freddy333

For your eyes only (pic borrowed from TZ)

I began with gens, added some reps & then found that frankens (watches containing a mix of gen & aftermarket parts) combine the best of both worlds - they cost alot less than the gen, but provide nearly the same appearance & tactile experience. And like Ubi & others have said, there is something special in doing it yourself that cannot be matched by laying down a credit card & walking out with a watch. Not that there is anything at all wrong with that -- I have done it & it is a great feeling to be able to afford a nice watch. But doing it yourself, especially when the work results in a beautiful (working) timepiece that you can show off to friends & take pride in, is priceless. And there is no reason your collection cannot consist of both gens & reps (or frankens). In my case (no pun intended), I have a mixture of reasonably priced gens & reps/frankens of those pieces that are way beyond my means (or willingness to pay). For those of us who love high end watches, I think that is the best way to go.

Looking good, RK. Now that is a nice Tudor - the only Tudor on my must-have list. Needed something with a bit of panache to get over the mid week hump - 5107 today

That same screw seems to be coming loose on most of these watches (mine included). Usually, the owner becomes aware of it before the bracelet falls apart because as the screw begins loosening, it comes into contact with the flip lock hinge making it difficult to open/close the clasp. A dot of Loctite blue (available at many hardware & auto parts stores) on the cleaned screw threads will solve the problem (& still allow you to remove the screw as needed)

The price differential between a solo or group buy is not a deal breaker. I think that anyone able to afford the $50 total outlay for a group bought cyclops ought to be able to afford the additional $10 or $15 if the part must be purchased on ones own. The more relevant issue, I think, will be the logistics of getting everyone's separately purchased & shipped cyclops out to Chief & then making sure they are all there to be included in his next AR run. (I can already see the dozen or so posts like 'Why did my cyclops not get AR'd?' or 'I sent it 2 weeks ago, but I was told it did not arrive.') So, for that reason, a group buy, followed by a single shipment to Chief, will probably eliminate alot of problems.

I baked it myself

I was surprised to see that article in AM. There have been a number of similar pieces written over the years, but, due to the unavoidable racial inferences, they are few & far between due to the current politically correct environment.

Ditto.

Re-installation is technically simple (as long as the AR coating is not affected by the crystal cement), but requires a couple of items that most owners are not likely to own (or require in the future) Crystal Cement, Ultra-Violet Activated This cement hardens when exposed to a UV light source. Best used to glue magnifying lens to mineral glass crystals, since it dries completely clear. Hardens when exposed to sunlight or a UV light. 2 ml bottle FB-2200 $5.95 Ultra-Violet Lamp UV lamp for UV glue, always protect your eyes for the rays of the lamp. 110-127 volt 60HZ 8 W FB-2201 $34.95 They say you can cure the cement in the sunlight, but I think it would take quite some time in very bright light to fully cure. But I guess you could try it as long as you are aware that it may or may not work as well.

No, this is the dial I picked up on ebay (I posted a mini-review of it a few months ago). The 1st aftermarket that comes believably close to passing for a gen. Unfortunately, the seller got it from a friend who told him it was a 'one-off' & he has not posted or sold another since. I would love to get a 2nd dial (& I have received a number of requests from other members as well), but I have not found yet been able to locate the source. What caught my eye when I saw this dial is that the crown & text are nearly a dead-on replication of the 1st generation DRSD dial. Much better than the MBW dials. The lume has been re-done since the pictures were taken, but here is a 1st generation gen DRSD dial (with faded red lettering) for comparison Here is the dial next to my NDT (which is for sale by the way)

What is the problem with my custom seconds hand? Actually, the dial & hands have been relumed since that picture was taken & I am just waiting on a couple more parts to arrive before final assembly.

No problem, Lani. As I have learned many times, you have to break alot of eggs to get the recipe right. I am sure that everyone appreciates your efforts.

I second DuDro's comments, but the Mods will probably move your post the Photography forum, which is a more appropriate place to post pics.

Try soaking the bracelet in WD40 for a couple of hours then. Teflon, while a great lubricant, is not likely to be able to penetrate as well as WD40. Most likely, the other poster's screw was loosened by the WD40 but it just took more time. But S-L may be right -- the threads may be cross-threaded. In that case, you may need to drill out the screw head which will then allow you to remove the link & then use pliers to unscrew the remainder of the screw shaft.

The MBW caseback is good but not perfect (slightly inaccurate shape & text engraving), which leaves room for improvement as better mods and/or parts come along. Of course, these are mostly details that only a Rolex collector or neurotic WIS like us would appreciate. But if your goal is reproducing a gen with 100% accuracy (which is the goal of most WIS types), then everything is up for grabs. The order of improvements is usually governed by when the 'tools' become available to make those improvements. As better mods & parts are discovered, they get added to the mix.

The theme is dress watches.

I read a recent poll in Occupolitan Magazine which concluded that female occulists tend to prefer a big cyclops.

I was offered a set of 4 gen cyclopses 4 years ago at $24/each. And with the way Rolex parts prices have been heading for Mars, I am kind of doubtful that these would now be available for so much less. But, hey, even if they are the same rep cyclops that we have on our watches now, I still see $2.50/each as a great buy.

Sounds like you need a bigger eyeball (or cyclops).

That was my thinking as well.

Sounds good. And I used digital calipers to measure my cyclops.

Lani - based on the options you listed, the 6.5 x 5.5 is clearly the closest. While the rep cyclops may not be the exact dimensions of the gen cyclops, I think both watches look similar enough that that should be the correct size. But I guess it would not hurt to get a 2nd measurement from another member before placing an order.

Lani - I just responded to your other thread. 6.5 x 5.5 should be correct.