alligoat

here's the $98 special from josh- it's really not a bad starting place. http://www.1-pc8838.com/rlsv01104-vintage-1680-white-asia-2813-28800-best-p-9665.html Play with it, do a few mods, see if you like it... You could move up to the $198 Sub with the 2846-2 movement, do the same thing, play with it, do a few mods MBW's will run $350 and up and need mods so you'll end up spending $500-700 or more. Buying a Yuki case and parts from there and you're going to spend $700+ by the time you come up with a movement, dial, etc. It all really comes down to how much do you want to spend.

Hey guys, I was just looking for a 6538 at Josh's site and all I could find was a 6536.

I just ran across the ring at raffles-time http://cgi.ebay.com/Movement-Ring-ETA-2824-2836-others-Size-2-/160521091253?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item255fcd78b5 It looks like it will do the same thing as the Yuki ring for a lot less!

I was thinking they weren't out there, but I found some rep sites carrying them http://www.rolexreplica123.com/class/Date_1.html http://www.hkwatchseller.com/product/Oyster_Perpetual_Date_Domed_Bezel_Oyster_Bracelet_115200_003907.html So you would think our collectors could source them- this model came out in 2007 from Rolex.

Interesting forum rules! But you're close, one more post and you should be over the 5 limit and on to posting w/ links. here's an older watch from the noob factory and if you look at the end links, you'll see how the gold wraps around the whole center end link. http://www.prowatch888.com/product_info.php?cPath=21_56_70&products_id=79 I'm kinda surprised this watch is still around, but check with Paul for availability. By-Tor wrote a review of it, you might check it out also. And if you buy the modern ceramic TT sub, you'll just have to keep checking the end links to make sure the gold wraps around

Well A, it reminds of the line from Casablanca, "Round up the usual suspects." MBW, have you tried Narikaa? Now you mention a movement swap- are you going for a 2846-2? Because I wouldn't probably try a Rolex 1030 in an MBW case- remember all that stuff about the crown position being too low on the MBW case? ugoderosa pointed out Josh (and Andrew also). Some people say the cartel models are as good as what Yuki offers thru their sister company http://www.yukiwatch.com/catalog/item/7617720/8453041.htm Beyond that, you step up a notch to Yuki case, dial, etc, NDT or J&W, but that's when you're talking serious franken and mucho mas dinero. Heck, maybe Narikaa could get you a 6538 with the 2846-2 in it already- we've seen that on some MBW's from time to time.

Yuki said the OD was 28.4mm. I'm thinking this ought to work in the 1601 case since the 1570 movt is around 28.45mm from what I can gather.

If this is the watch you're talking about: http://www.1-pc8838.com/rlst00089-2009-submariner-blue-asia-3135-serial-p-9744.html I'm not too excited. I could care less about the 3135 clone movement- a bunch of hog wash. And the gold plating on the end links doesn't return down the sides from what I can see- evidence of gold plate! Keep looking and get your kid to teach you how to copy and paste links. If you ain't got a kid, borrow one!

Try sale@yukiwatch.com! I asked him what the OD was, I'm interested also. Could use it for my 1601/1016 Explorer I project.

So you're thinking this ring would fit your 2824 into a 1601 case? http://www.yukiwatch.com/catalog/item/7518423/7999848.htm I just read online that a 1570 movement is around 28.45mm, so you might ask Yuki what the OD of this ring is. ID will fit a 2824 so that shouldn't be a problem.

Ziggy can do wonders, and it's well worth the trip up and back. I personally don't go for trashed out look. He resurrected my 16800 matte dial including some inpainting of the matte black. And of course, I love good lume-glows at nite- on a rep/franken.

Thanks Red, always nice to learn something new!

A white Sea-Dweller would be a 702 crown originally, no doubt. Early DRSD's would have a 700 crown originally. If it was serviced, it would probably have the 703 crown. I did see a 1978 1680 Submariner this week that Bob Ridley put a 700 crown and tube on when servicing it. I don't know why he would do something like that- makes no sense to me- the crown predates the watch!

Buy Puretime's 1665 Sea-Dweller for $223 (incls shipping) and use the 93150 and 580 ends on your 5513. Then you can sell the Sea-Dweller- head only. Or check with Angus and see if he'll sell you the bracelet and end pieces only. It is a hollow mid-link bracelet and the end pieces are correct w/o any backside cot-outs like on rep end pieces. Another option is to buy a used one on ebay or VRF- might be able to pick one up for $400, but be careful, some of them are pretty stretched out. I keep hoping we'll find a source for the 9315 rep bracelets that are showing up- I'd love to get one for $100-125.

I'm liking Polexpete and mjmj's answer- trimmed dial in an MBW case. JoJo did the same thing with the same results LOL, this watch would have that same dastardly MBW SN- L341,xxx! I've measured gen dials at 26.5mm and MBW dials at 26.2mm and it's amazing how removing .3mm will affect the minute markers and Swiss-T<25 like that.

Here's a current thread running over on RG http://www.repgeek.com/showthread.php?t=129064 Whether you put a gen SD dial or a nice aftermarket SD dial in there is up to you, but either way, it can make for a very nice franken when you add in a gen insert and gen crown (and tube). These watches are generally pretty WR and you can build a great beater with a little bit of work. And we all know it's quite a bit cheaper than plunking down $4-5K for a used gen. By now we all know the shortcomings of the SSD, but luckily the other 99.99% of the population doesn't. These can be made into some fine modded reps w/ a little bit of work.

here's mine, it's a MKII 'L' in Rolex is left of center of crown Mine currently has a 703 crown and tube Dial is a Beyeler c. 1978 The crown on the one in question doesn't bother me- looks like a 702 crown to me. And the dial really doesn't bother me either, but I could be wrong...

My guess is that the crown position is too low, but more importantly, what's the point of sticking a $900-1000 movement in a $20 rep case? If you want to 'burn' a gen Rolex movt, get a decent case- Yuki, MBW, J&W, or NDT. Josh and PT are great for rep beaters, but perspective is important, if you're going 1st class, don't scrimp on cheap parts!

That is beautiful! And is that a MK1 dial? With the 'L' in Rolex centered under the crown, it sure looks like one. Excellent job.

Looks good to me- 6444, w/ the 1225 manual wind movt, IV '57. It's a good deal, the bracelet looks original. Enjoy!

The dial is only for a 1570 if you insist on using the dial feet. But you can cut the dial feet off and glue the dial to an eta movement. No big deal.

For the gen, it's a C2.

I'm thinking it's just B25-295-C2. There's two different gasket sizes, 1 and 2. 1 is on like a datejust, 2 is a sub. C is the cyclops, and 295 is the lower diameter of the crystal.

Beautiful job Chi! I love that silver dial w/ black subdials and the silver bezel, case and bracelet. It makes a beautiful statement, congrats.

Very nice! I like the gen pearl and the WM9 dial. Enjoy your new watch.