dials...I bought a GMC-320 Geiger counter and can not tell tritium dials/hands from Luminova with it...and that's why I bought it. Read up about it and evidently the small amount and type of radiation emitted by tritium does not register on this counter. I have a shadow box on the wall above my work area with old character and 'dollar' watches in it and my 'Tip Top Jr' wristwatch with radium dial and hands really set it off. The display immediately went red with a printed warning across the display and the ticker sounded like a popcorn popper. I moved the shadow box across the room. The Geiger counter needs to be closer than about 18 inches to go off big time...not that close to it where I work but it has been hanging there 15 or 20 years. Here is what it looks like: eBay item number 192162361358

"Reminds me of the last Gen I had with a Swiss 7750 in it that nobody would touch for $300 because apparently the brand name on the dial meant the Swiss 7750 was junk (or so people act like if the brand name starts with I and you guys know which brand I mean)" Yep. I have one...a 'Reserve' 45mm diver with blue dial and bezel insert. No one will give it the time of day because of the brand name. I have examined a few watches up close (probably a few thousand) and this Invicta has very good casework, dial etc. It is a good watch imho but the brand name kills it mainly because of the $79 junk all over eBay, cable TV sales networks etc plus know-it-alls running their mouth (keyboard?) on the internet. The exact same watch with Hamilton, Oris etc on the dial would make them whizz down their leg. Around 15 years ago the stainless steel black dial Invicta 8926 diver with 8215 Miyota was the TZ Darling. Now the 8926 has an NH35A automatic and is supposedly better than the original.

https://rwg.cc/topic/142467-tudor-7032/

I am just an observer but it looks to me like many countries (USA, France, UK, Germany etc) allow these things to happen in the name of political correctness and diversity. One PC & D example = unbridled 'immigration'. After one of these shattering events, the politicians say to themselves 'so what? just a little collateral damage' and get back to taking bribes and doing favors as soon as their two minute 'we will stand together' televised speech is over and done with. Then it's back to business as usual. Imho the majority of today's national politicians do what is best for their countries only when they see the headlights of the tar and feathers truck. The USA saw headlights but the politicians can not stop fighting each other long enough to do what needs to be done. Business as usual.

A guy dropped about a dozen gold plated over steel mid quality DDs on me in a trade and I blew them out in a hurry (A21J movements). I have seen a few of them over the years and here is what I saw: Case plating worn down to base metal on sharp edges...lug tops and bottom edges of case. Some but usually not a lot of wear on bezel flute tips (the crystal takes most of the hits). Plating worn off the bracelets on the 12 o'clock side where they rub table tops etc (when worn on left arm). Plating worn off underside of bracelet and clasp where the clasp rubs the links. Plating worn off bracelet mid links where they rub together on the sides, usually showing black residue. Plating worn off the crown. Overall ratty appearance. A21J DD movements can develop all kinds of Gremlins. Swisseta 2834 DD movements and clones (afaik on clones) have a very thin day disc (.04mm) that can cause trouble. Most 2834 DD movements have a plastic spacer around the movement with dial foot holes in it and the spacer can move slightly causing the day of the week to not center in the window because the dial has moved...this also makes the hands appear to be out of whack. Imho DD movements in general are a pain. http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=eta+2834+movement&qpvt=eta+2834+movement&qpvt=eta+2834+movement&qpvt=eta+2834+movement&FORM=IGRE

"how's it fastened to the clasp on the inside?" It has dimples inside the clasp cap for a spring bar.

"where can I get a 1520 movement for $650?" NOT on the internet. Bought another 1520 since the 5513 project...544xxxx serial number AK 5500 for $775 with a 1972 dated C&I/rolex signed rivet oyster, all in 85% condition, way too nice to part out. It looks like it never has been worked on, all screw heads and plates are unmarked, no flop in the rotor axle, probably been in a drawer for years. I got it at a local flea market. Bought a 20mm C&I/rolex signed jubilee and a 20mm C&I/rolex signed rivet oyster last week, $100 for the pair...another flea market find. Bought an AK 14010M with 13 link oyster in 90%+ condition just before Christmas for $1000 from a guy needing $$. This is the 16th 14000/14010/14000M/14010M AK for this price in the past 10 years...about half of them unworn in box (presentation watches). You gotta shake 'em outta the bushes.