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My Franken Tudor Submariner 9401


gavidoc

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A couple of months ago I got the bug to build myself a snowflake Tudor Submariner 9411. Over the years I've been lucky to make contacts with the secondary market in rolex parts and sent out some feelers for a dial, movement, and hands for a 9411 project. While that one has been slowly coming together I had the chance to put together another sample. This one a 9401 when I was able to source a replacement dial and hands for that were luminova from the RSC HK.

Here it is first with it's triangle fraternal twin, my Gen 76100 (which a good friend of mine keeps trying to convince me to sell to him).

9401-01.jpg

I did decide to do something different with this since it is using an MBW case and that was to put the crown on left instead of the standard right. That's the beauty of the ETA's used in these Tudor subs and the no date dials.

9401-02.jpg

As you can see, the dial is the newer replacement dials that are issued by some RSC's. I've heard that the Sydney RSC still has snowflake dials in stock for the 9401 as they do for the 9411 but that is unconfirmed at this time.

9401-04.jpg

And of course, the only route to go with a watch like this is with a real crown and insert. Nothing beats a pearl of the real thing.

9401-05.jpg

This build was surprisingly very easy to do and I'm glad I did it. For those interested, here is the parts breakdown.

Gen Dial

Gen Hands

Gen Crown

Gen Springbars

Gen Insert

MBW case that I modded the lug holes and crown guards on

Clarks Crystal

Clarks Crown Tube

ETA 2783

Now I just have to finish the snowflake 9411 and see if the Gen case for it ever turns up that my friend keeps talking about. :)

Hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed building the watch. All I really need to find now is a Gen 2776 for it. Will probably save that for a rainy day though.

9401-03.jpg

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Wow, Looks great Gavidoc!!

really nice job...

If you're feeling adventurous, maybe you can experiment with clipping out the mercedes part of the hour hand, and try to make it a lollipop..that could be really cool!!

Love the left hander crown BTW ;-)

Eddog

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Thanks for all the compliments guys. Thought I'd try the destro look for a while. If I don't like it, I'll just switch it back. :)

It's sitting on my wrist as I type this with the gen 93150 from my 5513 I just sold (buyer didn't want the bracelet).

Eddog, lollipop hand is a big no no for this one. The 9401 never used the lollipop hour hand. Only the early 76100's. Yet I think I might actually try that with a set of clarks I hvae laying around. Would be interesting to see how it turns out as they will fit on hte Gen 76100 but with that being all original, don't know if I want to do that.

The image below is of the snowflake dial. Just waiting on it to arrive so I can lume my Gen snowflake hands to match it. I have a 2nd MBW case and a vintage real insert to go on it once the dial arrives. then my Gen 9411 blue will have a fraternal twin as well. :D

post-5355-124968773385_thumb.jpg

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....Eddog, lollipop hand is a big no no for this one. The 9401 never used the lollipop hour hand. Only the early 76100's.

Hey Gavidoc,

Actually, 94010's did come with lollipops...probably at the end of the production, but they exist....

L1170026.jpg

While not mine, This one was for sale a while back on another forum...stunning totally original mint watch with papers and everything else you could ever dream of....

Looks good with the aged lume too, doesn't it?

Cheers

Eddog!

Edited by eddog
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(which a good friend of mine keeps trying to convince me to sell to him).

Yeah buddy, like I keep trying to tell you; name your price and we'll deal! :whistling:

Seriously tho' very well done. I love when people think outside the box. These are great.

A Destro Tudor

Great minds thinking alike is one thing T'J but your 'Destro' comment took all the oooomph out of my original reply. Only glad I scrolled down before submitting. Redundancy is not on. -_-

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Great minds thinking alike is one thing T'J but your 'Destro' comment took all the oooomph out of my original reply. Only glad I scrolled down before submitting. Redundancy is not on. -_-

Did I just coin a new term? Then again, when I was about 8, I thought I'd invented the term 'Aquanaut'... Shame Gerry Anderson and Patek Philippe had beaten me to it :lol:

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Well tickle me pink and call me shirley. Never knew that and stand corrected. That's the beauty of the Tudors. Always something new to learn. Guess I'll look harder at the modded lollipop hand for the Tudor now. :)

Hey Gavidoc,

Actually, 94010's did come with lollipops...probably at the end of the production, but they exist....

L1170026.jpg

While not mine, This one was for sale a while back on another forum...stunning totally original mint watch with papers and everything else you could ever dream of....

Looks good with the aged lume too, doesn't it?

Cheers

Eddog!

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Well tickle me pink and call me shirley. Never knew that and stand corrected. That's the beauty of the Tudors. Always something new to learn. Guess I'll look harder at the modded lollipop hand for the Tudor now. :)

While, (if asked nicely enough to do so;-) I may be willing to tickle you pink, ...

I won't call you shirley while doing it..LOL :bangin:

Re: the so perfectly coined "Destro Tudor"

(nice one BTW TeeJay),

There is genuine precedent for such a beast....

here's some shots of a 94010 MN tudor (French Navy), obviously set up for a lefty on the team..

9410-ca1979MN-addict-3.jpg

9410-ca1979MN-addict-1.jpg

...Which was the direct inspiration for my little pet project....

IMG_2394.jpg

...The next stage of which will be somehow inspired by this little beauty...

Black50a.jpg

Cheers!!

eddog

Edited by eddog
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Re: the so perfectly coined "Destro Tudor"

(nice one BTW TeeJay),

It just seemed to be the correct term to use :)

There is genuine precedent for such a beast....

here's some shots of a 94010 MN tudor (French Navy), obviously set up for a lefty on the team..

9410-ca1979MN-addict-3.jpg

9410-ca1979MN-addict-1.jpg

...Which was the direct inspiration for my little pet project....

IMG_2394.jpg

...The next stage of which will be somehow inspired by this little beauty...

Black50a.jpg

Cheers!!

eddog

Wow :good: I think my Snowflake project is going to have to have the destro look :tu:

Is the PVD sub a customized gen? It looks pretty awesome, tactical, but not too OTT about it :good:

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Teejay,

from my understanding, The PVD sub is a gen 5512 (it's not mine unfortunately <_< )

It was an nos replacement case, that was PVD'd as an homage to a very rare issued watch, the South African Milsub.

cool thing was it was apparently done in around 2000, or so, way before pro hunter and Bamford and sons (makes you wonder if this watch inspired those companies in any way)

cheers eddog

Now that's an interesting story (and a new project to build :tu: ) As you say, possibly where those companies got their idea for PVD customization. Do you know if the original South African sub was also a Destro, or if that was simply a personal preference of the owner of the watch you showed?

[Edit to add]

Since 'flipping' my NATO project sub, rather than simply thinking of it as 'a watch', the easy access to the crown is instead making me think of it as an actual 'wrist tool'. :unsure::pardon:

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But J,

Surley you don't mind calling me Shirley while tickling. ;)

I remember that Destro MN. I don't want to see the 7016 again till you PVD it. Or is that your 9401? You have so many in the works I forget. Also, I'll respond to the email about the AD. I think I can get an insert but will have to check on the endlinks. I normally have to use one of mine as a "donor" that they give me the used parts back on.

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But J,

Surley you don't mind calling me Shirley while tickling. ;)

I remember that Destro MN. I don't want to see the 7016 again till you PVD it. Or is that your 9401? You have so many in the works I forget. Also, I'll respond to the email about the AD. I think I can get an insert but will have to check on the endlinks. I normally have to use one of mine as a "donor" that they give me the used parts back on.

Hey Man...If you can help me out with those bits.. I'll call you whatever you like while i'm-a-ticklin' ..... :yuk::nea::brow::g::huh:<_<:pardon:

:drinks::victory:

;)

eddog

Edited by eddog
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  • 3 weeks later...

I have a Tudor Sub project in progress, but not sure where to start looking for a dial. Can your or someone on this post provide me some possible sourcing options.

twon1212

Thanks for all the compliments guys. Thought I'd try the destro look for a while. If I don't like it, I'll just switch it back. :)

It's sitting on my wrist as I type this with the gen 93150 from my 5513 I just sold (buyer didn't want the bracelet).

Eddog, lollipop hand is a big no no for this one. The 9401 never used the lollipop hour hand. Only the early 76100's. Yet I think I might actually try that with a set of clarks I hvae laying around. Would be interesting to see how it turns out as they will fit on hte Gen 76100 but with that being all original, don't know if I want to do that.

The image below is of the snowflake dial. Just waiting on it to arrive so I can lume my Gen snowflake hands to match it. I have a 2nd MBW case and a vintage real insert to go on it once the dial arrives. then my Gen 9411 blue will have a fraternal twin as well. :D

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I have a Tudor Sub project in progress, but not sure where to start looking for a dial. Can your or someone on this post provide me some possible sourcing options.

twon1212

All I can say at present, is 'watch this space' :)

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  • 1 year later...

Lovely builds for sure. I am interested in gathering parts for a US Navy Seal Tudor build. I have searched different forums, but most of the information is a bit mixed. Did the US edition ones come with just the lollipop dial and benz hands? or was there a mix of snowflake and benz hands? Same case as the 5513 I assume.

E

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