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Hey guys! hope to see most of you still around and, of course aprehensive with the absences, especially knowing of Rolli’s passing almost a year ago. Life has changed a lot since early times and i hop in from time to time; always a pleasure and a joy. Not posting much tough but I am always contactable please take care, especially during this awkward period. best, M.

R. Thank you for your constant enlightenment and knowledge sharing. Here is some additional info on the NH35A, a sturdy fifty buck mvmt on ali*xpr*ss best, M.

Glad to know you are ok B.! best, M.

Welcome back Dippy

Hey B. Touché... thank you for the compliments. I try to visit from time to time, always with the same enthusiasm; always finding something new to learn or something old to share but most of all stepping into the pleasure of common grounds. thank you for keeping the flame. best, M.

Thanks again manodeoro. at the time resources were scarce as well as information, especially regarding old watch models. lots of joint efforts, knowledge sharing, trial and error processes and sometimes pure luck. most of the thrill came from sharing and joint efforts on sourcing movements and or parts, producing or assisting production of components, comparing, improving but most of all learning within a community. today one just pays for the right parts, for the right servive and can have one wonderful piece in less than a month without travelling, without anxiety or excitement (I guess). more than the result itself is the process and the people involved, some still around others unfortunately gone. And at some point, building was a complex challenge. Best results take some time to achieve. thank you for your compliment and we will be around M. Hey D. Loooooong time... thank you! How r you doing? best, M.

@StoneP, thank you for sharing. interesting considerations on the case, and on its versatility - useful as well. if these are the cases from which the v2 explorers come from, my hat is off! Your work is remarkable as well, but the picture above doesn’t do you justice... on a first glance left and right cases both look gen... best, M.

Thank you so much manodeoro... this was a slow process build taking almost 11 years from start to strap with lots of intermediate mods and stories. It was serviced for the last time in 2011 and still keeps accurate time. in fact these are big watches altough by design (under the correct specs) they are quite comfortable over the wrist. at least they do not slide to the side as most of the smaller watches. saludos!

custom made in germany. Case material is staybrite as per original specs

these gentlemen (and lady) are awesome. here they are at work:

Hey @Tribal! Thx so much. This one was built to become a vintage one day... already looks like one. ageing like a good wine best, M. Hey B., thank you it has now a new dress. I found out three artisans that produce the best straps ever for a very reasonable price. This strap was tailor made for my wrist with one of the best vintage leathers I ever experienced. They are COZY and they are Singapore based artisans, very low profile but their work... tuxedo black strap (hand made | hand sewn to the buckle - original butter knife plated from the late 30’s - and, of course, to the watch)

a quick update after deciding to save some money, freeing up some hours in a row and pulling up the sleeves to clean and service my 3646 mvmt (cortebert cal. 616). Some pics...

I guess those are the same as Joshua had some years ago. I still have one but the rivets are not very reliable - I have to repair mine and will probably need your advice. [emoji4] Nato straps are more safe... ahah

Very interesting manodeoro. thank you for sharing. here, the detail of an early rolex 3646 (panerai) caseback and here some shots of my 3646 case (unfortunatelly my watchsmith lost the rhodium disk that separated the bezel from the case body):

thank you manodeoro. unfortunatelly the link you shared is not working. I have one of those cases (produced in 2006 / 2007) and it looks less porous than steel and has a silverish shine.

ahah... so true. Palp helped me twice. I guess that at some point I produced some autocad drawings to guide modifications on a 6152 jackson case (sources were scarce back in 2006). Lots of shaving, resizing and reshaping. I do not remember if it was Palp himself or a metallurgist fellow but the result is such that i still keep the case with later updates (decent caseback and double shield bezel as in gen specs). I got the reshaped case back with the note: too much metal out. Finepics helped with dial reluming on a pioneer McSherry layered dial. Later on came the VDBroucke 3646 prototype 3 piece case with brass ring... few were produced from a block of Staybrite... same material used in the 40s...

beautiful topic reminds me of the forum’s early times. good luck Jovi for your 5513 project!

the dial is awesome and was sourced a block away from Minh Quy in HCMC for a bit less than 30usd.

first Newman, now Connery... oops... Dalton.

Inspiration: a 5513 (5**/76, delivered to the Royal Navy in March 1976) the hommage (low cost but time consuming) dressed in grey: