freddy333

Alligoat - What is the problem with the bezel that you cannot remove it?

I think that is a very good idea. I think that most of the dealers here do that anyway. Check their FAQ or Shipping Instruction pages for their policy regarding lost shipments. If it is not clear, email the dealer and go from there. Over the years, I have seen many rep dealers that advertise their watches (or parts of them) as being 'solid gold' or some other description that infers the same thing. Have you checked the price of gold recently? The point is that the dealer's cost for a solid gold bracelet would be far more than the retail price the dealer is charging for the entire watch. You should also beware that terms like '1:1' or 'Perfect' or 'exact copy of the original' or anything else that suggests a replica is an exact copy of the genuine are just marketing (subjective hyperbole). All commercially made replicas have errors and inaccuracies that can be identified if you know what to look for. The number and type of errors are what separate the best reps from the worst. And most of the dealers here offer at least some reps within their collections that are very good.

Ken -- I do not live in TX either, but I have been very satisfied with both the watches and service I received from Andrew. The DJ is a very good first rep, but I would recommend getting an all stainless steel (SS) model without gold or jewels. CZ 'diamonds', at least the grade used on most rep watches, tend to look cheap and fake (to be fair, I think the real diamonds on gen Rolexes make the wearer look cheap and fake). And, with very few exceptions, the 'wrapped', 'plated', 'vapor-deposited' (or whatever the sales pitcher comes up with) gold usually doesn't look quite right; and, either way, it WILL wear off in a matter of weeks or months, depending on how the watch is worn and cared for. And once the underlying metal below the thin layer of gold becomes visible, the watch is virtually useless as-is (unless you want to advertise the fact that you're wearing a 'fake Rolex'). The more 'plain jane' the watch, the easier it is for the rep makers to faithfully replicate the original design, and the less likely it is that your watch will be 'outted' as a fake, replica or whatever you want to call a non-genuine Rolex. My first rep watch, purchased more than 20 years ago (which I still have), was a TT (two-tone - gold and SS) DJ with a beautiful brushed gold face (it was a rare model in the early 80s and I don't think I have seen a rep like it since). It was also one of the first to be fitted with a Swiss-made ETA movement instead of the usual (at that time) Japanese or Chinese movements. The first thing I did was to hightail it to my local Rolex dealer to buy a replacement bracelet buckle and TT end pieces (the small metal pieces that fit between the bracelet and the watch body). The addition of these small items made a big difference in closing the gap towards making the watch look (and feel) like the genuine DJ in the store. (Later, Rolex figured out that people like me were buying parts from dealers to fit to rep watches and stopped selling parts through dealers. Pity.) Unfortunately, within a few months, the 'heavily plated' gold on the bracelet and bezel (the ring that fits around the crystal) began to wear away. So I threw the watch in a drawer and never wore it again. About 5 years ago, I tried another TT, but with the same result. (I actually do have a couple of (non-Rolex) gold watches, but these were purchased to stare at (because of their beautiful design) and not to wear.) Good luck and congratulations on your entry into the world of reps.

Kurt: I could be wrong, but I wonder if you may have removed a bit too much material on the inside of the CGs? Otherwise, they look like what I would expect a vintage watch to look like. My sub's currently in pieces, but here is a not-too-old photo contribution to the forum .

Hmmm... Reading your comments, it just occurred to me that I don't think I have ever had a Miyota movement fail. Keep poor time, yes. Feel cheap and cheesy and make alot of racket when you interact with them, always. But fail, no. And about half of my ETAs have failed within the first 2 years (often within a few weeks or months). In fact, right now I am wearing a Comex Sub that has been ticking flawlessly (and noisily) for more than 5 years. Odd but true.

Two options: 1. If you are looking for the most accurate (as in most closely approximating the appearance of a genuine Rolex Sub), then I would recommend a trip to your local Rolex dealer before doing anything. Look at all the Subs (from all angles), try them on and compare them to other models (there are alot of really great watch brands and models out there that most people don't even know about). Then, take a quick look at the offerings from the dealers listed on this site just to get an idea of what's out there and to test your ability to detect the differences between a rep watch and the real thing (often, especially for a new buyer, the differences can be small, but as you learn more, a minor inaccuracy today can become a painfully embarrassing wart tomorrow). Then--and this is VERY important--take a trip back to the Rolex dealer and look at the Subs again. When you get home, check out the Rolex website and compare the images of real Subs to the images of the reps. Believe me, not doing this FIRST is the biggest mistake a new buyer can make (and I speak from personal experience here). Once you know what the real thing looks like (and the old line about God being in the details was never more true than when comparing rep watches!), it will be much easier to spot the differences between (and inaccuracies of) ALL replicas; and you should then be able to choose the best watch for YOU. 2. If you are looking for something other than accuracy, then just spend time browsing ALL of the dealer's listings for Subs (note that some dealers list vintage models separately) and choose the one that jumps out at you. You will know it when you find it. Happy hunting.

Milwaukee, if the watch contains an ETA movement and it is a watch you intend to keep, I would consider getting it serviced now and then again every 5-7 years. That way, you know the watch is in good working order and the watchmaker can give you a baseline appraisal of the overall condition of the watch. As Rob (Ziggy) and others have suggested (though I'm not sure the point was made sufficiently clear), most (all?) of the movements in rep watches are surplus. That is, the movement in your "new" watch was likely removed from another working watch or may have been old stock that sat on a shelf, motionless, for years (while the rubber bits and lubricants degraded). If you are courageous (and competent) enough to open the case and perform a movement transplant, then, for standard ETA movements at least, replacement is probably the better option since the cost of a "new" ETA movement is usually a bit less than the cost to service your existing movement. And if you can get 5-7 years of useful life out of each replacement, that would seem the most sensible approach. In the case of Asian movements, they're usually not worth servicing (if you can even find replacement parts), so it's best either to replace the watch or replace/upgrade the movement (to an ETA or similar). Things get a little gray in the case of chronographs. The 775x movements--both Asian and Swiss--that power these watches are relatively more complex and time-consuming (read: expensive) to service. In the case of the Swiss movements, these, too, are generally surplus and expensive to replace, so servicing makes alot of sense here. The Asian chronographs, which are essentially clones of the Swiss movements, are relatively cheap but I haven't seen many for sale. Since the cost to service an Asian-based chronograph is likely going to be close to the cost of the original watch, it probably makes more sense to run the watch until it quits and then replace the watch. The more hard-core hobbyist types (though the terms inventors and artists may be rather more appropriate here) frequently opt to swap-out the Asian chrono movement for a Swiss and then service that.

Can I get a PM too? TIA

For the record, I had the same experience with a 4-month old (daily wearer) MBW last week--just found it dead one morning. If I wind or gently shake it, the movement will run for a few seconds and then stop again. A new, replacement 2846 arrived yesterday (two actually--I have a (slightly fast-running) 5 year-old Asian-based Sub that is slated for similar transplant surgery next), but there is a new vintage datewheel en route with this MBW's name on it, so surgery is being delayed until it arrives. Once the transplant is complete, I will tear the old movement down and see if I can locate and fix the problem. My watchsmithing skills are not nearly at the level of Ziggy's and some of the other regulars here, otherwise I probably would have just repaired the original movement. I would also agree with the other posters that the 2846 is a better (as in more accurate beat) choice for these vintage models. Until it died, it was generally accurate to within 2 seconds +/- per day. And for a watch that looks 100% authentic to 99% of the public and that most genuine Rolex owners would refer to as a piece of trash or a complete waste of money, I would say that, all in all, it was money very well spent.

Your watch's loose fit is probably the problem. It allows the watch to slide up your wrist, bringing the crown into contact with the bones in the back of your hand when you bend it (your wrist, not the crown). I'm not sure that modifying the surface of the crown is the best move. Instead, you might either try wearing your watch further up your arm and with a tighter grip (so it can't travel down to your wrist), or try spinning it around 180 degrees and wearing it on the inside of your wrist. That way, since the bones are further away from the inside of your wrist, the crown probably won't bother it as much. Or, if you are into Botox..

Anyone know of a source for accurate Comex rep non-date Sub dials? Specifically, I'm looking for a dial that has the following: 1. The word 'ROLEX' properly centered below the coronet (this is off-center on most dials). 2. The 3, 6, & 9 hour index markers properly sized (these are too narrow on most dials). 3. Good overall printing quality (the only rep dial I've seen so far that got the first two items right, had very poor printing quality -- it looked almost like the lettering was written by hand, with a leaky pen!!!).

Is this what you are looking for: http://www.rwg.cc/members/index.php?showto...atewheeloverlay

Does anyone know of a source for accurate rep dials for the 5512/5513 Comex non-date Sub? Of the couple I purchased on the 'bay or that originally came in rep watches, either the 3, 6 & 9 hour markers are too narrow or the printing quality is poor (even when viewed without a loupe) or the 'L' in ROLEX isn't centered correctly under the coronet.

Thanks NRG. I tried winding (actually re-winding) my present spring by hand and [censored]'d it all up. I did this once before with a proper winder, several years ago on a Bulova watch, and it went like clockwork (no pun intended). I have about 3 Rolex rep watches right now, each with a different ETA, that need new springs. So I think I should probably locate the proper winder or winders since I will probably need to do this again sometime in the future.

PM sent.

Is there a generic mainspring winder for ETA movements or does each ETA movement require a special winder? Specifically, I need to replace the mainspring in an ETA 2846 and need to purchase a winder (and mainspring). I didn't see a winder for the 2846 listed on ofrei (the only one listed is for a 2892). I guess I should probably also ask if anyone knows which mainspring I need for the 2846 since ofrei doesn't to list their mainsprings by movement brand and model. Is there a table or guide online that lists this info?

Kudos Rob! As usual, top notch and very informative!

Is there an ETA-based MBW 5513 Comex non-date Sub with non-riveted Oyster bracelet available and can anyone post front, back and (crown) side photos? That is the one I would be interested in. I didn't see this model listed in Watchmaster's catalog. TIA

Pugwash: I think that if/when someone can post a photo catalog showing all of the available models, you'll be deafened by the noise. The lack of visual options is all that's holding me back (for now).

I'm really surprised someone doesn't have a complete online photo catalogue of MBWs. Watchmaster had photos in his catalog, but I seem to remember someone saying that his aren't actually MBWs. Anyone know?

Great photos, Pugwash! I've got an MBW 1665 (with red paint) and it's a beauty (made all the more beautiful with mods). But you can't place an order for something (a MBW Comex 5513/5514) that you have never seen (or may not even exist)...

If the final product really is an exact match with the gen Rolex Sub case, I would definitely purchase (at least) one. And if you can produce a second (larger) case to match a vintage Sea-Dweller, I would definitely purchase one of those as well. Edit: I posted this before reading the entire thread (including Ziggy's background info on the original poster's history).

BMWrolex (or TTK): I would have PM'd you, but there is a problem with the message system (I am getting an 'IPS Driver Error' that references a '2003' error and problem connecting to the MySQL server). I am interested in a Comex non-date Sub. 5513, 5514, etc. Do you know if these are available as MBW and is there a photoset or online catalogue of all the available MBW models (I am sure others will be asking for this as well)?

Randy, I have to take a bit of exception with your premise and add that I think one's ability to credibly pull off a 'rare' (SS Rolex) rep is in direct proportion to: 1. the audience/viewer's knowledge and experience level. Joe Q. Taxpayer and 99% of his fellow taxpayers (even most who own gen Rolexes) wouldn't know a DRSD from a standard issue Sub (though a small number of average Rolex owners can generally spot the difference between a vintage acrylic crystal and modern sapphire crystal and other fairly salient feature differences); 2. the context in which the watch is worn. Seeing a rare Rolex watch on the soiled arm of a Spanish-speaking landscape technician in a McDonald's or on a guy queuing in the local grocers with a fistful of dole coupons would be a hard-sell, to say the least. But I don't think the same watch poking out from beneath the cashmere sleeve of an obviously well-to-do patron dining in an upscale restaurant would raise any suspicion at all; and 3. the quality of the rep. I'd challenge all but the most hyper-critical Rolex WIS to out a well-modded MBW or one of your marvelous Daytona creations if worn with appropriate dress and in the right environment. My experience has always been that the vast majority of people you come across during the course of an average day will recognize only one thing: the ROLEX name or design (if a Sub/SD and, possibly, Daytona). After that, the game's yours to lose. If you look like you belong with a Rolex, you act like you can afford a Rolex, then noone will be the wiser. On the other side of the coin, the sad thing is that since few people can see beyond (or are knowledgeable enough to appreciate) the various models, noone will appreciate the rarity or simulated value of your watch either. To the guy in the street, A Rolex is a Rolex is a Rolex is a Rolex. The worst thing I've heard in reaction to the (modded MBW) DRSD I often wear came from a friend who's family used to own a chain of rather well-known jewelry stores; and his comment was "Oh, you couldn't afford a real (gold) Rolex?!" And that, truly, is the worst I've ever heard.

It's difficult to be specific without a photo or knowing which quartz movement you're working with. But I just finished swapping crowns on a friend's quartz watch and one of the screws near the stem hole was a set-screw for the stem. It may not be obvious (or marked), but if you can post a photo I or someone may be able to give you more info.