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Hey bud, M serial is transitional. The early M serials doesnt have the rehaut engravings while the later ones does have it.

Welcome! Once you found a watch that you like you might consider getting the movement serviced by a modder or a watchsmith right away since the movements in reps often are full of dirt and dust and might even lack proper oils. This way you have better chances that the watch will last for years.

The one I regret selling the most is my first franken Breitling Skyland from H-factory with the correct "1" bezel with a gen movement, dial and hands including subdial hands. It sure has a special place in my heart.

I read the thread to late for guessing. But i was certain that the left would be gen based on the sheen of the bracelet. Looking at the watch head only there is no chance for me to distinguish the franken from the gen and thats even when they are side by side. There is no chance anyone would be able to call you out with that franken in the wild.

This is either a genuine crown and miss in QC or a rep since the crown is wrapped but the wrapping is not as good as is should be. Either way this one is going back to the seller. Hope that c24 trusted checkout works. Thanks alot for your oppinions and knowledge guys! Base metal on the one in blister is yellow... You got a PM

Its phong im refering to. Did not find any 24-700-0 crown in blister but some other crowns were in blister and looked pretty much like the one i got. I agree with you that something seems off with the one i got in blister packing.

And next to a gen crown

Hard to take pictures of it while its still in the blister and i dont want to open it since it wont be returnable if i do, but i will try to get a few better shots. Give me a few minutes.

Yes thats how my used crown looks aswell. Thats why im wondering if the new in blister might be a rep.

Always interesting to read. Thanks! Btw i got a 24-700-0 crown in the mail aswell but from another source and i noticed that the wraping of the crown does not go as far as it does on the other 700 crowns i have seen. Hard to explain but i will give it a try. What i mean is that the crowns i have handled before looks as the wraping goes around the edge and in to the threads and the new crown still in blister looks as the wraping ends prior to the edge. This made me curious and after comparing a few pictures of the blister box i found that a well known guy for replicating vintage parts sells rep crowns in blisterbox on his website that looks really close to the one i got. Mine: What i found on the guys website: Do you guys think that the crown i got is genuine? I was under the impression that rolex doesnt have this kind of flaws on their parts. But i dont know for sure. Maby they do?

The seller is well known with plenty of positive feedback on a Italian watch forum. Should be a stand up guy. I had to ask since i have never seen a 700 tube without being attached to a case. Great tips there. Thanks! I plan to assemble the build myself if i have the time. Otherwise i will have a good watchmaker do the assembly.

Oh did not know that, i learned something new today. I was afraid i got hustled there for a second. Thanks for the super fast reply guys! Appreciate it [emoji106]

Hi guys, I just got a supposed NOS 24-7000 tube in the mail and i noticed that the blister was opened and with further inspection my 24-700-0 crown does not fit the tube. The hole where the stem goes is to small for the stem of the crown. Should i return the tube? Pictures of the tube:

Would it not be enough to bend the tension spring i tad? It looks flat now.

For original hands id guess VRM is the best shot. For service hands TRF and aftermarket hands id be looking at clarks, cousinsuk and such. The bay might be an option too.

Isnt that just rust from water exposure? I belive i read a thread on TRF regarding just that but in that thread it was a 1665 that got the very same rust under the plexi where the plexi meets the case.

A yuki 3135 could be converted to a 3155 with gen parts. Might be pricey but it should be doable. Check with misiekped he knows for sure.

The problem is when it comes to a high value franken. The gen is costly but you can always use it as the tool it is ment to be. You can bang it around and push it to the limit and after a few years just send it in for a service and it is as good as new again, at this point you can just flip it and grab another one that cought your eye. The franken on the other hand is more delicate. If you would use it as i described that im using my gens that franken watch would be more or less destroyed and unattractive in a potential sale and having the dings and dents buffed out and replacing the parts will be expensive and time consuming. That said a regular rep is a disposal item, use it and throw it away or fix it once it has served its purpose. A franken is a watch that you have to baby and every single hairline will brake your heart so the watch is better off sitting in the box with silkes smooth cushions keeping it safe from any harm. The gen is made to be used and once the gen fails you can restore it to its former glory. My point is that if i want a watch that i can rely on and use as it is intended to be used i would go for the gen. If you dont care about the flaws and dont mind the asian movements then a stock rep is the way to go. A franken watch is just not really worth the hastle unless its a franken vintage watch that is supposed to be banged up.

Thanks for the tip! That makes the choice easy [emoji4]

Good to know, i have always been struggeling with breitling deploy for leatherstraps. The OEM deploy for their rubberstraps are way better. Could even go as far as saying the rubber deploy is the best and most comfertable i have ever worn. One option is to grab a OEM rubberdeploy and have someone custom make leatherstraps that fit like the rubber would and you are all set. Looks killer aswell but it takes more precise measurement to pull it off.

Hi, Im looking for a genuine mk 2 long 5 insert and the inserts are different from another. Some are flatter and some are curved for more domed plexi. As seen on this picture: I have experianced that a insert with no "curve" makes the insert sit to snug against a gen service t19 thus making the bezel non turnable. Im planning on using a CWP t19 plexi but i could go for a service t19 aswell if i have to in order to make the insert fit and allowing the bezel to rotate. So my question is if any of you guys have an idea which type of "curve" i should aim for to be able to have a turnable bezel? Would be a shame throwing that kind of funds down for an insert and end up with a fixed bezel.

Love what you are doing with the watch! Cant wait to see the results [emoji106] The gen LEC crystal w/o AR is period correct for the M series so i wouldnt go for the double AR one even tho i must admit that i was close to opt for an AR crystal since its getting harder by the day to find the right one w/o AR but in the end i did find it. Each to his own. Wear it in good health bud.

Yes ofc there is a concern about having high grade replicated papers to go with a high grade rep. But i understand the charm with having a good set of papers aswell as having a good rep. Its kind of the same in my book and its up to each and everyone to be a honest goodguy and not trying to pass it off as a gen. As you mentioned there are gens being sold without papers and boxes which is almost the norm when it comes to vintage watches nowdays. So what would be the difference in having a super franken with or without papers if some one would want to sell it as a gen?

Love it! Wear it in good health [emoji4]