freddy333

A definite keeper, Tribal. Nice work.

I have emailed Neil and await his response. Knowing yours is a stock 5513 MBW, I hope Neil is able to source it. Either way, I still think your watch looks good.

I agree. This looks gen. You can tell because the tops of the 3 & 9 subdials are the correct distance from the 10 & 2 index markers, and the DAYTONA font is correct. My rep, which is the closest version I have seen to the gen, differs from this one only in those two areas. I do not know why this person is posting a gen watch as a rep unless he himself is unaware, which I would find hard to believe. But anything is possible.

Thanks, this is what I needed. The info in the last 2 TZ threads is what I was looking for & pretty much supports what I had thought all along, that the 5514s were off-the-shelf 5513s with the He valve and Comex label added. But now I feel alot more confident that the 5513 is the correct platform. I guess it's time to contact TTK.

Looks like quite a nice piece of work yourself, Tribal. I did not see a 5513 listed in either TTK's or WM's collections. But TTK does have a 1680. Are the MBW 5513 & 1680 cases the same? If I understand you correctly, they are (I just want to be sure so I do not have to make a 3rd 5514).

Thanks Tribal. The He valve is not an issue (see my previous 'working' He valve tutorials) and I have a nice caseback & a custom stamp to give it a unique 'Comex' ID. But I want to be sure I have the correct case so I can fit a gen bezel insert, pearl, crystal, crown, etc. I already did one 5514, which looks pretty good. But I used a cheap-o Sub as the base (the case is slightly thicker than a standard 5513, but not quite as thick as my MBW 1665) and it has one of those cases where you cannot remove the bezel (or insert) without bending or damaging it. Also, the case will not accept gen parts (crystal, insert, etc.) So I want to take another stab this, but starting with an MBW base so I can use gen parts. From your comments, it sounds like the MBW 5513 is the way to go then. Correct?

The (gen) 5514 Comex 4 Questions Which case did the Comex 5514 use? Was it a standard 5513 Sub case (with the He valve added) or was it the (thicker) case that was later used for the 1665 SD or did Rolex use a case that was somewhere in between the 5513 and 1665? Was the bezel uni- or bi-directional and how many clicks (or was it non-clicking)? Is there an MBW version of the 5514 Comex (that will accept gen crystals, crowns, tubes, etc.)? Which gen movement was used in the 5514 -- 1520 or 1570 -- and has anyone tried to fit either of these into a rep case (MBW or other)?

Repaustria -- Can you go into more detail as to what you did here? What did you change the seconds wheel to and where/why did you install another click wheel?

Which is exactly why so many people replace that movement with a 2846 (21,600 bph) or some other slower movement. There are numerous reviews & tutorials on the subject by way of the Search feature.

Jetsons -- I agree that you do not need the little hoops through which the springbar slides through in the end links (the hollow, folded metal pieces that link/attach the end of the bracelet to the lugs on the watch case). So removing them with the cutting blade of a dremel (or any other tool) is a good idea since the end links will stay securely in place with or without them. But I do not know how you can enlarge the hole in the hollow fixed end link at each end of the bracelet enough to allow a 2mm springbar to fit through without either tearing through the metal 'fabric' or leaving it so thin & weakened that the stress caused by normal wrist movement may cause it to separate and break apart, which could cause you to lose your watch. I guess it could be done, but I would never feel comfortable with my watch held together like that. Another option that did work on 1 end of 1 of my hollow link bracelets was to use a nail punch and widen each side of the hole by gently hammering the punch through each side until the opening widened enough to fit the springbar through. Unfortunately, this ended up causing the link to warp and you can see it when you look at the bracelet. It is not that bad that the average person would see it, but it was bad enough that I decided to just split the seam on the other link instead. And that link (including the seam area) looks completely normal, even at close inspection.

Neither option is optimal, but drilling will thin a relatively wide area of the metal while a broken weld will not. Yes, the weld could pull apart if pressure is exerted upon it, but I think there is less chance of that than there would be if you made the metal thinner from drilling. After considering both options, I chose to break the weld.

This is a good method for expanding the hole in a solid link bracelet, but I am not sure I would drill out the hollow ends. You may either drill through the metal or weaken it so that the bracelet will not be secure. I slid a small flathead screwdriver into the hole and then turned it sideways and worked it back and forth until the weld at the bottom of the link (that forms the enclosure for the springbar to slide through) broke. Then, the gen springbar had enough room to fit.

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.