Serafino

Now I really need to know the stem height for these different variants. Not that I'd pay for a GMT variant in the normal range, and not that I'm planning to buy a 157X in the foreseeable, but just because I never have been able to find it out. I suppose since you've found a 3035 will fit in a 1575 case, that it's 2.15 mm, so then I guess the GMT is 2.25? Also I'm having trouble fitting this together with 1570 o/a height of 5.75 mm and 1575 of 6.3 mm (I think I picked those figures up at the ra nfft site.)? I must be missing something somewhere.

Great stuff! I read somewhere that 15XX with date comes in different shapes of spacer or date configurations, does this seem right? Something about one being 'cone' shaped and the other not?

Yup, and as ETA gets harder to access, that leaves a vacuum, and good things will happen, is my guess.

Now then, has anyone managed to find a way to give Helenarou flat hands (i.e. the set with the 13mm M and S hands) a curve / dome? 'Lo was going to give it a try back in 2015 ... Alternatively, since people keep redirecting me to the 1570 option I gave up on a while back, is there a source for a hand set with long M and S hands, preferable with a curve / dome? Maybe someone among the MQ crowd? I looked at MQ and even the 6542 hands don't scale out promisingly.

That's niiiice.

Yeah this is one of the options I'd narrowed down to when I was thinking of doing it myself: https://classic.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?pid=14890&step=4&showunits=inches&id=902&top_cat=1

Now this is important. I am going to post a link to a BAD site that uses content from here to lure people. Don't trust links there and be very careful. But you will find defunct pictures there although usually the names of the posters has been changed. https://www.rw-forum.com/topic/57711-vintage-explorer-project-3-space-dweller/ A little more on that "forum":

He is a member who had 4 1016 projects. The threads about the projects developed a lot of useful information and inspired a lot of builds. Not around much lately, but his threads are a necessary read if one is going to make a 1016.

That does sound boring.

Right but the point is he told me he's not selling bezels separately anymore.

Hiya J, last I heard it was case sets only? I'll be glad to find out otherwise. 😎

It's been 8 years already since I got heavily into bezel research, how time flies. I was satisfied with my understanding then but I'm wanting to review my thinking before committing to metal.

I appreciate the suggestion, definitely tempting, but I'm actually going to be happier not carrying $13-20k on my wrist, and paying through the nose to have it serviced. Not to mention I would hate to have to decide for myself that the one I was buying was legit (leave aside the lousy condition most of them are in now). The gen world is a real minefield. I don't think all or even most of the online 'expert sellers' really know as much as they need to. I got my 160XX case back when they were more reasonable, and it's in fair shape. I may well make the bezel myself although some options are appearing. I will be quite content when this thing is finished.

Bezel is one of the things which give 1016s their distinctive character. Even that 1969 is at the steeper end of the spectrum. One wonders if they were hand turned to a few dimensions, with convention and rule of thumb only loosely controlling the details. That one has a service dial. I wonder (idly and with no foundation) if it is also a later bezel.