freddy333

Repaustria -- I assume you are referring to the change in the set lever mod that Stilty just posted?

I have done this before and I could have sworn there was a part from another ETA that I swapped to make the change, but I have an extra set lever & filing it is easy enough. Thanks Stilty.

Can someone tell me what the part or parts need to be changed in the keyless works to convert an ETA 2846 from date (3-click stem) to non date (2-click stem)? I know there is a post about this, but I cannot find it now. TIA

I have done a few and had no trouble fitting gen tubes & crowns. They all needed to have the existing tube hole slightly countersunk since the original rep tube had a flat [censored] where it mated with the case (the gen tubes have rounded mating surfaces). And I re-tapped one of the cases because the existing threads in the hole did not match exactly with the threads on the gen case tube. I probably could have installed the tube without tapping, but I wanted to do it right.

Euno -- Is the watch in use now? If not, I would install a Triplock so you can wear the watch while you continue the search. Otherwise, if it were me (I never swim/dive with my better watches), I would want to keep it as close to OEM as possible, so the correct crown & tube is the way to go. Do you know which style of 7mm Twinlock tube you currently have on your watch? Is it the old style, which has the splines that mate with the Rolex case tube tool in the narrow (inner) end of the tube, or is it the new style, which has the splines in the wider (outer) end? You may already know this, but since you are having trouble locating the correct part, this info may be of some help. The 24-600 6mm Twinlock crown that I have will only fit the newer style tube. The shank of the crown will not slide through the narrow end of the old style tube (the opening through the narrow end of the tube is smaller). Your Twinlock crown may only fit 1 of the two styles.

This is a follow-up to my previous He Valve tutorial & discussion (He men don't do subs). I Was Wrong As you may already know, Repaustria and I (and possibly others) have posted tutorials on how to add a functional Helium valve (Hev) to the DRSD and Comex 5514 Subs in place of the ridiculous, fake-looking engraving that MBW and many other reps come with. In my case, I used a 'working' valve that I removed from another (cheaper) rep, but I have always taken it for granted that the 'valve' in the rep was a fantasy design that bared no (internal) resemblance to the gen valve used in the 5514 Comex Subs & early DRSDs. I now believe that assumption was wrong. A Simple Fix for a Complex Problem My ongoing studies of the He valve used in gen 5514 Comex Sub and early DRSD watches led me to the following 2 illustrations. The 1st is a drawing Rolex submitted as part of their original patent application for the He valve The valve consists of 2 parts -- a small metal pin with a wider head at one end (the plug) & a narrow shaft with a circular groove running around the circumference of the pin at the other end, and a spring clip with a slot through which the pin slides & is locked into place. As it turns out, although the component dimensions of the gen valve are slightly different, the basic parts, design construction & installation method are exactly the same as that used in my He valve mod (What's He Look Like & page 2 of DRSD Version 2.0). The 2nd illustration shows a cross-section comparing the later (current) He valve to the early original design & shows how the valves function to release pressurized helium trapped within the case (for the watches under consideration, we are only interested in the pics on the right side - the left pics describe the function of the later/modern valve) Got It Right Not only does this valve mod look like the gen valve, but, for all intents & purposes, it is the gen valve. Just pay careful attention to the gasket (make sure it is in good condition & use silicone case seal on it) and be sure there is sufficient clearance between the inner end of the valve pin and your movement's spacer ring (if fitted) so the spring is able to hold the pin in the closed position. If not, you may need to grind the spacer down to provide sufficient clearance for the valve pin And as long as you install it correctly, the valve should not be a cause for concern due to leaks. If it worked for Rolex & Comex, it should work for you.

Thanks, Avitt. That helps.

Avitt -- Do you have a cross-section photo for the 703 Triplock?

It is funny to hear you say that because I having been thinking just the opposite. A few of the recent Sub & SD reps that some of the collectors here have are very good. And I am starting to have trouble telling some of the better modded reps from the gens. My eyes must be failing.

I have also had problems with Rolex parts from Helfands, gen & aftermarket. Although he was helpful (and even put me into contact with one of his watchmaker friends to assist me), I got some (old style) gen Twinlock tubes and neither had any splines on the inside, so there was nothing for the Rolex tube tool to interlock with (and having to install what is supposed to be a gen part using a file is not acceptable in my opinion). I also got a couple gen Twinlock crowns that looked correct at first, but when I compared them to another Twinlock of the same vintage I have in a sealed Rolex package, it does not quite look the same (slightly different color and the single line under the crown is different). If you are looking for the best aftermarket tube (and do not want to pay for the gen part), I would recommend Cousinsuk.com. If you are outside the UK, shipping charges can almost double the total cost, but the part that screws into the case is longer on their tubes than most of the other (otherwise good) aftermarket tubes. I cannot remember whether Clark's sells the longer tube or not. If they do, I would recommend Clark's too.

You are kidding, right?

Is there a reason why you cannot just open the case and check to see if the movement fits and the stem & pushers line up?

rag9fx -- I presume this is a rented flat? Are there any tradesmen that have access to your flat to do maintenance or repairs or whatever that might have entered when you were out? If that is not the case, then you will probably find it one day exactly where you left it and then remember why you left it there. I used to do that nearly every day with keys, so I put up a key holder by the front door and 'trained' myself to use it religiously. Never lost a key (in my home) after that. Still, almost every time I work on a watch, I end up misplacing a tool. I will go to the kitchen to make a cup of tea, sitting a screwdriver on the counter, and then once back at my work table, I will spend an hour searching for the lost screwdriver. Eventually, I will have a reason to return to the kitchen and find the lost implement. But I think it would be difficult to lose a shiny watch in a studio flat, especially if you have done a proper search (but I would definitely check behind those bookshelves), it may have 'walked' off, and not by itself.

To be fair, the currently listed price is likely to increase by the time the auction ends (if ebay security does not pull the item first). But the fact that the seller did not specify a higher threshold for bidding to start is a clue. I am sure that anything over the $200 (max) he initially paid for the watch will make it worth his while.

Good idea. Don't forget to include a CC to ebay's security team.

Let us see what we have here 1. Unrealistically low price. 2. A relatively new watch (advertised as being a 2006 model) being sold WITHOUT ORIGINAL BOX, PAPERS OR WARRANTY WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET 3. Several photos, each of which just happens to be too distant or out of focus to make out detail. 4. New seller (as of Feb 07) with only 12 previous sales (of Playstation rubbish) and has failed to get 100% positive rating. I think any or all of these facts trump any question about the rehaut.

Rest assured, Euno, I will be burning the midnight oil well into the night preparing the artillery for the challenge.

Cousinsuk.com sells the 2846, so they probably have them. If not, I would bet a local watchmaker could sell (or give) you one. These types of parts often get tossed in a watchmaker's spares box. Also, that spring is used on a number of other ETAs like the 2836-2. So if you have any other spare movements, you can probably pluck one from there. That should at least get you ticking in the right direction.

I have not done this mod myself, but there are so many movements of that type that I am sure some would be a drop-in replacement. Ubi, the Daytona guru, might be able to supply more specific movement info.

Just swap the iffy secs @ 6 chrono movement out for a reliable non-chrono movement with a single, separate secs @ 6 subdial and freeze the 3 & 9 subdial hands at 12. Done.

I generally find that if the rep gets the date window placement & magnification right, the rest of the watch should be fine.

But it is that 1 out of 100 who ends up seated next to you in a restaurant that may call you out after spotting your fake dial, crown or pearl -- each of which can easily be spotted several feet away And these are the types of guys that keep modders up late at night (sanding, filing, polishing & planning the next set of mods).

Pug -- I think you may be in luck. I found a click spring kit on ofrei that contains 1 spring that looks very similar to the 2846 click spring. You may need to cut the ends to proper length, but the shape and thickness look spot on (it is the V-shaped spring at the far right with its opening pointing north). Click Spring Assortment 088098 $18.95 CLK088098 Click Spring Assortment of 24 pieces.

Nanuq -- Now that is a gen (note the location of the spacer dot).

Doc -- I do not know what a golf iron groove cleaner is (I do not play golf), but I did try a Dremel Engraver (I posted a picture of the tool in one of the other recent DRSD threads). Unfortunately, in the shaky hands of a non-artist type like me, the hand engraver made a complete mess of everything. I practiced on 3 scrap cases and was unable to stay within the original engraved lines or even maintain a straight line in the existing lines. But I got the impression that the tool might be capable of producing the right result if you have experience, a very light touch and know what you are doing.