stilty

Nice job. These are always fun projects! Did that movement require an overlay, or does it use it's own date disc? Nice horotec case opener! I've got a bergeon, but I've seen that Horotec and it is tempting. I haven't used one, but it looks like a much better design. I usually tighten and open cases with my palm, so this design seems better.

wow, there are some crazy prices out there. 180203695188 The buckle you are looking for is listed at $339.

Definately about fit and finish, denim quality before brand name. My current favorite pair is a pair of relaxed fit Seven For All Mankind. I've got a few pairs of Diesel, but find they are a bit too heavy. I prefer a thinner lightweight denim. The japanese denim that Paper& Denim use is nice and I have a few pairs. I also have a nice pair of Energie that is lightwieght with a nice finish. I also have a few pairs of Ernest Sewn as well and a couple pairs of vintage reconstructed Levi's. My wife calls them the rock star jeans, but I think they look more like Dwight Yoakam.

What movement are you planning on using? ETA? My suggestion would be to try a 2824-2 for the 16014 case. Most people use the 2836-2 for the 160XX case as the stem aligns quite easily. Why I suggest the 2824-2, is it is thinner than the 2836-2 on the dial side. When the stem is aligned, you will have more room between the dial and movement to fit the thicker genuine date disc.

Yeah, it can be confusing. My guess is, the closed fonts on the 3035 discs could be RSC replacements. I have some 3055 discs that are closed fonts, and are smaller, almost identical to the 3135 font. I also have the open font 3055 like you have pictured and that is a great disc for a 3035 project as the font is the same as most 3035 discs, but the date progression is the same as ETA.

Hi, there is no need to cut anything on these, so I don't recommend it. You will risk damaging the disc so better to leave it alone. I use these discs from time to time and do not resize them. What model are you planning on using this for? Font size and style looks like it would be ideal for a c.3035 model. What case and movement combo are you using? You may not have to sand it either.

I'd be interested in the small rose 7928 at $500 Those are the ones in his email blast? I would love to see pictures of the case in more detail, especially the inside. What movement? 2824-2, I hope. Please keep me posted. Stilty.

This song is pretty catchy and I find myself visiting at least once a day. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YUxbDEPFiM some of you might recognize it from the new Macbook Air commercial

Nice! Not to keep waving the Canadian Flag....

I just finished two easy reads. The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie and Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom Both easy reads, but excellent stories. I also finally got around to reading Scar Tissue by Anthony Kiedis. Wow, did that guy ever do a lot of drugs during the early days of The Red Hot Chili Peppers. I just picked up Oryx and Crake by Margret Atwood.... again for the third time. For some reason I only get so far, then put it down. Maybe this time I'll get through it! I think I'll bring it with me to Kauai and finish it there. I'm also reading bits and pieces of The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists by Neil Strauss. Not that I'm looking for tips on picking up women, but it is quite funny in an "OMG!" kind of way. He also wrote The Dirt - Motley Crue: Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band. Now those guys lived a crazy life. I can't believe they are still alive.

Or you just got lucky and so far with every service, the upmost care was taken while cleaning the parts. The old cleaners were pretty harsh and if one was not careful, you could easily strip the finish off the movement. The new automated Rolex cleaning machines time everything on a cycle. wash, rinse, dry, etc with no room for error.

At the office and listening to CBC Radio 3. Public Radio that showcases Canadian Indie talent. I'm loving Wintersleep from Halifax and Black Mountain from Vancouver. Canada has some great artists from coast to coast!

I'm listening to Radiohead. In Rainbows. I actually waited to get it on CD. Buying it at 160Kbps did not cut it for me. I need to hear it on a good set of speakers with some volume. And none of this 128kbps iTunes [censored]! And while I'm on the topic of digital. How about I extend the question and include: How do you listen to your music? I recently ripped my whole collection to Apple Lossless. (others prefer FLAC, but I run iTunes) Hard drives are cheap, so I'm not concerned of file size. I have 340+ Gigs of music running from my iMac hardwired to my home stereo. iTunes is shared so my wife can access with her Powerbook and I can also access with my Macbook Pro when I'm downstairs fiddling with watch parts. Yeah, I'm a Mac geek. I'm eagerly waiting to pick up the new Time Capsule in 1TB!

Or, if you are really in a bind, you could just use the crown to screw in the tube. Start the tube by hand, then insert the crown, and tighten it up. Also, you may want to use a small amount of 'non-hardening' gasket seal to waterproof the tube as well. (thanks for the excellent tip J3) When Rolex replaces the tube, there is a small soft metal gasket that goes between the tube and case to seal it up. These are never supplied with tubes and have to be ordered from Rolex. Good luck with that one! So, use a small amount of gasket seal on the threads and install. Use the crown to tighten it on and you should be in business!

Both, only if they are properly built frankens. Reps, never near water... not worth the risk. @ spookydriver - nice profile pic. I'm a big fan of Badly Drawn Boy.

I think what you are looking for would be a 34mm OP Date or Air-King. Here is an example of a Franken that I built for my wife. Sorry not for sale. But if you are looking for quality, this is the ONLY way to go. Genuine parts and impossible to call out.

Alberta eh? Don't know anyone there, but I know a guy in Vancouver that works on reps. Losing 5m / week. So roughly 45 seconds a day. That is a lot. I guess you could use superpages to search out a watchmaker if you want someone locally. I'd suggest my guy in Vancouver, but he is retiring soon. He can clean and regulate your movement.

good job. I'm glad it came together for you. what did you use for the overlay?

THat is sweet!

It fits very snug. No mods required. If I remember correctly, the difference in diamter is only around 0.01mm. When the bezel is installed it secures the crystal very tightly. The only mod required was with the bezel as the OD of the 22 is larger than the DJ. I have a gen Tropic 22 as well, but bought the aftermarket to test fit. I didn't see the need to fit the gen when the aftermarket looks identical for 1/5 the price.

Here are some reference pages from Rolex. Very useful if you need to know what crown you need for what case. As well as metal code, etc. linked to auction, so it may not be up very long.

Nice watch! Wear it well. I would keep it all original and not relume. If you really want SL, you could take it to a RSC and they can swap the hands and dial for you. Problem with that is, "swap", so good bye original hands and dial. Also will cost you a fair bit of money as well. You could look around for a set on eBay or one of the gen forums and you could probably find a better price for dial and hand set. That way you could keep your original set if you wanted to sell down the road. Have a nice weekend.

Hi Freddy, I'm now seeing why you love the vintage plastic crystals over sapphire. I may have to liquidate some of my sapphire frankens and go all vintage! There is just something about the looks and feel that I now find more appealing.

Thanks everyone! Yes, the lug holes are the highlight of this project! The work is superb! I just need to find some Rolex 23-9293 springbars, or polish these Sub springbars down until they are the correct length and sit recessed in the holes. @ Stephane. It does feel smaller than the 40mm case, especially if you are used to wearing a bigger watch. It doesn't look small though, not like my Franken-Just. I think it is the dial that gives the illusion of a larger watch. For reference, here is a gen that was on eBay. My Franken is very close to this model: 220188140040 And also on eBay, this is the gen that I used as reference for the lume color: 150200156702

Thanks everyone for the kind words. A couple of tweaks and it should be near perfect. Cheers.