alligoat

I have a couple of genuine vintage rivetted Rolex bands at the house, but I don't recall them having the little inside rolled piece on the hollow center links. Guess I'll have to get out the screwdrivers and go looking. The two bands that I have certainly are flimsy mothers! Amazing that Rolex could get away w/ that crap in the early 60's!

It seems inevitable to me that "generic rolex" movements will eventually appear, if they aren't already here. Take a movement like the 1575 date movement made from the early 60's (maybe 1959) til the 80's. This movement was put in millions of watches and now it's becoming harder to find parts since, I'm not sure, but I've heard that Rolex isn't making them anymore. RSC's won't even work on alot of the older watches, so you have no choice but to go to generic parts if you want to keep your watch running. If the parts are made in China, it will help keep the cost down, but everyone knows if you go build a car from parts from the parts store, it'll cost you $50,000, but you can buy one for $20,000 off the lot at the dealership. The same would be true for a watch movement. By the time you buy all of the parts, it ain't gonna be cheap. But if the parts come from China or Asia, it might be cheaper than buying a used Rolex watch movement. Ultimately, it will be the same old story- a rep is a rep and any trained watchmaker will be able to tell that a generic movement is just that- generic. The level of quality won't be equal to that of an original genuine movement.

Harbor Freight has a crystal press for like $14.99, plus S&H www.harborfreight.com/ Wristwatch told me about this awhile back.

Have you tried looking on ebay? Of course, alot of the parts are aftermarket, but there are also some gens in there. Otherwise, you're going to have to side up to someone who has access to gen parts! BTW, last week, I fitted an aftermarket crown to an ETA knock-off Sub on my way to making a rep and it fit and screwed into the crown tube w/ no problems. That and swapping a rep dial and now my knock-off is a rep. Also, Ofrei and the other watch supply places will carry the generic crowns.

@ crystalcranium The 1500 series date wheels go in the wrong direction, but the 3135 date wheel goes in the same direction as the ETA. And it is correct for the 16610 Submariner as far as font, etc. So if you can scan and print it to the correct size to fit as an overlay and line up with the date window of a rep (or real) dial, you'd definitely be in business and I'd love to see it cause I happen to need one myself. Good luck and keep us posted.

Thanks Rob, I also enjoyed your post last week on the Asian 7750 new and old versions. My Breitling rep has the old version 7750. I had hoped it would be the new version, but alas, not so! At least it's keeping good time so far.

Hi Ziggy, I ran across this 7750 movement on ebay from x-jewelry and they say it's 100% Swiss made, but the subdials are at 3, 6, and 9 and the price is too good. http://cgi.ebay.com/Swiss-Watch-Movement-E...oQQcmdZViewItem Is this just another Asian 7750 like I think it is? Thanks for looking. Mac

Yep, that 3135 movement is the big thing. It could have an aftermarket bezel insert, which Rolex would want to replace. If the guy's not sure about it being authentic, it would be a good idea to take it to a lolcal watchsmith and have him take off the caseback to make sure the movement is the 3135. If you took a rep to Rolex, that could be the end of it!

Cool! My motto is just play stupid and keep your mouth shut. Looks like it worked in this case. Glad to hear that they didn't confiscate the watch. And don't forget to tell Paul no more DHL! Of course, Silix and I had an issue w/ EMS last month- 2 out of 3 watches disappeared. Luckily Jay and Angel covered it and reshipped the two lost watches- this time they put the return address in English, thinking that maybe the problem was on their end. It sure is nice to have good dealers!

You gotta remember English is not their first language. It might not even be their language at all. So they just copy stuff from other dials not knowing what it means. I'd just call it a "Vintage Yacht-Master". Someone would have to have eagle eyes to spot it at 3-4 feet!

It was just fine for me, nothing slow about it!

@ XRT, That Explorer II with the white face and brown (croc) strap looks good for a change of pace. But I'm partial to brown leather straps anyway.

I do like the pearl on the bezel insert, but the 4 screams out! There is no space between the words "Registered Design", the printing all runs together. And a nice top view of the crown guards would be helpful. The lug holes don't bother me too much, but the top view of the lugs looks too fat to me. No serial number given and the caseback doesn't have an inside date stamp- say IV 72, so it's not early, if it is legitimate, which I doubt. And lastly, the backside view of the caseback, case and crown- there's no gap between the crown and the case- the crown is snug up to the case- reps don't ever get this gap right.

FWIW, isn't it white/gold? And FTR, I like the white/gold dial the best. Plan B is to buy both dials, but my guess is that would be expensive! But if you get your watches from Jay and Angel, at least you saved money there!

How ironic! The buyer is Jetbaker, the same guy selling the Cal. 6497 Panerai movts. in a post in the general discussion.

Oh Neil, I love it when vous parlez francais!

What about a "fashion watch"? Value $15.00 USD or Canadian in your case. And it's a gift for what it's worth. If they open the package and say it's not a fashion watch, tell em it's not what you ordered. I can't believe they would mess w/ you too much on a $100-200 deal. Just tell em it's a mistake and to leave you alone. They have no proof- there won't be anything in the package- paperwork, etc. so what have they got. Of course, now your a marked man and you'll have to start having stuff sent to your grandmother, parents, cousin, etc! Cause you know they got your name in their computer!

It's pretty cool to think that you can take Rolex parts and put them on the TWG 5512/5513. And of course, tone down the yellow lume! You can end up w/ a great watch for not much money! I'm off to the bay to find a Tropic 39 and an insert!

All of those places should have it. Auto parts stores, Home Depot, Lowes, Ace. Blue Loctite.

How about a picture of the end pieces?

You gotta luv it. Paying top dollar for a used Rolex part with a ding in it! My bet is that it doesn't sell!

That case looks pretty awesome. The crown guards are spot on- thinner and more pointed like the originals. Like JSPH says, where did this watch come from?

I agree, that two tone GMT is a good looking watch. The others look like a bunch of crap! Can you say caca!

Those are some pretty awesome watches! That 6538A looks like it's right out of Skeet and Urul's book- page 31! I wonder what the guys over at Timezone would say if you posted a pic over there! Of course I realize that we can't do that, but we take this whole watch thing to a level those guys don't even think of!

@ Enzo, Looking thru Skeet & Urul's book, Vintage Rolex Sport Models, it becomes apparent that we're not that close to perfection! A lot of the 6538's had gold lettering and some had the depth in white- 200m=660ft, not the 100m=330ft and one example has it in red. All of the 6538's have Brevet crowns and some of the later models had Officially Certified Chronometer at the bottom of the dial. Production ended in the late 50's. And the bezel is all wrong (at least according to Skeet and Urul). The red triangle w/ the pearl (small) is OK, but the minute markers never extend past 15 minutes on any bezel insert- a standard sub insert so to speak, except for the red triangle. The only example of an insert with the minute markers around the entire insert is a 1970's model 5517. Some early bezel inserts had no minute marks- 6204, early 6536, 6538, and 6200. Good news is the fat minute hand is correct for this model as well as 6536, late 6200, 5510 and 5508. 6536's typically had the twinlock crown- Rolex logo w/ the slash (line) below and the 6536 had the 100=330 rating- it might be easier to call ours the 6536! And besides, who is really going to know. And you're right about drilling out the lug holes, it's going to be a challenge!