tmg

Great results KKS and nice post. But now, how can that movement live without a genuine dial

Sorry for the hijack, but have you tried these (Milsub hands) Highdef? I almost have a 5517 franken project completed and they're made for ETA mvmts and look very close the real deal (no pix yet )

Friday Getting some more enjoyment this weekend with my completed MBW 1665 project

KKS, nice score. I'm so jealous! keep us posted with the results.

Damn!!! I'm just a girlie man with a strap on my 187 I hope you find something or s workaround.

Freddy, Yes, the 6&9 are a little too thin. I had a CWP dial on order but was too impatient and bought this one. The Zigmeister said he had a hell of a time with the DW install and it appears that last night it was stuck between days Thanks for the kind words! -TMG

Since my MBW 1665 DRSD is finally more or less done, here are some pix. A big thank you to The Zigmeister for the dial aging and assembling of this 9 month old project. It was a major coup for me just to work the cg's, lugholes, change the crown & tube and crystal -I'm one of the most unhandy people I know The vital stats are: CG reshaped & lugholes drilled for gen spring bars Case gently aged and polished Gen crown & aftermarket tube Gen used and abused bezel insert from 1665 (so I was told ) Gen Tropic 39 Superdome NDT aftermarket dial, aged and relumed by The Zigmeister (I was going for that heavy exposure to humidity look) Clarks Tudor Sub hands also aged by the The Zigmeister 2846 ETA Watchmeister DW overlay Ah, the superdome

Wearing my very first Franken, a Marathon customed Type 1 by MkII Watches.

Lello, I'd be interested too, if it's the correct font. Thanks! -TMG

Thanks Tribal! I have miles to go on it, but I think TTK's model (whatever it is) has good bones in the dial and case, my biggest beef with the case is the lug holes aren't drilled all the way through

Tiger, Yup, no good ones out there. The "supposed" MBW still has many flaws, the one plus is that it does seem to have the correct proportions, but will take a LOT of work. Predfan, The earlier models of 1655 did come with rivet bracelets. The problem with your "#4" is that the dial/bezel proportions are off -too small. Believe me, I've been through 3 models; TTK's supposed MBW, TT's top grade vintage, and Joshua's. I have some comparison shots of the TT top grade vintage alonside TTK's. 1655 comparison Here's a current pix of my snail's-pace project which is a franken of all 3 of the aforementioned models.

Timeman (www.timeman.net) is the best deal for used 7mm crowns; 3 for $60. Aftermarket tubes from Clarks or Raymondleejeweler ("best offer" has gotten me some deals) work very nicely and good quality too. FYI, I wouldn't deal with that jerk at Helfands! -I purchased a few from them and one broke upon installation and I brought it up with them he said that has never happened with any of their tubes in 9 years.

Stephane, they'll grow on you like a weed. There so much history to them! Perhaps a Davidsen 6154 w/ Rolex dial might be a good starting point, kinda the best of both worlds. -go ahead buy it... buy it!

Wearin' my Dsn 6152 on a vintage Zeugma strap

Enjoy the time off The Zigmeister, lord knows you deserve it!

I've been a genuine collector for ~20 years, mostly vintage Deco styles watches early on with collecting and a few Rolex, sadly smaller models from the 40's-50's. This was before I discovered that I liked the sport models. I could kick myself for not starting back then with the prices of the sport pieces compared to today . I took a break for many years from collecting and discovered reps maybe a year and a half ago and have to say it has rekindled my interested in watches in general and I probably know more about watches now in collecting reps then I did buying gens -funny how that works!

Looks like Westcoastime just added a G10 style in orange. I like the Zulu as well but it has more heft to it than a NATO. orange NATO

I'm with FX and Avitt; wear the ding as a badge of honor, it happens and shows that its lived in

Nanuq, She's a beauty!!! What a wonderful story behind the watch, thanks for sharing it with us.

You can usually find a decent genuine on Timezone if you look often for ~$400

Euno, I haven't even asked around to see if an ETA can even be fitted in the Marathon, so that could indeed be the case. Curiously what to you think about this, I've eyeballed it for a long time. Type 1 It's powered by an ETA and has the correct shaped case back. Funny, I had a black Navigator as well but sold it a few years ago.

Nice Avitt! I'm not that much of a modern Panerai fan but I'm feeling the need for titanium and love the tobacco dial.

Euno, you've got great taste my friend! Yes it's a franken Marathon Type 1 that Bill put together for me a good 5-6 years ago, long before I discovered reps. -One of these days I'll see about having an ETA dropped in it and a taller domed crystal. I guess I would be one of the 3 people that you mentioned in the 60's that would have opted for the Tropic strap on a sub BTW, great strap on the Nautilus.

Nanuq, whenever I see your James Bond Sub I'm the guy sitting in dentist chair with the suction tube hanging on the side of my mouth -drooool drooool It's a lovely piece!

My Speedmaster today and the fraternal twins this weekend, boy all my reps are either in pieces or on a The Zigmeister vacation