gavidoc

Correct to Freddy333 and Mardo. Top ones are the gens. The lower left still isn't done. I wanted to have that worn dial look with it so put a clear coat on the dial from a distance to give it the white haze. Gonna bake it in the oven next to try and turn it brown. Will see how it works. That watch is more an experimental for fitting of parts before I do the Snowflake.

Thanks for all the comments folks. Tee jay You are correct that that is the fantasy and it isn't a put together either. I got it on my last trip to china at the lo hu copy mall. It came with the rivet bracelet the other no crown guard sub has on it. Total price for that beauty was $35 after negotiating. So which 2 are the gens?

I've a soft spot for submariners ie: I own no other type of watch. Here's a shot of the 5 that I currently own. Two are gens. The others not. Two are reps and one is a fantasy. I'm also in the process of finishing up another snowflake using all gen parts but an MBW case. Might have a line on a gen case too. Hope you enjoy.

I think you've done a good job. Try carrying it around in your pocketwith your keys for a week now and see how it looks at the end.

I'm not a big fan of people who over vintage a watch. Just because it is designed to be a "tool" watch doesn't mean you have to make it look like it was used as a hammer. I'm for the more subtle aging such as what you have done. Typically what I'll do is hit the corners with a file and then repolish the edges. After that, I'll then rebrush the surfaces that need rebrushing. Followed by a stay in my pants pocket where I keep my keys and some change. I'll do that for a week or so and then it will be ready for my tastes. Just enough to make it look like the case was "refinished" a couple of months ago but with the nice rounded edges of a vintage time piece. Then it's just a matter of wearing the thing on a regular basis.

I know Mark (seller). I've done business with him in the past. Great guy, honest seller, and decent product for the price. That watch was either serviced by the RSC or by an AD with a parts account. Classic RSC replacement dial and hands (same as the 79190 issed dial). As for the retaining ring, my 9411 which was serviced at the Sydney RSC in May also had the crystal retainer not fully pressed down. When I popped the bezel it came off. I just pressed it back on with no issues. I personally wouldn't touch the 76100 with replacement dial and hands for that price. It loses its character if the lollipop hour hand isn't on it anymore. That is what distinguishes the 76100 transistion piece from the later serial 9411 (which used the same dial but the mercedes hand) and the later 79090 which used the Mercedes hour hand but same dial as the 76100.

Nor are mine. There are advantages to having an AD with a Rolex parts account aren't there Ubi? For some of these parts I just had them install on my Gen and recyled the used parts (crown/tube, insert, springbars as they give the old ones back) while others were purchased outright.

Still in pieces but I'm about done with a 9401 franken. MBW Case: $190 Gen Dial: $200 Gen Hands: $200 Gen 2784: $197 Possibly Gen 2776 (waiting on it to arrive): $65 Gen Crown/Tube: $60 Gen Insert: $100 Gen springbars: $20 Gen T19 crystal: $43 Casework: $0 Total: $1075 so far.

Thanks for the replies fellas. Picked up a gen T19 so we'll see how that works.

Picked up a Clark Tropic 19 for my MBW case that I got from Eurotimez (the old style one) and when I tried to fit it, that sucker was a TIGHT fit. Was able to press it on the case but not nearly as easy as my real subs are. Then when I tried to press the crystal retainer down, it was nearly impossible. By the time I got it on, the crystal had cracked. So, do the Tropic 19's from Clark fit the MBW 5513 case?

A good vice and a plastic mallet will work as well.

manager of product development.

As the others have said. Lo Wu is a better choice. I've bought some pretty decent reps in Hong Kong but it was on Hong Kong island. Not out on the street but in an apartment. Little shady. Guy was outside, and we went inside. In Lo Hu there are some vendors in there that sell decent stuff. Most is junk though. Majority of the shops on the upper floors are run by 4-5 "companies" just with different booths. A lot of times when you see someone run out to go get what you want, they're going to another store. They sell you a line about it having a swiss movement call "Fong Pi" on them. I've had luck with the stores on the first floor (main floor) right in the middle where the escalators are. If you buy, buy multiple watches. They'll typically start out asking for 700-1000 yuan. If you pay more then 325 yuan you paid too much for the decent ones. Inspect them all. Show that you're in a hurry and most important....Go right before they close if possible. The Lo Hu Shangri-La is a 5 min. walk from the mall and a good place to stay. One night will typically run around $150. Reason I say go at the end of the day is that they will bargain a lot more with you at that time. I always do my shopping right around 9-10 (IIRC they close at 10). You won't find the latest reps as they are normally a version or 2 behind but on my last trip (in April) I was able to snag a decent V2 Rolex DSSD with bracelet, a no crown guard sub similar to the Silix one (but no cartier, it has a date) with bracelet, got a coworker an Explorer I with bracelet and my coworker got a GMT Master wiht bracelet and 2 for his wife. We bought them all together. You can overwhelm them to a point, they see a big sale (we bought a total of 6 watches), they start negotiating, it gets ridiculous. You get up to leave, they lower again. Finally we said we'd give the guy 1200 yuan for all 6. He said he couldn't. We walked out of the store, he hollerd 1200. We kept walking. He had his helper come get us and say "Ok." We went in, paid, looked at the time. 9:50 PM. 10 mins. before closing. Total cost...At the time is was approx. $176 or roughly $30 a watch. I went back the next day to pick up another explorer I from him and couldn't get him to sell at the same price. He kept saying, "only buying one." Ended up paying $10 more for it. It was for a friend.

If it's popping out, on the 6th blade put it next to the 5th instead of the across from it. That might work. sometimes they do pop out like that. Just takes some playing with them to stay put. Sorry ou are having difficulties.

Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Shanghai Market reps are quite common at my company as there are about 2 dozen of us that travel to China on business. Typically at work it is assumed it is a rep unless told otherwise so I end up telling people my Gens are gens there. Out in the wild I've only been approached twice. First time I was wearing a Gen. Second time was a custom rep. both times I said thank you when they said "Nice watch."

Middle of the blade. I've done this on a Marcello Netuno and numerous PAM reps. Reason on the pam reps is that those little metal pips will fall out if not secured. Only way to secure them is to get the bezel off but these suckers are near impossible to get off without bending them. Been successful doing it on a couple of those PAM reps. I've even used this method to switch out static press fit bezels (like a PAM 240 bezel, PAM 104 bezel, and my Gen EXP II bezel). Just don't rush it. You'll be ready to crap your pants about half way through it the first time in fear of bending it but after the first one, the others go pretty quickly. Once you have it down, should only take you about 30 mins. and that's because you don't want to cut your fingers. On some of these, a case knife just doesn't have a narrow enough edge. Especially if the bezel goes into the case where the teeth are. The nice thing about the razor blades is that they will flex to get between the case and bezel with a little tapping. Never had much luck with those caseknifes on a bezel. Bent the first Nettuno bezel I had trying to get it off with a caseknife. Unless you want to fork out the money for a bezel removing tool (they aren't cheap), you need to apply even pressure all around at the same time. Razor blades are thin enough where they lift it in small increments so as to give the same effect, but slower.

This is the method I've used in the past. Similar to what others have stated above. Tools needed: 16 razor blades Gloves (heavy canvas are ideal) 1 rubber hammer tape normal watch movmeent removal tools 1. Remove the movement. 2. Tape up all the lugs so you don't scratch them. 3. Start at one of the lugs and put a razor blade right at the point where the bezel meets the case. Tap it in with the hammer so that it gets between the bezel and the case. Leave the razor blade in the slot. 4. Repate the process at the opposite side. Leave razor blade. 5. Go to the next corner and repeat. Leave razor blade. 6. Same on the opposite side of #5. Leave razor blade. 7. Repeat steps 3 through 6 till you have used all the razor blades or the bezel pops off. As others have said, it is slow and tedious but if done correctly it will keep you from bending the bezel. Razor blades work because htey are thin and you can slowly build up the thickness of them with little issue. For me, by the time I start the 4th set, the bezel will pop off once you knock in the first of the 4th row of razor blades. After you remove it, see if their is a retainer spring inside the bezel. If there is, mark where ithe opening in the spring is and try to line it up with the pearl when you replace the insert. Ideally you want to start remving a bezel from this point as it makes it a lot easier.

Great watch. Espeically the aged tritium. Not a transitional and definately not a rep. There was no transitional no-date sub. Went straight from 5513 to the 14060. I read that the last 2 years of production on the 5513 used the same gloss dial with white gold surrounds. Some say that it started mid year the previous year when Rolex ran out of matte dial stock which would be the 1985-1986 timeframe. This makes sense to me since my 1982 (which started with a matte dial) got a gloss dial at it's first service in 1987 at the RSC NY.

Stukov, Two things. 1. Great watch. 2. Love the Avatar but please consider changing it for those of us who view this forum from work as it isn't boss friendly. Thanks!

BTW, I never did ask but is that a gen case Marble sold you? The CG's look really good.

That is looking really good boss! BTW I stand correted on the movement. Turns out the later serial # 2784's had that type of balance. i'm just about done with mine too. Just waiting for my gen Tudor 2776 and snowflake dial to arrive. Still gotta pick up some hands though.

Thanks. Was having connection issues yesterday. That image wasn't loading. How long did you leave it in for?

beautiful. Please tell me those are real.

how did you age the dial?

I use my AD. I'm lucky to have one that has their own watchservicing staff. They have 2 on hand and one worked for ROlex for 20 years before leaving. They charge $500 the same as the RSC but the difference is that if they replace a dial, they give you your old one back and they have a 2 year warranty. If you need a regulation or something goes wrong, bring it in and they'll take care of fit and give you a service Rolex to wear while they have your's. I took my 5513 there and it was great. Turn around time was only 2 weeks. Wore a modern Sub while they had mine. My AD is Mednikow Jewlers.