panerai153 Posted November 20, 2009 Report Share Posted November 20, 2009 After a fair time away from vintage reps, I'm starting to feel the desire stirring inside! I have been looking at the Eurotimez 6538 as a possible starting point for a modded 6538. What would it take to make this one accurate. I can't tell from the photos if the dial on tthis one is a gilt dial or just yellow? I'm not sure I want to invest the money to make a "Franken' with a yuki case, gen movement etc. Any help from some of you real hard core experts would be appreciated. Thanks Arthur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted November 20, 2009 Report Share Posted November 20, 2009 Photos please?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoJo35 Posted November 20, 2009 Report Share Posted November 20, 2009 IMO, nothing can make it accurate. Someone who knows rolex will call it out in an instant, even if it's "modded". The only satisfactory alternative is to buy a gen. Other than that, and if it doesn't bother you, buy the least expensive rep and wear it as a beater. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted November 20, 2009 Report Share Posted November 20, 2009 It all depends on how much you know about vintage Rolex, how neurotic you are & how much money, time & effort you are willing spend to placate your neurosis. Euro's watch gets the general 6538 theme right, but most of the details wrong. As is, this watch should fool anyone who knows little or nothing about vintage Subs, but is likely to be spotted as a fake by anyone who does. The basic features of a 6538 are all there, but not in their correct form (incorrect colors, sizes, fonts, shapes, locations, etc). The dial colors & fonts are close, but no horseshoe The crystal is the wrong shape, the pearl should not have a metal surround, the insert fonts are wrong. However, the middle case, if the dimensions are correct (38mm x 15mm), might work but I would swap out the original 'fast beat' ETA for a 'slow beat' ETA 2846 The caseback is incorrect & the bracelet looks fake (& is famous for falling to bits upon arrival) Were it me, I would replace the dial (Yuki), crystal (gen) bezel/insert (CWP), 8mm Brevet crown/tube (Yuki), bracelet (Yuki) & case (Yuki) & gen 1030 movement. This would set you back at least $2,500 plus the cost of labor to service the movement & assemble the parts. However, for an off-the-shelf rep, this is probably as good as it gets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligoat Posted November 20, 2009 Report Share Posted November 20, 2009 Well said, Freddy! I also agree with JoJo, buy the least expensive, best looking no cg sub you can find, beat it up and wear it as a beater. 99.99% of the people will never know, or care! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perry563 Posted November 21, 2009 Report Share Posted November 21, 2009 What is the size of the crown on that MBW? Its 8 mm? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panerai153 Posted November 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2009 Freddy, Thanks very much for the input. Unfortunately, I'm not in a position to spend 2500 on any watch right now. I do have a couple of questions about some of the things you mentioned. One, will the Bezel, Insert from CPW fit the Eurotimeez case? Also,would the yuki 8mm Brevet crown fit the ETA movement that you can get with the Eurotimez version of the 6538? I know there are a lot of problems, but the crown that comes on the watch is waaaay off! I would imagine the correct crown and bezel/ insert wouuld fix a lot of this watches' problems? Thanks Arthur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted November 21, 2009 Report Share Posted November 21, 2009 One, will the Bezel, Insert from CPW fit the Eurotimeez case? If the MBW case is made to the same dimensions as the gen case it should. But you will need to contact the seller to find out. Also,would the yuki 8mm Brevet crown fit the ETA movement that you can get with the Eurotimez version of the 6538? It should, but I have never seen 1 of those MBWs in person, so the only way to know for sure is to roll the dice & find out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted November 21, 2009 Report Share Posted November 21, 2009 Thanks for the detailed analysis Freddy. To me the biggest deal breaker is that the crown protrudes from the case well below the midline. It's almost comical when seen from the side. Even in the 6538 incarnation these are thin watches. They have very shallow rehaut, very low domes and shallow casebacks. The midcase is quite thin, and seen next to a rep they look almost like a dress watch. Every 653x rep to date is grotesquely too thick. Hence the Yuki (et al) cases. Take the easy way out, get a cheapo and try to fit a CWP bezel, and abuse it thoroughly. After all that's what we're all about... enjoying our watches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panerai153 Posted November 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2009 Thanks eveyone, I may try that route. Or, I may just try to pick up a old no date Sub and go from there. Too bad the Yuki case will not accept 2824's or 2836's It would make this project half as expensive and cosmetically identical to the 1030 movement version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted November 21, 2009 Report Share Posted November 21, 2009 This may help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavidoc Posted November 23, 2009 Report Share Posted November 23, 2009 8mm crown tube wont fit the mbw as the crown is too close to the caseback> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thogaa Posted November 23, 2009 Report Share Posted November 23, 2009 Anyway I guess only REALLY cool people wear a no CG rollie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted November 23, 2009 Report Share Posted November 23, 2009 I think McQueen's Sub was actually a 5512, which has CGs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligoat Posted November 23, 2009 Report Share Posted November 23, 2009 Right, Freddy, and didn't it sell for some ungodly amount in a recent Antiquorum auction? BTW, here's a 6202 Turn-o-graph I ran across- maybe these had A296 automatic movements. Looks like new bezel, service dial, new hands... http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350280933285&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted November 24, 2009 Report Share Posted November 24, 2009 Alligoat - Interesting, but definitely a franken (all aftermarket except for the case (excluding bezel/insert, which are also aftermarket) & movement). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athan Posted November 24, 2009 Report Share Posted November 24, 2009 Excuse me guys but what is a CWP bezel? who sells them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertieng Posted November 27, 2009 Report Share Posted November 27, 2009 CW = Classic Watch Parts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anguz Posted November 27, 2009 Report Share Posted November 27, 2009 Anyway I guess only REALLY cool people wear a no CG rollie I gotta say, the fact that the coolest man ever in film McQueen wears a sub, makes me so happy I'm getting one soon, care of the right honourable Lanikai-san. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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