lhooq

Send DW a message through eBay, describing exactly what you want. The important options to specify are the dial [color, branding], the bezel, whether you want the fat caseback [for an automatic 7750] or thin [7750 minus the rotor], and whether or not you want properly engraved markings between the lugs and on the caseback [laser-etched is the cheaper option].

One more recommendation for Justin from me. He enlarged the holes on my 16203 case, but I know he can drill new holes as needed.

I love the Sheartime-esque shot of your Honpo, Freddy! The problem, I think, is not so much the crown-bump itself (which, as you noted, is correct on some cases--the "seconda serie"), but more the surfaces between the crown and the lug tips. They're too thick, and ought to more closely match the shape of the lugs on non-crown side. I'm OK with my 6239 as-is, but the bump makes it very problematic to build an accurate 6238. None of the 6238s had this bump, and the thinner bezel can't hide as much! alligoat: I got this Sternkreuz (XS 306.449) from Ofrei, but Cousins must carry it, too. Clark's version is also good.

I ordered one of his cheap DRSDs last year and received one with a very misaligned dial. Exchanging it was a 6-week ordeal, though he did deliver in the end (minus a "free gift" he had promised). You can read about that experience on RG.

Thanks, guys! It's been a great year -a damned expensive year- and it isn't over yet. I expect to be living in a cardboard box by Christmas, entertaining myself with these watches and a grimy loupe! Both the 6263 and 6239 are rotorless. The 6263's movement had two auto-wind gears extracted in the pursuit of reliability. (See The Zigmeister's great post about the 7750.) I left these gears in the 6239's 7750, as I'm interested in seeing if/when/how problems develop.

This project was about 95% complete when I posted pictures in my Vintage Daytona/Explorer Evolution thread a month ago. The missing piece? More of a missing link, actually, but more about that in a bit. Compared to my other recent projects, this DW 6239 was a straightforward build. That's an amazing thing to say, considering the time and sweat consumed by my DW 6263! There's a few reasons for this: Learning-by-doing helped, and I had accumulated most of the necessary parts for this project over the past year. Perhaps most importantly, the DW 6239 case is built to a higher standard than the DW 6263. Yes, there are some issues with the shape of the midcase, and there were some sharp edges that needed smoothing, but the tolerances are tighter, both inside and out. My watchsmith was impressed by how closely the Asian 7750 fit in the case. Contrast that with my 6263, in which the movement was prone to shifting around, and would often be stopped by the caseback. There were no issued with the pump pushers, which were fitted to the case when I received it, so no glue required for this one. Engravings on the case and bezel were nice and deep. I had wanted a white-on-black standard dial, especially the one with "Daytona" written in white above the compax at 6. However, anyone used to dealing with DW knows that you seldom get exactly what you want, unless you're willing to wait a very long time. (Ask the guys who are just now finishing their 7032s!) DW said it would take a few weeks, but mentioned that he had a good silver dial in stock. I already had a nice silver panda for my 6263, and didn't want to repeat myself. But I changed my mind when DW sent a high-resolution picture of it. (Not the one below.) I'd seen this dial on RWG before, but never in a closeup shot. I don't think it would be a stretch to call this one of the best dials ever produced for a 7750-powered vintage Daytona. The printing is very clear throughout, from the "ROLEX COSMOGRAPH" to the numerals in the subdials. The sunburst pattern is well defined, and the coronet seems less flat than on DW's other dials. Unlike my 6263 dial, the "T SWISS T" is present at the bottom, though at the expense of one lume dot. Also unlike my 6263, the subdials are bolder both in texture and color. There is a clear delineation of their bases and the concentric rings within. The subdials are blacker, whereas the 6263 subs were more of a dark brown. That said, my 6263 dial looks like it's been around since the 70s, while this one seems like a service replacement. As mentioned, the shape of the case is generally excellent, and the slightly blunter lugs better match the profile of the early Daytona. My big problem is with the big bulge under the crown aka "the tumah". This chubbiness is most evident in the area between the crown and the bezel. On a gen, the top of the mid-case should meet the bottom of the bezel. On this rep, there is a shelf that extends from pusher to pusher. In fact, the entire crown side of the mid-case is too thick, and could use a trimming from lug-tip to lug-tip. If anyone here wants to try this, please contact me so I can get started on a proper 6238! (And cc alligoat.) On the left, the "shelf" is reflected on the bezel's underside. The crown is genuine, one of a threesome of 24-600-0s I bought for my 1016 projects. Obviously, I saved the worst for last, but it's fully functional. On the right is a diagram of the case's biggest faults. Apologies to Signor Stefano: The 7205 expander was a lucky find, especially since it's in such terrific condition. All the links are aligned, the springs are still tight, and there are no deep scratches. I found it on eBay listed as an "18mm 7205 Rolex bracelet", which I assumed was an error on the seller's part. It turned out to be true; the 57 endlinks had been filed by half a millimeter on each side, as shown here. My watchsmith was able to fix it up with a spare 357 and 61--a bit of a mutt, but it worked. Last month, I was lucky to find someone selling a pair of 357s cheaply. Yes, I know that these don't belong on a 7205, but consider that the last time I saw a Daytona-specific 71 endlink, it was selling for $400. That's for one endlink! I also had the option of restoring this bracelet to its original state with a pair of 57s, but these are too narrow and too short for Daytona work. The crystal is Sternkreuz's take on the domed Tropic 21, which I found to be slightly better than Clark's, as detailed in this comparison. Either one is a big improvement over the stock crystal. I also have a spare genuine T21 with the beveled edge, and I've no doubt that it would look spectacular on a 6239. But I really wanted to capture the look of an early Daytona, and the distortions of the older-style crystal have an appeal of their own. Under the right light, the combination of the domed acrylic and the silver sunburst dial produces some amazing visuals. Here are my two generations of Daytona. When I first got it in January, the 6263's dial was more of a whitish silver, but it has aged very nicely these past 9 months. The tinge of gold/beige intensifies when the dial is viewed at odd angles. It will be interesting to see how the 6239 changes color. It isn't easy choosing between the two, but I'll let the original Daytona take the spotlight for now. Pumps, rivets, dome... check!

Ooh, I've never started one of these before. Friday evening here, and I've had the 6239 on all day.

These days? Yes. Just make sure you get the 45-minute version of the movement, lest you find yourself asking questions no one knows the answers to!

The crown-side "tumah" is not nearly as obvious as I thought it would be. Source a more accurate bezel, and that's going to look even better. I think it's a great look as-is, though I do miss the look of the redundant tachy markings!

I smell a redial, and that goes double for the Railmaster/Ranchero-like Seamaster 30s he's selling. They're still nicer than those Omega Regulateurs coming out of Ukraine!

The old Komandirskie I wore through most of high school: My two Omega 'masters: And another Russian, but disguised as a German. My Poljot "Hanhart": I would love to own an OKEAH, but the prices of those have gotten ridiculous in in the past couple of years.

I've finally managed to source a Valjoux 7734 for use in a Tudor 7032 project. Unfortunately, it's geared for a 30-minute counter. Does anyone here know how to convert it into a 45-minute chrono? Has anyone here already done this? I've been studying the Valjoux 7733 manual available online (see here). Only three parts refer to a 45-minute recorder: 8000/3 Chronograph runner, mounted, 45 m 8040 Minute-recording runner, mounted 45 m 8120 Sliding gear, mounted, 45 m 8040 and 8120 are shown in the diagrams, and their cogs clearly have more teeth. (I've had no problem locating these parts.) 8000/3, on the other hand, is never pictured. In fact, I can't find any reference to a p/n "8000/3" outside of these documents. Does anyone know if chronograph runner "8000/3" is, indeed, a different part from chronograph runner "8000"? More generally, does a center wheel even need to be tailored to a certain number of recorded minutes? The center wheel never directly engages with the minute gears, right? Very confusing.

That's one big baby! It's going to be spectacular once you get the right bracelet on it.

Love the fonts on that dial, dluddy! Is that a white or a silver dial?

Beautiful, the both of them! There will come a time when spending a thousand bucks on Air-Kings this nice will seem like a ridiculous bargain.

Believe me, I'm very sensitive to this issue! For my DW 6263, my watchsmith trimmed two genuine Tropic 21s before I realized what was happening. I then had to explain the comparative costs of genuine Swiss plastic versus replica Chinese metal! Expensive lesson for me, but it's never going to happen again.

Bezel trimming is par for the course with DW franken builds, unfortunately. Personally, I would rather lose a little bit of metal from the bezel's inner diameter than have to sand the outside of a genuine crystal.

I'm not much of a Sub guy, but I reckon a Tudor will be my gateway drug. Very nice piece, and shots to match!

The Tudor '1530' is one of my favorites, so thanks for indulging me, J!

What a pair of rarities, Freddy! I similarly went with pumps and rivets today:

Everything but the bezel?

B, take that bottle opener and put it to good use! You've got a whole week ahead of you!

The "white" 1016:

Congratulations, it's a real beauty! And well done for having the patience to see this long-term project to its end. I'm wondering how you decide between wearing this or the Heritage Chrono?