freddy333

If you have both bracelets in front of you, a trained eye can tell the difference not only in the fit & finish between them, but also in the gage (thickness) of metal used (the gens are made from slightly higher gage metal) & the style & shape of the link screws. Remove a link screw from the same link on both bracelets & look closely at the screw where the threaded section ends & the un-threaded shaft begins. On the gen screws, there is a gentle slope between the threads & the shaft. On most rep & aftermarket screws, there is a definite right angle between them. Also, the threading is noticeably more precisely cut than on the reps (rep on top, gen on bottom)

Some sections of RWG require Supporter status. I just noticed that I am 1 post away from 2,000.

The factories always make at least 1 blaring (and usually inexcusable) mistake.

I think I should add an important clarification to Ziggy's response so you do not get into more trouble -- when unwinding the mainspring, DO NOT just let the crown spin free as that will likely damage the movement. The trick is to let it slowly slip/spin between your fingers. Or a safer alternative is to use a winding key (available at many watch supply houses) that replaces the stem/crown to 'let down' the mainspring. The winding key is about the size & shape of a screwdriver & makes it alot easier to maintain control of the spring as you unwind it.

2 possibilities - either the hands were loose on their pinions (the small pins the hands fit onto) or the riveting that holds the hand 'wand' onto its tube was not made correctly & the hand wands are now spinning freely on their tubes. If the hands are just loose (assuming the hole in the bottom of the hand tubes is the correct size), you should be able to gently press them back on. I would wear latex gloves or protect the hands with tissue paper so you do not get fingerprints on the hands. If the riveting between the wand & tube is the problem, you will need to either get replacement hands from your seller or try to cement them back together with some slow drying metal epoxy (available at many automotive parts or hardware stores). This type of work requires a 4x loupe and a good deal of manual dexterity to get the parts permanently cemented together without getting the cement on the wrong part, so if in doubt, just replace the hands or let a watchmaker handle the repairs.

For future reference, the safest way to remove small hands Protect the dial with a piece of plastic or paper Gently lever a pair of small screwdrivers like a 60 (white) & 80 (yellow) beneath the hand, coming in from opposite directions -- 180 degrees opposite each other, like east & west. Beginning with the flat of both blades parallel to the surface of the dial, slowly twist both screwdriver handles in opposite directions (simultaneously) against the covered dial surface so they essentially wedge themselves between the dial & lower side of the hand. Continue twisting the blades, slowly, in opposite directions & the hand will gently slide up & off its pinion. Alternatively, most of the supply houses sell hand 'levers' that make the task a bit easier This is the way watchmakers removed hands (safely) for a hundred years before modern hand removal tools were invented.

Ending the workweek with the 1 on the right No firm plans yet, but if I go out this evening, it will probably be with this

Great work, but I wonder if that dial style is correct for a 80s Datejust? It sounds like (outward) authenticity is important to you, so you might want to research dial options for the 160xx series. But, again, nice job.

Some of you must operate from a different solar system than I am in -- it is just barely past midnight (Friday a.m.) here & I know this because I am still wearing my workweek beater (Beat Brothers = Beatles)

Not terminal at all. First, try pulling the stem out to the time setting position and then press it back in. Does it work now? If not, then you just did not re-seat the stem all the way 'home'. Open the case and r&r the stem, paying attention that you are able to pull it out to set the hands & then push it back in to the winding position before you reinstall the caseback.

Maybe those functions are located in a separate compartment within the case that is open to the atmosphere. Have you emailed the seller to ask?

If your watch is a gen Rolex, then the stem fixing screw is loose & just needs to be tightened. If it is a rep containing an ETA movement, then the stem is held in by a spring-loaded lock. The stem may not have been fully seated by the factory. Once the stem is installed correctly, it should be fine. If the watch contains another movement, you would need to post a good, clear picture of the movement before anyone here can provide anything more specific.

So why are you not?

Yes, but I just changed the picture for a new 1 with Valentine colors (red).

I cannot imagine doing a trade like this with anyone other than a senior & well-known member, but if these types of transactions occur frequently, why not employ a 3rd (trusted) RWG member to act as an escrow party? The 2 trading members would pay the escrow a small fee to receive & inspect both items, which, after passing inspection, the escrow would then send on their merry ways to the intended receivers.

My Seadweller lies over 'My Bonnie', My Bonnie lies over the ocean (Beat Brothers = Beatles) And Happy Valentine's Day

After completing the refinishing of its 62510H/555 bracelet this morning, I am wearing the Mysterious 1601 (at right) today ______________ I think I am slowly being Flytimer'd by the 1601's sensuous minimalism. I am even starting to consider the economics of buying another 1570 donor watch to use for the DRSD & keeping the 1601 as is. Last night, on its maiden voyage out into public spaces (even though it was still attached to its (pre-refinished) dull & well worn bracelet), I received 2 unsolicited compliments from 2 different strangers within the space of 1 hour. That is definitely a record for me. So I am probably not alone in being captivated by this mysterious beauty's Movado-like gaze.

Ponycar literally upped his prices overnight. He posted a price list 1 day, I emailed an order the next day & I receive a response the day after that telling me I must have responded to an 'old' ad. Call it what you will, I ended up having to pay $75 for a $35 lens because I was pressed for time. Buyer beware when dealing with Ponycar.

Probably needs cleaning or service. Most reps contain either (unserviced) 2nd hand movements or movements that have not been properly lubricated before leaving the factory.

Wearing this while polishing this After watching the day fly by in this

Never ordered anything from them, but I have read mixed reviews about them on TZ.

I think many countries in the west are beginning to look at shipments coming from Asia with increasing scrutiny. Whether they are searching for contraband or something more nefarious is unclear, but I have had 2 recent shipments opened & resealed with a note (from 'US Homeland & Border Security') stating that the packages were inspected 'for my protection'. Of course, we all know that is poppycock. In both cases, the contents were not contraband (gen Rolex bracelet & gen Rolex crystal), so they had no legal grounds upon which to seize the goods or hassle me further. But it is pretty clear to me that the bar is being raised by postal inspectors in the war on unlawfully imported goods, especially those coming from China.

I think they may have come with either font. Most of the pics I have seen on TZ or that I collected in my archive shows closed numbers Dowling's book does not show any 160xx with 6s or 9s, but he has a pair of late 60s Datejusts (6605 & 6601) showing '29' in the date window -- the 6605 is open & the 6601 is closed. Maybe you should post the question on TZ?

Same beater, different day

Simple. A relatively small & finite supply vs a large (and ever-growing) demand. I just paid about $250 for a pair of NOS 580s 20 years ago, I would have thought I was insane to pay that much (even when adjusted for 1988 dollars). But experience has taught me that, when it comes to vintage Rolex, if you pass on a part like this due to its 'outrageous' price today, you will almost certainly kick yourself a year or 2 down the road when you end up having to pay 2 or 3 times as much for the same part (if you can find it). I think that because of the sharp rise in values for vintage Subs & Seadwellers over the past 5 years (many of which are now out of reach of all but the most affluent buyers), vintage Datejust models are becoming the next target for collectors & investors. So I would expect to see a doubling of pricing for 160x & 1601x models over the next few years, especially if the rumored 12% '08 Rolex price increase becomes a reality.