newf

Hi, Guys, Is there a standard size for the repro Rolex crowns and stems for the 2824-2 and 2836-2 ETA movements? Here's a crude drawing of what I've measured from a crown for a daydate and the crown from a sub. Just been looking through some ads from Andrew and Joshua - seems like they're using the 2836-2 for most of the Rolex models - so I seems as if the only difference would be the case tube and crown - looks as if the same stem would work in all cases. Am I right in thinking this? Thanks, Newf

Hi, Guys, The crown doesn't fit - the diameter of the crown going through the tube is too large. Fortunately, last evening, a friend of mine showed up with a $30.00 Rolex replica with a crown with the correct diameter to fit the crown tube on the case - we cut the stem to fit - took a few tries as we didn't want it too short and all works fine. Forgot to mike the diameter of the crown and it's length - will reve it tonight and do so - will also measure the other crown and then hopefully order some for replacements. As far as the stems - I think I only need the watch movement number to order them - assuming that the 2836-2 ETA movement has has a standard replacemant stem. Thanks for all the help - and the learning experience is priceless. Newf

Hi, Freddy, Thanks for the fast reply. The movement is the ETA 2836-2 and the short stem that is shown is the one that was in the watch. The part in the circle was attached to the stem and sticking out through the tube - barely - I'm supposing this is the threaded part of the crown that fits over the stem. So what I need is a crown with that type of stem attachment. Again, thanks, Newf

Hi, Guys, Here's a pic showing the stem with the crown fitting just above the stem. I'm trying to find a replacement. A couple of dealers have said they've sent one but so far none have shown up. Bought this watch in October and haven't worn it yet. The stem and crown attachment are circled in red - you can see the larger crown above it - it's just too large a diameter to fit through the crown tube. Where can I buy a new replacement? Thanks, Newf

Hi, Spike, Beautiful job - bet the pics don't even come close to doing it justice. Newf

Hi, fitmic, Just had an email from Andrew - both sites are alive and well checked them myself - 8:30 PM EDT Newf

Hi, Folks, Does any one know the different crown sizes used on the models of the Rolex reps such as that used on the DateJust, DayDate and Yacht-Master? It seems as if the case tubes are different sizes also. Any info greatly appreciated. Newf

Hi, Guys, I spent most of this morning looking through the Yellow pages and located a local watchmaker who will work on repros - in fact, owns a couple himself. Gave him my DayDate to fix the keyless works and clean at the same time. Will let you know the results in a week or so - I'm still waiting for a proper crown for this watch - seems as if it was broken off where it attaches to the stem when I got it back from China where I had sent it for dealer repairs - never did find the crown among the packaging. This is a Rolex YG stick face with the proper VIII at the 8 o'clock position that I ordered in October - delivered with the second hand fallen off - returned it and then it came back with the broken crown. Beautiful watch but I haven't worn it as much as 5 minutes yet. Hopefully this gent will get me on the right road. I'm learning that in this hobby Patience is indeed a virtue - either that or spend a year in watch repair school yourself. Newf

Hi, Folks, Any watch repairmen in Canada besides The Zigmeister - I presume he is back logged by not accepting PMs until some time in April? Did a real stupid thing - used a pin to release the crown and stem - and of course the keyless works went for a dump - now need it repaired. Looked at the great keyless works tutorial and figure it is just beyond me at this time.

Thanks, The Zigmeister, The simpler the better and cheaper in the long run. Newf

Hi, Folks, A couple of questions from a newbie to watch repair. When removing the crown / stem from the Asian ETA 2836-2 and Asian 21J movements found in many Rolex reps, what is the proper position for the stem? Is it at the first position where you wind the watch and the hands are still moving? Do you pull it all the way out to stop the hands before removing the stem? Does it make any difference to the keyless works if the stem is removed in either position? Thanks, Newf

Excellent reply -another url saved for a later date. Tried it on the rep Rolex but there aren't any inserts to fit a knife - but I'm assuming that there must be some way to pop off the bezel without ruining it. Newf

Hi, Folks, I posted this here hoping to attaract a larger audience rather than in the Tutorial section. Has or could someone do a pictorial on the way a bezel such as on a Rolex Sub or Yachtman actually work? How is it kept on the case, what causes it to click as it is moved and what is the different workings between the uni-directional such as on the Sub and the bi-directional such as found on the Yachtsmaster? Could a bidirectional such as on a Yachtsmaster be converted to a uni-directional as is on the Sub. Thanks, Newf

Hi, Folks, Here's a noobie review of the Rolex Yacht-Master offered by Andrew at Trusty-Times. First impressions - for $78.00 you can't go wrong especially if you have another watch on order to combine with this one for the so called free shipping. Luckily I did. Now for all you photo people who are also into photography, these pics were all shot in ambient light at the breakfast table on an overcast day and no interior lighting or flash - my camera is a Canon PowerShot S-3 point and shoot with a few other selectable options. Here's the dial with the 2.5X cyclops - the dial color is a silver grey - which really complements the watch band color. Very pleasant to view. Next is the case back along with hologram and presumably correct number - have to check this out yet. I have an 8-1/4" wrist and the bracelet is out to its fullest extension and fits perfectly so it should fit the vast majority of people. The links don't exhibit any sharp edges and seem very flexible and the pins seem clean. I immediately took the watch apart to have a look at the innards - found a couple of pieces of lint about 1/16" round and a few pieces of heavy dust - probably the movement need to be cleaned and oiled - but don't forget this is only $78.00. The name was easily read inside the case back. Here are some shots of the movement - the last one showing the stem release and time regulator. And of course for last is the obligatory wrist shot. My only caveats so far is that when you pull out the stem to adjust the time - the dial face moves indicating the movement isn't fully secured in the case. I adjusted and tightened both movement hold down clamps but it still moves around - maybe they're the wrong size or just located improperly. The other is possibly nothing or at least something very easily fixed - the o-ring seems extremely thin. In fact it falls out when you open the case back - the other cheapie a friend gave has a rather substantial o-ring which needs to be almost pried out but fits snugly. Anybody have any suggestions as to which way the o-rings should fit. But other than that it's a bargain plus looks great to boot. Newf

Hi, deltatahoe, Thanks for the informative post - I had forgotten about the 21.6k bph vs the 28.8bph information - I'll have to say that with all I've read so far the only option for me is the 28.8bph. So far I've only settled on four well maybe five watches - I already have the Rolex DayDate with the Swiss ETA 2836-2 movement - a gold anodized version, Also - somewhere in the house hidden away for Christmas - is a Rolex SS black face Daytona with the new Asian 28.8bph 7750 Now I'm presuming the gold anodized Swiss ETA 2836-2 is a gen ETA or an exact Asian copy - please correct me here. The Daytona with the 7750 is a total crap shoot but I've always wanted one and just bit the bullet. My next three watches will be a Submariner with a gold anodized Swiss ETA 2836-2, a Yacht-Master with a gold anodized Swiss ETA 2836-2 and and IWC with an Asian Valjoux 7750 Automatic presumably a Chinese nickle plated movement. All movements with the 28.8bph. Here again all comments either for or against will be taken in the good spirit they're meant. Can't beat these forums for info or educated opinions. And yes the purchases will be a slow process - I just love researching and then tracking down the deal. I've bought four watches so far - 2 from Angus (PureTime) - had to return the Rolex DayDate but he is fixing that problem and two from Andrew (TrustyTimes) - both of the dealers rate a 10 in my book - very responsible toward a newbie possibly making an early purchase mistake - both of them told me to stay away from Daytonas as a first purchase and were very patient in making sure I'd be happy with my new toys. I just can't praise them enough. And while I'm on this flower tosing love fest - I'd like to take the opportunity to thank all of you veterans for putting up with us newbies and making our journey through the wilderness that much easier. Love fest over - gnarly, snarly face back on Newf

Hi, Folks, I'm getting my feet wet by reading a lot of the forum posts and reviews plus bugging some of the heavy hitters for advice. But I'm wondering if I've gotten a correct understanding of the basic watch movements available from our dealers. For a basic date only watch - say a Sub or YM - the Asian made ETA 2824-2 For a Day and Date - Asian made ETA 2836-2 For a basic chronometer such as an IWC type with the hours at 6, the seconds at 9 and the minutes at 12 - the Asian made ETA 7750. Then there's the chronos with the day date also - don't know which movement yet. And I've read somewhere - can't really pinpoint where after inundating myself tha last couple of days with all this info - that the gold movements sold by some dealers are actually genuine Swiss ETA movements Anybody care to correct me and show me the light at the end of the tunnel - man this is a lot of info to absorb just to buy a few watches - but being addicted to this hobby it really is fun. Newf

Hi, Jetsons, Thanks very much - wasn't too sure about thr gen ETA cost but the $200.00 installation cost seemed high so I just thanked him and walked away. Next step may be to have tghe dealer acquire a gen ETA and install it as new whenever I buy my next rep. Sure wished they offered them as an option. Newf

Hi, Folks, I bought a Rolex DayDate Full Gold Gold Dial Stick Marker Swiss Eta 2836-2 from one of our reputable dealers - experience was great, btw. Seeing as this is my first purchase the watch has been giving me trouble from day one - example - arrived with the second hand fallen off - had it repaired at a local jewelry store who sent it out somewhere for repair - came back and the hand was attached - another $40.00 but I was really delighted with the dealer and watch quality. Next - the bracelet was too small for my 8-1/2" wrist so the dealer sent me extra links - free of charge. Great service. They arrived Tuesday and I added them to the bracelet - a really smooth fix with the screw pins. Then I set the time, day and date - making certain that the time was not between 10:00 PM and 2:00AM - pushed the stem back in and the time doesn't start - seems like the hack part didn't work - tried cycling the stem a few times and still no good. So the next day I read one of the posts about removing the stem and replacing it - seems like an easy enough job. Have a cheapie Rolex Yacht-Master that a friend had given me and I practiced on it - went as smooth as anything. Last evening I decided to tackle the DayDate - got it opened using an industrial rubberized glove as a case opener - found the stem release stud - using a straight pin, I pressed the release and the stem came out just like the YM. Looked at the watch and could see the mechanism moving - happy times are here again. Replaced the stem and the movement is still working - so began to put the case back on - the stem falls out - drats - probably didn't push it in far enough with me being so cautious. Re-inserted the stem - didn't hear any latching but the movement is working - give the stem a little tug and out it comes again - remember hearing that the release stud sometimes gets stuck I decide to give it a little poke to move it back and forth to make sure it is reset - horrors - a small hole and no stem release stud to be seen just an empty hole. Now there are dark clouds everywhere - no more singing happy days are here again. So I insert the stem and screw the crown down so it doesn't drop out and get lost. Next step is to return it to China for repairs / replacement. But today I contacted another independent watchmaker who will look at the watch - apparently doesn't mind working on reps - hooray - happy day are here again. I go to the store and they are blown away with the quality of the rep - even told me the case looked real enough to fool them until they had a good look. They even went as far as to test the gold in one of their testers until I told them it was plated. Went in the back of the store with the watch repair guy and he was disappointed with the quality of the movement - said I would always have problems as it was a great case with a crap movement not worth fixing but he could supply a real Swiss ETA 2836-2 installed for $600.00. Now if you've read this far - my question is this - are these Asian ETA movements actually crap that should be replaced with genuine ETA movements or are they as good as the quality of the case and bracelets? Do you think this guy was being a little harsh or hitting the nail on the head? So I've decided to send the watch back to the dealer who has been superb taking this first time rep buyer through the ropes - I can't thank him enough. The dealer - PureTime (Angus) - a real gentleman who just happened to send a high end rep dud. But all of this has been a great learning experience for me - how to work with dealers that you've recommended, how to decide which movements to buy and best of all a little hands on learning for simple watch fixes such as bracelet sizing, opening and closing watches, greasing the case seal, removing and installing stems and on the old crap YM how to remove the movement and reinstall it afterward. Now for the bad part - and I can't emphasize this enough - this is addictive and should be placed right up there with crack. If the wife's not looking - maybe I'll order a Sub tonight - really need a fix, man Newf

Hi, Guys, I'm a little confused by some of the ads I've read on the trusted dealer sites. I've been looking at Rolex Daytona reps mostly and they seem to fall betwen the $200 and $300 mark. Then today I see an ad on PAM111 for $999.00 for a similar Daytona rep - here's the ad. W-1611 AUTOMATIC SWISS 7750 @6 FOR MAN DAYTONA-WHITE [W-1611] $999.00 W-1611 AUTOMATIC RUNNING SECOND @6 SWISS 7750 FOR MAN DAYTONA-WHITE Working Chronograph Diameter of case:40mm * 12mm Movement: Automatic Swiss 7750 Glass:Sapphire crystal Sub dials: 9:00:12 hours chrono 3:00:30 mins chrono 6:00:small seconds - 3/6/9/12 @ 9 position - O-ring - 3D sticker - screws on the band - Serial no. & model no. between lugs Is this what is meant by the super reps and are they that much superior to the earlier reps I mentioned. As you can tell I'm a newbie and really getting confused. Newf

Hi, Pugwash, A beautiful watch and a great review. This is the watch that really started me on the replica side. Two questions. Is there a replica with the solid back rather than the display back? Is there a movement where the sub hour hand follows the chronometer rather than the actual time? Newf

Hi, Folks, I'm a newbie and have read much of the info on a few of the forums and have come to the conclusion that there are a few highly regarded dealers that most of you deal with. But when I search the internet I get a multitude of sellers with a wide price range. Are there different levels of rep quality or are these guys buying from the same Asian manufacturers that our dealers are buying from and are these guys with their Italian movements just hosing the public? Also are there super / ultimate / perfect reps out there that are valid buys but of a higher quality than the 200 - 300 dolar range offered by our trusted dealers? A newbie who is temporarily lost. BTW - I've upgraded my membership yesterday but still haven't been able to access The Zigmeisterzumba's section yet. Newf

Hi, By-Tor, An absolutely fantastic review. Have been emailing Andrew lately and he mentions a new 7750 movement at 28,800 bph. Did this watch have the new movement or the older version? I think the new movement may be the 7750b1. Any comments on this one cause a Daytona would really be high on this newbies list. BTW - the new ones are listing for $348.00 with a TT band and white face with the new movement. Anyone seen these? Newf