FxrAndy Posted July 24, 2010 Report Share Posted July 24, 2010 Not seen any on the bay, and a gen case would be nice, failing that what is the best rep case for a vintage explorer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhooq Posted July 25, 2010 Report Share Posted July 25, 2010 Andy, there was a brief discussion on 1016s a couple of weeks ago. Genuine 1016 cases are very rare, and very dear when they do show up. Yuki is an option, but one that hasn't been tested yet. It looks good in the pictures, but it's hard to gauge the accuracy from the angles the shots were taken. NDTrading has a pricey replacement available. It may also be due to the angles at which the photos were taken, but I think it looks terrible. MBK sells the best out-of-the-box 1016, and it's also a good base for projects (as shown by Lanikai's and crockey's gilt-dial Explorers). The dimensions are a bit off, though. The problem with most of the cheaper (i.e. $250 and lower) 1016 reps is that they're based on old rep Datejusts that are all over the place, dimensionally. You can take a close look at a couple of mine here. One came from Hont, and the other was from Narikaa. Pretty much the same case. That said, I would like to give Silix's ROLS048 a try if I were embarking on another cheapo 1016 project! It looks like a promising base, with more softly-contoured lugs, thicker midsection, and lugholes in roughly the right place. The caseback is very different, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
If you see Kay Posted July 25, 2010 Report Share Posted July 25, 2010 I have that Silix watch, and the caseback is a flat screw down caseback. Unfortunately I had that sent off with the crystal for modding and it is now lost somewhere in transit. So I have a watch with out a case or crystal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brightight Posted July 25, 2010 Report Share Posted July 25, 2010 Andy I have a Yuki 1016 case coming, tracking shows "Released with charges" which fills me with trepidation, but it is as of yesterday sitting in the local depot "Waiting payment of charges", no doubt I will get a notification tomorrow............ Once I get it I will post up some pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmj Posted July 25, 2010 Report Share Posted July 25, 2010 I have a gen 1603 case if you are interested in using that. I was planning on starting a new project but I have just purchased from Yuki a 7922 so I dont think I will be using this case for a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
automatico Posted July 25, 2010 Report Share Posted July 25, 2010 "Genuine 1016 cases are very rare, and very dear when they do show up." True, and many have corrosion around the case and caseback where the gasket goes so be very careful when buying one. Also check to see how much the case is bent by removing the caseback and rocking it dial side up on a flat surface. A little is Ok and may be because of grinding/polishing etc but a lot of rocking means the case is bent. Many are rejected cases that should have been thrown away. "Yuki is an option, but one that hasn't been tested yet. It looks good in the pictures, but it's hard to gauge the accuracy from the angles the shots were taken." I do not want to be the first to get one. Besides, if the first one is Ok, will the next one be the same? I have a feeling these cases are probably made from modern replica 16200 etc DJ cases. "MBK sells the best out-of-the-box 1016, and it's also a good base for projects" MBK cases are probably the best for Eta base projects and a genuine rolex 16200 case with lug holes is probably the best for 1530 base rolex movement projects. It is very hard to drill accurate holes in a modern case with blind lug holes. I have tried it and ruined two cases before I got one right. I used replica cases so the loss was small but I would not try on a genuine case unless I made a precision case holder. The trouble was that the drill bit 'walked' around on the lug and missed the center. I finally got one right by mounting the case at a slight angle to make the start of the cut straight into the lug and not at an angle. As soon as the bit got a good start, I remounted the case so the hole would be straight. Something else I learned is to have the least amount of drill bit sticking out of the collet/chuck as possible so the bit will not flex and 'walk' around. I started with a smaller bit and took about 3 cuts to finish up at the desired size. Btw, I was using a Sherline vertical milling machine and not a hand held drill or drill press. If I get my nerve up, I might try again using a precision case holder of some sort. "The problem with most of the cheaper (i.e. $250 and lower) 1016 reps is that they're based on old rep Datejusts that are all over the place, dimensionally." I agree. Many of the first 1016 Frankensteins I saw were at NAWCC etc shows 20 years ago using genuine rolex 1601/3 and 1018 cases with 1520/60/70 mvts sporting used 1016 dials and they just will not pass for a 1016 off the wrist. "I would like to give Silix's ROLS048 a try if I were embarking on another cheapo 1016 project! It looks like a promising base, with more softly-contoured lugs, thicker midsection, and lugholes in roughly the right place. The caseback is very different, though." It looks like a very good place to start an Eta 1016 project, especially since it has lug holes. Imho, the caseback is Ok as long as you do not wear it upside down... As far as it goes...a 16200/1016 project is busted as soon as you look between the lugs...just like a tranny hooker. One thing I have noticed is that many 1016 project watches use a crystal that sits too high above the bezel. The old style domed 1016 crystals were relatively low (I do not have one to measure) and the modern 'flat top' angle edge crystals are not very high either. I just measured a genuine rolex 25-22 'flat top' crystal and it is only 4.7mm thick top to bottom counting the slight dome. After the bezel is pressed down over the crystal, about 1.3mm is all that rises above the bezel at the edge and the slight dome makes the whole crystal about 2.5mm higher than the bezel at the top center The GS PA464-64C replacement for a rolex 25-22 is the exact same as genuine...4.7mm high overall and no one can tell the difference. I suspect many 'genuine' 25-22 crystals are just repackaged GS crystals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FxrAndy Posted July 25, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2010 Guys thanks very much, i have a price for the Yuki case but that is a bit more than i want to pay out for an untried rep/replacement case looking for ward to seeing brightights photos when his arrives though. what is the differences on the 1603 to the 1016 mjmj? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brightight Posted July 25, 2010 Report Share Posted July 25, 2010 Guys thanks very much, i have a price for the Yuki case but that is a bit more than i want to pay out for an untried rep/replacement case looking for ward to seeing brightights photos when his arrives though. what is the differences on the 1603 to the 1016 mjmj? The 1603 is a 34mm, 1016 is 36mm. There was an earlier explorer 5500 which was the same 34mm case as the 1002 so the 1603 might be an option Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FxrAndy Posted July 25, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2010 I had a look at the silix case and that states 35mm, does any one know if this is more like a 34 measured badly or is it really a bit bigger, I have a gen dial so i would like to get a good case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligoat Posted July 26, 2010 Report Share Posted July 26, 2010 My Silix case measures 34.9mm. The case back is a copy of the 6694 case back, which is different from the other Rolex casebacks. The Silix did take a T-12 crystal very nicely and the 28mm MKII dial. But in my mind it's comparable to a 5500 Explorer. I have a 70's AK case an it measures 34.3mm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhooq Posted July 26, 2010 Report Share Posted July 26, 2010 I have to disagree with Brightight. The 16xx-series Datejusts (like the 162xx's) are 35.5mm across and are usually referred to as 36mm cases. They are just as wide as the 1016s. The main differences between the 162xx and the 16xx are -Caseback: 162xx is closer to the 1016 design and has a higher depth rating. -Crown tube: 162xx uses a thinner-diameter tube, so crowns are incompatible between the two models. -Case design: I believe that the 16xx bears a closer resemblance to the 1016 from the lugholes up, while the 162xx is a better match from the lugholes down. I also think that the 162xx is closer, overall. Aside from the caseback design, the 162xx has a flatter, lower midsection that is more similar to the 1016's. The 162xx has beefier, more outwardly-bowed lugs than both the 16xx and the 1016. The tops of the 16xx's lugs curve more gently, but are skinnier. (At this point, I wish I had some photos to illustrate, but I'm at work and behind a firewall!) One downside to using the 16xx as a base is that you will not be able to drill the lugholes to accommodate 2mm springbars. The holes are too close to the edges of the lugs. If the Silix case takes a Tropic 12, then I think it may be too small. The 1016 and the above Datejusts take crystals with a 29.5mm inner diameter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmb Posted July 26, 2010 Report Share Posted July 26, 2010 The T12 fits my rep Tudor 34mm cases... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brightight Posted July 26, 2010 Report Share Posted July 26, 2010 I have to disagree with Brightight. The 16xx-series Datejusts (like the 162xx's) are 35.5mm across and are usually referred to as 36mm cases. They are just as wide as the 1016s. My apologies, you are spot on, I was thinking of the 15xx case for some stupid reason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligoat Posted July 26, 2010 Report Share Posted July 26, 2010 One quick note, the Silix case also takes a 19mm bracelet/strap. Those DJ cases on the bay sure are expensive these days! I long for the good old days when you could pick up a nice 16200 case from roling for $200- complete w/ crystal, bezel, and dial! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brightight Posted July 26, 2010 Report Share Posted July 26, 2010 One quick note, the Silix case also takes a 19mm bracelet/strap. Those DJ cases on the bay sure are expensive these days! I long for the good old days when you could pick up a nice 16200 case from roling for $200- complete w/ crystal, bezel, and dial! Yes the price of DJ cases is becoming a joke. And they're getting cute, taking off the bezel and crown and selling those separately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhooq Posted July 26, 2010 Report Share Posted July 26, 2010 The sad thing is -like with desirable movements- it seems like the good old days were just a few months ago! Peaks and valleys, I know, but it's sure hard to imagine prices coming down again when you're in the middle of an uptick. (See: Gas prices circa Summer 2008.) alligoat: Are those MkII Sub hands on your Mini-Vantage? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligoat Posted July 26, 2010 Report Share Posted July 26, 2010 Yes, LH, I went with the MKII hands and dial to get the whole nice lume combination. They glow well at nite! I'm not keen on the minute and seconds hands, but since it's not a Rolex, it doesn't matter. Haven't seen MKII selling parts on his site lately. I've found the 'Tudor' eta hands from Clark's also have good lume and they're reasonably priced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhooq Posted July 26, 2010 Report Share Posted July 26, 2010 They look nice on yours, though I'm also wary about seeing those tweaked hands against a proper Rolex dial. As I write, I've got two Clark handsets (along with, ahem, a whole bunch of other stuff) slowly making their way from Texas... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligoat Posted July 26, 2010 Report Share Posted July 26, 2010 Ah, yes, WO990! But I have found his case tubes (24-7030-0)to be quite good. Hope his stuff works out ok for you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhooq Posted July 26, 2010 Report Share Posted July 26, 2010 Oh, no, no, no... After all the warnings I got about "Mr. Slimeball" (I think that's correct?), there's no way I'd be dealing with him! I was referring to our very own Justin B., who received a few parts while doing a bit of work for me. Just a little buffing, drilling, chamfering, countersinking, deburring, and lathe work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmb Posted July 26, 2010 Report Share Posted July 26, 2010 I thought "Mr. Slimeball" was watchbandman50? I will admit I've gotten a few things from WO990 without incident. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligoat Posted July 26, 2010 Report Share Posted July 26, 2010 LOL, JB! Freddy and I have figured outhe has three companies, at least, maybe 4. wholesaleoutlet990 watchbandman50 jewelryoutlet550 eparts or something to that effect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmb Posted July 26, 2010 Report Share Posted July 26, 2010 That would explsin it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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