dieselpower

A gen snob to a rep fan? You're not the first - I was exactly the same once upon a time. Welcome aboard, you won't be disappointed. Oh and a word of caution - look before you leap.

I saw rbj69's name and my blood started to boil. Glad he's no longer around! PS Happy thanksgiving to you lot. PPS What the hell is thanksgiving anyway?!?

WM want $75 shipping for the pearl. Outrageous.

Mite

Hi Eric,

Came to this thread late. Sorry. Have no experience of what you're going through. I have however had my share of life's darker times. I can tell you this one thing. When all seems lost, when all hope is gone, when loneliness hurts more than any physical wound. Hang on, hang on, don't pretend, don't dream just hang on, with your fingernails just hang on. It will get better for you and those around you. That I can promise, it WILL get better. Your Dad, one day will pass but hang on in there, when you can see nothing but darkness, just hang on, you need do no more and God knows doing that is a mammouth task but just hang on is all. Let time do its thing and you will be amazed. Love to you and yours.

Welcome. This is a special place. Treat it right and you will find it hugely rewarding, the knowledge here is second to none and the members - on the whole - are the closest thing you will find to true friends. Congratulations "you've come to the right place"

Cheers. Have sent the info on to my mate, hopefully he will order the above then he'll entrust me with the fitting - the man's a fool!

@ woof* - Too many words on the dial, unnecessary

I have become besotted with the 5513. So much so that I gots to thinkin'. Is this watch the ultimate expression of the Rolex companies output? Lets look at what it is:

It is:

a) Almost perfect in the simplicity of its appearance.

b )Robust

c) Timeless in its appeal.

d) Iconic - it has been copied by many manufacturers, indeed it has become the 'standard' in layout of divers watches.

e) Technically unsurpassed.

f) Classless, everyone from a brick layer to a Lord can own one if they put their minds to it.

There are probably more points but you get my drift. It's like the Morris Mini Minor or the E type jaguar, a damn near perfect expression of what it sets out to be.

Do you agree?

Well, BK's old formula was a Jewelryoutlet550 insert with a watchmaterial pearl. You have to enlarge the pearl hole slightly for the WM pearl. Also, you have to shave the outside of the insert down a little to fit in the bezel since the old noob bezel was just a little smaller ID than gen spec.

Where do I buy these items? Had a look round but can't find info (ie contact details) as to where to get them from. Cheers.

windows

Cheers alligoat.

Just for the record I recently replaced the bezel insert on my MBW 5513. I had a spare old MBW 1665 bezel insert and I wanted to bleach and fit it to my 5513. I bleached it ok and popped the pearl off with my fingernail. When it came to removing the bezel insert from the bezel of the 5513 I found that it was glued in place with a rubbery type glue which had a really firm hold, anyway I set to with a small screwdriver and managed to prize it out but completely ruined the insert in the process. That was ok though as I was fitting my bleached replacement. I then gave some thought to which glue I was going to use to fit the replacement. I did not want to use epoxy as I intend ultimately to fit a gen insert and I suspected that epoxy would be very difficult to remove from the metal of the bezel itself once I had prized the insert off. Also I did not want to use a glue similar to what had already been used as I would like to get the insert out without damaging it. I then remembered a product that a plumber recommended to me for sealing small leaks in plumbing fittings. It is made by a company called Fernox and is called LS-X. It is a silicone based clear 'glue' about the consistency of toothpaste and it adheres to metal but not so much so that it makes a really strong bond, also it can be cut easily with a blade when it has set and needless to say it is waterproof. I used this and the insert has remained in place (so far!) and I firmly believe that when I come to remove it I will be able to do so without damaging the insert, then it's a case of scraping away the residual LS-X and I will be able to fit a gen insert and have salvaged my bleached old one. So, if I go down the route you describe I will glue the WM pearl in with epoxy (nice and permanent) but use LS-X for the insert to bezel bonding. Would it be possible the rub the OD of the insert on fine wet and dry paper rather than using a file? I have no files but imagine it would be difficult to get an even edge all the way round using a file. Don't mean to question your obviously far superior knowledge in these matters but I would like to get this right first time and I know what I'm like, I do tend to go a bit OTT especially when glues and files are involved!

Stage 4: The person who appreciates vintage Rolex's for their simplicity of design, classic looks and robustness. Recognises that they are just a piece of machinery which can be replicated at a fraction of the cost of the 'genuine' article and builds himself a fantastic rep and wears it with pride telling all and sundry that it is what it is, a replica of an iconic watch.

As a watch I prefer the white 'coz I like lug holes and hate engraved rehauts but, I don't like white dials so as long as I don't get a close up view the black is - to me - more appealing. (FWIW!)

Thanks for that, given that I have no specialist tools to speak of and limited skills (I'm not totally useless) can you give my any hints as to how these modifications might be achieved?

Rocket

A friend bought a noobmariner about 5 years ago. His bezel insert has fallen out. I have no idea which one to buy to get his watch up and running again. Anybody know what to go for? Thanks.

Point taken. But the only aftermarket insert I have come across that is in the same league as a gen is the PMWF. If that 1 is unavailable, I think your only choice is to wait or go gen.

I appreciate your honesty. If I could find a reasonable fat font gen I'd be all over it, but that's not going to happen so, for the time being? I'll wait.

Ditto (though that is likely to begin a downward spiral that can only end financial ruin - & your MBW transformed into a gen).

I know. That is my greatest fear. Isn't this forum called the "Replica" Watch Group. Lets not loose sight of our origins chaps, as I have said before it's easy to spend a load of cash and make a franken. That's not what we're supposed to be about. Remember?

terror

@ freddy333, thanks for that but they're out of stock of those bezel inserts and they have no idea when they will be getting new stock. I can't believe that nobody makes a decent fat font insert - there's a killing to be made in that surely?

Whilst we're on the subject of Daytonas (my favourite) can anyone tell me about the lug holes on a DW case. Are they drilled correctly or do they need re-drilling to fit gen size springbars?

Nice collection of watches. As for the straps..... not to my taste but hey ho , each to his own. Re: Daytona, they don't come up very often and are quite pricey. If I were you I'd source a movement (buy an old V72 powered watch on the 'bay) then add parts until you can send the whole package of to a watchmaker and there you have it. That way gives you flexibility on which parts to shell out big bucks for and where you might be happy to save a few $. Take bezel inserts for example, gens are rare as hens teeth and mucho $ but there is a pretty accurate rep available for $200(ish) Hope this is of use.

There used to be a few dealers, members etc on here who could get them but it seems the guy who sells them at the MBK store is such a p-rick that they are not buying them like they used to.

Once in a while one will show up for sale but not that often now that they are harder to get.

I have one of the later MBK/MBW 1680 cases and in reality it is more suited to a 5512/13 project if you want to use a genuine rolex 1520 etc movement.

There are lots of posts on here about these cases if you search them out.

I have a new version MBW 5513 but I thought I read somewhere that it was not suitable for fitting gen movement, is this not the case (sorry for pun, couldn't resist it)?

Cheers Ephry73. Email me about the other matter? Sent you PM. Will check out Clark's.