freddy333

Ditto. If loose is good enough for this guy, it ought to be good enough for us.

I have no direct, hands-on experience with Dark Lord dials, but if the OEM printing is removed from a gen dial, then, according to Rolex (they make the rules), it is no longer a gen dial, at least for the purposes of resale or provenance, regardless of how well the aftermarket printing may be. So I would have no problem removing the dial feet if that makes it easier to complete a project with a credible-looking dial. In my experience, Phong's cases are variable, sometimes gen parts fit, sometimes not. That said, if you are competent with a dremel, you can usually (not always) make something fit. On the other hand, I have never had any problem with MQ's cases--they accept any gen part that fits a gen case. And that is the beauty of the better aftermarket cases--they are generally perfect clones of the gen, so assembling a franken out of 100% gen parts is a no-brainer. The problem (with gen/clone aftermarket cases) arises if you want to substitute aftermarket/rep parts for gens. Say you have an MQ dial & case & you want to use an ETA movement. You have a problem, because the dial feet do not fit the movement & must be removed/replaced with dial dots (unless you want to disassemble the movement, drill the appropriate holes in the pillar plate & hope none of the dial feet contact any of the moving parts). Also, if you use a gen movement, gen hands fit as well. No modding required. But, of course, the trade-off is finding the gen movement & hands. Although difficult & definitely costly, if you have patience & determination, they can be had. You just have to decide whether your goal is a good-looking, reasonably priced mostly aftermarket franken, or a mostly gen cost no object long-term project.

The simplest method (assuming you are asking because you do not have a proper polishing machine) is to tape off the polished sections you do NOT want brushed & use a Bergeon 5444-A (fine) polishing block to apply an OEM-style satin texture. By-Tor & I posted separate threads detailing the process on Oyster & Jubilee bracelets, but that was many years ago & I do not know if they are still on the site.

I would mirror auto's remarks. Michael Young is capable of doing good (though not Rolex-level) work, but I think his final result depends on what the problem is. The simpler the repair, the better the result. Rolex had a device that removed folded links and another to close/tighten them. You could not tell anything had been done to them. Unfortunately, I have never seen 1 of these devices for sale & none of the Rolex-certified watchsmiths I used to buy parts through back in the day had 1. I suspect they were relegated to the bin when Rolex ceased production of folded link bracelets.

Well done, automatico.

I am wearing the 'Dweller today, but I think I am going to switch to this tomorrow.........

The glory days of vintage Rolex sportwatch franken-building are definitely history. But I disagree that Rolex movements are inherently problematic, or more so than ETAs and other modern mechanics. Properly assembled and maintained, Rolex calibers are nearly bulletproof. That is one of the reasons they remain so highly valued by collectors and watchmakers alike. I do not have a single gen Rolex movement that I have serviced that has either failed or not generally met its time-keeping design specs. And I believe some of them are now hitting the 20-year mark for wrist- &/or winder-time, if my own time-keeping skills are correct. On the other hand, with Rolex virtually beheading anyone within their service network for selling parts to anyone outside the network (i.e., any of us amateur watchsmiths) and with OEM Rolex parts prices far out of reach now anyway, I would not recommend entry into the gen or franken Rolex arena today unless you are extremely well-heeled, patient, have alot of free time on your hands & enjoy the search. As to one80's goal of building a 6538/5510, were it me, I would 1st decide how much I can realistically afford to spend on a franken that may or may not maintain (or increase) value over time. If my break-off point is below $5k, I would find a reasonably accurate rep (with accurate case dimensions/construction) and replace the crown/tube, crystal & bracelet with gens (though you will need a bit of luck locating an appropriate gen bracelet for a reasonable amount). If my break-off point is above $5k, I would start with a franken from Phong or MQ & have the watch properly serviced upon receipt (I have seen some truly scary things inside their watches). Then, depending on the overall condition of the watch (after a proper service) & the list of gen parts that are either in poor condition, aftermarkets or replicas, begin your search for OEM gen replacements. Be patient as the cost & time required will likely be severe & measured in many months &/or years. Unfortunately, I think you are about 10 years too late to begin such a quest, but, as they say, there are exceptions to every rule & good things come to those who wait.

Great to see some of the old-timers still ticking....especially glad to see that Stephane's made it back to health. Life throws many curveballs, but time seems to keep us marching on.

Ditto dluddy's comments and congratulations to RWG!

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." —King

'Dweller today.

Rolex's "gents" watches are pretty plain-Jane, so it's all in the details & dimensions. It is impossible to make any judgements without knowing which model you want to assemble &/or without measuring that case to see if it matches the gen. What I can say is the case looks pretty beaten & the crystal looks a bit too tall. Once you know which model you are building, why not just buy a gen case? There are plenty of them floating around & they can often be had for reasonable prices in similar condition to the 1 in your pics. That way, you know gen parts will fit without much fiddling &, in the future, you have the option of swapping any rep parts for gens to end up with a total gen.

Good to see some things DON'T change. But what of the Doxa? Is she still floating around in your collection? In the meantime, this double-red says hi

Simple, 1030-powered small crown 6536/1.

Bond Sub

As others have said, the cost to construct a watch as you describe would either cost several thousand dollars or a few thousand and several months (or years) of work searching for parts. I have not been following the market for the past several years, but I think your best option would be to purchase a good rep with properly-dimensioned (i.e., genuine dimensions) case. Then, replace the crystal, bracelet, crown/tube & dial coronet with gen parts. This will still cost a couple thousand, but you will end up with a very credible-looking/feeling vintage Daytona. If you want to ice the cake, remove the auto-wind module from the movement (assuming you purchase a rep with an auto-wind movement) and see about locating a flatter caseback, so the watch sits lower on your wrist (1 of the tells of rep 62xx Daytonas is that their casebacks are thicker/taller to accomodate an auto-wind components, which is incorrect for these watches). p.s. Don't ask me for sources, because I have been out of the hobby for too long and no longer know who is good or in business. It is best to post a request for assistance, so members who are actively buying/building watches can assist you.

I think if you could work out a way to add a wee bit of thickness (3d appearance) to the print, that would push the dials over the top. But nice work.

Yes and I would expect no less from one of the great masters of the art. Sole criticism is that I would put it on a proper bracelet. Do you still have that Double-Red and Black Lung (Doxa)?

First login in quite some time for me, too. To paraphrase J. Lennon, life's what happens to you when you're not watching time. Good to see some of the old gang still around.

I have not been able to check in for some time, but I am glad to see RWG and the wristies still here. Some really nice metal on display here. I am wearing the old Bond Sub today

In your mind it may still be a 'Rover, but in the mind of a buyer looking for a 'Rover, it's probably a 'Rover with a Ford motor. Did you know, too, that that Buick V8 was also offered to Triumph for use in their Stag, but Triumph chose, instead, to weld two of their crappy four-cylinder lumps together, which produced one of the most unreliable engines in British automotive history.

508 - ask your cardiologist if you can tolerate 4,000 IU/day of Vitamin D3. Vitamin D deficiency and risk of cardiovascular diseases

Beautiful watch and great story. My grandfather was a watchmaker when the Accutrons were originally released. I remember the week my grandfather had to spend in NY for Accutron training and how he returned with a new gold Spaceview. Although he sold many expensive watches, throughout my entire childhood, that Spaceview was the only watch I was never allowed to touch. In my case, when my father died, I received his Accutron, which he got from my grandfather. I long ago acquired a Spaceview conversion kit, but decided to keep the watch as-is.

Too big for my wrist, but it looks great.

I do not think either question can be answered objectively, since perspectives and priorities vary. So I will simply offer this anecdote - Two years ago, a friend and I were perusing a local jewelry store. Another customer glimpsed my DRSD franken and called me out on it. To make a long story short, the store's watchmaker "cracked" the watch open for us and, low & behold, there sat a nice, genuine Rolex 1575 beating away inside the case, right next to its HeV. In my case, since gen Rolex parts will always increase in value, why cash-out if you do not have to? Or, at least, that is my conclusion. Your mileage may vary.