freddy333

Ended the work week (still) wearing my rubber-scaffolded chs Been eying this for tomorrow

Well done, Diesel.

Get the Swiss movement unless you want the other 1.

As far as the placement of the He valve goes, it was nearly (but not exactly) centered on the initial, thin case 1665s, which were essentially Sub cases (my 4 year-old MBW case is like this) & raised slightly above the center point on all thicker cased, later versions. I posted a thread containing pics of each a few years ago, but it seems to have been lost during 1 of the RWG updates.

If the tube is only attached by 1 thread, I have a feeling it will not last long. I would get it tapped & install a proper gen or Swiss-made aftermarket tube. Otherwise, the timer is ticking.

I believe Rolex partnered with another watch company in designing the original He valve that was used in the Comex Sub &, later, in the SD. That other watch company may have been Doxa.

Different models lost lug holes at different times, which makes it very difficult to set a date or version release as the official end of lug holes for a given model. But I think slickdick's answer is generally a good guide.

Please do not repost entire pic threads just to add a line or 2. Thanks.

I would not say I am enjoying the strap (rubber straps are definitely not my thing), but I enjoy being able to wear my chs without being self-conscious of the bracelet's ba-da-bling . There are times/places where the polished bracelet has its place (which is why I will keep it), but not for everyday use.

Because, as was explained in the post, the AR material will not stand up to UV or other adhesives/cements, the next step will be to apply AR to the top (outer) face of the cyclops (in addition to the underside of the crystal below the cyclops).

Read this

No guarantee it will work for that crown, but read this (all info I have is contained within the thread).

Most rep crowns are not constructed like the gens, so I doubt a rep core will fit a gen cap. However, I have never tried taking apart a rep crown (not worth it), but it may be something that you might try if you have no other options.

What is the world coming to?

This may fit ($28) (Click pic for link) Only if you have a donor crown available that has a good internal core assembly (I do not have any spares). I have never seen these parts sold separately.

What? Modify a gen or gen-like part? Never.

I think you are exactly correct. As it turns out, the working He valves on aftermarket cases & some reps are designed like the gens. In case you missed it, read this. However, as I see it, the only reason to have a proper working valve is so that, upon close inspection, the watch looks gen. Having an engraving or etching in the side of the case is an obvious give-away of fakery (to a knowledgeable viewer). I have never been a big fan of aftermarket rubber straps (still not ). But, when you need to tone down the bling, all I can say is desperate times call for desperate measures.

I know what you are saying, but, as is the case when comparing cases on standard Daytona reps with those from Phong or NDT, which are many times more expensive even though the metal is the same. The only real difference is that the more expensive item is sized/dimensioned more accurately than the cheaper item. That just does not make sense & it is the same with these straps. Yes, they mate very well with the metal parts, but does it really cost more to measure accurately? I never wear watches tight & I cut it with sufficient length for future expansion, if required.

It sounds like the springbar rusted internally (cheap aftermarket 'bars will do that). Do you have a proper springbar tool (the part with the solid tip that fits into the lug hole)? You might try putting a drop of penetrating oil into the lug hole & give it a few minutes to work into the springbar & then try again. It may take some moderate force to collapse it enough to remove 1 side of the strap.

Teejay - I cannot say there is $200 worth of material/technology in the 2 flat pieces of rubber I received (especially since they package it without any instructions, which is likely to be a problem for the average gen owner - they are working on that), but I have been wearing the watch since I received the strap & really like the way it looks (compared to the blingy bracelet that comes with GMTIICs). At least, I am not constantly having to pull my sleeve down over my watch to keep from blinding unsuspecting passersby.