freddy333

If you search the Rolex forum for 'powdered graphite' & my handle (freddy333), you should find some pics & additional info in 1 of my early graphite threads.

There is no evidence that I am aware of (25+ years of watch collecting) indicating that tritium is directly responsible for a dial's overall patina. In fact, the jury is still out as to what causes just the lume itself to discolor over time (some say UV, some say lack of UV, some say moisture, some say O2, some say heat, etc). The way I see it, if you want your dial to age over time (measured in decades), just wear it. UV will age the paint on the dial regardless of the type of material that energizes its lume.

It has been awhile since I did this, but I recall it being pretty clear/simple once you have the movement in front of you.

Faded/light pink would be reasonable, but I have never seen a red (gen) fade to actual white.

My understanding has been that tritium is unavailable for sale (outside of the military) & I know absolutely nothing more than what you can read for yourself, but try here.

Keep in mind that there is relatively little tritium in gen dials & the visual texture of the lume is not due to the tritium, but to the substrate (paint) it is mixed into.

I also agree with cougar that there is often fine print within the USPS contract that excludes pretty much whatever of value they lose. Alternatively, you could insure the package for its proper value & send it via registered mail, which is what Rolex USA always recommends. It is probably the slowest method (could take a few weeks to reach you), but the package is kept under lock-&-key at all times & must be signed for by each & every person who touches the package.

If the oil fails, try to lever a razor blade or thin knife in below the screw cap & put a small bit of upward pressure on it while unscrewing the screw. That usually gets them out.

Or no lume. It is relatively rare for a 30+ year-old tritium dial to have any glow left in it, regardless of how intense the light or how long the charge. Again, if authenticity is the goal, it is best to have a watch that seems typical for its type (having a dial that does not glow), rather than atypical (having 1 of the rare tritium dials that still glows, even if dimly). When you want viewers to accept non-gen parts as gen, it is best to keep under the radar so to speak & not to have anything in the watch that raises suspicion. Having a glowing tritium dial definitely raises questions whenever I see 1.

Read this, but, before clicking any Buy buttons, search out By-Tor's Daytona review (in the Rolex forum) & The Zigmeister's reviews of the secs @ 6 7750, which powers these reps. There are a great many threads about these watches on RWG. Just click the magnifying glass icon in the top right corner of every page to access the search function.

9315 (folded link) with either 280 or 380 ends were fitted to 5513 Subs from 1967 to 1975 (during the time the 1st 5514s were issued to Comex) I have a 9315/380 fitted to mine

No. The only case where tritium is still used is in sealed tubes in a couple of watches made by (I think) Ball, but not positive about that. Tritium has not been available for sale or use in watches for about 20 years. Also, if authenticity is important to you, it is better NOT to have any glow, since very few tritium dials have any glow in them.

You could declare the value as $25 (to deter thieves) & include a note within the package explaining the real value & reasoning for the low declaration. That way, if the package gets opened (by customs), they will see why you declared the low amount (though that may not excuse you).

Rolex has never published an official key indicating how their numbering works, but I doubt it is sequential.

Sorry to hear of your bad (though all-too-common) luck. If you were planning to have Vac overhaul your watch, then I would go that route, since the movements in most rep watches are used &/or unserviced & generally require an overhaul upon arrival. That way, you can kill 2 birds with 1 stone, so to speak. Otherwise, your options are to send the watches back or have them overhauled locally by a professional (rep-friendly) watchmaker. Were it me, I would opt for the latter option since, as I said, pretty much all reps require a proper overhaul whether they arrive, whether working or not. Oh, I guess there is a 3rd option - get a Swatch.

rrari1 - You seem slanted towards Rolex & authenticity over flash, so select a simple, basic model that lacks the features that ID most reps as reps. Something like a no-date Sub or, better yet, an Oyster Perpetual or Air King are usually the safest bets, since they have the fewest features. Check out Andrew or Joshua in the dealer forums. But, 1st, read this.

Thanks. All gen in a Phong mid-case (bezel/insert are gen, too). If you like this, you should check out Ubi's pre-Comex, which inspired it.

I had MBW in mind when I wrote my comments. For the money, MBW is the best buy, especially since you can fit many gen parts to them & end up with a credible franken. My Double Red 1665 & phase I 5514 both used MBW mid-cases, which looked good & worked well (with some modifications to get gen movements to fit), but neither have quite the fit, finish or heft of Phong's case.

automatico - This is 1 of those rare cases where I have to disagree, slightly, with you. Phong's cases, while his prices bear little connection with reality, are constructed to gen specs, which means gen parts, including the movement, will drop in without modification. They also tend to weigh a bit more than the average rep or aftermarket case & are machined to a better fit & finish. Certainly, this is not something that most people will notice (or appreciate), but, if everything else is gen, it gives the watch that Rolex-like tactile feel & indescribable x-factor that only a gen has & this can make all the difference when you hand your watch to someone with experience. It also comes through when photographed well. Just look at Ubi's pre-Comex if you need further evidence. I considered using a gen 5513 case for my pre-Comex Sub, but, in the end, I could not bring myself to modify a gen Sub case, which would have cost about twice (or more) what Phong's case cost anyway. Bottom line - Phong's pricing is beyond ridiculous for anything other than an all-gen (except for the case) watch, in which case, it may make sense

I have not done this myself (so do not carve this in stone), but I am pretty certain the date will be slightly misaligned. It may only be .5mm, but I doubt it will align correctly since the movements are different.

Ditto & the reason I rarely get any of my gens wet. A watch might have passed a pressure test yesterday, but tomorrow it may leak. When it comes to watches that are important to you, better safe than sorry.

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Sealed Rolex packaging & purchased from Rolex. Anything less than that & you cannot be sure.