panerai153

Same with me, I was back on the old TRC from around 2003-04, until it closed down, came over here about a day after this forum opened up in 2006, stayed active for a couple of years and then completely got out of reps, probably until around 2010. bought a couple, started getting stuff modded again, and here I am. I'm one of those folks who's interest in a particular hobby sort of waxes and wanes. I get really involverd, and then at some point in time, I sort of start losing interest. Years ago, I was very active in English Cocker Field trials. Participated on the first modern one in 1993 and stayed very active until 2002. I was talking to the National Field Representative for the American Kennel Club about participation, and he told me that AKC had done a pretty exhaustive study in conjunction with other sports organizations, they found that the average serious participation length for almost any sport/hobby was 7 years. That included Golf, Tennis, Running,Showing Dogs, almost everything had pretty close to the same numbers. I see no reason why our hobby would be any different.

Those are just over the top!! Beautiful watches.

MKII Stingray

I'm sure that there are a fair number of VRF and RF members who are also members here. That in itself are not a problem, it's when the member posts a stolen photo of a franken on one of the gen forums and as freddy says stirs up a storm of controversy. Not very long back a member here out of sheer ignorance posted his own franken, I believe it was an Explorer. As ususal about 10 posts down, after all of the "Wow, great watch, etc." posts by the guys on the gen forums that can't tell a Rolex from a Timex, someone who is knowledgable picks the franken apart, and then the feeding frenzy starts. It's really bad when someone steals your photo of your watch and posts it somewhere else, but it's really stupid to tempt fate by posting your own watch on a gen forum.

Not sure however it will not work with the cases that have the retaining ring and grooves for the click spring built in.

It's a whole lot easier to sift out flaws and non gen parts when you can zoom over a photo that is already 2X life size and now you can see the zoomed in at 10X. If you have a genuine dial for comparison next to the rep dial, it's pretty easy to pick out the flaws. looking at a watch on someones wrist is a totally different matter.

The GMT IIC seems to be one of the most popular contemporary Rolex watches around, right behind the subs. There have been quite a few threads started on the various mods and how to make a IIC more gen like. I realize that until the CHS movements are reliable and commonplace the hand stack is a going to be the biggest obstacle to bulding a true "franken". The most visible flaw in my opinion is the insert. Several folks have tried to make their insert better by repainting the numbers with silver paint, which is somewhat of and improvement, but when you look at a genuine insert next to a rep insert, you will instantly see the inevitable, the rep makers have a long way to go on this one. I recently bought a genuine bezel assembly and one of our modders who's specialty is GMT IIC's is going to try to get it mounted on a rep case. Before sending my watch as well as the gen bezel assembly off to him, i took a couple of photos of the genuine bezel/insert next to a rep bezel/insert. I believe the photos tell the tale! looking at the photos, the two things that strike me first, are not the platinum color, but the difference in the size and boldness of the numbers. The second thing are the hour dots between the numbers, the genuine are bigger and further away from the inner edge of the insert. big differences. If someone saaw your watch from arms length, it would be difficult to tell at a glance whether or not the hand stack was correct, but at my normal focal distance, the insert differences are easily distinguishable. The genuine assembly just looks more robust, the 4's are very different. So all in all, i would say that compared to a gen, the rep insert is pretty flawed. Here are the photos

Dials like this one are going to give the genuine Rolex collectors a bad,bad case of indigestion!! It's sort of unfortunate in a way, because while we on this forum are trying to build the "perfect" watch for our own satisfaction and pleasure, I'm sure that there are a fair number of not so scrupulous folks out there who are salivating over the prospects of building a Daytona like yours for say 5-10k and then reselling it for 25k. If it's difficult for you to tell the difference between a genuine and the one on your wrist, think about the guy who has some cash to burn and see's one on Ebay for 20k with 30 minutes to go and 10 bids!! Ebay buyer beware!!!

Rather than hunt for a fly with a shotgun, get down to specifics. pick a brand you like, go to that respective forum and read. Do your research and make up your own mind. When you get a little knowledge, then you can make a decision as to whether or nort the particular watch fits you. Like 1680 said, all that tterminology is just advertising hype. If you go to the TD websites, every other watch is the new "Ultimate Supreme" Super duper 1:1 like gen, yada,yada,yada. Most of the "Super reps" are super because the member modded the watch with all sorts of genuine/aftermarket parts, case sculpting, etc.

i agree, just raising and alarm is pretty pointless unless details about the methodology of the scammer are known. If i'm aware that someone is using a particular type of fraud, like the ones a while back that were using bogus wire transfers, or counterfeit money orders or certified checks, etc. With a community of this size, there are always going to be folks floating around that are trying to make a fast buck. There aren't many thank goodness, but there are some. It's always important to do your due diligence when making a deal with someone. I'm always a little skeptical of a new person coming on the forum and after a couple of days listing 2-3 watches in the sales forum, or posting a bunch of "Want to buys". Proceed with caution especially if it's a member that you aren't familiar with. Ask for references, if not here, on other forums. Post a "I need a reference check on JohnDoe123", look in the feedback area to see if the seller has any feedback on this or other forums.

Freddy, you've done it again!!! Beautiful dial, and a beautiful watch. I'm not a huge Daytona fan, just have a hard time with the manual wind,no date, but that aside,it is a beauty.

probably the one I regret the most was an MBW from years ago, one of the first ones of mine that Ziggy modded. I got it from George. I sold it on an a genuine rivet bracelet which I would love to have back as well!!!

nanug, that one looks almost as good as your gen 1665!! Nice watch

Where did you source the dial? Thanks

What dial are you going to use on yours?

there you go, A movement ring can be made to get your movement into a yuki case. I believe that the reason they are so coy about comitting to "Yes it will take an ETA movement, is should by chance it won't work, you're going to be unhappy with yuki 'cause he said it would! joey likes the DG3804 movements, they are a GMT movement, so you don't need to source extra parts for your movement build. They are cheap too!!

Back in 2007, there a was a guy named Enzo Progetatto who was selling a few BP and Tournek -Rayville Dials over here on RWG. He made a few dials, mostly as a source of dials for himself. He sold ofv the spares. Never heard from him againi, so I doubt that source is available. i contacted him with the idea odf converting my MK II Stingray to a T-R, somehow that project got sidetracked and I never did it. i really like this watch though, great work, of course the vintage BP dial is much nicer than the sterile dial

Are the clients from the DFW area? because if they are, it might be good to ask them what they consider to be a great place to eat. We loved the Mansion on Turtle Creek, but I've heard mixed reviews lately. Any Ruth's Chris is a good bet for steaks, the above mentioned Del Frisco's. We like the Cattleman's in Ft. Worth, as long as the Rodeo/ Stock show is not going on, if it is any steak house in the Ft. Worth Western side of Dallas may be crowded.(Rodeo's over, so no problem with that.

What are you looking to have done? What's a little distance? Priority mail will get it to your watchmaker in 2 days almost anywhere in the CONUS.

Goes back to the same old saying "If it looks too good to be true, it probably is" Interesting, neve rsaysanything about a movement, so the unlucky sucker might find out he's bought a crappy case with a crappy dial and hands.Having said all that, I went back and looked, so there must be something inside or the hands are glued to the dial!!!! Lots of money for a POS. I can see a Paypal dispute on the horizon already.

You might have a problem with using a 2893 movement. canon pins may be too short. also it's a high beat movement (28000), vs the 2846 and DG3804 GMT which are both slow beat (21000). Most of the folks here who have built 6542's are using either of the two slow beat movements, except for Freddy's which has a genuine Rolex movement inside. My 6542 case is a Ming Quy which is a pretty high grade aftermarket case (Gen specs) and joeyB was able to fit a 2846 in mine with no trouble. He could probably chime in and tell you what type of adapter ring he used.

Beautiful, beautiful job!!!

There are a few dial makers who are doing pretty good work, but they are all hit and miss. Some of their dials are spot on, others are not as good as your MBW dial. ingod44, NDT, Yuki watch, and Jewelry and Watch (phong) also a fellow in Vietnam, ming Quy makes very nice dials, with the same caveat as the others above, his are more expensive and for some dials it's worth the price, others it's not. What you will need to consider with all of the above, they dials are generall refinished Rolex plates so the dial feet will not fit your ETA 2846, they will have to be cut off and the dial reattached by a different method.

I agree, and not always for the better. How many times were early 1680's sent back to a RSC and their Red dial was swapped for a shiny new white letter dial, old hands that were really OK swapped for new. What folks didn't realize back in the 70's and 80's was the watch when it arrived back from the RSC looking like a brand new watch, would years later be much less valuable because of the dial swap. same with DRSD, that got white dials as replacements, and later, lumi service dials and hands for old subs and SD's. Value of the watches immediately worth much less.Polishing what didn't need polishing, changing stuff that really didn't need changing, all happened at RSC's around the world. To answer the OP's original question, my idea of a franken (in the context of rep modding) is; attempt take a watch to as close to the genuine as possible using as many genuine parts as possible. If you were to use all genuine parts of the correct era, While technically it's a franken, in a sense it's a genuine watch as well. So for example. I bought a genuine Rolex 1680 case set, gen 1575 movement, genuine dial that matched the time period of the case, gen hands, insert, crown/tube, endlinks and bracelet, i would still technically have a franken, but it would be a genuine franken. i think that a more correct term for one of these is a "Marriage' watch, all Rolex correct parts, but none of which came with the original case.

Pretty close!! Where, Bossier, Barksdale, Ruston,Minden,Many, Mansfield, Shongaloo,Shreveport ,Zwolle ? Any Hanesville Shale acerage? Gueess not, if you did you woulddn't be on this forum,LOL