alligoat

A Noobpart is a part that comes off a noobmariner- the submariner, or the yachtmaster, or it could even be off the GMT from the noob factory. The noob factory bracelet is a very good rep bracelet- correct because it has the hollow center links like the gen Rolex bracelet. Prior to the noob factory bracelet, most of the rep bracelets had solid mid-links- in fact a lot still do, this is not correct for a true Rolex bracelet. And parts aren't available separately from the factory, so they only come off a watch. Date magnification has been discussed around here ad nausem. From the pics, IMO, your Explorer II might be slightly larger than 2.5, sub may be OK and I can't see the yachtmaster. I wouldn't worry about the Explorer though, it's not enough to worry about.

Just another 5 and dime cheap old chinese rep case, cheap old CN movement- good old Canal St junk.

I don't think we've seen one yet. You could get a gen dial, but then typically it's too small for the rep case.

It's hard to believe the noob's been around for two years. And, of course, Eddie Lee threw in the towel shortly thereafter. There's a certain amount of variation in the noobs- don't you wonder how many millions are out there? Remember Josh's beginmariner with the thick date font, some had the zit pearls, and there were slight variations in rehaut depth. Most of the collectors carry it, TTK, Josh, Andrew, Paul, EL (he always had good quality watches from what I've read), and now Eurotimez, etc. It certainly has been a successful watch- no doubt about it. I love wearing mine, a great beater and who cares if you tear it up- it's a 'down in the trenches' working watch for me.

Different design? And don't forget, the asian idea of clean and serviced ain't the same as the Swiss. You could service a $15 movement for $50-100, but does it make economic sense?

That's the rotor and it's noisy, but not a big deal. The ETA's and Rolex automatics are certainly quieter, but I have a Sinn with the modified Swiss 7750 and it has a supercharged rotor, but it's the most accurate watch I have, including my gen Rolexes! Don't sweat the noisy rotor!

Yeh, and NDT has the 6542 case, but at $1350, it's like ouch! The dial is $600, ouch again!

G-S Supplies up in Rochester NY sells a plastic aftermarket crystal for the 6542- PA-462-17E, OD of 30.1. They also sell a Rolex T-116 Cyclop PA-462-19K, OD 30.28. SternKreuz (from the Cousins catalog) has two T-116 crystals- XS 300.158 and XS 302.450. But none of this may be any good if you're using a rep case! I guess you already have a dial which would be the biggest hurdle- but is it a 6542, or a 1675? I would think either one would work, if the diameters are close. And it fits in a rep case, but the problem with a rep case is it usually take a bigger dial than the corresponding gen! Today I'm wearing my 5508 (NDT) and I often wonder if the two cases aren't the same- 6542 and 5508, but it looks like the NDT 5508 case is closer to 38mm (I don't really trust my Harbor Freight $5 calipers here at work). But I wouldn't be surprised if Rolex used the same case.

I don't know if they are Solid as in SEL, but they are attached to the bracelet, and the numbering is correct. 592/93160. The earlier 1665 would have had the 585/93150 (or 93160?) and it was available into the early 80's. The 16800 Submariner from the same time would have 593/93150 w/ the detachable end pieces. A very nice watch, but definitely a 'retail' price. Don't know if you could still find one for around $5K usd- say 3200 Euros or not. Rolex prices have been going up as fast as oil lately- or the dollar is going down that fast!

I kinda like it, too B-T. I'd never split up a couple of gens, but might swap in an Explorer II dial if I had one. I just ordered the Alpha GMT which is very similar, as a play watch: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...A:IT&ih=020 And as you say, my dream would be to build the 6542 with the white desk pilots dial and the black bezel for now the Alpha's as close as I can get!

LOL, I'm with Freddy on this, 6538, or possibly a 5510. Definitely a big crown, no crown guards, Submariner. The ironic thing is this has been debated on the Bond sites, but the truth is, only Cubby Broccoli's family knows the answer since they have the actual watch and I guess they're not talking. Talk about a million dollar Rolex watch- can you imagine what would happen if that watch were auctioned off by Antiquorum. The 5513 didn't show up till later in one of the Roger Moore Bond films.

Beautiful watch addingwatch. I love those v72's.

I wouldn't go any further. Basically, I think you're there. A smaller crown would be next on the agenda. But that's a whole nother lesson. I actually think a Rolex crown is smaller than the noob crown in width, as well as height, so I'd leave it like it is.

Look at TMG's two pics in post #31- those are gens, but maybe aftermarket bezels- look at the dial- "Oyster Perpetual", not "Oyster Perpetuall Date" like in the rep dials. thats the main flaw in the rep dials- wrong wording w/ the addition of "Date". Flat-top three is anpther telll in the date window- rarely copied by reps.

I sure like the pearl on that new SD- it looks just like one of CN's best!

This is pretty cool. I was on vacation last week and I'm just getting caught up. Drilling lug holes is certainly something us vintage guys are always looking for since the new cases aren't coming with them. I'm like Sir Lancelot, to build a 16800, I need a case w/ lug holes!

Looks good! I agree with Ziggy, a lot of times the pearl is darker than the dial, so I'd leave it like it is.

Next possibility- a Silix no cg sub- 38mm x 12mm http://www.silix-prime.com/images/upfile/rols174-1.jpg But the bezel won't be correct, like the notched bezel on the 6542. And I think these are thin cases w/ 29mm dials, as I recall.

Like Tribal says, this Silix 1675 w/ the crappy dial- 28mm to boot, and shave the cg's http://www.silix-prime.com/product.asp?id=1494 If the dial didn't say DATE, it would be halfway decent

Good old NDT has the 6542 case for $1350! http://ndtradingcorp.com/zen/index.php?mai...products_id=102 Takes a 1030 or 1065 GMT movement. Don't know of anything cheaper- like a Silix no cg case and an asian GMT movt, with a ??? dial

There's a 5508 and a 6538, but no 5538! Anyway, it should not click as chrgod says and should go either direction. You can pop the bezel off and play with the wire to tighten it up, as I recall. Some of them come with the little click pin and you can remove that and then it will turn either way. The 16800 was the first sub to have the one way, counterclockwise turning bezel. Before that 1680, 1665, 5513, and earlier subs were bi-directional- no click.

Crown position on a vintage MBW isn't that bad- say like a 1680. The crown guards still need to be modded and they are too fat to begin with, but 99.9% of the people aren't going to notice. I think what POTR is referring to is that the MBW/MBK route is the most reasonable costwise. You can go a step up to the Vietnamese dealers like NDTrading Corp or Jewelry and Watch which have expensive vintage cases and maybe better dials, but at that point you almost have to put a Rolex movement in there and that runs at least a grand (US dollars) for the movement, so you've got a $2500 franken or more by the time it's over. The sky is the limit when you go from the rep to franken watch world This 5508 is a franken with a Rolex 1520 movt- over $2000 to build, quite a bit more than an MBW- say you spend $400 for the MBW, put $200-300 in improvements into it, you have a $700 watch. Third option is something like this: An inexpensive CN rep, put a better pearl in it, $25-30, mod the cg's yourself, put a better dial in- I spent $150 for a better 5513 dial, greased the o-rings and off I go- a cheap beater- ready for swimming and snorkling. A little over $300 in it for me. So it really boils down to how much do you want to spend!

Yes, that is a noobmariner.

OK, ITK, for the clarification. I guess Andrew is calling it Retro because it has lugholes. And yes it has IHS, but it doesn't look all that bad to me, but Frank and Freddy are more familiar w/ GMT's- Subs are more of my specialty.

Stephane, here's a 168000 with the 3035 movement. Look at the bridge holding the balance- it's a single positioned bridge. The 3135 has the balance bridge which spans the entire balance wheel and is anchored on each side. Interwatches says 916 steel, but it's 316 steel (typo) on the older 16800. The datewheel should be the old style with the open sixes and nines and round top threes. Date mag on this model is awfully small- replacement crystal, maybe? Datewheel goes in the opposite direction from the 3135, so they are not interchangeable. http://cgi.ebay.com/ROLEX-Mens-SUBMARINER-...1QQcmdZViewItem 140246163811 is the item # on the bay Like MM says, the 3035 wasn't as successful as the 1570 movt. And Rolex replaced it with the 3135 which has been in use for 20 years now, but Rolex keeps making improvements to that movement, also. Oh, BTW, correct bracelet end pieces are 593's on the 16800 and it looks like also the 168000.