freddy333

??? As they say, anything is possible with vintage Rolex & I know that some of their more uncommon pre-70s bracelets were made for them by 3rd parties, but I have never heard of Rolex getting anything from Spiedel. I do know that Rolex created their (painfully) expanding Oyster bracelets as an alternative to the Twist-O-Flex, which became popular in the late 50s & 60s (I also have 1 on my Accutron). As for ill-fitting Rolex rivet (or folded link) bracelets, the most common problem is end links that do not match (or are incorrect for) the case. Because many vintage Rolex bracelets are in short supply & have permanently attached end links, unless delicate & often damaging end link transplant surgery is performed, due to their rarity & cost, often, new owners must make due with the right bracelet fitted with the wrong end links. It seems that far more of most of the common vintage bracelets left the Rolex factory fitted with end links made for models that are less popular today than they were 50+ years ago. So, often, unless you are willing to spend a great deal of time & money on the hunt for the correct match for your case/model, you often have to accept a bracelet with end links that are a close (but imperfect) match for your case. End links that appear similar may vary in length, width or curve by only a fraction of a millimeter, but that fraction can be the difference between a good fit & an unsightly gap or loose/noisy parts. Try to locate a folded link Oyster bracelet for a 6239 with the correct links & you will see what I mean.

Looks like a nice rep, but hard to make out details based on the fuzzy pic.

Why do you not remove the xtal while you are working on the case? I think you need a better fitting set of hands & some enhanced patination on the case (so it matches the faded insert), but, otherwise, nice work.

Wearing my vintage rep today

Alli, did you notice that the ROLEX COSMOGRAPH text is off-center (too far right) & the 90-degree 'step' between the dial face & subdials looks more like a ski slope? The dial has other issues that can be seen by comparing to gens.

I had a similar experience with my DRSD that actually escalated to a store manager asking if his watchmaker could verify my watch. He did & the watchmaker's reaction was similar to your Jim Carrey description above - double-take followed by red-faced submission. It pays to remember that God lies in the details. Ditto. Alot of wealthy tech guys are often mistaken for homeless people, unless you happen to catch a glimpse of their watch (or car, which you would not see when they are not in it). Many years ago, when I was in sales, I made 1 of the largest sales to a guy who looked (& smelled) like he was homeless, but who turned out to be 1 of the principals of the world's largest ad agency. He later apologized for his messy appearance saying it was due to his having been working on (1 of) his Ferraris earlier in the day. Sometimes, as the saying goes, you really cannot judge a book by its cover.

Trusty has been around a long time & is 1 of the best. You will likely love your watch. Do not forget to post pics when it arrives.

That happens quite often. Last weekend, I was eating at a crowded bar in a local restaurant wearing 1 of my Newmans & the place was packed with people waiting for tables. I became aware that there were several people peering over my shoulders & whispering things like 'Look, that guy has 1 of those Rolex Daytonas!' & 'Yeah, that's a rare watch, I've never seen a real 1 before.'

Always compare to a gen (which can be found on any gen watch site or google) -

This has been discussed many times over the years & the consensus has generally been that for every person who calls you out there are probably 20 times as many who identify your rep as a rep & remain silent. The next question being - 'How many people know the difference?' is a bit more tricky, because, these days, I think you would be surprised at how many people, especially young kids, are seriously into watches & know the difference. This was made clear to me several years ago when 2 teenagers (16 or 17-ish) walked up to me as I was getting into my Z & asked if it was for sale? During the conversation, 1 of them spotted my 6536-1 & stunned me by reciting the correct model number & caliber. They both said they were big Sub fans. I have also had experiences sitting in a restaurant wearing either a gen or franken & overheard people around me whispering (among themselves) about the 'rare Rolex' I was wearing. Pretty incredible.

I know where you are coming from (I used to have that view as well), but it is truly very limited in scope. That is, you are focusing in on a tree while missing the rest of the much larger forest. While there are certainly rogues in every field - if you do not believe there are criminals & crooks in the green movement, you are willfully blind - the profits that businessmen amass come from the sales of things like iPhones & iTunes & Priuses & sandals & tv sets & all the things you & I want/use every day. Businessmen also provide services like making clean drinking water & building homes & repairing bicycles & fixing teeth that make our lives more comfortable. The most successful of these businessmen then purchase yachts & private jets & mansions, all of which give people like you & me jobs to design, build & maintain those yachts, jets & mansions. Capitalism is based on the simple concept of trade - I have a good or service that is worth more to you than a handful of cash, so you trade the cash for my good or service & vice-versa. If the good or service I am offering is useful to a large number of people & I am skilled enough to market my good or service to make you aware that I exist, then, with a bit of luck, I stand to make alot of cash. You just need to produce a good or service that will have widespread use & find a way to spread the word so your potential buyers know you exist. And there is nothing stopping you from doing the same thing. That is why I believe that people who criticize others' success/wealth are either unaware or fooling themselves.

Good question.

The xtal is installed so that it is in a somewhat compressed state, which maintains a constant (expansive) pressure against the case & that provides the seal. However, if/when the plastic begins to harden due to age, UV exposure or minor defects - innate or due to damage - the seal may fail & the failure point will leak. 50 years ago, when genuine Rolex Plexiglass xtals were newly manufactured, they were much more pliable & resilient than the NOS parts are today. This is why it is often better to install a good aftermarket xtal rather than a NOS genuine Rolex xtal if you plan to use your watch near or in water. Still, even with a new xtal, in the case of an valuable watch, I would (& do) either avoid moisture altogether or have the watch (properly) pressure-tested (at least) yearly. Otherwise, your watch is only water-resistant until it isn't.

The dial is good, but not great, but the case & movement look very good. The question, as is always the case with these pre-assembled frankens, is whether the watch you receive will match the seller's description/pictures. I have never heard of this seller before, but, based on what I have seen & what I have heard from our own Ziggy, most of these frankens require a full overhaul upon receipt by the buyer. In some cases, the 'assembly' is so filthy & the work so dodgy that parts often need to be replaced to make the thing even function correctly. Maybe this seller is 100% honest & professional (that would be a 1st in my experience), but, as always when spending >$1,000 on a non-gen (from a non-gen seller), buyer beware. If you do purchase the watch, please post some good, clear pics here when you receive it. I would love to see it.

JlC today

All of the lugs in my project cases were done with a hand drill & I still have all 10 fingers (w/o holes).

Ditto.