cheld

Oops, yeah I didn't blow up the first pic of the blue enough.  Def MK3.

Are you sure the first 2 are MK3s?  I've always understood the MK3 to have a "bend" at the bottom left of the 4:

On 2/9/2019 at 7:18 AM, Champagnesky said:

And the 5513 dials are still affordable. Well almost 😂

Service dials, easy.

Sub-on-top, sorta.

Feet first?  Forget about it!

Gilt?  Sell your car.

Did we ever find out who supplied that nasty chipped dial? 

16 minutes ago, dbane883 said:

 

 

Keep in mind that the 3-6-9 dials had the brass plate “carved” out I believe, to hold the luminous rather than just being applied to the plate on top of the lacquer. If you want it done right, that’s the way to go.

 

 

Was that the case with 3/6/9 5513s as well?

5 hours ago, Nanuq said:

@cheld  what do you have there?  Let's see the face of that beauty.  Look at those canoe shaped lugs, you know you might be right in the ballpark for something even more rare than a Big Crown....

 

The Small Crown Sub.  Very few have been attempted, and none with any real success besides Freddy333 and his tropical version.

 

:jumpy:

 

It's a 6564, so too small a case to do a Sub.

21 hours ago, Nanuq said:

This is a worthy endeavour but be prepared to pay 2 or 3 times what you anticipated.  I built a couple based on Silix etc oversized cases and they were just .... wrong.

 

The 6536 Small Crown is tiny on the wrist and thinner than you can imagine.  The 6538 uses roughly the same dimensions but it's thicker.  It's very hard to get the right relative size to the pieces.  Look at mine and Bart's ... the bezel has to extend over the edge of the case just the slightest amount on the 9:00 side and the 3:00 side is tougher.  The big crown has to clear the bezel by just a smidgen and it has to seat next to the case.  I wound up experimenting with countersinking my gen 702 tube into the case to get just the right clearances.  The bezel can't be too thick top to bottom and it needs the slightest gap underside between the case and bezel ... they're not supposed to rub.  The lugs begin the curve of the top surface at the flat ring beneath the bezel, and are already curving down and away as they appear beneath the coin edge.  Most cases extend the flat surface out too far before they begin the curve.  The sides are not vertical, so you have to make sure the tube hole is drilled parallel to the deck, not perpendicular to the side.  Then there's the much coveted "canoe" shape to the lugs as their tips extend downward.  Phong and MQ do this, but you have to be relentless with MQ so he knows that you know he's willing to send you crap, and push him into sending the good stuff.  He'll complain ... who cares?  Be politely pushy and do not take no for an answer.  As for the crystal, a gen T-17 will cost more than a cheap car, and it's really the only correct part.  Watch out for aftermarket pieces sold in "genuine wax envelopes", those are easy to fake too.

  

When you're done you'll have an icon and you'll be astounded how small it is.  You'll forget you're wearing it, which is exactly how these are supposed to be.  Remember they are tools, nothing more.  A commercial diver straps on his watch (or they used to!) as part of his rig... it's just a tool.  The only care you give it when you're at work is once in awhile you remember not to smash it as you're moving something heavy.  I have over 1,000 hours as a commercial diver and watches are only in the way, the divemaster is in charge anyway.  But it's a good backup.  So 6538 or 5510 or 1665, it's a tool to be cared for by keeping it clean, tested and regulated.  It will show signs of much use, and much care, and keep great time.  My 1665 has new seals and the band is stretched beyond belief.  That's about perfect.

 

Good luck on this adventure!  Make sure you get a GOOD dial and case, and the rest you can improve over time as funds allow.  It's gonna be expensive.

 

I fooled Santa into thinking I've been a good boy and he came through with this...

So now it's time to go on the gen-spec treasure hunt.  Are there Vietnam 6536 cases?  I like a thin watch but I'm also a Bond fan - how about a 6538 dial with a 6536 case and crown with 1030-spec hands and a T-17*?  I already have the undersized strap LOL.

* If not gen, who makes the most accurate aftermarket dome?

1. The SPECTRE bezel insert has hour markers 0-11 instead of minute markers.  Also the bezel is bi-directional and does not click when turned.

2. The SPECTRE dial is missing the number 12; the OMEGA Seamaster writing and logo are larger.

3. The SPECTRE second hand is a lollipop rather than a spear.

4. The SPECTRE bracelet clasp bears the 007 gun logo.

5. The SPECTRE comes with a black & grey NATO strap which also bears the 007 gun logo on one of its keepers.  The black & grey strap Omega sells separately lacks the 007 logo.

Shut up and take my money!

i will gladly take a pair.

It's rather humorous how the linked article describes the 5513 as "virtually indistinguishable" from the 16610.  Well yeah, except for the date window, 2 vs. 4 lines of text, depth rating, steel vs. gold hands....

Can you do an "Open 6 & 9" for gen 3135?

On 10/3/2018 at 9:51 PM, automatico said:

 

One problem (imho) could be they might not want to get it right in one whack.  If they get a little bit better every year, think how many more dials they can sell.   

Say hello to the "remastered" CD industry.  The David Bowie reissue campaign currently underway represents the fourth time his catalogue has come out on CD (RCA, Ryko, Virgin, Parlophone).

On 5/10/2016 at 11:48 PM, JSebWC said:

Is anyone interested in selling their GMT Master 6542?

The date wheel on the 16800/3035 rotates counter-clockwise.  The wheel on the 16610/3135 rotates clockwise.  So you'd need a movement that rotates the opposite way from how it's setup now.

Phong's eBay listings now say:

This seller is currently away until Oct 12, 2018. If you make a purchase, there may be a delay in processing your order.

JSeb you bring up an interesting point - I wonder if Jensen will plea bargain and flip to take down the Franken dealers on criminal charges.  Perhaps the authorities are poring over Jensen's invoices to see where he sold "Highest quality professionally refinished" DRSD dials to Joe's Jewelry & Pawn....

What do the references to "floods" and "mesh/meshes" mean?

Just on the tach:

• Look at where the triangles are pointing to the middle digits of 400/300/240/200.
• The text on the YG is too thin.
• The spacing of numbers like 80 and 90 is too wide.
• The "UNITS PER HOUR" font is too tall/skinny.

TC 5-digit with gen bezel assembly, dial, crown.  Yes the DWO needs a fix.  Not sure what version TC - can someone ID this?

Here's a TC head... I didn't include a straight-on shot since it has gen dial and bezel assembly.  Also the bracelet is not TC.

Yes, Bart's pictures with the red lines illustrate the difference between a fat font insert and a later medium- or thin-font insert.

19 hours ago, Sogeha said:

This any good?

http://rubyswatch.com/products/k11-2-|-submariner-|-5513-|-1680-|-bezel-insret-1619

On a 70s era fat font the diagonal line on the left side of the 4 makes a "turn" at the bottom.  On the insert you linked to the diagonal line continues to the bottom, so it's not period-correct.

The Yuki one doesn't look too good either.  The numbers look too small and the bottom of the 5 is too squat (i.e. it looks like the opposite of a "long 5").

ARF clasp has a more accurate coronet and scrolls, but the font alignment is terrible (W in SWISS, OL in ROLEX).

There's also a Flat-S ("ZUBMARINER") tritium (T<25) variation with round Os on lOOOft = 3OOm (italicized ft, m, and =, no serif on l).

On 4/10/2018 at 10:57 PM, calvin951121 said:

 

In production! Please wait!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

Are you also making an Open 6 & 9 date wheel for gen 3135?