Rolexaddict

On 2/3/2016 at 5:56 PM, automatico said:

1530 base for vintage = H 1.2  M .80  S .20 (mm)  All 15xx hole sizes are the same.

3035/3135 = H 1.40  M .95  S .22 (mm)  All 3000/3035/3130/3135 etc hole sizes are the same.

You will need a way to measure the holes in the hands or use a loupe and examine them to determine which have the smaller or larger holes.

 Ite missa est

simple, exact, precise, etc. etc.

bravo

Yes and no, 

If I remember well, the movement fits inside the DW case and its possible to fix it using tabs, the V72 has 4 screw holes locations for tabs 

But its no possible to screw the thin DW caseback made for the 7750 without rotor, this is due to the V72 chrono start/stop lever height, 

Hi folks,

In 3 years I have built dozens of watches and had only 4 with a return to fix a problem. I admit a problem could happen, I am not perfect,

However, I am a trusted dealer on RWG.bz and RWI with my own dealer/watchmaker section in both forums.

Terms of service are clearly explained concerning possible problems on watch buildings

I have members here on this board who have entrusted work to me, I thanks them,

But : I there is a flaw to fix, the logic is to send me back the watch so I can fix it. And not to give the watch to a third party and then send me the watch disassembled an ask me to repair,

This happened twice here, a third one will never happen, as the answer will be NO.

For any demand concerning building prices, time slots and orders, please refer to the conditions of warranty in my sections on RWI and RWG.bz before to place an order 

I guess there might be some kind of trick to avoid those reflections..really they are just killing while taking photos..

Use a circular polar filter and a tripod as the filter will affect the aperture value and/or the shutter speed

Disconnect all these stupid auto programs and work in manual mode

gen 1680 cases are thicker than gen 5512/5513 cases,

first issues gen 5512/5513 cases (from mid sixties) were very thin and had twinlock crowns

things go thicker later,

You must set your default settings to English for your OS.

I don't understand what you mean by set my default settings to english

translate :

j'ai pas pigé, 

Y aurait-il un paramétrage de mon système d'exploitation qui me permettrait de voir écrit sur Ebay "David est un gentil garçon qui vend des gentilles montres et qui s'est fait la malle avec l'argent des membres du forum ???"

désolé, je suis un simplet,

He is still on Ebay his name is qkyvaljouxshop

Very interesting...

actually, thats was the link is showing,

I did my best without taking the watch apart. The thinnest point seems to be at the middle, so I measured opposite the crown on the 9:00 side. From the midcase bottom immediately beside the caseback lip to the midcase top right beside the bezel is 5.23mm

thats exactly right,

these vintage cases are very, very thin, basic reps from basic dealers/makers are too thick, 

"...it's a very difficult task to carry out in order to drill exactly to mate with the already drilled internal lug holes."

 

From my experience it is next to impossible. If you get four holes drilled exactly where you want them...it was an accident.    

The drill bit will walk on the uneven lug and ruin the lug.

The bit will break off in the lug.

The bit will start correctly then follow the inside hole when it hits it and break if the hole is not exactly parallel and the same size.

Many inside drilled holes are drilled at an angle and the bit will break when they hit the angle from the outside.

etc, etc.

 

Tips...

Have the least amount of drill bit exposed as possible even if it means stopping a few times to extend it as the hole deepens.

On no hole (aka 'blind') lugs use a center punch etc to make a dimple where you want to start the holes to keep the bit from walking.

Stainless steel will work harden if the bit stops cutting and heats the lug so keep the bit cool and lubricated. 

Drill the holes in two or three steps, do not try to drill the holes in one run. 

The case has to be held very securely while drilling...brass jaw vise bolted to the drill press table etc.

Ditto automatico

I have done this and it is the hardest operation I have done, and it did not come out perfect!

Is is almost impossible to drill all 4 hikes to meet up with the predrilled holes inside the lugs

Be afraid be very afraid

Another drawback of doing this on a rep case is the quality of the steel you will find hard bits and soft bits just as you are half way through a hole that is cutting well you hit a hard point and wreck the bit

I am not a 1655 guru but a good observer handling a lot of gen Rolex watches

If you mean a 40mm case is a case taking a 40mm bezel, so yes the 1655 Explorer II has a 40mm case but the bezel is not 40mm, it is slightly shorter, 38 - 39mm

The 1655 case is exactly the same as the 1675 GMT, very slim, light and with a 5,3mm crown, the only difference is that the 1675 has a rotating bezel assembly,

Both 1655 and 1675 ref cases have a slim flat brushed caseback

All 1655 sold by rep dealers have wrong cases, and wrong casebacks, I will say they are complete 1/1 off, lol

just a precision :

not so square, it was just to show what has to be cut,

cut more like this :

In his first reply, He said that was 100% genuine dial, but now...

"PHOTOS and description of my auction are true, the dial is genuine singer but re-dial, the fake dials are different from mine"

What does this mean "genuine singer but re-dial"  ??  refinished ? this dial looks like an NDT

Tons of "gen" dials are rep, its easy to ask to an engraving shop to reproduce a punch stamp written "Singer" with the logo

then you punch a  brass disk, mill the incabloc grove and silver solder legs you have a gen dial...

Look the difference between Yuki springbars which come with the bracelet and gen Rolex springbars

to accept gen springbars the Yuki bracelet end pieces have been enlarged, its drilled with  2.1mm drill bits

Rings in the Yuki bracelet end links have been cut then enlarged

The stem is released the same way... It's a recessed pin. Make sure the stem is in the winding position before you pull it out. You don't want to rebuild the keyless works if it goes wrong. Trust me

Yes, I've already done that. It's a real balancing act.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

tip : on the DG3804 when pushing back in place the stem, press the pin at the same time you push the stem in

So I was thinking about some possible bracelet swap/update on my Explorer 1016 and stumbled over Yuki´s 20mm solid oyster bracelet.

The clasp coronet looks appropriately placed, otherwise all other engravings seem not that correct (which does not matter that much to me). Endlinks can be changed with proper ones, for sure.

It is quite possible (I assume) that gen spec 1016 spring bars may fit in that bracelet, due to the fact that the spring bar in the endlink looks like the Yuki Sub springbar, "lhooq"had reviewed it with some other gen spec 1016 spring bars some time ago.

 

What do you think about this bracelet?

Anyone can share his opinion, especially if it is suitable on an Explorer 1016?

Any better solid oyster bracelet alternatives (reasonably priced)?

 

Here are a couple of images from his site:

    

 

 

 

Thank you in advance for any opinions and suggestions!

I just got one from Yuki, 

The bracelet is well made but not better than those from watches sold from rep dealers

springbars that come with are too thin,

the end piece of the bracelet and end links need to be modified to accept Rolex gen or gen specs springbars,

Watchsmithes...watchmakers... all these are small limited brains and narrow spirits,

especially Swiss, these people are surrounded by the mountains they never see the horizon, thats why they are as they are

Posers, just remember, watches are simple mechanical objects, no mystic

just kidding  

I am a watch plumber

This thread is following the previous about the gen 5513 gilt dial meters first

I got an idea... And this could be a new kind of package offer  

Concerning Sub models with short CGs : stubby or not stubby ?  That is the question

I think no so stubby, the case need just a serious reshaping.

My opinion (my imagination ?) : probably there are 2 makers. The first cuts and sells generic cases with the CG side which is wider. The second maker buy a batch of these cases and has several templates/CNC programs to re-cut profilesand thickness depending models. Also engrave between lug holes, according what Rolex model he wants to replicate.

The case of this watch sold by Josh has an excellent potential to work on. Thickness is correct and the rehaut wall accept gens or gen specs aftermarket plexis. Btw, a gen bezel assembly will suit with not to minor fittings. The dial is very sharp, lug holes are easy to re-drill at Rolex specs as they are centered perfectly

Also gen casebacks screw on. Opposite : the rep caseback fits a gen case

The rep case has been compared with the gen 5513 case I have restored, then I have reshaped to replicate the gen 5512/5513 design and suceeded to supress this visual effect of short CGs.

These watch came with an oversized 7mm triplock which is not in brass wrapped with a stainless leaf. Fortunately it is solid strainless and machinable, so I have machined the crown to reduce the size to the correct 7mm twinlock. Then to get it more accurate I have removed the 3 points under the crown's logo and repolished. The tube was also redesigned to a twinlock tube by removing metal from the external o-ring area, then screwed more recessed into the case tube hole

To resume the following was done on this watch :

- Complete case body reshaping

- Lug holes re-drilled

- Tube and crown machined and converted in a 7mm twinlock

- Dial and hand relumed

- Yuki pearl

- Clark T19 plexi

Thats all,

Now pics, the first test has been made with a Submariner 5512

The stock watch as it comes from the dealer :

The finished watch,

CGslook really better after reshaping, sorry for dust on the plexi

Sorry for the finger prints... Look the detail of the crown, the 3 dots under the coronet were removed and the spot was repolished

Imho, the effect is perfect, if you compare with the pics of the gen 5513, the CGs length look identical

I can see myself in the caseback, lol

The area between the CGs has been a little recessed, details of the reduced crown

Dial, pearl and hands relumed

What do you think ? not so bad after mods for a $ 158.00 vintage sub...

Last month I had again the chance to work for a great Rolex vintage collector who is a member here, using discretion.

He bought a gen classic 5513, regular feet first dial, classic Rolex 26jewels 1520 movement. On an other hand he has the opportunity to buy a gilt dial meters first. This dial was in good conditions, needed just to be cleaned and relumed.

He has also projected to replace the plexi.For this we tested two Tropic 19 plexies, from Clark and Jules Borel, both were not enough rounded and not enough high, -at our own taste- so we decided to keep the original which was a service cristal with a good rounded top.

I decided to brake the angular look by grinding and repolishing to give the top rounded T19 design but a bit higher. I would say, the idea was to get a mini-dome

When you discuss with many collectors you notice many of them don't care about original exactitude and parts and academic design. They want more to get something cosmetic and different. For exemple I have seen a few days ago a 1675 with a silver date disc like on 1665 or 1680, it was the wish of the owner.      

Why not ?

The watch is from the seventies with the former twinlock crown which give an incredible look to this beauty. These 7mm crowns are shorter and don't have the 3 dots under the coronet logo

This is for the story.

Let show you pics of the complete job which has been done,

First, the watch as it was at the purchase : classic matt dial feet first, look at the CG shapping details and the twinlock crown. This gave me inspiration and an idea for reps, I will tell more later in another article very soon.

These crowns were made of brass and wrapped with a stainless thin leaf with a coronet stamped.You can see the crown is dammaged, there are 2 holes in the steel leaf

Look the details of the CGs bottom, left is not like the right side, most of the time revisited reps look better than gens,

Details of the movement, I admit here than gen movements looks better than  $30.00 Chinese DG....

The 45 years old lady after disassembling : a half century old mixture of dry grease, corrosion spots etc. was cleaned and the steel was fine repolished

The service plexi as it was, next photo, after it has been rounded by grinding the plastic then repolished

Also observe how thin is the case, rep case are too thick, I told this already for 1655/1675 cases,

The gilt dial originally before cleaning and reluming. This dial was bought by the watch owner more than 1.000 euros...

The watch is rebuilt with the new dial. Again, look on the CG  and crown design : thinness of the crown anf length of the CGs

You will understand what I mean in the next topic

The look is incredible with the gilt dial and the silver hands. The lume is a mixture of white phosphor, ivory pigments powder and an acrylic medium. In the real day light it doesnt look so yellow, this is due to the photo. The pearl lume is a little bit darker, as it supposes to have been contamined by salt water.

The reshaped plexi restores the same visual effect of markers distorsion,

The evolution of this classic seventies 5513 into a gilt dial meters first model increases the value, such watches are sold in a range of 9 to 11K euros here in Paris

Hope you liked,

Less dust and with the insert faded without excess to keep things realistic

congrats, nice work,

You are right, the only way to put off all tool marks is to use sandpaper before using the dremel with polishing compounds

really nice work...btw...where did you get that nice Jubilee from??

Try Rafflestime, Ken shows sterile stuff, but send him a mail to ask the Rolex markings

Thanks J. for the topic and for all member kind comments,

sorry for the dust on photos, I will post a new one with the faded insert  

Replacing with a gen crown will certainly help, but the short stubby Case guards are a problem. Tapering them will help. It's easy to take away metal, but darn hard to put on, unless you are an accomplished laser welder!!!

I will show asap (just busy right now) how I add metal, I have made experiments, result is 100% good, 

no necessary to use TIG, MIG or laser,

Hello folks,

I have cleaned my pm box, you can send me pms now,

also contact me here : vintagewatchparlour@free.fr

R, for your lug holes, I will drill for you, its free mate, paypal me just 15 euros for the registred return shipping

Superluminova is just a powder, the medium and thinner sold with this powder are just [censored],

the superluminova powder can be mixed/dilued with all kind of clear enamel or what else product, even epoxy, but NO WATER BASED,   the medium/binder transparency is very important,

so, enough infos  for tonight,

D,  you need to know if the component you are using is acrylic or enamel/polyurethan

if its acrylic you can use water to dilute, usually -ready to use- lume products you find in model shops or watch material shops are acrylic, so, use water,

beware : it schrinks when drying,

all other lume material in powder like Luminova or Superluminova can be mixed with any medium/binder,