JoeyB

I ground down the bump on the hack lever for my 6204 build with the ETA 2846. I like my watches to be accurate to the second. So I have to wait and shake it when the seconds line up. What a pain!

I've found the ETA 2846 to be as reliable as the ETA 2836, but has the slower beat for vintage builds.

I think the problem is that the reps have gotten so very good. I've seen pawn shops get taken for big bucks, a Rolex Dealer that had my own rep in his hands trying to sell me a new insert and service, and my rep going through the metal detectors without setting them off, just as gens do, at 3 different airports. They've come a long way from the $25 knock-offs, as have the price.

It is very true, and very much up to what the individual wants. Like cars, keeping a car all original right down to the markings on bolts will get you a 'Bloomington Gold' certificate for your vintage Corvette. That makes it more valuable but only to someone who will pay the price. The latest 'craze' is doing 'resto-rod'. That is taking a 'muscle car' and running a new chassis under it with all the advances of 2023. The early Corvettes, C1, never had disc brakes or independent rear end, or overdrive transmissions, and only some had mechanical fuel injection. Now you can have the look of the classic with the operation of a new car. And easily twice or more horse power. Back in the 1960s those with that mechanical fuel injection took them off and put on a Holley carburetor. Today in a restored car the F.I. are worth a mint. And they are getting big bucks for the resto-rods as well. I came to replica watches because I can't justify in my mind the price of a genuine Rolex. Back then in the mid 1980s a gen Sub could be purchased from a Rolex Dealer for about $600. Hind sight is a grand thing. I should'a bought a dozen! But I was too cheap to spend that much back then. Finding this and other replica sites got me what I wanted, the look of the vintage Rolex with the 'resto-rod' movement, at the price I found reasonable. And there is the safety issue as well. Wearing a $5,000 or more watch will attract thieves. Wearing a $60,000 or much more 6542 or 6204 genuine would not only be dangerous, but foolish as well. Several years ago someone broke into my hotel room to steal the rep 16710 I had been wearing, not knowing it was a rep. I hope his fence laughed at him. I knew a guy who owned a pawn shop that took in a ceramic GMT he thought was a gen, and paid out at pawn shop rates, but still way more than it's worth. He cheated someone else getting rid of it. I built my replicas to please my eye, not to impress others or try to make a profit cheating someone. But that is just me, everyone should make their own decisions.

I also used an Explorer case for my 16710. Clark's bezel, crystal and click spring are very smooth and gen feel. I used a genuine insert and crown, ETA movement.

As was said back then, 'Perspex' is a brand name for their material made from Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA), an acrylic. This acrylic material is also referred to as acrylic glass, plexiglass and various other trade names. Initially I made my insert from this material, but it was too fragile. One I had carefully wrapped and shipped to freddy333 broke during shipping via USPS. I then switched to using lexan, the the material used on fighter jets being bullet resistant.

Many years ago when I talked Ken at Rafflestime into getting the Brevet crown and GMT small 4th hand made the communication sometimes got in the way. They needed some 'finish' work. Ken got the crown with the '+' made, but it was still too wide. So, I took a chance and modified it and outlined it here: When shaping the crown/+ side care must be taken to not lose the bottom of the '+'. I did that carefully with a Dremel stone that had a hollowed out top on it, a few swipes by hand. I may be mistaken, but yours looks to be that one from Rafflestime. I love how they turned out, on my 6204 and 6542 it's the finishing touch.

Now I feel even older... I find a long term plan to be good and welcomed news. This place and it's people are special.

In light of the 'Terrible News', what is the status of forum ownership and the future prospects? The new features you list are exciting, and hopefully speak for a long term future.

Thank you. No, not tropical, black with a patina that I controlled on both my 6204 and 6542 dials with the 'orange-peel' from the spray sealer (see the pic). It really looks a whole lot better than my feeble picture taking skills shows. The picture you posted also looks as though the crown is too large, maybe 7 or 8mm, not 6mm. So the hands and crown may have been changed in a service.

The chapter ring on the old watches measured 26mm in diameter. Rolex minute hands measure 12mm, being a radius. The very first minute hands on the 6204 and 6542 measured 13mm, reaching the chapter ring. To my eye it makes a whole lot better look, that silly little millimeter. I got my 13mm minute hand from Helearou some 8 years ago, and had to search long and hard at that time for a pencil hour hand to fit the slow beat genuine ETA2846. The Brevet + crown is from Raffletimes and modified. I've never seen a 6204 in person, but the pics I saw that inspired this build, particularly by Stefano Mazzariol, lead me to believe that the early Submariners hands and dials were gilt only by color description, but actually brass as an ocean diver watch might be. I lightly sanded my hands down to the brass, not shiny at all, and in 8+ years they've not tarnished in the closed case. My bezel is made from brass and nickel plated, which I lightly sanded to allow some brass to show through as if worn. I am famous for my inability to take a decent picture of a watch, but the attached should give an idea of my build.

That first insert was made from plexiglass, brand name "Perspex", as the original. It broke the same way. The run was done in Lexan, which is substantially more durable.

No, no longer. The years have taken their toll.

Mine would be my 6542 and my 6204, both with the ETA2846 movements, and both with the 13mm minute hand that goes to the edge of the chapter ring. That hand completes the look. The 6542 was inspired by Freddy's build, and took me to make the insert and bezel per spec, and talk Rafflestime to make the 4th hand and brevet crown. Those were the days.

(I posted this in the 'Trusted Dealers' section, and thought it should be here as well.) It's been quite a few years since I bought a replica watch, having built the ones I wanted and wearing them since. Now my Son wanted two watches, the red and blue ceramic GMTll black dial with a Jubilee bracelet, and a DateJust blue dial also with a Jubilee. With the issues of the world the last few years I asked around with concerns of availability and shipping. Back in the day I dealt with Mary for watches and parts as well. So, I contacted Mary and it was just as years ago. She quoted me very good pricing, sent me pictures of the actual watches she shipped, both from the BP Factory. I paid her using Western Union, and it took two weeks to my door in the U.S., and that during the holiday rush. I am very pleased with the watches and Mary's communications keeping me up to date along the way, including a picture of the actual USPS shipping label used. Very quick. Very impressive. Well done, Mary! marywatch88@gmail.com