Jimmythree

I bought a few ZRC (Zuccolo Rochet) padded straps for breitling watches and they are a pretty good match. The padded styles in regular tanned or black leather list for about $40 but sell for a bit less. The $230 breitling strap is a $50 strap imho. The ZRC straps I used were the oil treated padded 'Nautical Calf' aka Aquacalf. Picture... http://www.watchbattery.co.uk/shop/Sports_Watch_Straps.shtml

quote = There's a lot of controversy surrounding that review, to be honest. It's not as cut and dried as it would at first seem. /quote The explorer I in question was purchased new from a rolex AD by Richard Paige, the owner of TZ back then. note: RP also owned 'Paris 1925' an upscale California watch store where he sold patek, ap, vc etc and was an accomplished watchmaker. The condition was representative of a production rolex of that era. Remember that the timekeeping was very good and the dial etc was well finished...this is what sells the watch. Very few owners know or care what goes on inside their watch as long as it has the magic name on the dial and looks and runs OK. (this is also a pretty good explanation of why replicas have made it so big) I had friends at a rolex AD back then and rolex did turn out some crap...I saw it firsthand. (and owned a few AK etc with the 3000) They were still trying to maintain QC while turning out 600,000 watches a year and it was not working out very well. Besides...the calibre 3000 movement in the explorer was not much of a movement imho. It was a cheapo quickie...a downgraded 3035 made just so rolex could have a fast beat no date movement for the ex I, no date sub, OP etc until they came out with the 3130 a few years later. (the 3130 is made from the 3135)

quote = I am in for this case. Yes - i will have to buy all the other parts - but that is ok with me. However, there is no way i am willing to pay ND prices when i know they are worth perhaps half that. I believe that the HRV valve on this one is "working". /quote I have a similar case, the he valve is made the same way and it might work but I would not trust it in water. I noticed the leaf type tension spring had moved out of place after wearing the watch for a while and let most of the tension off the valve so I bent the leaf spring a little to apply more tension and hopefully keep it in place...so far it has stayed in place. There is a little O ring on the plunger valve that might seal up under water...maybe not. The theory is that tension spring pressure will seal the he valve in shallow water and outside water pressure will increases tension on the he valve O ring and seal up tighter the deeper you go...on a genuine watch.

quote = So in that sense, if someone were to observe that I was wearing a 'fake' rolex, as is the topic that got us to this point, they'd be in an interesting position to try to point out the basis of their observation. You better have quite an eye for crown guards, that's all I can say. Buying and selling replica watches can get quite expensive, by the way. I always like to observe that the average rep probably declines at least 25% a year, whereas the price of the vintage rolex parts have probably increased at a similar rate. /quote I doubt the average person will think your particular rolex is a replica...they think they all are, especially submariners. You are right, they can not point out what makes it a replica though. I have not had anybody think my genuine watches were genuine for a long time either. Twenty five years ago maybe, but not now. So...what's the point in wearing a genuine watch? Buying and selling replicas is expensive but it is probably quite a bit cheaper than buying and selling genuine watches. If you buy replicas cheap enough to begin with, they are probably worth about as much after a year's wear if you take care of them...and do not sell them to replica forum members. Sell them to outsiders who do not know where to get the better replicas. No doubt vintage rolex parts are going up in price but if you sell something at today's price and it goes up 100% in a few years...you still lost money by not waiting. As for rolex...the best bang for the buck is probably a genuine case and dial DJ/explorer I/OPD/AK etc with an eta in it. Genuine on the outside...replica on the inside.

quote = What you guys think of this on - gen - rep -garbage ? Frank /quote I have a few of these and they are OK...after all, they lasted over 20 years. Most were made by JB/Champion or C&I and you can find similar bracelets on other watch brands. Bulova used similar bracelets in the 1970s...most are 18mm or 19mm but they work fine with 20mm lugs as long as you use 20mm hoods. They sold for about $39 new and were available from USA rolex retailers. The local rolex AD had them on a rotating display on the counter. The sloppy fit of the hoods tends to wear serial and reference numbers off and rough up the under sides of the lugs though.

The watches: I have been a watchnut since I was a kid, owned all kinds of genuine watches from AP to Zenith. Bought my first genuine rolex in the early 1970s. Bought my first 'good' replica from a USA Today ad in the early 1980s...a 17 jewel automatic eta rolex in a steel case that cost $75 plus shipping from NYC. Before that it was pin lever wind up and quartz pot metal fake junk for $12 to $15 and I usually gave them away. They are all gone now except for the USA Today fake rolex and a wind up fake Seiko that I got in a yard sale for fifty cents. Always liked rolex watches but jacked up retail prices, no parts etc has really made it hard to be a 'genuine rolexguy' for the past 12 or 15 years so I put the genuine watches away and bought a few 'perfect' (HA!) replicas. They have been mostly trouble free. The people: From what I have seen on the internet in the past 13 years... The average internet 'genuine watchnut' is just that...a nut. Many of them give me the impression that they are the fake...not the watch. The average internet 'replica guy' is a genuine good guy who will help if they can. All in all, a better bunch of people to associate with. Eyeball to eyeball watchguys...when anyone asks if a watch is real, I usually say "No, it's a pretty good fake" and let them look at it. If it is a 'genuine watchnut' (nut) asking, I usually say..."If it was not real, you could not see it" then hand it over and say "You tell me". Some can spot them as fake, some can not. The grass is not always greener in 'genuine" watchland. Hate to see you go.

quote = Think you may find it is more like.... There a couple or a few plants which do CNC work and specialise in cases (Both rep and for gen manufacturers,) There are a couple of plants doing dials (All sorts) A couple selling pins and spring bars.... some others with hands... A couple or three who do various bracelets/straps.... and of course movement suppliers. Or some intermix of the above. Also other parts suppliers.. O rings, crystals, etc etc. THEN the entrepreneurial "wholesaler" takes a photo, or a watch,(in bits) to each of his suppliers and gets pricing for his required parts... gets the best he can.... or orders a quantity.... and his family or extended family and friends assemble all the bits. Sometimes a supplier runs out of stock, so he uses the next best available component supplier. This may be a lot closer to the true scenario, albeit it may be on a bigger scale, it would certainly explain the variations we see in the "same" model, also the "dealer" incarnations eg MBK, MBW. etc. Just a wild guess, however with a little understanding of the Chinese watch parts trade! Offshore /quote You are probably right. The Asian factories that make high quality name brand components would have top of the line case and bracelet making equipment and it would not be much trouble to reprogram cad/cam equipment now and then to crank out a few hundred (or thousand) replica cases and bracelets. A friend works in a big automotive component manufacturing factory and he changes machine tool programs daily to make different components on the same machine tools. He said it would be very simple to make watch cases, backs, bezels, and bracelet parts.

quote = Nice. I'm sure you know that was a standard issue military dive watch- any pics? Arty /quote If I am not mistaken, they were sold in military post exchanges and this is where a lot of them came from. Mine is the same as watch number one on the Vintage Zodiac website...it might be older than I thought it was. I have had it for years. Also have ZSw like numbers 2,3,4. Click on the picture in the center of the main page. http://www.vintagezodiacs.com/Stock/Seawolf/Seawolf.htm

1960s Zodiac Seawolf no date with black dial

quote = I still think over $300 is too much for Asian clone based watch.... /quote Absolutely. I know for a fact that steel watches with screws in bracelet links, mg crystals, DG 2812/13 (Miyota clone) or Seagull ST6 powered sub, DJ, GMT, YM etc are $30 each (or less) in quantity in NYC (if you know where to get them) because a traveling watch seller who comes by the flea market a few times a year always has a load of them. note: these watches are not Canal Street pot metal junk but very good steel cases, bracelets and dials. The Asian movement subs all had older style solid mid link bracelets, MG crystals, and more or less correct date fonts...some had open 6 and 9. Some casebacks have "monarchpolfy gelena shitinerand, stainless steel, 12600" some "montres rolex, geneva switzerland, 16610" etc...but most are blank. The GMTs have submariner crowns and the exp II have 6mm crowns. Almost all have plastic movement spacers. The "swiss" models are usually the same as the internet dealers but you have to look them over to find the latest models. If you are a dealer in China...buy the watch for $15, add another $10 or $15 for a sapphire crystal, sell them online for $129 and you can make a pretty good profit. Add a sapphire crystal and a 2892 clone, sell them online for $329...and you can get rich. The watches the traveller buys for $30 in NYC are probably $12 or $15 in China. The YM etc watches with a 2892 clone are probably $50 to $90 in China. (just a guess...maybe less, maybe more) note: I can probably find the wholesale cost of the 2892 clone in China as I know a guy who buys movements etc from there. The ST6 is $5 or $6 and the DJ 2812/13 is about $10. Material houses usually mark cheap movements up at least double because of defective returns. Cousins price on the 2892 clone probably represents a 100% mark up plus there is surely a middle man (or five) between the factory and Cousins. The traleller might have the latest thing next time he shows up because he had some "swiss perfect subs" with hollow center links, stubby crown guards etc last summer. You never know what he has and if you ask for anything specific...he can not pick it out because he is not a watch nut. It's just pot luck. He told me he pays $110 each for eta 2836 powered watches (he sells them for $150). The Asian powered models cost $30 and he sells them for $50. You have to open each "swiss" watch to make sure it has the correct movement as the people he gets them from skin him now and then...like I said, he does not know much about watches. They come 10 of the same model in a blister pack roll. I put a new eta 2688 in a lady DJ that someone got from him a while back...the movement went DOA bcause it got wet. The 2688 is a 21600 bph, 17 jewel with day and date movement and you have to remove the day/date discs plus a few other parts and install the date disc with an overlay from the original movement when you change them out. That's why you have to open them up because they are sold to him as eta 25 jewel models and he does not open them. They are all the same price, tutones and all...$150 from the back of his van. He gave me a few DOA Asian models last time around for showing him about the various "swiss" models. (I doubt it will do much good though) If he shows up this spring, I will post what I see. He had Illinois tags on his van last time he came by the flea market.

quote = I'd give Paul a benefit of the doubt. He's such a dope... I'm not 100% sure if he even knows what he's selling, most of the time. /quote I think you are right. It sure would be nice if someone bought one of the suspected 2892 clones (not me!) just to see what it is and then there would be absolute proof. Otoh (1), the next one just might have a genuine eta 2892 in it. It's slow motion gambling at $600 a shot. I remember when oversize watches started showing up with the genuine eta 6497 and when they started putting Asian clones in them, the price stayed the same...until buyers caught on. Otoh (2), I always wondered who knew first...the sellers or the buyers. I did not have any watches with a 6497 except a Kienzle Atlantis and I doubt if I would ever have known about Asian 6497/8 clones unless The Zigmeister posted about the pallet bridge with one screw in the clone vs two screws in the genuine eta. Otoh (3), Turns out that I finally wound up with a watch in a trade that had a 6497 clone so I knew how to tell what it was before I put too much $$ in it. Proof that times change... I bought 4 nos off brand swiss watches with 2892 movements a few years ago for $100 each and at the time I thought I paid too much. Next, I bought four nib Oniss with eta 2836 for $55 each and six nib "swiss" Gruen automatics with eta 2824 for $45 each and thought I paid too much for them too. Otoh (4), I bought some seiko 5 and orients and lost $$. I had some rolex stuff and sold it when prices took off and thought I hit a home run. Otoh (5), I sold the genuine rolex stuff way too cheap judging by today's prices. It's always the 'Otoh' that gets you. Otoh (6), Otoh (5) sunk my boat.

quote = I am using the Clark tube it came with 4 different o-ring seals. Two appear to go inside the tube, one around the outer circumference, and a 4th one. Am I to assume that this goes around the threaded part that is tapped into the case? I have read somewhere else that Rolex did not use a rubber seal on this part. I want the watch to be as water resistant as possible, does anybody that has done this mod before have suggestions? /quote I am not familiar with the 'Clark" case tube but a genuine triplock tube has two O rings inside the tube, one under the crown cap, one on the outside of the tube down close to the case, and a plastic/hard rubber gasket between the tube and case. notes: (7mm case tube or crown = submariner) 1...The O rings inside the case tube and under the crown cap are identical. These three O rings are standard 6.0mm case tube O rings. 2...The O ring for the outside of the tube is easy to tell from the other three. 3...The gasket between the case tube and case is harder than the other O rings and easy to tell apart. 4...7mm crowns bottom out against the case tube when screwed down...unlike DJ etc crowns that tighten down against a flat gasket under the crown cap. For this reason, as long as all the threads are OK and the case tube does not leak where it screws into the case...the crown will seal up just fine if the O rings are good. 5...On some generic brass 7mm case tubes...the threaded part that screws in the case is too short and fragile. 6...7mm case tubes are the same thread size where they screw into the case as standard 6.0mm case tubes...3.0mm x .35mm 7...Some accessory case tubes do not have the O ring on the outside of the case tube...genuine twinlocks and early triplocks do not either. The outer O ring is basically a dust/moisture gasket and protects the threads from dirt and water when washing hands etc. 8...It is a hassle to cut a replica case to acceot the genuine case tube gasket so it is probably easier to try to get by with a silver washer like used on a 6.0mm DJ case tubes and/or gasket cement on the threads. 9...Grinding/cutting the case so the case tube fits better is a good idea to prevent the crown from being too far from the case when screwed down. Because 7mm crowns bottom out against the case tube...you can not force the crown closer to the case simply by tightening it down.

A word of advice...be extremely careful dealing with this outfit. I have a few stories about them. (about 7 or 10 years back) One story about them trying to sell used rolex crowns, claiming they were new... They advertised "new" rolex crowns for a lowball price. I called and asked if they were still in the original blister packs. They said NO! I asked if they were "take offs". They said NO! I asked why they were not in blister packs. They said they were purchased "in bulk" and that was the way they came. I knew better because a friend has a rolex parts account. I told them what I thought about it and reported them to the NAWCC. The NAWCC said this was not the first complaint on PAM. I have 3 of these stories from first hand experience...one repair with more or less good results, one where they stole a crown off a nos UG Polerouter, and the story below. (he finally got the crown back) The story about a friend who sent a watch for repair and one for parts... They sent a quote. He OK'd the job. They sent the repaired watch back with a seriously jacked up repair price. He stuck to the repair quote. (he had already paid) They kept the "parts watch" worth about $300. The repaired watch was barely running and the movement was very dirty, looked like it had been worked on in a pig pen. A low class botch job. Later on, the guy who owned the watch was in Palo Alto CA on business so he rented a car and went to visit Palo Alto Micro. They would not come to the door so he called and told them he wanted to talk to them. They still would not open the door. He called back a few times and they hung up each time. He asked around and everyone said that was business as usual. (they still have his parts watch) They are better known as Palo Alto Micro...a hole-in-the wall used computer shop. Ask around.

I think you just coined a 'replica truism'. The world's worst salesman is not going to run his stock down with accurate descriptions.

quote = Jimmythree am I reading this right? You had his paypal account closed after just 27 days, you then went on to get a full reimbursement from your credit card provider and yet you still chased and received the watches? /quote KB If you do not file a complaint with pp before their stated time limit, you are out of luck. Rule #1...If you feel like you are going to get screwed...you are usually right. Rule # 2...If you wait until you know for sure you have been screwed...it is too late. Remember this...WLD had gone silent with over $4K of MY MONEY and he started getting a lot of bad reviews about this time. There was less than $1000 charged on the credit card...that is what I got refunded. The rest came from a pp account. WLD sent almost a dozen DOA/cheap junk watches worth maybe a total of $300 along with a few runners like I ordered. He sent the correct number of watches so he could try to get his pp account reopened...he DID NOT send all the correct, running watches that were ordered...and paid for in advance. I lost between $1k and $2K counting the refund. I gave the junk watches away at the flea market. Btw...this was not my first rodeo with a low rent crook. My first was in 1965. I have a collector for local crooks. (when he's not fishing in Marathon FL or in Italy chasing women) WLD was a looong distance crook and I did not want to give him much of a head start. I have some pretty good stories but I can not tell them on a public message board.

quote = Ok I got a situation. I have sold 2 genuine TAGs (one ladies and one gents) on ebay to two different buyers. However, one has told me that she recieved a gents watch instead of a ladies watch. So i'm presuming i've mixed up the addresses. So i contact the other buyer and told him about a possible mix up, he has yet to recieve the package so i'm waiting for an update from him. Yesterday, this female buyer files a dispute on Paypal saying "item recieved not as described". On top of that, she insist that its Fake. I can assure you I don't sell fake watches so i'm finding this a little suspicious - wrong watch and now not genuine TAG. Of course, Paypal deducts the amount from my paypal account and now i'm thinking about my own protection. As of currently, she wants to return the watch and ask for a refund, I'm happy to give the refund if she wants but i'm worried that she's going to mail me a tv remote control instead of a watch - and try to scam me (one guy did, ask for refund and then sends me back the strap of the watch only!) Question is, what can i do to protect myself from letting such above example from happening? I really don't want to be down a watch and the money. Any advice and suggestions appreciated. Thanks in advance. /quote Pay Pal. The biggest bank robber since Willie Sutton. Your story reminds me of my trouble with watchlover david in 2001 and 2002... I bought a couple watches and paid by pay pal...everything went OK, watches showed up in a week or two. Bought some more stuff for friends, gifts etc and paid part of it by pay pal from a pp account and part by pp from a credit card. WLD went silent and sent nothing. A dispute was filed with pay pal in 27 days. WLD's pay pal account was closed because of the complaint. WLD cried like a stuck pig but would not send the items I ordered and paid for. Pay pal returned $12 a few weeks later after their "investigation" ($12 out of a few $k!) claiming they had done their job and considered the case closed as they recovered all that was in the WLD account. WLD sent a few watches trying to get me to drop the complaint...then he seized up again. In the meantime, I filed a claim with the credit card company. They returned the full amount charged on the cc. (the cc person had quite a few words of warning about pay pal even back then) Pay pal went ballistic! They threatened with all kinds of actions. They did nothing. WLD was still crying long and loud about his closed pp account...but no more watches. Finally, I threatened to sic the Internet Fraud Division on WLD. (I obtained his name, address etc through a friend of a friend) WLD accused me of being an "International Internet Thief" etc, etc but he finally coughed up the correct number of watches...although some were worthless DOA junk. That was my last WLD deal...and last pay pal deal. It looks like WLD showed up on TRC a year or so back and skinned a few more "clients" then dropped under the radar. I posted my WLD story on TRC in 2002 but took it down because as far as I was concerned, WLD was gone and forgotten. My pay pal fiasco will not be forgotten...until they are gone for good too. Good luck!

quote = When you screw in the crown, the movement winds or atleast he feels some sort of a winding. PLUS, the crown and the tube needs to be aligned in order for the crown to get screwd in. Do you think there is a potentially serious problem going on here or its a minor issue - /quote Two things can cause the watch to wind while screwing the crown in: 1...The stem is too short and the crown does not move enough to disengage the crown clutch before screwing the crown down. 2...The crown is defective or badly designed. The main problem with a watch winding while screwing the crown down is that the stem will be turning inside the watch with the spring tension from the crown pushing on it, causing wear to the stem and main plate. (stems are cheap and easy to change, main plates are not) When you look at a stem, you will see the point on the end...this is the "pilot" and it guides the stem into position inside the watch and gives support for the stem, keeping it lined up inside the movement. Just back from the pilot is the larger square section that rests against the main plate when the stem bottoms out from crown spring pressure. This flat section is not meant to turn against the main plate when screwing the crown down...the plate and stem are not designed for this. The tension caused by the spring in the screw down crown will eventually wear the main plate where the square section contacts the plate. What to do? 1...Lubricate the stem with watch grease and forget about it. 2...Replace the stem and/or crown. 3...Do not manually wind or set the watch very much. 4...Do what I do...option 1. Why are manual wind watches with non screw down crowns not bothered by this? Because there is no crown spring pressure on the stem. If a manual wind watch with a defective screw down crown is wound daily for many years, it might be a problem. Automatics are not nearly as bad. (see option 1 above) Case tube and crown thread problems are another matter. 1...With the crown unscrewed and the threads exposed...clean the threads with an old toothbrush. 2...Lubricate the threads with silicon grease. 3...Be careful starting the threads. Screwing the crown backwards until the crown drops down on the lead thread will sometimes help. 4..Do not over tighten the crown. If the crown wobbles and does not want to start straight... 1...The crown post may be bent. 2...The crown post may be a sloppy fit in the telescoping clutch. 3...The stem may be bent. 4...The parts may just be crappy to start with. (the most common cause) You might be able to straighten the crown post/telescope assembly but probably not. A new crown is the best fix. Stems are easier to straighten but they may break in the threaded area or at the "waist" where the set lever rides. A new stem is the best fix. 5...Do what I do. Keep the threads clean and lubricated and live with it...hope for the best. Do not fix it until it breaks. If the watch is a replica rolex, you can usually fix it with genuine parts. If it is another brand...IWC, AP etc, you are usually out of luck.

quote = So if you get the mbw 1016 no need to perform all this mods...Dont you think?

quote = What you heard is correct. My 1st DW was a nightmare & the 2nd was a relative breeze (you should be able to search the numerous threads I posted that detail the construction details & problems with these watches). I do not think the factory that makes the cases has very good quality control. These kits are NOT for the faint of heart. /quote Imho, for 900 bucks the case shoud be absolutely perfect. (and should include a bracelet, dial, hands etc) There might be $25 or $50 difference in the production cost for one of these cases vs a regular ST19/Venus 175 clone case. Once tooling is set up, they can crank them out like Twinkies. I got one of the PN Daytonas with a Russian Poljot/Valjoux 7733 clone about 5 years back and it is a little bit smaller than the current replicas with a ST/Venus 175 clone etc...it is the same size as a genuine Daytona. Next time I look at it, I will check the pusher spacing. I have seen them go for $1000 or more. Unbelievable. I have a Seagull ST19/Venus 175 chronograph and it has held up just fine so I guess they are more or less OK. Anyone sees a Daytona on a bum like me is going to think it's fake anyway...

quote = Does the tropic crystal fit without mods? I think the case you are using is only suitable for shappire crystals.. Very nice watch yours! /quote Rolex 16200 etc DJ sapphire cases have the exact same case neck diameter as the 1016. The crystal used on this project was a GS PA 464 64C and it is the exact same size as a genuine rolex 25-22 for a 1016 explorer. The difference is the bezel...the 1016 crystal is thicker on top and has a thicker sidewall than a 1600/16000/1018 etc crystal. The 1016 used a round section caseback gasket like the 16200 and the 1600 DJ and 1018 had a flat section caseback gasket. Back when the 1016 was offered for sale, they were WR to 330 feet while the DJ, 1018 etc was 165 feet, thanks to the thicker crystal and O ring caseback gasket. All used standard 6.0mm crowns. A smooth bezel from a DJ is often used with a 25-21 crystal made for the rolex 1018 on these projects. Stilty went the extra mile and used a 1016 spec crystal and bezel. Because of the thicker sidewall on 1016 crystals, you have to use a 1016 bezel or another bezel machined to fit the GS 464 64C or 25-22 crystal. (the 1018 is basically a 1601 DJ without the date) A bezel for a 16200 DJ is 30.4mm ID and the 1016 is 31.0mm. J3 What is a 1018? Watch Cat has some very good pictures of a 1018: http://www.watchcat.com/NewListings/rlx4212ss.htm

quote = Was chatting to my local parts supplier today re a retrofit on a quartz movement, which was no longer available. The subject of non aligning dial feet was raised, and I suggested I would just use dial dots to overcome this. This old timer said, " Don't mess with dial dots, or any rigid adhesives, the 1st time you drop the watch, the movement will seperate! Try a couple of small dots of silicon ( silastic) They will absorb any shocks, and last infinetly longer" Was wondering if anyone else has tried/ used this? I well understand that resoldering dial feet is the "best" method, however a lot of these quartz watches will not stand ( price wise) the time put in to do the job as it should be done. So anyone tried silicon for attaching dials? Comments? /quote I have used dial dots with good to bad results. Good... Quick and dirty fix for sticking dials to movements in cheap quartz kid and fashion watches. Can be used for spacers under dials etc. Bad... I had some black dial dots turn to goo and stop quartz movements because it crawled over to the pivots. Clear dial dots seem to be OK...they have not done this...yet. If the watch has a screw down crown...the tension of the spring loaded crown may shove the movement under the dial to the 9 o'clock side and bind the hour wheel and stop the watch. The same thing can happen when you pull the crown out to setting position. This all depends on how tight the spacer holds the dial/movement to the front of the case and how much slack there is between the spacer and movment and spacer and case sidewall. ZZ is right about clamping it all together with case clamps. On watches with close fitting dial/movement/case tolerances...this works fine as long as the case clamps maintain enough tension. One downside to no dial feet...I have seen quite a few watches with broken case clamps. Since the original clamps are probably not too hot to begin with, I make thicker case clamps out of automotive feeler guage stock and fix the problem once and for all. This works fine as long as the clamp is not too thick causing the clamp or screw to rub the winding rotor on 2824 etc. "Wound too tight." Yep, I have heard this a lot. I know a wach trader who puts his "wound too tight" watches upside down on the dashboard of his car in the hot sun to heat them up and soften the gummed up oil... I bought a rolex DJ a couple weeks ago with the infamous 3035 that was described as "wound too tight". It had a broken balance staff. I am going to fix it and grudge wear it to see just how tough it is. I bet it will not last 6 months. "A rolex can take anything your arm can take." Yeah, as long as you live inside a giant marshmallow.

quote: Wow! jimmythree, I haven't seen you since the old RWG1! That's a great rundown on the 3035 movement. And to think I was thinking of maybe buying a gen 16800- maybe I'd be better off getting an early 16610. /quote Yep, rather have the 3135. I was also on the old EZ Board RWCC and TRC member #43 as "Rick" until I reregistered as J3 after a server meltdown. I'm older that I look.

quote Any of you "franken masters" know if this would even come close to working? I know the main issue is gunna be the stem position in the case... I found a good deal on a 3035 that runs well and i was considering tossing it into my MBW case with a gen dial. From what ive found.. the 3035 and 3135 are the same size? ideas? /quote] The 3035 is about .3mm or .4mm thicker than the 3135 from the stem centerline to the dial. For instance...a 3035 will not work in a case made for a 3135 because the stem will not center in the case tube...it binds in the tube. BTW...the 3035 is not considered to be too hot outside rolexfreak circles. They have autowind assembly problems...broken rotor jewels etc, especially the top one. The hairspring gets tangled on the balance co*ck when slammed. (probably one reason the 3135 went to a balance bridge) The date sometimes hangs half way in the window or flips a day and a half. The hairspring is laser welded to the collet and many have come loose...no fix except a new balance complete. Some claim to have superglued them back in place but I have my doubts. etc, etc... Maybe this is why they dropped the 3035 after about 10 years and still have the 3135 over 20 years later. For the $$ and lack of hassle, I would stick with an Eta 2824, 2892 etc. Because... A replica is always a replica. You can put a tuxedo on a pig. It might look better. ...but you still have a pig.

"Great tip, if I ever pick up a lathe, I'll try this, thanks." ZZ You can sometimes get by with a small precision pin vice as long as the jaws are nearly closed when tightened down on the hand tube. If the jaws are too far apart they might collapse the tube. J3

'The Zigmeisterzumba'... "Sub dial hands too big. For the subdial hands, I use a minute drop of epoxy in the hand tube, and install the hands and let the glue harden. I tested and re-tested to see if it would be an issue for follow on servicing etc, and it isn't. The glue fills the 0.03mm gap and allows the hand to fit nice and snug and you can remove and re-install it no problem. I am sure if you were sloppy and got glue everywhere, it could be a problem, but I am very careful and have been gluing the center seconds hands for a long time...I don't do anything that would cause problems for the owner down the road." ZZ If you have a "WW" 8mm etc watch lathe and a set of collets... 1...Pick a collet that the hand tube will fit into (fairly snug) and place the collet in the lathe. 2...Place the hand tube inside the collet jaws a little over half way or about as far as it goes on the pivot. (I hold the hand with Rodico instead of tweezers so I don't flip it) 3...Gently tighten the draw screw a little bit to close the hand tube hole a very small amount. 4...Try it on the movement to see if it is tight enough and if not, squeeze it again. This will close the hand tube so no cement is needed. If you get the tube too small you can broach it out a little. This works fine on sweep second and chronograph center second timer hands too. J3