JoeyB

My lifelong favorite, 1960 Corvette. (58' - 60' works) And yes, I have save for it.

I tried making a red letter 6542 dial, but the red is raised on the genuine dial. It looked like garbage incorporating it into the decal, and I can't make those little letters with a paint brush! I did make the exclamation point dial for my 1675, and that was good.

That is precisely the way the water-slide decals I use work. Inkjet doesn't print white, so the lighter colors like the gold/gilt allow the dial brass to show through to a degree. The decals are sealed using a clear coat before they are wetted and applied. As it ages the 'gilt' look subsides to more of what we are used to seeing today. I didn't know about the white paint under the lume. That is very interesting.

I can't answer your question because it's a replica. Who knows what size wire they used to make the spring, factories differing. However, if you have any old Subs or GMTs lying around, those bezels are likely held on the same way. It's how the reps were made until recently. Then it's a matter of the wire thickness. Or if you can find a source for stainless wire, maybe a jeweler, and bend your own. The spring expands in the slot cut in the bezel to slide over the retainer. Once past the ridge in the retainer the spring retracts to original shape and locks the assembly.

I believe all the gilt dials were made using the same techniques. The ones I've seen, mostly 6542s, are black. The pic is of a 6538 and shows the background of the marker to be black.

Sounds as though you lost the spring. There are 4 parts to the 6542 bezel set, the retainer, the spring, the bezel and the insert. The spring is the sorta-octogan shaped thin wire.

Oh, I think bakelite looks much better. The white gold might be just for the show, and SS will come out quickly. Rolex ain't all that stupid.

An update on the Tiger case bezel: Inside the coin edge. where the insert sits, it is not cut flat, as needed for the 6542 perspex/baklite insert. It is cut cone shaped as are the metal inserts. So that small ledge needs to be made flat, and that looks to be difficult to do. The Silix case needed the same mod, but had more metal to work with. When I get some time, I'll see if it can be done. If not, it's back to buying expensive bezels.

He's easy to find. Just go here and make a right...

Omni is on Maui, Lanikai should know how to get in touch with him. Lanikai was kind enough to offer any help I needed when my Son went to the University of Hawaii. Omni's Son went at the same time, and we got together. Some 6K miles away, and I had friends through the watch forums to look after my Son. Awesome people! Tell Lani I said 'Hi!'. I love Duke's, go there a lot, and we usually beach right there. I'm good friends with the guys on the sail boats and go out most every day with them. You can see whales from those boats at times.

I have tons of pics, but here are a few I like. The whale pics are from Omni's island of Maui. --

A GMT would cut down the need for a few of those. It doesn't look good for my annual trip to Hawai'i, as my father is ill. So, I'm quite jealous! North Shore had 30 foot waves last week. You might get there in time to see the humpbacks leaving Hawaiian waters for Alaska summer feeding.

He didn't mention this part of his vacation.

Thank you for the kind words. I didn't even know what a 6542 was, or what it looked like until I came here back in 2008 to look at vintage GMTs at RolexAddict's urging. We were then spending most of our time on another site, but this one had the most, and best vintage Rolex threads. RA was working toward the 1675 and I was trying to come up with a 'correct' dial with no 'Date' on it. There were none back then, except for genuine dials. freddy333 was in the middle of his 6542 when I saw it, and I knew that was going to be my grail watch. Up to that point the 'Pepsi' GMT on a Jubilee bracelet was my least favorite. That changed immediately upon seeing freddy's build, becoming my favorite. That's what happens when you see one done 'right'! Everyone needs to decide what they want for themselves, from all genuine, like freddy333's white dial, to the all replica with a 21J movement, and everything in between. Using gen parts calls for less modding, easier fit and accuracy. Using rep/aftermarket parts, like I do from Rafflestime, saves money but requires modding to make them look more like the gen (like the 6mm Brevet crown cited and linked in my earlier post). While that's the part I like, 'making a silk purse out of a sow's ear', some may not want to. There are very few people who have seen a gen 6542 in person, and fewer still who sold or worked on them some 60 years ago. I met one retired watchmaker who was quite reluctant to even look at my replica, but once he did was very complimentary, particularly about the gilt on the dial. It's nice to know that I guessed right! But most of us have nothing but pics on the internet to go by, and most of those pics are recent, not 60 years old when the watch was new. That's all freddy333 had when he blazed the trail. And all I had when I followed freddy's lead. As I said earlier, as time goes on, and the replica factories improve accuracy, our builds improve as well. It is something to look forward to.

This is the case set I have on my desk waiting for me to have time to build it. http://www.ebay.com/itm/7924-5508-minor-deffective-watch-case-with-big-crown-fit-2836-2-movement-/190991492969?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c77fae769 The retainer is cut too big. I got a 1675 retainer from Clark's and the bezel does fit it. The rehaut is very good, the price is very nice, and all the case needs is the lug holes opened up, bevel the top line, and some thinning of the case from the bottom line. The bezel needs to be beveled on both the upper and lower edges. And it's made to fit the ETA 2836/2846 and DG3804B movements.

Yes, some projects seem to be cursed from the start! The 6542 builds have come a long way since freddy333 blazed the trail. I built my first based on his write-up, and using the old Silix case. There was a lot of work, modifications to the case, and sourcing parts that made the project so difficult. It was much 'easier' building panerai's because everything was saved on file. Since then, as we learn more we want more. Having the gen style crystal mount and date window in the proper spot (or 1mm off of the correct 25-115), better shaped cases, bezels, inserts, and reasonably priced small GMT hands and brevet crowns have all come to be. There is a "less expensive" build available, but it is labor intensive. And as time goes we will discover more and make it easier yet. A member asked me about the 6542 recently. My reply - (as of today and subject to change tomorrow!) : "cheap" is a relative term! The last one I built was made from the cartel vintage Explorer http://www.ttw888.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_4&products_id=6588 I ground the crown guards off, thinned the case a bit, opened the lug holes, and beveled the edges. I bought an aftermarket Submariner bezel from Ebay, and beveled the top and bottom edges to be GMT style. The plus side of the cartel watch is that it is the genuine style crystal/retainer mount, and you have the movement and date wheel overlay already setup for the case. Adding the red/black date wheel lettering is that much easier to do. I also used the dial it came with because the date window is in the correct Rolex position, and I refinish the dial myself using the water slide decal. It came out very nice, and is the one in my signature. I have on my desk the 'Tiger' V2 case to build another 6542. The V2 also uses the pressed on crystal/retainer as does the genuine. I haven't started it yet, but the case looks a bit better for shape and thinness, and it has no crown guards. The bezel is the Submariner style coin edge and needs to be beveled on the upper and lower edges to be GMT style. No need to buy a bezel. The usual case mods will be done to it. I use Ken at Rafflestime http://www.rafflestime.com/servlet/StoreFront and Clark's (his store is on Ebay) for most of my parts. If you choose to, make certain to mention RWG and me to Ken or Gary Clark in your email. It should help in pricing a bit. Rafflestime should have the V2 case, but you must be specific in your description of what you want. There is a language barrier to be aware of. You want the 'latest' case with the gen style crystal mounting using the retainer. I also use Rafflestime for the hands, he has them for both ETA and 21j movements. The small GMT 4th hand. The 6mm Brevet '+' crown (make certain to get the crown tube that fits the V2 case, should be the 3.0mm) This crown needs to be modded a bit, as I posted a while ago http://www.rwgforum.net/topic/140709-6mm-brevet-crown/?hl=%2B6mm+%2Bbrevet#entry1046879 Ken also has movements and bracelets. I use Clark's for the 25-116 crystal. The only one better is a gen, and it's too close for me to call. Gary is very inexpensive. I get the 20mm Rolex springbars from Gary as well. He has hands for the ETA only, the Rolex 'Tudor' uses the ETA movement. And you know where I get the insert! ======== As soon as things settle down around my place, I'll build that Tiger case 6542. And we'll all see what we learn about that!

Me too, but that was 50 years ago. I got smarter since then. Almost 63,000 people at Soldier Field watched the BlackHawks beat the Penguins 5-1 in the cold and the snow. I was smarter than they are, too!

Tonight they will play hockey in Soldier Field, Chicago. Outdoors, open stadium in all the elements. Game time it is 13ºF and it is snowing. It is expected to go down to single digits and about 3 inches of snow before it's over. And Soldier Field is jammed with fans. I will be cheering on the BlackHawks against the Penguins, but from the warmth and comfort of my recliner and 50" TV. Go Hawks!

My pleasure!

It does take a bit of practice, as you likely know. Using the photo shop program you have to tweak the picture is important. Most pics off the internet are not taken square-on, so the pic needs to be made true round. But once you get the hang of it, it's pretty easy. Water-slide decals come in clear and in white. Inkjet printers do not print white, and the lighter colors, such as the gilt on the dial does allow the background to show through. For white markers you can use the white decal paper, or paint the raw dial white. I let the brass show through for the gilt look, and it does 'age' depending on how much sun it gets and how much you wear it. The patina is very good for vintage dials, and you can adjust that to your liking.

All my dials are made the same way but using water-slide decal paper for inkjet printers.

The retaining ring is pressed on to make a water-resistant seal. I used a Clark's crystal and press fit and tested. Since then, the summer of 2012, you sent your watch to two other builders, at least one to replace the Clark's crystal with a genuine. As I understand it, the builders had trouble with the retainer on the gen crystal. The Lexan insert was mounted either using double-sided tape, or RTV cement, I don't recall which one.

That's the V1 case. I forgot about that! They now have the V2 case. The V2 case will take the T19 and mount gen style. The crown and tube came from Rafflestime. This one has the DG2813 21j movement.

This is done very budget using a 'Tiger' case and insert with the pearl redone using a touch of lume and an epoxy drop, aftermarket crown, Clark's T19 crystal sanded down and UV glued in, and a homemade dial. I hope that helps.

This might help http://www.gmtmasterhistory.com/gmt-master_ref_1675.html