theapexseal

wow gorgeous! Love it! I would keep it on the leather

VERY VERY VERY NICE! CONGRATS!

Awesome! Thank you!

Yeah the gen ones I've seen are rough, but I think I saw some on Yuki..gonna check them out now.

OK Got it!..So just purchased the first of the two 700 crowns. Now to source a tube for it!

Thanks again guys!

Thank you Freddy for your response..so as per above ALL the 702 crowns had dots?

For example the following pics came off 2 separate auctions on the Bay from two separate sellers. Both listed at very reasonable prices and both claiming to sell Rolex Gen 702 crowns...neither of them has dots. Are these crowns Gen? Are the sellers confused with the 700?

Hi guys, I'm a bit confused with the vintage sub crowns and was trying to get some feedback from everybody here. I was under the impression that only the 700 crowns didnt have triplock dots under the crown but I've seen a number of vendors on the bay claiming to sell 702 crowns without any dots. At first I just assumed that the vendors had maken a mistake but now Ive noticed it repeated quite often. Is this true?

Also what is the timeframe or Serial number range for each model (700, 702, 703)?

Each model has its own specific tube as well correct? So if I source a 702 crown I will need a 7020 tube right?

Thanks in advace!

gorgeous!! cant wait to see more pics! What are the specs on her?

around town:

at the track:

wow, havent really been following movement prices, but seems like a bargan to make a real grail franken!

What do you guys think? Legit? Price seems good!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/270896246490?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2648#ht_500wt_1054

I saw this on speed tv a few years ago and really fell in love! Amazing movie!! Reminds me alot of my car projects polishing turds

amazing build! Very jealous!!

I was thinking 12 as well, but not really sure,..the thing is that the watch has absolutely no serial numbers or markings outside of tudor, so I have no idea what model it is. I've heard that Tudor didnt really keep track of their serial numbers, but to not have them at all seems strange. Just through looking at other similar watches It seems to be from the 50s, but thats really all I can gather.

Its a 34mm oyster case with an ETA 2462

Hi Guys, just noticed that my Gen Tudor Prince oysterdate's crystal is coming apart with a small crack in it and I will need to replace it. Does anyone have any idea what model number this should be?

Here are the pics:

Thanks in advance guys!

Please explain for the noobs here..by monoblock you guys are referring to the fact that the crown itself, and the stem attachment were milled out of one single piece of steel (i.e. there is no seam on the inside of the crown) right?

No the white really didnt change color, it simply faded a bit in intensity but not yellow. I was really worried about overdoing it so it was being pulled out every 2 or 3 minutes or so. Did you just leave it in for a 20-30 minute shot at once?

Good point, but I believe there is more to it besides just not wanting to appear as another wealthy sheep in the luxury market herd. Vintage Subs (& other Rolex sports watches) were designed like tools, with little or no bling (how much gold & diamonds are needed in a hammer when nailing a nail) & that, I believe, is why they have endured & gained so much in value over the years.

yeah I agree totally! The unassuming simplicity of vintage sports and diving watches is what I love! The difference in approach reflects the fact that modern fine watches are no longer work tools...fliight computers have taken the job of chronometers, and dive computers have replaced dive watches for the most part in the professional range. Back when these watches were first designed they were vital life-support equipment, not just show off bling.

Why are vintage submariners so popular? I think they are even more popular than a modern sub. I have not owned or seen one up close so it is hard to compare.

I think you might have hit the nail right on the head here,.... youve never seen one up close, yet how many modern subs do you see every day at the local bar. You can walk into any AD and just buy a modern watch, but buying a vintage piece takes some knowledge, it makes you a collector. Its akin to the conversation in "gone in 60 seconds" about cars:

Memphis: Roger, I have a problem...

Roger the Car Salesman: Yes?

Memphis: I've been in L.A. for three months now. I have money, I have taste. But I'm not on anybody's "A" list, and Saturday night is the loneliest night for the week for me.

Roger the Car Salesman: Well, a Ferrari would certainly change that.

Memphis: Perhaps, Mmmm. But, you know, this is the one. Yes, yes yes... I saw three of these parked outside the local Starbucks this morning, which tells me only one thing. There's too many self-Indulgent wieners in this city with too much bloody money! Now, if I was driving a 1967 275 GTB four-cam...

Roger the Car Salesman: You would not be a self-indulgent wiener, sir... You'd be a connoisseur.

Memphis: Precisely. Champagne would fall from the heavens. Doors would open. Velvet ropes would part.

Thank you everyone for the comments and encouragement. Just took a couple more pics...

With as much discussion as I have seen about Josh's crown guards I dont think that they are totally horrible..Deffinatelly short and very wrong without a doubt, but the gens come in so many different sizes and shapes now after all the repolishing that it really is impossible to call any watch out just because of crown guards alone. The thing that gets me the most about this watch is the caseback. Woud it be possible to flatten this one a bit? Has anyone tried grinding it down flat? Seems like there is enough material back there to support at least a little less bulbous grinding. If not is there any other case back that could be cheaply substituted back there?

Very convincing look! I love the smooth, polished sides.

Thank you, in looking at the gens I noticed that they really generally all were repolished probably dozens of times, so I did the nail and coins in a can trick maybe three times with alternating polishes. There are some deeper cuts that I left "half polished" and still can be seen through, but in general I just repolished everything.

Thank you guys for the kind words and advice! I will try to post some better full frontal pics later on.

For the dialI got a little crazy trying some stuff to age it.. I started by putting it in the oven for about 40 mins, checking on it every 3 minutes or so. It simply made the markers a bit darker then I sprayed it a few times with workable fixative to try to get a bit of texture. The fixative didnt really have the thick texture I was looking for so I bought some matte varnish spray. I sprayed a thick coat of matter varnish then as it was drying just placed some really really coarse sand paper on top of the dial (not moving it at all to sand) as a negative mold to create a 3d textured effect. After that coat dried I sanded the dust from a rusty nail onto the dial and spayed another coat of matter varnish on top of it. This sealed in small rust colored particles that added some discoloration to the dial. Finally i took a little bit of watercolor to the markers to make the color less consistent throughout.

I think if I were to do it again I would probably do all the same steps with the exception of the oven. I feel like they may be a bit too dark in color for my taste.

For the hands I started by scratching them up with a loupe and an exacto knife. I went as far as to remove a chunk of lume in the middle of the minute hand. After this I just dunked them for about a day in a mix of water, coffee, salt, rusty nails, mud, dirt, and brake fluid. Once I pulled them out I cleaned them up and added a touch of watercolor to make them a little more consistent with the markers. The look came out quite aged as there is a hint of green rusty patina in some areas.

For the next one I am going to try to buy some lume and try to build up the puffy tritium marker look, but ive got to go in baby steps.

wow..I just realized how badlly those pictures sucked...gotta get on that..

I have been dreaming of building a vintage 5513 for years and years now, and finally decided to take the plunge and get underway. With the help of my friend Woof (whom I have to thank once again for all of his guidance and patience!) along with all of the great info on these boards I have just completed my first build!

I already have my second vintage project lined up and really wanted to get everyones oppinion on this first one. What do you guys think? Please dont hold back, Im trying to learn as much as I can still!

Please excuse the bad pictures, but here is a list of what was done:

Josh 5513 base

aged/ polished case and bezel numerous times

CG shaped

lugs drilled

aged hands and dial

bleached bezel insert

Yuki tube installed

yuki springbars

gen 703 crown

gen t19 crystal

still waiting on a better pearl to arrive, and also have a yuki rivet band here waiting to install.

I had originally gone a different route with the case shape, but after holding a few dozen gen vintage 5513s this past week I opted to go with a more agressively "overpolished" look.

Dont hold back guys! Please let me know what you think!