ck5533 Posted December 23, 2009 Report Share Posted December 23, 2009 Hi folks, I like to start a new project/franken watch on 6538 vintage. I know it can be very expensive, that's why I'm here to ask anyone kind enough to point to a right direction to avoid any unnecessary cost. 1: need a MBK case that can accept gen parts, movement, tube & crown etc & where to get them? 2: where to get the part like tube, dial, crown etc....used is ok 2: who is the man can put them together, The Zigmeister?? 3: any others I need to know? Thanks all CK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panerai153 Posted December 23, 2009 Report Share Posted December 23, 2009 Search the cRolex Forum, there was a thread about this a few weeks ago. I don't think from what I remember is the MBW/MBK case won't work with a genuine movement. you would need a yuki or similar case, but i'm not sure. i sort of flirted with the idea, but it's too expensive for me if you do it right. I do remember that the movement is a very old obsolete movement. Arthur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted December 23, 2009 Report Share Posted December 23, 2009 Yep, the MBW case is a waste of time, it's far too thick. You need the Yuki case and a working 1030 movement. Get ready to spend big on this project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted December 23, 2009 Report Share Posted December 23, 2009 Steps for all franken projects Research the details of the gen watch. Like any diy project, the end result is only as good as the prep work. There are numerous books available detailing the 6538 (& other vintage Rolex models). Dowling's 'Rolex: The Best of Time' is a good place to start.Gather the required parts. ebay is your best source for gen & aftermarket parts (remember buyer beware - always buy the seller before you buy the watch/part). Search RWG for previous members' experiences & tutorials (there are many).Have the movement serviced by a professional watchmaker (Ziggy is your best bet, but most locales have numerous Rolex-trained watchmakers who can service a Rolex movement). There are countless reports from members who suffered a movement breakdown shortly after the completion of their project watch. Best to bite the inevitable bullet & have the movement overhauled properly before you begin. Believe me, this step is likely to save you alot of aggravation later on.Construct the watch. Few professional watchmakers will agree to execute 1 of these projects because of the many hours & huge amounts of effort often required. However, Ziggy often will. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted December 23, 2009 Report Share Posted December 23, 2009 What he said. Nice reply, Freddy. There have been recent posts like this, with photos showing the side of the MBW/K case and the crown protruding below the centerline of the case. A problem as significant as that just cannot be overcome. Do a LOT of reading and get familiar with how the piece is "supposed" to look... there will be many iterations of gens. Then acquire the parts to build what you've assembled in your mind. You'll run into specific hurdles, and each of those has been discussed at length here. Some parts work, others don't. Some fit, but don't look right. Others are correct and look strange, until you find a photo of a gen that's exactly like the "strange" part you found. About the only rule of thumb with vintage Rolex is, there were almost no rules. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ck5533 Posted December 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 23, 2009 This is just a rough idea how much it going to cost ME.... Complete replacement case with 8mm crown - 1450 Dial(4 lines) - 400 used movement - 1500 aftermarket rivet style bracelet - 60 Service & assembly by The Zigmeister - ?? Total : 3410 + The Zigmeister!! Anything I miss or anyone knows how much The Zigmeister will charge? regards CK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronin Posted December 23, 2009 Report Share Posted December 23, 2009 Sounds about right ck5533. I only wish we had a way to use ETA, or DG28xx, or Miyota 8215, or Segull or ANYTHING other than a rough 1030 that will need a $ service. Heck even a non-Auto manual wind if would work. It would almost be worth the money when you get the case & dial, to buy a ton of cheap auto movements and see if there is any hope. I still have some Vostok 19.8's that I often wonder about. Heck, no Datewheel to worry about, this should be easy. I am not convinced we have exhausted all the possibilities yet. IMHO, this watch is all about Case, Dial and Bezel. Who cares whats inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligoat Posted December 23, 2009 Report Share Posted December 23, 2009 This is just a rough idea how much it going to cost ME.... Complete replacement case with 8mm crown - 1450 Dial(4 lines) - 400 used movement - 1500 aftermarket rivet style bracelet - 60 Service & assembly by The Zigmeister - ?? Total : 3410 + The Zigmeister!! Anything I miss or anyone knows how much The Zigmeister will charge? regards CK What about a set of hands? Service and assembly from Ziggy- maybe $250-350. I would think you could find a 1030 for $1000+ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ck5533 Posted December 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2009 What about a set of hands? Service and assembly from The Zigmeister- maybe $250-350. I would think you could find a 1030 for $1000+ That's right. hands we need hands. Good point. Any idea where to source 1030 for $1000+........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoJo35 Posted December 24, 2009 Report Share Posted December 24, 2009 ...don't forget a gen T17, gen bezel, gen crown/tube, and of course, a proper bond strap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ck5533 Posted December 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 25, 2009 Merry Christmas every1 Thanks all inputs. Will start my research & saving in the new year and certainly it's going to cost me a fortune! Unless I change my mind. When I did my rough calculations, I kept asking myself whether I should stick to this project or something else, cheaper of course, eg IWC or Breitling Having said that, with that kind of $$, there are plenty of gen watches can be considered. kind of dilemma.........now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panerai153 Posted December 25, 2009 Report Share Posted December 25, 2009 I think Therein lies the dilemma of the "super frankens". Just like building a house, your estimate is always going to be way less than what the final cost is. I believe that you should have two essential ingredients to get involved at this level. 1) You must be very knowledgeable about the particular subject that you are involved with. 2) You should have some skills to do a lot of the work yourself, possibly not tearing down and repairing cleaning and lubricating the movement, but you should be able to get the movement out, change dials, hands, Crown and tube bezel inserts, etc. All of this is going to require a lot of time and some expenditures for the proper tools to do the work. These requirements are certainly not inclusive. It certainly helps if you have established a good network of fellow members, dealers and parts suppliers, who can help you find those elusive, hard to find bits and pieces that you need to finish a project. As much as I hate to be discouraging, you probably picked one of the most expensive and scarce watches to duplicate. There are very few genuine parts floating around for these vintages, consequently parts are terribly expensive. For example, I saw a genuine 8mm Brevet crown on Ebay last week, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brucesreps Posted December 25, 2009 Report Share Posted December 25, 2009 ..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanikai Posted December 25, 2009 Report Share Posted December 25, 2009 I'm wondering if I can use a 5508 Yuki case.. from what I've read.. the 6518 had a smaller crown.. and pencil hands?.. Now to find the somewhat Correct dial..maybe use the movement from my bubbleback.. since the value of that is not worth much these days .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flex Posted December 27, 2009 Report Share Posted December 27, 2009 I have been able to find a correct dial... the cloese one i have found is from Minh Quy http://www.chrono24.com/tw/dealer/minhquy/liste.htm?SEARCH_ADTYPE_ID=Z If you are going to use an ETA movement/ Silix as a base, MY will be able to reprint your ETA dial.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ck5533 Posted December 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 27, 2009 I have been able to find a correct dial... the cloese one i have found is from Minh Quy anything from chrono24 is going to cost you hands & leg!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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