bklm1234

good info. I would lose that sandwich dial given your case and CG are so nice. Get a sausage dial instead. Or maybe it's your plan. Just my 2 cents.

-bk

gen SD pearl has a sapphire covering over the luminous dot and so does wm pearl.

-bk

I don't feel the M serial MBW/MBK has the same rehaut and crystal construction as the wm9 sub. They just look different. What By-Tor highlights is exactly what I mean. I don't see that on the M serial sub (Chris' sub).

-bk

another gen, stephane? details pls

-bk

What an honor to have a section here at RWG, the board with the most experience, knowledge and authority. RWG is also the first rep board I joined and it basically started my rep collecting, modding and now offering. When By-Tor invited me to open a section here, I literally jumped for joy.

Like in my other sections at RG and RWI, I will bring you reviews and how-to's, goodies like modded pieces, parts, used and new pieces at excellent prices. I know I'm gonna have a lot of fun here. I hope you come visit often.

-bk

Everything looks nice except the fat bezel numbers. I'd wait till the factory updates that. I have a feeling this watch is from the same factory as the SSD. And I always think the SSD is from the noob factory.

-bk

yes, just go by some gen pics. There are variances on the CGs on the gens anyway. Key is expose the crown, don't let the CGs block it.

-bk

Interesting finding, Tribal.

SSD v2 bezel seems thicker.

Top is v2, bottom is v1

Focus of camera on the v2 case. Note the thicker bottom and side of the bezel.

Focus of camera between the 2 cases

Focus of camera on the v1 case

The best part is the crystal doesn't look as comically tall.

SSD v1 with insert already recessed. Crystal looks too tall to me:

SSD v2 with insert also recessed, actually more recessed than the previous one and yet the crystal looks shorter and better. The factory could have thinned out the crystal, I don't know:

It doesn't matter if v2 bezel is thicker or not. Overall v2 is much better looking, thicker "looking" bezel, shorter crystal, the winner.

-bk

question: does the date window on the dial have to be enlarged for the lello datewheel?

IMHO, dsn hands are too skinny, no better than these stock hands.

-bk

My supplier told me he offered ETA 2836-2 clones a while back. I wasn't interested because the price difference wasn't that much. But with ETA movement cost going up and the weak Dollar, the difference is now $60+. If it's really good, it is worth the savings. If you own one, pls share your experience. Thanks.

-bk

see if you can get a crystal with bevel all the way to the insert like this:

-bk

I'm waiting for the crowns to arrive in the US. I'll take more pics and try the crown on a gen/generic tube. I'll put them for sale at the parts sale section. How does $28 for the set (crown+tube) shipped sound?

-bk

The left is gen, the right is my custom crown.

@repaustria: the pics should answer your questions.

From these pics which were taken by my friend in China, there's some difference in the color. It could be the finish and/or the steel used (always a little discrepancy). This supplier is the same supplier that makes the stock crown for the F520117 ym/sub. They make good stuff. On the original stock crown, like I said earlier, the finish is too "good". When I talked to him, he actually was very proud about making it more finished than the gen. I told him no, no, no, don't do that. The gen is a little rougher. He actually over-finished my custom crown, but it's not as much as the stock crown.

It's a set of crown+tube. I wanted the crown to fit on the existing tube. But the supplier said he couldn't do it like that, which I still can't understand. The new tube however screws into the tube hole on the case without rethreading nor redrilling the tube hole. You remove the stock tube, put some epoxy on the thread of the new tube, screw it in. Not the idealest but pretty good. The important thing is the crown looks good. Like I said, this supplier are the one who makes the F520117 crown. They do a really good job on the teeth definition. It's a damned good rep crown.

Anyway, it passes my visual QC. The teeth are perfectly sharp. The bulge is of the right size and shape. The coronet is large which is correct, and nicely etched. The polish is little too much but not a problem.

-bk

I custom made this crown to fit the F520117 sub/ym (same case for noobmariner/nymphomariner/beginmariner/etc). The 2nd attempt can be declared a success. First a teaser shot.

Which one is the BK crown, which one is the gen?

-bk

The SSD is a very handsome watch. My suspicion is it's from the same factory as the F520117 serial rollie (aka noob) factory. The serial on it is Z539117, same last 3 digits. The dial accuracy is as good as that of the F520117 YM, Exp2, GMT2, and sub. The datewheel font looks identical. The crystal is also somewhat like gen and like the F520117 crystals, where there is notch on the part that fits to the rehaut. Well where it's made isn't so important. The important thing is it's a very well made rep. I like most about it's soft bezel turn and click, the HE valve, the gen like crown, and the very handsome bezel. As always there are some details we can improve. My typical recipe absolutely applies:

- recessing bezel insert: the insert is very thick. It is very much above the bezel lip. This watch actually doesn't allow a lot of recessing. Getting it flush is about its limit because I don't think I can mill the insert any thinner. I take that perfectly happily.

- trimming the CGs: again very typical of rollie reps, oversized CGs. Somebody already posted the mod method. I busted 2 tubes thinking it'd be easy with the tube off. But my skills to replace the tube with a generic rollie tube are not ready for prime time. I did the one shown here with the tube in place. It took me a long freaking time to trim them. Both front and back need trimming.

- wm pearl: I actually wanted to try Florida Watch's insert. I have the hardest time buying something ever. I called them so many times. I'm still persistent with them. But their inserts are nowhere near coming. So I stuck with my good old familiar wm pearl

I think the result is pretty satisfactory.

Before pics:

I didn't capture very well the insert being too high above the bezel lip. But it is more so in reality

After recessing the insert:

Closeup of insert being flush with bezel lip:

See how much the CGs have to be trimmed. Top one's been trimmed:

Front view of finished watch. Look at the handsome wm pearl:

PS: I'm still pursuing the shorter crystal with cskent69's gen crystal as a base.

-bk

If there is enough volume - then it should not be too expensive. Check out krysworks. Also - i know that there is some place out there which will actually replicate any crystal (might have been in mineral glass only though). I can't remember. Lets hope that bk can get this made. The factories should be willing to do it since it actually would not be infringing on anyone anyway.

I lost confidence in Kryswork's crystals. I paid $60+ for a sub and a SD crystal thinking they are constructed exactly like gens. When I got them I was more confused. Then I got Jay's gen SD crystal. I know now Kryswork's SD is drastically thinner than gen. As a matter of fact, I don't see how it can even fit into a SD case. Did I get the wrong model crystal? I wonder.

I'll take pics of Kryswork's SD crystal side by side with Jay's gen SD crystal.

-bk

I think making a fatter gasket to take a gen crystal is not a viable solution. First the gasket might be too prominent, big fat grey band around the crystal, etc. Second below the bevel, you can see the 2 crystals have different ways to fit into the cases, i.e. the case constructions are different besides dimensions being different.

I'm shooting to make the top portion (bevel and above) the same as gen, bottom portion the same as SSD's. That should do it. Wish me luck.

-bk

Thanks to Jay (cskent69) who sent me his gen SD crystal, I was able to take these pics.

Left is SSD, right is gen. Don't worry about the portion below the bevel, gen and SSD have different ways to handle the crystal under the bezel insert. We only need to worry about the external appearance. Notice the top portion of the SSD crystal is thicker than that of the gen SD crystal and the bevel on the SSD crystal is more slanted. That's what I've been saying, wanting to fix (by custom making one). Shorter top and less slanted bevel will very likely let the rehaut thickness show through, an added bonus.

- bk

PP, I don't find the bracelet to be crap at all, at least not from my experience. No stripped screws (in my case) and SELs fit darn near perfect. The problem lies with the divers' extension and that can be easily replaced with a gen. SD toolkits are readily available for approx. $35 delivered which include the necessary parts.

The gen extension fits the SSD clasp perfectly and all issues of properly closing are history.

Credit goes to Gioarmani who came up with this brilliant idea. :thumbsup:

How about taking the section of a noobmariner/beginmariner/nymphomariner bracelet that are screwed in, which includes the clasp and diver-extension? I'll give it a try. At least the noob bracelet that I have has good screws and diver's extension is quite decent.

BTW, Stephane will take pics for me on the crystal.

-bk

bump. somebody help pls.

-bk

how do you know?

My dad's a TV repair man. He's got this ultimate set of tools.

i bet you it CAN fit!

The diameter of the part of gen SD crystal that fits into the rehaut is smaller than that of the SSD crystal. Unless you make a fat gasket, you can't fit a gen crystal into a SSD.

SSD and F520117 (aka noobmariner/nymphomariner/beginmariner, etc.) crystals copy the gen in having a recessed cut all around the part that resides in the rehaut. But they don't copy the notch/hook at the very bottom, which I don't think is a big deal. The recessed cut however is very important, esp. on the F520117 crystal which allows it to have a dark ring on the bevel when viewed from the front, much like the gen.

I drew this pic to illustrate the constructions:

Anybody else knows the crystal height above the rehaut and the bevel angle, pls kindly let me know. I will make as many as people want to buy it.

-bk

I'm investigating if I can custom-make crystals for the SSD 'cause I think it's too high. I need the exact thickness of the part of the crystal above the case (not above the insert) and what the bevel angle is. I have a Krysworks' SD and sub crystals, which are supposed to be replacements for gen crystals. The part above the case for the SD one is about 1.03-1.04mm. Seems too thin to me. The same part for their sub crystal is 0.96mm, also seems too thin to me. Can someone help?

-bk

it's no doubt it has the best case. but like by-tor said the dial is not as good as the F520117's (aka noob's). Neither is the date font. The biggest problem I have with it (besides the high price which I think will eventually come down) is the bezel. Thanks rosnik for your clear pictures. It confirms that the bezel teeth are too slanted and look short. Good thing this sub has a gen bezel construction. I can get a gen bezel to put on it. But I can't justify the cost, given the watch is $655, a gen bezel is easily $300 or move. That's why I'm not pulling the trigger. I think my old-case MBW has much better bezel teeth. Here're a couple pics of it next to a gen:

-bk

Wonderful watch Stephane , and great shots

I just got mine from Angus “ the ETA version “

It is an amazing watch , but It has some QC issues

Can any body tell from the pictures ? ……………so what do you all think , shall I send it back ?

Cheers

cyclop is irregular shaped. Either ship it back or get a replacement from Angus.

-bk

last time i bought from them, they sent me the same thing as RaymondLee's, which is inferior to JewelryOutlet's. They show gens in the pics but send you something different.

-bk