freddy333

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.

I think that is about what I paid a couple years ago, so, yes, it is reasonable. But remember that value is whatever you, as buyer, are willing to pay.

I would be very wary of 'NOS' vintage Rolex parts, especially, when they are coming out of Asia. Regardless of who the seller is.

DW's Daytona cases are made to fit aftermarket crystals, which are slightly lighter gauge (thinner material) than gen crystals, which is why you usually have to grind a bit of material off the inside circumference of the bezel to get it to fit over the gen crystal.

Regardless of who they are bought from, these aftermarket Daytona dials are a hit-or-miss affair. I have gotten several from DW & any 2 of the same dial will vary. If you are patient & keep your expectations reasonable, you should be ok.

A7750-powered. Crown/tube, crystal & bracelet are gen, pushers are from Ofrei (Swiss-made/same as gens, but without the branded packaging). At some point, I will convert to V72 & source a more accurate dial. But, as-is, I think it is quite respectable.

Still late Thursday

Read this & this.

I looked at it & considered bidding. But, ultimately, it looked like a money pit with no clear path to resurrection, so I held off.

You got to love a nice, old 'dweller

Certainly, if you have the funds, a gen dial is always the way to go. That said, 1 could also make the case that if you are going to spring for a gen dial, you would be crazy not to couple it with a gen Rolex movement (as opposed to a conversion using aftermarket parts). However, if, like me, you prefer the exotic (Newman) dial over the standard fare, a gen, being so costly/rare, is not an option. In that case, I think a very credible project can be built around some of the better aftermarket Newman dials available

I think there must have been a misunderstanding somewhere along the line. DW's assembled A7750-based watches used to be around $400 (this is going back a few years, so the price may have gone up) & his assembled V72-based watches were around $3,000, which I would expect to have risen to the $4k range by now. If cost is an issue, I would seriously recommend either going the A7750 route or (seriously) rethink your finances & prepare for sticker shock. And before you buy an assembled V72-powered Daytona (from any vendor), keep in mind that these almost always arrive with technical problems & require professional servicing &/or overhaul. There are many threads here detailing this that you can search out (& I would strongly encourage you to spend alot of time reading them *before* clicking the buy button).

I have not perused the dealer listings for a number of years, but there may be some that now offer properly asymmetrical pushered 62xx Daytona cases that could be modded into accepting a V72. Otherwise, if DW is too rich for your wallet, you may have trouble finding what you seek since he has traditionally offered the best buy in these cases.

A franken (case is Phong's), but nicely done.