alligoat

Yep, putting a true noob dial with the asian 21j movt on an eta movement is no cake walk. Remove noob movement from case, remove hands, remove dial, remove dial feet from dial, glue dial to eta movement (or movement ring), install new (or old) set of eta hands. Install in MBW case. That's why Pug says get an eta noobmariner- then you just swap the dial and movement into the MBW case and hopefully there's no problem w/ the crown/stems being compatible. Of course, you also end up with an extra watch- a noobmariner w/ an MBW dial and eta movement.

50 bucks for the white dial- how can you go wrong? Sure the pearl should be the smaller acrylic one, but whose gonna know? Then all you have to do is age it so it doesn't look so new.

The 2836 is reliable when the GMT hand is on the bottom of the stack in either of these watches. However, that is not the correct position for the GMT hand in modern Rolex watches. The correct position in Rolex watches is between the hour and minute hands. When the rep makers try to modify the 2836 to achieve this correct hand stack is when they run into trouble. So if you're looking for a GMT or an EXplorer II, stick w/ the 2836 w/ the incorrect handstack and you should be fine. Besides, whose gonna notice?

Well, I got my Musk sub yesterday and it was a disappointment. Shallow rehaut, no lug holes. I guess the cases have changed from the picture. 30.5mm crystal w/ cyclops too far right, Rolex datewheel w/ open 6's and 9's. Only good news is that the inside diameter of the chapter ring is 27.3mm- a gen dial could fit, but the case sux- what's the point? Cheap chinese movement inside. I wonder about the Alpha watches- $50 or so. I'd love to find a TW best case.....

Chinese datewheel no fit on swiss watch- Confucius say. And a 2824 no fit in noobmariner- 2836 w/ different hands (eta, of course) only. So sorry! Best to enjoy beginmariner as is- great watch w/ noisy rotor!

What a hassle when ebay links don't work! The 16800A is item # 160164423408- still cheap The 16800 from Beckertime is # 160167433345 The 168000 from Watchesetconline is # 130160945735 Becker Time and Watches Etc Online are reputable, don't know the other guy I don't know when the 5513 went to WG surrounds, but I'd figure the 16800 dial did so at about the same time- mid 80's. Like you, my preference is the matte dial 16800, but the price is going up daily! That's why I'd love to build a rep- I already have the dial Buying a later 16800 and swapping in the early dial just doesn't do it for me

Here's the 16800A- Says a different kinda steel also http://cgi.ebay.com/Rolex-Oyster-Perpetual...1QQcmdZViewItem I'm not sure about the 30 jewels though- 3035 is 27 jewels and 3135 is 31. Here's a 16800- later w/ WG surrournds: http://cgi.ebay.com/MENS-ROLEX-STAINLESS-S...1QQcmdZViewItem And here's the 168000- the final version w/ the 3035 and 914L steel, I believe: http://cgi.ebay.com/Rolex-Submariner-16800...1QQcmdZViewItem

As I understand it, first was the matte dial 16800 like you have there, wight. 7 to 8 million serial #'s. Then 2-3 years later, the gloss dial with the white gold surrounds replaced it. Yesterday, I saw a 16800A on ebay- not sure what the significance/difference was. Then the 168000 came out around 1987 with the 904L steel, quickly followed by the 16610 around 1988 or so.

Ah yes, the 16800, isn't it? My heart pines for one. I'd just love to run across the TW Best case with the properly positioned lug holes. Beautiful watch, Bruce.

I highly doubt it. My guess is that the MBW sapphire/mineral glass crystal is bigger than a 295C. FYI, 295C is 29.5mm. I'd bet the MBW is 30.5mm give or take- that's what the other rep crystals have run in my experience. But you can always pop your crystal and measure it with a set of digital calipers- that would be your best bet.

Hand sizes for ETA are 90/150/25. You need a set of Tudor hands from someone like Clarks Watch Supply (nostalgia2000 on ebay). Rolex hands won't fit. Datewheel overlay (rolex fonts) from www.cubic-works.com/ over in Hong Kong. 16200 should have the closed 6's and 9's. Case tube comes with the case if you get your case from Roling. Crown is #24-602-0 for an ss crown. Jewelerstools out in Arizona has crowns on ebay. Or just type in "Rolex crown" and see what comes up.

A 1500 Date will accept a 1500 Date dial. Not a Datejust dial. I don't know which movement other than a gen 1575, but you can try. Crown/stem alignment is the biggest issue. All you can do is try. Start w/ a 2836 and then a 2824.

These watches are coming from China, just like our replicas. They are knock-offs and are basically legal since they have no actual Rolex markings on them. Basic Rolex designs have been around for the last 25 years or so and don't patent rights expire after 7 years? At least in the drug world they do. Invicta copies all of the Rolex designs and sells their watches at cheap prices. Look at Invicta's model 8926- the black submariner with the Miyota movement- the great beater watch for around $100- WR to 200m. They sell the same watch w/ the swiss movement for around $300. A few years ago they had to stop using the "coin edge bezel" since Rolex sued them. So they switched bezel designs and kept on trucking. And the coin edge bezel subs sell at a premium now days. With Rolex, I'm sure that they have their hands full these days. And when you're being attacked from every side, you have to choose your battles. Like every other company, they only have so much money to spend each year. It would be interesting to know just how much they do spend each year w/ their NY attorneys- GAF counsel, but they can't stop everyone- it would take too much time and too much money. Also, maybe your Dallas jeweler is flying under the radar, so to speak. Selling by word of mouth and not displaying his knock-offs. And the internet has been a big boon for the replica/knock-off dealers- allowing a level on anonymity which storefront operations don't enjoy.

Yep freddy, this stuff is in English English! I don't know what RRP means- Retail recommended price?? or vice versa, kinda like MSRP. And I can't find the pounds symbol on my keyboard, or the euro symbol either! But if you are buying from an AD, there's nothing to worry about- even more so if they've recently serviced the watch. Both of the gens that I've bought on ebay still had to be serviced- but when you buy on ebay, you take that into consideration.

Interesting, you can't find sheet on their website. Like you say, their tool watch- holes in lugs, 93150 bracelet, at least they upped it to a chronometer movt!

Is it real, Jet? Looks like a 14060M- no date

Would this be the next sub- 116610? Might check the rolex website. Haven't seen it yet

I gather that you are talking pounds, not dollars, so 2700 pounds would be roughly $5400US. That's a "retail" price for a 1990 watch. A 17 year old one at that. About the same with the YM, although it's only 5 years old.

At first, when I was trying to build a frankenjust, I was using rep cases and both times, the gen dial was too small. I got a couple of gen cases from Roling on ebay- 16013 and 16014 and the problem went away. The 16000 series DJ's w/ plastic crystal take a 2836-2 movt. Later 16200 series DJ's take a 2824-2 movt.

watcher, didn't you order one of these 3-4 months ago? Also, the bracelet is solid mid-links.

My two cases were flawless and I was able to turn them into 1st class frankens. I didn't use the dials, because I was using other dials for the two projects. I don't know what he's doing with the 3035 and 3135 movements but if I had to guess, I'd figure he's putting them in aftermarket solid gold cases for sale in the far east or where ever. You can save $10K on a solid gold watch that way.

Actually rep dials are 1mm larger than gen dials. The only case that will take a gen dial is the TW Best and the gen dial is still small, but if centered perfectly, will fit. Typically a gen dial will fit inside the rehaut ring up against the crystal- no bueno, like on a noob or CN case. ngdenny, thanks for the pics. If you could shoot one more from the crown side down low, from 4 or 5 o'clock, towards the crown, it would show us the crown position/ We're hoping the crown sits up higher than on the reps!

I don't think it's happened yet, although I remember seeing a King watch that maybe copied the Rolex bezel design 6 or 7 months ago. Haven't heard anything more about it since then. For the most part, rep sizes are slightly larger than a gen Rolex- crystal and dial are about 1mm larger. That's why we'd all love to see a 1:1 like Watchmaker9 boasts of, but it hasn't happened yet.

Looks like Richard Brown to me- author of the Replica Watch Report. I don't know how often he comes around here, still at TRC and RWG-1, I guess.

The good news is: from the picture, your date mag looks fine. But as vmena pointed out, the three basic tells are open 6's and 9's on the date, no gold on the sides of the SEL's and crown guards that need to be trimmed. But it will make a great "beater". Good for doing yard work, going to the gym, anything that you wouldn't want to tear up one of your good watches doing!