alligoat

This is the 5508 w/ the WSO insert - I don't know if it's aluminum, but it's ok- the one you're looking at might be a shade better.

They look ok to me- like a service insert with the thinner font numbers and decent pearls. WSO also sells a better insert- I used it in my 5508 build http://www.ebay.com/itm/BEZEL-INSERT-FOR-VINTAGE-ROLEX-SUBMARINER-5513-1680-PLASTIC-ACRYLIC-PEARL-12-/310977055461?hash=item4867ad4ae5:g:ujMAAOxyjP1R1vdA

Well, I'm not sure what happened to Mary- Watches International- thought they used to be a TD here. This is all I could find on RWI, https://www.replica-watch.info/threads/mary-watch-formerly-of-watch-international.338398/ Nanuq used to deal with her- maybe he knows more

Mary is the TD to get the 7836 from. A few years ago it was $55 plus some S&H.

Yeh, the TC is your best bet. The noob was ok in its day, but that was 8 years ago!

I'm thinking that the 18239 and 118239 both have a 25-295-C sapphire crystal so the fluted bezel from a 18239 should fit the 118239. This is 18239 And this is a 118239- the bezel may be slightly taller. The big difference was between the lugs- the 118239 is curved and the 18239 is flatter between the lugs like the old 1803 and 18039.

Nice job! That case looks like a 116233 case

Have you checked out the ST3135 case- it has lugholes? http://www.startimesupply.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=1&Category_Code=1_07_1D_Rolex_Case&Product_Code=

Beautiful job! A fat font insert would be the cats meow, but it's still a great watch already- congrats!

Nice job Jack- I like what you did with those new subdial hands! Congrats!

You can swap out the crystal- there's an aftermarket sapphire crystal that will work- it's parabolic on the inside so as not to impede the hand movement. Then you should have a 16000 DJ that looks like a 16200 DJ w/ a sapphire crystal. Other than the stem position on the cases, the two cases are pretty much the same. Ebay or google are the place to look.

Have you looked at Yuki watch recently?

Date font doesn't bother me, but the bezel insert is wrong for an F serial watch, bracelet flip lock looks funny and bracelet has solid center links, sure the markings are wrong also, and blue lume is interesting! A BP with the 9015 Miyota would be a better watch at a reasonable cost.

Good job, I like them both!

I don't agree with the collectors on this issue. I think a redial would be nice on that watch- it looks like it had some water damage at one and two o'clock. I'd peg that watch as an early 60s or late 50s and I think it's probably a V23 movement. I'd call this a pre-Carrera model. I've got a couple of similar watches- V72s and I'd loved to restore one and keep one original I ran across this watch on ebay with a restored dial- I think it looks nice and for a daily wearer, I see nothing wrong with restoring a watch. I don't have anyone in mind for doing a redial, but maybe someone would come up on a google search. Maybe this would be a start- http://www.watchdialrestoration.com/index.htm

But alas, 93150 MBWs are no longer available!

LOL, Paul was one of the early dealers around 2005-6 - he'd have crazy sales- that was back when you could get a DRSD for $139 with a swiss eta and it even had a working HE valve. The bracelet was hollow link and pretty nice- had the clasp with the Rolex crown on the side like this one

Actually the #55 drill bit is 1.32mm, it is slightly oversized, but I don't think you can drill a 1.2mm hole since that's the diameter of the springbar tip as I recall A #56 is 1.181mm- too small

I'm sure liking that dial! Great build! My DW is nice, but it only has the a7750, wish it was a v72 model.

There's something about the rehaut/crystal interface that's off- way too wide- don't know if it's the picture or the crystal

It's your typical replica dial- nothing old about it. The serifs on the 3/6/9 markers are slightly overemphasized, the Singer on the back is fake and the lume is kind of puffy! You might check out Yuki- might find a similar or better dial for a reasonable price.

If you go back a page, you'll see that paristoto built a watch using the V730 which is simply a late model v72c. Now the v72 had an 18000 beat as did the 722. After that the 726, 727 and 730s had a 21600 beat- so the later models had the higher beat.

If the pin turns but doesn't come out, it's stripped. If the end of the screw comes thru the link, you might be able to put a punch on the screw end and press down on the link while turning the slotted end of the screw. If that doesn't work, you'll have to drill out the screw from the threaded end.

That's not going to be easy. WSO has 580 end links, don't know if he has 585s. Rafflestime has the bracelet http://rafflestime.com/watch-bracelet/ Or Riyi- http://www.ebay.com/itm/20MM-FLIPLOCK-STEEL-OYSTER-BAND-BRACELET-FOR-ROLEX-MEN-EXPLORER-SUBMARINER-WATCH-/351941420192?hash=item51f157e4a0:g:hfAAAOSwHQ9WV7S1 Not sure where you can pick up a branded clasp- maybe from TC, but it wouldn't be 100% correct- the flip lock clasp shouldn't have the lines in it.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/20MM-FLIPLOCK-STEEL-OYSTER-BAND-BRACELET-FOR-ROLEX-MEN-EXPLORER-SUBMARINER-WATCH-/351941420192?hash=item51f157e4a0:g:hfAAAOSwHQ9WV7S1 Riyi is another possibility. I hear that you can also ask for branded and he'll send that to you if he has it in stock.