Definitely try to get the gen fabric and buckle - yeah it's twice as much as the watch itself, but if you like the watch, you'll be amazed at the difference. Took me awhile to source mine, but well worth the effort.
I am envious of your DLF 6542 and seen that you were in the process of building yourself another 6542 before you bough his. have you completed the build and if so is it still for sale. thanks for your time.