Sometimes, Rolex Knows Best

[freddy333]

I just missed the proverbial bullet with my Phase II 6542 -

After washing my hands, I noticed fog on the inside of the crystal. Of course, this means moisture has found its way past the case seals & into the case. So I removed the movement & replaced the crown/stem onto the tube & dropped the case into a glass of water (of course, this is not a good pressure test, but it will reveal gross leak points into the case). Sure enough, there was a small leak around the crown cap. Even though the seals in the tube & crown cap were new & properly lubed, they were not water-tight. So I r&r'd the tube with a new gen, replaced the seal in the crown cap & retested. Same again - still leaking.

So I swapped the Brevet out for a NOS Twinlock 600 (the crown most 6542s were originally fitted with) & retested. Dry as a bone. Although it looked & screwed-down ok, the Brevet cap was obviously not sealing. So I went over the inside of the crown cap with my 10x loupe &, sure enough, there was minute pitting & wear along the threads & inside the crown that had escaped my original inspection with my 4x loupe.

Something else I noticed - Although the Brevet felt fine, the NOS Twinlock feels so much more silky & sure that I think I am going to leave it on there (unless I can locate a NOS 6mm Brevet, which I have little hope of finding).

I guess the moral of the story is that while the rarest vintage Rolex parts may add a bit of icing on the cake, they may also be incurring a handicap in the feel & reliability of your watch. So, sometimes, Rolex may be right in demanding that we replace these objects of our RIS affection with more modern parts.

[Brightight]

On the other hand, maybe the insistence on replacing with more modern parts is laziness on Rolex's part for not producing vintage replacements? It's like fitting a Floyd-rose trem to a 50's Strat, inconceivable vandalism!!

[Dizzy]

Now im starting to think twice about all those used 703 triplocks i bought on ebay!! lol So far ive been lucky with adding new o-rings...

Excellent post Freddy

Dizz

[highoeyazmuhudee]

I recently bought a NOS 702 crown, mint condition, screwed it down and then off only to find there was black goop where the gasket used to be. it looked perfect before i put it on too. The gasket was so old and untouched that it was liquefied but held its shape UNTIL disturbed. hah. cant complain though it was a great find.

[freddy333]

Now im starting to think twice about all those used 703 triplocks i bought on ebay!! lol So far ive been lucky with adding new o-rings...

Probably, less to worry about with a modern part like a 703 (assuming it does not have any damage) than with a 50+ year old part.

I recently bought a NOS 702 crown, mint condition, screwed it down and then off only to find there was black goop where the gasket used to be. it looked perfect before i put it on too. The gasket was so old and untouched that it was liquefied but held its shape UNTIL disturbed. hah. cant complain though it was a great find.

The other common vintage parts that comes to immediately mind are those gen superdome crystals, which, even as NOS, are now likely reaching 20+ years of age (assuming the 1 you get came from the final production run & not from an earlier 1 ). Plexiglas, especially, has a tendency to age & become brittle & this is not a good thing when you are swimming or bathing. This is why, although I picked up a gen T39 for my beater a few years ago, I decided against replacing the brand new superdome from Clarks, which looks almost indistinguishable from the gen & provides far more reliability & peace of mind.

[automatico]

Something else...

Good idea to install a silver sealing washer between the case tube and case.

(rolex p/n 29-06020 for 6mm and 29-05310 for 5.3mm tubes)

[Nanuq]

So Freddy, are you gonna dust-bin that POS Brevet crown?

[freddy333]

Good idea to install a silver sealing washer between the case tube and case.

(rolex p/n 29-06020 for 6mm and 29-05310 for 5.3mm tubes)

They are not listed in either the parts or service books for the 6542 or 24-600 Twinlock.

So Freddy, are you gonna dust-bin that POS Brevet crown?

It cost me $200, so I will clean it up & use it on another project (or, if I am able to make it reliable, it could make a reappearance here ).

[Katerchen]

It's like fitting a Floyd-rose trem to a 50's Strat, inconceivable vandalism!!

Nice OT comment btw... Floyd Rose?

I had that thingy on a Charvel Strat with 2 active EMGs!!

Can tell ya - this was rockin'

Sadly sgave it to a friend - still have a marshall stack in my cellar

sometimes i miss rehearsing a lot!

Sadly this is also a matter of time as many hobbies

##

"OT off"

George

[Nanuq]

<OT>

George you have good taste. In fact I'm listening to some Jimi right now.

My tastes run to the Gibson side of the aisle... all original '59 Cherry Les Paul here.

Really REALLY OT here

</OT>

[freddy333]

(1969 100 watt lead)

Almost back on topic

(6542 among the knobs of a '74 'Paul)

[Nanuq]

Oh BABY!

[Katerchen]

WOW @Freddy

and @Nanuq -

Never noticed we have practicing guitar audiophiles here

And i promise this is my last OT comment spamming this thread

otherwise ill go private(PM).

The Gibson Les Paul is a guitar (my friend owns one) i always

dreamt to own - was 16 back then when i first decided to buy a e-guitar...

I covered and used to play lots of the "classic" stuff -

For example Hendrix... some Guns'n'Roses stuff but also

more hard stuff like Voivod, Metallica and Prong.

Guitar i owned Charvel-Strat with Jackson-Style "upside-down" Guitarhead

was also played in that configuration (EMG Humbucker) 1:1

by Tommy Victor (Prong) back in the 80s.

I once had an unpleasant encounter with one of my neighbours -

coming back from school(loaded) straight into the cellar

switchin on the marshall(only half-stack!) and

rocking the sh_it out of my guitar fretboard (my fingers

almost bleeded) - saying that he doesnt have to stir

his coffee putting sugar in but the dishes almost felt

out of the cupboards and that i SHOULD REHEARSE MORE QUIETLY

2 years later when i announced my father that i finally

have the money to go "Marshall Full-Stack" (lol)

he said that he is straight going to "give me the chop"

if i dare...

The rest is history... less and less time... life intruded.

----------------------------------------------------

BTW if someone is interested to buy

a FENDER AMP (Champ 12)- bought 1989 - with tubes

(clean and distorted channels - footswitch)

with 12 inch speaker - drop me a line

Color is red, fine thing for rehearsing

and interesting for guitar sounds from "jazz to rock"

very nice distortion and timbre!

-----------------------------------------------

Thanks again Fred and Nanuq -

i leave the audience now to your FAMOUS WATCHES

Always keep on rockin'

George

[Nanuq]

Nice story, George. I used a Carvin SLM1600 for years, with just one cabinet. Like you, life got in the way and now all I play is my wood music baby. Guild only built 100 of these, and I got lucky on this one. I'm on my 3rd set of frets and she sings.

Okay now I'm really, really, REALLY going to stay on topic. Promise.

[Katerchen]

@Nanuq

And how is the saying?

A good household needs at least ONE acoustic guitar to impress the wife lol

haha...

You guys literally rock - others just virtually!!

Aahhh... good ol' days

George

[Nanuq]

YEAH BABY.

[automatico]

"They are not listed in either the parts or service books for the 6542 or 24-600 Twinlock."

I have been using the washers for 30+ years. Sometimes it is the only way to stop a leak.

Here is the quote from an official rolex facory manual telling about installing case tubes:

Instructions for use:

1. Choose the right tube (refer to Oyster catalogue R.20) and fit it on the corresponding broach.

2. Grease slightly the thread of the tube with Silicone grease Rolex Ref. 2909 or grease KT-22 Rolex Ref. 2907.

3. Screw the tube with its washer on the case band. The tubes stand a screwing force of 4 kg-cm.

*Tubes No. 5330 are fitted with a silver washer No. 05310.

*Tubes No. 6010 are fitted with a silver washer No. 06020.

*Tubes No. 7030 are fitted with a plastic washer No. 06011.

[Dizzy]

So Freddy, are you gonna dust-bin that POS Brevet crown?

lol

[freddy333]

Here is the quote from an official rolex facory manual telling about installing case tubes:

Instructions for use:

1. Choose the right tube (refer to Oyster catalogue R.20) and fit it on the corresponding broach.

2. Grease slightly the thread of the tube with Silicone grease Rolex Ref. 2909 or grease KT-22 Rolex Ref. 2907.

3. Screw the tube with its washer on the case band. The tubes stand a screwing force of 4 kg-cm.

I guess Rolex changed the procedure in recent years & dealing mainly with vintage Rolex, I missed that. When installing tubes, I follow the guides in vintage Rolex Technical & Service manuals, which were consistent from the 1970s through the early 1980s (the years covering most of my watches)

(1974)

(1981)

[Dizzy]

"They are not listed in either the parts or service books for the 6542 or 24-600 Twinlock."

I have been using the washers for 30+ years. Sometimes it is the only way to stop a leak.

Here is the quote from an official rolex facory manual telling about installing case tubes:

Instructions for use:

1. Choose the right tube (refer to Oyster catalogue R.20) and fit it on the corresponding broach.

2. Grease slightly the thread of the tube with Silicone grease Rolex Ref. 2909 or grease KT-22 Rolex Ref. 2907.

3. Screw the tube with its washer on the case band. The tubes stand a screwing force of 4 kg-cm.

*Tubes No. 5330 are fitted with a silver washer No. 05310.

*Tubes No. 6010 are fitted with a silver washer No. 06020.

*Tubes No. 7030 are fitted with a plastic washer No. 06011.

Ive always just used a little drop of GS hypo, and if the case threads are getting beyond repair and leaking is a concern, then i use locktight (thicker liquid) to help seal it up. Do you have pics of these little washers? Are the conical in shape or flat? I see the 703 washer is plastic. Is that so it can form to the countersink needed in the case to get the 703 tube to sit flush?

Very interesting indeed

Dizz

[automatico]

"Ive always just used a little drop of GS hypo, and if the case threads are getting beyond repair and leaking is a concern, then i use locktight (thicker liquid) to help seal it up. Do you have pics of these little washers? Are the conical in shape or flat? I see the 703 washer is plastic. Is that so it can form to the countersink needed in the case to get the 703 tube to sit flush?"

Metal sealing washers are used only with 5.3mm and 6.0mm case tubes...7.0mm tubes have a plastic gasket between the tube and case with the case machined for the plastic gasket. Replica cases using 7.0mm crowns generally will not have a seat machined for the plastic washer.

(6.0mm and 7.0mm tubes have the same threads where they screw into the case)

The sealing washer is basically a tiny flat sided (not O section) silver washer that fits over the case tube threads and has an outside diameter a little smaller than the tapered edge of the tube. When the case tube is removed, the washer has been crushed and you will not notice it on the case tube unless you look for it.

Gold tubes have gold washers.

I have seen brass dial washers installed between the tube and case (trimmed on the outside so they do not show), so maybe that is an alternative if you do not have silver washers.

I noticed some aftmkt 5.3mm case tubes now come with the silver washer but 6.0 tubes do not.

Startime has the 5.3mm tube with a silver washer but does not show the silver washer in pictures:

http://store.startimesupply.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=1&Product_Code=RP24-5330&Category_Code=1D_Rolex_casetube

You can also use a non-hardening gasket sealer such as 'Three Bond' on case tube threads to help seal them. Three Bond etc also helps prevent the case tube from unscrewing if the crown has been screwed down too tight. An old crown with rough threads and a flattened out cap gasket will sometimes unscrew the tube with the crown.