PAMman

The stem for a ETA 7753 is the same as an ETA 7750 and is available in both 0.9mm and 1.2mm. Confusingly these are often referred to as TAP 9 and TAP 12, but this is not correct. The respective, correct TAP size is TAP 10 & TAP 7 (Google: esslinger watch stem tap chart) As the stem you need is available in two sizes only, the smaller 0.9mm may be described as 0.9mm, or, correctly as TAP 10, or incorrectly as TAP 9. So any description with a 9 or 10 is the smaller dia and 1.2, 7 or 12 is the larger, more common size. Regardless of how they are described it should be easy to identify whether it’s the larger or smaller stem dia. It’s much more difficult to buy a generic crown by TAP size. Hope this helps.

Now sourced two genuine crowns for the hand wind 6497 models. That leaves one of these builds 100% genuine, apart from a Swiss ETA 6497-2 movement rep caseback & hands. Even all screws and movement clamps are genuine Panerai. At this point I’m tempted to use a sterile display back, which will mean no rep/fake parts at all, as I can also get gen hands.

Swiss ETA parts The 3.15mm cannon pinion # 00240.6497.03 - 134017 The 2.15mm matching hour wheel ~ 00250.6497.03 - 134014 Do make sure that you get the parts ending .03. The same part ending 02 is not tall enough to allow for the thickness of the dial in these watches. While you may only need the cannon pinion (it's the one that appears in the centre of the min hand) getting the corresponding hour wheel will ensure that you have the 1mm for the min hand to mount. These should be readily available from any material house, e.g. Cousins UK, Borel, Ofrei etc. Do not be fooled into paying the ridiculous prices on eBay. These are not expensive parts.

Buy the Swiss ETA cannon pinion and swap them over.

I haven’t been active on any of the rep forums for a few years but still enjoying the few modded watches that I’ve held onto. However, I’ve still got a couple of projects that, for various reasons, were never assembled. Both of these are classic 44mm 6497 based models. I have two genuine base dials, a 002/004 and a 0010 and a genuine D series case, with crystal & CG, but no crown. Also a complete Jimmy Fu case set, with CG, but these did not have a crown. So I need two crowns which are as close to OEM spec as possible. The intention is to assemble the white dial into the genuine case, using a Swiss ETA 6497 - I have two NOS movements with CdG striping. The aim is to have the Jimmy Ju case set PVD’d to create a B series 004. So I’m really looking for advice on the best source for the crowns I need and the best place to have the PVD done to OEM spec. If anyone can help I’d appreciate it. Many thanks.

I haven’t been active on any of the rep forums for a few years but still enjoying the few modded watches that I’ve held onto. However, I’ve still got a couple of projects that, for various reasons, were never assembled. Both of these are classic 44mm 6497 based models. I have two genuine base dials, a 002/004 and a 0010 and a genuine D series case, with crystal & CG, but no crown. Also a complete Jimmy Fu case set, with CG, but these did not have a crown. So I need two crowns which are as close to OEM spec as possible. The intention is to assemble the white dial into the genuine case, using a Swiss ETA 6497 - I have two NOS movements with CdG striping. The aim is to have the Jimmy Ju case set PVD’d to create a B series 004. So I’m really looking for advice on the best source for the crowns I need and the best place to have the PVD done to OEM spec. If anyone can help I’d appreciate it. Many thanks.

I have two, used genuine cases and a couple of dials. One case is close to mint (one scratch) and the other is older and well used. Drop me a PM if you would be interested.

The gen 'E' 111 dial is the same through the B to F series so why not go ahead with a closed caseback build as per the B, C or D? There was an excellent B series rep caseback made a few years ago.

Just a heads up. This appears to be a 100% genuine Limited Edition Monaco for little more than the price of a lightly modded rep. It may need a polish but I don't see anything too bad. The value of the additional, genuine fresh strap and deployant buckle make it look like a bargain. Just an honest 'heads up' - I have no links with the seller. If I was in the US I would be going for it myself. http://forums.watchuseek.com/f29/fs-heuer-monaco-cs2110-chronograph-re-edition-well-worn-extras-3234570.html

Very very nice. Now I need one for my 201A. Where can I source one please? The original also had a fold over liner to protect the watch from the sides of the box.

Jimmy Fu used his own 'C' (or possibly 'D') series watch for his project, so his cases were 1:1 copies of that series. However, since 1997 Panerai had become part of the Vendome Group (now Richemont, S.A.) and, for the pre-A had used the remaining OP stock of 400 cases, together with 600 of their own production, so the pre-A utilised cases from both companies’ manufacture. While there were two, separate series of the 1000 pre-A watches, during 1997, the OP 6500 (500+) and the OP 6502, I haven’t noted any record of visible case differences during that period. Given that there were only 400 Luminor cases inherited from the preVendome OP and 600 ‘new’ cases, it follows that, at least some of the 500+ first series (OP 6500) must have been the newer production. Then, particularly as it was anticipated that Panerai would only ever be a low volume, niche brand, it is highly unlikely that, having tooled up for production of the first 600 Vendome cases, that the design would have altered for the next few years' low volume runs. Therefore, unless there is any evidence to the contrary I would conclude that they are identical.

Would a 5218-201A FDG dial be of interest? I have one, still in my watch but waiting to be swapped by one of Rolli's.

They were the best; so good that I know that a significant number were used to recase worn preA, A & B series watches, which were then sold as 'minty' collectors pieces. I was able to get one of the older genuine cases that resulted from this process. I also had a number of Jimmy Fu case-sets and used one of these, together with a genuine preA1 dial, gen tritium hands and a CdG Swiss 6497-1 to build my all time favourite 'rep'. I still have one unused JF case-set, gen crown and a genuine 002 'L' dial, plus a genuine white base dial. Jimmy Fu was/is a well respected Panerai collector, who decided to produce his own 'homage' watch with a sterile dial and plain display back. He had 200 sets manufactured and was intending to get them assembled, using Swiss CdG striped movements, when the potential of legal action from Richemont knocked it on the head. I bought a number of sets from him (I think I have 9 or 10 of his dials still lying in a drawer) but still have only one built watch (the preA1) and one unused set left. The rest ended up within the forum, either as unused sets or in various reps that I built and subsequently sold or traded to other forum members. There's bound to be a few still out there; I can't be the only person that hasn't got round to doing anything with theirs yet??

I think that you should try for a full Jimmy Fu case set, including CG, with a gen crown.

What 'franken' work are you intending to carry out?

I seem to remember reading that one of the reps will accept a genuine crystal - does anyone know if that's correct and which model is it?

Can you narrow it down a bit and indicate what you mean by 'vintage'? First of all, is it a Moonwatch, as opposed to any of the other variants MKii, MKiii, MKiv etc? Assuming it's a Moonwatch... 1950s / 60s / 70s etc. ? 2915, 2998, 105.012, 145.012, 145.022, 3750.50 etc? Pre Professional / Pre-Moon / Moon? Movement 321 / 861 / 1861? Whichever period you are aiming for you need to ensure that everything is correct. Given that virtually all the bits are interchangeable the biggest single issue is to make sure that you don't end up buying a franken. There's a wealth of new, service replacement parts available (crowns, pushers, dials, hands, bezels, casebacks etc) and many older watches will have had many parts replaced as service items. This will have a major impact on the value of the older pieces and you should be vary of anything that looks suspiciously fresh. At the very least make sure that the dial and bezel are correct for the model & year. If not walk away unless it is cheap and you're happy to leave it alone. Sourcing a 'stepped edge' or older dial, or, a 'dot-over-90' bezel will be difficult, frustrating and hugely expensive. Also remember that the Omega 321 / 861 movement is a derivative of the Lemania movement so check that you are actually getting an Omega. Bracelets are another minefield and can be significantly costly in themselves - check the cost of No.6 endlinks for example. Bottom line is that, even with a plethora of service replacement parts it is still a genuine Omega, but the price should reflect the reality and be realistic. An excellent reference is the recent Rossier & Marquie book 'Moonwatch Only', although it is costly it's a great read and contains all the guidance you will ever need. Over the years I have owned at least 30 older Moonwatches, from a 1962 2998-6 through to the late 70s. For a start I would suggest that you look for a early '70s, stepped dial 145.022. This is the last dial that truly feels vintage and is the easiest way into a 'vintage' Speedy. Many will still have the '69 pre-Moon caseback, which carried on at least until 1971. Good luck and if you post pics of any potential purchase send me a PM to alert me if you would like me to comment.

Depending on which data source you use the ETA sub dial hands are either 0.17 or 0.18 and the Asian hands, at 0.20mm, will be too loose to fit the ETA spindles. However, the Asian centre secs can normally be broached to suit the ETA, so only the sub dial hands are needed. There is an Ebay source for these which I am going to try for mine, which has an ETA 7750 already.

OK, I've just found one of the threads where these were originally discussed; It's a bit depressing to realise that this is actually a great rep and I never did anything with it. Just to confirm how good it is, the local Rolex AD ordered and supplied the new bezel insert after inspecting it.

7 years on............ I have started to tidy out my watch drawers and boxes with a view to getting some projects completed and selling others to fund the process. The idea is that I will keep some of the higher end frankens, together with my gens, and let the rest go. I have now found this one that I had totally forgotten about. It was bought 7 years ago and, as I recall, a few other members did also. It’s a Tudor 7016/0, (serial no 737718) with a small rose dial and what appears to be a genuine ETA 2483. When it arrived it had a poor bezel insert and I purchased a new, genuine one, but that didn’t look right in the ‘older’ watch. It has ended up lying in a drawer, without an insert and has been forgotten about for years. It’s still going strong and really should get some love. I have tried to do a search to see what others ended up doing to theirs but so far I have drawn a blank. Can anyone advise the best course of action to make this more convincing? I have never got involved with Rolex/Tudor reps and am at a bit of a loss of what to do. I’m thinking that it should be serviced and get the dial & hands ‘vintage’ lumed, add a suitable ‘aged’ bezel insert, possibly without any ‘pip’, gen crown & tube etc. Any advice, or pointers to a thread where others upgraded the same rep, would be much appreciated. Better still would be a suggestion of a modder who would be best to sort this out for me. While I’m not really into Rolex or Tudor I don’t want to end up putting this back in the drawer for another 7 or 8 years.

If you can only keep one then I would definitely keep the CS2110. After all the original Monaco was a chrono. If you decide to keep the WW2110 instead and let the CS go, please drop me a pm.

Excellent watch. Tell me more about the caseback. I have a pre-A1, with a genuine dial, but it has a B series caseback. Apparently a small number of B series watches actually did have pre-A dials, so it's not totally wrong, but I would like a one-off, totally accurate caseback to complete my pre-A.

The "First Watch in Space" Speedy? After all if it doesn't suit it's an excellent watch in its own right.

I have a few Panerai replicas / frankens that have been in my collection for close to 10 years. These were from the Eddie Lee period, when the reps were still using undecorated Swiss 6497 movements, exactly the same as the (decorated) movements used by Panerai prior to the 'E' series. While mine have been upgraded with genuine / FGD dials & hands, genuine crowns, Jimmy Fu crown guards etc. these upgrades are basically cosmetic and none will have altered the fundamental viability of the original watches. All are still going strong. I also have one of the original Breitling Steelfish reps and an IWC Ingenieur, both of which were originally fitted with Swiss ETA movements and have not been touched, other than to swap datewheels and these have been faultless too. In my experience the reps have been very durable but admittedly none of mine are recent.

A gen dial is easy to source and the Omega 861 / 1861 is really a Lemania 873 / 1873. These can be found fairly cheaply on Ebay, by buying an older Lemania / Tissot chrono, or can also be found in some unfashionable dressy watches.