Sherrington

Great project and very well done. I am sure that nobody else would have driven this forward like you have done. May be interested in a couple myself, that's if you want to sell me some!!!!!!!

Good aftermarket tube for 7mm Triplock crown. Rolex Crown Tube

Might sell you one of mine when they arrive. If the price is right!!!!!!

What I did with my inserts was to clean the back with emery paper to give the glue something to adhere to. I then cleaned both the bezel and back of the insert with some isopropanol cleaning fluid to remove any trace of grease. Then I used a cocktail stick to put tiny spots of araldite rapid at each 5 minute mark on the bezel and snapped the insert into place. Then after cleaning any glue from the front on the insert (there would be none at all if you are careful) I used a cocktail stick again to run a small bead of superglue around the bezel and the insert at the rear. I also glued the dot in as well with araldite to make that ultra secure.

Just one question? Does the insert snap into place or have you glued it?

May come in as a future speculation!!! I bought 6 last time and they are all gone.

You sure the hole size is 2mm and not smaller. The gen dots are 2mm overall so would need a smaller hole, 1.5mm I think offhand?

I have enlarged the two photos I posted earlier, to exactly the same size of case etc and compared the date window. It measures EXACTLY the same size to me, although it is measurements from photographs, but still. I think the gen has a very slightly smaller font size than the one I have used, making the date window look larger. Unless I had an actually watch to compare I can't say for sure but they seem the same size date windows to me.

I wish I had your luck. I don't break them now as I bought the right tap size. I don't use the insertion tool just a square needle file and some loctite. You certainly can't shift them when that sets!!!!

The main reason for breaking these tubes is the wrong size of tap used on the case. You have to use the correct size and PITCH of tap. Any old 3mm metric tap will not do as the pitch size is specific to Rolex. That's why the tube snapped. Believe me I have done it 3 times myself!!!

Yeah, but we are real geeks at times aren't we? Well I am!!!!

I used the tap and just ran it thorugh the case again. That took out the remains of the tube.

I suppose at the end of the day it matters not one jot, as any WIS would out any of our reps (yours and mine included). What matters is how you feel about your own watches, and I love mine. Such great fun modding them too and such great guys on our forums to share them with. GENUINE MBW DRSD I will try to do some better photos when I have the time.

Now, now Randy. You are assuming that only YOU have held genuine vintage Rolex's. Now where is my eye appointment card, I still can't see any dots!!!!

I think we will agree to disagree on this one Randy!! And yes that's what makes this hobby fun. I doubt any of the people we come across in our everyday lives would even know what a Rolex DRSD or 1665 is anyhow, let alone take a 20x loupe out of their pockets to see that the fonts are a series of dots or that the swiss t<25 is too far away from the 6 marker!!!!!!!!

No I meant the mark IV dial, as the mark V dial has the ft in italics (although the "Sea-Dweller Submariner 2000" on the mark V is closer to the MBW dial. I think the MBW dial is a copy of the mark IV dial with ft in standard font and a closed 6. For some reason the red fonts on my MBW seem brighter than the ones on yours, maybe it's the photograph (although it does vary somewhat on the gens due to exposure to the sun etc. There is a pink version of the DR!!!). When you say nothing like can you give me some pointers as I think it looks pretty close? If you look at the wording it looks to me like nearly all the letters line up as on the gen dial, or near enough). I know the fonts are too bold and not crisp enough but that is common to both dials. And the fonts on both MBW dials are the same (apart from the "ft" and the "m" markings) If you look at the wording "Certified" on the white dial it doesn't line up with the letters of "chronometer" the same as the gen dial does. The "1" out of "610" is over the "n" in chronometer on the gen, but not on the MBW. Also the swiss t<25 is too far away from the six marker than on the gen. I do think the crown on the white dial is slightly better than the red though. I suppose we could go on about both dials, although I do like them both. Problem is we are nit pickers over minute differences. But maybe thats what drives us to get closer to perfection???

I agree with Randy. Again it's a case of one step forward, two steps backwards!!!!

Be interesting for you to show me Randy as I can't see much difference between the MBW DRSD and the mark IV version of the DRSD dial.I can spot an equal amount of faults on both the red and the white versions of the dials although the letters seem to line up better with each other on the red. Maybe it's just my old eyes!! I can then decide which dial to put in as I have got them both now!!!!!! And lumed by the master The Zigmeister.

Great photography avitt, especially the FM. Just need some different backgrounds and you're away!!!

Personally I think BOTH dials for the MBW are quite accurate. However on BOTH of them the crown is the wrong shape, everything else being OK. You could go to the trouble of having a MBW blank redialled by classicwatch parts, but then the dial will still be obvious to a Rolex wis as the serifs on the fonts are too exagerated and the lume is too domed. You can't win really. That's why I had The Zigmeister lume my MBW white letter dial as well. As we speak it's winging it's way across the Big Pond. Then I will have the best of both worlds. WATCH THIS SPACE!!!!!!!!

For those of you who have asked mods include:- CG's milled Gen crown and tube Gen pearl and better aftermarket bezel fitted Gen tropic 39 superdome Gen springbars Dial lumed by The Zigmeister Bold font datewheel fitted Correct hollow link bracelet with 93150 stamped on it Bracelet refinished and oiled Case back aged and paint removed Case waterproofed and pressure tested to 200m I think that's about it!!!!! Now let me finish off my 1680!!!!!

Well I have finally tinkered long enough (I think!) with my MBW DRSD. I have been trying to get the look just right and the CG's perfect for quite a long time now. I think I may have achieved it. What do you guys think? Here's the Genuine DRSD that I used as my model:- And here is my MBW with all the mods to try to match it:- I even tried to make the photograph the same!!!!!

If it's a snap back, which I would suspect it is, then DON'T use a sharp knife or a razor blade or you will certainly damage the case. What you need is a Bergeon (or similar) case back opening knife which is especially designed to do the job. They are not expensive, but being like a blunt knife will allow you to twist of the case back without damage to the case.

I do agree with you Randy. And boy do I love my vintage 6263.