lhooq Posted September 8, 2010 Report Share Posted September 8, 2010 I completed a couple of projects today, both of which bear an uncanny resemblance to pieces already in my collection. I plan to write about these projects in greater detail, but for now I just wanted to take pictures! For both the 1016 Explorer and the manual-wind Daytona, I wanted pieces that were representative of the early and late stages of each model's life cycle. However, I really like folded-link bracelets, so shooting for 1987 wasn't in the cards. So let's travel about a decade from the mid-60s to the mid-70s, as riveted bracelets fell out of fashion, and Superdomes were demolished... DW 6239 and DW 6263 1601-based Space-Dweller and 16203-based Explorer Frankens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted September 8, 2010 Report Share Posted September 8, 2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnCocktosten Posted September 8, 2010 Report Share Posted September 8, 2010 The dial on the space-dweller is stunning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiman12 Posted September 8, 2010 Report Share Posted September 8, 2010 Nice M! You used the super tonneau shaped DW 6239 case afterall, it looks pretty good with the crown installed... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonio_fr Posted September 8, 2010 Report Share Posted September 8, 2010 I completed a couple of projects today, both of which bear an uncanny resemblance to pieces already in my collection. I plan to write about these projects in greater detail, but for now I just wanted to take pictures! For both the 1016 Explorer and the manual-wind Daytona, I wanted pieces that were representative of the early and late stages of each model's life cycle. However, I really like folded-link bracelets, so shooting for 1987 wasn't in the cards. So let's travel about a decade from the mid-60s to the mid-70s, as riveted bracelets fell out of fashion, and Superdomes were demolished... DW 6239 and DW 6263 I really like the left one. (all you Rolex are gorgeous btw) What is a good model to start with to try it ? Antoine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhooq Posted September 8, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2010 I was wondering whether I should have written "DW 6263 and DW 6239" on account of the photo, but then it would've run counter the whole evolution theme. Sorry for any confusion, regardless. Antoine: The left one is the 6263, which is the later model with screwdown pushers, 7mm crown, and a plastic bezel insert. The only vintage Daytonas worth getting -and cost less than $1000- are from DW. Unfortunately, they can be a big headache to assemble, and the movement can be problematic. It took about 4 months of troubleshooting to get my 6263 running reliably, and I dread all the scary surprises the 6239 has in store for me. A lot of people swear by Spinmaster, who assembles, modifies, and QCs each DW Daytona he sells. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligoat Posted September 8, 2010 Report Share Posted September 8, 2010 Very nice grouping M! Nice M! You used the super tonneau shaped DW 6239 case afterall, it looks pretty good with the crown installed... 'super tonneau shaped', I love it JB! Mine just arrived yesterday- the same 6239 case. I'm wondering about chopping the 'tonneau' off! I don't know how DW manages to copy an obscure feature like the tonneau- 6239's didn't start with this 'bump' and who knows why Rolex put it in there on later cases, and then DW goes out and copies it. Thank goodness my V72 6239 case didn't have this little feature! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronin Posted September 8, 2010 Report Share Posted September 8, 2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmStaFF Posted September 8, 2010 Report Share Posted September 8, 2010 nice pictures and awesome watches Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwatch Posted September 8, 2010 Report Share Posted September 8, 2010 Wow that is an impressive set of Rollies. I still really love that Space Dweller, but the Daytona's look awesome too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member X Posted September 8, 2010 Report Share Posted September 8, 2010 Space Dweller? Super tonneau shaped case? Just when I think I'm getting less noob, someone posts something I have NFI what it is... lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donerix Posted September 8, 2010 Report Share Posted September 8, 2010 Love the 6263, especially the dial without "DAYTONA". Question for the Pros: I will be in BKK next month (any chance to pick up one of those over there (I remember a post - I think from James Thailand - showing some nice vintage Daytonas, but in gold). Any help is appreciated (I really thought I am only a vintage Panerai kind of guy, but after seeing all those great posts and especially the pics from that gen meeting - see below - I see myself strongly drifting towards vintage Rollies): Sorry for the non-intentional thread hijacking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stilty Posted September 8, 2010 Report Share Posted September 8, 2010 nice additions and great photos! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jkay Posted September 8, 2010 Report Share Posted September 8, 2010 Space Dweller? Just when I think I'm getting less noob, someone posts something I have NFI what it is... lol I had to look this one up last night! When US astronauts visited Japan, Rolex created a Japan-market-ONLY, limited edition model called the Space-Dweller. It has never actually been in space. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member X Posted September 8, 2010 Report Share Posted September 8, 2010 Blimey, I bet the gens are cheap... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eton Posted September 9, 2010 Report Share Posted September 9, 2010 Beautiful M!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parryl Posted September 9, 2010 Report Share Posted September 9, 2010 Love the 6263, especially the dial without "DAYTONA". Question for the Pros: I will be in BKK next month (any chance to pick up one of those over there (I remember a post - I think from James Thailand - showing some nice vintage Daytonas, but in gold). Any help is appreciated (I really thought I am only a vintage Panerai kind of guy, but after seeing all those great posts and especially the pics from that gen meeting - see below - I see myself strongly drifting towards vintage Rollies): Sorry for the non-intentional thread hijacking i didnt know you are a daytona fan . can you share more information on the brown dials ? thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donerix Posted September 9, 2010 Report Share Posted September 9, 2010 I am sure the real Rolex experts know a lot more than me (which is really zip-zero-zilch). I just saw the pic and fell in love ( I am so glad you can't get married to watches or I would already be broke three times over, barely survived my RL divirce ....) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eunomians Posted September 9, 2010 Report Share Posted September 9, 2010 It's nice to see that there still is love for the ol' vintage Rolex sports models around here. Very nice watches LHOOQ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donerix Posted September 9, 2010 Report Share Posted September 9, 2010 Just looked around a bit and found one of these rare brown 6263 babies for sale (only 48000 Euro): Brown Daytona and some more stuff on the" tropical: Italian Chocolate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhooq Posted September 9, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2010 Contrary to my earlier suspicions, the DW 6239 midcase is not identical to his 6263's. It still has its issues, especially the "convessa tumah" on the side (to quote Arnoldo Mazzariolenegger). However, it's not nearly as noticeable on a 6239 as it is on DW's dire-looking 6238. donerix: Both flex and I made noises about flying off to Thailand for a weekend if the price was right on those vintages. I was serious, and so was flex, I reckon. James has since gone silent, which probably means he bought them all for himself! I love tropical dials, too, and you might notice that the dial on my 6263 has gone a bit champagne/beige in color. (When I bought it in January it was a whitish silver, like the 6239 dial.) I don't know if it plans on changing color some more, but it looks terrific right now. Also, I'm still kicking myself over not buying a tropical 1016 gilt dial that recently sold on VRF for EUR150. I think I hesitated over the cost of getting a 1570 to put it on. There's no way I could snip the feet off that dial without feeling like a heel. Regarding the Space-Dweller, the common story is about Rolex commemorating the Mercury Seven astronauts' visit to Japan. I'm not really sure if that's true, or just a Steve McQueen-like tall tale. Whatever the origin, they were very limited in numbers, and the one example on Antiquorum sold for USD 48,0000, which is about ten times what you'd expect to pay for a more mundane 1016. So, yes, I do wear it frequently! "Oh, this old thing?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donerix Posted September 9, 2010 Report Share Posted September 9, 2010 I am guessing you guys are a little bit closer to Bangkok than myself ( 10615.5 Miles - I looked it up) to be able to go for the weekend I am still going, need a vacation anyway. Your 6263 is what I am dreaming to have one day. Don't you think there might be more of those to be found in BKK? I will look hard, but maybe somebody can point me in the right direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flex Posted September 9, 2010 Report Share Posted September 9, 2010 Not sure about the BKK scene. I do go Bkk or other part of Thaland twice a year. But I have seen the vintage Rolex daytona in saigon (and a friend from India said the same is sold in Inda). In Saigon, I had asked the seller to open to check if it were a vajoux movement. Even though the Vajloux 72 momvemtn has engrvaed bridge. It was dirty, badly assembled -- can be seen with my naked eyes. I would suggest building one from scratch and sourcing the parts. I have a couple of manual winded vintage daytonas ( not as nice as LHOOQ -- BigCrown has also got a drop dead gorgeous 6263/5) -- I don't want to thread crap by posing pictures. The ones in here are one of the best I have seen- the gen 6239 has slight different shapes than 6263. The 6239 here is nicely executed. 6263 is nice but still needs some works. I woukd work on the shape of the lugs on that paricular 6263. Flex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhooq Posted September 9, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2010 Honestly, I haven't been to Bangkok in about 20 years, so I'm not very familiar with the place. However, there are often airline seat sales so the cost of a round trip sometimes gets as low as USD 100. The timing never works out for me, but I'm tempted to pop by to MBK to grab some KFC and a Patek Nautilus! I've been to Saigon and Hanoi, but was never fortunate enough to run into a V72 Daytona, let alone those infamous Seamaster 300 and Blancpain Fifty Fathoms fakes. I did see a lot of vintage watches that had been "decorated" with swastikas and eagles on the dial. I'm sure it's just for luck! Flex: Thanks for the compliment! I've seen your Daytonas. More pictures of them would definitely NOT be considered thread crapping by me! Anyway, here's an extra photo that shows more of the dials and the difference in details and coloration. The lack of a "SWISS" marking on my 6263 was a bit of a negative, so I'm glad to have it on the 6239: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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