freddy333

You can buy it here. And if you speak French, you might find the author's video interesting.

Not so new.

Not sure which I like better - the watch or this picture of the watch? Either way

I was just about to post a question about Avitt's (and Stephane's - has he been banned, too?) whereabouts, when I found this thread. I can understand the Mods' not wanting to disclose full details, but, with such a popular & senior member, I would have thought a general explanation would be reasonable. No?

Wearing 1 of my works in progress Friday morning (Yes, the minute totalizer hand is missing)

Although I run counter to Ziggy's recommendations, I find that pulling the stem out beyond the time-setting (1st) position, increases your chances of keyless works problems after stem removal. Unfortunately, there are no real shortcuts to keyless works problems. It sounds like you may have popped the stem lock out of position while pressing the stem release. It is easy to do, but the only fix is to remove the dial & reset the keyless works components. Once the dial is off & you see how the keyless works is configured, it should be immediately obvious what the problem is &, if you have the tools & experience, fortunately relatively easy to fix.

The amount of the T SWISS T that shows is dependent on the exact placement of the dial on the pillar plate. With mine, as with many gens, the dial feet can get slightly bent off-center, which then leaves the dial ever-so-slightly off-center within the case. Depending on which way the feet are bent, the dial will sit slightly off-center in the opposite direction. In my case, the feet are bent slightly too far north, which makes the dial sit a bit too far south. You may be able to see what I am referring to by looking at the slightly too-high position of the pinion in the hour totalizer Once I get in there again to replace the missing hand, I will straighten out the feet & the dial will be more centered. Then, you may be able to see a bit more of the T SWISS T, but I doubt there will be enough of it in view for anyone to spot a problem there under normal viewing circumstances.

Exactly. Look, also, at how much more bold the subdial printing is on the new dial vs the DW (& most aftermarket Daytona dials). Even with heavy patina, the gen subdial printing is always very striking in its contrast against the underlying subdial color. This is another thing the factory that made this new dial got correct. And those fonts on the long-tail 3...... ......I have only ever seen them on gens & Texas dials (which are nearly impossible to detect with 100% reliability). Getting such an obscure detail like that font's serifs exactly right - & I mean EXACTLY - & then printing the T SWISS T too large & in white........that can only have been done on purpose. If these types of 'mistakes' are not done as a favor to Rolex, then maybe the factories do it in an effort to identify their dials from the next factory's? Whatever it is, 'mistakes' like that on a dial like this are not accidental.

Correct is the key word. I believe that only the early 1665s were fitted with superdomes, but many were retrofitted by RSCs during normal service. So, as long as it is a 1665 & not a later SD version, it works for me.

After wearing my '39 Newman with the new dial, I have to say that while the differences between DW's dial & this 1 are minute, at best (both easily make it through my arm-length yardstick does-it-look-gen? test) (DW dial at right & T SWISS T is now red) the overall appearance of the watch seems, now, to have taken on a less striking appearance. At 1st, that may seem like a bad thing, but, in my experience, in the world of frankens, whispering your presence says alot more than shouting it. At least, if you want to be believed. So, while I have always thought the red chrono hand lent the watch a certain Italian panache, my thinking is tending to lean towards returning it to its original color (black wand with a white tip to contrast the dial colors). But, all that aside, I think the watch's overall appearance, with the new/modded dial, is much more workmanlike (after all, back in the day, the steel Daytona was a tool watch). I cannot quite put my finger on why (perhaps, it is the slightly duller white used in this dial or the more textured paint finish), but I am gaining a new appreciation for DW's original case replication than I had before. Damn. Now, with this dial, even under closer than normal viewing conditions & with 1 hand red & another 1 missing, this thing is almost indistinguishable from the real McCoy But when you come down to it, it is all about the 3

TeeJay - I only question the credulity of the clasp. The watch, as it is, looks ok. That said, often, where there is smoke......

This is the reason most often cited when something Rolex-related pops up with questionable provenance. Of course, anything is possible, but, based on what I have seen so far, I remain unconvinced. Though, for what it is worth, I hope I am wrong & the clasp is gen, because it is a beauty.

Still wearing 1 of my works in progress

Alli - A similar watch popped up on VRF early last year & the clasp (not the watch) was concluded to be a knockoff. While I am firmly in the 'never say never with Rolex' camp, eventually, just about every oddity like this gets found in a Rolex publication of some kind. To date, I have yet to see a clasp like this listed in any Rolex product catalog, parts list or service manual, which, while not conclusive proof of fakery, leaves me much less than convinced as to the clasp's authenticity.

My watch-wearing goes in phases. For the past several years, I have rarely left home without a watch. But, at the same time, I have gone for as long as a week without 1 when my mind was on other things. As soon as I realized I was watchless (or looked down & realized I was not wearing a watch), I put 1 on.

Wearing a re-work in progress (yes, it is missing a subdial hand)

Nail polish, painted by hand.

I assume you mean you bought & repainted a non-PN gen dial? Pics please. I saw a PN with a red chrono seconds hand many years ago in a Southeby's auction & decided to go that route when I did the original construction on this 1. (There is also 1 in the Rolex special edition that Watchtime magazine put out a couple of years ago. Though, believe it or not, I seem to recall thinking that it may have been a rep. ) However, now that I have the new dial in there, I may end up repainting it back to stock. Still not sure? Thanks, All. As I said, I have to replace a hand, which is en route. And, now that I see the potential with the new dial mods, I will probably send the watch off to the Zigmeister for the full monty (V72s are 1 of the movements that I am not comfortable working on). But, in the meantime, here are a couple of quick-&-dirty pics (minus 1 hand) to give you an idea of things to come. With the missing hand in place, this watch would definitely fool me if I saw it in the wild (even with a loupe)

I suffered a setback in re-assembling the watch. The minute totalizer subdial hand collapsed & must be replaced. So I ordered a new handset & will update final pics of the assembled watch once I have them. In the meantime, here is an interim pic of the partially assembled watch

A shame to be keeping it idle in your parts bin, Ubi. Why not put it to use.

Lani - Slow & steady wins the race.

A number of us have them (a 157x with a brushed silver datewheel) in our watches Eurotimez was selling (non-brushed) silver datewheels for ETA movements awhile ago that had very good fonts. I believe he was removed from the RWG seller listings due to shipping issues, but he might be worth a try.