BigCrown

Chief is correct!!!!! Even though I never noticed wearing my GMTII for a while that the cyclops had a coat of colorless AR on it. The ROlex diagram is very misleading. This was only discovered from trial and error. Here is a GMT with the cyclops removed: Here is the underside of Freddy's GMT-C crystal: Freddy's photo is worth 1,000 words. If you look closely, you can see the two layers of AR...and when they overlap (darkest color) creating the 'black hole' which makes the date POP. I will confirm everything soon once the samples are made. The AR on the outer curved portion of the cyclops would allow it to be scratched which is very "un-Rolex". However, i will double check once i get another OEM crystal with AR. I also plan on having samples made of each combination of AR on each surface so that we know which is best. I definitely do not want to make any errors with mass manufacturing project like this.

Sure: PRE-ORDER INFO: 1:1 Rolex Sports Sapphire Crystals with 2xAR UNder Cyclops

I aim not to disappoint I have started a pre-order thread over on the geek. TOP: Rolex's design; what we will be making as a top quality 1:1 replacement part; MIDDLE: a nice alternative but not quite Rolex design; cost is high and labor intensive without the OEM final result; BOTTOM: what we will probably call 'typical rep' AR-ed cyclops; only the cyclops lens is AR-ed and simply glued on. The cost to this method is nearly nothing beyond a typical replacement crystal;

Yes. I am working on some way to get a form of a 'pre-order' started for $85 and after when they are in-hand around $99.

I should take some....here you can see it in the background:

Update: I'll have a prototype made in 2-3 weeks.

I just got one and should post a review comparing all of his parts to OEM. They are very good and worth the money from my opinion. Although my mid-case had thinner crown guards than it should and the rehaut engraving is horrible, the bezel assembly, crown and tube are the best I've seen. I made an ultimate sub by combining the best from Sean and TC's sub with OEM movement dial, hands and insert. Love it!

That dial is the best 5508 dial I have seen out of a watch in 10 years. I would buy it for near what it sold for. What some are missing is that, a typical 5508 may be worth $8k (I sold one with a refinished dial for that a few months ago) but a 5508 with that dial, perfect bezel and crisp case could be worth $20k. That dial will end up in a nice 5508 with a tired dial. It will double the value of the watch it ends up in. Here's another point: the aftermarket dials are so far off....and are made with the cheapest materials. The good ones that are made exactly like the original vintage gilt, lacquered dials cost around $1,200 (Swiss Dial Co in the UK).

This is a great example of what makes our community great. In the Rolex document, it does show a multicolor coded layer underneath the crystal: I am surprised it don't show the same color coat under the cyclops.

ROLEX Sports Model Crystals with AR Under the Cyclops Okay guys, I need some input from members as I make final preparations for the manufacturing process. These projects cost a lot of capital and it would be a shame if something is overlooked. I will be manufacturing a 1:1 Corundum Sapphire Submariner/Rolex Sports crystal with AR under the cyclops this April. This will hopefully be an excellent addition to the possibilities for Rolex sports owners. As discussed at length for the Panerai Luminor crystals, these Submariner crystals will be made with the finest quality base materials and to the highest degree of specification. -Rolex OEM Crystal used as a sample -Corundum Sapphire base material -OEM gasket used as a sample -near colorless AR per genuine under the cyclops -nice edges and finishing -sharp 90 degree angles on the routed grooves that contact the gasket for perfect water tightness (UNLIKE most rep and aftermarket crystals) -correct cyclops x2.5 (depending on gasket used) Replacement Sapphire Crystal Rolex Part Number 25-295-C1, C2, 25-295- AR Gaskets: I have several gasket heights I am still working on which or all will be made: GASKET PART NUMBERS: 29-295-C, 29-295-1, 29-295-2 Your input will help here. J BACKGROUND: Rolex’s Words: “The Cyclops date magnifier has an anti-reflective coating: above-below” Interpretation: “above-below” = between the cyclops and top of the sapphire This does not read this way at first, but has been confirmed from a TZ post and my own research. Here is a photo from TZ showing the GMT-C with cyclops removed. Compatible models: MODELS that should be upgraded using these crystals: Submariners 16610, 16610 LV, 16800, 168000, etc. Explorer IIs Yachtmasters GMTs Questions: Any idea what watches can take the genuine spec crystals? For example most guys upgrade their Submariners with Clark crystals…. What makers are being upgraded? (TW Best, WM9, etc.) Is there anything that should be noted before this begins? Any other oversights? ROLEX Sports Model Crystals with AR Under the Cyclops Okay guys, I need some input from members as I make final preparations for the manufacturing process. These

Manufacturing the Dome Crystals for PAM 212 and the larger PAM 127 Okay fellas, I thought I would pass along the information I have learned on the latest 1:1 crystal project. Below are the steps that Panerai's sub contractor uses to make one of their crystals. The biggest hurdle, I am told, is the set labeled number 5 above. If the second mold is not lined up perfectly, the whole crystal is considered a 'reject' and is a waste of product. In mass manufacturing like this, a loss of over 5% can be disastrous to the bottom line. This is why (I believe), this project has never been completed to anyway near 1:1 proportions with genuine sapphire. ***** This is how a mineral crystal is made: Obviously, the mineral crystals are easier and far cheaper. But they will break easier.

I finally have an update to this thread. Thank you for your patience. Here is the project status: It has taken FOREVER to get this far. Mainly that the 212/253 crystal from Panerai is twice as complex as the manufacturer thought. I hope a lot of you find this interesting, because I sure have. Here are some facts about the crystals: there are two unique shapes ion this type of crystal: the outside dome and the inside dome. They are completely different shaped domes. This means a separate mold will need to be made for inside shape of the crystal in addition to the mold for the outside. Now, picture this: the outside shape is ground out of the raw material (a rod of swiss corundum sapphire). Then the inside shape needs to be ground out from the inside. After many tests, our manufacturer has concluded that there will be a high failure rate of crystals that won;t pass the QA tests after production. Basically, the inside of the crystal needs to be placed perfectly centered or else the crystal won't be symmetrical and considered to be a 'failure'. So, with these challenges in front of us, our manufacturer has placed a minimum order of 50 pieces. We have sold about 20. In short, if we do not reach the quantity we need the project will not happen and everyone gets their money back. No harm done, just a whole lot of effort lost. This is the exact same story for the PAM 127 crystals. So, how long should we wait for the ordered number to reach what we need? May I propose 3 weeks? In the meantime, if anyone is dissatisfied with the timeline, let me know (for the PAM 127 crystals) and BigE (for the 212 crystals). Thank you for your continued support.

Big Crown (myself) and Big E, have been working on this crystal for months. Ours will be ready in 3 weeks. Big-E is collecting pre-orders now. They will be 1:1 with faint, near colorless AR. -Crown

PAM 127 / 217 / 203 - 1:1 design + Swiss Corundrum + Light A.R. = perfection [pre-order is now open] The pre-order for the 1:1, perfect clarity (same material as OEM - Swiss Corundrum Sapphire), perfect shape and distortion, light AR per the genuine example - has begun today, December 31, 2010. I will end the pre-order on January 30, 2011. Price for a crystal: $189 + shipping Shipping: Continental United States: USPS Priority with Tracking $8 Continental United States: USPS Express with Tracking $18 International: USPS Priority with Unreliable Tracking $14 International: USPS Global Express with Good Tracking $32 All work is done in the United States and will be supervised by myself. I guarantee a quality product and will accept returns if not satisfied. Price includes one gasket. I am a strong believer that the 'swiss' DSN PAM 127 and DSN 217 are INCREDIBLE. So if you invest $400 in one of his base watches, install one of these crystals, you will have a total of $600 invested into a 'super-rep'. IMHO this is the price point where we should be for such pieces. I have ordered a NOS Panerai Crystal to be used and is on its way to the us as of today. Here are some of my stock photos of my last 'fiddy' to get your appetite stimulated (NOS OEM DIAL AND HANDS): Please calculate the appropriate shipping and submit payment to this pp account: Submariner50years@gmail.com These will be produced in small batches (it takes 5 days to complete a batch). I will ship in the order of your payment, so it is not always wise to wait. Thank you RepGeek for your continued support! I will be donating a couple of these crystals to RWGforum.com so look for the raffles in February!

Swiss Corundrum Sapphire Crystal for PAM 212 / 253 / 233 / 270 - PRE-ORDER is here I know a lot of members have inquired about the dome crystal for the PAM 212 (primarlily) but also for the PAM 243, 233 and 270. Your requests have been answered and we will have these crystals made and shipped by the end of January 2011. We will be doing pre-order only becasue of the complexity of these crystals, upfront cost and the costly Anti-reflective coating. The crystals will be: -1:1 from our original example. -light Anti-reflective coating per the genuine example -include 1 gasket for installation -some aditional gaskets will be available if you accidentaly destroy yours while installing -be made of the highest quality materials and highest standard of quality assurance and control. Here are scans of the genuine example that will be used to make this new product: The cost for these crystals will be $169 plus the appropriate shipping. Shipping: we sincerely appologize about the Luminor 44mm crystals being shipped during the 'Christmas Rush'. The holiday season really slowed down the delivery time (I know some of you in Asia, Europe and Australia are still patiently waiting). We will do a better job of shipping and providing tracking with this order. the second time is the charm! At this time, I would like to introduce one of our partners, Eric (BIG-E), who will be taking the orders and organizing this project on the client side, while I handle the engineering and the Quality Assurance and Quality Control. Thank you to all of the future members who share the passion to make our hobby so enjoyable. Best regards, Crown

I think I fixed it, but you will need to clear your cookies to see it right-side-up. Just be sure to click on the link so that my personal assistant gets the attention that she deserves (when I hear her making my coffee in the morning...I JUMP out of bed)! Once again, here she is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oazqRrYVA8

It is your bezel / case design that is off ...not that crystal. Is that one of mine? Looks good

PANERAI and HOT CHICK CONTENT! okay fellas, show your support....I need some YouTube hits! ...please watch YouTube video and post positive comments only.... PLEASE PASS TO FRIENDS SO I CAN GET MORE HITS! Thanks in advance - Bart Here is just a light test before the real models showed up....CLOTHES GET SMALLER AND SMALLER...just be patient... AND SEXY AS THE VIDEO PROGRESSES) CLICK HERE (PLEASE): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oazqRrYVA8 Kyra is my assistant. I, Big Crown, is the guy with her. ISN't SHE SPECIAL???? Gotta love her. :munch: PLEASE POST ONLY positive comments under this video. SHE is a special friend and want t make her famous. Here are some of the other girls: (THIS IS BEFORE ANY RETOUCHING SO BE KIND HERE ALSO) MEET Asia: http://s191.photobucket.com/albums/z78/RolexGilt/1019 Dial and Hands/GerriLuth-Reece/BartsPICKSiPhoneAPP/Asia/?albumview=slideshow ....maybe that's enough for now, but there are 10 girls so far....

Yes My manufacturer has convinced me after inspecting my OEM examples that we will not be able to pick our the OEM. This is something I have always wanted and am very pleased to bring this to the community. 2011 will be a HUGE year for our hobby: -1:1 cases are very close (you'll see what I mean soon) -1:1 casebacks will be out soon with custom engravings from Jakob (proper weight and signed swiss made on the inside with Cotes de Geneve) -these 1:1 corundum Sapphire crystals What will be next?

Pre-Order has begun: www.swisscorundum.instantecom.net Pre-order will end mid-November! You can order them through the website setup specifically for this order. (keeps things simple). i will be posting the blue print next week! Very excited about this! If you have not read the description post, here is it: *****************interest thread******************* I am thinking of having 1:1 crystals made out of genuine Swiss Corundum sapphire. I have been working with genuine Panerai and high-end Frankens for about 8 years now and I am stuck on OEM crystals. I love the 'poured in' look of the OEM crystals and have not found a rep crystal that comes close. Clarity: my Eddie Lee crystals are the right shape and height but are not clear enough. When viewed out of the watch, they are pink or cloudy. I have learned this is because the Sapphire they used is from China, Taiwan or HK. The crystal has impurities which give it the haze or color. Same can be said from the Texas based 'whole sale outlet' crystals. Awesome product but dirty sapphire! You can even see the pink hue in this photo from the 'Texas' crystals: OEM Example: I will of course be donating an OEM crystal for each run and they are guaranteed to be 1:1 with a tolerance of +/- 0.02mm I am thinking of first having Luminor Crystals (44mm) done first. POssibly a 212, 253 dome (because it has never been done), and a PAM 127/217/203 monster dome sapphire. AR: I am not interested in having AR put on these at this time. I will consider, but most people are doing pre-V builds at this time and are removing the AR anyway. Date models: sorry i will not be willing to take the risk of the date mag window. This is a huge investment to make these and there is too much opportunity for a defect with the date magus...sorry! Corundum Sapphire used by Panerai: Swiss Corundum is extremely costly but will be worth it. So my question: would you buy a 1:1 Luminor Crystal for $160? Pre-order $110? I hope this project gets off the ground. If I get enough interest and do a pre-order actually have the crystals done and shipped in about 5 weeks. Thank you fellow Geeks!

(?) What keeps the bezel on a Jimmy Fu case? Mine just got PVD-ed ... ... and in the package from The Zigmeister, I see all the parts, but the bezel just sits on the case. Any thoughts / ideas?

After several months of restoration work, I am finally nearing completion of this rewarding project. I had genuine tritium applied to the luminous trays. Any guesses on how many World War 2 Army compasses it took to do these? Anyway, final assembly will be completed by my client (at his request). These are my fourth, fifth and sixth OEM dial project and they keep getting better. I have been told I have three more being sent. Any input for the next set is appreciated, but be KIND (please). There are a lot of man hours and 're-do's with these dials.

Okay Geeks, Quiz time: who would you trust in refinishing 3 X OEM Panerai Vintage Dials? (one is possibly prototype) {this is duplicate post of one over on the Geek, I'm curious where the best info source is, and where the gawkers hang out --pretty sure I know already} -prime the plates -paint the plates -apply tritium mix on the luminous tray -apply white wax in the text Your input is greatly appreciated

I remember a member here needing one. It is in the Market Section: http://www.network54.com/Forum/207673/message/1264606931/FREE+Rolex+NOS+Zephyr+Dial+for+...