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Rolex 1655 Genuine Vs Replica Pics


Jos Nana

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Thanks, pismo. Just to confirm: Your endlinks look like this?

928672470_zaGZe-X3.jpg

And not like these?

928672479_38RCv-X3.jpg

Question to the Rolex experts: Were the endlinks on genuine 7836s constructed in both configurations, or were they all integrated with the rest of the bracelet?

yes like pics 7838+258

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Been following this thread from the start now. some people are saying the dial is wrong i.e. the lume squares don't touch the rehaut, is this a problem with the dial, or the rehaut being too wide and not touching the lume?

The most reasonable suggestion so far is that someone sold Josh a franken 1655, which the factory then used as a gen 1:1 model .. the 24-hour markers should touch the rehaut. The dial on Josh's "gen" looks just like an aftermarket dial out of Vietnam. So to answer your question, the dial print is wrong, not the case.

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Since I have never constructed a 1655 I could be wrong (I have not performed my usual extensive pre-construction research), but I believe the outer markers should contact the inner flange of the case. Taking versional differences into account, the dials in the 1655s in my picture archives & a couple of my books are all variations on this theme

1655-1.jpg

And the 7836 bracelet should be stamped like this with 258, 280, 358 or 380 end links

Rolex-7836-5.jpg

Although the rep has a number of issues, for the price (assuming the bracelet does look like the gen 7836), I think it is a good platform to work with.

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This Gen was posted to the forum only a few days ago ...

Regarding 24H hand color ... Gens have yellow, orange or red .. One color is not better than another

and again, I think this new offering is a good deal. It's sad that they tried to make a 1:1 and got handed a franken watch as a model (if that is the fact)

007-3.jpg

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I'm not picking on prismo's watch, I think it looks great especially for the price.

It also shows how far these reps have come over the years, as I guess you could say we are picking on small details. However I still don't understand why they did'nt look at a few gen pics and work out how the dial should look.

would a Yuki dial fit in it then? If all else is good seems like a cheap mod to me.

Marc.

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I'm not picking on prismo's watch, I think it looks great especially for the price.

It also shows how far these reps have come over the years, as I guess you could say we are picking on small details. However I still don't understand why they did'nt look at a few gen pics and work out how the dial should look.

would a Yuki dial fit in it then? If all else is good seems like a cheap mod to me.

Marc.

It's not 'picking on details' when a forum trusted dealer posts shots comparing watches, claiming that one is genuine, yet the dial of that watch does not match with any of the other genuine dial photos posted by members... Perhaps Josh, unbeknownst to him, purchased a watch which did not have it's original dial :pardon:

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"Regarding 24H hand color ... Gens have yellow, orange or red .. One color is not better than another."

I have a set of nos 1655 hands from about 10 years ago and the 24 hour hand is red...many later models had red 24 hour hands iirc.

The last genuiine 1655 I worked on had a straight second hand (no lollipop) and orange 24 hour hand. The 24 hour markers went right up to the case like JAG's pictures. I have seen a few with yellow 24 hour hands and I always figured they faded from orange. (I'm wrong a lot though)

Never saw one with a space between the 24 hour markers and case. There is a problem with the luminous material being right up against the case though...if you move the dial/mvt around inside the case much...the outer edge of the luminous material can get scraped off by the sharp edge of the case.

Sometimes it just falls off. :animal_rooster:

An accurate 1675 would be good too. I have one from 'Paul' from 2004 or 2005 and it used a submariner case.

I have a genuine late 1970s 1675 and if anyone needs case measurements etc, I can dig it out and measure it.

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I have got one of this on the way as I type - I hope it is as good as expected and there are so many different dial/bezel/hand combinations on this genuine version that it is difficult to know what to expect - I am maybe going to have to get a dial swap but then again.....

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Yuki is now selling the bracelets seperately...a little pricey, but they are listed...

Sheesh, it's a few bucks cheaper than buying the Asian Explorer II!

HOWEVER, it looks like a different bracelet from the one that comes with the new Josh 1655. Integrated endlinks, for one. Slightly improved coronet stamping, maybe? Unless someone compares the two 7836s side-by-side and finds a fatal flaw with the Josh version, it's going to be a hard sell at that price.

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:g: Be aware that, unless Yuki received the new lot of vintage Rolex bracelets, the original shipment did not (easily) accept gen 2mm dia springbars. They did me a favor (as a stop-gap measure) by forcing a set of 2mm aftermarket springbars into my 7206 bracelet, but 1 of the springbars stopped springing shortly after I received my bracelet. So unless they have received a new shipment of bracelets with larger diameter end link holes, you may have problems fitting gen springbars for watches that require them.
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Been following this thread from the start now. some people are saying the dial is wrong i.e. the lume squares don't touch the rehaut, is this a problem with the dial, or the rehaut being too wide and not touching the lume? Also couldn't this be offered with the ETA low beat that Josh puts in the new vintage subs?

Great looking watch for the money Prismo! Thanks for the pics.

Marc.

Marc, same for me, I have been following this thread since the start and asking myself the same questions.

My theory : if the rehaut is to wide, it means -imho- the watch case was not built from scratch at Rolex case specs, but using an existing rep case and not necessary an Explorer one :whistling: Makers use to do this since a long time. For exemple, look these vintage GMT using a Sub case.

Also another question : the plexi and the bezel ring have the same kind of building/assembly as the gen 1655 ?????? :whistling:

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  • 2 months later...

Be aware that, unless Yuki received the new lot of vintage Rolex bracelets, the original shipment did not (easily) accept gen 2mm dia springbars.

To owners of Josh's new 1655 - anyone had success fitting 2mm springbars to the bracelet? And the lugs, can they be drilled to fit the gen/OEM springbars?

Edit: found the answer on another post (thanks Flyingwedge!) - both lugs and bracelet have to be drilled to fit 2mm springbars, bracelet does not take gen springbars out of the box.

Edited by permabull
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  • 7 years later...

This just arrived from Josh. it was on the bracelet but it's a little big and I haven't altered it yet. can you remove a link from the folded steel oyster bracelet ? or just adjust the pin position of the clasp? 

 

Recommendations please on what to do next. I have a raffles second hand and raffles GMT which looks much better. I was going to relume the hands with some slight ageing and then age the lume but only to a creamy tone, maybe not completely relume as the lume will look to thick, plus I doubt I can relume accurately enough :D .

I got the asian clone version just because I wanted a budget build to see if I liked it. some of my other Rolex builds have vintage ETA 2783's in them and I have a spare so maybe that's a future upgrade.

 

wristy453.jpg

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Hi There, ok first things first the 1655 is one of the reps that need a lot of effort to get close to Gen but here's a suggestions list for you....all of which can be done by Ado if you ask him nicely who has previously done this for me. He has a section on the forum

Case re lathed to create correct CG swoop, and reduce the case size on the other side, drilled lug holes for 2mm spring pins

Replace bezel for correct flat 4 - big give a way on the rep, Ebay normally has a few on there

rubyswatch.com 1655 dial - best one out there

Tiger concept hand set - correct length hour and minute plus the best 24hr orange hand

mod the 2836 movement so the 24hr hand isn't adjustable as per the gen 1575 movement 

cartel 7836 folded bracelet

Sternkreuz T127 plexi

 

Cheers DH

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I posted my finish build elsewhere but i thought i'd add it here to show the contrast between the original Perfect Clones before modding above.

I know the bezel still isn't right and possibly a combination of that and a better plexi will come in time. This is the stock bracelet that came with the watch too by the way.

1655_build_47.jpg

Edited by irate03
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