JSebWC

Rolex 5500 Explorer. A few weeks back , while buying parts for some other builds I was working on, I decided to add a 5500 dial to my order as I have yet to add one to my collection of explorers. Parts arrive and I went to work. Dial In the Gen world, this is one of the ultra rare double t<25 stamped underline dial with gilt text and gloss finish. I first aged the lume some as it just looks too perfect out of the box. After all this watch was available in the late 50s to mid 60s . Hands: originally threw some generic merc hand set on there but wasn't feeling the hour hand. I had used the second hand for another project so for this build I used a dj style seconds hand and i liked the look ...but quickly tired of them and replaced them with a set from raffles time. I had a domed crystal on the case set but it took away from the appearance of the watch. made it feel much smaller and just wasnt feelin it on this build for some reason so I swapped it for a 25-12 clarks crystal . The clarks crystal gives the watch a bigger appearance and allows clearer view and really showcases the dial compared to the domed crystal. I have a preference for the domed crystal but the 25-12 just works for this build more so in my eyes. (with domed crystal and generic hands ) [url=https://clickpix.org/image/ZgqvAJ][img]https://clickpix.org/images/ZgqvAJ.jpg[/img][/url] I settled on hands from Raffles , which I aged appropriately to achieve the vintage look and match the lume of the dial . Truthfully the lume is darker than what I was after but the pumpkin orange tone of the lume compliments the gold hands and text and it gives the watch a warm vintage feel. I went with the display case back as it is more rolex like and resolved the display window with a service sticker mounted on the inside of the caseback. This prevents the decal from getting damaged and pealing with use. I pushed it with the aging process of the case set. I tried out a few new techniques to achieve the aged appearance and I am quite happy with the results. I feel that it gives the watch a realistic well used look without looking deliberate. [url=https://clickpix.org/image/ZgqXY3][img]https://clickpix.org/images/ZgqXY3.jpg[/img][/url] [url=https://clickpix.org/image/Zgqdks][img]https://clickpix.org/images/Zgqdks.jpg[/img][/url] Eta 2824 clone movement. I've had good luck with the clones for half the price of Gen and they beat slightly slower than Gen ETAs. Bracelet is a Raffles 19mm rivet , which I aged similar to the case and complete the build . The result.: a great vintage piece with wrist presence that offers details that the other ref in the explorer line doesn't. [url=https://clickpix.org/image/Zgqcrj][img]https://clickpix.org/images/Zgqcrj.jpg[/img][/url] [url=https://clickpix.org/image/Zgqg74][img]https://clickpix.org/images/Zgqg74.jpg[/img][/url] [url=https://clickpix.org/image/ZgqVL1][img]https://clickpix.org/images/ZgqVL1.jpg[/img][/url] [url=https://clickpix.org/image/ZgqxGv][img]https://clickpix.org/images/ZgqxGv.jpg[/img][/url] [url=https://clickpix.org/image/ZgIZ3I][img]https://clickpix.org/images/ZgIZ3I.jpg[/img][/url] [url=https://clickpix.org/image/ZgIjYc][img]https://clickpix.org/images/ZgIjYc.jpg[/img][/url] [url=https://clickpix.org/image/ZgIzwX][img]https://clickpix.org/images/ZgIzwX.jpg[/img][/url] [url=https://clickpix.org/image/ZgI3ci][img]https://clickpix.org/images/ZgI3ci.jpg[/img][/url] [url=https://clickpix.org/image/ZgIKib][img]https://clickpix.org/images/ZgIKib.jpg[/img][/url] [url=https://clickpix.org/image/ZgIhCp][img]https://clickpix.org/images/ZgIhCp.jpg[/img][/url] As always comments and criticism welcome. I may be tempted to build more of these or sell this one on if anyone is interested. but in the meantime I am enjoying it. Thanks for looking.

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https://www.ebay.com/itm/Silver-Stainless-Steel-Watch-Band-Strap-Bracelets-Straight-End-12-24MM/402341470907?hash=item5dad6ba2bb:g:29UAAOSwQ-BdMIhw

Hello nice work on the build. I am looking for a set of straight end links in 19mm like yours... any help would be appreciated

I have one that I built a few years back. Raffles case set raffles dial raffles hands dg2813 movement WSO Bezel and crystal with gasket raffles bracelet includes rep box gen booklet gen calendar card I am considering selling if you're interested. Dm me if you are interested

It looks great. Congrats on a fine build. Age the hands and lume on the hands and it’s perfection. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

@bartcordell. Fantastic work my friend. That dial looks amazing. I need to add a 5500 to my collection I think. [emoji6] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Some of you may recall my first attempt with customizing a Raffles dial This was the first one.. Before and after. [/url] [url=https://clickpix.org/image/ZhSXQE] Then I came across this gen on ebay....and I was in Awe with the dial.. I had to replicate something similar the water damaged / tropical look is spectacular So I ordered another Raffles dial and went to work.. results : Its not exact but it does have the same feel to it...I really like how it turned out. The hands could be aged a bit more to match the dial but other than that I think its pretty cool. JMB Ver 2 Case Raffles dial Raffles hands Eta Clone 2824 Clarks T21 domed crystal Keep an eye on the M2M forum as I think I might be clearing this and a few others out of my collection to fund some future builds.. Comments and questions always welcomed. Thanks for looking.

Well done brother. It looks the part and is now an inspiration for my future build when Athaya complete their case sets. Fantastic work. Wear it well. [emoji1376][emoji1376] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

bumping this up to see if this ever got finished...

I also would be interested in a complete case set. look fwd to seeing progress...

This post is way old news but I figured I would update it as I had recently completed a commando build. Recipe : Raffles 34mm tudor case with tudor solid caseback and rolex crown solid caseback sanded down to remove tudor engraving and given a light aged polish modified bezel to accept Yuki Domed crystal AF-294 ( ID of bezel needed enlarging) yuki dial - aged with translucent airbrush paint hands from Ofrie part number HAN- 6595 (eta hands) eta datejust hand eta 2824 clone raffles 19mm rivet bracelet - ( proper rivet bracelet on the way ) 2 very minor differences in my build to gen. the opening in the corrnet could be slightly larger the hour hand is 1mm too long. for under $500 in 2020 you cant go wrong its a sweet lil piece and has been getting alot of wrist time. Voila

Yup it was the cheapest rolex offered at that time..... I think when they say radiant they are meaning that the markes radiate or glow in the dark but yes you are correct it was tritium at the time

this thread is 3+ years old . He is done with the build and has probably sold it off....lol

Ill play. Over the last few years I have recently gotten into firearms..and talk about appropriate timing considering the current situation of society. No pics of my rifles but here is one 1016 with some 7.62 x 39 surplus ammo for my sks and a pic of my sks with tapco kit .

This is an interesting topic and one that has been clearly overlooked by the watch community It would be interesting to know what watchmakers do with all this radium lume dust and how they treat it . I would like to think that when they do a relume they are wearing ppe and doing it over a vent hood however that just means that the particles are trapped in the filters or ducting . a little can go a long way in this case I think this topic has been swept under the rug so that not to scare off the potential buyers of vintage watches...if it was considered and investigated I think more people would reconsider vintage watch collecting which would be bad for business.....

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Nicely done. I think the commando is perfect in a 36mm size Being an explorer aficionado I had to have a commando in my collection. I had one member on RWI working on a commando decal dial for me but I think they stalled out on the project or busy with other projects. Cruising Yuki's site one day I found that they also offer a commando dial . my impulsive nature took over and I ordered one. it doesn't come with hands like many of the other dials they offer but I bought hands from Ofrie that are the closest available My formula. : 34mm case set with tudor solid back and rolex 5.3mm crown from Raffles. - sanded down the tudor engravings on the caseback and gave it a light polish. yuki domed plexi ( ID of bezel needed to be enlarged to fit the domed plexi . a few mins work with a dremel Yuki dial Ofrei hands set seconds hand - datejust handset - ebay / aliexpress - dont recall clone eta 2824 movement . raffles 19mm rivet bracelet I bought the white lume dial and then aged it and the hands with airbrush paint so that the hands and dial lume would match. assembly and voila : On a 7.5" wrist My sweet spot for watches is 36-38 and I was really apprehensive of trying 34mm watches as I thought it would look like I was wearing a ladies watch...however if you wear it a bit loose it looks fine and feels great!! light on the wrist and very comfortable , especially in the summer heat. This piece has been getting alot of wrist time lately and when I do put on my 1016 it almost feels unnecessarily big..... I know , crazy. right? The one thing about the raffles cases is that they are said to be fully functional with an eta 2824 and they are 11.5 | linge however with the solid caseback it is too tight to allow the rotor to spin. Its fine on this build as it is a handwind reference anyway but I wonder if anyone else out there had been able to get their rotor to spin with this case set. @pompompurin had suggested to dremel the inside surface of the caseback and sand down the height of the rotor, to which I will be attempting on a ranger build this coming week but I am not using a dial spacer at all and the dial is attached with dial dots. comparing my build to a gen commando there are a few tells. cornet on yuki dial is slightly off....the base of the crown is not as squared off as the gen , nor is the opening the proper size. biggest tell . the ofrei hands appear to be slightly narrower and the hour hand is a bit too long compared to gen All things considered to be able to own such a rare and now quite expensive watch for $300 is a bargain as far as i'm concerned (gen for comparison) . I came across this seller and dial on ebay a few weeks back he had one listed and he also had a commando for auction (6429 with this dial and dj hands) It is the closest I have seen of the two options presently available online once the dial sold I contacted him to see if he had any more but he said no. however it is still on the site? I I think I would upgrade to his dial to have my build one step closer in accuracy

Any new 14270 builds ??