justlounging

To start this thread off, I would first like to thank oncyte (RG) for planting this 'seed of creativity' in my head.. :cool:

As you Pam geeks are familiar, oncyte had built in 2011, a 183H with brushed gold hands..it looked fantastic and really brought life to the entire watch..

I read up more and started noticing many gen owners modding their 183s and 210s with gold hands..this seemed like a trend but why limit to only the Radomir models?

This got me thinking..isn't the 183 the same as the 111..they both have hour, minute and seconds hands..they both have sandwich dials..they are both running on the 6497 movement..difference is one is housed in a 45mm Radomir case, the other in a 44mm Luminor Marina case..

Here are some pics to illustrate this:

183:

111:

Credit is given to oncyte for his pictures (and his fame countertop ), I did a mock up of what if gold hands were mounted for the 111J...here it is:

I also read that Panerai will be launching the PAM 422 this year..basically a 111 with gold hands in a 47mm 1950s case..

Flipping thru some of the pics I had on Pams, I came across these 2 Vintages (from the PAM 2012 calendar):

Call me an old soul in a young body but I like the patina and contamination on the brushed gold hands and matte dial..

So i embarked on doing this mod for my 111J..After a couple of PMs with oncyte (who had been of great help), I went ahead yesterday and got this result:

Hour and Minute hands brushed but lume got slightly dirty due to the removal of black paint..

Another few PMs to oncyte and he told me that he also encountered this issue as well when he modded his 183H..liquid hand soap, water and a Q tip...it managed to remove the stain alil but it wasnt strong enough..

Got some opinions from some local members on this and they all encouraged me to go ahead with brushing the seconds hand..and so today I did..practised on a spare seconds hand first before I sanded away at the 111J seconds hand..

To solve the staining of the lume, I raided the kitchen and came across the dish washing detergent..Maybe that might work and so I tried, with my fingers crossed and half expecting the lume to just fall off..

I must have assembled and disassembled this 111J at least 5 times in 2 days but I am very pleased at the end result..

Apologies for my ranting..please enjoy some of the pics..

Mounted on rep Assolumente Strap

Wristie with natural light falling on the dial

Lume shot..just as bright as it was before the mod..

I'm now planning to fix in the Gold hands from the recently released Pam 390 in the near future, just for the fun of it..

I expect the purists Pam geeks to cry blasphemy but hey, it's my watch and I like it..I hope you do so too..

And should i decide to go back to the original 111J, i got a spare set of hands (thanks Chromed!)

This watch is gonna be on my wrist for the first day of the CNY...To all Asian members, Gong Hei Fatt Choy!

To all other members, this is the best time to take a break from the onslaught of the N and H factories..cool down the credit card..

Hand wound? Isnt that the 6694?

Just got back my Snowflake from Spin last night..had to replace the mainspring..

here's my Tudor twins:

Snowflake on a gen 6251 folded Jubilee with Tudor Signed Clasp

Monte Carlo on folded 6251 folded Oyster with Rolex Signed Clasp

Vintagizing done by Spin.

congrats...and yet another member to the MC club..

Enjoy yours!

Maybe some vintagizing is on the plate?

Cool cream dial..although it's a stick/error dial rather than the usual dial (i.e Explorer II)..

definitely a great project to start..

I did..have a look at my review under my signature..

Wow!! All theze 1675 coming out of the woodwork..

Will u be using the other dial? Could use a dial n faded pepsi insert for my own build..

Barely just half a month into 2012 and I already got 2 new acquisitions..both arent brand new but pre-owned..

Have to say I have always been a fan of both Rolex and Panerai, so what do I do when I see 2 great deals? Get both I say..

Not too sure which section is correct so I'm posting in both as well..(Mods: please feel free to edit it if this is incorrect..)

Here's some quick pics on the PAM 104I and Rolex Black Sub-C Noob...

PAM104I

Slightly recessed sub-dial and purple-blue AR hue of the I series

Application of lume at '6'

CG, CG Lever and Crown

Closed caseback

SS Deployment with 24/22 Rubber Strap

Rolex 116610 Black Sub-C Noob

Datewheel

V series Engraving!

Crown, CG

SEL Fitment onto Case

I seriously need to slow down..it's getting abit much to handle..

who am i kidding though?

Have a great day all!

good looking watch and what a fantastic gesture from a son to his dad!

you might want to use non-SEL bracelet instead as i think that is more accurate to a 14270 (early 2000's)..however that being said, the SEL bracelet is also very comfy to wear..

Wow..how do i get in touch with RA?

I got the base 1655 and jubilee..got a gen 1675 dial..got the asian 2836-2 movement..

Waitin on hands and bezel assembly..

I wish i could assemble mine as well..

Freaking lovely watch!!! And love tat fade on the insert..

Yup!!! jubi is the only bracelet for the 1675..

Which WSO part is the bezel assembly? I have the cartel 1655 too and would want to convert to this..

Was fitting the bezel easy or some modding needed?

Thanks!

Thanks for the pic..that is wat i'm looking for in a IWC..

Which dealer did u get it from?

Cant wait for more pics n ur review..

For all those members who don't service their watches at their regular interval, get ready for a shocker!

Have a look at some of the before polish/servicing shots..(Warning: Rolex lovers should look away now!!)

Watch was mounted on some crappy 2 tone jubilee..bad corrosion on all links and the spring bar just broke apart on removal from the watchhead..

On surface, watch looks like any other Rolex of its age..used but not abused..

Close up of the dial..looks slightly faded..could be because of the plexi..

Caseback and all its gunk..scratches galore!!

This is however, a different story, under the 'hood..

Caseback with the perished rubber gasket (OH NO!!!)

Yes that's bits of the gasket sitting inside the caseback..

Only means one thing when I saw that,

Area around the movement has rust on the case..movement, according to my watchsmith, is still running strong but will require a clean/re-oil to ensure that it keeps accurate time..

Shock shock horror when the bezel/crystal was removed..

Look how badly the rust had formed..and on the hands!!!

Anyway after a good 2 weeks, here's the end results:

I'm still waiting on a new 2 tone jubilee bracelet from Riyi (ebay) to mount on the new polished watchhead..

New clear plexi and clean-ed up hands/dial..

You can now clearly see the lines on the gold tapestry dial..

and I couldnt resist taking this wrist shot..

I think i need a 2 tone watch in the watchbox..

*Updated*

Weight: Gen Vs Rep

Surprisingly the Rep weighs about 10grams heavier than the Gen..Having said that, the Rep commands the same presence, if not more, than the Gen..It sits great on my wrist and i'm sure it would too on others..

It's the little details that we all become so anal about right? lol

This is the watch prior to any modding..you can see the 'stick' or 'error' dial in the watch..

On a matching Nato strap.

thanks for the review!! Just what I wanted to see

i have a question

http://www.1-pc8838....36-p-11662.html

is this what you ordered?? (lastest 39mm exp2)

From the pics Josh has, it seems lume on the hands are almost bright as lume on index.

However, from what you have, lume on the hands seems significantly weak.

Glad you read the review..as indicated, i got my Explorer II from Stan (or WBK)..He is a Trusted dealer on this forum (http://www.rwg.cc/forum/229-wbk-time/) and also the other sister rep forums, if i am correct..

I also purchased the dial from Angus (PureTime) and left the hands as is. Reluming the hands or getting a completely new set will most probably be in the list of mods for this watch..

But for a tenth of the price to the gen, I can live with these small inaccuracies..

Thanks for the comments guys!

Having the privilege of owning both the gen and rep of this watch, this will be my first comparative review for 2012..I know that this comparison has been done to death by previous members but this is my take on the Rolex Explorer II 16570..

The white dial (aka “Polar”) is the gen whilst the black dial is the rep..

Before I start on the comparison, here are some measurements on this timepiece:

Case Size: Sports

Model: Explorer II

Reference: 16570

Movement: Rolex Caliber 3185

Date: Yes

Material: 903L grade Stainless Steel

Case (mm): 39.5

Thickness (mm): 12.2

Bezel (mm): 39

Crystal (mm): 30.5 Synthetic Sapphire

Bracelet Width (mm): 20

Clasp Width (mm): 16.5

Water Resistance: 330ft. / 100m.

Note: I am waiting on a digital caliper and will include the measurements of the rep soon.

Official Adverts from Rolex:

Some background info:

The Explorer II (1655 “Orange-Hand) was introduced in 1971 as a supplement to the original Rolex Explorer, and with the current model 165

The Explorer II was designed for cave exploration, or any other sort of extended expeditions and the GMT hand was originally used to give the wearer an indication of day and night.

The red “GMT” hand used in conjunction with the 24 hr. markings on the bezel serve this purpose and indicating a second time-zone.

My Explorer II was purchased pre-owned from a gen forum in mid-2011, and mine is from the K Series that has drilled through lug holes (in the later Y series production run, Rolex switched to solid lugs without the hole visible from the outside of the lug). This dial is also equipped with Superluminova on its hour markers, which allows for better visibility in the dark.

This was my first modern Rolex I purchased and will always be treasured and a keeper in my watchbox. Having owned many other watches (gen & rep) with black dials, the white dial and understated bezel makes this watch an excellent choice to wear casually as well as with a suit. Having the Rolex caliber 3185 within the Explorer II help make the decision to purchase a lot simpler for me.

Here’s my complete Explorer family.

From Left to Right:

Explorer I 39mm 214270, Explorer I 36mm 14270, Explorer II 1655, Explorer II 16570 (White & Black)

Base watch (rep) was purchased from Stan (WBK) with a Swiss 2836-2 with modified GMT function. It had the ‘stick dial’ which was never produced for the Explorer II but have been documented for the GMT Master II 16710.

Upon receipt of the base watch, I noticed that the GMT hand was slipping so off it went to Spinmaster for service and resetting of the hands.

To get a more accurate dial, I PM-ed Angus (PureTime) to help me source the latest rep dial. He had been most helpful in tracking this for me and I am more grateful for that assistance.

Spin also helped me fit in the sourced dial and trimmed the Crown Guards to a more accurate look.

Total cost of the Rep (as of now): US$350

Cost of the Gen: US$3,350

Let’s start off the review with a frontal shot of the watches:

Gen:

Rep:

Visually it looks ok. Definitely passes the 6inch test (IMO) but on further inspection, date font seems alil thicker and cyclops magnification looks more than 2.5x.

Rehaut also looks alright..no wokky-ness here and also no engraving to worry about..

Lumeshot:

In Semi-dark room:

In Dark room:

Gen is on the left, Rep on the right. Both were exposed to the same amount of sunlight (abt 10 seconds) and taken in a semi-dark room.

I was quite pleasantly surprised by the lume on the rep dial. Lume on the hands definitely need to be redone.

Dial Font:

Gen:

Rep:

Font looks accurate and crisp. Coronot also looks spot-on.

Spacing and Font of “Swiss Made”:

Gen:

Rep:

Printing is crisp but font type is different from gen. Minute markers on the rep are also further away from the rehaut as compared to the gen.

Hour / Minute Hand:

Gen:

Rep:

Obvious difference in the size of the “Y” on the hour hand and lume width on both hands.

GMT Hand:

Gen:

Rep:

Color of the Red GMT hand seems to be the right shade but triangle on the rep hand looks alil smaller than the gen.

Stacking of Hands on Gen: Seconds, Minute, GMT, Hand

Stacking of Hands on Rep: Seconds, Minute, Hour, GMT

Crown / Crown Guard:

Gen:

Rep:

Crown is lower on the rep, due to the thickness of the movement. Rep is running on a Swiss 2836-2 modified GMT movement. Coronet is passable if you are not too fussy.

Gen:

Rep:

Thickness of the rep Crown is an obvious flaw and threading on the tube is definitely better machined on the gen. Luckily both gen crowns/tubes can be quite easily sourced.

CGs on the rep has already been trimmed but due to lack of material, it looks more like Pointed CGs rather than the Flat top CGs. This is not so obvious when worn on the wrist.

Bezel Marker Font (Used "14" as example):

Gen:

Rep:

Font type again is slightly different. Application of black enamel paint on the gen bezel looks more refined whilst the rep looks crudely painted on.

Bezel Marker Placement (Used "12" as example) / Crystal Height & Bevel:

Gen:

Rep:

Placement of bezel marker is slightly closer to the ‘lip’ on the rep. As seen from the pics, this difference is very minute.

Height and Bevel looks quite spot-on.

Cyclops , Date Wheel (DW):

Gen:

Rep:

Cyclops is inaccurate and is most probably the culprit in the slightly larger magnification. DW on the rep is shifted towards the right whilst the DW on the gen is more centered. As mentioned earlier, date font is slightly thicker on the rep.

Caseback:

Gen:

Rep:

‘Teeth’ on the rep is not as refined as the gen and seems to be slightly thicker than the gen.

SEL Fitment / Case Lugs:

Gen:

Rep:

Gen wins hands-down in this department. However this can be easily resolved. Good news is the gen SEL bracelet can be fitted onto the rep.

Direction of brushings on the case lugs and SEL bracelet looks more prominent on the gen. Brushing with a green Scrub pad would help out the rep in this aspect.

Bracelet & Foldover Clasp:

Gen:

Rep:

Clasp looks visually 100% identical. However, you can see from the next few pics, the side profile that the rep is slightly thicker and longer than the gen.

This is also the case when comparing the small foldover clasp. Rep is slightly larger than the gen.

Rep on the left, Gen on the right

Clasp Inner Stamping - Engraving :

Gen:

Rep:

Gen is 78790A whilst rep is 93250. Stamping is not as crisp on the rep. Laser engraving on the rep is too deep.

Final Thoughts:

For a tenth of the price of the gen, the rep is definitely a watch that is a must in the watchbox. This model is also understated and not as widely recognizable as the Rolex Submariner.

I hope you enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed publishing this.

Having just welcomed 2012 about 48 hours ago, this is a pictorial look-back at the watches (gen & rep) that I acquired in 2011.

2011 had been exciting in the world of reps as factory standards improved significantly. I came across, by accident no less, into RWI towards the end of 2010 whilst doing a google search on Panerai and was truly amazed at the amount of images there were available.

I then found out about RWG and the other sister/brother forums (i.e RG, WC). The rep forums proved to be most informative, not so much of the jerk-circle gen forums that I once often frequented. Everyone is helpful in dispensing information and assistance. Mods, Trusted Dealers, VIPs, members all were friendly and helpful. A BIG kudos to all of you guys!

Here are the watches that found their place in my watchbox (& on my wrist) over the last 12 months:

Part I (Rolex/ Tudor / Omega)

Explorer 14270

Explorer 214270

Explorer II 1655 "Orange-Hand"

Explorer II 16570 Black

Explorer II 16570 "Polar" (Gen)

Oysterdate Precision 6694 Manual-Winding (Gen)

Yachtmaster 16622 Rolesium

Tudor 7032 Monte-Carlo

Omega "Reduced" Speedmaster Japan Exclusive - Marui Edition (Gen)

*Missing in Action: Tudor Snowflake 94010 - Currently in service

Part II (Panerai)

005K V1

025A

026K

111J

112J - My first built using an old 111H midcase with Taka Single AR crystal, high beat 21.8kbps movt, Francisco's sticker decal, DSN 112 dial and 111J caseback.

312L V1

2012 offers yet another 12 months of endless possibilities of upping the quality and accuracy of our reps. Thanks to the TDs for taking the members' feedback and comments to incorporate in the final product offerings.

I most probably need another 10-12 piece watch box for 2012.

Here's the watchbox damage for 2011:

I can't wait!

That is a fine looking watch..lovely sunburst dial as well..jubilee sets it off perfectly..

Go for it!

Good luck with this build..it's gonna look sweet..

Oh..Happy 2012 in advance!

There's a write up on the other forum..

if you're interested, here's the link:

http://www.repgeek.com/showthread.php?t=158443