freddy333

I am not sure you have to go gen to end up with a very convincing '42 case. But, if you have the funds, it certainly does not hurt. Also, as was the case with my Phase II build, going gen (case) increases the likelihood of sealing issues, which are not an issue with a well-made aftermarket case (you can just about see the slight fissure in my gen caseback's edge around 7 o'clock)

You have to wonder why this is being parted out & where the dial & handset are heading?

It is not as difficult as painting lume, but not easy. Requires a steady hand & alot of patience. I would recommend alot of practice before attempting to paint your dial unless you have very deep pockets, or have someone paint the markers for you.

Unfortunately, as has been posted numerous times, while many of Phong's parts are superior, the condition/quality of his movements tends to leave alot to be desired. For this reason, it is a good idea to have them professionally overhauled as soon as possible.

The MQ is the best, current aftermarket Newman dial I have seen & the 1 I have in my '41 (I replaced the coronet with a gen & painted the index markers) The best part of the MQ Newman is the thickness of paint used on the registers. In the right light, the paint appears thick & shiny, which is a characteristic I have only seen on some gen Newman dials (never on an aftermarket) If the registers were just a tad deeper (more 3-d) & the horizontal loop in the P in CHRONOGRAPH a bit wider, I would have trouble distinguishing these dials from gens from an arm's length away (my usual benchmark).

Phone Comcast & complain. Apparently, they (Comcast) have received many complaints about this, but their response, recently, has been that 'very few customers have complained'.

Lounging around Sunday with 1 of my Newmans

MBW cases (excluding engraved casebacks, which are usually fairly easy for a knowledgeable Rolex collector to spot as non-gen) are very good. In the case of bezels, I think you would need to upgrade to a gen if you want something appreciably better. And, even then, most could not tell the difference. If you want the most bang for your buck, replace the MBW insert with a gen, which is costly. I am pretty sure you will need to mod the MBW bezel (&/or cement the insert in) to make it fit

JAW usually ships from AZ, but I believe his parts are sourced from VN. Rep cases, including the cartel's, are not a good indicator of accuracy. Most of the aftermarket Sub cases I have seen (including NDT, JAW, MQ, etc) were made to correct (or indescribably close) dimensions.

Wishing you the best & hoping things go smooth & well.

Yes, should be an interesting auction.

Ending the work week wearing my beater

Nice work , but I would give your dial a light coat of matte varnish to knock down the shininess (especially on the lume).

Yes, but that is not the point here. Positioning your sleeves just above your watch tends to draw attention to your wrist, which can make you look like a tosser or a poser, depending on what the viewer finds on your wrist (tosser if your watch appears to be gen, poser if your watch appears to be a fake).

$25k-$40k, depending on condition. Probably not the best watch to wear at work unless you are an upper-tax bracketed company exec & do not work with your hands.

In general, as has been repeated ad nauseum, if you look like you can afford the watch you are wearing, it is less likely that anyone will suspect you. Also, doing things that draw unwarranted attention to your watch like rolling your sleeves up just above your watch (as opposed to your elbows) when it is neither cool nor a case where your sleeves might get soiled can cause strangers to view you (& your watch) with incredulity. Subtly goes a long way with watches. That is, Instead of broadcasting your watch to be sure everyone no one within eye range misses your watch, forget about it & let those occasional glimpses from under your cuff broadcast the fact that you have the confidence to broadcast yourself instead of your jewelry.

Once, many years ago, I got called out by a waiter. At the time, I did not know enough about gen details to realize how obvious the rep I was wearing actually was. The incident was very embarrassing to say the least. This was long before the Web, when reps were not as ubiquitous (or accepted) as they are today. My waiter obviously knew alot more about watches (at that time) than I did, but that was the 1st & last time I ever got called out. The experience motivated me to educate myself on gens because I do not like to make the same mistake twice.

Welcome to the Great Society.

If the prices are accurate, this is a very useful guide. Thanks for the post.

Only in public. I do not know about Bush, but Clinton had a very nice collection of expensive watches during his term as president, but he only wore them when out of the public spotlight.

Jorg Gray 6500 Chronograph

I appreciate the compliment, but please try not to re-quote entire pic threads just to add a line or 2 at the bottom.