freddy333

Somewhat academic now, but, for future reference, if you are stuck or unable to locate something (like a dial screw), asking additional questions or, even better, posting good, clear pics of the watch/movement part or parts in question before forcing anything might save you from hosing your watch next time.

Huh? Is this a statement or question?

Ditto.

Ending the week wearing my beater

Depending on the quality of the rep, the dial is held onto the plate either by 2-3 screws that enter from the side or by glue/adhesive. The dial should have 2 legs that stick out from the back. These are relatively delicate & are used to center the watch in the movement. Do not apply pressure or press the dial sideways. If you break the legs, you will complicate matters considerably. In watchmaking, never force anything. If it does not come apart (or go together) with moderate finger pressure, then you are doing something wrong. Stop & re-evaluate.

If enough people report it, maybe ebay will remove it.

DuDro - Is this mechanical or quartz? Have you shown this 1 before?

Alot depends on the particular movement, but I think the confusion stemmed from something Ziggy wrote that recommended pulling the stem out to the time-setting position before removing it (Ziggy feel free to chime in here if I am mistaken). I have often found that that leads to the problem here. With most movements, I pull the stem out to the 1st click (winding position) & then remove it. With ETAs, as long as you use the red screwdriver (120), you should not have a problem with the keyless works getting mis-aligned.

This is an A7750, but the keyless works are very similar to many rep watch movements. The plate identified by the green text is the part that moves when you press the stem release. If pushed too hard/far, it (or the clutch lever) can become dislodged, which then makes it difficult to get the stem to 'lock' into the movement or to switch between winding & time-setting modes

Hewlio - Your game (& movement) is far from over. You need a new stem (which must be ordered for the particular movement in your watch - $10-$20), possibly a new case tube & a watchmaker to install them both. From your description, I think Alli is right - you probably dislodged the clutch lever or an associated part (This is the keyless works from another movement, but it shows the parts in question) You either pressed the release pin too far/hard or had the movement in the time-setting position when you removed the stem. In either case, the hands & dial will need to be removed & the keyless works reset. Not a big job for a watchmaker, but if you lack the tools & skills, you are likely to turn a minor issue into a disaster.

I am sure of this - the exceptions would have been done for aesthetic reasons (Rolex Design probably just felt some dials looked better with white datewheels instead of the usual champagne), not cost cutting.

Nanuq - Are you guys working on the Go to first unread post function (), which has not been working for the past 2-3 weeks?

Oops, forgot the fabulous fun forum.

Have you PM'd 1 of the Mods for their input? If so, then I think your only other recourse is to confront him, civilly, in person.

Thanks, Alli. That IS definitely an exception, which shows 1 of the holes in my modern Rolex knowledgebase. I stand corrected.

So much for Hyperbole.

Hewlio - Get the New Style Tube to Fit 6 mm Rolex. These fit the current gen 7mm Triplock crowns (Rolex part 25-703), which you can usually source on ebay for $100-$250, depending on condition & seller. (Triplock crown prices are, once again, heading skyward. A couple of years ago, I was able to buy a dozen used (mint condition) Triplocks for $100. Now, that same set would probably cost me nearly 10 times that. Like I always say with Rolex parts - if you think it is too expensive now, just wait. ) Depending on the source of your rep, the gen tube may screw right into the existing case threads (after you have removed the existing rep tube, assuming you do not break it off in the case or damage the case threading during removal). You can use a 3-sided hobby file to remove the existing rep tube. After decasing the movement, insert the end of the file into the tube so it lodges inside & then, with the teeth of the file grabbing the inside walls of the tube, simply unscrew the tube. Be sure to clean out the hole before installing the new gen tube. If the threads are damaged or the gen tube does not fit, you may need to tap the hole with the larger of the 2 taps in Ofrei's Generic tapping set (part FB-3C-969 - Ofrei used to sell each tap separately, but I no longer see them listed that way) Before installing the new tube, put a small amount of GC crystal cement or Loctite 'Blue' (semi-permanent) on the tube's threads (the threads that go into the case, not the threads the crown screws onto) to help seal out dust/moisture (part FB-2202 or similar) If you are real careful (& lucky), you can use the same 3-sided file you used to remove the old tube to install the new 1. But you may damage either the inner walls of the tube or the splines that line that opening. To avoid damaging the tube, or if you plan to install more Rolex tubes in the future, invest in a case tube tool, which fits into the inner splines in the tube (part 3C-964) Finally, do not overtighten the tube or you WILL break it off. Just finger snug.

Most of the threads that reference Cubic's datewheels contain disclaimers (from those who purchased them) warning that, contrary to the pics on their website, the date wheels they are shipping out have closed 6s & 9s. However, as others have said, the Noob is a copy of a current model, which uses closed 6/9 fonts on its datewheel, so you should be fine. Guidelines for Rolex Datewheel colors Steel watches always have datewheels with a white background Yellow gold & two-tone watches always have datewheels with a champagne (tan/yellowish) background If you are looking at a gen & it does not follow these guidelines, then it is either not a gen or the movement has been recased. This is 1 of the few rules for which I have yet to see an (proven) exception.

Finding floral flora fitting a foto in fall is a formidable feat (but I did)

Kudos to Josh.

Since the watch just became available yesterday, I doubt that anyone here has 1. There are also 3 or 4 existing threads about this, so instead of beginning yet another 1, you ought to search out the previous threads.

Yes, that is 1 of the problems with Josh's new DRSD (wrong metal color) & 1 of the great things about Yuki's bracelet (right metal color).

Good sighting, Nanuq. But I have to admit that this rep has so many other inaccuracies (the most salient of which, to me, is its too-silvery, cheap-looking metal) that I never even bothered to look at the crown position.

Remember the adage - If you want it done right, do it yourself. Phong's (J&W), NDtrading & Yuki all use essentially the same component sources in their watches. The primary difference is price (Yuki is often cheapest). If you are unable to build a watch yourself, then these assembled frankens are a great alternative. However, you should beware that, like rep watches themselves, QC, from what I have seen (& I am sure Ziggy will concur), is next to non-existent from any of these commercial franken builders. Further, whenever a corner can be cut during assembly, it usually is......& not in ways that a proper watchmaker (or knowledgeable watch collector) would exactly appreciate. With this in mind, I would recommend that if you plan to buy an assembled franken, also plan to have it fully serviced by a professional watchmaker as soon as it arrives. This will allow you to catch most potential disasters before they occur (or before the seller's guarantee runs out) & help to insure a long, serviceable life.

Thanks All.