Nanuq

Holy smokes that's handsome. What a deal!

This will explain the dimensions and the coding letters: http://www.ranfft.de/uhr/info-e.html#M3

http://www.ranfft.de/cgi-bin/bidfun-db.cgi?10&ranfft&0&2uswk&China_2813

Anuqa (Yupi'q Eskimo)

What he said ^^^ With different suppliers you're bound to get the same kind of variances as we see in inserts too.

Yes both are stepped in on the underside, to clear the crown when it's screwed down. Here are some closeups to show how close it fits:

Gents, I'm proud of you for the way this played out. Sometimes it's good to blow off steam, sometimes at someone's expense, and it never hurts to take our own pulse along the way. So we've probably seen the last of Fluffy, and we kept ourselves from taking ourselves too seriously along the way. And my windows are still fogged up from the steam. Thank you for, as always, being the "bigger ones" in the controversy. And, msm1 is well and thoroughly banned as of 10 minutes ago. Stick a fork in him, he's done.

Room

These are the profile you're looking for. Phong makes the best for a 6538, with MQ right behind him, so those are good starting points for a 6536/1 too. Be sure the bezel is for a 6536/1 or 5508, as the 6536 is a rare beast and takes a different crystal and bezel.

Check your gaskets, I've gone swimming with my 1680 already lots of times, no leaks.

Well said. And the more a watch has been used, the more its shape will change too. Here's my high mileage example, that looks nothing like the pictures online.

We went through this exact exercize maybe 10 years ago when Lanikai picked up a SUB300 "no T" and needed a bezel. An extremely generous member here had 3 spare bezels and sent them, willing to throw the dice that maybe, just maybe one would fit. The gods were smiling on Lani and unbelievable as it may seem, one of the bezels worked. Here it is posing with my Big Crown. Keep your hopes up, be patient, and consider sacrifices to Pele' ... maybe she can find you a bezel.

Gelandesprüng

You guys did very very well with the dial texture too.

1964 says howdy :wave:

Consider a metal spring. Used properly, it will stretch and return to its original shape. This is called elastic deformation. When used improperly it will stretch too far and will not return to its original shape. This is called plastic deformation and it reduces the force the spring can produce, and ruins it. The threads on a bolt (or a caseback) act just like your fingers pulling the spring. When you tighten just enough, it stretches the bolt like a spring, and the spring tension holds pieces securely together. If you overtighten it, it will either strip the threads off, or it will cause plastic deformation so it can never produce the right tension again. It's important to lubricate threads when assembling so any torque you apply to the fastener (caseback) results in spring tension, not thread friction. Then you get accurate torque readings on assembly and non-stretched fasteners. And it's easier to disassemble later.

JoeyB, I imagine people thought there was something wrong with Francesco Queirolo as he carved his masterpiece. But his efforts show, as do yours. There's a very fine line between something "nice" and something breathtaking. A good Small Crown is no small accomplishment, and there's no better place to gather the knowledge to build one than good old RWG.

I'm savoring this one... I thought I'd completed the collection, thanks to your delicate touch with the 6536, but no. I'm taking my time, as this is very likely the last one I put together. All the (good) boxes are checked now.

I'll give you Ken's left nut for that tropic-16. Sight unseen. (the crystal that is)

Good advice... and when you're ready to reassemble, clean the threads on the caseback with waxed dental floss.

The Doors

Aurora Borealis

Yes, some years of the 6536 and 6536/1 use a 6mm Brevet "+" crown. It was on the earlier years, as "Brevet" translates to "Patent" -ish