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If the case was made to exact Rolex dimensions (like NDtrading, Yuki, etc), then they ought to fit. But most rep cases are nowhere that exact. In fact, most rep cases appear to be 'ballparked', at best. My guess is that things like retaining rings probably will not fit. But I have been (pleasantly) surprised on more than 1 occasion, so it is always worth a try to find out. Keep in mind that the gaskets used in rep watches are usually the lowest quality, so, even if they do fit, I would replace them.

Every aftermarket vintage Rolex dial I have seen glows fairly brightly when activated by a direct light source. And it remains glowing for at least 10 minutes. That goes for dials from NDtrading, Phong, Yuki, Minh Quh, MY, etc. They all (incorrectly) glow. At the same time, all of my vintage gen dials -- either original or later Rolex service replacements (that are more than 30 years old) -- have either no glow or give off a (barely perceptible) faint, green hue that may be seen only in pitch black darkness & only for a minute or 2, at most. So, with that in mind, I just noticed that the only glow emanating from my Tudor Rose Sub comes from the pearl (which came from Ofrei) & hands (which glow a different color than the new pearl). The lume on the dial gives off a (barely perceptible) faint, green hue that I can only see when there is insufficient light to charge my camera's sensors, even at its highest ISO setting & with infinite exposure time. I mean, the dial lume on this thing is just dead (like my gens). This is what it looks like immediately after being charged under direct incandescent light for about 15 minutes The point of all this is that I am once again feeling like this watch, part of the lot scored (just in time & for a song) by a handful of very fortunate RWG members last year, is gen. Because of the dial's 't<25' marking, it is clearly not original equipment (as the watch would have left the Rolex factory saying only 'SWISS'). But it lacks the 1 thing that identifies virtually every other repaint or aftermarket dial - a mistake. Just 1. But there are none. The finish looks gen, the printing (even under my 10x loupe) looks gen, the fonts look gen, even the lume looks gen. I have been through my picture archives at least a dozen times & other than the 't<25', this dial looks like most gen dials. Thoughts?

Actually, the reverse is generally true - the more expensive cases (DW, Yuki, NDtrading, etc), having been designed to gen specs, tend to be the same, whereas cheap copies, being less concerned with dimensional accuracy, tend to vary. I agree with Nanuq, since we know nothing about the parts you have, it is impossible to tell whether or how they will fit together. So your best option is to dive right in & find out. Then report back with good, clear pics.

The 7928 uses the same basic case as the Rolex Sub, so any case made to fit a gen Rolex Sub dial should work. However, I am not sure of the dimensions of the Rolex 390 used in the 7928. Generally, just about any movement can be made to fit any case (of similar design) if you are willing to spend the time, effort & money to do the work (alot of grinding/polishing/test-fitting/grinding/polishing/test-fitting/grinding/polishing/test-fitting, etc). You might check with 1 of the case sellers like NDtrading or Yuki.

I would figure a completed 6538 is going to be expensive- at least $3500. Phong would want $4500 plus. If you do it yourself, yuki case and dial $850 movement and service $1200-1700 hands, say $200 Install 50-100 So a rough estimate is $2300-2850, say. you might do it for less if you get a deal on the 1030 movt. I spent somewhere between $2200-2500 building a 5508 a year ago from NDTrading. I quit keeping trade at some point!

Remember the adage - If you want it done right, do it yourself. Phong's (J&W), NDtrading & Yuki all use essentially the same component sources in their watches. The primary difference is price (Yuki is often cheapest). If you are unable to build a watch yourself, then these assembled frankens are a great alternative. However, you should beware that, like rep watches themselves, QC, from what I have seen (& I am sure Ziggy will concur), is next to non-existent from any of these commercial franken builders. Further, whenever a corner can be cut during assembly, it usually is......& not in ways that a proper watchmaker (or knowledgeable watch collector) would exactly appreciate. With this in mind, I would recommend that if you plan to buy an assembled franken, also plan to have it fully serviced by a professional watchmaker as soon as it arrives. This will allow you to catch most potential disasters before they occur (or before the seller's guarantee runs out) & help to insure a long, serviceable life.

IMHO : Jewelry, Phong , NDTrading = not worth it try yuki watch ? but 1655 is a special case want to use a gen movement ? cheers, Frank

That is an option for standard rep cases, but not for gens, Yuki/NDtrading or already drilled-out frankens. The thin 'bars just rattle around inside the lug hole, plus they do not look right.

Yes, I think that is it (40mm diameter x 16 mm high) A gen 5517 for comparison (40mm diameter x 14mm high) Toss in an NDtrading dial (better, but not exact) & swap out the crown/tube for a gen 24-703 Triplock the crystal for Clark's Tropic 19 (if it will fit the case - someone else might be able to answer that question) the (incorrect) pearl for Ofrei.com's illumines dot the ETA 2836-2 (28.8kbph) for a slow-beat ETA 2846 (21.6kbph - the gen 1520 beats at 19.8kbph) (you will need to search the watch parts houses for this) & strap it to your wrist with Corvus's RAF-style 18mm Bond strap (I would remove the 2nd metal ring, which the original did not have) & you have a pretty nice military Sub for under a grand.

I would love to build a 1655. I had even a Ndtrading case set and subsequently sold to a friend for $300. the hardest bit was the dial, esp getting the Rolex Coronet correct. Here is a pic the Coronet on the dial

Exactly. Although I already own a few 1665 cases, I would buy an additional 1-2 1:1 cases in a heartbeat if/when they became available (at a realistic price). And I am sure that just about everyone else like me would as well. Imagine how many truly 1:1 1665 or Daytona cases you could sell on ebay!!!!!!!! In fact, just word-of-mouth sales, alone, would probably flood the marketplace, pushing just about everyone else (not selling true 1:1 cases) to the sidelines. Due to the potential numbers involved, profits from a case retailing at US$200 would be significant & certainly more than sufficient to offset both the development & small production run costs (if even relevant). The only real stumbling block I can see is Rolex (& any other gen makers whose repped 1:1 cases begin flooding the marketplace). The production of a true 1:1 rep Rolex case would test my belief that the rep factory bosses have arrangements with the gens that allow them to conduct their business in a mostly hands-off fashion as long as they are not producing exact 1:1 copies. In addition, I suspect, also, that if people here (at RWG) were involved in the production of such 1:1 cases (considering the knowledgebase available), it would likely spark an arms race with others (like NDtrading, etc, who produce 1:1.1 cases), wherein they would immediately jump on the 1:1 bandwagon, much to the chagrin (or joy, if you are a gen lawyer) of the gens' lawyers. Whatever the case (no pun intended), I bet the rep world would undergo a significant change if a true 1:1 Rolex case suddenly hit the marketplace. Oh, & add a 1:1 dial to the mix (imagine a 1:1 Paul Newman ) & all bets are off. To paraphrase the Vapors - I'm turning Japanese just thinking about it.

Here's mine... The base was the MBK 6538. It is not a good way to start. The best bet would probably be a NDTrading case and go from there. I installed a MY bezel and a Brevet crown so far. It still needs a ton of work. I need a dial, hands, bezel insert, drilled lugholes, etc., etc. It's like everyone says, it's a DIY project.

I have a 1665 with a bunch of gen parts. I even have a 1570 movement installed by The Zigmeister. I would like to hear some comments about replacement dial besides the gen of course. MBK Yuki NDtrading. Which one is the best way to go. MBK definitively is o.k. but the date does not align well. Thanks Cyb

MBW is okay but the red is too dark. You need a red that *pops*. Start there and then pay attention to the "O" and "L" in ROLEX. Get the right stick markers. I'd go NDTrading, Yuki and then MBW, in that order. You might even see if Kirk Rich can help you out.

Options for the 6538 are somewhat slim. The economy option starts with the Silix watches with the chinese movements. Around $100, maybe less. Next is the watches with the eta clones- vintage no crown guard subs- Silix again, Paul, Josh and Andrew all have them. These are OK, but not as accurate as say the MBW. With some modding they can be fine- few people really know what a no cg "Bond" sub looks like anyway! MBW is really mid-range- don't know if you get a real swiss eta or a clone- but that's the rep industry as a whole, not any specific dealer- althought Eurotimez does guarantee you will get a 'swiss' if you pay the extra cartage. This watch is definitely a step above the low cost options, IMO. Finally, there are the pricey NDTrading and Jewelry and Watch models- these can run over a couple of thousand dollars and are powered by a gen Rolex movement- typically taken from a less expensive older donor watch.

Off the bay at USD $ 145. Am onto a 1665 project and besides NDTrading, am in the market for a DRSD dials..... I can spot some flaws on this dial but yet would like your opinions. --- Ubi, Freddy, Lani, Mezz.... Been reading the past few threads from the yesteryears on the perfectionary roads with this DRSD. Of course, many discussions have been laid out with regards to the "Reds" family. In your opinion, would you drop money on this dial or stick with an MBW dial? The distancing between the SEA DWELLER, SUBMARINER 2000 and 2000 ft = 660m is too obvious to the point that it's thrown off the symmetrics balance. Other than the 7mm trilock crown, 1570 cal movement, what other mods would you recommend? Appreciate your input as this is my first Rollie Frankenizing Project. Thanks in advance, Pre V

Unless you get lucky & find a 1-off run from some independent seller, the NDtrading dial is about as good as you will find. But keep in mind that the small handful of people who will know (or be able to appreciate) the difference between a double red & a double Martini are the same people who will know the difference between a gen dial & all the aftermarket or a so-called 'repainted' dials.

20 years old, so a 16660 with saphire crystal? My suggestion: - Wait for the new WM9 Seadweller - Buy a NDTrading 16660 matte dial or wait for a glossy gen dial on the bay - search for a gen tritium bezel insert - Let some of our modders drill some lugholes - Send the hands to Ziggmeister to have them relumed to match the dial - Get an aftermarket 285 crystal without the laser edged crown (I think clarks had some) - Buy some gen spring bars The 93160A bracelet that will come with the WM9 Seadweller is semi correct for a 16660 as many watches had the original 93160 (without the A! Does not have cutouts for removing the spring bars) replaced with the newer 93160A during the service. The parts and the watch will cost you about USD 1100. To create a used look a bag with screws works nice

Hi Bro, where do I get the MBW and NDtrading case ? Both look great!

Thanks, TMG. Is the case NDtrading, Phong or what?

I do not know what 'Y' is & I believe Phong & NDtrading are selling similar cases. These are made to fit gen 1570 movements & probably the most accurate, but they are also the most expensive. MBW cases are good, but will require some grinding to get the gen movement to fit, since MBW cases are made to fit ETA movements.

I would want to see more of Yuki's case, especially the Hev side & caseback (he only displays the front). But if it, as I suspect it may, turns out to be the same case that NDtrading sells for 4-5 times as much, then I would ditto ShawnBeever. Otherwise, with the caveats SB indicated, you can do alot with an MBW, a dremel, a handful of gen parts & alot of time & patience

I agree with Freddy 100% One option might be to come up with an early Explorer dial and make it an Explorer- is it the 1016? Maybe NDTrading has something like that. Of course, it is an interesting franken on it's own.

Tis a lovely dial for sure... But methinks I smell NDTrading here.....

I have the same 5514 case with working HEV. Almost done mine.. just need to send the dial somewhere to get it aged. I have a nice NDtrading white sub dial i may install instead. Then it will be a 5514 with white submariner service dial. My white sub dial is already modded. I would just have to mod the feet to fit my 2846 ETA movement... dizz