alligoat

Yep, I have the same problem w/ my 5513 w/ the Explorer dial- yellow printing. I'm going to try gold aniline dye color as a wash on the dial and see if it helps. I keep trying to pick up a decent 5513 dial on fleabay for under $100 but haven't had any luck yet.

Sounds like a genuine franken to me!

3035?

Oh well, freddy, you can't win 'em all! My other dot will go into my DRSD from Paul and at that point I'm all squared away, I believe. I will be ordering pushers from ofrei and may get a spare dot or two at that point.

Shawn, what color is the printing on that MBW dial? - two pictures back it looked kinda yellow. Yesterday, my vintage dots from watches and parts over in Hong Kong showed up. this morning I popped one into 5513 w/ Explorer dial from Paul- it snapped right in and then I popped the bezel off and added a few drops of glue to the back side- looks good and pretty simple for a $27 fix: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...y0%3D%26fvi%3D1

Hmmm. Links aren't working, will post item numbers in a couple of hours, I'm off to the gym to sweat test a 16610! case: #230159442686 crown: #230157431038

Oops. I got the name wrong, but this is the case and the dial looks very nice- you wouldn't need to mess w/ Astrolive and you've already saved $75! http://cgi.ebay.com/Mens-ROLEX-Case-with-d...1QQcmdZViewItem Here's a gold 6mm crown- you'd need this for a TT 16013: http://cgi.ebay.com/Rolex-Watch-Crown-Tube...1QQcmdZViewItem

I've never heard of a two part stem. Have you tried getting a second opinion? Or steal one from another watch.

The noob movement is a Miyota copy, in the chinese sense of the word. As for hand sizes, you might check julesborel.com and compare what they have. The hand sizes are slightly different from ofrei. When my noob crapped out on me (actually it crapped out on my nephew, and I got it back), I got a DG 2813 and tried to get my watchmaker to swap it. Instead, he serviced the noob movement for $40. So far, so good- it's on the winder and doing fine. Now I have a spare DG 2813 to play w/!

Here's the formula for the Frankenjust: Case from rolli on ebay- a really beautiful case for around $190 plus shipping Dial from Astorlive- $75- this is before I had the temerity to criticize one of their GMT's w/ small date mag- now I'm blocked from buying from them Gen crown from jewelerstools on ebay- the other guy in Mesa AZ Date overlay from Luenfat in Hong Kong- now you have to go to www.cubic-works.com/ and hope to get one w/ open 6's and 9's (Closed 6's and 9's is ok for 16200 series) 2836-2 eta movt- this fits in the 16014/13/30 case from the early 80's for the 3035 movt- you have to use a 2824-2 movt to fit in the 16200 series cases which have the 3135 cheap plastic spacer ring and hold down tabs The 16013 w/ the silver stick dial and the gold fluted bezel actually is the best looking of the two- I have it on a dk brown alligator strap w/ Rolex buckle. I have to get a photo of it, but I'm a miserable failure at photography 101.

Here's Andrew's with the Presidential bracelet, but getting it w/ a Jubilee bracelet w/ the new Rolesor clasp wouldn't be that difficult http://www.ttwristwatch.com/index.php?main...products_id=433

You can also buy bracelets only from Silix. And instead of EMS shipping, choose the $18 option- airmail, I believe it is- a little slower, but it gets here eventually.

I've built two of the Frankenjusts and think they're a great way to go- a little more pricey than a Datejust from Silix or Andrew (mine ran $500 each by the time was all said and done), but you're using a lot of gen parts. This is a 16014 with the aged silver dial which has turned to an off-white color. The other one is a 16013- two tone with fluted gold bezel and silver dial with gold stick markers and gold hands (no pics yet). If you want a modern 116233/116234 watch, the reps are the only way to go, because gen parts just aren't avaiable on these new watches. They haven't been out long enough.

I couldn't agree with you more. I have a 5513 with the same Rolex script in the yellow print- if I could just figure out how to make it more gold in color, I'd be happy. But I don't want to spend $265 on a dial when I only spent $150 on the watch to begin with. I'm trying to build a WR beater that looks good on a budget! I don't even want to go to the trouble of putting on a gen crown and tube since the rep crown looks ok. BTW, that pearl looks good from the front.

Interesting. Kinda looks like a white pimple under a glass dome. But at least it doesn't have the metal ring around it like so many 5513/1680 replacement inserts. Can you post a straight on shot? The shot on ebay doesn't look too bad, but it would be nice to have another point of reference. Thanks I've got a 5513 and a 1680 that I'm trying to "fix". Currently I'm waiting on the NOS dots from Watches and Parts in Hong Kong (I figure they cost $27 each). I've also considered ordering a couple of the illume dots from ofrei when I place my next order from them some time this month. My third option is to get out in the workshop and try making some small epoxy glue dots and then painting lume on the back side- but damn those those little boogers are small!

My new Bond sub with the Explorer dial had the exact same problem. It came with the modern sub bracelet with the detachable end links. I removed it and both springbars were bent at each end. I did exactly what predfan did- I put a Nato strap on it. The other big flaw w/ the Explorer dial is that it does say 200m = 550ft. Why would they print a dial like that? Anyway, I guess it's like everyone says, it's a good place to start modding from.

Well, that's good to know, because I have a Comex dial for a 16610, I just haven't put it in a watch yet- I'm not sure, but it does have four dial feet- maybe two asian and two eta- I should be so lucky. Just cut off the two you aren't gonna use.

No doubt, you gotta draw the line somewhere. Just being able to build a 6239 with a V72 is a major accomplishment as far as I'm concerned. Keep us posted.

Is there a Comex 16610- at www.doubleredseadweller.com/, they only mention the SD's? Is this a fantasy watch?

I thought the Rolex gears were rhodium plated, not gold. Rhodium being a more reddish color. Other tells which catch my eye on the V72's are the balance bridge- esp. with the pointer, clear sign it's not a microstella balance. I also look at the L-shaped bridge opposite the chrono bridge- the Rolex ones never have a screw in them, your Flytimer does as do alot of others. No 72 B or the R symbol under the balance. Rolex had either 72B, 722, 722-1 or 727, but no R symbol- Valjoux's trademark, it's always absent on Rolex movts. And of course, the train bridge that Dinh sells helps. Building a visually correct Rolex type Valjoux movement would be very expensive. Rhodium colored gears, microstella balance, train bridge, balance bridge, chrono bridge, Dinh's $900 main bridge (with exchange). Where do you stop? If I were going to make one improvement, it would definitely be the chrono bridge. And I don't know how you would ever come up w/ a Microstella balance, although I do recall reading that Girrard Perregeaux built a 727 with the Microstella balance also. But I bet that watch would run $2000-3000 because of the name.

Completely different cases, Tudor has an ETA movement, Rolex has a Rolex movement. They are not interchangeable. Similar to? Either a 16800 or a 16610, but even 16800 cases and 16610 cases are not the same- the 16800 has a 3035 movt, and the 16610 has the 3135 movt. 79190 has an ETA movt, 2824-2, I believe.

OK, let's say it was built in 1986, making it a 16800 model. 1. Get rid of the hologram sticker on the back, it's totally bogus 2. Trim the crown guards 3. Put a bigger pearl in there, like the one from www.watchmaterial.com, PN 315-16800-1 4. Change out the bracelet to the correct 93150 with the hollow end links, #593 end pieces are correct for the 16800, 501B for the early 16610's. SEL's didn't come around till after 2000, I believe. 5. Drill out the lug holes and put in gen spring bars. Rehaut on the 16800 was shallower than the 16610 due to the movement being the 3035. So this CN case isn't that bad. The date wheel is probably the modern one, but it's only a rep, so what the heck! I'm assuming a Comex 16800/16610 did not have an HEV, that would have been on the Comex SD's. At that point you'd have a pretty decent rep IMO, and for not a whole lot of extra money- if you do tythe mods yourself

Specialized watch tools don't come cheaply. Cableguys tap is about the best deal I've seen costwise. I just bit the bullet and went to julesborel- the tap for 24-600 series and 24-7030 tubes (PN- STK300) is $35.00 The new style case tube wrench- PN- STK1060 is also $35.00. It's slightly better than ofrei's where they sell the stuff in pairs for $69 and $49. http://www.ofrei.com/page433.html

Your thinking on the Rolex bridge sounds pretty good to me. Can't wait to see when you get the hands on there. Once you close the case, who's going to know if you have a Rolex bridge on there or not- it's a 6239 w/ a V72, who cares. We're not out to deceive anyone, just build some nice watches.

Sure doesn't look like a pair of Sub cg's! I'd take the file to them- you could have a very nice looking Explorer II. And vintage to boot- time for a case polish.