Jetsons

Pug, the MBW rep crystal is on the right in my above photo.

Night and day difference. You really can't apprecite the difference until you see it installed on the watch. Added: Gen T-39 Superdome and standard MBW from my 1665. Solo shot: Installed:

Hi, Arthur: No experience shipping to Italy but I suspect USPS Global Priority Mail is your best bet. It is also very economical with promt delivery. Used it several times and never had a problem.

Have you tried cleaning the threads and applying a thin film of silicone grease? Also, screw the crown backwards first until you feel the threads click before tightening.......saves the threads from stripping prematurely.

The 5514 today with a Ubinized insert. Tomorrow, I'll probably flip beween the 1665 and TW GMT Master.

Joe, not sure of the exact model your dial belongs to but it is not the dial to the 40th Anniversay Ltd Edition 007. 007 dial:

Welcome to Manhattan, Bill! Not really a rep mecca as far as quality reps are concerned. If you must, most are on Canal Street which is the heart of Chinatown......your hotel is approximately 50 blocks north. You will see many, many booths selling them openly as you stroll on the side walks. I've done the Canal street thing many times and while a fun adventure, the reps we have available are far superior. If you have time, give me a shout and perhaps we can meet or something.

I wanted to pull the triggier on the 183 many moons ago but the stripped crown thread issue put a swift end to that idea. I would reconsider if this were not an issue and reliable replacements were available. It's darn near impossible to have a crappy crown/thread on a manual winder. avitt, your probably right but it would be a shame to kill an otherwise terrific rep.

Hi, aronax: Welcome from a fellow vintage lover! I think you'll find that there are quite a few of us here with a similar disease. Looking forward to hearing more about your strap and knife making.......sounds interesting!

I use a cheap 0.80 mm screwdriver on the 42.5mm PO, which I assume is nearly identical. Place the blade on the pin shoulder and its an easy job. Most anything else may slip and scratch something or is too large.

Nope. The engraving is correct for the 42.5mm model. The "professional" is added to the 45mm. Not sure why Omeeega complicated the issue but each has the clasp engraved differently.

For the ladies, the Tank Francaise is one gorgeous and sexy watch. Either the men's mid-size or full size would be my suggestion as the ladies' model is too small. They are a dime a dozen in Manhattan but damn, it looks good on them. On the other side of the spectrum, check out my avatar. The Daytona doesn't look to shabby on her.

Great looking watch, Ubi! Good to see this guy back in action. Every rlx collector needs a 16610. There is just something about the Sub that looks & feels great on the wrist. I would keep this guy if I were in your shoes.....it doesn't take up much space. Those deep cases aren't easy to come by today and it's better built than the new crop.

Thank you very much guys! Ubi, I suspect I'll be sporting this one long after I have a white beard and require the use a cane or two. J, I'm sure glad you pulled your GMT off the market. Man, you would have felt bummed long after the deal was done. It's an amazing watch you put together! BTW, yours has given me some tasty ideas that would take this one to the next level.

Thanks guys for the compliments. I very much appreciate all the good words. Bill, can't say that I would do any different. I traded one of my MBW 1665s which I would have never done it if I didn't have a second. A Playmate might just be persuasive enough. Hope you're feeling better! BT, I do know how much you like these guys. I'm fairly sure that it's your only remaining rlx after having many arrive at your mail box. As to the date wheel, I haven't compared it to anything yet but it should be the standard used on the 2893....not sure exactly what was used but it should be the same as the TW 2836 version. Falco, unfortunately I don't have a garage or even own a car. I'm a bit of a car nut and used photos from some of my more colorful books. I woudn't mind having the GT-40 or the Cobra.

A few shots of this terrific piece. Even with its flaws, this is one clone that just screams quality. I would feel comfortable sporting this guy anywhere, as is. Here are a few pics which unfortunatley, do not do justice to this GMT. Bill performed the lugs drilling with his new mammoth drill press and the quality was excellent. I modded the bracelet and installed OEM springbars. Fitting the bracelet to the case with the 2mm bars was one PIA and time consuming but well worth the effort. The usual excellent rehaut of the TW case and nicely polished inner ring. Super thick crystal with the polished edges is drop dead gorgeous on this guy. This bezel insert was installed by Bill and looks terrific. I'm not sure where it came from but the quality is darn good. My thanks to Bill for making this possible....a long quest on my part. He is a true gentleman and it was a total pleasure chatting with him. Amazingly, all that was required in exchange was a lifetime subscription to Penthouse....I happily transferred mine. Hope you enjoy!

Here is mine from the 4th gen Po. No gaps and works perfectly as yours should.

Nice collection. I'm particularly fond of your old Tag professional diver....massive heavy case on that guy. I have the Heuer ca 1979 and the Tritium is still active as hell. The hour markers & hands turn green when exposed to any natutal light and yellow indoors. It's the only cameleon watch I own. Hang around for a while and you'll need a few more watch boxes.

jsw, I have a Joshua 42.5mm PO and there is not a gap between the clasp & bracelet. There is the one at the endlinks which we all know about and this would be an easy fix if correct endlinks were available. You may have a defective clasp and perhaps your dealer can be of help. OEM are avaiable from Ofrei as is the brecelet but the latter is pricey. The HE valve may be off but if it is, it cannot be by more than by a gnat's hair. It looks darn accurate to me. This is a damn good rep!

Falco, not much to add except to say that it looks FANTASTIC! Which case did you use and did you have any problems fitting the dial? Amazing piece and workmaship!

Darn good news from Jay & Angel! Many thanks for the update RT! I would give the rlx Sea-Dweller (16600) a tripple thumbs up. Here is a drop dead gorgeous classic that has never been correctly replicated hence its lack of popularity. Build an SD with the correct thick case, thick sapphire crystal, correct bezel & insert (as in not the Sub's), HE valve and accurate dial and they will come. It amazes me that this watch has never been correctly done. The popular ETA 2836-2 or 2824 will do nicely. I suspect the pent-up demand for the SD will amaze & may even give the PO a bit of competition.

I'm by no means a watchsmith (far from it) but is sounds like a movement screw may have come loose. With all the screws in place, the movement should not move when you pull the stem. Suggest removing the case back and make sure the all movement holding screws are in place and tight. Perhaps one is loose and jamming the movement. The Zigmeister's pictorial of the 6497 should help. Other than that, best to have it checked by a qualified watchmaker or a member that is willing to give it a look.

Please do not open a PP dispute with George. He is a terrific chap and will help you in any way he can and will go out of his way if need be. George does not manufacture the watches so keep that in mind. If you want an MBW, stick with their vintage sport models. The 1680 and 1665 are the MBW strong suit unless one has a special request. There really isn't a terrific 16610 available that I know of without some modifications and use of gen parts. BTW, the MBW 16610 and LV dials have never been the most accurate and the CN have been far more accurate for some time. The "Polex" has always been on the case.......nothing new here. The "Polex" is also on the 1680 as it is on the WM. The MBW case is excellent and a darn good platform for mods which is the main reason for their popularity.

Terrific vintage and work putting this old guy together. I bet you had a lot of fun hunting all the parts down. I'm also partial to the no-date. The dial looks much cleaner and symmetrical. Great post!