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This tutorial explains how to build a frankenjust (i.e, franken Datejust) from scratch, or at least how I did it. The specific model I built is a reference 16014, but I think the concepts apply to other 16000-model types, too. I geared the level of detail in the steps and descriptions below to novice modders, and to those on the fence about trying their hand. As a result, much of the following will be too simplistic for the more experienced. In the interest of getting it right, please correct and add comments where you see fit. I wrote this guide (1) to pass on some of the information I've picked up from research on several watch forums (see these excellent posts by KBH, LHOOQ, and TxRub779), (2) to build up the confidence of beginners, and (3) to increase the number of Datejusts in the world, since they are such beautiful watches. A Datejust is a great choice for a first franken: they are relatively budget-friendly and their assembly process is straightforward. I had a lot of one-on-one help along the way. Thanks especially to KBH, Preacher, and Tomhorn. If anybody has questions about the following, please PM me, and I will try my best to help. Now, let's build this thing! Step I: Source the parts 1. Case a. midcase b. tube c. crown d. case back e. bezel 2. Plexi crystal (ref# 25-135) 3. Gaskets (tube & crown for 6mm, and case back is a ref# 302-86) 4. Dial (for a 16000 case) 5. Movement (ETA 2836-2) a. Stem for movement b. Dial spacer 6. Hands (Clark white Tudor dress for 2836-2) 7. Movement Ring (Raffletime #2) 8. Case clamps for a 2836-2 9. Bracelet/endlinks/lugbars to fit 20mm lugs. 10. Datewheel overlay I found my 16014 midcase/caseback, crown, bezel, and tube for sale on the forums. But, they go up on eBay & VRF all the time. Make sure you read the fine print; sometimes sellers like to split up the cases and piece them out. My steel is all gen, although it might be possible to substitute rep parts in some places (e.g., a 6mm crown). Source your gaskets from a watch parts outlet--I used Esslinger. The 16000 case takes gaskets that fit a 6mm crown/tube, and a 302-86 case back gasket. See here for a good breakdown of which gaskets match various Rolex case backs, based on the case numbers. Ebay & VRF are also good sources for dials, but you have to be patient. I wanted a silver linen dial (which I am told is technically called a silver "florentine") since it seemed an elegant touch for an elegant watch, but only gold ones kept coming up. As I wear a platinum wedding band, I chose to wait. Or pay $350+, which is what some sellers demand. Crystals are also easily found on eBay. The 16014 uses a 25-135 crystal. I used an aftermarket version, from Clark watch parts. You can find movements from many watch parts suppliers. Ofrei is a good one in the US. Cousins in the UK. I chose to use an ETA 2836-2, since I happened to have a spare. Others have built these watches using 2824-2's, which are a slightly different dimension as far as stem height. I can't speak to their suitability, or what mods (if any) you need to make to fit them in a 16000 case. Nothing prevents you from using a clone of these movements, rather than a Swiss version, for budget purposes. Although perhaps less reliable, they work well enough in my limited experience with them. In most cases, the stem is movement-specific. If you buy a movement from Ofrei or Counsins, it will come with a correct stem. But if you transplant a movement from another watch, the trimmed stem length might not match the correct length for your frankenjust. Both the 2824-2 and the 2836-2 have a stem diameter of 0.9mm, which happily fits right into the gen Rolex crown. The movement also decides the hands, since the hand-hole diameter must fit over the movement pinions. Fortunately, 2824's and 2836's share these specs. I bought silver Tudor dress-style hands from Clark, since they are very close to the hands that Rolex used for vintage Datejusts. You can find ETA case clamps from a supply house or on eBay. The movement ring is a Rafflestime #2. It does a good job. But, I've read excellent things about Stilty's rings. Unfortunately, I couldn't get in touch with him or otherwise find one to purchase. I bought a 20mm rep jubilee bracelet set, but you can find gens on eBay or VRF. The right model for my watch is a 62510H with 555-stamped end links. They run a little pricey. You can find lugbars from the usual sources. Most vintage Datejusts used a Rolex 3035 movement. Because the datewheel on an ETA movement turns in the opposite direction to the 3035, you can't just slap the latter's datewheel in there as an overlay. If you're stuck on gens, you can use a 3135 datewheel, since it spins the same way, although you might have to sand down the back for clearance between the movement and the dial. I found that the few overlays I have in my parts drawer didn't fit properly in the 16014: it's window is a little further to the right so that the text looks left justified. I like the look of the vintage overlay (font with open 6's and 9's), and these are hard to find so I decided to try and print my own. It's getting there, but I haven't quite perfected it yet. Step II: Tools you will need (in no particular order) 1. Precision screwdrivers 2. Watch tweezers 3. Plastic tweezers 4. Hand presser 5. Hand removers (I prefer levers) 6. Pin vice 7. End cutter pliers 8. File/sandpaper 9. Caseback opener (I usually use a sticky ball) 10. Movement holder 11. Dial protector or similar 12. Dial dots 13. G-S hypo cement 14. Silicone grease 15. Xacto knife 16. Loupe (I prefer a headset) 17. Bezel press (or a custom tool to do the same) 18. Movement cups (optional) 19. Dust blower (optional) 20. Movement pad (optional) 21. Watch paper (optional) 22. Rodico (optional) 23. Springbar tool (optional) 24. Caseback knife (optional) 25. Finger cots (optional) Much of what you need can be found in the RWG/Watchbitz toolkit. I highly recommend it as an excellent resource of quality tools for any modder. The tools list is pretty self-explanatory. You can substitute in some places, but you will need/want pretty much everything above. The nice part about buying all these tools is that most are one-time expenses. And once you decide to open up a watch case, you won't be able to stop, as I have discovered. Step III: Make the watch Earlier, I claimed that the DJ assembly is straightforward, but I should qualify that. Truthfully, several frustrating little problems will pop up during rep building. But for me it's a rewarding feeling to solve them and admire your new creation--way better than just buying it. Like KBH says, half of the fun is finding a way to assemble things that were never meant to be put together in the first place. And you will know soooo much more about your watch than the average gen owner. Here's how you do it... 1. Remove the Rolex dial feet Dials come with little metal feet. These feet slip into the movement and, along with the handstack, align the dial correctly when it's seated on the movement. For whatever reason, the feet positions are often movement-specific, even for movements with similar diameters. As a result, porting a dial from one movement to another involves snipping and filing down the original dial feet. So, to fit your gen dial onto a 2836-2, you need to remove those pesky 3035 feet. Whenever you handle a dial, but particularly an expensive one, it's a good idea to either wear gloves or synthetic finger cots. I prefer cots since they allow the rest of your hand to breathe (avoid cotton cots when handling movements, since they will leave tiny bits of lint everywhere). While holding the dial securely, take your pliers and gently press them up against the back of the dial around the foot. Grip the foot and cut it off, then do the same to its twin. You will find a little nub remaining in each spot. To prevent it from interfering with the operation of the datewheel, you need to file or sand it off. I just used some fine sandpaper that I picked up at Home Depot. Although I have one, I didn't use my diamond file, as I found it awkward to handle in this application. Be careful to (1) hold the dial firmly enough so it doesn't slip, but gently enough so that you don't bend it and to (2) sand with precision. Take your time. A slip here and you will mar the dial. Now, blow away the tiny metal fragments from the back of the dial You don't want them wandering around inside your watch case. 2. Attach the movement ring and dial spacer to the dial The movement ring is a metal washer that is used to prevent the movement from sloshing around in the case, side-to-side. It surrounds the movement and gives it a snug fit inside the case, so that when you pull out or push in the crown of the finished watch, the movement sits firmly in place beneath the dial. The Rafflestime #2 ring does a pretty decent job ensuring a snug fit. It leaves a bit of space around the movement, but not enough to really notice when everything is put together. Most movement rings rest above the stem; in fact, they leave a little gap for the stem to fit into the movement. So, it's a smart idea (in the absence of dial feet) to just attach the movement ring to the dial itself. If you align the center of the gap to the 3 o'clock marker, it gives you some confidence that the dial is in the right position when you eventually peer down into the overturned case, and go to tighten the case clamps. You can use a little G-S hypo to join the dial and the movement ring, but be frugal. Too much glue will either wick up the side of the dial and perhaps onto its face, or make a big splotchy mess. Another solution is to use a tiny strip of dial dot. Use an Xacto knife to slice away several small bits of the double sided tape and go to work. I found dial dots easier to handle, and they offered a stronger stick. 3. Set and align the date wheel overlay ETA date wheels don't line up with Rolex date windows. You have to place an overlay on the 2836-2's date wheel to get the calendar to show up in the window. And to do it properly is harder than it sounds. At first, I used a date wheel from a donor rep submariner. It's smart to use plastic tweezers in this step, as the overlay is delicate. I often leave my movements on a movement pad (or rest). Before you do this, it's a good idea to remove the rotor to avoid stress on it. A dial spacer sits atop the movement, and forms a seat for the dial so that it clears the date wheel and the overlay. Otherwise, pressure from the dial will--at best--interfere with smooth date change operation. Enough pressure to can even cause something delicate to break. Make sure your dial spacer is thick enough to provide sufficient clearance. The flip side of the clearance problem is that the more space you leave between the dial and the movement, (1) the less space you leave yourself to press the hands down properly and (2) the further down you push the stem slot. Depending on your case (and movement), (2) can be a problem when you finally go to push the crown & stem into the movement. The "fit equation" that must be satisfied is: dial width + dial spacer + stem height = center of tube height from top of the dial ± ε The stem height is the distance from the top of the movement to the center of the stem hole. In the equation above, ε represents the "slop". Things rarely line up bang-on: if you're close, you're probably in business. You just don't want to put so much pressure on the stem that it snaps off in the movement. I had some dial spacer issues at first. This one ended up not working too well, but I found a decent enough version in my parts drawer. Now, attach the spacer to the dial using the same method as you did for the movement ring. That way, when you set the dial down, everything will be in place. And ready for alignment... Ultimately, your overlay alignment can only be as good as your overlay. If the font is off (left justified in my case), then the best you can do it to make everything equally off-center. Knowing that, insert the stem. Gently. You may need to turn it slightly as you do so. As long as your keyless works are in order, and you're using the correct stem, the crown will snap into place. With the dial off, put maybe 10 small dots of G-S hypo cement along the top of the ETA datewheel. G-S has a tendency to string up, so be quick. And don't leave enough so that it seeps down into the movement. Best to practice, first. Set down the dial, and make sure it's lined up with the stem. Fortunately, my linen dial had a convenient market right above the stem hole, making my job a bit easier. To align the wheel, make sure your calendar appears nice and centered in your date window. Do so by lifting the dial and using your plastic tweezers to move things around. Using a magnifier will help. Pull the crown into the quick-set position. Advance the date by 15 or so clicks and look at the date centering. Do your best to line things up. Repeat this process. When things are about equal, advance 7 clicks. Now you're on the other diagonal. Center things up. Advance 15 and do the same. Eventually, you will get things as centered as they can be. Note that things can sometimes look different when the date advances normally, versus the quickset. It's a good idea to check. OK. Now you're getting close. 4. Case the dial & movement With the overlay all set, it's time to pull out the stem. For most watches this isn't the case. You would have to set the hands first, before you case everything. However, the hands and crystal for the 16000 series can easily be set in place after the movement is cased. This is a good thing, since sometimes you need to fudge a little with the hands to make them fit properly under the plexi. I use a movement cup, because it is an easy way to turn the movement over (to press the stem release), without hurting the pinions. With a cup set, you're bound to have one that fits the movement diameter pretty well. Flip the movement onto the cup. Put the crown in the winding position. On a 2836-2, use a min. 1mm screwdriver to depress the stem release button. VERY GENTLY. It won't take too much pressure. At the same time, just slide out the stem. If you press too hard, you can screw up your keyless works. And then you will have to take everything apart to re-set, and go through the entire process of overlay alignment again. Now put the movement pad soft-side down on top of the face-down movement. Flip everything over again and you've got the stemless movement ready to be cased. Carefully, slide the case down over the dial. As you do so, make sure the tube is lined up over the three o'clock marker, and that the rehaut is evenly spaced around the dial. If you're ham-handed, you can scratch the dial. And that would suck. Again, a bigger movement cup forms a really easy rest for the movement/case. Just flip it over. At this point, I like to insert the stem, to make sure everything is lined up right. Just place a finger on top of the movement (being careful to NEVER touch the balance wheel) and slip the stem in. (As long as you adhered to the fit equation, you'll probably be OK.) Putting the stem in this way helps to keep everything (dial and movement) lined up when you screw down the case clamps--especially in situations where you don't have any dial feet. Of course, I didn't think to take pictures showing this little gem... Case clamps keep the movement centered between the dial and the back of the case. They provide pressure, in fact, so that the rotor doesn't scrape against the case back. Use tweezers to transport a clamp over to the movement and line it up. Then, drop in a screw and tighten it just enough so the rotor clears it. Do the same for the other clamp and then tighten everything up. Add the case back here. Well, first place the gasket that you've been soaking all the while in silicone grease . Whenever I screw it down, I like to use my hand at first to turn the case back counter-clockwise against the case threads until I feel/hear a click. Then screw it in, normally, by hand at first. If you encounter no resistance, use your sticky ball or equivalent. This helps you avoid cross-threading (hat-tip, Bonesey). Up to now, you've been using a generic crown and stem, right? Well, take the stem out and use your pin vice to switch crowns. Then, use the pliers and a few stem insertions to get that stem to the right length. It should be long enough so that the winding position is clear of the tube, but short enough so that the crown spring can easily get the crown to the tube for screwing down. Again, I sit the case on a movement cup and test the date wheel form the quick set position, and also by normal time-set advancement. If everything looks good and you don't get any resistance, it's time to move on to the last few steps. 5. Install the hands The 16000 crystal/bezel set affords you the convenience of doing this step after the dial and movement are set in the case. When you've done it a few times, hand setting is no big deal. But you have to tread carefully because it's easy to scratch the dial. So, use a dial protector. My dial has stick markers, which preclude me from using my RWG/Watchbitz-toolkit-sourced-Bergeon. Instead, I "customized" a bit of watch paper to perform the same function. Always use a loupe when installing hands. They are small. Rodico is your friend. Press it down (gently, to avoid bending) onto any hand at the tip. Guide the hand over to the cannon pinion and line up its hole. Then install. Hack the movement. It's not really necessary, but it makes things a little neater since you don't have to worry about the hands moving around while you take your time. For the hour hand, I usually just use a cheap set of plastic tweezers. First, slowly advance the crown in time-set position until the date snaps over. Then press the hour hand home so it points directly at 12. Advance the hand until the next change occurs. If it's off, you can use the plastic tweezers to nudge the side of the hand a bit, to line it up. Keep doing this until you have it straight. You need to use the hand presser when installing the minute and seconds hands. At first, I was really worried about snapping off the seconds pinion when using the pen-type tool, since you are kind of blind once you lower it to make contact with the hand. But if you're gentle, you can actually move the presser slowly around and feel the seconds pinion is inside the hole at the end of the presser. Once you're sure about that, just press down. But not too hard, or you could break a jewel. Make sure to move the hour hand over to point directly at another hour marker before you install the minute hand at 12 (3 o'clock, 6 o'clock, and 9 o'clock work well). When hour and minute hands are on, use the crown to turn the hands all the way around the dial to make sure they don't hit each other, but also so that the minute hand crosses 12 when the hour hand strikes an hour. If not, go back and use your plastic tweezers to nudge the minute hand into the right position. Advance the hands again and check your work. The seconds pinion it TINY. So if you haven't been using a magnifier, use one now. Again, line up the hole over the center of the cannon pinion using Rodico. The bottom of the seconds hand has a tiny female part that caps the male pinion. It really only fits one way. When you think you've got it right, press down very gently with the presser. If you pull away the presser and the second hand is still sitting up there, you're almost done. Just press down with the presser using a little more force--that should seat it. Unhack the movement. If the seconds hand starts to move, you're nearly done. Now pick up the watch and turn it around and upside down. Check different positions. If the seconds hand slips around the dial, it's not on firmly enough. Press down gently again and check. If you need to remove the hands at any time, a piece of advice... I much prefer the hand-lever style removers to the presto ones. With the levers, you are in complete control of the amount of force applied. While using your dial protector, just place the tips of the levers against the base of the cannon pinion (levers at 45-degree angle) and gently press the held ends of the levers toward the dial. The hands will pop off. Use Rodico to pick them up. 6. Seat the crystal and press down the bezel The DJ crystal is plexi. It fits over the watch really easily, and serves as its own gasket when the bezel is pressed down. Once you've set the hands in place, you should test fit the crystal to make sure it doesn't interfere with the hands at all. In my case, it did. I only realized it when the movement stopped after I pressed down the bezel--the curvature of the plexi caused the arrow-straight second hand to jam. So I had to pop everything off again, and make the fix. Since you're smarter than me, you will remember to check first. If the hands are a problem, just remove them, bend them a little, and repeat step 5! Once the crystal is on and everything is working OK, make sure the cyclops is properly aligned over the date window. I don't know if this method is correct, but here's how I do it... Using a magnifier, I place myself directly above the cannon pinion and twist the crystal into place. Then, I lower my sight line until I'm just opposite the crown, and the handstack is lined up with the 9 o'clock marker. Checking that the cyclops edges are parallel, I go back and repeat. Cyclops alignment is a little more difficult than it seems, at first, because it can play optical tricks on you. When you're satisfied, it's time to press down the bezel. I have a caseback press, by my dies are too shallow. Instead, I found out that a PVC t-joint worked wonders. Just make sure that you use a little frog tape or something to soften the plastic edges and protect your shiny bezel. Place the bezel around the crystal, line up the PVC joint and press it down. Shouldn't take more than a couple tries to make sure everything is in place. If for some reason you need to remove the bezel, I've found that the best way is to use an Xacto knife to pry it up in one location. A case back knife does the rest. Just be careful to tape up any lugs if you want to use them as leverage. 7. Epilogue That's it. You've got your franken. A couple parting tips: if you scratch your crystal at any point, know that it buffs out pretty well with Meguiar's PlastX (found in an auto parts shops) or Polywatch. Various metal polishes can be used to get scratches out of the case itself. But scratces can add character, too, so whether you leave them is really up to your preference. Getting my 16014 together was just an awesome experience. I love it. It was my grail watch and now I have it. Joy. What's more: my serial number dates my watch to 1983. So, I feel like I'm bringing a little vintage back when I wear it. Which is like every day right now. I hope this guide helped you at least a little. I'm sure I've forgotten some important steps somewhere. But I'm tired of writing, so I'll just stop. In fact, I'm feeling like it's time to grab a drink. I'm just going to throw on my Member's Only jacket and hop in the DeLorean. If you're up for it, let's meet up. I'll be at the Mutiny, wearing this:

The dial has a pearl finish. Very pleased.

I really wish there was more vintage rolex reps, i know theres vintage submariners, GMTs and Daytona reps but i wish there was vintage Daydates and Datejusts. For example, im watching the sopranos, Tony wears a 1980s or 90s Rolex 36mm Daydate Yellow Gold. I have found the new version of the watch but i wish there was a version with the stick dial and with the older clasp and the older bezel, it seems the newer bezels look thicker/bigger than the older bezels. Also Datejusts, i really like the older clasp and not the invisible jubilee clasp as much, i think it gives it a more authentic look and i just like the old school look. Does anyone else think the same? Cheers Freddie

The story is the Ordered a watch that have a Lower Crown of the dial and the wrong color lume ( green instead of blue). The TD sent me the replacement dial.....with Still the wrong color lume......So I decided not to worry about it anymore Since the Rep stops working every couple days. Im am thinking of sending it off to be relumed, Dial replaced and serviced....Any recommendations ?? in US? Can you please tell me what you guys think of the replacement Dial? thicker Indices.? The old marker on the watch is crooked @ 5 mins as well. the crown on the watch dial is 3D while the crown on the new replacement dial is flat. Also the dial feet are @ min 43 and min 13, does that sound right for a 2836? Thank you folks.

Hi I am looking at buying a Rolex Datejust 36mm from Trustytime i want to change a few things on it like Genuine Bezel and a Genuine Dial could i buy any dial for it and will fit or will i have to buy a curtain dial that will fit with the hands. Once i have done the little project i will post it on here i have some ideas for a few projects and will post them on here the before and after! Im quite excited to get them going and to share them and to give other people some ideas as i have seen some people building there projects on here! Thank You Freddie

Can anyone out there help me find this? Doesn't matter if it's swiss or asian movement, anything will do.

Hey People, I am currently waiting on my Datejust Franken project to arrive so I can get started on putting it together. By the looks of the tracking, I should be recieving my case this coming wednesday Here is the link of what I have purchased... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271549956346?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rolex-Oyster-Perpetual-Dial-/251584645055?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT&_trksid=p2047675.l2557&nma=true&si=ydLUAOPnXrafdOOmdLt%252FGc0L74k%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rolex-16200-Dial-And-Hands-for-Repair-repaint-/221494210735?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT&_trksid=p2047675.l2557&nma=true&si=ydLUAOPnXrafdOOmdLt%252FGc0L74k%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc I took 2 of the stick markers from the old dial and fitted them to the white one and it looks brand new - the ebay pics make it appear marked but there is not a single scratch on the whole dial - it is spotless. I have a steel engine turned bezed and gen 6mm crown for this from another project. So, I have the 16234 case with serial (date is for 1990s I believe) , a white gold fluted bezel, 16200 case back, Sapphire Crystal and gen dial, gen 6mm tube and crown - now I need some more parts! What I am thinking of getting is this from silix http://silix-prime.co/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=115_158_218&products_id=2154 to obtain the eta clone with the datewheel attached. Does this seem like a good idea? I will also be buying a #2 moventment ring in brass to add to the weight and some aftermarket tudor eta hands (they should fit onto an asian eta clone?) Or, Would it be better me (being in the uk) the just order an eta 2824 or 2836-2 from cousins uk? both around £145 each and finding a white datewheel overlay seperately? Any input is very welcome, thank you for taking the time to read this, I am new to the site and look forward to sharing my project Cheers all, Dave

Greetings all! I've started on the road to building a 16030 franken Datejust and I have a few questions for everyone. And yes, I've searched, but haven't found anythign definitive. Every guide I've found so far uses a GEN mid case and I simply cannot find any that are affordable. I was planning on using the following: Rep Mid Case Rep Jubilee Bracelet Rep Crown Gen Dial Gen Engine Turned Bezel Gen ETA Movement (Undecided?) Clark Acrylic Crystal Clark Tudor Hands JMB or STONEP Datewheel Overlay I've already purchased the Dial and Bezel but I have some questions before I continue. I plan on removing gen dial feet and using epoxy to secure new dial feet in ETA position. 1)What type of ETA movement would be EASIEST to use with a gen dial, rep case and custom DWO? I've heard about issues with spacing between overlay and dial etc. 2)Will I need to change cannon pinion, hour wheel etc on the ETA movement no matter what? I've heard about issues with spacing with hands Any help would be greatly appreciated! Also, if anyone knows where to find an AFFORDABLE gen case.....I'm all ears! Thanks so much. I will continue my build with photos in this thread as a future reference for any would-be builders out there.

Hello I joined RWG to share and learn more about watches. I just completed a Rolex 15000 DateJust build with all gen. parts excluding the movement and hands. I learned a lot and hope to help others with building/modding. This is a pic of my completed project.

The rolex crown with a short pin is loose after glass repair. What would be the way to make i attach again correctly? ill be getting a caseback opener tool in the next 2 weeks. Any advice on how to make the short pin attach again to the clock mechanism again? it was a mymanmatt build and i managed to fix the glass myself. Without proper tools in a nerve breaking attemp which worked out fine thank god. im a bit sad the crown is loose does no seem broken but i can just pull it out and it wont set date time or let me rewind anymore Any advice on howto fix when i can re attach it correctly after im able to open the caseback? Not sure how its on gen datejust but it feels strange the crown can be pulled out as a seperate part. From start the crown felt a little unstable as in easily breakable. love to have the watch back on after 2 months in the drawer. Hope this can be resolved

Need to replace the glass from my 16234 datejust build by mymanmatt. Haven't asked him personally for advice since he can supply a replacement part. The only questions are 1) How to replace it 2) What tools are required. From my resource Ill be needing a "bench press" to press the glass inside the casket slowly. Also this would require removing the fluted bezel with sharp knife, tool and lift it from the glass and the casket. Then the saphier glass would come "free" although I have no idea how one would remove it. Hope someone can provide some instructions / guidance and a list of tools required. I think it will also need a carefull cleaning and plan to remove the backcase to so all the glass can be removed from the watch. I know the official rolexes would need a full service afterwards this, but since there is no original clock inside I plan to just carefully remove all the glass parts, then re-assemly the watch again carefully. Want to take the steps required well educated so I can enjoy the watch again since its just amazing piece of art.

I purchased a Rolex datejust from a trusted dealer. Beautiful watch. Very happy with how it looks. (It's the larger of the two datejust sizes; I can't remember which movement t it has, but I paid about $250 a year ago. However if I wind the watch up in the morning, it lasts less than 24 hours. Typically it will stop at night (when there isn't any movement on my wrist). The next morning I need to reset the time and wind it up again. (I've had the watch for a year now, but this has been happening since day 1) Is this normal? How long should I expect the watch to 'last' without having to rewind it? Thanks for your input.

Just got this back from mymanmatt and thought I’d post a few pics as I believe it’s the first Datejust on RWG with the Yuki movement. This is my third project with Matt and anyone into DJs and DDs should already worship him as the go-to guy for custom builds. Matt previously assembled two DJs for me with gen cases and ETA 2824s but I’m not happy with the low hand height and having to clip the feet off gen dials. So, I thought I’d give the Yuki a try. For this build I sent Matt a gen 16233 case, gen crystal, gen bezel, gen dial, gen crown and aftermarket hands and datewheel to fit the Rolex 3135 movement. According to Matt, everything went smoothly with two exceptions. First, the gen crown did not work because the post is too long. He had to change it for another crown which may not be gen. More research is needed to determine whether or not this is an issue with the Y3135 and all gen crowns on DJ cases. The second oddity Matt ran into was an ant… that’s right, the species best known for ruining your picnic. Apparently, he discovered the dead bug when changing the DW. That is all I have to report on this issue. I’ve had the watch for nearly two weeks now and have to say it’s amazing. The hand height is very gen-like. It’s running a bit slow (losing about 2 mins/week) and the date doesn’t fully turn over until 2am but otherwise no complaints. I talked with member misiekped before purchasing the movement and he appears to be the expert on the Y3135 so I eventually intend to send it to him for service. A few final comments: In additional to the parts I’ve already noted, I used gen end links and a gen clasp. The bracelet is aftermarket but looks really good, especially for the bargain bin price of $19.95. The Y3135 cost about $140 more than the gen ETAs I previously bought from Star Time. Including all of the parts and Matt’s fee, I estimate that this build cost me about a third the price of a 100% gen version and I would have no problem walking into an AD with this one on my wrist. Thanks for looking!

Hi friends, i am looking for a President bracelet for a midsize Datejust, 31mm. Cant find one. Just the bracelets for the normal Datejust models. Is there any Source? I ´ve heard Riyi002 have some bracelet. Hope u guys can help me thx Addi

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.

Hey guys and gals, I was just cruising over on the big 'ol Bay site looking for some parts and stumbled across this lot. It looks to be legit, sourced at a watch maker's sale (possibly retired, who knows). There appear to be some nice parts here, as well as some very worn dials and such, but it comes with a clean looking SS bracelet reference 78350 as well as a case back removal tool (likely Bergeon). http://www.ebay.com/itm/lot-Rolex-Oyster-Perpetual-Date-Datejust-Airking-cases-Dials-and-Crystals-/201412935173?hash=item2ee5257e05 Sadly I do not have the funds to swing this myself right now, but thought that I might post here for you guys to see if anyone is interested. Assuming that there is enough interest, I would think that the $1,650 invested could rather easily be made back by parting cases and dials out to others of us that want them. The only caveat for now appears that the 'buy it now' ends in the next 5 or so hours, so I would take a look fast if you are interested. *** This Ebay account does not belong to myself or anyone that I know, I am simply mentioning a possible good deal here for those that are looking to complete any projects that they have open, which require any of the parts offered in this eBay sale. The seller looks to be trustworthy and has good feedback, so it appears that, given going prices of Rolex dials and cases, this could be one heck of a deal for someone interested. Good Luck!

Hello all - this late 60's early 70's Datejust 1603 has been in the family 3 generations now. It had the standard silver face, classic yes, but boring and hard to read at a glance with the silver/silver/silver (stainless steel) design. So I stuck a Yuki Green face on it. I also had my watchmaker overhaul the 1570 movement as it was starting to suck, and open opening the watch and reading the caseback we realized it had been 11 years since he'd last had it on the bench... oops. The Yuki Green pie-pan isn't a perfect fit by any regard, but it's like a $120 dial... does the business and looks funky. It's a bit thicker than the genuine Rolex dial, and the date-window isn't perfect, but it's close enough.

So, last week I got word that there was a pretty great estate sale going on about a two hour's drive away from me. The private home estate of a jeweler and his wife had been purchased and put up for sale. Foolishly, I waited until later in the day to head down to the sale, and sure enough, by the time I got there much of it had been picked clean (of all the good stuff anyways: case sets, bracelets, dials, bridges, etc. all gone). Out of the corner of my eye I spied a little box filled with the unmistakable little wax paper Rolex envelopes. Not much left but I managed to score some gaskets, a T21 plexi and a triplock crown. Most notably though, was a little baggie of loose hands which I felt was well worth the $40 they wanted. These weren't in a rlx envelope, but based on the rest of the items there and sold, I figured there was a pretty great shot of them being gen hands that were at some point replaced or there waiting to be used as replacements. I know that most of these hands are for Datejusts, but I wanted to see if anyone had any insight as to whether or not theres more than just DJ hands here. So, onto the photos: Not in the most pristine condition, I know, but vintage hands sets are seemingly harder and harder to come by, so I figured it was worth a shot at 40 bucks. First, the steel hands. Hour hand is missing lume, but the two minute hands seem to have a lovely patinated lume and are in pretty good shape. The second group is the gold hands (the steel seconds hands is extremely bent and too far gone I think). The varying length of the minute hands especially is throwing me for a loop, not to mention the various sized openings for different movements/dials. If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say that some of these were maybe from a woman's model as well, but this level of nuanced comparison is currently a bit out of my league experience-wise. Accordingly, I'd love to hear what some of you all think! I know it may be difficult to examine visually and without precise caliper measurements, but any and all help is greatly appreciated

Hi everyone, as per the title I'm interested in buying a decent datjust rep. By decent I mean proper sized hands and 2.5X cyclops. I am okay with either 36mm and 41mm but they have to be SS models not gold. Just checked out watcheden and they're having this for 149$. I can't post the link as I'm new but the title says "Rolex Datejust II Automatic Stick Marking with Blue Dial 41mm Same Structure As Swiss ETA Version-High Quality-1" on their website. Are there anywhere else to shop for this? and how long is the delivery for watcheden to Malaysia? Thanks!

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

hello! so i went ahead and ordered below datejust and they look ok. can anyone else help?

greetings, i always seem to get more help from this forum than the other. looking to get this for my mom (yes, she knows what it is). does anyone know how the date looks thru the magnifier? comparable to the gen? http://www.p-cls.com/rdjlf10004-pres...12-p-7913.html not into rolex's personally (especially datejust altho i have a gen datejust at wife's behest...) so i'm not familiar with any featuers but i guess, generally, how are the magnification of rep rolex's? i heard gens have magnification of 1.5x but i figure reps these days can easily replicate this feature. no? otherwise, you masters wouldn't be buying them. also, these look identical to me. figured the price is due to dealer difference. but is trusty's a better version? can anyone help? above or http://www.ttw888.com/index.php?main...oducts_id=5643

Thought I would post some quick snaps of these two. The Datejust specs: (gen)ETA 2892A2. gen Rolex 16233 DateJust case set E serial (1991) gen Rolex 295c crystal + gasket gen Rolex DateJust silver sticks dial (markers are white gold) gen Rolex tudor hands gen Rolex engine turned bezel gen Rolex SS crown gen Rolex datewheel gen Rolex clasp Nearly everything visible to the naked eye is gen. Even the springbars are gen, though you can't see them. Weight is within 2 grams of a 3135-equipped DJ. The sub took like 6 months to get to my door. It got lost in the mail. Supercool member Coolchu001 waited patiently with me while everything got resolved. He also shot the first two pictures, which made me want the sub in the first place. TC 16610 LN Gen Insert TC 'Combi' bracelet V3 with V2 clasp Clark crystal Thanks for your time!

I'm having a hard time finding dial size information for some reason... Does anybody know if a dial meant for a 15000 midsize case will fit in a ref 1500? Ever try it? Also, the ETA 2824-2 seems to be everybody's go-to for the 1500, but can anybody recommend a slow-beat? Even--heresy, I know--a Chinese movement? I think the original movement in the case beat < 8 times/sec. Thanks!

I am looking for a couple of watches and have some problems locating them and one of them not really sure if even exsist in a rep. I have recently started collecting replica watches and now my wife is wanting to start her own collection and her birthday is coming up so I have decided to help her with her first purchace. The watches she has picked of out I have found at a couple of site bute not sure if they are repitable and would rather find them at one of our TDs. Ok the first watch is the - BaselWorld 2012 Mens Red Gold Diamonds ROL 116285 BBR-( BaselWorld Rolex Replica Watch Datejust ) I have found this watch at a site called etobuywatch.com an cant really find out alot about them it looks like from the pics they might be a site called bag12.com from the pics cause they are on a wholesaler site called eshop18.com. from the review bag12.com is a scam site and i am wondering if these are just the same people with a new fly by night site? the next watch is a Diamond White Gold Tahitian Mother of Pearl Day Date. the site i found this watch at seems to be a little more trust worthy(myswissrolexreplica.com) but havent read any reviews on them except on there site which not all the time you can beleive. Please any help or info you can assit me with will be greatly appreciated. this will be my wifes birthday present and first replica so it is an important purchace to her.