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My Vintage Rolex Collection The time has come to finally show you all my vintage Rolex collection. I love every one of them and still wondering about what should come next. Suggestions? Thanks for watching! - Sub007 Nr. 1: Rolex 16014 Franken Datejust (built by StoneP) Parts: Gen 16014 Case, Gen Tube, Gen Stem& 600 Crown, Gen Caseback, Gen Bezel, Gen Linen Dial, DWO (rep), Clark 25-135 xtal, 2834 movement, Rep Jubilee and ends (Riyi), Gen spec 2.0 mm springbars I´m a sucker for vintage rolex and the Datejust seemed such an elegant and very wearable watch, especially when wearing suits and cuffed shirts. Sourced this watch with StoneP who is just great guy with too many Rolex parts LOL. So when he wanted to get rid of some parts I pulled the trigger. But then the franken bug bit me and I wanted more, more and more...so while I intended to `just` buy GEN dial I ended up buying fully built Franken. But the result is just breathtaking, linen dial is something you have to see in real life and this is a 6 million gen case in pristine condition. Engine turned, I love it and at 36mm it feels so nice on the wrist. Found a very nice rep jubilee on the bay from Riyi002 (what a gentleman) and fitted some gen spec springs to it. Nr. 2: Rolex GMT 16700 (TW Maker with GEN Insert) So I just love this watch because it really adds colour to the black and white of Rolex Sports watches. The rep insert was really bad so I changed it for this GEN insert (required a new bezel as well). And now it looks and feels like GEN to me. Got this particular watch from Marvellous Replica (not sure if he´s TD here) but he is one of my favourite TD´s. This for sure is a keeper!!! Nr. 3: Rolex 5513 Franken Submariner Parts: Cartel 5513 case (Modded to a 1984 5513 by Rolojack), Helenarou Caseback, NOS Swiss ETA 2846, GEN ROLEX 5513 Spider Dial, GEN TUDOR Mercedes Hands, GEN ROLEX 5513 Insert, GEN ROLEX T-19, Aftermarket Bezel Assembly, Athaya 702 tube & crown, Yuki Bracelet and clasp, WSO 580 ends, Gen spec spring bars This was the one that got me all started with vintage Rolex in the first place. It has been discussed by my elaborately on this forum. And thanks to the great craftmanship of Rolojack and assembly and watchmaking skills of DR3M3L (Mod at RWI) this baby is now finished. Love the clean look of it and the gen spider dial is really making this a one of kind 5513. Nr. 4: Rolex 16600 Seadweller Parts: Stock BP SD with TC Dial, TC hands, TC insert, TC bracelet & clasp, GEN 704 Crown, Swiss ETA movement This baby originally comes from @OCCB2 who is by far one the greatest guys I ever met on the forums. True gentleman and went out on a limb to get this baby safe from CONUS to EU. It originally came with TC crown but fitted one of my 704 crowns as the TC kept slipping. And now it is a nice and steady beater with great lume, has date but no cyclops (so no issues LOL) and TC parts surely make this one badass rep that could certainly meet up with GEN.

Does anyone know if the new 2012 Panerai PAM00438 is ever going to be available as a replica?

I want to build a GMT 16700 as I´ve just bought a GEN Dial and Pepsi insert. Now my question is which case would be best suited for this build. I have a 1675 vintage from Intime but the cg´s are ok for a vintage1675 but not for a 16700.

Need help!!! I have unsuccessfully been searching for a higher end Bell & Ross BR01-93 GMT rep. I do not mind paying what needs to be paid to get the better quality and more precisely the closest authenticity. Can anyone help me find a TD with stock inventory. It seems like I get two options always: 1) The dealer says he has it but once the real pictures show up, it is not the same watch as posted on the website. 2) The dealer says it is in stock, and it is the right watch, but once I proceed with the order, it is magically no longer in stock. I have attached some pictures of the type of watch I want and the type I do not want. This is the type of rep quality I'm looking for: This is what I' not interested in: This watch is close but the GMT hand is wrong. But I would almost consider this watch if no other option existed. This watch is completely wrong. The date wheel is white (should be black) and the wheel is designed for a 3 o'clock date cutout (should have angled numbers for a 4:30 cutout). The 24H numbers should be on a slanted bezel. And the 4 screws on the face are printed on not actual screws heads

I'm thinking this is my next watch. Any comments? http://www.pure-time.com/product/gmt-master-ii-116713-ln-noob-black-dial-on-ssyg-bracelet-a2836/

Some of you may be familiar with these projects, especially one of them... Around August of 2011 I caught the GMT bug, because that was the year of GMTs, much like this year was the year of 1016s. I saw some of the work done by members here and knew I had to have one, but couldn't figure out - did I want 6542 or 1675? Call me crazy, but I always felt the brighter colors of the 1675 Pepsi bezel too garish, and the black inserts too boring. I decided I would go with the 6542 and its beautiful understated acrylic Pepsi goodness... And thus the project started. I had an old Silix rep sub from when I first got into reps which was horribly inaccurate, so I used it as the donor case. I sourced an Ingod dial (black, as I didn't want to draw too much attention to the watch) and a small GMT hand. I decided to use a DG3804, because from what I read here it was a very reliable movement with cheap replacement cost should thing a go south. I also obtained a rep crown and tube and an insert from JoeyB. Gleefully I packed it all up and mailed it to PBDad. He did a fantastic job in a pretty short amount of time (I was impatient) but unfortunately my cheap side came out and I had him not relume the dial, as all of the line from Ingod had rubbed off, leaving the bare dial plate. I figured it would be cake to lume the dial from the top down if he left the crystal unglued. Anyway, one bottle of glue and some messed up hands later, my lesson was learned too late. The watch sat in a pile of gluey parts for the better part of a year, a monument to my frustration and sadness. Around that same time I became fascinated with a custom 1675 which was created for the Transglobe Expedition. Oliver Shepard, leader of the expedition, had wanted a 1655, but felt the dial was too busy and illegible in harsh conditions, but that a GMT would be too fragile with its moving bezel. He had Rolex swap a 1675 dial and movement into a 1655 case, resulting in one of the coolest looking watches ever - the fixed, brushed bezel of an EXP II with the easy to read handset of the GMT Master. Anyway, I set about collecting parts - a Josh 1655 case, a gen 1675 dial, and a Zodiac GMT movement and gen spec hands. I had done some reading on this site and saw that at least one person had made a watch using that movement, as it had gen spec hands and a DW which turns in the right direction. What followed was three long years and five modders later, as each one I sent it to would give it a go for a few months then give up, as the modding of this movement is unlike any other. These parts bounced their way back and forth, doing more globe trotting than I did in two years, before finally ending back up with the modded who started it all - JMB. He tried his best to get the Zodiac movement to work, but in those three years I realized the movement was not to be. Finally, I agreed to a 2836GMT movement swap. At the same time, he was working on my 6542, which he described as a mess (mainly due to my attempt to glue in JoeyBs insert) and convinced me to use a 2836 on that as well. He crafted an amazing roulette DWO and a new insert (the glue had partially eaten away the old insert) and we were in business again. Anyway, long story short - three years, and some of JMB's magic later, I have two very amazing watches. Thanks to all the members here who helped out - first and foremost, JMB, but also the other unnamed members - I'm sure you know who you are... One doesn't usually forget headaches! Haha And now, pics:

I received a GMT Master II Asian Clone ETA 2836 from Marvellous Replica a couple of months ago and am very pleased with it. It ran about 15 seconds fast at first, but I bought the Kello app and was able to regulate it so it's about +5 sec/day. The bracelet was not very smooth at first, but I soaked it in WD40 and that made a noticeable improvement. The bezel has a little slack to it, but it's not bad--only about 1/2 minute counter clockwise. Also, the lack of AR on the cyclops makes the date a little hard for me to read sometimes. The flaw on this particular watch is the lume on the minute hand. The factory put a blue hand instead of a green one. My plan is to have the entire watch re-lumed some day. Luckily, out of site, out of mind so I don't notice it most of the time. A lume shot was not one of my requests during the QC process--but this is my first rep and I've learned--and am still learning!

I am beginning my first franken build--or really just saving on a gen with with some fake parts: a 1675 with gen case and pre-hacking 1575. I got a hand set and complete bezel assembly from Wholesale Outlet, AKA ewatchparts. Last night I tried fitting the hands to the movement, and they're not even close to the right size. I even took the GMT wheel off the movement and tried fitting the GMT hand with a plastic press, giving it about 20-40lbs of pressure, and it just sat on top. Looks to me like the inner and outer diameter of the wheel and the hand are exactly the same on each, and there's no way it's going on. As for their bezel assembly, which is "guaranteed" to fit gen parts: the insert (which looks pretty good, I have to admit) is about 1.5mm smaller in diameter and is a tight fit, meaning my gen Pepsi is going on without sanding, which I won't do to a gen insert. Granted, this is my first build using gen parts. Am I doing something wrong, or does WSO/ewatchparts just have terrible quality control? Finally, the "complete" bezel assembly, which shows all four parts in the listing, didn't have a tension ring, which adds to my sense that it's not just me...

Weird rehaut, too much room between the CGs and the crown, and a CG profile that's generally a little off. I think this is a high end rep, but would love the experts' take before I report it: 1979 ROLEX GMT MASTER I 1675, Matte Dial, Pepsi Bezel - Stainless Steel

Hi guys, following the description on one of Trusty's listings: http://www.ttw888.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_7&products_id=10893&zenid=158642ddbadfb457ca51a119b242ff00 "External Dimension is 1 : 1 against the Genuine... All External Parts are interchangeable with Genuine...." The same description can be seen on the GMT master rep listing. Is it legit ? e.g. could I fit a gen crown and tube without re-tapping and without doing any adjustments ? how about a bezel assembly ? or a gen dial , crystal etc.. (The plan is to buy the rep with an asian ETA, and fit gen tube+crown, gen bezel assembly+insert, gen dial and maybe also gen crystal later on ) Any help will be appreciated. Many thanks! Db

Has anyone found a decent GMT Root Beer from one of the TD's? I have been on the lookout for one. I bought an el cheapo to mod and the crown tube hole is too big for the gen crown that I bought for it.

Wanted to share a shot of the family before they get split up. Moving a few out to make room for some newbies.

Posted on Hodinkee today: http://www.hodinkee.com/blog/on-the-block-gold-rolex-gmt-ref-6542-with-bakelite-bezel-at-sothebys-new-york-live-pics As much i don't like gold watches i found this GMT beautiful! I have never knew Rolex made them with that Bakelite bezel color variation and without crown guards. Interesting is the long and slim GMT hand. Thanks!

Hi, I'm looking for one (or more) of those little round, brass springs that space the dial away from the GMT gear. Any idea where I can find one suitable for a 2836-2? Do the supply houses carry these? Thanks for your help!

Took only 6 days after I approved the qc pics from tt to get here. Dial was crooked but easily fixed. Not terrible for a cheapy. What I can see and what I've learned here is that the rehaut engraving isn't supposed to be there on a 16710. The bracelet says 72200 and I believe if that's what style its supposed to be the clasp is also wrong and I don't think that bracelet ever came on a 16710. Anything else I'm missing? Its my first cheapy in about 10+ years. Definitely going to have to start a build now that I've got the watch bug again.

I have a "Tritium service dial" that the seller claimed was genuine, and guaranteed that it was never refinished/relumed. Based on what I saw, I believed it to be a genuine Mk5 1675 dial. Do you agree? Here are a few pics: I checked with the usual suspects (at least what they post online currently): Yuki and Ingod appear to rep Mk4's; their coronets are completely different than mine. NDT's is the closest to the pics I posted above, although the text on NDT's is quite different, and so is the sample dial's back. Phong's website wouldn't let me zoom into the one dial he carries that might be close. My dial appears similar to this one, although my lume is in a little better shape. It also resembles the Mk5 example at this RWG post. What are your thoughts? Are there any tests I can conduct to check and make sure it's actually tritium lumed? Or anything else I can use to verify its authenticity? If it is in fact authentic and tritium lumed, where does that place it value-wise with respect to service dials that use luminova/superluminova? Thanks for your help, and apologies for the noobish questions. Happy 4th!

I just finished building this 1675: Ingredients: Silix old-style 16750(ish) case, reworked Clark's aftermarket 25-116 crystal, shaved to gen spec height and installed with UV lamp/glue Cartel 1675 "1:1" dial, lightly aged Hands aged and re-lumed with vintage patina Base bezel insert, faded _____________________ Even though it has a wire-type bezel construction, I chose to mod this Silix case because it's got the right thinness compared to my gen 1675. Plus it's a little cheaper than the Josh 1655 and the Cartel "1:1" As my first real vintagizing attempt of a full watch, I thought it would be better to start with something I wouldn't be too [censored] about completely screwing up. The donor watch comes with a really annoying dial. The 1675 did not carry a movement with quickset date function--although the later model 16750 did. To set the date, you had to do it the old-fashioned way: winding the hands around and around and around. So, the 1675 dial simply read "Oyster Perpetual". Even when Rolex intoduced the quickset date feature to the 16750's, along with the "Oyster Perpetual Date" label, they did it on a glossy dial with metal markers. So, a matte dial that reads "Date" kind of doesn't fit anywhere--certainly not in a 1675. Even though it is also flawed, for that reason I chose to put a Cartel dial in the Silix case. The original dial is the standard 29mm width, but the 28mm cartel fits OK. A gen spec 26.5mm dial would fall right through the rehaut opening. As for the cartel dial, for some reason the makers chose to stop the minute markers short, before the edge of the dial. If they had just continued them... Oh well, it's still a rep, right? In any case, I have a gen 1675 (that's badly in need of a service). I used it as a model for the case reshaping and as inspiration, along with all the detailed posts that Rolex Addict has made on the subject. Using lots of sandpaper and my new dremel, I spent probably too much time slimming down the lugs, reshaping the crownguards, and adding a beveled edge to the outside edges of the case. I couldn't get the crownguards perfect because (1) they're too stubby, (2) too thin, and (3) they slope down at the top quite abruptly, unlike the gen. Also, (4) I'm new to this. The crown on the gen is also noticeably smaller than my 6mm rep crown. My goal was to vintagize the dial and hands as close to my gen as possible: aged, but not like they were found around the wrist of a dinosaur skeleton. I aged the dial markers using my patented worcestershire sauce/oven treatment. I also had a couple glasses of a nice Rioja to keep me company. To reduce the sheen of the dial, I mixed some cocoa powder with water and dabbed it on the dial face. The bezel construction on the SIlix case is a very reppy wire framework. However, you can fit the 25-116 cyclops with some heavy sanding. I tried to get it as close as possible to gen height. One tip: bezel fading goes faster than you think it will. In my case, less than one minute sitting in bleach got me to a nice shade of powder blue. I was not happy at first, but it grew on me. After looking at gen pics of pepsi 1675's, I'm actually really pleased with it. After spending all that time putting this thing together, I'm going to give it away as a gift! I have a jubilee bracelet soaking in oil right now, and it will be friends with my build real soon. But for now I just have a NATO strap... Here are some parting shots of my latest creation...

I don't see these in the Forum very much, but I like them. Out of the box they need AR, lume and maybe a service ...

The gen has the blue masking tape on the cushion or always on the left/top. Gen like quality of the rep will be judged from 1-10 (10 being like gen). Notice that this rating CHANGES based on the pictures being compared since the differences may or may not be spotted at another set of comparison shots. The gen used in the comparison is a random serial number model. The rep used is from Timesshop (Mark). It is from the noob factory. This particular one has the A2836 movement. Larger size pictures available in album The comparison is broken down into components of the watch. Case/Bezel Front Elements/Dial Bracelet/Clasp Backside/SEL Fitment Feel in Hand Feel on Wrist Movement Adjustments Suggested Improvements Case/Bezel: 1. Front - Overall:Dial: 9 - Dial maker surroundings being thicker and uneven lume Hands: 8 - all hands are noticeably skinner on the gen; makes it appear longer but actually same lengths Bezel: 8.5 - Gen's engraving is a bit deeper and the color is slightly silver. Rep and gen has 24 clicks but the gen adjustments are consistent through-out. Gen is also quieter when adjusting. My rep had a 1/3 minute of free play. SEL: 8 (the gen SELs sit more flush with the case). Crown Guard: 7.5 (noticeably rounder on the rep, sharp straight edges on the gen) 2. Bezel Edge (close up): You can see the gen has slightly polished teeth while the rep is simply raw (drilled) finish. When you run your fingers over the teeth, the rep is slightly smooth whereas the gen is pointy. 3. Bezel Engraving (close up): Here you can see the differences not only in depth and width of the engraving but also the style of font (notice the 1 has a curved top on the gen and the 8 is slightly more squared). The picture does not show this, but the color is slightly different on the gen; since the gen's numbers are colored with platinum its slightly gray (especially on the triangle). 4. Side: Side: 8 - Overall same dimension but the ends are not as sharp, the gen is quite pointy Crown: 8 - Very good overall, dimension appears to be the same, again sharper teeth on the gen. Front Elements/Dial: 5. Crystal and Bezel (6 inches from watch): Cyclops: 5 Obviously no AR on the rep, also the rep seems to magnify too much... there's a lot more distortion in the magnification on the rep. Rehaut engraving: 8.5 - Sharper and deeper on the gen, of course its aligned perfectly on the gen, reps may have a good alignment of rehaut Crystal: 9 - The crystal on the gen has a slightly polished edge giving it a more defined look. Notice that the gen has more spacing between the crystal and the inner edge of the bezel. The laser etched logo on the rep is too big; you can barely see it with the naked eye on the gen. The logo is drawn by dots on the gen rather than straight lines on the rep. 6. Dial and Hands Printing: 8 - The "GMT - MASTER II" printing on the rep is slightly darker and spacing is a bit off from gen, the print also looks 3d on the gen rather than flat on the rep. Overall font size and color (on the white wording) is quite good. The hole in the coronet is noticeably bigger in the rep. Indexes: 8 - quite good from this view, aside from having slightly thicker surrounds the lume is not as applied as evenly as the gen. you can also see the gen has a much more polished look, the rep has more sharper corners at 6 and 9; the triangle index is the biggest difference between the watches here (due to the application of the lume) Hour Hand: 7.5 - appears to have the same length as gen, but is slightly fatter. the triangle is also larger on the rep; edges are not as clean) Minute Hand: 8.5 - appears to have the same length as gen, but is slightly fatter than gen. Again, edges are not as clean as gen Second Hand: 9 - the hands on the rep is a bit thicker than the gen; especially towards the outside edge. The gen hands has a slightly tapered appearance GMT Hand: 8 - color is quite close in the rep, but the paint/print is completely different than gen. on the gen you can see the paint is thick and is slightly raised, the rep appears flat; triangle is almost identical; ever so slightly thicker around the lume for the rep. This rep has the ICHS but that is hardly ever noticeable; I bet 8/10 gen owners would not know if the GMT hand sits above or below the hour hand... 7. Cyclops and Date wheel Cyclops: 5 - obviously no AR on the rep, but this can be modded. The magnification is higher on the rep. You can also notice more distortion in the magnification. The gen's magnified date still retains the rectangular appearance. Date Wheel: 6 - The date wheel on the rep is completely different specially the number 1. On the gen, the number 1 is more of a letter "I". You can also see 2 and 3s have tails on the gen. Other numbers are also different but 1 2 and 3 are most noticeable. Bracelet/Clasp: 8. Brushing and PCL: 9 (7.5 before custom brushing) - I polished and brushed the rep links myself. Originally the rep's brushing is much thicker than the gen. The thicker brushing gave the bracelet a brighter appearance. Polish is very similar on both models. 7. Flexibility: 6.5 - The rep's bracelet feels quite cheap when held, it rattles more than the gen. The rep bracelet has more lateral movement than gen. The gen links are held on much more tightly. 9. Clasp: 5 - This is the biggest flaw of the rep. The clasp edges are very poor compared to the gen. The coronet on the clasp has a more web like appearance on the rep. Each of the spokes on the gen's crown has more clearly defined spaces. The securing cap is also poorly defined on the rep; it is slightly rounded on the inside edge. The securing cap also does not sit flush with the rest of the clasp. 10. Clasp Adjustments/Inside: 7 - Biggest difference is the engraving inside the clasp. The rep's engraving is thin. I have also sharpied my rep, but still does not have the same appearance in color as the gen. The inside of the gen clasp is sand blasted, the rep has a smoother flat finish. The fine adjustment is there, but its much harder to adjust on the rep. I can easily move the fine adjustment on the gen. The easy link works just like gen, but does not snap in as hard. The rep also seems to scratch the PCL under the clasp more easily than the gen. Backside/SEL Fitment 11. SEL: 5 - It just looks bad on the rep, but in reality the fitment is quite secure. Although, I did modify the fitment and spring bars on the rep. The SEL also does not sit flush with the case on the rep. 12. Case Corners: 8 - This difference is rarely pointed out. On the gen the corners are pointy and sharp. The rep has more rounded corners, probably from polishing the case. 13. Case Back: 8.5 - Sharper teeth on the gen, although the rep may be sharper when new. The brushed part of the case back is smaller on the gen. 14. Backside of Crown Guard: 8 - The gen wraps the crown more than the rep, also much straighter edges than the rep. Not noticeable when worn. Feel in Hand 15. Weight: 9.5 - The rep feels about the pretty much the same as the gen. 16. Feel: 8 - The bracelet and clasp brings this down. Again the entire bracelet is nosier and feels flimsier. Perhaps tightening the permanent links would improve the bracelet feel. Feel on Wrist 17. Comfort: 9 - Rep is just as comfortable to wear. Sets and sizes the same way as the gen. Oiling the bracelet on both models benefit contributes to the comfort as well. 18. Feel: 9 - Feels the same in weight and proportion. Again the bracelet rattles with a more canny sound than the gen. Movement Adjustments The adjustments are shown below. I actually prefer the adjustment settings of the rep than the gen . It's easier to set the date and times on the rep. It has been noted that with A2836 reps, the GMT hand experiences issues. I have seen the GMT hand on my watch lag or stop moving from time to time (usually happens after infrequent use). I have not experience it stopping while being worn. Gen: Unscrewed: winding (CW) First notch: +/- hour hand (1 hour increment) +/- Date (hour hand needs to go around 24 times) (CW/CCW) Second notch: +/- Hour, GMT and minute hands (CW/CCW) Rep: Unscrewed: winding (CW) First notch: +date (CW) +GMT hand (1 hour increment) (CCW) Second notch: +/- main hour and minute (CCW/CW) Suggested Improvements Listed in order of importance: [*]Clasp - needs much more definition in the coronet and securing cap [*]Bracelet Links - needs to be tighten to lessen lateral movement [*]AR Cyclops - very obvious difference from afar [*]Crystal Beveled Edge/Spacing - very easy to spot at wrist distance, the gen crystal seems to shine around the edges [*]Date Wheel - noticeable when up close; especially number "1" [*]Bezel Engraving - more noticeable during side viewing, slightly different color on rep [*]Crown Guard - quite good at this point, but can be straighter, most of the definition of the CG is lost due to heavy polishing... [*]Bezel Edge - very noticeable difference when touched... hard to tell from afar; however the grooves between the teeth are slightly polished on the gen [*]Brushing of the Bracelet - the brushing from the factory is thicker than the gen; it actually gave the bracelet a brighter look than gen. Easy to fix with some scotch bright! Overall, the noob GMT rep is quite good. It was quite hard to tell which was the gen on certain pictures. The dial is very good on the rep as well as the case dimension and looks. The biggest downfall of the rep is the bracelet and clasp. However the AR cyclops would be a great modification as this can be a telltale sign of a rep.

Hi, I'm looking to buy Rolex -GMT Master 2 116710LN with full black Ceramic Bezel. The watch has to be exact replica with a genuine swiss automatic movement. It has to be water resistance at least 50 meter. Basically speaking, i want the watch to be the top quality that it ever can get. Can anyone help me to find a trusted dealer or seller to buy it? thank you,

I'd like to start on a project to purchase and build either rep GMT Master II 18k/SS 16713 or newer 116713. My initial thought is to get the best available Noob or comparable GMT Master II 18k plate/SS watch. It would need to be a 1:1 so that in the future I could add genuine (or quality aftermarket) parts; i.e. genuine 18k bezel and 18k crown), to enhance the watch. It needs only to have a genuine ETA movement and does not need to be cloned to look like a genuine movement. Once the gold wears from the bracelet, I'll consider either a replacement or get an aftermarket 18k/SS bracelet to complete the Franken project. Are high quality reps of the 16713 still available? Though I've not seen any on any of the TD's websites, I ask because getting either genuine parts or quality aftermarket items seem easier than obtaining ones for the newer 116713. Finally, the watch will need service to make sure the movement is working well and also to replace the factory seals and re-glue and seal the crystal. I would like the watch to meet or exceed 100m in water resistance. (Is 100m unreasonable?) I would appreciate any comments, criticisms or advice you might have to I don’t neglect to consider something important.

I've been on the forum for nearly a year now and I thought it was about time I did my first watch review! I haven't seen a review on this piece as yet so here goes, be gentle with me....... So about 6 months ago I was looking in the sales section and saw one of the Ocean 1's for sale and liked the look of it, had a quick search on the net and picked out the Ocean Vintage Gmt as one to add to the wish list. At the time I had a few watches on order so didn't get it straightaway and whenever I checked back on their website it was on back order So couple weeks ago I checked again and it was available so ordered it and it came last week lol it's amazing how quickly grown men become small children again when we are confronted by a package containing a new piece! I'm really impressed with the quality of the watch, the bracelet is really comfy to wear not to heavy and has a decent double clasp, fit and finish is excellent and the Lume glows like a torch, for the price of a decent rep it feels really well engineered has a great movement and I hope will last me a few years too! Some pics for you.... And lastly the obligatory wristie Specs ETA 2893-2 Swiss Made, automatic, hacking seconds, 21 Jewels hour and minute hand with Super Luminova C3 Case: stainless steel Back: Stainless steel screwed , engraved.. Diameter: 42 mm, without crown height: ca 14,0 mm Weight: 190 g Dial: black Crystal: Sapphire domed, with double anti-reflecting coatings on the interior side Bezel: Stainless steel.. Indices: Super Luminova C3 Lug width: 22 mm (0.87 inches) WaterRes: 300 metres/990 feet 30 ATM Strap: stainless steel 22mm (0.87 inches), screwed Buckle: stainless steel, safety clasp

I've seen pictures of this ProHunter GMT on both here and RepGeek (posted by projectologist). The AR just seems to be incredible. Not only does the crystal vanish but the cyclops seems to retain the "black hole" effect. I have a ProHunter sub that I don't wear purely because the crystal is terrible. The glare off the cyclops is so bad I can't even read the date unless I turn it to just the right angle. I'd love to somehow get a crystal similar to the one on Projectologists ProHunter GMT on my ProHunter Sub. Does anyone have any idea how to get this done? In his post, Projectologists lists that the crystal was double AR coated on both sides. While I believe it was my gut tells me that the crystal must have also been additionally AR coated under the cyclops to add the blackhole effect. I was thinnking that ideally I would take a crystal that already has an AR'd cyclops, like the ones from BigCrown (I actually have one already) and have the whole thing additional double AR coated. The problem is that it's a gen spec crystal and I'm not sure if that will fit in the noob sub, which the ProHunters are based on. Anyone know whether a gen spec crystal can be stuffed into a noob sub? I thought I saw a tutorial on here where someone shows how to take apart a noob sub and replace the crystal with a Clarks (gen spec) crystal by remvoing it through the case back. Anyone run across this thread? Assuming it fits do you think that double AR coating a BigCrown "black hole" crystal would give me a similar result? My other option would be to take out the crystal that came with my ProHunter sub and have it double AR coated but my gut tells me that's not going to give me the "black hole" effect. Can someone who's knows more about AR than me help guide me in the right direction or just chime in with your thoughts?

I finally finished a project I'd been working on since I started in the rep game - a gilt 6542. First I had problems with figuring out which movement to use, then not having a decent dial, and finally not having a small GMT hand or affordable insert. Finally, about two months ago, all of that fell together and I was on my way. By the way, a huge shout-out goes to PBDad, who made this whole thing work together. The dial is an Ingod gilt dial, and while it is not super glossy, it is not entirely matte - kind of like the gen gloss dials I have. It has the OCC marking and the SWISS markings, and IMHO is a pretty good alternative to Yuki, NDT, etc., especially as it is priced at $130. I had to relume it, so I tried to make it look like an early advertisement I saw. I know the 5, 10, 20, etc. markings are too small, but that's how it appeared in the ad so I wanted to make it look like the ad. (The ad was what made me fall in love with the 6542) PB modified the dial (by grinding off the lip) and mounting it to a separate dial ring. This took a lot of ingenuity on his part, so props to him. The hands are a combination of different hands I had lying about - it is a cartel white second hand (for the 1655), a curve-ish hour hand (unknown maker) and a minute hand that matched the gen as far as I could tell for length/lume space. The small GMT hand is Rafflestime, and is pretty close to spec, IMHO. The movement is a DG 3804b, which I am extremely happy with so far. I am now convinced that this is the best movement for PB added a silver DW (which I don't think would have been accurate to the watch originally - I think my two main choices would have been roulette or b/w) but I'm really happy with the DWO. It bugs me to no end to have the numbers either fuzzy or not absolutely center justified, and this one is neither. The numbers are super crisp, even through the magnifier and are lined up perfectly in the datewindow. The case is an old Silix 5510 case. It has the bezel needed for a 6542, and while I did some initial reshaping (filing the lugs down to a normal level, and installing a better, though not gen crown) it was pretty good out of the box. PB drilled the lugholes and to me, it is pretty convincing. I have it on a Hirsch buffalo strap, which makes it a pretty comfy wear, though I am looking for a Jubilee, just to try... I have a 6636 stretch rivet bracelet that goes well with it, too. The bezel insert came from JoeyB. Mine was a custom order, as I wanted it to be really lumed - I know that's not reality, but again, that's how it looked in the ad. He superlumed it for me, which resulted in a really cool (IMHO) aged look. It looks slightly water-damaged, which to me gives it an air of authenticity. Edit - Oh, I forgot to mention - genuine Tropic 116! This crystal is super clear!! I couldn't believe that gen was that much better than Clarks, but believe me, it is! Here's the preliminary pics. More to come soon!

What is the best vintage Jubilee bracelet? I'm kind of curious about one for my 6542 (although I know it is not technically correct, it appears that a good deal of them were either special ordered that way or modified down the line) and would like to get the best possible one I can... Also, I know this isn't the place for it, but if anyone has one they wouldn't mind getting rid of, I'd love to buy it from you.