freddy333

No. 1530, 1560 or 1570 only (& 1520 or 1530 in the 5513). The '5' denotes a date complication, which none of these (non-date) watches would need. The watch is somewhat unusual for having dash marks on either side of '- SWISS -'

That appears to be correct. Here is the result of a whois on wm9.com - --- performing WHOIS on "wm9.com", please wait... --- contacting server whois.networksolutions.com No match for "WM9.COM".

A-OK. If you do not want the bracelet, you are welcome to send it to me (or contact MY to see about having it restored).

Well done.

Although both have issues, the 2nd dial (in the post above) is more accurate overall. The most obvious problem is the off-center = sign, which is a dead-giveaway on a Roiex.

Considering the seller's history (nearly non existent) & the fact that the numbering has been 'worn' off (actually, chopped-off is a more accurate description) between both sets of lugs, I would look elsewhere or bid assuming this is an aftermarket case from an unknown source.

Other than its parts value (for the movement, assuming it is all correct), there is no real long-term value in these since they were not made by Patek, are not a design that Patek would ever consider & would never be authenticated by a Patek representative or collector. I hate to seem harsh, but these are monstrosities, nothing more. Patek made its name by producing finely-crafted works of horological art for men with style, not fads for the fashionable (the era of watches that can be seen from space ended some time ago, so it is difficult to even call them fashionable anymore). Please do not waste your money on 1 of these. If you want a Patek, get a Patek. If the price is too steep, buy used or get a nice (simple) Patek rep. Or, if you must have a gargantuan watch, get 1 from a watch company that makes gargantuan watches.

Lo' - Beautiful Zenith.

We have all been there (& wanted to do that).

Here is a gen for comparison (note the crown)

I hate to be the 1 to break the bad news, but that is not genuine. Sorry.

I think it is time for a reality check here. Having built a number of DW-based Daytonas, I can tell you that nearly all the parts arrived with flaws, some serious (pushers too small to fit holes in case, hands that do not fit, scratches, blotched paint, etc), some not-so-serious. But I have had similar experiences from all aftermarket parts sellers. To add to the confusion, DW has had a number of 'agents' over the past few years & all of these arrangements ultimately went down in flames due to shipping &/or QC issues. Aside from the fact that a simple search of previous DW builds from any of the dozens of senior members would have revealed that all of these aftermarket part vendors (not just DW) are riddled with QC issues. It is common knowledge amongst the regulars or anyone who took the time to read the pinned rwg rules & Toad's newbie guide in the Introduction forum (you newbies are reading these before embarking on construction projects, aren't you?) that there is a (huge) difference between the components that make up a $40k vintage Rolex vs the franken constructed out of $1k-$2k worth of (highly over-priced) parts from Asian aftermarket factories. Certainly, this does not excuse bait-&-switch schemes or even simple oversight, but it is clear that you cannot expect Rolex quality from an Asian forger. If you do, you are in for a serious letdown. In this case, I think denimhead did the right thing &, hopefully, everyone involved learned a valuable lesson.

Ask each dealer if they can source a crown. Or search ebay/google.

It is Rolex (not an AD) that prescribes what RSCs define as a genuine Rolex watch. You are free to do whatever you want with your Rolex watch, but if you want Rolex to repair it, the watch must be genuine. If it contains incorrect or non-Rolex parts, Rolex will either reject it outright (this is what usually happens) or (in rare cases) they may agree to accept the watch contingent on your agreeing to let them replace all of the incorrect parts with correct replacements.

Any genuine 6mm Twinlock crown should fit (stems are more or less standard size). If you are looking for an aftermarket crown, check with some of the dealers.

My current Phong ordeal has been going on for more than 1.5 years at this point (& other members are in the same boat as well). Dozens of pics have been sent back & forth, but, as I suggested previously, I think these problems are often due to the seller simply selling what he has in stock, regardless of what may have appeared on his website or in previous descriptions. Certainly, this does not absolve the seller of fault. Especially, when he is specifically asked not to ship an item (based on pre-shipment pics) that does not match the description on his website. But I think it helps to know what the problem is before trying to tackle it. In my case, I have the 4th (or is it now the 5th?.............it has been so long that even I am starting to forget some of the details) replacement caseback en route to me, which will hopefully end part 1 of this lengthy (2-part) saga. Still, at this point, my expectations are 50/50, at best.

Unfortunately, this is an all to common problem. It relates to the fact that a given part may have been made by any number of backstreet 'factories', each lacking QC of any type. Sellers then end up with a mish-mash of quasi-similar parts & then sell what they have in stock. Knowing how the rep/aftermarket biz works, I cannot really blame the seller (at least, not completely) & anyone who has been following my 5514 caseback adventure knows how long I have been waiting to receive the correct caseback (& Tudor Sub dial) from Phong.

Ditto panerai153.

Sad, but true. I do not understood why Rolex never put a white dial in a GMT for retail sale. The contrast between the bleached white dial & colored insert produces a stunningly beautiful sample of wrist iconography.

The bezel/insert look genuine to me & the dial & hands, while obviously not gen, look good as well. In a case with the appropriate enhanced patination it will be very tasty, indeed. Just be sure to top it off with a gen crystal & bracelet.

Rolex's benchmark for authenticity is that all the parts were made by Rolex & were, at some point in time, made (or sold as options) for that watch.

Unless he relocated, DW is located in China.