alligoat

Guess I need to check the backside of the cgs when I get home and also the engraved 'E's on the case!

Dial feet on the 2873 are slightly different from the 2824 so you do have to cut the dial feet off the dial.

When you buy a $50 watch or a $100 movement, plan on having the movement serviced- maybe another $100 and possibly more if you need parts. These are 40 year old movements! http://www.ranfft.de/cgi-bin/bidfun-db.cgi?10&ranfft&0&2uswk&ETA_2783 But hand sizes are the same as the current 2824 and 2836 and size is also 11.5 lignes.

Isn't Yuki your best bet? SA has a weak stem and is prone to breaking then you can't put a gen stem in there as I recall. I've never heard of the TC V2.

That's the Rolex 5513- everyone has them- it'll look good with that strap!

This watch is looking great and I like all of the changes you've made- it's much more fun to wear a great looking watch!

Yes, the datewheel doesn't look too good and it's not correct for the 1665. You're looking for the silver DW with the flat top three like panerai has on his 1665 and the open 6/9s. You run across them from time to time on VRF, or maybe ebay. The crown on that movement is either a 702 or a 703- both are fine for the 1665, the 702 being the earlier version. Looks like you're moving right along- this should be a nice build!

I've never seen a milsub 16800, but that's what it looks like- 4 line dial appears to be matte dial with date, cyclops and sapphire crystal. Can't see the crown guards. And yes the bezel does look strange. Come to think of it, I've never seen a 1680 milsub either. But I like the yellow aged markers of the 16800s I'm just not going to put fixed bars on mine!

I don't think the 1665 dial has to be milled down or the case reamed out- the MBW 1680 is really a copy of the 5513 which results in the smaller dial. The 1665 MBW is a good replica of the original 1665 so there shouldn't be any problem with the dial. To the OP, I'd think the first dial, the tropical one would be your best bet also.

I've had problems on one computer using IE- Internet Explorer. So on that computer I use Google Chrome to access RWG.cc- that does the trick just fine. Don't have that problem using my new computer using Windows 10.

Like panerai mentioned, you'll need to mod the case to accept a gen spec dial, take off about .5mm on the inside dial seat. Also trim the cgs and drill the lugholes, but those are easy!

I like the 3 on the datewheel- flat top! Too bad the dial, bezel insert and caseback are so wonky. And a Miyota movement isn't bad- they just typically run a little fast, but they are dependable

I'd figure Swiss, but don't know how old it is. Titoni watches are still around, but Rotomatic just sounds old to me- maybe 90s. Screws look kind of boogered up indicating age- but with a service, these old etas can do just fine. I have a 2836-1 in one of my watches and it's going strong after a recent service. I figure that movement is from the 1980s.

I'd figure Yuki is the way to go. Not sure, but thinking a case would run $500-600 and a dial is $115 or $116. Then all you'd need is a 93150 and you're on the way to a beater. Yuki dials come with hands so you could pick and choose what's best.

You could try this SD- 1665 Great White- from Josh- it's the same as the one Trusty has but for less. http://www.pf-818.com/-p-7806.html Might have to click on the link twice as is usually the case with Josh's site. You can start with that and make some mods if you're so inclined. The old PT (Puretime Intl) GWSD was good also- had a 2846-2 movement in it which is the best for a vintage Rolex sub/SD. But I don't know if it's still available.

Definitely trim the crown guards, install a new set of hands and color them to match the dial and maybe age the bezel insert. The pearl is ok and if you age the insert it will make it look more like a 30 year old watch. Dial feet have already been cut, so I'd forget about an uber franken. Besides it would cost you $2000 plus to do one. Case- $1K and movement- $1k plus.

I agree with GenTLe- probably easiest to buy a movement on ebay- http://www.ebay.com/itm/Modified-Clone-7750-7753-automatic-daytona-chronograph-movement-strip-finishing-/221496008334

The Ofrei pushers do work- I believe PD61-701 is what you want http://www.ofrei.com/page956.html But I'm thinking that you'll have to tap the holes in the DW case- as I recall, the Ofrei pushers are 2.5mm x .25 pitch and the DW pushers are 2.5mm x .20 pitch. The 2.5mm x .25 tap is a Rolex size- used for case tubes and pushers, so you can buy it also from Ofrei, Jules Borel, or Cousinsuk or get it from a tool seller on line. Can't help you on the Asian 7750....

'Run of the mill' is an American (maybe English too) idiom meaning common. CN is an abbreviation for Chinese. In other words, you have a cheap rep case. You could make a 1680 out of it, but you'd still have the wrong bezel assembly. You could put it back together and try to sell it, but it's still only a $100 rep, or maybe $150 with an Asian 2836-2.

Just your run of the mill CN case with the 'paper clip' bezel. Made for a sub, but doing duty as a GMT. Case is too thick for a GMT and bezel is all wrong. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The SSD and SSD V2 were old noobmariners that came out from 2007-13 maybe or thereabouts. I don't know if it was set up with grooves for the Rolex movement, but you might be able to fit a 3035 movement in there- I saw a noobmariner sub that had been fitted with a 3035 a long time ago. It would most likely be 316L steel- they were a decent rep back in the time, but the BP SD has replaced it at this point and noobfactory discontinued the SSD V2 back in 12 or 13.

Jackjo was a modder, haven't seen him around lately.

A set of vintage tritium hands would be a good score!

What Nanuq meant was when you send a watch to Rolex, they are prone to doing things that you didn't specify or didn't want done. Polishing is a personal choice you have to make. My preference would be to go for a light polish- it takes off the oxidation and brightens the gold- this is a dress watch so you want it to look nice- or at least I do.

It is interesting how the hands have turned a shade of green, can't say I've ever seen that. If it were mine, I'd probably change the hands. Note the straight "S" in submariner. Certainly you'd want to service it and maybe polish the crystal. Nice find!