alligoat

I have the Watchmaster 1680- it says 'Orig Polex Design- 5513". These watches, like the MBW's, take original crystals, bezels and bezel inserts. They cost around $400 new, so used would be a little less maybe. The asian copy, or clone movement wasn't around in '98, AFAIK. The movement can be serviced and should be OK.

Looking good! Nice pearl, great cg's. Is this from Gearge or BK? And I'm guessing this dial is w/ the SL...

A little over two months ago I bought a 16800 for $3250- I thought it was a good deal and I wanted a gen beater. But the 16800 on TZ looks to be in slightly better shape for $300 less! I agree, I think prices will keep coming down for a while. But I'm still moving ahead with my 6238 franken, slowly but surely, because I just don't see how I'll ever be able to justify the price of a gen ($20-30K). Even if a gen 6238 could be found for $10K, I just couldn't do it- too rich for my blood!

Very nice watch, Corgi. I like the oyster band, I'm partial to those. I must mention one thing, though. The correct datewheel font for the 16200 series (3135 movt) DJ's is closed 6's and 9's. The open 6's and 9's came with the 3035 movement and the 16013, 16014 and 16030's. But as is the case with Rolex, there are exceptions to the rule. Recently I saw an R serial 16610 with open 6's and 9's (early 3135 movt). And one of my gen 16800's has a later replacement datewheel with the closed 6's and 9's- I think it came from the RSC that way when the dial and hands were replaced in the late 90's. I guess you could call this a very early 16233!

You might check with some of the other members on the forum who are in the EU or France and see what they do. Instead of calling it a replica, maybe you refer to it as "an inexpensive Chinese watch". Luckily in the US, it's no big deal. Sure, there are still watchsmiths who don't want to work on them, but there are plenty who will.

Yep, a stolen picture- not a good sign.

That's the key to enjoying this hobby, finding a rep friendly watchmaker. Mine is Chinese (Taiwan), and he has an independent watch repair shop. He'll work on just about anything I bring him, but he can't get Chinese parts, so I've had to get those for him in the past. Some watchmakers don't want to take responsibility when they work on reps, if something breaks, how do they get replacement parts or fix it? But if you tell them you understand, maybe they'll work on it for you. If it breaks, you may be out of a watch, but those are the breaks. That's why a lot of people buy reps w/ ETA's in them- at least those can be repaired. And regulating a watch and checking for WR is pretty basic stuff.

You can regulate the watch, but you'd probably be better off having a watchsmith do it. It's a $10-15 deal, IMO. And a watchmaker will do it correctly- you're going to be guessing and have to do it 2-3 times minimum. Try searching for posts around here on regulating your watch. First thing is getting the case back off and masking tape will work, but the correct way to do it is with a $40 Rolex case wrench- you can't get the caseback on tight enough with the duct tape method- there goes your WR. Watchmaker can check your WR for you also- good idea if you plan on swimming.

I just ran across this watch on the bay: http://cgi.ebay.com/WITTNAUER-VALJOUX-72-C...%3A1%7C294%3A50 I would think that the cost of building this type of franken would run $2500-3000, maybe a little less, maybe a little more, depending on how many genuine parts you put in there and the trouble you go to changing out bridges, etc. on the movement. This builder apparently just slapped in a Wittnauer V72 according to the description. And it looks like the price is coming down- starting bid at $2500.

Yep, wrong dial. Probably best to stay away from that watch. The 21j asian movement is 21600 bph and is OK for any watch- just not as serviceable as the ETA, but problem with the ETA these days is you can't be sure if you're getting a true ETA or an asian copy.

I like the 14060 and the GMT Master- they look gen to me. At first, I didn't like the DATE as in Oyster Perpetual Date, on the GMT, but the hand stack made me change my mind. 14060- tritium dial, Swiss- T<25, correct bracelet, bezel looks good- esp. the pearl.

Looks like a franken builder in Portland! Like the vague way in which he describes the watch and apparently disavows any responsiblility. The assymetrical pushers are nice, can't figure out the serial # though. $5K is a little steep IMO.

Some datewheels follow the Rolex circumference (radius) line, and some are too far to the right. Same with the dials. Actual noobmariners have the correctly lined up date wheel- Asian and ETA, which is the same as Rolex. GMTII's vary- some are correct and some are too far right. Look at your cyclops- if it's on the edge of the crystal, it's too far right. All you can do on these deals is try. More than once I've watched my watchmaker try to swap out GMT dials for me to no avail. SOL!

Basically you're trying to remove metal at the two bottom corners. Keep a slight angle on the crown guards- but make it less, especially at the bottom. Here's a watch from ebay- check the gens and use them as a go by: http://cgi.ebay.com/ROLEX-SEA-DWELLER-SUBM...%3A1%7C294%3A50

It was my understanding that MBW was going to start putting out a 93150 with the correct hollow mid-links. Chris at Eurotimez was trying to get that bracelet on the Euromariner V3 (A serial#) with the correct 501B end pieces. But things were going slowly on the MBW end. And Chris has had a few setbacks himself lately. I've put together a few 93150's from parts- Paul's DRSD has a nice correct bracelet with a fantasy clasp and rep 580 end pieces. I swapped out a better clasp with no grooves on the flip-lock but the clasp said 78360- oh well- can't always be perfect. I then used a pair of 593's for my 16800 franken. A gen is also a possibility- or at least some gen parts- mix and match. You can find clasps and end pieces from time to time on the bay, as well as other bracelet sections, which you can use to build a bracelet.

Actually the markers are too large, just like on the LV dials. And like chefcook said, no lugholes and wrong bracelet. The 14060 has been recently updated/upgraded to chronometer grade movement and a few other changes were made by Rolex, but the concensus around here was, as a rep, it was just not correct. Of course, that doesn't mean it can't be a candidate for a great beater- who's gonna pick out the faults anyway? Here's josh's w/ small markers, wrong 'Oyster Perpetual' font and $60 more in swiss eta version: http://www.jpc8118.com/rlss10002-black-dia...362-p-1791.html

Looks like my V3- especially w/ the lughole position- gens are slightly lower and more out! I think it's a new style gen insert- w/ the triangular 4, and the pearl just didn't photograph all that well. A great job on the cg's. Omega does a great job drilling lugholes, I can vouch for that.

I used the #55- 1.3mm drill bit on my V3 and in a side by side comparison with my gen 16800, I can't tell the difference in the size of the lugholes. The biggest problem I had was that in drilling the holes, the metal of the case pooches up on the outside and then you have try to polish it down or slightly chamfer the holes with a slightly larger drill bit- but you have to be careful not to get the holes too big! The lughole position on the case worked out just fine for the set of gen 501B end pieces that I used with the oyster bracelet. I just wish I could get a hold of another rep 93150 bracelet with hollow mid links. I keep hoping MBW will come out with some and that Chris at Eurotimez gets back on track, because I love to order a few.

Like Freddy said, it's probably the same as the one from Paul- working HE valve, good bracelet w/ fantasy clasp, decent dial. These guys all buy from the same factories over in Ghangzhou.

Yep, I was looking at one today and it seemed that I remember reading about the 7750 in there being problematic http://www.silix-prime.com/product.asp?id=1658 Also noticed Ruby had one http://www.nicereplica.com/pro_detail.php?ProId=542 So beautiful in gold... Is this the one that Ziggy refuses to work on because it is such a problem? You'd think that moving the running seconds from 9 to 6 and doing away with the 12 hour counter wouldn't be that big a deal. So beautiful in gold...

All you need is the clasp assembly- so you buy the $20 bracelet and pop the pin on one end and unscrew the last link on the clasp end and put it on your old bracelet. Simple!

Mine, too. Hopefully it's the PTS Resources DG2813 movement- my watchmaker serviced one of mine and it's been fine ever since.

Like the bezel assembly on the Euromariner- I just figure the case tube is a rep copy. That means a gen crown will fit it, but the quality of the tube isn't that good- same as the bezel assembly. Like Stilty, mine broke when I tried to remove it, but I was able to heat up the case and with a rat tail file remove the the rest of the tube from the case. I tapped the hole and installed a new aftermarket case tube fairly easily- didn't have to countersink the hole like you have to do on the noobmariner.

The one from Ruby looks to be a step down from Paul's. The bracelet is a solid mid link w/ the wrong #'s- 70216 and 455B ends are totally wrong. Movement is probably an eta copy- can't believe you'd get a real eta for $169. A T-39 probably won't fit. Otherwise, it looks OK- maybe it would be a good beater, cg's actually look fair.

Rather than replace the whole insert, I'd definitely look at just getting the watchmaterial pearl for $10 + s&h. You can pop the old pearl, widen out the hole with an x-acto knife and glue in the new pearl and reglue the insert. While the insert is out, you can file down the back side so it sits lower in the bezel. I'm not really sure why you think you need to replace the bezel. Dealers typically don't sell parts, so it's always a challenge to track them down.