ubiquitous

You know, the El Primero Daytona is calling out to you... Haha... Newp. A complete DIY Daytona that I built.

I've got a 31j... And it's a Rolex equivalent caliber...

Thanks, guys The boy is a heart breaker. And a flirt. Likes to flirt with all the ladies. The girl... She just woos everyone. She has a very tiny little pinky, but manages to somehow wrap everyone around it. Kids are a lot of fun... But, I'm finding that they already like to empty the wallet as fast as they can. I can't imagine what things will be like 12 years from now when they're entering their teenage years....

It's funny... We've had some higher than usual temperatures here lately; even up into the 50's and 60's, which is quite warm for us this time of year. Then... We get hit with a blizzard. Crazy. No snowmobiles at our house, but my father-in-law has 3 at their place. Would have been nice to have had one of them just to get out...

One from last night... We opened up the garage door to check out the depth of the snow drifts. My wife in her pajama pants for comparison

My neighbor's roof... But now, the clouds have parted, and the skies are blue... It's good to see the sun again

There's additional details that tell all... But, yes. The crisp and very definied raised portions of the crown offer most of the story. Shape, size and other details that come with handling a number of these things also tell the rest of the story Of course, there's other dimensions to it... Feel, for example. Gen crowns have a very distinct feel when unthreading, and of course, if you can see the tube, that reveals much as well.

For comparison... Here is an early 24-703... Note the differences

Hmmm... I was looking at the profile of the bezel in that DRSD.jpg; looked too thin to be the MBW, so that's why I mentioned something on the file name. Also, the crown on this image (which appears genuine to me): Differs from the crown on this image (which is, in my opinion a replica): BTW... I think the gen crown/tube would look GREAT on the COMEX Sub. But more than that, it will function, and feel better, too! The gen crown and tube is one of my favorite upgrades because it's so functional. The aesthetic improvement is a nice bonus...

Guess the apple didn't fall far from that tree, eh? Cute little 'mini-me'! It's funny how similar (or in your case, identical) children can be to their parents. My son looks very similar to me as a child, except he is much cuter... Our daughter is a spitting image of our son when he was the same age...

BTW... I think your last pic with the crown shot is mislabled as DRSD...

You sure you didn't replace the crown? Looks far too short (in profile) to be the original MBW... How about a head on shot of it from the top?

A CN insert will fit... Maybe not snap in fit, but it will still fit As for the crown... I see a difference. If you've seen enough of these, it's fairly easy to spot...

Hmmm... The DRSD looks like an MBW; the COMEX looks like... TWG, or Jos? I spy... A genuine crown (and tube), aftermarket insert on the DRSD. The COMEX has it's original insert, unchanged rep crown and tube. Drilled lugs on both... CG's may be modified, but it's difficult for me to tell on my laptop's monitor. Crystal looks unchanged on both. Nice pair... And the stingray straps make for a nice, unique look!

Hmmmm... What do you guys think? The one on top is my 16610 frankenstein...

Thanks for the kind words, gang! Just so happens that this is the one I'm wearing today...

Looks like a 1680 (vintage) Red Sub From... TWG (is my guess)?

That's a fantastic pair! Very classic... 5512 with SCOC and 5513. A great duo to own. With regards to your crown dilemma- I think for function's sake, you should retain the 24-703 on the watch, and keep the 700 tube and crown with the watch (but leave it unused), especially if they are NOS. Aesthetically, I know it's not quite the same with the newer Triplock, but if you use this watch frequently, I think keeping it sealed is more important that aesthetics, and with those 700 tubes being as difficult as they are to find, it's worth leaving as-is (in my opinion). Again... That's a great pair... Keeper pieces, and (over)due to increase in value as collector's start scooping these up as some of the most undervalued vintage Sports available (along with the white 1680 and 1675/0's).

Wow... Good stuff (as usual), Bill! Interesting thoughts on the TW Best lugs... Always knew they were slightly misaligned, but never knew they were this bad. Typically, the lug holes could be corrected when drilling. Strange. I'll have to dig through my baggies of springbars to see if I have any 22mm jobbies to give your suggestion a try Cheers R

Congrats, Postmaster C! Here's to many more! 2000 will come and go before you know it...

There's definitely an insert... The insert snaps in, but the surrounding edges are quite thin. Kinda difficult to see, but it's 2 separate parts.

Ahhh, yes. But, the folks in that little circle have the disposable cash to drop on high dollar items without batting an eye. The same folks who don't think twice when paying out six figures for a correct PN 6263. Damn them!

That original bezel does look quite worn down... But, perhaps I'll save judgement until after it's cleaned up. It looks rough (to me) 'cause it's dirty, but your post made me take a second and third look at it, and it could have potential. It would certainly match the age and wear of the watch better. And it would be one less thing to buy. Man... I can't wait to see this one shined up a bit...

Indeed... If you are in the 'circle of trust', then sourcing certain parts is a piece of cake. This is also why I say that most any 6263 dial (or insert your choice of popular vintage Rolex Sports dial here) that ends up on eBay is either going to be fake or a redial- most legit dials would likely never make it to the eBay market (though there are certain exceptions from key individuals). Perhaps us frankenstein builders also have some responsibility in the price/value hikes of vintage cosmetic parts. With some of us seeking certain bits and pieces for our projects, prices are bound to go up- Either to gouge us for all we're worth, or as an attempt to try and deter us from even wanting to buy the parts? Can't say for certain, but I do believe this to be another theory to consider... Interesting that one can buy a pair of end links for a watch from an RSC for $50 - $60 with the service of a watch, yet on the grey market they sell for more than double...

So, MJP... What do you think? Clear as mud, eh? Personally, I think that the rep inaccuracies are the result of a combination of the factors and theories presented in this thread- And then some. In the end... I suppose it's anyone's guess; I suspect that not even those putting these watches together know.