alligoat

I see no need to spend a lot of money on one. Also, I'm very happy w/ my economy tool kit that I bought 3-4 years ago: http://cgi.ebay.com/WATCH-TOOL-KIT-LARGE-WITH-CARRYING-CASE_W0QQitemZ290383313246QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item439c31b95e You can shop around and find it for less- I've seen them for $50. Also, I bought a nice set of screwdrivers from Offshore recently- $15 incl shipping to USA. Good quality blades. Then you can add specialty tools as you need them.

Here's my MKII Explorer, not a Rolex, not a rep, just a reborn watch w/ a Swiss eta 2836-2 inside. I kept the 6mm rep Rolex crown because I just didn't see any big need to change it out for an unbranded one- that could have meant changing the case tube also- too much work.

Ditto what flex says. Best prices on ebay, which is really a wholesale priced market if you know what you're doing, are in the USA. Prices are more in the EU.

Correct model is a 1680 or a 5513. The 1680 wasn't produced in 1982, but the 5513 still was (up until around 1989 or so, when the 14060 came out). Correct ends for a 16800 are 593. But yours could also be a replacement bracelet.

Sure, but is it worth it? Why not just get a new case tube? You may need to heat the case to loosen the glue, if it was glued in there (I'm not sure what Rolex's procedure is, but Loc-tite works well for me). Clean the threads on the old tube, retap the case, a bit of loc-tite and away you go.

I bought this Rolex 6694 rep from Silix back in '06 for $130- with a Swiss eta. I wasn't happy with the date mag and swapped out an aftermarket crystal for the 6694 in an attempt to fix it. Cyclops was in the wrong place- to far left. http://www.silix-prime.com/rols048-p-1468.html Finally this year I bought a 3-6-9 explorer dial and mercedes hands from MKII watches and a T-12 crystal (no cyclops) and put it all back together. Great lume on the MKII dial and hands and now I have a nice MKII Explorer for $250. Haven't checked WR yet, but all I'm planning on at this point is a 50 yd dash in a rainstorm w/ a raincoat on.

Here's another 1680, 5,11x,xxx SN. This dial also has the centered L and the c in chronometer under the =.

kbh, it's not .2mm larger, it's 200,000 later in SN. 5,8xx,xxx vs the yellow lume dial being 5,6xx,xxx. Both are from around 1978. I still have the watch, but I don't wear it as much as my 16800's, I'm just too tough on those plastic crystals. The second hand was replaced during service 3-4 yrs ago, the lume fell out. I also had a new insert put in, the old one kept falling out. The insert is gen, but I don't know about the seconds hand.

Wholesaleoutlet990 on ebay has the 580 end links. To find a 78360, you may have to look over at VRF, TZ or ebay and buy a gen.

The watch is a composite of mismatched parts. Plastic crystal of a 1665 SD (or comex), dial of a 16800- matte w/ no wg surrounds, but not a very good dial at that. Good news is you have lugholes and a correct vintage type bracelet. Don't know if you have an HE valve or not. And being a CN rep, changing out the crystal is going to be hit or miss. Don't know if a 30.5mm sapphire crystal would fit- at that point you could run w/ the 16800 Comex look w/ a hard crystal.

Ok, mine is a 78, 5.8mil Beyeler dial. Silver date wheel, service crystal, 703 crown and short seconds hand?? Second is a 5.6mil, same L in Rolex left of center of crown, c in chronometer left of = above. Other than the lume, it's the same dial print. KBH's dial is the same vintage- same L and c arrangement. 4th dial is maybe earlier, don't know. L is centered, = and c are in line. Just more of Rolex's quirks- different dial mfrs. Sorry about the photo, it is Photo 101, I'm still struggling. Cyclops and cg's are OK for a 30 yr old watch- lugs are polished, it's on a 93150 w/ 580 end pieces. My first gen Rolex back in 2005/6.

Nice one kbh, Here's a 4th one

What about this one? Any similarities in the dial??

The dial is killing me, replacement case?, couldn't read the bracelet #'s, gen movement. The key to building a good franken is in the dial. Trying to sell it on ebay is a crime!

Is this real or is it Memorex?

The movement is a Valjoux 23, I don't think it came out until after WWII, among other things...

All you can do is try. I'd order an inexpensive aftermarket T-116 from Clark's Watch Supply or someone else on ebay and give it a try. But my guess is it won't fit.

Very nice! I think good lume on a rep is great. Yours looks fantastic. And with an accurate movement, it can't be beat.

Well, I'm confused also crockey. I guess rosnik is saying the new batch of MBW/MBK's like what Eurotimez has won't accept a gen insert or crystal. It's hard to believe the MBK factory would screw up a good thing, but we've seen it w/ Cats MBK 1680-the bezel construction has been adulterated. But Cats did install a gen crystal and insert. An MBK 1665 still might not be too bad if you could put a decent pearl in the insert and live with the plastic crystal. Trim the cg's, maybe drill the lugholes, and give it some judicious aging, with a gen eta, it could be a good beater. Certainly it's going to be easily $200-400 cheaper than going the Yuki case route, I would think.

Welcome to the 'Rolex Dilemna'. They overcharge you for a watch and then you find out parts of it aren't what you would think they should be as far as quality is concerned. At least with a noobmariner, you've got a decent rep and you didn't get ripped off. I'm wearing a gen 16800 sub w/ the 93150 bracelet and it's 28 years old, but it's really no better than a noob bracelet. And you can bet I wouldn't pay Rolex $800-1000 for a new bracelet. I put a $70 MBK oyster bracelet on another gen sub- the old oyster was pretty stretched out. And you're right about other gen watches like Tag, Omega, Breitling, Sinn, etc. being a better value for the $. Chalk one up to Rolex marketing.

One quick note, MBW is an MBK, or vice versa.

Darn, Dylan! The noob bracelet is one of its strong points. At least as far as the hollow mid-links are concerned and the clasp isn't bad either. The SEL's may be the only shortcoming. If you want a cheap bracelet, get a gen Rolex oyster bracelet. The ones from the 60's stamped C&I and made in the USA are a hoot- a true POS.

What about a set of hands? Service and assembly from Ziggy- maybe $250-350. I would think you could find a 1030 for $1000+

Yep, it's from the noob factory and it's OK for a starter. The sandblasted Rolesium dial is interesting. But as Denimhead said, the YM from WM9 is the way to go.

That WM9 price isn't too bad. All you can do is keep looking. I doubt you'll find anything for under $1500. Buying a 15200 Date or a 16200 DJ are other options- anytrhing under $2K is a good price, then turn around and sell the case and bracelet.. Might have to figure a service into the equation- add $200.